This is NOT my yard!

Well, when we awoke Saturday morning, it was supposed to look like this....

(o.k. maybe a slight exaggeration)

Instead, it looked more like this....

The poor children ran downstairs when it was barely daylight, peered out the window, and yelled, "Manna! Manna!" It was a natural response for children who have never actually seen real snow but have spent much time hearing Bible stories! They remembered the story about the Israelites being in the wilderness, and God sending manna for them to eat. It fell on the ground and the Israelites did not know what it was either. ("Manna" means "what is it?") Anyway, it wasn't snow when white stuff fell for the Israelites, and Friday night's deposit on the lawn really was not a snow for us, either. What little "angel dandruff" we did get was supposed to stop by Saturday night, but we awoke Sunday morning to yet another small dusting.

So, where did the big storm go? Well, I can tell you that Nashville weathermen can't explain how a sure thing became a near miss, and the Dept. of Public Works is not real happy that it sent small armies of men in salt trucks out Friday night for nothing!

I was so depressed Saturday. I had suggested to Tim that he stop and load up on groceries on his way home Friday night so that we could eat well while we were snowed in. I had it all planned out! We rented movies and had plenty of popcorn, hot chocolate, spice tea, soup, and all the comfort foods you eat when it snows.

We had also loaded up on the obligatory loaves of bread and cartons of milk that it is necessary to buy when there is going to be a snow event in Tennessee. When we hear that there is going to be even a quarter an inch of snow, the radios run "Kroger Alerts" every 15 minutes so that people can leave their jobs to run to the grocery and pick up a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk. The stores empty their shelves quickly, and angry mobs soon move from store to store seeking Bunny Bread and Purity milk! Woe be to the ones who wait too long and have to go home empty-handed. Oh, the humanity! They have to wait a good 8 hours or so before the snow melts enough for them to get out and get the needed staples. And we all know what happens to Southerners who have to do without their bread and milk for even a few hours!

So here we were with all this good food, rented videos, and children filled with excitement and anticipation at the thought of getting to build a snowman for the first time in years. But once again, it was not to be!

Further north, in Kentucky where my eldest now resides, it looked like this:

And even further north, you probably have seen the pictures by now that tell of the record-breaking blizzard of 2006 in places like New York City!

My in-laws got completely snowed in up in New Jersey. They dug their way out the front door and down to the car, but with snow levels reaching nearly to their necks, they decided that they probably were not going to be able to dig the car out in time to get to church! My mother-in-law, being slightly shorter than my father-in-law, was nearly misplaced once during this ordeal, but she managed to dig her way back to the porch, hoist herself up to safety, and she and my father-in-law were pushed back through the front door by the avalanche that happened when a snowplow drove by.

Meanwhile, new Kentucky resident and lucky child Daniel told me joyfully on the phone late Saturday afternoon how he and a bunch of young men and ladies had all gone sledding in their town that day. The exhilaration in his voice was some comfort, though my other four children were suffering.

Outside, here in New Florida (previously Tennessee,) little Sarah and Micah managed to find a few unmelted ice crystals under the branches of some trees so that I could make one 6-ounce glass of snowcream.

No, it does not look like we will get any measurable snowfall this year. I am resigned to it now. I will live. We spent the remainder of Saturday night pretending there was a huge snowstorm outside. We made homemade soup, watched movies and snacked. The kids took turn sledding down the steps on makeshift cardboard "sleds."

We still hold out hope that one day, our children will get to see real snow. Otherwise, I guess we will be changing our vacation time to February and heading up to see Grandpa and Grandma in New Jersey, which I hear is contemplating changing its name to Old Tennessee!

Young children arrive at the door of my in-laws in New Jersey to deliver Girl Scout Cookies!

Foiled Again????

Do you see this map? Do you see all the green south of Nashville? Well, it was supposed to be white by now. The "forecasters" up in Nashville said that we were going to have the biggest snow in three years. Now, they are scratching their heads wondering what happened! Do you know what this means? Yes, my orange grove here in New Florida is safe. There will be no snow in Gravyville tonight....AGAIN! Poor little snow-deprived children!!!! I am really considering a move across the Mason-Dixon line....This is getting so NOT FUNNY! :(

Keep your fingers crossed.....

Mr. Weatherman down here in Gravyville says that we are under a winter stormwatch through Saturday! Wouldn't you know it? I just got the orange grove set out here in New Florida because we had not had one snow this year, and I figured I should make some good use of the yard this winter! (kidding!)

Sarah is beside herself! She is already gathering up her snow gear! The poor little nearly-6 year-old-girl has only had one other snow in her lifetime that she got to go out and play in, and so she probably will not sleep tonight in anticipation!

Somebody put me back to bed.....

I'm so tired! This is one of those mornings where I would love to just be under my quilts dreaming the early hours of the a.m. away! Unfortunately, I have been up since the wee-wee hours of the night with my great-grandmother's genetic gift of insomnia. I get it honestly. It apparently comes from both sides of the family. I can remember when I was a little girl staying with my maternal grandparents, that I would wake up and my grandmother would be gone from the bedroom. I would get up and stumble into the den or kitchen, where I would find her doing something at all hours. She might be sewing or reading or catching up the tire shop's books. It never seemed to bother her much; it annoys the fire out of me!

So, at five this morning, I was up cutting my husband's hair, then doing a load of dishes, mopping the kitchen, fixing the girls some waffles, etc. Tim left early again. These 8 o'clock meetings are getting old. He has to get there early so that he can be sure that he is present at 8! Now how much sense does that make? I think that people who call meetings for 8 a.m. are just down right sick! How can the brain function properly at that time of the morning? I can see a meeting at 9 or 10, after one has downed a few dozen cups of coffee. Then one can be productive! But 8 a.m.?

