Coveting Prayer

I took down the last post, not because it ceased to be true but because we have been asked not to talk about things. I will just say that we have been blindsided and our hearts are broken. We are clinging to each other and to the promises of our Father in heaven.

People keep asking what they can do. And really the only answer I have is, "Pray." I know it's sometimes more natural or feels like you're doing "more" somehow if there is action involved, but we are learning that sometimes we are just called to our knees. We are having to stop "doing" and are spending much of our time digging into God's word and crying out in prayer. And that is the most we can do. God will take care of the rest, in his time, as he sees fit.

We covet your prayers as we step out in faith into the unknown.

Oklahoma: Post Deux

Whew! I'm not doing so well in the Getting-Caught-Up Department.

Here is another installment of Family Time in Oklahoma: A Photo Montage.

April's graduation was (of course) a great reason to go to Oklahoma, but visiting her in-laws is always a reason to go too!

On Mother's Day we went to church and then to brunch with the Coffin clan-yum. And extra special for all of us to to be together with Mom on Mother's Day; it's been a long time since that has happened! In the afternoon we headed out to the Coffin Homestead and hung out, saw the garden, played games, and in general had a great time (Noelle and Andy took off to catch their flight out of OKC).

Hot game of dominoes at Don & Shirley's

Chatting
Being Silly
Have I mentioned how GRAND it was that John & Kirsten could come?? :-D
The Garden

When I'm feeling overwhelmed or busy, I just need think of the Crazy Coffins and all their doings and somehow I don't feel so busy anymore! ;-)

Did you think boys grew up? Ha!

Or girls, for that matter?
Yummy strawberries
We also got the chance to see meet the bees (yet another project).

The Lovely Graduate

And then, believe it or not, we ate AGAIN. No shortage of food on this trip! Shirley's soup and bread were amazing.
Don with the desserts

I, of course, demanded--nicely!--more recipes from Shirley. I seem to do that whenever we see them.
It was so great to see little Gracie healthy and happy!!
Poor Rachel was my partner in dominoes. I'm sorry, Rachel!!
Anna, Gracie, Kirsten
Let the card playing begin!
Donna & Rachel
The Lovely Tristan
Ben, Pei, Erik and I scooted out a little early to shoot over to Mulhall and visit with Jean. Tristan took over my dominoes and Jackie sat down to learn.

She looked ready to conquer!

When April first moved to Oklahoma an eon ago, it was to take a job with Jean and Jody Brainard on Big Lake Ranch. Throughout her years working for there, we visited fairly regularly and got to know (and love) the Brainards. It was so great to Jean and her friend Dagmar! (Jody was in Mexico and Vance off being a teenager)

Jean is still a Wisconsin girl at heart and we celebrated the reunion with an Old Fashioned! Yum. I think the pickled okra is an Oklahoma addition, but we definitely approved.

A toast!
Unannounced visits come with their own perks and advantages--like watching a horse be artificially inseminated!
The mare's current foal, checking things out
Erik helping

Pei enjoying the show
Ben documenting the moment (no horses were harmed in the making of this blog)We took the opportunity to greet the horses in the stable.
Then Jean suggested we take the gator for a spin before it got too dark.
We jumped at the chance and took off for a quick ride in the pasture.
Whee!
Pei had been wanting to see a cow up close, so we stopped and she took some hay from the back . . . notice how the group seems to be leaning back a little?
They were unimpressed by the hay.
"Cows! You don't know what you're missing!"
We got out near the little pond . . .
. . . and ran out of gas. Literally. Ha! We trekked back to the house and had a good laugh with Jean and Dagmar, who had apparently asked each other if it was full of gas after we'd left.
When we got back to Guthrie, there were a few night owls still lurking downstairs. We had just enough time for some fruit and a glass of wine before heading off to bed.
The next morning we went to breakfast before the Mass Exodus.
April took this picture, tickled by the name Crack Pie. The waitress said it was kind of like pecan pie without the pecans. Huh. I'm not feeling that inspired by that description. Since then however (thanks to a little internet research) I found that this pie is currently all the rage in New York City and the restaurant that originated it charges $44 a pie!!! Perhaps I should try making it from this recipe . . .
My giant glass of juice, which came half full. Apparently they were out of small glasses. Ha!
And after breakfast, the hard goodbyes as everyone (except Erik & me) left . . .
At least we were there to ease the Empty House Blues. ;-)

Jumpin' Around

This is what happens when I get behind. If I don't jump around a little, I miss posting about things somehow. So today we're leaving Oklahoma and fast forwarding a bit. We'll go back. I promise.

First of all, my computer is back! YAY!!!!! Yes, I (sort of) have an excuse for being so far behind. I blame the guy below but since it came back faster and cleaner than it left, I'm not really complaining!

This post is really about a fun evening we had a couple of weeks ago with some kids we love. We got the chance to take them mini-golfing and had a great time!
David
Hannah
Liliana
Making things a little more interesting for Erik's shot
We were about half-way through the course when a train pulled up on the tracks nearby . . .
And the engineer blew the whistle when David signaled. I think this was more exciting than the mini-golfing!
The water was running this time! When we went one other time, everything was dry and yucky. This time it was prettier (but smelled really strongly of chlorine).
Sexy Scorekeeper
Lining up their shots
Hannah's streak of luck broke on this hole and her brother took the lead.
The slurpee turned out to be almost as big as they were . . . and the lady at the counter thought I ought to order a large! I think we just became those friends who fill kids with sugar and then drop them off at home. Oops!

(Don't let Lil fool you with the water . . . she got her share of the blue sugar too.)