June - A month of keeping grandkids; Mack's birthday; Eisley's surgery, Avi's salvation!

JUNE WAS THE MONTH THAT WE KEPT EACH OF OUR 10 GRANDCHILDREN AT VARIOUS TIMES!  BUSY, EXHAUSTING BUT SWEET MEMORIES!!

Andy's family had not been to our new home since we moved in, so it was definitely time for a visit!  Andy & Carman and the kids came to Arkansas on the 5th, staying with Carman's mom that night.  Then they came to our home on Saturday.  The picture below of Shep was actually 2 weeks prior to then -- he was packed and ready to come to Arkansas! 💜💜

Rachel's family and Mom came over that evening for dinner and to see the Swart's!
The cousins were so happy to be reunited!

Thankful for a nice evening to be outside...
 
Kipling loves for anyone to hold him!  Great Grandma gladly obliged!

Mack has grown so much! 💙

 
Due to the fact I have no seating room inside the house, we set up in the garage and it worked out fine and was cool enough with some fans going.

Roast, Ritz chicken and all the trimmings was on the menu

After dinner, we walked a couple of blocks to the nearby school playground

Then back home

 
For chocolate cake and ice cream

Andy & Carman headed back to Texas Sunday morning

Leaving the 4 kiddos with us 💗💗

The kids watched their children's service on-line that morning (while Jeff and I watched Antioch's services)

During their stay, there was lots of playing outdoors with water guns, sprinklers, balls, bubbles, etc.

And game playing!

They love each other 💙💙

 

Papa and his "Swart" boys

Wearing Papa's Russian Hat

Each night, there was a Bible story and prayer time with Papa

Monday morning, we headed to Little Rock to spend the day with their cousins

(the girls had learned how to blow bubbles with their gum) 😁

Lots of fun at the McCrary's!

 

Time to head home but will reunite 2 days later

On Wednesday, Rachel and her kids came to Conway.  We met at Laurel Park for fun on the Splash Pad and on the playground

CFA for a picnic lunch

Then to our house for snacks, games, and more playing!

After naps - 3 precious boys!

This time, the goodbye was for a long time.....sadly!!

Group hug!

Thursday, we visited the playground one last time

And then packed up and headed to Texas on Friday!

Stopped in Texarkana and ate at El Chico - first time for the kids in a restaurant since covid hit!

Momma and Daddy were thrilled to be reunited with their kids!

A day or two later -- Laine bought some false eyelashes at the neighbors' yard sale.

She looks WAY too grown up! 

We were thrilled to be able to celebrate Mack's 2nd birthday that weekend (a couple of days early)

Sure do love this little guy! 💙💙

My birthday collage for Facebook:

 

Time to leave....Monday morning.....til next time!

We met our good friends, Hollis and Gilda Stanbery for lunch in Rockwall and then spent the night with them.  Had a wonderful visit, fun game playing, delicious meals, etc.  They are the kind of friends we are just able to pick up like we have never been apart.  We met years ago (2008) in a small group that was a part of Cross Church in Rogers.  We immediately connected and have remained close since that time!  This is an older picture.  They were so gracious to drive to Kansas in 2010 for Jeff's mom's funeral.

Hollis has been ministering to many non-profit organizations, limited income people, etc., by going to Krogers and getting the food that normally is thrown out and then giving to those in need.  He greatly blessed us with 2 ice chests full of meat and other items!!!  Thank you, thank you, Friend!

A miscellaneous picture we received by text of Saylor Faye!

Our own little Troll! 💖💖

Our church, Antioch Baptist, resumed meeting in their facilities on June 7th.  We were in Texas that day, watching Andy and Carman's kids, so that Carman could go to church as The Mount also resumed meeting that day.

The next Sunday, we were home and it just didn't feel right to not be in church, since the doors were now opened!  But due to the fact that Jeff has 4 of the 5 high risk factors and that our Pastor and leadership have recommended that anyone over 65 and/or with health problems stay home, we are still worshiping at home.  I do hate it and will be so glad when we can be back in the House of God!!

But so thankful for on-line services that enable us to worship with our church, Andy's church and other churches that we love.

