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prudencepb · 09-24-2009, 07:36 AM

I spoke with Brenda on Tuesday and the pregnant lady she was waiting on has had her baby (a girl, 7lbs 12 0z,) so Brenda is free to leave pretty much any time now.

The main worry is accomodations in the DC area. This is a low maintainance family. If someone can house them for just a couple of nights so she can take the kids to see the various sites on the mall and maybe Arlington National Cemetary she'll have met what she intended to do in DC.

Perhaps someone knows of a church in the DC area that could help.

I'm going to toss a bit of money into the fund too, but if she has to pay for housing I'm afraid DC won't be possible.

Thanks to all who have been so kind,
Karen
(Prudence-pb)

prudencepb · 09-25-2009, 05:44 PM

Good news!

Brenda was in her attorney's office today and mentioned something about the trip and needing accommodations in DC.

Well...It's a small world after all! It's a small world after all!

The attorney's best buddy from college lives in Alexandria (just outside DC) and will be happy to host them for a few days!!! YEAH!!!

Small miracles happen right under our noses every day!

Remember Brenda, her husband and the kids (and grand-kids)
in your prayers occasionally.

Thanks so much,
Karen

ROBERT CROSS · 09-25-2009, 07:54 PM

GREAT news, glad everything is working out.

Now remember....... a happy tourist takes plenty of pictures.

Keep us posted. God Bless.

Bob

blacksheep · 09-25-2009, 08:30 PM

That is AWESOME!!

Godspeed,
Trent

danalee · 09-26-2009, 12:36 PM

A little late-just caught this thread but will have a check in the mail by Mon. Know it will be used, if not for the trip, maybe the holidays.

prudencepb · 09-26-2009, 03:06 PM

Hi Danalee,
Thanks for your help.
Brenda is overwhelmed by the kindness of people she's never met. Angels and little miracles are all around us.

Her reservation in Williamsburg doesn't begin until 10/03/09 so I would imagine your donation will arrive in time but just in case, I'll email her and advise her not to close out the account.

Be blessed,
Karen
(Prudence-pb)

prudencepb · 09-28-2009, 07:21 AM

Bump!

prudencepb · 09-29-2009, 02:13 PM

Hi All,
I just spoke to Brenda. She and the kids are in Philadelphia today and will head to Williamsburg Saturday morning with DC to follow. I'm not sure whether Baltimore will be on the way to Williamsburg or along with the DC adventure.

They are so very grateful for all of the help.

I'll post pictures when she gets back. If those of you meeting up with her want to post some photos that would be great, too!

Foiled Again (my sister, Paula) is looking forward to getting Colonial Williamsburg tickets for them and tour guiding them a bit in the Virginia Beach area. I'm sure she'll report back when they leave.

Thank you all so much, you're all Alumin-Angels and I hope buckets of blessings fall into your laps.

Karen
Prudenc-pb
PS, to the lady who just sent a check. Brenda left the account open and she has ATM access so don't worry she'll still get it and thank you.

prudencepb · 10-04-2009, 07:30 AM

Brenda and the kids arrived at Williamsburg last evening, picked up carry-out and vegged out by the pool.
Weather in Williamsburg is supposed to be in the mid-70s all week.
WHOOHOO!

(It's cold in Ohio

)
Paula (Foiled Again) is taking them to breakfast this morning and helping them plan out their week.
Pictures soon. Hopefully Paula will take some and post them.
Thanks to all,

Karen

hampstead38 · 10-05-2009, 08:00 AM

According to my calendar, Brenda will be in Baltimore on the 16th. My wife and I will be playing "host" for the day. We're looking forward to the visit.

prudencepb · 10-06-2009, 08:54 AM

Thanks for the update. I wasn't quite sure of what she had scheduled with whom or when and I didn't want to bug her while she's hanging with her kids.

Paula gave them a quicky tour after breakfast on Sunday and I haven't spoken to either of them since then.

Hopefully the weather is co-operating and they get to do everything they planned.

Thank you and your wife for being so hospitable to this family.

I hope I get to meet you one day,

Karen

Foiled Again · 10-08-2009, 09:34 PM

Well, we went to breakfast Sunday, left the kids at the pool and made a quick tour of the Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown area... stopped for a cosmo and munchies and got the tickets for the historic area of Williamsburg. Was able to give Brenda the Historic "border roads" tour so she'd know what was where. Left her to rest for the night.

