Africa, Fort Worth, and Louisiana

On Wednesday, May 27, Clay left with a team of 3 others to travel to Mali, West Africa to aid the Daltons as they seek to share Jesus with the Bozo people for the first time.

The boys and I stayed in Fort Worth until Monday, June 6. We enjoyed spending time with good friends and keeping ourselves real busy. We're so thankful for the Driggers, Horsburgh kids, the Sanks, the Bufkins, and Mike and Marci for helping to keep our minds off of Clay. You are great friends and we thank God for you!

On Wednesday evening we went to church. Thursday morning the boys and I went to a lady's house from our church to put together some things for a women's fellowship. There were 8 kids all together, so they enjoyed playing together. Noah liked playing with a doll stroller. We're so boy focused in this house we don't own any girl toys. Maybe one day, hmmm...

On Thursday night our good friends Mike and Marci came over. Mike took the boys to play at the park and Marci and I went cake-tasting to help her make a decision for her and Mike's upcoming wedding. We also ate at Pei Wei's where we got some yummy Chinese food! On Friday we enjoyed a day at the Driggers house. The ladies enjoyed fruitful discussion as we are going through the book Damsels in Distress by Martha Peace. Afterwards we ate a delicious picnic lunch out by the pool and let the kids swim. Then it was nap time and time for the mommies to float for a while.

After a warm afternoon of swimming we met our friends the Sanks and Ashley Perry for an evening of football. Well, an hour...er...thirty minutes of football. It was hot so the kids and adults didn't last too long. We opted to enjoy the air-conditioning and chicken tenders at Chick-Fil-A. The kids burned off energy in the play place and we slurped up some good sweet tea. Naomi even enjoyed some yummy ice-cream. Did you know you can trade in the kid's meal toy at Chick-Fil-A to get free ice-cream? What a deal!

On Saturday morning we got to Skype with Clay and it made our day! Well, at least mine. Noah seemed a bit confused. Afterwards us and the Horsburgh kids, Ava and Ben, enjoyed an afternoon of Academy fun and Sams free food samples! Ava and Ben's parents were both in Mali with Clay, so a lady from our church, Faith, went to stay with them. We hung out with them a lot so the kids could all play together.

Noah got a free ball cap (see picture at left) for attempting to cast a rod and reel. It was priceless. He also attempted to catch a fish, got his face-painted, and made a few shots at basketball. Academy apparently has this Family Fun Day once a year. They also provided free hot dogs and water. Wow free food and free entertainment!! That's my kind of deal!

Saturday night we hung out with the Bufkins at the Sanks house and ate pizza. On Sunday, we went to church.

Afterwards we went to a nearby park to celebrate our church's 4th anniversary. Sunday night we spent time at home preparing for our trip to Louisiana.

On Monday we embarked with Meg and Naomi to Shreveport where her mom picked them up to bring them to Ruston. I was so thankful to have help for half of the way. I was also glad that we got to eat at Raisin' Canes, which is one of my favorite places. I don't go to a city very often that has one, so what a treat!

We continued on our way to Louisiana with no stops on the way! We made it in record time and enjoyed relaxing the rest of the evening. On Tuesday Jake, KK, Carson, Landon, and the boys and I went swimming. We had fun relaxing around the pool and eating a picnic lunch.

KK and I watched the little kids play in the small swimming pools and everybody else played a game of water baseball in the big pool.

Afterwards we went to Jake and KK's house and attempted naps for the boys. No such luck.

On Wednesday I took Jude to get his haircut. Then we met up with Jake, KK, Carson, Landon and Noah and had lunch at the park. KK and I made chicken bbq pizza for dinner and then we went to church.

On Thursday we went to Artesian Springs. We had fun lounging around, eating lunchables, jumping off the high dive, and sliding down a long water slide. My mom was kind enough to stay in the shallow water with the kids while I had fun with Landon, Darren, and KK. It was so fun. I hadn't slid down a water slide in a long time.

Noah and Carson enjoying the shallow water

Noah and Carson taking a break from swimming and enjoying their lunchables

Landon and Jude hanging out on a beach blanket

Landon buried in the sand

On Thursday night we ate fried fish, fried shrimp, fries and hush puppies with Steven, Staci, and Darren Rainwater. It was some of the best shrimp and fish I've ever had.

On Friday we had Jude's 1st birthday party! He had so much fun opening presents and devouring his cake. I will have to include a whole post on this because there are many pictures to share! One of the best parts was that Clay called right as the party began. He had the opportunity to talk to me and Noah and wish Jude a happy birthday. He also got to talk to his mom, dad and brother. What perfect timing!

Friday night my mom, sister and I went out for a girls' night. We ate appetizers and dessert at Chili's and then did some Walmart shopping. It was such a treat to spend time with my mom and sister. It was also nice to spend time as a woman and not as a mom. I love my job as a mom and wouldn't trade it for anything. But there are times that a mom wants to be a woman too!

On Saturday we went to Landon's baseball tournament in Beaumont. Noah and Carson went on the field in between games. They felt so big holding bats and sliding at the bases. We were glad we were visiting on a weekend that Landon was playing.

On Sunday we went to church with the Iles family. We ate lunch at church because the youth were having a fundraiser for their upcoming mission trip. Yummy pork steaks! (I think I have an obsession with food :) After lunch it was nap time for the boys and for me! The single mom life is very tiring!

Sunday afternoon Noah helped PaPa pick some veggies in the garden. We were able to bring some of that fresh produce home. We've enjoyed the tomatoes, corn and green beans. There is nothing like fresh-from-the-garden vegetables.

Mrs. DeDe and I took the boys to play on the school playground. We also enjoyed a lap around the track before the boys were ready to get home for dinner.

We stopped at a gas station on the way home and I made one of the dumbest mistakes ever. I somehow accidentally locked the car doors as I was getting out of the car. The problem? The keys were inside, along with the kids! It was such a hot day and I started to panic. The boys remained calm, so that made it easier. Mrs. DeDe started talking to a man nearby whose son-in-law is a dispatcher for the Beauregard Sheriff's Department. He called us in a rush order, so they would respond quickly. It only took them 15 minutes to get from DeRidder to Dry Creek and they rescued my poor sweaty boys. We brought them inside the store and got a round of ICEEs for everybody. I feel like a terrible mom. Though since then I've heard many stories of other moms doing the same thing. I'm thankful that it wasn't for very long and we were under a pavilion instead of in the direct sunlight.

Clay and I have resolved to go get a spare key made, no matter how much it costs at the Buick dealership, and attach it to the underside of the car. Hopefully this will prevent things like this from happening again.

Noah enjoyed "counting" money on the sun porch at PaPa and Dee's house.

Dee reading to Noah before bed time

Sunday night we enjoyed eating dinner together and resting. I always enjoy good conversation with Bro. Curt and Mrs. DeDe. I packed us up and we hit the road on Monday morning.

It was a fun time with the Mitchell and Iles families and we were ready to see Clay on Tuesday afternoon!