It Was The Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times: Part Two

I'm continuing today with a recap of our visit back home last week.  I know you are wondering about that post title.  I'll get to the "worst" part tomorrow.

On Sunday we went to my mom and stepdad's church in Meridian.  We dropped of JennaBeth in the nursery and she went right in with no problem.  They have a neat security measure in their nursery program.  You are given a number and told it will flash on the screen in the sanctuary if you are needed to check on your baby.  I kept watching for 501 to flash and it never did; thank goodness!  When we picked her up, she had slept the entire time!  I guess the traveling was wearing her out!

Bentley went to "extended session", which I think was their name for Children's Church.  He went right in as well.  I have been blessed with kids who haven't had a problem with separation anxiety.  Kinda makes me sad a little.

Mom's church is having an emphasis on "Claiming Your Canaan" and the pastor's sermon this particular Sunday was out of Joshua 1:1-9.  There were a couple of things he said that I knew, but in the context of this sermon bolted right at me afresh:

• Obedience to God's direction is evidence of our faith.
• Victory is not a formula, but a Person.

After church, we had lunch at mom's house.  My sister and her three kids along with my brother and his wife and little girl joined us.  It was great to see them.  Again, JennaBeth took immediately to her uncle...

We are all pretty proud of Uncle Jason.  He is the state of MS's Turkey Calling Champ for the Fifth year in a row!!

We tried to get a picture of all seven kids together.  Now remember these are seven kids ranging from ages 12 to 11 months.  How do you think it went?!?!

We tried again with Granny...

I guess mom thought she was feeding an army.  She had Roast with potatoes and carrots, Chicken and Dumplins, Chicken Spaghetti, rolls, green beans, meatloaf and Peanut Butter Pie and Pecan Pie for dessert!  It was yummy.  There is still something I just love about my mama's cooking.  Always will!

I took a few more pictures of course...

Bentley loves his cousin Ryan (my sister's oldest child).  He just said out of the blue yesterday, "I really want to see Ryan again today".

Jason's little girl, Jordan, took a liking to Cecily.  I asked Cecily later what the big conversation was about and she said she wasn't sure, but Jordan was talking up a storm to her!

This is me and my baby brother.  I'm sure he appreciates the emphasis on "baby", but he will always be my baby brother!

And this is Jason with his sweet little family.

Julie, Jason's wife, had brought the kids' Christmas gifts.  She always does such a good job of picking out just the perfect things!  Bentley got little mini transformers, which are perfect for him.  I don't know how Julie knew, but he has so been into transformers this year.  Cecily got a little sewing machine, which is perfect because we had given her a fashion design set and now she can really sew up her creations!  JennaBeth got a little VTech Touch and See Turtle that has lights and sounds.
THANK YOU AUNT JULIE!!!  You  do the best job picking out gifts.  They love their things!

We planned to go see my grandmother on Monday, but not before Bentley and Granny made us all pancakes for breakfast...

They were really good and Bentley was so proud of himself.  He was the "stirrer".  JennaBeth even enjoyed her banana and pancake...

I was really glad we got to spend a little time with my grandmother.  I had been missing her alot!  Her health has gone down a great deal since the death of my grandfather and I know the time we have left with her is precious.  

Me and my lap full of my girls...

 

Well, I'll wrap up this recap with tomorrow's post and explain the "worst" part about the trip.

Corem Deo,

Jennifer