This Is Too Good...

... not to share.  This is a conversation between my daughter and I in yahoo... Just to unconfuse you, she is the 'cajun' and I am the 'sis'...   She is sick and "Buster" is her basset hound... 

I took the meds to her and I hope Buster got her warm spot!  Lol...

This Old Church

... is falling down.

Steph had a photo shoot today and I went to help her - how fun!  After the shoot, she asked if I wanted to go take pictures of an old church that she had found.  Of course, it sounded wonderful!  I wasn't disappointed - well, maybe a bit that a church was falling down, but not that I had the opportunity to take pictures of it.  

Take a look:

We also went back to see this old truck - a favorite of ours to take pictures of:

Funny, it never seems to change though.  Wonder why we feel the need to go back and visit it?

And finally, we found this truck.  Are you looking Aedan?
 

Now that  was cool!  He was sitting quietly on the side of the road like no one would notice him - but he doesn't know me, does he?  Lol...

Had a great day out checking out things to take pictures of.  I can always waste time taking pics while waiting on the go ahead to look for a house - right?  I might need a few more lenses... let me see...  I should start naming them, maybe one will fall in my hands.  

I could take pictures of birds... eagles to be specific... and for that I need...

A 'Gulp!' Moment

Riding in the truck as we head south, we were trying to figure out what all of our friends did for the holidays. Some of them were lucky enough to have a home to be in for the holidays and stayed home - I must say I am envious. Others were on the roads all around the states puttering to family and friends; but while we were naming names and likely places they would go, we realized something. We now have so many international friends that naming their travels was... A 'wow' moment!

Let's see:

A few stayed home
One is in Michigan or South Carolina
LOTS in Texas
Several went to France
One went to the Malaysian Highlands
One went to Japan
Several went to Australia
One (we think) went to the Phillipines
Several stayed in Singapore
One went to Scotland
One went to Finland
One went to New Zealand
And we are wondering if one went to Puerto Rico?

How amazing is that? These are more than acquaintances - they are friends!

Our experience overseas has surely enriched our lives. I don't think we could be any more blessed. As we continue our travels south, we are still praying for a safe and happy holiday.

Happy New Year! May it be a healthy and prosperous one. Stay safe, don't drink and drive - just give a friend your keys; life is too precious for stupidity - and you matter to us!

Be back soon... We are almost 'home' again!

Country Roads, Take Me Home :-)

To the place, I belong!  OKlaHOMa... yes, I know, that is not the real words... lol....

We are on the road again - this time near Tulsa; 30 miles from where I grew up.  We decided we would like to look the area over really well and have a good idea where we want to look for a place should the opportunity present itself... you know, we are dreaming and all... lol... still have no idea if it will happen, but can still dream, right?  And we went to be prepared IF it happens.

So, remember when I said we were out in the country - way out in the sticks??  I wasn't joking.  This picture was taken outside the barn door of where our camper lived this last week.  It is next door to our step brother's/step brother-in-laws house:

And down the road a bit... 

I wasn't joking - was I?  This is where our camper lived, but where we were wasn't much better.  This is about 20 minutes from any store at all.  It is far out... in the literal sense...  lol

But it was great for hauling out the camera and shooting...

Pretty pictures of places:

Of old buildings...

Remember these old gas stations that were on the corners?

Loved taking pics of the old abandoned barns and homes...

And check out this old Cafe - too bad I had my 50mm lens on; made it where I couldn't get it all, but I still love it:

I have an idea for a 'coffee table' book someday... or maybe two...

I know these are random pictures, and maybe I am the only one enjoying them - but I love seeing things most people see as trash.  It makes me...

... happy  :-)

I Found the Word - Thanks Andrea!

Good morning!  Or good evening - depending on what side of the world you are on.  I hope the days for you are wonderful and you are celebrating with loved ones, laughing and enjoying the season.

We are still at Steve's mom's house.  We celebrated Christmas last night and got all kinds of treasures we needed or wanted.  Life is... interesting.   Good, but interesting... I thought this was a good time to sound off...

