Happy Birthday S'te

I hardly believe it's been a whole year!!

And there has been so many additions :-)

Our Arrival

Camper
Originally uploaded by Amah

When we arrive back in Coos Bay we found this in our driveway. I knew it was not a small camper - but it takes up the whole driveway!! We will need to move it ~ and soon!!

Actually soon came really quickly... the very next day Clint was showing us what had been fixed, changed, and upgraded since we've been gone1 We now have 4 new fruit trees, the lawns are all green and look beautiful! Several problem spots have been filled in... It all looks really wonderful!!

On Saturday we went and got some lawn furniture and began the chore of putting everything together.... We could have certainly been on Funniest Videos... but . . . no. On Sunday, Clint decided that it would be a good time to move the trailer to a better spot. Since we have to go under a tv cable line and around a tree - we need to do it while Sallie is home - so she can also assist!! Talk about wonderful friends!! Never would have happened without them!

It took the entire afternoon to get this done to Clint's satisfaction and it looks really good. Now all I have to do is clean it out and get it ready for a new floor covering. It is rather dirty.... like.... caked mud in quite a few places.... but nothing that can't be cleaned.... it just takes time.... lots of time....

And I go back to the lawn furniture. Got it done except for the "dome" on the canopy. It split a seam so Sallie is going to sew it for me - again what a great friend!

And that was our first weekend back in the Great Northwest... now when we fall into bed (or, in my case, chair) . . we are both exhausted and sleep really soundly!! Oh, it's great to be back!!

From Pendleton to home!

We drove across I84, North to the Columbia River - more of Oregon scenery that I've never seen before. I hate to admit that I lived in Oregon for so many years and never saw so much of it!! I've read history along the way and found so many things that truly amaze me. I may be amazed easily - but every trip thru different parts of our whole country - - well, God did a really awesome job when he created all of the different parts is all I can say.

So we traveled most of the northern border of Oregon along the Columbia River. I have actually known for years that the Columbia is the Oregon/Washington border - but I never realized how huge the Columbia was, nor did I ever realize just how many dams are on it - and how different the scenery is from the highest part - towards Pendleton - and the lower parts of it - toward Portland.

We did take a detour and see the Multinomah and Horsetail Falls. Magnificant!! Pictures of them are on the Flickr Badge. Of course they don't even come close to doing justice to either of them. Today had been a rather murkey day for the most part....

We went from I84 to I5 around the Portland area - so we didn't really even get close to the City. We headed south with the decision that we would cut off at Corvallis, spend the night, and go down the coast the next day. Keith has acquired a rash that won't seem to go away. He soaked in the hot tub and got in the pool at the Holiday Inn in Pendleton and that just seemed to make it worse. I'm rather concerned so we will call it a day a little early.

At Corvallis we checked in to their Holiday Inn Express and checked out the rash again... It's even worse than this morning.... and no clue what it is!! he hasn't been out in the woods, sitting on the ground, or much of any thing that I can think of to cause a rash. No different laundry soap, regular showers, not too hot... What could it be? So off to the ER we go! Believe you me!! It was the shortest ER visit in history!!! I've had waits at the Dr.'s office longer than this one!! 55 minutes from check-in to check-out!! And they apologized for the wait! And you'll never guess - - - - - Poison Oak!! Absolutely no idea what or where he got into it!!

So now we know what is itching him... got him some medication and good old calamine lotion . . . so he got a good nights sleep so he can hold on while I drive down the coast.

We headed that way after breakfast and were amazed to see several people on bicycles traversing the same road! Up the hills and around the curves... just pedaling away. Amazing! We got to Hwy 101 and headed south towards Coos Bay. The last leg of our trip! It has been a fast forward several days but the end and our little house is at the end of this day! We made several small stops - at one of my favorites - Devil's Churn - we didn't walk down the paths to any of them - it was a very grey day and misty - I was afraid it would be slick and don't need another trip to the ER! We stopped at several places to look out over the Pacific Ocean as well as at Sea Lion Caves. My amazment at our world is still with me~ I reminissed about other trips down the same road - Most especially the one with S'te right as she was learning to drive!! Now that was a trip!! She nailed the brakes and and stopped at EVERY wide spot in the road where she thought there might maybe be something she wanted to look at :-)

About noon we rolled into our front yard. Clint and a friend were looking at the newest purchase - a used Salem travel trailer to use as a guest room. So we did hugs and welcome homes and caught up on current happenings as we unloaded the car.... and then just spent some time relaxing. It's great to be back!

