What I Know For Sure - 10th Edition

1. Sometimes love makes you cry.

2. Everyone wants to be loved and appreciated.

3. The less time I have, the more I get done.

4. Money doesn't buy class. 

5. God's not working to make us happy but to fulfill his purpose.

6. Days go by before you know it.

7. Ignoring the facts doesn't change the facts.

8. It is the little things that make life grand. 

9. Truth is people's actions, not their words.

10. Love is not easy but it is worth it.

11. God loves when I sing even if no one else does.

12. We should give until it hurts.

13. Sometimes people see in us what we can't see in ourselves.

14. All that glitters isn't gold.

15. For no recognizable talent, the Kardashians have many shows.

16. Youth is a gift of nature, age is a work of art.

17. All I want is a little life with a great big heart.

18. Like Charlie Sheen, Harold Camping is a news reporter's shame.

19. The Voice is American Idol's much prettier sister.

20. Prayer may not change things for me, but it changes me for things.

Morning Sun

On Thursday afternoon we had this.

Hail.

Then on Saturday 

we came home 30 minutes after it did it again.

My plants look bad.

Shredded or beaten up.

We are blessed though,

the corn and beans are still small.

They will recover and grow.

Stu's truck hood is beaten up.

The little red barn roof has damage.

But this morning it was gorgeous.

I sit on my back porch

every morning, weather permitting

and read my bible.

Just me and the birds.

They sing (and poop.)

But,

I do love it.

The sun was so gorgeous this morning

streaming through the trees,

it inspired me to snap some photos.

Notice the bunny 

visiting the fake bunny.

The dogs were not out yet.

I wish I were better at taking pictures.

I am new to it.

In truth, I just wish 

you could come for a visit.

I am way better talking

than taking pictures. 

Come on over,

I'll put the coffee on.

Thank you

Most days I cry easily.

Commercials, a greeting card,

a kind text or blog comment.

Yup, I am a crier.

But I have always cried

when I hear the national anthem.
It makes my heart swell

and it has since I was a kid.

Today I am remembering
and thanking 

all the men and women

who are serving or have served

in our military. 
I am thankful to the families that support them.

I am proud to be an American.

I am thankful that I am blessed

to live in a country

where I am free and safe.

God bless you and your families. 
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

 

For the birds

 Tomorrow Ollie is being dedicated at church.

Lunch is at my house afterwards.
This morning,

I went out in the yard 
and saw my lawn chairs.

Wow.

Holy birdcrap!

I mean seriously I think condors

may be nesting in all the trees.

You would need a hazmat suit 

to be able to sit in them.

I am not exaggerating.

This spring I purchased

a new hammock for the back yard.

I envisioned me and one of the littles

swinging and reading or singing.

up close...

That is so inviting, no?

It has become an $80 poop wind sail.

 Then while I was gathering up the furniture

in a pile to burn  wash and bleach

I found two dead birds.

There can only be one conclusion.

They crapped themself to death.

I mean really. 

Really.

Someone call Bird Watcher's Digest.

I  They We have a problem.

You can call me spoiled.

Today I realized I have been 

harboring a secret.
I didn't even think about it.
I was getting ready to head out to babysit.
I had some last minute things to do.
One was to write a check for my angel.
Then it hit me ...
you haven't heard about her.

You know I am a blessed girl.

I am a bit spoiled too.

You have no idea how much!

Three years ago, as you might have read

I broke my shoulder

while rescuing a kitten

from a burning building

washing a window.

Well, I am a neat freak and

one of the first things I did 

was call a friend to recommend a cleaning lady.

She told me about Wendy.

 Aubrie started calling her
my cleaning angel.

I have a big house,
though we use about 4 rooms .

Seriously.

But, it all gets dusty.

All wood floors with carpet
only in our bedroom.

I have area rugs but it is a LOT of  mopping.

I vacuum downstairs daily...

remember these two.

They look like pugs,

but they really are walking shed bags.

I could do it myself after I got well

but at the time I was keeping grand kids

3 days a week at Annie's house.

It freed up my time.

Now since Annie is home

I only have Caroline 2 days.
I am with one of the bunch though,
almost daily.

But, I still have Wendy.

She makes my life easier.

I have more time to garden.

I have time to do deep cleaning stuff.

I have more time to hang with my grand kids.

Time to do fun stuff, like work on my trailer.

I like my home picked up.

I am pretty picky about my house...

except for leaving cabinet doors

open while I work.

But, I do shut them all when I get done.

Just so you know though,

if I visit you 

and you aren't picky...

no judgement.

We are all different, 
no one is better and
no one is worse.

It is just my thing.
I clean some every day...
wipe down counter tops, wipe down fridge,
empty garbage etc.

I really like to clean,

but I like to do other things too.
And I can live without mopping. 
She claims she can't tell
where she has been.
She fibs.


Before:

and after:

You may not be able to see it in the pictures.

But I know it is clean. 
The floors are mopped and the showers cleaned.
Last night when I got home,
I could go mow
without even thinking 
about when I would clean.

 I am happy.

Yup, I am spoiled.

I'll wear that name tag.

I have been blessed by the dumb shoulder deal.

You see the thing is 
now she is my friend.

We pray for each other.

We share life.

She blesses me not only with her service

but with her friendship.

She really is my cleaning angel.

I did it.

A while ago Abbie made a decision.

She blogged about it here.

You see, babies with Down Syndrome

are more likely to develop childhood leukemia.

If this happens to Ollie 

I pray they have a match.

I needed to consider this.

I went the website for bone marrow donors 

and read about what it entailed.

I prayed about it and waited.
I wanted my family's support
if I was ever called to help.

I made my decision and ordered my kit.

My kit came and I took the steps 
I needed to be on the registry.

Key facts about the registry are:

• 70% of people needing a donor will not have a match in their family.

• Donors do not pay any of the expenses.

• If you are matched it will take 30-40 hours of 4-6 weeks.

• There are two ways to donate: peripheral blood stem cell donation, which is most common (non-surgical, looks much like donating plasma....blood is removed, what they need is taken from the blood, a portion of the blood is returned to you) and marrow donation from the pelvis.  

Abbie documented the process it takes to send your sample in.

You just order the kit and 

swab your cheek with the swabs they send.

You return it in a postage paid envelope.

Easy peasy.

You wait and in a couple of months you are on their registry

until you reach the age of 61.

Yeah, I am a little nervous.

If I am a match

I think the needle in the hip bone hurts a bit.

I am pretty tough on big things.

A hang nail will make

me gripe and gripe

but with big things I suck it up.

I had a 10 pounder followed by 3 c-sections.

I had the epidural needle for one and

the spinal needle for the other 2.

Needles can be your friend at times.

Then my broken shoulder surgery 

and following therapy sessions

put those into sissy category, 

so I say bring it.

If I am a match, I am in.

Check out their website.

Be The Match 

Maybe you will consider it.

You can decide for yourself.

My actions might save a life. 

Oh, and I have a hang nail, 

so steer clear of me ;)

It begins!

It begins tonight.

So You Think You Can Dance.

I love this show.

I want to jump up and dance around the room.

I wish I were them.

I want to leap.

In truth, I would land in a puddle of urine.

Dern.

But a girl can dream.

I am so into it.

I will be talking about it.

Stuart won't be watching so 

you will be my confidantes, ok?

I will be watching every Thursday night

or setting the DVR to tape it.

I rarely watch live TV because 

the commercials drive me crazy.

Most times I give the show 15 minutes 

and then I start watching.

That way I avoid all the ads.
I am not so much a fan of the auditons,
but when the competition starts...
I am on it.

So, I'll be watching and 

then I'll be talking. 
We will meet back here and discuss!

So get ready...

Fox on Thursday nights at 7pm Central time.

Power of suggestion

I have a blog buddy.

I'll call her "Suzette."
Actually her name is really Suzette.
I am not protecting anyone here.
She is beautiful
She has is thin, blonde,
and adorable.
I know that is enough to hate her,
but she is truly loveable.
She is witty and kind.
She has a heart for Jesus 
and she really cares about what matters.
Someday I am going to hug her in person.
But she has been a bad influence.
A while back I read about a bad habit of hers
here and
I remember thinking
" how funny, I never do that."
But now I have started to do it.
I discovered I have her bad habit big time.

I wasn't aware of this habit until Saturday.

I thought it might just have been an odd occurrence.

I was making hummingbird nectar.

After I finished I looked around in astonishment.

What the hey?

 I am a neat freak.

What's up with all these being open?

I wondered if I always do this while working.

I didn't know.
Then the next day I had forgotten about it until
I turned around and saw this...

 and this

 and later this...

It is official.
I am a convert.
Now if I can just morph
into the thin, blonde, 
and adorable.

called

Last week we had a missionary 

speak to our ladies' bible study.

I loved it, but I felt inferior.

I asked my friend,

"Do you ever feel bad 

that you were not called to do something so huge?

You know guilty because your life seems easy?"

She felt the same way.

I thought about it all week. 

I prayed about it.

Then we had a sermon at church.

It spoke to me in these terms.

Living with urgency.

I know this much.

We are called. 

We are all called.

Some of us are called to go into missionary work.

Some of us are called to support them.

Some are called to help the poor, the sick.

Some are called to teach, some to feed.

We have a purpose.

What I know for sure is we are all called

to live for Christ.

We are to represent his kingdom.

We are to win souls for him.

It can happen in an easy life.

I thought about women who have been 

a true testament of Jesus for me.

They had "easy" lives.

They worked where they lived and won souls for Christ.

There is no condemantion in Christ.

The same goes when in regards to your service.

One is not better than another.

Both are necessary.

Both are important.

So I do what I know to do.

I love my neighbor.

I try to help when I can

in whatever way I can.

Today I am helping and 

I am asking you to help if you can.

There is a little girl, Albina.

 

She needs our prayers.

She needs your monies, if you can help.

Please go here

to read my friend Patti's blog.

She has a beautiful daughter,Lily.

Her blog is just lovely.

And please pray for Albina.

 These stories are hard to read.

But we cannot look away.

It is our calling to act.

 

Once our eyes are opened,

we can't pretend we don't know what to do.

God, who weighs our hearts

and keeps our souls,

knows what we know,

and holds us responsible to act.

Proverbs 24:12

 

You did not choose me, but I chose you

and appointed you to go and bear fruit-

fruit that will last.

Then the Father will give you 

whatever you ask in my name.

John 15:16

Thank you friends.

Albina thanks you too.

saturday happenings and updates

A big day here on Saturday.

Aubrie Grace graduated Tiny Tech.

*sob* *tear*
She was super excited. 

We practiced her part and her song on Friday.
We had to temper her volume.
She would have liked to scream the song
but I convinced her it was prettier to sing
at a slightly lower volume.
She did well.
Grandma Ruby posted a cute video 
on Facebook.
I tried to download it with downfacebook.com.
I am incompetent.
Her brother, Everett was in his usual happy mood.
He is a character 
and lives up to his namesake, Grandpa Everett.

After graduation,
Abbie and I visited the garden store,
then took lunch to the men.
We stopped and visited Mom and Dad.
I finally got a picture of the bottle tree.
The one I had on my phone 
I couldn't get to download b/c of it's size.
It had nothing to do with my incompetence at all.

 Beautiful.
We helped move some equipment, 
then home to plant the purchases.
Sat. eve Aubrie and Ev
had a tumbling recital.

 It was cute.
Ev never stopped moving.
Seriously, never. 
A new mo-hawk for the occasion.
It suits him.
He would totally ride a horse bare back
and swing a tomahawk, like the 
old western movie stereo-type.
He has wild blood that boy does.
Sweet as soda pop and
wild as a mink.
He is like I say
all eyelashes and feet.

If you were wondering,
  this girl has had a great weekend.
She is kicking potty ass. 

You can see this hat gets lots of action.
The pot sitter likes to look good
while snacking her way through
a sit down.

And last but not least, 
The prayer cards have been mailed
to all of you requesting them.
Most are out.
We have just a few left.
Mag and Ab have some at their businesses,
if we missed anybody.
The response was over-whelming.
We are burning up the prayer waves.
Great job warriors!  

Full moon.

When the moon is in the Seventh House

and Jupiter aligns with Mars

then peace will guide the planet

and love will steal the stars.

Well, rather when the almanac says 

the moon sign is right.

Caroline will turn 2 on Aug 20th.

Her baby sister is due 

to arrive on Aug. 22nd.

We are on a mission. 
A moon mission.

It is a mission we have been on before.

Many times.

Potty training.

House breaking as I like to call it.

We use the almanac for guidance.

It works.

My mom swears by it.

Stuart weans calves by it.

I weaned all my babies by it's wisdom.

Annie has weaned by it.

Maggie too.

We followed it with the Reid kids.

It is trust-worthy.

I have Caroline on Thursdays and Fridays.

The sign said start Wednesday.

Maggie did.

 Caroline loves her new potty pants

accessorized with baby knock-off crocs.

The girl refuses to go shoe-less.

Why not- as you can see shoes are slimming.

Yesterday we had a great day.

Lots of sitting and waiting.
Moon time.
Full moon time.

We read, did puzzles, sang, and

 did silly puppet shows

all from the comfort of her throne.

She had several successes.

Every triumph brought a party.

It was a elimination dance party.

But good elimination, not like on 

So You Think You Can Dance eliminations.

Speaking of which it starts it's new season.

This is the real dance competition,

not like Dancing with the Stars.

This show rocks my socks off.

When I watch it I want to plan a Flash Mob.

It is fantastic fantabulous entertainment

and totally off my subject...
The girl is doing great.
She will finish this mission.
I will too.

This is my life.

A sitter of the pot sitter.
Jealous much?

post it baby

We received the prayer cards today.

3000 of them.

We are giving them to anyone who wants some.

Take them to church, work, the store, your doctor office,

your hairdresser/barber, anywhere.

I am happy to mail you some.

Just let me know where and how many!

Oh and go read  Annie's blog.

She makes her mom proud.

And she kinda brags on me a bit too ;)

Also, thank you for all the prayers for my friend.

It means so much.

xoxo

sadness

I am sad.

My good friend and I finally

had our birthday party today.

It was really fun.

I had bible study tonight.

It was beyond great.

A visiting missionary spoke.

I loved it so.

Then I came home and 

received sad news.

Terribly awful, sad news.

My friend lost her son.

He was just finishing his freshman year in college.

I hurt for her.

I cannot help her.

I can only pray.

And pray.

And pray.

Please lift this family in prayer

 during these sad and hard days ahead.

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;

my hope comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;

he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

My salvation and my honor depend on God.

he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Trust in him at all times, O people;

pour out your hearts to him,

for God is our refuge.

 Psalm 62:5-8

talking

I like to spend time in the mornings

being quiet with God.

Except I am not very quiet.

I spill it all out.

I read and I talk.

I talk all day.

He never gets tired of me.

He listens to every word.

We get in the habit of giving people cliche's.

How are you?

I am fine, thanks.

But God really wants the scoop.

What is really on your mind matters.

He knows anyway.

If I talk it out with God

I always find the answer I am needing.

Maybe not immediately,

but He reveals to me what I need.

He lays it on my heart.

That's what I mean when I say God told me.

No, he doesn't rumble down 

audible words from heaven.

But there is no denying what he told me.

It is just on my heart and I know it isn't from me.

It is hard to explain,

but the more time in his word you spend

the more and more it happens.

He is cool like that.

God is all- powerful.

He is faithful and just.

Put your faith in him and

he will quiet your heart.

Skip the rote prayers...

pour it all out baby.

He loves to hear from us.

He forgives us,

so we can be direct and honest.

We can trust him.

He delivers and protects us.

He sustains us.

 He is a great listener.

In fact, he is the best.

So friend, get your gab on.

randomness

 

 

I have been busy.

Farmer food again.

I don't love cooking anymore

but, I appreciate the hard work

it takes to plant a crop.

You will see me at the grocery store

way more than I care to be.

I would just about rather take a beating 

than grocery shop.

Well, probably not.

Strange, because I love to eat 

and I love to shop.

I have been working in the trailer,

the playhouse,

and in the yard.

Pictures soon.

Today... random pics from the last few days.

  

A gift from Spain for Miss O.

 

 

Ev's Easter hat from me.

He likes to wear it low and tight.

Caroline ... just because...I wish I could wear her clothes.

 

 

 

Aubrie and Everett stayed overnight.

Mommy was sick.

This morning their mom came to get them for preschool

and a dentist appointment.

I gave Ev a big speech that he could dress himself.

I said "you are going to be 4 in a few months,

you can do it."

I coached him through it.

He was so proud.

Then I look at Aubrie 

who has dressed herself.

  Clearly, she is a testimony to my past coaching.

A proud moment indeed.