A CHILD OF GOD

Well, I thought I didn't have any pictures of a MESS, but then I remembered this one!
It's K's first birthday!

But who knows for how long! Hi everyone~I've missed you all! Yea, I know, if I've missed you, why haven't I been around? Well, I've become a Flickr-holic! Yes, I'm addicted to Flickr and I admit it. Back when my good friend and neighbor, Lazy Daisy got me started in blogging, which led to a digital camera, which led to Flickr, WHO KNEW!!!! I even have my own group.

In case you didn't know, Flickr is a whole community. Yes, people commenting on other people's photos, Flickr-mailing, and even meeting...just like bloggers. Of course, many of you already know that. In fact, a fellow Flickr-ite and his family are coming by our home tomorrow and it will be their second visit!

Lazy Daisy asked me to do a couple of things to her template (I'm surprised I remembered how) and I decided that since I still have my blog, I may as well see what's going on in Blogville. So here I am.

Life has been busy over the holidays. Our beautiful granddaughter turned one on Dec. 22 and we had a party-of course. Her mom made cupcakes instead of a cake and she had it everywhere. Then on Christmas Eve they came to our house for dinner. Our daughters made peanut butter balls while Dad watched baby and Grammy and Grandpa watched a movie (hee hee)! Then Christmas Day we went to their house for breakfast and on to Great Granny's with all of my hubby's family! WHEW what a day. Hubby has six brothers and sisters, all have children and all but one was there. It was good to see everyone even though most live nearby.

I hope each of you had a very special Christmas and are looking forward to a blessed New Year.

And now you say, there are no dumb questions, only dumb answers. Maybe it's not exactly a dumb question, but it is a question nonetheless!

Do you ever get the "silly giggles"? That's what I call it. Maybe you call it something else or maybe you don't have the slightest idea of what I'm talking about. To me the silly giggles is when you get tickled about something and start laughing and laughing and laughing and laughing, well you get the idea ~ you can't stop! It happened to me last night but I won't go into details here. I got tickled about something that happened to our beautiful Boo (that's what I call our granddaughter) and I could not stop laughing. I had to go to our bedroom because I was getting embarrassed! Our daughter was in class but our son-in-law was here.

I must have laughed for 20 minutes, I could not stop! I laughed so hard tears were rolling down my checks, my ribs hurt, my stomach hurt and my lungs hurt. It was painful! After I went to bed I thought of it again and started to giggle again~even now as I type this, I'm smiling. The sad part is that the incident wasn't THAT funny; yes, it was funny but not to that extent.

So, again I ask, am I the only person this happens to?

We've had some HOT weather here with no real signs of relief! If it just wasn't so humid to boot, it would be so much easier to endure.

We had our sweet grand daughter spend the night with us Saturday night for the first time since they moved out. It was intended to give her Mom and Dad a date night but they were both so sick with colds or allergies that they ended up staying home and going to bed early ~ which may have been a good thing.

Kelsey is growing and changing so quickly! She's already 7.5 months old. We have a walker here for her and she loves being in it. She chases our dog all around the first floor giggling the whole time. It's a real sight.

I hope you don't get tired of looking at her, but I just have to share another picture of her.

She really is the Sunshine of My Life. Every time I rock her, I sing that old song You Are My Sunshine! What's funny about that is that I did NOT know her parents had gotten her a little bunny that sings that song!!

That's it for today! Blessings to each one of you!!!!

Haven't done one of these is a long time. After reading Lazy Daisy's memory, it reminded me of a time when I was in grade school. I went to a "private" school for the first six years of my education (including Kindergarten).

Every year the students would put on several plays. Most of the time I was an "extra"~ you know, the people that just stood around and didn't have any speaking parts. I wish I could remember my age at the time; probably seven or eight, and I was asked to be Gretel in Hansel and Gretel!!! WHOA! Me...get up in front of people...adults...and speak???? Oh no! Well, I didn't have a choice, I couldn't say no.

I remember my costume was brown and a matching brown hat that tied under my chin. I learned my lines (we were used to memorizing because we memorized scripture) so that wasn't hard. I remember the boy that played Hansel was a boy I didn't like much.

