It is too early to find out anything from Tom's scan. We will share news as it becomes available. We have been hearing of the prayers and are feeling them!!

Meanwhile, back on the ranch, we are preparing for the campout. Last night after I got off work, Tom and I went into "town" to run a couple of errands. We got a call from Candace and Chad to see if we wanted to meet up at the new Farm and Home Store. We had an enjoyable time, not much camp prep done, but we needed a little mental vacation. 

American Farm and Home Gothic

We were trying to look like the painting.

We actually felt really cheerful and energetic. We suppressed it for the sake of photographic art.

Our dottah Candace and pitchfork Chad. They can't help looking cute.

A tip of the hat to ye!

Tom's oncologist has scheduled him for  head scan tomorrow (Tuesday) to check out something. It could be a number of things, please continue to keep him in your prayers!

How does a year go by so quickly?????   I thought I had LOTS of time to get ready for the campout- yet, quicker than quick, it is time to start rummaging around in the basement and garage for those things we just can't live without at camp. Flyswatters, bug spray, fans, etc., etc.

And what am I doing? Mainly catching my breath before I dive into the depths again to haul out the dishpan and baskets and hot dog sticks and laundry rack, and coolers........

I wanted to capture what it looks like when all the kids were home this last weekend.

They have advanced- used to be we had a fleet of bicycles out in the yard.

Blue SUV- Wendy & Jason, Black SUV-Grace & Kevin (camper- Wendy and Jason's), Red "Hudson" van-LuAnn, white Pontiac (s'cuse me, it is an Olds)-Tom, (Hidden by tree-blue Mazda- can't think of what model it is- Abby and Brian, Black pickup-Sam, Gray Ford-Candace.

I did a photomerge with this- I guess there was a cloud passing by in the middle picture. That's why the uneven lighting.

Tuesday morning was interesting. The power was out from 3:30-7 am. (of course hubby is out of town!!! ) I had made plans to get up at 5 and write a report. That is when I can focus the best is in the early morning- plus I have run out of time because it is due on Tuesday. So, there was no power. I thinks to myself that I will just use Candace's laptop. No go- battery is dead. Hmmmmm. I already had the generator going to keep the sump pump on- it was raining cats and dogs, so we couldn't afford to let the basement get flooded. The generator was pulled onto the driveway just outside the garage where the van was parked. So I took the laptop out to the van, ran a cord out of the back slidy window, and plugged the computer into the generator, sat in the van and got my report written.

That's the title that popped into my head when I was contemplating how to express how things are going right now. I had to look it up to make sure it wasn't something vulgar. It actually was a term made up by WWII soldiers to describe incoming rockets in Italy.  We use it in the context of being in a state of nervousness. Which is how I start to feel when I think about what needs to be done this week and the next in getting prepared for the campout. It is all very do-able, I just have to be working on something all the time, and it will get done.

We had a GREAT wedding reception for Abby and Brian this past Saturday. We can't thank Jackie Clifft Cooper enough for all of her genius-ness and hard work. She designed the look of the reception, which got a lot of compliments. And I can't even count all the different things she came up with. Invitations, boxes, flowers, centerpieces, etc. It was fabulous, plus very low budget. Win-win! Everything went smoothly, the chocolate fountain flowed perfectly, thanks to Vonna's supervision, the food was great. Wendy concocted a fabulous salad using a local restaurants wonderful recipe. The bride herself prepared the fruit platters- they looked like a picture from a magazine, and Abby put together the "floral" arrangements also with paper flowers Jackie created. Kathy and Vonna did yeoman's service in preparing the food and cleaning up the kitchen afterward. And the Prince Road family quickly took care of the tables and chairs afterwards, sweeping and picking up. The place where we had it was great- it was not only just perfect for the reception, it doubles as a gymnasium. The guys were really happy to play basketball when we got the floor cleared out. Another big plus was that there were several riding toys in the storage closet. There were little people zooming around the tables the entire evening, just as happy as clams.

This past weekend probably gets the record for most events scheduled in one day. We were counting up the different things that people were juggling that day, and it was pretty impressive. Birthdays, funeral, graduation party, wedding reception, retirement party, wedding (Jenna and Zach's), family reunions, church meeting (Vandalia).

We will share pictures of the reception when they are available. Jackie not only was our reception coordinator, she was the photographer, too. And she does it all with a serene, sweet smile on her face! Grace and Kevin made a slide show  of pictures of Abby and Brian complete with music. Tom and I had tears in our eyes at the last few slides.

