Missing passport, still packing, getting tested

Saturday morning, I got Mama’s and my passports out of the safe to make them accessible for us when we need them Thursday morning. I asked Victoria about her passport and she insisted that she had given it to me to put in the safe. I looked through the contents of the safe several times and could not find it. Mama looked through the contents of the safe and could not find it. Victoria was getting ready to leave for work, so she did not participate in the search. Mama and I looked carefully through all the drawers and files in our desks, our nightstands, all the suitcases and backpacks we use for travel. No luck. Having exhausted all the places we would have possible put the passport, I went through Victoria’s desk and then began looking through items in her closet. I opened an over-the shoulder-pack she something uses and rifled through a Bible cover in that pack and among the many items in the Bible cover was her passport. Victoria did not remember taking that pack with her the last time she went to Honduras, but she must have done so. Mama called Cori to let her know the passport had been found and we could hear Savanna in the background squealing in raw, uncontained excitement. Praise the Lord!

Mama and I continued packing over the weekend getting the minimal clothing we are taking chosen and placed in suitcases. We are not taking very much clothing in order to limit the need for carryon bags. It will be challenging enough to get all the luggage items we need to take into the airport in Dallas and again in Houston to make our connecting flight. With Mama taking her walker – which she definitely needs – it will take a good deal of effort to make the transit in both airports. It will be worth all the effort when we arrive with all the things we are taking, especially for Nate, Cori and the kids. We are excited about all the Christmas gifts we have packed and ready for travel.

Sunday evening, Seth called Mama and asked if she could keep Rosalee for the next couple days. Of course, she agreed. So Rosalee went to church with us last night. She loves being with Mama. When Seth dropped her off late in the afternoon, Rosalee squealed and started getting her doll baby and the tiny rocking chair to begin her play. By the time we had left for church, there were a wealth of toys scattered about the living room, but the baby was happy, singing and chattering to herself as she played. That happiness continued through the evening and until we put her down for the night. She laid down in the pack-and-play set up for her and went straight to sleep. She woke this morning at 7:30 singing and chattering. She has been an easy baby to keep.

This morning we went to a local laboratory to be tested for COVID. That result will be the determining factor in whether or not we can travel. Mama (with Rosalee), Victoria and I met at the lab at 9 am. All of us had to take separate vehicles because Victoria and I were heading to work after the test. Mama was headed to Walmart and a couple other stops. Her day will be spent in furthering our efforts to have the house and farm ready for Brittany Wycoff to manage in our absence. One thing we lack in being ready at the farm is having enough feed on hand, especially hog feed. That will be remedie this week. I was hoping for that to happen today because Mama wants to take the truck to Grandpa this evening. She does not haul feed in the Sequoia because she says it makes the vehicle smell badly.

Anyway, our focus is on making the final arrangements for travel and care of the farm while we travel. In that effort we went Saturday morning to get a large bale of hay for the calf who is corralled at the barn. To help Brittany manage the care of the calf, we wanted to make sure the calf did not have to be fed daily. We have a water trough that will last the calf several days so we wanted to arrange for her hay to last the entire time we will be gone. The man that sold us the hay was an interesting fellow. He lives only a mile from us as the crow flies. If Mama and I could have driven through the property adjacent to us, we could have gotten to the hay he sold us is a few minutes. As it was, the trip was a total of eight miles each way. We will probably go back to him when we need other bales.

Please pray for us as we await the COVID test results. God has worked everything else out. I am sure He will work that out as well, but we still appreciate your prayers.