I went on a quilt retreat this past weekend at a beautiful Virginia state park - Claytor Lake.  10 of us rented a lodge from Thursday to Monday morning and we quilted and sewed all weekend!  And we ate a lot!  Here are some pictures of the lodge, which was spacious and comfortable - we moved some of the furniture away to make space for tables and ironing boards -

                                    

                                    

                                   

                                   

                                   

                                   

                                   

These cute little - I don't know what to call them - containers?  fabric and wooden all-purpose holders?  - were made by Patty, who organized our group.  She gave one to each of us.  And another gal made each of us the little notebook-holders covered in fabric.

                                   

                                   

We had a beautiful view of the lake outside our living room window - and when I went outside to take pictures, I got my picture taken on our porch -

                                   

                                   

                                   

Many of us quickly set up sewing machines and were ready to sew -

                                   

                                   

                                   

Or cut fabric -

                                   

We took turns preparing meals and cooking, and we had wonderful food!  Breakfast casseroles, biscuits, coffee cakes, etc, for breakfasts, and then soups, sandwiches, tacos, chinese stir fry, barbeque for lunches and dinners.  And lots and lots of snacks!  Some of us visited local fabric stores over the weekend, and we made a couple of trips to Walmart.  Otherwise, we sewed and sewed! 

Next time - the projects we worked on

 

                                   

                                   

                                         

This will be the last of the blogs about my trip, because this tells of my trip home! 

I left Colorado on Tuesday, January 4th.  It was probably my most difficult day, for one thing, to leave Betsy there, and then it was just a difficult traveling day.  The temperature, when I woke up, was - 2 degrees.  By the time I had packed up my car and was ready to leave around sunrise, which was a little after 7 AM, it had dropped to - 7 degrees.  I was soooo cold as I loaded up my car, there was still snow on the ground ( I quickly learned that they don't plow any side streets in Colorado, just the main roads, and no parking lots.  At least not when and where I was!)  The traffic to Denver was heavy, and it took me 2 hours just to get there.  Seemed like I just wasn't making any time, and I knew I would lose an hour somewhere, and I really wanted to stop before dark.  I had to drive all the way across Kansas again, and it was sooooo windy!  The only thing that perked me up were seeing so many billboards for quilt and yarn shops!  Not that I went to see any, but I was happy to see the signs.

Finally, at 5:00, it was getting dark, and I saw signs for a Days Inn, newly remodeled, in Salina, KS.  So, I stopped there and checked in.  It was an okay place, clean, roomy, but soooo dark.  The carpet, curtains, chairs, and the lighting were all just very dark and depressing.  Across the parking lot was a Wendy's, so I walked over and bought a hamburger and diet coke and took it back to my room.  My stomach was in knots and I couldn't seem to stop crying.  I was sad, depressed, lonely, and extremely exhausted.  I chatted with Jim, texted with Betsy, talked to a friend I was going to meet the next day and also to my brother, tried to do a little cross stitch, and finally went to bed at 8:30.  That is very early for me!

The next morning, I couldn't wait to get out of there!  I ate a quick breakfast, which was free, but awful.  I left before sunrise and I was glad to be on the road.

And I had some exciting plans!!!  I was to meet another xanga friend for the first time!  Carol and I have been xanga and facebook friends for quite some time now, and we made plans for around lunchtime.  She was driving from a couple of hours away just to meet me!  And since I had left my motel so early, she was able to make it early to our planned location, and we had brunch at a Cracker Barrel on the other side of Kansas City.  What fun!  We loved being able to chat about family and our lives that we have previously only read about!

                                      

                                      

Thank you, Carol, for taking time out of your day that day to get together with me!  You added a lot of joy to my very long trip home!

I was making great time, and I was into the St. Louis area by around 4:00.  About 10 miles before arriving at Rosey's house, my "Check Gauges" light came on and my oil gauge was moving into the zero point, then bouncing back up.  Knowing that Rosey would take care of everything once I got there, I kept going, and pulled into his driveway VERY relieved.  There is something very comforting about knowing you are about to arrive at your brother's house when you are having car trouble!  Sure enough, the oil stick was dry, and I had a slow oil leak.  No worries, Jim (on the phone) and Rosey both said.  We would fill it up tomorrow and make sure I had extra for the road.