I don't remember much about acting but the one memory that REALLY sticks out in my mind was at the end of the play. We had finished and all the parents stood up and were applauding their "stars." I was in such a hurry to get off the stage, that I tripped!!! HOW EMBARRASSING! People started laughing and all I wanted to do was crawl in a hole. Of course Mom and Dad told me what a wonderful job I had done and maybe I had, but I really don't remember THAT part.

I've changed a lot since then and don't mind getting up in front of people but I don't think I will ever forget that...maybe just push it back in my memory.

Blessings to each of you.

Yesterday I got a letter, yes snail mail, from my Aunt who lives in New York saying that she hadn't seen any recent posts on my blog so I guess I'd better do some posting so she can keep up with us. I also got an email from one of my friends saying she missed reading my blog...although I don't know why.

Last month my GREAT niece got married and they had a lovely outdoor wedding. I took lots of pics, but the sun was really bright that day, so they weren't the best. But, you know this PROUD grammy, I just have to post this shot of Kelsey which I took at that wedding!

She looks like this most of the time. She really is a happy baby. Her mom was the same way! She just on the verge of crawling, but to be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if she walked first! Of course, I happen to think she's the brightest 7 month old there is.

Just to brag on myself a little...I got an email from an online group asking if they could use one of my photos (that's on Flickr) in an article they had prepared on the Ford Motor Company. Well, I nearly fell over!!! Most of my shots are of flowers, so this was really a shocker! What makes it even stranger is that it was Hubby's idea, and I took it at an antique car, truck and tractor show last weekend. It's the emblem on the front of an old Ford tractor.



Oh yea, one more thing...I'm going to be featured as the Artist of the Week in one of the groups on Flickr. I don't think it's because I'm that good, I think it's because the person that asked me is a contact of mine and lives in a nearby city. Oh well, it's fun! If you'd like to come over and see some of my shots, you'll find me listed as childofGOD. Here's another shot I'll share.

Blessings to each one of you!!

Saturday Granpa decided it would be fun to take Kelsey to the pet store. We had taken our step granddaughter several months ago and she really enjoyed it. Kelsey is a bit younger, but she was full of smiles!!!

Being a grandparent is like nothing else in the world!!!! You can't begin to describe it to anyone and only another grandparent can understand. Rachel has a baby handbook and I was reading the section about grandparents. It says: "Having a grandchild is one of the great joys of life, and the child who has grandparents to dote on him is blessed indeed." I'm not sure she feels blessed but I know we are!!! And if doting is that good, we won!

Her eyes are wide as she takes in her surroundings!!! It's as if she wants to see it all right now. She has, what I consider, amazing ability to concentrate and she's not even six months old. She will hold anything you give her and seemingly study it for a long time, turning it around and looking intently at it.

We are looking in on our friends' cats while they are away and yesterday we took Kelsey with us. When she saw JJ (the friendly one), she broke out in a huge grin and giggled almost the entire time we were there. She reacts the same with our dog, Naomi.

For me, being a grandparent is the reward for having children.

Good morning everyone. I have so many things to be thankful for that I hardly know where to begin.

I'm thankful for everything that God has provided and all the gifts he has given me. I'm especially excited about my new hobby of photography.

I'm thankful that I don't have to work out of the home.

I'm thankful that I had an empty nest for about a month (see post below) but I'm also happy that our youngest is back home. She may not be in the house all the time, but she's at home.

I'm thankful our oldest and her husband have found a place to rent and all their "stuff" is gone. Although I miss our dear, sweet grand-daughter being here, I'm able to take care of her several days a week. She just keeps getting cuter!!!

I'm thankful for my sister-in-the-Lord (also my sister-in-law) that brings so much joy to my life.

I'm thankful for all my blogging friends and "sisters" who responded to my post yesterday saying they had missed me.

I'm thankful for the beautiful weather we've had this week~almost like Fall. The morning's a cool and the days are NOT humid~which is a big problem for me.

If you'd like to share some things you are thankful for, please visit my friend, Iris. Blessings to each of you!!!

