The first tomato..Pirates, friends and laughter!

Steve told me that IF the lonely tomato plant on our patio would produce red tomatoes then I could have a garden when we buy a house...well here's proof of the very first one!

I had to be a pirate for larger group in KidsQuest, things I do for my sweetie...I love it! Dinner out w/friends at Cheescake Factory- blessings and a night of laughs w/friends at a John Panette comedy gig. Yes, I saw him outside taking a break and asked to take a pic. He was so nice! Notice the Leggo Store at the mall...so cool!

More Candid Shots....

It was Veterns Day/Senior Citizens Day at the Deleware County Fair, Steve got in for free an I had to pay 2$. Not so southern sweet tea, great friends, a friend who's goat took a prize and a ribbon for her sunflower, home of the Little Brown Jug races and watching a good friend triple roll his truck in a dirt race (he had 1st place till that accident)...never again will I watch him do that again. But we had some Fun!

Smile, your on Candid Camera..

Amish Country Mini Vacation 09

Just Forget It....

It is now November and I am still not caught up. In 3 wks Thanksgiving will be here and then Christmas. I refuse to add more stress into an already stressful life called: "It's a Wonderful Life."
So I will start anew. Starting fresh is very stress-less. Starting fresh is freeing! So here I go.

After dealing w/my mother's health thru the months of Sept and Oct, including a wk stay in the hospital, things got better. My mom is slowly healing and is at this very minute (Just got off the phone w/her) much better. I am so thankful to God for answered prayer.

Reading in James 1:3-4, the Bible states, "Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do it's complete work so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing."

So many times we say we are enduring but are we really? Then to read that endurance must do it's complete work so that we can be mature, complete, lacking in nothing! WOW~ my Lord wants me to lack for nothing. Lack for nothing in every situtation I may find myself in. I felt that way one morning in the hospital at 3am....sitting in the chapel on the CCU floor, reading and listening.

For the past 12 days I have found myself reading and listening again...but this time it is in my own bed struggling through an acute bout of vertigo. Another test? Maybe...so I pray and wait w/endurance for this to be over.

My life is a cup running over w/love. I am so very blessed to be right where I am at this moment in time. I have a loving husband who is faithful n every way. I have grown children who desire to be faithful and walk w/God. I have grandchildren who call me "just b/c they got out of dance class." I wait for the phone call to drive to Atlanta to meet our newest granddaughter, whom we prayed for an loved for over 2 yrs. I have a mother who is healing from a scary situtation. My inlaws are the joy of my heart. I have reconnected w/cousins and close christian friends from over 24 yrs ago. I am watching my husband's dream come true. (more on that later) I have the privlege to learn from teaching my 4th/5th graders at church. It is a wonderful life! SO I WAIT W/ENDURANCE b/c I want the blessing of maturing to completion so I lack nothing this world will place before me.

I hope the same for you.

We Pause for a Commercial Break!

Today, an email went out to an adoption agency that will start the process w/the court system in Ethiopia for a 'little gem' of a girl to start living life to it's fullest w/all rights given to her as she becomes the 4TH GRANDDAUGHTER of ours. Shana & Billie and their 3 daughters will welcome daughter #4..sister #3 to their home IN THE NEAR FUTURE!!!!!

We actually have a picture to go w/the name of Ellagrace. For every grandchild we have prayed...for this grandchild we have prayed for 2 yrs now. For wisdom in the right agency, for the exact time God had for her to be born, for paperwork connections from one country to the other.

I wish I could show you her eyes, how they sparkle when she smiles. So if you are reading this plse pray for the court hearing to finalize everything on the first try. Pray for her ability to adjust to so much new-way of life. Pray for our granddaughers, her sisters, to adjust. Everyone has been waiting and praying for this divine appointment..AND IT'S ALMOST HERE!

What is today?

Well although today is September 12, 2009 I am only on the month of June in blog world time! So I will start w/June and hope to get to July tomorrow. If not, I will be posting September in November…aughhh, pressure on!

