weekend report from Oregon

[Guest guest]

Howdy all, here I am, lived through the weekend so will write a report before I get on with things here, writing tends to organize my brain cells. Just wanted to say, IT SNOWED! Yes, we woke up yesterday morning with about 5 inches of snow on the ground. Four of my grandkids had spent the night and were quite amazed to see it out there with the daffodils and all.

Back up, start again: on Sat. morning I went and fetched my son Tom, and three of the grandkids and headed to IHOP where we met my son Jeff and his wife and two kids. Whenever he comes down for a visit from Portland we meet at IHOP and pig out. I always get the pancakes and put two sunny side up eggs in the middle of them and drown them in maple syrup, IHOP is the International House of Pancakes, in case some may not know this.

We took up one really big table in the middle of things there, lets see, nine of us, Tara didn't want to come, crowds make her nervous. Well we ate and then headed to a place called the Science Factory, it is right behind the football stadium here, and has a planetarium, so we sat and stared at the sky for about an hour as a woman explained different things to us. It the pitch dark there it was so cute when Lucas kept saying, "Stars grandma, planets grandma..." I was so glad he did not have to pee, or worse there stuck in the dark like that, but he, and the others were really good, in fact my grandson Timmy piped up that Saturn was the only planet that floated, and the lady said, yes, and it left rings in the bathtub too!

So then to the house where we played and chatted for hours, and played the game the Wii they had brought, that was fun. It was Sierra's 11th birthday so as the day went along Penney went and got about six pizza, brought them back and we ate them and the chocolate chocolate cake she had baked from scratch, really delicious. We do eat good when we are all together and I basked in the realization that all four of my kids were all in the house together and five of my six grandkids also, as well as a few extras, my daughter in law and Tom's girlfriend and two of her kids.

Finally my two oldest boys went to their grandma's to spend the night and I was left with the kids and they kept me up late into the night with their giggling and wrestling and what not.

Next day, Sunday, we were wondering what to do, what to do. It was so cold and messy out, didn't want to go out there, and suddenly I just KNEW, we must go to church, so I went upstairs and told the kids and they didn't like it, but I felt authoritative and knew it my grandma's duty to see that we went. I called Jeff and told him, and he said, well did his kids "want to" and I said, no, but they were going, and he said, "Something like when I was a kid huh, and I said, yes."and I asked him if he wanted to go, and he said, "Not particularly," but as I pulled up with all the kids in the van, he and Penny showed up, praise God!

She went on with the kids to go to children's church, I think she wanted to be sure what they did in there, and Jeff came and sat with me. The pastor was gone, but the other pastor did good, he preached on the discipline of the Lord out of Hebrews 12:5-11, and I thought it was really appropriate for the occasion, as Jeff has not been in church in a mighty long time....6 "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth...." on and on it went... Jeff kind of squirmed sitting there, has become much more liberal in his middle age, as is his wife, both college educated with an Obama bumper sticker, and "End the war," on the back of their car.

He said Tom was coming, but he never showed. I am not sure if that sermon was for them, or for me, preparing me for what they both must go through in the future, we suspect Tom may have been drinking a little bit, I am going to try to get him to go with me to Celebrate Recovery tonight at our church, pray for him please.....

Then off to Burger King, yes to EAT still again, then figured we would just go back to the house to spend a few hours before they left for home, Tara came over, and we worked on the jig saw puzzle and chatted some more, then left for the hour drive home north into the storm....

I was so beat by then I wanted to pass out, but piped up, "Well let's get ready for church," and I knew I could not say anything to deter him, so off we went with Marty, and sat, and worshiped, and listened to a missionary from Cambodia speak of his ministry, boy was that interesting, souls are really being saved in Cambodia these days. He spoke about Buddhism, that was interesting, I learned a lot, how these people live in such fear and are always at work to appease the spirits, such a pitiful existence until they learn about Jesus.

And then home to crash, up again today to face the world. Have a pregnant guppy about to have her young, wish she'd had them when the kids were here.

What you all been up to?

Much love,

Carolyn in STILL snowing today Oregon, the hills are covered and it is cold, was only 35 out when I took the kids to school awhile ago! ; 0 )