We had ALL the family home for the occasion plus we were treated to a visit by the Wrights and Grandpa Woody. We are so glad that they made the trip to be with us. There were several who couldn't be with us because of previous obligations. We missed them, but understand. We celebrated Grace's birthday yesterday with the entire crew. Good times! (as Grace says)

Now the hub-bub is history, and it is time to get the old nose to the grindstone. In a few hours I will be depositing Verity at the high school. She is taking a trip to Orlando, FL with the band. Tom is out VBS-ing it up in Nixa. So it will be me and Candace this week!

I had a picture to share, but xanga seems to be working on their photo uploader. I was only able to take a couple of pictures- my hands had too many other things to do.

We haven't heard back yet about any results from the scans Tom had last week. I am hoping that means good news. He reported to me from Missouri yesterday that he was able to get a good night's sleep. His back has really been bothering him at night, keeping him from getting his rest. So, Lord willing, this will just be one of those "back things" that lots of people have trouble with from time to time.

For those who have been hearing the rabbit v. garden saga, here is a pleasant update.

Tom had to leave pretty early yesterday morning (Sunday) to go to Memphis (MO).  After he got in his car, he looked out over the yard and saw this scene:

A neighbor cat was lounging on the trampoline! Tom called me from his cell phone into the house so I could see what was going on. The cat and rabbit were frozen staring at each other for a very long time.

He (the cat, not Tom) just managed to scare the bunnies back to their warren under our forsythia bushes, but at least he kept them out of the garden yesterday morning!

I am hardly aware that we have gone through May already- it is just a blur. I finally got around to switching ONE of my calendars to June yesterday.

Thankfully newspaper duties are slowing down. We are finishing up the end-of-year award pictures and captions for the grade schools, that should be done with in the next couple of weeks. My boss has graciously allowed me Thursdays off this week and next as we prepare for Abby and Brian's wedding reception next Saturday, the 13th. Y'all are invited!  But we understand if you can't come- there are only two or three other things going on that day!! That was the only day we could get all the immediate family members to align. We are looking forward to having a good time with friends and family.

Sewing has been picking up, and how. I altered three bridesmaid dresses recently. Also repairing, trading hemming on rental tuxes for reception cake with a local business. They do cake and tux rentals, and I help them with hemming jackets and pants. Win-win! Let us eat cake!!  Also on the docket are curtains, maternity dresses, zipper repair, zipper replacement, and a tent zipper replacement. All before the campout, of course. Which I am desperately trying not to think about YET. I have my list from last year, and will scramble after the reception to get all the things located and gathered for that. Two weeks ought to be enough, right??

On the Tom front, we were not happy to learn that his numbers keep escalating. He put a call into his oncologist yesterday to see if a scan is warranted before the previously scheduled MRI in August. I am trying to have the right attitude, and not let fear conquer faith. Tom still feels pretty good except...

...Tom's back has been hurting him quite a bit- he is having trouble finding a comfy position to sleep in at night. We have attributed that to some strenuous things he did a couple of weeks ago. We cleaned out our attic. Tom had to do a lot of unnatural lifting where he was squatted (because it doesn't have enough room to stand up) and twisting and lifting.  And we had SO much stuff to take out. I think we have loaded up the van and hauled four loads to Goodwill so far. He really abhors taking medicine, but he finally broke down and took (1) ibuprofen last night. We also have done a lot of other heavy tasks recently in working on the yard, and moving stuff around in the garage. We ARE getting older, even though it sure snuck up on us. I can remember when I thought someone who was 50 was ANCIENT!

We continue to be thankful for the steady stream of prayers- they are comforting and heartening!

We were delighted to have four lovely young girls from the Kansas City area visit with us this past Sunday- Alysse Trusty, Hannah Berberich, Hannah Clevenger and Gracie Manus. How much fun it must have been to take a little vacation with just "the girls"! They were great to be around, and are glad they graced us with their company.

And nope, no pictures, this time! I have taken tons of pictures recently, but they are of events around Brighton and school things, so that would be pretty boring, sorry!

Tomorrow is our Grace's 27th Birthday!! 

We are so thankful to have her in our family- what a gift of Grace she has been to all of us.

Happy Birthday, honey!!!

Three year old Grace.

Verity was conscripted into helping prepare for Abby and Brian's reception coming  up soon. She did a fine job of putting a rolled hem on the napkins. We are not done yet!

Tom got a letter today from Anna Francis, wife of Claycomo MO elder Don Francis. It was a really neat surprise!

Before Tom showed me the letter, he asked me, "What happened thirty years ago?" I couldn't think of anything. Turns out the letter is a copy of the Claycomo business meeting minutes from May 29, 1979, in which a certain Thomas Woody was given a letter from the elders sending him out as an evangelist.

Thanks so much Anna and Don!!!  That was so nice of you!!!

And that thirty years has just been a blink of an eye. We are so thankful for the unwavering faith, love, kindness and support of the Claycomo congregation for Tom over all these years.