Greg Loves Sarah

WOW!! What a week of wilderness wanderings, wonderful wildflowers, wild wriggles, wacky wonderings, worshipful watching, and fabulous fellowship!!! I so enjoyed my visit with Sarah and her family that I’m tempted to go again tomorrow!! Unfortunately, I missed my family greatly, and I am rather overwhelmed with my To-Do list at the moment . . . but that’s beside the point. The point IS to catch you up on the rest of the Perkins-Overby-Butterfield-Bogner Arkansas Adventure!!

On Thursday, we went to Branson, shopped, and then saw “The Promise,”—an incredible musical drama covering Christ’s birth through His resurrection. We loved it! We then saw an Imax film, “Kilimanjaro-To the Roof of Africa” which was also very good. Many thanks go to Neil for his amazing stories of living in South Africa, and for trying to teach me how to talk with a South African accent! Lacka Bru!!

“The Promise”

On Friday, Sarah and I shopped, ate MORE “Cherry Up-Chuck” ice cream (as Chris calls it so delightfully) and POSTED for the first time on our trip! YAY! Chris, Cat, Neil and Kristy came back from canoeing with quite a rosy glow! Hearing about our ice cream, they decided to get some themselves!! Later that night, the Thomas family came by for some good chat time and brownies and EVEN MORE ice cream. It was great to see them again! Though next time Kevin, you might not be so fortunate as to evade the sink sprayer . . . now I have the idea!! :-D

Two Cute Couples, Canoes and Ice Cream

Saturday morning, the Duggar family drove over for lunch. The Duggars have 16 children, (and one on the way) and they are each a TREASURE. It was my first time to formally meet the Duggar family, and I absolutely loved the picnic, hikes, jokes, rides, and sun time that we spent with them! Kristy amazed us all with her ability to learn each of the children’s names within the first 20 minutes…I think I knew them all by the time they left, but I think I’m missing someone now…bother. The youngest Dugger, is a DOLL, and I loved snapping pictures of her sweet smile!!

The Littlest Duggar

Fun times . . .

Sunday was a very sad day indeed. *SNIFF* Despite the fun of the trip, going-home days are “depressing” as Neil said on the drive home. Neil and Kristy kindly gave us two poor “hobo-ettes” a ride home, and we greatly enjoyed the stories, conversations, jokes and games that we swapped on the way! Despite hating to leave the pleasant vacation home of our wonderful hosts, Keith and Watty, I was SO grateful for the blessing of getting to spend time with Sarah and get to see Catherine for the first time since she was expecting!!! (By the way, from all appearances, Little “O” is growing quite well!!

Sunday night, Sarah and I went straight from arriving at her house to a nearby family’s home where we spent the night. Sarah was asked to baby-sit for 6 adorable and energetic children while their parents flew to Guatemala to pick up 4 siblings that they have just adopted! The parents left to catch their Houston flight at 3am, so Sarah and I crashed in triple story bunk beds. (Note to any builders: Don’t build bunk beds 3 inches from the ceiling fan.

This morning, I had the grand experience of watching Sarah herd cattle (I got to pet one calf!), seeing goats at milking, watching a 9-year-old cook fresh eggs (yum!) for 8 people for breakfast, and enjoying seeing Sarah interact with the kiddos. She is GREAT, and so creative! I never before saw 6 kids show such enthusiasm for scrubbing walls!

A Country Morning

Perky-the-Great-Louisiana-Calf-Herder :)

And now for a few of my favorites . . . you can’t ever have too many pictures, can you?

Perks and Malloo

That’s all for now folks! Three cheers and a pet elephant for those who read all the way through this epistle!!