So, once again, exhausted - seemed to be my continual state -  I was glad to relax with Rosey and Carol.  Their home is beautiful and comfortable, and it was nice to be there.  The next day, Thursday, Jan 6th, we did some shopping ( oil was first on the list), and got ready for more of the family to come visit on Thursday night.

Here is my nephew, Frank -

                                       

His wife, Ericka, and their daughter, Caitlynn, in the background -

                                      

Carol and Rosey and Caitlynn -

                                      

And Nancy, who is mom to Ken, Frank, and Sharon, came and brought Ken's son, Josh -

                                       

It was quite an honor to have everyone drive in from the various places they live just to see me!  I was thrilled!

                                        

I was watching the weather reports constantly because we were expecting snow again in Virginia, and most especially, in the part of West Virginia that I had to go through.  So, I got up early on Friday, and was on the road by 7 AM again, and kept driving!  The trip went very well, with snowy areas, then dry areas.   I only stopped when I had to, grabbed something to eat in the car, listened to some books on tape that friends lent me, kept looking at my oil gauge, and kept driving!  By dark, I was near Charleston, WV, and Jim said that the bad weather was coming that night.  So, I kept driving, took a longer route home that didn't go through all of the mountains of WV, drove through lots of snow where I could barely see, but made it home at 9:00 that night!

This is what greeted me when I walked in!

                                          

I was never so glad to be home!!!  Praise be to God who was so very gracious and kept me safe and allowed me to take Betsy to her new home and brought me home again!  No major car problems, no major migraines, and lots of nice, warm places to stop with great friends and family along the way.  It was quite a trip!

Believe it or not, I am going away AGAIN!!  For the weekend - to a quilt retreat!  This was planned long before the Colorado trip was planned, and is only an hour away from home.  With no time to get anything ready to be machine pieced, or to get my machine ready and packed up, I am bringing hand work to do for the entire time.  My Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt that I have been working on for years now might just get some progress made on it!  And there is always the cross stitch Christmas stocking for Megan - I was tempted to put it away for several months, but some good friends tonight at my stitching group convinced me that I will be happier to keep going and get it finished!                                

  

We drove from Andrew's parents' home to Betsy's new home in CO on New Years Eve in lots of snow!  The drive took an hour and a half or so.  I was again holding on to that steering wheel with white knuckles, this time alone in the car/trailer and Betsy with Andrew in his car.  The first stop upon arriving was the U Haul place - a tiny little convenience store with a parking lot that had a few U Haul items.  The man there told Andrew to take the trailer off and leave it in its spot.  Easier said than done in the freezing cold with snow coming down!  Andrew managed it all, for which I am so very grateful!  It was our understanding that the U Haul people take care of it all, and we have since complained about the defective trailer light and essentially no service at the drop-off point.  But I was never so glad of anything than I was to have that trailer undone and the cars separated!

We went directly to Betsy's house, met her roommates, and started moving her in!  Her two roommates are very nice, and now the three girls are in this very cute little 3-bedroom house.  The landlord, who she met only by e-mail before moving there, put bedroom furniture in for her, and her room is a nice size, and she has lots of closet space.  Andrew came through again - unloading both cars, carrying the heaviest stuff up the stairs, moving cars around - and we got everything in.  I helped with making the bed, bringing some things upstairs, unpacking some things - until we were at a point where she and Andrew could do the rest.  They had plans for New Years Eve with some of Andrew's friends, and I was soooo ready to go to my motel!  I did just that!  I checked in, found a Quiznos and bought a nice sandwich for my dinner, brought in my suitcases and all, got some hot chocolate from the lobby, and very gratefully stayed in my room!  I was so tired and so cold that all I wanted to do was get warmed up and relax.  I spent New Years Eve watching Hallmark Christmas movies and working on the cross stitch Christmas stocking that I never did finish for Megan, and finishing up 2010 by working on my Bible Study that I also did not finish over the Christmas season! 

