"Wonderings".....or is it "Wanderings"

For me it's both......I like to "wonder AND I like to wander."
I "wonder" all the time..but what I really want to do is......"wander more."
In a good way that is.

The timing isn't for just now. But I am dreaming of it.

"Wondering.....and wandering" only in my mind of course.

Wondering
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): won·dered; won·der·ing \-d(ə-)riŋ\
Date: before 12th century
intransitive verb
1 a: to be in a state of wonder b: to feel surprise
2: to feel curiosity or doubt
transitive verb
: to be curious or in doubt about


Wandering
Function: adjective
Date: before 12th century
: characterized by aimless, slow, or pointless movement: as a: that winds or meanders. A wandering course b: not keeping a rational or sensible course : vagrant c: nomadic dof a plant : having long runners or tendrils

I think I'd like to live a "Nomadic" life...and yet be "sensible."
I believe it can be done in a healthy way.

We Love Kansas City.....And Our Friends.

On our way to Iowa we stopped in Kansas City, Missouri, to see some close friends of our family. Kansas City is an amazing BIG town with alot of things to do. However we were on a "Mission" so we just kept to our plan...and that was to see our friends and to go to church with them while we were there.

After driving over 13 hours the previous day, before stopping for the night in Columbia Missouri totally exhausted.....we got up and went on to Kansas City arriving sometime around 3:30pm on "Good Friday." Our friends "The Majors."

Upon arriving at our friends house we found that they had even MORE company staying with them....a Russian family and a Bulgarian guy.

And did I mention my friend Iwona is from Poland? Her husband Keith is from Baton Rouge. They met though, in Moscow....long story.

So then add us three South Louisiana's into the mix and you had....."interesting." And fun. HA!
Stacey, Iwona, Joyce

Stacey, along with her husband and children moved to Kansas City last year from Baton Rouge.
We've known them for years too so it was very cool to get to see her and her kids as well while we were up there! We missed seeing her husband because he was working.
"Stacey with one of the Major kids and her kids."

"Keith and Stacey"
"Joyce and Stacey"
"The Major Kids"

We had a great time visiting, sipping tea, eating some ethnic foods (Eastern European) and laughing with all these people we were there with.
This one even played her violin for us.

Friday night we went to church.....which was another MAIN reason why we stopped in Kansas City. Because my family loves their church there.

By the time we came back home.....we'd been in church SIX hours. Which was fine with us but......WHEW!!! Was I was drained at the end of the night.....which was around 12:30ish when we got back to the house.

It was highly emotional for many reasons. Mainly because it filled up our souls so much. Church is very "different" there and we love it.

There was..."wonderful, long worship".....a very deep teaching on "The Passion" of Jesus that night, then we did prayer and intercession for a few hours....and at the end of the night more surprises for Joshua, Ariel and I, before we left the church.
It was fabulous. Very full filling.

By they way.....they do "prayer and intercession" there at the "International House Of Prayer" ....."24/7" and you can stream it "live" on the Internet as well which is awesome.

Once back at the Major's...we ate sandwiches made "European style" which freaked us out.....but we got over it.

And Iwona and I stayed up and chatted (loudly) for another two hours....

Then in the morning......I don't even know how Iwona got out of bed but she did and she made her wonderful breakfast for us that she usually does when we come and see them. And We LOVE it.

Even Miss Priss asked Iwona the day before if she would prepare this food for us and she was SO happy when she woke up and Iwona had make them! "Joshua and Miss Priss"

They are some sort of Pancake/Blintz's or something that I can never seem to duplicate at my house. And she puts fruit in them....apples and bananas. Then adds berries on top after wards with real maple syrup.
VERY YUMMY!
It's so fun to have European friends.....I love them. And I miss them already.
The friends and the pancakes.
But especially the friends.

A Day On An Iowa Farm........

