Starting to look like fall.

After a really special weekend with K and C (with VERY summerlike conditions), it actually looks and maybe feels a bit like fall in Dallas. Bright blue skies and no haze whatsoever. We could see the downtown skyline all lit up last night. Beautiful.
We will head to Orlando to see Dean on Thursday morning and then on up to Raleigh to see Louise on Friday. We hope the hurricanes stay away so that we can enjoy Emerald Isle for the weekend and then back home. And, it looks like our house in G'boro will close this week. Yahoo!

Looking forward to the weekend

Karl and Christine are both flying in tomorrow night to spend the weekend with us. We are so excited to have them here. Plans are under way to eat at some great restaurants, listen to some music, and hang out by the pool. We know they will want to catch up on some sleep, eat some home-cooked meals, and watch a movie or two, but whatever we all decide to do, it will be great to do it together.
At the end of the month we will catch up with our other two, Dean and Louise. We will fly in to Orlando and spend some time with Dean, and then fly to Raleigh to help Louise finish her apartment furnishings and spend a couple of days at the beach house.
Life is good and we are so blessed to be able to connect with our children as much as we do.

Mondays

Last Monday I was flying home from Romania and finally landed at DFW at 9:30 p.m. It felt like the longest Monday ever, and yet I didn't accomplish the things I am used to accomplishing on Mondays. After almost a week of getting back on a normal sleep schedule, I am ready for a normal Monday. You know, the kind where you roll out the trash cans, shake out the rugs, start the first load of laundry, write a couple of checks that need to get in the mail, enjoy a second cup of coffee while checking the email, go for a power walk, vacuum the floors, dust the furniture, go to the dry-cleaners, put gas in the Tahoe,mail that package that has been sitting on the counter for a week, hit the grocery store, and by the time I get all of those things accomplished, it should be time to start dinner preparations.
Oh, and in the middle of all of this, there are about 10 phone calls I really need to make. There goes Monday!

Back in the Saddle

I am not literally "back in the saddle" , rather I am just back to feeling normal, well-rested, and doing all the things I did before Romania. It has taken most of the week to get on a normal sleep schedule.
I have fought through the desire to take a nap every day at about 3 p.m. It has been fun to wander through the grocery store, take a walk in the early morning (before it gets to 105 degrees), catch up on some domestic chores, and catch up with friends who are all so curious about our trip. And now it's the weekend! Yahoo!
We are going to a "salsa in the park" event in Addison tomorrow night and over to our friends house for dinner on Sunday evening.

Hope Grows Everywhere

The Globetrotters are all back safely on US soil. What an experience it was to travel with 21 other "gals". We have had quite an adventure. Please check out the website to see pictures and read about our trip. www.hopegrowshere.blogspot.com
My thought this morning as I reflect back on our 2 weeks abroad, is that while we all have unique lives, there is a common thread connecting us to one another. We grow when we put ourselves "out there" and take risks in relationships, surroundings, and activity. None of us have the luxury of going through life without hardships and challenges and when we begin to see that reality we also find it a bit easier to empathize and understand one another. I think that all the "Globetrotters" were stretched a bit and for many of us it will take some time to process the experience. As I sit and look through my journal and my pictures I am still drinking it all in and am so thankful for the adventure and most of all, thankful that God was present and active throughout the entire trip.