Heaven's Prelude

Spring!

2011-03-18T21:21:00.003-05:00

My head - a giant water balloon, sloshing and swirling with each and every movement.

My ears - a dull, continuous pain in the depths of their canals.

My eyes - burning and watery as though a relentless bully has kicked sand in them.

My throat - raw and irritated as though, with a fork, I tried to retrieve a morsel from my gullet and came up empty.

Ahhhh! Sweet Spring, WELCOME!!

Oh the things little ones will say....

2011-03-16T21:18:00.002-05:00

One of my 4 year old Cubbies came up to me at AWANA tonight as we were watching a little cartoon video about heaven. He said, "Ms. Ellen! Is THAT Heaven?" as he saw this enormous gold castle on the clouds. I said, "It sure is." He said, "I've never been there." I said, "Me either, but we will both go there one day." To which he said, "yeah, probably when I get real old, like 16".....................

Gotta love'em!!!

Fear of the Unknown

2011-03-15T23:28:00.002-05:00

The days come and go so quickly I meet myself coming and going. The monotony of my daily life is like a scratched record playing the same part of a tune over and over. The needle, stuck in it's rut. A tempo change is on the horizon. Within the next few months many things will change in my life. The scratch in my life's record will skip forward and the music will then continue. What tune will I hear? Will I like the melody? Will it have an upbeat tempo, to which I will learn a new step? Or will it be a melodramatic sonata causing my cheeks to burn with tears?

My nest will be empty. My priorities will shift. I delight in the possibilities that await me. I cry as the pain of letting go of this life I have grown so accustomed to will be ripped from my being. I will become a new person. Who will I be? Will I like this person? Who is she? I am anxious to meet her, but at the same time I am scared to death of her. It will be like getting to know a stranger.

I hope that with my new life comes a desire to study God's Word more, to nurture relationships, to read more, to travel more, to take more pictures.......to, well, live more.

Lord, thank you so much for all the many blessings of my life thus far. I am so excited to step into this new phase of my life with Your leading. I pray that you will bless and keep me and those reading this now. In Your Holy Name, Amen.

They say the fear of the unknown can kill you. I know it will not kill me, as my Lord and Savior is right beside me. He will take my hand and lead me into this next phase in my life.

Where Did It Go?

2011-03-09T22:42:00.002-06:00

I can't believe it's been over a year since my last post. It makes me sad. The time has flown by. Wow! What the last year has held. One son got married, one son became a high school senior. And in the blink of an eye, a first anniversary is soon to be celebrated and a high school graduation is on the horizon.

I guess now that it's March, I will resolve to come here more regularly, to this place of quiet and solitude to reflect on my life and my thoughts. Along with the rest of the world I got sucked into the fast paced facebook world of constant interaction, the "fast lane" if you will. A year later, I find myself longing to find an off the beaten path country road to cruise like a Sunday driver. To relax and reflect. To just slow down and take time to think and ponder. I feel like........I've come back home.

It feels so good to be here. I look forward to coming back again soon.........real soon.

Lord, thank you for my desire to find quiet. Thank you for this day and all the blessings that were in it. Thank you for my family and friends. Thank you for saving my life......over and over and over. Thank you for your mercy and your grace.

May the Lord bless you and keep you until we meet here again.

Carter James

2010-02-05T17:37:00.008-06:00

I got the privilege of spending a nice crisp winter day with Carter James. You've met him here before. He has grown so much you may not recognize him though. He's not that pudgy little baby anymore. Nope, he's a full-fledged rambunctious little boy. Full of energy. Loves to be outside. Here, have a look.

Tomorrow I'll share the whole Coatney family/maternity shoot with you. Yep, that's right! Carter now has a little brother.

Where does it go?

2009-12-14T21:14:00.003-06:00

I head to work. I get home and cook dinner. I start a load of laundry. I edit pictures. I reply to a few emails. I check the news. That's the general daily things. To these, this month, I add: sign and address some Christmas cards and wrap a few presents.

I just can't believe how fast the days come and go. The ebb and tide of life! It's fleeting! Then, I take a moment, just one though - it's really all I can spare, and check my blog to be totally and utterly disappointed to realize it's been so many weeks since my last post. It makes me sad because I like to be here. I enjoy it. It is relaxing to me and I deserve this time here to reflect on life. So, without guilting myself any further, I leave you with a few photos of what's been going on with me over the past few weeks.

And just in case I don't find my way back here over the next week or two, let me just say, "Merry Christmas to you and yours!" right now! I'd hate to miss the opportunity to shower you with those well wishes from my family to yours!

And now a few photos.

Since we last met I have.............

................worked the first annual Chipley Outdoor Expo

................I finished editing the photos from my son, Michael's shoot (from the summer, I'm embarrassed to say!)

................and did an engagement shoot in Marianna

Merry Christmas and God Bless!

Give Thanks!

2009-11-24T22:04:00.006-06:00

Ah, Thanksgiving! I can't believe it's really upon us. This year has flown by, but with it, there are many things for which I am thankful. I find things in my every day life to be thankful for. The Lord blesses me continually. I see it, and acknowledge Him for the many blessings in my life.

It is so easy to get caught up in our own day to day lives and take the general little blessings for granted. I am speaking of the things He provides for us that we many times take credit for ourselves. I am speaking of things like, groceries on the table, clothes on our back, healthy families, close friends and a loving church family. I am speaking of our freedoms of religion and speech. All of which should never be taken lightly. It is so important to give God ALL the praise and glory for each and every one of them. Praise God from whom ALL blessing flow!

So, as I ponder the annual "Thanksgiving", I find myself going all the way back to the first Thanksgiving at Plymouth. When was the last time you thought about that? Was it yesterday? Was it last year? Was it when you were in grade school? Do you remember what that was about? Well, if you're anything like me, a refresher course may be in order! Again, how easy to get caught up in our day to day lives and let history and our culture fall to the wayside. Might be a good year to search for that information and share it with your family. It sure couldn't hurt. Who knows, maybe your grade-schooler could teach you something at the dinner table this year. Ask them about the first Thanksgiving. They would probably love to share what they've learned.

Then I think about the good old days. You know the ones I am speaking of. The days when you got to spend Thanksgiving morning watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade while your Mama cooked the Thanksgiving feast. All you had to do was wait for all the family and guests to arrive and show up at the table. Yes! THOSE were the days. Now those tasks have fallen to me and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade plays in the background while I check the turkey one more time and stir the gravy. But, I am thankful for the role I have earned and I cherish every single minute of it. It is a wonderful thing for my house to be the one full of people and the smell of Thanksgiving fare!

Always remember to find something every single day for which you can be thankful. It's not so easy for some.

My Mama was the crafty one. She was the girl scout leader, the Sunday school teacher, the Vacation Bible school leader. No, my name is not "the Beave" but my Mama was about as close to June Cleaver as a mama could get. She always planned fun activities around each holiday. She passed that tradition on to me. My boys used to love it. Well, they aren't boys anymore.........they are men. So, they don't enjoy this type of thing as much anymore, but they humor me and play along to spare my feelings. Have fun with this. Enjoy and be thankful for a minute to play.

What's on YOUR Thanksgiving table this year? Are you dining at your house? Are you traveling somewhere to celebrate the harvest with someone else? What are your family traditions? Is it turkey? Is it turkey AND ham? Is it stove top or homemade cornbread dressing? Do you stuff the turkey with the dressing or cook it in a pan separately? Do you even like cranberry sauce? Share your Thanksgiving traditions with me. I'd love to hear about them.

When was the last time you really took inventory of the blessings in your life? Are you filled with joy? So many, at this time of year, have a hard time finding joy in their life. Is there a neighbor or co-worker you could invite to dinner so they are not alone? Maybe your invitation to dinner or to church would be a HUGE blessing to them. I think He would want you to ask and I'm sure it would bring you joy!

In conclusion of this Thanksgiving message, I want to remind you what Thanksgiving is all about. It's really not so much about the turkey, dressing, or even the pumpkin pie. It's about thanking the Lord for our blessings. It's about family. It's about friends. Ultimately, it's about relationships with Him and our fellow man. I pray your day will be a feast of thankfulness enjoying God's abundant blessings and perfect peace.

EPCOT 2009

2009-11-15T15:52:00.005-06:00

What seems like just last weekend, which was actually a few months ago now, my family took a vacation. We had a great time. My brother and sister and their families live in Orlando, so it was great to get to spend some quality time with them. Our first day there, we went to EPCOT. Here are a few shots of things we saw.

Lots more to see. I'll post a handful of pictures several times over the next week or so.

And yes! The photo shoot of Michael is in the near future!!

Kacy

2009-10-09T22:11:00.004-05:00

Wow! I can't believe how fast the time has flown. I am so far behind on my blogging AND my photo editing. So much has happened in the past three weeks. I spent last week in Missouri for some software training. My first time flying and I LOVED it! (Photos to follow soon) And Missouri is a nice place to visit..........but I wouldn't want to live there. It's flat........really flat.

Anyway, I'll try my best to get caught up over the next week or so. Lots to share with you. I'm going to try and post in the order of events. We'll start here with my niece, Kacy. Then I also have to share some of our vacation pictures from the middle of September (and whoever posted that comment about wanting more pictures of Michael.......I've got some GREAT ones coming up soon!! Stay tuned!) Then there's a 1st birthday party from the end of September and a shoot with a sweet, precious family that also happened the end of September.

Ok, let's get started!

This is my niece, Kacy. She is a tiny little thing, but one beautiful and smart little cookie. She graduated with the highest honors from Graceville High School last year and was the Salutatorian! What an honor! Kacy has many, MANY beauty queen titles under her belt and even competed in the Ms. Peanut last year. I've been after her for some time to let her Aunt Ellen "shoot" her. She finally carved out some time for me and here is a small sample of what we got. You can view the whole shoot on my Shutterfly account at www.ellenworley.shutterfly.com. Let me know what you think. You can leave comments here AND on my Shutterfly.

Hope you have as much fun looking at these as I did taking them.

Excuses, excuses.........

2009-09-15T11:09:00.002-05:00

I have an appointment today. An appointment for something that has filled me with dread for over a week now. As this day has drawn closer and closer I have rationalized in my mind of countless reasons why this "appointment" just probably shouldn't take place. *sigh*

Here are some of the excuses I've concocted in my mind:

1. The weather is bad
2. (therefore) My hair is frizzy
3. I'm getting a zit on my chin
4. The cat scratched my face this morning while we were playing
5. My lipstick melted in the car
6. Let me try to stay on my diet one more week and then we'll see
7. I need to pack for our trip
8. "If you're too busy, we could just reschedule?!"
9. It was a bad idea to begin with?
10. A Dillard's gift card is a much better gift idea about now!

OK. Now, let's see who can tell me what this appointment is that I'm dreading SOOO much.

My excuses provide ample clues.

Vacation a'comin'!!

2009-09-14T21:19:00.002-05:00

Today was officially the first day of my vacation. And I am not even ashamed to tell you that I stayed in my pajamas ALL day! It was lovely. It was divine. It was................down right fantastic! It was a dreary, rainy day. The perfect type of day to sit around in your pajamas and just enjoy relaxing. I had the entire house to myself. It was just me, the cat, the dog and a good book. Ahhhhh.....vacation!!!

Tomorrow I'll be getting everything washed and packed for our trip. We'll be heading to Orlando for the rest of the week. We'll be at Epcot on my birthday, Thursday. We'll be spending the rest of the week visiting family there and making day trips here and there.

I will be taking LOTS of pictures to document the journey, so I guess I'll see you back here next week.

Chao!

The Newly Engaged Couple

2009-08-31T20:10:00.003-05:00

Without further ado..............................

Hope to see you again soon. I'll be posting some pictures of my niece. So much fun! Stop back by.

Let's Play A Game

2009-08-27T20:45:00.005-05:00

Today we'll play a game called "Guess Who".

Two Saturdays ago I got to spend the day with some very special folks that are near and dear to my heart. Here are some pictures from that day. See how quickly you can guess who it is. Feel free to post your guesses. I'll be revealing the answer with more, More, MORE photos this weekend so you'll be able to check back and see if you were right!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Road Trip!

2009-08-25T21:12:00.004-05:00

I had to go to Blakely, GA again today for some more training. I went last week and saw some really beautiful scenery and wished that I had my camera. I went prepared today! Here are a few things I saw upaire in Georgie!

I love churches. They are just beautiful to me. I really enjoy photographing churches of all sizes, shapes, styles and denominations. I especially love steeples. And the sky today couldn't have been a more perfect backdrop.

This train caught my eye on the way into Georgia this morning. It was an actual steam locomotive! Too cool! I hate that I didn't get the engine car. Sorry.

This is the Early County Court House. Very beautiful with strong character. It was neat hearing all about some of the history behind it. I dig stuff like that!

