GOING GREEN!!!

For the first time in years, we have a little garden patch. There are the loveliest green tomato and pepper plants in our back yard. It will be a while before we see any tomatoes, but are already two little bell peppers in view. Our mouths water to think of the fresh tomato sandwiches we will enjoy this summer. Grandpa has had his side kick (4-year-old grandson Jaden) as a helper for two days this week so Granny was out there with the camera. Yep~~ we're going green: with lovely green things growing in our garden.


(Double-click on pic for a larger view!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DEAR HUBBY, RICHARD!

Ps 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.


62 years ago today, Richard entered this world. From the pics, he was a handsome baby boy. I am so thankful to his parents for the good son they raised and to my Heavenly Father that they raised him in a Christian home for Richard is a man of integrity, love for his Savior, and maintains the goal of living his life for Christ.

Richard is my best friend, my love, the fabulous father of our children, and the fun grandpa of our grandchildren. He is my rock, my safe place, and loves me in spite of all my faults. I could wax on and on about my love for Richard and how blessed my life has been as his wife of 35 years, but I will just keep those thoughts tucked away in my heart to share with him and him alone sometime today.

Happy Birthday, Honey........... I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Baby Richard with mom and big brother Larry






L-R: Richard, cousin, and brother Larry



As a teenager, singing in church


High school graduate and 4 years later, a graduate of the University of Alabama




Served his country with a stint in the U.S. Army



Brookwood FWB church where we met at a revival service



Richard was raised in that church and was ordained a deacon a few months before we were married. L-R: My dad Pastor Byron Meyer, deacon Tommy Jones, Richard, and the guest preacher for the ordination service, Bro. Stabbs.




Our wedding day ~~ September 29, 1973


Richard with his family. L-R: Larry, Bill, Richard, Dad, Mom, Diane in 1975




Richard as a new father at Amy's Baby Dedication in February 1976 ~~ Pastor is Susan's dad and Amy's grandfather, Byron Meyer



Richard is the patriarch of our family: Back L-R: Chip, Richard Brian; Susan and Amy in the middle, our grandchildren acorss the front: Isabella, Jaden, Josh and Jarrett



Grandpa Richard and Granny Susan with our beloved grandchildren




Growing old together..............

YESTERDAY and TODAY

MEMORIES OF YESTERDAY: We had a terrific day with Jaden on Wednesday. He is such a big boy, and we love him dearly. He had a lot of playtime all morning: first with Grandpa outside where I found them having a big time:



We took Jaden for an early lunch at McDonald's (Jaden's request) and had so much fun watching him play with other children in the big indoor playplace. He ate a good lunch and played his heart out. I so much enjoyed sitting there watching him and enjoying the moment with Richard. I told Jaden that we had spent many-a-Wednesday-lunchtime alone and wasn't it nice to have Grandpa with us. Jaden agreed wholeheartedly. Proof:

After McDonald's, we came home. Jaden got a good bath and slept for nearly 3 hours. When he woke up, it was time to get teeth brushed and dressed for dinner and church with his family.



TODAY'S DOINGS: After all of my angst about Wednesday being our last "regular day" to keep Jaden (with school getting out today and his precious Mommy home with the kids for the summer and then his going to kindergarten in August)~~ we are picking up all four of the kids when they get out of school at 1:00 today. YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We will have a FUN afternoon for them around here with swimming, biking, playing, sleeping, etc. I pray they have a wonderful summer full of God's best blessings.

Late this morning, Richard and I are going out for brunch and then our last shopping spree for our last-minute things for the trip. We fly out on Sunday morning! I want to have all of the packing done and everything ready by Friday night so we are relaxed on Saturday. It's a great day in the cul-de-sac!!

The kids just came out of their house on their way to their last morning of school. Josh was all dressed up because he is playing his trumpet in this morning's assembly at 9:15. Grandpa and I didn't know about that so we have to "hoof it" to get showered, dressed, and out the door to go see our Grandson play. Here is this morning's video made on the last day of school. You will have to forgive them for being sooooooooooooooooooo excited..........



