Finally- the DR!

Well, I finally got access to the pictures taken on our trip. (Remember, our camera was held hostage in the DR at the airport. (Basically, held for ransom and my Ipod was stolen. Got a new one only to drop it today and shatter glass.)

It's hard to put this trip into words and there's so much to tell. I think pictures do it best. Our mission was to love on these orphans and oppressed. Even though we didn't speak the same language, they knew Who it was that sent us. I believe that. We did have Giovanni and Carolina (his wife) translating and guiding us....but much of the time we were left to our own communication. Jay fared much better than me obviously. While he denies it, he has decent to impressive Spanish skills (depending on your perspective) and was a huge help to many of us on the trip.

These faces are etched in our memories and hearts. They were very hungry for God's love. We are so grateful to be the ones to carry it on these May days.

God's Work

Here's some pictures of my friend Kristi's little girl she just brought home from Ethiopia--Lucy Lane. We just had to spend some time this week loving on one of God's children that now has a home if weren't for our dear friends the Johnson's! I hope you are blessed by her "Gotcha Day" video. (It has music so pause my playlist music at the bottom of my blog.)






Jay also talked to Giovanni this week. Giovanni is our missionary friend from the Dominican. Ironically, Giovanni's mission work is sponosored by a Baptist church here in Nashville so he's coming to town! He's planning to stay with us a couple of nights so we couldn't be more excited. Giovanni is equivalent to like Larry Bird in the Domincan. He played professionally there and then accepted Christ at the age of 21 (first time he'd ever heard the gospel) through a mission trip just like the one Jay and I went on in May. Then he accepted full scholarship to Tennennessee Temple to play basketball. After graduation, he went back to DR, played professionally some more, got married and had these precious cute boys then SCORE International (mission board) asked him to be a full-time missionary.....He took us out on our missions when we were there. He's like a celebrity in the DR. Yes, b/c he played basketball but I think he's more famous now b/c he's got Americans with him who spend $$ and b/c his Americans bring very hungry villages food and play with their children. We can't wait to see you, Giovanni!

Also Tommy and Heather Kyle (Exec Directors of Nations of Coaches) are coming today to check out space at our church for a coaches' wives conference. Funny, I've always thought it would be good for coaches wives to get together now and then to support each other spiritually (b/c a coaches' wife is plainly a calling). Now, I've been asked to help put this conference together.

Then for "loving our neighbors"....well, they loved us and now we're off to start in here in our own neighborhood! Our neighbors right next door set up a little progressive dinner last evening complete with extra hands to take care of all the kids and wonderful food! The neighborhood has had several new families in the last couple of years so they wanted everyone to know each other! We had so much fun. Quite a diverse group. Several countries and many states were represented, lots of physicians, several consultants, and educators. There are also several families with kids going to David Lipscomb Elementary too. We think we might get an invitation to eat authentic Indian food at one of our neighbors and then there's another neighbor who loves to fly fish. He and his wife are renting a house in Montana for the next month. I really thought saliva was about to run out of the side of Jay's mouth. We heard over and over what a wonderful man Mr. Carroll (the former 50+ year owner of our house) so I hope he's looking down on the place and proud of the work we're putting into it. He would definitely be proud to know that Willie and his friend Max went on a "safari" yesterday in this beautiful backyard...so much fun that Ruby got to go on the 2nd one after Max went home.




Yes, that's the cap gun Willie took for protection. (Gran, we're going to need more caps.....I'm pretty sure I may never remember that at the store.)



Now, I need to go clean up all the nature items from those little brown bags that are displayed on the floor downstairs and tend to a few chiggers!

Relaxing

During rest time today, Willie and I watched one of those ESPN pool tournaments. We were inspired to have our own pool tournament which was the greatest idea I had in a while per Willie's lit eyes.

At some point in our play, Ruby awakes and organized play quickly became history.

Our tourney was after nice rest time today. I sometimes love cloudy weekends especially after we've been at the pool all week.....I felt right about being indoors and quietly relaxing and playing.

Friday night delights

I simply love Friday nights. I guess it's the only night I can get away with doing whatever I feel like that night. It's the night that the routine is the non-routine. Tonight, we had Ronda and 3 of her 4 boys (part of Jay's head coaches family) over tonight for dinner.

This family is closest thing to real family we have here. It's like family because we don't see each other every day (well, Jay almost does) but you know they are there. I write Ronda's name down on almost every emergency contact form I fill out.....

We've watched their boys grow up and at this point....it's total comfort for me. They are becoming fine young men which renewed my hope tonight that Jay and I might reap some rewards one day of having our children just use their manners without being told. (They were even gracious as they "made it through" a new recipe of mine.....I promised next time we'd grill hot dogs and roast marshmallows.) Heck, Garrett and Grant weren't even born when Jay started working with Scott. Carter was probably Willie's age and Clint was Ruby's age. And now, Carter turned 18 last week. I didn't have a digital camera when Carter and Clint were little but here's an oldie of Garrett and Grant.

