Lot's Wife

Do you remember Lot's wife? She was too preoccupied with what she was leaving behind to look forward and have trust. And well as you know, that story doesn't have a happy ending.

This morning I woke up and God has placed this story of Lot's wife on my exhausted mind. I had read Mama's blog about Gramma and this picture had struck me:

Mama, HayBee, Gramma and Darbey Rhea

At the time of this picture, we thought Gramma's life was pretty much over. We were looking back because it was so hard to look forward. Little did we know, we still had many, many memories to share.

Yesterday, after leaving the hospital, I looked back at this picture and thought that I wish we could go back to this time. Yesterday, Gramma was not doing well. Doctors were taking her treatment hour-by-hour, and threats of ventilators and life support were looming in the distance. I should have been looking forward.

God blessed us with another great memory and milestone today as Gramma "earned" Most Improved Patient in the CCU this morning. Traces of Gramma were back today: she was sitting up, talking and making progress on her breathing, so I was encouraged to look forward.

These Heavenly words encouraged me, let them encourage you too!

Psalms 121
¹ I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
² My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.

⁷ The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
⁸ The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.

Looking forward love and all of mine!

What do you you do when...?

... you come to the end of a To-Do list pad? Stop making lists?

This is my conundrum on my 1st DAY OFF OF WORK! Get in or get out I got a horse to saddle!

I took my 1st sick day for an eye appointment today and my eyes are dilated so forgive me for any spelling faux pauxs. (Guarantee that is one right there.)

Here is my to-do list.
1. eye appointment -- check dilated eyes -- check
2. blog -- check
3. dishes
4. laundry
5. vacuum --- I HATE to vacuum but this is the only way I can torture our dog because she hates it more than I do.
6. Get stuff: paint, painter's tape, ply wood
7. Paint accent wall
8. Pick up BC. No Chic kids yet.
9. Cook -- we may be camping tonight so that might entail putting hot dogs and buns in the cooler. Go me.
10. Get Mama's present

Tomorrow is Mama's 40th - ish birthday! :)

Last year, "she was learning to scuba dive" and I was "playing Mama to HayBee with a very broken finger".

This year we're going to do it up big -- Kansas style. Prayers for Mama because this will be one of very few years up until now that her parents will not be around to help celebrate. Gramma is in Texas "on vacation" at a different Bed & Breakfast, Lake House, Bank Trip, Condo each night -- you name it, she is "vacationing" there.

I am reminded this morning how THANKFUL I am to have Mama and Daddy around whenever I need them for support, especially with the struggles I am having at work. They are such an encouragement and blessing to both Gardener Guy and Chic Chick.



So, "Happy Happy Birthday from your blog friends to you -- we wish it was our birthday so we could party too, hey!"

Mama love and all of mine!

PS. Today is Gardener Guy's last day at his job! Hooray! He will be gradually taking over Boss Daddy D's business. He'll be Window Guy after tonight --- eh, I still love my Gardener Guy!

1 Peter 5:10

Count your blessings.

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

My GranDaddy F passed away this weekend.
My Sister in Law JoJo sent me these Heavenly Words, which are more calming than she knows.

Prayers for Gramma, Mama and Daddy are appreciated.

All my love.

Blessed

Gardener Guy and I are blessed, in about 4,273 different ways but that could be another post. God blessed us over the wedding planning process.

Since Gardener Guy and I began dating over 5 years ago, I had always had the fear that my GranDaddy would lose his fight with cancer, among other infirmities over the past few years. There had been more than 1 close calls in the past 5 years and that has been hard for my Gramma, as well as my entire family. My GranDaddy and Gramma M were healthy enough to share in our day. We are blessed they could be there.

My other Gramma has had a rough go with Alzheimer's over the past 2 years. She lost her brother to the disease last year and with this passing, I also feared that she would not be healthy enough or here to share with us. In fact, just a few days ago, her sister who suffered from Dementia passed away. My Gramma and GranDaddy F were healthy enough to share in our day. We are blessed they could be there.

Gardener Guy's maternal Gramma and Grandpa have had their share of small and large infirmities as well, but all in all, are healthy. God blessed us with their health throughout the planning and wedding day. GranDaddy and Gramma S were healthy to share in our day. We are blessed that they could be there.

