It SNOWED!!!!

I love snow!!! I would love to have a blizzard!!! Because I like to sleigh ride...I like the serenity of going outside and hearing the quietness...seeing the purity of the snow...Heck, I even like snow cream...So, there's nothing much about snow that I don't like...

It snowed on Thursday...I slept late..but the kids went on outside and started playing. Thier Aunt Lacey saw them and came over and joined them...they sleigh rode for about 3-4 hours!!! Here is a few pictures when they were getting out of thier wet clothes.



Can you believe how red her feet are!!!! She has just taken off wet socks and was fixing to step into the house when I took this picture...

Me...A Princess??? Sure...always....of course...

Which Disney Princess Are You?
	You are Pocahontas. You defy convention and sometimes do what is considered taboo. Unfortunately, others do not always appreciate your differences, so it's good that you are so strong-willed. You are loyal and you believe in fate. Your true love will find you one day.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Touched/In Memory of H.H.

Ok, so I started a new nursing job...I still have my school job, cause I love it so much...but I started prn at the nursing home...on a 4 hour shift....7p-11p. Usually will be just 2 shifts a week.
I was afraid I was gonna loose my nursing skills and knowledge...I mean, if you don't use it, you loose it, right...and the extra money can't never hurt :D
So, I went to work the other night for the first time...since I had worked there before, I felt like I had been in a coma for awhile and had woke up...It was like everything was so familiar and that I was supposed to know it, but couldn't bring it to the front of my memory...wierd...but I had fun and loved it...
I went into the last room on my medicine round...There was this little debilitated man in the bed...unable to talk, or barely move. I immediately fell in love with him. I checked his chart later and found out he was just on comfort measures...soon to die...anytime...he wasn't even getting any medications...too close to death...
His eyes were open...I held his hand and talked softly to him. He knew I was there...
I frequently went into the room as his room was next door to the nursing station. I talked to him, fixed his cover, and noted how dry his tongue was,so I did mouth care...with lemon glycerin swabs...and cold water..he liked it...his mouth responded to it...Iheld his hand, rubbed his head...I was just touched by this gentleman. There were no family there...I later found out he didn't have any. No children, wife dead...so sad!
Upon reading the chart, I noted that he had had a terrible life...His father had beaten his mother and made him and his brother work in the fields by the time they were 5 years old. If they didn't work, he didn't feed them...He got in a fight with his dad for taking up for his mother when his dad was beating her in his teen years and he left home...he went to Japan in the war...and stated how he had to do some really terrible things there that he could not forget....he described himself as a bitter, angry man. That was not the man I saw lying in the bed. The skinny debilitated frame had a gentle face. I would like to know what kind of relationship he and his wife had had. Why did they not have children? Was he afraid of how he would treat them? How did he treat his wife...was he a great loving husband because of the way he had seen his father treat his mother? His wife died in the 80's and he had no one to take care of him since then. He obviously was still in good health at that time, because the record stated he had taken care of her when she had cancer. Was it after she died that he became a bitter angry man?? Tom said I would have really liked him, cause he had been at the nursing home for a couple of years. He had to come there because he had no one to take care of him.
Okay, so to get along with my story...as I was sitting on the couch with Tom the next afternoon,I mentioned him to Tom and how I was concerned about his care...Tom reponded with:
It doesn't matter now...
What do you mean?
He's dead...
Well, I know he is going to die anytime...but...
No, I mean..he died last night...
WHAT!!!!!!!!??????????
This totally floored me...I was looking forward to going back in there and babying him some...something he probably hadn't ever had...you know...
I dreamed about him last night...that I was feeding him corn flakes with big red stawberries in it...and you know what else...who even cares that he died...
so I guess by blogging here...he will never be forgotten...remebered by me...

Another Funny...

I remember going to a Kindergarten class to teach about germs, safety, etc. One little boy raised his hand and said..." When you die, yor brains fall out" !
It was just too cute not to share...whatever gave the child this idea...?

My two scanned scrapping layouts..

