Good Times

 Charles and Eric

 My Sister-in-law and her husband were making their 6 month tour of all the baseball parks across the country and were also hitting up every temple they could along the way.  They were kind enough to grace us with their presence for a couple of days.

 I realized as we were talking that Sandi and I have been friends since we were 17 years old - approximately 42+ years.  Phenomenal, don't you think?  Of course, it kind of cements the relationship when that friend marries your older brother.

  I'm quite sure my brother Wayne had a hand in bringing Jerry and Sandi together after Wayne passed away. He has made her very happy. 

 Braiden Buttars is one of my favorite soldiers!  I loved him from the first moment we met him and Young Single Adult Family Home EVening - at our house.  I can't remember why he came by during a work day...but it may have had something to do with someone in the background...or not. LOL.

There he is again, posing with his Temple Preparation Class "Certificate of Achievement."  Sister Nordstrom is on his right and Sister Jasper is on his left. Braiden is a Medic and has plans to become a doctor.

 

 Elder Adams and Elder Cawley helped us clean out and organize the garage for the Norris family.  It is the future site of a man-cave.

This is a replica, made by the wife of a chopper pilot, of The Book of Mormon "Title of Liberty" which was hoisted by Captain Moroni.

Sister Jasper and Sister Nordstrom worked hard

getting the garage cleaned out, too.

 We had a water party at Drennan park on base with the soldiers and their families.  One little girl refused to leave Dusty alone and thoroughly hosed him from the waist down with her nerf squirt gun.  It was too hot for us to stay the entire time so we missed out on the water balloon fight.

 Jessica, Mathias and Camilla

 Congratulations Mike and Toni for completing the Temple Preparation Class.  They were awesome and their excitement moved us all.  God bless you both!

 There is nothing like a bunch of senior missionary couples  whooping it up at a local restaurant.  

The Oakleys, the Petersens and the top of my head.

 We ate lunch at Cheddars in Bowling Green, Ky.

The food was very good.  What we didn't 

taste smelled delicious.

 The Packers and Portencias - work in the mission office

 The Austins are on the Left and 

the Portencias are on the Right.

 This was a "Transfer Breakfast".  Everyone sat around and and had a mini zone meeting.

Elder Cawley and Elder Andrews (spanish missionary)

 Dusty and Sister Jasper are very much alike; 

love them both.

 Don't you just love the way Sister Escobar reads the time on her imaginary watch?

 Elder Adams (above - L  and below)  Elder McClean above R

 Our Faithful District Leader - Elder Perron

 Elder Lund

 Missionary Birthday Bash for all those with B-days

 I can't remember WHO had the awesome tan lines -

 Family Home Evening 

They were having so much fun that Dusty had 

shoo them out the door at 10 pm

 Morgan and Braiden chatting with Dusty and 

Elder Cawley and Elder Adams

LOVE IS....

     It is true! 

LOVE   is 
"The Greatest Power For Good in the Earth"

We are seeing small miracles almost every day.

They are all around us.  Many times we overlook them, but when

we do recognize them, we then thank He (the Lord) who performs 

these miracles in the hearts of men. 

We are truly His hands  

We are the ones who physically show forth our love to His children.   

When we show our love, not only do they feel our love, 

They feel His-

 

When we arrived at Ft. Campbell, we discovered 

the Branch President was moving in a couple 

of weeks.  It was 2 weeks later that President 

Rutz, was called as our new Branch President. 

He’s the one with the red tie. A wonderful man.

                             

We love working with all of these great soldiers and their families. There is a mixture of both Church members and non-members.

Walter is the Ward Mission Leader.  He was severely 
injured in his last deployment to  Afghanistan.  He recently returned from  Washington DC where he underwent extensive hospitalization and rehab.    His positive attitude and love for others has not diminished in the least, despite the obstacles he will struggle with for the rest of his life.

We had a “Linger Longer” dinner after church the Sunday after meeting our new Branch President.  A “Linger Longer” is where you stay after church and have a potluck luncheon and visit with everyone.  It was great.  The food and the company.

Michael had surgery on his ankle and you will probably see him hobbling on crutches.

Monika and Michael are expecting their first baby soon.
 

- Erin -

-  Meredith  -

- Sister Pace -

Andy and Seja Norman joined us at the Linger Longer.  The Normans are a wonderful, loving family.  Seija was unhappy so I asked her if I could take her picture with her Daddy.  She smiled the very best she could at the moment.  What a doll!  Mommy and brother are dishing up plates.

Sister Warwood 

    and 

Sister Franson

(full-time missionaries) 

Everybody 
loves a 
buffet style 
meal...

...especially 
when 

it's FREE

Donny Wilson, Elder Dusty Wilson and Sister Darre Wilson went GPS Cache hunting.  If you haven’t been GPS Cache hunting before this is a summary of what to do.  You look on the internet for Cache’s in your area.  You drive to the GPS coordinates and then try to pin point the exact location and find the cache container.  The size of the container often varies.  There is usually a paper inside the container on which you sign in your parties name and the date you found the cache. When you return home you input the information into the computer telling when that Cache was found and if and what you may have exchanged in the container.

We used our GPS and looked for a good 20 minutes or more walking the fence line, and getting scratched by the tiny sharp thorns that surrounded the fence.  

 

We walked down one side of the fence line around and up the      other side.

Walking and walking-

and getting poked by more sharp stickers.

Digging 

through the

 brush  and 

getting poked 

by tiny, sharp stickers

Well 
whata-ya-know!
    There it is!

