Hope....

There is great news and hopeful news to report today. 

First the great news!  Our daughter in law was discharged from the hospital on restricted activities, which means she won't be returning to work until after John Daniel is born.  The Lord is gracious in hearing our prayers and we are continuing to pray for him to stay put until he is ready to come into the world.  Right now, he needs to spend more time in mama!  Thank you for your prayers.  We are, as a good older friend used to say at the end of every prayer "careful to give Him all the glory"....

Now as we all know who are Christians....Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.....even though my friend Dawn's husband is very critically ill, she is not giving up on that hope!  Thanks to the world of bloggers and facebookers, prayers are going out around the globe for his healing.  

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I need to lighten things up for a moment and ask a question.....when do you start wearing jeans instead of shorts or capris?  I know, world shaking.  I ask, because I have started wearing mostly jeans and once I start, I feel uncomfortable in capris, but I'm not odd or anything.  

Since it's Fall, I've actually put out a few Fall things around the house.  I'm not an all out decorate the house sort of girl, but I do like a few things.

Funny thing about my dining table arrangements.....every season, I use the same arrangements.......I just take one out and slide the one for the next season in....creative huh?

My least favorite

Sideways so I could get the wreath in, which is my  most favorite along with the cloth pumpkin on the coffee table made for me by a friend.  

That's all for the decorations.  I really can't believe it's Fall. 

To Trust.....

This is the update this morning from Dawn.....please keep in continual prayer this family. 

The news is dire this morning as his 
major systems are shutting down, and it will take a miracle of epic proportions to restore Dwight to health. We still pray and are reminded of the words of the Psalmist: "Why so downcast, oh, my soul. Put your trust in God." We have seen others recover, and we will pray now that the healing power of the One who made him would restore him



Is it ever hard for you just to trust that God has everything under control?  Yea, me too.  In this world where it seems everyone has lost their minds, I often forget that the One who created this world has everything under control and sees things in a way I cannot with these mortal eyes.

Today, I am asking you to go over to Dawn's blog and let her know you are praying for her husband, Dwight as he battles for his life.  He has some sort of infection that came on very suddenly and is fighting for his life this morning.  Please specifically pray that he would be able to have dialysis today as he is in kidney failure.  There are lots of other problems he has, so prayer for his general healing would be good!

Today is also Dawn's birthday, so if you could love on her a little, it would be nice.  I think the best birthday gift she could get today would be for Dwight to wake and give her a kiss.

I would also ask you to pray for our daughter in law, Claudia and newest grandson John Daniel.  She was admitted to the hospital yesterday with a high heart rate.  They are observing her and the baby.  Little John Daniel is strong and active in the ultrasound Claudia posted this morning and we are confident he will be able to stay put until he's all ready to come into the world.  

I'm going out to pull weeds this morning, all the while praying that the weeds of life can be uprooted and all our minds put to rest as we trust in the One who loves us most!

Friday Fragments.....on my mind...

Today, I'm joining Mrs. 4444 for Friday Fragments.  Go over and read all the things people have floating around in their minds, but haven't posted about.


So, I'm not a big fan of any of the talent shows that have been on the past few years.....last year I discovered an exception in The Voice and so far this new season is no disappointment!  The people trying out have really incredible voices and the judges (even though a certain female judge could stand to cover up a bit) are kind to the contestants that don't get chosen and give them constructive criticism.  

Also, this week was the first of the series Revolution and I found myself enjoying it and will be watching that one as long as it holds my attention. 

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Since we have been walking in the afternoons late these days, we see people we wouldn't normally see....sad I know!  Saw a young neighbor girl getting into the car with her boyfriend......the Superhero asked him how he was doing and he smiled and said .....Wicked man!  ????  I'm not sure what that means and we didn't ask!  I think we may be too old to be wicked! 

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This week I joined a site called The Addicts Mom.....I'm not good at navigating the site yet, but it looks like a sort of online support group.  It has to be hard being an addict because it is excruciatingly painful being the mama of an addict.  It is especially painful reading women's stories who haven't traveled this path very long.  That sounds like it's easier the farther you go, it's not, but you do get to a place where you don't let it consume your every waking moment.  Oh, and sleeping moments when you dream about your child.