That is actually a functional wind vain that was placed there by a relative of one of my new Blakely friends!

This is an old covered bridge. It's not drivable anymore, but it sure is neat to look at.

I took this shot at the boat ramp. I just love the bright crisp greens. Won't be long before I'll need to go back and shoot it again to capture the oranges, reds and browns! Keep a look out for that update. I'm sure it will be gorgeous!

This was a special memorial to all the men and women from Blakely that served in the United States military.

There was plenty of beautiful country roads to enjoy throughout my journey today. It's so peaceful to travel those hills.

And THIS, is the Bank of Early, where I spent the day. The folks there are so great. I have really enjoyed getting to know them all. They are a great bunch to work with and I can't wait until I get to go back again!

I thought I would leave you with this serene last shot of the creek that was under the covered bridge. I wish you could hear the babbling waters as they flowed. I could have pulled up a lawn chair and stayed a while. It was absolutely wonderful.

Well, I hope you enjoyed your little virtual tour of my day.

God Bless!

Backed up and bogged down........

2009-08-24T18:40:00.008-05:00

..........there's just GOT to be a better way!

I've been thinking about all the pictures I've been wanting to share here on my blog and then I think of the hundreds of other things I need to do too. I have decided to make exercise a priority in my life, so as I went for my walk this afternoon, I tried to organize things in my mind. I know that it all comes down to planning and sticking to the plan. So, I have decided that I will designate 60 minutes a day to the computer in the evening. This time block will include as much as I can/need to accomplish but only within that 60 minutes. In that time frame I can check and respond to emails, post to my blog, edit pictures from photo shoots, upload pictures to my Shutterfly, watch YouTube videos, Google, or whatever comes along. Paying bills, mind you, does NOT fit into this category; THANK GOODNESS!

OK, so as to not feel so overwhelmed by the months of pictures I've yet to post here, I'm going to summarize (or should I say "summer-ize" hahaha!) the summer for you all in this post. Hold on to your hat.

And...............away we go:

Back in the spring of '04 (not really, it just seems like it! It was actually the beginning of summer. Yes! THIS one!) we took a little mini vacation to Eufaula, Alabama. It was beautiful, lovely and relaxing. Here's some photos of what we saw there.

This was my view from the deck off the back of the cabin we stayed in.

Sunrise.

I sat out there on that deck every morning all by myself in the solitude, having coffee with my devotional and a nice long, leisurely visit with Him. Very, very peaceful.

Here are a couple of shots from inside one of the mansions in the historic district. They have a couple of museums with very rich history and curators are at each museum to tell you about the era, the original owners and answer any questions you might have.

Alright. That was June. Now on to July.

July was a HUGE month for the Worley family. I don't mean big OR large. I mean HUGE!!!

In the middle of July, David turned 21! WooHoo! Yeah, that's a biggy. Here are a few shots from his surprise 21st Birthday party.

Then at the end of July.......................David & Haley got engaged!!

He did it, and he did it well. He proposed in front of Cinderella's Castle at Disney World. She was totally suprised. And quite happy, I might add.

OK, that should pretty much catch you up. I have LOTS more photos to share, but that'll have to come another day. My hour here is up.

Coming soon:

More shots from Eufaula

The cutest babies ever

David & Haley's first shoot (after the engagement)

From pageant gowns and winning crowns to cowboy boots and tractor roots

Ya'll come back now...................ya hear!

I have an issue.........

2009-08-19T19:16:00.002-05:00

Is it just me, or have you ever found yourself going and doing too much? I have a problem saying, "NO". My husband will be the first one to tell you that I can't say no when people ask me to volunteer to do something. He's told me before that I need to stand in front of a mirror and practice saying, "NO". I don't know, I just hate to disappoint people and I find it difficult to let people down. I mean, they wouldn't have asked me if they didn't really need the help, right?! Or do people ask me to do things because they are aware of my condition? (That of not being able to say no)

Anyway, I suddenly found myself busier than I need to be to stay healthy even and my calendar gagging with things to do, people to see, and to do lists galore. Has anyone else ever felt this way? Or do all of you out there take good care of yourself and discern what you should and shouldn't do? Am I the only one that goes overboard?!

Well, last week, I met myself coming as I was going. I thought I looked familiar, and sure enough as I got a little closer, I realized it was me! So, that's when I knew something had to be done. I mean, that's not healthy to meet yourself coming and going, right?! I have decided, after much prayer and soul searching, that I would release myself from some of my responsibilities. As I prayed and prayed for guidance in this matter, I suddenly felt at ease as a scripture came to mind. And when that happens I KNOW that He is talking to me and leading me. The scripture that came to mind was:

Ecclesiastes 8:15 So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun.

I really believe that we are to do the work of the kingdom, but the Bible also tells us that we are to enjoy life and with that comes some time for refreshment of our bodies and our souls. It is good for us to relax some times. It is not good to always say yes if our whole heart cannot be "in it" because we are completely tired, worn out and stressed out. So, I purged some of my responsibilities and have minimized my load some and I feel so much better for it. I feel bad for letting some folks down, but I have to take care of me.

Has anyone else ever had this dilemma? Do tell. I'd like to know I'm not alone and it's not just me.

OK, enough of this. I'm off for some quality "me" time. I think I'll read a book! Ah, just the thought of that makes my soul smile!

God Bless!

The Weekend...........FINALLY

2009-08-07T22:17:00.002-05:00

Have you ever just had one of those weeks that is 2 weeks long?! That's the kind of week I had. I am so glad it's Friday, I can hardly stand myself. Only trouble is, I've been looking forward to the weekend so much, for several reasons, that I know it's going to fly by. THAT makes me sad. But I'm not going to let the thoughts of Monday rob the joy from Saturday and Sunday!

The weekend is off to a wonderful start. Jimmy, Michael and I shelled fresh shrimp and fried them to go with baked potatoes. Yummy! There's just something about hard work that makes what you prepare taste even better. The shrimp were fabulous!

Tomorrow I have a hair appointment. Been looking forward to that. It's so nice to be pampered for a little while and come away looking fresh and new! WooHoo! And I was smart and made my appointment for noon, so I can enjoy sleeping in. I'll have time to leisurely sip my coffee and read my devotional on my back porch with the ceiling fan going while sitting in my rocker. Humming birds-a-plenty are always buzzing to and from the feeder hanging from the pole on the deck and the birdy chorus along with the frog back up singers is joyful music to my ears in the mornings. So, yeah, I'm looking forward to that too.

Then when I get home, I'll get to play with my early birthday present!!! My wonderful brother, mother and oldest son went in together and purchased Photo Shop for me! YES!!!! I am SO excited! I will be spending the afternoon loading it on my PC and learning all about it. I can't wait!

Then Sunday: early church, Sunday school, choir for 11:00 worship service and then rush home to change and cook a nice big family dinner. David and Haley will be coming for dinner. I love it when my whole family gets together. Good times! We'll probably end up playing games and watching a movie. We love to all pile up on the couch under the throws and watch movies. How fun.

And just like that, it'll be Monday...............again.

And that's all I got to say about that.

May God truly bless your weekend.

Sunday Afternoon with Kelsey (Set 3 of 3)

2009-08-04T20:04:00.003-05:00

You thought I forgot. You thought I forgot, didn't you?! No. I didn't forget, I just, uh, found 436 other things that were more important to do at the time. And I've resolved myself to say that.............That's OK! Instead of concluding this post I............spent time with my family, cleaned out my closet, worked in my flowerbed, went shopping with a friend and cooked a big 'ol family dinner to a houseful of family and friends. So, for all of that, I don't regret the time I spent away from my computer. Sorry for keeping you waiting.

Here is the conclusion of my afternoon with Kelsey. If you want to see the whole shoot, you are welcome to check out my Shutterfly page. ellenworley.shutterfly.com/

OK. We can move on to something else now. I think next, I will post some shots of our mini vacation we took to Eufaula a few months ago. Lots of neat things to see.

Ya'll come back now, ya hear!

Sunday Afternoon with Kelsey (Set 2 of 3)

2009-07-26T12:24:00.004-05:00

Here are a few more of the shoot with Kelsey. More to follow tomorrow.

Hope to see you again tomorrow.

Sunday Afternoon with Kelsey

2009-07-25T15:22:00.002-05:00

I spent last Sunday afternoon with Kelsey. Wasn't sure if it was going to happen or not. The weather was rather threatening, but that's all it was.....just threatening. The rain held off and we got some pictures.........over 400 to be more precise! It's amazing how many pictures one can snap in two hours. We had a really good time and some serious laughs.

Kelsey, you are hilarious and I always enjoy taking your pictures. Never a dull moment with you around! We'll have to do it again soon.

OK, folks. You have no idea how hard it has been to pick only a few to go on my blog. I narrowed 388 (after omitting and editing) to only 15 for my blog posts over the next few days. I will put them in 3 sets of 5. Here are the first 5 I picked. If you want to see ALL the pictures, I plan on putting them all on my shutterfly page tomorrow afternoon.........late...........ok, I'm aiming for.......before I go to bed tomorrow night!! hahaha!

Heeeeeere's Kelsey...........................

See ya'll tomorrow for set 2 of 3!

Architectural Detail

2009-07-17T22:25:00.005-05:00

I don't know why, but lately I have really been "diggin' " architectural details. I seem to notice it everywhere I go. I don't know why my eye is drawn to the beauty of it's detail, but it is.

Come have a look at what I mean.

This, of course, is The Russ House in Marianna. I took this shot several months ago. As I was leaving a photo shoot, I turned to tell my subject good bye when I noticed the way the sun shown through this beautiful historic dwelling. Knowing the setting sun would be gone in a matter of minutes, I snatched my camera back out of it's resting place and snapped these two shots.

I just thought it was so beautiful. The way the rays cast their shadows was mesmerizing. Completely stunning. When my eyes behold such beauty, I know it is a direct gift from my Father. Thank you, Lord for my sight!

Then there are these. This is a mansion in Eufaula Alabama. It is on a tour of antique mansions there. As we are only talking about architectural detail today, you'll have to wait to see the inside of this masterpiece another day. I almost have those pictures ready and promise to blog them soon. But for now, let's get back to the outside beauty of this "home", shall we?!

The columns were magnificent. I wish you could see the size of this place with your own eyes. The magnitude was breathtaking.

This little sun room off of one side was so cozy. I would love to spend some quality time here with a good book.

It's cool how the same subject can take on a completely new appearance just by the angle it is shot. It just adds interest.

I hope you have enjoyed the outside of this grand home. I will bring you the inside in the VERY near future!

God Bless and have a wonderful, restful and worshipful weekend!

A new little friend

2009-06-26T22:13:00.004-05:00

I was headed out the door the other morning for work. As I made my way down the driveway to the car I spotted this little fella.

He was so cute. He was meandering up the driveway like he had an important date. I hurriedly made my way back inside for my camera, all the while thinking, "Hurry, hurry, you're going to miss him. He'll be gone if you don't hurry!" I rushed in, grabbed my camera, turned it on, got my focus all ready, scurried down the sidewalk toward the driveway..............and that's where it hit me! I just started laughing!

"OH YEAH!!! It's a snail! HAHAHA!"

When I found my way back to him, he had only gone about an inch.

Obviously he was NOT going to a fire! (Thank goodness, as he was heading for my house!)

I don't know why I was so taken by him. He is a tiny little thing. He is just adorable! Well, as adorable as a snail can be, I guess. I was taken by his antennae. They were mesmerizing! Short, then long, then ONE short while the other was long.......then I started wondering..........What, exactly ARE those? Are they antenna? Were those his eyes? What was HE seeing? Where was he going? Can he hear me talk to him?

And then.........I noticed another, um, uh.....whatEVER they are!
Is that...... is THAT....... HIS NOSE?!

It was so cute! Definitely NOT a button nose, but a cute nose in deed! IF, that's what it is. That's what I'm going to say it is.

If any of you are snail experts, help me out here. I am WAY curious about my new little visitor.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend filled with fun, family, food, friends and good fellowship.

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all.

—All Things Bright and Beautiful, a hymn by Cecil Alexander

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdLjQa3as58&feature=related

Thing 1 and Thing 2

2009-05-16T00:47:00.016-05:00

Over Spring break (YES! It's been THAT long since I really blogged last.......sorry!) David and Haley went to Orlando with another couple and visited Aunt Becky and Uncle Jody. While they were there, they went to Universal Studios. They had a great time. One of their souvenirs was their Thing 1 and Thing 2 shirts.

I raised my boys on Dr. Seuss books. They love them. They loved me to read them to them.......over and over and over! For some time, I could practically quote them verbatim!

Here are some shots I got several weeks ago. We had fun at a park in Marianna. It was a really nice day. Still cool enough to stay outside for more than 15 minutes at a time!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and God Bless!

Busy Bee!

2009-05-13T22:49:00.002-05:00

Hello.

