A Special Wedding

 

Our *baby*, our only daughter, married her beloved on 11.11.11 ~ which has made that day of Remembrance special in more ways than usual.  I joked with her that neither of them will have any reason for NOT remembering their anniversary :)

It was a very special day for everyone!  Both the bride and groom have only their maternal grandmothers still living and both were there to be a part of it.

After a honeymoon in a hot, tropical destination, they soon return to their 100 year old home which the groom purchased before he ever met her and has gutted and rebuilt ... because they will be a bit closer to us than she was before, my DH and I hope to visit them in the spring :)

Heart Strings

All visits must come to an end and saying good-bye is never easy, as I proved yesterday :(

When you live on opposite sides of the country to your Mom and you're both getting older, you appreciate even more the time that you are blessed to spend together!!

My mom is no longer able to get around as easily as when she was younger so we spent a lot of time just doing everyday things but doing them T-O-G-E-T-H-E-R which makes all the difference :)

We did dishes, cut up veggies, did laundry, LAUGHED A LOT, made beds, baked muffins, ate muffins, REMINISCED A LOT, talked, listened, went shopping a bit.  She even had fun helping me with some of my crafts and I crocheted her several dishcloths to take home!

She was as excited as I was when I received my very 1st wholesale order for 11 of my recycled Etsy creations for a soon-to-open boutique located FAR AWAY from me.

It's much quieter around our house today .... I miss her already and am off to baker her favourite muffins!!

Blessings to all,

A Very Hot July Day!

I'm almost melting in this heat ~ with the humidity, it was up to 90 degrees F earlier or 31 degrees Celsius and my body doesn't handle that intense heat and mugginess well at all :(

We have no AC, so I'm very thankful that we have several fans!

My elderly mom arrived 2 weeks ago for an extended visit with us -- she doesn't get around very well anymore but we are enjoying our time together doing simple things and reminiscing a lot.

My Etsy shop has kept me quite busy, especially now that I have several of my creations on consignment at 4 different retail stores with a 5th coming on board later this month.

In addition to my own shop, I also sell my Memorial Hearts of Butterflies via a lady who has an online store where she supplies special remembrances to parents who have suffered the loss of a child through stillbirth, miscarriage or for any reason.

I have signed up to do my 1st Art & Craft Show toward the latter part of August and that should be special as my Mom plans on sitting with me at my table so I can disappear for a few minutes at a time or to get a drink or snack for us.  It'll also be a great way to meet people and to receive feedback from any customers that I'm fortunate enough to have!

My youngest, our daughter, is getting married this fall, so we are preparing for that very special occasion as well.

I won't be blogging much over the next few weeks but I will visit a few blogs from time to time to keep in touch and to see and hear how everyone is doing!!

Blessings,

Because I Love You

In a few short weeks, we're going to have several visitors ~ some just staying a few days and another staying for a couple of months.

I decided I had better organize the stacks of vintage books I've been collecting to use for some of my whimsical collages and 3D paper art creations.

Well, in the process I came across this Max Lucado book called Because I Love You and as I sat there on the carpet, I read the whole book!

I won't give the story away but suffice it to say that the story and how it made me think of God's love to me personally, brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart!!

If you have young children or grandchildren, read this book to them and if you don't, get a copy and read it to yourself --- trust me ... you'll be blessed :)

In the Nuture and Admonition of the Lord

Something To Treasure by Jean Monti

"Let no Christian parents fall into the delusion
that Sunday School is intended
to ease them of their personal duties.

The first and most natural condition of things
is for Christian parents
to train up their own children
in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

Charles Haddon Spurgeon *The Spurgeon Archive*

A Grateful Heart

I want to let all those who let me know that they were praying for my grandson and his family as well as myself and my husband how very much I appreciated it :o)

We finally received news that brought joy to our hearts and big smiles to our faces!! Our grandson is on the mend as doctors say ~ they discovered that he has asthma and that's why there were such terrible complications with the pneumonia ... he'd never shown symptoms before and even after doctors had given him all the meds they could for both the asthma and pneumonia, they told his parents that there was nothing more they could do and moved him from Emergency to ICU.

