New Pictures

Road Trip with Emmy, Elephant & I-pod

He's addicted to his I-pod!

Me & My Beau

My guys - Ryan, Gentry & Dale

The Gals - Christine, Courtney, Christy, & Me

The Light of My World!

C.C.C...

Posing for momma!

Another pose!

Hey guys! Not much going on here, but I wanted to post a few pictures I've taken lately. Last night we drove up to Illinois Family Camp for the Friday night service. Dale, Gentry and I rode up with my sister, niece, brother & sis-in-law. It was about 2 1/2 hours up there and the ride up and back home was the most memorable part of the evening. We shared LOTS & LOTS of laughs and some GREAT road snacks!

Jerry Jones was the evening speaker and he preached a message called "Encore". He's STILL my favorite preacher! I'd actually heard him preach that before, but it was just as powerful last night as it was the first time I heard it. We ended our evening with a good country dinner at Cracker Barrel before we got back on the road to head south. Us girls all were sacked out by the time we got back to the house, but Ryan and Dale kept conversation going ALL THE WAY home. I honestly don't know how someone could think of that many things to talk about non-stop for three hours!!! :) My throat would be sore from talking that much! ;) He said he was just trying to keep the driver awake! Yeah, right!

So, I slept in today and have been being lazy all day long. Dale and Gentry have been working and playing outside all day long. Dale got two new beagle puppies this past week, so Gentry has laid claim to them and has been carrying them around all day today. He has taken a shine to one in particular and has named him B.J.??? Don't ask! He came up with that one on his own!

Not much else going on here. Enjoy the pics! :)

Our Week In Mississippi

What a good time we had last week when Gentry and I traveled with Dale down to his old stompin' grounds. Gentry and I had a couple of leisurely, lazy days in Baldwyn while Dale had to work for a few days. We went shopping at the mall in Tupelo, got way too many cookies at the cookie shop, rode the carousel, and played a slew of arcade games together. I enjoyed so much getting to spend the day with my little guy. We stopped for lunch at the food court and all the TV screens were tuned in to the memorial service of Michael Jackson at the Staples Center in L.A. Everyone's eyes were glued to the screens, mindlessly stuffing food into their mouths watching the "show" unfold. But, all Gentry was concerned about was riding the carousel which was in close proximity. He kept jumping up and down and asking me, "Mommy, are you done eating yet?"...over and over and over!! :)

I got to visit with some of my sisters-in-law and I made a pig out of myself with the most delicious watermelon I've had this season. Gentry got to play with Harlee & Hagen (his cousins) and Gentry and Hagen even got into a "fight" over a balloon they were chasing around the living room. My, oh my, the tempers were flarin'...and all of us were enjoying the show.

We left for Jackson on Wednesday evening to spend a few nights at Camp Meeting. We went to dinner after church on Thursday night with our friends, Wally & Vicki Tiller, who we hadn't seen in probably over 10 years. Wally employed Dale with a job when we first got married. "Tiller Remodeling" paid our bills for the first two or three years of our newlywed life. We used to have dinner with them a lot when we first got married and lived in Jackson. Their girls were just little blonde-headed princesses back then. Now, one has graduated from college and is a registered nurse, and the other one is attending a bible college! TALK ABOUT FEELING OLD!!! It was so good to be able to reconnect with them again after all our years of being away. We laughed and joked and reminisced about the good ole days, and got caught up on "life".

Then Friday, we got to spend some time with our dear friends and mentors, Bret & Dedie Cooley. He was teaching the day services at the camp meeting and so when we found out they were going to be there, we knew that we wanted to make every effort to try to see them. It was SO GOOD to reconnect with them as well. My only regret is that we didn't get to spend more time visiting.

Dale's birthday was that Thursday and we enjoyed spending the day together. We went to Stein Mart and he ended up buying ME things instead of him getting birthday gifts. I told him I didn't want him to buy me anything, but he insisted, saying I never buy myself anything. So....I very happily relented and let him spoil me a bit. Can't wait to show off my new black purse he got me too. (Thanks, baby!)

Well, I've got a couple of loads of laundry calling my name, so I better run for now. More Rutland Ramblings later! :)

Baci -

Happenings...

• Final biopsy results received on Thursday...
• Watching labwork VERY closely for the next several months and will treat with chemo according to what labwork shows...
• Next treatment may be in 4 weeks...or not for 6-12 months...I'm shooting for the latter! :)
• Spent Friday with extended family for 4th of July BBQ & fireworks show...
• Food was fabulous...company was comfortable...conversation was light...laughter & smiles were abundant...
• Little kids (& big kids) rolled down the hill at the show! ;)...
• Feasted on watermelon grown by the "Mideonites...I mean the Mennonites"! :)
• Went Saturday down to mom & dad's "country home" for another 4th party...

Mom's BBQ Pork Steaks were the hit of the day...and the chocolate eclair cake Chris made topped it off perfectly...

• Torrential rains most of the day that day, but that didn't stop the guys from exploring outside...they got soaked, but managed a few good pictures! :)
• Grandma Sullivan got to spend the day with us and she enjoyed laughing with us all day too...
• Headed back home Saturday night with tummy's full, but hearts fuller from having shared moments turned memories with loved ones...
• Gentry started running fever on the way home though and nothing worries me more than my baby getting sick...fever broke Sunday, but no idea why he keeps running fevers off & on...
• Taking him to dr. soon just for look/see...He's fine again today, Thank God!...
• I would take ALL of his sickness & pain if I could...can't stand to see my baby sick...SO THANKFUL he's healthy for the most part...been to the doctor less than 10 times in his whole life!...
• Packing & closing up shop here for the week...headed to MS with Dale & Gentry...
• Dale will work first couple of days this week...then off to JXN for a few days of Camp Meeting...
• Will get to visit with dear friends while we're down there...Looking SO forward to it...
• Will be in touch later!

Baci & Abbracci... (hugs & kisses)