It's a WHAT?

So there it was, squiggling on my kitchen floor near the window. Brownish-pink with dark stripes going from head to tail, with the weirdest head we'd ever seen--sort of triangle shaped.

Dave stepped on it, pulverized it with his shoe. We mopped it up with paper towels.

Then I checked it out on the internet. Google is pretty awesome.

It was simply an odd thing called Shovel-headed garden worm.

Creepy.

So THAT's How You Do It...

All this time I've been doing it wrong. My sis-in-law sent me this illustrated demonstration of how to properly use a bathroom scales. Thanks, Jannie.

Guess Who?

This photo was taken of Dave and me in the spring of 1960 at his parents' house in Eagle Grove, Iowa. Yeah, we were just kids. However, we'd been married over a year already.

Can you guess what year, make and model the car is?

God Bless America

Heading back to USA this week.
Land of the free. Home of the brave.

So sad to leave Swaziland.
Sad to leave the awesome 'Cup Team.
Sad to leave our OVC's God has entrusted to 'Cup's care.
Sad to leave our precious grandkids.
Sad to leave our wonderful daughter Susan and great son-in-law, Ben.

But we'll be so happy to be with our other grandkids in Louisiana.
Happy to see my dad (he's 92 years old).
Happy to see the Alabama & Iowa Boughers.
And happy to attend the greatest church on the planet: Healing Place Church.
Happy to be able to visit some of our faithful donors.
Happy to be able to have a cup of coffee and share with some of the worlds' coolest pastors.

Also looking forward to some tasty delights we've not had in a long time...Popeye's spicy chicken, TJ Ribs, Bluebell ice cream, REAL iced tea, and a greasy quarter pounder with cheese. Even some Starbucks if I can find where Pat is so I can have him make me a good one.

To our loved ones in Swaziland: Good-bye. We love you dearly.
To our loved ones in USA: See ya soon!

God Bless America!

Colour Your World

This last week my daughter Susan and I were joined by my daughter-in-law Vicki at the Hillsong Women’s Colour Conference in Sydney, Australia.

We were so blessed to be able to attend and get our spirits rejuvenated! Of course we took in a few sights before the opening meeting--even checked the waters for any sign of Nemo and his pals.

We met some awesome folks—and renewed some old acquaintances, among whom are Karyn Barriger (missionary to Peru, wife of Robert) and Leslie Siebeling (former missionary to Kenya; wife of John. They pastor the awesome Life Church in Memphis).

No. I didn’t get pictures of them. Maybe Susan or Vicki did. Aargh. I didn’t.

Anyway, it was one of the most awesome series of meetings I’ve ever been in. Would you believe there was a very special emphasis on Africa!?! Marilyn Skinner, wife of Gary (the Watoto Children’s Choir people, missionaries to Uganda) spoke one service and it was so powerful that had there been an altar call for people feeling called to be missionaries, I’d have been the first one there.

They showed a video called Invisible Children that was so good/sad I’d recommend it to everyone. It's all about the child soldiers in Uganda. Check out invisiblechildren.com.

Following are a few of the photos I remembered to take along the way. (It was really hard to remember to take ‘em because I was so caught up in the events.)

The unique Sydney Opera House









The Bridge. We rode across this famous structure on the train.








The view from Sydney tower was spectacular.









This meal came with a huge prawn sitting on top of the steak--Susan was grossed out by the little black beady eyeballs looking at her.







The critter with the black beady eyeballs









Praise and Worship Hillsong-style








Dave wondered about the estrogen level at this gathering of 17,000 women...








Three very tired women, but extrememly full of God's awesome blessings.

Another Snake Tale

Martha (our housegirl) killed it in the back yard with her broom handle.

Security guard, Nhlanhla, brought the dead critter to my kitchen doorstep to show me.

It was about 25 inches long and about as big around as my pointer finger. Black back. Salmony-yellow colored belly.

Martha and Nhlanhla declared it to be a black mamba. Deadliest snake in Swaziland. (Martha and Nhlanhla think all snakes are mambas.)

