When you don't hear from me for several days, it's NOT because I'm a slacker. This time. ;-) It's because I'm going to be gone and I don't know that I'll have Internet access while I'm away. Besides, I'll be with PEOPLE! And who wants to blog when you could be enjoying the PEOPLE?! Not me!!! :-)

We'll be leaving in the morning for Colorado. We aren't able to have our usual Minister's Retreat for the entire region this year... something that has half of our folks ready to revolt, declare mutiny and throw us overboard. No, they're not THAT upset. The worst we've heard is that one pastor and one auxiliary leader may be boycotting the meetings we're having in lieu of the usual Retreat. Don't know who else thy might have talked into joining them by now. Of course, the reason they're upset is because they feel the serious need to BE WITH EVERYBODY, so the chances of them actually not showing up are beyond nil. :-) We'll have to come up with due punishment for their even threatening such a thing though. ~sigh~ I love this region! ;-)

As I was saying, we're not able to have our usual Minister's Retreat, so James decided we would have a northern Minister's Meeting (for the Colorado folks) and a southern one the next weekend (for the rest of the crowd). This weekend is our first one, so we thought we'd go a day early and get a church visit in as well. Most of our churches up there have service on Thursday nights, so we just have to decide which one we're going to land on tomorrow. The Minister's Meeting will be Saturday night and Sunday morning in Salida, then we'll stay over and be in that church Sunday morning and drive up to Craig for service that night. After that, who knows! We have tentative plans, but I'd hate to announce them and then change them. (But Em, can we stop over at your house at some point?!) I don't know if Jamey and the baby will feel up to going to the Meeting this weekend, so we're planning on going through 'Springs to visit them for a few minutes. Of course, knowing Jamey she'll probably be raring to go to convention this weekend with a 3 day old baby! I would love it if she did... and I'd also think she's CRAZY! Ha!

Anyway, now you know why I'll be missing until sometime early next week. :-)

Today was a long day. It was pretty stressful off and on--I hate days like that! We did manage to have a full day of school and I got all of the laundry and ironing caught up, we made it to horse lessons on time and then headed straight down to BTI service at Sister Grimes' house. Oh, Sister Grimes! She's 79 years old and planning on going to Ladies' Retreat with me next month! Wa-Hoo! I can't wait! She is such a neat old lady. She's so solid and faithful and truly trusts the Lord in so many ways--and is such a praying woman. And you never have to wonder what she thinks! The way she and her daughter pick and jab at each other is HILARIOUS. She's a mess and I love her to pieces! And I'm sooooo glad she's going to Retreat with me. :-) Hopefully we'll get at least one other lady roped into going with us!

That's it for now! Gotta get some rest so we can get up and throw some things in the car tomorrow and head north. :-) I'll be back sometime next week!