I saved the best news for last!

Kari, Jonathan and Alec left Budapest on June 2nd, the same day Glenn and I flew to America to represent Member Care to the personnel who will be going overseas in the next couple of weeks to serve in various parts of Eurasia.  Naturally, I won't be posting any pictures of the families we met while in Virginia but the fact that we met with 23 families in 4 days will explain why I didn't post anything last week!

And this past Sunday?  Why didn't I post anything?  Well, my sister Karin was in town and we have been going, going, going ever since she arrived!  She is great about coming and helping me with my "errands" (code word for shopping).   

Actually, she came into town to attend the Senior Adult luncheon at Marietta First Baptist Church with my dad and the rest of his girls.   It was Honor Your Daughters (and Daughters-in-Law) Day.   I have many fond memories of Senior Adult luncheons at MFBC!  Glenn and I used to help Glenn's mom cook and decorate for the luncheons many, many times when she was preparing the meals for the senior adults.  We often served at their Christmas banquets too, and each time it was a great opportunity for us to get to reconnect with all the senior adults who have been a part of our lives for the past umpteen years.  (For Glenn, the past 57 years;  for me, the past 36 years.)

How do you write about something that is amusing without making fun of it?  One of my sisters (who shall remain unnamed) and I were quite surprised at the "salad" that was served at the luncheon.  (First off, we think of salads as being healthy greens with slice or diced fresh vegetables tossed on top.  This salad was anything but healthy: Cool Whip, cottage cheese, strawberry jello and fresh strawberries.   And there  was enough "salad" left over to feed those 5000 people who got the 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes!

Going from left to right:  My sister Karin, Emogene (hmm, is she my sister Elizabeth's mother-in-law or my Dad's "special friend"?), my Dad, me, Tanya (my younger brother's wife), Glenn, Ethan (my nephew who is also sometimes called Christian), my brother Jay, my sister Elizabeth, and my brother-in-law Brennon.

Karin, Dad, me, Jay and Elizabeth

So, in this picture, my dad had 4 of his 5 children around him!  My brother's family in Chattanooga is missing. However, we still should have gotten a prize for the most daughters and daughters-in-laws present, along with the prize for having a guest come the farthest distance!

And now Dad with just his 3 girls.  I look just like my Dad, don't I?

On Monday, Karin and I were going to take my Dad to Jackson, Alabama (his hometown) to visit with our relatives while Glenn took his Mom to Augusta to visit with his sister.   But, because of the thunderstorms all along the way from Mobile to Atlanta, and because my aunt was hospitalized over the weekend, we didn't go to Jackson.  While Glenn was in Augusta, I tackled our "errand" list with Karin and we got 99% of it accomplished!  It took us 20 stores and 2 Starbucks stops, but WE DID IT!  We did NOT buy these jumbo marshmallows, the size of our fists, but I reserve the right to go back and get a bag if our suitcase needs some stuffing to keep things from rattling around in it!   Hmmm, Karin, maybe I need a "few" marshmallows for my hot chocolate this winter!?!

CHRIS GRADUATED ON MAY 19TH AND PASSED HIS NATIONAL BOARD EXAM ON JUNE 5TH!   HE IS NOW OFFICIALLY A LICENSED PHYSICIANS' ASSISTANT!

CONGRATULATIONS, CHRIS!  WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!

Glenn gets back from Augusta today with his Mom, and on Friday he flies to New Jersey to help Chris and Kate pack up their belongings, and then he will help Chris drive the U-haul truck to Maryville, TN where he has a job as a P.A..   Yes, this is back to where they used to live!   I pick up Kate and Jazmine from the Atlanta airport on Tuesday and will drive them to Maryville on Wednesday so that Kate can look at houses with Chris.  We'll then all come back to Marietta to spend our last few days in America before we return to BP on June 25th (arrive on the 26th).

Because of our crazy schedules over the next 10-12 days, who knows when I will update again???