I have noticed that these "morning people" have no sympathy for those of us who are NOT morning people. I just want to suggest sometimes that Tim call a meeting for, I don't know....say....midnight? Then we would see how productive they are!

The same goes for churches. I have noticed this trend where church is starting earlier and earlier all the time. When I was a girl, the earliest church started was 10 a.m. Now, people are backing the time up more and more (I think, so that they can fit golf games between the morning and evening services!) to where pretty soon I guess all of us will be having "sunrise services."

My brain does not get up until at least 10 a.m. I can't help it. I have tried everything to get my brain and body on the same schedule, but to no avail. I think when I had mono back in my teens that something shortcircuited, because it never has been the same since! I stay in a perpetual state of tired, and that gets old fast. I probably should take the advice of my doctor and have one of those sleep studies done, but everyone who does that ends up sleeping in a mask, and I don't know if I would like that or not!

At any rate, I think I am going back to bed for a spell. We got a slight dusting of snow last night--barely enough to coat the deck, but enough to pretend that we are "snowed in" and can't go out today! We'll break out the hot cocoa and cuddle up in blankets in front of a good movie tonight and the kids will never know that there is only a tenth of an inch on the ground!

February's First Weekend

Well, the weekend went by too quickly. I always look forward to it so much because Tim and I so rarely see each other during the week. His one and a half hour commute each way and having an hour for lunch mean at least 12 hours away from us each day. I figure he needs 8 hours of sleep, so we are lucky if we get to see him for 4 brief hours.

Anyway, Saturday morning I woke up really early. It was still dark. I could not get my bearings. I thought, "Now what day is it?" I was just praying it was Saturday. I was so happy when my brain caught up with my body and informed me it was indeed Saturday. I rolled over and snuggled back in under my two quilts.

Tim woke me and announced that we should sneak out of the house. That meant, we should leave Sam a note (Micah was at a sleepover) and tell him that we were gone to breakfast should he wake up, and we would come back soon, unless of course, we decided to go to the Bahamas or something. We showered and dressed quickly and crept out before anyone woke up. We made it nearly the whole time without being found out, but Hannah woke up, went looking for us, and went crying to Sam that Mommy was gone!

We had a most excellent breakfast and then picked up Mr. Micah, who had been to a sleepover with Will, his friend who was turning 13. We ran a few errands, and then the boys went off with their dad. That was pretty much it for Saturday. We always start saving up our energy for Sunday, because our day is so long that we need all the energy we can muster to get through it. We are getting old, you know.

Sunday started the typical way. We dressed and left home and traveled the hour to church without incident. We had really good services, including a very interesting Bible class that morning. We were studying the eleventh chapter of I Corinthians, and trying to determine whether the apostle Paul was saying that women needed to cover their heads when worshipping God. Have you ever read or thought about that before? Our preacher presented a point of view that I don't think I have ever heard presented quite that way. It was highly interesting. Another man in our congregation has a different viewpoint. He is going to be given time to present his viewpoint this next Saturday night. I would like to go and hear it.

At any rate, when services were over, we kind of scurried out, because we were due at a dinner for my parents' 45th Wedding Anniversary down where they live. It was supposed to take us about 30 minutes to get there.

Well, when we pulled out onto the highway that takes us there, our instrument panel on the S.U.V. just bottomed out. The car was still running, but everything showed up as if the engine were off. I told Tim that I thought maybe the computer did not reset when we started the car, so maybe he should pull off and turn off the engine and re-start it. So, he did, and when we restarted, nothing happened. The car was dead, and we were due for dinner.

Thanks be for cell phones. We called back to the church, and the preacher's grown son answered. Tim explained our plight, and they said they would be there shortly. Now our preacher and his sons are big car enthusiasts. They rebuilt a beautiful 1970 Stingray Corvette. So, they know a thing or two about cars. What they did next wowed us!

Not only did the fellows jump us and follow us down to a safe place, but they told us to take it down to the preacher's house and they would take a look at it. Once there, the preacher came driving out his van, and he told us to take it and go on to the dinner! Tim protested that we should stay there and allow Tim to fix the car, but they sent us onward. It turned out that the problem was the alternator. By the time we finished our dinner, they had fixed the car! We returned the van and picked up our wheels in time to go on for the evening service! They would not take any compensation except the cost of the alternator. The only thing they required of us was that we take the metallic sign advertising the church's Virtual Bible Study and put it on our car for a week!

We made it to services a little early, before the hard-working mechanics did, and Tim was able to tell one of our elders about the good deed the preacher and his family had done for us that day. We have our general announcements after the service is concluded, and this particular elder was making announcements that night. After he had made the announcements, he told the story to the congregation of our modern day "Good Samaritans!" As he did, he got really choked up. It is always a touching thing to see a grown man cry. At any rate, the song leader jumped up to sing the final song, and he had pre-selected "No Tears in Heaven." I had to get a little tickled over that one. As my mother says, "You couldn't write this stuff."

After church, we were really tired and decided to just pick up some fast food and head on home--another hour's drive. We stopped in McDonald's drive-thru, and after ordering the young lady (about 16) asked Tim what kind of toys we would like. She was referring to boys' toys vs. girls' toys. Now my husband can never resist the opportunity to be "witty" and cheesy(even though it is an unspoken law that humor is not appropriate in the fast-food lines.) He replied that we would love some expensive toys, like maybe a doll house or a really neat remote control car or something. Well, this poor girl did not know what to do. She stood there for about 10 seconds with this utterly blank look on her face. She seemed as if she did not know whether she should run to the back and look for the doll house/remote control car Happy Meal toys or not! Seeing that his attempts at humor were lost on this seemingly brain-dead little gal, Tim eventually clarified that girls' toys would be just fine. The poor little teen looked like she was going to cry! I'm really glad she did not have to figure out on her own how much change to give back! We could have been there a while!