I know I need to post more layouts...I don't have a scanner that is easily accessible to me, so therefore, I don't take the time to actually take a picture of them...maybe I will start...anyway, here is two layouts I done at least a year ago....



This is Lukas one day that Tom and I took him and Morgan to the park to play. This is one of my favorite pictures...



This one was taken outside of Morgan's school one day while we were waiting on her...

Salvation...

I went to my prayer group the other night and coming to know God was mentioned...I realized that I didn't have my experience written down anywhere for anyone to read...not that it matters...just that when God does something for me, I like to tell it...and this was MaJOR!!! He saved me! With the evil person that I am, I couldn't even imagine what kind of person I would have been...if it had not happened at such an early age.
Ok, so I was 4 and a half years old... I don't remember the prayer I prayed, or even who preached that night at church...what I do remember is being very scared...
I can remember sitting on the front bench at church...beside a young lady. It was time for fellowship handshake...so since my feet didn't touch the floor, I was gonna have to "hop" down off the bench. I remember looking at the floor...and seeing fire...not really fire, but feeling like it was Hell I was jumping off into...I wouldn't get down. No one was paying attention to me. I was scared...I could not bring myself to jump down..cause I might go to hell...
So, I got the attention of a friend who was probably about 6 years old...told her to go get the pastor's wife...So when she did, I told her I felt like I was gonna go to hell...I don't think I told her about the fire...So, of course, with her there with me, I jumped down and went to the alter. I remember the people of the church gathering around me to pray. I could hear a man named Kenny telling me to get up, that I just had to get up and God would save me...I remember thinking while I was there that I wish he would just go away. Leave me alone to pray. I could hear Mom talking to me, but I don't remember what...I just knew she was behind me knelt down on my left side...Daddy was on my right side beside Mom...I think he was actually standing. Like I said, I don't remember what I prayed exactly, but I know I did...I also remember picturing the cross scene in my mind at the prompting of someone...Then, it was like there was no conscious decision to get up, I just got up...Just got right up...seemed like I had no reason to stay down. I knew God had saved me. I was crying and turned around to Mom...she was laughing...Now I know it was a happy laugh with some tears mixed in...but a 4 year olds mind can't hardly comprehend this...I thought she was laughing and making fun of me. I remember feeling mad at her. I just couldn't imagine why she would be laughing...but I let it pass...I was wanting to hug everyone else. I remember being happy all the way home, and even that night when I got home, I remember still being so happy on the inside.
I later learned that Mom had recorded the day that I got saved was May 25, 1978.
Well, this has been a good experience to sit and think about the details...Maybe you could share...

Funny stuff...

I was laughing at something I read online and wanted to start sharing the incidents that are quite humorous in my life...so here goes funny story number 1.

As you know, I worked in a nursing home and God love thier hearts, when they are crazy, they are soo funny! You just can't be hateful and work there, cause some Alzheimer's patient will totally crack you up...Well, I want to introduce to you a Sunday School teacher...a lady who was very respected in the community...when she got old, she started cussing better than any sailor...using God D__ and Hell and SH-- and A-S...well, needless to say, this embarrassed her husband to death. She would even get violent sometimes, just cussing you up one side and down the other...now, mind you, her voice was very high pitched and keen... so you could hear her all over the wing. One day,she was cussing and mad and a male nurse, whom I won't mention the name of (T-m) hid behind her curtain...started calling her name in a deep voice...acting like God. She said "who is it..."
"this is God"
"Where are you?"
"Quit that cussing"
"What" as she shrinks down as if KNOWING she is doing "wrong" too funny...
The conversation continues till she gets mad and starts cussing God...so much for trying to teach her a lesson...
This same little lady walked out into the hallway with her hospital gown on backwards, naked underneath, and stops in the middle and looks down and says...god da__ my kidneys have hair on them"
I still laugh about that!!!!

Today..

