Thursday, August 29, 2013

Time

There is so much happening right now I feel like I just want to put my foot out and stop the world from spinning and get off! School started for the girls (and for one of them, its her last year of high school) I have struggled with bursitis and the fact that I was moved to a classroom with children who often need to be picked up. I was saddened at first that I had to start looking for a new job but it all worked out! In two weeks I start my new job with the public school system!

One of my girls had oral surgery, and my son will deploy sometime in the near future. Its so much to take in!  Time is going by quickly and my children are growing all too fast. I miss the days when they were young and under my roof where I could always protect them.

Although at this point they might want to protect me! I have fallen down stairs twice in the past two weeks! No major injuries but scrapes, bruises and knots don't feel so good at my age!

Friday, August 23, 2013

Changing Chick

 Remember this little guy?

 He brought his chick to me that he watched hatch in school. 
He has been busy this summer and out of town alot and hasnt come to visit in awhile.
but his chick is thriving!!!! Look how it has grown! 
 His baby grew quite a bit and is now covered in spots. Its a Barred Rock chick!
You can see the comb beginning to form and change color. 
On weekends the hens get to free range in the yard but the babies are still kept in the coop and run all the time. It give them a break from the big girls anyway since they like to bully the babies.

I cant wait til all 13 are laying at the same time! 
Our egg supply is low lately, especially with the weather changing and getting cooler.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

First Day

 It was the first day of school. Its her senior year and I can hardly believe it. 
It seems like yesterday she was eating 42 jars of baby food a week and wearing cloth diapers. 
It seems like yesterday that she danced to every sound in the house (like the washing machine)
but in 9 months she will graduate high school.
It was the first day of school and baby girls final year of middle school.
Its a sweet thing to see them grow up, and be such beautiful young ladies but
its a sad thing to think about not having them at home with me when they move on with their own life. Its going to be a busy year! 

Sunday, August 18, 2013

My only son

Please keep my son and our entire family in your prayers. (including his wife)
He will soon deploy (again) and it breaks my heart.
So many military men and women are deployed all the time and I always keep them in my thoughts and prayers. Its especially hard when its your child and you know he is in infantry.
He is my first child and my only son.
I love him more than anything and will be praying daily.
I ask that you pray for him also.
Hes been in the Marines for three years but this will be his first Christmas away.
Thank you for your prayers.

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Family Resemblance

She's my beautiful baby girl and she isn't a baby any longer. 
Lat night we were sitting in the living room and I snapped the picture above. 
It was Easter when we were looking at these old photographs of my husbands family and I noticed the little girl that looked just like my baby girl.
 Its sort of hard to tell from the photo I took of the damaged photograph but can you see what we see?
She has always felt she doesn't look like the rest of us and has jokingly asked if she was adopted.
When she saw this, she thought we were playing a joke and had photo shopped her in! 
We didn't! This is her great great great grandma as a girl.
Its pretty amazing to see that you look like your relatives from so far back.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Pepsi and Cheesecake

 We really didnt have the funds to go out for dinner so I cooked for our anniversary. 
I was super excited to find Pepsi in glass bottles! Its something you rarely see anymore.


 Recently I mentioned how when we were dating (over 24 years ago) we were always seen with a Pepsi in our hands. Back then they were only sold in tall glass bottles. 
We often talk about how we miss the taste of cold Pepsi in glass bottles. It gets colder and that makes it taste better. Recently I found some Pepsis in glass bottles and had to buy them for our anniversary.
 Our dessert had to be cheesecake. You see, when we were just beginning to see each other 27 years ago, we were at Shoneys Restaurant with a group from church eating dessert. He said to me, "If you learn to make cheesecake Ill marry you" and so began the quest for me to learn to make cheesecake! 

I did make cheese cake for him and he married me. 
We should have had cheesecake at our wedding instead of wedding cake. If we ever renew our vows, we will have cheesecake! On our wedding day we did, however, stop and buy us a Pepsi in a tall glass bottle.
We have been married 24 years now.
On the 29th of this month it will be the anniversary of our first date (27 years ago)

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Heaven is as easy as ABC

(JoAnna and Harold)

JoAnna has left this Earth and is in heaven with our heavenly father and her Mother.
Please pray for her daddy, Harold, as he has endured losing his wife and daughter within 18 month of each other. 

Our only comfort at this time is in knowing that she was a Christian who had given her life to the Lord.  In thinking of this, I am reminded of so many times I have read Facebook posts from people who lose a loved one and automatically say "they are in heaven"
Death does not mean heaven automatically. 

A Christian is a person who has given his/her life in faith to Jesus Christ. Its as easy as ABC
All you need to do is ..
A-Ask Jesus to come into your heart and life
B-Believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins.
C-Confess your sins and turn from those ways knowing you are forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Being a Christina does not mean you are perfect. It does not mean that you wont stumble and fall sometimes but it means you have faith in Jesus Christ. I means that when you do fall, you humbly come to Jesus and ask for His forgiveness and strength to get through the tests and temptations.

JoAnna and Naomi were Christians and loved the Lord. 
I have no doubt that they are rejoicing together in the presence of our Heavenly Father.

Knowing this is comfort but it does not take away all pain from losing them on this Earth.
Please pray for Harold  during this difficult time, that God would give him all the strength.

 

Thursday, August 8, 2013

In God's Hands

 Naomi (top left) was one of my favorite cousins. She always had a smile and a memorable laugh. She love the Lord. She loved her family. 18 months ago Naomi was murdered during a robbery at a family member's tire shop. It was a senseless act. Naomi left behind a daughter that she loves so much and a husband who loved her more than anything. 

Her husband, Harold, has been in poor health for awhile. He had a liver disease that required a transplant. JoAnna took good care of her daddy after her mothers passing. She took on responsibilities that no young woman should have to. JoAnna did all of the cooking, cleaning and paying bills while suffering herself. She had some health issues which included a liver disease like her father. In recent months she has been in and out of the hospital with several issues but with her weak liver, it has all worked against her body.
She needs a liver transplant but has been too sick to live through surgery and recovery.
JoAnna took this photo of herself in the hospital a month ago.
She is a beautiful 27 year old who loves the Lord and her family. 

Currently she is on life support. Her organs are shutting down now and her father (Lord, bless him) has made the decision to stop all medications and leave her life in God's hands.

Harold has suffered so much over the past few years. 
My heart aches for him. I cannot imagine saying goodbye to my spouse and less than 2 years later telling my only child goodbye.

Please pray for peace and comfort for my family during this sad time. 
I find peace in knowing that she is a Christian and will join her mother in heaven very soon.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

24 Years later

 When we got married Pepsi was sold in tall glass bottles. It tasted better then. It was cold with the slightest bit of slushy ice on top. We were known to always have a Pepsi in hand while we were dating. Naturally, after we got married on the hottest day of the year we drove to a store and bought our Pepsi and then went back to the church to hang out with friends and family.
 I had been around him most of my life! We went to the same church and our families knew each other. We dated three years before getting married in the church we grew up in. Little did we know that our life ahead would not be an easy one.
 We have faced financial hardships, we have endured sickness and surgeries as well as the birth of four beautiful babies. We have laughed and cried and even yelled at each other.
 Life is never easy.  We have talked of going our separate ways at times, we have hurt each other but in the end we have always realized that we would never want to face all these things with anyone else.
Happy 24th anniversary to my Husband who works hard for our family and always makes me laugh.