Just thought I'd take a minute to reassure you that I AM still here. I am thoroughly loving my new job. It keeps me hopping. I leave home by 7:15 each morning to return somewhere between 6:00 and 9:00 pm, depending on the evening's activities numerous days a week. Then the weekend is filled with playing catch up. (NOT on sleep, mind you!)

I have photos to share and will try my best to carve out some time to get them posted this weekend. I know it isn't much fun to look at someone's blog if there aren't any pictures attached. I know the pictures are why I like to look at other's blogs.

Again, check back the first of next week to see if I followed through. I will try my best to make it happen. Just do me a favor.........please don't hold your breath! I'd hate to lose the few of you who do look at my blog.

Love to you all!

Marianna Prom

2009-04-28T21:23:00.006-05:00

I had the privilege of taking some more pictures of Kelsey. This time it was her and her boyfriend, Dalton and their close friends. Marianna's prom was this past Saturday. Kelsey asked if I could get some shots of them before they headed to the prom. Here are a few of the shots I got. We had a lot of fun. They kept me laughing. They are great together!

Dalton is hilarious!

He keeps everyone laughing

These are their friends. I found out that Kelsey and this other fellow have been best friends since grade school!

Sweet friends.....sharing precious moments

Hope to make some new posts this weekend.

God Bless!

Now she's 1!

2009-04-20T19:24:00.005-05:00

Last Saturday Jaelynn had her 1st Birthday party! The Cliftons did a fantastic job with her cakes. They matched her party decorations to a T. And the cake was absolutely delicious!

The Birthday Girl gave us all a surprise at her birthday party too........

She started doing this! Yep, several steps at a time and when she'd fall down, she'd get right back up and keep going instead of crawling away!!!

Her decorations were fit for a princess

This was one of her birthday presents. She just giggled and giggled

This is her cousin, Carter. He's 6 months old. He's just figuring out the crawling thing

and of all the great gifts Jaelynn received for her birthday, I think she liked the tissue paper the best

and they thoughtfully read each card

then...........it was time for singing and cake

she started out real ladylike........notice her little pinky even in the air!

then she figured there had to be a better way - delicate just wasn't getting the job done

yep.........she went for it~

Happy Birthday, JaeBug!

Head Shots

2009-04-17T18:31:00.014-05:00

This was my first experience taking "head shots". It was very different from any other type of pictures I've taken so far. I really felt like I was taking the same picture over and over. As you'll see, they didn't actually all turn out the same. (Boy, was I glad of that! I wasn't really sure what I'd get.)

I ended up taking nearly 200 shots. And when you take that many head shots you wonder, when you're going through them, "didn't I already see this one?" I worked through them though. Some of these pictures are both in color and in black and white and then some are only one or the other.

This is Kelsey. She was recently a contestant in the Miss Jackson County Pageant. That's why I took her pictures. She got 2nd Runner Up AND Most Photogenic!!!! WooHoo!!! I did something right! Her beauty and charm had the most to do with the title, but I was glad to be a part of it!

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. I'll be posting pictures of Jaelynn's first birthday party in a few days. Hope you'll come see.

General Information

2009-04-14T19:53:00.002-05:00

I can't believe it's been so long since I last blogged. I'm still trying to settle into my new life schedule. Things have certainly changed with my new job. I am, however, LOVING my new job. My co-workers are wonderful Christian people and I am learning so much. I actually look forward to going to work every day. And that, is how a career should be. God has blessed me beyond my highest expectation. I never doubted He would. He provides everything we need in His perfect time.

I've had a couple of photo opportunities since my last entry. I will post some pictures with my next entry. I did some "head shots" for the first time. I shot a contestant for the Ms. Jackson County pageant. I think they turned out pretty good for my first time doing that. I wasn't quite sure what I was doing. When you take head shots, it seems like you're just taking the same picture over and over and over, but they actually did turn out slightly different and there were many to choose from. You'll see when I post them. It may be Saturday before I can do that, but I promise I will.

I've gone back hardcore on my dieting............................again. I'm doing low fat, low carb, low calorie and no caffeine. So, I'm pretty much existing on pine cones and water. No, not really. I'm doing ok. Lots of water, plenty of green vegies and severely cutting back on my fat and sugar intake. I started this past Saturday and today is Tuesday. I've lost 3 pounds so far. I know.....baby steps, slow and steady wins the race, and all such junk.

Easter was wonderful and strange all at the same time. With me starting my new job and practicing like a crazy person for our choir Easter specials, the days came and went so fast that I failed to even get out the first Easter decoration. That's just not me. I decorate for EVERY holiday and so far this year.....................nothin'! The months are flying by. Maybe I should have just left my Christmas tree up. It'll be Christmas again in a few weeks! Or so it will seem. The choir sang for all three services. It was so wonderful and the message was great, as usual. Bro. Mike never dissappoints. He is truly a man of God. After church we had a nice family dinner. We hadn't planned on company, but ended up feeding around 12 folks, as friends stopped by and had a bite with us. The more the merrier. All are welcome at my house! We had a nice afternoon of loving fellowship.

And for some reason, over the past week or so, every time I would try to mention Easter I would say Thanksgiving! I think I may have subconsciously been calling it by it's correct name. I know that I am more thankful for what my Lord and Savior sacrificed for me than any turkey or what the Indians may have contributed. The Lord has blessed my life so richly. He is my Abba Father. He sustains me. He loves me unconditionally. He paid it all. I owe Him everything. I give Him all the praise and glory and this is my Thanks giving!

I pray the remainder of your week be easy and blessed and I will post again soon.

God Bless!

Prom Night (Series 2)

2009-03-31T18:50:00.005-05:00

Then we headed down the road and found this very old church. It was tiny but beautiful.

This one was taken inside the prom, before it started.

Prom Night (Series 1)

2009-03-27T22:20:00.008-05:00

These are the pictures I took for Heather on the night of her prom. It was an overcast and drippy evening. The sprinkles slacked off long enough to get some good shots. I took pictures in several different locations. This series of shots were taken in her yard.

Tomorrow we head out on the road for some shots................

Did you ever wonder.....

2009-03-25T23:05:00.007-05:00

....what your cats are doing while you're away from the house?

This is what we came home to one afternoon.....

He seemed pretty tired. We must have missed all the skateboarding action!

Then, on another day there was THIS:

A friend had been over for a visit the evening before and was looking at this magazine. She left it on the arm of my couch, along with the throw. Apparently, Bella is an avid reader. I did not know this when I adopted her. Interesting!

And as I laughed and ran for my camera, she gave me this look, as if to say, "MUST you look over my shoulder when I'm reading?"

Then there's this one. When Gilligan comes in from a night of hunting he just collapses wherever. At least he made it through the doggy door and into the house before passing out. Yes, he was sound asleep here. Looks comfy, doesn't he?! NOT!

And last but not least, this one, which is one of my favorites. Bella and Gilligan taking a Sunday afternoon nap. It's so sweet to see brother and sister taking a nap together and how precious that he even has his arm around her.

OK, this was something different to give you a break from the Heather pictures, but this weekend will bring LOTS more Heather pictures. Prom pictures. I hope you'll come back for more. I think you'll like what you see.

Just Heather

2009-03-24T20:09:00.010-05:00

Then later that afternoon I got to take some shots of just Heather. We had fun down town.

We will take a break from Heather for tomorrow. I'm dieing to show you the pictures I took before her prom. But we'll take a little break. Something fun and whimsical tomorrow. But the prom pictures for the weekend!

I'll see you back here.................

Another First with Jaelynn

2009-03-23T18:36:00.007-05:00

This was Jaelynn's first time in a big swing. She LOVED it! Heather pulled her back and let her go and she giggled like the Pillsbury Dough Boy!! It was hilarious. I'm sure it tickled her tummy. We all had a good time at the park that day.

Oh, and this one was taken before we hit the swings. She wasn't crying........just fussin'. "They" call this "Squishy Face"!! Too funny.

Tomorrow's post will be Heather's shoot.

More of Jaelynn & Heather

2009-03-22T22:03:00.007-05:00

Here is another set of shots from our day at the park. Sorry I missed two days. I kind of had some really important "things" happen over the weekend. Friday I got a new job!! WooHoo! Then Saturday I had to go buy some new clothes and shoes, of course! But, back to business. Here's the photos. Hope you like them and I will be posting more tomorrow.

Introducing........Jaelynn Grace

2009-03-19T21:45:00.008-05:00

OK, so anyone who has seen my blog before already knows Jaelynn. This isn't her first time on my blog. And to those of us who love her and know her best, we call her J-bug. She is wonderful, adorable, funny, and now we add to the mix........speedy! VERY speedy!

I got the honor of spending the entire day with Jaelynn and her mother, Heather one day last week. It was such a fun day, just us girls. I don't get many opportunities like that living in a house full of boys. So, I really enjoyed myself.

We took many, many pictures all over town. I shot some pictures of just J-bug (in multiple outfits, no doubt! - I told you we did the "girl thing"!) at the park. Then I shot several of J-bug and her mommy, Heather. Then I shot several of just Heather. We will start off with just J-bug and work our way through the day. Mind you, this will take us several days to cover our outing, so............we'll pace ourselves. I hope you enjoy the pictures of our day.

This was actually Jaelynn's first time in the sand. She LOVED it!

She's a super star!

She always waves to her fans.....

.....until they get out of hand! "No more paparazzi!"

Be sure to come back tomorrow. There's more! Oh, so much more.

Finishing up with Judy

2009-03-18T21:00:00.003-05:00

Here are the last few I'm posting of my dear, sweet friend, Judy. Like I said, if you want to see more, she will be adding them to her facebook albums.

Hope you'll stop by tomorrow for the first installment of Jaelynn and Heather.

A few more of Judy

2009-03-17T17:45:00.004-05:00

Here are a few more of the pictures from that day. Tomorrow's post will finish up with Judy.

Then we will move on to Jaelynn and Heather! Fun, fun! I promise not to disappoint!

Here's a teaser for you.......................

Another shoot with Judy

2009-03-16T18:04:00.004-05:00

As much as Judy liked the photos from our last shoot, she wanted to have some more done in a "springier" outfit. So, last Thursday afternoon, we ran all over town and took some more pictures. It's completely mind boggling how fast the pictures add up. I think we ended up with somewhere around 143 shots! I will be showing you a few here and there over the next few days. If you want to see them all, I think she will be adding them to her facebook albums.

Here are seven of them and I will do a handful more tomorrow and Wednesday, then we'll have to move on. I have SO much more to show you! I have done three more shoots since this one, so there are LOTS of photos to share.

If you like them, leave me a comment. If you don't............well, just keep it to yourself! hahaha! Just kidding.

How Sweet It Is

2009-03-13T22:16:00.005-05:00

These photos are from the Annual Sweet 16 Ball in Marianna. This beautiful girl is like my own daughter. She is precious to me. I've known her her whole life and she even calls me Aunt Ellen. I was gushing that night. I was so proud of her. She is beautiful inside and out.

They introduced each girl from the sophomore class. Then their fathers gave them a flower and escorted them to their seats of honor as the MC gave a brief description of their family life and the goals of each girl.

Then came the father/daughter dance. It was SO sweet!

Aren't they just precious.....

Truly a night to remember

Hope you enjoyed these. I sure enjoyed taking them.

Spring has sprung!

2009-03-11T22:54:00.008-05:00

Or atleast it is seriously contemplating it. I'm sure we haven't seen the last of the cold. It just wouldn't be Easter if we didn't have to cover up our pretty Easter dress with a sweater, but I sure have been enjoying the past few warm days and the beautiful variety of flowers that are on display all over town. Beauty, beauty all around.

Thank you, Jesus!

A day at the beach - The FINALE

2009-03-10T22:53:00.003-05:00

Today's entry is titled "Fenced in". There's just something about a beach front fence that is appealing to me. I don't know if it's because of the rustic nature or what, but this rickety little fence just says, "BEACH" to me. I love it. It's beautiful, in a natural kind of way. Anyhow, I just "dig it".

I hope you have enjoyed our day at the beach. And I hope that the next time you are there, you will seek and find God there. He's ALL over it, in every single direction; in the beauty of each shell, in the spray of each wave and even in the encompassing of that little beachy fence.

And here is your Irish Blessing for today:

Christ be with me

Christ be within me

Christ behind me

Christ before me

Christ beside me

Christ to win me

Christ to comfort and restore me

Christ beneath me

Christ above me

Christ in quiet

Christ in danger

Christ in hearts of all that love me

Christ in mouth of friend and stranger

And tomorrow, we can move on to a new topic!

See ya!

A day at the beach Part 5

2009-03-08T21:02:00.005-05:00

OK, so I told you wrong. There are still two more beach elements I want to share with you. I am, however, saving my favorite for last, which will come tomorrow.