I got to teach the 2nd Grade from a new program called Little D's Nutrition Expedition.
It was so fun...I got to read a story to them and they got to act it out...I will actually be teaching from this for the rest of the year. I am excited about it!
Tom is sick and hateful. :D He and I had the afternoon to ourselves as the children went with Andrea and Bobby. We ate at Outback and then went to the motel to rest. The revival broke and with him being sick, he needed the rest.
Then the kids were worn tee-totally out last night, so I put them straight to bed.
I often wonder what goes on in their minds...One night when I put Lukas to bed, he hugged me tight and said "Mom, don't ever die' I said, Honey, Mommy isn't going to die and if I do, God will help you thru it...
Several people commented on how pretty Morgan looked today at church. She is growing up so much...will post a recent picture of her soon. Oh my gosh, and she aCTS just like me!!!! She is a little flirt...not that I am or anything...she is outspoken...likes to pick on people...oh my gosh, she is so much like me...!!!!! I DO have problems!!!

This week and Vet Visit

WEll, so much for wanting to post every day...!!! LOL, I knew I wouldn't get to do it! But anyway, here I am on a Sat night, the kids have went to a friends house for the night, Tom is in the bed, I am sitting here by the fireplace with a good warm blanket on my legs and just being peaceful!! I love time alone!
Let's see...I did have a horrible migraine headache on Wed.and Thursday Tom is in revival and I didn't get to go on these two nights. I didn't work on Wednesday cause I couldn't lift my head off the pillow.
My thoughts for this week...1) Who am I gonna vote for in the upcoming election?? I have been trying to catch the news and talk radio on the nominees... 2) Who am I to judge other people...I can compare my spiritual life to others and get the idea that I am better than them...but then I compare myself to God and all I can say is "Woe is me"...that was actually a devotional from one day last week, that won't leave my mind...taken from Isaiah 6;5 3)The dog is growing...Thank God for that...Let me explain: Last week, we took her to the vet and the vet is very surprised at how little she was...something is definitely wrong, she says...Morgan immediately tears up... so it turns out, the dog weighs only 6 pounds. She is 3 months old and should weigh around 25-30 pounds. She does bring out her English Mastiff from the back room and he is 5 months and he comes above my knee...huge!!! Obviously she has a major heart murmur...the vet suggests we call the breeder and get her sent back. Well, I know that one thing my family can't bear is to loose two dogs in one month!!! Morgan is crying on me and fortunately, I didn't have Luke with me. We agree to go ahead and give her her immunizations, worm medications, etc...and we pray. Morgan and I just pray, right there in the vet's office. Cause we know God can handle the doggie's illness too...cause He said he would supply our wants...and he is The Comforter...When I do get to tell Luke, he crys also...but not much, cause we tell him we are going to pray. Tom agreed to prayer is the answer. Well, we took her home, gave her the medication and her diarrhea stopped and she started growing...within one week, she has gained at least 3 lbs...I promise to post a picture of her soon.

Happy Day...

Happy New Years Day! I have not made any new years resolutions...why? because I am weak. I can't keep them...so I am not going to make any so I don't have to break any...but who am I kidding, I have at least thought about what I would make IF I was making some...so here goes...just a few that I have thought about....

1. To blog more...why? just to satisfy my need for journaling...writing, I like...not that anyone would read it...but who cares..I like to think someone will laugh when they read it...or at least think about how weird I am...

2. To read my Bible more...Our "40" Bible study group has started a study called Experiencing God...so I am looking forward to that. I want to get to know God...to get closer to him, to actually feel him at all times...to study His Word. I am such a sorry Christian, though...

3. To Memorize KJV scriptures. My Sunday School class that I teach is having to memorize some scriptures for the youth conference in July...so I want to do it with them...I feel like if you memorize the scriptures, they are there in your mind when you need to refer to them...does that make sense?

4. To be a better Mom and Wife...I take pride in my children...they are wonderful, good kids...I'm not such a great wife. So, I need to get better...

5. To read some Classics...I just got finished reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen...I didn't read the classics when I was in school and since my office is in the library at school, I have access to these...so I want to read others...

