I am still journaling from back in October. One weekend, Mom gave Mike and me a very special gift. She paid for us to stay at a hotel so that we could have two days with our grandchildren. So we spent some time with the family, held our baby girl Quinn, and then took the two older children to a McDonalds for supper AND the fun playground there. When we returned the kids back to their home, we received permission to have Tristen spend the night with us at our hotel, and enjoy some swim time with Grandma.
Loving on baby girl Quinn.
Tristen & Brogan saying hi to Grandpa & Grandma who are sitting at the table down below them.
Enjoying supper at McDonalds (in between playing on the equipment.
Tristen made friends each time she was in the pool and hot tub, but a good part of the time in the morning swim, she had the pool & hot tub to herself. She enjoyed doing all sorts of tricks for her Grandma! (And I took a LOT of photos of her hamming it up!)
Smiling her pleasure at the evening swim!
Our three grandchildren Another special time with the children came the following weekend when we went to Tristen’s piano recital. It was good to hear her improvement from the last time we’d heard her … and she was good that time, too! It was fun seeing Brogan playing with his dad afterwards, and spending some time with their other Grandma Diana, who is a very sweet friend to us.
Tristen waiting to play & then playing; the kids’ other sweet grandma, Diana with Quinn; Brogan getting exercise & using his dad’s head as a plate for cookie crumbs!
Some of you know that I grew up in the Philippines — a child of missionary parents. This is my other home country and people of my heart. I know that everyone knows what my prayer request is …. it’s in the current news continually. Please pray for the people of the Philippines, especially in the areas in which the worst damage has been done in Tacloban City on the island of Leyte. The latest death count I’ve read is 4000, just in that city, and every structure in the city was destroyed. Many organizations are collecting money and supplies, and are being taken to the people, but the supplies and help are very slow in actually getting to the people. Two of the more famous organizations providing help are ~ 1. Samaritan’s Purse and 2. American Red Cross, if you would like to send financial help.
This past Monday was Veteran’s Day, and this year I have been attempting to tell each of my friends whom I am aware of being vets: “THANK YOU!”
THANK YOU VETERANS!
carojesu 
Loved your post. Grandchildren are so precious. We have to hold them tight and then let them go. 🙂
Praying for those poor people who got hit by the typhoon. It must tug on your heart. We wonder sometimes about things that happen and what good could ever come out of this but I know God is faithful and someday we will understand.
God bless you with a wonderful week-end.
Thank you, Miriam for your comments. You are right about the “letting go” of those we love. Thank you for your prayers for those hit by the typhoon. It is good to have that confidence
and faith in our God when things seem crazy: weather & other natural catastrophes, illnesses and accidents, and then of course political and cultural atmospheres. Romans 8:28-29 has been my life verse for most of my life, and I take comfort in knowing that God is in control.
God bless you, too, Miriam. I look forward to keeping up with you when you share again.
Yes, great post. My wife got to visit her three great grand daughters earlier this year. She has not been that happy since we got married.
Thanks for your comment, Frank. I’m sure that your wife loved visiting the great grandchildren! I’m sure that you make her happy every day, but there is something pretty special about those grands!
A beautiful entry Carolyn. I have loved to see your grandchildren. Tristen is very affectionate and gifted and the others are so cute.
It was a great joy for you to be near them.
Yes to Philipinnes it’s atrocious. Do not you think these disasters tend to repeat often now? course he must pray for these unfortunate people.
Love
Michel
Thank you, Michel. You are right that it was a joy to be with them.
Yes, there do seem to be more and more major storms, tsunamis, fires,
volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, famines, wars, and other catastrophic
events happening more often now. This was all predicted by Jesus in
Bible, so it isn’t surprising… but it is as you say, a need for prayer.
Love,
Carolyn
Great post. Grandchildren make such wonderful companions when you are alone. My little Andrew is coming over tonight to spend the night with me. Your three grandkids are so good looking and I know how much you enjoy them. What a great gift to get… a weekend to spend at the hotel. How thoughtful!
We have been praying for the people of the Philippines. A devastation of such great magnitude. I know exactly how you feel. We went through similar ache when in 2004 the typhoon hit South India, and how many thousands of people lost their lives and livelihoods. We are organizing a financial support system through our Islamic Center to send to the people there. Thank you for all you do Carolyn. You are one of a kind.
Thank you for your kind and gracious words, Zakiah. I’m glad that Andrew is staying with you. There is such a special relationship that is possible oetween grandparents and grandchildren. Each meets the needs for unconditional love, acceptance, and the extra hugs and cuddling! 🙂
Thank you for the prayer and concern and help for my other people and the country of my heart. Yes, you really do understand! India is also extremely special to my husband and me, because we have such very dear friends there who are like family to us.. So when we hear of catastrophic events, violent rebellions, etc. we are very concerned, and pray for India.
Thank you for caring so deeply You are one very special lady, and I continue to keep you and yours in my prayers.
I am over 85% done with reading your book, and continue to learn more about you through your intimate sharing of yourself. As I read, I most often pray for you and for the hurts of life. I have some special favorites that I go back to and reread, because they either make me smile, or I can relate to the feelings or experiences expressed.
