It's the little things...

First of all, the black and white bird in the photo is a grosbeak, the blue bird is an Indigo Bunting which I think is the most beautiful bird we've seen in our backyard. It is a rare sight too, which makes it even more special.

Ok, I know a lot of people wouldn't get excited about a bird or two, but we have feeders and like to watch them in our yard. We see a grosbeak or two maybe every spring while they are migrating north and stop by for a snack, but they don't stay around very long. Maybe a few days at most.

For the last few days, we have had the pleasure of watching a whole flock of them! Well, it's what I would call a flock... today we counted 7 males and 6 females in the sunflower tray-feeder! Some of them have been to the peanut-butter feeder on the deck also and they have been wolfing down some seeds!

We are keeping the feeders full to encourage them to hang around as long as possible. It has been pretty cool to watch them in the yard. I hope they stay for a while.

His timing is always right

God knows what I need when I need it. I have been a little down lately, not all of the time, but just feelings of depression that wash over me just out of nowhere. I think part of it may be hormonal but part of it is just worry and being burnt out and disappointment in myself.

The weekend services at church lifted me up in such an awesome way. We were supposed to have a guest speaker and he was unable to come at the last minute. Pastor Phillip had little time to prepare and we didn't know what to expect, no outlines...out of the normal way things go at church.

Then he began to talk about disappointment and bitterness. I'm sure I was not the only person in the room who's ears perked up at that. It was such a good sermon and it spoke to my heart. We all experience disappointment at some time in our lives, there is no avoiding it.

I don't hold much bitterness in my heart, but I do have one place that nags me as I still try to get past the hurt from a friend. I have forgiven and have prayed for her a lot, but it is still there, although it does get better. It's been 2 years almost and I don't want to hang on to the hurt, I am so ready to put it behind me forever. It doesn't control me though and it's just a small part of my life that is filled with so many good things!

Yesterday, after we had children's church, we came home and fixed breakfast. It was an absolutely perfect day, sunny and warm...about 78...We took a little ride on Ronald's scooter, stopped on the new cul-de-sac on Irby Ln. and walked thru the new house under construction. It is huge...I don't see how people afford and maintain such big homes. I'm sure it will be beautiful and I like to look at different houses and floor plans. Our little house is big enough for us though and I love our backyard and the birds, rabbits, and squirrels that hang out here. I wish we had built it all on one level, but that is just a small thing.

We took our bikes to the greenway and rode, came home and rested. I had an early dinner with Renee and some of the other team leaders from church. We went to the Red Robin, a gourmet hamburger place and she treated us and we talked about a skill set she is working on for our teams in children's ministry. Renee has such a heart for God's word. I admire her and love her gentle nature.

Another beautiful day...I think I will go buy some flowers for the yard. Today is Robbin's birthday too. I sent her about 5 ecards...I am so proud of how well she is doing and how she has really turned her life around this time by putting God above all in her life. His grace is so awesome for us!

Scrapbooking

I love scrapbooking! This is a page I did of Ronald on our wedding day. These pictures were taken by a friend. I have been working on our wedding and honeymoon pictures, (almost 20 years after the fact) and they have brought back some wonderful memories.

In my album, it's very obvious that the pictures are old, by the quality of the photos that I took. When we went to Cancun, all I had was a Kodak Instamatic camera but I am thankful to have pictures from our trip. I bought it when I was about 16 and it had a flash bulb "cube" that you added to the top when you needed flash. It seems so archaic now...cameras have come such a long way! I don't use my film camera much anymore; the digital is just convenient as well as smaller and easier to carry.

I went to a workshop last night and did about 8 pages and now I want to go back to them and do some more, but the sun is shining and it's going to be a beautiful day so I need to get outside and enjoy it. My albums will have to wait...

I love Spring time!

Spring is back!

• The forecast finally shows temps in the 70's for the next week! Hooray! Maybe that will help a lot of the trees bounce back after the freeze and grow new leaves. I am ready for warm weather.

