Second Time Around

Green Girl (16) and Brownie Boy (15)
(you can ask later for explanation)

These two buzzards made their first trip to Belize last year. They both came by to visit me after church last wednesday to let me know that they would be going this year. Don't let this dazed look fool you! They both had a blast last year and can't wait to go back and see everyone. I gave them the address to the blog and told them that their picture was on it, lets see if they find it!

Deadlines Approaching!

May 1 will be here before we know it. That is the last day for anybody who wants to participate in the Drawing Contest to turn in their artwork. Absolutely nobody has turned anything in to date! I hope that they are all waiting til the last minute!

I have had some surprises this week with folks who did not think that they would be able to go actually working things out so that they can make the trip! San Lazaro children's favorite gringo from last year was home for Easter and he (Chris) is going to make the trip. Another Springfield teen has also signed on for this year's trip. AND I received the paperwork and deposit from Charles at Brookhaven.

At this point I have 30 seats reserved for the Alabama/Mississippi delegation and 28 people have assured me that they are going on the trip. However, only 7 deposits have been paid. May 1 is also the deadline to have the application and deposit turned in to me. I have to confirm the names and passports numbers to the airlines shortly after that date. So it is IMPERATIVE, that means really, really, really important, that you get your application and deposit turned in by that date!!!!!

If I do not have your information in time to complete the reservations with the airline, I will not be able to hold those seats, and you will have to handle your airline tickets separately(which means you could be paying significantly more for the ticket). So again, GET ME YOUR INFORMATION SOON!!!!

If you need to know where to send your information or you need an application, just hit the comments button and send me your email address with your request for information and I will send everything to you by email (without publishing it to the blog).

The plane leaves in 90 days, be sure you don't miss it!

Questions?

Since we may have some new folks checking out the blog, I thought I would try to cover some of the basics again.

Deadline for turning your application and deposit($50) in to me is May 1. Deadline for the drawing contest is also May 1. We do not have any pictures turned in yet, so if you are holding off because you don't think you'll win, don't! Get busy drawing kiddo's

Dates for Blitz - Leaving states on July 20, returning on July 28.

Approximate cost of trip $800. (Won't know for sure until everyone is signed up and I know adefinate number to divide the total cost among) Play day cost is separate and depends on what you choose to do.

No age limit is place on this trip. Thus far our youngest this year is 11 and the oldest is @70. That is a wide range, that most anybody will fit into!

If you have additional questions about anything, you can click on the comments button below this post. A new window will pop up and give you the option to sign in as anonomous, blogger, or other. Choose one of those options and type in your question. Then fill out the word verification and hit send or submit or something like that. You will not see your comment immediately, because they send it directly to my email. I then decide whether to post it. In either case, I do get the questions and can address them here. Chances are that if you have a question about something, there is also somebodyelse that also would like to know the answer. SO PLEASE DON'T BE SHY! If you don't want me to post your comment, just indicate that in your statement and I can answer the question with another post.

Hope everybody has a good weekend! Ta-Ta for now!

Sunday

Well, after we goofed off all day Saturday in Vicksburg, we got up and got going Sunday morning. We attended the morning worship services there at First Vicksburg MP where we felt very much at home. Everyone that I had talked with and mentioned this trip to had told me that the pastor was young. Interestingly, they usually followed the statement with "BUT, he is doing a good job." Almost like you can't be young and do a good job.

Sure enough when we got there both statements proved true. He is young, but not nearly as young as he looks! Pastor Rob is also a very proficient speaker. His message Sunday morning was very well planned and executed along with being delivered straight from the pages of the Good Book. We also very much enjoyed the morning song service led by Bro. Jeremy and some Wesley College students. They worship with song very similar to the Belizeans (without the spanish accent). It is always interesting to me to learn the different styles of worship within our conference. Sometimes I think we get stuck in a routine and tend to veiw anything different as wrong, when in fact it is only different. I don't know about you but I enjoy different. In fact I delight in different.

But I digress, Bro Rob and his wife are expecting a new baby any moment. I would be surprised if it were not already here, from looking at her Sunday. She had definitely reached the point where it really was not fun anymore. They are a lovely couple and I hope somebody there at Vicksburg will let us know when the baby comes!

After church we met friends from Divide, Ricardo and Victoria. What a joy to have all afternoon to visit with friends. It had been years since our last true visit and it was a blessing to have to opportunity to "catch up". Ricardo is planning to make the Blitz this year. Since he is a veteran of the Blitz, his leadership will be valueable. He also mentioned that Bro Ronnie at Brookhaven had contacted him about a teen at his church that wanted to go on the Blitz. I am so excited that God has put this burden on so many hearts.

Sunday evening I presented a slide show about last year's Blitz with over 50 slides of pictures. The folks there at the church were receptive to the presentation and had many questions. A good number of folks there seemed to be genuinely interested in going on the trip. I gave them the blog address, so that they could keep up with what was going on, whether they make the trip or not. I want to thank them for giving me the opportunity to share information about the Blitz, and encourage them to pray about their decision to become a team member.

The W-ahr (continued)

The Belle of the Bends home was absolutely beautiful. The massive foyer had doors on each end in the typical style of most homes built at that time. There were basically three rooms on each floor that were huge with big tall windows and doors. Of course since they were taxed on the amount of windows at the time it was built, most of the windows also function as doors. DH pointed out how this indicated that despite how incredibly wealthy the original owners were, they would go to extreme lengths to avoid taxation.

