Last Sunday...

Last week DH heard on the radio that the LST 325 would be at the Heritage Port. We arrived too late that first night to take the tour but were thrilled to know they would be open early enough on Sunday for us to take the tour before I had to work.

The tour was fantastic. We wanted the boys to know that what they read in the history books isn't just words. Actual people lived and died to make it. If they stay too far removed from the sacrifices that are made they have no appreciation for it. This way they were able to see pictures, talk to veterans, ask question, hear stories, meet men that have taken time out of their lives to restore a piece of history and share it with the country. So, maybe next year we'll make a side trip to Evansville, Indiana.

First Day of school

They started a bit early this year, August 19th. They have grown so much.

A test of faith

Frustrated and disappointed. And no one will be able to hear my voice, hear my thoughts. So long I have watched him struggle to provide, been happy for others when they prospered, learned to enjoy my simple life. Now, when He has smiled on us, strife and discord follows.

Family that should be smiling and happy are blaming, jealous, threatening. A choice that was made could have ended with chaos, hardship never before faced but instead we have thrived. A leap of faith came with great spiritual reward, more stability. A blessing.

I know this is vague. It is hard to explain. Just struggling to contain my irritation, anger. God be with me. Take my inner turmoil and give me peace. Give him peace. Protect my children and their family name. Give those around them the common sense to know that bitter words do not ring true.

An Amazing Adventure...just a little look

A little sugar with a lot of fire...

One of my son's sugar sculptures from school. He made a royal icing jewelry box with a bouquet on top, as well. He is amazing!

Below are fireworks from our county show. Some are taken by me and some were taken by my two youngest.

A New Experience...

My husband's company had their summer get-together last Friday. The owner invited everyone to his home which is right on the river. My two youngest got a few new experiences that day.

The world of Music

My family loves music! Growing up, we had music surrounding us. From the family's gospel group, The Cousins, to the many years many of us have spent in band, we have grown up with music of great variety. Last week I watched the tradition continue.

This was his only concert he had for 5th Grade Beginner Band. He is also the only trombone player in the grade schools that feed into the Middle School in our city. You know, that trombone has been played by four different men in my family. My cousin Matt for one year, then my younger brother for seven years, my oldest son for eight years (WV schools start band one year earlier than Louisiana schools - where younger brother started), and now Mr. Rebel.

That weekend my husband and I woke up to a different type of music. We went camping as a dry run to prepare for this summer's trip to visit my brother and his family. It was wonderful waking up to the sounds of nature. As usual, there is more to the story than just the pictures but I am content to just post a few quick shots and get back to relaxing. I am exhausted! Lol!

A breath of normalcy

Yesterday, I had a rare day off of work. I spent most of it at the yarn shop with Mom and Miss Sandy visiting. I went to lunch with Hubby and then back to the shop. When the time came, I picked up the boys from the bus stop. Mom came with me since I volunteered to take her home and the boys got to spend a few hours running around Grandma's and Grandpap's yard. I got the much-neglected opportunity to take pictures! Oh, the joy! My cousin's husband stopped by to look at a few trees that Pap wants cut down. Since he and my cousin heat with wood, this will benefit both houses.

If you have a few moments during your day, please say a prayer or just think comforting thoughts for my husband's best friend. Her mother's cancer has spread and the doctor's have given her just a few weeks, if that. DH went to visit shortly after getting the call last night and didn't return til after midnight. It was bad. So, if you have a few minutes...

Remembering today...

Hair Delight!

Because I am rushing, and feel a little odd asking hubby to help with a pic tutorial, I don't have any photos to post that will verify what I am going to say, you will just have to understand how excited I am!

My hair has ruled my life in one way or another. It's a good day or a bad day. Mostly, bad days that result in me raking it back into a bun with an elastic and it looking, well, BAD! Until I started taking medication a few years ago for my migraines (I quit taking it, as previous posts about my migraines will attest to) my hair was uber thick and wavy/curly. Granted my younger brother has me beat in aces on both fronts but it just looks better on him when it goes wild. Now, while it is still wavy/curly and I have a lot of it, it is not as thick as it use to be, courtesy of a medication side-effect they neglected to list or tell me about til it was too late. Since then I have been very careful with my hair and what I do, or try to do, to style it.

Anyway, I ramble... I was watching a little television while getting ready for work the other morning and caught a commercial for Goody, the hair accessory company. They came out with a few new products that seemed very interesting and possibly quite easy for hair-styling-deficient me. So, doing something I most definitely DO NOT DO, I stopped at the store before leaving town and bought two items.

The Spin Pins come in a pack of two and each one replaces 12, yes you read that correctly...TWELVE, bobby pins! Super, SUPER easy to use and much better for my hair than pins and ponys!

The Modern Updo Pin is fabulous! I can now do a french twist in my hair with my own two hands! YAY! Granted, there is a bit more of a learning curve with this one but I was still able to figure it out for the most part in less than 10 minutes.

