Why has my waist deserted me!?

First let me say that I was looking at old pictures on the computer and came across one of Russell and me and his parents in the mountains about 5 years ago. I was SKINNY, Russell was thin and so was his dad. Russell's mother never changes...she is probably the only woman I have ever known who stays the same size...........forever! I really don't get that.

Today I made a little retail therapy trip to D*ll*rd's to window shop buy a couple little items I had spied on the sale rack. Today they were an additional 40% off of the 75% off price! You just have to say that is a good deal! I got all the above plus another shirt for a birthday gift for under, drum roll please, $50!

Now I needed the retail therapy because I've been in the doldrums for the past few days. What I call low grade depression. Sometimes when I get like this I go to bed, o.k. I did yesterday. So today I decided to do something crazy, like shop! Yes, I do count my blessings too!

Anyhow, the point of all this is.....L*z Cl*iborne jeans come all the way to your real waist. I seem to have lost my real waist if I ever truly had one! The were too tight....and they were so cheap! But they'll have to go back!

And I will go and do sit ups now. I wonder if shoes are on sale?

Happy Anniversary!

Happy 41st Anniversary to my sister and her husband......that's their daughter Amy with them.

My humble prayer....

First of all, I must humbly apologize for the whole depression, euthanasia thing. How arrogant for me to think that I would or should know when someone should die. I know that God has all our days written. This scripture helped me today.

Psalm 92: 12 - 14a "The righteous flourish like the palm tree
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
They are planted in the courts of our God.
They still bear fruit in old age;"

Also, Psalm 139:16 "Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
In your book were written, every one of them, the days
that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them."

Part of the fruit my aunt bears is the reminder of things she taught us as little girls. She was and is the example of a Godly woman. She built her house, and busied herself taking care of others. Her home was a place we all liked to visit.

Today, I will focus on the those lessons and learn from her and prayerfully ask that I might bear fruit.

The patriot in me!

This is kind of a where's waldo...in a weird kind of way. Russell and I are greeters at church one Sunday a month....today the assistant pastor's wife was talking to me and saying something about our name tags, when suddenly she said "when did you vote?" I thought strange, but said, "a long time ago." She in turn stated that I must be really proud of voting.

I still had my I Voted sticker on my jacket! If you look closely kind of near my name tag, you 'll see my sticker. I just proudly replied, "I want everyone to know I voted!" She knew the truth.....I totally forgot I had that on! Actually, you can see it much better in the picture than in real life!

Oh, but that was only the beginning of my day! We had a wonderful church service, with a great sermon and music....then Russell and I went to eat with my mama at the retirement center. I had to laugh at mama....she knew we were coming, so she was dressed with makeup on and you would never know she had an ache in this world! She loves Russell and was on her best behavior!

After lunch we took her for a ride, then Russell went one way and mama and I went another, to see my aunt at the nursing home. We both left there very depressed. I'm going to say something here that I know is wrong and I don't really believe in....I know God is leaving her here for a reason, but I almost start to believe in euthanasia when I visit her. I know that is wrong....no comments on that please. It is just that it is such a pitiful situation.....one of her eyes is so infected and she recently had fallen and was hurting so badly. She's 92 and is a precious saint......I guess I just want her to be with Jesus! In the back of my grandmother's Bible she had written "There is a reason for our sickness known only to God." I know that is true.

Anyway, after that awful experience, we were on the way back to mama's when I suddenly remembered I was supposed to let my friends dogs out! So we rushed over and I told mama I would just be a minute. I opened her door and the alarm started the warning signal....I punched in what I believed to be the code and it said denied! I tried another number......denied. Then the actual alarm started going off. Ear piercing! I let the dogs out the back so they wouldn't go crazy, answered the phone and told the alarm company the situation......she hesitated and then asked if I knew the password. PASSWORD! Of course, I don't know the password, but I tried her mother's maiden name. The nice lady said no, but it is a 5 letter man's name! O. K. I tried her father and her son.....nope! So I said in my very nicest stressed out of my mind voice, "I really am her friend! I promise!" Of course I'm sure all the burglars say that! So she turned off the alarm. I sighed a big sigh of relief and went to the back door to let the dogs back in......you know what happened don't you??? Yes, the alarm was triggered again. I decided that I might as well go peacefully when the police arrived.