Back to the trip

Sorry about that . . Jeremy's birthday always throws me for a loop.... it's really hard to grasp that I really do have a son whose 36th birthday just passed and all I can do is miss him.....


So back to the end of our trip.... I think I left us in Idaho.. We headed out from there early on Wednesday morning - so no sightseeing there either - but this time was really for a reason... We could get up to Pendleton and see Gerald for the afternoon visit session if we did. So I was all for that...

So off we went.. Right up the Oregon Trail.. We went from watching the snow on the hillsides in the Grand Tetons and the Rockies to the Burnt and Blue Mountains with snow right to the side of the highway!! And this was end-of-May!! It was a beautiful drive tho' All of the trees up to the treeline and the green and the blue sky!! Until we got close to Pendleton .... the mountains were so high the cars in front of us looked like they were driving right off into the clouds!! It was awesome!! The clouds are really dark so you can really see where mountain meets cloud!! It was probably not one of Keith's favorite parts... but it worked for me!! We made it to Pendleton just after lunchtime - so we tried - and failed to check into our room early so we went to Wally's and then had a quick sandwich before heading off to our visit....

It is not a fun place to visit... I have never done a visit in a place like that.. I have probably watched way to many movies LOL Everyone was exceptionally nice to us. Even if I did forget the rules and had to go into the bathroom and cut the wires out of my bra to get thru the metal detectors (and yes, Chaplan had even specifically warned me beforehand). I met both the Hospice Coordinator Shaw and Chaplan Swartz. We discussed Geralds status, health, issues, and the protocol if I change my mind and want to go back for the "vigil". At this point it is not something I am inclined to do... but we discussed it. I was amazed that they would take time to see us and to spend enough time to thouroughly explain things to the point that I had no questions that even attempted to get thru the fog. I am not supposed to be burying my younger brother any more than I should have lost my son!!

So, back on track, the 2 visits we did were great. Gerald looks ill - but not terribly. Sounds weird... and it is weird... to see someone that isn't going to live long and they almost look normal... a little pale, a little jaundiced.... they are taking great care of him~~ He's spacy to talk to.... definately medicated.. but not at all scary ~~ Nurse Shaw and Chaplan had already explained it all to me... We had a great visit ~ actually 2 ~ we went back for the morning visit the next day, before we headed out... God Bless you and may your suffering be short, May He have mercy on you Gerald!

But on this stop - I did some shopping!! I have heard about "Pendleton's" all of my life and never wanted to show my ignorance in asking just what was so special - so we went to the Pendleton's Store. Beautiful stuff.... Georgeous!! Absolutely Wonderful!!!! I bought a jacket for Keith. Arms were long enough!!! It is a well-fitting nice jacket.... (about 500 miles away I found a "made in China" sticker inside ~~ I'll never go back ~~ my own fault, I assumed that the items in this "LOCAL" Oregon Store with the solid rep would have Made In America items on their label!!) I was definately annoyed!!!! I made Keith go away from the register after he did his routine questioning - of which this time he got very few answers - so he snapped this photo of me coming out of the store... I think he likes his jacket - he wears it often - I'm sure glad :-)

The ending of our trip on the next post. I will also upload pics onto Flickr - all you have to do is click the badge on the sidebar and it will take you there!!

My Son

Happy

Birthday

Jeremy

This is a hard day to get thru -

even after 21 years of

being without you.

I want you to know that we love you.

This is from your father,

he sent it to me,

and I am posting it.

Your family

On the road....

After leaving Missouri we traveled west, west, north, west, south, north, west, south and stop!!

We went thru Missouri and part of Kansas on Sunday, stopping in Topeka for a night, a dinner, and sleep. The Plains States are beautiful - if long.... The plan on Monday was to stop in Denver before crossing the Rockies - I picked out a place that had hot springs and all - but as things go - that didn't happen. Keith started driving and the next thing I knew - I saw the Wyoming state line!!! Instead of going thru the Rockies - we went around them - so Monday night we spent in Laramie, WY. Another eat and sleep and leave deal. On Tuesday we finished up Wyoming - seeing lots of deer and watching those majestic windmills that are popping up all over - I really think they are quite nice looking. If I had a choice - I'd take windmills over about any other type of "decor" (like power poles, transformers, cell towers, etc) I really don't know what the problem people have with protesting the windmills. Especially in some areas, wind is definately a renewable resource!! LOL I found new talk shows on the radio to keep me company as I drove and as I rode. When there was nothing on the radio to talk to - I talked to the deer, other drivers, sky, and if he was awake and listening, Keith. LOL It was a long drive.....

After Wyoming we went on down thru Utah, I think we were in the state an hour or so - maybe - only got out of the car for the Visitors Center and the rest stop - oh, wait! - that was the same place!! We enjoyed the scenery but soon came upon our first really bad weather on the trip. About 100 miles out of Boise, our Tuesday night stop-over, we started hearing about potential thunderstorms and that sort of thing on the radio. I was at the wheel. The clouds started gathering, we could see the wall of clouds to the west of us. They were big and they were black. But oddly enough - they never got to us!!! But a huge, brown, massive wall appeared in front of us and the wind began blowing - almost as badly as it can on the Oregon and Florida coasts!! Only thing was - there was this huge BROWN fog like wall that cars and trucks were disappearing into. So we followed.... tumbleweeds blowing across the Interstate - both hands gripped tight on the wheel - Keith hanging on for dear life (of course he does that anyway!) - we went into this wall..... It was like driving in fog...with very, very strong winds blowing. It was scary.... Keith started looking for hotels, motels, - I think about then he would've settled for a big rock to hide behind, hehehe!!! Well, I hung on to the wheel and after being sandblasted for about 90 minutes, we reached Boise. My shoulders felt like the bungie cords in them had retracted about 6 feet. The rubber bands were wound way too tight!! And to top it all off - Keith has an ugly rash on his legs!! I was afraid it was stress!! So we went to dinner and to our room to relax, check email, watch tv.... the transformer outside our window made a few ugly noises - but nothing to compare with the afternoon "festivities" so we ignored it.....

This ended our first 3 days "on the road"....

Ready to Roam

Click here for more pics

After a great weekend watching the kids play soccer, baseball, and swim, a sidetrip downtown to watch the Cardinals beat Tampa Bay, an evening at the Ameristar, and lots of great company, we spent the last morning enjoying the sunshine poolside before going over to Rick's family birthday party.

We said goodbye from there and headed out. We watched the scenery as we drove across the state of Missouri and part way thru Kansas. We have had wonderful weather as we cross the country. We landed in Topeka for the night. Look Toto, we are in Kansas LOL!!

Friday

We left Indiana in the midst of rain and gloom. We traveled from Mom's to April's thru Illinois in the rain. I drove the first 1/2 and Keith drove the second. We made really good time even with the nasty weather. We arrived at April's in time for a good visit with the kids and Ric and April before having Keith's favorite dinner - of course! - April fixed tacos for him!! Whoopee! He certainly enjoyed that! No one makes tacos like his "Little April" :-)

She gave me a tour of her almost-finished-with-remodeled house while Keith and the kids played. It is beautiful. One of the upstairs bathroom is still in the works - but she has wonderful taste in the rest of the changes. They also have put a pool in the back yard since my last visit. The kids will have an absolutely wonderful time this summer. This evening we plan to watch either: Brennan's baseball game or Elizabeth's soccer game. I don't know yet which Keith will choose. Tomorrow we hope to go to a Cardinal game (I even remembered to pack our Cardinal shirts hehe).

And, again I will have to post pictures when I remember where I packed the card reader :-(

More travel to come!!

Mother's Day

Mom Beatty with 4 out of 5 of her children

at Church for Mother's Day

Heather, Keith, Mom, Joy, and Melody

Keith and his happy Mom :-)

Click here for more pics

Some Pics

Keith and Baby resting up for

thier trips!

Holiday Inn Bowling Green, KY atrium

Ready for dinner

The first stop!

We have arrived at Mom B's!! It was a really nice trip up from Florida. We spent the first night in Georgia at a really nice Holiday Inn. The weather cooperated wonderfully! We only traveled for about 6 hours and made it further than the kids did when they traveled north LOL!! On Friday we traveled the rest of the way thru Georgia, Tennesee (where we hit a small amount of rain around Nashville), and up to Bowling Green, Ky where we spent the second night. This was a really, truly exceptional place to stay! The Atrium was beautiful, the workers exceptionally nice, and the weather was so absolutely gorgeous!! After a wonderful evening, we packed up again and headed up the road for the last little bit of our trip. We got to Mom B's home just before noon so we were able to catch her before she ate lunch and go down to the Mexican Restaurant here in Charlestown.

Mom B has her list of sonny-do's all ready and we started in right after lunch.... We worked in the yard with Joy and her husband Ray during the afternoon and had a great dinner of homemade chili while visiting and catching up on news for the evening. Keith's sister Melody welcomed him as did the other two, Joy and Heather. Dolores was unable to come up but will be over sometime before we leave. So far, it's been a really nice trip - and we are about 1/4 of the way thru it . . . . . LOL

I am having trouble uploading pics so I will try that at a later date. Have a great day!!

Ready, Set, ???

Well, it's the last day. . . . I've been cleaning, packing, unpacking, got my last 6 loaves of bread baked, the sheets are in the washer, dishwasher is running. All that is left is to put the stuff in the car and put away the stuff from above. My dear, wonderful, procrasinating, Husband has now decided that this is the time to clean out his pickup, worry about the number of black garbage bags we have left, and maybe, hopefully, put the things back in the storage that he has taken out over the last few days!!! :-)

Oh, we are doing great. He gave me the Noon on the 8th timeframe - and I will be ready!! The weather is helpong me get ready really quickly!! Up until last week I was ok with the heat . . . . . high 80's not to much humidity. . . . yesterday fixed that!!! I was sitting at my little laptop . . . . . sweating!!!

We finished all of our "travel" appointments with the various doctors that we seem to have accumulated over the years. . . got prescriptions refilled, tossed stuff that expired (it's really nice since this gets done 2x a year!!), sent clothes to charity as I was packing (ooops - no button there! haven't seen this on a body since. . . . ., and the inevitable. . . . this doesn't fit right). Pastor Craig included traveling mercies in our Wednesday group. .

I finally have gotten a hard diagnosis from a nerologist - fibromyalgia - and he has taken me off of several meds that I did use and replaced them with 1 - and of course, pain meds, for when I just "can't take it anymore". . . . but even tho' I generally ache all over . . . . I feel much more alert than I was. Mostly it is under control.... Keith's Doctors have given him a clean bill . . . his neuro had tried a different combo of meds to control the Parkinsons but they didn't work as well as the prior ones . . . so he will go back to them.... yippeee!!!! So we both wake up in the mornings with our "old age" aches and go for today!!!

All in all, our life is great. Our day of travel is upon us. We are ready. . . . well, almost :-) Wish us well and keep us in your prayers. . . . first stop. . . . Mom Beatty's. We hope to spend Mother's Day in Indiana with her. . . . God willing.

KOIN News Segment

The CBS affiliate KOIN actually had 3 segments that they aired, here are the websites:

11:oo News - interview with S'te that was done in California
Radio link for interview with Jeff Gianola - the reporter
and
the link for the interview done here in Florida with me.

Hopefully we will be blessed with someone who needs to get the info off of thier chest and will call in that "missing piece" so the Detectives can put it all together.

Jeremy's Story

The first news for today is that KOIN news (CBS) has done a segment on Jeremy's disappearance... Jeremy is almost 36 years old (May 25). . . . he has been gone for almost 22 years(Aug 14) and I am hoping this segment helps God open someone's heart and mouth. The Coos County Detectives have worked this case hard for many years. I can't begin to thank them enough for the dedication and hard work and the loyalty they have shown in their resolution to solve this for Jeremy. As S'te said in our conversation last night; We know how horrible it is to live with the "unknown" and to live with the knowledge kept inside must be pure torture. It will be shown only in Oregon but will be on the WWW on Friday. I will post the link to it as soon as I can offer it. Jeff Gianola - the reporter who sidroded the project- said he is very pleased with the way it turned out. . . . 3 of the Detectives will be at the newsroom both after the 11pm newscast and the Friday morning newscast. . . manning a hotline. . . so they will have firsthand knowledge of any tips that come in. They are working htis very hard. . . and pray that it is the Lord's will that finalizing this is in His plans.

