Urgent Prayers for Our Little Man

Our little guy spent yesterday afternoon in the ER.  His temperature had fluctuated  for the past couple of days & for some reason would not stay down.  By the time he got to the ER it was around 103-104 range.  Mommy called home around 7pm to say they were waiting on the discharge to come home.

Then, all of a sudden, Tag's temp spiked to 105.  He was hooked up to IVs and tubes & then taken by ambulance across town to the hospital his pediatrician is on call. Blood work, x-rays, ultrasounds ... and still no concrete answers.  At first the doctors thought a possible colon infection, but it doesn't look like it.  

Right now, only God knows the reason why Tag's temperature will not stabilize.  Please pray with our family that God will reveal to the doctors & those attending to our 10 month old little man the reason why & that Tag's body will be healed. 

 We appreciate & covet your prayers ... 

Merry Christmas from Our House to Yours

Another Christmas has come upon us.  It seems that each year passes faster than the previous ... wasn't it just a couple months ago that we celebrated Baby Jesus' birth?  Here's what was happening in our household last Christmas:

• Mrs. 'Joe was very pregnant with our grandson "Tag" and was ready for his appearance (but not due til mid/late February)
• 'Joe was in the process of shipping out for an unspecified deployment period to Afghanistan
• Sweet Lucy was an energetic 3 year old who insisted that "Santa Clause is NOT coming to our house -- MRS. Claus will be visiting my house"
• And on Christmas Eve (our kids' anniversary), Lucy helped her Mommy celebrate their 6th wedding anniversary by sharing Godiva chocolate covered strawberries 

It's hard to believe another year has past since then.  God has been good (as always) throughout this past year.  So, here's how we find our household celebrating this year ...

• Mr & Mrs 'Joe will celebrate their 7th wedding anniversary tomorrow (Christmas Eve) with some special time set aside just for them while ...
• Lucy & Tag hang out with Granny & Grandad to prepare for Mommy & Daddy's special "Anniversary Party" tomorrow afternoon (a tradition our daughter began when she was younger to celebrate mine & Grandad's anniversaries)
• Mrs. Claus is still coming to visit Lucy, and I think Santa may actually come to visit Tag

And the true reason "why" we celebrate Christmas ... 

Baby Jesus 

Lucy told us today that she wants to much to see Jesus someday.  It brought to my mind the little children from Sandy Hook Elementary School whom Jesus welcomed home. 

Oh to come to Christmas as a little child ... 

to have the heart of a little one ... 

to want to see Him with the purest of eyes. 

Well, I have a little more gift wrapping to finish... just a few more small items to get in the morning... and leaving the cooking to Mr & Mrs 'Joe (at their insistence to do most all of our Christmas celebration dinner).

 

I'm ready to meet the Baby of Hope ... 

I'm ready to come to Him with a pure heart that focuses on Him alone ... 

I'm ready to spread His love to those I come in contact with.  