I am going to call today's post "Smile and WAVE"! Get it?! I love the waves. I love the look of them, I love the sound of them and I even love the smell of them. Here's a few shots of the waves that day. I hope they make you smile.

".....who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever."

Psalm 136:6

A day at the beach Part 4

2009-03-07T08:37:00.005-06:00

Jimmy and I each had our own agenda for the beach that day. Yes, we went together and we were there together, but we enjoyed our own personal time and space while we were there too, and that was nice.

I was there to shoot some awesome pictures. The beach is my absolute favorite place in the world to be. It is my serenity. I love the beach in the winter just as much as I love it in the summer. I have no problem finding God there. Actually, being at the beach and looking out over the ocean reminds me of just how big God is. I look as far out as I can and just like Him, there is no end to it. That is very comforting to me. And while I look on His vastness, I feel Him beside me as the warm breezes brush my cheek. So, along with His beautiful art display, you can see why I marvel at the beach. It's just where we meet, He and I.

Come on, I'll show you what I found and what he found that day.........

Ah! Serenity now!

This is another shot of the vacated home I showed you earlier. I thought this would show you better, the actual size of the creature's abandoned home. It was a beautiful shell and completely still in tact. All except the tenant.

This was an awesome plane that happened by. I wish I had a bigger lens so I could have really zoomed in. This thing was ENORMOUS! It looked like something out of WWII!

Jimmy was there to use his metal detector. He enjoys that toy very much. He gets excited thinking that maybe, just maybe, he's going to find something worth a million bucks. (Believe me, I wish he would too, but we both know....................that's probably not gonna happen!) He has fun with it none the less. And at the end of the day, that's really all that matters.

And the yield of his efforts............... 14 cents

.......a metal headband with rhinestones! (yippee)

Hope you enjoyed today's entry. There's still a little more. Come back tomorrow for the conclusion to our day at the beach. One of my favorite beach elements is still to come. I was saving it until last.

And here is your Irish Blessing for today:

A happy, generous nature, a friendly spirit too

These are the gifts God has surely given you

And may every day to come bring a generous part

Of all the happy things in life that keep joy in your heart

A day at the beach Part 3

2009-03-06T18:06:00.006-06:00

Prepare yourself to be SHELL SHOCKED!

I have been to Panama City Beach many times and I can't remember the last time I saw so many shells! I wondered if the pier renovation had anything to do with it. I thought maybe their equipment had churned up the sand when they put the new pillars in. Whatever the reason, the shells were "a plenty" and they were all beautiful. So many different sizes, shapes and colors. Yet another gift from our Lord and Savior. His beautiful artwork. These shells glittered the shoreline and I hope you enjoy what I captured.

I don't know what used to live in this shell. I'm no CSI investigator or anything, but it appeared as though he was "removed" from his home and did not just leave willingly.

Join me again tomorrow and I'll share more of our day at the beach. There's still plenty to share.

And here is your Irish Blessing for today:

May the love and protection the good Lord can give

Be yours in abundance as long as you live

A day at the beach - part 2

2009-03-05T21:52:00.003-06:00

Also, at the beach that day, I saw tracks. LOTS of tracks. The beach is a very busy place. The beach is enjoyed by multiple species, man and animals alike.

Even though there was a sign in plain sight stating that dogs were not allowed on the beach
(poor dogs), I saw these tracks.

Then I saw the tracks the sea grass was leaving from the brisk breeze that habitually blew.

Then I spotted some people tracks. Which made me think of the famous writing "Footprints" and I paused to thank the Lord for always walking with me through every facet of my life.

Then I saw the Panama City Flamingo tracks! I just can't figure out how those one legged seagulls left such perfect little tracks. They have just perfected the art, I guess!

More story and pictures tomorrow. Stop back by.

And here's your Irish Blessing for today:

In the name of God who made a pathway in the waves,

May He bring us safely home at the end of the day

Our day at the beach

2009-03-04T21:33:00.002-06:00

One day last week, Jimmy and I got to spend the whole day together. We decided to take a day trip to the beach. It was a weekday, which means.......most folks were at work and we pretty much had the beach to ourselves. It was a lovely day. It was a little cool and the wind was rather busy, but it was a wonderful day, none the less. We headed to the public pier. You know, where Pier Park is. It is just awesome what they have done with that. I remember what it used to look like and BOY is it an improvement.

We parked at Public Access #57.

They are still making renovations on the beach though. And here's a shot of them working on the actual pier. It was neat to watch them pick up complete sections of the old pier and haul them away. I know it's going to be wonderful when it's finished. I can hardly wait to see the end product.

Jimmy and I each had our own agenda at the beach. But you'll have to wait until tomorrow to see what those were. Today's post is more about what we saw when we first got there.

Then we saw this guy. He was out there all by himself fishing from shore. Now, I think this must be the most boring thing I've ever seen. But, Jimmy assured me that the man was loving being it. I don't get it?! He never caught one fish the whole 2 hours we were there?! Hmmm. I guess that's kind of like having a pocketbook full of money and not finding one single thing at the mall. Like I said, "WEIRD!" ha!

Then.................I saw them! All these ONE LEGGED sea gulls dotting the beach! They were everywhere. They were here, they were there, they were.....................wait a minute. That one, like all the rest, only had one leg a minute ago, now he's walking away. Ohhhhh, I get it, they are Panama City flamingos!!! hahaha! No, these fellas were trying to keep one leg at a time warm.

OK, more fun photos and another chapter of our beach story tomorrow. Hope you'll return.

Oh, and here's your Irish Blessing for today's post:

May you always have these blessings

A soft breeze when summer comes

A warm fireside in winter

And always the warm, soft smile of a friend

Learning to tote my camera

2009-03-01T20:25:00.027-06:00

For the longest time I have wanted a "big girl" camera. I have always enjoyed taking pictures and I love looking at pictures. I enjoy nature pictures but my absolute favorite pictures are pictures of "LIFE". Just plain old, every day, run of the mill, what happens in real life....pictures. For example; an old farmer on a tractor in his field, a lady working in her garden, a child playing on a swing set, a young couple hand in hand on the beach. Things like that.

I finally got the "big girl" camera! It's not the biggest, it's not the best, but it IS a really good start. Now, I just have to learn to carry it with me everywhere I go. That's how you capture pictures of "LIFE". On any given day, one can capture life. It's everywhere you look. It's in the park, it's in the sky, it's on the farm, it's in the city, it's, well, everywhere!

I will be sharing with you these "life" photos as I take them. I hope you will enjoy and appreciate them as much as I do. It's amazing, when you look around at "life", how very blessed you are to be a part of it. The awesomeness our Lord provides on a daily basis for each of us to behold. And to acknowledge each vision as a gift from Him. There are so many reasons to praise Him!

Here are some shots I took of my oldest son's girlfriend at the park the other day. She is so much fun. No, they are not anything fancy. Just fun. And no, they are not pictures of a stranger randomly taken in a park. We staged them, but they are fun, none the less.

As you can see..........it was a very exhausting afternoon!

And in honor of my Irish heritage, I will be leaving you with an Irish Blessing at the end of every post this month. Good day!

May your troubles be less

May your blessings be more

And nothing but happiness

Come through your door

My friend, Judy

2009-02-24T21:32:00.003-06:00

I met my friend, Judy, at the park this afternoon for an impromptu photo shoot. It was a gorgeous day and the park was full of people of all ages. Children playing while their mothers watched from a park bench, adults walking the track, a family cooking out, and some seniors sitting at a picnic table having a conversation. You couldn't have asked for a more perfect day.

Judy is so much fun and willing to do whatever. Even though the park was full of people, she played along with my silly requests as I posed her for shot after shot. We had a good time and some good laughs as well. I know we'll be doing this again.

So, without further ado...........Heeeeeeeerrrrreeeeees JUDY!

MY, how the time does fly...

2009-02-22T20:28:00.005-06:00

I can't believe it's been nearly a week since I last posted. I have been so busy. But, busy is good. Idle hands are the devil's workshop, right?!

Over the past week, I've...........

*worked my part time job

*crocheted on a scarf for a friend

*lead AWANA at church and then choir practice after

*got my hair done.............again (we're super close to the original state of my hair......I think!)

*attended my Beth Moore Bible study on Esther

*visited with friends

*took photos for my March CONTEST! (That's right, it's coming in a few days!- Get ready!)

*attended my goddaughter's Sweet 16 Ball in Marianna and took pictures

*early church, Sunday school, choir and then worked the AWANA appreciation luncheon

So...........yeah.......I've been a little busy this past week. No excuse is a good excuse. I promise to try and do better.

As I listed above, I have a contest coming up. I am going to try and start doing one contest a month. I hope to have some good (and even some homemade) prizes that will entice you to participate. I must admit, my March contest will be mostly for those who live in Chipley or for those who visit regularly and know the area pretty well. But, like I said, I'll be doing a contest once a month, so if you don't get in on this one, you'll be ready for then next one.

I hope to be posting some pictures of the Sweet 16 Ball soon. I want to wait and let the girls (and their mothers) see their photos before I post them. But, I'll have them on here as soon as possible.

I also have another photo opportunity coming up next Sunday afternoon. I'm excited about that. And then I have another one lined up the following Saturday over in Marianna. So, be on the lookout for several photos in the near future.

OK, I'm signing off. Over and out!

Happy Sunday!

http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=e559ff65d476804cbdf6

Faith

2009-02-16T13:32:00.003-06:00

I know that many of you who read my blog know of the trials I have been encountering for the past four months. First of all, I never thought I would be directly affected by the state of our nation's economic crisis. Secondly, I certainly never thought I would have yet to find a full time job. I have searched diligently, and still..................nothing. But, amazingly to myself and others, I still have a peace within me. I know my current situation would throw many into a deep depression, and yet, here I am today, four months into a trying situation, still praising my Lord and Savior. I praise Him for who He is. I praise Him for what He's done for me throughout my life and throughout my situation. I praise Him for all the others who have been blessed by my faith in Him. What I am going through is very uncomfortable, but I know that He is using me to encourage others. I want my life to be a testimony to those who are going through the same thing. I want others to know, they too, can count on Him to sustain them, just as He sustains me. Sure, I would like for my situation to be different, but more than that, I still want to be in the middle of His will for my life, even if that means employed part time. We are learning to trust Him more through all of this. Maybe that's the lesson He has for us in it. He has provided "just" what we need as we need it for the past four months and I know we can trust Him to continue to take care of us.

So, today I searched my Bible looking for encouragement regarding faith. This is what I found...

Faith is defined in a practical way in Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The writer of Hebrews illustrates those who took God at His word and had faith in what He said.

What exactly is faith? It is confidence. It is believing. It is trusting. The importance of having faith to believe can hardly be overstated: "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him", says Hebrews 11:6. 2 Chronicles 20:20 tells us to "........Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld....."

How can we, no matter what our circumstances, not show faith in a God that is so faithful? The evidence of His faithfulness surrounds me in my everyday life. It is obvious to me in even the smallest things from day to day. And I find such joy in sharing it with others.

I know that others are being blessed by Him through me (which in turn blesses me like you wouldn't believe!) and I am willing to go wherever He leads me to further His kingdom. If seeing my reactions to my trials blesses someone else and/or brings them to Him, it is all worth it and my uncomfortableness is not in vain. To God be the glory! Forever and ever, Amen!

And I leave you with this:

For great is His love for us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord.
Psalm 117:2

http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=92ac1e43b57340fd30d8

Whew!

2009-02-10T10:18:00.003-06:00

It's amazing how much one forgets....................

I am the mother of two boys, ages 20 and 16. I had my children when I was young. I was 20 when I had David and 24 when I had Michael. I was young and resilient. Or maybe it's just been so long, I don't remember how frazzled and tired I was?!

Either way, it's amazing how one forgets all that a baby brings to your home. In as much as there is cuteness, there is chaos. Likewise, as much joy...the same amount of jolted nerves. And as much happiness and giggles....also comes helplessness and wiggles, while you're trying to feed them, changed them and dress them. I am exhausted.

I have been keeping our friend's 10 month old girl for the past two days. She is adorable, funny and precious. She is also demanding, speedy (on her hands and knees) and tireless! I had forgotten how much doesn't get done when you have a baby in the house. At first it kind of bothered me to not be able to keep my normal routine, but then, I decided to just relax and roll with the flow. And another thing I had forgotten.......when you relax.....they relax. Oh, yeah. So, it really is just like riding a bike.

But, my point is, today.........I am SO thankful for the "Mother Stage" I am currently in. I am enjoying watching my boys do for themselves, be self sufficient, reaching their goals, being independent. No, they don't do everything perfectly. They don't keep their rooms clean or the towels picked up off the bathroom floor, but they do fix their own snacks when they are hungry and entertain themselves. And for that, today, I am thankful!

To all you new moms with little ones in your home, I salute you and I will pray for you!

And the WINNER is......

2009-02-06T21:18:00.018-06:00

Cathy!!

