It's Personal

A dear woman whom I grew up with passed away this week. Over the past ten years she had pretty much been homebound due to dementia from several strokes. The last time I visited her she had very little ability to recognize me. She called me "little girl", which was probably the way her brain remembered me. I also will more clearly remember her from when I was younger . She was AMAZING. Plain and simple. She mentored us kids for no other reason than it needed to be done. She taught youth Sunday school when her kids were grown and gone. She stepped into the gap for us many times when youth leaders left- which happened four times in my teen year. She had us over to her house just because she thought we might enjoy it. She found odd jobs for us when she saw we might need spending money or youth funds. She taught my then boyfriend (now husband of 15 years) and I the Mizpah prayer: Genesis 31:49 It was also called Mizpah, because he said, May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. So we could always say it when we parted. Like I said she was amazing. From her I learned what hospitality looked like and part of how the church was supposed to work.

A friend of mine said this weekend "God takes it personally when you do good for His church and he takes it personally when you do ill to His church." (http://www.joemckeever.com/mt/archives/001590.html check out his blog because he is pretty amazing too).
This is the first time in my life I know deep in my bones that someone got a very Personal welcome into Heaven this week. I actually felt a wave of joy come over me as I thought about it. Say hi to Jesus for me, Mrs. L, I love you both.

The tale of Black Beauty

My husband upon seeing me giddy with joy, grinning like a maniac at the wheel of my newly acquired 2007 Ford Edge said we should name her "black beauty". My two previous cars (a 17 year old Cutlas and a 16 year old Explorer) were "Nelle Belle", which is the classic Southern Farmer's name for his faithful Mule. It just fit, but now there can be no better name for my new car than Black Beauty. She is decked out- Leather, great sound system, heated seats, DVD player in back, automatic lights, etc... Not low mileage but who's to let a thing like that take away from her loveliness. Keep in mind my Explorer had 1/2 of the panel light up at night, a iffy blinker, poorly working wipers, a siliconed shut sun roof, broken cup holders and a broken motor on the spray for the windshield. Her engine was a thing of beauty but the odometer broke a year ago a 193,000.

I am one BLESSED girl!

Welcome March!

Welcome March- I like you. Green and Spring and nice temperatures- what's not to love?
I tip my mitt to you.

What's more "welcome spring" that shopping for a new car? Okay plenty of things but I am sooooo excited to be doing this. My first car was my Dad's old work car, an Olds Cutlas Ciera in shark blue. I got that at 17 and I drove it until I was say 31. At 17 years old the engine simply packed up and moved to Florida- I hear it has a lovely condo. I then settled into a 1995 Blue Ford Explorer that my mother so graciously sold to me in our moment of need for $500.00 dollars. I have been driving it ever since. Now I have the possibility of driving a car less than 5 years old dangling before me and I am almost nervous to get excited. I keep thinking something is going to happen and this will not work out.

Dear Lord,
Please let me be able to get a newer car that is not a lemon.
I love you and thanks.
Amen

Off for a day of car looking.

Who would have thought?

Who would have thought "Mustard Greens" could look so pretty?

I wish I had the heart to grow vegtables like my Dad. I am much more a flower garden person. Flowers are more forgiving of a Mommy's schedule.

Who would have thought a single wild violet could be so lovely?

Who would have thought that a row of pines could look like a cathedral?

It's springtime in my backyard and I am loving it.

What a weekend!

Such a wonderful weekend. My husband and I did not have a Valentine's celebration until this weekend due to planning a banquet at our church (we are the youth leaders and the Banquet helps us raise funds for summer camp). He surprised me with a trip to a local B&B, shoping, great food, hiking in beautiful hill country and offering to buy me a new car. The car thing is huge considering mine is 15 years old. It runs great but at 15 years you start to look at it with a skeptical eye. As a stay at home mom, I don't have to have a fancy car, just reliable one. We decided to wait until our tax refund comes in but that should be next month! I have such a wonderful best friend.

Ode to a stylish Blog

Oh, trendy blog- I read you with your quirky, trendy decor. Your diffuse lighting, great camera angles and crisp close ups. Your your Company Store/Crate and Barrel interiors. Your soft dreamy topic perfect music. You draw me in- Cheers to you!

This little blog is just like me- basically, well basic. Solid. Reliable- but I was made that way for a reason so I'm at peace with it.

So beach families, Mountain folks, farm gals and chic city people, I have enjoyed my visits with you. My imaginary day trips to fun places and unique lives. Thanks. I grew up secretly wanting to eat cheesecake on the veranda with the Golden Girls or go to summer camp with Haley Mills in Parent trap. I don't know why, but I was given this deep drive to travel, see new places and people.

But today I am just strolling around Candyland with a special tour guide.

Wintry Mix day

It's only snowed here 3 or 4 times in the past 50 years so we get Wintry Mix days off of school and work. Today my husband and kids are home. The day has started off like a beautiful fairy tale in Mommy land.
I slept to 8:00 AM- (weep at the sweet rarity of that)
Hubby made me this:

The kids are making pillow castles in the playroom and playing video games.

While we don't have the option of running around outside in pristine snow drifts- think a three inch lake of freezing water covering our entire yard- we still know how to  make the best of it.
I will be cuddled on the sofa watching Net-Flix with the family, taking deep breaths and savoring this little pearl in the middle of a muddy oyster of a day.