"The Farm"
Andrew and his Daddy.
In February our Nephew "Andrew" was in a very bad, weather (snow) related accident and was broadsided by a Semi truck and was smashed in his little, compact car alongside his girlfriend.He had multiple injuries including seperated shoulders, leg injuries, head trauma and concussions, and several other things that I can't even remember any more.
All I know is that he was a "mess."
And we were all very concerned for his life. The car may not look "that bad" but when you consider the size of this Iowa farm boy.....you will understand how crushed he was.
While we were in Iowa.....we went to visit his Mom and Daddy's farm so that we could see them and all their children...including Andrew, who MIRACULOUSLY is alive.

THIS is Andrew.
He's standing with his Grandmother......who is my Sister in Law.
Can you see what I mean now??
This boy played football for his College in Northern Iowa....ummm....some position on DEFENSE of course!! Andrew WAS not able to return to College this Spring because of his injuries and is on a Football scholarship and it is in jepordy right now. So we are praying he gets the "all clear" in order to return in the Fall.

"The farm" they live on is way out an hour and a half from my home city of Council Bluffs, so honey, we really were in the country. "Miss Priss and Joshua" listening to Farm stories....

LOTS of farm animals and kids!!!


More Nieces, Nephews and animals than we could keep up with!



"Ariel in her Lumber Jack....whoops!
I mean "Farm Clothes"
"Travis" who is coming up 3rd in rank right behind big brother Andrew......
"Brian, who is the number 2 son."
"Miss Priss and Gavin who is the youngest member of this family."
"Joshua and Shawn doing a little "Farm talking."
"Miss Priss and her Aunt Jacque."
"Travis and his Daddy"
"Andrew and his Mama"
"One of the nieces and Jacque with Ariel."

These people again......

Okay we are tired now.....time to head back to the big city. "Me, Ariel, and Joshua."

Farm life can just wear you out.
Even if your not doing anything but "visiting."

We loved our entire day though.

Seeing our loved ones, rejoicing with them and accidently stepping in chicken poop.

Something that never happens to us here in Baton Rouge....

Baby Aaron

My sister Jenny, Myself, with Baby Aaron, and his Mama, my sister Jerri.
Finally I have a spare couple of moments to post a few photos of my nephew Aaron who has been down a rough road since being born at 29 weeks.

He is now up to 7 pounds 7 ounces but is having a bit of trouble holding his weight since having his feeding tube removed.
He is just NOW at his birth "date." So this is amazing!!
However he is STILL in the N.I.C.U. in Omaha.....
Auntie Joyce


My sister Jenny and me holding Aaron.....he's so cute!

He is HALF "Winnebago Indian" so he is soooo dark skinned!
His Daddy is full blooded.....
Miss Priss, Me, My sister Jerri and Aaron.......

I had these people along with me too on this journey to the North country....... Joshua and Ariel who is the infamous
"Miss Priss."

We're Not In Kansas Anymore........

Hey wait.....I don't think I went to Kansas.

But we sure went to about every other state in the Midwest.....Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois.

Believe me......I sure WISHED I would have had those "Ruby Slippers" last night when we got so very lost on some crazy back roads in Missouri at 10:00 something last night night. I would have been clicking my heels big time.

Somehow something messed up with our GPS and instead of taking us to Branson once we left Springfield Mo. we ended up tired and lost on some dark and scary country roads going to God knows where.

Joshua was driving at that point and Ariel was up front beside him in the passenger seat. I was drifting in and out of sleep in the back seat of the truck.

By the time I woke up and realized......ummmm........"we should have hit Branson about an hour ago" (especially since it's only 45 minutes from Springfield) I asked Joshua and Ariel if they had seen any signs at all for Branson and they said they hadn't.

That is when....
I knew we were in some kind of a major FIX.

Long story short....we finally ended up stopping and sleeping in a small town called "West Plains" Missouri after going a completely different direction....totally south and EAST of Branson...out on some crooked and craggy country roads with names like "U" and "UU."

I know what those kinds of roads are since I grew up in Missouri and had family that lived on roads with alphabet names like that....so I knew that we would soon end up in some crazy maze in the "hollers" of the Ozarks somewhere.

That's when I told Joshua......."Turn us around and get us to the Interstate no matter what."

