FIVE DAYS with FRIENDS

I wish I had pictures.  I don't take pictures often enough of significant events.

But, for the last five days, we have been with friends and it has been so fun and JOYFUL!

SUNDAY:  the sister missionaries came for dinner.  Brent and Jenni joined us.  The sisters were delightful and interesting.  One was a top-notch golfer in high school - BOISE.  The other from Florida, had gone to BYU/I majoring in art history.

MONDAY; Gigi Kern invited us over to celebrate Jim's 82 birthday.  Her daughter and son-in-law were also there...John and Peggy Hrabar.  It was an absolutely delightful evening.  Gigi fixed a marvelous dinner with the tenderest steak I have ever eaten, tased potatoes, rice, broccoli, and an interesting mushroom/eggplant dish.  For dessert, we ate cheese cake.  Then we played Apples to Apples.  Fittingly, Jim won.  It was a wonderful evening.

Jim and Gig Kern live around the corner from us.  She is from Germany - they have led the most remarkable lives from taking in foster children to the Peace Corp in Ecuador to her going alone to teach in Japan.  Oh, they are marvelous!

John and Pggy Hrabar.  Peggy is the daughter of Jim and Gigi - really Gudrun because she was born in Germany.
Not Peggy, but Gigi.

TUESDAY:  In the morning, we went to visit Garn and Dorothy to see how they are doing after the death of their grandson.  We took them a frozen lasagne to share with family over the next few busy days as they prepare for the funeral.

Jason Barnham - age 32 - died of brain glioma tumors.

Later that day, we went to dinner with Don and Lisa Sjogren.  We enjoy them a lot.  Allen is their minister and we just get together...it's not a visiting kind of thing; just a real friendship.  After dinner, Don wanted to see our photos of Israel.  We shared them, then they showed us pictures of their recent trip to Hawaii.  Hawaii looked gorgeous from their photos.

WEDNESDAY: Jeep ride with Mike and Loretta.

Enjoying lunch at the Sizzler in Cedar City.  Allen absolutely LOVEs this place to eat.  I had a salad...it was good.

THURSDAY:  Donna invited us over to her home for Stan's 70th birthday...

I realize how significant a role FRIENDS play in our lives.

So, I'm grateful for these days of sharing with dear friends.

A Sad Blessing

Today, Garn & Dorothy's grandson, Jason, died at about 10:30 a.m. of multiple brain tumors.

He is in his late 20's at the peak of his life.

We have been friends with Garn and Dorothy since we moved to St George a lot of years ago.

How we love them!

We have traveled together, eaten together, laughed together, and walked around the mall together a lot.

As Dorothy said, "It is a sad blessing."

But, you see, the sad blessing is also that this is Deja VU for them.

Nearly 20 years ago, their ONLY son died of AIDS, and they went thru nearly the exact same thing.

Constant 24 hour care towards the end of life, moving the body to prevent bed sores, feeding, changing diapers, wiping drool from the mouth, tears from the eyes, sitting by to watch the labored breathing, holding a hand to comfort and soothe a body ravaged by suffering and illness;  a body way too young to die.

Oh, Dear Friends, my heart just aches for you.  My heart can't quite comprehend the suffering you have had to endure  - TWICE.

But, this I know.

He is alive, running about, laughing with his Uncle Mark.

And, because of the Saviour, YOU WILL BE WITH HIM AGAIN!

While We Were Away....

...we were vandalized.

Not significantly.

Nor horrifically....

Just enough to make you wonder....

What the hey?

In our front yard, we have a planter filled with lovely VINCA.

This morning, i asked Allen if he had pulled them up because winter was coming.  He had not done so.  But, he went to check on what I was saying and yes, indeed...

Someone had pulled our vinca and left the pulled - up flowers lying by the side of the planter vase.

WHO?

WHY?

It doesn't make any sense, but it was obvious someone wanted to do something to us.

I'm just grateful it wasn't anything any worse.

SO STRANGE INDEED......