Happy Birthday Brother

Today is my OLDER brother's birthday.....of course, for an old man he still does quite a lot of things you would think were reserved for a much younger man!



Like.....playing softball! Yes, he plays softball, works out at the gym, drives a corvette....anything to drive, pun intended, those passing years into submission!



He's a deacon in the church, been married to his first wife for well over 40 years....has 4 children and scads of grandchildren! Really, too many to count!



He has always been a very involved parent and now grandparent. So much so that instead of me telling you hold old he is, I'll relate this little story....



Last week, my niece called her daddy and asked if he could go to a band concert at her daughter's middle school.......incidentally the same middle school each and every one of us siblings went to......of course, he said yes and called his wife, Lois to ask if she was also going. When he got to the school office he was indignant that he had to sign in as a visitor. As he told one of the office workers, he was a student there before she was even born! No matter, he had to sign in....then make his way down to the band room.



Walking in, he saw the band director, the band and his wife....no other parents. Immediately the band started singing Happy Birthday. Then the band director said the band had a special instrumental they wanted to play in Tommy's honor....Below is the song they played....along with my brother's age!





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xnj6NxU4WHo

Happy Birthday brother. I love you.

Fun Baby Day!

Oh, my goodness, mama, they finally came to see me! That was what Grady Michael had to say when his Aunt Carol and Aunt Nancy came to see him yesterday.

Weather wise, it was a really bad day......that is somewhere! On the way, first my brother called to say we needed to turn back because there were tornadoes all around! I laughed and said it was cloudy, but we would be o.k. Then my MIL called with the same words of advice! As bad as the weather was all around us, we only drove through one spot of bad rain and for the rest of the trip there and back, it was smooth driving! But it's nice to know people care!

Grady and his mama welcomed us and we visited for a little while. Mama and baby are both so beautiful!

Grady gave us some smiles and we just ate that up of course!

Grady is looking at Aunt Carol very seriously.....he really loved her colorful shirt!

After we had gotten our hugs and kisses in, it was time to head off to lunch. Grady had grown bored with us and was asleep!

Cathy met us for a quick lunch on her way to work.



After lunch, we headed back to Mary Grace and Mikey's house so we could visit and Grady could have his own lunch!

We had so much fun just playing with Grady and visiting with Mary Grace. After a really nice and much needed visit, we headed back to P.C., stopping at Wh*taBu*ger for supper! That was a good hamburger. I think it was the first time I've ever eaten there, but I'll go again if I get the chance.

Thanks Mary Grace for having us...we really loved seeing you and Grady! Oh, and as we were leaving, Mikey was coming home from work....so we rolled our windows down and said a quick hello and goodbye!

Happy Anniversary, Tommy and Claudia!

Happy 3rd Anniversary! I know everybody says this, but it really doesn't seem possible that 3 years have passed since Tommy and Claudia's wedding! What a joyful day! After a beautiful wedding and reception, these two started their own family together!

It was a beautiful day. I was relieved because much of the reception was outside and since we live in Florida and it was March, it could been nice or not so nice! It did get cold when the sunset, but we were right on the bay and it was so pretty.

Maybe we'll have a grandchild or two from them in the near future.....no pressure guys!

Have a great day....we love you two!

Please pray for Stellan

Although I started blogging just for fun, I have found that this blogger world is full of prayer warriors. Those who boldly approach the mercy seat of God, fall down and pray for those mercies that are new every morning.



Many of you have followed the story of McMamma and her baby Stellan. Please go here and add your prayers to those already being offered up to our Lord.

Thanks.

Sick day

Matt, who's home doing his pharmacy rotations at our local hospital, is home sick today. Really sick, because like his daddy, not much stops him and he has a really high tolerance for pain. But last night he woke up with a high fever and aches and a little headache which probably means a throbbing headache, but like I said, high tolerance.



I have been wanting to make this soup for a while now, so I decided today would be just the right time to have some creamy potato soup! Delicious! Easy! I did add the cheese and sour cream right into the soup instead of using them for toppings. That soup and a grilled cheese sandwich seemed to soothe him for a while this afternoon.

I'm hoping he's not contagious because it is, after all, tax season and hubby really doesn't need to be sick!

Speaking of sick, I just went to my pictures file and about half of my pictures are GONE! Oh, I was so afraid of this....

Now, if you can tear yourself away from this tantalizing post, I'll just be going back and killing the already sick boy who transferred everything from my old computer to this new one.

Happy St. Patrick's day and other rambling bits of nothingness!