• We did get the garden planted yesterday with the usual...zucchini, tomatoes, corn, okra and Ronald's hot peppers. He is "only" planting 18 plants this year...! We still have a lot of his "gunpowder" left from last year but that's okay. It comes in handy and we can continue to put it in the peanut butter-suet cakes that we make. Did you know that birds cannot taste the hot pepper? The squirrels can though and it doesn't take them long to learn not to eat at that particular feeder. We make sure they have plenty of shelled corn, so they surely don't go hungry!

• This year we have watched one of the squirrels build a nest in one of the big trees right behind the deck. It has a huge branch that is split and hollow and she ran up and down the branches, chewing off little twigs and running back into the split. Now there are a bunch of little sticks poking out of it and sometimes we can see her moving in there.

• We were surprised she picked that spot. It's like "main street" for the squirrels that are constantly running back and forth to the feeders for corn. I foresee some future squabbles on the highway!

• The first hummingbird this year was later than last year. He showed up on April 15th and a female was there two days later at the feeder. They never cease to amaze me....such tiny creatures that travel so far. They are incredible in every way!

ShadyntheBoro

ShadyntheBoro

things I love:

my family- unconditionally
a child's laughter
kittens
fried green tomatoes
scrapbooking
taking photos
kids
friends, old and new
taking the canoe out on the river
the beach
open windows in the house
birds singing
the scent of honeysuckle or lilacs
hummingbirds
the freedom we have in this country
my girlfriends- unconditionally
foot rubs
massages
asian food
crab meat and lobster
going barefoot
movies
email
unexpected cards or letters in the mail
dill pickle potato chips
pistachios
a good glass of wine, not too dry
sunlight thru a crystal
homegrown tomatoes
Mexican food
dancing
digging in the dirt (gardening)
walking trails
waterfalls
a good book
most music
Elvis

Time does fly...

Christmas has come and gone...a picture of Scott and I....

The time really does fly and in many areas of my life, I have good intentions but a lack of time to bring them all to reality! I have thought of posting to my blog several times over the last months, but when I get to my computer I get easily side-tracked or am just too tired to do it.

It is April....Easter has passed and in reading my last two posts, Life changes...goes on...and I am blessed. I am thankful for all that is good in my life; for my husband and for our families; for our church; for our friends always.

I could take the time to update I guess if I can remember everything that has changed in 15 months since I last posted. Wow! Robbin is doing good and keeping God first in her life after some setbacks last year. When friends ask how she is, I can say "she is doing good!" and that feels great! With God all things are possible!

Erin is married, has a baby boy 4 months old (Kolby) and recently starting attending church! There's no need to write about everything that has happened with her and her difficult times in the past months but I continue to pray for her and her marriage, her children and her life. I see her growing and some positive things in her life and this is answered prayers!

Gneis has met someone and is in a relationship now that seems to make her happy. I hope they are both happy for a long time.

Sheila is looking with excitement and trepidation to Jamie's graduation next month! It's hard to imagine her all grown up and out of school. I still remember vividly when she was born and her heart surgery and how absolutely adorable she was as a toddler and little girl. She has become a wonderful young lady and we are all so proud of her. I can't wait to give her something very special for her graduation that I won't mention here yet. It is a secret! :-)

Travis....21 years old and expecting a child! Another event to make me think "where the heck did the time go???" He moved in with his girlfriend for a brief time but they were having a hard time living together so he moved back home. They will go for an ultrasound next week to see how the baby is doing and maybe what the sex is. It is due in October '07.

The kids are good. Scott got a real good raise recently and bought a newer car. Brandy and Jason have decided to sell their house and build in a subdivision on Kimbro Rd. which we thinks is good because it will keep them close.
Austin and Cole are growing like weeds and Cole is quickly catching up with Austin in height although he won't be 5 until September. He will start kindergarten in July! It will be interesting to see how that goes. He is a smart little fellow and is looking forward to going to school with his brother.

Ronald and I stay busy...too busy sometimes...a lot of the time......We just finished Easter and all of the work that comes with the church service at MTSU. It was an awesome event and Murphy Center was full! As we talked about what all had to be done and what our commitments were, Ronald said, "It was just Hoedown the other day!" and October doesn't seem like it was months ago.