So, from our house to yours ... 

~~~ We wish you a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year ~~~

Weeping with Those Who Weep

The past few days have been a blur to our nation.  We all were shaken ... rocked ... torn apart to hear and see the news coming out of Newtown, CT on Friday.  Truth be known, none of us will ever be the same.

But most of us look on from a distance ... 

but not Mommies & Daddies, sisters & brothers, 

Grannies & Grandads, Aunts & Uncles, 

cousins & friends -- their whole community.  

Today begins the process ... laying to rest those whose lives were taken so mercilessly. I cannot even imagine.  So many unanswered questions ... so many families torn apart ... so many tears.  It has truly left me speechless and heartbroken. 

Small young children not much older than Lucy ... 

young teachers around the same age as my daughter ... 

school administration my age & older ... 

all became our heroes.  

And their families and friends and community ... all our heroes.

Although I have a breaking heart & swollen tear-stained eyes, it absolutely does not compare to what this community & its families are experiencing.  God's Word is filled with promises of His love for little children. On Friday, the nail-scarred hands of Jesus welcomed these little children Home. I truly believe that Jesus' heart broke on Friday.

He is our only Peace here on Earth. It is only through Him that we will continue to live & breathe to face each new day. It is my prayer that each of the families and their community will reach to the comforting nail-scarred hands to be their comfort & strength for their days to come.  

And that each of us will take time to hug and spend time with our precious little ones 

as often as we possibly can.  

And God shall wipe away all the tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying; neither shall there be any more pain:

for the former things are passed away.  Revelation 21:4

Prayers for Mommaw

Asking a special request for my husband's grandmother ...

Mommaw is 90 years young and not in very good health.  She is a firm believer that Jesus Christ is her Lord & Savior, and gives her praises to Him for giving her these 90 years.

October 2011

This lady sure doesn't look or act like she's

9 decades young ... 

Love Mommaw's smile

  We also ask a prayer request for my husband's Mom & Dad.  His Mom is the primary caregiver for his Mommaw ... and as you can imagine, that can be a stressful & challenging role.  Prayers for strength, encouragement, stamina, wisdom, health.  Blessings to surround them while Mommaw recuperates.

Mommaw, his parents & us October 2011

God is always good ...

God is always faithful ...

God is always.

 

Family Portraits

When I was a little girl, my parents would take me to have pictures at a professional studio. It was one of those "luxuries" that they saved their money for, and continued after my sister was born.  

Not a hair out of place ... the perfect outfit ... the "you will smile for this picture" smile ...

Whew-hoooo ... look at the birdy and say "cheese" ... look at the camera ... 

Hey kid ... what's so hard to understand about "smile" and "look at the camera"?

Come on ... we're almost done ... just a couple more ... 

 Okay ... 
 Smile one more time ... 

a BIG smile this time ...

okay, well at least we may have gotten one out of the 87 we took.

Well, Thanksgiving Day was similar to one of those professional portrait studio sessions.  "Dear daughter" decided that we needed to take a group picture ... 
G-G ... Grandpa ... 
my sister and her family ...  
the 'Joe family ...
Grandad and Granny.

So, out of the 192 pictures snapped (exaggerated? maybe not), 
here's some of the results...

1st Family Portrait with 4 generations

My parents with their grandkids

And add 'Joe and the great-grands

My parents & their girls

And of course, there were the out-takes ...
the bloopers ...
the cutting-room-floor negatives for no one else to see ...


Until now ...

Okay, so I couldn't make the "out-takes" but so *bloopery* (not sure if that's a word, but I claim my Granny-privilege on making it up)

But, no matter what the pictures may look like ... 

this is my family and the people whom I know have my back.
I can call on them anytime -- day or night -- and they will do anything for me.
And I will do anything for them.

Life is good.


And this is the man God gave me to share my crazy journey of life with ...

So, whether he's entertaining Tag 

during a photo-session ...

 

 

 

 

Or he's dancing with his Princess ...

I'm so thankful that God chose to bring us together to share our lifetime ... 

crazy family and all :)

A Time of Giving Thanks for Values & Relationships

Many of my Facebook friends have taken the challenge of giving thanks everyday for the month of November.  It's been so refreshing to read what God lays upon the hearts of others during this month... such a wide array of thankfulness I read about daily.  Although I haven't updated my status everyday with giving thanks, here is a very short list of whom I am thankful for ...

 Always first ... for God sending His only Son to leave His throne & come down to earth to die for me. I am thankful for my eternal life with my Savior.  It's all about the relationship ... not a religion.

And ... for God giving me my husband of 28 1/2 years. He has been the love of my life since I first saw him in high school... then several years later he asked me on a date... and 8 months later we eloped... and we're still going strong after being together for 29 years.  
He is my best friend, my cheerleader & even my challenger... 
supportive husband, dependable Daddy & awesome Grandad... 
well-respected, man of integrity & leader.
I'm so honored to be his wife. 
No greater role has God given me than to stand by his side throughout all these years
and the many more ahead of us.

Throughout our years ...

I'm so very thankful for our wounded warrior family. Words cannot express how much we have appreciated every prayer that has been lifted up on their behalf. 'Joe continues his physical therapy while finally teleconferencing an extensive TBI screening.  Mrs. 'Joe keeps up with his schedule (including primary doctors, other military appointments, other appointments), their adorable preschool "warrior princess" who also has dance class & other activities, and their precious "warrior prince" who is growing in leaps & bounds while teething and trying to keep up with his big sister. Never a dull moment for this family ... but sometimes it's a blessing to have just some down-time whenever they can get it.  God has some really awesome plans for this family ... and these 2 military kids are such blessings to everyone around them. 
