Family and Friends

Having shipped off the rest of the family (I should mention that Gary and Ben did not make the trip as you might have noticed.  Ben started a new medication and it was not a good time for him to travel and Gary started behind to be with him.), I first went to Grapevine and spent the day with Rick and Linda and their family.  It was great to see their house which I had only seen in pictures and the plans.  It was wonderful.  We also enjoyed some game playing and conversation.  And I got some new ideas on books to read.  My sister-in-law Linda has made a goal to read every book which has won a Newberry award starting from the first book which is called "The History of Mankind" or something like that.  An ambitious title for a children's book.  I think the first one is from 1929.  On top of just reading, she is going to blog about each book after she reads it.  I hope to be a follower on that blog and expand my own reading in the upcoming year.

Sunday morning I attend Church in our old Plano Ward.  Many faces had changed--either because they were new or because they had grown up, but it was still wonderful to enter the chapel and worship with some many of my sweet friends.  As a bonus, Carla Morrell was leading the music and Charlie was playing the organ, just like old times.  I love listening to Charlie play prelude and postlude and even the hymns.  He is amazing and clearly loves the organ.  It was fun to catch up with some of the people in the ward.

I spent the next few days visiting friends, talking and talking and talking----it was wonderful.  It was like we had just been together the day before.  Some friendships have that feature---comfortable and warm and a rhythm that never stops.  We talked about life and children and Church, books and relationships and grandchildren.  We talked about goals and projects, callings and challenges, and all that life is made of.  It was perfect.  I could have stayed forever, except for the minor (make that major) fact that Gary and the rest of those Halls were in Utah.

Tuesday Robynn Thiot and I headed east on Hwy. 80 to meet our friend, Julie who came west from her home near Tyler Texas.  We met in Canton and made lunch together in a dive which served great Texas BBQ with all of the trimmings.  Julie brought a granddaughter London Paige who is five months old and was excellent during our 3 hour visit.   When I first moved to Texas, I served in the Primary Presidency with the two of them.  Now Julie leads the music and Robynn and I are both in Primary Presidencies--not much has changed although our lives have changed a lot since then.  That would have been almost 19 years ago.  Very weird to think about....

At one point, Julie and Robynn were talking and I was just listening and enjoying the sound of their voices.  I felt such a feeling of peace and contentment.  How fortunate I was to have these two outstanding women as friends!  They have taught me so much about service in Church and school.  They are great wives and mothers.  I learned about Cub Scouting under their direction and grew to love the program as I served with them in Cubs and also Boy Scouting later as our kids grew.  They will never know how much they have meant to me in my life and in my family's life.

We agreed to meet again in 10 years for Texas BBQ although the place has not been set in stone yet.  Perhaps they will come to Utah then and I can be the host.

Thanks to Rick and Linda, Dick and Robynn and Don and Maria for letting me spent the night at your homes.

My only regret was that I did not take any pictures the whole time I was in Plano...too much talking I guess.  It was wonderful...and it was wonderful to be home again and see Gary and Ben...even though it was 18 degrees when I arrived at mid-night.