Just that moment, my friend and her family walked in....I have never been happier to see anyone! She called and convinced the security company that I didn't have her at gunpoint and that all was fine. I left and took mama home. I got her settled and she said "are all your days like this?" She didn't really, but I'll bet she was going cuckoo, cuckoo!

Hopefully the rest of the day goes smoother!

What a difference a day makes!

Wow! Today we have beautiful blue skies! The last two days we have had torrential rains! I'm so grateful to God that we didn't flood at our home and praying for the people who did flood. Although our pool did overflow and we had to let water out on the already drenched ground.



Sunshine is a wonderful thing! I got up this morning with a new attitude....started working and shampooed two carpets, mopped and cleaned two bathrooms and dusted (badly needed). I worked for a little while on the pool and it got so warm I thought seriously about jumping in, but I'm betting it is still cold in that water! It needs to be fairly warm for me! Plus with all the rain water, we need to put salt in the pool.



Do any of you have a salt driven chlorine pool? It is the greatest thing! We just basically put salt (table salt, well, in big bags) in the pool and the magical machine by the pump :) makes it into chlorine. But the great thing about it is it doesn't smell like chlorine and it never, ever turns your hair green! We've had it since 1998 and I'll bet the chlorinator has paid for itself 20 times over! So if you're thinking of a pool or doing some changes to your pool, I highly recommend it! However, don't expect the people at the pool place to try a hard sell because they want to sell that messy chlorine!



Well, back to enjoying this sunny day. I hope it's sunny where you are today!

I'm hungry mama!

Jack has to be on a special diet for the next few days....Mikey has to eat in the crate while Jack looks on and cries. Then they shift positions and Jack eats in the crate.

The Best laid plans....

There was a brunch planned for all volunteers to meet this morning with the speaker from last nite's banquet. A wonderful speaker from Focus on the Family, and no, I can't remember her name, I can barely remember my own! I was looking forward to meeting all the other volunteers that work on other days. We only meet at the annual fundraiser and Christmas parties. I haven't been to a Christmas party yet, so I really only know the ones who are there when I'm there....anyhow....

When I woke up this morning, my baby (below) was acting strange and trembling. Luckily I knew those signs and managed to get him in the shower before he threw up...he did that twice and on the third time he threw up blood! Now all you who really aren't dog lovers probably don't need to read further.

I called the vet and said we were coming in, that it was an emergency and I considered calling 911. She said well, come at 10:30! Obviously, she doesn't know the meaning of the word, EMERGENCY. That seemed hours away. But I got ready while Jack lay lethargically on the floor.

You ever notice how vets and doctors never really know what's wrong with you but they just give you lots of medicine to get you out of their office??? Well, he thought maybe Jack was reacting to the weather, no, I'm not kidding. But he gave him something for nausea, antibiotics, something to coat his stomach and some anti anxiety medicine.

Oh, trust me, he needs the anti anxiety pills, he's a lot like his mother! Anyway, a bazillion dollars later and special food for his sensitive tummy, we got home where he proceeded to act like he had never had a sick moment in his life! SIGH!

Missed the brunch. But did a few errands, visited with mama for 3 minutes and got home just before the thunderstorms started........again. I'm so sorry for all of you that get snowed in, this is just the second day of unrelenting rain and I'm already stir crazy. I just keep repeating, we need the rain, we need the rain!

The rains came.....