Cathy and Leah BOTH had 12 out of 14 right! GREAT job! Cathy and Leah's names were put in a bowl and Michael drew Cathy's name, determining the winner.

Jeremy, you had 8 right out of 14. Nice goin'!

I sincerely hope you all had a good time with this. I will definitely be doing this one again soon.

Now, without further ado.......here are the contest pictures in their original state.

1. Feathers (from the goose on the bottom left corner of this shot.)

2. Lake

3. Metal Roof

4. Pampas Grass

5. Sweet Gum (ball) seed pod

6. Wooden Door Knob

7. Chicken Wire (door)

8. Spigot

9. Terra Cotta Pot

10. Car Dash Speaker

11. Deer Chest (FYI - I have never/would never take a picture of an animals....um....backside!)

12. Rusty (garbage can) Lid

13. Painted (tongue and groove) Wood

14. Frost

Congratulations to Cathy............AND to Leah! And definitely HONORABLE MENTION to Jeremy as well!!!

I pray each and every one of you have a blessed weekend!

Steamy Hot Goodness

2009-02-05T11:05:00.003-06:00

It's freeeeezing! (in case you didn't get the memo!) I woke up this morning to 19 degrees outside. Brrr! Last night I threw not one, but two extra blankets on the bed. It was so nice and toasty, I sure didn't want to get up when that evil alarm clock went off. I do not like to be cold. Cold just, well, hurts.

I have numerous blankets in my living room. I have a couch with two blankets, a love seat with one blanket and a single recliner with one blanket. We are not "blanket poor" at my house. No Sir-E, Bob!! We, with the exception of Michael, my youngest, are all coffee drinkers at my house too. Nothin' says, "Ah!" like a fresh hot cup o' Joe! We have a cup in the morning (ok, sometimes two), a cup in the afternoon and then a cup of decaf or "half-caff" in the evening.

But on days like today, where it's nearly noon and the temperature has only reached 31 degrees with a wind chill of "OH, it's cold!", I need more hot fluids to warm my innards! (is that a word?) I like to switch up and drink different hot liquids. I love me some good, rich, frothy dark hot chocolate. And I like hot tea too, but I really have to be in the mood. I'm not a big hot tea drinker. But, last month when I went to Kentucky for my nephew's wedding, I found a new favorite hot beverage. It's caffeine free and it tastes delicious! It really hits the spot on days like today. If you like hot cider, you should give it a try. You won't be sorry, I promise!

Brain Challenge

2009-02-03T18:18:00.020-06:00

OK, I'm going to take a stab at posting a game. The prize isn't much, but the fun will be in playing the game anyway, so I hope you'll play and have a good time. Me and my dear friend, Kim went "shooting" the other day, just taking random shots of whatever. I wanted to get creative with what I captured so I thought I'd make a game out of my pictures. Since Valentine's Day is fast approaching, I am posting 14 pictures and you have to try and guess what they are. You will have to post your answers as a comment in the correct order. So, you will need to number your answers and put your guess beside the number. I will take entries until 9:00 p.m. on Friday, February 6th. If I have more than one person with all the correct answers, I will draw a winner, to be announced by Saturday morning. If no one guesses them all correctly, the person with the highest number of correct answers will be the winner. Be sure to leave your name when you comment so I will know how to contact the winner for delivery of the prize. Like I said, the prize isn't much, but I found the little trinket to be quite appropriate with Valentine's Day right around the corner. (And remember, you can always click on any picture to make it bigger. This might help you figure out what some of these are.)

Good luck and have fun!

Here we go:

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

Oh, and here's the prize, in case you were wondering....................

Maybe Wednesday?!

2009-02-02T21:37:00.002-06:00

I'm so sorry I haven't blogged in so long. I have every intention, but then........life happens. I promise to post something on Wednesday. It's my next day off and it may be early or it may be late at night, but I will post "something", none the less. And I intend to have pictures with it.

I took some random shots the other day with one of my dearest friends. We had a good time, ridin' and talkin' and shootin'. I love days like that. I'm trying to turn these photos into a contest. I think it would be fun. But here's my dilemma........

#1 What can I give for a prize and would it be good enough for anyone to "want" it?!
#2 I don't know/think enough people look at my blog to even try to win a prize, so why bother
#3 Would anybody really play my silly little game
#4 How would I go about getting "the prize" to them?

So, I'm pondering.

I will do the game. It'll be fun for whoever does play it. The prize won't be much, but the real prize is in playing the game anyway. And I shouldn't take life, or this blogging/game/prize thing so seriously. Hey, if nobody plays, I guess I win the prize!!! hahaha!

Hope you'll come back Wednesday to play..........

There's Just Something About That Name

2009-01-29T09:05:00.002-06:00

I'm starting you out with a video. The quality isn't that great, so you might want to do like I did and just close your eyes and listen and really let the words and music settle into your mind and heart.
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=49de636f2e6896f39d35

There truly IS just something about "that" name. HIS name. Jesus. But that is, by far, not His only name. He is so very much more. I can think of so many other names for Him. As I go through my day, as I pray at night, as I make my requests known to Him, as I pray for others, as I tell others about Him - I realize just who He is to me.

Leave me a comment and let me know if you have another name for Him that is special to you or that He is to you that I didn't name. I'd love to hear it, just like I love to hear His name, Jesus!

Here's my list:

Healer (Psalm 103:3) My Shield (Psalm 144:2)
Spirit of Truth (John 16:13) Restorer (Psalm 23:3)
Redeemer (Isaiah 59:20) Helper (Hebrews 13:6)
Refuge from the Storm (Isaiah 25:4) Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6)
Deliverer (Psalm 70:5) The Lord Who Heals (Exodus 15:26)
Eternal Life (1John 5:20) Love (1John 4:16)
My Strength (Psalm 43:2) Wonderful Counselor (Isaiah 9:6)
The Lord Who Provides (Genesis 22:14) Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5-6)
Shelter (Joel 3:16) Hope (Psalm 71:5)
Lord of Peace (2Thessalonians 3:16) Stonghold (Nahum 1:7)
Friend (John 15:15) God of Comfort (Romans 15:5)
Living Water (John 4:10) Bread of Life (John 6:35)
Advocate (1 John 2:1) Strong Tower (Proverbs 18:10)
Hiding Place (Psalm 32:7) Everlasting Light (Isaiah 60:20)

And one of my all time favorite and most comforting - Resting Place (Jeremiah 50:6)

If you will take time to really think about each of these names as you read over them and really think about Him being this for you, you will be amazed at just how present He really is in your life. He is.......... He said so. He said, "I AM". And I believe that with all my heart. He is....all these things to me. And I couldn't make it through life without Him as each and every one of these names I call Him. I am so thankful for who He is in my daily life.

So, are there any names you have for Him? What and Who is He for you and in your life?

Here is a parting gift to you as well. Sit back, take it all in and enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5i2pELpqBg&feature=PlayList&p=FEA2D089D3E05D6D&index=0&playnext=1

He spoke to me

2009-01-22T11:26:00.004-06:00

I am "off" work today. Well, from cashiering anyway. I'm at home today working twice as hard for half as much. Wait, no, for free. My day started like any other as I hit the snooze button for those illegal but MUCH needed extra ten minutes. I got up when the alarm went off for the second time. Feed the cats, check. Start the coffee pot, check. (TRY TO) Wake Michael up, check. Pour a cup of coffee and sit it in the living room by my reading chair, check. Call Michael a second time, check. Go back to the living room, sip my coffee and read my devotional, check. Back to Michael's room to make sure he's up and functioning, check. Check the time, check. Dressed, teeth brushed, check. Holler for Michael to "load up", check. Then I took him to school and came straight back home to face a day of cleaning.........my house, and my mind. I love being home by myself with the Lord. It's wonderful to give Him my undivided attention. As soon as I got back home, I turned on my praise and worship music and started cleaning. I do much more than whistle while I work, I praise Him out loud with everything I've got! It feels so good to worship Him in this way and whether He's laughing or not, I know He enjoys it too. The way my voice sounds today, I'm pretty sure He was laughing. I've been sick for almost a week now and my voice sounds like that of a 13 year old boy going through puberty. *sigh* It didn't slow me down though. We got a lot done today, me and the Lord. I've been needing to get some stuff off my chest and He's always ready to listen. Well, today, He did more than that!!!

I finally stopped at 11:30 to eat some lunch (never did make time for breakfast). I sat there with my hot dog in front of me and bowed my head to thank Him for this awesome day with Him, I thanked Him for the strength, energy and determination to get my house spic and span, I thanked Him for how much I got done in so little time, then I thanked Him for my part time job that allowed us to have just enough money to buy these hot dogs. Then, as my hot dog started getting cold (and I really didn't care) I started talking to Him about how I know He wants us to pray specifically when we pray for "things" in our lives. So, I said, "Lord, I WANT a full time job! I want a Monday through Friday, 8-5 job, with benefits." and before I could finish my specifics, these words came out of my mouth..............."I AM ENOUGH" It threw me for a loop!!! That was not part of my prayer! But before I could grasp what I just heard myself say, I just thanked Him for being enough! It was unbelievable, amazing, unreal...... No I didn't hear Him speak. I didn't hear His voice, I heard my own! He spoke through my own prayer!! At that very moment, I opened my eyes, I don't know, as if maybe I thought He might actually be right there looking at me. It felt like it, anyway! I was overwhelmed with emotion. I laughed and cried all at the same time. I know, that sounds weird, but it's what I did. Have you ever laughed through a cry? Well, now I can say I have.

He spoke to me. I have NO doubt. It was my voice, but very obviously HIS message!

Wow! What an awesome God!!!

I hope this has touched you and blessed you in some way. There's no way I could have NOT shared this. I know He would have wanted me too.

Good day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Okv1vaveyPU

Staying in His will

2009-01-19T17:05:00.003-06:00

Do you remember what it was like to be a child and your parents making all your decisions for you? Our parents made decisions for us because they knew what was best. In the same way, our Heavenly Father knows what is best for us, even when we think otherwise. I am living day to day following my Father's direction for my life. It is not the path I would have chosen for myself, but through it all, I know I am learning and growing. I am learning to trust Him more. I am growing in strength, wisdom and appreciation for many different kinds of people. I have no doubt I am exactly where He wants me to be at this time in my life. I am even a little excited when I think about the possibilities of where this experience will take me in the near future. My heart is content knowing that my Father loves me and has my whole world in His hands.

So, today, I am thankful for my life, just the way it is...........in the middle of His will.

He truly is indescribable! Enjoy.........
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=fb7bc667c7b301b74d52

Without Further Ado: The reception

2009-01-13T18:34:00.013-06:00

We arrived at the reception hall and the lobby, I guess you would call it, was absolutely beautiful. It was large with large cozy furniture and a fire was roaring in the fireplace. VERY nice, indeed!

David and Haley

Me and David

Oh, and this was also in the lobby. I thought this was the cutest idea. They had a
"Candy Bar"! Four different kinds of candy in neat glass containers, each with a silver scoop. You know those little draw string bags that lots of wedding receptions have filled with bird seed for tossing at the newlyweds? Well, they had those little bags laid out on the table amongst the different containers of candy. There were Reese Pieces, Peanut M&M's, Hot Tamales and Skittles. I thought it was a neat parting gift.

Then we went inside the reception hall. Abby's cake was beautiful. Each layer was a different flavor. The bottom layer was white, the middle was strawberry and the top layer was set aside, obviously for the bride and groom to keep so I don't know what flavor it was.

This was Jason's cake. Jason is an avid hunter, so of course it makes perfect sense. His cake was chocolate. It was wonderful.

OK, now let me back up. While we were checking out everything in the reception hall the bridal party finally arrived from taking a million photos. They collected in the lobby as they reassembled for their grand entrance. These are candid shots I took as I watched them prepare for their introductions.

Jody and Becky Beale - Jason's parents

The bridesmaids

Maid of honor to the rescue. Just one of her many loving duties.

Then it was time to cut the cake

Then her next duty arrived and she delivered her toast to the newlyweds. It was so sweet. She told a story about how she and Abby had been friends since nursery school and how in middle school they had "boyfriend contracts". She said that Abby had picked Jason in the 7th grade and "vowed" to marry him. Guess she really did know, huh!? Now, you can't tell me that's not the sweetest thing ever!!!

Abby thought it was hilarious. Check out Jason's red cheeks! How funny.

Cheers!

Then, Jason's best man, his dad, took the mic for his toast. He had something "prepared", but chucked it at the last moment, as he realized "it" just wasn't going to happen. What had been prepared was just a little too deep and he knew he probably would have never made it through it. His toast was warm and heartfelt just the same even though it was "off the cuff"

To Jason and Abby

Cheers!

Yeah, Jason and David have been buds their whole life and have lots of good "growing up" memories. In fact, David was featured more than once in Jason's portion of the power point presentation of he and Abby through the years. Oh, and be sure to notice my silly brother in the background! Yes, this is the true nature of my family!