Displaced.  That is what I am feeling today and frankly, and have felt 5-ish years.  I know there are people that live like this all the time;  in a camper, with no real home, floating from place to place, but to me it is really odd.  Right now we are at mother's.  Steph and Todd left Saturday to go home - but when I am asked when we are heading home, the knot in my tummy returns and the reality of that question sends me right back to where we are.  We have no 'home' except the camper - and it moves around a lot.  Right now, 'home' is parked in a barn 20 miles away while we are visiting someone else, with someone else's rules, in someone else's bed, and Christmas dinner was certainly someone else's menu - not a bad menu, just someone else's.

Oh I am thankful we HAVE someone else to enjoy the holiday with and of course, I am glad we are back in the states, but it is still a different feeling.  Normally, when we visit family, we enjoy their traditions and go home, relax in our own corner of the world and unwind.  This time, we have to pick our home up and go on the road again...to Tulsa this time, to check out the areas we 'might' like if we *do* get transferred there.  Of course that is still up in the air...

How is our visit going?  It is good; wee early mornings we go to bed, waking early for the day ahead and a do over again the next night.  When Punkin' goes to sleep at home she (and her mommy and daddy too) will sleep for days.  We are all exhausted and are not used to staying up this late - ever!  It is kicking our tails!  This house does not even begin to shut down until 2am and the living room is next to the guest bedrooms and guys voices travel even when they are talking low - but that is not a problem - these guys don't!  :-(   There is no where you can go to get away from the noise.  Mother said next year we will celebrate in her new 3,1000 square foot house.  Steve and I think not - we hope we will be celebrating in our own house for the first time in 6 years - we deserve that.

I am not whining or ungrateful; and I am truly thankful for all we do have.  I think about those so much less fortunate and am ashamed I get disgruntled over the little things.  I know we have a warm camper, and I know we are lucky to be able to travel where we want in a good vehicle and not carry our entire family on a motorcycle.  I *know* all of that and I am happy, just feeling... displaced.  

I guess I am just chatting about our lives today.  I started this blog to help me deal with feelings of the transitions we are going through.  Some of them great, lots of good, some not so good and others plain stink.  It doesn't mean we are not thankful for what we are experiencing; in fact we are very thankful and as usual we are enlightened by each experience.  This is not an exception.  Life is good no matter where we are - and we get stronger with each phase we are in.  The holidays are about being with family - and we are indeed with family; cuddled up snug and warm in a cozy house with a frosty, windy chill outside.  I love the cold.  Send snow!

Heading out tomorrow to Tulsa - we are going to see where we want to live should the opportunity to do so comes about.

In the meantime, this is a common sight we see right over the hill from where we are staying...

Be back soon.  Missin' my writing...

Family Fun During the Holidays

We are having a blast visiting all of our family.  Here is one video - and no we are not drunk  :-)

Yet.

 

Merry Christmas!

I Told Him So!

Before you get all excited, I still haven't tried out the Internet in the boondocks, but my 3G iPhone works!

Before we left Louisiana I strongly suggested to Steve that he get a couple new tires for the back of the pick up since we would be pulling our camper. 

He didn't. 

He sooo deserved this:

But I gotta tell you, he was smiling (can you see it?) when he changed the tire - he KNEW he deserved it... lol...

He had it done in no time flat though and we were back on the road again...

A bit later, I saw this sunset:

Western Oklahoma makes for some fun shaped trees and beautiful sunsets.  Yes, that is a cemetery there - but I didn't have much time to find a better setting and I kinda like cemeteries anyway.

Punkin' and I made a gingerbread house today - her mom bought it and gave the job to me.  I am so darned lucky!

Last night, Punkin' opened a gift from her other grandmother.  It was a book about Jesus' birth and her grandmother recorded her reading it to her and sent it.  Punkin' loved it:

When she heard her grandma Ruth's voice her face said it all:

We listened to it 4 times - she loves the book, Ruth - it is a hit!

I just look at her when we are around each other.  I can't believe how much she grew while we lived in Singapore.  We missed so much, but not as much as other granny's that are far away from their little ones, and surely not as much as I have missed of our boys in California.  Living half a world or half a country away - it makes no difference, you are still missing so much of their lives...  I took a picture of Punkin' today just because I could - maybe I can bribe a few pictures of our grandson's for the holiday.  Jerbear?  Cheyenne?  Can you send pictures?  I would love to have a few... 

Well, that is it for now.  Life keeps on twirling whether we have time to write or not, doesn't it  Hope everyone is enjoying your holidays - I will be back when I can.