Dave agreed. He hates snakes. Says they are all poisonous.

I had Nhlanhla lay it out by my 18" ruler and I took photos. (No, I didn't touch it. Nhlanhla used a stick to move it around for me.)

Then I got on the internet. I looked in Susan's critters-of-southern-Africa reference book.

This is what I found out: It is a brown water snake (that comes in both brown and black). Completely harmless except for frogs. They are constrictors. They don't bite. They squeeze the breath out of those little frogs and then swallow 'em whole. And we have plenty for them to feed on here!

Black mambas on the other hand, are grey or olive. They are called "black" to describe the inside of their mouths which is weirdly black. They bite. They are killers.

But we now know our visitor was not a black mamba. Just a harmless little 'ole brown water snake.

(Dave still doesn't like 'em.)

Half-Banana

One day last week I decided to have a banana with my breakfast. Since our fruitbowl had only really big ones, I cut one in half, and put the dirty knife by the sink to be washed. Then I sat down at the table to enjoy my yogurt and toast and coffee along with my half-banana.

When I was well into the meal, Martha (our wonderful housegirl) spoke to me.

"Madam," she said. It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

I turned to answer her. She was standing by the kitchen drawers, the top one (the knife drawer) open. In her hand was a half-banana.

"Madam," she spoke again, this time with a bit of a twinkle.

"Oh no, Martha!" I sputtered. "Was that in the drawer?"

She sparkled and twinkled and giggled a bit. "Yes, Madam."

I think I'm getting old.

Our Day, February 14

Happy Birthday to my dear one.

Happy Anniversary to my lover.

Happy Valentine’s Day to my sweetheart.

Life with you has been amazing beyond my hopes and dreams.

I want the whole wide world to know that I love you.

Too Young?

February is a very busy month of celebrations for the Ohlerkings.

Danny’s birthday is the 8th. Lincoln’s birthday is the 9th. David III’s birthday is the 25th. Rhodes and Rhett’s birthday is the 29th.

Wednesday is Valentine’s Day. That’s Dave’s birthday. It’s also our anniversary.

Dave and I were just young kids when we married. It was his 19th birthday. I was 18. We were in love.

There was a secular song out about that time, “Too Young,” sung by the velvety voice of Nat King Cole.

Well, yesterday as we were playing a CD of golden oldies, that song came up. As we drove down the hill from Susan’s house here in Swaziland, our minds went back to the early days of our marriage. There were people who were whispering (and not too quietly either) things like, “This will never last. They are just too young.” Hence our love of this tune.

They try to tell us we're too young
Too young to really be in love
They say that love's a word
A word we've only heard
But can't begin to know the meaning of
And yet we're not too young to know
This love will last though years may go
And then some day they may recall
We were not too young at all

Too bad the whisperers are dead and gone now. We’d show them!

(Sometimes the best thing we can do for young marrieds who seem too immature to “make it” in the commitment they have made to each other, is to encourage them to celebrate their love, showing them by our own marriages how to grow their love for each other. How to stick it out through the tough places as well as the smooth. How to view differences as opportunities to know each other better. How to laugh and cry together. How to love each other no matter what. )

Marriage is not just a union, it’s a continual meshing of each one’s lives, hearts, spirits, souls. It’s worth all the effort when you look back over 48 years of loving and growing and raising a family (4 kids, and 12 grandkids) and serving God together.

Thanks, Dave, for 48 wonderful years. We weren't too young after all!

Thanks, God, for blessing us beyond measure.

I was just wondering how long it will take me to remember to write 2007 instead of 2006...

Mercy, I still find myself writing "19..." before I think about it. Then have to change to "20..."

No resolutions. I know better. I know I won't keep 'em anyway.

When you get to be my age, you just enjoy your grandkids, the sunsets, the rainbows, the gentle breezes, a phone call from a friend, an email from one of my kids, a good cup of coffee, a hug from my wonderful hubby... and chocolate whenever I want it.

I'm married to Dave. Since life has never been boring with him, I wonder what this year holds in store!

Happy New Year!