Good Day, Everyone! I am freezing! I have layers of clothing on trying to get warm! I hope I am not "coming down" with something because General Conference begins this week and I plan to be there every day, so "coming down" with something just isn't an option!!! In Jesus' Name!

I apologize for not blogging sooner. I have just haven't been in a "blogging mood", whatever that is. *sigh* But, on the other hand, I DO feel a responsibility to blog because of you, my faithful readers. I will endeavor to do better in the coming days, k? Thanks for being so understanding.

Well, the grand Hocking County Fair has come and gone once again. I had told Ed that I just wish I could feel the excitement about the fair that I used to feel when I was a child or at least a teenager. Soooo.....on the Sunday night before the opening day on Monday, I asked Ed to drive down by the fairgrounds, thinking just maybe the old feelings would surface if I saw the rides and vendors and the animals barns and so on. Well, we drove by the horse barns, the small animal barns, the rides, the main gate, the lights were flashing, people were walking about, the fair food smells were wafting about......BUT......it didn't work. No excitement here. *sigh* We did go to the truck and tractor pulls Friday night, though. You see, since Daniel was a baby we have gone to the truck and tractor pulls. My oldest brother Bill and his wife Sandy are always there in the same seats, as is his son and daughter and their families. We've always joined them. It has gotten to be a kind of family reunion thing. Daniel joined us a while later. Then, about two hours later, Bethany and Drew joined us. And before we left, my nephew Troy and a friend from work surprised us all by joining us! We had an awesome time! I honestly can't say that I watched much of the truck and tractor pulls but I had a great time visiting with my family!!

I sold my first Ohio State afghan!!! My sister Debbie's visiting nurse bought it! $35.00!! I am now working on my fourth one and once it is finished, I am going to put it on Swap and Shop, a local radio program that lets you call in and advertise things that you have for sale and it is free! I think after I finish this Ohio State one, though, I am going to make one a different color. I've even thought of making a Michigan one because we do have Michigan fans in the area, folks. Yes, it's true......hard to believe, but true. *grin*

Daniel and Erin came to church yesterday morning as we had our VBS finale and Daniel had a main part in it. He was the voice of "Beakin'', the lighthouse pelican. Okay, now he is my son but I have to tell you.......I never cease to be amazed at the things this young man can do. He changed his voice to play Beakin' and I couldnt' tell that it was him and he is so awesome with the children....they just love him. It makes me wonder if he will have a ministry with children. The Lord knows.
After the morning service, we had a carry-in dinner for Daniel and Erin and everyone got to bid them farewell and visit with them, as this truly is their last Sunday at First Church.
Okayyyyyy, I'll be honest here: I have been in a bit of a funk because of the boy and his sweet wife transferring to Nelsonville. I know it's not very far away. I guess it is just a "parent" thing. Ed's been feeling the same way. Oh, we still talk to them often and all. It is just really different, not having them at church with us any longer. And also not having a drumplayer, though we do have a young lady practicing...*grin*. Daniel is such an awesome drummer and I am sure that us being mother and son enhanced our playing together, but I never had to give him signals or anything. If a sweet hushed presence of the Lord came into our midst, he would know just how to play or if it would be best, he just stopped playing, while at other times, his playing added so much to what I was playing without me ever having to give him instruction. He truly has a gift. He's never had a lesson. From the time he was old enough to grasp a pair of drumsticks, he has played drums somehow. He started by taking the lids of my pots and pans and putting them around on the sofa and playing them with little drumsticks. Then he inherited a set of play drums from his cousin, Shawn. We then bought him his first set of "real" drums. They were gold metal flake, but were a little too big for him, so we sold them. I believe we bought him a set of blue metal flake drums. He got big enough to play the drums at church for the children's choir, but he couldnt' reach the base pedal. Still, he did a great job. We transferred to New Life for a few years and he played the drums very little during those years, though he would still beat around with pens, pencils and his hands. *grin* When we came back to Logan, they were playing drums on a keyboard. The girl that had been doing it, gladly gave it to Daniel. He wasn't too excited about playing drums on a keyboard, but he relented......at least for awhile. And where they had just been keeping a standard beat on the keyboard, Daniel became known as "Mr. Happy Fingers". He did runs and all kinds of "drummer" stuff with the drum sounds on that little keyboard. Wendy, who was music director at the time, was amazed! Finally, the day came when Ed and Daniel went shopping for electronic drums. They first came to our home where Daniel set them up and gave them several good workouts. But our home was not the place for these drums, so they took them to the church and the rest is history, so to speak. Daniel can listen to a song, hear the drum patterns and just pick it up with some practice. It just amazes me. I guess it shouldn't though because that is how I have learned the songs that I play. When I first started playing, in the early 70's, we didnt' have lead sheets. I don't know why. We could have had them, but it was seldom that anyone used them. We were expected to keep everything in our head and memorize it. Believe me when I say I am sooo thankful for them today!!!