Abbott Amazement Journal: 2011 April 24, Easter Sunday afternoon

April 24, 2011 at 6:52pm

Easter Sunday afternoon

April 24, 2011

I’ve had repeated comments about folks missing the “Abbott Update” blogs. I don’t know what happened to them. Life has gotten “BIZY” with the mundane, I guess. Doesn’t seem like there’s much to “write home” about…

It’s a (finally) quiet Sunday afternoon here and I thought I’d start a few lines. There were moisture drops on my awning when I got up this morning and intermittent sprinkles on the car’s windshield on the way to and from Church. Had the fireplace on for much of the afternoon. It adds a pleasant ambience as well as warmth.

Randy & Judy, Mom, Matt & Ashly with Tyler, Caleb and Nathaniel were here at noon. Judy brought dinner…and the boys had a great time looking for their plastic Easter eggs. Between everyone’s eggs there were NINE DOZEN (so 36 for each boy). They chose colors—Tyler got yellow & purple, Caleb got blue and pink, Bubba got orange & green. Those were the ONLY ones they were allowed to pick up. Worked fine…in the end every-one had 36. Then they opened and dumped the “haul” into plastic containers (discounting what got popped into their mouths).

What? Where’s Mary Lou? Oh, she’s in Arkansas visiting Auntie Helene (heading back tomorrow). She and a friend from San Diego took my Odyssey & drove. Challey is visiting her parents in Oklahoma (with her 2 children). If all goes well, they will be back in town on Thursday afternoon/evening.

As I looked back in my Abbott Update file, I see that almost exactly one year ago I was the one visiting in Mountain Home, AR and enjoying the dogwood and redbud. That was sandwiched between spending Easter with my kids in Arizona and visiting Tom’s family in Arkansas & Louisiana. I covered a lot of miles on that trip and have taken several others since.

In fact, I just finally got my 3rd suitcase unpacked. I was at a retreat in Pine Valley on March 5 & 6. Flew with Mom to Denver to visit my “Colorado sisters” on March 16-19; attended the Mary Kay Career Conference with Brenda in Long Beach on April 1 & 2; and left the following morning for a 3 day trip to Utah with Judy. The day after our return, Kathy & Duane, David & Kristin, Katie and Josh were in Escondido for a visit with Mom. David’s family lives in Indiana…and this was the first time Mom had met her great grandson. Starting Sunday after next (May 8th) Judy has a time-share condo in Dana Point for a week …and I intend to be in Arizona for Valerie’s graduation on May 26th. I’m hoping that can be a driving trip and last for a few days. So you can see that the dust doesn’t settle here.

In order for Mary Lou to enjoy a break from her routine, she left her cell phone with me and carried the one that was Mr. Tom’s. I wish I had a nickel for every call I’ve fielded!! It has been one BUSY week for me…often both phones ringing simultaneously. AND quite a few ministry messages to be handled. Some of the requests can wait or be handled as convenient, but Friday we had another young couple who would have spent the weekend sleeping on the floor without delivery of a bed. It is both rewarding and exhausting!!

For quite some while my Mary Kay business has kinda’ rocked along…doing a volume about commensurate with the energy I invested, which suited me. Since the first of the year, though, it has kicked up a notch. Kelli recruited in February and Jan in March along with HER new recruit, Cathy. In April I added Challey and then Cassie. We had Cassie’s Debut Party last night and Challey’s will be NEXT weekend. I think Cassie recruited at least one other consultant at her party last night…and so we GROW!!

My third involvement is as Church Treasurer. I enjoy my participation at Valley Baptist and am excited by the continued growth of the congregation. Last month we added picnic tables to seat 120 for the barbeque/potluck. Tom enjoyed monitoring the census growth from 12-15 per Sunday to consistently over 100 in 2 services. And he would have loved all the babies who have been born into this group; now 12-18 months old, starting to walk & talk. When the “6 and under” are excused to Sunday School, there is a steady stream of young walkers.

If you have access to FaceBook, you will find more and current day-to-day updates and photos on my Wall. We also started a FB page under “Helpfulou” where we post photos of some of our loads and chat about the ministry. We’ve developed quite a nice following of interested folks. In mid-May Mary Lou is speaking to the Escondido Rotary Club about the military ministry of HELPFULOU.

It’s 6:30 pm and I think I’m going to curl up in my comfy chair and read a book (or listen to something drone on TV until I doze off).

Hope you’re enjoying a Happy Easter and a beautiful spring.