Sunday, October 28
Today was an extremely special Sunday for the Little family since TJ and Glennis were here to join us for church. It was rather disappointing that they didn’t get to hear our pastor, Rick Sullivan, preach, but still it was fantastic to have us all together in the Lord’s house.
Jim and I had fixed a special meal for all of us and, belie
ve me when I say, no one left the table hungry! We were hoping that brother Jerry and his wife Jane would join us, but that was not to be this time.After cleaning the kitchen and saying our good-byes, we headed home to prepare Big V for Joyce and Gary who were spending the night with us. We have so few guests in our home that this was quite exciting and everything had to be as perfect as it could be (even if we were packed and ready to take the sisters back to Mineola tomorrow.)
Once Joyce and Gary arrived, we spent some time visiting and then took them over to Edith’s to meet her and the sisters before going to introduce them to Billee and Ernie. Eventually it was back home where Joyce and I visited while Jim and Gary went over to Jean’s to prepare the fire for the cook-out we were having with the Terpening clan.
Susie and James came in on their way back from Ruidoso and eventually Jerry and Nancy arrived after their church fall festival. Becky was under the weather and unable to attend.
Though I didn’t take many photos tonight since we were all busy visiting, I did capture proof that Nancy decided to check out Jim’s grilling skills while everyone else was in the house.
I also made certain that I snapped a photo of Joyce and Gary since we don't get to see them very much.After dinner and more visiting, the four of us wandered over to Big V where we spent another hour or so catching up on each other’s lives. Finally when each of us began to yawn incessantly, we decided it was time to call this day over!
Monday, October 29
Since Joyce and Gary were heading towards Houston and we had to take the sisters back to Mineola, there was no time for breakfast or much visiting. And, after saying our good-byes, we all jumped in our respective vehicles and hit the road.
Glennis and TJ were ready and we were on our way! The rest of the day was a blur of scenery and towns until we eventually made it to Mineola around 7:30 pm.
Tuesday, October 30
About 9:00 this morning, Jim and I once again said our good-bye’s with intentions of going to Cleburne to see my sister. However, we wound up in downtown Mineola at Legal Grounds internet coffee shop checking our emails and sipping drinks. When I called Nancy to tell her that we thought we’d take a rain check on the visit since Tom was busy with class tonight, she asked what we had planned to do. Since we had nothing in mind, just time for ourselves, she suggested that we go to Durant, Oklahoma, where she and Tom spent the first night of their cycle trip. Anyway, once she planted the seed, it grew; but not until we spent several hours wandering in and out of the quaint shops in downtown Mineola. We found several “treasures” we just couldn’t live without! (One was a full apron for me since I’m such a messy cook!) I’m dying to tell you what I found for my sisters, but since I haven’t given them these little tokens of love, I can’t tell yet! Maybe next week…
As much as we love being with family and friends, it was wonderful to spend an evening with no place to go and not knowing anyone we were around.
Wednesday, October 31
Finally got up and checked out of the Microtel around 11:00 am. Then took our time journeying to Richardson where we will spend the next 4 nights.
Once Heather and Andy and the kids arrived home and dinner was over, it was the moment Alexander had been waiting on…going trick or treating!
Imagine our surprise when we opened the front door to find that the people across the street had set up a huge screen and were showing Casper movies on the front lawn. Alexander found that absolutely too cool!
As Heather and Andy would take the kids to the doors, Jim and I would wait on the sidewalk. And, it never mattered whether it was the first or the last house, Alexander would run to us and say, “Now look how much I have!” His eyes lit up and his enthusiasm was contagious…the simple things bring such pleasure…something we adults could certainly learn to remember!
Thursday, November 1
After Heather, Andy, and the kids left for work and school, we proceeded to get all our laundry completed before we started out for Flower Mound where we would meet our friend, Bonnie, a former Liberal resident, at the Red, Hot, and Blue barbecue restaurant for a leisurely lunch and visitation. Living in this area certainly has agreed with her as she seems more beautiful and happier every time we see her!
