the short version of my trip

well i cut the 49 to 18 pics... hope you still enjoy :)

this is Tammy she was my best friend in high school and thanks to facebook after 21 years we have reconnected and I have to thank her over and over and over for saving me from the plaza motel (my aunt had booked me a room there for three nights, I made it 15 minutes)... what a nasty place but, with one call she came to town and got me so I could follow her back to the country to stay with her.  I remembered where she lived but was fairly sure that after 14 hours on the road and a 20 hour day I would NEVER find the correct dirt road 14 miles out from town.

Sunday morning we watched the Amish heading to church, Tammy lives right in the middle of some of the most beautiful country and there is a large Amish community right there.  I stood inside the porch and took pics, apparently I was not quite as quick or sly as I thought as they were watching me too :)

I know they don't believe in photos but, I love their horses and what they represent so pray they forgive me for sharing their pics with you all.

Tammy's uncle came by and the Amish man waved hi :)  they really do all get along well and it is great to be able to buy eggs and meats and other things they have for sale.

Sunday for lunch one of my cousins and some of her friends made lunch for us all and it was DELISH

this is the cousins that grew up together,

Jennifer, Malissa, Leslie, Todd, Me Charisma and Jason

Jennifer came to the family about 12 years ago , maybe 13 when dad married Jeannie and she was really close to grandma and is still close with my Aunt, she lives in southwest Missouri and is able to go see them when she wants which in some ways I am envious of. I was glad to see her as I had not for 7 years.

Malissa is actually our 3rd or 4th cousin but was always there with us when we were growing up :)

this is Jason and his wife Ira, he met her in Russia and they have 3 beautiful little girls :) 

this is my cousin Kay and Uncle Bill chatting after dinner

that afternoon I decided to go out to Malissa's house  to see to see her hubby and kids before he had to go back to work and before the visitation... this is one of my favorite views ... it is the top of the last hill before we get to my grandmas house (now my uncles house, hes owned it since 1992) its a BIG hill and one we kids spent many an hour walking riding bikes on and playing in  crawdad creek at the bottom, when we were kids there were only a couple houses out there

this is the house love built, my Grandpa built it many many many years ago and thankfully it is still in the family :)

My Uncle Johnny (who lives in the above house) and my cousin Joey chatting after Monday Dinner at the church.

below is Joeys wife Jill, his momma behind her his brother in the back, and the handsome man in white is Michael,  Joey and Jill's eldest son and then Kelley their youngest who is my Corys age and Kay in the back corner.

the lot of us after Mondays Dinner at the church

front is Jason holding Vica, Jordan, Charisma,  Jessica's head and Julia behind her

standing is Ira, DAD, Jeanne, Uncle Johnny, Leslie in back , Aunt Regina top of my head behind her, Todd cracking up His wife Amber, Aunt Betty and Uncle Bill

Leslie's expression says it all for me...we went back out to the cemetery after dinner

this church and cemetery are part of the family our ancestors built it in 1877 and my cousin Joey is caretaker now.  It sits on the mountain side and has one of the most beautiful views ever ...

the wind was rather cold but it did turn out to be a beautiful day.

after taking Kay home I went to my aunts which to get there the route I took is right through another Amish community, they have big beautiful farms and I took several pics this one makes me smile, Monday is apparently wash day (remember you can click pics to embiggen)

Julia got to hold Brianna who is a month old and Erica was thrilled to come see the baby too.

Later that night we headed back to Marshfield to have a supper out together before we headed back to our homes Tuesday morning, Our Poor waitress was loaded down with menus, she did a great job :) and it was really good food.  Can't recall the name of the place though.

the kids all have DS games and were having a ball playing against each other

and that is the super short whirlwind trip to Missouri for Grandmas Funeral in 18 pics or less :)