June saw me rarely. I mean rarely ! My sweetness of a husband asked me to do just 2 things for the upcoming VBS09. Just 2 things, I can do that. What are my job descriptions for this year of VBS dear? Decorations and Registration said the Minister of Children, my husband. I was in charge of decorating the whole church for VBS and then chair the registration ladies, who knew very well the ins and outs of this job…they didn’t need me! Decorations however took on a life of its own. Our theme was Museum @ 12627. Not in Night at the Museum, but a real museum.
I do have pics on these from my facebook, so I will post them. It was the best of times and the worst of times. I had some awesome help by 4 great teenage girls and one very talented mother.

The vision started in the entry area w/ Insects of South America which included spiders, large brown ants, stinger less bees, and silk caterpillars.

Walking into the huge area outside the worship area you found a Dinosaur hanging from the ceiling, dinosaur bones in a dig area of sand, a knight from Medieval times, an ancient Bible area, Egypt which included Pharaoh, pyramids, ancient jars/pottery and mummy in tact.

Down the preschool hall you traveled back in time to see a 6’ steam locomotive, airplane parts, a mini antique gas tank, etc.

On the far hallway you find yourself entering the art section of the museum. We had Monet, a Jr. Picasso, pop art and other famous artist of centuries past.

Every area of the museum was roped off, had docents and had information cards for your personal leisure. VBS ended up w/an average of 152+ in attendance and our total numbers for the week had us at 192 children enrolled.

For 3-5 wks my sweet husband put up w/frozen dinners or deli sandwiches (which we never eat) we had to have dessert so it consisted of Toaster Strudels.

I was also helping my mother in the month of June w/a civil law suit (furnace guy not the cable guy) Just doing all the paper trail and filing papers kept us busy for a few days.

This ends June in a nutshell… love nuts but I really love this ‘nutshell’ of a bible verse:
2 Timothy 1:7…For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment. (HCS)

I am never gonna get updated..

...if I don't get busy! My time in Georgia in May 09 was even more fun when Steve got down for a week's vacation. Of course, we were not going to miss the biggest event of the season...Dance Recital! I mean, as long as we have breath in us and enough gas for the car and no elderly parent in the hospital...WE WILL NEVER MISS OUR GRANDDAUGHTERS DANCE RECITALS.

This year was themed as Aladdin and our little grands were part of the fruit stand scene and also in the ballet. They were so excited. This was KK's 2nd recital so she was the pro..but LB...well now, she was so very excited! We were quite impressed by LB's love of the stage (well, ok not that surprised, she loves acting, singing anything that has to do with the arts) Both grands held their head, hands and position of feet exactly the way they were taught. Now (Sept 09) the new year of dance has started and KK goes into her 3rd yr of dance but our LB really wanted to take on gymnastics. Again we are not surprised! That's our LB...always trying new stuff. Well if I am allowed to brag...both girls have been promoted in their classes already!

I so wish I had the pictures of the recital and the day event...but sad to say...I don't . The camera of my mind has it embedded in my memory though. That's the neat thing about living life w/your children and grands....memories- WOW!~

After the recital, that family took a quick vacation to Mississippi to see their other grandparents...and we headed back to Jill n Warren's for a few more days.

What fun we had, just the 4 of us. Playing Uker, Wii and just talking about everything and anything was such a pleasure. We also worked on a new cushion set including pillows for Jill's front porch wicker set. Even Steve got into the sewing details..(small problem, I forgot to bring my sewing machine and although Shana gave me hers, we all forgot to get bobbins) It was way to late for a trip to Wal Mart so I did what I love to do best....sew by hand! Yes, and the cushions look great! Steve did pretty good on his hand sewing venture, I was proud!

It became time to leave Georgia for Ohio all the while knowing that the next time we would be together would be Thanksgiving. And I am already counting down the weeks till November...and guess what? It's already September.