In speaking of Easter, which came on Apr. 8th this year, I have to mention the Spring weather. March was unseasonable warm pretty much all month with temperatures getting up to 80 or so on some days! We had no cold snaps and everything that blooms in the spring bloomed in such abundance and splendor that it was a delight to go outside or drive anywhere! The flowers and trees were totally awesome and there were a few nights when we even saw fireflies in the trees behind the house! We had record-breaking high temperatures in March. I told the pastor that I think God really showed off this year!

Four days before Easter, a cold front came in and dropped the temperatures like an anvil! We didn't get a frost, but two or three nights of a hard freeze and record-breaking lows! Easter morning, it was 29 degrees when we got up! The day before was cold with winds from the north that would cut right thru you and many plants and trees with tender new leaves were hit hard. There are forecasts of slim crops like strawberries, that will be affected. That is sad since I love strawberries so much! As we drove to Woodbury yesterday, Ronald said the hills along the road looked like late fall with all of the dead leaves on the trees. I hope they will be able to recover!

We went to pick up Ronald's minnow traps that he had set out earlier and when we got to the creek, he said he needed me to help him and I got out of the truck and followed him thru a field along the edge of the creek for a little way. He got to his trap, saw that he hadn't trapped any minnows and started to go down the bank to get it. He told me I needed to walk up the bank a little bit more and not understanding why, I proceeded to walk a bit farther. About 20 steps along, I suddenly noticed a small stump right on the edge of the creek bank with a goose sitting right next to it on her nest! I immediately stopped and was about 6 feet from her. The I realized why I had been sent along and I watched her for a few minutes as she watched me intently with her neck lowered and her eyes not leaving me for a second. If I had gone any closer, she clearly intended to attack me at the ankles to defend her nest! Ronald had startled her earlier when he came upon her and she flew off of the nest, revealing 5 or 6 eggs. I love seeing the creatures that we don't see in our day to day busyness. I have a good husband that recognizes just how cool that is and shares is with me!

I am newly recommitting to posting more regularly, Today is a good start!

Another Birthday

Yesterday was my birthday and I didn't plan for it to be anything special. It was cold and dreary outside and I was babysitting for the day. My husband came home with a beautiful, romantic card and a "mini" birthday cake and I got a lot of calls, cards and emails from friends and family.
We had planned to go to dinner in the evening with Scott and he called and said he wanted to come over early so he got here around 3:00. I always love his cards and he always gets me two. One that tells me how special I am and how much he loves having me as a mom, and one that is funny.
When he came in, he said my present was in the garage because he didn't wrap it so I had to close my eyes while he brought it in. He set it on the couch next to me and told me to feel of it and tell him what it was.
Well, it was a box and I was feeling of it and my husband was laughing. I said, "It's a box! How can I guess what's in it?!" I opened my eyes to see a toy that is a replica of one my father bought me when I was a little girl!
I had recently told him about it around Christmas time when we were talking about past holidays. My father had bought my sisters and I a toy called "Mr. Machine". It looked like a robot-type guy that was clear and showed all of the gears inside. You had to wind it up with a big key on the back and he would roll around with his arms swinging, his mouth opening and a bell ringing.
It came with a small wrench and an assembly book because you could take it apart and put it back together! Being somewhat of a tomboy at that age, I thought it was the coolest thing I had ever seen and it was a fairly expensive toy for my parents to be buying in those days. It sold for about $12.00.
You can see him at www.theplaymakers.com/welcome/archives/000094.html
I can't wait to show it to my grandsons! We were watching it roll around and listening to all of the noise it makes and I realized that it may have been one of those toys that my mother eventually "disposed of" to be free of the racket it made. :)
A memorable birthday! I have an awesome son!

(from Aug. 25, 2005)

August 25, 2005

Wow! Where did the time go?! I have completely forgotten that I started this and it was just tucked away on my desktop. It is unbelievable how much has happened.
Character Quest was awesome! I was sooo tired every day when I got home but I really enjoyed the week and the girls in my group. I had 8 nine year-olds and they were a very mixed group. Some tiny, some as big as me, some quiet, some funny and all lovable. They did very well as first year “campers” and my teen helper was so great! I’m sure I will volunteer again next year.

The week started badly with an altercation with Gina over what time she was supposed to drop Sarah off. It was pretty ugly and I am still trying to get past what happened and the fact that I have had to back away from my friendship with her. I continue to pray for God’s help in that. I miss Sarah and am torn about not seeing her, but I can’t continue to let her mother to treat me with disrespect. It is very sad.

