Happy Native American Day

Sharing my Native American heritage and hoping someday today will be "Native American Day" in the US instead of Columbus Day. It already is in South Dakota. California and Tennessee  also have a holiday, but it is not celebrated on October 12. Albuquerque; Portland, Oregon; St. Paul, Minnesota; and Olympia, Washington will be observing the holiday for the first time in 2015.

I wish I knew more about my great grandmother's history, but unfortunately it was something that my family did not talk about because it was not something they were proud about in those days. My mother did know that my great grandmother was half Native American, but nothing else.

My great grandmother, Lena Hall

My grandfather, Carlton Hall

Waco with Charlsie

Charlsie just sent me this. We have been friends 60 years. Can't tell you how precious her friendship is to me.

Charlsie invited me to meet her in Waco to go to a Fresh Grounded Faith Conference. I was not familiar with Jennifer Rothschild's ministry but she was terrific as was Stormie Omartian and the music leader Meredith Andrews.

I had never been to Waco and I was excited to see Baylor.

Baylor Bears! Waco is a football town for sure...they were playing Saturday but not at home.

The Texas Rangers Museum. Charlsie informed me it is the law enforcement rangers, not the baseball team.

The new Magnolia Market is across the street from the museum in these silos. We took this for Cindy, who loves Fixer Upper. We did not see Chip and Joanna.

and get a diet Dr. Pepper

We had to see the Dr. Pepper Museum

We found the river walk right next to Baylor. It's the Brazos and is a very big river. Not a lot going on down there, but it has potential, and they are working on it.

I 35 bridge.

More of the river walk

A Week in June

A visit to Granny and Papa

Granny, take a picture of my tongue.

Papa gets some help mowing.

 

Our church is on the Concho River

And the city cleaned the river!

We found some music under the bridge.

 On Thursday, we went to Lubbock for Zion's ballet performance, Reborn. She studies at Christ in the Arts ballet company.

Courtney makes costumes for the performances.

On Friday, we found the Lubbock Arboretum.

Zane and his favorite lady

 Caedon took a picture of us.

An historic church for rent.

Ben, Zane, Zion, Isaac, Caedon, Jack. 

 Caedon took this picture, too

 I wanted to see Isaac bowl and sure enough, the reports of his expertise were not exaggerated.

I took about 100 of pictures at the bowling alley, but my little camera is no good for inside telephoto pictures. I need to buy a better camera.

What Texans Do in the Spring

After a week, I like (very much) being retired. I am getting some sleep. (I think I have stopped waking up every night screaming) I honestly did not believe I was stressed. But now I know the difference and I guess I was stressed. I made Thank You cards for my friends at work who gave me very nice gifts, even though I told them not to. And I really like my Pandora bracelet that was a gift from the hospital.

Allister went to a nurses workshop and his lovely family came to visit us last weekend.

We took a little bluebonnet trip with them to Fredricksburg and to Wildseed Farms.

Isaac took our "48th Anniversary" picture. How do you like my sale shirt? I discovered it was 2 different colors when I wore it outside. But it was only $7 with a coupon.

The real Texas tradition: Get out on the median of a 6 lane Interstate and take family pictures. You will have to wait in line.

Wildseed Farms

Zion went hiking with us.

 

 

At Lady Bird Municipal Park

There was a huge Volkswagon  gathering there that the rest of the family explored.

This spring has been the best for wildflowers in Texas....thank you, Lord for the rain!

The kids liked German Food. I'm thinking they are 1/8th German. Their great grandmother was German.

Shopping in the rain in Fredricksburg.

There is a possibility that perhaps, I might be retired. But I'm not sure.

Retirement is not something I planned, but in the past two weeks, it seems this is the path the Lord has prepared for me.  I was made to take care of sick folks. I'm not sure I'm finished with that, but I did quit my job and I don't have another one! Anybody need a nurse?

You have heard about Judi and Bob, our roommates. Judi is in heaven, now, but I have to think she might be peaking down, thinking, "It's about time, dummy!" She never did think much of some of my decisions. And she was not impressed by my intelligence.

Jeri  is famous for leading me down the wicked path of getting pierced ears and almost getting us kicked out of school. You should see the big honking diamonds I have been wearing to work lately, girlfriend. I think of you both often.

Barbies had not been invented when I was a little girl, but if they had, my dream house would have been a hospital. My dolls were always in bed, in their pajamas, with lots of band aids and shots. My doctor kit was well used. When I went to play with other girls, their dolls needed a lot of attention. I tried to teach them how to take care of them, but they really didn't get it. (This is my sweet Daddy and he kept me supplied with beds for the dolls.)

The first 20 years, I worked in surgery. This is what that is like.

 I picked the doctor's camera up by the shutter release and invented the selfie.

The last 26 years, I have spent on the rehab unit at Shannon, taking care of old folks.  More and more I am noticing that  I am older than my patients. I kept thinking one of them was going to ask me about that.