Immersed in our past, which continues to be our present and future.

The end of April led us home in record time, even with a stopover in St. Louis and a short (too short) visit with niece Heather.

We arrived home to Audies (my BFF) welcome and hospitality as we planted the RV in her driveway.

And in time for granddaughter Kate's 9th birthday party.

The next day I (Jan) was off to oldest granddaughter, Natalie's, Orchesis fundraiser.  Leave it to me, I left my purse at home, but Lynda (Nat's Nana) was kind enough to loan me a $20.  So, while everyone else was buying raffle tickets for "the good stuff", I headed off to the $2.00/ticket raffle section.  As we headed into the main event I commented to the girls that "in the past I have had  good luck with raffles".  After a wonderful meal and fashion show the raffle began.  Many prizes were given out when Christy (Bill's daughter) says "Isn't is about time for someone at THIS table to win?" At that moment the raffle barker calls out "Jan Suttie"!  Boy was I glad I hadn't had time to get that manicure I needed.  In short order the barker again calls "Jan Suttie"!  The kids making their way through the crowd delivering the prizes now knew where I was.  By the 3rd "Jan Suttie" I hardly needed to raise my hand.  Christy (Bill's daughter) is now laughing and joking about the whole thing....the barker is even starting to laugh when she reads the name on the raffle ticket.  With just 3 prizes left to raffle "Jan Suttie" was called out 2 more times.  With 5 new raffle wins under my belt, I feel pretty confident I can continue to say "I have had pretty good luck with raffles".  Now if that luck would only transfer to the lottery!

The last month home has not been all play, even though helping my cousin Lee move into a new Senior apartment building, has been so much fun, it seems like play.

The fiasco of last September, when Dell crashed my entire hard drive and lost 10 years of pictures, was made somewhat easier to take when I was able to get my Laptop to Chris (my computer genius) when he cleared a new virus that had taken it over:-(  I am working on the picture restoration, which may take a VERY long time.

Many great get togethers over good food and wine have taken place with friends and family:

Whetstones (clan)

Padulas

Claibornes

Schroeders

Sandy & Bill

Jamie and the girls

Hebbles

Whelans

Reindeux

Kathy Morris

Hanrahans

Fugitti's

Williams (Bill's daughter and family)

Bonk's (Bill's daughter)

The Sutties (Bill's son and family)

Sullivans (Bill's daughter and kids)

Kathy Suttie (Bill's sister)

Dave, Joie & Bill, J.J. and Deb (Bill's brother, sister and hubby and nieceand hubby )

Cinco de Mayo with Krolls and the Williams'

It was a special treat to be able to spend her 78th birthday with my BFF Audie:  we were able to help her obtain 2 "Honeycrisp" apple trees that she has so coveted.

 The 3rd, a Gala, was an extra gift from us.   And, in need of a restocking of her wood pile, we were able to join in our favorite pasttime of wood splitting and riking. God was in this one...as we had no idea where to find a load of wood for her, then, as we left the bank on a spontaneous run, we spotted a huge pile in a front yard in Palatine with a sign that said "free logs".  We thought our log splitting days were over, and did we have fun!

Some of the stand out events (yes, they are all standouts) were, a bowling party with the entire family celebrating Johnny's 8th grade graduation:  GREAT FUN!

And his graduation...how proud we are of  this our (only) grandson!

Another standout: Elise Reindeux high school graduation party where we were reconnected with old friends we had not seen in many years, Ed & Linda Bernzen.  It was also at this party I was again reminded how small the world really is, when conversing with a friend of Diane Reindeux's, it was discovered we had been at Maine East High School at the same time, and that her sister, just one year behind me in school, would have been in my "home room".  I am reminded that our actions can, and will, follow us our entire lives, so, by turning to the Lord for guidance in our everyday words and deeds, when, what goes around comes around you will be able to hold your head up high and look your past straight in the eye without flinching.

It was a special day when one of the local gendarmes' Tom O'Connell,

once a fellow officer of mine in Lake Zurich (now with the Kildeer PD) tracked my "check-in" on Facebook and found us at Audies.  We had a wonderful visit.

And a "butt dial" led to a nice conversation with Tanya and Michael (parents of a nice young man I used to work with at Fitness 19 in Buffalo Grove, Marcus)

.  It was good to hear she is doing so well:-)

On June 5th we headed to our 2nd most fav place, which holds not only great old memories, but many old friends.  We are in Door County, WI, where we are holed up at Camp Zion

helping Dale and Carol Stewert

out with a few projects (Bill making signs, me cleaning and organizing).

We are having so much fun,
we find ourselves evaluating how and when we can make a longer term committment here.  HE is, after all, what it is all about.  The Lord has given us this heart, and it would be a great joy to spend the rest of our days following His lead.

TODAY we will head back to IL to watch over grand Natalie

for 5 days while her rents take a trip to New York.  These times are precious to us!

Then on June 16th we take off again, this time to our favorite place, "Starrett Lake"

in northern WI near Sayner.  This year, as it has not been the case for many years, we will meet up with Tim and Jane (Bill's sister and Brother-in-law) and Joie and Kathy (Bill's sisters) for a week and a half of pure heaven.

On June 28th we will head to Whetstone's "cabin"
in central WI for a few days of woodworking in "Santa's Workshop" (the place where much of Bill's woodshop went to rest and await his return).







 I see a woodworking project in Bill's future:-)

Can you say "new fireplace mantle?"

On June 30th we will head to Ripon, WI for an overnighter with my brother Tim

and family.  It will be so good to see them and the kids.

And in a real (exciting) turn of events, on July 3rd we have been presented an opportunity to serve at the Senior Housing complex my cousin Lee has just moved into.

During Lee's move, Bill had been talking to the building manager (go figure), and this grew into an invitation to come and speak to their residents about our work in the National Parks.  We are very excited about this new (and different) opportunity to serve others.  And THAT is what we're all about.  I pray for wisdom while preparing for this event.

As we celebrate our 23rd year of marriage, family and friends

and bid adieu (temporarily) to beautiful Camp Zion we thank you for being our friend....and it shall always be so!

Remember those who don't have it as well as you do:-)

Thanks for following.  Jan