Old Friends

I got a package in the mail yesterday.  It was from some old friends.   Such a sweet surprise.
We got to visit with them last month....prior to that, I think it was Marie and Himilce's baby Shower that we last saw them... was that almost  2 years ago? Time sure flies.

Art and Barbara are old friends whom we met almost 30 years ago when we moved in next door to them.They love the Lord, and what  touched us about them when we met, was that they would talk about the Lord and how He blessed them in almost every conversation.  It bonded us to them.  We all became very close.  They were like family to our kids, and I think we to theirs.  Our kids were babies at the time, and theirs teenagers.   We were in and out of each others'  houses all the time.  Barbara was/is a great cook and homemaker.  She always set the prettiest tables and to this very day I think of Barbara when ever I am setting the table.  I love to make it pretty the way she does.  I love to use pretty china and lovely centerpieces and my Mom's beautiful silverware, because of Barbara.  Art used to make us laugh with his booming voice and hilarious stories about hunting and fishing and horses and well... you name it, Art could tell a hilarious story about it.  We used to go out to the desert and have cookouts together (we lived in Arizona then, where they still live today).    For many years we spent our Thanksgivings together, and I miss those days very much.  I miss living next door to them.  They are very special friends.  Their 4 children also are blessings (grown now of course), and their grand children are all scrumpscious.  We get to see 10 of those grandchildren (theschefflers.com) on occasion because they live only a little over an hour from us....  they are all such treasures and every time I see them I am blessed.

Art celebrated his 70th birthday this year, and we were the happy participants of a wonderful family birthday party at his daughter Shari's and Son in law Bob's house last month.  What a great time we had... they even included me in the birthday celebration  (Art and I are 1 day and 20 years apart and have often celebrated together ....  with a little math you can figure what that makes me... a half a century now, along with my hubby :) ).

Love you Art and Barbara.  Thanks for the sweet box and the happy memories, they are treasures to me.

Much Love,

Pam

Art took this picture of Steve and I;  Barbara sent it to us in our little package.... It turned out pretty sweet, so thought I would post this one.  The one on top is a picture of Art (in the middle) and Barbara on the right, with 10 of  their grandkids at Art's 70'th.  It was taken with my phone, and I didn't have my settings right, so it didn't come out as clear as I would have liked, but well, what the heck... everyone looks so cute don't they?