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I officially now have the new and in my mind not so improved blogger.  Here's what I think about it so far.......I have to go around the world to get to my dashboard, I am not crazy about how you get to the edit posts page, I'm not crazy about it period!  I hope I get used to this soon.  I specifically asked not to have this......but as usual, no one listens to me!

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And one last thing........I did such a dumb thing, which I know is a surprise to many of you!  I had a free photo book at Shutterfly so I thought I would make a book of my sixtieth birthday pictures.  So far so good?  But.........I did it quickly and didn't edit any of the pictures or even preview the book before I ordered.  

Well........along with my family looking like red eyed demons, I misspelled the Superhero's name!  I am ever so grateful it was free AND I hope I learned a lesson, but I can't promise.

Have a great weekend.

What in the World???

Last night I told the Superhero that I thought I was becoming a hermit.  His reply.......so typical him......then why do you need to buy so many clothes?  Well.......hermits want to look nice, even if they are at home!  

I'm not really a hermit, but these seem to be the places I go these days......mama's apartment, church, the occasional lunch with the Superhero and once in a great while lunch with a friend.  Don't get me wrong......I'm not even minding staying home more. Yesterday, before 8 a.m. I had everything out of the floor of my closet and vacuumed out more dust than should be allowed by law!  So, see I do exciting things.  

O.K. so I may be exaggerating a little bit, just shows you how I've been feeling lately and that's o.k. we can't be all up all the time, none of us!

BUT!  Last week was mama's birthday!  She turned eighty nine and those of her children who were in town had lunch with her and celebrated in a quiet way this birthday.  If you remember last year's birthday party you will understand why we decided just to have lunch this year.  

She started out the week with a little confusion and I called the nurse right away to come check her because that usually means a urinary tract infection. That's how she started out last year's birthday and it seemed as if the nightmare might reoccur.  

Thankfully, she was feeling better on her birthday and seemed to have a good time at her party.

Her lunch was in the private dining room at the retirement center.  As always, I must include a few pictures of the day.

The guest of honor with flowers from sister Cathy.

Sister Debbie and me with mama

Sister in law Lois and brother Tommy with mama

Me and the Superhero with mama

brother Michael with mama.  That's mama's good friend Becky sitting on the left and a little slice of Debbie on the right.  

Cake and flowers.......what more could a girl want??

Sister Cathy couldn't be at the party, so she requested I take her picture (when she was forty) with mama and tell you all she still looks the same......which seriously, she does!

Baby brother Steve.....right.....couldn't be there either

Just for fun and because I think as people get older, we tend to forget that they were once young, here's mama at her friend's wedding........a few moons ago!  

Isn't she gorgeous!!!  

Happy Birthday, mama!

Friday Fragments on Thursday....

I usually wait until Friday to do my Friday Fragments post, but tomorrow is going to be a busy day.........which was so busy it turned into today!! 

 Thank you to Mrs. 4444 for hosting Friday Fragments.  Go on over and join in the Friday party.  

Busy because it's my mama's 89th birthday! No big party this year, but those of her children who are in town will have lunch with her and we're having cake and ice cream......because really, what kind of birthday doesn't have cake!?

Today mama asked if tomorrow was her 88th birthday and I replied no.....89 and she just said HMMPH!
Happy Birthday, Mama!!

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Does anybody else just hate having sudden car problems?  My car has a thingy added by the Superhero and his cohort......our next door neighbor......that does whatever it has to do that enables us to pull the car behind the motorhome.  Get all that???  This week it started making a noise, a bad noise.  Tomorrow after the party, I'll have to take it to a mechanic to see if they can MAKE IT STOP fix that pesky noise.  Fun times!

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Someone......you know who you are.....said I was their inspiration for starting a diet and exercise plan!   I'm happy to see others jumping on the "get fit" wagon!  

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We've been having sunny days that are cool in the mornings.  Feels like Fall in Florida!  That means it's time to break out the blue jeans!  No sweaters for a while, not that cool!  