Eisley Elizabeth was scheduled to have her tonsils and adenoids out on June 15th

 
We met Rachel, Jonathan, Eisley, Gideon and Kipling in Little Rock on Sunday night to exchange the boys who would be staying with us for a few days during Eisley's surgery and recovery.  Copeland was staying with Jonathan's parents during this time.

Later that same evening, eating watermelon

 Bible story time with Papa

June 15th -- Ready for surgery (Children's Hospital, LR, gave her the bear) 💖

 
It all went smoothly (Thank you, Lord)....but of course, not without pain!  On her way home a few hours later.

Home and still feeling good since the anesthesia hadn't worn off and pain meds were doing their job.

Also on June 15: COVID cases are increasing greatly

Phase 2 in Arkansas began that day

Back in Conway

The boys had a lot of fun with the water guns

 
 Monday evening, Michelle's mom Sheila brought Avi to our home (Avi had spent the week with her NWA grandparents).  They were here for dinner along with my Mom.

 
 

The next morning, June 16, Jeff and Avi left to meet Josh in Memphis to exchange Avi.
On the drive, Jeff had the sweet privilege to lead Avi to the saving knowledge of Jesus as her Savior.  We have been praying for that from the time Avi joined our family.  And many others had also been praying for that.  What a joy it was to receive the news (Avi called me!).  Jeff said it was one of the best days of his life!!

 Eisley had good days and bad days.  We prayed for complete healing soon (and by the time I completed this post, she is feeling back to normal--thank you, Jesus)!!

 The boys had some time at the playground the last day they were with us.

 
 Last night at Papa and DeDe's after baths!

 We returned them home on Thursday, June 18.  So glad to see our girl was doing well that day! (Although had a bad day a couple of days later 😢)

 Get well flowers and balloon for our girl

 How we love you, Eisley!!

June 21st was Father's Day.  So thankful for my Heavenly Father that makes life possible and then very thankful for my Dad who is now with my Heavenly Father in Heaven and then for Jeff, Josh, Andy & Jonathan and the great dad's they all are!

Happy Anniversary to Josh and Michelle on .June 25!
 5 years 💗💗

 The last of our grandchildren to stay with us in June was Saylor Faye.  Jeff and I met Michelle in Memphis on June 27th to get the girls.  As soon as we got back to Conway, we met Avi's dad and family to hand her off to them for a 2 week visit.  Saylor stayed with us for 9 days before going to stay with her other grandparents who live in Northwest Arkansas.  Saylor was so good for us and a real joy, as is all our grandkids!!  I will post some of the pictures here of her visit in June and then finish out her visit in the next posting for July.....
She's a cutie (as is her sister, Avi)!!💕💕

 For being such a great traveler, she was rewarded with a Unicorn Barbie Doll

Nightly routine:  Bible story and prayer time with Papa

 She slept great every night -- 9 p.m. til around 8 with no crying!

 From smiles

 To full giggles....love hearing her giggle!😍

 Sunday, I fixed lunch and Aunt Kaye, Uncle Rob and Grandma joined us.  Kaye brought her an apron 💗

 With Great Grandma

 She played on the deck and in the backyard often....

She sometimes crashed DeDe's quiet time in the mornings 💓

 She loves corn on the cob!

Will continue in the next posting of the rest of her visit which included a full day with her McCrary cousins.

COVID-19 is still alive and "well" unfortunately.....this was the stats as of June 29th:

Arkansas:19,818 cases; 264 deaths

United States: 1,548,996 cases; 125,803 deaths

Worldwide: 10,142,489 cases; 601,868 deaths

😢😢😢

Still praying for God's healing on our land!!

May - "Prayerfully" seeing some "light" at the end of COVID-19 Tunnel!

May 1st - Rachel's 35th Birthday!  We are so proud of our girl and love her dearly!

My FB collage 💖💖

Our birthday present to her was to keep the kids a couple of nights to give her and Jonathan a much needed break (from being quarantined for 6 weeks)

Always a fun and sweet blessing

A positive from this quarantine is that I only put on make-up and do my hair a couple of times a week!  And Jeff and I live in shorts and casual shirts -- so my laundry is a lot less.

