This day...

This halloween day, I'm loading up things to go in the motorhome. We are taking a little trip over to Destin for our anniversary. We just want to get by the beach and veg out! Oh, yea, and shop! Well, I probably shouldn't shop at all, I opened my credit card and almost had a heart attack, and know that when DH sees it, he WILL have one. You know, it isn't big stuff, just a little Coldwatercreek online here and a little Chico's online there and all on sale....you know just a little bargain here and a little bargain there...adds up to me saving a LOT of money....and paying a BIG bill. I'm off the online shopping for now. It is too dangerous and I'm reeling myself in before I break the household. I mean, you know it is getting on to winter and the money tree in the backyard is looking pretty bare!

So, I will enjoy walking on the beach! That's so much fun when it is cool and you're not sweating like crazy. This picture is not the beach we'll be on, but it is the beach. Now that day was HOT! I hope you all have a good weekend, I may be able to blog from the motorhome, but I'm not sure. DH has been out there working on all that electronic stuff, because no way can we be without our t.v. and computer....we really don't know how to just relax!!!

Dreams

I was reading on another blog about family traditions. Our family has several family traditions, but that isn't what I want to say today. One of my dreams has been to have a family portrait....by that I mean me, my husband, my son, his exwife (I consider her a daughter), the grandchildren including their half sister because if she is part of them, then she must be part of me, my youngest bio son, my stepson and his wife and the youngest. I want it to be a picture full of happy faces and I want to hang it over our mantle so that everyone who visits can see our family, our entire family. I have thought about this for several years. I don't see it happening because everyone is so scattered.

I understand what Angie means when she says after a divorce it is different. In fact I wouldn't mind having the father and mother of our children in the family photo....after all they are part of the family. This is one of the reasons I try so hard to advise people to do whatever it takes to have their family unit stay together. I know that God takes whatever mess we make and makes it work out for His glory, but it would be so much easier if we just lived by His Word.

I will always want that portrait. I can take pictures of everyone and just frame then all together. That wouldn't be the same. I could photo shop them (as if I knew how). That wouldn't be the same either. I have always loved the Christmas cards with the children on them, but I never could do that because I couldn't get a picture of them all together.

I'm so grateful to God that I have each and every one of my children and grandchildren and that God has given me so many blessings. DH said one time that he thought it wasn't so much the portrait I wanted but what it represents...a family united. I'm keeping the dream because sometimes dreams do come true!

Mama really NEVER said there would be days like this!

It has been such a strange Monday...several upsetting things that I just don't think I should blog about. But trust me, over here in normalland, there is never a dull moment.

After the strangeness of the day, I went to Publix to pick up a few groceries, turned down an aisle and there was a woman sitting on the floor beside her buggy eating a sandwich. My cousin, don't ya just love small towns??, was ahead of me on the aisle and I heard him ask if she needed help. She said no, I'm just eating. When I got to the cash register, I said are you aware a woman is on the floor on the chip aisle? The cashier said, yes, we asked her if she needed help and she said she had to eat her sandwich because the olives were falling out, to which in my oh, so tactful way, I say, I think she may be a few olives short of a jar and anyway isn't there some kind of safety rule that says you should HELP HER WHETHER SHE WANTS IT OR NOT??? I just need to stay home!

Family Reunion....Continues

Mama such a good time seeing family, her cousins and nieces. This is her brother's daughter.




I've always loved this gravesite, well, you know, as much as you can love a grave! But behind the church is a little cemetery and most of the people there are related to me! When my grandma was alive and able to go to reunions, she would walk among the graves telling about who was who and at this one (I think), I asked one day who was buried where the little headstone was by the two big headstones...she answered, oh, that was the first wife.


Here's Cathy, Mama and Tommy after we were successfully removed from the bathroom incident I mentioned in the last post.

We have one 1st, 2nd or 3rd cousin (you really lose count in a big family), that mama loves to see each year. Regina's parents were killed tragically in a car accident many years ago. But just to show that senility runs in the family, as we were leaving she came up to hug mama goodbye and my sister says "Tell your mother we said hello" and as my brother and I were gasping in shock trying to get them to zip it up, mama says "Yea, how are they doing?" Well, as brother and I fell to the ground in a dead faint, Regina sweetly says "They're just fine, they're in heaven." As we walked on to the car, Cathy mumbled something like, "oh, ground, open up and swallow me now!" :)

It really was a nice day, I'm glad we went.....I wonder what will happen when the older ones in the family are all gone. Will we still get together and reminisce? Or will we slowly just all drift apart? I hope not. It's a good Sunday, have a great week!

