December 2019
Herb and Kim Allison, editors
Contributors:
Caleb (31), Bethany (28), Timothy (26), Joseph (24), Hannah Grace (22), Jubilee
(13)
Lucy
and Ethel go to Cuba
Kim and Jubilee took off
on a mission trip to Cuba with only 3 weeks’ notice. They knew no one on the
trip, no one at the destination, and no Spanish; unless “Casa Bonita” counts. It
was Kim’s first time out of the country, and Jubilee’s first airplane ride, so
they were both very nervous (maybe crying?) when they left Florida behind. Before
every Cuban customs official, Kim would grab Jubilee, point to herself, and
say, “Mama.” She assumed it was universal and would keep them together.
They traveled with Pastor
Juan, their host, to jungle churches with thatched roofs and a variety of
animals coming and going. Some walls were concrete, some woven fabric, and some
had no walls at all! Kim spoke and Jubilee played her violin at every church.
The violin was a real hit because of the scarcity of instruments (other than
gourds) and the islanders were spellbound.
The trip went 3 days
longer than planned, because a tornado tore up the airport! Thankfully, the
Lord blessed the tissues, soap, and hand sanitizer that Kim brought from home
to make it the extra days (Believe me, you don’t want to run out!).
It was a dream-come-true;
like living out all the missionary books they had read aloud over the years!
They fell in love with the Cuban people, and even though Jubilee got sick on
the trip, they were very sad (maybe crying?) when it was time to go home. Just like the other Allison family members
who always want to go back, Kim and Jubilee would love to make a return trip! Every
single detail of the trip was amazing, so if you have a few hours, Kim and
Jubilee will show you pictures and talk non-stop. Have your popcorn ready!
Girls
Gone West
Bethany and Hannah Grace
flew to California last summer to visit with Herb’s sister, Lea, and do some
beach-bumming and bungee-jumping. They felt right at home, since Auntie Lea
instructed them constantly about healthy eating and high achieving (just like
mom!). She believed it was her duty. J
Uncle Roy’s Promotion
How many days while
homeschooling did we hear the rumble of the tractor coming down the hill, the
excited squeal from the kids, and the mad scramble for rubber boots and work
gloves? By the time Uncle Roy pulled up in the yard, they were ready for
adventure! As they learned to work in his shadow and walk in his steps, Uncle
helped shape them into the capable, confident people they are today. The Allison
kids know they can tackle anything put before them, in part because of the
character qualities Uncle Roy instilled in their hearts. That era of our lives
ended August 12, 2019, and the loss is at times crushing, but because of his
commitment to Christ, we know we will see Uncle Roy again. As Uncle Curt says,
if there are cows in Heaven, we know they aren’t his – his were too crazy! “This is life eternal, to know You, the
only true God and Jesus Christ, whom you sent.” John 17:3
Greener
Pastures
Bethany has put in 7
years with the Tulsa County Sheriff’s office, and (according to her) that’s
long enough. She is anxious to try her hand at just about anything, as long as
it pays enough to stay alive.
Her side hustle is
working church event security, which gets rather nasty at times! She has had to
sling more than one would-be “line cutter” across the parking lot while
shouting Bible verses in their face. “The first shall be last, and the last
shall be first!” is one of her favorites.
The
Legend Has Retired!
Herb broke free on
September 15 after 33 years with State Farm. Then he and Caleb celebrated
freedom and their respective September birthdays with a trip down south. They visited
Joseph and toured the Lexington, an aircraft carrier at Corpus Christi.
Herb’s retirement plans
are to coast through deer season (the entire 3 ½ month hunting period!) then
start scouting, planning, and preparing for the next deer season. If you don’t
understand that, you’ve obviously never had to put in a whole day of checking
trail cameras! It’s hard work, y’all!
Two
Peas in a Pod
Caleb landed his dream
job in April of 2019 when he was hired as a live-in caretaker for Kim’s 86-year-old
uncle. From what we understand, they drink coffee, watch old westerns, and talk
politics while they ponder which yard varmint to trap or shoot next. The best
part: Caleb doesn’t even have to do the dishes (there are house-helpers for
that!).
Tools
on the ground; Wings in the Air
Timothy is now a Certified
Flight Instructor and loving it! So far, all of his students have passed his
class with flying colors! J He is still the humble appliance repairman on stormy days, but when
the sun comes out, he takes to the sky in one of his many planes to do some
superman skydiver-dropping and hair-raising flying lessons! Sign me up!
Bibles
for Cuba
Kim’s latest hobby is
collecting donations for Spanish Bibles for Cuba. She has connections now and
makes sure, to the best of her abilities, that the money is used for Bibles
only. The Bibles can’t be shipped in – they would be confiscated, as would any
money for that purpose. Regulations are constantly changing in regard to
Western Union: who can send to whom; so the logistics are tricky! Plus, the
Bibles (King James only) can be legally purchased nowhere but Havana, which
causes a dire shortage in the outlying areas. If you would like more info, or to
donate, contact Kim.
Moving
and Shaking!
Hannah Grace changed jobs
in April and is now at Brookdale in Broken Arrow. She also changed apartments
in November so she resides in the same complex as Bethany! Work and school
won’t allow them to see each other much, but no matter - Han is already
planning another move when she graduates in May. She won’t tell us where, for
fear of being followed! Hannah likes her space!
Cruisin’
Shaelee was treated to a
tropical cruise for her 21st birthday, so the “Allison Lite”
(Herbert, Kim, and Jubilee) traveled to Louisiana to watch the boys while
Joseph worked. Shaelee had a great time, and the family back home enjoyed parks
and alligator swamps, but Baylor was a little grumpy about being weaned on such
short notice!
Back to Class!
Jubilee couldn’t stand
being the only birdie in the nest, so she opted for public school in Warner
last August. The Princess has to rise and
shine much earlier than previously, but she says it’s worth it to be able
to interact with so many new friends! She makes the rounds of lunch tables, chattering
as she goes, and brings her lunch home untouched. Popularity has a price!
Joseph’s
Castle
Joseph and Shaelee bought
their dream-house and 15 acres in the Keefeton area last March, just 7 minutes
from Mimi! It needed some carpentry and cosmetic work, which Joseph was happy
to do. Then, he finished up his Louisiana job and dragged his trailer to Texas
to work on an ethane cracker plant. But
no one likes the separation. L Especially now, since there is another wee one on the way. Yes,
you heard it right, folks. Baby #3 is due in July 2020!
Let’s take an informal
poll on their next move: 1. Keep the dream home and drive back and forth to
Texas every 2 weeks? 2. Sell the home and all live in the one bedroom trailer?
3. Buy a house in Texas (far from Mimi)? 4. Pray with Kim that Joseph gets a
job in Oklahoma! Option #4 is the correct answer! J Time will tell how close Kim is to God…
Hunting
Heritage
The
old man won the family contest with the biggest deer he ever shot (plus a few
more). But he claims the highlight of the season was sitting 1 day in a deer
stand with Timothy and 1 day with Joseph, just like old times. He was also on
hand to witness Brantley drop his first duck (with a little help from Joseph!)
A
Basket Case
Kim (Mimi) took Brantley (4) and Baylor (2) on many outings to
pick green beans, berries, and pears, and gather pecans from various farms and
gardens. Kim’s little bushel baskets came in very handy for teaching endurance
and diligence: “We can leave when the basket is full!” They also learned
teamwork when they decided to pool their pickings for 1 full basket!
The highlight of Kim’s
summer was getting both boys to sleep for naps in the hammock at the same time!
Victory!
No comments:
Post a Comment