Already, Carolyn has returned to the exercise classes she attended last year at the Westminster Presbyterian Church that are led by instructors from the local YMCA. They are challenging but are helping her build up a bit of strength and muscle since they are aimed toward strength training. The classes meet Monday and Thursday mornings so she can fit in one more before we head off on our trip.
We have taken on the roll of taxi for our granddaughters who attend swim team practice each morning and need someone to get them back home once they've done their couple of hours of laps, sprints and so forth. Last night we attended a swim meet held at their home pool and got to cheer them on as they each swam in five different events. Both are doing very well. Noelle's favorite stroke is freestyle and Rachel's is absolutely outstanding in the backstroke though during the fall and winter season when she swims for the Y she has become especially good at distance freestyle events including the mile. Dan and Jen have taken on a major leadership role with the summer swim team so were extremely busy helping to run the event. Dan was the announcer and Jen was making sure timers and other involved personnel were at their posts and all questions and needs were provided. Afterwards we brought the girls home while they held a meeting of the volunteers to handle concerns like an upcoming family picnic and a make up swim meet.
Noelle doing the breaststroke
Rachel getting ready to jump in for the backstroke event
Abbi was here briefly over the weekend coming home late in the evening on Friday and returning again to Pine Valley where she works on Sunday afternoon. Ken was able to go out with Dan when he picked her up Friday and I got to travel there Sunday with Jen so we could see where she "lives" along with the pool where she lifeguards and the kitchen where she puts in many hours helping with food preparation for the campers. She is LOVING her job and the opportunities it gives her to work with inner city kids who have been blessed with a "scholarship" to come for six days of fun.
A goldfinch has decided that our windshield wiper is a great place to settle. And when he tires of that he likes being on either the side mirrors of the car or the motorhome. He seems to think there is another goldfinch right there that he'd like to interact with so keeps pecking away at the windows and mirrors. It is great fun to just relax inside and watch him. They really are beautiful little birds.
We've been to COSTCO in Cranberry as well as several of the local stores getting items we need either for the trip or everyday living and enjoyed a fun day with the kids checking out the local toy store, movie theater and restaurant they love. There should be many more chances for those interactions as the summer continues in between their activities including camps and mission trips.
It was a thrill to see eleven year old Noelle play the keyboard for worship on Sunday morning. She has alot of musical talent and has already been singing in the adult choir after being invited by the director to join them. She also is taking organ lessons so who knows, we many soon see her helping out in that area as well. Her dad not only preaches but sings bass with the praise group that leads the musical part of worship and mom when she isn't tied up with leading children's worship and Sunday School classes has sung in the choir so she certainly comes from an active musical background. Besides her maternal grandmother is a church organist and her grandfather has led the choir at the churches she where she has played.
Saturday evening we joined a dinner gathering in Dan and Jen's dining room that included a visiting army chaplin and his wife who would then be participating in the church service the following morning as well as a presentation to the congregation following the service. It is fun to be able to meet and interact with people like this and the others involved (there were 13 of us around the table) in the missions of the church in such a relaxed setting.
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