Home...

What a wonderful word.

Home.

I love my home. My bed. My shower. My towels. I loved seeing my family and friends in Oklahoma. I loved being part of the Mission Trip...it was fantastic. But what I really love is coming home.

We got in around 9: 45 last night to two dogs who couldn't be happier to see us and to three cats who needed a minute to digest the commotion of six people in the house, but then followed us everywhere we went once they realized we were back. Oliver, our gray tabby, wouldn't let us go to bed either. He ended up with us all night, just being close and purring the entire time.

The drive was long, but good. No real issues, except two boys....Trey and Josh...who got to giggling about something in the back seat while Joe was trying to sleep. It's hard to keep four kids quiet in an SUV.

We had such a great trip to Texas and Oklahoma. Seeing family was so nice. Mom and I did some shopping. Joe and Dad played golf. We ate some great food. And the kids played the whole time. We got to spend time with Joe's mom and sister and Julia and our niece Keiryn were close to inseparable. We saw a Triple-A baseball game, two Major League baseball games and two great fireworks shows. A family friend let us use his pool. And I was able to keep up with schoolwork.

Last Sunday, we made our way to Tulsa for the Mission Trip to Tulsa International Baptist Church. What a blessing this church family is. Sweet, sweet people.

Every day of Kids Club was a different day of showing the community how God reigns. And our children...all 19 of them...dramatized the Bible stories, did puppets and helped lead the music. It was precious. The first day, 22 children from the church and community came. And every day, the numbers grew. 29, the second day. 32, the third. And 36, I think....on Thursday. God is so good. Marna and Mimi shared the ABC's of becoming a Christian on Thursday and Kim led the discussion on salvation bracelets and what each bead symbolized as the children made them.

The men began the restoration of a storage building and Tommy built the playground equipment. Several ladies helped with food for the team and snacks and recreation during Kids Club. And I got to help with music.

In the car on the way back to the house Thursday night, Joe and I told the kids that this was going to be a priority every summer...and they were thrilled. We made some great friends. Got to know some people better. And the children made some precious memories.

Now, we're home. And there's no rest for the weary. Unpacking. A little bit of laundry. A lot of housework. Schoolwork. A wedding today. And back to church tomorrow. Being away from my church family for two weeks is hard, too, so I'm looking forward to worshipping in the morning.

Oh, and I have two job interviews on Monday.....(Yikes!!)

Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow!