Monday, June 16, 2014

Happy First Birthday, Sweet Caroline!

Caroline turns ONE today!
She is crawling at top speed, trying to climb the stairs, standing and cruising!

She is a hungry girl who enjoys meal time!

She loves her Mama ,Dad and her sister!

She is pretty quiet but can make herself heard should she need to!

She shares her birthday with her Dad, how cool is that?

Love this baby girl, such a joy and blessing to us!






Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Spring Showers Us With Blessings...

April Showers Bring May Flowers...

Rain...Again!  I am sure that May should be super flowery!
It is kind of nice to sit around on a rainy day and just read a book or watch a movie, every now and then.
So many things have happened since I last wrote, I have been pretty slack.

One of the April events I have taken part in for the last 15 plus years, is a mutual birthday celebration lunch.  This year, it was just me.  Our trio...is UNO.  A few years ago, Mrs H went home..this year, my dearest friend, Charlene followed her.  In January, I had one last visit with her.  She had just come home from the hospital, after she and family decided to enter Hospice. No more treatments for Mets. Breast cancer.  She had had the original cancer 10 years prior, I remember it was on one of our lunches that she shared she had a mass and had been for a mammogram.  She came home for a visit 2012 and learned it was back.  Spring 2013 was full of travel, and treatments.  I didn't have as many visits as I would have liked.  We did have Tuesdays for Radiation.  The scans had showed brain involvement, and she couldn't drive herself.  We'd drive to Raleigh,get radiated for a few minutes and go out to lunch.  Boy, could she eat!  She was upset that she was upsetting her family.  She and I had some really good talks about life and how to live it.

After a fitful weekend and some family time, I was able to visit.  She had been medicated and was sleeping. I stepped into her room, the window showing the evening light as the sun set.  Her daughter, singing Breathe on Me, Breath of Life....and she was still and covered lightly with a sheet. Her hat, askew, and her arm behind her head.  I kissed her cheek and spoke to her of all the things we usually talked about. Her husband, her kids and most of all Our Lord. I told her how I would miss her and would try to continue to be a friend to someone else, like she had been to me....one last touch.
The next morning, she was gone.

So, April is almost gone..her birthday yesterday.  No lunch.  I missed it a lot.


.
The Desperate Moms class went well and had good attendance.  I learned a lot about what it is like to be a new(er) mom in these times.  Some things just don't change.  The pressure of being the best mom, compared to being a Godly mom still is present.  Some of the moms that have have their first children later in life..30's have different challenges than those in their 20's.  But God is good, and He is teaching all of us to be conformed to His image and to be more compassionate and patient with one another.

Over the past 6 months or so, I have had the privilege of baby sitting for E, while she works.  My daughter has done a marvelous job in so many ways.  She has grown and that is always a wonderful thing for a mom to see!  Watching and playing with the girls have been so much fun and I feel like it is something to be treasured.  I never thought I would have this opportunity to have them so close to me!  I really thought that they would be living far off in another state or even country, had L stayed in the USMC.

C has grown and has really started to blossom.  This little squirt of a girl, who had failure to thrive on top of an early arrival, has started to make great strides.  She finally started to crawl and is pulling up, she is putting stuff in her mouth..finally. She was a bit like a baby bird there for a while!  She has 2 teeth and is pretty much content, unless big sister comes by and gives her a nicely placed hug that is either too tight or just happens to knock her over!

S is really quite funny and spunky.  She is in a state of constant movement, but has finally settled into reading books and we can actually almost read a whole book.  She is very astute and observant.  Her language skills are finally coming together, and soon I think others will be able to understand her as well!
She loves the outdoors.

We recently met up with P at the Outerbanks.  He was training at a new store there, and we arranged to spend Easter with him.  We spent the day at the Aquarium.  It was a cold, windy and dreary day.  Really windy...25mph winds and the gusts were higher than that.  Temps in the high 40's!  It was fun to watch him take S around to look at the fish and sharks

V and I went to AZ in November, for a wedding.  We stopped at the Grand Canyon.  I wasn't prepared for the beauty of it!  We visited San Diego and our nephew. He has been in the Brig and hadn't been treated or evaluated for TBI and PTSD.  His mom, is a determined and zealous woman.  She has moved mountains and is getting him help. In the meanwhile, she is helping so many others to help our military men and women, who have served valiantly, and been mistreated by higher ups. She has encouraged me so much.



We went to Florida in March to see the folks.  The seem well and are contemplating their "what next?" for their 80's.  It was a nice getaway and we enjoyed visiting with family.

M is finishing up her first year at college...!!!! WHAT???  It hasn't even been a year since she graduated High School yet!!  She has managed to do quite well and adapted to dorm life.  She even ended up having a room to her self the second semester and enjoyed having her own room.  She is back to sharing for the summer, here at home.

I think that the summer is going to be hot, humid..and that is only because we have 7 adults and 2 kids living under one roof! I haven't even really started to think about the temps and the fact that the Heat pump might be dead!

