Hello / Good-bye

(May I just say how thankful I am for the blog nudging friends in my life?!  When I can't seem to find words I want to release to the internet, invariably someone texts or emails and says, "Hey!  What about a post?!"  Makes my heart smile.........and gets my fingers typing once again.)


Happy Fall, Y'all! 
(Oh, wait!  That greeting is past its time.)

Happy Thanksgiving! 
(Um, that one too!  Last week!)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
(Might as well skip ahead and get on track, right?!)

The title of today's post just about sums up my life for the past two months!  My mouth has been full to overflowing with "Hello's!" and "Good-bye's!!"

One recent week-end became a microcosm of my entire life.  It went something like this...........
                Friday - Planning meeting for GGC (Yes, it is normally our day off.  But it's easier to have long meetings when no one thinks you're in the office.)
                Friday Evening - Dinner with our dear friends from England, Phil and Sue.  (Of course it ended with a brilliant cup of tea!)
                Saturday Morning - Worked on organizing our house and garage in preparation for Smith Move-in Day.
                Saturday Lunch - Meet missionaries from El Salvador to discuss their vision.
                Saturday Afternoon - Stop by the fund-raiser event at the school where Meagan and Kristin teach.  Help John and Joy for an hour while they serve mouth-watering BBQ to the crowd!
                Saturday Dinner - Celebrate with one of the most precious groups of GGC - Anna Ministry.  (These ladies may be widowed but they are ALL vibrant, fun-loving and a delight to be around!)
                Sunday Morning -  Two services with the best congregation anywhere!
                Sunday Lunch - Attend a "Gender Reveal Party" for one of our young couples.  (Tim and Kelly are expecting their first baby.  When the obstetrician discovered the gender of their child through ultra-sound, the expectant parents had the information sealed in an envelope.  They invited a crowd of friends and family to their home for lunch and we all found out at the same time mom and dad did.......It's a GIRL!!!  Such Fun!)

When we finally made it home that Sunday evening, we made another cup of tea and sat together (almost comatose)  on the couch watching a Hallmark Christmas movie.

Hallmark Christmas movies require no discernible brain power at all!  Great retreat!

Since that week-end, we've managed to say "Good-bye" to our wonderful Labrador, Bella.  She just moved across town into the ever-shrinking, one bedroom apartment that Kristin and Cody call home. They report that Bella has adjusted well and now thinks she is the reigning queen!

(Gracie always ran the show around here.  Although Bella outweighed her by forty pounds, Gracie thought herself the senior member because she got here first.  Amazing how one so little can rule another so much bigger.)

The Big Hello has been for the incoming Smith Family!

Meagan and Nathan did an excellent job of condensing, packing, labeling, giving away and just plain tossing the rest.  When moving day dawned, they operated like a well-oiled machine.

True to form for Frank and I, we had a 70-Mile bike ride scheduled for the same day.  It's purpose was to help the youth department raise money for missions; which they did.  Almost $3000.00!!

Not too sure about the wisdom of the scheduling, however. 

And let me clarify, that doesn't mean that FRANK AND I rode bikes for 70 miles.  Frank's knee doctor wouldn't clear him for this ride. Although he has ridden over 100 miles for this mission several times. And I ride my bike slowly..........for pleasurable exercise purposes only!

Our job that day was to operate as sustenance-support for the sincere cyclists.  And as baby-sitter for the youth pastor's fabulous children.  (Who just happen to be my grand babies; so no problem there!)

My dad surprised us and came for Thanksgiving week.  A wonderful hello; kinda sad good-bye.

We've said hello to a bit of chaos;  extra furniture; a baby that occasionally cries; and two extra adults.  We've said good-bye to a bit of our privacy; any pinch of extra space anywhere in the entire house; and to Gracie's self-proclaimed throne.

"There's a new 'Shortie' on the scene, pardners!"

We've also said hello to pj-clad snuggles; precious noises from the converted nursery; walks around our yard seeing things from the perspective of a one year old.  Good-bye to any element of loneliness; boredom; or seclusion.

Good trade, I say!  It's a good trade!