Who's Hopper? The Answer And The Arrival Of Andy

While we were there they were dredging the bottom.As the sun hits the water at a certain time of day it causes the lake to become all sparkles.Tano is watching what is happening with the dredger out in the lake.The others had filtered onto the beach and were enjoying making sand castles.

Hannah and Ellie decide to pose beautifully for a beach picture.The sun has helped warm them back up from being in the chilly water.
Tano came in and stretched out on his beach blanket letting the sun warm him up and smiled big for the camera.
Alittle more of making the sand castles with Tano joining in just before we walked the water's edge to the pier.
This is a picture I have admired that Sherry took with her camera.Needless to say there were quite a few beautiful sunset pictures.
The answer to the question of who Hopper is?Sarah's pet toad that loves to use the swimming pool for his summer home.Annette and Earl discover a toad now and then each summer that sits down under the ledge inside the pool and Sarah plays with it while she is in swimming and then as she gets out she places him back on his little ledge for the next time around.

She entroduced Tano and Ellie to Hopper and Hopper became a hit with all the kids.As Tano got out of the pool he put Hopper in his pocket and had him in the house for awhile.I do believe Tano would like to have taken him back to Montana with them.Sarah actually kissed Hopper for the camera but my camera didn't capture it because of the shutter delay.

Back home here RuthAnn got her and Ellie look alike pajamas out to wear and then climbed in togeather on the matteress on the floor in the living room.They were both out like a light within seconds of laying their heads down.We had had two quite late nights with family being out.This picture was actually taken the following morning after they woke up.
Sherry and I sat up awhile and each worked on our laptops downloading pictures and viewing them.
The following day Andy drove in from Indiana to pick up Sherry and the kids to continue their journey back home.I enjoyed Sherry and the kids being here with us for acouple of days and was sad to see them go.I felt very bad that Andy ended up running late getting here and so they loaded up and we said our goodbyes and gave hugs.Waving goodbye to them made me feel sad.Lord willing next time Andy will be able to join with us for a day at least before they have to leave.I was was very thankful for Sherry's time here,there was a very special feeling with it.Sherry,Andy,Ellie and Nathanal we love you.

The Following Day At Annette And Earl's

There is nothing better then to go to Barbie Dreamland,want to join us?
Jump in,the waters alittle cool!!!!!!!!!It took alittle while before I braved getting all the way in.Kids they feel no coollllllllllllllld.The water was like bath water when our weather was so hot and humid for awhile.
The deck where the braveless sat.Oops I only mean Sherry and Annette.Hee Hee Dan and I braved it with alot of gritting the teeth.
We even had boat rides and the relaxing swayback chair to enjoy in the pool.Sarah got what she is reclinging in from us for her birthday.
Hey whos got Hopper?Anyone see him hopping around in the water?Tano probably has him in his pocket just ready to flash in front of one of us as a surprise attack.
Awhile later different ones filtered out of the pool and over to the swing set.Emma has her own special way for swinging on a swing.
As we filtered into the house Tano and Sarah turned their attention to the computer.Tano was wanting to get into something special.He soon began building I believe a man or creature.I can't exactly remember what he began having fun doing but him and Sarah were pretty ingrossed into what they were doing.
Dinner anyone?It sure was scrumptous Annette!Earl had come home and Chuck had brought Bryan and himself up just in time for supper.
Earl enjoyed getting his quad out to hook up his little trailer to for pulling kids in for rides into their woods.Rides went right into the dark time.Then he would pull in just so deep into their woods,turn the motor off and tell his ghost stories.What fun!!! Except when I was one of them on the back.Needless to say partway through his story I began roaming my eyes around to see into the dark corners making sure nothing would jump out at us.About three quarter through the story I was feeling like Ok,you can get us out of here now quickly.Its amazing how it can still pull you into the story even though you as now an adult know better.EERIE thats what it felt like.
What better way to finish the night with that roaring bon fire.We sat there enjoying it while each of the kids had filtered into the house to enjoy different things in the light,out of the mosquito haven except for the few they let in as they went into the house.A few mosquitos probably rode in on their shoulders just waiting for the right moment.

