Fastenau Update...

I want to apologize in the beginning for rambling; I just have so much to share.

We had a wonderful time in Arkansas. It was hot and humid a lot of the time but we still had fun. Eden turned 3 years old. Her birthday party was at the bowling alley; she loves to bowl. She gets so excited. There were a bunch of friends and family there. She made out like a little fat bandit. It was a wonderful day. We ended it with 16 of the family eating a late supper at Cracker Barrel. I really felt for the poor waitress. Needless to say she earned her tip putting up with my son-in-law and my nephews. But it was a fantastic night!

While we were in Arkansas I received a package from a distant cousin who lives in Tennessee. I met him online while working on genealogy. His great grandfather and my great grandfather were brothers on my mom’s side. He is an art teacher and does an amazing job with photos. I sent him Eden’s picture and he sketched it for me. I cannot wait to get it framed. He has no idea what that meant to me!

We really had a good time in Arkansas. I was able to see a lot of friends and family I had not seen in a long time. It was not under the best of circumstances, my ex-mother-in-law’s brother passed away, but it was still good to see them. You can’t turn off 18 years.

We are now planning our trip out west. Stan was elected as a delegate to the AFGE National Convention in Reno, Nevada. We will be staying at the Grand Sierra Resort for a week. We are leaving a week early and taking a week to come home. I can’t wait! We will be stopping in Colorado, then on to Salt Lake City to see his daughter, and on to Carson City. We will see Lake Tahoe while we are in the area. Also, there will be a jazz festival taking place in Carson City while we are there, that should be fun. Following Carson City we will be at Reno. After Reno we are stopping in Bishop, California and going to Yosemite National Park, then off to Las Vegas for a couple of nights. We will then spend 2 nights in Flagstaff, enjoying the Grand Canyon and surrounding areas. Then we will make our way to Arkansas, stopping at Albuquerque, New Mexico and Oklahoma City on the way. I see a lot of pictures taking place…

Which brings me to something really exciting. My sweet hubby let me order a new digital camera. It is a Canon Rebel XS with 10 mega pixels. It comes with several different lenses and 32GB of memory. I can’t wait to get it! I think he decided that would be a wise decision… I would have needed a lot of film for my 35mm.

I can’t wait to enjoy the beautiful sites and scenery that the Lord has given us! Did I mention I am excited…lol.

“Hearken to this, O Job; stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.” Job 37:14

Arkansas bound Again...

I love summer, not the heat or humidity, but just the fact that it seems we spend more time in Arkansas. See there is this cute little girl that has hold of my heart.

I talked to her on the phone last night and she asked when I was coming. I told her we would be there Friday, the day after tomorrow… she politely said “bring Papa too” and I replied “Yes, baby I will.” And then it was “Ok, bye! Love you.” I guess, as we get older we just enjoy those little moments so much more. They touch our hearts.

July is Birthday month in our family. My son-in-law Clint’s birthday is July 10th, my daughter Janice’s birthday is July 11th, and Eden’s birthday is July 14th. Eden will be 3 years old this year, it seems like it was only yesterday when she was being pulled down the aisle at our wedding. She had just gotten out of Children’s Hospital three weeks before our wedding. She was 10 weeks old. Our wedding was a little different. My daughter Janice walked me down the aisle. My grandson Cain was the ring bearer and he pulled Eden, who was the flower girl, down the aisle in a wagon surrounded by flowers. The good thing about it was they got the attention and not nearly as many eyes were on us. I look at Eden now and just realize how far she has come and how God truly blessed us! She is truly our miracle baby!

We will be in Arkansas for 12 days, see you when we get back.

“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” John 14:13, 14

The Real Light Show...

We had a wonderful time last night watching the fireworks. Stan and I joined the crowd here at Willard. It was fun watching all the local kids running and playing in the field before the show started. Not a care in the world. Brings back a lot of memories!

I have to say Willard put on quite a show. We had about 25 minutes of splendor in the sky. You could here the ooooo’s and aahh’s all over the crowd. I have included a few pictures here. And of course later I will put them on the My Pictures link.

I wish I could have caught the real splendor in the sky. The fireworks crew had some stiff competition last night. It was hard to watch the fireworks when there was such a wonderful light show from Heaven.

“His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.” Psalm 97:4

Happy 4th of July...

Tomorrow we will celebrate Independence Day – the day that the Declaration of Independence was first adopted. We celebrate our independence, the fact that we are a free nation, that no other nation rules us. It is the Birthday of the United States.

July 4, 1776 was the day that the 13 colonies declared their independence from Great Britain. The actual decree stands for what we as Americans believe in. Not only did it declare our independence, but also it laid the foundation of Democracy.

While in Washington DC last summer, we got the chance to go into The National Archives. Talk about history, I wish my pictures of the Declaration and The Constitution would of turned out. I couldn’t help but stand there in awe, and think about what our forefathers did for us, and what they still do for us. How they took a stand for what they believed in.

I also am thankful for what Jesus did for us. He died on the cross, that we might be free. Free from the bonds of sin. Thank you Jesus!

“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:17