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January
We started our year by driving to DFW to pick up Leanna and Brian at the airport. They were coming home from a vacation in Hawaii. We left very, very early and geocached all the way to Dallas covering the south east border of Oklahoma. After reaching Dallas we went to the hospital to visit my Aunt Cleora. She was very ill.
Here Barbara is geocaching with her Girl Scout friends. If you don't know what geocaching is you can go to www.geocaching.com and learn all about it. It is one of Barbara's favorite pastimes.
January brought a big snow storm.
Girl Scout Troop 535 had their rededication. They made bracelets with each colored pearl standing for a different part of the promise and law.
Barbara enjoyed spending the day with old friend Marsha. She and Barbara used to teach together at Mound Valley Elementary School.
Mrs. Emanuel passed away. She was our pastor's wife when we lived in Misawa, Japan. She was like our Mom away from home. |
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February
In February we lost a new member of our family. Leanna’s father-in-law, Val Martin, passed away. He was a wonderful man and we will miss him. We traveled south to the Rio Grande Bible Institute and delivered a van full of Foundations. Bob spoke at churches along the way there and on the way back home to tell them about Village Ministries International.
We attended the wedding of Jennifer Hubbard and Andrew Barnthson.
Bob traveled to Nigeria for Village Ministries International, www.villageministries.org. It was an awesome trip as Bob along with Hugh and Lloyd ordained 18 pastors. Laura came to our troop meeting and taught the girls how to spin wool into yarn.
Happy Birthday David, Bob, Wanda and Vance. |
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March
Barbara started going to Junior Troop 91's meeting to teach them some first aid so they could earn their first aid badge.
We had a hail storm like none we’d ever seen. I thought Armageddon had arrived. It didn't just hail down. It came from all directions as if beings in the sky were throwing it all at the same time. It damaged our siding and roof. Our roof was less than a month old and now had big craters in it. It knocked a hole in the table in the back yard. Our car in the driveway lost the front window. Sarah's brand new car that was in the driveway lost two windows.
They also spent Girl Scout Sunday at First Christian Church of Moore. First Christian Church of Moore sponsors our Girl Scout Troop. We gave them a report of our activities for the past year. After church, the girls sold Girl Scout cookies in the vestibule. Spring Break Girl Scout Troop 535 went to Missouri for 4 days. We enjoyed being tourists and being together. We stayed with Michelle's parents. They provided a place for us to sleep and unwind and lots of good food that we didn't expect. We visited Laura Ingalls Wilder's home and grave, Silver Dollar City, The Titanic Museum, Rode the Ducks, and went shopping at the outlet malls. When our journey started we were in shirt sleeves and light jackets. When we ended our journey there was ice and snow everywhere. We celebrated Kerstin's birthday at a Japanese restaurant. The end of March our Girl Scout family gave us a reception to say thank you and farewell. We laughed and we cried. |
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April
Springtime brought Bob trying to get a late garden in. Uncle Kenny loaned us his tiller for a few days. It brought blossoms on our apple trees. We also planted 13 new fruit trees in our orchard. And thanks to David and Suzann, who loaned us a large lawnmower, we were able to get the grass cut and keep it cut for several months.
The Evons were in Oklahoma for Easter. It was fun hiding Easter eggs in the backyard for Hayden to hunt.
In April we had our Court of Awards and closed down Troop 535. A very sad time. We have worked with Troop 121 or 535 eighteen of our years in Oklahoma. The troop did get together a few times after this.
In Kansas, we had started remodeling the house. First was the ceiling to get rid of the old popcorn ceiling. Bob and Brian are putting on a new ceiling finish.
April brought Leanna’s birthday. We had a 'Gone With the Wind' party.
We attended Jennifer Peck’s recital at OU . It was one of many she had for her doctorate. Soon she will be Dr. Peck.
Bob continued to work at Village Ministries International thru April 30th. After retiring as CEO of VMI Bob was asked to continue as a member of the board of directors.  Trinity Bible Church, www.tbcokc.org, gave us a going away dinner. Our children were part of the evening's entertainment.
It’s real. We’re moving. |
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May
In May we traveled to Shiloh, IL with AC and Virginia. Bob’s Godson, Hayden, celebrated his 5th birthday.
We were chaperones for Gatewood Elementary's field trip to the Oklahoma City zoo. Here are some of Mrs. Martin's 5th graders.
Girl Scout Troop 535 went to watch member, Stacy, graduate.
Bob's outfit for cleaning out part of the basement. As we packed up Oklahoma City, Trouble liked the paper.
Later in the month we went to Austin, TX to witness our niece, Jillian Brandon, graduate from high school Congratulations, Jilli.
Mariah Gillespie graduated from Norman North High School. Congratulations, Mariah! Ryan Hoy graduated from Moore High School. Congratulations, Ryan! Kit Wijkowski graduated from University of Central Oklahoma. Congratulations, Kit! |
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June
Leanna and Brian came for a visit. They hiked out behind the house thru the bean field to find what used to be a big pond.
As we traveled back and forth , while in Oklahoma City Tracie came over and worked on making her t-shirt quilt. Sarah helped her teaching her each step along the way. It is made from Girl Scout t-shirts from her 7 years in Troop 535.
Tracie finished it just before I packed up my sewing machines. Nike could not be budged off of Sarah’s sewing basket.
In Kansas, the ceiling was done and the woodwork was painted. It was time to lay the tile. Vance and Robinson worked quite hard.