Let me give you all a huge TIP...."Always pack your trusty "road atlas" with you no matter what. Which was something I didn't do this trip....crazy me.

Because those GPS systems.....which I LOVE actually........often times go down in rural areas AND they also get messed up by humans that put wrong addresses in them and such. If you know what I mean.

Hummm...........
so it is true......"there's no place like home."

I will have TONS of photos of Baby Aaron, the "Cousins" and many other family members and other interesting tidbits of news and such from our 10 day road trip.......

I'm glad it's over.....even though I was sad to leave everyone I saw.

Now I need a cruise to relax.
And I need a road atlas at ALL times.

Road Trip List

I like trips......... and especially road trips.

WE have a lovely "carriage" to ride in.
My stereo system is amazing but still........18 hours tends to get a wee bit overwhelming.
We've been doing this "trip route" for many years so I know first hand how hard it gets especially after about.....7-8 hours of riding nonstop.
Blah!

Plus just the mere preparation of the vehicle your driving for a trip of this length....is a lot of work.
Check the vehicle, CLEAN the vehicle, fill the vehicle with GAS......and suitcases and so on and so forth.

Thank GOD for a sturdy and trustworthy vehicle though, I say.

Today I am doing last minute preps.....going to the bank, and finishing up packing.

I have a list.......

Do you all operate off of a list?
Because I do. I always have.
I love to make lists and then just cross things off as I accomplish them. It makes you feel amazing actually when your done. HA!
Like you can see "WHAT" your accomplishing.
I couldn't stay organized if I didn't do this.

So I am running off of my very detailed list......and not doing so good so far.
Because Blogging WASN'T on the list. Ugh......now I am already behind. HA!

I guess I should get started then.....and first thing I must do is order Miss Priss's Senior Pictures which of course cost a SMALL fortune.

I think I will have to sell a kidney by the time we get this one graduated.

Tomorrow we leave about noonish we hope and will head straight to Kansas City first to visit our good friends there and hang out with them for a day and night.

They will be having several 4-5 Russian's and one person from Bulgaria in from their respective countries staying with them already when we arrive.

This should get interesting. HA~!!! I guess I need to brush up on my Russian on the way up there.....I know two words at least I think. Maybe that will be enough???

I do have lots of TEA packed and ready for our "Eastern Block Party."

Then the next day we travel the last 3 hours to my family's town of Council Bluffs, Iowa.

The report from home yesterday was that little Pumpkin, Baby Aaron is now up to about 7 pounds....and about 19 inches long. And may be released from the N.I.C.U. by the time we arrive up there.
And my Step Father is failing and not doing well at all. He had a very bad day yesterday.
So our "timing" for this trip is correct.

Wish us Godspeed and safety!

Hummmm.......

You know though, "we make plans and God laughs" many times.
So I always try to stay wide open and flexible.

I will be back in not so many days.
Then you will hear many stories I am sure........all good ones.

In Other News..........

It was Prom night Saturday evening for Miss Priss and her friend Joshua.......
Miss Priss wasn't going to even go this year but Joshua, who is out of High School and attends LSU......told her she should go. For months and months we searched all over Baton Rouge and beyond.....even on our Texas trip, for a Prom dress for Miss Priss. And nothing would fit her or would do. So she had decided that since she was going to Africa, that it was just too much expense anyway to fork out for one night.

And along the way Miss Priss and Joshua met at our church and have become very good friends. We all just love him (even the Daddy) and he's a very kind young man.....but strong in characther. They decided that they would go out to eat with all of Miss Priss's friends......skip the dance part......and then go and visit more with the friends after Prom was over. And that worked out just fine for them.

While the other kids were at the Prom dancing.....Miss Priss and Joshua went on to go to the "Melting Pot".....a very unique restaurant here in Baton Rouge and had themselves desert. Fondue style.
This years Prom night went off very well and we were all pleased.

Unlike last years Prom when Miss Priss and her date were in a car accident and were hit by a drunk driver.

Don't think I wasn't a tad bit nervous this year.......because I was. But everything went fantastic this year. Thankfully!