I am also going to make some posts about where to find some good food and beverages. I am going to start with the Cranberry Café (115 West 45^th Street) which is right around the corner from our Comfort Inn at Times Square. It is on 45^th Street. This place has homemade sandwiches and wraps. They also have pizza and hamburgers. The BEST DEAL there is a 16 oz. cup of coffee for $1.75: It’s delicious coffee (especially the hazelnut), and it sure beats paying $5 for a cup of coffee at Starbucks!

I have also had the pleasure of speaking in Spanish this week at The Cranberry Cafe with a cashier named Diana. She is so sweet, open, and friendly. It is also apparent that she has a wonderful work ethic. The owners need to know how lucky they are to have her. She has made our morning coffee ritual extra special with her engaging conversation and bright personality. I will post our Cranberry pictures when we get home…Diana included. ;o)

Last Thursday evening, Ammon and Carter overheard a conversation I had with my family. Before going to bed without power on Thursday evening, I said, “If there is no power in the morning, I am going to change the babies, and we are going to go to town and get breakfast and a big ol’ cup of coffee.” We then proceeded with going to bed.

Our life returned to “normal” with power early Friday morning. When the babies woke up around 8:00 a. m. Friday, I greeted Carter and put him on the couch with the television on. He shouted, “Sponge Bob!”.  I then went and got Ammon out of bed, and I said, “I’ve got a surprise! The power is back on. You and Carter can watch television, I can cook you an egg and pancakes…”, and as I was finishing the word “pancake”, Ammon chimed in with, “…and you can have coffee!”.  I cracked up! I concurred and said, “Yes, ma’am, Daddy can have coffee!”

I have a first cousin, Kimberly Jones Moore, who, evidently, enjoys finding and keeping in touch with her relatives. She found me on Facebook this week, and she and I became “friends”. Now, the blessing which she gave me was the re-connection with her sister, Debbie Jones George, with whom I was very close growing up. As a matter of fact, Debbie is only 3 days older than I .Debbie and I began exchanging messages on Friday, and we spoke together for the first time in almost 17 years on Saturday. We had a joyous reunion, and it was such a blessing. Thank you Kimberly & Facebook (and you too, God)  for finding a “lost” loved one. Debbie and I are looking forward to communicating and sharing our lives again for the remainder of our days.

My beloved cousin, Debbie Jones George

Simple regrets to our neighbors and the people in our area cannot do justice for the tragedies that have occurred, but for me and my world/area, I am asking you all to please pray for Southeast Tennessee  and Northern Georgia and its recovery from the Wednesday April 27 bad weather devastations. The town of Apison is obliterated with quite a few fatalities, and it’s just 5 miles up the road from our “untouched, blessed” house. Bradley County saw numerous fatalities as well. Parts of Ringgold, Georgia near Interstate 75 were demolished and also suffered fatalities.  May our prayers and deeds towards our neighbors let them know God’s presence and love, and may the Holy Spirit comfort the hearts and souls of  those whose who are bereaved from the loss of homes and especially loved ones.

I don’t spend too much time on Facebook, but I do like it. One of the main reasons I like it is because of its instant news, and you don’t have to be watching television to get it. Of course, there isn’t audio, but you can get up-to-date news from family and friends. Case in point…just this morning a friend in Murfreesboro, Tennessee sent a facebook message from her closet where she was trying to shelter herself from a tornado. I began to pray for her and the people of Middle Tennessee immediately. Another good friend of ours had a motorcycle wreck a few days ago. He and his friends kept us up to date on his condition, and we were very grateful.  Casie, keep those weather updates coming, and Gavin, keep resting.

We love the fun stuff even better: birthday pictures, vacation pictures, holiday pictures, or just every day neat stuff of life are posted, and we can enjoy with everyone all around the world! I am not advertising for Facebook, but if you’re not on it, give it a try. It’s pretty cool stuff.

Parents and grandparents with lots of experience in parenting, what advice can you give on how to slow time down? Time is going by too fast with Carter and Ammon. I had one of those “I want time to stand still just for a minute!” on Monday. We had finished with dinner, and it was time to feed our hound dogs in the barn. They came with me and both did exactly what I asked: They did not harass the dogs as we collected yesterday’s dog bowls and distributed the new bowls. When it was time to leave, they said, “Good bye, and good night” to the dogs and we left the gate.

Carter and Ammon ran ahead of me to return to the house, and when they did, I said to myself, “Are those my children?” It seemed like just a few days ago, they couldn’t even crawl, and I was pushing them in their double stroller through the yard, but it wasn’t a few days ago. It was TWO YEARS ago! I wanted to throw down the dog bowls, snap my fingers, and have time stand still. As quickly as the feeling overtook me, it went away, and we entered the house. The best thing I could think to do was have we three sit on the couch a minute, give hugs, and read a book. Time doesn’t stand still, but we can make every minute count. Let’s spend more time with our friends and loved ones.