Continuation of our Kansas Trip - FINALLY!

Ok, I know it's been awhile - Mom likes to remind me of the last date I posted occasionally!!!  Maybe I should get her to guest post for me when life gets so busy I put blogging on the back burner!!  Hmmm.  Whadaya think Mom???

We came through an awesome western storm just a few miles from our destination.  One of the most amazing things about Kansas to me it watching the storms.  They don't move in like they do here in Ohio.  Instead you can watch them build up overhead or watch it storming miles away while it is sunny the other direction.  Amazing demonstration of just a fraction of the power of God.  We could see this storm, and watched it from miles away.  When we reached the road we turn onto off the highway there were storm tracker vehicles sitting there.  Not the most comforting sight, but I have to admit to some feelings of excitement!  We headed on into wind so fierce it felt like the van would leave the road.  Blinding rain.  And hail.  The wind came at us from one direction and then all of a sudden would whip out of the complete opposite direction!  No wonder there were storm trackers in the area!  We made it through and on the other side we found the sun and behind us a beautiful rainbow.  Picture doesn't do it justice so take my word for it - it was beautiful.  God's promise once again.  No matter the storms we come through HE will always be there to bring us through to the other side.  Even if that 'other side' ends up being the end of our life here on earth we are CONQUERORS!!!  We win either way when we are on God's side!!

The sky was awesome.  Oh how I love the Kansas sky.  Oh how I had missed it.  Oh how I miss it now looking at my pictures and thinking of being there.  Oh that it wasn't over 800 miles between here and there.

Street sign.  My brother lives on Smith!!

Loved this blue door.  This little town has the best photo shoot possibilities.  Tonia, I wished more than once that I had stuck you and your camera in my suitcase!!  Course I probably could have found a little better traveling accommodations than that!  I did do a quick photo shoot with Middle Sister and Little Sister one morning.  I will try to post those pictures sometime.  They were quite fun!

Cute little cottage.  Can't you just see the possibilites!  Wouldn't it be fun to give this place a makeover:)

Some of my sisters decor.  I gave her those bottles for Christmas last year.  Now I'm selfishly thinking I should have kept them!!  No really, I'm glad she has them to do such fun stuff:)

The kittens got lots of mothering!!

The Sunday after we arrived was Middle Sister's birthday.  Her Uncle M. remembers how well she enjoyed the bar-b-q'd ribs we had when we were all in Texas a year and a half ago, so he had a restaurant in Oklahoma he wanted to take us all to.  So midmorning on Sunday we heaeded out.  Here are the girls right after arriving at the restaurant.

Middle Sister and her cousin T.  He is 6 months older and they love each other dearly!  They get along famously and Middle Sister loves to play with him.  He is ALL BOY and she loves that.  she really enjoys playing all kinds of stuff that is typically boy stuff:)

The ribs were delicious.  Middle Sister enjoyed them immensely!

Little Sister and Mamma.  This is for those of you who don't think I put pictures of myself on my blog ( it's hard to have pictures of yourself when you are always the one beind the camera!)

After lunch we went farther into Oklahoma and hiked through Alabaster Caverns.  The men and kids went on a small hike outside afterwards.  I had not worn hiking shoes and wasn't too keen on hiking in flip flops.  So my sister and I sat on a bench and enjoyed the breeze while the rest of them hiked.

If you've been reading my blog for very long you probably know how my girls like the Colts!  This was Middle Sister's birthday present from her Aunt D.  She was thrilled.  Cousin T.  thought it pretty neat too.  Think I know what we will be getting him for Christmas:)

More decor. 

I loved this grouping on my sisters kitchen window sill.

Those sweet little kittens didn't make it to adulthood.  We think a tom cat got to them in the night.  We had some very sad little children the next morning when we had to tell them.  Especially Little Sister.  She had so much fun with little Maggie.  They were lovingly placed in a box and a short sweet funeral was perfomed.  The daddies dug a hole while everyone looked on.  Then the box was gently placed in the hole and the childern filled it.  They then made a grave marker and placed it on the grave.  Oh how hard sometimes to see our children learn the lessons of life. 

A couple more favorite pictures of the little town of Sawyer.