44 YEARS AND COUNTING, A LITTLE BALLARINA and A BIT OF HISTORY

Forty-four years sounds like a really long time, but really it is just a blink of an eye when you are married to the right person.  That is how long it has been since we eloped.  That's right, we really did.  No fancy diamond ring, flowing dress, nerve racking plans and storybook expectations.  We were just in love and wanted to live with each other and back in the good old days in Newton County that meant getting married.  We had no education, job, money or any plans for how to get those things.  Wow, that surely does sound scary right now.  God has been so good and gracious to us!  Here we are 44 years later.

We have raised three beautiful daughters, own a home and a little piece of land, and we all love the Lord.  What more could any couple ask for? 

Johnny surprised me with a great anniversary gift Wednesday afternoon.  Our actual anniversary date is February 25th so just a couple of days early.  I just don't think he could wait to give it to me, because he knew I would love the game camera.  Obviously he knows me perfectly.  This is better than chocolate candy and flowers.  Since he couldn't wait, neither could I.  So he got his battery powered screwdriver.  Romantic, huh? 

The rest of our plan to celebrate was a trip to Texarkana, Texas to visit with our oldest grandson Nick, wife Elizabeth, and our three year old great granddaughter Brooklyn.  Brooklyn really enjoyed the pillowcase I made for her with ballarinas on it.  She started taking ballet lessons this year and is such a girly girl that loves frills, ruffles and tutus.  She and Bop even wallowed on the new pilllow in the living room floor making snow (carpet) angels.

They must have used Brooklyn for the model.  She loved the tags on the edge of the pillowcase and  remarkably it matched her bedroom perfectly.

We decided to go from Texarkana up into Arkansas and ride the back roads to see if we could find some interesting little towns.    We did find the "tree of life."  Not really, but I did find this worthy of a picture for no particular reason.

In just a few miles we found Hope.  I knew it was a name I knew for some reason and I kept thinking it was something to do with a former president, maybe Clinton.  We happened upon the town's old train depot and there it was - Hope is the town where Billy Blythe, III was born - Bill Clinton.  Not being a supporter of Clinton, I didn't even recognize the Blythe name.  We really enjoyed viewing all the photos and memorabilia, visiting the little house where he lived as a very young child, and learning more about a former preseident of the United States.  The other thing we learned while in Hope is that former Governor Mike Huckabee is also from Hope, Arkansas.  Wouldn't it be amazing if there were two presidents who were born in a little tiny town like Hope?  Stranger things have happened.  We'll see.

 We found El Dorado, Arkansas to be a nice looking, rejuvenated oil boomtown with streets lined with trees in full spring bloom and full of oil boomtown history and architecture.  The oil boom is long gone, but it was a very nice place to visit and shop the cute shops.

The lobster trash can was "Too Cute" in front of this little shop.   Obviously everything in the shop was "Too Cute."

Nearing home we crossed the Mississippi River and stopped at the rest area on our side.  I could not help but feel patriotism and pride in our state and country as I viewed Old Glory fully extended high above the old Mississipppi River Bridge.  The five military helicopters were a moving sight.

Time to unload, unpack and wash.  I love back road trips and can't wait for the next one and more picnics on the bank of some river along the way.