Today is our first-born's 30th birthday! Happy Birthday, Michael! He is also celebrating the end of residency. He starts his first job in Rancho Cordova, CA (suburb of Sacramento) August 1st with Kaiser. He, Jill and Mason & Jenna, will be moving in with Jill's mom and dad for a couple of months while their house is being built.

The housing market in Sacramento is much different than the market here. Their down payment would buy a reasonably nice house here in Post.

We closed on our house Tuesday and are starting the process of carting all of our possessions 2 1/2 blocks over. It is a smaller house, smaller bedrooms and we are going to have to have a garage sell. The back yard is gorgeous. When I am surrounded by its beauty, time stands still.....

I was initially wanting to move some place temporarily until we could finish the part of the house we had gutted and then finish gutting the rest, but I sense in my heart that I will never move back into it, so it is time to downsize and move on. I really love this new house, its location and its back yard. Jim told me that it has long been his favorite house in all of Post.

I wonder if I will wake up one morning, walk out to the back yard and simply forget to go to work.

While I am neck deep in end of year school reports, I thought I would leave you with a favorite passage of scripture. When I read it, I am always transported out of myself.........

A Prayer for the Ephesians

14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom his whole family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Potatoe Chips, Healthy Monster Videos and VBS.....

Lorena has really been trying to emphasize to Dacia (4) and Saidee (2) about healthy eating. She bought a Healthy Monsters video which engages the kids in exercise and information about nutrition. They talk about what is a "healthy snack" and what is not a healthy snack. Fruit is healthy; chips are not. Saturday, Crosbyton had a one day VBS. At one of their breaks, they gave each child something to eat and drink. It so happened that they gave each child a small bag of chips. After opening the chips, Dacia immediately went to the trash can and poured them out while chanting, "Chips are not a healthy snack for us!" It wasn't long till several children followed suit, throwing away the chips and chanting, "Chips are not a healthy snack for us!"

The women helping out were naturally bewildered. I am sure it wasn't at all what they expected.

I guess we can always blame it on the video.

This week, Jill (my daughter-in-law), along with Mason (the 2 1/2 year old) and Jenna (the 2 1/2 month old) flew to Sacramento to make housing arrangements for their upcoming move. I wasn't really at ease with Jill making this journey, even by plane, with a 2 1/2 year old who in every way resembles Michael when he was 2 1/2. So well I remember how he could disappear from me in an instant.

Last month, when I went to South Carolina to see Jenna for the first time, I was reminded of those days. Mason and I had a marvelous time together. One day, we spent 3 hours at the park, while Jill and Jenna were at a baby shower. Another morning, we blew bubbles on the front porch. That was the day that I looked down just for a moment and he took off. Fortunately, his destination took him two doors down and not across the street.

When I tried to explain all of this to Jim, he just didn't get it. He never even remembered Michael being like that and couldn't relate to my concern over Mason. Of course, he never experienced that part of Michael's development in quite the same way I did. Even Jill just didn't seem to think it would be a problem at first, but I think she was beginning to see some of the things I was concerned about.

I didn't want Jill to make that trip alone with my two grandbabies. I couldn't fly with her on June the 6th, since I had an engagement in Houston, but maybe Jim could. And it worked out for him to meet her during her layover in Dallas and fly the rest of the way to Sacramento.

I was in Houston about to board the plane at the same time that Jim was in Dallas with Jill about to board the plane. I called Jim's cell. When he picked up, I heard him say this: "Mason......Mason......MASON, come HERE! Mason!!!! Serena, this is not a good time, not a good...... Mason, Mas...... (click)

I just had to laugh!

Our little Jenna was put in the hospital last week. She is out now and much better. Her fever had shot up to 103, which is pretty scary for a 2 month old. But she is out of the hospital, and I am grateful for those who prayed for her, even though I didn't have the time to post it on my blog.

After Jenna got out, our 2 year old granddaughter, Saidee came down with 103. She has strep-throat, and has a bundle of energy, even when sick.

We had a wonderful Memorial Day with Jeff, Lorena, Dacia and Saidee. I really love being a grandmother, and I also love having those bonding moments with my daughter and son-in-law.

In the midst of a very challenging year, God continues to remind me of his blessings through my children, their wonderful mates and my grandkids.

I really need prayers for the meeting I will be having later on today. It concerns a situation between my brother and me, which I hope can be resolved quickly, easily and reasonably. I would really like to see something happen that both of us would feel good about. Today will be the first of a series of meetings. The issues are very complex, but I know God can cut through the difficulty or give me strength to handle it.