Nothing really. Except the quiet!!! I haven't "heard" quiet for about 23 years~actually longer. When I was single, it seems I had to have some noise on~whether the TV or radio~there was always some sort of noise in my adult life.

Now that I'm by myself most of the time, I've learned to appreciate the quiet. I can hear the rain and the birds sing. And, I believe, I can hear God's voice more easily. He has truly blessed me all my life but I am so thankful to be where I am now.

Most of you know that I love photography (understatement) and we have bird feeders strategically placed around the house. I say strategically but when originally placed, we didn't know it would be strategic. As I sit here at the computer, I can see two feeders very clearly. I can also see another one from our bedroom and bathroom. Now, talk about something funny...no, we won't go there, but you get the idea. I can see two goldfinches in my neighbor's driveway and it's always such a treat to see them. (Note to self: get finch food.)

Now that I think about it, a lot has changed. Since we are empty nesters, we've noticed a BIG difference in our electric bill (WHEW) and our grocery bill. Yes, they helped financially, but in all honesty, it wasn't enough. The amount of salt necessary for the water softener has gone down considerably. I wash dishes by hand rathern than use the dishwasher; there are fewer showers (two people rather than five); and, this is a biggie too, I don't have to share the computer with anybody!!!!

Another difference is when we eat. Now that there are more daylight hours, Hubby likes to work in the yard when he gets home or work on one of his projects and not necessarily eat right away. When everyone was here, I always had to have dinner ready between 5:30 and 6:00 because our SIL had to leave to be at work by 7:00 p.m. Sometimes #1 daughter was working at dinner time and #2 daughter was out with friends so it was a challenge as to how much to prepare. Of course, leftovers always went to work.

I'm a simple person and I am loving my simple life right now. I keep our granddaughter several days a week (when Mom and Dad are both working~or he has to sleep during the day) but she's certainly no problem. She'll be five months old May 22.

So there really is nothing new, things are just different. "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."
Ecclesiastes 1:9 (NIV)

Have a great weekend!!!

Having your children leave the nest that is. But it hasn't been easy. Colleen left Friday evening about 5:00 p.m. and arrived in Georgia about 12:30 a.m.

Saturday morning Hubby and I went to a couple of yard sales and I was looking at things I thought Colleen would like to have...and then remembered! Later, we went to the grocery store and the same thing happened. I see something that she liked and as I reached for it, remembered she wasn't there any more. This time, tears filled my eyes.

Last night I cried again. Today at church as I asked for prayer for her salvation, I cried once more. But after all the prayers from my family, friends, and blogging friends, the Lord has given me a peace ~ His peace, which passes understanding. She is in His capable hands.

Thank you all again. Do I dare pray that God would move out our other daughter and her husband? Yes.

Please pray for our youngest daughter, Colleen. She has told us that she plans to move to Kennesaw, GA with a friend (one we don't know) and will be leaving Friday. Many of you know that she has struggled with learning and although she is 20, she is a very immature 20.

She knows what we believe but, to my knowledge, has never accepted Christ Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior.

Please pray for her salvation. And if God could use this experience to draw her to Him, then so be it.

Blessings to each and every one of you and thank you.

I'm so very thankful for my Hubby. In May we will have been married 24 years. God brought us together and has kept us together.

Most of you know that last year my dear Hubby gave me a digital camera (my first). I've always loved taking pictures but many times never got the 35 mm film developed. What inspires my picture taking the most is God's awesome creations.
My precious Hubby loves to take rides and I always make sure I have my camera when we leave. He's so good to me that as we ride and I see something I want to take a picture of, all I have to do is say stop and he does...cautiously, of course. Me, I just slam on the breaks!!!


Both my Hubby and my brother tell me I have an "eye" for pictures. I tell them, it isn't me, it's what God allows me to see.

And, I'm thankful that I have to begin getting ready for the Beth Moore Daniel Bible Study that I'm going to this morning. We've only got this week and next week and it will end.

Blessings to each of you today!!!

One Merriam-Webster definition of smile is "to bestow approval." Wikipedia has this to say: "a smile is a facial expression formed by flexing the muscles most notably near both ends of the mouth. The smile can be also around the eyes." This is an ultrasound of a baby still in the womb. See the smile?