Over the next few days, Betsy and I shopped for things that she was not able to bring in our cars, found a few fun places that we wanted to go to (Hobby Lobby, and Borders book store!), went to the mall, the grocery store, etc.  Sometimes I took them out to eat, and sometimes I just picked up a sandwich or salad and relaxed in my room.  My room was large - the day I arrived, I was named "Customer of the Day", given an upgraded room and $10 off my room each night!!!  The decor was bright and cheery, and the breakfasts were wonderful - free in the breakfast room, and there was homemade oatmeal every day!!  It was bitter cold outside, the snow was still covering the roads, and I was perfectly happy when I could go back to my room every day! 

One day we got pizza and ate it in the breakfast room -

                                         

                                         

Here is Betsy, reading in my room for awhile -

                                         

On the last night I was there, we made one more trip to the grocery store and I got some pictures of her new home -

The kitchen - with the groceries on the counter -

                                         

Putting them away -

                                         

Betsy's bedroom door -

                                         

And here is her room -

                                         

                                         

                                          

                                          

                                           

                                           

                                           

Notice the Jamaica theme -  for anyone new to my blog, Betsy spent many weeks and many summers - 14 or 15 trips in all, on mission trips to the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf, a Christian ministry to the Deaf with 3 campuses in Jamaica.  Her heart is very much there with the kids and many adults she worked with over those years! 

Here is the front door -

                                         

   
                                         

Next time - I go back to St. Louis and see more of my family on my way home!
                                           

We stayed in the St. Louis area with my brother and his wife for a couple of days.  Our plans kept changing along with the weather!  We originally planned to arrive Tuesday evening, Dec 28th and leave Thursday afternoon, the 30th.  But we had arrived in the middle of the night on Monday/Tuesday, didn't do too much of significance during the day Tuesday, and then on Tuesday night, several family members came to see us!  What fun!  And they all had to drive 30 - 45 mins to get there, so I really appreciated them coming! 

Here is my brother, Sherwin ("Rosey"), with Betsy and Andrew -

                                        

My niece, Sharon, her fiance, Sentell,  and their little boy -

                                        

This is my nephew, Ken,  and his fiance, Kayla -

                                       

                                       

My sister-in-law, Carol -

                                        

Can't forget Luna!

                                         

I hadn't seen most of them in years, and I hadn't yet met the fiances.  So that was a nice evening, and I so appreciated Rosey and Carol having everyone over. 

The next day, Wednesday, I spent much of the day with my good friend Evelyn, who used to live here, but now lives fairly close to where we were -

                                         

We did a little shopping and went to a lovely tea room for lunch!

Meanwhile, Betsy and Andrew spent the day with Rachel, who is Evelyn's daughter, and for those of you who remember past blogs, Rachel is Betsy's good friend that she had spent quite a lot of time going to Jamaica for mission trips with -

                                         

                                         

They did some sightseeing and had a nice lunch out.

While Evelyn and I were walking around a store that Wednesday, Andrew called to tell me that his mother called to tell him that Denver was expecting snow by morning.  We decided immediately that we would leave that night and drive on to Colorado to arrive before the worst of the snow.  We left right after dinner, taking turns driving.  I had the overnight hours through Kansas, and the wind was terrible!  I hung on tight to that steering wheel trying to keep the Tahoe I was driving, and the trailer/car I was pulling, on the road!  We arrived at Andrew's parents' house after breakfast that morning, and it was snowing, but not too much.  We all took naps!  Luna was so happy that they had a fenced-in backyard and she could get out and play in the snow!

I didn't take any pictures there!  Exhaustion, nervousness about moving on the next day in bad weather, and not knowing Andrew's family very well, all kept me from pulling out my camera to snap photos.  They were all so gracious and hospitable, and we had a nice dinner and spent the evening playing some games.

Next time - Betsy's new home!

                                        

We started on our trip to Colorado on Monday, December 27th.  The night before, Amanda and Sam and the kids came over and helped load up the cars and hook up the trailer.  Jim and Sam  got the U-haul trailer thing ready, got Betsy's car on it, and gave us instructions about how to handle it.  Betsy and I were sure glad that Andrew was coming with us and we were confident that he knew all about these trailer hook-ups! 

