Another Road Trip -- Part 2

(Mary, the picture-posting queen, assures me that sometimes the pictures go where you don't want them to go, and there is no way to make them go back, so the first picture will just have to stay where it is!)

When we drove back into the property on this trip, we found forsythia in bloom! How spring-y! When my children were little and we lived in Indiana, we would tire of the endless winter about mid-March. We went out and cut forsythia branches and bring them inside. We put them in water to force the early blooms so we could have a touch of spring. Beautiful!

Also, see the brick wall in the bottom left corner of the above picture? It is a retaining wall along the patio in back of the house. In this picture, you can see a few of the hundreds of tulips that had come up along the wall. Hopefully, they did not freeze and die! They will be beautiful also. What a miracle spring is! We tend to forget its magnitude here in Florida, but it surely sends out a message of hope every year!

"For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;" Song of Solomon 2:11-12

Ashley looks relieved to be in Missouri -- finally! She drove the Tahoe and followed Jason driving the U-Haul rental truck.

Jason and Ashley came in about 10:30 at night. Everyone pitched in and started unloading the truck. This was one of those "hit the ground running" trips for them. They had encountered several obstacles along the way, but God's amazing grace was sufficient!

Katie made a special effort this trip to meet up with us every day or so and let one or two children spend the night with us. What a blessing to spend time with them one on one, talking and listening! Here is Joey with Granddaddy in the RV.

Although they enjoyed being with Florida family, these boys were glad to get home! After all, they are men of God with work to do. And besides, there's no cooking like Mama's cooking, right?

One evening, we went to Katie's for supper in the new kitchen cabin. Here little Sam and Savannah get to know each other better. The storage boxes make the perfect size tables for little people!

Andrew and Katie in the cheery new yellow kitchen!

Above, Rachel and her big brother RG, and below, Katie and Samuel. The Millers met us in Flippin Arkansas (yes, that's the real name of the town . . . don't ask me . . .) for supper at a quaint little restaurant named Sodie's, in the train depot. Pleasant times after a hard day's work.

Rachel was our sweet little companion at the home show. Jason and Danny manned this vendor booth for the new business, Wood Re New, a restoring service for log homes, decks, fences, etc. Jason will handle the business in a five county MO/AR area. I think it will do well.

Here are Ashley, Benny, Savannah, Joey, and Grandmother at a nice cafe/grill we found during the Mountain Home Arkansas spring home show. They served their own delicious grassfed beef, so we came back several times.

Well, this does seem to be a time of transition for the Frodge clan. The Millers have been in Arkansas for a year now. The Jason Frodges are now in Missouri, about an hour from the Millers. The Dischers have their little house up for sale, in preparation for a move, as soon as possible, to Missouri, also. (Check our their house blog! http://floridacountryhouse.blogspot.com/ ) The Dan Frodges have been back and forth (!), and the Stricklens are firmly rooted in Florida. What is next, Lord? Thank You for your faithfulness, through quiet times and unsettled times. You have a plan, and we gladly place our family in Your providential hands.

Oh, No!! Not Another Road Trip!!?? Part 1

Well, yes, another road trip!  Cousins Matthew and Peter turned 16 in the last few months, and it has been our privilege to take (well, for Granddaddy to take) grandsons who turn 16 on a canoe trip with cousins and friends.  So Matthew and Daniel flew down for the occasion, which happened to coincide with Uncle Jason and Aunt Ashley's move to Missouri.  Jason and Danny have bought a business in the Gainesville, Missouri, area, which Jason will manage and work (and I do mean work -- it's a wood treatment business, and there are lots of log homes, decks, etc., in the Bull Shoals area of Missouri/Arkansas.)  So this was an ideal time to hit the road and take Matthew and Daniel home to Arkansas!  Here we go!

What a privilege to have Matthew to talk to for two whole days!  Matthew isn't much of a chatter, which is a good thing, but he thinks deeply and comes up with great observations and theological conclusions.  Since they moved to Arkansas, we have missed hearing his thoughts as he grows into manhood. 

One of Daniel's "quieter" moments in the RV.  Daniel, too, surprises us with the depth of his contemplations.  He and Matthew both have a dry wit and love to come up with "zingers".  What a blessing to spend time with them!

Our other traveling companion -- Ashley's good doggie, Spencer.  We had intended to meet them as they came up from Ft. Lauderdale, but they were delayed behind us, so we ended up with a canine companion all the way to Missouri.  Spencer has been living with us the last year or so, but he has been an "outdoor" dog -- both Danny's and my preference.  So the boys washed and washed him so he would be tolerable in the RV.  I must say, he was a good doggie all the way.  He never misbehaved and was always considerate.  He is loving his new farm home in Missouri.  Bye-bye, Spencer.  We will miss you!

Boys love buffets -- at least these boys do!  We ate most meals in the RV, but we had to have one good buffet along the way!

Finally there!  It is much greener than February.  The sun shone most of the time, but when we left on

April 6, it was downright C-O-L-D!!  It was supposed to freeze that night -- hope the hundreds of tulips and daffodils made it! 

R.G. came up after work to help unload Jason's moving truck, but since they had been delayed, he ate supper with us and went back home to Arkansas.  We didn't get to spend a lot of time with him, but we were so blessed by the man of God he is becoming. 

Every evening, I was blessed to watch and listen as Granddaddy broke the Bread of Life and young men asked questions and added insights.  I could not help but think of the strong faithful arrows going into a time I won't see.  Thank you, Lord, for these precious times, and the little glimpse into the future that they give us.

Part 2:  Moving In