Sherry,Tano and Ellie Join Us In Grand Haven

What could have been better then a day at my favorite summer spot with Annette,Sherry,Dan and all the kids. I picked them up from Sherry's friend's home in Ada and arrived home here to get into our beach duds.One call to Annette to tell her we were about to head out to the lake shore,and we were on our way.Cooler full of cold drinks,jackets cause you never go without them,beach chairs,blankets,beach towels,sand pails and shovels,and long pants made for one very full trunk.
We all fully enjoyed the day from start to finish.The water was alittle cooler then the last time we had been out there because the weather had cooled down a touch.The sand on the feet filtering through our toes felt wonderful and made for a nice sandy lake bottom to walk out into the lake on.After awhile everyone filtered out of the water and onto the sand where sand castles were built,and bodies were layed out to catch a few sun rays.
Tano decided he needed alittle more time for sitting in the lake letting the water and sand swish around him.
After awhile of being in the lake and then building castles and doing sand angels everyone became very thirsty so the coolers were opened up.The kids decided on juice boxes out of Annette's cooler.The kids soon became "The Juice Box Kids".
What comes after a nice cold drink?How about supper?We pulled on some clothes over our wet bathing suits,put shoes on our feet and got into our cars to travel down to the Wharf for PIZZA!
As stomachs were filled and satisfied and no more tummy rumblings were heard we went back out to our spot on the beach for alittle more fun.
As the light became dimmer showing time for the sun to begin its descent we walked the water's edge out to the pier.We enjoyed a walk out to the end and stood their in awe watching as the sky became more beautiful as the sun began descending down into the lake's edge.I couldn't resist taking a picture of Sherry,Annette and Dan.
This is a beautiful picture of Sherry,Annette and Dan

What could have been better then one very long barge going through the channel.The kids started waving to them in which the barge gave them back a couple of very loud horn blasts to say hi back.This along with the georgeous sunset made for quite a nice end.Now to get back and find all of beach belonging still not picked up from where we left it all scatered about to walk over to the pier.As we walked back the sky got more and more beautiful for pictures.When we got back we really needed flashlights to make sure of where everything was.Us goof offs should have picked everything up before we walked over to the pier.
After I put on the next post at Annette and Earl's house I will have a post of another set of pictures I couldn't get into these two main posts.How do you decide which pictures when their are so many gooooooooooooooooood pictures.Love one and all.

Us Three Furrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeel Cats

Can Anyone tell who is who?Meow?

Homegoing Of Jeff

Metro Baptist Church in Belleville,Jeff's family home church for the last 15 years.The viewing and funeral were here at their home church.
These are the flowers that were delivered to the church from Ron and Barbara Smith's family.They were beautiful.
The flowers that were draped across the top of his casket were from Jeff's dad.
This is just one of the two easles of pictures they had displayed in the back of the auditorium.
Such a sad ending to Jeff's life.Oh to have had a different ending to his life.Jeff you were very loved.As each of us reach heaven one day we will be togeather again.

In Loving Memory Of Jeff Kahl

This picture was taken at the family Saeger reunion just two years ago.Who was to know what would lay ahead for someone who was so loved by his family and friends.How do you prepare for someone to receive the sudden heart breaking news that someone we love so dearly felt so down that they would consider such an tragic way to end their life.Our hearts and prayers are with his family and friends as they attempt to come to grips with their sudden loss.
Jeff's mom Aunt RuthAnn and husband Bob Raby
Jeff's father Uncle Grover and wife Sue Kahl.



