Just another day at the homestead...

This started out as a stick from my sis-in-law's yard.

At the time, she told me it was English Dogwood. It comes back every spring.  I love it!

But, now she tells me she doesn't know what it is.

Do you?

Hopper Henry, you can run but

you cannot hide. Not with THAT tail!

Day lilies beginning to bloom.

Have a wonderful day!

:)

Well?

Are you ready for the weekend?

I'm waiting for someone

to tell me what I'm doing.

:)

In the meantime, see this photo:

I have no earthly idea who these

people are. They just showed up

in my computer.  Does that ever

happen to you?

Have a great weekend whatever you're

doing.  Rejoice and be glad, this

is the day the Lord hath made.

:)

Meet Zipper....

Love at first sight.

Hunter and her new horse, Zipper.

Infatuation with horses through the years....

This is Monk, her paternal grandmother's (MayMay)horse. I just about keeled over when I saw this photo.  She was one year old!  :)

Look at that face. LOL

Recently.

I'm very happy for Hunter, and I'm especially glad that she's been going to horse camp.  In fact, she's going all next week on her spring break from school.

YES, I've been replaced by a horse!

:)

Wordless Wednesday....

"The soul is healed by being with children."

English proverb

Author unknown

Have a wonderful day!

:)

Music to our ears......

at the park yesterday after school;

I received the call that baby sister

was FINE!

Me:  "Hunter, Rylan is FINE!"

Hunter:  "She is?"

Me:  "yes!"

Hunter:  "Does that mean she's smart?"

Me: "Oh, yes she is!"

Hunter threw her arms around my waist and said:

"Thank you, God!"

"Thank you, Jesus!"

It doesn't get any better than this.

:)

And, thank you friends!

Have a beautiful day.

Sunday smiles....

Rylan and Cameron (a family friend)

Rylan's neurologist appt is tomorrow afternoon.

I know we can count on prayers from you guys
and, as always THANK YOU!

Have a blessed Sunday!

:)

Little bits of my world.....

I'm late for the party, Ms Brenda's photo challenge!

A little bit of my world:

This is one of my treasures.  Painted

by a cousin of my mom's of the house

where my grandparents lived and raised

their 8 children.  I never knew my grandfather

as he passed away when Mom was 5 years

old; she was the youngest child.  When

she was born two of her brothers were in

their 20's.  I loved this house, and it broke

my heart when it was torn down.  But,

I feel so blessed to have this treasure.

Where we play when Hunter is here

unless we're in the kitchen making

cupcakes; one of her favorite things to do.

(My computer is acting up, so this is all I can offer today!

:)

Have a blessed, wonderful day!

Friday frivolities....

this one reminds me of the time

I tried to place an order at a

McD's trash can.

I'm goin' back to bed!

Have a great day.

:)

Leavin' on a jet plane....

don't know when I'll be back again.
Wanna go?  3 seats left.
:)

ah, well.

Moving on......

Got my toes did by a munchkin

the other day!

:)

Have a great day!

Wordless Wednesday...because I love her.

:)

   Thanks so much for the sweet comments yesterday, each of you give me hope and courage!

I just need to talk.....

On Sunday, I rec'd a call from a very old friend that I worked with back in the 70's.  During the conversation, she remarked that every time she goes on FB

she reads that "something else" is going on with my family.  While that

may be true, I assured her that I try to make "light" of what is happening,

and that I didn't realize I complained that much.

So, this morning I debated whether or not to write about what happened

yesterday.  But, you know?  Things happen that we have no control over,

and while I do try "not" to complain, I feel that I've made friends here

on my blog, some of whom I may never meet,  but who have been so

generous to me and my family, especially in the last 3 1/2  years since

my grandson Ben passed away.   And,

most of you have been great prayer warriors while in turn I pray

for those I know who are in need of virtual hugs, and prayer.

So, here goes.

I was sitting here yesterday counting my blessings which are MANY

when the phone rang.  It was my granddaughter, and I couldn't make

out even one word she was trying to say.  She was sobbing; I waited

and tried to let her get her bearings so to speak.  Eventually, I was

able to understand only a few words which were:

"It's Rylan, Memaw."  Oh my God, I just kept waiting,

and waiting.  Then, I could hear "at her well baby appt, the

doctor said we have to take her to a neurologist because

her skull is deformed."  Oh man.  I told her to stay where

she was and I'd be right there.  My daughter asked "what's wrong?"

and I told her what little I knew.  We both immediately got dressed

and flew out the door to St. Augustine.

When we got to where Britt was, we found her sitting on the curb

sobbing her heart out.  The girls were in the car; Patti went to

Britt and I went to the car.  Hunter opened the door and I could

see that she'd been crying also.  She threw her arms around me,

then said, "Mommy's upset but she's gonna be okay."  I hated

that Hunter knew what was going on, but of course Britt had

picked her up from school and had witnessed  her mom being

shell shocked, crying and talking to me on the phone.

To make a longer story short, Britt showed me the paper the

doctor had signed, referring Rylan to a neurologist.  The writing

said "Deformed skull,  craniosynostosis"  Unfortunately,

the doctor had told Britt ALL the things that could go wrong

including brain damage. I wish he hadn't been so blunt

because

WITH GOD, PRAYER AND GOOD DR'S RYLAN

IS GOING TO BE OKAY!!  THIS I BELIEVE!

RIGHT?

Such a great birthday...

Family

Friends
emails, cards, calls
from blog friends.

And, these bowls?

Yep.

My granddaughter has a great sense of humor!

I'm truly blessed.

:)

Happy St. Patrick's Day.....

An elderly couple were driving through County Kerry, Ireland. Irene was driving when she got pulled over by the Gardai, who asks her, 'Ma'am did you know that you were speeding?'