Can you spot the totally blonde USC cheerleader?
Cheerleader by day, fast-food worker by night, blonde all the time...

I will post some pictures from Mom and Dad's dinner when I have the energy to retrieve them from the camera. It was nice to all get together, and I just wish I had not had the worry of the state of the S.U.V. hanging over us to distract us. We managed to get a few pictures though. I hope they turned out o.k. I have not even had a chance to review them.

We still have not had any measurable snowfall here at our house. We are thinking about just planting the whole 2 1/2 acres in orange trees and growing them year round, since Tennessee now has Florida's old climate. Just kidding! It is irritating that we can't have any snow this year. Everyone needs one good snowy event to vegetate with the whole family, discard all regular daily duties, and sip hot cocoa and play board games! We'll keep you posted on whether we get that day or not this year.

I have a busy week on tap. I need to get organized around here. All the old clothes need to go. Toys need to be sorted and put back together. That is a job! And then, there is the ever-present laundry! It never seems to get all done at the same time! That's the update today! See you when I get a little done around the house!

Mom

This is for Joyce, whose mother June crossed over the bar peacefully Saturday evening. She fell asleep peacefully in her own chair with a throw over her knees after returning home from dinner with Frank and Joyce.

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The young mother set her foot on the path of life. "Is the way long?" she asked. And the guide said "Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning."

But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years. So she played with her children, she fed them and bathed them, and taught them how to tie their shoes and ride a bike and reminded them to feed the dog, and do their homework and brush their teeth.The sun shone on them, and the young Mother cried, "Nothing will ever be lovelier than this."

Then the nights came, and the storms, and the path was sometimes dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her arms, and the children said, "Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come."

And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the children, "A little patience and we are there." So the children climbed, and as they climbed they learned to weather the storms. And with this, she gave them strength to face the world.

Year after year, she showed them compassion, understanding, hope, but most of all... unconditional love. And when they reached the top they said, "Mother, we would not have done it without you."

The days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she became little and bent.But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And the mother, when she lay down at night, looked up at the stars and said, "This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned so much and are now passing these traits on to their children."

And when the way became rough for her, they lifted her, and gave her their strength, just as she had given them hers. One day they came to a hill, and beyond the hill, they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide. And mother said: "I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than thebeginning, for my children can walk with dignity and pride, with their heads held high, and so can their children after them."

And the children said, "You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates." And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said: "We cannot see her, but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence."

Your Mother is always with you. She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street, she's the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick and perfume that she wore, she's the cool hand on your brow when you're not feeling well, she's your breath in the air on a cold winter's day. She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a rainbow, she is Christmas morning. Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she's crystallized in every tear drop.

A mother shows every emotion...happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy, love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrow..... and all the while, hoping and praying you will only know the good feelings in life. She's the place you came from, your first home, and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space...............not even death!

--author unknown

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Happy Anniversary, Me!

I believe it was about a year ago today that I found Blogger with the help of my good friend, Jennifer! She, also a mother of 5, inspired me by her own well-done blog to start one of my own. Blogging was something that I had only vaguely heard about one year ago. What a difference a year makes! Before too long, I had another blog on a site called Pleonast, at the urging of my sons who frequent that site. I have also recently joined a Homeschool blogging site, but I have not gotten to post too much there yet.

Blogging is another world in my estimation. It is a wonderful place of escape for a few minutes (or hours) every day to read and/or write about life--both mine and other people's. It has been quite an interesting journey which seems much longer than the 365 days it has apparently been.

When I go back to my archives, looking for some record of some event, I am amazed at how much has transpired in one "little" year of my life. So much has happened to my family and my dear friends, and I am so grateful that so many of them have shared the journey with me. I am so humbled and touched by so many of the stories that I read in these blogs. I guess that blogs are popular because we see ourselves in others and are comforted that our experiences are not unique to us. I guess a better way of saying that is "misery loves company!" When things are not going so well for us, there is some comfort in knowing that someone else made it out the other side of a fiery trial without being consumed by the fire!

Recently, my brother sent me an interesting quote by an equally interesting lady. She said,"People complain a lot about conditions as they are, and sometimes I hear they wonder how we will get along, but I have always felt that we have to live only a day at a time, and that surely we can muster enough courage for that. The trouble with a lot of people today is that they look at the world, see it pretty badly tangled, and get frightened when they think of how big the problem is." She continued, "But if they would pull their sights in close and start with their own affairs and stick to the job of handling them for awhile, they would discover that the world was getting along pretty well." It seemed to me that this could have been blogged by any one of a number of my wise friends. These words, however, were quoted from an article about my great-grandmother that was printed in the Sunday morning edition of the Nashville Newspaper Jan. 22, 1939. This was her philosophy about things in 1939, in the midst of a lot of national problems. They are just as true three generations later.

It was also fascinating to me to learn that my great- grandmother had insomnia as well. She said, "Sometimes at night I get restless and can't sleep so well. Then those times come I get into this rocking chair and knit or quilt." I have to wonder if she had lived in 2006 instead of 1906 if she would have been blogging instead of quilting!

I have enjoyed this year of chronicling the past and present happenings in my family and with my close friends. I don't know if it will be something that I will do for the rest of my life, but it has been a neat experience, even if I quit today. I have enjoyed looking into the windows of some great bloggers out there and sharing their lives and experiences (and their yummy recipes!) It's good to find like-minded people and know that as I strive to live differently from the world that I am not alone.