This is Jeff's family a few years back.His oldest daughter is Karrie 24 years old and married with a baby named Buddy.Daniel 22 years old,Cheryl 20 years old,Michelle 15 years old,Amy 11 years old,Elaine 10 years old,and Sarah 6 years old.Karrie's last name is Kasten and her husband's name is Buddy.
Jeff'sisters Wendy and her husband Gary Lovens,Julie and her husband Tim Shroeder ,Kristi and her husband Tim Hughes,Lori and her husband Jason Jonca.Several neices and nephews as a result of these married families have been left feeling very sad. On the bottom of Jeff's memorial card is the verse: Fear thou not,for I am with thee,be not dismayed,for I am thy God,I will strengthen thee,yea,I will help thee,yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:10

Sadness For Family

I need to get my smile off of here for now because since friday night late,I have very easily been in and out of tears.Chuck and I went up to the Double JJ Ranch Resort friday evening for the weekend for some good times of horse back riding.We dropped RuthAnn off to Annette and Earls and proceeded to go further north to Rothbury,up by Ludington.Friday evening as we sat on the bleachers watching the rodeo,my cell phone began to ring.Realizing it was probably Annette with something about RuthAnn,I was not prepared for the awful shock I would get.As I found out it was cousin Greg,I said hi and asked what was up.He asked if I had heard anything about our cousin Jeff in which I said no.My heart went sick as he told me that Jeff had committed suicide the previous nite.All I could say with tears in my eyes,Oh Lord no!I couldn't help but keep repeating it over and over.My cell phone was down to only one cell left as I left the stands and went to sit in my car to proceed to call family.I did get through to Bill and Shawnee one time and she promised to get the message to Bill who was on the road at the time.I couldn't seem to get anyone else so I quickly went and retrieved Chuck from the stands to fill him in the urgency to get back to our cabin.I really hoped once I plugged it in the outlet that I would get out to family.The only one I could reach was Jeannie .After filling her in on the little I knew I asked her to call all of our family she could .Jeannie and Larry took it from there and called flowers in with Dad saying he would cover the bill.Thank-you Jeannie and Larry for doing this for me.I felt awful that my cell phone kept saying no service coverage everytime I tried to get out on it.We got back home Sunday,after picking up RuthAnn and filling Annette in on the possible upcoming trip we might make.This morning I took Chuck's car into the shop for a 700.00 repair to be done so that we can get baths,pack RuthAnn up again and get back on the road.We will go pick up Chuck's car,get RuthAnn up to Sparta again and be on the road for Detroit this evening.The car shop figures the car will be ready about 5:00pm and its twenty minutes to get RuthAnn up to Sparta one way.We should actually be on our way from Grand Rapids about 6:30pm.The funeral is at 11:00am tomorrow morning.I will have my cell phone on if anyone needs to connect.I love everyone and do want many prayers to abound for their family during this terrible,heart wrenching time.Life is just so precious,we really need love to abound and be handy when it is needed.

Anyone For One Huge Smile?

The Triplets ! We have eight wonderful kids,9 wonderful grandkids,three handsome husbands and 3 great,son in laws.What more could you ask for?
Ya just gotta love um!!!!

