We're Back!....(Lori)

Hi everyone! So glad to see many of you last week. We arrived last night at 7:30 p.m. and today I am pooped!! It was worth every mile of riding though. It really wasn't that bad.....the kids were so awesome and the new puppy, Lucy, was too! I didn't even know she was back there!

So, I have lots to share with you and will probably have to break this blog up into 2 parts. We left out Friday, March 27th at 6:45 p.m with Robyn Thorton who was riding with us to Louisiana.

The boys were so excited! As we were going thru Albuqurque, Janie called and asked if we had watching the weather, that I-40 was closed due to the blizzard in Amarillo, Texas! How crazy! But thanks to Amy Knox, we had a GPS which was wonderful in helping us drive a little lower than expected in Texas to avoid trouble. We ended up staying in Eastland, TX in a very crappy hotel (I was so tired, I didn't care!). On Saturday, we dropped Robyn off in Shreveport with her sister at around 2:00. Once she was out of the car, Mason turned hyper and was so excited about reaching Alabama. He definitely had to play Sweet Home Alabama as we crossed into Alabama and we FINALLY reached Cullman at 10:30 Saturday night.

Haven and I stayed with Bonnie and Shane Bowman on Saturday night while the boys spent the night with Devyn Tankersley. Tracy made them go to bed at 5:15 Sunday morning so they got some quality time with Devyn! We went to Grace on Sunday, to what I thought was an awesome service with wonderful worship and a very appropriate sermon from Jack, encouraging them to be patient about God sending them a new shepherd. It was so awesome to see everyone and I just wish they could all see each other as I see them. They are such a wonderful body of believers and although things are not "mountain top" for them right now, they are having a difficult time seeing that God has an awesome plan for them in the future. I keep telling many of them that they don't realize what they have in each other!!

Anyway, I had lunch with Meredith and Sandi and we ventured to KidsMart for a couple of picture of her equipment to pattern mine after. Landon went to the movies with Dawn and Noah, Haven went to Kamryn Tankersleys to play,
and Mason went with Chandler to Bonnie's and Shane for the afternoon. We all came back together at the church for a Kids Night, with fun kite flying, bubbles and food! Sweet picture of Dylan blowing bubbles......

The men cracked me up flying kites.....theirs went all the way to Blount County! I think they had more fun than the kids!

Me and Dawnie!

Great job honoring the great group of kids at your church! So glad we got to be there for it!This is me with Pete Kritner and Bruce Wright. Remember the motorcycle accident last year and the miracle I asked many of you to pray for? Well there he is....a walking miracle! Praise be to God!

By the way, Thanks to Bonnie for all the wonderful PIZZA!! I think the boys had for all 3 meals!

They spend Sunday night with Bonnie and Haven and I stayed with Jeff and Tammy Silvey,who just returned from a flight from Texas. They are flying out here on Sunday...can't wait!! Thanks for all the hospitality everyone!

On Monday, the boys got to spend the day at school with their old teachers and classmates. It was just precious as the prinicpal met them in the hall with arms open wide, excited to see them and how the other kids were going to react to them being there. An 8x10 picture of them in the snow was posted in their glassed in bulletin board at the front of the school....that really touched me! We miss Parkside so much!! After dropping them, I had lunch with co-workers Edith and Jonathan at the home of my favorite sandwich in the world...Rumors Deli! Thanks guys, for letting me induldge!! (It's a chicken panini with caramelized onions and Bleu Cheese....yum!) It was so good to see my coworkers at the Health Dept again....I miss you all!!

After school, many of the boys friends went over to the park for a little while for some more time with them. They had a great day so thanks to all the parents who let their kids come! And of course, it was very hard leaving AGAIN, knowing that we won't see them for another 4 months.

Well, that was our Cullman part of the trip...short and very, very sweet. I'll pick up later with the Gordo part. Please pray for the family of one of Mason's friends in the picture above, Noah Walker who lost his grandmother this weekend in a very tragic death. I don't know many details but heard that a neighbor shot her (Dudley's mom). If you know any more details, drop me an email and let us know.

We loved every minute with all of you and miss you wonderful people greatly!

Lori