With good instructions from Bonnie, we made it over to Grand Prairie with relative ease to see Jean’s grandson, Paul, who is working on his masters’ degree in engineering. Since Stephanie was a work, we weren’t able to see her because we wanted to get back to the Richardson area before dark.
However, it didn’t take us long to figure out that we were trying to get across town at the utmost worse time of day! Therefore, as soon as we found a mall to hide in, we did so! This wound up being wonderful for me as I found a pair of jeans and 3 shirts that I couldn’t live without!
Heather had a friend from Canada in town and we watched the kids (can you call it watching them if they were asleep?) while the three of them went out to enjoy a quiet visit.
Friday, November 2
This was what Jim and I declared grandparents day…Heather and Andy went on work and left the kids asleep with us; so we could spend the day together. To summarize the day, we went to all the cool places…Wal-Mart, McDonald’s, and 3 parks. We also watched a plentiful amount of cartoons with Power Ranger Overdrive being the most important!
Jim spent the evening listening to the Artesia vs Roswell High School football game on the internet. Artesia wasted no time in putting the game out of reach, and for the second straight week the mercy rule was invoked in the second half…final score: Artesia 48 and Roswell 0.
Saturday, November 3
As Heather and Andy would take the kids to the doors, Jim and I would wait on the sidewalk. And, it never mattered whether it was the first or the last house, Alexander would run to us and say, “Now look how much I have!” His eyes lit up and his enthusiasm was contagious…the simple things bring such pleasure…something we adults could certainly learn to remember!
Thursday, November 1
After Heather, Andy, and the kids left for work and school, we proceeded to get all our laundry completed before we started out for Flower Mound where we would meet our friend, Bonnie, a former Liberal resident, at the Red, Hot, and Blue barbecue restaurant for a leisurely lunch and visitation. Living in this area certainly has agreed with her as she seems more beautiful and happier every time we see her!
With good instructions from Bonnie, we made it over to Grand Prairie with relative ease to see Jean’s grandson, Paul, who is working on his masters’ degree in engineering. Since Stephanie was a work, we weren’t able to see her because we wanted to get back to the Richardson area before dark.
However, it didn’t take us long to figure out that we were trying to get across town at the utmost worse time of day! Therefore, as soon as we found a mall to hide in, we did so! This wound up being wonderful for me as I found a pair of jeans and 3 shirts that I couldn’t live without!
Heather had a friend from Canada in town and we watched the kids (can you call it watching them if they were asleep?) while the three of them went out to enjoy a quiet visit.
Friday, November 2
This was what Jim and I declared grandparents day…Heather and Andy went on work and left the kids asleep with us; so we could spend the day together. To summarize the day, we went to all the cool places…Wal-Mart, McDonald’s, and 3 parks. We also watched a plentiful amount of cartoons with Power Ranger Overdrive being the most important!
Jim spent the evening listening to the Artesia vs Roswell High School football game on the internet. Artesia wasted no time in putting the game out of reach, and for the second straight week the mercy rule was invoked in the second half…final score: Artesia 48 and Roswell 0.
Saturday, November 3
Pretty much a relaxing day. Later in the afternoon, we did keep the kids while Heather was at the store and Andy had the oil changed in the car. Playing in the backyard is always a treat with
Since it was Saturday afternoon, Jim was alternately watching college football games on television and keeping track of scores on the internet scoreboard. He was concerned that Texas had dug too deep a hole to get out of at Stillwater, Oklahoma, but the Longhorns came alive in the nick of time and edged the OSU Cowboys for another Big XII South win, while Kansas walloped Nebraska in the Big XII North.
He was hoping to get some word on the Liberal vs McPherson playoff game from this afternoon, but nothing had been posted at the time of this writing. Also, there was no news about the Artesia Bulldogs soccer team and their bid to win the New Mexico state championship this afternoon.
For the rest of the evening, it was a great meal and enjoyable family time with Heather, Andy, Alexander, and Abby.
“A family is a unit composed not only of children but of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold.”…Ogden Nash
From Richardson, Texas,
Jim & Barbara
