RICE and LICE

Well, Labor Day is just around the corner....and, as usual, summer flew by.

It was a good summer.

Jim finished his chemo, and the PET SCAN was clear!!! Praising God, the GREAT PHYSICIAN, and thanking Him for His mercy and grace.




For me, it was a low-key summer, and I LOVED it. A few trips, here and there, but for the most part ~ HOME....where I like to be.

In May, we went to PA for a family wedding....saw lots of people I have not seen in Y.E.A.R.S. ~ so, that's always fun. Got to spend time with my Grandmother, 103 years old. I fed her, I combed her hair, I rubbed lotion on her, I laughed with her, and I sang and danced with her. She was gone a week later. What a GRACIOUS gift for God to give me one last time with her. I usually don't visit PA until later in the summer. So, thanks, Justin and Tina, for planning your wedding when you did. It also happened to be Mother's Day weekend. I haven't been with my Mother on Mother's Day in probably close to 30 years. So, we had a special event. I invited a group of women, who mean A LOT to me and my family....for tea. We went to Abigail's Tea Room in Reading. It was a delightful afternoon and a very rare occasion.




L. to R.: my Mom, Sara Beth, Sis.... my next-door-neighbor while growing up and like a second Mom, and Meg.



L. to R.: my Aunt Ruthie, my sister, Kathy, family friend, Denise, my niece Tammy, my Aunt Kay, and my cousin, Deb


The end of May, we went to Pullman, WA for another special event. My husband had commissioned a bronze sculpture of our niece, Corinne, in conjunction with her memorial scholarship. The first scholarship was being awarded since we lost Corinne to cancer almost two years ago. She was a senior in high school. The artist, Jeff Wolf, drove something like 14 hours to come to the "unveiling," which took place right before the awards ceremony for scholarships. His speech was so incredibly moving. He explained how Corinne's spirit touched him so very deeply, and how much it meant for him to do the sculpture of her.





Wanda and Matt (Corinne's mom and brother) came to visit last week. We went to the beach for a few days, and had fun playing games.





My girls, however, had a much busier summer.

Sara Beth went to Honduras on a mission trip, to "love on" some children at an orphanage.




She also was a counselor for a camp for children with cancer.




Meg went to China for six weeks. This, my child, who is a very picky eater. Thank the good Lord for rice....it sustained her.




Both had very interesting, eye-opening experiences.

Meg came back from East Asia telling tales of an extremely different culture, and with beautiful pearls.

Sara Beth returned with some very poignant tales, too; but unfortunately...she also returned with lice.

UGH!!!!!! Bless her heart! That has been quite a journey. We have managed to go twenty-three years without the PESTS....and NOW she got caught.

Unfortunately, we had to "put down" our dog, Abigail last week. She was a sweetie. So, that was tuff.



Abigail making herself cozy on top of my suitcase while I pack.

So, that sorta wraps up our summer in a nutshell.

Well ~

Summer '09,
Was one of a kind.
One ate lots of rice,
and the other got lots of lice!!!

Hope you had a nice summer.

Blessings and love,

Becky