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I'm very sad about the attacks on American Embassies, and especially sad about the loss of lives.  When any American is attacked, we are all attacked.  I hope you'll all join me in praying for our country! 

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Have a great weekend!

Winning is such fun!

I entered a contest over at http://www.linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/ and I WON!!!!!

A beautiful canvas from canvasmojo !!!

I have only won one other give a way and so many people were entered that I was quite sure I had no chance, but I did!  Which taught me a good lesson......enter anyway because if you don't you have zero chances to win.

And here is the absolutely gorgeous canvas I received in the mail yesterday just days after I sent in my picture.

Isn't it gorgeous?  They did a great job and even sent me an email showing me what it would look like to make sure I would like it before finishing and mailing it to me.

I highly recommend you both read Linda's blog .......she has lots of contests......but also a great blog, AND 
go look at canvasmojo's site and let them turn some loved photos into something wonderful.

Now just where to hang this beauty?

Even through the rain....and other stuff...

It's Friday and time to link up with Mrs. 4444 who hosts Friday Fragments, a collection of things that happened during your week.....go on over to read her fragments!

First let me say that if you find you never hear from me again, blogger has notified me that they are giving me the new interface whether I want it or not and trust me I do not!  There is even a button to push to "learn more" .....but I'm not going to push it because then I might get it even sooner!  

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Speaking of rain......it has been raining for months with a few days of sun to keep us from going bonkers.  One of mama's caregivers reminded me to be thankful I don't live in New Orleans and I am very thankful and very sad for those who lost everything in the flooding and destruction.  But I'm still ready for a few sunny days before Fall sets in for real.  Of course in Florida that could be November so we're bound to have good days before then!  So other than the rain, or should I say even through the rain we had good times.

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August was full of birthdays and the month passed so quickly that I woke up and it's September!  There are also lots of birthdays in September in our family!  When you are part of a big family, there is hardly a month where there isn't a birthday so we are in constant celebration mode.  Or depression mode depending on which birthday.  

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Since we have been on our quest for better health and thinner bodies, I have endured several people saying those precious words "now you look too thin".....but the Superhero hasn't had that problem.  I think people are really hesitant to say things to men that they will say to me women.  But tonight, oh it did my heart good, we were in line for supper at church when the Superhero's mom said those words to him.....and added she hoped he didn't lose anymore weight.  When he told her he was planning on losing eight more pounds, she wasn't too pleased.  
He and I know she's just concerned for our health, but we are so much healthier than we were fifty and thirty pounds heavier!

Now the really funny part about that is that when he was starting his journey and hadn't lost much yet, his mother told HIM that I was looking way too thin and he replied "Don't say that to her, it hacks her off"....WHAT!!!!!  I asked him if he couldn't have been a bit more tactful and he then asked me if it hacks me off and I said yes, so he said, well?  I know that's a lot of he said, she said!  Anyhow, he asked me to tell her that about him now and I said no way!  I am certainly way more tactful that you!

I have a theory about weight gain and loss.  If a person is thin, people get used to seeing them thin......so when they gain weight, people think they are putting on pounds, but do they say anything?  NO....that would be rude!  After a period of time, everyone gets used to seeing that person that weight and it seems normal.  Then when a person loses weight and actually just goes back to where they were way back when, people once again are shocked at your appearance, but now that it's losing weight, they feel free to say that dreaded phrase ...you are getting too thin.  I think they will all eventually get used to us being thin and hopefully that will be the end of that particular line of discussion.  If we can keep the weight off, maybe we will once again seem normal.  

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So...I spent weeks sealing the tile in my kitchen area, which includes a long entry hall.
So here are the results...

Before...

After...

The before picture doesn't look nearly as bad as it does in real life!  I stopped at that hall and put a long rug there because I'm not sure I can go any further.  It's a back killer job!  

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I hope everyone has a great weekend!  Sweet MIL is taking us out to eat tonight at a great place right after we see the movie 2016.....hope we aren't too scared to eat!