6. To take more pictures...this is my passion...I need SOOO much more practice...

7. To exercise more...bike riding is something I really love...BUT, I hate cold weather...!LOL

That is all I have thought about...but not resolutions...LOL

Our only Christmas picture

We took pictures at Tom's family Christmas. Here is the only one we took of us this Christmas all together.


I then took some photographs of Tom's nieces...Kandise, who is in college at Memphis, Sierra who is in 8th grade and Sadie who is a Junior at high school. I think they are beautiful.

Cold December night...Random thoughts

I hate the cold...but as long as I am safe in my house and warm, I can deal with it...
Not sure why that came out...anyway, the kids just came running in her yelling "she barked, she barked" Sheba had obviously barked and they got so excited that I am sure she thought she did something wrong. How cute...
Tom likes to play with her in our bed. Of course, you know I am totally disgusted by this and absolutely refuse to let her come on my side of the bed. But she does have my heart, at least a little.

I have been off from work for almost two weeks...flat broke and looking fw to going back to work. I was praying tonight and was thinking how that the Lord had provided for us while I was off work... I will miss this coming paycheck and I know the Lord will take care of it for us. I sometimes get too excited and think that we are not going to make it, but HE always comes thru.

I am gonna TRY to blog more this year...so far, I am doing pretty good...just hope you don't get bored hearing about my life...
I would like you to leave me a comment if you stop by, so I know I am not blogging in vain, God forbid...LOL, I think I would blog even if no one read it...I just like to journal...always have...so anyway, leave me a comment.

DISGUSTING!!!!!!

Did I ever say how much I HATE animals in the house...??? I can't stand it, I like cleanliness!!!!
I told Morgan that I coudn't wait till she and Lukas got at least 5 years old, cause that way, I didn't have to diaper them, wipe thier butt, feed them, clean up after them...etc. I am such a horrible person, I know, but I just don't like things I have to clean up after.
Now, TOM, on the other hand, would live in pure dog poop, I think...so anyway, what got me so upset??? I had to come home today and the house had two piles of poop in it and it smelled bad!!! So that made me in a bad mood...yes, I know, the kids cleaned up after the dog, but still just the mess in my house...

Now, switching channels here...the puppy is so cute...I can't deny it. I just love it! Tom gave her a bath last night and she was mad at him and buried her head in the towel and wouldn't look at him...he went to her and lifted up her chin, but she just buried her head again! It was sooo cute... okay, so here is her picture...

states I have visited

create your own visited states map

New Member of our family...

Well, Tom can't go for many days without a dog...so we drove for two hours to get a dog...a Mastiff. A 10 week old puppy. It is so cute...or should I say "she". She has been given the name, Queen of Sheba. She is registered. She will grow to be huge. Which we all tend to like large dogs in our family. We have done alot of research on this type of dog and it is going to be a different experience. They are quiet and reserved by nature. And it is so funny, cause this puppy has been here two days and we have only heard her whine a few times. She is so content just to lay around and sleep or do nothing. She is so cuddly and likes to love. I will post a picture of her sometime tomorrow.
If you can remember the movie, Turner and Hooch, this is a type of Mastiff in this movie...
We had to take her to church with us this morning since we stay in JC all day. She was content to stay in the car in her cage during church. Of course we let her out after church. She is just such a good puppy and I can't get over that...after Esther and Mordecia as puppies...they were everywhere and into everything!!!!
Sheba is the runt of the litter and she is small compared to her brother, whom we also got to see; this makes her seem more spoiled!!!!!
Okay, will post a photo soon!

In Memory...

I am heartbroken as I write this...Our family dog of 11 years has passed away.

Alot of you remember the 3 legged Rottwieler that we had. Her name was Esther.

It was very hard on us as a family, even though we knew her life expectancy was nearing an end and she had already outlived all of her siblings.

