We had another visitor from Phoenix this past weekend. Sami is a dear friend, great babysitter and a girl that would meet with me and Alison once a week to read the Bible and pray together. It was so good to laugh, explore, chat and pray together this weekend! Here are some highlights:
Ross took Friday off so that he could drive us all to the Memphis airport. First, we stopped off at a Boost Mobile store to get me a new phone. Since my old one has been slow and difficult for months. Well, that stop at the store was slow and difficult too! We ended up having to leave the new phone there while it had a system update so we could pick up Sami at noon.
We then picked up a to-go family meal at Interstate BBQ. It was very yummy and cheap! We took our food to one of the Memphis River Parks and ate outside. The food was good and the company sweet but it was so very hot and humid! We went to the Bass Pro Shops inside the pyramid to cool off a bit. I was amazed at how much the kids remembered about the store. They showed Sami around like experts!
Even though it was yucky outside, we took her for a quick walk over the Mississippi River on the Big River Crossing. Then we stopped for ice cream and drove the 2 hours back to Iuka. (We did go back at pick up the new phone first!)
Saturday was a fun day as we all were able to go on a boat ride with our neighbors. They are so gracious to us! The kids had fun riding the raft, swimming and swinging on a rope swing out over the water. I wasn't quite as exhausted this time around- but we were all hungry after being on the water for over 5 hours!
Sunday we went to church in the morning and heard a good sermon from Revelation. The pastor has been doing a systematic theology series on life after death for the believer. It has been sweet and somber. We love that our kids (at the least the bigger ones) can track the sermon well and make comments and ask questions after it is over.
We picked up a bunch of groceries and then headed home for lunch and a rest. Then, we decided it wasn't too, too hot out so we drove down to Tishomingo State Park to show Sami some of the sights. It was too hot for the Outcroppings Trail, but Sami and the kids had fun skipping back and forth on the swinging bridge.
When we pulled up at the swinging bridge, a lady came right up to our Transit and asked if we were a shuttle! Their family was stuck after kayaking down the river all day- they had a vehicle but had left the keys in the other truck upstream. So gracious Ross offered to give Alex a ride back to the truck. He turned out to be a nice man and it was a good learning experience for our kids to be willing to help those in need, even strangers. But it was a bit of a detour. We didn't make it back home for dinner till after 8.
Monday was difficult. I had a doctor's appointment in Corinth 40 minutes away. I took Ezra with me and left the other kids with Sami. After filling out some paperwork at the office, Ezra let out a wail and the receptionist told me that he was not allowed in the building! She told me that no children at all were allowed because of COVID. Not even nursing babies. So I had to reschedule for an afternoon appointment, drive the 40 minutes back home- feed the kids lunch, put everybody back in the car and drive back. Then I had to wait 45 minutes in the waiting room while Sami kept the kids in the running car, watching a movie. By the time I came out of the office, they were all hot, sweaty and Ezra thought he was starving. I was mad...
Oh well. Not everything can be cheery.
We had a nice family dinner together of tacos and then Sami let Ross and me go out on a dessert date. We took Ezra with us and had some good conversation.
Tuesday we, reluctantly, drove back to Memphis. We ate at Chick fil A at the Oak Court Mall and walked around to stretch our legs before the drive back home. Vivian and Titus kept stopping at jewelry store windows to point out their favorite bling necklaces. :)
It was a wonderful time with a wonderful friend, but it went too fast!
We are missing our Phoenix family and friends a lot.
Ross took Friday off so that he could drive us all to the Memphis airport. First, we stopped off at a Boost Mobile store to get me a new phone. Since my old one has been slow and difficult for months. Well, that stop at the store was slow and difficult too! We ended up having to leave the new phone there while it had a system update so we could pick up Sami at noon.
We then picked up a to-go family meal at Interstate BBQ. It was very yummy and cheap! We took our food to one of the Memphis River Parks and ate outside. The food was good and the company sweet but it was so very hot and humid! We went to the Bass Pro Shops inside the pyramid to cool off a bit. I was amazed at how much the kids remembered about the store. They showed Sami around like experts!
Even though it was yucky outside, we took her for a quick walk over the Mississippi River on the Big River Crossing. Then we stopped for ice cream and drove the 2 hours back to Iuka. (We did go back at pick up the new phone first!)
Saturday was a fun day as we all were able to go on a boat ride with our neighbors. They are so gracious to us! The kids had fun riding the raft, swimming and swinging on a rope swing out over the water. I wasn't quite as exhausted this time around- but we were all hungry after being on the water for over 5 hours!
Sunday we went to church in the morning and heard a good sermon from Revelation. The pastor has been doing a systematic theology series on life after death for the believer. It has been sweet and somber. We love that our kids (at the least the bigger ones) can track the sermon well and make comments and ask questions after it is over.
We picked up a bunch of groceries and then headed home for lunch and a rest. Then, we decided it wasn't too, too hot out so we drove down to Tishomingo State Park to show Sami some of the sights. It was too hot for the Outcroppings Trail, but Sami and the kids had fun skipping back and forth on the swinging bridge.
When we pulled up at the swinging bridge, a lady came right up to our Transit and asked if we were a shuttle! Their family was stuck after kayaking down the river all day- they had a vehicle but had left the keys in the other truck upstream. So gracious Ross offered to give Alex a ride back to the truck. He turned out to be a nice man and it was a good learning experience for our kids to be willing to help those in need, even strangers. But it was a bit of a detour. We didn't make it back home for dinner till after 8.
Monday was difficult. I had a doctor's appointment in Corinth 40 minutes away. I took Ezra with me and left the other kids with Sami. After filling out some paperwork at the office, Ezra let out a wail and the receptionist told me that he was not allowed in the building! She told me that no children at all were allowed because of COVID. Not even nursing babies. So I had to reschedule for an afternoon appointment, drive the 40 minutes back home- feed the kids lunch, put everybody back in the car and drive back. Then I had to wait 45 minutes in the waiting room while Sami kept the kids in the running car, watching a movie. By the time I came out of the office, they were all hot, sweaty and Ezra thought he was starving. I was mad...
Oh well. Not everything can be cheery.
We had a nice family dinner together of tacos and then Sami let Ross and me go out on a dessert date. We took Ezra with us and had some good conversation.
Tuesday we, reluctantly, drove back to Memphis. We ate at Chick fil A at the Oak Court Mall and walked around to stretch our legs before the drive back home. Vivian and Titus kept stopping at jewelry store windows to point out their favorite bling necklaces. :)
It was a wonderful time with a wonderful friend, but it went too fast!
We are missing our Phoenix family and friends a lot.
It's gotten humid here! Can only imagine what it's like there... Great pictures! Your Phoenix family misses you all too!
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