Keith & Carrie

OK, OK....I know you've all been wringing your hands, waiting for info about the Keith and Carrie concert!! Well, at least Susan and Vicki.....of course, it goes without saying the concert was fantastic. But here are some exciting tidbits that were a little out of the norm......it was the last concert date of this tour which meant it went extra long PLUS it was taped for an upcoming DVD...Alysa was filmed wearing her "Take Me Back Stage" t-shirt so she COULD be on the DVD...we were privileged to see the Keith and Carrie duet of "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" that Susan has circulated (it was way better live!)...and we got a spot appearance from Nicole Kidman as she was waiting in the wing. Also, Mark's office assistant once dated John Michael Montgomery and we all bumped into him with his family while in the arena. He was never one of my favorites. But I thought it was kind of cool. Alysa was bummed she wasn't invited back stage. But we had great fun anyway. Plus, if she gets on the DVD, that can be her claim to fame. Even Mark had a great time. He likes Keith way more than he did before. He was impressed with Keith's incredible talent. I think he may be converted!!

Things I LOVE

If you've been reading my blog at all since I started, you have probably noticed that as I am typing a post, I will commonly interject "which I LOVE". This, most likely, will continue. It is a quick and simple way I have of sort of acknowledging Heavenly Father as the provider of these simple gifts and my gratitude to Him for them. Here are some of the things I LOVE....first and foremost, my FAMILY, each one of them bring me joy in different ways....fresh, clean sheets that smell and feel like fabric softener...feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin...just a sunny day in general...the smell and crackle of a cozy fire on a chilly night...electronics and the conveniences they can be in everyday life...the smell of a baby all rubbed down with lotion...fat, squishy baby thighs...food (enough said)...the innocent laughter of children playing...stretching...an occasional nap...the smell of clover...soft, padded socks...the kind of tired you feel after working outside in the yard all day. These are just a few of the things that quickly pop into mind...there are many more still.

Skylar's 3!!!

On April 12, our sweet little Skylar turned 3!! Her party theme was "Mickey Mouse". All you party cake crazies out there, check out this precious cake!! She had a big blow out at a place in Longview, called "Kids Station", where they have lots of indoor climbing and jumping "thingies". I really miss being so far away from her (and her mommy and daddy). But I'm so grateful for digital cameras and computers so we can get pictures fast!! I think she looks like Minnie with that big bow in her hair. Ain't she a
beaut? We love you, Skylar!!

Things I Saw on my Morning Walk

Now that I'm in a nice, safe (or so it feels) neighborhood, I've decided to get out and get some fresh air and exercise. It's so beautiful here it would be a shame to miss out by exercising indoors. Just a few things I saw on my walk this morning.....a jet plane making white streaks across a clear blue sky, birds playing in flight while singing me a beautiful song, dew glistening on the pasture land, rocks and pebbles in my path, just waiting for me to kick them along (which I LOVE to do!), a little yellow butterfly flittering along side me as I made my way, a buckskin colored horse feeding on the delicious green grass of the meadow, the sunlight dancing on the water of a winding brook, a tiny waterfall spilling over the rock wall. These were just a handful of things I saw. It doesn't count all the sounds and smells. Who would want to miss out on all these creations and the experience of de-stressing, filling your lungs with fresh air, unwinding, communing with nature and .....feeling the burn? It was great!!

More Perry News

A few days ago I found out 5 Marines from Perry's batallion had been killed by a car bomb while out on patrol. My heart sank for all the parents and family members of those Marines, as well as their brothers in the corp. Please continue to send up your prayers for our men and women sacrificing so much for our freedom. They need and deserve our support.

Pics By Alysa

Alysa has decided she likes photography! She's starting out by taking pictures of still life (plants, in this case) and she likes taking pictures of her friends and family. I am going to encourage her to develop this talent...you never know where her "work" could end up!!

Perry News

I'm sorry to say I don't have any new pictures. But there some of you who want updates on Perry. He is currently in Iraq, although we are not allowed to know the specific location. He assures me everything is fine and not to worry (knowing all the while that I'm likely to do it anyway). He says the food is the best he's ever eaten anywhere. Funny, that is one of the things all mothers want to make sure of...that their baby is eating well. Some info about where he's living....the building use to be a resort, but the walls are now covered in bullet holes, no indoor plumbing (that's in a separate building) and they've rigged the door to close with a rope and bag of water because there were no workable hinges. He had his guitar shipped over and I sent him "Cranium", a board game to play in whatever spare time he might have. He promises he's going to call and email more often, as soon as they get some things squared away. They're apparently very busy at first. Overall, he sounds good and welcomes mail, goody boxes, prayers, your love, any correspondence at all. I do believe he is becoming more aware of just how blessed we are here in the promised land. Keep praying!