Sara enjoying her ride to Ohio!
Meghan was my co-pilot and navigator! It was so nice to 'get away' with my 2 older girls...we laughed, sang and were able to talk A LOT! I think we can all say that we had a thoroughly good time together!
But...here is my main reason for the trip...my dear, dear old friend, Jolyn! Here are Jolyn and I at her home. She and her family lived behind us while we were growing up. She and my sister, Lori, were actually best friends for years...Lori was even in Jolyn's wedding. Ron and I had dinner 20 years ago with Jolyn and her husband, Mike, then sadly, we lost touch with each other.
Here are Jolyn's daugher, Autumn (she is Sara's age), Meghan, and Sara. The girls hit it off right away, and had a great time. We're looking forward to Autumn coming to stay with us for a week in June.
This is Jolyn's mom, Linda, on the left. She is so sweet and funny...I told her I wanted to bring her home with me for a visit! (she cracked me up!) She still calls "Jolyn!!!" in a very "distinctive" voice!
This is all of us, waiting to get into the Duggar event. Sara and Autumn were two peas in a pod!~This was one of the nicest visits that I've had in a long time! It was an immediate "re-connect" for Jolyn and I. There was no awkwardness, no loss for words....just a deep 'spiritual' connection, lots of laughter, a few tears, and lots of 'gabbing'! Jolyn's husband, Mike, was so kind and thoughtful, and it was great spending time with Jolyn's mom and dad again. We got to spend a little bit of time last night after we got home, playing Phase 10 with all of them as well as Jolyn's son, Mike. Lots of snacks and lots of laughter! We figured out the 1/2 way point is around Beaver Falls...a little better than an hour from each of us....so we'll be planning frequent visits, even in the winter time. Can't wait till they are able to come here for a visit...to see all of my family who hasn't seen them since Jolyn & Mike's wedding....25 years ago!
Thanks for the special, wonderful visit, Jolyn! We love you! ~Sue~
I was so excited! I was able to hug Mrs. Duggar and Anna! They were so nice, poor Anna looked so tired, but she was there! (If you haven't followed their story since after the wedding, they are expecting a baby!) Here are some more pictures:
The nicest thing about all of this, is that Ron HATES gardening, landscaping, yard work....he would rather be underneith a dirty, oily car for hours than do this...and I thought he looked so handsome pushing my grandfather's old wheelbarrow around! I really appreciate all he has done outside these last few weeks....and he has done it all for me. That's love! (after 20 years, too!)
Here are some of the 'Amish Sugar Cookies' that Meghan made to donate to the Zambia fund. As I mentioned earlier, our church is sending a team to Zambia to build housing and a school for orphans, and these were all part of the plan.
Saturday, I dropped off Meghan and Sara to help out with the fundraiser. Meghan and her friend , Alaina, offered raffle tickets and packages of her cookies for a $1 donation each outside of a very busy shopping center.
At the same time, Ron took Ronnie & Anna to this event at a local church.
Of course, they took his 1968 Plymouth Fury! Ronnie loves this old car as much as his dad does, and is Ron's shadow! They had to dress alike in their Penguin shirts for the game that day!
I loved this photo! They all had such a good time at the event! Then, Ronnie got to watch one of his best friends, Aaron, play his last flag football game.
Later, that same day, Ron & I went to a surprise 40th birthday party for his cousin, Danny. Here are his sister, Maureen, his mom, his brother Tommy & Tom's fiance, Kelli.
It was so nice to catch up with all his cousins! We hadn't seen them for a while, and everyone had such fun! Here are our cousins, Hannah and Rachel. My girls are anxious for a visit with them soon!
Hannah and Rachel's mom, Amy & I had a great time catching up with each other! Can't wait to get together with them soon for a rousing game of "Apples to Apples"!
This is how much of the evening looked....lots of people crowded around the television set to watch the Penguin game! (see Ron's bald head left of center)
Now for our sweet Sunday! The weather was perfect today....and after a wonderful service with preaching on 'contentment'...very thought-provoking....we all came home and rested for a while, then spent some time outdoors. Even the big girls had fun on the tire swing!
Sara, (bless her heart!) planted a big flat of flowers for me today! Notice how nice "Mr. Frog" looks with a fresh coat of paint in the background? He was bought by my grandmother in 1952....he is a special part of my childhood.
Ronnie occupied himself outside for most of the day building and using a 'catapult'. He is holding a piece of terracotta pipe as his weight.
He was making all kinds of thing fly thru the air, and was figuring out the path of different objects based on their weight and the direction of his aim. I was impressed!
Meghan helped me make a good old-fashioned Sunday dinner while Sara planted the flowers. We made a roast chicken, mashed potatoes, carrots, corn and homemade gravy! Ron's favorite Sunday dinner!
Here we are, almost done.
Here is what I did this morning....Ron had painted my grandmothers aluminum glider and rocker, along with another metal rocker we've had for year. Today, I used fabric I bought from the Salvation Army fabric sale to sew cushions...I love this fabric!
Anna loved this water table and watering pitcher...she had a blast with it!
Like father, like son! I still can't believe Ty leaves his sunglasses on!
Sara and Tina....11 months apart, and special cousins!
My sweet nephew, Shayne! He hates getting his picture taken, but he'll be leaving for college in a little more than a year...I'm taking as many pictures of this special boy as I can!
My dad and step-mum, Maryellen. She is the most well dressed, coordinated woman I know! And, one of the sweetest as well! (my dad also hates to get his picture taken...wonder where Shayne gets it from?!)
Ty's favorite little car! He loves to drive it, and push it around.
I love this woman! This is Denise, Todd's mom. We are so very blessed to have such a large, extended family....and she is a special part of it!
Ron's sister, Maureen, and his mom both came to visit at Lori's today. Ron and Maureen look alike and are very much alike...still!
Aunt Lori, Anna and Ty....pretty soon it will be Ty's first birthday...Todd gets TONS of fireworks for the 4th of July....and he'll have even more this year for Ty's birthday!
My sleepy girls.....I'm so glad to have them home...and I think they are very happy to be home again! As much as I love all of our extended family, I feel so blessed and grateful to have our little family together, healthy ( relatively) and following after the Lord! Some of the decisions that we make, and some of the ways that we live our lives may seem strange to some people, but I know that as long as we read God's word, pray for His strength to follow His will for our family, and try to make everything we do be pleasing to Him...then we don't have to worry about pleasing anyone else.....and I'm glad! Goodnight! ~Sue~ 
Here are Anne (in the middle) with her oldest daughter, Kaitlynn 20 years old and Elizabeth ( who will be turning 18 soon). I didn't get to take a picture of Elizabeth today at her party in her pretty dress, but thought this one was even more appropriate. When Elizabeth was 3 years old, she was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma...a very strong, pediatric cancer, and she had a tumor removed. She has been cancer free for a while now, but I never forget what her mom and dad went thru and am very proud of the strong, sweet young lady she is! She will be going to Clarion University in the fall for teaching.
