Albertsons of Northern Kentucky: June -September 26, 2023

June 4, 2023, we had the Johnstone family over for Sunday dinner.

Kyle (next to Rowen) did his ministerial internship at our church and had been such a blessing to the church. He graduated with Emily from GBSC as the valedictorian in May. He and Ariana have moved to Pennsylvania to be in ministry there. His family came to help them move that next day. We were privileged to have them for dinner. Abby (in blue) still is at our church and such a blessing in the children's ministry.

In the middle of June 3, we took a trip to Missouri. The main purpose was to have a family vacation in honor of our 40th wedding anniversary, coming up in October. Elizabeth and Emily traveled with us and we went to Mother and Daddy's house in Columbia first. We had a nice visit with them, never knowing that this weekend was the last time for Rowen and Janet to see Mother alive.
Rowen and Daddy (Rex Scoles)

Janet and Mother (Wanda Scoles)

Emily and Grandma (Wanda Scoles)

Rowen, Elizabeth, Rex, Janet, and Wanda

Rowen, Elizabeth, and Rex

We also spent a little time at Janet's sister Marlene's house.

The next day was Father's Day. We stayed at Lyndell and Sharen's, and Mother and Daddy were over for dinner there as well. It was a blessing to be with Daddy on Father's Day.

Elizabeth, Wanda, Rex, and Emily

Marlene, Janet, Rex, and Lyndell.

Three of Daddy's kids got to be together for Father's Day.

I also got to see my cousin, LaDeana that day.

The next day, we traveled a little farther to a Lodge near Kirksville, Missouri.

This is the view from down the road. It was a super nice Lodge, very comfortable with many bedrooms and bathrooms, a very large well-equipped kitchen, large eating area and living room, with laundry facilities. There was a pond with a canoe, play area, and hiking trail.

The common area, where we ate and played many games.

The living room area

There was a room for recreation at the end of the long hallway,

where we enjoyed playing pool and ladder ball.

Lots of books were read by the aunties.

The long hallway where all the bedrooms were. At the end is the recreation room.

Emily and Piper

We played several rounds of croquet one evening.

Josiah and Grandma sat out this round.

Josiah had on one of his brother's boots.

That little scooter was in high demand between Piper and Josiah.

Emily combed the nieces' hair every day in cute braided styles.

We did some pictures with the woods in the back.

This is with all of our ten grandchildren.

A silly picture with the grandkids!

A picture of all of us who were there.

Jason and Karen were not able to be there at all, so we really missed them!

Tim's family

Jeff and Lesa

We had a wonderful time together for several days. It was a relaxing and blessed time. When we left there, we went through Kansas City. We contacted our cousin, Darla Hulett, and she met us for lunch and a visit.

It was so good to see her. A year ago almost to the day, Emily had visited her in the hospital in Tennessee after she was hit by a car when she was crossing the street. God has brought her through so much!!

We stayed the night at Tim and Brenda's house that night,

and then went to Tulsa the following day for Emily's job interview at Happy Hands Education Center

(with Jan Pride, the director of Happy Hands)

and to look at apartments for her.

After we got back from the Missouri trip, Janet made a new quilt for Emily and she and Rowen worked on furniture accrual and refinishing. Here is a picture of her quilt in the quilting machine.

Her name is quilted in the bottom of the quilt.

We did some fun last things with Emily, like getting ice cream at Graeters. Then we drove all over our "old stompin' grounds" around Taylor Mill, where we first lived in Kentucky.

7-11 Day free Slurpees

We had people over for Sunday dinners as goodbyes for Emily.

Melissa and Chandler (Witter) before they got married.

Randy, Kim, Felicia Staley, Stanley Church, and Brittany Stamper

Darrell and Regina Stetler

This is after Emily's quilt was done.

There was a special prayer time at church for Emily's move to Oklahoma.

We moved Emily to Tulsa, Oklahoma August 1-3.

This was the picture before we left to move her.

Tim had come to help with the loading and driving the van with the trailer.

Her apartment is on the third floor. It was 106* outside. Janet stayed upstairs and lined the cabinet shelves, while Rowen, Emily, Tim, and Charissa unloaded the car, van, and trailer, with cooling down breaks in between the trips up the stairs.

Charissa and Janet washed all the dishes and put them in the cabinets.

Emily's bedroom after setting it up and installing drapes.

Emily in her living room. She inherited our old Lazy-boy

since we got a new electric recliner for Rowen's shoulder surgery time.

We went out to eat at the end of the long sweaty moving in day with Tim and Brenda's family.

Rowen and Janet stayed the night with Emily, and left the next day.

On the way home, we stopped in Lebanon, Missouri to see Lesa's sisters and nephew.

Emily's first day of work as kindergarten assistant teacher August 8, 2023.

Happy Hands is a Christian Deaf School for ages 0-6 years.

The Rob Loper family and Jenna Walter came for dinner at our house the next Sunday.

At the beginning of the school year, the staff each received a new GBS logo windbreaker.

We were privileged to have Tim and Amanda and Julianna Hines for Sunday dinner. It was so wonderful to get acquainted with them as they were on vacation and traveling through.