April 26, 2009

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  On my list of favorites, this is one of them!

  Keller cousins/sisters/aunt Day!

  

  Once a year, each Spring, six of us meet about 8:30am to spend the day together. Sandy (right) has about a two hour drive so we don't get to see her as often as we would like. So we really look forward to this day together. Leah (left) is my aunt, Kathy (tallest) and Sandy are my cousins and Connie (pink) is my sister. My sister Dawn should be with us yet. You will remember her from my last entry. She had off work on Wednesday and instead of going with us for the day, chose to stay home - to spend that time with Glenn.  We really missed her; she is quiet but when she does get talking, she adds life to the party!!

  We each choose a place we would like to stop and see and then agree on a place for lunch. Don't you just love kindred spirit?! That is what we experience together in this group. After we all climbed into my van, Leah prayed for our day and asked the Lord to bless our time together! Love it!

  We usually go in the direction of the Amish country. We found this location interesting.....especially the carving.

   

   

   

   

  

  As we drove to our next requested place, we came to a stop sign and this scenery was across the road. No cars were in sight so I quickly took this picture. Here in Lancaster Co. this is so pleasant to the eyes as we are now getting some beautiful flowers and budding trees.

  We soon came to a place called "The Valley of No Wires." Kathy had seen this on a bus tour and thought we would enjoy seeing it - and we did. It was a valley of all Amish farms and as you know they do not use electricity. I think it was five or six farms we could see - NO WIRES anywhere! 

   

   

   

  

  It was soon time for lunch. The girls didn't know I took this picture; Kathy is asking the Lord's blessing on our meal. We eat but then we sit long and talk together!  We talk as we drive also......which is about a 45 minute drive until our first stop but when you don't see each other as often as you would like, somehow we don't run out of things to talk about!!

   

   

   

   

  

  Sandy wanted to take some yummy doughnuts from this area back to her school students so she and I went into this wonderful grocery store for just that! We stopped here before getting to the doughnuts!

   

   

   

  

  I'm not sure how to describe this moment in my day without getting too lengthy! I'll try. After Sandy and I purchased the doughnuts, we walked across the road to the other girls to meet them at Good's Store. It's a wonderful place to buy cards......meaningful - and - 20% discount. I was concentrating on what I was doing, looked up and my eyes saw this dear, dear friend - Billie!!! I think she lives about three hours from here so it was a huge surprise to see her!! You know how special it is to bond with someone; with some people it comes with time. The next person it seems to happen immediately! And that is how it was with Billie. I was at my very first Creative Memories Cropping with Susie a few years ago and I was a bit apprehensive as I was going alone and figured I probably wouldn't know hardly anyone. Susie and the Lord had me placed between two special ladies - Elma and Billie! And the bonding happened! She is a precious sister in Christ. This is a picture of their family taken in 2007 and since then the Lord has blessed their home with a little daughter! (Billie speaks at ladies' meetings.)

  I had a set time to meet my sister, cousins, and aunt so we didn't have much time to talk - a hug, a few words, and a praise to the Lord for this timing! I could so easily have missed her! 

  If you find time to read this Billie, I couldn't believe I forgot to take a picture of you and your precious little girl!! I would have loved to introduce her to my xanga friends!

   

   

   

  

  Near the close of each Spring day that we have together, Sandy always gives something to each of us that has much meaning. We find a pretty, quiet spot and this year it was on our way home to stop at this gazebo again. She tells us she finds these blessings at Ollie's! This year it is a three-ring notebook and on the front cover the printing says, "God Bless our Home" and is a recipe keeper as that wording is on the inside (by Karla Dornacher.) I'm tempted to use mine as a photo album because it is so pretty!  

   

   

   

  

  She ALWAYS personalizes her gifts so after we took the gift wrapping off, we found this warm note tucked inside.

   

   

   

  

  The giver of our gift, Sandy, - up close! She had such an interesting story to tell us about this Recipe Keeper! She and John were at Ollies in Harrisburg and saw just a few of these notebooks on the shelf. Then she happened to see a man with a cart, full, of these notebooks and she asked him gently what he was going to do with these! Because they were so inexpensive he told her he was taking them home for his children to use them as coloring books!!!!! I think Sandy about lost it but remained very calm and asked would he mind if she took some!!! She just praised the Lord that she was there at that spot - at that time! So did we!

   

   

   

  

  Kathy is listening intently to Sandy. She is a cousin to treasure! And I do! Kathy lives about a half hour from me, goes to another church, is in another school district so I don't get to see her very often at all.....not enough! 

   

   

   

  

  We use the word "nippy" for the weather we had today! Connie is keeping ONE ear warm!! This girl is one I can dump my heart onto....my joys and my concerns and I know those thoughts will be brought, by her, to my Heavenly Father. She is amazing and her walk with the Lord is - I'm searching for a word - so intimate.

   

   

   

   

  

  Leah often talks with her hands!! She was single until she was 60 so she always gave us nieces and nephews a lot of attention - therefore making her very special to all of us. She is Daddy's sister. Daddy was the oldest in the family and Leah next to the youngest. (seven children) You guessed it - we sit here.....and talk some more!!

   

   

   

  

  We soaked in a little more beauty of our surroundings before packing ourselves back into the van. We were grateful for this blessing to be together today. I think each of us would say that we thoroughly enjoy the little things in life! Back at our meeting place we gave hugs and were soon all headed toward our homes with more memories and Sandy's gift. 

  P.S. Nevin looked over my shoulder and said kindly, "Isn't that post getting a little long-winded!"

  Sorry ladies - I don't know how  to describe this day with less words!!!

   

   

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