April 10th was Happy Sibling Day...so thankful for my Sisters!!💗
April-May is full of Birthdays
(Mother's was April 5th which I included in the last post)
4 Grandchildren's birthdays in one week (two of which were milestone bdays)!
First: Saylor turned 8 years old on the 22nd💝
2nd: Ellie turned 14 on the 23rd💓
Kaye turned 65 on the 25th (Rob hosted a party for her at a local Italian restaurant and all the kids came).💕
3rd: Lainey Bug turned 16 on the 26th💚
And passed her driving test the next day!
Rachel's 41st Birthday was on May 1💖
May 1-3rd was Toad Suck weekend in Conway
The Lord woke Jeff up at 1 am on Sunday morning (the 3rd) and impressed on him to go downtown to Toad Suck Daze and pray with Jacob Smith, who was competing in the "Hands On A Hyundai" contest. The event started Thursday with 22 men/women and when Jeff was there early on Sunday morning, there were still 7 competitors holding on at 63 hours. Jacob Smith was one of those. Jacob was a faithful part of Jeff and Mark's last MD5 group. Since Jeff couldn't get "close" to him, he prayed out loud 
, so all present heard the prayer. Jacob was so very grateful. Then at 77 hours, there were only two (picture below) with Jacob being one of them (camouflage hat/no facial hair). Whew, I do not know how anyone can do that! From all the comments, sounded like both are fine Christian men! Jacob won the truck 
(79 hrs. 30 min)!!! Thanks to Jason for being a good sport and letting him have the win! Both great guys! Thankfully, the runner-up got $2,500 plus a new set of tires for their own vehicle.
, so all present heard the prayer. Jacob was so very grateful. Then at 77 hours, there were only two (picture below) with Jacob being one of them (camouflage hat/no facial hair). Whew, I do not know how anyone can do that! From all the comments, sounded like both are fine Christian men! Jacob won the truck (79 hrs. 30 min)!!! Thanks to Jason for being a good sport and letting him have the win! Both great guys! Thankfully, the runner-up got $2,500 plus a new set of tires for their own vehicle.We were watching the live-stream and Jeff cried when Jacob won. It was sure exiting!
May 4--Rachel invited me to attend the Little Rock "Teachers of the Year" award ceremony (from every school, so there were many). Proud of our girl for receiving that honor at Fulbright Elementary. A very nice reception was held with yummy food and then the awarding ceremony.
Blowing a kiss to her co-workers😘😘
May 10th -- Mothers Day💐
I love these important Moms to me: My Mom; My Sisters; My Daughter and My two Daughter-in-Laws
May 11 - Hannah Harper won American Idol🎉👏❤️
Carrie Underwood was one of the judges. Jordan McCullough was runner up. All are great Christians. This picture was taken at the Grand Ole' Opry recently. It was the very best Idol Season!! God was honored and glorified many times.
May 12: Eisley and Gideon's Spring Concert
And Rachel's Art Show
May 14--Eisley's 5th Grade Graduation
May 17--Jeff and I were Family of the Week in the SS Class he teaches at Antioch:
A sweet gal recorded what we said:
May 17: Carman's Birthday 💝
May 19th: Copeland's 13th Birthday💙
We were blessed to spend the week of May 18th at Kaye and Rob's lakehouse!
They recently installed a ramp - so, so nice!!
❤️❤️
Bev turned 70 while there (May 20th!)🎉
On Thursday, we went to Kansas to decorate graves
(both in Pittsburg and Girard)
Visited with Aunt Jo at her living assisted home💓
And then greatly enjoyed a meal at Chicken Annie's Girard with what Brunk and Boore relatives could come:
With Uncle Marvin and Aunt Judy 🩷💙
The Guys
The Gals
So nice that we can all join together and we all know Jesus and have sweet conversations!
Cousin Christie
The Portillo's/Pavons, wonderful Antioch church members and friends, recently opened a new restaurant downtown Conway. This was our first visit with friends, Jim and Linda and Paola, mother of David who is the owner. The food is delicious!
We went a second time with our Seniors from Antioch. Great time!
We've also gotten carry out and love the food!
With May being graduation month, we did a little "throwing back." Jeff and I graduated out of the same class at Girard High School -- 55 years ago!! This was at his parents' home after graduation.
This one was before graduation at my home:
Another memory
1974....At Worlds of Fun in Kansas City: we had been married approx. 18 months. I am 20-1/2 years old here and Jeff was close to his 21st birthday. Yes, we were "kids" when we married! 
2026...a few years later 😄 and a LOT of water under the bridge!!!
During the Mid-Winter Bible Conference in January, Jeff took a fall off this stool. It hurt but he kept it to himself and finished the conference.
But as time went on, the pain seemed to get worse with each passing week. In spite of it, Jeff (and I) did a lot of tasks around the house/yard that we had been putting off (organizing the garage, cleaning out freezers and throwing away a ton of food which hurt with the cost of meat these days; cleaning out drawers, organizing shelves, changing out seasonal clothes and bagging up/giving away a lot of them, and so much more!). Sure gave relief to both of us to get those tasks done.
A visit to ER in March diagnosed Jeff with a badly bruised SI Joint that would just take time to heal. But the pain continued to get worse. So he saw a pain doctor in LR for a while (that the LR neurosurgeon's office referred him too). Not a good experience and none of the treatment/injections helped. That neurosurgeon office said that surgery was not an option. The pain then moved to the other side. Jeff's good friend and chiropractor, Scott said that was common. But the pain had become so unbearable for him. I was having to help him dress and much more. Finally this week, he was able to get into the Conway Pain doctor he has used before and really likes and he gave him two injections, one in each SI joint and today he is encouraged that they are working. I sure pray so. He will see a Conway neurosurgeon in a couple of weeks for follow-up.
We are so very appreciative of so many who have come to our aid!
Derek Harmon mowing our yard again this year!
Meals and/or desserts by the Grays, the Reeds, the Stitches, the Harkness'.
Sweet friend paying for my nail job; others giving us a very generous cash gift
All those who have helped Jeff at Church and/or S.S. when he struggles so to walk upright.
Our Pastors checking on him.
And the many prayers of our loving CHURCH FAMILY!
While Jeff was still able to get outside and work, he got all the foliage (there was a ton) cut up on the outer side of our fence (yes, this is city land but it was such a mess and they wouldn't do anything about it), so Jeff worked for weeks slowing cutting it all up, etc. One day Rob came and helped him. They both ended up in ER with poison ivy☹️.
Making a ramp for the shed; step on the patio; Building a gate in the back fence
and is outside right now (as I type this) using his chain saw to cut off this huge limb that was on the power lines!! THANK YOU, JIM FOR ALL YOU DO FOR JEFF!
We had Renewal Ranch come a couple of months ago to redo the flower beds and other tasks.
This week they returned to work on the "ditch" that has been such a thorn in our flesh.
As all you homeowners know, it takes a lot of work to keep things looking nice:
But we are counting our blessings that we have a home!!
And a family to enjoy!
June 9th will be Mack's 8th Birthday 💚
NEXT UP ON OUR CALENDAR:
Antioch VBS
Five of our grandchildren will stay with us and be involved!
(TX grandchildren's Bible School is that same week so won't be with us)