For months we have been in a drought. Today, the rains came with a vengeance! I go to Bible study on Thursday mornings and when we finished and went to the parking lot, it had started! It got worse as the day wore on and about 4 p.m. my mother in law called to tell me to turn on the t.v. that we were under a tornado warning! Not a watch, no a warning. Indeed, on t.v. the weatherman was telling minute by minute where the area of circulation was located. In 12 minutes it was supposed to be right over us, so I called my husband 's office. He was on the phone so I, in my calmest voice said HAVE HIM CALL ME BACK ASAP! When he did call back, I said there is a tornado coming, what are you going to do? He said in a rather snippy voice, maybe I could do some tax returns. When we hung up, I said to myself well, o.k. then. I guess I will just get my dogs and get into our safe place, which would be a closet. Then I thought better of that idea.....I haven't dusted in a closet since my rod fell...and not this closet. I decided that maybe we were better off just sitting in the middle of my bed. So I gathered up the babies and climbed into bed.

Oh, yea, I was in my pajamas. I had not been in my pj's all day....but when I decided the weather was bad and I wasn't going out again for the day, I thought well, might as well be comfy. But, hey, if a tornado did come, I didn't want to be in my pajamas for heaven's sake! So I quickly dressed and waited patiently for the tornado. Thankfully, it never came....just lots of thunder, lightning and rain....I'm talking deluge here.

We had a fund raiser to go to at a local restaurant for our local Pregnancy Resource Center, so we braved the elements to go and while there the weather just got worse and worse....the restaurant was leaking, it was just a mess! Getting home was even more fun. Several roads were actually blocked off because of flooding.

Our schools are closed tomorrow....we're talking serious flooding here. I'm praying for all those who may have their homes flooded or have ended up in a ditch because you can't tell where the road ends and the water begins.

Thank you Lord for the rain.....I know we needed it badly, but could it just slow down a little bit now???

Oh, and yes, that weather radio was going off every five minutes! What a life saver!

Moving right along.....

These two children, Maddie and Charlie have been in our lives since before Maddie was born. Their parents joined our church and having no family close by, quickly became very close to us. Their mother, Nikki, had premature labor with both of these little darlings and spent a lot of time on bedrest, with me! I took her to so many doctor appointments that the doctor thought I was her mother. The day before Maddie was born, another friend and I literally walked Nikki all over downtown trying to get Maddie to come join us on the outside. Nikki was having contractions, but not a lot of pain. I kept saying you're not really in labor, labor HURTS! The next morning at 7 a.m. the daddy, Don called and said we're at the hospital. I could hear Nikki clearly in the background HURTING. Uh huh, I said, she's in labor!

I hurried to the hospital and was there during her labor and delivery. After her epidural, the rest was a piece of cake. She was smiling and chatting right up to the time Maddie poked her head out and said, "is this where I get off?" She's a very special little girl, I don't think she ever talked baby talk, but started right away just speaking like an adult.

She visited often and loved our Sam, here she is trying to pull his tail off. He was so patient with her. We miss that old boy!

At the top of this post is little Charlie....things were dramatically different when he was born. Nikki had once again been on bedrest to keep him from coming too soon. He was born a little earlier than Maddie and Nikki's labor was way different. Don called me at 1:00a.m. to tell me they were in the hospital. I told him to call me back when it was time to deliver. But, of course I couldn't sleep, so I got up, showered, dressed and made my way up to labor and delivery. We had a long nite, oh I mean morning. Nikki's epidural wasn't working right and Charlie dropped suddenly causing severe (and I do mean severe) pain.

But he was about to enter the world, and I was huddled with Nikki's aunt literally in the corner of the room. The isolette was ready, nurses were buzzing around and suddenly the doctor said "Come on over here". He thought we were the mothers! I said "Oh, I'll just stay right here." But he insisted.

When Charlie's head crowned, Nikki said, and said is a very mild word here...."I can't" and before I could stop myself, I said "she really can't!". Bless the doctor's heart, he got her focused and in a few minutes Charlie was born.....very blue, not making any noise. The doctor worked for a long time. The room was totally silent except for the doctor giving orders to the nurses. He finally got Charlie to breathe....gave him to the nurses who put him in the isolette and took clothes and rubbed and rubbed him. I know now they were stimulating him. They hurried him off to the nursery, leaving us to try and comfort Don and Nikki.

