Date nights

On Thursday evening, Allen and I had a date to the Chamber Music at the Barn at Prairie Pines in Wichita. We heard 2 of the worlds' greatest mandolinists, Mike Marshall and Caterina Lichtenberg. We heard music from around the world, through the centuries and also some of their own compositions. Caterina Lichtenberg was originally from the former East Germany.The flower gardens of Prairie Pines are always so beautiful! Next time we will go a little earlier so we can roam.
Friday morning Jill and Adam biked over with the girls.

A lovely surprise.

Then in the evening, Adam and Jill went on a date.

We got to babysit the girls.

After supper, Papa took Hannah on an adventure.
They climbed the "mountain" behind our development.

It is actually a pile of dirt that will be used someday in the area north of our development.

You can barely see the roof of our house peeking over the trees.

Here is a closer look from a shorter "mountain".

Our home (with the tall roof) and our neighbor, Jeff Barton's house (the blue one).

Sophia had an adventure of her own.

Birthday

Today was my birthday. I turned "go-ju yon"

(if you know Japanese, you can guess it).
I filled my day with some of my favorite things.

Coffee from my Keurig.

Devotions out on my deck early in the morning.

It was a nice cool morning.

Ignoring the scales.
If you look close, you will notice dust.
It has been ignored a long time!

Mowing.

Yes, I do enjoy it!

Really such a nice, cool morning.

And picking some flowers.

Birding.
While mowing, the killdeer threw a ruckus.
It tried to distract me and did a great act of being injured.

She didn't want me close to her eggs.


A couple of robins also were scolding me.
I decided there had to be a nest around.
Sure enough, there it was.
In the tree.

This next picture turned out fuzzy.
I had to run because the mother robin
began to dive-bomb me!
I screamed and ran.


I took a long, invigorating, very hot shower.
Ahhhhhh!!!!
I love the soft, fluffy towel!


Went to lunch with my friend, Sheryl.

We splurged on dessert!
$1.99 chocolate mousse.
Who can resist??


Spent time with a good book.

Time with the family.

The afternoon with Aunt Millie.

Then the rest of the family came over for supper.

Pizza!

Watermelon.

Birthday Pie to die for (rather than cake)
I know, I had chocolate mousse for lunch.

But remember, I'm ignoring the scales today.

Sophia LOVES chocolate!

I asked her, "Sophie, you want some chocolate?"

Her eyes got wide and she dropped her toys

and came running over to me as fast as she could.

It was so funny!

Mindy and Sophia

I love my family.

I miss Josh, Staci and Emeri.

I'll get to see them next week!

Gifts

Boy, they lavished them on me!

Wow! Thanks everyone!

And cards.

I love cards.

Sunday

Sunday afternoon, Hannah and I went out to Pretty Prairie to the family farm.

This is Bailey, Al's brother's daughter.

They had kitties.
Aunt Gayle filled the stock tank for swimming.

We didn't get to spend too long at the farm.

Had to get back for a special farewell for our youth pastor, Jim Horning.

He has been with our church for 9 1/2 years.

We began the evening in worship.

A special surprise for Jim was that we brought in Andrew Peterson.

He is a contemporary Christian singer/songwriter from Nashville.

He comes to this area every year and we always go to worship with him.

One year, Jim brought him to our church.

Jim loves Andrew Peterson so some of the people who work with Jim in the youth group thought it would be a good idea to bring him in for the farewell.

As you can see above, Jim was so "into" the worship time that he did not see Andrew Peterson slip in and sit down at the piano.

You should have seen Jim's face when he noticed him.

I thought he would faint on the spot.

What an awesome evening of worship,

reflection of what God has done in and through Jim's ministry at our church.

God's richest blessings to him.