She's my friend...

She's like an old friend to me....

She's...

 *brought a baby home from the hospital

*seen Sea World, camping sites, Mackinac, Chicago, Detroit

*taken me to Meijer, Kohls and Hobby Lobby

*been in funeral processional

*seen new front windows

*taken husband to the ER

*had new gaskets, filters, pads & shoes

*met police officers 

*been called names...like "Rusty"

*been thru drive-thru's

*played DVD's

*seen snow banks & ditches

*seen soccer games

*been to birthday parties

*seen spilled on by Cokes & Coffee

....let's just say, she's been around the block a few times!

She has a few war wounds...and some parts don't work like they use to...BUT she's still humming right along! Some where along the line we passed the point of no return ....she was more valuable to us, then selling her.  I'm not sure if I'm embarrassed or proud to be seen with her?!?!?

Well yesterday, she passed a huge milestone...

that's right she's in the 200,000 club!!

She's a 2002 Chevy Venture..Warner Brothers Edition, I might add!  We purchased her brand new off the lot in Dec of 2001. She was deluxe back in her day..she had a DVD player...which few vehicles had!  I was expecting our 3rd son at the time..and if we wanted to bring him home and be able to go anywhere as a family, we were going to need a larger vehicle! At that time, I do remember not really wanting to get rid of my Chevy Corsica...which we had bought new off the lot.  Apparently, I have some kind of sentimental attachment disorder?  LOL!  

I'm not sure how much longer she'll be chauffeuring us around and who her replacement will be

...but she might see things like 

*weddings 

*grand babies

*dr's offices

*nursing homes

So, if you see her around town....be easy on her....she's sensitive about her age!

Lookout Mountain

Last post of vacation!

 Let me clear up the Lookout Mountain mystery

So...it's a mountain...lol...on the mtn is Ruby Falls & Rock City...and a whole town..seriously, it's not just a mtn...they have a school and beautiful homes..and some war was fought up there or near there or something like that...at some park..lol...Point Park that is!

So we visited Rock City..which is hard to describe..it's sounds like it's a little rock garden...which it kind of is..BUT a rock garden on Steroids! They aren't really rocks...more like huge boulders!

Sorry for this out of focus picture..it's really the only one I have of the 3 boys...

taking a break along the path 

The path leads you over a suspended bridge...

which the chicken I am...I did not go on! I call it "smart"

Dad & Linda were not scared! 

Those crazy guys were jumping up and down making that thing swing and jump!

What were they thinking?? ...someone could have easily fallen over the edge of that thin little chain.  It could have come out of the rock and they all could have fallen to their death.  These things are just not safe! 

Lovers Leap 

You can see 7 states from this look out area..so they say..we could not verify that claim! 

Trent with the Easter Bunny 

No explanation needed... 

Trent broke a Geode open 

Steve & Trent down a tight spot in the rocks 

out on a suspended platform...ummm not safe either!!! 

The Incline Railway

this train goes up the side of the Lookout Mountain at a 72.7% grade.....that is why I'm taking the picture and not in the train! 

getting ready to go up 

See that house looking shape at the top ..well that's where they get off and look around...I waved to them from down below!

Trent purchased a purple Geode as a souvenir! 

We had a marvelous time together.  We spent time together as a family and made memories that will never be forgotten!  Thanks for going along Grandpa & Grandma!

Ruby Falls...

Sorry for the prayer interruption....back to the vacation...

We left Mammoth Cave area and took a 3 hour drive South to Chattanooga and spent the night...

Having breakfast at the hotel in Chattanooga before heading to Ruby Falls

So Bonnie was a little unsure of entering a cave.  She gets a little claustrophobic...so caves make her a little uneasy.  But she wanted to *try* Ruby Falls..and she did!  She made it nooo problem!

Waiting in the cave to start our tour

Steve, Bonnie & Neil

Drum Roll...

Ruby Falls..145' waterfall with in a cave.

Mr.Lambert named the falls after his wife Ruby...Gosh, I just get a few presents every now and then!

Dad & Linda...and Steve

up on the castle...as you can guess ..I didn't go up!

Having lunch..

Grandparents at table 1.  Steve and the boys at table 2

Photo op....

