Praying at Dinnertime

At dinner, when we pray, Royanne always
points to whom she wants to go first.
Sometimes she will add comments or
request clarification to our portions
of prayer.

And, almost every night, she
prays for Aubrey's daddy's back.
It is so cute!
When Jeff said hello to her at church,
she shrunk back like she didn't know
him, but she does, because she
prays for him.
So, so sweet.

Hole in One Tongue

Last night,
I had already given Royanne her cereal.
She's a cereal lover, and sometimes eats it
at night instead of leftovers.

I bit my tongue, eating my
salad and salmon. Royanne was in the
living room, watching TV and came
running when I yelped. It bled
and bled and BLED!

Later, after I cleaned up the kitchen, I
showed her the hole in my tongue. It
is really big!

She held up her forefinger and said,
"Be right back!" She ran
around the corner to the dining room,
and I could hear her saying,
"Jesus, God....my momma bit her
tongue, real bad, and it hurts
real bad. Please make it all
better."
And then she popped back around
the corner.

How touching is that?

ROYANNE!!

That's what I said. What I yelled.

I had started the bath for her. I told her I'd be
right back, that I was going to the kitchen
for a second.
I got the expensive shampoo and conditioner
and "hid" it in the sink. I took it down
from its high hiding place on the back of
the door....in my makeshift sorter (a plain
plastic over-the-door shoe organizer).
I placed it there so it'd be handy.
I didn't think she was paying me any attention.
I poured some bubble bath in the tub,
under the running water.

Then I went to the kitchen for a second.
Then I decided to feed Pokey.

When I came back, the tub held the contents of
both the shampoo and the conditioner.
oh, THE BUBBLES!!!
That's when I said, "ROYANNE!!"

And that's when she broke down and sobbed
because I normally don't raise my voice.
She cried, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to; it was an
accident! Pleeeeeeease forgive me!"

After a few deep ones, I did.

We hugged.
I said, "I forgive you. I'm disappointed,
but I forgive you."

I wonder what was on her mind?

Make Up

There's really not much to it, but she got sneaky
and went in my bathroom and got my make-up.
I'm not much for make-up.

I love it when I can ZOOM and take some
pictures without her knowing.

CAUGHT!

Messy!

Her face when told to stop with the
make-up.

Hair glue.

Make up on her shoulder.

New Marky Board

Royanne loves her new board. Here you can see
where she drew a picture of me.

Notice how my arms and legs come right
out of my head!

Exotic Resort

Most of these animals are on the endangered list.
Many of them are from Africa and India.

One of the many kinds of dear took a
liking to Abby's shirt and started chewing
on it with grass in its mouth...
and left a big green stain!

The petting zoo portion was really big,
and they milled around us. For "wild" animals,
they are tame and will eat from your hand. Most
were born on the property.

She said, "Not again!"
The first time was funny, but not the second.

Bambi?

Baby!

Thief!

The antlers were furry, like velvet.
Pretty cool!

Here you see the Llamas running for the
food they know the visitors will be throwing
over the side. Buckets of food were $6.
We ran out before the end of the tour.
Oh, well!

Feed me!

Very tame, see?

They were so sad to see the meal train take off!

I call this one BUCKY!
It wasn't Bucky, but one of the Llamas spit
on my mother and it stunk BAD!

The camel's name is Goober. For real.

He's huge! And very lovable !!

Will dance for food!

Staying cool.

Here two are fighting, antler to antler....probably
fighting over a woman!

Goober racing back to the tractor pulled
train as it turns a circle
and makes its way back to the station.

The beast weighed 2500 pounds!
Tame as a big old friendly dog.....

....complete with a black tongue.

Resting in the shade.

Eating the food tossed from the train.

More, please!

Goober following the train. He is fifty
years old.

Here he is going to the woods for some solitude.
The zebras make him nervous.

Later that night we ate at Souper!Salad!
and Liam turned his shirt around backwards
and was shaking his hands in the air, acting
crazy as usual, when he banged his fingers on
the table top. He yelped and people turned to
stare, thinking we were breaking his arm or
something. Why, you ask, was Liam wearing a
long sleeved shirt when it was 103 outside? He is
always cold! WOW! He's lucky!

Tired (and grouchy) travelers.
The funniest part of the day?:
They wanted to spend the night at a hotel
so bad! Mom thought, sure why not?
Johnson City isn't far enough away
to need to spend the night, so we spent the
night at a LaQuinta right near where I live.
Abby, who can read street signs, was asleep
when we arrived, so they never knew.
Cool trick!!

When I First Held You

When I first held you,
the wonder of your arrival
filled me with awe.

You were -- and are --
such a miracle to me!
I had such high hopes
and fervent prayers for you,
and I still do.

You teach me something
every day,
and you remind me that
prayers and hopes
are often surpassed.

I am so thankful
to be your parent --
and I'm blessed
to have a
child
like
you.


-Dena Dyer

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far, Afterall....

Our A/C's been out since Saturday when we returned
from a go-and-come-right-back-trip to Ft. Worth.
As a result, I have been agitated due to the 89
degree temp in the house.
I found myself fussing at Royanne, inquiring why
her attention span is so short, why she jumps from
activity to activity,
toy to toy,
room to room,
project to project.....
never finishing A THING!
ALWAYS leaving a grand mess
in her wake......

As I stomped off (in my mind),
I took ice from the freezer for my
breakfast shake;
went to the washer to start a load;
went to gather more towels;
found my shoes in the hallway
and put them on;
gathered the towels;
stopped to clean the toilet;
stopped again to sift the cat's litter box;
picked the towels back up;
dropped them on the kitchen floor;
made my breakfast smoothie;
fed the dog;
tossed some junk mail;
added to towels to the machine,
along with the soap....

Then I realized I can't complete one thing
before starting another one, either!