AGAPE CAFE

Every year around Valentine's Day the mission arm of our church puts on a banquet called Agape Cafe. It is two fold: first a lovely meal to celebrate Valentines and second to raise money for the upcoming Spring Break Mission trips (this year there are 2 of them).

Last year our two daughters, Suzette & Jacque, and Dave & Benny accompanied us. This year we took two of our grandchildren, Oksana & Aric.

It is always a lovely event. You make reservations and buy your tickets ahead of time and the tables are set up in sizes to fit your party - for 2 - for 4 (like ours) - for 3 - for 6 - and large tables for groups. The tables are always set with linen table clothes a center piece and candle light. The "dining room" is always darken and pleasant.

The meal begins with a nice tossed salad with choice of ranch or Italian dressing. The main dish is either Lasagna or Swiss Chicken and is served with potato, green beans, & Parkerhouse rolls with butter. Oksana & Aric ordered Lasagna & Mickey & I had the Swiss Chicken. The drinks are tea, sweet tea, water or coffee.

After the meal a dessert cart is brought over and you choose whatever scrumptious dessert you choose. Oksana had a 3 layered cheese cake, I had chocolate cheesecake, Aric had butter finger cake and Mickey had carrot cake.

It was a lovely evening out for us and of course we saw many of our church friends at the same time. The reservations are taken for either 6 or 7 o'clock. Ours was 7.

Our entire Church had just ended a 21 day fast on Tuesday the 9th so you could imagine how good this lovely meal tasted to all of us :o)

Then the four of us came home and watched the wonderful opening ceremony of the Olympic games. A very fun, and special evening for all of us.

We picked the kids up from school on Wednesday afternoon and they are with us until late Sunday. Nice to have both of them for this long.

This morning the four of us went over to their Tulsa house and Mickey & Oksana finished cleaning out and boxing up all Oksana's things from her room and Aric & I did likewise in his room. We had a box for "keep" - a box for "garage sale" or "give away" and a huge garbage bag for "throw away" for each room. Aric & Oksana were not too thrilled about doing this job but it will be a big help & a surprise for Marc when he returns and finds he has at least this much done!!!! They have lived in the Tulsa home since Aric was born 11 years ago and you know how much stuff and junk you accumulate, especially with 2 kids!!!