2006 will undoubtedly bring new blogging topics which I cannot even imagine at present. Some of it will be jubilantly wonderful, and some of it will be profoundly sad. Some of it will be intensely interesting, and some of it will bore my now infamous "two" readers to tears. I just thank God that we live in a free society where we can all express opinions openly (although I qualify that by saying that I am concerned about how Christians are being "edged out" of every possible place,) and I pray that under-appreciated right will continue for whatever time is left for this earth to spin.

Happy 45th Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Who would pick Groundhog Day as their Wedding Day?

You got it! My parents! On this day in 1961, they tied the knot! They then traveled up the road to the ritzy James K. Polk motel where they had a short honeymoon before they returned to work! 18 months later, I came along! That's another blog! Congratulations on 45 Wonderful Years, Mom and Dad!

(Update! After reading this, Mom decided to remind me of some other details of their wedding and honeymoon. She advises that they did not spend their entire honeymoon at the James K. Polk Motel! Instead, they went on to Memphis! In addition, she says they tried to hide their getaway car in the cemetery (Dad was a mortician at the time, so I guess he thought it would be quiet enough there!) but the bridesmaids and groomsmen got wise to them and followed them there! When Mom and Dad started their little VW bug, it spit shoe polish back on all the groomsmen, bridesmaids, and onlookers! My uncle's brand new suit got totally ruined.

My other uncle, the one who introduced my parents, slipped my dad a pill before the ceremony. He told him that it would help his nerves. Seeing that he was a preacher, my dad believed him. Instead, it was a pill that turns your urine red! By the next morning, my dad thought he was bleeding internally! My uncle and his cohorts had a great laugh out of that one!)

Lists

I can tell you straight up...this post is going to offend people. (But since I only have 2 readers, I am willing to take the heat that is surely going to come.)

I have to say, I am getting a little tired and a lot bored of all the lists on blogs and emails these days. That's me! It may not be the next person. Don't get me wrong. I fully believe that every blogger has the perfect right to make his/her blog unique and personal, and if that means a daily list, then so be it. I don't get especially offended by lists; it's just that if you are going to waste your time like I do every day blogging, then shouldn't it really have some substance to it?

Apparently, some people only think in lists. I suppose it goes something like this in their brains in the morning:

1. I really should get out of this bed.

2. I need to use the facilities.

3. While I am in here, I really should shower.

4. I suppose the kids need feeding.

5. It is time to go grocery shopping.

a. I need eggs, bread, garbage bags, and detergent.
b. I should remember the coupons.

6. I will dress now.

7. I am going out the door.

8. Ouch! I tripped over the dog.......

9. I really need to go to the hospital now.

10. I cannot go to the hospital until I have thought of number 10.

And on goes their brain--continuing the list all day and all night.

Now,in contrast, let me give you a scene from my brain first thing in the morning:

"It is the best of times; it is the worst of times. The sun is peeking in through the small gaps in the Venetian blinds while the smell of aftershave wafts down the hallway and into the bedroom. Here, four children have deposited themselves in various positions in my queen-sized bed. I cannot feel my left arm; it is under one of the children. If I were a good wife, I would be up making a hot breakfast for my husband. I will get up in fifteen minutes. Maybe it will be more like thirty minutes. Life is good."

I am not a list person. I suppose I am a paragraph person. I think in complete sentences, and I prefer to write blocks of material instead of short, choppy thoughts. One has only to read my prolific posts to know what I mean. I guess some people get really bored with that. It is as though they cannot focus through an entire paragraph, much less a soliloquy the size of "War and Peace." I do think it takes training and practice and perhaps something in the genes to make someone an avid reader. Then, to write....well, that takes practice, and patience, and a dab of inspiration helps, too.

Probably some of the most talented writers you know are very manic at times. "Manic" makes for some wonderful, poignant posts. "Depressive" sucks the inspiration right out of the best of them.

I have several blogs I read on a regular basis. Some of the authors are just as punctual as can be in adding posts. Others are sporadic in their contributions to their blogs. I know that the manics in the group will have some good material in a day or two, as soon as the mood strikes them. I understand when the manic/depressives are gone for a while. I know they will be back when they have something they feel is worth saying. I love the deep thinkers, because they take me to places in the mind that are fascinating. At my age, it is a challenge to get the old cylinders in the brain to fire as they should all the time, and I want to keep what little acuity I was given for as long as I can. Since it is getting harder and harder to find my nouns anyway, I need all the help I can get exercising the old brain.

So, I guess I will resist list-making for as long as I can. I want to think deeper, feel more deeply, and maybe cause someone else to reach deeper into their own heart and soul and figure out a little more than what cartoon character or kitchen vegetable they most resemble this week.

O.k. I am done with this rant. Go ahead, you two, and stone me.

What happens when you eat ice cream while you are pregnant....

This is what happens when you eat ice cream while you are pregnant! (I was single-handedly reponsible for raising Breyer's stock prices in 1986!)

Your offspring cannot get enough, no matter how hard he tries. He eats it in the bathtub. He orders it with every meal! He makes working at Baskin-Robbins his life's ambition! Every birthday, he expects an ice cream cake!

So, mothers-to-be, beware! Eat something low in carbs and relatively inexpensive, because you will be buying a lot of it in 18 years of child-rearing!

(left to right, the happy ice -cream- eaters Tony (Dan's new roommate), my Dairy-lovin' Dan, Sarah, and Heather)

Changes

"Soaring over Lexington"

I had a time of my life when I loved listening to country music. I have not enjoyed it particularly in some time, but that is another story. There was a song a while back that was a real tear jerker, and the lyrics said "Life's about changing....nothing ever stays the same...." Somebody was right on the money there. Life has really been changing at the speed of light for me in recent weeks.