Here they are getting the car up on the trailer, in the freezing cold night -

                                        

                                        

                                        

And Charlie and Megan were so cute, watching out the door!

                                        

                                        

Later that night, Andrew flew in from Colorado to help us with the drive.  We started out on Monday, the 27th, around noon.  We had planned to stop and stay overnight somewhere, especially since we went through bad weather through West Virginia and we were thinking that the trip would take a lot longer since we were pulling the trailer.  But later that night, we realized that if we kept driving, we could arrive in St. Louis by around 2:00 AM.  My brother said that was fine with him!  So, we kept going - me and Betsy and Andrew and Luna!  

When we had gotten the trailer hooked up, we realized there was a light out on it - a brake light.  But the U haul place had gotten it in late on Christmas Eve (although we reserved one a week or so before), hadn't checked it out, and we were not really able to do anything about it.  Jim said to just keep going, but not to be surprised if we get stopped by the police, and then just to show him the paperwork and explain the story.  So, what do you think happened??  We were a few minutes from my brother's house, turning into their area, and I was driving, when I saw flashing lights behind me!  Yep, there was the expected policeman with nothing to do at 2 AM but stop me.  So, when he asked me, "Do you know why I stopped you?"  I replied, "Yes, Sir, the left brake light on the trailer is out."  And I explained the story, and he was very, very nice, and told me to get it fixed before we left the area, or go to Walmart and buy reflectors for the back and charge it to U Haul!

We called U Haul the next day and their roadside assistance man came out and found an unconnected wire in the light that we could not have known about because Jim couldn't get that part opened up.  So, in a few minutes  it was all fixed!

Next time - enjoying friends and family in the St. Louis area!

I am home after a 12-day trip to Colorado, driving Betsy to her new home.  I am so thankful for a safe trip and only very minor car problems.  I'll blog it all!  With some pictures!  Soon, I promise. 

On Christmas morning, we woke up to this -

                                         

A white Christmas!  We haven't had a Christmas with it actually snowing on Christmas Day since we moved here 15 years ago!

                                         

                                         

This year, because of the busyness and the fact that I am leaving soon to drive to Colorado, I opted for a table-sized pre-lit tree, and everyone was very happy with it!

                                         

                                         

For much of the day, Jim, Betsy, Suzanne, and I had a very relaxing time, opening some gifts, cooking, napping (ha ha - some of us napped, and it wasn't me!)  Then our family started arriving in the afternoon and the fun began!  We cooked, ate, played games, opened presents, and had a wonderful day!

Here are the tables set for 15:

                                         

                                         

And we started putting some of the food on the food table here -

                                         

Megan was a little overwhelmed, and she wanted me to hold her, but I couldn't, because I was working in the kitchen, so I gave her to Grandpa, but she wasn't so sure about all this. . .

                                         

And so here are a few random pictures -

                                         

This rocking horse belonged to Jim's father since he was a little boy!

                                         

                                         

                                         

                                         

That was our day!  We were blessed to have family and friends with us for the day!

The next big life-event is moving Betsy to Colorado!  I think we will be ready to go before too long. . .

                                         

God is so very good to me, very kind and gracious, even when I am the very least deserving of it!  I am so much less stressed now, and thank you, all who have prayed for me!

Some of the things that we had scheduled to do this week have been canceled, leaving me available to stay home and get some things accomplished.  And, Jim was home by early afternoon today, and instead of going hunting as he had planned, he came home and helped do some things to get ready.

So, one day before Christmas, and here is what else has been done:

My car has been in the shop and is now fixed.
Minuette has been to the vet for a few things, and is ready to go to the kennel next week.
The Christmas shopping is finished!
Grocery shopping is finished!
The room that Suzanne is staying in this time (she moves around here a lot, depending on who else is home or staying here) is all ready for her, and, in fact, she is home now!
The house is as clean as it is going to get.
Most of the wrapping is finished.
Some of the baking is finished.
I am mostly ready to interpret the Christmas Eve service.
The U Haul hook-up thing never came in, so we aren't sure we are going to be getting it.  If not, we will be taking two cars to Colorado.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve!  We will have lunch at a Chinese restaurant, as is our annual tradition, with Jim's parents and brother and his family.  Then, our Christmas Eve service is at 5:00.  That seems early to me!  But it will be a wonderful time to reflect on the birth of our Lord and Savior.

