Xanga

 

 

This Is One of My Favorite Things to Do!

Today we are leaving Pennsylvania with a new TFC chapel to be delivered to Pilot Travel Center, East St. Louis, IL

Our alarm went off at 3:00 AM, we were out of the house by 4:00 AM…

 

…and leaving the International Office at 5:00 AM.

 

 

The bottom bunk was Hezekiah’s “perch” for the day.

 

 

Cerwin was in the driver’s seat.

 

And I kept the passenger seat warm.  Notice my “office” on the dash – starting with computer hookup on the left, coffee cup, pens, and phone.

Since we were heading west, we had to look in rearview mirrows to see the sunrise.

 

It was a beautiful day for driving, with the exception of a short rain shower in western Pennsylvania.

 

 

Hezekiah occupied some of his time trying to see how many license plates he could find.  By the end of the day he had 21 states and 2 provinces.

 

 

Cerwin thought we would be early enough to find a parking space at the Flying J near Indianapolis, however there were only a few left – and those were a tight fit.

 

We had a wonderful evening with friends from the area, and are now experiencing our first night of sleeping in a truck.  Cerwin and I are sharing the bottom bunk!

 

 

 

 

Wrapping Up Truck Rally

A few signs that this was attended by Christian drivers.

 

 

 

 

 

~~~

 

The Benefit Auction

 

 

Chaplains Sam Houchins and David Weaver manned the returned sale tickets.

 

Angie Moses (TFC Donor Relations) and Margaret Houchins (Chaplain Sam’s wife) gave out auction numbers.

 

Children’s Auction

 

John Stauffer, auctioneer, did a great job of involving the children.

 

 

Back at the main auction, Donald Groff was selling Winross and collectable trucks.

 

~~~

 

Children’s Activities

 

Theda and Nevin Ebersole gave train rides.

 

Pedal tractor course for small children

 

Garden Tractor Competition Course

 

Weighted Pedal Pull

 

Big Bright Bounces Obstacle Course was a hit with all ages.

 

 

 

Clowns made everyone smile

 

A game where wet sponges were the weapon of choice!

 

~~~

 

Barbecue Supper

 

1100 people got their food in twenty minutes.

 

 

~~~

 

Evening Program

 

A TFC favorite, Donna Godshall opened the gospel concert.

 

 

Trophies and Awards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kevin Spencer and Friends and his parents JB and Barbara Spencer closed the program with fabulous, inspirational music.

 

~~~

 

The Show of Lights was new, but I am sure it will be repeated next year.

 

 

Best of Show – Daytime and Nightime!

 

John and Karen Rissler’s rig is beautiful anytime of day!

 

Their Best of Show trophy in a truck window.

 

 

 

 

 

 

~~~

 

Sunday Morning Rally Celebration

 

Donna Godshall was back and blessed the audience with song and testimony.

 

 

Our granddaughters, Diana and Jana enjoyed collecting meal tickets.

 

Country Home Catering never disappoints the Sunday lunch crowd.

 

 

Dessert is a wonderful close to the Rally weekend.

 

 

The wrap up meeting that followed revealed another successful Rally.

Praise and Honor to the Lord

 

 

 

Back to the Truck Rally

Remember when Bethel Truck Service laid a truck over the night before the Rally?

 

As soon as the parade was over, the first responders demonstrated how a person is rescued from a car in this type of accident. 

 

It was interesting and drew quite a crowd.

 

 

As soon as the person (dummy) was rescued, Bethel Truck Service uprighted the rig.

 

First, by using a small air bag

 

Then larger bags.

 

Scott Bross made sure everything went smoothly.

 

 

 

There it goes – back on all wheels.

 

The crowd soon moved on to enjoy other Truck Rally activities.

 

 

 

 

Jesse’s Hospital Picture

 

I just got this off the internet, and think it is an unusually good hospital picture.  

 

 

 

Visiting Jesse

After church we took Jere and Kristen’s four oldest children and our two visiting Maine grandchildren to McDonalds for lunch, then to the hospital to see baby Jesse.

 

Jere and Kristen’s first picture as a family of seven.

 

Four Brothers

Jesse, Jared, Josh, and Ian

 

Big sister Jana loved her first moments with him.

 

It’s little brothers’ turn

 

 

A baby grandchild in my arms feels so good again.

 

Oh, my ~ he has good lungs!

 

I think I’m in love.

 

Cousin Abigail (nanny for the summer) gets her turn.

 

 

Hezekiah (Abigail’s brother) presents his gift to Aunt Kristen.  He purchased it at last week’s Truck Rally benefit auction.

