Softball and Hiking

We are settling in up here at Mom & Pop’s little piece of Heaven. Tuesday after we had eaten some excellent baby back ribs it was time for Mom’s softball practice. Gina and I were just going to watch her and somehow I was asked to practice with them. Before the end I was asked to play with them. They have a game tomorrow night. The whole time we were at home Mom was trying to get Gina to play with her once she got up here and somehow it was I who got recruited not Gina. We’ll just have to see if they still want me to play after they see me play in a game. Wednesday found us up early to take a hike with Mom & Pop’s. My eyes were still really dry so Gina went with them while I worked on writing a blog entry. 1500 miles in two days took its toll on my eyes. They are extremely dry but a couple of days of eye drops should fix them. After Gina got back from hiking all I heard was how beautiful the scenery was. After breakfast Gina cut Pop's hair. He like his last haircut so much that he waited for our return for his next one.

Gina having fun cutting Pop's hair


Pop's smile must mean he likes his hair cut

Later that evening we headed out to the baseball field for a game. Mom pitched and I played first base.

Mom and I after warming up


Mom pitching while I'm playing first base


That would be a base hit (I had three of them)


Mom also got that base hit

I had a lot of fun and I must have done all right since they asked me to come back next week. Mom and Pop said that this was the closest game yet since we only lost by one run. Maybe next week we’ll be better. Mom got hit in the leg but she still continued to pitch. She said it looked worse than it felt.

By Thursday morning her leg was blue from her knee to her ankle

Thursday found us waking up at 7:30 when Mom & Pop were knocking on our door ready to go hiking. We through on our clothes and headed out for a hike in Custer State Park. We did the same hike that they took Gina on yesterday. I must agree with Gina that the scenery is beautiful.

The view overlooking Stockade Lake


Mom & Gina posing


A nice reflection on the lake

Friday found us taking another hike in Custer State Park. However, this one was through the woods and over rocks with some pretty steep inclines. Again the scenery was beautiful.

A fast moving creek


Pop's telling Gina that the rest was all down hill


This was a steep decent even though the picture doesn't show it


Gina was quite happy she made it and back down the trail


I had to include this tree growing out of a rock
(there is no dirt around this tree)

After we ate a brunch we started laying out some dimensions inside their pole barn to see if the floor plan was going to work for Mom and Pop’s. I believe we have all of the dimensions now plus or minus a few inches. Now I need to capture them on paper. I believe Gina is getting a cold so she loaded up on some medicine and hopefully she’ll feel better in the morning.

Gina & I hope everyone has a pleasant and wonderful day, enjoying what our Father has so graciously blessed us with.

Our Journey To South Dakota

First things first, we made it to Mom and Pop’s little piece of Heaven in South Dakota. We drove a little over 1500 miles in two days. However, the reunion was well worth it. We have missed them so much these past five weeks. One of the first things after our hugs was to give Pop's his birthday presents. The first present is a poem titled "A Letter From Heaven" and the other present is a cross made from old barbed wire.

Happy Birthday Pop's glad we're here with you to celebrate!!

Gina has worked in her garden non stop placing all of the rocks she found in Arizona while my dad and I worked on building a rack to attach to the back of our fifth wheel that would carry our new Polaris Sportsman 500 four wheeler. Here are a few pictures of Gina's rocks displayed and me working on the four wheeler rack. If you would like to see more click on this link and it will take you to our online photo album. June photo album

Getting it ready for painting


The finished product

We departed our house in Louisiana on Friday June 25th heading for Natchez Mississippi. Our nephew, Rickey Craig was getting married at Monmouth Plantation on Saturday night. The wedding was beautiful and we wish Rickey Craig and Lacey the very best as they begin their new life together as husband and wife.

Mr. & Mrs. Rickey Craig Noland

We left the campground in Vidalia, Louisiana around noon heading for South Dakota. We stopped just north of Oklahoma City at a truck stop due to a severe thunderstorm and the rain was so heavy that I could not see. We turned on the air conditioner and called it a night. We were back moving at five o’clock Monday morning. We stopped at the Wal-mart in Chadron, Nebraska around 9:30, which put us about 87 miles from Custer, South Dakota. We woke up Tuesday morning full of excitement. We called Mom & Pop’s to let them know we were on our way. When we were about 20 miles south of Custer we tried to call Mom but didn’t have service on our cell phone. We were not too concerned since I knew about where Mom & Pop’s place was located and Gina was so excited and consumed in seeing all of the buffaloes. As we were leaving Wind Cave National Park we saw Mom & Pop’s sitting on the side of the road ready to escort us into Custer.

Gina's first buffalo sighting


After 1,500 miles it was nice to have Mom & Pop's escorting us the final few miles

Please read Mike and Pat's blog since they did such a great job capturing our arrival and reunion. It is so awesome to finally be back together. God has so richly blessed us by placing them in our lives. As Pop's said, "its a relationship made in Heaven". In closing, all the Praise and Glory goes to Our Father for Mom & Pop's and our safe journey here.


Gina & I hope everyone has a pleasant and wonderful day, enjoying what our Father has so graciously blessed us with.