Of course, the biggest change has been the departure of our eldest from the nest. Like the eagle does her young, I dropped him from the heights over and over and then swooped down to rescue him repeatedly as he tired in mid-air and began to plummet to earth. Then one day, as all baby eaglets do, he did not tire. He flew magnificently off into the heavens and took his natural place.

I read so many blogs, and some of the moms are lamenting that their kids got mad and left home, or they were rebellious and ran away from home, etc. I was so happy that when the time came for my boy to go, that he and I were in agreement about his life's plans. Sure, I would have preferred, selfishly, that he stay around here and go to college. But I understood his reasons for wanting to go where he went, and since the number one reason was to reach for higher spiritual heights, how could I deny him?

So, now the dynamics of our little family have changed, and it will take me a while to adjust. When you have counted your offspring every time you leave a place to make sure you have not forgotten one, it is hard to leave anywhere with one less than you are used to counting.

We go for fast food, and as the kids scream out the orders from the back of the car, we listen for one more order that never comes. We count burgers and fries on the screen of the drive-thru, and it seems like we are missing something, always. The voice that always called out for a vanilla shake from the mid-section of the S.U.V. is now silent.

And life in the nest goes on. Sarah has had a big week, losing two teeth and having her first stitches in her thumb! Sam and Micah wrestle like bear cubs, with Sam making sure that Micah knows the pecking order! Daddy ponders what changes will happen in the house now that it's even-Steven between the sexes around here again---3 males, 3 females!

Just when we seem to have a good rhythm going, someone asks in a sad little voice, "Can I call Daniel?" (The family talk plan on the cellphone is saving the day right now!) Daniel does not seem to mind that the little ones are testing the limits of unlimited mobile to mobile. I keep thinking the cell phone company is going to call and tell us that they are terribly sorry, but they are losing so much money on us that they are going to have to cancel our plan!

I awoke this morning to Tim calling back to the house and telling me to get up and put the extra locks on the door, as there was a strange man with out of county tags just parked out on the street. Since we live on a dead- end street, very little thru-traffic comes down our road, and I have not known anyone to just park out there before. So we called the police and had them do a drive-by, and I was wishing all the while that my big old strapping 240 lb. boy was here to protect me and the rest of the kids.

A thousand things like that bring Daniel to mind every day. Sometimes, I am very, very happy and proud for him that he has been able to take this time to do what he wants to do and that God worked it all out for him. Other times, if I think too much, I feel like my heart will break. So far, I have not just sat down and cried over his departure as I feared I would. I do, however, tend to get a little more weepy than usual during things that would normally not bring me to tears....like during the watching of Mighty Ducks 3 with the wee ones this last week, or while listening to the new Garth c.d. that I got for Christmas (when the whole audience sang "Unanswered Prayers" word for word and Garth just sat back speechless and let them do it), or during passionate speeches.

I cannot quite claim the empty nest syndrome, as my nest does not look like it will be empty at least until sometime about 2022, the good Lord willing. By then, I will probably be covered up with grandkids and teenaged girls and be trying to keep their daddy from shooting at all the potential suitors.

However, there is a big empty spot in the nest where my giant clumsy "baby" bird rested in our own humble haven. Our family singings, impromtu events on the dark roads between counties as we travel back and forth to worship and to shop and to share some family time, will lack both the volume and the harmony that existed when there were 7 voices.

Now, too, there is a little less laundry and lot more leftover at dinner. There is a little more room in the nest for the other babies to stretch their wings, but something tells me that if they had their way, they would not mind crowding up once again anytime to make room for their gentle giant of a brother.

"Can we call Daniel?"

Elvis Has Left the Building!

Daniel, his new roommates, and some friends who came to welcome him to Lexington! (The girls live elsewhere :) )

My two readers have probably noticed that I have not updated in a LONG time! We have been a little busy getting my eldest moved up to Lexington, KY. It was quite an ordeal, but I am happy to say that it was a positive experience overall! Daniel is sooooo happy, and that makes it all worthwhile!

Our trip started last Friday. It was a gorgeous day, unlike the previous weekend, which was totally soggy. We had no troubles getting the truck loaded with all of Daniel's earthly goods, and we proceeded on to my parents' town to pick up a single bed and a table and chairs that the relatives were donating to this housefull of boys in Kentucky.

On Sat. morning, we got up and prepared to leave for KY. Then, we realized that the key to the big Penske truck was missing! Everyone in the family looked for two hours. We finally figured that it must have fallen out of Tim's pocket at the Kroger parking lot the night before, and it was just lost! So, Tim had to ride 30 miles up the road to a locksmith friend-of-my-dad's to get another key cut for the truck. That done, we got on the road for KY at about 3 p.m., much later than we wanted to be starting.

We did not have much choice but to go on, as we wanted to make worship services in Lexington on Sunday morning. We arrived at the house where Daniel would be living, and we hoped to offload his car at least, so we could lose the trailer we were pulling behind the 26 foot truck. After Tim had already turned the truck into the cul-de-sac Daniel lives on, we realized that with all the cars parked on the street down there, there was no place to go with the truck. For the next hour, we all stood out in the street in the freezing cold trying to back a huge truck and trailer back out onto a busy street without getting anyone killed!

We finally checked into a hotel about 2 in the morning local time. We had managed to offload the car and return the trailer part to a seedy area of town without becoming statistics. We got about 4 hours of sleep before it was time to roll out for church.