Last Saturday, we realized that we hadn't saw her in the past 10 or 12 hours. So we started making phone calls around to the neighbors and Dad stated that on Thursday, he had pulled her up out of the creek, thinking that she was stuck there. I doubted the stuck part, as she never had any problems getting anywhere with her 3 legs, but he did mention that she didn't get up and he just left her lying there. As Tom got home on that Saturday night, he went out in the rain and looked for her for about an hour. It was dark and he couldn't see that well...I called and called for her, the kids did the same. Several times, we broke down. Knowing that she woudl never run off, nor leave. The next day being Sunday, we were gone all day. We left food out, just in case she did make it to the porch. Sunday night, there was no sign on her and no one else in the neighborhood had saw her either. Monday we were sad; Morgan cried several times, but Lukas seemed to handle it well. On Wendnesday, Lukas and I went looking for her again during the day. Tom and I knew at this point that she was dead, we just had to find her body. I saw Tom's vehicle pull in the driveway that evening, but he never came in the house. I got a phonecall from him in the yard. It was Tom and he had found her. She had been lying in the creek, like she always did. She loved the creek and the water of any kind. I told Lukas we had found her and with tears flowing down my cheeks, I went outside to be with Tom. I knew this was gonna be hard for Tom, as his dog to him, is like a child. He just gets so attatched and Esther had definitely been his favorite dog, and one whom he had been with the longest. He met me and hugged me and we just stood quietly waiting on Luke. (Morgan was on a trip) In a second or two, he burst out of the house and with a wildly determined look, ran to the place where Tom had lain her. I think, by the look on his face, he thought she was still alive. He ran to her and stopped abruptly. Then immediatley turned and started bawling.

We stood silently crying as Tom finished digging her grave and I held him. He sobbed quietly the whole time.

For two days, he has done nothing but talk of her and complain of his stomach. I am sure it has upset him more deeply than we know.

Esther WAS the best dog I ever had!!!!

dissatisfied...

ARG! Tom had given me some money to go shopping...how depressing!!! I took 9 items of clothing into the dressing room...came out with 4 that I was actually gonna take home...and they didn't reach of the shelf and grab me....but since I needed some winter clothes, I got them anyway...I think I could shop for hours and still only find one or two items that I really liked...and the constraints of weight doesn't help any! I mean, if it were up to me, I would want to dress like a movie star all the time...is that flamboyant? yeah...that would probably be a good way to describe me...LOL
I need a haircut...i am tired of this stuff stringing in my face. I am tired of being at school trying to do something and my hair in my face. I need a new do...! any suggestions?
Gosh, am I hormonal or what!! nothing seems to satisfy me today. I am tired...want to take a nap... have a to-do list a mile long...want to take a nap...LOL
Tom called today to say he isn't feeling that great...ear hurting, throat hurting...I just need a nap...
Oh, and let me tell you what could be really dangerous right now...I have been getting on Ebay at school, just to pass some of my down time and I find myself bidding quite a bit! Oh, different things, books, scrap stuff, christmas presents...have actually won a few items...man, it is just to easy to pay online and it is over...just wait for the mail! So, i am trying not to get too addicted, cause that could cause some major financial difficulties!!! LOL
well, I am totally rambling my thoughts...will quit...right now...wait for a nap...

Obedience

I want to tell you about something that happened last Mondaynight...Something that was unexpected on my part but in a plan of God, obviously...
My SIL's ex SIL's house was in the process of burning up and since she was with me, we went by there to see the damage, etc. In the road stood the owners of the house. The lady was in her sock feet because she obviously didn't have time to grab her shoes. She was walking around in the water they had sprayed on her house...My first thought was to give her my shoes. I really just brushed it off but again the thought hit me...she needs shoes....you have shoes..give her yours...
I looked around at all the neighbors standing around and all the people who would see me take my shoes to her and felt embarrassed...I did hear someone say something about flip flops...In my mind, I am like, "what??? flip flops??? is that all we can get her????" So without thinking too much harder, I walked up the little hill where they were talking to the Red Cross about a room to stay for the night...I kindly stood there until I was acknowledged and asked her what size shoe she wore...she stated 8 1/2 . My shoes were 9's...I immediately took them off and gave them to her...of course she refused..but it was something I was supposed to do. She hugged me and I left... barefooted...feeling foolish...foolish, not because I had given her my shoes, but foolish because I didn't want anyone to think I was doing it for show. She didn't immediately put the shoes on, so of course I am thinking...well, she doesn't want my sweaty shoes...but later, right before we left, I saw her go behind a vehicle, pull off her wet sox and put on the shoes...
Our car was a little distance from the fire, so we had to walk down a road to get to our car...
Morgan was still in the hospital at this time so here I am going in the hospital barefooted...drove home and do you know...I expected my feet to be black..I mean, I had walked on two different pavements and I really did expect my feet to be dirty...not that it was an issue...you know, just an observation...Well....I just thought it was sooo neat how my feet were hardly dirty at all...No one would have never known my feet had been walking on a paved road...I felt honored by God, to just have clean feet...