The Grandma's

The group picture from down under

We had a fun time.... we left no one down there... Bonnie made it through...Dad & Linda can cross that off their "bucket list"....Grandpa Neil looks great sporting the preppy look...the boys can tell their kids, that they remember when they went to Ruby Falls!!

Thanks..

A BIG thank you to all of you that prayed, cyber hugged and just thought of us today!!  

I so appreciate it!  

It so comforting to know we have friends and family that love and care what happens in our lives.

So let me get to the part you want to know!!!

Our little character is fine!!  He doesn't have a heart murmur!!  He has a valve that makes a clicking noise (Medical term-Systolic Click)...somewhat of a deformity or a birth defect...but not really...it's just the way it is.  

He has NO restrictions....he can play any sports...participate in hard labor...be an engineer...be a pro-soccer player..or what ever he chooses!

They performed an EKG and a Echo Cardiogram....and they found him to be perfect! Some of these test were performed for MPOM (mothers peace of mind)..sure of it!! :)...and it worked!  

AND 

to his delight, he didn't have to return to school and he we got Gluten Free pizza from the hospital (thanks HDCH!!!) for lunch!

Another of God's blessings.....aside from getting in DAYS for an appointment....we were able to see one of the founding Dr's..the nurse refereed to him as a "Senior Doctor"...that's who ya want to tell you your kids are okay!

God is awesome and he answered all our prayers more abundantly than we could have asked!!!  

PTL!

Prayer...

Last week I took Trent in for a routine well child check...

They informed me that he had a Heart Murmur....apparently he had it 2 years ago..but nothing was mentioned last year.  She feels it is "nothing"..but enough to order a ultrasound to have it checked out.

This morning I got a call from DeVos Childrens Hospital that they had an opening tomorrow morning.  The next earliest appt would be late June..thank you Lord for providing an opening.

So, I ask for you to pray for this Dad & Mom...for peace...I really don't consider myself a worry wart..but when it's YOUR child!!  My mind is running in a hundred different directions of worry!

 Could it be a sign of something more major?  What if he can't play sports?  What if he has to have a heart transplant? (okay that's a little extreme!)  What if....

It's easy to say "God's in control" till your trust is put to the test. I know God's in control...I really do...BUT...but this is one of mine...one of my kids were talking about.  He's precious to me!

Please understand..I'm not trying to be overly dramatic.  Just real

Ya' all come back now...

Last year when Steve & I visited the Mammoth Cave area..we knew we wanted to bring the boys back someday!

We really enjoyed the natural beauty of the caves and the non-city trip!

So we put that "someday" into motion!!

In April, we left for a loooong week-end...Thursday-Friday-Saturday-Sunday...to be exact!

We brought along both set of grandparents!

Here we are in our driveway before we started our 8 hr trip South.

We took two vehicles..every time we stopped I jumped in a different vehicle. 

Poor G-pa Neil got stuck with Bonnie, Linda & I for the first leg of the trip...he couldn't believe we could talk sooooooo much...solid...without breathing! yak yak yak...

We checked into our hotel and then headed to Cracker Barrel to have dinner...

Our waitress was so helpful with the Gluten Free diet...and no one had an issue! 

~Friday~

Up and at'em...we checked out of the hotel and were ready to head to the caves...

Steve was in a different vehicle than I as we headed in...he "requested" Dad stop so we could get pictures by this sign...believe it or not, Dad was NOT planning on stopping to get a picture!  Oh Steve..you know me too well!  No body wants to see me cry! 

We went on 2 tours... Historic and Domes & Dripstones

D&D highlights...3/4 mile, 500 steps, Drapery room, Frozen Niagara and caves..(lol).

Here we are heading down to the entrance of D&D

...see Dad & Linda half way down the steps... 

*disclaimer*

you can not use flash photography in the caves

Tyler, Troy & Trent heading down the bazzilion steps 

Steve & G-pa Neil 

Trent & Joanne

Trent 

Steve& Trent 

Naughty naughty..we used a flash..but only for this one!

(we heard the guide yell..."no flash photography!!") 

in between tours we had a picnic lunch..well kind of..would it be too much for the NPS to purchase a few picnic tables? 

Historic Tour

Highlights....2 miles, 440 steps!, Saltpeter mines, Rotunda, Fat mans Misery. 

This is a picture of the abandoned saltpeter mine

Linda squeezing under a cave

a lot of "ducking"

by the sign..:)

AWESOME day at the caves!!