Grace, Grace, God's Grace.......

Our family is truly experiencing God's grace! One week has passed since my FIL died and for the most part, we have felt that peace that passes human understanding.

What a full week! Russell's sister is still here and has been helping my MIL clean out closets and finish up all those things that you don't think about until you have to actually do them. My in laws have so many close friends and they have all gathered around and have been a huge comfort!

I was thinking of posting a few pictures from the funeral, but as I looked at them, it didn't seem appropriate to share our grief online, so here's a light one of my nephew and nieces desecrating the cemetery studying the Lord's Prayer. They were really very good during what must have been a long service.

Today, MIL and SIL were meeting friends for lunch, so I called two of my friends that I haven't seen for a while and we made plans to meet for lunch. We went to a restaurant I like because they have weight watcher's dishes, but it isn't one that we frequent as a family. Toward the end of our lunch, one of my friends said, "look who just walked in!" Low and behold, it was my MIL and SIL. We were leaving and went over to say hello. It's a small world after all! It felt good to be doing something normal...well, as normal as things get here in what my DIL calls "normal land". I did have that nagging feeling that I should be doing something.

I took a light comedy over to my mama's and we watched some before she went to bingo. I felt very productive!

Our sincere thanks to all of you who have prayed for us during this time.

Because I'm a Cat.

No, I won't look at you, I'm busy being a cat.

Farewell.....we'll see you in Heaven.

My friend and FIL drew his last breath on earth and his first in Heaven yesterday at 5:12 p.m. with all of us by his side. My SIL, pictured here with my FIL, MIL and husband got here Tuesday and got to spend the final day with him.

We will miss him always, but I am thanking our merciful God that the suffering is over and he is breathing easy today.

Mother's Day.....

First thing this morning,
before I went to church,
I visited my mother where my heart too quite a lurch!
I picked the perfect present,
One I knew she would like,
But my younger sister,
Had the same idea as I!

O.K. I'm not the poet tonight! Anyhow, it was a movie and they opened and watched it last nite, so I'll be taking the one I got back to the store! This is my younger sister formerly known as Debbie, Debra. She spent the nite with mama.



Last nite, my husband sheepishly said, "I forgot to get you a card." I said never fear, dear, I have an extra! So we just marked out Mother and replaced it with Wife.....so I bought my own card. I bought my own present too, just works better that way!

Mama and me! She was just getting dressed for an outing with Debra and other family members.
My sweet husband with his mama. He picked up lunch after church and MIL was fixing FIL's plate.
Sweet husband and the wife/mother! Sounds kind of like swamp monster huh??? Is he cute or what???

Two of our sons and our daughter in law in our present dining room at FIL's. We eat all our meals on t.v. trays up in his room so we can be with him at mealtime. It works well! He slept through lunch, but it was nice to be with him.

No pictures, but eldest son called and left a message saying Hey, mom, Happy Mother's day, I love you. Unfortunately I didn't get to actually talk to him as my phone was on silent. But the message was sweet and made me happy.

Next son called Friday to say Happy Mother's day. I thanked him and reminded him it wasn't until today. Today he called and invited me to come eat hamburgers with him and his roommate. I was thrilled, but I needed to be at FIL's so I took a rain check.

NO CARDS! Well, except the one I bought for an extra and ended up with! The youngest who is usually the most thoughtful in that area even forgot! But each one told me Happy Mother's Day and I know each one loves me. That's enough.

I'm thankful for my own mother and for each of my children and grandchildren. God trusted me with them all and now I trust him with them!

Our mothers, They taught us love!

These are our mothers.....

The top picture is my MIL with Russell and his brother and sister....please note Russell's precious pose done while his mother was smiling for the camera! My MIL is a true southern belle. She obviously raised her middle son to be the best husband in the world, so I'm eternally grateful to her. I'm also proud to call her my friend.





This is my mother and her really cute little girl (me) at the St. Andrew's State Park. Note she was a real bathing beauty! Seriously, I really have the best mother in all the world! Plus she brought me up to be the best wife in the world.....that's a joke guys!

These two women's children truly rise up and call them blessed.

We love you two. We thank you for teaching us faith, consistency, stability, but most of all for just being "there" every day and being Godly mothers.

Happy Mother's day.

Just getting a little sun time in.

Make him get off my lounge! Just a couple of little Florida boys getting their tan on!

How long will it be? Where does it go?

On the subject of time, 12 years ago today, my daddy died. Suddenly. He looked happy in this picture, but his transition lenses sure weren't working!

Time....I was just thinking how I have plenty of time to look for just the right locket for my granddaughter's birthday

.

Then I stayed with my fil today and thought how little time we have left with him.

Then I think about my age and think how quickly I got here. Wait, where did that one come from?????? Just forget about my age, very unimportant.

Psalm 139:16 says ......."All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

Another college school year is ended and Matt is home for the summer. That went fast!

In God's time, everything is right on schedule.