It's the power of prayer -- toward the close of the day he started breathing a little better and finally was able to fall asleep. 

I'm not sure how long he'll have to be on steroids and whether he'll now be using puffers but at least they are now aware of his asthma and can be proactive about how illnesses or infections and such can affect it or be affected by it.

Blessings,

Prayer Request

It is with a heavy heart that I am posting this request today.

We received a phone call in the middle of the night from our very distraught eldest son saying that our 5 year old grandson is in the hospital in Intensive Care with pneumonia and that the doctors are giving him steroids.

He promised to phone again if he had any news ~ in the meantime, I would appreciate prayer on our grandson's behalf ~ that the doctors be given wisdom from the Great Physician to do all they can to help him and his parents' behalf ~ that they be strengthened in the midst of this and that they lean on the Lord and His strength.

Blessings to all of you,

My Work

~ MY WORK ~

I have the greatest work in the world;

The job of rocking a baby to sleep,
That of guiding his tottering feet,
A baby's clothes to launder and fold,
A precious life to shape and mold,
A drink to give from a little cup,
At night his toys to gather up,
Hurts to heal and fears to quell,
A baby to keep clean and well,
A stack of diapers to put,
Oh, what a happy worthwhile day!
I am a "Mother."

I have the greatest work in to world;
A husband to encourge when things go wrong,
When he comes from work to greet with a song,
Denims and shirts to wash and mend,
A helping hand, when needed, to lend,
Three times a day is meals to cook,
To strive to be my best to look,
His back to rub at the close of the day,
For his faithfulness to God I pray,
When hubby's in the field I take lemonade,
for all these tasks his love has Paid.
I am a " Wife."

I have the greatest work in the world;
Ahome to keep happy, clean and bright,
Make things go smooth and strive for the right,
Jams to cook and jellies to make,
Cookies and pies and bread to bake,
Washing, ironing, and sewing to do,
So many tasks, will I ever get though?
Lettuce to was and peas to pick,
floors to scrub, lost items to seek,
Dishes to wash and windows to shine,
These and mony more tasks are mine.
I am a "Homemaker."

Help me, Father, to faithfully work,
Forgive if I unconsciously shirk,
give me the patience and love I pray,
To keep myself in duties' way;
With all the hustle that each day brings
May I not neglect the needing things;
Each day to spend time alone with Thee
That Jesus Christ be seen in me. 

Thank you for husband, our home, our girl and boys;
Thank you for love which brings me much joy.
Thank you , Lord.

~ Mary Lou Burkholder ~
 

A Walk to Remember

Our temps have been up and down over the past weeks but last week there was 1 day where the sun was not only shining, but it was actually quite warm :o)

I took advantage of that afternoon and went for a stroll up our street to the top of the subdivision, then decided to wander in the woods.

The last time I had walked through these woods was 4 years ago, 1 year and the 1st spring after I had received my new heart . . . that was a thrill for me as I hadn't been able to walk and wander as I used to for many years!!

Those woods hold lots of memories for our family!

Our children used to play there, the boys builts forts in in, during the winter we often strolled through it because it was a veritable WINTER WONDERLAND.

During those winters, we would take the dog off her leash and let her run while the children would go sleeding down the big hill and laugh with wonder and joy in the icy cold air.

The last winter I remember not only having enough snow and enough physical ability to enjoy that woods area was when my daughter was about 7 years old and we wandered down so all the young children could slide down the big hill.

She is turning 21 this summer so that tells you that it's been a very long time!

I always pray that the Lord would keep me from taking anything for granted because it is so easy to do that when things are going well ...

Blessings,

If you look closely at the top row, you'll *see* my shadow :o)

Wonderful Words of Life

This afternoon, I had the joy and privilege of sharing with a dying relative why I had peace in my soul while hovering at death's door almost 5 years ago.

I was able to share with him that the only reason I had peace about dying was that many years ago I had realized I was a lost, helpless sinner and that the Lord Jesus Christ had paid the penalty for my sins upon the cross of Calvary and I trusted in His finished work!