I'm green.....this is all the green I have to show.....but at least you can't pinch me! :)



Update on my computer....after suffering through two different repairmen, both constantly on the phone with D**l on their bluetooths (is that a correct way of using blue tooth??) so that half of the time it sounded like they were talking to me so of course I tried to answer them....... and after replacing every part inside the computer, the computer is up and going.............exactly like it was when I got it....it still sounds like a jet taking off! Sooo.....I'm not calling them back...I don't want them to come back and "fix" it some more...no, I'll just listen to the loud noise while I'm typing, or reading or whatever.

IN OTHER NEWS............SMALL TOWN HITS THE BIG TIME.

In a recent Wh*el of Fo*t*ne, a father/son team from our town were the big winners! We normally aren't big Fo*t*ne viewers, but when the locals are on, well, you have to watch!

If you can get this, you'll win.......my admiration! I forgot in my rushing to take pictures of the t.v. screen to get the answer to this puzzle! But doesn't Vanna look cute?!



This is the father/son team that won and won big! I think their total was over $38,000 in cash and prizes. AND to add interest for us, the son is a teacher at J*nks Middle School. My husband and I both went to that school AND that is our last name! So we vicariously shared their fame...o.k. they aren't sharing the money or the trips....and we rooted them on to victory..!

Oh, well, it was fun to watch.

In happy news, Emily shared this exciting news with everyone!

Finally, for anyone who is feeling down, take a look at the Snippet on my sidebar for today!

New Computer + Big Headache!

Russell noticed that I had the worst, oldest, slowest computer in the house. I wanted a laptop, but I was just happy to get a refurbished new desk top.



Matt, who's home for a few months while he does rotations at a local hospital, got home yesterday and started working on transferring all my stuff from the old computer to this one. He worked and worked and worked and worked.....all afternoon and nite....with me standing over him begging him not to lose any of my stuff. Now he thought I could do without a lot of my stuff, but I kept saying NOOOOOOOO.....



He got it together and it makes a noise...yes, a noise, sort of like a blow dryer turned on high. So, he got home this afternoon and spent at least (and I'm not exaggerating) 2 hours on the phone with a technician who after having him take the whole thing apart while I nervously sat biting my nails, said he would have to order some parts, which will mean more hours of working on my new computer! I'm happy.....real happy!

Next day.....the repair man knocked at the door and I rushed to welcome him in....he spent approximately 1 hour on the phone with the tech! No kidding, the repair man and the tech! He put the new part on and started the computer and the blow dryer started on high!

Now we are getting more parts. The repair man will be back.

Thanks, honey, you tried! :)

The Church Pew

O.K., girls! Here is the story of the church pew! Go here to read about my friend. This was her church pew.....now I honestly don't know (or remember if I was told) where she got it, but it was on her front porch at her home when she lived here. I always loved it! After Linda died, her husband and youngest daughter moved to Pensacola where he was working. There were actually two church pews and they gave one to me and one to another long time friend. I was really honored. Still am for that matter.

Isn't it pretty? On the back there are book racks where the song books or Bibles went. I'm almost completely sure that when you walked past the bench to Linda's front door, there was a frame with this cross stitched verse.....As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. If I'm wrong at least 3 people will tell me!

I'm sure many people sat on this pew and heard the Gospel and sang the time honored hymns. Thanks for trusting it into my care!

My junk store find...

For some time I've been looking for a little table to go beside the church pew. It needed to be something old and it was o.k. if it was rough looking. Last Saturday, I made a trip to a local junk antique store. I explained to one of the owners what I was looking for and honestly, I followed that sweet woman through that entire store upstairs and down. I had just about decided that the trip was futile when she spotted a little table describing it as an old telephone table.

I was a bit skeptical at first. There was no knob on that little door up top and it was really dirty and dusty. But it was half the seller's price...a clearance table!!! I do love a good deal. I bought it and brought it home, sat it by the church pew and promptly got too busy to think about doing any clean up or think about the knob. Today I went to the hardware store and found this perfect glass knob, came home and cleaned the table up and put a lamp and a couple of pictures on it and voila! I love the look! I even put the knob on myself....I know, you're thinking no big deal....but I'm not a crafty, creative person so it was a big deal to me!

What do you think?

Update....

Today my friend's son lost his battle and went home to Jesus. Before he died, his mama was talking to him and he said I just wish I could walk! She said you will walk in heaven and you'll be with Josh. Josh is his younger brother who died 27 years ago at age 6. Please pray for this family to be comforted.