Robbin has been home now for 2 months and has been dating Gary. She seems happy and is doing well and it is so great to see her looking good and putting all of the past behind her. I am also praying for her and her future relationship, whether it will be with Gary or someone else. I pray that she puts God first and doesn’t fall away from His care now that she is out and doesn’t feel such an urgent need to have Him in her day to day life. I think she has just been caught up in the adjustment to being out and living normally again. At least, I hope that is all it is and she get herself in church somewhere on a regular basis.
We are all so easily distracted from the things of God and we tend to not seek Him until we have a crisis in our life. It makes me wonder how He can continue to love us when we are so messed up!

We took Austin to the Wilson County Fair on Tuesday night and had a great time watching him take in all of the excitement. He had so much fun and was so tired when we took him home, he asked Brandy if he could go to bed as soon as he walked in the door! Then the next day, he told us he wrote 34 sentences in his journal at school about the fair. I think he is required to write four, so that was pretty cool. I couldn’t talk him into riding the ferris wheel though! He said it was just too high! His mother was the same way when she was his age. She just didn't like heights.

We had a small birthday celebration for Austin here at the house when he turned seven. Cole will be 3 at the end of September and he is so funny right now! He told Brandy and Jason that Tojo was his dog when they came over for dinner, and last night he negotiated with Robbin for her tiger-striped blanket in place of the plain gray one he was using.

Scott has a new girlfriend and seems to be enjoying himself. We haven’t met her yet and they have conflicting schedules so it may be awhile before he gets her over her. I have been praying for God to put someone in his life that he can love and will love him. I don’t know if this girl is the one, but I do so want to see him find that special someone. I also am praying that whoever it is, she and him will find God in their lives. I wish I could make him understand what it took me so long to accept. Of course, I wish that for Brandy and Jason also; as well as the rest of my family.

It’s late…after midnight and I am tired. Ronald is at work and I think we may have a good day on Friday with nothing planned that has to be done right away. We have a dinner to go to at the church for the volunteers from Character Quest. Maybe we’ll get to go bike riding in the morning, if I get in bed and get some rest! Maybe I won’t forget for two months that I have started journaling and will add to this soon. ~~~

(from June 17, 2005)

June 17th
I probably should just go to bed…it is after midnight and I am keyed up, there is just so much on my mind. Robbin is coming home in a few days and I am excited and anxious. I so want to see her happy and safe and living a normal life. My prayers are for her future.

There is a lot going on with my niece and I am trying hard not to be depressed about Erin all together. I love her dearly and I’m sure I always will, but I am so concerned for her well-being. She is just so angry and so needy in so many ways. Surely God wants her back, I know He does! He must weep, as I do; for her and her rebellious spirit.

Gneis is recovering from shoulder surgery and needs quiet and rest. I worry about her health and her peace of mind. I wish she would get back in a church that she enjoys somewhere and build a good relationship with other Christains. It would be so good for her. I know I wasted many, many years before I discovered the peace and the love that comes with being in God’s house. Maybe it would help her not worry about Erin so much.

Sheila had a shot in her back to help with the pain she continues to have since her surgery. Bless her heart, I pray that she gets some relief and will be healed completely.

Ronald is working tonight and I am tired. We have had Austin all week and have had a lot of fun with both him and Cole and one day with Sarah too. It’s been a busy week though and we have had little time to ourselves. Next week is Character Quest at church and I am looking forward to and dreading it at the same time. Well, maybe not dreading it; but concerned about getting worn out with the full week of it. (I shouldn’t even think, much less say that. That is inviting the thought to be true. I keep forgetting what I have learned about “speaking curses into our lives”). I know I will be blessed and learn a lot in that week, as much as the children.

I need some down time with my honey. I will have to be careful this weekend, and make sure we get at least a little bit of “just us” time. Sunday is Father’s Day and we will take the futon to Scott’s and go out to an early dinner before the evening service.