It is mornings like this that the old devil really tempts you to stay in bed. I am glad I overcame temptation. The services of the church were just wonderful. The preacher made me cry. Of course, knowing that I was going to have to leave my son in a few hours did not help my emotions any. The sermon was centered around the idea that we live in earthly "tents" --our bodies which are fragile and temporary. Everyone at this church was grieving the loss of a young man they had been working with in hopes he would become a Christian. Instead, he had died of an apparent accidental drug overdose the previous Thursday. The preacher did a wonderful job of interweaving the lesson with the facts of this boy's life and death. He told about how the boy, Justin, had been asked by one of the elders if he ever felt his heart being tugged during the invitation. He said that yes, he had felt that tugging, but he was too scared to step out and walk down the aisle in front of all those people to confess Jesus. The elder had told the preacher that they were going to have to help Justin a little, if they had to walk with him down the aisle. They never got the chance. Justin died before he ever came back to services. So the preacher said he was going to do things a little different that morning and walk up and down the aisles in case there was anyone else there who needed a little help getting down the aisle!

As the invitation song was sung, the tears were just rolling down my face, as I thought of that poor mother who was losing her son forever. I was just dropping mine off temporarily, hopefully to see him again, many, many times. She would never talk to her son again; mine is at the other end of a cellphone. I figured the preacher would think that I was some nut or some potential penitent, standing there blubbering like a baby. But I could not help it, as the sermon and now his gesture towards the lost was just so sweet! Some preachers are "hot dogs" or "showboats," pulling stunts like this for the theatrical effect of it all. It was surely not like that with this man. He was so genuine---so truly devastated that Justin was not ever going to walk that aisle.

At any rate, after services were over, Tim and I introduced ourselves to the preacher and the elders there and told them that we were leaving Daniel in their care. It looks like Daniel is going to be so happy there. There are so many young people his own age for the first time in a lot of years! He said there were about 30 in his college class, which stands to reason since U of K is there. His three roommates are all Christians! They already seem to have that fraternal bond that is so wonderful!

Daniel wasted no time in his new digs. By the time we got there Monday, he pretty well had his room set up! He was lacking curtains and a computer desk, so we went out to shop for a little while before we had to get back on the road. Hannah was the only kid with us, and it was hard for her to leave her big brother. Sarah has had a rough time of it as well. I know we will all adjust in time to Dan not living here, but it will take a while.

On Tuesday night, I called Daniel to see how things were going. He was in the car with some of his roommates, going across town to a gospel meeting! Now that's what a mother likes to hear that her 19 year old son is doing on his first night away from her!

Wednesday night, we showed up at church for the first time without Daniel in tow. We were met in the parking lot by Jared, a young man that Daniel had invited to services. Jared just lost his dad in December, and then he was hit by another driver last week and his car was totaled. Luckily, Jared was o.k. I was happy to have an extra boy with us. He is still very distressed over his father's death and needs lots of encouragement right now. Daniel was ecstatic later to hear Jared had come to services. We will try to finish the work Daniel started.

Daniel already has gotten a job with the help of his roommate, Jeremy. Daniel is going to be a Barrister (sp?)! He is going to be working at Starbucks for the present, and he will be looking to enroll at U of K as soon as he has established his residency! Hopefully there are great things and great times in store for him.

So, yes, my little towhead is all grown up and is out of the nest now. Life is going to be different now for us all, but it makes it a lot easier knowing that he is in good hands all around! If you are reading this, son, be happy and live well! And send your old mom some coffee from time to time!

One tired, happy boy with his friend, Heather

Busy Weeks

In my last post, as you will recall, I revealed that Tennessee has changed its name to New Florida. The weather here lately has been the wackiest that I have seen in my 43+ years of living here (with brief stints in a few other states now and then.) It has been so warm that at times we have had to raise the windows in the house and put the a.c. on in the car. I have never seen that in January.

Last Friday, the family was all in position to move Daniel to Lexington to begin his official adult life! Tim took the day off, and we were set to start loading as soon as we picked up the truck. Well, first thing that morning, my mother called and asked if we knew that snow was moving into the area, and that Lexington was supposed to get around 3 inches. We were unaware, because we do not have cable any more. By the time we got up and going good, it started to rain. Then, it began to more like monsoon. Tim made a command decision that putting a 26 foot truck on the lawn in the midst of this and then driving 5 hours up the interstate in a possible snowstorm towing another car with me following in our S.U.V. was not how he wanted Daniel to start out his adult life! So, we postponed until this weekend.

The weather has been erratic all week. One day it drops down and snows, and the next, it seems to be back up to 60 degrees. It is no wonder that there is so much sickness around. We need a good hard, prolonged deep freeze to kill off the bugs (insects) and the bugs (germs.)

So, I guess we are going to try again to do the Lexington thing sometime this weekend. We have the truck all weekend, so we don't have to hurry, which is good. Still, it is going to be hard to let go of my firstborn. Those who have not been through it cannot know what I am speaking of. I told someone that Daniel has been with me longer than I have ever been with anyone on earth. He has been with me longer than I lived at home before college. He has been with me longer than I have been married to either of my two husbands. He has been with me since I was 24, so I guess technically, we grew up together.

Daniel has been such a little man all of his life. He was wanting to preach when he was about 5. He informed me when he was 8 that he was the "man of the house" now that his father had left the picture. He has always been incredibly protective of his little brothers and now his sisters. He has always been protective of me as well.

Yes, life will be different for all of us with one of us up in the Bluegrass State. I am happy for him, though. He has done his homework well and found good companions with which to live. It will be four Christian boys in a house--all working and/or going to school. I pray that they will all come to love and appreciate and support one another and build a great relationship.

