Wednesday, August 19, 2009

A New Week in a Different Place...

Time was going by way to quickly, I missed Steve more and more but yet I hurt knowing that I had to leave Jill, and I still don’t know why I felt that way. Did you ever feel like you were suppose to be somewhere at a certain time in your life? That’s what I felt at Jill’s.

(“Holy holy is the Lord Almighty holy holy”, Chris Tomlin) I was allowed to spend so much time w/the ones I love…how awesome is that. He is Holy, we serve a mighty God!
“How great is our God, sing w/me how great is our God. And all will see how great how great is our God”

For the next nine days I was going to be in what I will call ‘GRAND HEAVEN.” Of course I would be amiss if I did not report that I was looking forward to some mother /daughter time w/Shana as well. I love my girls, they are women I really want to emulate! (Typing w/tears is not an easy thing to do; the water tends to distort the keys)

The month of May was half over; I missed my husband so much and was thankful to a loving God that I had this opportunity. I just thought days went fast at Jill’s! I was in DeeDee overload and LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!

The first full day was spent just “getting use to DeeDee being there”. We read every book, colored and taught her (DeeDee) how to play more Wii!

Excuse me, had to stop and sing (Chris Tomlin)….”Everyone around the world, hear the joyful sound, see the heavens open up and hear the music comin down.. Nothings gonna separate us from the Fathers love. If God is on our side, who can be against us, If God is on our side we won’t be afraid, though the mountains may fall and the sky will crumble there ain’t nothing gonna stand in our way.”

Back to my time w/Shana n Bill n the girls. It was a week filled w/all things fun! We gave mommy and daddy a night out for their 9th anniversary. And after dinner we created a cake just for them! Of course I already recorded that activity, but may I remind myself, we had a blast and Shana/Bill was really surprised! On Thursday I gave Shana a day off. Once time on the phone she had told me that she really would love a day to JUST PLAY. You know, a day to not be mommy! So she got it! I did my housemaid routine and loved it…while she played all day w/her girls. I enjoyed listening to the music of chatter in the playroom so much. This is one thing I will always remember from this trip to Grand Heaven. Shana and I got a movie date also and enjoyed some ice cream together. Now my Billie-D of a son always gets my giggle going! He is the sweetest dad and loving husband! I am so glad God blessed us with great men for our daughters!

We took a trip to a strawberry farm and picked those little scrumptious delectable berries till 3 baskets were full. The girls even remembered my motto from picking berries a few years back “pick me, pick me says the red ones, No no no don’t pick me I’m not ready yet, says the green ones.” So we chanted for awhile as we laughed and remembered. We took some crazy pictures as strawberries for all to see, played on the playground that was close by and left for home. Another ending to a busy, memorable day…still missing Steve-o…talking to him everyday but it doesn’t help the loneliness from setting in especially at night.

A New Addition....

Well, Marley became a member of the Gorman family that week. She is such a well mannered dog. It is amazing that someone would leave her behind. I heard from a dog kennel friend that in Albany over the past year (all the plant closings-economics) there were around 3500 pets left on the streets. How sad! Marley seemed to attach herself to Warren and would jump at loud sounds. She started tugging at my heart strings. The vet check up was good and she got shots needed for the moment. We figured that she had just had babies for obvious reasons and the vet agreed.

We played Wii and cards a lot! I stepped into the bedroom, every Tuesday as they entertained teenagers at a weekly Bible study in their home. I worked on my quilt, enjoyed loving on my kids and continued to be a housemaid out of pure enjoyment! Jill and I did a few mother/daughter things like: a movie, cooking at "A Pinch of Thyme", and taking the granddaughters to a pottery place to make things for Father’s Day.

Yes we babysat the grands while Shana had a photo shoot for a wedding on a beach in Florida. It was a busy weekend…and as everyone knows, I always have lots of stuff to do while babysitting. We even took the girls to a friend’s house that had children the same age and played in the huge waterworks they had set up in the backyard. We had Boy scout pancakes for b’fast and root beer floats for dessert that night. Mommy was back on Mother’s Day so after church we had a nice lunch presented to us and crowns from the grands and Auntie Jill.

Marley didn’t know what to think of all these people but I have to say she continued to be so well mannered.

First Stop in May.....

My first location was Albany w/Jill & Warren. Saturday started off well and I found out we were going to a fashion show for a charity event in town. Another sweet couple w/their sweetness of a baby girl came over and w/the guys babysitting, we three girls got dressed up and went downtown for the event. I was so glad Jill wanted me to go along w/her and Ashley. We got back home and “little sweetness’ was still up, although wanting to go to sleep. I asked permission to take her back to the bedroom and rocked her gently to sleep…oh I was in heaven! How wonderful to remember the smell, panting breath and small hand on your chest as a baby sleeps in warm soft pajamas. I rocked and prayed for about an hour…the best time w/God was always w/my babies in the rocking chair.
I know “little sweetness” and myself worked out all the problems of the world that hour.