Grandpa Richard and I went to the 9:15 assembly to see Josh play in the band. We were so far back and I haven't even viewed the video but will load it here for posterity. His head is right in front of the microphone stand:



And then this afternoon at 1:00, I picked up the kids from school. Their last day. I made a couple of vidoes of Jaden. I knew the older three wouldn't appreciate my photography work in front of their friends as they all waited on their rides. The first video is of Jaden in the "reading room" waiting on me to pick him up:




And a sweet picture of Jaden with his afternoon teacher. Jaden calls her "Miss Norse" but it is really pronounced "Norris." My last picture of the last day of school for our Grandkids..........

It's Birthday Week!!

Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.


My loving and faithful husband of nearly 35 years has a birthday this week. On Thursday, February 7, Richard will celebrate his 61st birthday. That seems impossible but I guess I am getting old right along with him (but I'm still in my 50's for three more years!).

On the first Sunday of the month, we look forward to eating out with son-in-law Brian, daughter Amy, and our four precious GRANDchildren: Jarrett, Isabella, Joshua, and Jaden. We eat out with friends on the other Sundays of the month (and thoroughly enjoy the fellowship) but still, we look forward to our first-Sunday standing dinner date with the kids. Whoever is celebrating something special that month gets to choose the restaurant. Since Richard is the "birthday boy" this month, he chose his favorite Mexican restaurant. We saw several friends at the restaurant (we invited one dear couple to join us at our table) and had a surprise visit with a friend from Tuscaloosa and his new bride ~~ Jason H. and Rachel. It was so good to see them! Anyway, we enjoyed kicking off Richard's birthday week with a fun dinner out with family AND friends.

The only damper of the day is that when Brian and Amy retrieved Jaden from Children's Church, he was burning up with a fever. A "bug" of some description had caught up with him. He stayed in the lap of one of his parents during lunch and then they left as soon as they were finished to get Jaden home, treated with his children's fever medicine, and down for his nap. I imagine I will have a little buddy here with me tomorrow. I would appreciate your prayers for his quick recovery and that the rest of the family doesn't get sick.

Happy Birthday Week to my Schweetie (name borrowed from Kay O. as that is what she calls her dear Dan.)

Wednesday Night Dinner

We had a nice family dinner at the Palms Grille on Campus. Here are a few pics from that fun dinner hour before going to church together....

SEEING DOUBLE~~ The first step of getting our Passports

You're not seeing double. That's us in visual stereo. Ha! We went to CVS this evening and had our pics made so we can go to the post office on Thursday during Richard's lunch hour to apply for our passports. I was leery about cutting them apart (it says to bring two pics) so that is why I scanned them as doubles. Anyway, we have our certifed birth certificates, our drivers licenses, and now our little bitty pics for our passport applications. Seven months from today, we'll be aboard this Princess ship sailing the inner passage of Alaska!

Happy 34th Anniversary to Us!

Ruth 1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:


Saturday, September 29, is our 34th anniversary, but we started celebrating tonight. We have a favorite little restaurant ~~ Sunset Grill ~~ out on the water. It isaptly named for you sit on the back porch and watch the sun set while eating. It is such a lovely and tranquil dinner. Richard and I had a good time talking to other folks (strangers) who were there. We rode over to Gulf Shores and enjoyed that ride and then back home again.

Since we aren't going anywhere, we are acting as though we are out of town with plans to eat out several times over the weekend. We are going to get up and go out for an early breakfast. For lunch on Saturday, we have invited Brian, Amy, and the kids to join us. (We need to call Chip and tell him to have a meal out on us tomorrow since he can't be here with us.) And then we will get in our favorite BAMA ballgame foods and hunker down to watch the game (against Florida State) tomorrow evening.

What a fun anniversary this is turning out to be!!! Happy Anniversary, Richard. I love you!!!!

