3:12 AM Message

Had a message this morning from my girls in Italy.  Got the message at 3:12 am, they were starting on their day over there.  They wanted to let Dustin know their tour guide is Mario and their bus driver is Luigi!  Dustin is a big Mario & Luigi fan so they thought that was funny.  They will be in Padua all day today meeting with two local student choirs all day and performing in a concert tonight.  Below is their list of song.  Love that they will end by giving these Italians some Western Swing!

Repertoire

Concert Program: Go Tell John – Lloyd Pfautsch Vere Languores Nostros (Latin)– Antonio Lotti Hey Nonny No! - Kowalski The Eyes of All Wait Upon Thee (Psalm 145) – Jean Berger Ave Maria – Tomas Luis de Victoria When Jesus Wept – William Billings Western Medley (Cowboy folk songs) – arr. Antinone The Lone Prairie (Ghost) Riders in the Sky

Italian Concert Schedule

This is the schedule of concerts Lauren's choir will be performing in Italy.  What a great opportunity for her.  So glad she was able to make the trip after her bout with the kidney stones.  Continue to keep her in your prayers.  She still has 3 stones in her kidneys.

Friday 9 March	Exchange Concert SS Fabiano & Sebastiano Church Padua
Saturday 10 March	Concert San Moise Church Venice
Monday 12 March	Mass St Peter’s Basilica Rome
Wednesday 14 March	Papal Audience St Peter’s Square Rome

Lauren and Cindy off to Italy

Thanks to all who have been praying for Lauren.  Please keep her in your prayers as she flies to Italy today.  She has TAKS testing this morning then off to DFW at 1:30.  They fly from DFW to Frankfort, Germany then from Frankfort to Venice, Italy.  She is so tired as she hasn't slept much in the past week because of pain.  Hopefully she will be able to sleep on the flights.  She will be singing at several churches in Italy and at MASS at St. Peter's Bascillica on Monday.  Cindy and her other grandmother will be with her and that makes this grandma feel better!

Grandma Hawkins Birthday

Today would have been Grandma Hawkins birthday.  I have been trying to locate her date of birth but haven't found it yet today.  I loved growing up next door to her and miss her still.  I often think how much she would have enjoyed my grandchildren.  Some of my favorite memories are of sitting in her porch swing with her while she regaled me with stories of her childhood.  She was so excited when the Corps of Engineers put in Lake Monroe and made her old homestead into a recreation center.  I remember picnicing with her under the 'Twin Oaks' as she told about playing there with her sisters and brother as a youngster.  Miss you, Grandma, you taught me so much.

Prayers For Lauren

Please keep Lauren in your prayers.  She has 4 kidney stones and is not doing well.  She has an appointment this morning with a urologist in Ft. Worth.  She is scheduled to leave at noon on Wednesday for 8 days of singing in Italy.  Right now she has moved from morphine to codene but is still struggling.

Grandpa Hawkins With His Brother & Sister

This is a picture of my maternal grandfather, Freddie Raymond Hawkins, on the right, with his sister Stella Smith and brother Bratch Hawkins.  The picture was taken at Grandma and Grandpa's 50th wedding anniversary in the 1960s.

Busy Month

Welcome to March, which will be a busy month for our family.  We have three birthdays in March; Isabell, Chad, and Rodney all celebrate birthdays this month.  Cindy and Lauren will be going on a choir trip to Italy with Lauren's High School choir this month.  Lauren has been very busy with practices for all the places they will be singing there.  And of course, all the grandkids look forward to Spring Break.  We will be a busy bunch!