A Visit with the Sisters

It has been beautiful weather here. Temperatures are in the 70-80 range and the trees are dressed in various shades of autumn colors. The good weather lasted all week so Chuck started a big project earlier in the week. Our deck has a pergola but some of the boards are broken, so he decided to take down the top part and replace the old lattice work.

Chuck taking down lattice on pergola

Quite a job. Andrew came over and helped him some. Then it was on to the power washing and cleaning the deck. The next step is to paint it all.

Andrew helping Grandpa clean up

Chuck washing the deck

On Sunday morning we got up bright and early (4:30 AM) to get ready for a trip to West Branch to visit the Free Methodist church there. Our friends the Lees came with us as they had served as pastor at West Branch and it is Chuck's home church. We had a good trip up and then attended the service. It was good to see some old friends. We met Allene there and then after the service we went back to her house where Betty met us and we all got in our van for the trip back to our house in Jackson. On the way we stopped at Cracker Barrel to eat and arrived back home early enough to give them a tour of our house and play a few games of 5 straight.

At Cracker Barrel with the Lees and the Sisters
Clockwise, Betty Bennett, Chuck, Elden Lee, Linda Lee, Allene Clayton

Playing 5 Straight with Allene and Betty

On Monday we got up to the smell of bacon frying and Chuck cooked us breakfast. After that we went to the mall to do a little shopping at the Bon Worth Store, a clothing store the sisters like. Around 1:30 we felt hungry again so we stopped at Finleys, close by, and had lunch. From there we went out to Spring Arbor to tour the church and campus at SAU. Betty had not seen our church, where we attend, or the SA campus and it had been a long time since Allene had seen the campus or church. We stopped to see Sam at his office and say hi and then walked through the halls, rooms and sanctuary. Our Pastor, Mark Van Valin, was in his office so we stopped to stay hello to him and introduce the sisters to him.

Spring Arbor Free Methodist Church

We drove around some of the SAU campus noting the clock tower and some of the newer dorms and buildings.

Science Center and Clock Tower

Welcome Center and Administration Building where Carrie worked

Chuck took them over to the new soccer field that was dedicated during homecoming week-end. We tried to tell the sisters about what campus was like when we attended and how it has grown and changed since 1965 when we graduated. Allene's daughter, Marsha, attended there too, and after she married they lived on Star St. so we drove over there to see her old house. We also saw where Carrie, Allene's granddaughter, worked.

Marsha and Chuck's House they lived in when attending SAU

119 Star

Then we stopped over at the Physical plant where the buses are parked and where maintenance is done. Chuck showed them the  Cougar bus he drives for Spring Arbor University.

The Cougar bus Chuck drives for SAU to take sports groups to their games

Before leaving the campus we stopped to see an old friend of the family, Angus McLaughlin, who is now in assisted living and is 99 yrs. old. He used to be pastor at the West Branch and Allene wanted to see him. He was so glad to see her.

Allene with Pastor "Mac"

Cyndi and Nate's house is coming along good and dry wall is in and the kitchen cabinets were delivered over the week end. So we stopped by to see the progress.

Cyndi and Nate are having a new house built and we stopped to see it.

Our tummies were getting a little hungry so we headed home for a little snack and rest before our girls brought their family to see the sisters. We started a fire on the deck in the fire pit and when they all came we had hot drinks with cookies and sweet bread. The kids even roasted marshmallows. What fun.

Sitting by the fire chatting with the sisters.

Roasting Marshmallows on our deck

Andrew and Ava  with Grandpa

After they all left we still had a little energy left to play another 4 games of 5 straight. The yellow team broke the tie and won for the evening. I bet you can guess who is on the YELLOW TEAM!

Allene placing her yellow peg and the yellow team wins

It has been such a fun time getting together with family and enjoying all the stories, drinking hot tea and cocoa and watching the grandkids with their aunts.
Just before we left we had lunch at the Parlour, one of Jackson's favorite and oldest places to visit. It is a dairy/restaurant. We had a sandwich and dessert. We all ordered junior sundaes, but it was still large portions.

Chuck and Betty and Allene at the Parlour

Junior Hot Fudge Sundae with nuts

Oh, I almost forgot, Chuck decided to take the girls for a ride in the yellow car one day.

Betty and Allene in the yellow Mustang

Chuck offered to let one of them drive and Betty took him up on it. Here she is pulling out of the driveway. Chuck even had hats for them to wear to keep their hair from getting wind blown. 

Betty driving the Mustang. Chuck is the backseat driver.

Betty driving

Tuesday found us heading north toward West Branch again. We met Betty's son Bob and his wife Gail at Burch Run where they picked up the girls to take them the rest of the way home.

Allene and Betty riding with us in the van

Our drive was so enjoyable, on the back,  as we viewed the handiwork of God displayed in so many lovely fall colors. We are so thankful for our family and the blessings we enjoy. Some days are not the easiest and we have some burdens to bare, but God meets all our needs and we see His miracles again and again.  Through the years we have seen how He puts things back together again when they break apart and we are depending on Him to continue to do that work. Some of our churches have suffered great loss and some of our families are facing heart aches. As we trust God and pray I know we will see more to praise Him for.