He thanked me for sharing my story with him and as his eyes closed, I told him that this was something that he could think about as he lay there and that I would be praying for him and his family.

I pray the Holy Spirit, in the still, quiet moments when he is awake, uses my faltering words to speak to his heart about his own soul ...

His time is very short now as the cancer has spread throughout his body and if the Lord ever brings this post across your heart or mind, prayer for him and his family would be gratefully appreciated.

Blessings to each of you and your dear families,

Autumn Blessings

We've been busy these past weeks, enjoying my mom's visit with us and at first, the 8 weeks seemed to have no end in sight and that made for a very leisurely visit.

But sadly, all good things eventually come to an end and the countdown has officially begun...she leaves very early next week, so we're going to make the most of the next few days and evenings!!

Although she really hates getting her picture taken, I managed to convince her yesterday that now's the time and I wouldn't take NO for an answer :o)

She doesn't have the mobility she once had so has enjoyed shopping while here -- now the only problem is that between the small gifts that we bought for our 2 grandsons, etc. for her to take back, she almost doesn't have enough room :o(

Oh well, the two of us can always sit on the top of each suitcase to ENSURE that they close properly!

Blessings,

Summer Days

Summer Porch by Kevin Liang

My mom has been here 1 week already and it's been SO HOT that we've kept a low profile. I'm sure it's the same wherever most of you are and likely even HOTTER. I heard from one of my readers in the UK and they've been experiencing mostly rain!

I have relatives that love this heat and don't wilt like I do, but I am a *spring + autumn* kind of person :o)

We've been playing games in the evenings and sitting outside under the shade of the umbrella to enjoy the after-supper cooler breezes and it's been great!

We hope to go to our town's Farmer's Market this Saturday to buy fresh veggies harvested earlier that morning from the farmers' fields as well as see the crafts and homemade items that are always for sale ~ it's been about 2-4 years since either one of us has gone so it should be a special treat :o)

Blessings,

A Day at the Cottage

Beach Treasures by Ruane Manning

We had a family reunion of all my husband's sisters and brothers and their spouses this past Saturday at a family cottage near the beach -- the weather wasn't warm enough to go into the water but we all had an enjoyable time!

Just before the BBQ hamburgers were ready, it started to rain so everyone went inside where the potluck salad buffet was waiting!

Monday was grocery shopping day and I must say, that I'm really thankful that we have air conditioning in our car for the very 1st time because it made climbing back into a sweltering hot car between each store, bearable :o)

Today I began to clean up the guest room that my Mom is going to use for 2 months beginning next week and that's the key word -- began -- because, I sure do have a lot more rearranging and clearing to do!

I guess my work is waiting for me tomorrow :o)

Blessings,

Continue On . . .

Paul Milner ~ Daydreams II

A woman once fretted over the usefulness of her life. She feared she was wasting her potential being a devoted wife and mother. She wondered if the time and energy she invested in her husband and children would make a difference.

At times she got discouraged because so much of what she did seemed to go unnoticed and unappreciated. "Is it worth it?" she often wondered. "Is there something better that I could be doing with my time?"

It was during one of these moments of questioning that she heard the still small voice of her heavenly Father speak to her heart.

"You are a wife and mother because that is what I have called you to be. Much of what you do is hidden from the public eye. But I notice. Most of what you give is done without remuneration. But I am your reward.

Your husband cannot be the man I have called him to be without your support. Your influence upon him is greater than you think and more powerful than you will ever know. I bless him through your service and honor him through your love.

Your children are precious to Me. Even more precious than they are to you. I have entrusted them to your care to raise them for Me. What you invest in them is an offering to Me.

You may never be in the public spotlight. But your obedience shines as a bright light before Me. Continue on. Remember that you are My servant. Do all to please Me."

~ Roy Lessin ~

Sandra Kuck ~ Homecoming

I hope this is as much a blessing to others as it has been to me :o)

Home Again

I had a wonderful time with family and friends but I was so glad to get home ... to be reunited with my dear husband and to once again realize how blessed I am.

I spent a week at my son and dau-in-law's home and was thrilled to be a part of my grandsons' lives during that time. It gave me a much better idea of their little personalities and how much I love them.