One especially great moment with Austin…last night as I was talking to him and trying to get him settled down for the night, we were lying in bed upstairs with the windows open. Ronald had gone to bed and I was making pretty good progress until we started hearing "crunching" noises outside!
We decided to have an adventure and investigate, so I got up and got our big flashlight and we were shining it out of the upstairs window into the back yard and saw shiny little eyes under a tree where we have the squirrel feeder that hold ears of corn.

There was a HUGE raccoon attached to the shiny little eyes and he just kept on munching on the corn that had fallen on the ground. Austin was so impressed...actually, I was pretty intrigued myself! Austin said he has always wanted to see a raccoon, so I helped make a little boy's dream come true last night. I am high on his list of cool people for that. What more could I ask for?!! :) These are the important things in life! God is good! ~

(from May 2005)

My Journal (started May 9, 2005)

I finally have gotten around to at least starting this journal after planning to dozens of times. Today I attended a funeral, an event that always sets my mind in motion on things that often get pushed to the back of it for long periods of time. Then there will be one of those life-changing events that bring them all back.

Yesterday was Mother’s Day. My Aunt Polly was buried today, the last surviving member of my maternal family. She was the 6th of eight children and outlived her parents and her siblings as well as one of her children and a grandchild.

Her passing brought a flood of memories back to me. A lot of them have been about my aunt and her part in my life. Most of them have been about my own mother. It has been 24 years since she died and I was 27 years old at the time. Her death, the events surrounding it and the responsibility I was forced to take in the planning of her funeral arrangements were some of the most difficult days in my life.

If she had lived, my mother would have been 70 years old this month. I wonder what kind of person she would have grown to be at that age? I think about the grandchildren that she had that were born after her death and how proud she would have been of them. She knew Scott and C.J. (although they were“Scottie and Carey” to her) She was gone before Erin, Travis and Jamie came along. All of them red-heads, like herself! Isn’t that strange? What kind of memories would they have made with her if she had lived? Not to mention the great-grandchildren that have come along also.

I have often missed her as I have grown up, so much more than I was at 27 years old! I have often thought of things we could have done together as I have matured in life. I think of the conversations I would have liked to have had with her; conversations that I was too young to think about having when she was here.

After the funeral today, I went to my cousin Brenda’s house and spent some time with her and Cherry and their children. We had such a good visit, sharing stories and just being with each other. I think God often puts some good stuff in with the hard stuff in our lives. It was a good time and I have always treasured my family ties. Sometimes they are so hard to hang on to as we all go in different directions in our lives.

Today I am thankful for my family and the fact that I can be with them and be a part of their lives. I am so proud of my husband and my son, who are always there for me. Scott looked so nice today and as we were standing at the gravesite for the prayer, he slipped in behind me and gave me just a little hug and let me know he was there thinking about me.

Of course, Ronald did all of the things he needed to do, and all of the things he doesn’t have to do that make me feel loved and “taken care of”. He worked until noon, rushing around to get his job done so he could be at the funeral and be with me until everything was over. Then he had to rush home and change and go back to work for the rest of the evening.

I sat through the service, which was very nice and listened to the pastor talk first about my aunt and then about our places in eternity if we believe and accept Jesus. I thought of all of the funerals I attended when I was young. I always wanted the preacher to say what needed to be said about the deceased and then pray and be finished. I didn’t think they should go on and on about salvation and all that comes with it and I was always ready to leave as soon as I could because of that.

Having experienced many life lessons since that time, today I thought of how good it felt to listen to that service and know that I have a place in eternity with God; and how I wanted the same for every person in that room. I thought about how much peace and love God has brought into my life in the past few years; as I started seeking Him with a desire to learn and know all that I can about God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I so desperately want that feeling of God’s unconditional love for those I love.

My prayers are for their hearts to reach out to God for His grace and love (whether they know salvation or not) because I know now that there is so much more to God than just repenting and being forgiven. He is so real in my life! I never knew that could be possible when I was living my life for me and thought I was doing just fine.

My prayers are for God’s guidance and His wisdom in me, that I may be able to show them, or tell them in a way that they will understand. I want them to know now what it took me so long to learn! I hope God will set opportunities before me and I will recognize them when they come.~

My blog is for....?

I have been giving some thought as to what I want to use this blog for. I really don't have time to post everyday stuff on a regular basis but I do like having the blog to put my thoughts down. I have always like to write down my feelings, thoughts, ideas, etc. It helps me to organize my mind, as much as that is possible for me.

