More ESME pics!

Shari and little Esme. How sweet!

Esme burping (or not!) for Mark

I also was sent a funny video of Mark and Esme, but Blogger

didn't cooperate in loading it. Oh! I got it to load. It is right below this post.

     

Esme Speaking French!

This is a video of  Mark playing with Esme - when she gets older she'll deck him!

Esme Arabella Fields - Three weeks old!

I am the queen of THIS castle!  

One has to be prepared for the bright sun in North Carolina!

I kind of like this whole balcony thing! You can see all the people shopping and walking by and the sun feels really warm! :) I especially think that the palm plant is interesting.

My daddy thinks I'm so special. It makes me feel so secure!

I actually think he's very nice, too!

What happened to the sponge baths and spa treatments? This real bath thing is scary!!

KNOXVILLE!

Today Shari called to confirm that Mark has accepted a new job and that they will be moving to Knoxville, Tennessee! He begins the middle of next month, so they will be moving in October.

They are sad to leave North Carolina, but grateful that the Lord has provided this job for Mark - one that he hopes he will like so much better than his present job.

Knoxville is a LITTLE closer to us than Charlotte, NC, so we are happy for that. It is only a couple of hours closer, but every little bit helps!

Knoxville is just outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park - a beautiful place! It is also home to the University of Tennessee. We will be anxious to visit and can maybe go through there on our way to Florida each year by taking a different route than we usually have. We are excited for them. We are praying that they will find a good church family quickly and that Mark will love his job. This is really the first time in their married lives that they can actually be together on weekends and every night because Shari will not be working - at least not outside their home. Little Esme is growing, gaining weight and doing very well!  :) I miss her!

These are pictures of Great Smoky Mountain National Park just outside of Knoxville. Looks so beautiful!

Tiger Game with Friends

Yesterday was just one of those wonderful late days of summer that makes you sad for the end of the warm weather and yet welcoming of the cool, crisp days of autumn. It started out to be a very cool day, but warmed up through the day, and it was BEAUTIFUL!  Blue sky, fluffy clouds, a nice breeze - and a ball game!  :)  

We had tickets for a day game at Comerica Park. Terry took part of the day off and we invited a couple of our very favorite people to join us at the game. Often when we invite friends to join us, the game becomes secondary while we get to talk and catch up with what is going on in each other's lives. That is always fun to do - and we really enjoyed doing that with Cyndi and Mike! They are newer friends in our lives, but have impacted us so much with their love for the Lord and their daily trust in his provision in their lives. They are an inspiration to us and many others! We dearly love them. They have NINE children - all of them just the nicest people ever!

 
The TIGERS lost the game - but, that has been the story for much of the end of the season. It is always fun to go to Comerica Park, though - it is beautiful there. In spite of the loss, it was a fun day spent with people we enjoy and love. We don't get time to do enough of that and it was a pleasure!!

LABOR DAY 2008 - Frankenmuth and Birch Run

SEPTEMBER 1, 2008

A Trip to Frankenmuth and Birch Run

Monday morning after we had slept in a bit and gotten dressed, Terry and I sat down on the couch to talk and we both decided that we didn't have anything to do that day and just didn't want to stay at home and work around the house. After all, it was so beautiful outside and it was our last summer holiday. So we tossed around ideas like going to the State Fair, the Romeo Peach festival or just going to the mall and to eat. But we decided in the end that even though it was already 10:00 A.M. that we could be at Frankenmuth by noon. So we just got in the car and headed off! What a gorgeous day it was!

All of the flowers and grounds looked beautiful. We arrived just in time for lunch at Zehnder's. We walked right in and got a seat right away. We thought it would be best to eat our big meal first and then walk it off while we walked around Frankenmuth and Birch Run.  

The meal was really delicious. We had chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, bread and rolls, relishes, dressing etc. As always at Frankenmuth, we had an excellent waitress. So we left stuffed and happy and ready to walk.

We looked at all of the shops in Frankenmuth - it is a beautiful place! Then we took off to do so serious shopping at Birch Run. We walked around Birch Run for about three or four hours and then left for the trip home. I really enjoyed just being with Terry on the trip there and back and the meal and all of the walking. It is so nice just to connect for awhile and get away. 

The end of the summer is just about here. It has been a really nice summer for us. We were able to get away several times this summer and enjoyed God's beautiful creation. We enjoyed the mountains on the way to North Carolina, the weather and ocean in Florida, an interesting Retailer's Show in Florida and we were able to go to North Carolina again to welcome a new granddaughter into the world. We feel very thankful and blessed! We look forward, too, to fall and all the beauty and color that it brings along with the cooler weather, but will look back on this summer as a happy, busy, and peaceful.

"Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, 

giving thanks through him to God the Father."

Colossians 3: 16,17

A First Visit with New Granddaughter, Esme!

Isn't she a sweetie? I just got back from my five days in North Carolina. Terry and I drove down and Terry stayed for a day and a half and drove back and I stayed for a couple more days. Esme is just so precious! She is still under six pounds and just perfect! Her little hands and feet are so cute and soft. She has very dark brown hair, but light eye lashes and eyebrows, so she may end up with lighter hair. She looks very much like Shari looked as a baby. Shari says she thinks Esme has Mark's mouth, and she may. She has a very expressive mouth - very nicely shaped and cute. She still sleeps much of the time - except at night!

I LOVE this picture! It shows just how little she is and how expressive! Mark and Shari are so proud of her. 

Here is Esme with her proud grandma.

What a little angel!! So innocent and sweet.

Mark is very good with Esme and likes to cuddle with her - she likes it too, and falls right to sleep! Mark actually gave her a sponge bath one day while I was there because Esme had messed herself up and needed a bath. She was so funny! She LOVED it! She never made a peep, but was awake the whole time and really loving all the attention. She got her hair washed and fluffed and baby lotion and baby oil rubbed into her hands and feet - a real spa treatment! She knew she was in the right home!

Here is Terry holding Esme. Notice the ice cream cone on the T-Shirt? This is a shirt that Mark found for Terry to wear in place of his own. Terry picked up Esme for the first time and sat down on their couch - Esme immediately pooped and it went through everything she had on and all over Terry's shirt! It was so funny! But he just took her back as soon as they were both cleaned up. Grandpa's are like that.

Shari looks great here! She is actually very tired. Small babies like to nurse a lot all day and all night and it does take its toll on a new mom, but she is so happy! Esme actually had her eyes open here and looks all content. I hated to leave - I love her already and will miss holding her and feeling how soft and warm she is! Granddaughters are just wonderful!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CAROL!

A TRIBUTE  TO A LOVING SISTER

My sister is a wonderful person! She is godly,

 loving, caring, and sweet! 

She loves her family and lets them know it

 in so many creative ways.

Her grandchildren mean the world to her!

She is a talented photographer and makes beautiful,

 meaningful cards with her pictures.

She wants to serve the Lord with all her heart.

Anyone would be fortunate to have her for a friend

 (and she has many!)

She is a precious sister and friend to me,

and I love her dearly!

5TH ANNUAL SISTER GET-AWAY!

Carol and Ruthanne

OLD MISSION POINT LIGHTHOUSE

August 2008

I am very late in posting about this trip with my sister. My daughter Shari had our first granddaughter as soon as I returned and I have been in a fog of excitement and anxiousness. (Wanting to be there and waiting to go) 

For the last five years my sister and I have taken a trip together to reconnect with each other and relax and enjoy the state of Michigan. We have stayed in Frankfort, Charlevoix (twice), Manistee, and this year in the Traverse City area. I say area because we actually went to Mission Point, drove around and shopped the whole Leelanau Peninsula, shopped in Traverse and went to the sand dunes this trip. It was so beautiful and we had a great time! 

The weather was absolutely beautiful and the scenery was breathtaking. We shopped, took pictures of lighthouses and the lakes and beaches and the sand dunes. Carol had never been to the sand dunes before. We took the scenic trip by car and stopped whenever we wanted to spend some time at a certain place.

I have always loved being by the water - it isn't a vacation otherwise! Isn't Lake Michigan so beautiful? It is calming and peaceful to me to watch the water!

We stayed in Traverse City which was central to the spots we wanted to visit. I could actually live in the Leelanau Peninsula - no problem! At night we walked along the marina in Traverse. I love to see the beautiful sailboats. There were a lot of them to see this trip.

We actually had time to spend on the beach this trip! It was relaxing to sit and talk and just hear the sound of the water and the birds and be with each other.

We went to see three lighthouses. (Carol's passion) We have actually thought of being lighthouse keepers for a weekend or a week. We met four ladies who were doing just that at the Traverse City lighthouse in this picture. That would be a great experience! Anyone interested?

We had a little trouble finding the lighthouse at Mission Point because we used a Mapquest map that showed it to be on the west side of the island right in the middle! Well it wasn't! That island had a lot more roads than the map showed also! Don't trust those maps. We finally found the lighthouse up at the very top of the island. It was a bit overgrown and it was not a currently working lighthouse, but it was a beautiful area!

Doesn't this look peaceful and happy? I love this picture. The water was so clear and the day was just beautiful! It was great to be with Carol and I will always remember this time away as a wonderful, happy time. We had good fellowship and friendship. Who could ask for more? We are blessed by our heavenly Father with each other and a beautiful state to explore and enjoy!

Esme Arabella Fields

Welcome to our new granddaughter! We can't wait to actually see you and hold you! You look like a sweetie!

This picture was taken shortly after her birth and sent to us email by Mark. Thank you, Mark! It felt surreal knowing that we had a new granddaughter, but not knowing what she looks like. Can't wait to know her - we already love her! I decided to choose a verse for her:

I Timothy 4:12

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."

She is a little young to live out that verse yet, but I will pray that verse for her that her life will be an example of this verse as she grows up.

I am going to NC this weekend. I will take lots of pictures to post!