May God bless you all with a wonderful Christmas!

I am a little overwhelmed and stressed this Christmas season.  Ok, really, I am a LOT overwhelmed and stressed this Christmas season.  Really, I wish I could tell you that I am completely focused on the REASON for the season - the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and not concerned with the wordly pressures surrounding this time of year.  But to be open and honest, I have to admit that the pressures are getting me down!

We are so thrilled and happy that Betsy and Andrew are engaged and that a new and exciting future is ahead of them.  But those plans include Betsy's move to Colorado.  So, besides the normal shopping, parties, baking, wrapping, etc, that we do before Christmas, we have had the added preparations for a move.

Preparations for a move (trust me, I have moved across the country plenty of times) include sorting, packing, planning, along with all the doctor's appointments that you want to get in before the move like the dentist, eye doctor, and in this case, the audiologist.  And I am helping with the move, so I will be gone from home, so we have 2 dogs to prepare.  One dog, Luna, is going with Betsy, but she still needs her vet records, her last hearing dog training sessions, and all of her stuff to be ready to go.  The other dog, who will be in a kennel for up to 3 weeks, needs a vet visit and then transported to the kennel. 

Then there are the cars.  We have decided to drive one and pull the other.  So, that means getting the cars to the shop to be ready to go - oil changed, new tires, and then in the middle of all this, my little Chevy Aveo, Smurfette, which Jim is going to use here at home, had a major gear shift system breakdown, and it is in the shop today.

Who moves to Colorado in the dead of winter?  What if we run into a major snowstorm on our trip out there or me on the way back by myself?  I don't mind the long drive - I have done long drives alone many times, and I have lots of books on tape to listen to.  But not in the winter!  I think that my concern about a snowstorm comes from the worst blizzard I ever drove through, and that was the Presidents Day storm of 2003, coming back from a weekend in PA when Amanda was in college there.  Jim reminds me that I managed fine during that nightmarish drive, and nothing I run into could be as bad as that was!

Oh, and then we spent several days looking for wedding dresses!  And we found one - and it is truly beautiful!  The wedding isn't until May, but dresses need to be ordered ahead of time!

So, now here we are, 3 days before Christmas and here is what I have accomplished, stressed though I am:

ALL of those doctor's appts - check
ALL of the car appts - check
Wedding dress purchased - check
Christmas gifts about 99% finished - check
Sewing that was for Christmas - some done and some isn't going to happen - check
A little of the wrapping done - check
Christmas cards in the mail - check

Here is what is left to do:

Minuette to vet - tomorrow and then kennel - Monday
Most of the gift wrapping
All of the Christmas grocery store shopping
All of the Christmas baking
All of the house to be cleaned, beds changed and ready for guests
Pick up and learn how to use the U Haul hook-up to pull the car
Laundry for trip and then clothes packed
Practice for interpreting the Christmas Eve service

On top of that, I got my sign language interpreting scores in the mail, from the test I took in September, and my level didn't improve but stayed the same.  So, I have sort of had that on my mind.

And then the biggest stress of all - leaving Betsy in Colorado!  I know this is the best thing, and I know she will be happy, but I will miss her!  And then I will be driving home alone.  I will be stopping both ways to visit friends and family in St. Louis, and I will also have an opportunity, Lord willing, to stop and see a xanga friend!  So that part will be fun!

So, that is my Christmas stress blog.  No pictures - who has time to take pictures and what would I be taking them of?  Me being a crazy woman?

What am I doing on here when I have all of that to do?!  Time to get some things accomplished!

So many of my xanga friends have lost elderly loved ones this week - you all know who you are.  Really, I can name at least  6 who have had a parent or grandparent die just this week.  And this morning, another precious woman of  God, a wonderful godly 90+ year old woman, is now with her Lord and Savior.  She was my son-in-law's grandmother, and I am close to many of her family members as well.  It was just a year ago this month that my own mother died.

I am praying for all of the families involved, that God would give them comfort, encouragement, and peace now and in the days ahead.