CIMG0780
Originally uploaded by Tonja Owens

Can you imagine anything any better than wearing THESE shoes on MY feet…IN Hawaii?……Well, I can’t….which is why I bought them! They are just tooooo cute.

But, I MUST have something cute to wear them with…..so…..
“HI–Ho Hi–Ho Off to the mall I go–“……….

AND…..FYI….it’s 6 days—17 hours—13 minutes till Aloha !!!!!!!

This is a pic of my sweet DIL, Suzanne and myself with our cuties at Vacation Bible School. This is AnaLea and Jaxson. We had fun this week with these 2 and we had another baby part of the time. Mom came and helped us out also. A good week and glad it is behind us. I loved spending the time with Suzanne…she’s a jewel.

And, thanks, Adam, for making a special trip to get this pic for us. Love you. Both.

In exactly 8 days, 9 hours, and 14 minutes, I will be winging my way to Hawaii. I can not believe it is so near. My friends Shirley and Tina and I have been planning this trip since October and it seemed like it would never get here, and now…it’s almost time!!! I still have lots to do to get ready. Since Don and I have been several times before, I am the designated trip planner. I have been working hard to plan activities for each day…but not too many…we need plenty of unplanned time, too. Neither of them have been before and there is so much I want to show them. We are going to spend 8 days…8 DAYS IN PARADISE!!! When I was a senior in high school, I had the opportunity to teach in a camp on the island of Oahu. My love affair with Hawaii began then, and I went back during college to teach again in the same camp. The history of the islands and the Polynesian people has always fascinated me, and I have done quite a bit of research into the ancient history of this magical place. If ever I had to choose another place to live, it would be here. I have spent some time on the islands of Kauai, and Hawaii, and Maui also. Each has its own flavor and beauty. But, I chose Maui for this trip…it seems to have a little of everything. AND, we have a convertible rented for the week!!! Cool, huh? I know, I should be more dignified…but, I don’t care…you can be 53 and an old lady, or you can be 53 and be a young lady…I choose young. I have begun to lay out my clothes for the trip, and my shoes, of course! The only downside to this trip is that I did not accomplish my goal to lose some weight before I went. Last year, I lost 30 pounds. But in early fall, I had to go on steroids for an auto-immune disease for 3 months. Well, you know what those can do for you. Along with the stress eating I have done due to Pop’s surgery, and Mom’s illness, and Don’s sudden illness, and Alex’s, I have gained it all back. I tried to lose it, but it just didn’t happen and I am sooooo disappointed in myself. But, that’s life, huh? At least, I can eat all I want there without worrying about a diet…but when I get back…it’s diet city!

If you have spent any time on Maui, tell me what you enjoyed doing. I’d love to have some new ideas!

Does that title bring any memories to mind? This week is VBS at our church. I took the easy way out and I am keeping the nursery. Mom and DIL ,Suzanne are helping me. We have 2 babies and 1 toddler. And we are staying busy…these 2 babies are used to being held most of the time.

My memories of VBS go way back to when I was a girl. Did your church have a Vacation Bible School? Every church in my town did. Remember lining up outside, into rows, by grade? There was always that opening large group. Each grade marched in and 3 lucky friends would get to hold the Bible and the American flag and the Christian Flag. And it was always 2 boys and 1 girl. Why they thought only boys could carry the flags is beyond me. We would have the pledges and then the piano would tell us to “SIT DOWN”. Next would come the Bible story and the scripture memorization and the special anthem. Piano says “STAND UP” and out we march to our respective classes. Activities galore… always the crafts…something with white glue and popsicle sticks, and then snacks and recreation. Probably every one who has attended VBS anywhere in the world will remember those cookies…you know …the sandwich cookies, plain with white creme inside. The tops always had little holes in them that the creme would squish up out of. And the standby was good ole butter cookies…shaped like a flower, with a hole in the middle just the right size to stick your pinky in. Could you stick it on your finger and take a bite of it ,but not enough to cause it to fall off your finger? Oh the games we played. And the drink to wash it all down with…Kool-Aid. Usually grape or cherry. The best to leave the cool moustache with, you know. I think as the day wore on, the refreshment ladies would add just a little more water to make it go further. It was such a big deal when one year, the ladies rented a snow-cone machine, and we had that for snack. On Friday, we would always get a hotdog at the end of the day.

I can remember my years of VBS, as well as all the years my 3 boys attended. I still have some of those things they made. And it still goes on. I am thankful for the Christian heritage I have and the memories that fill me with thoughts of “good ole days”. I am thankful that our churches still set aside a week each year for VBS. I am thankful that I had the chance to be a part of this, that my boys did, and hopefully my future grandchildren will. I know that things change and new and improved ways of doing things come along. New programs, new ideas…but, many a child has come to know about the Lord on those hot, sticky summer days when a dedicated teacher, probably worn out from raising her own brood, choose to add a weeks worth of games, activities, Bible stories, and fussy kids to her own exhausting schedule. Why? Because SHE knew the value of teaching a young, impressionable child the beauty of a life lived according to God’s Word. And, THAT was more important to her than an extra hour of sleep, or a day with only her own children to manage. Thanks, VBS Ladies, you made a difference to me.