Meanwhile, I will be a busy bee when we get back. We are going to start an overhaul of the house, moving people around in different bedrooms, painting, sprucing up, etc. I'm looking forward to tossing out a lot of things the kids have outgrown and getting a little new furniture and refinishing some of the older stuff I am getting from my mom. Hopefully, when all is said and done, the girls will have my old bedroom suit, and I will have a thing or two that belonged to my grandmother.

Have a great week and weekend, wherever you are, and I will see you on the flip side of the weekend, Lord willing.

Announcements

Just a couple of brief announcements....

First, Tennessee has changed its name to New Florida. 70 degree temperatures forced us to run our car air conditioner at times yesterday. Weather records are being broken right and left. All traces of winter have vanished. My children shall never see snow again. (The littlest ones have never seen it.) We now have the weather Florida had years ago when everyone raced down there to live. Now, they just have hurricanes 9 months out of the year, and we somehow inherited their weather patterns. We may be forced to move back to New Jersey where Tennessee weather has now gone to reside.

Secondly, here in New Florida, due to certain current trends in America, we demand that everyone be politically correct towards us as well. Kentuckians, Tennesseans (New Floridians,) and West Virginians will no longer be referred to as "HILLBILLIES." You must now refer to us as APPALACHIAN-AMERICANS.

Thank you very much!

Christmas Pics

Finally....getting some pics up from the Christmas festivities, 2005....





As you can see, somebody had a sense of humor laying out some cookies for Santa! "Mr. Happyface" was baked and decorated by Sarah and Hannah! Next picture is obviously later....

Do I see a few whiskers at the bottom left of that plate?

Before the carnage.....

And after the carnage! Mommy helps put the furniture in Dora's house!








Sam takes a look at his new sheet set in Tennessee orange...and Tommy Hilfiger of course! Later, he checks out his new threads!

Daniel checks out his new down comforter for his new room in Kentucky! (next) checking out the Dockers and the new Phantom of the Opera novel!




Sarah tries without success to wake Micah to open his presents! Unfortunately, the little guy stayed up too late waiting on Santa, and he slept through much of the present opening!


Eventually, Micah woke up enough to demonstrate the proper use of a light saber!




Hannah delights at her new Cabbage Patch baby who shares her birthday!




Sarah shows off a new Leap Pad book that looks to be fun for this girl who enjoys reading so much!




Hannah says, "All I really care about is the chocolate!" Now there's a girl after my own heart!




Sarah looks at two "vintage" toys she asked for---the "Barbie Jet" and the "My Size Barbie House!" (I love eBay and consignment stores, because old toys are better than this new junk they make!) Hannah promptly thought the new house was for her to live in and climbed in! It's that big!





Later, at my parents' house, my brother Doug models the Snickers toupee he made for our "thinning-haired" brother Drew!




Drew and wife, Brooke think Doug is "just hilarious." (Yeah, right! )



Steph and Doug discuss whether a rug or a Snickers Toupee is more effective on Doug, since he will be needing one (a toupee) soon! (Not really, just thought it made a good caption!)



Dad is temporarily buried under a pile of Christmas packages!



Mom and brother Daniel share some hot drinks on a cold day!




Tim and Drew are pretty intently watching the Batman movie! It was pretty intense!




Sarah, and Sarah with her beloved cousin, Ben! In the right of the 2nd picture, in the background, you can see a stocking for our brother, Don, who did not sneak in from Germany as we had hoped he might!

(We'll freeze your candy, Bro.!)

The cousins open their goodies!

Mom shows Dad one of her Christmas pictures as Micah looks on

Doug in the obligatory candid photo that I make of him at every major family event! ( I know I will suffer retaliation photos)

Pappy looks ecstatic to receive his Steve McNair doll! He mumbles, "I really wanted Donovan McNabb!" (inside joke)

After presents, the cousins treat us to their "Grand Opening," a concert highlighting their talents. Kelsey played piano, Sarah sang, and Ben did gymnastics until the unfortunate collision with the Baby Grand piano.



Dan, Steph, and Baby Lauren enjoy the concert! (and some dessert!)



Kelsey plays....




Sarah sings....



Ben---just before the unfortunate accident... fortunately, there were no permanent injuries, to Ben or the piano which has endured two generations of performers!


Tim took the camera and made one of me, Brooke and Drew, so that I could get in a Christmas pic or two!


(Hey, Anne, I made it into 1 1/2 pictures this year!)

Happy 2006!

I have not been on in a while, and that is fine, because one of my New Year's resolutions is that I will not be a slave to my blog! :) Writing should be fun, not a burden, and let's face it, sometimes we are just not in the mood to write. So, when the mood strikes, I will be here, and when it doesn't, I have plenty of other things calling my name.

I thought it would be nice to reflect on some of my favorite things of 2005 as the year has come to a close. All in all, it was not a terrible year, nor was it a great year, personally. I feel very blessed that none of the tragedies that happened to so many of our fellow human beings happened to me or my close family or friends. I had a few family members in Texas affected by the hurricanes, and we lost my dear grandmother in Florida over Thanksgiving, but for the most part, we were spared a lot of the devastation that so many in this country and others faced.

Here are some of my favorite memories of 2005 in no particular order....

----We shared a lot of great moments with our two--yes, two--church families. Circumstances and driving distance necessitate that we worship mid-week with a group closer to us, and on Sundays, we drive a little farther. Both groups have been very understanding of our circumstances and have allowed us to do what we can for each group. We have shared a lot of laughter and tears in both places, and we rejoice that we know so many fine folks in both places who really care if their worship to God is how He wants it rather than how men would change it into what they want. We have also had opportunities to visit some other churches in other counties and states this year, and we have enjoyed being with them. I especially cherish every word--every wise and kind and loving word--that came out of the mouth of one of our dear elders. He is having the fight of his life with cancer, and his example of stamina and courage in the face of horrendous physical challenges has been nothing short of breath-taking to me. I love the times we were with him in his home, and I am glad that we got to share some good times with him this year. I have never personally been under a better collective eldership in the church than the one we are currently under. I revere these three godly men so much, and I owe them a debt that cannot be paid for their watching out for my soul. Being a Christian is truly the greatest blessing one can claim!