Monday and Tuesday Brenda and the kids did Williamsburg and Yorktown - and found the neatest public park right next to their timeshare - with rock climbing walls, great swings and equipment. I'm sure Brenda was glad to let them release their energy. Their favorite part of Williamsburg was the JAIL... followed by the armory and the blacksmith's shop. They also got a big thrill at the capitol building. They are home schooled and actually know parts of the Declaration of Independence and Patrick Henry's "Give me Liberty or give me death" speech. It was something for them to sit in a room that once held Jefferson, Washington, and Henry. If your timing is right a re-enactor is either reading the Declaration or doing Patrick Henry's speech as you tour. They liked the gunsmith's shop, and got a real education about building homes, when it takes an hour to cut a board out of a tree by hand with a two man saw... and if you're unlucky you're the "pit man" who is on the receiving end of all of the sawdust because he's holding the end of the saw that's below ground level in the pit.

Yorktown - wow. If you haven't visited there you don't know your country. When you go into a redoubt and see how close the opposing lines were it's eerie. I look out into the bay and can literally see the ghosts of the French fleet there - without them it wouldn't have been the final battle and victory. I walked around the monument with my sister on her last visit and noticed something I hadn't seen before - Washington's aide surnamed Custis died at Yorktown. Probably a cousin or other blood relative of his wife. At the greatest moment of the revolution imagine a very human Washington suffering the loss of a close personal friend and relative - and dreading having to tell his wife and her family about their loss.

Today they came to Virginia Beach and spent most of the day at the Ocean. They saw dolphins, found shells, and played in the ocean. Thanks to a generous friend who manages restaurants, I was able to take them to dinner at Georges Seafood Buffet... I received a gift card that covered almost half of the cost... It's remarkably good, but costy. I found that all four kids LOVE baklava (spelling?) - A rich Greek dessert with nuts, honey and thousand leaves pastry. You wouldn't believe it but one of the girls ate 6 pieces! It's so rich even I couldn't do it! They did justice to the seafood, but I've never seen kids who would like a grown up dessert like baklava before. (We did sneak some out in a purse.)

I got them back on the road to Williamsburg around sunset so Brenda wouldn't get too tired.

They will be heading to DC and Baltimore at the end of this week. Again bless all of you who've helped and who will continue to help show them a great time.

Those kids are kids, but are so well mannered it's amazing. You'll enjoy meeting the whole family and don't worry - this isn't a depressed weepy family! They're taking everything one day at a time and enjoying every day to the max possible.

As Tiny Tim would say, God bless us every one.

Paula

prudencepb · 10-09-2009, 03:42 AM

You took some pictures didn't you? Isn't Abby a riot?
(And they're all way too cute.)
Glad you had a good time with them,
Karen

Foiled Again · 10-09-2009, 08:07 AM

Brenda took LOADS of pictures - I didn't have the camera.
I'm sure she'll show them all to you as soon as she gets home. I'm relying on you to upload some here.

The kids are all very attractive - and nicer than they are pretty - which is really important.

Paula

ROBERT CROSS · 10-09-2009, 07:27 PM

GREAT news, glad everything is going so well. Looking forward to the photo's.

Bless wishes to all.

prudencepb · 10-15-2009, 03:05 PM

Hi Hampstead,
I'm not real computer literate so if you can post some pictures of Brenda and the kiddles that would be GA-ROOVEY!

I'll try to get my hubby to post some of Brenda's or give her husband my password and have him post some when she get's home.
Thanks for hosting them tomorrow.

Have a great time,
Karen

hampstead38 · 10-17-2009, 08:24 AM

This is Hannah taking a break from eating a jawbreaker the size of a softball.

hampstead38 · 10-17-2009, 08:27 AM

This is Sam throwing footballs at the ESPN Zone. He wasn't as thrilled as Hannah about posing for a picture.

hampstead38 · 10-17-2009, 08:30 AM

At ESPN Zone, Elijah found a hockey game to his liking.

hampstead38 · 10-17-2009, 08:34 AM

Abby/Abbie is wearing the black skull and crossbones stocking cap. We had our youngest daughter (Lis in the tie-dyed sweatshirt) and her friend Abby (black shirt in the middle) join us for dinner.