In a while, the doctor came back and called the aunt and me out into the hall and told us he believed Charlie had had a brain bleed. He then went in to tell the parents. The prayers started with vigor. Charlie was taken to NICU where he stayed for about 2 weeks. He seemed slow the first year, slow to turn over, to crawl, to walk......but then he started talking! And once he started, he made up for lost time. I truly believe God did a miracle in that little boy's life.

He is now a very robust, talkative, mischevious boy! All boy as they say!

Now to the sad part. Don applied for and was offered a position in a town far away from here. As soon as their house sells, they will be moving. They are excited and happy, but at the same time, we are all sad to say goodbye.

In the short 6 1/2 years they have been married, they have had two children, Don spent a year in Iraq with the National Guard and made our town their own. Now, I'm sure we will always keep in touch, probably visit now and then. We will surely go to their graduations and such, but it is still a little sad, just a little sad.

Life is hard.....

My sister and I were discussing on the phone this afternoon how hard life is.....she had that conversation with her husband and he said "what's so hard about it?" And she replied, "well, one of us is in a wheelchair." To which he replied, "you keep bringing that up!" But don't they make a handsome couple??

Actually, that is one of the promises Jesus gave us.....In John 16:33b...He says, "In this world you will have many troubles, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world." So even though life really is hard sometimes and we hear really terrible things on the news, we just MUST remember that He has overcome the world. He is with us to comfort us.

Today was just one of those days that need to slide on into bedtime! I went to get my haircut (not the bad part)...on my way home, my son called from my house (never a good sign). He's been laid off his job and was out putting in applications. So I made a few suggestions of places he might apply. Every one was rejected by him as "I don't want to work there!" I finally just threw up my hands and basically gave up the lecture.

Then tonight I was giving my mama a lecture about getting up more and getting stronger so she won't have to have caregivers and her money won't run out quickly! It seems like I'm always giving lectures nagging. So much so that my email address is ladynag@--------. That actually started as a joke between my husband and I. I just used his screenname and he got tired of instant messages popping up so he asked me to get my own space! I said well what will my name be? He said, well you nag a lot, so we came up with ladynag. I would change it, but it is so easy to remember and I wouldn't give up that moment of silence when I give it to someone on the phone! I always spell it and all the while thinking about the laugh they get when they figure out what it says! Gives me a laugh too!

So, anyway, I nag. I always say you should do what you're good at, and since I'm so good at that, I'll just have to keep nagging!

GOOD NEWS FLASH!!!

As I was writing this woebegone post on how hard life is, my phone rang. A dear friend of mine was diagnosed 3 months ago with a brain tumor...She went to UAB in Birmingham, AL and today went back for them to do a follow up MRI.....it turns out it was never a tumor to begin with but an aneurism, which is terrible in itself, but her's is enclosed by bone and membrane and the doctor said there is one half of one percent that it will ever rupture and that if it does, it won't go to the brain! So instantly the Son broke through the clouds and the day became a great day!

Longing for California

Last nite my dear, dear husband said why don't we plan a trip to California in maybe, say July! I jumped right on that one, and said a boisterous yes! His next statement was o.k. plan the trip. Oh, dear, he means down to every rest stop, nite stop and more! But o.k.! Anything to get out to see those grandkids. I have actually ridden this trip before when my parents, sister and brother in law and I went out when Ashley was 3. She's 15 1/2. However, I do remember what a LONG trip it is! The longest part being through Texas! Do y'all know how big Texas is?? I know you do Annie! We would be driving the motorhome and pulling my car. I'm not sure how many hours per day we would drive. I do drive, but I can only take two hours at a time, because it tires me so badly.

I've wanted to do this for a long time. Russell's never seen where the grandkids live and now since my son is there two, we would see them all.