I will hopefully post pics soon. One of the great benefits of this? Since I don't have to use elastics with my hair when using these items, I don't have creases showing when I let my hair down! Just fabulous waves and barrel curls that some people pay hundreds of dollars for in salons. And it cost me less than $6. Gotta love it!

Better late than Never...

A few changes

My life has been pretty hectic the last few months. For one, I completely blanked on mailing my SIL her birthday present because I laid it in the rocker by the front door and, being the guys that I love, my DH and two youngest sons laid their jackets on top of it and left them there. I discovered it a few days ago and now am hoping to get it out in the mail today.

Two, DH resigned from his job. The company he worked in for almost 15 years was bought out by another business. All the employees were kept on at the new company. All this happened on December 1. Since then, DH has been trying to find his place with them. They expanded the territory he was to cover twice over and his health started deteriorating. Much of my family remained unaware of what we were going through because he didn't want anyone knowing.

A gentleman that DH worked with for the entire 15 years at the first company had already left following the buy-out, telling my husband to just hang on for a few months. They would keep in touch with each other every few weeks of the next several months, checking on how things were going. Then came the news. The gentleman's new boss wanted to talk to DH. So, quietly, he went for an interview not expecting anything. It was done as a courtesy for the gentleman that had been a driving force in DH's business life for so many years. A courtesy that became a blessing.

DH ended up taking the job. He was hoping to be have enough time to put in his two weeks' notice, though unsure if he could hang on that long due to stress. It lasted two days. The final straw? Our 11-year-old crawling up on his lap and asking, "Daddy, when are you going to be happy again?" It about broke my husband's heart! So, he told him, "Tomorrow, buddy. Tomorrow."

And that was it. I had a day off from work, so I picked DH up the morning he resigned and turned his company car in. We then went to the new business and met with everyone. Then we went and bought a new-to-us car since there was no company car option.

Since the change, DH hasn't had trouble sleeping, he has stopped grinding his teeth and he smiles! SMILES! Given that DH's brother still works with the company he just left, we have heard how things are going. It took THREE people to cover the territory they insisted DH cover by himself despite telling them how bad it was.

We prayed so hard for their to be a good change in our lives. Something that worked FOR us for once. We have been so incredibly blessed and given so much. The Lord works in His time. Even though we are sometimes hanging on by our fingernails, He will always be there to catch us, give us a ladder, or pull us up.

So, enjoy the small things and cherish each other. When the big decisions arrive, all those small things add up showing that you can hold on through the storm and see the clear sky on the other side.

Just because...

It has been a while since I posted a picture. This was taken last year while visiting Grandma. Laying in her yard and looking up through the trees...just imagining the possibilities.

$12.66

Thank you, Lord, for the check I wrote for $12.66 today.

That was what it cost for me to take my van to the auto shop.

Hello again

Life has been busy and tiring. I have spent more time enjoying the little bit of time I have with the kids than updating my cyberlife. DH and I have managed to gather several things in preparation of our camping trip this summer with my brother and his family. We have also managed to deal with our van, which decided to act up on us. Thankfully, that was a snow day for the kids and a non-work day for me. Six hours stuck in WalMart, not the most desirable thing in the world when you know darn well you have a snow storm from H@** coming. Thankfully, I have a wonderful grandfather and mother who were more than willing to make a run up a ridge for me to get two new-to-me rims for my van. And just so everyone knows, the day my Grandpap can't handle a little snow is the day everyone needs to just STAY HOME! Lol! I love you, Pap! I thank you and God every time I get in my van!

Work has been crazy busy and I have no idea when it is going to let up. I have appointments tomorrow but they are going to go to someone else. Why? Because I procrastinated, that's why. I have to get my vehicle inspected and I know, just KNOW they are going to tell me they have to do more than change my brakes. How do I know this? Because it has been a whole 2 days since the last time my stomach was tied in knots and my heart was in my ankles. You know what, though? It's okay. There are reasons for everything.

Just like a church sign I saw the other day..."God promises us a safe landing, not a calm passage". How do we improve if there is no adversity to challenge us? Though, I would like a little less adversity at times.

There are many other thoughts running through my head right now but they are for another time. It is sufficient that I have three of the four boys home. DH and I made it home from work safely. We still have a home to live in, food in our bellies, and clothes on our backs. The long and short of it, I woke up today. So did my family. Tomorrow will bring tomorrow. Thank you, Lord, for the thoughts of tomorrow.

Life

Have you ever felt like the rope holding you from falling over the edge of the cliff is fraying? That just when it's about to snap you find solid ground under your feet and you are safe for the moment? I have had that feeling for the past year.

I have been blessed with a job I love and recently found out there is a good possibility I will get to stay on after our busy season ends. My DH has gone through some major changes with his job.

Our family was blessed with being able to come together at Christmas, though not for Thanksgiving due to me getting seriously sick at work. The time we got to spend with all four of our boys is a treasure I will never take for granted.

So, that's it. My life in a few paragraphs. God's blessings...