Visitors to the Ozarks

Karis and Olivia David of Annapolis, Maryland, visited My Corner of the Ozarks, on August 8-17.  It was a thrill for Mimi and Papa to host our two oldest grandchildren. 

On Monday morning, all the bags were packed, and Karis and Olivia told Mother, Daddy, and Emily, "Goodbye". 

Olivia said her Daddy told her, "Not to have any fun." 

We called our adventure, Camp David.  Each girl kept a photo album with notes during the time. 

It was a two-day drive in Mimi's Mini-van.  I'm sure those two long days were the hardest part of the trip. 

Watching movies on the portable DVC player helped to pass the time in the van. 

This is Olivia, age 6, (soon to be 7 on Sept. 4).  She started the first grade today and experienced her first earthquake. 

Snacks refreshed all of us. 

 Karis, age 9, is now in 4th grade.  School started today, Tuesday, August 23.  It was also her first earthquake. 

 Some stops were interesting.  Some were necessary. 

We spent the night half way to Mountain View.  The motel pool was a hit, of course.  Both girls are good swimmers and love the water. 

On Wednesday, Aug. 10, Papa had to mow the grass and catch up on some things.  So Mimi took the girls to the Mtn. View pool.  (The Willow Springs "water park" was closed and thus named a "bummer".) 

In the late afternoon we swam in the Jack's Fork at Buck Hollow. 

This is the same spot where all of us played in June 2010.  Karis and Olivia remembered it, but they thought it was more fun when the whole family was there. 

They remembered floating in tubes in the current.  It was fun, but everyone missed the rest of the family (Lance, Grace, Emily, Brad, Faty, Matt, Liz, and Jackson).  Maybe next summer.

 As you might guess, everyone was worn out at the end of each day.  Mimi was Chief Story Reader and Bedtime Singer. 

There were a few "homesickness tears" the first night, less the second night and none thereafter.  (As far as I know.)

 On Thursday Aug. 11, we picked up "New Grandpa", my Dad, and drove to Branson.  Janet and Dwight hosted us in grand style, as they always do.  

 We headed out to Silver Dollar City where Karis and Olivia tried several of the rides, including all the ones that get you wet.  In this photo they are involved in my favorite activity, eating ice cream. 

 I guess the girls made a new friend at Silver Dollar City. 

In the evening Uncle Dwight put Karis and Olivia in Go-Karts at The Track.  That was after he grilled our supper. 

 On Friday morning we visited the Butterfly Palace.  It was a very interesting and educational place.  It was fun for young and old. 

At the Butterfly Palace, visitors can climb a palm tree.  Karis and Olivia were experts at climbing.  They were also much quicker than Janet and Linda (photo not included). 

 Saturday, Aug. 13, was a very busy day.  It started with horseback riding at our friend, Cyndi Summers'.  Our granddaughters were joined by their second cousins, Hattie Mae, Gage, and Brodie.  They are Kent and Donna's grand children (Linda's great niece and nephews). 

 Karis on Bambi. 

Olivia on Bambi.  

All the kids got acquainted with Smokey. 

 Then we visited Twin Pines Nature Center at Winona where they took part in nature crafts and archery. 

 Next we swam in the pool below Rocky Falls in the Mark Twain National Forest, east of Winona. 

Three girls in the far back seat of the van did much giggling and singing.  

 All dressed up for Sunday School the next day. 

Monday was a mostly quiet day, but we did swim in Jack's Fork one more time. 

Then on Tuesday, Aug. 16, we drove to the St. Louis Zoo.  

 We didn't get this close to a real gorilla. 

 Our short visit to the zoo was hot and tiring.  But we made the best of it. 

 On Wednesday, Aug. 17, we had an early breakfast at the airport. 

 Then Papa escorted the girls back to Maryland on Flight #2267. 

After two hours in the air, Camp David was over.  Grace and Emily met us at BWI.  What a busy, fun-filled 10 days.  Karis and Olivia were very glad to see Mom and Emily.  After our plane landed, Olivia told me that she missed Mimi already. 

Our Son Turned 40

 Our son, Lance, turned 40 on June 24th.  Grace, with the help of friends, threw a great party. 

 The brothers, Brad and Matt, surprised Lance by showing up at the birthday party;  Brad from Africa, Matt from Joliet. 

 The special "Over the Hill" cake. 

 Even Emily took part in the pool party. 

The guest of honor provided some of the entertainment over Emily's objections. 