Speaking of the grands, my granddaughter is due home tomorrow! I can hardly wait to hear all about her trip to Italy. While she was gone her brother, my grandson went to camp. Apparently all the 6th graders go to camp. I pray it isn't diversity training! It is California.

Anyway, I'd best get to planning! I'm going to do a follow up with pictures, but I have to scan them since that was before the digital days. I do so like digital cameras!

The weather radio...

Recently Russell's parents gave us a weather radio. Russell hooked it up and put it in the kitchen, where, his mother worried we would NOT be able to hear it should we have a warning. Today has been so windy, but no rain to speak of....hubby went to his office late this afternoon, leaving me home with the dogs and cats, when suddenly we heard this ear piercing, teeth rattling alarm go off. I thought it was the fire alarm and was rushing around trying to find a fire...a house in our neighborhood recently suffered a fire...when I discovered no fire, I realized it was the weather radio!

I called Russell who had gone to his office for a while and he said not to worry everything was fine. My husband has a minor in psychology and I am thankful every day of my life that he didn't decide to actually BE a psychologist. I mean he would have had no repeat customers because he would either say one of two things....you need to get over it or everything will be fine. He's usually right, that's not the point!

Also about this time as lightning is flashing and rain has started to fall, the dogs go to the door and decide it is time to go outside. I say no, they plead yes, so we go out with a big umbrella and I'm praying the lightning won't strike the umbrella and in doing so me too! They do hurry because they really don't like getting wet.

Sadly, I know there was a lot of weather damage yesterday, but we were o.k. and never lost power. So today the yard is full of fallen leaves and small limbs and I probably should get out there and start picking up!

Once again, I'm thankful for God's protection! Have a good day all!

For this is love....

We love because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19

Why would He love us!? From the first of creation, we sinned. And down through the centuries, we have continued to rebel and try to go our own way. But love us, He does, and this sinner is so thankful! He reached down from Glory and pulled me from the miry pit that I was digging. He gently said "Quit shoveling my child, I'll lift you out of there." And He did! And He will for you. So throw your shovels down and look up to Jesus.

I hope we all take a moment today to just say I love you to someone. Not just those we love romantically, but those who may need a kind word, an uplifting smile, just a little spot of love in their day!

Happy Valentine's Day dear sisters.

Rated G, everybody welcome!

Whew I was certainly grateful to be rated G..... Before I knew any better, I would click next blog and eventually come upon something that was rated XXX....I quickly learned not to do that....to only go to sites that were linked to sites I knew to be also rated G.

And speaking of G ratings, I don't usually do this, but I absolutely have to give a plug to the movie just out on DVD, Martian Child....It made me laugh and it made me cry. That's all I'll say about it, but rent it! You won't be sorry.....oh, usually when I say that, nobody else likes it....but you will!!!!! YOU REALLY WILL!!

P.S. It's cold here today.

Not so Terrible Tuesday!

All went well at the body shop! They were so nice and everything was done quickly and efficiently. They should be able to start next week when the parts come. Before I went to the body shop, I took my two boys (dogs) to the beauty shop groomer to get a haircut. They were awfully shaggy! After the body shop, I ran a couple of errands and rushed home to finish the vacumning before the boys were ready to be picked up and I almost got finished! Which is good!

It is raining now. I'm not complaining because I sure don't want to be like this.....

"A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day;
restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand." Proverbs27:15-16

Really, I don't! This is the time of year when I'm in my pajamas when my husband leaves to go to work and usually am in them when he gets home. He does take a little supper break and runs home but then it's right back to the office! Last nite he didn't get home until almost 10 p.m. I try not to ever say anything because I know he has to do this and it is only 4 months out of the year that he works such long hours. Each year after tax season is over, he talks about slowing down "next year"....hasn't happened yet.

On a completely unrelated note! This is actually what my tag says except that I have a yellow choose life tag.