Another blessing of this quarantine is that I have resumed my walking....Jeff joins me some of the days.  We have had such a beautiful spring and have some gorgeous tree covered neighborhoods to walk in and it's sure been enjoyable.

I've even lost about 10 lbs (20 total from a year ago!) 😊

One day we drove to Petit Jean Mountain, ate a picnic lunch and walked.  So nice!

I loved it when the flowers started blooming.  Spring and Fall are my favorite seasons!

On MAY 6 - our Governor declared PHASE 1 was now in effect.  Hooray!!

I got a much needed haircut that week as well as my nails done (yes, vanity, all is vanity), but I sure felt better!

Also enjoyed a couple of lunches on Glo Jensen's deck with some of my Home Group ladies.  So good to see them -- even though we social distanced and didn't hug!  (I didn't think to take pictures either time!)

The Saturday before Mother's Day, Rachel called and invited us to join them at Twin Rivers Park in Little Rock.  We had a delightful time!!  Walked over 2 miles.....

I looked awful -- as it was a last minute invite, so I just threw on clothes with little makeup or hair stylin!

This girl.....loves her flowers!! 💖💗

Snack time!

and Kite time.  Thanks so much Rachel for inviting us!  Loved it!

As we were driving home from LR, Andy called and said he was having a meal delivered to us from Marketplace Cafe for my Mother's Day.  Delicious meal and perfect ending to a great day!

My Mother's Day posting for my daughter and daughter-in-laws - all of whom we love so much and are so thankful for the great Mom's they are!

I got up early Sunday (Mother's Day) morning and baked a chocolate pie for my Mom and my sister, Kaye.  This is my beloved Aunt Freda's recipe!

After worshiping on-line, we met at Kaye and Rob's and ate a delicious carry-out meal

on their lovely screened-in porch and then played games!

That evening, Andy organized a Zoom call for me.  It was so fun!!  He also did a poll thing where they voted on different things that pertained to me.  Loved it all so much!

Thanks, kids, for making me feel special!

May 17th is daughter-in-law, Carman's birthday.  She is a treasure to us and we love her dearly!

And on May 19th, is Copeland Ware's 7th birthday!!

My FB collage:

One of the sweet things about living so close to the McCrary's is that we get to do something "special" for each one's birthday.  Our treat for Copeland was to take him home for a night.

First, we picked up Chili's and went to a park to eat (still can't eat inside a restaurant)

Then we went to the "Big Dam Bridge" that overlooks the Arkansas River and the dam and locks below

Then to the house.....with lots of game playing.  This kid loves games (and so does his DeDe)

The next evening his family came to get him.  Finally the school playground was opened.  They loved it!

As May draws to a close, the Swart kids finished up their schooling.  The girls had started public school in January......but only got to go about 8 weeks before the virus shut everything down.  So Momma ended up homeschooling them the last half of the semester.

Pictures that their Mom posted on FB of the beginning of school (at home); the middle pic is of their first day in public school; and the last picture, school once again at home.

Shep started in Sept. at their church preschool, but of course didn't get to go from March on....

Mack started preschool at the church in January, but he too finished up at home.  He is the one that looks the most grown during those months.

Laine wanted her ears pierced for her birthday.....and it happened the end of May, when a place opened back up to do it.  Our pretty girl!

I don't have a lot of news about our Tennessee kids for this post.....

Avi finished up her Freshman year at home as well.  

She's been a big help to her Mom and Josh doing housework, cooking, etc.

 This little stinkpot -- she knows how to give you the eye!  

But is as sweet as they come!

COVID-19 STATS as of May 25th:

Arkansas: 5,292 cases; 116 Deaths

U.S.: 1,643,246 cases; 97,720 deaths

W.W.: 5,406,389 cases; 345,037 deaths

😢😢😢

George Floyd, an African American man was killed May 25 by a white Policeman who used excessive and wrongful force.  This has spurned many protests, riots, violence, looting, deaths of several policemen, etc.  It now dominates the news - even over the virus.  

Such a sad, sad world we are living in!!
Lord, please, please HEAL OUR LAND!!!  How we need you to intervene!!