Now for some shots of everyone enjoying the reception

Here's my Michael

Jimmy REALLY enjoyed that punch. It was really good.

Jason - "working" the room

Here's one of Abby about to throw the bouquet

Abby "worked" the room too. By the look on her face, there's no telling what "advice" Granny gave her!!

And the new Mother-in-Law couldn't be happier to welcome her new daughter into her life

Well, this concludes our Kentucky trip. We packed a LOT into three short days. I hope you enjoyed the journey. I'm glad you decided to come along.

Oh, and....................we can't thank you enough, Aunt Cereal! We love you!

Posting Question?!?

2009-01-13T16:25:00.003-06:00

OK, folks. The ceremony went off without a hitch. Now it's time for the reception. I have 32 pictures to share with you. Now, my question is...........do you want them all at once? Or half at a time? Or maybe 8 a day for the next four days?! Let me just warn you before you decide.........I have AWANA at church tomorrow night, then choir practice. Then Thursday night we start our new Beth Moore women's Bible study on Esther. This means it may be several days before we finish this up.

When I get atleast 3 comments regarding this post, I'll decide which one it's going to be.

I'm waiting!!!

You are cordially invited........

2009-01-12T16:50:00.006-06:00

OK, let me come clean..........I didn't actually take any pictures "at" the wedding. I just didn't feel right doing that. I wanted to be completely consumed by the moment and ball my eyes out and sniffle and snort (I AM the proud Aunt, after all!) and I knew having the camera there would have taken away from that. So, these photos are "stills" from my brother's camera. They are good shots, none the less. Hope you enjoy them.

Mr. and Mrs. Jason Beale!!!

The bride and her daddy, Owen

The bride and her mom, Jenny

Mr. and Mrs. Jason Beale and the Dickens girls

Jason, Dad and Mom

Mr. and Mrs. Jason Beale AND Mr. and Mrs. Joseph (Jody) Beale

Mr. and Mrs. Jody Beale, Mr. and Mrs. Jason Beale and Granny

And now for my favorite "candid" shot....................

I don't recall it being hot in the sanctuary. And.........the ceremony was already over, so it couldn't have been nerves (unless Jason has severe delayed reaction!), but for some reason, Jason was melting like a Popsicle in the middle of July! His (new) wife was fanning him, his mom was looking on nervously and even the photographer was puzzled, as Jason wiped the sweat from his brow. Poor fella. His ears were even beet red.

OK, so now you've seen the wedding. Hope you'll stop back by tomorrow and join us for the reception. I'll save you some cake!

Wedding Day Sight Seeing....

2009-01-11T13:29:00.008-06:00

Saturday morning we all got up and headed down for our continental breakfast. It was pretty good. They even had a waffle iron and batter and you could make your own waffles! Haley made waffles for all of us! They were very yummy. They had fresh fruit, a couple of different kinds of juice, coffee, hot tea, oatmeal, dry cereals, bagels, sausage, a variety of danishes, and muffins. It was a nice start to a wonderful day.

Our first excursion was to the High Bridge Park. On the way there, we kind of got turned around a little but I still got some neat shots of where we first ended up. Here, this is what we found off the beaten path. I just thought these were some good photos.

I don't know what this used to be, but it was enormous!! Oh, I wish you could have seen it!

OK, so then we got back on track and headed down the right road to the High Bridge Park.

Once inside the park, you walk out onto this:

Once you reach the end, down there, THIS is what you'll see:

Then to the left:

Then a little more to the right:

The view was breathtaking! These photos do the view NO justice! This water is the Kentucky River. Personally, I think they should call it Gatorade River. Well, it looks just like Gatorade!

Then, to the right:

Oh, hey. Yeah, "CHEESE"! OK, now move! I'm trying to take pictures!!! (Just kidding!)

Now, then to the right............

The majestic High Bridge railroad structure, considered an engineering marvel of its time and featured by the Smithsonian Institute, is an honored landmark that spans the Kentucky River at the breathtaking Gorge and Palisades. When built in 1877 it was the highest railroad trestle in the world.

OH, MY!!! It's nearly NOON! The wedding starts at 2:00! There are 3 of us girls having to get ready for the wedding!

So, we hurried back to the room and started primping.

See ya'll tomorrow, at the wedding! (I know, I've held ya'll off yet another day!)

Kentucky Road Trip Part 3 The Rehearsal Dinner

2009-01-08T16:36:00.007-06:00

It's a good thing we made good time. We had just enough time to stop by our "place" to freshen up before heading to the rehearsal dinner. We had about 15 minutes to spare. So, we finally got there and.......................

Everyone was lining up for dinner. It was buffet style. Everything was yummy. We had ham, turkey, scalloped potatoes, baked beans, broccoli casserole, rolls, and cherry cobbler. Not too shabby!

It was nice to mingle and get to meet all of Abby's family. Oh, yeah, by the way......Abby is the bride. She and her family are all SO very nice. Her father is a Hebrew professor at Asbury college. The rehearsal dinner was held at one of the student halls and we stayed in a townhouse on campus and the wedding was held in one of the chapels on campus. It was all very nice.

OK, back to the rehearsal dinner. Come on, I'd like to introduce you to some folks.............

This is my brother, Joe (we call him Jody) and my sister-in-law, Becky. (Jason's parents)

I think everyone reading this probably already knows who these adorable people are!!! But, just in case....it's me and Jimmy.

A shot of me and my brutha.............

And me and my mutha.........

Here's one of the cousins. Jason and David and their ladies!

This is Jody, Becky and the bride's mother.

Me and Becky, sharin' the love........

Two of the most important men in my life!! (Gush, gush!!)

OK, now for some after dinner shots.........

This is Abby with her maid of honor and brides maids. Abby is the one in the middle with the gray sweater on. Her maid of honor is the redhead on the far left side. The two women on the far right are the bride's sisters.

This is Jason and his groomsmen. His dad, Jody, my brother, is his best man. He was busy running around and missed out on these photos! All these fellas, except the far right one, are his college baseball teammates. (I think)

And this is the guys being................well............"the guys"!

See ya'll tomorrow at the wedding!!!!

Kentucky Road Trip (Part 2)

2009-01-07T20:15:00.004-06:00

You see some pretty interesting things when you travel. We saw two especially interesting, uh, I guess you would call them.......landmarks?! There was this: (at the Alabama/Tennessee line)

And then there was this: (in Tennessee)

"They" say it's a real life size T Rex and the thing behind it to the left is a lift to the top of that mountain.

(Please excuse the quality of these photos. They were taken through a dirty windshield! and going 80 miles an hour. Hey, I did the best I could with the resources I had!)

I just thought this was neat because the trees grow right out the side of the mountain. I thought that was pretty cool. I mean, how much soil can there be inside a mountainside?

The song says, "the sun'll come out tomorrow", but we didn't have to wait that long.

It shown on us for a good fifteen minutes!

Just enough to let us know it was still there......somewhere. It turned shy and hid again behind another cloud for a while.

We stopped in Bowling Green, Kentucky for lunch. Our car had some "soup" too. We only had about 2 1/2 hours left to go. Oh, and the sun finally came out in full force and it was a consistent 50 degree average for three states. Nothing but snoring and slobber from the back seat since our lunch stop. Jimmy and I, we were getting delirious. Everything is funny when you're going on 2 1/2 hours of sleep.

We made excellent time to Kentucky with only 1 fill up, 1 "top off", a 20 minute lunch and three bathroom breaks. We ended up making the trip in 11 hours instead of 12! WooHoo!

Once we got into the mountains good (Tennessee through Kentucky) I saw so many awesome old barns on the mountain sides. I wish I could have photographed them all. It's kind of impossible to do riding down the road at 80 miles an hour! But I deeply appreciated the character of each and every one. I reflected on the time of their raising and then to see the historic skeletons that remained. I wonder about the stories they could tell if I could have only stopped for a spell and interviewed each one. If walls could talk.

Oh, and we drove right through Washington County! Kentucky, that is....

11 hours in the car, 2 1/2 hours of sleep.........my head felt like it could roll right off into the floor board and I kept having to "turn the other cheek" ---- IF you know what I mean!?!

Once in Kentucky real good there were lots of black barns. I was curious to know and had to ask a local about them. I was told that all the black barns are/were tobacco barns and they are black to keep the heat in to dry the tobacco. They were actually kind of pretty. And all the black barns were HUGE!

Hmmm, learn something new every day!

Be sure to tune back in tomorrow. I'll be taking you to the rehearsal dinner!

Until then...................

Kentucky Road Trip

2009-01-06T18:59:00.007-06:00

Friday, January 2, 2009.

4:30 a.m. and we're all in the car off for a Worley Family Adventure. Headed for new territories. (Well, new to us anyway!) We're on our way to Kentucky for my nephew, Jason's, wedding. Jason is my brother's youngest son. He just graduated from college and is starting a new chapter in his life. And we wouldn't miss it for the world!

I always considered my car a roomy sedan. That was, until five of us and all our gear, snacks, pillows, electronics, books and, and, and............all piled in there. And the longer we traveled, the smaller it seemed to get. It went from roomy, to cozy, to, well......cramped. But we all wanted to go to Kentucy so badly, we made it work.

Around 5:30 a.m., somewhere on the other side of Dothan, the sun peeked out for a few seconds to greet us with a new day. It was a really fresh crisp morning. Wonderful travel weather. Just really overcast.

10:00 a.m. we stopped in Blount Springs, Alabama, just North of Montgomery, to refuel and stretch. This guy met us out front of the very old but still functioning store. I felt like we stepped out of our car right into the 70's.

He (we'll just call him Tom) greeted us at the car door and talked to us the whole time we pumped our gas. No doubt telling us about the area and asking us where we were headed. I scratched his head and thanked him for the info. He meowed again a few times as we were all loading up to get back on the road as if to say, "Ya'll come back now, ya hear!"

The weather was overcast pretty much all day. We hadn't seen the sun since Chipley the day before. It was real nasty weather all the way through Montgomery. Good sleeping weather obviously!

I-65 was insane with exits every which way. I'm glad that Florida interstates aren't that way. Go, FDOT! Jimmy said he felt like we were trying to maneuver around in a big bowl of spaghetti!

Next stop........................Tennessee!!!

Check back tomorrow for the next installment of our adventures to Kentucky!

Technical Difficulties

2009-01-06T17:10:00.002-06:00

I have nearly 100 photos I'm dying to get souped up in Picasa so I can post them on my blog. However, Picasa and I have been duking it out for two days. I don't know what the major malfunction is, but only this evening have I had any type of luck at all. I don't know if it's them, or me, but something's got to give.

I hope to have a post for you about our Kentucky trip by the end of the week. I'm working on it, I promise! Keep checking back.

2008 in Review

2008-12-31T10:05:00.002-06:00

It's amazing how much faster the years go by the older one gets. 2008 was nearly a complete blur. It has been full of ups and downs just like all the years before it. I recall 2008 being a rather "funky" year though. Here, let's take a look....................

We rang in 2008 at home. It was me and Jimmy, David and Hannah and Michael and Nicole. We all smooched in the new year, just like "they" say you should. Jimmy and I are the only couple still, well, a couple.

February, David and Hanna broke up. Sure, you say, "that's what kids do". But this wasn't just any break up. It's not like they had only been dating a little while. No, David and Hannah had been dating for 4 years. It was a very difficult time for everyone. Difficult for them as they started new lives without each other. And even difficult for the rest of us. Hannah had become part of our family. After 4 years, you kind of get attached to someone. But we all recovered and moved on with life. We all grew.

Don't know exactly which month the economy started going completely insane and the gas prices went off the charts, but I just know that for what seemed like an eternity, we all suffered with $4 a gallon gas. Ridiculous!!! We trusted the Lord to sustain us.......and He has. We grew.

In June, I got a $3 an hour raise! Yeah! WooHoo! It felt GREAT to be so appreciated. I gave Him all the praise and glory!!! I grew.

In July, my oldest baby, David, had a milestone birthday. 20 years old! He is growing into a fine Christian man. He grew. (and continues growing!)

In August, I dove in a little deeper doing the Lord's work. I love my church and my church family. But more so, I love the Lord. I love Him with all my heart, mind, and strength. He sustains me. It was in this month that I started teaching Sunday school to 2nd graders. They are still at that age where they are like little sponges. They take in all we fill them with. It is so encouraging to ask them questions about the prior week and they have retained these gems of information about their Lord and Savior. It fills my heart! I grew. (am growing!) I also started leading 3rd through 6th graders in our AWANA program on Wednesday nights. A whole different group of girls, but they are delightful and so much fun. I have been so blessed by them. I grew. (am growing!)

In September, my youngest baby, Michael, had a milestone birthday. 16 years old! And driving! Look out! With new freedoms.......he grew. (my prayer life increased even more! I grew!)(am growing still!)

