A Special Granddaughter - Jessica.

A special blessing - Oldest granddaughter, Jessica

Today we make a return trip to Oklahoma City VA Hospital to get Mickey's right eye cataract surgery rechecked. A good report from the Dr. and just follow-up in about 3 weeks here at the VA clinic in Tulsa. 

Granddaughter Jessica, who heard we were making the trip, called last night and wanted to know if we could meet for lunch after we were finished.  Could we!!!!  Of course. Jessica, who is a Senior at Oklahoma University (OU) in Norman, OK, a suburb of OKC, is usually working or in class so this was a rare opportunity for us to meet up. 

We made arrangements to call her when Mickey was finished with his 10:30 appointment and she picked us up and we had the most delightful time and visit, and very yummy lunch, at Cheesecake Factory.  And yes, even with each of us going home with our "doggie bag" (because we couldn't even finish our meals) we somehow managed to split a slice of Blueberry White Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake 3 ways. Can't go to The Cheesecake Factory and not get cheesecake....right? 

We are so proud of Jessica who will be graduating in May with a Degree in Interior Design.  She and her mom, Jacque, are making a car trip to Detroit, the early part of December, for a final project she is doing. She will be re-designing an old mansion, that has changed hands several times over the years and has recently been sold, into three different sections:  children adoption, pet adoption, and an adoption office.  What a challenging project and great opportunity for her & Jacque to share time together.

Then the end of December she is going with a group of other OU Interior Design students to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, to study their architecture first hand.  What great opportunities.

After our long, leisurely lunch and visit Jessica took us back to our car and we made the trip back to Coweta, arriving at 4:30. 

Thank you Jessica for turning a necessary trip into a delightful visit and day.  

We love you and are so very proud of YOU!! 

    

PURSING HER FUTURE

I posted this picture of our oldest granddaughter, Jessica, in May when she graduated from Tulsa Community College, with honors, in Interior Design.

This picture of us was taken Monday evening, as she packed up and moved on July 31st to her new apartment in Norman, OK where she has been accepted as a student at OU.  

We are so very proud of Jessica for her educational accomplishments and goals.  It won't be long before she will be graduating from OU with honors, too. 

Jessica's Graduation

May 4, 2012 - Tulsa Community Collage - Associates Degree

Part of the family row (left to right) Grandma Susan, Mom Jacque, Benny, Great Aunt Mary, Step-Mom Marti, Dad Terry, Room mate Julie, Friend of Julie

 Step-mom Marti - Dad Terry  came in from Ocean Springs, MS and picked up Jessica's Great Aunt Mary in Texas 

- Room mate Julie

 Brother Marc - Cousin Aric - Grandpa Mickeys empty chair (taking pictures!)

 Jessica marching in 6th from the back on the farther line!

As good as we could get!!!

 Receiving her Associates Degrees:

Interior Design with Honors

Business Administration with Honors

Jessica has not received her final grade but it has to be 3.5 or higher to receive Honors.  She only made one C which was in calculus which she struggled with.

We could not be more proud of her and this accomplishment. 

She is already enrolled at The University of Oklahoma in Norman to pursue her Interior Design Degree beginning August 28th.

  

Our gift box to her

The note in the top of the box reads:

For your graduation with your

Associates Degrees from TCC 

I wanted to give you something

That belonged to me.

The turquoise nugget necklace

I have had since I was 16 years

Old.  That would make it 58

Years old.  The little ring was

Given to me in 1984 by your

Grandfather Mickey. 

We are so very proud of you

And you are loved very much

By us.

Grandma & Grandpa Joyce

5-4-12 

The necklace is 10 turquoise nuggets with silver chain.  The ring is a 12 carat gold heart with diamond chips (the ring does not show up very well in the picture)

Opening her gift

 Proud Grandma Susan with  #1 Grand daughter Jessica

 Proud Grandpa Mickey showing Jessica a nest build on our front porch hanging basket with 6 little birds

For her gift to herself - Jessica traded in her Jeep for this 2009 Mazada.

Wonderful accomplishment by a very wonderful grand daughter.

LIFE IS.......BUSY

About 6 weeks ago the Lord prompted me to go to our Pastor Steve and offer to volunteer 1 day a week helping in the church office.  He was delighted and said he'd run it by the Office Manager, Melody,

and if it was okay with Melody he would then present it to the Church Deacon Board for approval.  It was okay with Melody and the Deacon Board did approve me.  I have worked the last 4 weeks.  The first 2 weeks I worked on Wednesday and the past 2 weeks on Monday.  I will be helping each Monday.

The King's Kitchen is still running smoothly.  We have been blessed with such a dependable, faithful group of kitchen help and 5 delivery teams of 2 that help us week after week.  We have now been operating this program, of sending a meal each and every Tuesday to shut-ins, for past year and 8 months.  Pictured is a salad we delivered to them recently.  Of course we also always have milk, bread of some kind, and a dessert. 

I am still hosting a Bible Study every Tuesday night in our home of 12-13 woman.  I'll try and post a separate post about this in the near future.   

My favorite Bible Teacher, Perry Stone, was in Tulsa at a conference September 9th - through 11th.  We went to hear him Friday evening at 7 pm - then Saturday we watched the streaming video for both the 10 & 5 services - then were able to attend on Sunday evening at 6.  What a blessing to hear him in person.  We had only seen him in person one evening 2 years ago at a conference in Arkasas.  We were NOT disappointed!!!!

Our daughter, Jacque, and granddaughter, Jessica, participated in the Race for the Cure last Saturday, September 17th in honor of Jacque's sister and Jessica's aunt, Suzette.  They asked me to join them but I felt that was a little too much for me :o)  I am SOOO proud of them for doing this.  They were joined by 3 of Jessica's friends.  Jessica & Jacque are the 2 on the left.

Yes, our lives are very busy & very full. 

To answer Ginger's question about my working 1 day a week in the church office - No, this is not a paid position - I volunteered.

RE-JOYCE WITH US !!!!!

(this picture was taken August, 2006)

This day after Thanksgiving 2007 is truly a day that our family is rejoicing.

We are able to share the best news. Not one thing but TWO!!!

BOTH of our granddaughters are coming to Tulsa to live.

Our 12 year old granddaughter, Oksana, is coming home!!!!!! She will be flying in Monday, November 26th. You can go here to read about her decision last August to remain with her mother. Oksana is the daughter of our younger son, Marc, and sister to Aric.

This is another answer to PRAYER

Our 21 year old granddaughter, Jessica, is driving and will be here the same day! We have been trying to get Jessica to move here from Mississippi ever since her mother, Jacque, came here September 15, 2005 after Katrina. She made the decision two weeks ago and gave her notice at work. We are so delighted she is coming.

Add this good news to David returning to Tulsa just 55 days ago and you can see why we are rejoicing. We don't fully understand God's purpose in reuniting this entire family for the first time in years but we know He has a plan and we watch eagerly as it unfolds.