It isn't a vanity tag and I had nothing to do with choosing the letters or number. I love reading license plates and trying to figure out what they say...so mine says sin ate her! Or some people think it says Sin Hater. One man even stopped me in the parking lot of Sam's club and said "are you for the incinerator?" To which I replied "I'm sorry I'm not sure what you mean." The incinerator (where they burn trash) is a big controversy in our county...the guy was really going to be angry if I said yes! Oh, well, it is a conversation starter! Not that I usually need one!

I hope you have been able to sit through the excitement of this post, I promise to try and be more interesting tomorrow!

Oh, my spell checker doesn't seem to be working, so forgive any errors!

Just one additional note concerning the closet episode...I just can't seem to stop today....the superhero fixed the rod and I've been moving things from one place to another organizing. I have one plastic box left sitting out because it isn't quite full. I took the dogs out to potty while ago, walked back in, tripped over the box and fell to the floor, hitting my head on a table. Going down (I always think the oddest things going down), I thought, well if I get knocked out, noone will find me until Russell comes home...I'm fine, just a few bumps and bruises. That's all folks!

Just another manic Monday!

Right before Christmas I had a small wreck in the bank parking lot when someone ran into the back of my car. It was really not a big deal, just frustrating. Let me see, that was December and this is February! O.K. then, I have been trying to get the insurance company to return my calls forever! They initially called, said they accepted liability and would contact me about having the estimate done. Never heard another word....so of course in the business of life, I put it on the back burner. But today I finally got someone to talk to me and I'm having the estimate tomorrow. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I was trying to put clothes back in my closet....

Oh, yes, I forgot to mention that I walked in my closet yesterday after church and a whole rack fell!!! My husband heard it and said from the living room, I don't need this during tax season! So I marched out (can't you just see me marching?) and said, I don't need this ever! This particular rod has a shelf attached where I had a bunch of folded jeans (most that are a tad too little and I was saving for when I get thin again)and was just generally overloaded! SO! Of course, I had to take all the clothes out and put them somewhere. The superhero came through again and got right to fixing it....so today I need to find all those clothes I had to put somewhere and maybe organize my closet....no, I'm not good at organizing! I am trying to go through and take out things that I know I won't wear. I have clothing issues! I hang on to everything "just in case".....

But back to the ranch, I was also trying to vacumn and mop my kitchen, go to get mama's check and take it to the bank, visit mama, you get it huh??? I just sometimes feel like I'm on a merry go round and cannot jump off!

I was counting on tomorrow having no place to go so I could just finish cleaning and organizing, did I mention I am not very organized??? But alas, now I have to get dressed and go to the body shop...BUT, I am thankful that I have a car to take to the body shop, that I have a husband who can fix most anything and really does it patiently even if it IS tax season and very thankful for my mother!

Proverbs 14:1a "the wise woman builds her house"....

Oh, did I mention the two dogs competing for my attention, wanting me to throw anything for them to fetch??? I'm thankful for them too!

It is Monday!

Happy Birthday!

Today is our daughter in law's birthday! Happy Birthday Claudia! She and our son have been married almost 2 years....incredible how time flies! She is a talented and gifted pre-school ESE teacher, who is starting her doctorate program soon. Claudia and Tommy met in middle school and have been part of each other's lives ever since the school Sadie Hawkin's dance. Happy Birthday!!!! We hope it is a very special day!

We're back and we're better!

Well, hopefully. The trip of just 100 miles was long and tiring for mama. We were really excited by the clinic there. They did lots of x rays and when we saw the doctor (who by the way was 14)....j/k....the older I get, the younger they look, he was very nice and took a lot of time explaining things to us. Mama has severe arthritis that has completely taken all the cartilege from her shoulders. When she moves you can hear bone on bone. Very painful! He injected her right shoulder and put her on an arthritis medication that we hope and pray will help with the pain and therefore, make her more mobile. She does feel better.....still in pain, but better. We stayed at my sister's and enjoyed being there with her and her husband and got to see her granddaughter and granddaughter's new puppy, Daisy Mae!

Here's Maggie with her big dog!





Here's Poppy holding Daisy...he's not so crazy about dogs. But he was being a good sport!