----Traveling like we have has made it possible for us to spend more time with my parents, siblings, their spouses, and my nieces and nephews! We especially had a ball in my parents' new inground pool, which we really began enjoying this year! My kids would have stayed at my Mom and Dad's from May until October if we would have let them! It is great to have a place where we can swim privately (but still modestly) and enjoy my favorite outdoor activity! Dad got a new grill in 2005, and we only got a couple of chances to use it before it got cold. So, hopefully this year, we will use it lots and lots!

----We had one of the nicest trips to New Jersey in 2005 that we have ever had. The weather was great, the food and the company with Tim's family was tremendous, and nearly all of us cried when we had to go. (The boys don't cry as easily as the girls!) Each year that Tim and I have with our parents is a great blessing to us, and it is one we do not take for granted.

----I have enjoyed my first year of blogging. I hope others have been blessed by my ramblings, but even if no one ever read anything I wrote, I have enjoyed doing it.

----My firstborn son graduated from high school this year. Not only was the graduation ceremony tops, but we got to share it with so many of the most important people in our lives. Dan, Sam and Micah all came out at the top of their classes when the honors were handed out, and I was the proudest Mom in the place for sure! I have been so proud of my kids, especially this year, because I see so many kids in trouble--kids who have everything in the world materially, but who are not happy, obedient, or on track to be good Christian adults. While my kids are nowhere near perfect, they are spiritually-minded, and they show their light to the extent that other people notice and mention it to me frequently! My kids don't know sometimes that Mama is looking over their shoulder at their on-line conversations, and I am pleased as punch sometimes to find them engaging other Christians and even non-Christians in thoughtful debate and chats on Biblical matters. Since I am ever fighting against the influence of their father, who chooses not to walk in the light, I never take anything for granted when it comes to their proper raising. That is one reason we returned to home schooling in 2005, and I am glad we are doing it! The closeness I share with my kids cannot be expressed in words.


----I learned a lot of lessons about myself in 2005. I had to develop a lot more patience than I had in previous years. Part of that came from dealing with a busy two-year-old at age 43. Some of my patience gained came as a result of dealing with rude and obnoxious people, who seem to be multiplying in our society faster than nice people are. A lot of patience came from living through situations over which I had totally no control and managing to make it out the other side intact. Sometimes you find yourself in uncomfortable situations, and you think you are just going to die before you can get through it. I discovered that I could make it through some things that I did not know I had the strength or the courage to do, and I was still alive! I learned a lot about human nature. I did not punch out one single, solitary jerk! I have learned to control my "Irish" temper more this year than in any year in recent memory. I still have a lot of growing to do in my "Christian graces," but I am finally making some forward progress.

----Tim and the kids and I have made some great memories in 2005 and documented a lot of them on film. While I made absolutely no headway on scrapbooking my kids' lives, I at least photographed them doing lots and lots of different things. Hopefully, this will mean something to all of them when they are older.

----Some good friends have invited us into their lives in times of adversity, and we have been blessed by sharing in suffering with them. While that may sound awfully strange, it really is not. I like to think that we were able to encourage several people in their last days on earth. With others, we held their hands while they said goodbye to a loved one. We have tried to do what we could for some who were suffering unimaginable trials, and we were the ones who ended up being blessed by them, in many cases. Their courage and strength serve as examples which will not quickly leave our minds on how to behave in times of sickness and misfortune. I hope we have learned their lessons well.

----We rejoice in the obvious blessings of life! As 2005 came to a close, Tim still had a job, we were all reasonably healthy, we had everything we need and so much more, and most of those we love were still with us. Not only do we have the love of the two previously- mentioned churches, but we have also been welcomed often by a third group that we worship with when we visit our Tennessee family. They treat us like we are home every time we show up. It is good to belong, good to be missed, good to worship in good conscience wherever we go. After all, we are spiritual beings in earthly bodies, and we are just pilgrims here. Our home country is on the other side of eternity, and we are getting closer and closer to returning home each and every day. I don't ever remember a year where I "got it" more than I did in 2005. It makes sense now more than ever. My mortality is real, and that makes living sweeter every day. When you know where you are headed, it seems to make it a whole lot easier to find your way. As Tim and I said in our wedding vows, in part, "looking toward heaven 'til death do us part...." Here we sit tonight in this house, seven people looking toward heaven. I take nothing for granted. Maybe one or more of my kids will fall off the path in 2006, but I hope at the end of the year I can say either that we are still looking toward heaven, or "Lord, it's good to be home!" Whatever God wills is fine with me.


2006 will surely bring more changes, as life is about changing. The earth does not sit still. I know that one son will be moving on to start his adult life, and as much as I hate letting him go, I am proud that he has cast his lot with other Christians already and that he will continue to have good people to urge him on. The next boy will turn 18 this year, and that will probably mean changes for him, too.

As I exited church Sunday morning, I could not help but think of so many who were with us last January 1st who are now gone. I wondered who would still be there January 1, 2007, if the Lord does not come back first. I am not meant to know these things, so for now, I just intend to love my husband, love my kids, and cherish my friends and family as much as I can, knowing that it all can change in the blink of an eye. I look forward to raising my kids each day and having a ball doing it! What blessings they are to me (well, most days anyway!)

I pray that each and every one who reads these words will be blessed this year and that you will have a profitable and happy 2006!