We stayed in the Josphine room. This room was named for Ms. Josephine Pratt, who sold the home to innkeepers Dan and Mary. The Dining room where we took breakfast was also incredible. Mary has at least three sets of fine china and she actually gets to use it. She also obviously watches food network and HGTV because both the food and furnishings were very tastefully done. Staying at this B&B was like staying with old friends, and with the exception of the train circling your room at least 5 times each night (with that 6 year old engineer) the home was perfect. Sipping coffee each morning on the back porch swing that overlooks the river was a rare treat to be savored.

I have covered all of this leading up to two funny stories that Dan and Mary shared with us about the culture shock they experienced after moving to the Deep South. Dan was sharing how when they first moved to town about three years ago (from Denver where everything is very electronic), they decided to go to the local Church's Chicken for lunch one day. After ordering Dan proceeded to hand over is debit card to the cashier, who promptly asks him "Wha Dis?" Dan points out that it is his debit card as she turns to the manager and calls out across the restaurant "DO WE TEK DEES?" Now I was laughing too hard at Dan's Northern Kentucky/Colorado accent doing a perfect imitation of the cashier's statements to find out whether they actually took the card. They did say that Church's was now one of their favorite places to eat, so I guess they got their differences worked out.

Mary's story involved the complete opposite end of society. While she was enjoying a brunch one morning with what she called "the trustfund Vicksburg ladies," Mary kept overhearing these ladies refer to the W-ahr. Almost every other sentence was about the W-ahr. Finally her confusion got the best of her, and she asked one of them "Are you talking about the war in Irag or the Civil War?" She said she heard spoons hit the china all over the room and a collective gasp. (I of course recognized her faux paux immediately and began to grin.) One of the elder's then informed her "It is NOT the Civeel W-ahr, it is the W-ahr of Nah-thun Aggreshun." So Mary says to all of them "Well I guess all those school texts and history books are wrong because I have always been taught about the Civil War. Here again her imitation was perfect. She now realizes that was when she blew her chance to fit in around there, but doesn't really regret that she maintains her carpet-bagger status.

There is lots more to tell (Blitz related) but I wanted to share our experience fully. Again, I have to go to work, so check back for more. God Bless!

The W-ahr

For almost all of the 15 years DH and I have been married, I have been after him to go to the Natchez/Vicksburg area for the Spring Pilgrimage. I have always been fascinated by the Ante & Post Bellum architecture of the South, and spring is a very beautiful time in South Alabama and South Mississippi. Azaleas lead the parade of color in these areas, and they come in all colors, then the dogwoods, bridal wreath and wysteria flesh out the yearly display of God's artistry.

Well as most of you know by now, God, not DH, decided to grant my wish this year. Pastor Rob at the Vicksburg Church called some weeks ago to tell me that he and a few more folks from that church were interested in participating in the Blitz this year. He also requested that I come and give a presentation about the Blitz. Once again God's timing is PERFECT! DH and I had totally disregarded our 15th wedding aniversary in March because we were just too busy with three kids going different directions and the task of making a living. Well, when Bro Rob called I decided this was my chance. I made the reservations at the Belle of the Bends Bed and Breakfast, and planned us a weekend away.

After farming the kids out (Thank You Nanny, Papaw and Bebee), we left town @ 12:30 Friday afternoon. Three and 1/2 hours later and one whole state away we pulled into the B&B.

(SIDENOTE: When I made the reservations, I noticed that a rival B&B advertised that they were located outside of the "hood". Having grown up on the bank of the Alabama River, the lure of sitting on the porch with a view of the "Mighty Mississippi" was too great, I had to pick one close to the water. Soooo I ignored this little warning sign AND kept quiet to DH about it. Naturally, we missed the entrance the first pass and had to make the block. This block consisted of three absolutely gorgeous B&B"s and a plethora of what at one time must have been slave quarters. Now they were just run down shanties with really nice cars outside.)

DH realizes that the B&B is smack in the middle of the "hood" and askes if I am sure we want to do this. He says "It's not to late to go get a hotel room." Recall the point where I have been wanting to do this for 15 YEARS! Now I realize that he is a manly man and his need are simple. Give him a toilet and a tv and basically his needs are met. Really I am not sure he even needs one of those, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. About the time he gets that question out, a train goes by about 100 yard west of the home and evidently the engineer was all of 6 years old because he blew the horn from the South city limits to ten miles past the North city limits. Again I hear "It's not to late!" OHHH but IT IS TOO TOO LATE! I saw the river, the azaleas, the dogwoods, the jasmine, the bridal wreath, the huge wrap-around porches, the ten foot tall doors, the brick paved streets, and every ounce of Scarlett O'Hara in me screamed "I AM STAYING IN THIS HOUSE TONIGHT!" All he heard was "Are you coming with me, DEAR?"

Sorry to leave you hanging, but I have got to go cook supper now..... Stand by for more.......It was a GREAT WEEKEND!

All the Yankees are coming over the Hill!

That is what one of my old bosses used to say anytime he felt overwhelmed by a bad day. Well I am not having a bad day but I am having to shoot really fast on this Monday Morning (I have been out of the office since Wednesday). I am afraid I am going to have to retreat before the Yankees get me and I do start to have a bad day.

I had a wonderful weekend in Vicksburg that I can't wait to share with you, but unfortunately I have to go to work right now. Check back soon for updates!