Bobbi holding Daisy Mae.....she likes dogs even less! You'll do anything for your grandchildren!




We did get in a good visit and supper. Mama wanted me to sleep with her so after Sister and I watched The Jane Austin Book Club, I went back to sleep with her. Not sure if I mentioned she also has bladder problems, we were up several times during the nite.....the last time I was standing over her bleary eyed and not really awake and she looked at her watch and said well it's 6 a.m. I looked my haggardly self at her and said don't even think about getting up. So we slept peacefully until 8, then got up. We had lunch at Panera bread before loading up to go home.

God was good to us, we got there safely and back home safely.

On a completely other note, our daddy would have been 88 today. He died very suddenly May 2, 1996....six months after Russell and I married. So in the providence of God I had more time for mama. Daddy was the hub of the wheel that is our family and we were the spokes. In both family's, everyone turned to daddy for advice.

Daddy died when he was 76, he still worked 6 days a week and church on Sunday. He didn't have hobbies, just work. He had to work to support 6 children! He had a good sense of humor, although sometimes a bit dry. One funny memory I remember is that after my Grandmother died and we had all gotten together at our family home, most every one had gone on home.......daddy sat down by mama, patted her on the knee and said "Well, I guess we're orphans now." It has always been our way to try and lighten up bad situations.....

Daddy would pick up strangers looking for a handout and take them to a motel, pay for the room, and leave them there. He always helped people. He could be gruff, he didn't hug much, didn't tell us he loved us much, but we knew. We always knew.

I'm glad to be home, "there's no place like home, there's no place like home!"

Wednesday

Sometimes, I can't think of a good title for the day. So since today is Wednesday, well you get it! I do some volunteer work just for a few hours on Wednesday mornings. It's something I have a heart for and love doing. It is working with women and girls who have gotten pregnant and come for classes and counseling. Today there was only one girl in class and she came with her sweet baby. During the class, we just began to talk and I ask her about her baby's father. Her eyes welled up with tears as she explained that he was incarcerated and that somehow she had been involved and entered a plea so she wouldn't have to go to jail, especially since she was pregnant. Since she has been coming to class, she has shown a great deal of character, always there and on time...doing her homework and helping the other girls. She's not a young mother, she's 35. She worked in some very responsible positions. As we were talking she confided that she is now unable to find a job, because all the applications ask the question have you ever been arrested? So she puts yes, and is immediately dismissed from consideration. She said she thought about just putting no, but knew that would be wrong.

My heart broke for her as she was telling me consequence after consequence she is and will continue to suffer due to this wrong. She is very candid in admitting she was wrong and has asked for forgiveness. She has started going to church. She takes such good care of her baby. It is obvious that that's her first priority. My prayer is that some Christian employer will allow her to tell her story and give her a chance. Any of us who work at this center would be glad to be a character reference.

This made me think about how much our actions affect not only ourselves but all those around us, especially those we love and those who love us.

Tomorrow, mama and I go to Pensacola to see an orthopedic specialist there in hopes that something can be done for her arms. She is constantly in so much pain that it is hard for her to get around. (she does make it to bingo):) We are just praying that there is some treatment they can do that we haven't found so far!

So, I'll be gone from the computer for a day or so.

A weekend of feasts....

Really, that's all we did this weekend.....EAT....first we had the birthday party for Uncle Hugh, then Russell cooked out that night so we had steaks, squash casserol and asparagus, bread and MORE birthday cake. Today after church, we all met at Po Folks and ate more. I should have just applied it straight to my hips, it would have been faster! Well, there's always be good Monday, the day all dieters start fresh!

Our Pastor is preaching on Lazarus and he brought out a really good point today that I know I've never thought about.....when Jesus went with Mary and Martha to the tomb, the people that were with them followed along. Jesus had the people roll away the stone....He then called Lazrus out of the tomb......He then had the people there take off the strips of linen coverings. Get it? Jesus had people do what people CAN do, then He did what only He can do, then he had them do what they could do again! There are things only Jesus can do.....give life for example. But there are things we not only can do, but that He tells us to do. This week I want to strive to do what He wants me to do in the situations I find myself.