S'te attended the preliminary hearing for Angie's case, the murdering adoptive mother has been bound over for trial. Here is the news article.

We've had some quite busy days just lately. We have been getting ready to get ready to leave for our annual trek across country. We have taken a load of "stuff" to donate, washed houses, cleaned carpet, re-arranged (cleaned out) the shed (again) so we have room to put the outdoor items - and have done most of the last Doctor appointments for the summer and are awaiting the decision on placement of our houseguest. Keith decided that we aren't taking the RV this summer - we will just be driving the van - and this year we will take a different route - after seeing Mom B and April -

We hope to visit Mom B for Mother's Day and then head for April's. From there Keith hasn't "plotted our course". Most of it depends on whether I can see brother Gerald. If allowed to do so - we will probably travel a northern route - of course, that is weather permitting!!! I'd love to see Yellowstone National Park - as far as the WWW news - it's still snowed in - so maybe that won't happen this year.

Our days are in God's hands so we will see what He has in store for us.

Never to young to learn!

P4070390
Originally uploaded by Just Taken Pics

I wanted to share this picture of Jaleel in the kitchen. He isn't even a teen yet (notice the phone?) He has on his Dad's apron and is complete with the smudge on his cheek.

What a guy!!

He really, really enjoy's this. . . .

When the kids were here from Spring Valley, Cavelle's blanket got left behind. . . . . It's a soft fuzzy furry blanket. . . . I've been mailing the momentos that got left behind - on a weekly basis. . . . but this just "hasn't fit" into any of the stuff I've mailed. I give up. . . . cause. . . . Baby really, really likes this blanket. . . . It starts out straight and smooth. . . then, he will snuggle up into it. . . . pull it all close to his head and rub his hands on it. . then rub his cheek on it until he gets everything wadded up like he wants it. . . . . rub his nose a few times. . . stroke it a little more . . . . .

And then he goes to sleep. . . .
and sleeps . . . . .

Like a baby!!! hehe

So, Cavelle, it looks like it might be summer before you get your blanket back. Love, Amah

4 Years!!

It doesn't sound like much to you "long timers" -

but we've just celebrated 4 years since that

fatefull, fun trip to Las Vegas.

And they've been 4 very full, very great years too!!

Found

The child that I posted about a while back. . . . She has been found. She is ok. . . and I am sure that family is very relieved. The Lord saw to it that she was kept safe during her absence from the family home. I don't know the details so. . . . just thankfully, she is alive. Thank you Lord.

Just an update

Nothing much has been going on around here - normal round of visits, frustration with lack of coordination with the "system", the love/hate feelings that I keep harbored for the lack of "for the children" that our current systems seem to have.

Other than that - the interviews for the segment on Jeremy have been done. They did S'te's at her home and mine here at our home. I have no clue what she said - and she has no clue of what I said. I really didn't get much said - it was a really bad day for me. I sort of lost it right at the beginning and never found it again. I didn't do a very good job. Jeremy and Gerald have both been on my mind and heavy on my heart lately. I just dropped the box that I had all my "stuff" in and it split wide open - I've been that way for several weeks now. . . but anyway, it's done. Last word was that it would be airing on April 28 out of the Portland KOIN station. I don't know what time or after or during what program. Hopefully, more will follow.

Trying to get into cleaning up and getting ready to head out. This year Keith wants to drive out - take the scenic route - by way of Mom B's and April's. It will be nice to see how Mom B is doing since her surgery. She was blessed with the presence of several family members to make sure her recovery was rapid! And soon she will have a new floor in her other bathroom. It's wonderful to know that she has so many caring people so close when Keith lives so far away. It will be great to see her. And April too. Keith went at Christmas and visited for a week but I haven't seen her or the kids since the Cruise ended last year. I was sorry that they weren't able to come down when S'te and family were here. It would have been a wonderful houseful!!

So, that's the update from the last update. Just being. . . . .

Hurry Home Rod!

Siggie Tag
Originally uploaded by Just Taken Pics

I'm stealing S'te's photo. The family went on a tour before Rod was deployed. Keep them in your prayers. Rod for a safe journey and a timely return home. S'te for stregnth to do all that she does while he is at sea. They are both heros in my eyes!!