John and Rosy came to Kansas for a visit. They brought my Mom's piano. We took it to Leanna. |
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July
All but one of the trips of boxes, etc. were made with the excursion and the white trailer. In April, Leanna used our car and trailer to take her girls camping and in July we rented a truck and David drove it to Kansas so we could get the tall things like the refrigerator and big furniture. Mariah, Jordan, Nathan, Seth, and Micah Day and Herb Bath helped Bob, David, Kerstin, and Sonny unload it all. As Barbara unpacked boxes Trouble liked laying on boxes and papers.
One day a dog showed up. We weren’t quite ready for a dog but he seemed like a good one so we kept him. He was pretty skinny and bedraggled when he showed up so Bob named him Elijah. He looked like he’d been in the wilderness for 40 days. We have become quite attached to him.
In July we traveled to Granite, OK to Camp Kate Portwood to attend the Sooner Girl Scout camp staff reunion. It was a wonderful weekend seeing old friends and make new ones. Big Ladybug got to meet Little Ladybug. We hiked over the granite mountains to the white house, watched the high ropes tower and zip line being used, and had the best campfire ever. It was extra special because in November the camp was officially closed and is on the market to be sold.
It was good to get to see niece Brenda and her family, Jeff, Mason, Naomi, Anya, and Emma while they were visiting Sonny and Judy.
We helped Sonny put up hay this summer, too. Nephew, Mason, stayed with his grandparents after the rest of his family went home. He stayed to help put up hay. Mason helped his grandfather put the porches back on our house, too. |
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August
We did a lot of remodeling between trips between Altamont and Oklahoma City. As time went on we spent more time in Altamont. Bob built a shed out back . Sonny helped him get the poles set and the shed squared, then Bob worked on it daily. He did a great job.
Richard and Alice were back in Kansas for a couple days. We enjoyed a visit with them.
Girl Scout Troop got together and had a cookout in David and Sarah's backyard (We were rained out in April at our Court of Awards.) We also watched the video of Stormie's dance recital and Kirstin's musical.
We attended the wedding of Jenny Stacy and Brandon Brown.
We celebrated Sarah and Virginia's birthday! As well as remodeling the inside of the house we had yard work done, too. Pete and Dwight worked to get the water to flow away from the house and the basement. Our big disappointment for the year was when our friends, Monique and Mart from Holland, were in the United States. We were unable to go and meet them and spend the week with them. |
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September
Bob spoke in Independence to a group of United Methodist Women. He told them about Village Ministries International.
AC and Virginia came early for Labor Day weekend. We got to play some golf. Bob has played his favorite game so little this year.
September brought Labor Day. Leanna, Brian, Ralene, David, Sarah, Kerstin,, AC, Virginia, Melissa, and Hayden came for the long weekend. Sonny, Judy, Becky and Elena joined us for the festivities. David, Suzann and Aunt Neila came for the wiener roast. Hayden got to ride on a tractor, catch a fish and more.
We celebrated Barbara and Melissa’s birthdays and Elena’s gotcha day at the wiener roast.
Over the weekend we built a horseshoe pit in memory of Val Martin.
We went to Silver Dollar City with Nancy and Dwight. Lindsey and Tony and Leslie met us there. It was a fun day. |
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October
In October we went to Oklahoma City. We got to watch Kerstin play soccer.
We celebrated Brian’s birthday.
Bob stayed in the city and taught First Aid and CPR at the Baptist Children’s Home . Leanna helped him since Barbara deserted him and took off for a “leaf peeping” trip to the New England states with Girl Scout friends Pam, Amy and Cindy. While Barbara was gone he helped with the Village Ministries International’s Missions Conference that was held at Trinity Bible Church. With Girl Scout friends at Acadia National Park in Maine. On our journey Pam and Barbara were able to get geocaches in 6 new states and 2 new provinces.
While Barbara was gone, our friend AC was scheduled to have a stent put in. Bob was at the hospital with Virginia for the procedure. To make a long story short, AC had triple bypass that day. We are very glad he is doing so well.
Leanna came to visit us over fall break in October. It was a very relaxing long weekend for her and we enjoyed having her here.
We celebrated Sonny's birthday. |
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November
In November we went to Oklahoma City for Tracie’s graduation. She received her associate’s degree.
Bob attended the VMI board meeting in Dallas.
Bob spoke to the Independence United Methodist men and told them about Village Ministries International.
Bob swept a chimney for Lindsey and Tony. First one he had swept since we moved from Kansas in 1980.
November brought Thanksgiving with the Labor Day crew here. Except Mike was able to come this time. After a year long battle with testicular cancer, his lymph nodes were normal and we were very, very happy for him and his family. It was so good to see him and give him a big hug.
We celebrated Christmas early. And we celebrated AC’s birthday early.
Bob, David, Brian, and AC grew mustaches in November. It was to raise awareness and money for men's health issues, such as testicular cancer. It is the first mustache Bob ever grew.
We planted more fruit trees and some nut trees. |
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December
Uncle Kenny and Aunt Ethel celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary this month. Their kids gave them a reception.
We celebrated Judy's birthday.
We decided to have a quiet Christmas at home - just the two of us. Then we went to Tulsa and picked up Ralene. She stayed with us for a few days.
Leanna and Brian, David, Sarah & Kerstin arrived on New Year's Eve morning. We celebrated Christmas with them.
Then it was time for the Thompson Family Christmas. We had a great time ending the year.
In Sweden, a baby girl, Amelia, was born to Keri Dawn and Chris. Congratulations.
In Holland, a baby girl, Elfi, was born to Monique and Mart. Congratulations.
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