Family Reunion.......Part 1

Well, today was the day.....my brother, sister, sister's granddaughter, mama and I loaded up and drove to De Funiak Springs, then on to Pleasant Grove Baptist Church for the Anderson/Broxson reunion....You see since wayyyyy back in the, well way back, the Andersons and the Broxsons started marrying one another. Now it is a big mixture. The day started nicely, we were cruising on the road for way too long when everyone but the driver (guess who? Right! The man) realized we were lost. We finally pressured him to stop at the Friendship Baptist church and ask directions. Thankfully, someone was there and directed us. Eventually we arrived at the little church pictured Pleasant Grove Baptist Church.

The first picture is the church itself, then there is the sign my daddy built before he died and the granite rock which is self explanatory. My great grandfather Preacher Dan Anderson was the first preacher. We went into the little church, late, but we were there and listened to family history for a while...then mama quite out of the blue wanted to introduce her great granddaughter....who wouldn't stand up:) She's 7 poor girl. After all the inside stuff was over, everyone was scurrying for the bathroom, there 4 bathrooms, two of them were right behind the church. They are old but o.k. Sis and mama and I went in and locked the door. Did our business and started out.....the door wouldn't unlock, I mean would not....Cathy tried, I tried, then I, being very claustrophobic and knowing I couldn't climb out the one small, high window, started yelling "Help, we're locked in the bathroom". I yelled several times until the man in the bathroom next to ours says "Do you need help?" ...Ummmmm, YES! So we kept trying but that door was not unlocking. My brother had decided to kick the door in when mama's cousin came by and took out his knife and started taking the doorknob off.....finally! We were free. Whew....By the time we finally got to the food, we were lucky to get the last little bits. It was wonderful....and it feels good to be a good Scottish girl with ancestors in the cemetery behind the church. There is more.....later.

For some reason blogger is not letting me move pictures around so the one of my sister pulling on the bathroom door is when we were stuck!

correction

Please forgive me for giving the wrong info about the location of the family reunion! It will be outside De Funiak Springs instead of Ponce de Leon.....my older sister corrected me! I plan to take lots of pictures of the cemetery as well as the church. I've baked cookies (Pillsburies break and bake)and we'll take something else....you know our country cousins will have the good stuff, like fresh peas, corn and the like. And you all know I'm not one to complain, but this is two Saturdays in a row that I'm gettiing up early. This has to stop! :)

A Family kind of time...

This Saturday is an annual family reunion. My sister and her granddaughter are coming from Pensacola, She and my brother and I will be all taking mama and going to the outskirts of a huge town, Ponce de Leon to a small Baptist church founded by our great grandfather...It is the old fashioned church with the cemetery behind. When my grandma was alive, I loved to walk in the cemetery with her because she knew everybody out there. There is a little church service and catching up on who's passed on and who's the oldest you know the reunion drill! Then we'll go outside to the actual dinner on the grounds. You know those country cousins can cook now!! We will consume lots of good food and see family members we never see except here and at funerals. I'll take pictures and show some of our family.

Tomorrow's Friday!!!!! You know how I love my Fridays.

Still crazy after all these years.....

Oops! Yesterday was my brother and wife's 42 anniversary. First of all, who can believe it when you say, 42 years! I mean he's old don't you think? They married young and have 4 children and a ton of grandchildren. I'm always so thankful we have such a big, close family. Our children know their cousins well and we are often all together (usually for funerals or weddings).

Anyway, happy late anniversary T & L!

Maybe NOW we won't run out of cereal so fast!!! And I mowed the grass, so I hope DH is a happy camper when he gets home. Bless his heart, he really is the best husband in America. He's sweet and funny and kind and comes home after working 11 or 12 hours a day and is in the best mood. Plus all that and remember his daddy has lung cancer and his mother had breast cancer this year. He's very even...meaning you usually know how he will react, he doesn't blow up and one time he just raised his voice a little tiny bit and I said, "Hey you can't do that because I'm not used to you yelling!" He's my best friend and we have held hands through a lot of stuff. I tell him everything and never worry about his reaction. I know that all marriages aren't like that. My daily prayer is that we are, in our marriage, a witness to the love of Jesus Christ, and of the ability of Christ to take something that was bad and use it for His glory and make it good.

Could I lose my job???

In case you can't read this it says, in my precious husband's handwriting which I cherish......."This is empty, please purchase a new box. Thanks, Russell"

"Well, I got up this morning, you were on my mindinddddddd, you were on my mind!" If any of you remember this old song, this morning I got up to this sweet message from the husband...I know he just wanted to keep himself on my mind today! :) I may be fixing to be fired from my job as CEO of the home! I laughed so hard when I saw this. I knew this box was empty because he left it out yesterday, but I was quickly cleaning the bar and just stuck it back in the pantry and of course, promptly forgot! SOOOO........AFTER I mow the grass to redeem myself, I'm making a trip to the grocery store. Maybe tonight I'll fix a special dinner with candles. Naaaa! I never use candles, you can start fires that way!

On a somber note, I'm see all this fire stuff on T.V. from San Diego and I'm just praying that God keep his everlasting arms around all in danger, and especially my children and grandchildren. I am so thankful that I know He is faithful to keep them safe. My prayer each day is that he draw them to Himself and that He protect them from all physical harm and from evil and temptation.

Have a great Tuesday everyone.....and if you should need to, visit your local grocery store or YOUR husband may leave a love note too!

California Fires

I've been talking to my son today and the fires in Southern California are causing a lot of road closures, evacuations...it is devastating. I looked on the fire maps and it isn't reassuring. I've been asking the Lord all day to take care of them and I know He will! My son also volunteers in the fire emergency something (sorry I can't remember the name)....I wish I could send some rain out. Please join in praying for all those who are being displaced by fires and losing their homes. And pray for my family there.

A boat trip kind of day...

Yesterday we got up very early, which by the way is not normally something I would do on a Saturday morning, to go on a 3 hour boat trip with some friends. I don't actually know any of them well, so I was a bit apprehensive about the whole idea and had actually hoped it would rain again so I wouldn't have to go. Terrible, I know. Well, of course yesterday was a gorgeous day. So, we went. I have to admit I had a really good time....we went the intercoastal waterway to San Destin and docked at Bay Town Harbor (and I'm not even sure that's the name of the place). After a really nice walk, we got to the little "town" section, where we looked around then ate lunch at Jim & Nick's BBQ. If you've never been there it is worth a trip. We first went in Birmingham. Anyhow, then we went by shuttle to the Grand Blvd. We walked around looking at stores and of course I went in Coldwater Creek and found a few little things I went home with. 70% off sale! We then took the shuttle back and had another 3 hour trip home. On the way home, we had a nice selection of snacks we all brought and wine and cheese.

We got off the boat and literally drove to Russell's parent's home to meet and go to supper with them....so no wonder I'm putting on a few lbs.!! Russell's sister is here for a couple of days and we went to the Captain's Table another fabulous little seafood restaurant. We decided we better share ours since we had basically been eating all day. Russell's dad seemed to be looking pretty well and I took a couple of pictures. When I looked at them, I could see that he's not looking all that good....we are praying he will be able to make the trip to NC at Thanksgiving.

Anyway, it was a long day and when we got home I was just ready to collapse. But it was a good tired.

I got it!

Well, I got the award, but only on (I hope this is right) my sidebar. Honestly, I am going to have to hire and elementary student to come over and teach me how to do this stuff!!!:)

Thank you Tonja!

I did what the site said, but I just couldn't get it to open on my blog. :( But nevertheless, I'm still so excited!

I'm not sure this is gonna work, but even if i can't get it to show up on my blog, thank you Tonja! I was thrilled when I read your blog this morning and saw that you had given me this award...my FIRST ever! I'm just honored and very humbled!

I'll tell you a little story about Christmas too.....I may have told it before but I'm so forgetful that here goes again. When I was a little girl, I got sick every Christmas, every single Christmas. I mean really sick too...fever, throwing up, hallucinations. One of my parents had to sleep with me in the days leading up to the actual Christmas day. Every year my mama took me to the doctor and every year he just said it must be excitement. The year I found out there was no santa claus, I was never sick again. I'm telling you I'm high anxiety. Thank goodness that I don't do that very often now....not saying never, just better.

o.k. now i'm going to push the publish button and just pray this shows up. Thanks again, Tonja. You are the sweetest person. I feel like you are my friend and well, I guess you really are! :)

Rain Day

Oh, it has rained today...now I know we're behind in rainfall and I'm glad to get the rain, but I MELT...well, o.k. I don't melt, but I look like a wet dog when my hair gets wet. Plus my dogs won't go outside because they think they melt too. So picture this, I have a golf umbrella in one hand and a dog in the other...we troop out in ankle deep water and I gently place them in the lake that has become our back yard and beg them to go. In fact I stand there saying "be a good boy, be a good boy, BE A GOOD BOY BEFORE WE DROWN! I'm sure that we are providing daily entertainment for our neighbors. If you notice, our pool is about to overflow. I don't know if you can actually see the rain but just trust me on this.

The day wasn't actually a total loss, after Bible study at church and a quick visit with mama, I came home, got into some comfy clothes and got in bed to watch a movie....ended up taking a nap! No, not so bad after all.

Relax?

Forever, if anyone says to me "just relax" I tense up like a stretched out rubber band. Which over the years has lead to jaw, neck and shoulder pain. I go to a wonderful massage therapist (if you live in the Panama City area I'd be happy to give you her number). Yesterday was massage day and as I was trying to take deep breaths and relax, she commented that she didn't want to lose clients, but she would love to see me completely without tension one day! She also suggested on another occasion that I leave my body to science! O.K. I'm tense! I do relax under anesthesia, does that count? Anyway, I felt better all day. When my dear husband called and asked if I wanted to go out to eat last night, I said oh, no, I'd much rather cook....j/k I whooped and said of course darling, no sacrifice is too much for you! So we went whole hog, drove all the way to the beach and ate at one of our favorite Italian restaurants. When I say whole hog, well all I can say is oink! I've tried to eat light today. But what fun and how nice to have a night out with the man I love.



Since we were out and having such a good time and our bellies were full and we were so content, I gently reminded him that we have an anniversary coming up. He said when, I said when? He fumbled until I took pity on him and told him the date. We married one month to the day after Hurricane Opal. When I woke up that morning, heard it was a category 5 headed for Florida, I thought, oh, I hope my wedding dress doesn't get wet! Sounds shallow huh? It's not even that my wedding dress was that special, I mean it was to me, but it wasn't real expensive....this was after all a second marriage between 40 somethings. But more of that with pictures on the actual day.

This was truly the day the Lord had made and we were glad and rejoiced in it!

Oh Yes It is!

Momrn2 over at My Quiet Corner did a post on life being hard. Great post! One of my favorite verses has been John 16:33b....."In this world you will have many troubles. Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." The first time this scripture really came to life for me was when a campus outreach student worshipping in our church quoted it....she was here from one of the Eastern European countries. She knows what it means as a Christian in a non Christian country to have troubles. Yet, her face was glowing, smiling.

Yes, if you live long enough you will have problems. Thankfully, underneath those who trust Him are those everlasting arms. Many times I hold on to the branch above not quite sure if those arms can hold me and my baggage. Then I discover that the branch is the "True Vine" and I am holding on for dear life through every wind and wave of trouble.

This was actually a pretty good weekend though. Two of our sons were were here and we enjoyed visiting and catching up....oh, the youngest did happen to bring his tuition bill! After we fainted, we went out in the backyard and picked some money off the money trees :) and sucked it up and wrote the check....how many more years does he have???

Today after church and lunch, they left to go home, so all is quiet at our house. The dogs and cats, the husband and wife, we are all tired! So this afternoon it was naps for all! I just know a great week is ahead! So to all, a good week!

Days of tears and laughter

This was a day of tears and laughter...all of our eyes must be really beautiful. Some of you may remember Sophia Loren saying "Your eyes cannot be beautiful unless they've cried". So we are all real pretty today! I was so proud of my friend. She was so strong and even though she will miss her mother so badly, she was so filled with grace today that it could ONLY be the Lord. A preacher friend flew in to do the service and it was just perfect. Although there were tears, there were many memories that brought laughter to everyone.



My sister came from Pensacola, so sweet! Katie and Mary Grace came with their dad and his wife. The lady that died was one of three women in the church that went with their mother to Mayo in Jacksonville and stayed and cared for her, so she meant a great deal to that family. Sometimes when I read my posts, I wonder if anyone understands my ramblings!



It has been an exhausting week for this family and I'm praying they get some good rest now, knowing that Rubye is with her Savior. "But we do not want you to uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope" 1st Thessalonians 4:13 I am terribly sad for those who have no hope.

The good things and the good things.

I was going to write about how sad yesterday was, but then I remembered this verse from Ecclesiastes 7.....

"A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better
than the day of birth."

My friend's mother died yesterday. It was the first time I have ever seen a person die. It was amazing. It was as if the angels came down and got her soul and quietly took her to heaven. We actually didn't know she had died until the nurse came in and said her heart had stopped. So her pain is gone, she is in the presence of our Savior. She was surrounded by the three people she loved most in this earth....her husband, daughter and grandson. She had been air ambulanced home Saturday from Houston so she could be home. But we also know that the coming days are a "time to mourn" and I am praying for peace for her family and comfort for the days to come. She will be greatly missed but we know she is home at last!

Joy and weeping are so intermingled. The above pictures are from Katie's bridal shower. Katie is standing and I'm sitting on Emily's lap with Mary Grace beside me. This was such a happy day, except we missed Carol who was flying back from Houston. The shower was fun except for the part where I spilled my glass of tea on the carpet, then spilled the next one too! I doubt I'll ever be invited to anything else at her house. I did offer to pay for getting the carpet cleaned....on our way out, one of the hostesses, her named just happened to be and I'm not kidding Lucky, dropped a wine glass and broke it, so I felt a tad better. Yes, I know that is not very nice of me, but I am always the clumsy one and it felt good to share to glory!

Everything was wonderful and I can hardly believe that Katie will be Mrs. Benoit in a little over a month.

Things are so busy

These days, it seems like all everybody does is go and go and run by here and there never slowing down.

Last nite I had a wonderful dinner with two of my friends that I have known for 30 or more years. We were Baptist Young Women together...we know each other's pasts. We know the history of each other's children so we never have to wonder if we should say this or that, we know that we each understand the other. We sat on the back deck of a local restaurant and watched the sun go down into the bay in a glorious red huge ball with gorgeous colors shooting through the clouds. One of my friends who has had so many more tragedies in her life than most of us, made this comment...."How can anyone look at that and not believe in God the Creator? Because this happens every day, no matter what else happens this is consistent, it is the same every day, our personal worlds can be falling around us, but that big, beautiful sun is going to rise every morning and set every night." And all we have to do is see it to be able to give glory to God. It was a nice break in a busy week.

Today was busy with two doctor appointments for my mother. Then tonight we had Russell's parents and his nephew and wife come for supper. Thankfully Russell loves to cook because I didn't walk in the door until after 4:30 p.m. I quickly cleaned the guest bathroom, ran the vacuum and straightened up...otherwise known as a lick and a promise! Oh, but don't hold me to that promise now. We had a delightful time together. We feel so blessed to have such big loving families.

So, thank you Lord. Thank you for a break and thank you for time with parents and with nephews and nieces!

Trying to lighten it up

This morning I put my friend on a plane to go out to the cancer hospital where her mother is dying.....she's so sad. Even when we know that as Christians this is not our home and that death is our doorway to everlasting life, the ripping away of our parents, our friends, our siblings, whoever is leaving this earthly dwelling, is hard. Those of us, her friends, wish we could do something, we take care of her dogs, we make sure her mail is taken in, one is mowing her yard, the only things we can do. The family's prayer is that Rubye can come home for the last few days of her life. It has been a hard year with a lot of sickness and suffering either physical or mental or emotional....this has been the year of the emotional rollercoaster ride.


On the way to the hospital, I tried to lighten things up a little, so I told Carol to be sure if she went to the bathroom to push the vacancy/occupied latch securely! That is because 15 years ago, I, a very unseasoned traveler and my younger son boarded a plane to California to see my granddaughter. I was scared to death of flying, Granddaughter was the ONLY person or thing that got me on that plane. We stayed for 8 days, do you hear me people? 8 days with a newborn, a couple of new parents, one of which was my son who can be very temperamental and my younger son who was very hyper! Even though it was the thrill of my life to take that baby in my arms for the first time as a new grandparent, 8 days was too long, take my advice, 8 days is TOO LONG. On top of that I turned 40 while we were there. Three days into the stay, I slipped upstairs to a phone and begged the airline to change our tickets to go home earlier, but no deal. So after 8 days of sleeping on a cot, playing with and loving on a new baby and driving all over San Diego in 25 lanes of traffic going very fast (I may have exaggerated about the lanes) , a very tired grandmother and her son boarded the plane for the trip home. I was exhausted beyond, well beyond. In the plane, in the air, I needed to visit the rest room, so I got up slithered past the stewardess, I mean flight attendant and got in line. Finally, my turn came and I went into the rest room for the first time ever in a plane. I pushed the latch and was sitting on the you know what with my head resting on my arm so so tired, when suddenly the DOOR OPENED, that's right folks, you have got to push that latch hard! When the door opened and the very embarrassed man jumped back and pulled the door closed, I turned my head to the mirror and thought, man I look tired. Then I thought well, I can pull my big girl panties up and go back to my seat or I can sit here until the plane lands which was about 5 hours away. So summoning up all the dignity I had left, I walked out with my head held high....the man was no where to be seen, but a young girl was smirking.


The point of that very long story is that I told Carol to be sure to make sure the rest room door was securely locked. She had not flown in 30 years. She called me when she got to her first stop and told me that she had to hold hands with the lady sitting beside her! To heck with the rest room visit!


I said all that to say this, there must be laughter with your tears. Life is short.

No Boasting

Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit" Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."

Once again today we listened sadly as the doctor talked to us about Russell's dad's cancer growing again. When we first started this journey, we didn't expect papa to live very long....he's still with us 10 1/2 months later. That doesn't sound like much time, but we have enjoyed every minute of that time. Now, as then, we say God and God alone will determine how many days papa lives, as He does with each of us. We plan to take Russell's parents to North Carolina for Thanksgiving with Russell's sister and a lot of the grandkids, Lord willing!

One strange and really unimportant fact.....papa was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer, the fastest growing kind, which when killed in the lung (I guess they try to kill it) moves to the brain. His never responded to the treatments except that maybe they kept the mass from growing faster. Now that the treatments have ended, it has started growing again in the lung, but is growing slowly and has not spread anywhere else, which the doctor says is also not how the disease "is supposed to behave".
We really don't know why this disease is not behaving like it usually does, but we believe that God is controlling the behavior of this thing and not a medicine or doctor. Please pray God's mercies on papa and so many that are diagnosed daily.

Can it be October??

Can anyone explain WHY times goes faster as we get older? I can hardly believe it is October and I'm already having to eat halloween candy. Sigh.....I really need to work on my self discipline.

If you carefully look at the bottom of this postcard sent to me by my traveling sister, you'll notice I actually have a canyon named for me....an honor I must say! Looking at those rapids, you would have to be a crazy person to be there. In case any of you want to go pay homage, it is in the Bighorn National Forest. My sister, Cathy and her husband, Dick have been on a several state tour going to Utah, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming and into Montana. Just doing American traveling! They have a lot of great pictures and as soon as I learn how to upload them from shutterfly to this blog, I'll try to share them. Don't hold your breath!

Our KOHLS opened!!! I rushed over today and walked around the store twice, but didn't see anything I just had to leave with, and believe it when I say that wasn't easy! I am trying to find some of the wide leg trouser-like jeans and I'm having NO luck at all! We don't have Old Navy. I know I could order them, but I really need to see what they look like on first! Cause things that look good on the internet often turn out sooooooo different on my body.

Hope everyone had a great Monday. Actually it was a fairly quiet day here. :) Love it!