OUR ANNIVERSARY

Since we will be celebrating our 37th anniversary tomorrow, August 1, I thought this was very appropriate!!!

OLIVER

Here is the latest picture!!

HELLO FROM VIRGINIA

Well, we have been in the Old Dominion State since July 18. We are staying with my parents, visiting with our children and grand-dogs. This weekend we are in Manquin, VA visiting with my sister and her family, Mom and Dad came too. Her daughter Leslie, son-in-law, David, AKA Eddie Haskel, and her 2 sons, Daniel and Josh, were here tonight for a great dinner. Travis, her son, who lives in Atlanta GA, wasn't able to come this weekend. We missed you TRAVIS!! It is the normal hot and humid in the Richmond area. We thought we might get some rain tonight, but like most storms, they missed us!

The talk of VA are the new traffic laws. The fines for driving offenses are crazy!! But good news for out of staters...they don't effect you!!! Most of the fines have doubled or tripled! We have heard of two people getting speeding tickets and both were over $1000!! I think I will keep my OHIO tags and license...LOL!!! When driving down I-81 the other day I was doing the normal 4-5 over the speed limit and cars were zooming by...as I watched ALL were out of state cars!! I think the VA lawmakers will be getting alot of heat over this and hopefully it will get changed in the new session. The state could be rich by then!!!!!!!!!

The other talk in VA is, of course, MICHAEL VICK!! I feel like I am back in OHIO with MAURICE CLARETT!!! It is so sad to see these talented young men ruin their lives from nothing but stupidity!!

On the OHIO home front, we are getting some showings on the house, and thanks to Billie the alarm isn't scaring anyone off!! Thanks Billie!!

We are planning on being back in Roanoke on Sunday. Jackie and I will be going to Bonsack Baptist for their evening service. She and I, the girls and other friends from Bonsack met at the Cracker Barrel (CB) for dinner on Tuesday night when she was on her way to her Mom's in Lynchburg.

STAY IN TOUCH!!!

GOD IS FAITHFUL

"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands."
--Deuteronomy 7:9

The sun is shining brightly with not a cloud in the sky. The birds are chirping. No disagreements hanging over your head. No pressures. All bills paid. Nothing but clear sailing. Little wonder you find yourself saying out loud, "Lord, this is great. You are wonderful!"

True, we get excited about God when circumstances are delightful, when the weather invigorates us, bills are paid, the medical check-up goes fine, and nobody is holding anything over our heads. When things are good, God is good. If things are bad, then God is off in Tasmania, taking care of little devils, or in the Middle East setting the stage for Armageddon.

We are so prone to let our circumstances – whether good or bad – dictate our view of God. But time and again the Bible tells us that God is faithful. He is not just a faithful God but the faithful God. He is the same steadfast and good Father yesterday, today, and forever. Scripture alone should be our frame of reference for who the Lord really is, for circumstances do not a good theology make.

Remember this lesson the next time you are quick to tell God how wonderful He is on a golden morning or a peaceful fireside evening. Whether the day is grand or gloomy, every day is a great day to give praise to God. * * * * *

"Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." You are God my stronghold... send forth Your light and Your truth, let them guide me to You, my joy and my delight.

FROM: Joni and Friends Daily Devotionals <Subscriptions@joniandfriends.org

IT'S A BOY!!!

WELL LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A NEW ADDITION TO THE FAMILY!! HIS NAME IS OLIVER. HE IS A 10 WEEKS OLD BRINDLE BOXER. HE IS ENJOYING HIS NEW LIFE WITH AARON AND VALERIE, HIS BROTHERS HARLEY, ALSO A BOXER, AND JB . THE BOYS ARE HAPPY TO HAVE A NEW SIBLING IN THE HOUSE. VALERIE IS WORKING FOR A VETERINARY HOSPITAL AND WAS INSTRUCTED NOT TO BRING HER JOB HOME WITH HER...WELL, GUESS WHAT THIS ONE CAME HOME WITH AARON AS ONE OF HIS ASSOCIATES BREEDS BOXERS. SO IN ESSENCE HE BROUGHT HIS JOB HOME WITH HIM!! CAN'T WAIT TO MEET THE NEW GRAND DOG!!

HERE HE IS WITH HIS BROTHER HARLEY.....SORRY THE PICS ARE SO DARK..CAMERA PHONES, YOU KNOW!!

FOR SALE........AGAIN!

Well, "The best laid plans of mice and men go oft astray." - Robert Burns. This somewhat fits us! Although there are no mice, there are shrews. Shrews are the smallest of mammals, they are not rodents they are insectivores. They live in mulch, eat insects, and are ugly little suckers! They found a way into our basement and built a nest behind our insulation in the rafters, not somewhere I look or clean!! They DO NOT live in homes, they cannot survive. They come in during the winter to keep warm. They can be mistaken for voles, or moles, same type of creature. Because the buyers wife has a phobia about rodents, she freaked out when they found the nest during our pest inspection. The problem is easily remedied with traps. We offered to take care of the problem, give them a year of free monthly pest inspections, but their answer was to terminate the contract. Since we are all packed and were ready for movers to come Monday, July 16, we are proceeding with our plans to go to VIRGINIA. We just pray, again, that it won't take long to sell and we can move on permanently.

SUCH GOOD FRIENDS

Thanks to our VERY good friends Mike and Laura, we will be moving in style. This is the trailer Mike is letting us borrow to take some items to VA this week. Laura so graciously decorated it with my "favorite" sports team OHIO STATE!! And then for more jollies she added JUST MARRIED to the back of it. She said to tell everyone we had to marry before we left OHIO , that it is time to make it legal!! The only sad thing about all this is the OSU ones weren't duck taped on, so they tore up on our way home from their house last night... I cried myself to sleep!!!!

GRAND FINALE-COLUMBUS 2007

RED WHITE AND BOOM...COLUMBUS 2007

This is one of several tapings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxuJXU4YQKo&mode=related&search=

FRIENDS

As we are going through the inspection of our "nest", and our days SEEM to be getting closer to leaving OHIO, Allison sent me this email.
I thought how appropriate.

Friends are like balloons; once you let them go, you can't get them back. So I'm gonna tie you to my heart so I never lose you.
Because we all know "friends are friends forever if the Lord is Lord of them."