One More Thing

I had some technical difficulties getting the last post up and did not get to write everything I wanted to.  My aunt and uncle are amazing second-parents to me and are the reason that their boys are so fun to be around. ( I couldn't find a satisfactory picture for them) Mrs. and Mr. Alders are fantastic third-parents to me and graciously let me inhabit their house when I need to. We have grown up with all ten of their children and are blessed to have them living so close to us. The Lord has been gracious to us by surrounding us with many, many friends (more than I can name), all of whom are great, godly people who influence our lives no matter where they live and He has been so compassionate to place some of the best friends I know so close to us.

Finally Home

We are finally home after way too many hours of sitting in the car. On the way home we stopped at South Pass City, Wyoming, where there is an old gold mining community, and Bandelier National Park in New Mexico, where there are age-old Pueblo Indian cave dwellings.

Bandelier National Park. Bryce would have been overcome with joy if we would have left him there to live in the caves. He loved it.

South Pass City

 Both places were really neat and very educational but I couldn't help the nagging desire to get home fast. I will miss many things about Wyoming, including cooler weather, but I won't miss anything there more than I missed the familiar luxuries of our home town. Nothing can replace frequent visits from neighbors or the hot Texas sun that makes 50 degree water feel refreshing, not unbearable. Bryce says he is ready for "a proper swim." What I've missed more than anything is the company of my neighbors (on both sides ;)). Robert Frost once said, "Good fences make good neighbors" but in our case I think the phrase would go, "No fences make better neighbors." There are next to no boundaries between our house and the neighboring houses. We have known each other for ages and I am extremely blessed to have my neighbors (and cousins) also be my best friends in the whole wide world. So, naturally, after being gone for ten days I was ready to come home to these wonderful people. 

You know what they say: Cousins are as close as brothers. Actually, they don't say that...I made it up. But it's true. These four boys are my brothers, no matter what anyone else says.

I am convinced that material things can contribute a lot to making one's life pleasant, but, basically, if you do not have very good friends and relatives who matter to you, life will be really empty and sad and material things cease to be important. David Rockefeller