I know, kinda weird, but it meant something to me.

Being Brave...

Morgan has had a fever of 102-103 for 5 days... She was started on Antibiotics 3 days ago...but still no other symptoms except coughing...not a congested cough, just a dry hacking cough. No sore throat, no nausea, no diarrhea, no nothing...just that high fever! She came home from school on Monday early..and has not been back since...I am at a loss...She is one sick puppy!!! But I can't figure out what is wrong...yeah, i know, another mom would have taken her to the doctor already...well, I did get some antibiotics..but she just kept getting worse...
So, Tom called the Dr. today and told him we were bringing her to his office...something wasn't right...She was constantly coughing as of last night....non-stop coughing...so what is wrong... we kinda figured walking pneumonia...but Doc says you don't run a fever of 103 with that..
Well, to make a long story short, she was seen by the Dr...and guess what, he can't figure it out either...so we get to go the lab and get blood cultures, and other labs...then on to the hospital for chest xrays...bless her heart, she was a good sport about it all..didn't even cry with the blood being drawn...(she HATES needles)...I was so proud...
Then we go get her homework and eat with my friend, Joy... then I get a call from Tom...he says that Morgan's xray results are in and she has right middle lobe pneumonia...and she needs some antibiotic shots...and you guessed it...she freaked out!!! started crying and panicing... I calmed her down and she was so scared..but after we ate, we went to the Dr's office...As Morgan went to the restroom, the nurse caught me in the hall and mentioned that it was Rocephin, which was a big shot for her, and if Iwanted to divide it into 2 shots...yes, I said, but don't tell her! I knew if she knew she was getting 2 shots, she would freak out on me right there in the Dr's office...She had held her crying back so far while in the office...such a brave little girl, or stubborn one...LOL
I refused to stay in the room while they gave her the shot...I knew if I were in there, she would cry..She did great...no tears at all!!!!!!! I am soo proud!
She got Tussionex...and you that know about this medicine, well, needless to say, she took this med and went to bed..and I haven't heard a cough or nothing from her since she hit the pillow...my poor baby...She was soo brave...
But I guess the main reason I am blogging abou this, is that one day, she will want to remember her experience and what all happened on this day that she experienced the medical world that her Daddy and I talk about all the time......

CTF number 8

I am sitting here at work, so sleepy, I can barely function. I attended my 8th Croptoberfest this past weekend. We got home at 3pm, and I went to bed and slept till 8:00 last night, woke up to see the family, then went back to bed at 11:30 and slept all night. I felt like I could have slept all day long this morning.

As usual, we had a blast and I felt sad to leave. I have come to know most of the gals there like family. It is so good to catch up on their lives and share joys, disappointments and trials with each of them that they have gone thru over the past year. We do get to see how their kids have grown and get to share motherly advice on raising them. We always like to reminisce about past years and the things that happened. Like the night the lights went out for 2 hours right after 9-11. I just knew terrorist had come to the mountain to kill us all… I think that bonfire meeting made us all cry just being thankful to live in America.

I just think it is so awesome how ladies from all over the state got on a yahoo group along time ago and now are just very good friends. People cringe sometime when I say, yeah, I met these ladies on the internet. But they have no idea how much it means to get away from family, job, phone, internet, clocks, husbands, etc. It is just one awesome experience…I love it!

Can't wait till next year, cause it will be the 10th anniversary of CTF.