Update To Answered Prayer

Maxine
The Lord answered my prayer for bringing Maxine into our home a short while ago.She was from a march litter that apparently was more used to being outdoors then indoors.As she loved playing and jumping at any slight movement under the bedcovers,the claws would come out.Both sets,front and back,along with trying to grab on with her teeth.As we would try to pull away from her she grabbed on more strongly ending up with scratching the hands or arms quite abit.As RuthAnn would pick her up a certain way she would nip with her mouth onto RuthAnn's cheek.One minute I had alittle girl in tears being alittle sad and scared wanting her to find another home,to everything going wonderful and her becoming her friend again and one whom she dearly loved.Unfortunately I also found she had not used her litter a couple of times,one time being in the bathtub.I was quite back and forth being torn as to what the end decision should be.Yes,I ended up putting her in her cat carrier and turning her into the Humane Society.She fought the ride the whole way with her teeth barring the door trying to get it open.It actually was alittle scarey to me.I filled out the proper paper work as well as I could and filled them in on the whole situation.They at first said they probably couldn't readopt her out but decided to just watch her behavior for a few days.I payed 20.00 for my free kitty and drove home in tears asking the Lord what it all meant.We're not supposed to ask why Lord but our human emotions have a hard time sometimes.I waited for alittle while before beginning my new search because I wasn't sure what I should be doing. I had a very sad little granddaughter because she wanted a kitty so bad.One morning before Sherry and Tano and Ellie were here,RuthAnn who was laying next to me in bed,awoke in tears crying about not having a kitty yet.After Sherry and the kids left I started slowly looking once more.Last monday Bryan came over and said,Mom,lets go look at kitties.We brought one home from Pet Smart in Grandville.Lake Haven this time handling these kitties.Since Autumn who became Misty with us began being here I noticed she wasn't eating and drinking like she should be.After a couple of days she began feeling very warm,became very lathergic,and had alittle gunk in her one eye.Wednesday nite I went up to babysit Annette and Earl's girls for the nite,taking Sarah to her school openhouse and dropped Hannah off for her girls sleepover to her friends house over nite.The following morning we picked Hannah up from her sleepover and drove back to GrandRapids to Grandma and Grandpa's.By friday nite I was very concerned for our kitty because by now she still wasn't eating or drinking and her temp still seemed warm.She was loosing wait and I was beginning to feel her bones protrude all over her.This morning I awoke early in tears praying to the Lord to please allow us to keep her and make her well.I called the vet as soon as I could and in we went.She had a temp of 104,she has developed fustitous,which means she has an infection in her two back teeth which are beginning to desolve and they we're not sure if she might have developed feline leukemia or had developed an upper respiratory virus.Here we go again.Need I say I was in and out of tears during the appointment?RuthAnn was taken out to play with some toys in the outer area by one of the women in the room with the doctor and I.The doctor took Misty in the back to check for feline Leukemia while I walked back out to sit with RuthAnn.After alittle bit they came out to inform me she tested negative for that so they went back and got her Lord willing on a turn around to getting well.They gave her something to bring down her fever,and got her hooked up for getting fluids into her body.They did several things,then came out with her with medication for her to take for a week.I have a can of moist food that is high in protein that I began to try with her and she still wouldn't take it.I brought it into the bedroom,put some on my finger to get it down on her mouth and thank - you Lord she began nibbling the food.We have a week of big time TLC here and as you all can guess please pray for Misty and us as we are really praying that she comes around.I am supposed to call them if things don't begin improving this coming week.The medication is not eye drops it is to be taken by dropper into the mouth once a day for a week.Love one and all. Oh and by the way,my caddy began acting up on the way up to Sparta to get the girls.The AC that had just been fixed suddenly began blowing out warm air, the engine lite came on and has not gone off,the cruise stopped working and when I put my foot down on the gas it acts like it doesn't want to get moving and doesn't sound right either.Some how the shifting doesn't feel right as you put the gas on. Chuck took my caddy into the car shop to get it looked at before they closed at 12:00 forLaborDay weekend and I proceeded to take Misty and RuthAnn into the vet.I drove the LaSabre to the vet and parked out front while we walked in with Misty.Halfway into being there,one of the girls came and asked me if the blue car parked out front was my car.I looked questionally at her,said yes and asked why?Well I just wanted you to know that your antifreeze is all leaking out underneath on the driveway.When it rains it pours.After I went in and was looking at the toys with RuthAnn I heard the one lady behind the desk talking with the guy sitting there about what was all going on with me.I sauntered up to the desk with needless to say wet eyes once more and said that the Lord knows I need more patience so he is giving me alittle more tribulation.Tribulation worketh patience. The good Lord knows I need more patience but I really don't need more tribulation.With that I took RuthAnn's hand,got one more cup of coffee and walked back to the kids toys area.Friday I took all the granddaughters to the bus terminal to put Dan on the bus for him to go visit friends for the weekend in Royal Oak.He will be back next tuesday and will be coming home in a taxi,his choice.When Misty feels alittle more herself I will take a few pictures and put another update on the blog.Until then please pray for the Lord's will in all of this.The Lord's will be done not mine.