July to August

Hello Everyone,
I've finally taken a slow down, I had to. I was getting burnt out. I was running several times a week to doctors and hospitals, etc. with a disabled friend of mine in addition to my other daily chores. I hated to do it because this friend hasn't too many other people to count on but I talked to some people in church and they are stepping up to the plate for him and helping him to get food as well and hopefully some better housing. I certainly hope so. I do not mention this to get praise, sympathy or scolding, only to ask you to remember this person in your prayers. He and his family are definitely in need of your prayers. I won't mention his name because God knows his needs and his name.

Since my slow down I have been spending more family time and crafting time. I've missed that terribly. I have posted some pictures of the past month on the blog photos page so if I can't figure out how to put up a slide show you can go to the page and look at them. If the slideshow is too small, you can look at them in larger format on the photo page.

Now, for the latest Anders family news. Tiffany turned 18 on July 12th. We celebrated with cake and a trip to New Orleans to the Audubon Zoo and the River Walk. We saw some of our relatives there and had a really hot time as the index that day was 102 degrees. The fountains at the zoo were really looking good to me. I was really excited that I found the zoo with no problem! Unfortunately we couldn't find the French Quarter (without a guide) and my driving anxiety kicked in so we ended up in the River Walk, we enjoyed ourselves anyway. My David and Heather were working so they couldn't make the trip. We missed having them with us. The zoo is still not completely recovered from Hurricane Katrina but it is getting there. Only half of the sea lion habitat is open. Since it was Tiffany's birthday she got to lead us through the zoo. Would you believe they have the rare Kentucky turkey (a peacock...honeymoon joke) and Kermit THE Frog has a new habitat since he retired. It's true, we saw them and we have pictures to prove it!

We went fishing for the first time as a family in years. Yes, even Heather went fishing but she was in stealth mode when she fished. She spent all of her time in the middle of a tree that was in the water. She was so well hidden that when the game warden came by to check our licenses he didn't even see her. But, maybe her bait was in stealth mode as well because she didn't catch anything. As usual David and Tiffany were in competition, they seem to be the best fishermen in the family so the competition is always between them. I think it was a toss up between them because when one caught more it went over to who had the biggest fish. Ahh family :D

Rochelle has been drawing some more pictures. I actually have one of them, a picture of Bob Hope in the photos I've uploaded so go check it out. She's also started school again and she is doing well and our school mascot sits in her lap the whole time. I have signed in on the program as a student as well as a teacher so I can see the lessons from her viewpoint and will be able to teach her better when she needs help. she is using the Alpha Omega Switched on Schoolhouse program again this year. She has gotten a kick out of asking me 'Have you got your schoolwork done young lady?' Smarty pants, she knows I'm staying a few lessons ahead of her.

While I sit with Rochelle during her schoolwork I have been getting some things done as well. I have been able to keep up with the housework and I have been crocheting quite a bit. I made my niece a monkey for her birthday and I found these really cute chihuahua patterns online. I showed one to a friend that I had made and since then I have sold quite a few color variations of them. I'm constantly coming up with new combinations. My hubby thought they were really neat and he asked me to make him a cammoflaged one. It has a flag print bandana on and he added a small backpack to it. He made me laugh. He says it's name is Comuahua. He says in the military communications officers are called 'com' and that his chihuhua is a communications expert. It can speak 4 languages...dog, English, Mexican and Arabic so he's ready to help the troops! I've posted pics of these as well.

Speaking of the troops our future son-in-law is still in Afghanistan (Hi David!) and we are looking forward to when he comes on leave. It's been too long since we've seen him. Also, one the friends of the girls has been deployed to Iraq his name is Josh Stevens. Please, please, please remember to keep these young men and the other men and women fighting for our country in your prayers. Whether you agree with these wars or not they are someone's loved one. They need our support and our acceptance, not our ignorance. Guys keep up the good work and thanks for all you do to keep our country safe. I am behind you all lifting you up in prayer. God bless you.

Our church is still in the process of searching for a pastor. We ask everyone to pray for this as well. It is very important that we seek God's choice for our church, not our choice. Right now we have a really good interim pastor. His name is Bro. Jacques Steib and he is a church planter from across the river. Please also keep him in your prayers as he is planting a church in Vacherie as well as helping us at our church.

Now, for the last new bit of news. We have another Heather Adventure. Heather and Rochelle found a different route to Thibodaux the other day and she wanted to show it to me so she and I left to do that last night. She was driving and showed me the place that a bad accident had been that day and where they had to ride down the steep incline of a rain slicked levee that the police were diverting traffic over. As we drove along we spotted some pups by the very edge of the road. Heather saw them and felt compassion for them. She started backing up telling me that they were in a box and I told her I didn't see a box. I also told her that we didn't need anymore animals in addition to the animals we already have (5 dogs, 2 hamsters, fish, 2 turtles and a blue crawfish). I also told her that her dad would 'kill' us if we brought something else home and what was she going to do with them anyway. Nothing would dissuade her from picking up these poor puppies who were abandoned on the side of a remote road. So, she backed up to where they were and parked the vehicle on the side of the road close to where the pups were...all three of them. She called to them and in typical puppy fashion they began running to her with tails in full wag. By the time I caught up to her the puppies were greeting her joyously and I mentioned to her that I had told her there was no box when we heard a far off bark. I looked at her and said Heather, that sounds like a momma dog. She looked at me and then we heard several other barks following that first bark. She looked at me again and then toward the open field by the levee and said, "Oh no, bye puppies!" then proceeded to take off running for the car. Now, I'm older and quite a bit heavier than her so it took me a few more seconds to reach the car. I got inside then realized that her bank statement had fallen out in my rush to get in so I was reaching down to grab it when Heather started yelling at me to close the door. I had just grabbed the paper and put my hand on the doorhandle when she grabbed the back of my shirt and jerked forcefully backwards-pulling me inside and slamming the door in one swift move. I looked at her as she hurriedly babbled something about crazy moms not knowing when to close a door and leaving papers where they fell. I then turned my head and looked out the window at 3 very LARGE dogs whose heads were at window level staring back at me with puppies bringing up the rear. I turned my head and the only thing I could think to say was "Oh wow, they WERE REALLY close." We left the puppies where they were and Heather said she wouldn't think about picking one up like that again....but "Ohhhh that one was so skinny poor thing." Hmmmm sounds like she will stop again to me what do you think?
Well, that's it for now. I hope this one finds you all happy, healthy and safe. Take care and God bless.