I should have made her picture to put in the dictionary next to the word ‘CRAZY’ !!

Our trip to Birmingham was full of things that fed our souls:

Beautiful flowers and plants…

Wonderful stores to tempt our credit cards…

Enjoying the colors and decor as the seasons begin to change…

OK…so maybe it wasn’t just our souls getting fed…

A visit with a son and a nephew…

Watching the wildlife along the busy highway !!??!!

Playing with the merchandise in the stores…

She always copies me!!! :)…

Admiring the beautiful sunset as we travelled back to our motel…

This did NOT feed our souls or give us reason to smile. Our keys would not work…someone let us into the first door, but when we made it up to the room with our ‘spoils of the day’…it wouldn’t work there either. So we called the desk, and waited until they keyed a new card and brought it up to us. We were too tired to go back down and get it. And, as you can see, I was too tired even to stand! PLUS, our cheesecake was getting hot!!!

On the way back to Dothan, we stopped at a wonderful fruit and produce market. Everything was so fresh and yummy looking. I bought peaches, fresh peas (already shelled), little red new potatoes,and fresh tomatoes.

They even have a store inside that sells fresh, home made ice cream.

As we entered the Dothan City limits, Joy said,”LOOK!” And there was the most beautiful rainbow. The sky was still dark from the rain that had been falling, and the clouds were heavy. This was one of the few rainbows that I have actually seen in a complete arc. It went in and out of the clouds, but it was easy to see the arc.

Joy said it was a perfect ending to our trip. And, indeed it was. I always remember what I have taught children for years and years…’a rainbow is a sign that God always keeps His promises’. And, He does. He promises that we will be comforted. He promises that we will have peace. He promises that after grief, we will laugh again. He promises to guide us, to teach us, and to give us rest. He does this and so much more. I am not a great Bible scholar, but I know what I know. And, as sure as I am sitting on my couch writing to you now, I KNOW He will keep His promises. I would stake my life on it…and in fact, I have. Because He promises He will take us to live with Him in Heaven if we make Him Lord of our life and accept Him as our Savior. My Mom believed it, my sister believes it, and so do I.
******************************************************
EDITED TO ADD: Adam’s surgery went well. They were able to remove the cataract and the lens and replaced it. It seems to be healing well and he is able to put a contact in. There is a danger of the retina detaching again…so we are praying hard that God will heal his eyes, so he can be about his life. Thank you for your concern and prayers.

We’re back! We’re talked out! We’re tired! We’re broke! We’re happy!

How do you like the new outfits we bought? I thought the stripes really elongated my figure. But, maybe I need to invest next in a good bra…the ‘girls’ are sagging just a bit! Will share more with you later…

Well, we’re still enjoying the sights and sounds of the big city! Plans were to leave today for home. However, when we got up and thought about heading home, neither of us was ready to go. We decided that since we were big girls now, if we wanted to stay another day…we could…and we would. And, we did! We sat and talked for a while,shared our treasures found shopping, and made our plans for the day. I told Joy that I was going to lay down for juuuust a few minutes, and then we would get ready…..I woke up about 2 hours later!!! Obviously, I needed the rest.

We have had the best time together. No one else can know me like my sister knows me. We grew up together, shared home and parents, and pets, and secrets, and plans. We have also shared the ‘goods’ and the ‘bads’ in our lives since we have had families of our own. Neither of us would ever deny the other anything…and just one word will send us running to the other’s side. Isn’t that the definition of ‘sister’?

It has been a hard summer for both of us…and again for most of the same reasons. First Mom died, and, I was so sick, leaving Joy to do the majority of the things that had to get done.The boys have had surgery, and Adam has met with such unfortunate problems with his. Then this awful mess with our church. So, it has been such a refreshing for us to be able to talk with each other, knowing we feel the same way about things. With no distractions (well, if you don’t count the amazing shopping all around) we have been able to do just what we need to do to refresh our souls.

We have spoken of Mom so often this week. “Remember when we did this?” Or, “remember that time we went here?” And, “Mom loved to shop here.” Or, “Mom would have loved this so much.” We missed her being with us…and we have felt her presence with us all the week. We both feel blessed that we have had this time for us to remember her, and how much she meant to us. We feel her absence so greatly…but, she would have loved nothing better than to think we were having our own little ‘honoring Mom’ getaway. And, so we will drive home tomorrow, having said all the things about her that we couldn’t say to anyone else. Things that only the other would understand. Because that’s the way it is with sisters.

The remembering won’t stop…I imagine it will go on until I am able to hug her and kiss her soft cheek again. I hope that is the way it is…because it is a sweet memory anytime she crosses my mind.

We will be having a family gathering on Saturday night. Several years ago, we started coming together to celebrate the summer birthdays all at one time…we have 8! This will be the first time since she died that we have been all together. Oh, I think it will be hard…for she had a presence that would fill the room. We will be at my house…and the last time we gathered as a family was around our pool on July 4…she died on the July 13.

It feels as if we have lived a year since then. Life changing events are not always able to be planned and prepared for…but by the Master Designer. He has chosen to change the family that we were, into a different one. But, still strong, still together, still loving….even if it’s from afar for our Mother.

Quite a good picture of Joy and I , don’t ya think?
We have decided that we need to ‘get outta Dodge’ for a few days. Time to see new things, meet new people, see what’s in the stores for fall! So. we’ve packed our Vera Bradley…


made our reservations…
written out our to do list…
packed the necessities…

And, we’re off!
PS. Should you need us while we’re gone, look for this…