They play so sweet with our kids and it's so fun to watch who these young men are becoming. Willie is always in heaven with the "Sanderson boys". They played a good bit of pool and Clint appeased Willie with a tennis match (as Willie is currently obsessed with tennis.) Grant and Garrett took turns playing with Ruby including dress-up and her swing set.

Ronda has a good eye for design too so she gave me her ideas on placing the furniture and then helped me polish up my blog. So thank her for my blog's face lift. I finished working on it after Ronda left and still have some learning to do; but thank you, Ronda, for spiffing thejaywalton's up.

We ended our Friday night watching the deer and lightning bugs and feeling perfect delight in our Friday night.

A July week

This whole week has had a very sad tone as everyone processes Steve McNair's death. When I was a senior in high school, it seems like my brother read Air McNair's stats to me everyday from the Clarion Ledger over our breakfast. While he was basically an acquaintance....I saw him several times a week at school pick up and our baseball league. Just a month ago, I got to visit with him for a little while about Mississippi and his friends down in Monticello, our boys etc. His youngest son was born on the same day as Willie and goes to school with Willie and played baseball against Willie. I guess seeing him around often and thinking about his boys has me hurting for them all.

I can't believe tomorrow is Friday. This week has zipped by and we had only one really hard afternoon while Jay has been away. That was the evening where I realized that my son and I are just alike---know it alls, competitive, stubborn and just plain difficult. So, to my dear mama and daddy.....I'm so sorry. I think I freak out that this is not just a phase on a given evening.....b/c as I reflect, I was like this most of my life. Literally, as I decided I might need counseling to figure out a way to get through to him...he was angelic today. Speaking of angels, it made my morning when Ruby starting calling me "mama angel" today on multiple occasions.

Also, Jay mentioned to me he almost had a tragic wreck on the way out of town last Sunday afternoon that he narrowly escaped. Well, I was woken up from my nap on the same Sunday afternoon just sick that something was going to happen to Jay so I started praying for his protection....I believe there were angels helping him squeak through too. Jay has hit Indy, Cincinatti, Louisville, and I think he might be going to Tulsa too before coming home.

We added some swim lessons to this week to keep us moving and wet. We have enjoyed eating picnic suppers at the pool every night. Willie takes his lessons around 5 then we eat, then swim until time to come home, bathe and sleep!

Willie passed the Y swim test which I believe is 25 meters. The instructor (who he calls his director) told me he passed and I was stunned b/c I've never seen him swim that far. He did great and they started working on the back stroke today. It's funny what your kids will do for a stranger. He hasn't taken the green "pass" bracelet off yet.

Before leaving the pool today, Willie had me in one of his basketball pick-up games. When did my little boy learn "check," "make it take it," and "deep 3"? We finally wrap up to head home and Ruby lays down like a limp rag doll on the cement.

Lake Again!

We hit the Lake again this weekend for 4th celebrations! We were headed to Miss and decided last minute that it was just too far of a road trip just preceding Jay's July recruiting tour. While we miss our families so much, we were so grateful for the next offer to go to Crossville with our dear and fun friends--the Hickman's! Honestly, we couldn't have asked for a more perfect 4th weekend----serene lake, kids for your kids to play with, more good food, no crowds, no lines, chances to actually visit with dear friends after the kids are asleep, and yes, 75-80 degree weather (hence, our covers).


Corrine, Willie, Ruby and Kiley counting the baby ducks.

Here's Willie and Kiley. Yes, Willie is wearing pink and pretends to prefer it. He told the girl cutting his hair the other day that he "loves pink powder." ...I don't know where he gets this stuff. But I can guarantee...he's out to aggravate. Just don't aggravate him...he will cry (like a girl).

And Daddy getting a kiss every chance he gets!

Lake time!

To kick off our 4th Week (the last weekend in June) we headed to Lake Martin to visit my dear college friend Wendy and her precious hubby Kent and girls, Gray and Cate Scott! Boy, they took great care of us. We enjoyed catching up and watching our children play together. How blessed we are to be able to keep our friendship strong. Outside of visiting and eating fine southern foods, we stayed in the water mostly.

Jay and I are sure that we're made for the lake. While I totally love going to the beach and appreciate a good dip in the pool, I melt at the lake. I love the wind from the boat, swimming in the lake and while I might be on the downhill for my ski days....I did show the kids my determination and skiied quite well for someone who's only skiied a couple of times in whole life. Jay too didn't get many water ski chances growing up and he popped up like he weighed 50 lb and skiied like a champ. Kent was a great instructor!

Weekend highlights were watching our children play with each other, listening to each other's funny kids stories, eating wonderful meals and just visiting. On the way home, we stopped at Ruby Tuesday in nearby Alexander City to see Wynn, Erin and Tripp (awesome coaching family). Wynn's now the AD and head baseball coach at community college down there.