What are some things that make me smile? I smile when I see my Hubby. We will be celebrating our 24th anniversary in May. It hasn't always been smiles, there have also been tears, but God brought us together, and that too, makes me smile.

I've been smiling a lot lately. The reason is our precious granddaughter! When I see her, I'm overwhelmed with love and admiration for one of God's creations. She will be three months old on Thursday ~ it hardly seems possible.

I smile when I see sunrises, sunsets, mountains, lakes, oceans, birds, lambs, flowers, and many other of God's creations. I smile when I see family, friends and strangers~yes strangers. You never know if that smile reflects God's love for someone.

And, I smile when God enables me to help someone in some way. He has given me many gifts and if they can be used for His glory, I smile!

In the end, I guess what makes me smile is God. What makes you smile?

Head on over to Five Minutes for Mom if you want to know more!
We both love the Lord and met in church the weekend I "got saved." Our first daughter was born just over a year later. She is now 22 and our youngest is 20. The oldest is married and she, her hubby, new baby (below) and our youngest are living with us until they get places of their own~hopefully SOON!

My neighbor and friend, Lazy Daisy, started me into blogging over a year ago and I love it. I also do counted cross-stitch, knitting and crocheting. I like to cook and bake but not as much as I did when I was younger.

If you read my blog at all,
you know by now, I just can't resist putting up pictures of our precious little girl. We are so proud of her. Yesterday at church 2 people said she looks likes a "Gerber baby." Of course we agree, but then we are prejudice!

She went to the Dr. last Friday and got FOUR shots ~ two in each leg! I'm glad I wasn't there. I cried the first time our girls got their shots. Yes, I'm an ole softy! The Dr. said she's doing real good. She's up to 12 lbs., 9 ozs. after weighing in a 7.14 at birth.

There she is drooling a little bit. She really just started doing that with lots more to come. Her mom took these two pictures of the two of us. You can ask the Daisy~I'm not usually in pictures. I'm the one taking them~so these are very special!

Something special for you. I can't remember where I got it, but I know where it came from, so for all you G.R.I.T.S, here ya go:

PAULA DEEN'S APPLE CAKE
Cake:
Butter, for greasing pan
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1/4 cup orange juice
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups peeled and finely chopped apples
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Sauce:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease a tube or bundt pan.

For the cake: In a large bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract; and mix well. Fold apples, coconut, and pecans into batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours.

Shortly before the cake is done, make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large saucepan, stir in the sugar, buttermilk, and baking soda, and bring to a good rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Poke holes in the cake. Pour the sauce over the hot cake IN THE PAN as soon as you remove it from the oven. Let stand 1 hour, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

ENJOY and blessings to each and every one of you!!! Hope you can come back.

That day was Saturday. We made it through by the grace of God. We didn't anticipat anything eventful but that was the kind of day it turned into.

Hubby had to cut wood for the woodstove-our sole source of heat so he headed out about Noon. He cuts the wood on his brother's land about half-hour away and always takes our dog, Naomi, along so she get get some exercise. About 3:30 he called and said he'd lost the truck keys in the woods and I needed to bring my set to him. Rachel and Nick were taking Ashlynn (in our car) to get her picture taken (as if we don't take enough) so I had to use Nick's small car to go out there. The ground in the woods was wet from the recent ice storm and I did quite a bit of sliding.

When I got there, Hubby was not where he said he would meet me~PANIC set in. But he showed up momentarily and I was fine. But he wasn't. He had gotten a tree stuck in other trees and hurt his leg trying to get it out. Then he told me he had accidentally run over Naomi's tail. She had walked in front of him while he was moving the truck and he didn't see her.

Later that evening, we were all in the living room and our little toddler, Ashlynn, headed toward the kitchen. She tripped and fell...into the woodstove. We had raised both of our girls around a woodstove and neither had gotten hurt. It was one of those things that just happened so quick. In fact, Hubby hurt his shoulder lunging for her. She only burned one hand a little but to her dad and grandpa took her to the E.R. where they gave her Tylenol with codeine. She slept the rest of the night. Needless to say, I prayed hard. This morning she was fine.

