Sunday at The Dallas Arboretum

   Summer and I started our day with an early morning run to Starbucks while still wearing our pajamas! We didn't go in, though! Did the Drive Thru!

We were ready and waiting for Sabrina and Rayne to pick us up.

Just FYI - Sabrina and Rayne are staying with her mom since they evacuated from Puerto Rico while Summer has her small suite in the home of  Sabrina's lovely Aunt Sherry. Both live in Rowlett.

I was looking forward to giving Rayne a tin of pumpkin muffins!

She loves them so! 

She had one from Starbucks recently and when she tasted it, she said, "Well, it's not like the ones Bella makes!"

That smile was all I needed to make me want to bake up another batch and put them in the freezer so I will have them ready to give the next time I see her!

Rayne and her two sweet friends from her old neighborhood are smiling behind us....

We were a happy lot!

Sabrina's son and his girlfriend rounded out the group.

It was a beautiful day to be at the Arboretum!

Rayne Roo!!!

Summer and I were the slower of the group and paced ourselves by stopping at just about every shaded bench we spotted.

The flowers were gorgeous!

Most of these photos are compliments of Summer and Sabrina.

Sabrina has a brand new iPhone (her other one was a casualty of Hurricane Maria) and it has a portrait setting that blurs the background. SO pretty!

You can tell that these are from my camera!

But I love the subjects!

It was good to see Rayne and Mummers having fun together.

Kids don't stay little long.

Having young people with us worked out so nicely.

The girls and Rayne had a lot of energy....and Casey and Mary Ann are young enough to keep up with them all and Sabrina nearly always runs circles around everybody else.

The Gardens have misters in several places and they made these cobwebs look like works of art.....

as they are! Notice the hole in each one.

Is that where the spider is lying in wait?

Whiterock Lake and the Dallas skyline behind this area where we ate lunch.

After experiencing the trauma of the hurricanes, the Arboretum provided the healing only nature can give. The trees in PR are most all stripped of their leaves - but they are growing back.

It did them good to see the splendor of fall.....they don't have autumn like this there.

The day went so well. Summer paced herself. Alas, just as we were about to head towards the exit....

her body simply stopped her in her tracks.

From my Facebook post this evening....

We all had such a good day at the Arboretum.....until we were heading toward the exit when Summer's body just gave out on her and she could not take one more step due to the excruciating pain. We had to get a tram to take her all the way out of the gardens and right to the car where Casey helped her off the tram and into the front seat. We got her back to her house and put her to bed and gave her medicine. When I left Sabrina  was still with her and the meds had kicked in and she was calmer. Please say a prayer for my daughter. She is figuring out her limitations and trying to make allowances for them but this Fibromyalgia has a mind of its own and can stop and drop her in her tracks with little to no warning.
However, though the day ended in great pain for her.....she did get to live Life and that's very important to her.

I am home and just spoke to Summer on the phone.

She slept for a few hours and the pain has backed off some.

We still have a lot to learn about this Fibromyalgia......but Summer is going to do what it takes to figure out how to deal with it. So many have shared tips and advice and personal experiences.

I actually read all the ones I have received by blog comments or personal messages to her last night.

It helps to know that there is hope.

Thank you for giving that to her.