Thank you for being YOU,,! ~ Prayer hugs coming your way!
Yes, the poetry was mine. Sometimes it’s good and other times it’s not so good. Hehehe… 🙂
Today we have high wind warnings out. Might be interesting. I like boring better.
Hope your day is good!
I enjoyed the poetry you wrote, Miriam. 🙂 You are the 2nd person already today to tell me about the high winds. If we have them also, I will have to make sure that we don’t get blown away! 😉 Have a blessed Lord’s day. 🙂
What a lovely post about the time with the grandchildren. That was a very thoughtful gift. Happy Thanksgiving.
I thought that I had sent you a reply, but apparently not. Thank you for your comment on my site.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! 🙂
what beautiful grandkids. I just have Reece and his brother Reid but they are only an hour drive away so that is good. Sometimes I spend the night if I babysit and hubby will come the next day and I realize how much I miss him.
It’s funny how kids can make fast friends in a motel or hotel pool. We adults could learn a thing or two.
I shall have to come back over to see pictures of your two. Having grandkids is so special! I think that I have only been apart from my hubby for a very few times in the 37+ years that we’ve been married, and I miss being away from him. (All but one or two of those were due to having babies or an operation.) Yes, kids can teach us adults more often than we think. I’ve learned that lesson many times by being a teacher! 🙂
I like to see you again surrounded by this beautiful bunch of grandchildren.
About your comment Carolyn, yes it is moving to hear more than forty years after the beloved voices of your family members
and also a famous speech by General de Gaulle whom I remember as if it was yesterday.
I wish you a happy Thanksgiving. It is not celebrated in France since this is related to the founding fathers of the USA. But, indeed we always have to say thanks God.
Love
Michel
Thank-you for the blessings you came over to share. I want to wish you and your family a wonderful blessing too. May happy memories flood you heart this week-end and those you love too. 🙂
Thank you, Miriam. You are a blessing… hugs over the internet are coming your way ……> ❤ HAPPY THANKSGIVING is here for you and yours, too! 🙂
Glad you got to spend such quality time with your grandkids. they are cute and very talented.
I used your link to donate to the Red Cross to help in the Philippines.
Pleased that you liked the teddy bears in my Thanksgiving greetings.
Thank you for your sweet comments about the grandkids. It really was special.
Most of all, thank you for your gift to Red Cross to help the Philippines.
That truly means a lot to me, and is much appreciated by the Filipino people.
Thanks Carolyn for your comment on my update about an old photo comming from 1945, I had just found .
Love
Michel
I juszt found your comment about Carole ‘ s thyroidectomy. I believe they removed totally the thyroid because there were three nodes on it ( they will be aznalysed ).
As you she will have to take a pill of hormone thyroxine everyday .
Love
Michel
Michel,
I shall pray that Carole’s results from surgery come back good.
Love,
Carolyn
It is nice to have family around close by. I realize that not all do. Growing up as missionary children you probably missed the closeness to family back home. Yet, God rewards and fills in for those who sacrifice those things for Him. I’m sure He did for you too! 🙂 Blessings for this week that has almost flown by again!
Hello Carolyn, It is so nice to have a new friend. 🙂 I just read through your two most recent posts. Such sweet, sweet, pictures and moments with your grandchildren. It brought tears to my eyes, remembering when my children were small and the times they spent with their grandparents. And so wonderful of you to move your mother in with you.
I’m glad to have you as a new friend.(i.e., follower)
Blessings,
Lynn
I am now ‘following’ you. Gosh I hate how that so makes me sound like a stalker. lol
Ha…. I love it! (I had the same thought, when I say that I want to “follow” someone. 😉
Hi Lynn,
I am so happy to have you as my new friend. I am so very thankful for my 3 adult children, and for the 3 children that our younger son has given to us for grandkids. 🙂
I am not sure how a person becomes a “follower” — i.e.- friend, but according to my “following” list, I’ve not been “approved” yet by you. Anyway, thanks for being my friend! ❤ Blessings …. Carolyn
Odd… I don’t understand how that ‘approved’ thing is supposed to work. I now get your posts in my ‘reading’ though 🙂 … unlike another friend who I follow and neither one of us can get each other’s posts in our ‘reading’. 😦
Well, something that you did just made me “approved”! Yay! We shall overcome the system yet! I should get yours too, now! 🙂
Beautiful children and I am sure it did your heart good to be with them!
Thank you, Beth. Yes, it did my whole being good to be with them.
I miss them so much since we don’t see them often, so when we can
be with them, it is truly a special treat. 🙂
I wish you a merry Christmas to you Carolyn and your family and also a happy New Year.
Mihel
Thanks for your kind wishes, Carolyn .
Happy New Year for you and yours .
Love
Michel
Thank you as well, Michel! I am looking forward to a good year of sharing together with each other and with our other Xanga friends! 🙂
Thank-you for the blessings. May God bless your new year too. If it flies as fast as 2013 we’ll be celebrating 2015 sooner than we think!:-)
Thank you, Miriam. I look forward to seeing what God will do in 2014.
RYC : Thanks for your kind comment about our familial gathering at Christmas , Carolyn .
Yes it is good to be together.
Love
Michel