Reading fun

Since Prince Caspian has hit the theatres, I HAD to read Prince Caspian again! And I loved it - again!

And no, I don't always read "Christian" books! I just finished The Rainmaker by John Grisham - it was hard to get anything else done till I finished it! Fortunately, I'm a fast reader! It was a fun read!

It's summertime, shearing season!

Dayton - cute, huh?

C'mon Cameron, smile!

It wasn't easy getting a picture of Cameron. He had a choice - Grandma takes a picture or he gets a big smooch from mama! What would YOU have chosen??

Visits with Mary

For a few weeks several ladies from church, along with Mary and me, visited folks who needed a visit. Then, little by little they quit coming, so now it's just Mary and me. Mary told me she was going to suspend the visitations, but I told her, "Don't do that. I'll go with you! Even two of us can visit!" So we're continuing. Mary is a retired schoolteacher, as is her husband Nacho. She keeps extremely busy with her family, Bible studies, and of course visitation! Today we visited Cruz (Cross), and encouraged her to keep coming to church even though there have been some hurtful things happen in the recent past. We had a delightful visit with her and her young son, Manuel, who is 7, but looks 9. When his mom brought out the fruit to serve, he helped himself, and helped himself, and helped himself! It's fun to watch such a young child enjoy fruit - rather than junk food! God is going to use our visits to encourage. We're even talking of visiting more than just one person a week!

More pictures of Ken's family

My favorite daughter in law Esmeralda. Isn't she beautiful??

Big sister Maria is so sweet to share her ice cream with me...

But this, NOW THIS, is MUCH MUCH better!

Back home to Mexico

What a great trip to visit Mike and Kris, Jeff and Kim, Ken and Esme! Lots of miles covered! Only one suitcase was lost - that they delivered the very same evening thankfully, and only one flight cancelled - we found out JUST as we were leaving the house for the airport! It's good to be home and I've been busy catching up. Today Alan, Beth, Cameron, Dayton and I joined a good crowd at a quinceañera party for Lidia, one of the teens in our church. First was a beautiful ceremony which included the giving of the Bible, the ring, the necklace, the doll and pillow, as well as a message to the quinceañera. The five young men who accompanied her all dressed for the occasion, as you can see in the picture! The two on the right are her brothers. And yes, those are PINK shirts! A delicious dinner followed the ceremony accompanied by extremely loud music - we had to shout to our table companions! But it was all great and we all praise God for what He has done and will continue doing in Lidia's life.

In El Paso, Texas with Ken and Esmeralda

Both Maria and Lluvia love to "read". I was quite surprised at how long Lluvia especially would spend just looking at the books - and never once tearing one! Of course, who knows what the future holds! But I'm all for lovin' books!

Dancin' with Dad. Ken and Maria danced for awhile, then it occurred to Maria to don hats and a scarf! What fun and what a great many laughs we enjoyed!

No, this is NOT posed! Maria loves to sit this way. And the outfit was all her idea!

Lluvia is truly a sweet baby. She's a normally very serious child, but gives lots of sweet smiles and jabbers all the time - in some language we don't understand!

Grandma, Maria, Lluvia and Ken. Aren't we "something"?

New "member" of the Allem family

Grandma with Quincy and Ada

Guess what Toria is getting for her birthday! This gift with the cage and all it's supplies gave her a big hint! Yep, a hamster! Monday we all went and picked her out. And...

Here she is! Toria chose the name Nibbles, even though her brothers gave her lots of other ideas, which I won't post! You don't wanna know! Here's Ada trying to decide if she wants to feel those scratchy little feet in her hand - not sure about that!

Good lookin' family

Here they are! The Allem family! Left to right, they are Jeff, Clara, Jeffery, Victoria, Austin, Quincy, Raquel, Calvin, Jesse, Kim and Ada. It's been fun being here with them in Glenmoore, PA. Today we visited the Herr's Food Factory - surely you've heard of and enjoyed Herr's potato chips??!

Allem fun in Pennsylvania

My first Sunday here the boys played for their Sunday school class. Austin's on the base guitar, Jesse is on the drums and Jeffery plays guitar while he sings. Good job, boys!

Toria and Calvin are quite the team when it comes to having fun outdoors. Here they just conquered their maze with their skateboards. While here, Toria celebrated her 10th birthday and her BEST gift was a hamster, which we went to pick out today! Everyone, not just Toria, is very excitedly enjoying Nibbles!

Raquel is a wonderful babysitter and Kim depends on her a lot. And she loves the little ones, especially helping out at church in the nursery. Here she is reading to Calvin, Toria, Quincy and Clara.

At least twice a day Ada reminds me, "I'm your granddaughter. You're my grandma", just so I won't forget! At age 3 she defends herself pretty well against all those older brothers and sisters, but sometimes needs to be reminded to "be nice"!

Soccer anyone?

It was fun going to two soccer games, one with Raquel and Toria's team, the other with Jeffery, Jesse and Austin's team. It's hard to get pictures of a soccer game, but I managed a few.

There goes Toria (left, in the blue). She's getting good with her feet and sure can run!

Raquel

Goalie Jeffery and Jesse (in red shorts) defending their position. The game was tied 3-3 and the boys played hard, even did some fancy "rolls" against a tough team!

Austin, Jesse and Jeffery - with a silly face! You didn't think I'd publish this, did you, Jeffery!

Some good reading material

For those who know me, you know I love to read. On this trip I've read some good ones. Three, in fact. No Life for a Lady by Agnes Morley Cleaveland recounts Agnes' life in the wilds - literally - of New Mexico during the late 1800's, early 1900's. It's up to the reader to decide if this is a life and a place for a lady or for a, well, what can I say - a "cowgirl"? Or maybe for both? It certainly reminded me page after fascinating page of the incredibly EASY life we live today - maybe it's too easy, who's to say?

Then I read Out of Africa, by Winnifred Green and Gayle Roper. Four years of the letters and recollections of Dallas and Winnifred Green - from their medical and missionary work with the African Inland Mission in Sudan, form the basis of this fascinating and sometimes frightening book. Dallas is now minister of missions and mercy at Calvary Fellowship Church and his son Carl is one of the pastors, if I understand it correctly.

Last but definitely not least is Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon. Anyone who has read - and loved - the Mitford Series, will love this book as well. Father Timothy goes home to his childhood home of Holly Springs and rediscovers not just childhood places, but childhood friends, loved ones and even enemies who now become friends. And he rediscovers himself in a way he could never have imagined. Read it! But not until you've read all the other Mitford books!