We played, sang songs and my oldest grandson was delighted by the alphabet book that I took with me, just for him :o)

By the middle of that week, the two little ones and then their Mommy, came down with colds. Daddy missed it altogether and I only got a throaty cough out of it, that didn't seem to get any worse or better for the duration of the trip.

I spent lots of time here and there over the entire 4 weeks with my daughter and my mom; a little time here and there with my sister and a dear friend as well as snippets of time with my brother and other friends and an aunt and uncle! Needless to say, I was super busy most of the time and when I arrived back at my Mom's -- I was able to rest a bit :o)

Last Thursday morning, I awoke with a full-blown cold complete with stuffed up head, achy muscles, cough and sinus pain :o(

I am thankful that this didn't happen until I returned home ... I don't know about you, but I feel much more comfortable being sick at home!

I hope that I feel more like doing something this week than I did last :o)

As one of my commenters said, I have returned home with all sorts of wonderful memories filling my heart and I am so thankful that I was able to make this trip!!

Happy Belated Mother's Day!

Joy in Simple Things

My older grandson's latest enjoyment

comes from the stairs in their *new-to-them* home!

He didn't have them in his previous home
so running up and down
and climbing through them as in this photo,
are now his newest and most exciting activity :o)

His little brother smiles *JUST BECAUSE*
and that is so sweet and precious!

May your weekend bring smiles to your heart :o)

Brotherly Love

~ My 2 darling grandsons ~

A brother is a friend God gave you;

A friend is a brother your heart chose.

Proverb

Heart Hugs by Kathryn Fincher

Simple Blessings

I found this teeny-tiny vase many years ago in a Thrift Shop and it is just perfect to hold the few carnations left from the beautiful Christmas floral arrangement that my Mom had sent to us 2 weeks ago. Their lovely fragrance helps to make them one of my favourite flowers!

The small white doily is one that I crocheted last week as a gift for her along with some home baking that she has promised to eat *carefully* because she has diabetes :o)

They both went with my daughter via plane on Tuesday and IF she remembered to put them in the freezer when she arrived home, [the baked goods NOT the doily!!] they should taste fresh when she takes them over to Grandma's house!

Trust each of you are enjoying a splendid winter's day in your little corner of the world,

Bittersweet ... Yes It Is

As a visitor said in a comment on my blog once upon a time, "Bittersweet. Yes it is."

Our daughter was home for an almost 2 week visit over Christmas. She slept in her *old* room. We had little squabbles as we've had before and we also had many special moments and memories to treasure, but it's never the same as before.

In the photo above she is shown going through security at the airport and I miss her all over again now that she returned to her *new* home on the other side of the country :o(

As you can probably sense, I am NOT a fan of change but I know it's necessary and healthy.

I will pray for her and ask the Lord to keep and preserve her and to help me leave her in His hands, since He knows best.

But, oh, how I will miss her!

Worry then Relief

Way across the country, our daughter and 2 of her girlfriends decided to go on a road trip Friday so they could attend a Christian conference 1 day's drive away.

On the way home early this morning, they came upon some poor road conditions and had an accident. At the time, I knew nothing more.

You can just imagine how I felt when she phoned at supper to tell me this and then told me her cell phone was dying out ... that she would call when she got home!

It dawned on me that I had no idea where she was calling from ~ was she still in the other city or was she on lunch break from work? How serious was the accident? I was getting more worried as I realized that I may have to wait a very long time to find anything out!

A couple of hours later, she phoned again and spoke to her Dad. She explained that she had hit a tree and that her rear passenger door was dented so that it wouldn't close and the interior light wouldn't go off. She mentioned how the Lord was overall because no one was hurt and even though they were in *the middle of nowhere*, one of those trucks that offers roadside assistance to those who pay for it came upon them and asked if they needed help.

She hadn't called them but the drivers said they would help her anyway!! Praise the Lord for taking care of them!

I was very relieved but will be even more relieved when I receive a phone call later letting me know that she is safe and sound in her own little apartment :o)

Blessings,