Back in the summer of last year (2005) I started journaling a little and just did it on a Word document temporarily. I've decided to transfer that stuff here even though it is not recent and to add to it as I have time to spend on it.

I enjoy reading the blogs of my online friends and learning more about their lives but I'm not good at keeping up with my own. LOL I've been "tagged" by other bloggers with some interesting assignments but haven't taken the time to follow thru with them. I keep thinking I'll get to it but then Life happens...
Maybe I will do better now that the holidays have passed. We shall see....

The next few entries are from my notes started last year.

Post Holiday

I've obviously been busy since Christmas has now passed and I'm just finding time to come back to my new blog. The holiday was good, busy and hectic and thankfully over. Now it's time to get back to Life and the demands it holds day to day.

The best part of the holiday weekend was our time with Scott, Brandy and Jason, and of course our grandsons. Scott and sister Robbin went to the Christmas Eve candlelight service and that was a blessing to me also. It was good to have them there with us. The service was good and I enjoy taking the time to remember the meaning of Christ at this special time of year.
After church, the evening at my mother-in-law's was pretty neat too. It was the first time in many years that the entire family was all there at one time. There are 41 of us with all of the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; plus Dean's new husband and his family! It was chaotic, but fun and I always enjoy that Christmas tradition.

My family was here on Christmas day for a short time. It seems they come and go so quickly, and there never is enough time to just sit and visit. Everyone always has so many other places to go. They are here and gone too fast! I'm thinking about suggesting we do our family gathering on a different day next year if we can work it out and they all agree.

I had plans this year to start a new tradition of reading the Christmas story before we all got into the food and presents, but with all of the commotion and people trying to get here and being in and out; we didn't even remember to have prayer before we ate! I regretted not being able to do that, and felt like we forgot the most important thing! Next year has to be different! I still miss the day we used to spend with my father before he passed away. He has certainly been on my mind this week. How I would love to sit down and talk with him again. I have learned so much in the years since he has been gone that I could talk with him about.

I have spent a quiet day today, enjoying the quiet with nobody home but me today. I needed the opportunity to sleep in and spend some down time. Tomorrow is supposed to be un-seasonally warm and I hope to get the chance to enjoy a brief break in the cold weather for a little while. I think we may have to get our bikes out for a while! How refreshing!

Getting started...

Ok, I'm joining the ranks of bloggers out there. I don't know how faithful I will be about posting to it though. I seem to have way too little time for the things I like to pursue.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and also my son's birthday. I just finished a red velvet cake (his favorite) but had to make it with Splenda as he was diagnosed with diabetes a couple of years ago. I've been told you can't tell the difference in how the cake tastes, so we shall see. He will be 34 years old which just boggles my mind to think about. It seems like I'm the one that should be 34! LOL

We are going to have dinner with my mother-in-law and her new husband (as of last July). Since they married, they have not had a "family gathering" so I think he is a little nervous. I was told that he has been cleaning like crazy in preparation! LOL It is a large family with a LOT of grandchildren and great-grandchildren; so things should be interesting. I hope we all don't make him wonder what the heck he got into. :-)I am looking forward to meeting his daughter and her children. They live here in town, but we haven't had the opportunity to meet them yet.

Ronald and I will probably take in a movie in the evening if we can find one that is not extremely crowded. I went earlier tonight with Becky to see "Walk the Line". It was an excellent movie! I was thinking that Joquin Phoenix was just not the guy to play Johnny Cash; but he nailed it! It was pretty awesome that the stars did their own singing and they sounded so much like Johnny and June Carter Cash. If you haven't seen it....do!

The movie made me think of my mom. About half way thru the movie, they started singing a lot of songs that I remember my mother playing on the stereo when I was in grammar school. She had some of his albums, as well as other country albums; and she would have me put several on the stereo to play and I ended up learning all of the songs she listened to.

I got a little teary thinking about it during the movie. My mother has been gone for 24 years and the unexpected memory caught me off-guard. It's amazing how you can hear a particular song or music and it can take you rushing back to another time and place in your life.

ShadyntheBoro

ShadyntheBoro