Lazy Saturday Mornings Are Best!

Proverbs 17:6 ¶ Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.

I know people probably don't believe it, but even with our daughter, son-in-law and the 4 grandkids next door, we don't see them THAT often to spend good quality time together. We can watch out our front window and see them coming and going (we're not spying but just happen to see them at times) but they live very busy lives and we don't get together every day. I pick up the four grandkids from school/nursery on Mondays and then feed the family dinner on Monday night. Amy has us over for dinner on Tuesday nights and that is it for any regular interaction for the week. Well, I keep the youngest grandchild on Wednesdays, but Jaden has gotten big enough to come over by himself so I don't necessarily see Amy on those mornings.

As I write all of that, I realize how very blessed I am to have my daughter and her family next door. I have friends whose grandkids live in Maryland, Morocco, Mississippi, etc. We are very blessed indeed to be right here ~~ next door to our crew. And I have to "admit" that we invited them over for Saturday breakfast and enjoyed an impromptu 3-hour visit. As I said, it is rare to have "quality" time so we surely enjoyed our laid-back Saturday morning. The pics were made after breakfast of the kids playing. Grandpa Richard was helping Belle and Josh with their kites. It was a fun time.

Missions ~~ A Biblical Mandate

Biblical authority for missions appears first in Genesis, 12:1-3, where Abram is blessed so that through him and his descendants, all the "peoples" of the world would be blessed. The Great Commission was first given by Jesus Christ in all four Gospels: Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-18, Luke 24:46-49, and John 20:21-23. The Great Commission is also given in Acts 1:8. The most compelling verse to many is found in the New Testament, where Jesus instructs the apostles to make disciples. (Matthew 28:19). This reference is understood by Christian missionaries as the Great Commission to engage in missionary work.

A missionary is a person who chooses to participate in the mission of the Church by serving peoples of other cultures, often in a foreign country.

We are in touch with our Missionary friends~~ the Schulers~~ as they currently are in South Florida today presenting their mission work and their burden for the people of Roatan, Honduras. Please pray that churches will catch the vision of the Shuler's work and will come alongside them in both prayer support and financial support. The picture above was made on our last evening before their departure from Pensacola last Thursday. We pray God's richest blessings upon them during this time of deputation.

Yvonne at our wedding ~~ 1973

Richard's niece, Yvonne, at our wedding.

Bro. Jerry and life's major events

Bro. Jerry was my pastor when I was a young adult, and I was saved under his ministry on July 23, 1972. Later, on September 29, 1973, he sang two of our wedding songs and officiated our wedding until such time as my Dad gave me away and did our vows. Anyway, these are pics from our wedding nearly 34 years ago with Bro. Jerry in them. Now you can look below to catch up a bit.......

JV stopped by for lunch and visit...

Jarrett had been on vacation with his family and stopped by
on his way back home yesterday. Richard and I met him for lunch and so much enjoyed seeing Jarrett and catching up. It is always a
joy to see friends from "home," and Jarrett's visit was a blessing
yesterday. If you are going to be in the area, we'd love to see
you, too!!

I had a wonderful birthday today....

I have had a wonderful birthday. I heard from my precious children: Chip in Indiana as well as from Amy and her family who are on vacation. I heard from my sisters. I always so very much miss my parents on my birthday but rejoice in knowing that they are awaiting all of us in Heaven. I enjoyed gifts, cards and emails from a host of family and friends. Richard planned a wonderful birthday surprise for me. On Saturday night I knew we were going out to dinner with one couple; but unbeknownst to me, Richard also invited two other couples to join us. It was a fun evening of wonderful fellowship. After dinner, the restaurant where we were dining invited us to go out to the garden and pick some veggies to take home. That was a treat and we are especially enjoying the vine-ripened tomatoes. Anyway, it has been my very best birthday ever, and that's saying a lot for having now celebrated 56 of them!! Thanks to everyone for your good wishes! ~~Susan

Here's a picture of Richard and me with our crew.