Fort Worth Family Day and a Visit With Lillian....

 By the time I heard my phone ring this morning, they had already hung up.

I sleep with earplugs, the ceiling fan on high, the AC on AND the sound machine on Ocean setting and loud. It's a wonder I heard the phone at all.

It was Lillian and when I called her back, she sounded very confused. I told her I was coming to visit her this afternoon and she said I couldn't. I asky why and she said, "I'm in Texas!" I told her, "So am I!"

I told her I was baking her favorite Pistachio Crack Cake and would pick up some Cream Sodas.....would she like Braum's hamburgers or pizza?  To that her voice was firm and strong and she said, "Pizza!"

I plan my month out in advance and today - September 9th - has been on the calendar since August.

I went straight to the kitchen once we had hung up and started the cake - making it cupcakes for ease in transporting and serving.

I had lots of goodie bags to deliver to Fort Worth.

The Texas Trash was going to my sister, Deanie and the rest divided between my sisters, brother, Lillian and Sheryl, Nita's next door neighbor.

Louis Dean went with me today and we left the house right at 1:30 and stopped at Kroger to get Lillian 4  of the 2 liter bottles of A&W Cream Soda and 4 of Dr Pepper with cream soda.

We drove to Fort Worth and picked up 3 pepperoni pizzas on the way to the nursing home.

We checked in at the front desk and had our temperature taken. I sat the box of pizzas down and the lady laughingly asked, "For US???" I said, "One is!" The other two were for Lillian. She likes to share her pizzas with friends. And that's where we found her - in a cluster of residents all sitting out in the hall congregating together and visiting. It was such an ecouraging sight!

Lillian was THRILLED to see us.

She said she had tried to call me but she couldn't find my number.

In fact, she HAD called me that morning but my name was not in her phone. Just my phone #.

She has a flip phone much like Louis Dean's so I was able to add my name to the contact and put it in Favorites. Her phone must have upgraded or reset itself in some way but I'm back where she can find me now.

She showed me her latest letter from our friend, Darlene H. Lillian feels like she knows some of you ladies and talks of you. Elizabeth, Teresa, Beth, and Jan and so many more. I take the cards home with me and pray over each one and I add the name and address to my Christmas card mailing list.

I can't thank you ladies enough for the blessings you have been to Lillian.

Lillian's Birthday is October 8th and she will be 87 years old.

If you would like to join me in a Card Shower ....her address is:

Lillian McDowell

7100 Trail Lake Drive

Fort Worth, Texas 76123

We visited for about an hour and I felt so much better just seeing her so well and happy!

We hugged goodbye several times and I assured her if she needed anything all she had to do was call me. If I couldn't get over, Nita lives close and Summer is always willing to drive over.

From the nursing home we went to Benbrook to see Deanie and Charlie and talked and caught up with each other for 2 solid hours that flashed by in what seemed to be 20 minutes!

The guys visited on that side of the room and Deanie and I sat on the couch to Louis Dean's left.

I LOVE love LOVE their home!!

Deanie is nesting and decorating and growing plants and doing all sorts of wonderful things.

The next time I go over there, I'm taking a ton of pictures because she has changed around a lot of her collections and it is all so interesting! And beautiful!

We took pics as proof of our visit!!

From there we went to see my brother, Lonnie, and Michele.

He still calls her his 'Beautiful Bride' and she is.....

We visited there a little less than an hour and then it was time to move on to Nita's and Mike's.

I stopped by Aldi and picked up a Caesar salad - I already had crack cupcakes for dessert - and Nita had big baked potatoes from Cousin's BBQ.

It was wonderful to be together and we lingered long at the table talking.

Nita and Mike have a new piece of furniture and it is GORGEOUS!!!

The buffet behind us. It could not be more perfect for this room.

It was dark when we left their house and we needed to get gas before we could go home.

Since I can't see well at night, Louis Dean drove. He didn't even make it to the gas station before we switched drivers!! He was driving LESS than 20 MPH and I was getting motion sickness. Speed UP or just STOP! So I drove. He makes a better navigator than driver and I am much better at driving...at least with his help, I am. Made it home just fine by taking the very most direct route.

I20 to Bush Toll Road to Northgate to Foxcroft to home.

It was a wonderful day and I am blessed to have seen Deanie, Lonnie and Nita AND their spouses all in the very same day. I have five other precious siblings but only Deanie, Nita and Lonnie and I grew up together.