Rick and Leslie

This blog was created to share thoughts and events with family and friends.

Name:
Location: Bartlett, Tennessee, United States

We were married on Aug. 17, 1974. We attend Sycamore View Church of Christin Memphis, TN. We have 2 children, rather 4 now that they are married. At this time we have one precious grandson.

Saturday, August 26, 2006

Time Flies

What a wonderful 32nd Anniversary dinner we had on the 17th. Rick surprised me with dinner at The Melting Pot. The whole meal was wonderful and we both thought they might have to roll us out to our car we were so full.=-)
The next day after working a full day of school we drove to Montgomery, AL to help finalize Brett, April and Caden's move to France and Togo.
The Grace Pointe Church( their sponsoring congregation)had a send off parting on Saturday night. My Mom and Dad came from Texas, and Rick's sister Beverly and her husband David came as well to represent both sides of our families. The food was great, the music wonderful ( they had a group from another congregation in town to come play and sing), and the fellowship was such a blessing. The Miller family, part of the Togo team, was there as well as several of Brett and April's friends from college.
Sunday was a very spirit filled and emotional day! The whole service was centered on blessing the Emersons as they prepared to leave. This was the last time they would all worship together until April of 2007 for Mission Weekend. The elders prayed over them, a send off song was done for little Caden by all the children, Matt Miller and Brett served EVERYONE communion that morning, to represent an attitude of servanthood. It was one of the most powerful communion services I have ever experienced. Several sweet comments were made and the singing was fabulous. I know we have a great group of singers at SV, but this Sunday it was as if the heavens had opened up. I don't think there was a dry eye in the place that morning! The also introduced the whole mission committee and told what their area of commitment was to help so if anyone had questions or wanted to help they would know who to contact. It was great. I have NEVER seen a church family send off a mission family with so much love and commitment. Grace- Pointe Church has certainly set a wonderful example for the rest of us!!
Our family and all the Emerson side of the family all had lunch together at McDonald's. I know it would not have been my choice either , but there were 28 of us including 7 small children so it was a matter of self preservation as far as controlling that many little ones and trying to feed that many at one time. We just took over the play area, so it worked out fine.
On Monday I got to take care of little Caden ALL DAY LONG, what a blessing!!!!!
He did great and Dad and I had so much fun!!! The afternoon was a little rough for Caden as I think he was beginning to miss mom and dad. (specially mom as he is still nursing) I got him to sleep twice and he woke up as I laid him down, so we gave up on the nap and had a snack instead. He did great the rest of the day. That evening he started to get a little fussy as he was really tired. I did his bed time routine as I had seen his parents do and before I got him to the top of the stairs he was out for the night( or at least until 10:30 when he woke him mom up to nurse. It was great fun and I'm so glad I got to enjoy him as long as I did.
We stayed with the White family while we were in Montgomery. Dr. White is Caden's doctor. We enjoyed both Dr. Allen and Diana so much and hope they will come to Memphis and stay with us sometime soon. Rick kept asking me "that since we were staying at the "White house" what was the name of the bedroom we slept in?" He knew it wasn't "The Lincoln"... I know, that's bad, but I had to include it =-)
The trip to the airport was a fast one,( we drove to Huntsville Airport) had lunch together and stayed to watch them go through security. They were blessed as the authorities opened up a new line as they got to a certain point so they didn't have to wait long at all. As we got ready to leave after waving goodbye for the last time we looked at the end of the line as it was 3 times as long as it had been so the kids really were blessed with good timing in regards to security lines in airports.
We had a nice drive back to Memphis that night and I went back to work the next morning. The kids arrived safely and Caden did well as is slowly adjusting to the time change. I talked with April on Saturday. (Dad got to talk to her on Thursday)
She sounded happy and I could hear Caden talking in the stairwell where the phone was as he enjoyed hearing his voice echo.
My this post was a long one, I hope you are all still awake!!
I won't write so much next time.
Blessings to all.

Saturday, August 12, 2006

Anniversary Soon To Arrive

Our 32nd Anniversary will be on Thursday(17th) of this week. Rick has something planned as a surprise and has already reminded me about it 4 times this past week.
=-) I know part of it is going out to dinner, but I haven't been told where. We leave Friday after I get out of school to go to Montgomery to say our goodbyes to Brett, April and Caden as they prepare to go to France for language school for 3 months then on to Togo, West Africa for 5(+)years. Please pray for their safety while flying and while in both countries.
The Emersons will be celebrating their 5th Anniversary(Sep 1) while in France. Our son Allen and his sweet wife Sarah will celebrate their 5th Anniversary the day after ours on the 18th of this month. 2001 was a busy year for weddings in our family as well as celebrating my parent's 50th Anniversary that March.
I am hoping, some year after the Emersons return to the US, that we might all take a trip together to celebrate our anniversaries together.

Saturday, August 05, 2006

No Caden is not really driving

Trip to Texas

I know I have not written about my trip to Texas, but it seems like life has been in overdrive since I returned home.
April, Brett, Caden and I had a great time in Texas.
On the way down to Arlington when we stopped for gas, Brett got Caden out of his car seat to let him get some exercise. While I was holding him in the driver seat Caden became very interested in the steering wheel. I put his feet on the bottom of the wheel and his hands on the top. He thought it was great fun to "ride " the steering wheel when I moved it back and forth with him on it. In the pictures Brett took, it looks like Caden is driving, but Caden will have to wait a few years before Nanna really lets him take the wheel.
Caden also thought it was great fun to bang his head on the windshield while standing on the steering wheel. I'm not sure who was laughing more, Caden or Nanna and Daddy. =-)