Gardener Guy and his family lost GranDaddy Jerry last September. He lost a hard but short fight to cancer. His entire family came together before and after his passing, and his Gramma G has been well cared for as well. Before his passing, GG and I had talked about moving up the date so that all of our grandparents could be present. Jerry would hear none of this. So we focused the last few months him and his wants and needs and little on the wedding. I think our wedding day may have been hard for GG's Gramma as their anniversary had just passed a few days before, but she was very gracious.We are blessed she could be there.

I realized this blessing as we were flying home from Cancun last Sunday. We had no cell phone service for a week and we were both wondering what news or crisis that we may have missed. It was flying over the ocean that I had time to reflect on these blessings that I had worried about for many many months.

And when we returned, no crisis. God is good.

Blessings to you and all of my love!

Foo Foo La La Diddley Dee

Mama and I picked up the printed invitations this morning! Yay! We waited to have them printed in April to hit a "special", and with using our own cardstock paper, the cost came out to be very reasonable. Too bad our stamps were not too reasonable considering that we had to buy regular stamps and post card stamps. We had to go to the Post Office to get the stamps because the UPS store does not carry the "foo foo la la diddley dee" stamps. Auntie J does this surprise you?

I had made tentative plans to have Gardener Guy's Mama and sister over to help cut, sort, stack, stick and bundle the invitation suites. They made it over and helped so much! Thank you to them!
Grandma S, HayBee, Baby Lisa (with an ear infection), Chic Chick and GG's sis JoJo.
GG's Mama came and helped color trees.

Even Gardener Guy eventually made it over to help stick labels and stamps. When we worked outside, he was the boss. Since we were working inside, I was the boss.

Our To-Do list remains:
-assemble approximately 75 more invitations
-run envelopes through the printer for mailing addresses
-stamp envelopes
-send through the mail!


Oh yeah. The map madness. Gardener Guy sketched up a map, but it was far too technical. I decided to try my hand at designing. I'm not crazy about it but I think that it will serve its purpose. After all, Grandma S said that it is hard to find our drive way. Oh boy, I hope someone will drive her here.

PS. Tomorrow is my 22nd birthday, I am an Easter baby this year! GG's family came over tonight to help celebrate with my family. Stratty helped me blow out candles on my red velvet cake!
Don't laugh at HayBee's Sunken Cake. She's says its the best way a cake can bake.

More Easter and Birthday pictures to come tomorrow!

Invitation love and all of mine!

A Wise 8 Year Old

A wise 8 year old in my 2nd grade class told me something today. You should know that I have two favorites in my class, (I didn't birth them so it is ok to have favorites). Plus, everybody knows that I am Mama and Daddy's favorite.

One reminds me of a young Me in 2nd grade, so of course I love a Teacher's Pet. The other student reminds me of those munchkins down the road that I miss so much while I'm at college! This boy would be Bee Effs with my cousins because they share creativity, imagination, the fix-it spirit and a sense of humor! Plus, they share an ornery hair, but boys will be boys and they're good for comic relief. Ok I love all my students but these two are who I am blogging about.

Back to teaching today:
Our class discussion started with farms: do you live on a farm, what do farmers do, what animals live on farms? This boy, "Sam" replied, "My Grandma and Grandpa have cows on a farm but they don't live there, my uncle takes care of them, the cows." I said, "Me too!"
To which he calmly replied, "My grandpa has a brain disease and he is entering the 6th stage. He won't know who I am or what my name is but he will still love me."

To which I replied to myself, "Me too."

My Gramma S has a "brain disease" and soon she won't know who I am or my name, but she will still love me." This is a cruel disease, Alzheimer's, as it progresses quickly, but some days seems that you have had the same conversation, uh 473 times. Right Mama? On the other hand, you only need to know one good joke.

My parents are amazing role models that take care of my 4 grandparents and have tricked me into watching so that I will know how to take care of them. One day, I too will have my children help care for and respect their grandparents.

After getting a phone call from Mama this week that Gramma did a load of laundry of one sock, I had to stop and think, "If I have this disease, what if one day I will I not know My Guy or what his name is? I don't know. But, I will love him. And he will love me." And then I will wash his other sock.

Backyard Chic connection:
In lieu of favors, the Bride and Groom are making a donation in the name of their guests to the Heart of America Alzheimer's Association & the Heartland American Cancer Society. Along with the Alzheimer's Association, we also wanted to contribute to the American Cancer Society as both My Guy and I have GranDaddies that have suffered from cancer and GranDaddy J lost his battle last Fall.

Please say a prayer for my Mama as her 6 o'clock phone call has not yet come tonight.

True love's love and all of mine!