Another Quick Update

Weary travelers at Rainbow Trout Ranch. We are on our way home, in Alabama on I-65 right now. I am still amazed that I can be online on the road. My little Samsung Blackjack cell phone acts as a modem for my laptop, and it is almost more reliable than the satellite at home!

The children are watching a Gene Autry movie on the dvd player in the Stricklens' RV, and the potty and fridge are handy -- how much more convenient can you get!! Much as I love old times, modern times sure have their upside!

We had a wonderful visit with my Aunt Joyce and her family in Huntsville AL. They fixed us a delicious lunch, and Margaret Anne, Callie, and Mary treated them to some musical numbers. We had such sweet fellowship in the Lord, learning about how my cousin Denise and her husband are preparing to move to Germany to be permanent missionaries there, and praying for each other's "ailments".

Our next stop was supposed to be a visit with Mrs. Jennie Chancey and her family. Her websites are Ladies Against Feminism and Sense and Sensibility patterns. She and Mrs. Stacey McDonald have recently published a wonderful, encouraging book, "Passionate Housewives Desperate for God". Mrs. Chancey has just recovered from a head cold, and the timing of our visit would have coincided with their family busy evening time. Although she insisted it would be fine, Danny and I felt it would be prudent to reschedule -- and we will, Lord willing!

We are going through Birmingham now and on our way to visit with the Lains in Graceville FL. What a sweet family! They are always so willing to be hospitable and love to have us stop by. Then on to home, sweet home! Molly called a bit ago and said that they arrived at the Orlando airport right on time and were heading home -- she flew home with Chris, Abby, CJ, and baby William and left Callie, Mary, Margaret Anne, and Andrew to ride home with Grandmother and Granddaddy in the RV. It has been a wonderful, though exhausting, trip. Thanks for your continued prayers on our behalf as we make the last leg. Hope to be back to updating soon!

On the Road

Quick update here: We are on the road to Missouri to look at land. It is cold. That is all there is to say. Cold. I wanna go back to Florida! More coming about our sweet time with the Whiddons in GA, the battlefield in Mississippi, the formation of ducks overhead, etc. It has been a good trip with Molly and her children and little Andrew, and tomorrow, the Lord willing, we will finally be there! More to come . . .

Beautiful time . . .

Kitty with her mama, Beth, and grandmama, me.
Gabriel giving Kitty a token of the occasion, a sweet necklace. Sister Markie in her ball dress, right.
Cousins and sisters and friends, Oh My! Kitty's cousin Callie, sister Gracie, cousin Mary, and Gabriel's sister Christiana enjoy the occasion.
Kitty and her suitor Gabriel with the "courtship cake".

Saturday was the re-enactment of the Brooksville Raid at Brooksville FL. Almost all of our family was there, and several of the grandchildren participated. The re-enactment went well, but after the battle was the best part. Our family and home church have been friends with a sister church about 45 minutes away for several years. These folks have like-minded families, and the fellowship between our young people has been a blessing.

Seven months ago, one of their young men asked our oldest daughter Beth's husband if he would consider letting him court our oldest granddaughter, Kitty. The father gave him some guidelines and said he would be watching his life and praying about it. Well, our son-in-law felt the time was right, and yesterday, at the battlefield, this young man was taken to the medics "wounded", and Kitty was his "ice-angel".

When she brought him water, he told her he had been waiting seven months for this moment and would she allow him to court her? Of course, once she realized he had her parents' permission, she said yes! We joined them at a barn dance get-together last night -- it was pouring down rain, but what a special time it was! The absolute beauty of precious innocence and a God-honoring relationship far surpass the world's idea of "romance". So now we are looking forward to the sweet progress of their relationship. God bless you, Kitty and Gabriel, as He guides you on this path.

Pure Florida!

This past Saturday, the whole family was invited to go to the ranch of one of Danny's contractor friends for a "Cane Squeezin' ". This man is a 6th generation Floridian -- a Cracker (not in any way a derogatory term -- named for the old-timers who cracked the whips when herding the old range cows in FL). He has a cane squeezin every January: grows his own cane, has a mill to squeeze out the juice, and boils it down right there. We went home with several bottles of pure unrefined cane syrup! What a treat!

The children were asked to play and sing, and everyone had a great time with that. We heard stories about how this was his grandfather's homestead, how it had been sold, and how he (the friend) had been able to buy it back for his family. He and his family love the Lord and love to show people how the "old Florida" really was.

We had sausage and biscuits, swamp cabbage, fat back, and pulled wild hog. (We brought some fruit so all would not be lost, on the nutrition front!) He had asked guests to bring some sausage, so we brought venison sausage another contractor friend had shot and made. It was absolutely delicious!

It was a wonderful "old Florida" day that the grandchildren will remember, even if they move away to the cold, cold North! Thank you, Lord, for our unique home!



Markie (black vest) yodeling "Cowboy Sweetheart", backed up by the other Little Cousins and the Big Cousins.
Squeezing juice out of the cane. Instead of the old time mule, a "Gator" (left background) was used to turn the wheels.
C.J. and Margaret Anne watching the juice as it boils down into yummy syrup.

A Wonderful New Year Ahead

Grandsweetie Margaret Anne (right) with two of her second cousins, from left: Mycaila (please forgive me, darlin', I can never remember how you spell it!) and Olivia, both sweet granddaughters of my sister, Sue.
Me . . . THRILLED to get my own loaf of my mother spectacular, wonderful, much-coveted-in-our-family . . . FRUITCAKE! Yes, we love my mother's fruitcake. You have not really tasted fruitcake until you taste hers. She keeps saying she will pass on the recipe, because sumboddy's gotta pick up the baton and carry it on!
My beautiful mother with sweet granddaughter, Mary (Molly's second). We had our large extended Harris (my side of the family) Christmas dinner at our home on New Year's Day. Many of the family were there, and it is always good to see nieces and nephews and for second cousins to get to know each other better. There was singing and instrument playing and stories and such a great time. What a good time to share God's faithfulness with the upcoming generations! He has so blessed our family.

Of course, it was so bittersweet and poignant. My father had been in Heaven for only a couple of earth-months, and we missed him so much. He loved, absolutely loved our Christmas get-togethers, even when he became so disabled. It was the highlight of his year, to be with family in so joyous a circumstance. Mother was brave and stoic, but there were times . . . What a beautiful example she has been of making her husband her life-mission, putting forth his vision and complementing him perfectly. Our faithful Heavenly Father gave us a holiday to remember in many ways.