Sunday was filled w/church, good dinner and afternoon naps. It was good to see some faithful friends at church. Great to worship w/my children and enjoyed a sermon from the new pastor. Monday came and I was destined to surprise Jill by preparing dinner so she did not have to when she got home from her stressful job. So I cleaned (which is one of the things I love to do) did laundry and prepared dinner. End of another day…still missing Steve! The week went fast I was going to have 9 days w/Jill n Warren then moved onto Shana n Bill’s.

On Wednesday we went to church and supported Warren as he spoke to the youth. He can really get the message of Christ out to teens in a way that really makes them think. Then after church we went to a friend’s house that just happened to have a white lab show up on their doorstep. He had hung around for a few weeks and since J&W was thinking of a dog, well we got to meet Marley. Though not it’s real name but that’s who she looked like, Marley, from the movie a very gentle, calmer version of the movie dog I should add. We get back home and start convincing Jill that she would be a good dog to have, as long as no one has claimed her. Warren and I did a very good job of putting on the Ritz for Marley’s case!

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I had lunch w/dear friends. Let me introduce you to Roxanne, Karen, and Denise, great women of faith, encouragers, and strong ladies whom you can turn to in times of storms. I had so much fun with you all…thanks for the cherished memories!


Just finished listening to “Believe Me Now” by Steven Curtis Chapman. That’s all that God wants from us, a relationship that calls us to just believe…believe that God is in control, that God truly has out best interest at heart. Some days these are hard to comprehend…but we must listen to that still small voice that calls our hearts to His side.

Ready Set Go~

I am just sitting here listening to Selah singing “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus,” and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” Such a calm assurance isn’t it?

I look at what I need to do to get self back on track w/my blogging and the task seems daunting enough but this music should sooth my soul and allow me to journal my thoughts once again. So I start with the last week of April 09… The biggest issue is NO PICTURES, our computer had a near miss w/a Trojan horse virus so when we cleared everything off of the computer, we thought we got every last picture off before we wiped it clean....well, that didn't happen so all of my 09 pictures are gone into cyberspace...eternal! I will not faint, OR get mad at technology!

Taking a trip w/Steve is always a pleasurable thing for me, so driving to Atlanta was refreshing. As Steve took of for his myriad of meetings at Orange Conference, I stayed put in the hotel room, secluded w/my Bible, current novel, journal/pen and the T.V. remote I started basking in quiet! Now this is vacating!

Two days of solitude and evenings w/my best friend, then Friday came! Our daughters were driving up to Atlanta so we could go shopping at IKEA. Never been there so I was looking forward to just window shopping, or so I thought. It is a huge store, w/greater prices on nice things. (Vern Kipp, gets all of his stuff for home décor there.) I bought drapes for our living room window, a bamboo plant, things for the grands and had a great lunch w/my girls. We had so much fun together!!! We came out of the store with 2 big palm trees for the girls and other sundry items they needed. I really needed that time w/them. We spent the day there (yes, it’s that big) then headed back to a Crackle Barrel to meet Steve for dinner.

I made a big deal of the picture b/c it was the first time in a long time that we ate just with our daughters. Now grown, married women, Steve and I are so proud of what they have become. After dinner, I kissed my dearest friend goodbye and started off for southern Georgia w/my girls! Jill and I arrived in Albany around 11pm and I was greeted by my sweet son, Warren, only 3 more wks till I see Steve again.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Starting Fresh...n catching up!

I have needed to get back into my journaling for months now..so my first goal was to get a FRESH background! I love this background for a few reasons, it fills the theme of what I will be doing over the next week ~ filling you in on life over the past few months. (I think I left off the first of May) I also love me some college football so with my favorite colors being scarlet/gray well, this was the best choice. And finally I will post photo's from the past so I have a journal entry of all that has happened.

I will start with the most recent "dates of happenings" and that way IF you are interested, all you have to do is log in and understand why I have not blogged of late.

Today is Saturday and a very relaxed one at that. Steve was in Honduras this time last week so I was really missin my BBF, my companion, my sweetie. The trip for the team was filled w/tons of work (up n down hillsides) worship times, serving times, a day of relaxation at the beach, times of sorrow and times of blessings. I don't think I have yet heard all the stories and experiences but of what I do know, the momma in me wants to go there and fill all the needs of these children. The woman in me wants to go and help these women in their homes, their spirutal lives and their own interests. We have it so great in America. Although I cannot do "all these things," I can pray fervently for the people of LeCeiba, Honduras. God was good to our team as all were safely brought home to those of us who waited w/our signs at 11:30 pm for them to walk or run into our arms again.