These two, our son and daughter in law were here for the weekend and Tommy killed a deer! He was so happy.....now for those non-hunters, they actually eat the meat and I say they because I do not! It is really lean meat, hasn't been fed a diet that includes hormones and antibiotics, so it is probably better for you, but I just can't look at the dead deer, take pictures of the proud deer slayer and then eat the little guy. But the rest of the family does. They left for home today and got there safely and in time to watch the Super Bowl...



Now no one would ever really call me a football fan, but I watched bits and pieces of it with my husband. I really did enjoy the half time show. It was a group that all ages enjoy and there were no costume problems so it was thoroughly enjoyable. I even recognized some of their songs. As I've said before, I'm not so musical. Also since I'm neutral, I'm glad for the Giants and sad for the Patriots.

Have a great week!

Happy Birthday!

The plans were well laid,

Preparations were made,





He was really surprised

At the party devised.

O.K. bad poetry, but fun party! Uncle Hugh will be 90 on Tuesday. So we had a family surprise birthday party today.

He has had a long and interesting life which could fill the pages of a book....I'll just give you a little glimpse! He came to live with his aunt and uncle and two cousins (one being my mother in law) as a young boy. He was raised by my mother in law's parents and as a son.

He was at Pearl Harbor when we were attacked, even though he doesn't talk much about it...he also served in Korea. He met and fell in love with a Korean girl, but they lost touch when he returned to the states, communication wasn't what it is today. He lived with Grandma and Pappy and continued living with Grandma after Pappy died, until her death at age 107. He now lives alone and takes care of himself, drives, takes NO medicine and does quite well! He does come to our house if a hurricane is coming, but that's just because he lives on the water.

He writes poetry (not like mine) and plays sudoku and chess...for years he and grandma and some friends played dominoes daily. He can beat anyone at any game. At night before he goes to sleep, he names all 67 counties in Florida, all the states and their capitals, all the provinces in Canada(sorry if that's not what they're called, Leslie you can correct me), and all of my mother in law's blood relatives. We're not sure if it's to keep his mind sharp or just a bad case of OCD! But sharp his mind is! He does all kinds of math equations and comes up with stuff most people wouldn't even think of :)!

He also doesn't eat like most people eat. He makes concoctions like sardines and ice cream (no I'm not kidding), and he will seldom eat with anyone else and NEVER at a restaurant. But today, he ate pizza and cake with ice cream! Shocking!

Here he is coming in and he was really surprised....note his hat.





Here he is with my mother in law.





He's a huge blessing to all of us in this family. We love him and wish him lots of birthdays to come!

He did promise to come to my 90th!

Good Friday

Things just seemed to go well today. I had a lazy morning vacumning and dusting in anticipation of our son and his wife coming home....by lazy I mean I stayed in my pajamas until 10:30 a.m. I had done mama's check writing and ours and it seemed to go better and I wasn't as stressed as usual when I'm doing bank stuff. When I finally did shower and dress, I hurried to mama's to pay the caregivers and then to the bank to make mama's deposit. When I left the bank, I realized I was not as uptight as usual. Good sign!!! Thank you God for that peace that passes all understanding.

Tonight we went to a 60th birthday dinner for a friend then home to greet the children and talk with them for a while. Everyone is toddling off to bed now so this is short. We're thankful that the kids arrived safely!




Tomorrow we do our 90th surprise birthday for Russell's uncle. The reason it has to be a surprise is that he wouldn't come if he knew about it! He's not quite a recluse, but close. He's a very special man and we all love him very much! He lived with Russell's grandmother until she died at 107....yes, you heard right 107 years old! She was playing dominoes until she was 100. As they say, my husband comes from good stock.

Well, you're probably all in bed....but if not goodnite! And good weekend!