It is good to be together and we are all learning the art of cooperation and compromise.  I do pray that we can have good memories and have a few summer adventures as well.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Providence

I am contemplating a book study from Whole Hearted Ministries, when this pops up in my emails!
So timely! Pretty sure that is one for conviction and confirmation!



lhttp://www.thehomeschoollounge.com/SallyClarksonBlogTour

Monday, September 23, 2013

Everything is going as planned and then.....

It was a great morning!  Up in time to feed Scarlett, hand her over to her mom and off for my walk with Teresa.  Great time today of 17:36 min/mile. (Yeah, we could walk faster, but we are working on that..already have cut some time off in the last 2 weeks)

I really enjoy our walks. For the past 4 years we have been pretty consistent on a 3x week 2.3 mile walk in the neighborhood.  Although, we have attempted it for the last 14 years off and on. We have time to share the Lord with each other, prayer requests, talk about the Bible and just what is going on in our lives.  Couldn't ask for a better partner!

Feeling good, I walked into the house.  Caroline had a weight recheck,and  I had Scarlett.  I remember those days of taking a baby to the Peds with my other kids and it was really difficult to pay attention.

Scarlett went for her nap and all was good.

Up for lunch and then after some play, we went out to the store.  Scarlett loves to go out and see people and new things...Caroline does not.

It gets crazy, but when the dust settles, I am reminded once again that God is in control and He has blessed all of us so much!

Friday, September 13, 2013

Good byes or see you laters...

Once again our family and friends are facing Cancer and the prognosis isn't good.
To receive a good-bye note is quite jarring.
None of us know the hour of our demise and for believers; the day we change our location and our wretched bodies become whole.  
    Heaven...
So, as Christians in the Church- do we say "good bye" or "see you later" ?  

I feel the shaking, the stirring of my soul.  Checking to see who is on the throne; is it Jesus or is it me?
   Time to re evaluate, to review, to re purpose,  and to renew.

At the same time, weddings and babies are also being celebrated. Life goes on. We live and we die.
I am hard pressed to remain diligent to keep my hyphen ( 1962-20xx) full of Christ filled living.
A question that has come up this week, "Do I really believe what I believe is really real?" D.Tackett.

So, as I ponder, I will pray that the Lord will help me with my disbelief, that my friend will experience healing, and that I will proclaim Him!  May my Intentions be my Actions.


Hebrews 12:2

New King James Version (NKJV)
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Celebrations!

Finally, I get around to writing a few of my thoughts.  So many new things and events are happening here.  My girls are a big part of these.  Pat has moved on out of state...we miss him.  He is doing well with his new job and is growing as a manager and as a man. He had his 27th birthday in May- and I am feeling a little old! :-)


Jordan is busy with trees falling down, or trimming to avoid trees coming down.  With over 10in of rain this June- the  ground is on the point of being supersaturated.  Every time it rains, Flash Flood warnings abound.  He turned 24 in June!

Elizabeth and Luke moved in after he got his terminal leave from USMC.  They were expecting baby girl 2.  She arrived 10 days early and looks a lot like big sister!  We are adjusting to living together and Luke is doing his best in a civilian job.  He is growing his hair out and has a beard..because he finally can do what he wants!

Angela has graduated homeschool high school.  She is looking into some avenues to follow in the future.

Michelle, graduated from high school and is headed for the mountains in just  a few months!

Life moves forward...and I am so blessed and proud of all my kids and the strides they are making.  I pray that they will keep close to God and be led by the Holy Spirit!

 Yay!  A year early and with Honors!
 My dad took the pic, and didn't wait for me to stop talking...
 The girls! <3 nbsp="" p="">
 Uncle Jordy loves to help Scarlett explore the outdoors.  We enjoyed breakfast at the Farmer's Market after the ceremony.
 Sisters napping together after an early graduation ceremony (8am) and all that entails.  Rush hour, 9m pregnant with an 18m old!
 Saying good bye to Pat in Wilmington.I thought I had a pic with Pat in it somewhere...
 Mich at AppState visit in April.  We accepted right after and she is already packing-sigh! (Sniff)
Learning to be gentle with her baby sister, Caroline Eileen 6/16 (Father's day and her daddy's bday)
                                                                5 lbs 14oz, 19 in, cute as a button!

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

winter in spring

I usually cycle through feeling  a little "punk", as my Grandma would say, and feeling up and refreshed.
Lately punk.  
Had to put the dog down.  Peppy was a constant companion for 15 years.  Although, officially not my dog- he was for the kids to have and to learn responsibility for, he was mine.  I fed, watered, bathed, walked, cleaned up after, brought to the vets, etc... and he was a good dog.
He was stinky and old and still he was good.  It was a hard choice, but it was time-he was in pain. 
Scarlett came with her parents to visit us.  She got sick and I felt so bad for her.  Her mommy did so well taking care of her first vomiting episodes.  She even got to experience it first hand, while enjoying a rare cuddle!

Lots to be thankful for and lots to pray for.  I am thankful for all the reminders of God's grace that is extended to me each day!

Praying for the ones I love that don't know Him. Praying for those I don't even know!

Happy 2nd Anniversary to E and L!  

Praying for a wonderful job opportunity for V.

Hoping Spring comes and stays a little bit.