March 1, 2008

Our speaker Bro. Ernest & wife Mary Ellen	We slept in a little Sunday morning then hurried to get the children and everyone around.  Bro. Ernest spoke this morning on "Building a Home on the Rock".  We came home and had a delicious dinner of sarmales, garlic French Bread, and Jello fruit salad.  It almost felt bad not having anyone else here to share it with us.  We did enjoy having Bro. Ernest and Sis. Mary Ellen Hostetler here with us for supper in the evening.  After supper we all went to church for the evening service.  His message tonight was "The Church".  A very challenging and inspirational message on the role that each of us plays in the life of the church.   Our only disappointment with our week of meetings was that it was often difficult to concentrate on the sermons because of the struggles we were having with the youngest member of the family....
Strite & Brubaker ladies shopping together.	Monday was very busy for both of us.  Ina Sue not only did all the normal laundry but also made up a batch of bread.  It was a lovely day and the children enjoyed spending most of the day outside.  I went in to work and seemed to rush from one urgent task to the next all day long without really accomplishing a whole log.  One of those days.  We had leftovers for supper then I worked on updating this journal for a while.  We put the children to bed and finished up our evening with pina coladas.  A nice restful end to a busy day.
This man wanted to be pictured with them.	We got up at 6:00 Tuesday morning.  I exercised then made breakfast of cornbread and sausage gravy.  Got the children up and dressed in time for Ina Sue to drop them off with Cheryl Bange at 8:00.  She rode with Aunt Miriam over to Augusta for a big birthday celebration.  Today was Mom and Aunt Miriam's birthdays.  All of their girls were invited to join them for a day of shopping to help celebrate.  Rhonda S. wasn't feeling well and Laura had to teach but all the others were able to make it.  They had quite a day with Ina Sue not getting home until after 6:00.  When she told me about the day I thought it sounded like a tremendous headache in the making.  Ladies seem to be wired different than me though.  I'm glad they had a good time.
Small group got together at McDonalds after singing at the nursing home.	Ina Sue gave Aunt Miriam and Mom each a loaf of bread and a jar of raspberry jelly.  The Brubaker daughters bought each of them a Knock Out rose to remember the day.    I spent all day at work then came home to eat a supper of lasagna with my family.  After we put the children to bed I went back in to work until about 2:00am.
Youth helping build another handicap ramp.	It was quite a bit colder and windy Wednesday morning.  I headed in to work and Ina Sue spent part of her day studying to teach the women's Sunday school class on Sunday.  Our weekend is looking pretty full so she felt like she needed to get her studying done early.  When I got home I ate a quick sandwich then we went to Carrigg Manor Nursing Home with our small group to sing for the folks there.  We always really enjoy going there and interacting with the folks there.  Each time we think that we really should go more often.  Afterward we all met at McDonalds for a snack and fellowship.  The children were thrilled to be able to play on the playground equipment.  It was so cold and windy though that it didn't last real long.  A very nice evening.
Dwayne Stove helped supervise.	Thursday was another normal rushing day at work for me.  Ina Sue baked a batch of cinnamon rolls and wrote in her diary that they were an "udder" flop.  We both laughed at that one.  She also finished up two more scrapbook pages in Landon's scrapbook.  When I got home we had supper of sloppy joes, green beans, and cole slaw.  Nice evening relaxing and cleaning up after the children.
The Govan Soup & Cornbread supper.	Friday was Leap Year/Leap Day.  I'm not sure what the correct title is.  Ina Sue cleaned the house and baked a pie.  I started off the day with a service run to Walterboro then to Hampton and Allendale.  A lot of driving!  Ham pie for supper then a fairly early bedtime.
Don Heatwoles came over to share fellow-ship with our guests Charles Martins.	We got up early Saturday morning and I helped Ina Sue cut up veggies and potatoes for cheeseburger soup to take to the Govan picnic in the evening.  After devotions I headed out to Barnwell to work with some of the youth guys building a handicap ramp for an older lady in Barnwell.  Dwayne Stover agreed to help and to give some leadership.  It was really nice to have him and his tools there to help.  We had about 7 or 8 guys and got most of the ramp completed.  We will have to go back sometime and finish up the handrails.  We left around 4:30 and I hurried to the grocery store to pick up some groceries then back home in time to help get the children ready for the Govan Picnic.
Nathan & Conrad Martin.	This was the annual Soup & Cornbread fundraiser for the fire department where everyone brings food and makes donations to help support our local heroes.  We had a good time visiting with neighbors and friends then had to hurry back home to get ready for our company.  Charlie Martin is married to Ina Sue's cousin Rosa Knicely.  They and two of their sons were on their way back from a week in Florida and very kindly stopped by to see us.  They got here around 8:00 and Don Heatwole's came over to visit together.  We had quite an entertaining evening with lots of stories.  Dons left around 10:30 and took Nathan & Conrad with them so that they would have a bed for the night.  We put the children to bed then stayed up visiting with Charlie & Rosa until pretty late.