I'm thankful to be their Granny.

Our 2 favorites

Our Wounded Warrior Family

I'm also very thankful to have my parents. God definitely knew the two people I would learn so much from & establish my values from. My parents instilled these values in me that have been my oxygen throughout my life. I've never seen anyone work as hard as they did when I was a young child -- worked 2 jobs each to support their young family.  And they are always there when either my sister or myself have needed them.  It's no wonder our daughter would spend practically every school break with them when she was a young girl. She even lived with them for a semester when she was in college. She has always had a special bond with her grandparents & the bond is carrying through into this next generation... Lucy & Tag love their "Great-Ones" and always look forward to spending time with them.  

G-G and Grandpa with their Great-Grands

Relationships don't just "happen" overnight... 

relationships aren't one-sided... 

relationships take time & are deliberate.  

I'm so thankful that one day I will see my Granny again. I am blessed that my Granny saw her first great-granddaughter (my daughter) before she went to her heavenly home. Relationships begin early in life and continue through generations. My Granny lived her testimony & really did not have to say one word of the importance of relationships. She would open her house to strangers who would be stranded in storms... 

she welcomed everyone into her home... 

she was one of the most respected pillars in our community. 

I was blessed that my parents & I lived with my Granny and my aunt for several years, and then my parents built their house just a short walk up on the hill from Granny. 
And how awesome it is that my granddaughter Lucy carries her great-great Granny's name! 

4 generations in 1986

My sister is 8 1/2 years younger than me. And although we are always at different stages in our lives, we are there for each other.  She was entering her teenage years when she became an Aunt, and my daughter & I were there when she gave birth to both of her children. We know we can always count on each other & will always be there for each of our families... 
my daughter always loved spending time with her aunt... 
and my grands love them all too.

Lucy & Tag with my sister's 2 children

I'm thankful for my husband's family and heritage ... they took care of him before God gave him to me.  He comes from a musical heritage & family... he played mandolin & sang in his family band and provided a musical release and enjoyment to everyone who heard them. I'm so very proud of my husband and proud to walk beside him in our journey of life. Although he hasn't played in the band for many years, he maintains his musical heritage through playing for his Audience of One in the various church ministries we've been part of over the past years. I'm sure our grandchildren will benefit from their Grandad's musical background.

My "future" husband on this side ... still my heart-throb

I've always said that I had a privileged childhood... and I sincerely believe that I did.  I grew up in my Granny's house & was surrounded by aunts, uncles & cousins. 
Family church time, family holiday dinners & family vacations... 
hand-me-downs, instant friends & lots of imagination... 
lasting memories, forever relationships & unending bond. 
When my husband & I moved our young family away from "home", we made sure that both sides of our families would have the opportunity to develop the lasting relationship with our daughter. It was intentional travel for us & the sacrifices we made to be with our families a few times a year. And the bond that is shared between her & our family has reaped many benefits.

My Granny surrounded by just a few of our family (I'm the blonde beside her)

There's always so much to be thankful for... and actually I've just skimmed over some of my family values in this post. So many things I know I take for granted (such as *time* to sit down & write a blog-post)... yet so many things God brings in my forefront daily.  
It's my prayer & endeavor to daily take time to thank Him for the blessings He has given to me... and to also thank Him for the challenges that come my way.  

Yes, challenges & crises come upon all of us and yet at times I have failed to thank God-Almighty for them. It's in these trying times that I grow in Him ... 
that I know I need to praise Him in all things ... 
that I ask Him to continue to mold me & shape me into the person He wants me to be.

What are some of the things you're giving thanks for at this season? I pray with whatever you're thankful for, that God will continue to lay on your heart that these aspects of all of our lives are only on "loan" to each of us here on earth. Time passes quickly.  

Seems like just yesterday I was a teenager ... 
then quickly a young Mommy ... 
and now I'm Granny.  
We are helping shape the values of the generations that follow us.  And this Granny wants her future generations to know the value & importance of relationships ... 
for these relationships are the cornerstones in our lives.

So,
From Lucy, Tag, Grandad & Granny and our household ... 

   ~~~ Happy Thanksgiving ~~~

Oh how my grands love their Grandad!

  

Hello New Friend ... Instagram

Last month Granny ventured into the 21st century ...

I got an iPhone

When I got my Blackberry in January 2011, I thought it was pretty smart ... 
but not like this iPhone I have now!

I can take better quality pics

I can share them in social media easier

I can get some pretty awesome apps

One such app is Instagram.  It may be "old hat" (so to speak) to many of you, but it is new to me. (Remember, I'm just now joining the 21st century.)  I can take a picture from the iPhone and instantly edit it on Instagram ... then I can share it on Facebook, Twitter, email, etc. 

I've shared several pictures on Facebook recently.  So now I want to share them on this blog & preserve them for Lucy & Tag to see when they are old enough to read every word their Granny has written on here ... 
okay, well maybe their children or grandchildren will read every single word 
from Granny :)

So, if you Instagram ... 
look me up & we can share some treasured pictures ... 
or just some ordinary ones too.

I have some questions on how to (or if I can) upload to Instagram ... 
maybe you can help Granny progress deeper into the 21st century :)