In October, I was laid off! Ouch! Talk about a SHOCK! Well, I guess I really shouldn't have been that shocked. They had already laid off 12 in our Tallahassee office. I was the first to go in our Marianna office. I didn't fret though. I knew the Lord was in control of it all. We grew.

In November, Michael and Nicole broke up. They had been "dating" for 2 years. Again, it was strange not seeing them together. You rarely saw one without the other. Losing that "first love" is really a hard one. It's painful to watch your child suffer. But, with prayer and lots of love from family, Michael grew.

In November, after 5 weeks of searching, I finally found a part-time job. I don't feel like it is the end all/be all job, but I have no doubt that the Lord put me in it to share Him with others. Every day I encourage people I encounter and invite them to church. I offer to pray for them and their needs. I am growing.

December found us with a pocket full of pennies being pinched so hard their scream was deafening. But, we have been sustained! We are growing. We have put all our faith and trust in the Lord and He has provided EVERYTHING we need. We have not gotten behind on our bills, we have had plenty to eat (if you don't believe it, just look at me! ha!), and we even had a plenty for Christmas. It was not the lavish Christmas that many have, but it was just right. Instead of lots of junk and electronics, we kept it simple. A few new articles of clothing and "needed" items. We had a nice dinner together and spent quality time together with family and friends. And you know, I think this is the best Christmas we've had in some time. We grew. Also this month, Jimmy passed his Contractor's test! God's blessings have been evident throughout this month. His provisions are glorious! We grew.

Here it is, the very last day of December 2008. As I reflect on the ups and downs of the past year, I count my blessings. 2008 was chock full of them. The movement of the Lord is so evident as I look back. Our growth as individuals and as a family is remarkable.

Thank you, Lord for all the blessings you've given each and every one of us. Please help us to seek You first and in all things. Help us to be thankful for all things as Your will unfolds before us. I pray that you would keep us all safe and healthy in 2009. Please help us to share You with all those who don't know you. Lord, please bless all those who are fighting illness, loss of jobs, loss of loved ones, those who are lonely and those who don't know You as their personal Savior. Lord, I offer these prayers of thanksgiving and these petitions up to You. And it is in Your Holy and Precious Name I pray, Amen.

And may the new year be filled with blessings at every turn! Happy 2009!

Building anticipation.......

2008-12-30T22:33:00.002-06:00

I am SO excited! On Friday around 5:00 am we will be hitting the open road! ROAD TRIP!!!
My nephew is getting married in Kentucky. No one in my immediate family has ever been to Kentucky, so we are all very excited about this new adventure. I will have my camera charged up and raring to go! I will return with LOTS of photos to share with the three of you who read my blog. I know, oh, JOY and rapture! hahaha!

I plan on driving the first leg of the trip. I understand that it's pretty much a straight shot through Alabama. I plan on driving the first 300 miles to be exact. No need to take any pictures going through Alabama. We've all been there, seen that.

And the weather is supposed to give us some SNOW!!!! on Friday night and possibly Saturday morning. The wedding is at 2:00 pm.

I promise to deliver lots of great photos upon my return. Check back here to see our road trip and the wedding and reception pictures.

Adios!

PS - Tomorrow, between laundry and packing for the trip, I do plan to blog and interject about 2008, if anyone is interested in my ramblings!

Anything but dressing and ham!!!

2008-12-27T21:45:00.002-06:00

Well, last night we had our last "official" Christmas dinner. Ham, dressing, giblet gravy, cranberry sauce, collard greens, fried okra, crescent rolls, pecan pie.............the works. OK, it's "official" alright........I am SICK of this type of food. Bleckh!

When I got home from work tonight I fixed me a grape tomato, cucumber and celery salad with balsamic vinaigrette and a bowl of green grapes and a celery stalk with peanut butter for dessert! Ah.......... light and refreshing! I feel MUCH better now.

I've been thinking about how "bad" I have been since my "relapse" at Thanksgiving, you know, the one where you give in to the "holiday" and just, well...........GO FOR IT! I know, that's so wrong and not good. I know that gluttony is a sin. And yet, I went there...........again. Yes, I am ashamed. Surprisingly enough, from Thanksgiving through Christmas and all the feasts in between, I only gained about 6 pounds. I need to lose 50, mind you, but I was rather relieved to only be 6 more pounds to the positive.

I have decided that there is no time like the present and I am choosing to not wait until my new year's resolution list on January 1st to kick this new lifestyle off. Today is a perfect day. Today is the first day of the rest of my life. I've started.......................Today!

So, for all of you out there reading this who know exactly where I'm coming from as I sit here trying to pump myself full of enthusiasm, I just want to say....................Thanks for always loving me just the way I am! I love you all back SO much! But, today (anyway!) I am choosing to, well, just do a little better.

Here's to the new year that I pray will be full of blessings for us all!

Christmas 2008

2008-12-27T01:29:00.006-06:00

Merry Christmas
2008

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung from the bookcase with care (well, I don't HAVE a chimney!) in the hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there..................

Poor Santa didn't get any of my homemade goodies. What I didn't deliver to family and friends got gobbled up before the big day! Fig Newtons were a quick substitute. Obviously not his favorite. He left one and some. hahaha!

That afternoon we celebrated Christmas some more at the home of some friends of ours. Their children and our children are the same ages and have grown up together. It's unbelievable to see how they have all grown. Our oldest children are now 20! She is married with one child (this adorable baby you see in the next few photos) and David, finishing his sophomore year at Chipola, with a girlfriend.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

David & Haley (Set 4)

2008-12-22T16:48:00.002-06:00

Here's another set for critiquing. Let the comments fly.

David & Haley (Set 3)

2008-12-18T21:04:00.005-06:00

OK, here's the next set. Let me know what ya'll think. I encourage constructive criticism. I want to get good at this, so fire away!

And, thanks, J, for the good feed back. I appreciate it.

David & Haley (Set 2)

2008-12-17T19:18:00.003-06:00

Here's another round of shots. Leave a comment. Let me know what you think. Give me some pointers. Constructive criticism welcome. I'm new to this and will gladly take some pointers. Especially from my highly talented "photographer" friends. Come on, you know who you are!!

David & Haley (First Look)

2008-12-17T10:13:00.004-06:00

Last Sunday afternoon, David's girlfriend, Haley came over and I "played" photographer. I took a little over a hundred shots. We had so much fun. It was freezing that afternoon, but we still had a good time. I will put a few pictures each day for the next couple of days. I hope you enjoy these. I enjoyed taking them.

Happy Anniversary, Baby.....

2008-12-08T18:32:00.007-06:00

Got you on my mind............. (Little River Band - in case you didn't remember that!)

Today is mine and Jimmy's wedding anniversary. I found the YouTube video of "Happy Anniversary, Baby" by the Little River Band and called him up (yeah, he's out of town working. ) and when he answered, I didn't say a word, I just hit play. I only played the chorus. He was very surprised. He really enjoyed it. I wish we could be together, but, as grown ups, you do what you have to do. It meant a lot to him to know I was thinking about him even though we couldn't be together on our special day.

Thought I'd take you back a few years (Oh, give or take 20!!) and let you see what we looked like on "that" day. I know!!! Check out the 80's hair do and head piece!! It's ok. I laughed too!

But you have to admit, my Marine looks just as good today as he did then!

Hope you enjoyed these as much as I enjoyed revisiting them.

A New Heartbeat

2008-12-05T21:39:00.004-06:00

Tonight was a packed house. The production was wonderful. I pray that all those in attendance were moved by what they witnessed. I give Him all the praise and glory!

There are still two performances to go. If you didn't make it to this one, I hope you will try to make it to one of the other two. If you don't know Him, this message could impact the rest of your life. If you do know Him, I promise this message will renew your passion for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

May God richly bless you and your family this holiday season.

First Baptist Church
1300 South Boulevard
Chipley

Saturday, November 6th at 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 7th at 6:00 p.m.

What Christmas Is All About....

2008-12-05T08:11:00.002-06:00

"A Charlie Brown Christmas" is one of my all time favorite Christmas specials. Charles Schultz was not afraid to share the gospel message. He did so in his comic strip in the funny papers and also in his televised specials. That is so refreshing in today's society. Please take the time to click the link below and let Linus share with you, the TRUE meaning of Christmas.

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5TF4U36GFg&feature=related

Fun Is Contageous!

2008-12-04T12:49:00.006-06:00

A friend emailed this to me today. I have not laughed this hard in a loooong time! If you don't want to laugh yourself sick, then do NOT click on this video.

They act like they don't know they're being recorded. I can't imagine how the person recording this isn't falling down laughing themselves sick?! I know I would have been.

You may want to put on a depends before you view this.

Happy Laughing!

When is enough.......enough?

2008-12-03T12:13:00.004-06:00

This morning on the radio they were discussing another sort of, well, I guess you could call it, Christmas tradition. The topic of discussion was, "When do you take down your Christmas decorations?" I was surprised to hear some of the answers. I think I forget, sometimes, that everyone is not like me. I was most surprised to hear one lady say that she has to put all her Christmas decorations away the day after Christmas or she will "be in trouble" with her husband! Ok?! Whatever THAT means. (Poor Mrs. Bah Humbug!)

Anyway, we always do our Christmas decorating the day after Thanksgiving. That's right, you heard me. We do our decorating in our nice, peaceful, Christmas music filled home. Our whole family, together, spending quality time with each other, working together.......while so many others are fighting it out in the stores. It's just not worth it to me. You couldn't get me in a store on Black Friday for anything!

And we take our decorations down on January 2nd. It's the way my Mama always did it and it's the way I've always done it in my home. And it makes complete sense to me. I mean, it's a LOT of work to do all that decorating, so it might as well stay up for at least a month, right?!

What's your tradition on this?

Signed,

Curios about your Christmas

Incognito

2008-12-01T08:39:00.002-06:00

We drug out all our Christmas decorations. Everyone had their own assignments. Michael put the tree up, Jimmy set up the train around the bottom, I put on the lights and decorations, and then our "secret agent" arrived.

Many of the decorations on my tree are very old. I have ornaments that my mother made in the 60's, I have ornaments that I got as a child, like my Snoopy one and my Big Bird and Cookie Monster ones and several blown glass ornaments. The reason I tell you this is because I take very good care of my ornaments. I wrap each one in tissue paper before packing them back up at the end of the Christmas season. It is very time consuming, but worth it, to preserve my precious ornaments. I love unwrapping each one, as a new Christmas season starts. It's almost like, well, Christmas! I keep the tissue paper and use it to wrap the ornaments back up year after year. But, as I am unwrapping the ornaments, my living room ends up looking like most Christmas mornings..........paper EVERYWHERE!

So, as the Christmas music is playing and everyone is doing their decorating "assignment", that's when the Secret Agent arrived. I guess he wanted to make sure the Grinch didn't show up and try to foil our efforts.

Don't tell anyone about this. I would hate to know that I was the one who blew his cover.........

He really gets "into" his job

"they'll never find me in here!"

"what was that?"

"I think I've been compromised!"

"Aaaaaa! They've blown my cover!"

Where's Waldo?

and............................Merry Christmas to ALL!

Thanksgiving Recovery Efforts

2008-11-29T10:05:00.004-06:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving chock full of good food, good fellowship and memory making! We concluded our Thanksgiving festivities last night with our third and final -(thank goodness! I think I may start clucking!!) Thanksgiving dinner.

THANKSGIVING DINNER #1

We had our first Thanksgiving dinner early. We celebrated Thanksgiving with the Barfields' in Marianna the Monday before Thanksgiving. The Barfields'; that's David's girlfriend's family. They are super nice folks and their home was lovely. Their's is a rather large family and when you added our family, including my mother, there was a sizable crowd. It was nice spending some quality time and really getting to know them.

Helping with the crescent rolls

Getting ready to head out to Chipola for the Jazz concert immediately following dinner

THANKSGIVING DINNER #2

Then........Thursday, late morning, we were off to Graceville to partake of Thanksgiving feast number 2. We had this Thanksgiving dinner at the Miles'. This is the home of Jimmy's sister and her family. We always look forward to this dinner. It's good, old fashioned, down-home, the way "grandma" used to make it Thanksgiving dinner. The best food I've ever eaten since...........well............last year!! Melt in your mouth turkey, dressin' (not stuffing, but "dressin'", you know, that kind you can't even put a "g" on the end of!!), collard greens, turnip greens, butter beans, sweet potato souffle' (the kind with brown sugar and pecans on top~to die for - and dessert in itself!), potato salad, ham, corn, cornbread and rolls, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, sweet potato pie, pound cake, and blueberry delight! Wow, I feel fuller just talking about it.

Ok, enough of that. Here are a few shots from G-ville Thanksgiving................

The "men-folk" doing their outside thing

This is Jimmy's sister, Melissa and her family

Michael and his cousins, Kacy and Crystal

More "men-folk" stuff.

Jimmy and his brother-in-law, Eddie.

The Worleys' and the Miles'

THANKSGIVING DINNER #3

Yesterday evening we headed to our friends, The Eldridges', house. I took my homemade dressin', potato salad, baby limas, blueberry delight, cranberry sauce, chicken n' rice (mainly for Michael - he doesn't eat dressin'. Weird kid!), and a jug of sweet tea. When we arrived we added these items to their turkey, ham, mashed potatoes n' gravy, green beans, corn, deviled eggs, dinner rolls and chocolate cake. (Yeah, I'm starting to feel sick too.) I feel like we have eaten non-stop for three days. Everything was wonderful though. After eating our yummy dinner, we played Trivial Pursuit 80's edition. It was fun........but a lot harder than I expected it to be. (I guess the old girl's memory just ain't what it used to be!........who said that?!) Then the bad, no REALLY bad weather kicked in. The monsoons came! And there we were without an ark!

And......I must confess........by Thanksgiving dinner #3, I was, um, falling down on the job in the, uh, photo department. Sorry. I don't have any pictures to show you. I feel horrible about it! I really do. I'll try to do better in the future, I promise.

Hope your weekend is filled with, with...............everything NOT turkey!!!

Thanksgiving Blessing

2008-11-26T10:30:00.003-06:00

Praying your day will be a feast of thankfulness.......

enjoying God's abundant blessings and perfect peace.

Happy Thanksgiving!

"We have all benefitted from the rich blessings He brought to us - blessing upon blessing heaped upon us."

John 1:16

Thanksgiving

2008-11-25T11:36:00.003-06:00

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching. For 20 years we have done pretty much the same thing...............but not this year. Actually, this whole year has been rather, well, strange. Many, many changes have occured. Many "firsts" have taken place. I can certainly say this has been a "growing" year for me, my family, my friends, and even my country. OK, before I jump the track and derail my original train of thought, let me get back to Thanksgiving.......

For the past 20 years we have gone to my in-laws for Thanksgiving "Dinner" (which, in the country actually means lunch) and then I prepared Thanksgiving Supper at my house, where between 10 - 20 people come and "break bread" with us. I really like to, as they say, "Put on the dog"! I get out my fine china and my stemware, I use all my fancy silverware and serving pieces and I put out a HUGE spread. Always something for everyone. All the usual folks that attend enjoy good food and good fellowship. I look forward to Thanksgiving EVERY year. It's one of my favorite holidays.

But, this year....it's going to be......well.........very different. With me being laid off the end of October and still not employed (I'll explain more about that later) and with the in-law's health problems, we will all be going to my sister-in-law's house in Graceville. It will be fine. It will just not be the "norm". We will be going to their house for dinner and then off to Marianna to my very best friend's house for our supper meal. Again, very nice, but just different.

I am taking this experience and trying my best to learn the lesson the Lord has for me in it. He is providing not one, but two very nice, homey Thanksgiving experiences for my family and I am very thankful. He is putting us in the company of lots of people who love us, and for that I am very thankful. He is teaching me to relax and trust Him and I am VERY thankful for that.

I have SO very much to be thankful for this year. How about you? What things are YOU thankful for this year? And what are YOUR traditional (or even non-traditional) plans for Thanksgiving? I'd LOVE to hear about it.

Tag, YOU'RE it!

2008-11-24T13:46:00.004-06:00

I've been tagged..
by Kim's blog. From what I'm understanding...my instructions for this tag are to: pick the 4th picture folder on my computer; choose and post the 4th picture; explain the picture; and tag 4 other people to participate. So here is my picture.

This is a picture of Jaelynn. She is such a cutie and so cuddly and sweet. She is the granddaughter of some friends of our. I got to babysit two days last week. She is so much fun. She is 7 months old.

While I had her, I took some "Thanksgiving" shots of her to surprise her family. They were very pleased. Oh...........what the heck......here are a few more I took of her........

Now the ones that I am tagging are:
1. Nancy
2. Andrea

3. Wanda
4. (sorry to do it to you again, but..........) The Cliftons
So now it is up to y'all to pick your fourth file and fourth picture and post on your blog.

Simply Beautiful

2008-11-21T12:26:00.002-06:00

Watch this video and take a listen.

http://www.godtube.com/view_video?viewkey=ec59ef3f99da96c3ce78

Clear your mind and really listen to the beautiful words.

Ours is an awesome God!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Bella & Gilligan

2008-11-20T09:26:00.002-06:00

A while back I posted about my kitties, Bella and Gilligan and told you their story. (You can scroll down until you hit that post to see what they looked like when I brought them home. They were precious. And still are!) Well, I finally got around to taking a few shots of them so you could see what they look like today. They are SO much fun. They richly bless our lives with love and laughter.

This is Bella. She's a scaredy cat! Once she warms up to you, she's fine, but for some reason, the slightest little noise or even if you enter the room too quickly, she'll scurry away. I don't know why she does that?! She's also a GOOD hunter. She is forever bringing us gifts, right through the doggy door into the screened in back porch. In fact, just this past Monday, I kept hearing this screeching noise. My first thought was, "Oh, brother! She's caught another bird and brought it onto the back porch." So, I went out onto the back porch to see if I could help the little birdie escape and .....................right there HANGING on my screen was...........a............SQUIRREL!!! She dragged a healthy (scared slap to death) squirrel through the doggy door and released it (or he luckily got out of her teeth) inside my screened in porch! I hollered for Jimmy and Michael and they came running. They got Bella inside and closed the other doggy door so she wouldn't come back out onto the porch and I bravely made my way to the screen door closest to the poor squirrel. He came right towards me as I opened the door. I could hear the guys ( you know, my brave MEN that left me out there with a freaked out squirrel!!) inside laughing as I said, "If this ends up like National Lampoons Christmas Vacation and that thing jumps on my back you better be ready to see me go through the screen and off the deck in a dive!!!" They were rolling! But, no, the squirrel waited until I opened the door and he scurried across the screen, onto the door, across the door and then jumped onto the deck and through the lattice and shot into the woods. Mama saved the day!!!! Hurray!!!

Bella did not seem impressed. I'm sure she thought I had thrown away her gift! I just loved on her and told her I appreciated it but she was plenty for me and she didn't have to "get me anything!" hahaha.

This is Gilligan. He's our goofy male cat. He is hilarious and very playful. Lots of fun to have around. He's also more affectionate than Bella most of the time. Well, when it suits him. He thinks he's a dog and will even chase thrown toys just like a dog. Never a dull moment with him around.

And this is how they like to spend their DAYS. After a long night of prowling for gifts for Mama, they spend their days lying around being....................well.............cats. Oh, the life!

Homegrown Fall Beauty

2008-11-15T17:13:00.010-06:00

Lots of folks I know head to the mountains at the beginning of Fall to see the changing of the leaves. In an earlier blog I divulged that Fall is my absolute favorite time of year. And for many years I have been enjoying the changing of the leaves right here in Washington County. No, we don't have any "mountains" but we DO have some awesome hills. One of my favorite, especially in the Fall, is Orange Hill.

Last Tuesday morning after I dropped Michael off at school, me, with my coffee in hand, and the Lord took a long leisurely ride out to the very top of Orange Hill. The colors were magnificent! I was SO glad I had my camera with me. I really let myself get deep into the awe and wonder of God's beautiful masterpiece. He was really blessing me that day. I spent hours (literally four) riding, talking with Him and accepting gift after gift as He unwrapped them for me. As I rode to the top of Orange Hill, the song "Country Roads" by John Denver came to mind and as I sang my solo and giggled in His presence I realized I was singing about West Virginia (as the song goes) so I changed those words to Chipley, Florida. It wasn't quite the same, but it made me giggle even more. The Lord and I had a really good time talking, singing and giggling that morning. The views were breathtaking and I thanked Him every time I stopped to snap a shot. I thanked Him for the variety of colors, I thanked Him for letting me live in such a beautiful place, I thanked Him for letting me have some "time off" to be able to partake of His wonders and spend lengthy quality time with Him. (Yes, I am diligently still looking for a job - but I will have you know that I am also thoroughly engulfing myself in the blessing He has been giving me each day I am without one too. I am giving thanks even in my unemployment! He told me to!)

So, without further ado, here are the pictures I took out on Orange Hill. I hope you enjoy them too. And, like I said in prior posts, photos do NOT do His artwork justice. Yes, the pictures are nice, but it does not compare to the personal gift of seeing it with your own eyes.

Livin' in high cotton

These are some I took "in town"

For this shot I got under the tree and took the picture looking straight up

These aren't changing leaves. I also took some shots of farm life and a tractor and a few barns. Mainly things that really caught my eye as part of the beautiful country experience.

Hope you enjoyed the journey.

NO Black Friday!

2008-11-13T19:33:00.004-06:00

Last night was choir practice. The person that sits on the other side of me (not the one that tried to shake my hand and introduce himself) is a PHD. That's right, a very distinguished person with an important title..................She's a Professional Hair Dresser! Which, at this juncture in my life is of rather high importance. Now, let's proceed. She was not there this past Sunday, so she didn't get the joy of witnessing the unleashing of the "Black Beauty"! Well, at choir practice she just looked at me and with the sweetest smile said, "Who did that to you?" I just looked at her with that deer in the headlights look and she said, "Ahhh, You did it." I just nodded. She said, "Why didn't you come let me color your hair if you wanted it colored." I said, "In case you forgot...........I've been LAID OFF! Which adds up to..............NO MONEY!" She said, "You come be in my chair at 10:30 in the morning and don't bother to bring your purse." I couldn't believe my ears. The excitement of some hope for my horrid hair disaster!!!

She and her husband both work and they have four children. So, after choir practice, I ran two friends of Michael's home that he had invited to youth, then I swung by Wal-Mart and picked up a few items. I thought it would be a nice gesture to prepare a pot of my homemade chicken N' dumplings for her and her family so they could have a nice home cooked meal that she didn't have to prepare. I wanted to do this for her since she was being so generous to me in my time of NEED!!! When Michael and I got home, he reminded me that I promised to cut his hair, so I did that, THEN started cooking chicken n' dumplings. I got to bed about ten minutes til 1:00!! But it was SO worth it when I got her reaction. She seemed as touched as I was by her sweetness. It made my heart swell to know that our acts of Christian, sisterly love was not only pleasing to each other, but had to be pleasing to our Heavenly Father as well.

I was in her shop for 2 1/2 hours! My hair isn't BLACK anymore!!!! It's dark brown! Imagine that! And THAT, my friends, is why she is a PHD! (and I am SO not!) Anyway, I feel so much better and I wanted to share the outcome with you.

Hope each of you have a wonderful weekend.

The difference between BROWN and BLACK!

2008-11-11T17:17:00.006-06:00

I'm sure everyone reading this blog has been through elementary school where you learn your colors. I "thought" I knew my colors too. Here.......let's practice a little, shall we?!

This is brown

This is black

(From the front!) The one on the left is brown - the one on the right is black

(From the back!) The one on the left is brown - the one on the right is black

So, now that EVERYONE is clear on the difference between BROWN and BLACK, I'll share with you what happened this past Thursday evening. For several months we had family portraits scheduled to be taken by our very sweet, dear friend, Kim. That had to be postponed to a later date.....because of what happened. When I walked into Sunday school my co-teacher just said, "Woah! Hey! Uh......" and then when I walked into the choir room, the person that sits next to me week after week after week, stuck his hand out to shake my hand and said, "Hi, I'm Chris. And you are???" I said, "Very funny! hahaha..........NOT!"

I'm guessing by what I've told you already, you have pretty much guessed what happened last Thursday evening. And now I'm going to show you the difference between BROWN and BLACK.

The box said "Dark Brown"..................the photos show you the difference between brown and black, and my hair is NOT brown. It's more of an "Elvira Black!" You can see by my lovely expression, I am NOT amused, nor pleased with the outcome. And also, keep in mind.......this color is after stripping it with baking soda and Dawn dishwashing liquid numerous times. It ain't coming out! It's going to have to just fade over time and grow out. So, in a few months when the gray starts coming back and I look like a skunk....I guess I'll find out who my REAL friends are!

Several people have told me (you know, the ones that REALLY love me!!), "It's really not that bad, once you get used to it!" How sweet and thoughtful of them. Jimmy just didn't have anything to say for the first few days. Which I'm kinda glad of. I know his mama taught him if he couldn't say somethin' nice, to not say anything at all. Around day three he just said, "I'm getting used to it." I guess that makes two of us. *sigh*. When will I EVER learn?!

If you can't laugh at yourself, then you haven't lived!

Hope this post has made you laugh and at the same time made you think!

(I took all these photos today. I also took around 50 more - of which I will be sharing on tomorrow's post. I know you'll enjoy it!!)