It was hidden in the joint of the cyclone fence.

A very small container. Hmmm, can you guess what brilliant person found it? 

  Of course, the ONLY         brilliant person       

searching that day.  

 I’ll give you a hint.  

 She is wearing a lavender, hooded sweatshirt that says “Army Mom” with a white purse hanging from her left shoulder. 

 Do you know now?  

 Oh- you are GOOD!   

You are so-o-o-o GOOD!

 

       

Elder Wilson is just chillin'.
We Love that man!  Look at the light in his eyes.

Missionary transfers again?

Nope, it’s just the 
missionaries stopping
 to grab a bite of lunch.

And bake a batch of brownies ...

 for other people.  

Bless their hearts!

Sister Garcia and Sister Dodge join a few of the other missionaries at our house
 for lunch.  They all just happened to be using our

computers that day when lunch time rolled around.

Aw -

Allysha Traveller 

and her littlest 

princess, Kennedy.

Did I forget to mention that our 

New Branch President got a job and had to move after being here for only 3 weeks?

Don't worry, it worked out well.

Our newest, new Branch President's wife is the blonde

wearing a black sweater. She is a wonderful person and has been serving as Stake Primary President...until now.

President Cravath (black suit coat) is our newest, new Branch President and he looks like he's pilfering through some woman's purse. OML...he is.  Actually, that is his wife hidden between him and Erin Thorley. 

President Cravath is a good  ole' southern boy.  He has a tender heart of gold and genuinely loves each of the soldiers and their families.  

  

Jon Pew 

and 

Jana Gillman

Ben just came back

from Afghanistan

a couple of months ago.

A Captain, working on Major.

A dedicated couple in every way

Yes, it's another

Linger Longer.

My honey, Elder Wilson.

As usual, he's

 talking with the girls; 

(the story of his life.)

Justin Cartwright (gold suit)

is one of the YSA 

(Young Single Adults) 

who have FHE

(Family Home Evening) 

on Monday nights at our house.

We have anywhere from 10-24 

of the single soldiers attend.

President Cravath is holding the
     11 month old twin Fulton
daughters, Abigail and Alyssa.

Dusty gave the girls a name 
and a blessing by which they will be known on the records of the Church, on the same day he confirmed the Dad Brian, and brothers Alexander and Andrew.

Speak of the Devil!

There goes

Andrew

Fulton.

Donny and Marie are

helping me to finish

cooking breakfast...

Transfer Breakfast!

Mmmmh           

Mmmmh

           Good !

  
   Hungry lil'

    critters,

   aren't they ? 

It's Preparation Day,

and they're preparing

to enjoy it!

 Sister Franson (L)

and 

Sister Warwood (R) 

 Sister Warwood is being transferred to another 

area and Sister Franson

is receiving a new companion.

  

Our ever faithful Zone Leaders; Elder Lund and Elder Horner (the one goofing off for the camera).

  After dropping the Sister Missionaries off at the doctors office, one day we had time to kill before they were done and went for a short drive to Guthrie, Kentucky.

 

 (FRONT VIEW)

We came across this absolutely gorgeous 

home in that tiny little town.

 

 (SIDE VIEW)

The following are some other 
sites we saw along the way.

  And now, for my favorite billboard of all time...

 Rolling On The Floor Laughing My Head Off   !!!

*****************

It rained again!

- Monday Nights -
Family Home Evening 
at our house

We keep the cupboards and refrigerator stocked.

The Young Single Adults/soldiers take turns teaching the lessons and bringing the food.

Any leftover food goes into the cupboard and is usually

 scarfed up by the 

missionaries before Monday 

rolls around again. 

 

If you're lookin'

for a cold one...

There's always 

one of these

in the refrigerator.

After

the 

Lesson

There 

are

games

and 

Activities

And watching TV

Goofing off

Shooting the Breeze

Having as much fun

watching the game,

as playing it.

What are they

scheming now?

It's all or nothing

for Elder Adams.

He watched them

play "PIT" too long

and just had to 

check it out for himself.

You mean all that scheming 
was just about what to
watch on TV?

No matter what - they

had to submit to the will

of the TV KING - better

known as Elder Wilson.

Fortunately, they all like
to watch Pawn Stars.  

Amber brought
her daughter over
for a visit and to
share the most 

fabulous cake 

you will ever eat.

Mmmmm, Mmmmm
GOOD ! 


 
  

It has been a

L O N G

D A Y

 Marie

was baptized and 
confirmed by
Grandpa Dusty in 
Clarksville, TN

April 7, 2012

Dory's husband, 
Rick, and her 
best friend Chelsea 
were both baptized that 
same day in Oregon.

Marie 

with

Sister Franson (L)

and 

Sister Jasper (R)

*********************

Donny was exhausted.
He had been preparing for
a funeral and had his class
A's all ready to go.  We
insisted that he pose for us.
Like a good soldier he obeyed.

He is very 
modest about how much
he has accomplished in the
four years he's been in the
Army.  He came in a buck
private and is now an 
E6 = Staff Sergeant.
 

Donny's family
are all very proud 
of the many medals
 and awards

which

he has received
during his short
time in the Army.  

 

Marie and Ethan

made this for Donny

when he came 

home from Afghanistan.

2011

He came home early from Afghanistan to receive his Army Air Traffic Control

Technician of the year Award 

 When Donny returned

 from Afghanistan in 2012

he was re-arranging his house.  He was going to box all of these away, but his children, and his Mom and Dad set this up so that every time we come into the house we can admire his faithful service to our country.