My Mother

My corner of the Ozarks has been a little sad for the last few days. Mom left behind her earthly shell on July 17.


As I said at her funeral, she would not want us to talk about her. She was always content to be in the background. You could say she was "shy". But as Garrison Keillor would put it, she could get up and do what had to be done.




But I would like to tell you a few things about my mother. She was a woman of faith. She had faith in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. She had faith that the resurrection of Christ was just the "firstfruits" of those who sleep and that she too would be resurrected. In life she had that faith. Now she sees clearly.



My mother believed in work. She was always happiest when she had work to do. Work was instituted by God before marriage or the church. She was a worker. She made a quilt for each grandson and for each great-grandchild. Whether it was cooking, cleaning, gardening, canning, quilting, or crocheting, she was always working.





My mother was committed to her husband and her family. We all knew she love us, cared about us, and she was always serving us.

You hardly ever saw Mom without Dad. I watched her watch him when I was a kid. Her love was profound.






Mom was a very sweet lady. But there were some things she hated. For one, she hated sin. I found out how much she hated sin at a very early age. I found out that the consequence of sin was a long walk to the peach tree in the back yard to select my own switch.






I'm so glad she got to know all nine of her great-grandchildren. I'm glad our three sons and their families were able to visit her in June. I'm glad Linda and I moved back to Mtn. View six years ago and were able to see her nearly every day since.






Obituary

Thelma Louise( LeBaron) David departed this life on July 17, 2010, at Mountain View, Missouri. She was a loving wife , mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She loved her family and her Lord. She attended many “ball” games to watch her husband, son, and grandsons.

Thelma was born on January 12, 1928, the daughter of Frank and Myrtle Partney LeBaron at Mountain View. She graduated from Mountain View High School in 1945. She was united in marriage to Eugene David on May 9, 1945, at Salem, Arkansas. To this union were born one son, Larry, and one daughter, Janet.

She is survived by her husband; her children and their spouses (Larry and Linda David of Mountain View, Janet and Dwight Ellett of Branson, Missouri); five grandsons and their spouses (Lance and Grace David of Annapolis, Maryland, Kirk and Jeanine Ellett of O’Fallon, Missouri, Andrew and Betsy Ellett of Ozark, Missouri, Bradley David of Nairobi, Kenya, and Matthew and Elizabeth David of Joliet, Illinois), and nine great-grandchildren (Jacob Ellett, Lexie Ellett, Grayson Ellett, Adelyn Ellett, Marian Ellett, Karis David, Olivia David, Emily David, and Jackson David).

She was preceded in death by her parents, and her three brothers, James, Eugene, and Troy LeBaron.

Thelma was employed for 26 years by the Mountain View- Birch Tree School District where she was a secretary and bookkeeper. Over the years she had previously worked at LeBaron and Sons Dairy, Padgett Hardware, Scott’s Family Shoe Store, and others.

Thelma trusted Jesus Christ as Savior during her teen years. She played the piano at church for many years. She also served the Lord in her church as Church Clerk, Treasurer, Sunday School teacher, and Vacation Bible School teacher.

The family will greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 20, at Yarber Mortuary in Mountain View. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 21, at Little Zion Baptist Church.

Memorial gifts may be given to Little Zion Baptist Church, Mountain View, where Thelma and Gene worshiped and served faithfully for 57 years.

Grandson Jackson Dean David

Jackson Dean David was born March 14 at Oak Lawn, IL to Matt and Liz David. Jackson weighed 8 lbs. 5 oz. and is 21 inches long.

Jackson is Matt & Liz's first child and our fourth grandchild, but our first grandson.






Jackson was due on St. Patrick's Day, but he arrived a few days early.







Matt is a proud papa. Jackson's family lives in Joliet, IL. He will undoubtedly be a fan of the Blackhawks and White Sox, but hopefully he will also be a St. Louis Cardinal fan.










Elizabeth is a wonderful mommy.









Grandchildren are a blessing from the Lord.

Mimi is in "Grandmother Heaven".

Christmas, at last

On Christmas eve, the whole family attended a candlelight service at church. Linda sang in a trio.












On Christmas morning, the excitement mounted.











Emily's first Christmas. Of course, she preferred to eat the paper.














Little girls and dolls.








Happiness is a little girl with a new doll.












Mimi and Papa with three granddaughters plus 2 Christmas dolls.







After a big Christmas dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's (Gene and Thelma), there was singing, gift-giving, reading of memories, and games.








Grandpa (a.k.a. New Grandpa) always entertains.