So, now it's time for Unconscious Mutterings.

I say ... and you think ... ?

So, how was your weekend????

Many years ago when I first became a Christian, a very dear friend told me that she was thankful she could go to the bathroom. This week I want to share my thanks for my five senses...and several other things.

Taste: Psm. 34:8 - "O taste and see that the LORD is good;
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" God has provided a bounty of food for us to taste.

Sight: 2 Cor. 5:7 - "for we walk by faith, not by sight--"
and Matt. 5:8 - "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" and by the blood of Jesus, my Lord and Savior, I am made pure in heart! Although I wear glasses, I so thankful for my eyes.

Smell: Gen. 27:27 - in reference to Jacob stealing Esau's blessing, Isaac says - "...is like the smell of a field which the LORD has blessed;" With Spring approaching, we'll soon be able to smell God's creations

Hear: Matt. 10:27 - "What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops." Whispered in your ear...I can hear God's whisper!!! And I can hear our granddaughter when she's unhappy.
John 8:47 - "He who is of God hears the words of God..."

Feel/Touch: Mark 10:13 - "And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them;"
1 John 5:18 (Amplified) - "We know [absolutely] that anyone born of God does not [deliberately and knowingly] practice committing sin, but the One Who was begotten of God carefully watches over and protects him [Christ's divine presence within him preserves him against the evil], and the wicked one does not lay hold (get a grip) on him or touch [him]." WOW! To hold my husband tight and feel his arms around me is such a huge blessing!

I'm also thankful for BibleGateway for offering a Bible reference toolbar I could install on my browser. Although I have several Bibles on my desk, it's so easy just to go up to the toolbar and type in a word or scripture reference, and ... there it is!

Again, I'm thankful to Christine for my new blog look.

Have a blessed day!

Many of you know that I'm a new Grammy (see the ticker above). Although it's been difficult having our two grown daughters, son-in-law and new grandbaby living with us in our small home, I'm so thankful to have our little one with us. It brings me so much joy to watch her grow and change on a daily basis. Every time I look at her, God just fills my heart to overflowing with love. I'm so thankful God brought her into my life and home.

So being the proud Grammy that I am, I'm sharing more pictures of her.




Today, I feel

to you our youngest daughter Colleen! I've been remiss (as mom's sometimes are) and haven't put her picture up. SOOOOOOOO, here's our "baby."

Today, I feel:

As if you didn't already know, it's Valentine's Day WEEK! Yep, I've decided that it should be a week and not just one day! I mean, after all, Christmas lasts a month and love is just as important! Love is what gave us Christmas~the celebration of our Savior's birth!

Iris, from Sting My Heart, is posting this week on Love and Marriage. Today's post Becoming a Better Wife has some excellent advice. She shares from her heart and her experience.

Nominees have been announced for the Hidden Treasure 2007 Blog Awards at Every Day Mommy, so be sure to head over there a pick your favs! Voting ends FRIDAY, Feb. 16 (that's THIS Friday) at 11:59 p.m., so don't delay. Be sure to vote for the name of the post and NOT the name of the blog. Jules even has a sample ballot for an example. She's thought of everything!

I made the most awesome discovery last week. A bible toolbar for your web browser! Sometimes when I'm blogging and need to make reference to a scripture, my Bible isn't always handy, but this toolbar is right up there! You can get it a Bible Gateway.

Just have to share this picture of daughter and granddaughter...two beauties!

I saw this at Sting My Heart and wanted to participate. I wasn't surprised at the results:

the internet again. I just love doing this and seeing what's out there.

Today, being Saturday Scavenger Photo Hunt, I found the coolest website that features pictures of Virginia...from a different part of the state. We live in the Shenandoah Valley in the mountains and I found someone who lives down near Williamsburg and posts her pictures here at Deep Red Style. Go check out her pics for a different perspective of our state.

AND THEN, I found this place called GlassGiant where you can do all kinds of fun stuff with pictures~and other things. This is one of my favorite photos of Hubby and Grammy's Girl's hands. So I created this:

Now I'm feeling: