Wed., June 10 ... Definition of CLUTCH

Webster's online dictionary defines "clutch" as the act of grasping and holding tightly, securely. And no one does that better than St. Peter's United Methodist Church's Care Team! George & I have been members there for approximately 25 years, and even though the membership has grown leaps and bounds & pastors have come and gone, the culture of St. Peter's remains the same ... loving, giving, caring. When George had his stroke six months ago, our family, friends, and church family all rallied around us with comforting words, prayers, hugs, and kind deeds that made a huge difference in our lives and George's recovery. The St. Peter's Care team made hospital visits, sent balloon bouquets, vases of flowers made from altar arrangements, sewed a prayer quilt, delivered soup and cornbread for George's lunch, and continues to send weekly cards of encouragement. Reverend Kim Myers also brought communion to George several times when he was unable to attend church services. This is a very special group of people, and I wanted to thank them for their outpouring of love and support. The Care Team meets every Monday night, so this week, I baked some goodies for their meeting to let them know how much George and I appreciate their work ... sort of like "sweets for the sweet!" Thanks again to all of you for the tight hold during the biggest challenge of our lives!!

There is also another definition of "Clutch," however, this one is NOT in Webster's dictionary ... just in the vocabulary of our fellow Houstonians. As I'm sure all of you know, Clutch is the mascot of our Houston Rocket's basketball team. A month or so ago, I mentioned that Clutch made a visit to Memorial Hermann Katy Rehabilitation Hospital when George was at therapy, and the pictures from the photographer have finally arrived. In this case, it was Paige (George's physical therapist) that had a grasp on George while he and Clutch celebrated the event. WE ARE SOO THANKFUL FOR ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR LIVES THAT HOLD US TIGHTLY AND SECURELY ... much love, Cindy & George!

P.S. Happy Birthday to my very special nephew, Alex, who turns six years old today!!

Sunday, June 7 - RV there yet?!?

The answer to that question is: Yes! Our kids have made it safe and sound to Indiana ... pulling their brand new RV! As many of you know, our son-in-law recently returned to his previous profession of claims adjusting when the banking industry took such a hit, and he just got back from Atlanta where he spent nearly 8 weeks living in a hotel away from home, our daughter and their two dogs. Last Wednesday evening, Dave got called to work a hail storm in Indianapolis and hated the thought of being alone again, so since Lindsay is still not working, they made a decision to purchase a fifth-wheel trailer and she and the dogs went with him! Within 24 hours of the call, they purchased the RV, had the hitch installed, stocked it with essentials, and they hit the road! We moms and grandmas were a little nervous about them pulling the RV such a long distance for the first time, but thank God they made it safely, and already have some funny stories about getting set up in Indiana. Before they left, we went over to check out their new home away from home, and I told George that I would get him as close to the trailer as possible so he could peek inside, but that didn't sit well with Dave. That young man was determined to get his father-in-law inside that RV, so with Lindsay and I acting as spotters, Dave somehow managed to get George up those three metal steps and inside! George was so happy to be inside with us and part of the preparations (even though it was sooo hot!), and was just as tickled as could be that Dave cared enough and was strong enough to get him inside to look around. We don't know how long they will be in Indiana, but after traveling over 16 hours to get there, Lindsay hopes they don't have to turn around and come back too soon. She's like her mom; we prefer flying to our destinations! Anyway, the RV is stocked with essentials for this trip, as well as some tailgating essentails for the upcoming college football season. Lindsay's Aunt Bev keeps her stocked on A&M accessories, and they have already found their home in the RV, as well as some of the new ones that Dave just got for his birthday from Lindsay ... an A&M branding iron for hot dogs as well as a propane tank cover! We all just bought tickets for the game that will be held at the new Dallas Cowboy's stadium in October, so I guess the RV will be coming with us! The kids and their friends will have soo much fun camping and tailgating this fall, however, the guys will all have a problem showering ... it's just not made for tall people!! Dave is definitely the tallest of the group, but I think most of the husbands in their circle are over 6 feet ... too funny! We already miss you, Lindsay & Dave, but we know you are making memories (and money), so have fun!