Our Visit Home

Well, we've been back again in Grenada for over a month now and I'm finally getting around to posting pictures of our visit home. It has been a month consisting of alot of ups and downs, readjusting to life here again, disappointments and answered prayers. If that sounds like a bunch of mumbo jumbo, it's probably because it is.:) I think I'll spare you all the gory details.
  Sometimes God works in ways we don't understand. This month we received the sad news of Janelle Martin's cancer diagnoses. Shannon and Janelle were the young couple that were planning to move to Grenada in October. Two weeks before they were planning to leave their home in Pennsylvania, she was diagnosed with Stage 2 cancer in the bile ducts of her liver. Needless to say, that changed their plans for the future. My heart just goes out to them...I really can't imagine how that would feel to be in the last stages of planning and packing for a cross-country move and then suddenly everything changes. You can follow her journey at caringbridge.org/janellemartin. I'm sure they would greatly appreciate your prayers during this time.

                                                     A little glimpse into our visit home...
                                  Beware, picture overload...but probably only half of the amount I took:)

                                               Good-bye Grenada...we'll be back soon!

       We spend the first week and a half with Chris's widowed mother. She was more than happy
        for the company and thoroughly spoiled us! Here the children are helping to sort grapes.

      This was so fun! Stacy Horst was planning to leave in a few days to teach school in

     Grenada. Thanks to the strategic planning of a mutual friend I surprised her at

     a local ice cream shop....and surprise her I did! I love her expression on here!:) 

      It was great catching up with her before she left for Grenada and now we're 

       enjoying having her here! She is Collin and Christi's teacher.

                              We went to the Lancaster Airport Airshow with Chris's family.
                                      The children loved the planes....and the freebies:)

                        We happened to meet my brother & his sweet little family there too.

                             Good ole' family time with Chris's family around the campfire.

We went to visit Shalom School, where our children had previously attended. They were all excited about it except Collin, who had a bad case of nervousness. He was fine once he was finally sitting in the classroom with his grade. However, Carter's bravery wore off right before entering his classroom and he tried every trick in the bag to prolong the entrance. Of course, he too was fine when he was finally sitting in with them.     Above pic: Kaylah with her friend Leanne Flaud

                        Kaylah had so much fun popping in on her class! She spend the day there
                         and loved it so much she ended up spending another whole day there.

                                            Christi and her dear friend Charity Martin

                          Collin & Micah Fox....they used to spend every day in the same
                               classroom in Grenada. He misses having him in his class!

                                                              Carter's former classmates

                                                  Carter and his good buddy Riley King

             Miss Amy, who used to teach in Grenada, now teaches Collin & Christi's former class

                      Any work is fun with these two! I'll admit, I mowed instead of helping mom with
                       peaches. After not mowing for almost 2 years, that sounded more appealing!

                             The girls catching up with their cousins, who they missed alot!
                          These are my sister Elsa & Cliff's girls, Hailey & Madison Martin

                          Feeding their faces and the ducks at Boehringer's Drive-In....
                    a cute little sandwich and ice cream shop that has a stream behind it

                             Kaylah holding Bank's, my brother Cliff & Lynette's little tot

                             

                  Mom can't take her eyes off the baby long enough to smile pretty for a picture.
                   She tells us when she's an old lady and not in her right mind anymore, just give
                    her a doll and she'll be happy! I believe it too! She loves babies!

                    Cliff & Elsa's mini golden-doodle. A dog this cute could almost make me
                    take back my adamant declarations of NEVER having a dog in the house!
            

I still take Christi and Collin for yearly evaluations at Dr. Clark, their vision 

therapist. I was pleasantly surprised to meet Sheila Rutt there. They had stayed

 with us for a week this past winter so it was great catching up with her again!

Virgil and Dolores Nolt had us over for some amazing steaks and fellowship. The main purpose
of the gathering was to chat with Shannon & Janelle and answer any questions they might have
before their move to Grenada. Little did we know at that time the plans God had in store for them.

Chris's mom volunteers at the ReUzit Monday mornings so the children went along to "help".

                                    If there is a baby around, Christi will find it! Here she is
                                      holding Hadassah, Chris's brother Phil & Emily's child.

                                       The boys are in their glory. And their Dad is too.....

                                  As much as we despised tomato soup as children, our children
                                     love it! Collin & AJ enjoying some of Grandma's soup.

                                           Chocolate milk flowed freely at Grandma's house....

                We decided to walk, jog, bike the Ephrata part of Rails to Trails. We thought a group
                  pic would be nice before we get started and asked a random lady if she would mind
                  quick snapping a pic. Little did we know we had snagged a professional photographer
                   and she did an amazing job on telling us where and how to stand.