 

 

Jared and Daddy

 

Grandpa and his three youngest grandsons.

 

Cousins

Hezekiah gets his first closeup look at cousin Jesse

 

Someone made a tornado out of the curtain.

 

Of course it was Jared

 

Jere explaining his hospital band to Ian

 

Cute presents on the shelf above Kristen’s bed

 

After being passed from one person to another, his blanket needed redone.

 

Jesse was not amused.

 

Angie (and Darvin – not pictured) one of Kristen’s best friends stopped in as we were ready to leave.

 

Big sister Jana did not want to go home, but her parents assured her that she will get plenty of time with him in a few days.

 

We convinced the little boys to hold hands when we were walking toward the car – hoping it would slow them down.  It didn’t work. 

~~~

Our hearts are filled with praise to God for giving Jesse to our family and for his safe delivery.

~~~

  

 

Jesse Reid

Our son, Jere, sent this email photo to us at 11:00 PM last night.

I can’t wait to meet Jesse today.

 

 

Our Grandbaby is Here!

Those who have been following our baby saga, know that our daughter-in-law, Kristen has been in the hospital for the past four weeks with severe hip pain.

During those weeks, tests continued to reveal that his lungs were not mature enough for birth.  This week it was determined that doctors would perform a c-section on Friday, July 6. however, she went into labor, and the doctors did not want that to happen – so a c-section birth happened this evening at 6:30.

Jesse Reid weighed 9 lbs. 12 oz.

(And he is three weeks early!  His big brother, Josh, weighed 11 lbs. at birth.)

There will be pictures tomorrow.

~~~

 This is grandchild #17

We have one (Elijah) waiting for us in Heaven.

Here on earth we have 8 grandsons and 8 granddaughters.

 

 

 

A New Bow and More Truck Rally Pictures 

Just before the Rally, our grandson, Hezekiah, who is staying with us for the summer, received a new horse bow – mailed by his parents in Maine.

Mark and Diane – these photos are especially for you.

 

He was anxious to check it out.

 

 

 

 

 

 After looking at these pictures, I realized that I didn’t take any pictures of the target.  He did quite well.

 

 Making sure he retreived all his arrows.

 

~~~

 

The Parade of Trucks Returns

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several had trouble making the turn into the Expo Center.  Nelson Martin (Coordinator of the Parade) helped make it easier by turning the stop sign!

 

 

 

 

Now that’s a shiny bumper! 

I can see our son’s truck in the reflection.

 

 

 

Don’t you wonder how I get these shots?

 

Now you know! 

Thanks to Inge Koenig

 

 

 

Hey, there’s my niece, Kate! 

Her boyfriend, Vince Weaver drove one of their company’s trucks, while she and two of his nephews went along for the ride.

 

 

 

 

 

2006 Best of Show – owned by Glenn Myer Ontario, Canada.

 

 

I got so many great pictures ~ but I’ve already bored my non-trucker friends ~ so if you were at the Rally and are looking for a photo of your truck, and didn’t see it, let me know.  I will try to locate it.

 

 

 

 

Baseball & More Truck Rally

Tonight we went to watch White Oak Red ~ especially #9 ~ our oldest Pennsylvania grandchild, Jordan, play ball.

Enjoy the Game

 

I love this picture of the ball just above Jordan’s glove.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We won!  WO Red 7 – Salem 2

 

 

~~~

 

Back to the Truck Rally

While trucks continued to arrive all morning

229 of them

things were happening inside.

 

Theme baskets and other items were accumulating for the benefit auction.

 

Our son Jere and Chaplain Jeff DeShaw were organizing 102 Winross and collectable trucks.  (A few more arrived after the list was compiled – I did not hear the final count.)

 

Vendors were setting up in West Hall

~~~

At 11:00 AM – Very Prompt!

It Was Time for the Parade of Trucks!

Since I posted many of the trucks arriving, I will enter only  a few of the hundreds I took while trucks left the fairgrounds to make the eight-mile trip through beautiful Lebanon County countryside.

 

The chapel was the first to leave.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One hour and a few minutes later – this pickup and clowns signaled the end of the parade.

 

 

 

 

No Baby Today

Doctors say his lungs are still not mature enough for breathing air.

Maybe next week.

We are disappointed ~ but know God’s timing is always best.

 ~~~

UPDATE at 1:00 PM

Jere just called to say the doctors have set the date of July 6 – next Friday – as delivery day!

We will be in East St Louis setting up the new chapel.  Oh, well, we will get to see him when we get home a day or two later.