Different Kind of Week

Today is Thursday and I haven't posted since Monday.

This week has been very different for me.

If you're reading this, I know you've seen Ann's blog and know they are at the beach - and you've seen the pictures that she posted. I've talked to them a few times. Once Luke got on the phone and I was asking him questions which he only answered with Yes. Questions like: Are you having fun?, Do you like the water and sand? I told him I missed him, but I have to ask questions that require an answer or it'll just be silent on the other end, unless he has something to tell me. So, knowing he did not want to leave the beach and the vacation I asked, "Luke do you want to come home or do you want to stay there?" He responded, "I want to come home." At that point he dropped the phone and I heard him say, "Mom, I want to go home to Near's house." Ann grabbed the phone and we got so tickled. That doesn't mean he really would rather be with me than there and all that they are doing. He just has no concept that he can't make a quick run to my house and then return quickly to SeaGrove. Awww.

Guess if you're reading this you've also read Laura Beth's blog and all of Ada's antics. Also seen the picture of the lipstick on her face. So funny and the fact that she says "Aw Mam!" for "Aw Man!". So funny.

I also recommend Sarah and Kate's blog and how they share their heart.

So - this week has been different without the Barbers here, plus Charlie is practically absent. So I feel like a single lady living in this town and in this house. Charlie has Grand Jury this week and is also preparing for an upcoming trial - so he goes to work early and comes home late and is rather distracted and tired - but we do enjoy our evenings watching our TV programs. That relaxes us.

Another unusual thing about this week. It's been a week of old and present friends and time spent with them. Mary Bratton and I got together on Tuesday morning. We seldom get to do that anymore - and that afternoon Steve and Yonea Chunn stopped by on their way home from Chattanooga to Mississippi. I'll tell about them further down in this post. Then, responding to an invitation from my "cousin-in-law" Martha Robinson(also friend from high school up to present day), I said yes to her invite to join her, Sarah Dodd(friend from college up until present day) and Val Carrier(friend from high school up until present day) at Martha's condo in Florida. I was a bit reluctant because I have so much to do here at home, but I hate to pass up the good fellowship - so I'm driving tomorrow to B'ham and am riding down with Val. Martha and Sarah left yesterday to go down.

Yesterday, I also had a visit with a friend in our church who fell and broke her ankle. Ouch! She normally works during the day, but is off her feet for 6-8 weeks! Can't imagine. It was one of those freak accidents - just going to pick a weed and a slippery spot and bam! She is down and has a nasty break.

So - it's been a week of visits with ladies in my age bracket. I usually only run into them in Wal-Mart - I think we are all on our "treadmill of life" and those slow easy visits - well - we just don't take the time for them. Sad.

Plus I've been on the phone quite a bit with a friend who used to live here, Corny Rose. Her husband, also a close friend to Charlie and me, had a terrible medical freaky thing involving colon/bloodvessel/something perforating and boom - he was in terrible shape in icu - had to have surgery - but thanks to his good health and good doctors under God's sovereignty, what could have been fatal ended up in his returning home yesterday from the hospital. So grateful. So glad. But again, little contact with them except a few times during the year.

This week has been a chain of events and phone calls putting me in contact with friends from past and present, in a concentrated way. It feels like God's hand is all over it and I have to wonder and ask the whys and why now? Is something about to happen? What is God teaching me and telling me? Is it just one huge blessing and gift - because I love fellowship with friends. I really do. I also love time alone. I am energized by time alone and also often hate to invade someone's space - so I tend to retreat - but at the same time really really really enjoy good conversation - Well - I'll just enjoy it all and keep my heart open to what He is teaching me.

Who are Yonea and Steve? They used to live here in Scottsboro and moved to Mississippi after their 2nd child was born. Yonea is 13 years younger than I, so she has always felt like a younger sister. Steve is 8 years younger than Charlie and I. They now have 9 children! Can anyone imagine that? other than the Duggars on TV who are expecting their 19th. My youngest, Kate, was 2 when their first was born - so their oldest is 19 and their youngest is 5. Ellie, my granddaughter is 4. Weird that Ann has a child only 1 year younger than Yonea's youngest. Their children are delightful and balanced and get into their normal amount of trouble and maintain their normal amount of obedience. They are homeschooled with a small dose of public school. Steve and Yonea look healthy and still young at 50 and 45. Yonea is training for a half marathon and Steve has returned to his former swimming skills. He was a swimmer in high school and a swim team coach - he's back at it along with his children, some of them - others run track. An active family! They have a zeal and passion for the Lord, and love His word and we enjoy talking about all of that and sharing our hearts. We talked too long the other day and had lots of laughs. They stayed beyond what they intended to be a brief bathroom break. I was so glad but knew they had 9 children to get back to - Well - they aren't all children 19,17,15 and so on, down to 5. Anyway - that's Yonea and Steve and their visit was a big treat for me. Poor Charlie had to miss it. He worked until 6:30.

Another friend who lives out of town, Beth Baldwin - well I had spent Saturday conversing with her. I thought of this. I could honestly say to someone that Beth and I travel together, only we're never in the same car or at the same end of the state. I have family in South Alabama(Evergreen and Auburn) and Beth has Joy living in Athens, TN, just above C'nooga - well - if we're on the road one of us will call the other and discover that she's headed north and I'm headed south - and we'll talk a bit. Sometimes we'll discover we're about to pass each other and we'll stop at the same location for a bathroom break. So funny.

It's been a great week with friends. And then I have my regular emails with Mary Ann and an occasion phone call to her or from her but we do regular emailing. I'll see her on my way to the beach on Friday. Val's making a quick stop in Evergreen to see her mom and a mutual friend of ours who's going through chemo to kill breast cancer. Brave girl, Connie K.

So - that's been my week and today is Thursday. I need to get up and get things done.