        I just couldn't stay away from the fun, food and fellowship that a day of sewing circle brings.
      (Sounds like I had real noble intentions of helping the poor and needy:) Just being honest!:)
        Leah Weaver & Mary Kay Fox did a wonderful job at helping the twins be involved.
        They had  fun trying to keep needles threaded for them. As fast as these ladies sew,
         it kept them busy trying to always have a threaded needle ready for them:)

                               We had a wonderful evening of catching up with the folks that
                                  were part of the youth group when we were youth leaders.

                Someone made the comment, "Chris and his children." I don't like to think of the
                   age category that would put us in! Maybe more like Chris and his friends...;)

                               It's not too often that I get to peel pears with my Aunt Thelma
                        Burkholder. I was so happy she stopped in special at mom to see me!

We visited my mom's parents Amos & Lydia Jane Martin at the Lincoln Home. I could have stayed all day listening to Grandpa's stories of the olden days. He is 92, but his mind is as sharp as a tack.

                      Here Grandpa is showing a replica of the Model A car he used to drive.
                     We had to smile when he went to get his license renewed at 90 years old.
                   He told mom, "Yeah, he believes this is the last time he'll get them renewed.":)
                                        These are ration stamps he saved from World War II. You couldn't get rationed food unless you had them. Take note of the important note on the bottom: When you have used your ration, salvage the Tin Cans and Waste Fats. They are needed to make munitions for our fighting men.

                           He's seen so many changes over his years. He said, "Mark my words!
                           There's gonna come a day when cars will have wings. If you wanna go
                             to Ohio, all you'll do is just put your wings out and off you'll fly!"

                                           Wrinkled hands tell the stories of a lifetime.....
                 He remembers when Cloister Water went in at Rothsville. He said he thought,
               "What a dumb thing! Do they actually think people are gonna pay for water in a
                bottle?? Why, if you want water you just go give the pump handle a few good
                 pumps and you'll have water! Pay for water?! What a dumb notion!" Lol! If only he knew!

                  Gas ration card...they were allotted 3 gallons for every Sunday to go to church.
                  He looked at us rather blankly when we asked what he did about gas for the
                 rest of the week. "Why, you didn't really go away during the week," he replied.

        My sister and her family came down from New York for the week-end so we spend most of that    week-end at my parents. My brother Cliff brought this little pocket rocket along for the children
 to ride. It was a real hit and the only time it wasn't being ridden is when it was charging.

                                   The cousins found some accommodating pooches to dress up.
                                           Or maybe the poor mutts didn't have a choice....

                                               The menfolk visiting at Reamstown Park

                  Christi holding Taylor, Cliff & Lynette's girl. I can't get over this girl's red
                      hair!  The only way we figured she gets it is from my maternal Grandma.

                                                                        Taylor Elise

                    A quickly snapped family picture at Reamstown Park...thanks Priscilla Caliz!

                                        Camp fire and catching up...being away from family
                                             only makes these times all the more special!

                 What's a visit home without visiting the doctor's office? Carter twisted his arm 

                on the trampoline one of the first days we were home. After the swelling in his

                 elbow didn't go down for almost 2 weeks, we thought we better get it checked

                   out before we head back to Grenada and then wish we would have.

                  There were no bones broken and they thought possibly a stretched ligament.

                        Ahhh! Just looking at this picture makes my mouth water! We got together
                        with some of our church friends for chicken BBQ...the food and fellowship
                           was nothing short of spectacular!:) So thankful for our friends!

                                       Christi, Kate holding Jude Fox and Mandie Martin

                                   These are the kinds of pictures that show up on your camera
                                      card after your daughter hauls off with your camera:)

 

                               Christi and friends...Shakira Burkholder, Kelsey Zimmerman,
                                    Christi, Mary Kate Fox, Cori Martin and Megan Martin

                            This little note was pasted to my brother's bedroom door...little beggars!

One last hurrah with Chris's family....a fun day of swimming

That concludes another post....

Thank you for continuing to remember us in prayer. I've been amazed 

and blessed by the power of prayer this month. Where would we be 

without the support of Christian friends? I don't even want to know! 

Prayer Request...

there is an urgent need for a pastor couple here in Grenada...the sooner, the better, the

 longer, the better!:) Normally the board asks for a 3 year commitment but due to the

 unexpected dire need for a pastor, I think they would accept a shorter commitment. It

 will probably take alittle piecework till they find someone willing to commit long term.