Irene turns to her husband, Mick and enquires, 'What did he say?'


Mick yells out, 'He says you were speeding!' The Garda said, 'May I see your license, please ma' am?'


Irene, once again, turns to Mick and says, 'What did he say?'


Once mord, Mick, shouts out, 'He wants to see your license!'


Irene gives the policeman her driving license.


The Garda retorts, 'I see you are from Kerry. I spent some time there once and had the worst date I have ever had.'


For the final time, Irene turns to Mick and asks, 'What did he say?'


Mick yells very loudly, 'He thinks he knows you!'

:)

In the beginning....

It started as a small group of 13 year old girls;

sittin' on the back row giggling gettin' the

evil eye from the preacher.

Then, as time went on;

sittin' in the choir loft

bellowing out favorite

songs 'cause we thought we could sing.

And,

Goin' to youth fellowship on Weds and Sunday nights.

Then, as the years went by:

Skippin' Sunday night services to ride through the old cemetery with the "boys" and making it back for fellowship.

More importantly, walkin' down the aisle,

tears streaming to meet HIM.

A joyful moment in my life.

I never forgot.

I never will.

And, I'll never forget going back to this church

ten years ago with my bff, Kay,  just two months

before she passed away from a long, long battle

with Leukemia.

We sat on the back row whispering, remembering

and tearing up for what once was.

Another moment in time I'll cherish

in my heart, always.

Those years led me to become a youth minister for a long time, at first with my then 5 year old daughter being the "mascot".  Those teenagers taught me more than I could ever have taught them.

:)

Have a wonderful day!



Together again....

At least for a short nap today.
:)

Thanks so much for the kind comments yesterday.
Have a wonderful afternoon!

My loves, and questions answered....

I can't believe how big they are getting!

:(

My daughter is home!

Yes, we had the "special"

Pork chops, steamed cabbage, baked sweet pots, rice & gravy.  She couldn't eat much, but I did!

Some have asked: "what exactly has been wrong with your daughter?"

Patti "had" Irritable Bowel Disease, which is significantly worse than when you hear IBS,

(syndrome).  She had had symptoms all through

her childhood and during the years the doctors

couldn't determine whether it was IBD or Crone's

Disease.  In l999, her situation became critical

and her colon had to be removed.  There were

several months of wearing the "colostomy" when

finally they decided to do more surgery at which

time, the rectum was removed and a new "pouch"

was constructed to replace the colon.  This procedure

is called "J pouch" (if anyone wants to g*ogle).

Throughout the following years, she had problems

with the "pouch" becoming infected which led to

more surgery.  Thankfully, for a while she did

really well.  Beginning around Oct, Nov 2011

more severe pain began until December 29 she had no

alternative than to go to the hospital.

She was immediately taken into surgery for an obstruction in the intestines (which is all she has); the obstruction was scar tissue, and a twist in the intestine.

Since the surgery, the pain did not lessen, consequently when she went to the e.r. last Tuesday, they found the

beginning of another obstruction.  They treated her with a tube in her nasal passage into the stomach. After

several days of this, and ginger ale, the pain is (if not completely) gone.  She'll still have discomfort from the original surgery in Dec. but THANK GOD, the pain is gone from her face, and eyes.  I'm beginning to see her

once again as the mother, grandmother, daughter we love and is meant to be.  I'm hoping to fatten her up a bit from all weight she's lost (down to l00 lbs).

I think pork chops ought to do that.

:)

I hope for those who have wondered, the questions

have been answered.

Have a wonderful day!

Mom?

As I was leaving the hospital yesterday afternoon, Patti was half dozing but opened her eyes and whispered:

"Mom? When I get home and can eat again, will you make my special meal?"

It's little moments like this;

blessings.  I count them

one by one and have
been doing so for
47 years.

Have a wonderful day!

Hope...

"Hope" is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul

And sings the tune without the words

And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;

And sore must be the storm

That could abash the little bird

That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land

And on the strangest sea,

Yet never, in extremity,

It asked a crumb of me.

Emily Dickinson

 

I'm hoping for many people today who will find comfort; the one who is weary, one who is having radiation, one who is missing a loved one, the family of the headmistress here at a private school who was gunned down on Tuesday by a teacher who was fired and then turned the gun on himself.  So many others.

And,

my daughter who is again the hospital.

 

Hope, I see it in the eyes of strangers, family and friends.  It's what keeps us united.

I'm so glad......

i turned Clyde down for that date...

Yeah.

I didn't know he was married.

:(

Laughter...

it's good fer what ails ya!

I'm babysitting today while Britt takes her mom to the dr/hospital.  Hoping & praying they find out why she's still so uncomfortable and in pain.

Please keep her in your thoughts.

OOPS, I hear Smiley callin' me!

Have a wonderful day, and laugh at something if you can!

:)

Hopper says....

it's a day of rest.

He's never so happy as when his mama, Patti, is here.
They share mutual admiration.
Have a happy Sunday afternoon!

Just for the heck of it....

Re-posting a conversation with my daughter in 2007.  We were heading home from a motocross race, and stopped for a bathroom break at:

P:    Mom, what took you so long?



Me: I was stuck in the stall.


P:   What?


Me: I couldn’t unlock the door to get out!


P:   hahahaha


Me: You can laugh all you want to, I was trying to see if I’d fit under the door to crawl out.


P:   hahahahaha (brat)


Me: Shut UP. I want a Happy Meal.


P:   What?


Me: I want a Happy Meal.


P:   Uh, okay. Are you a boy or girl?


Me: Huh?


P:   Well, you get a prize!


Me: Oh, okay, I forgot,\; then I’m a girl.


P:    Do you want apple juice, milk, or a soft drink. Hahahaha


Me:  A Coke and stop laughing.


P:    Okay, what do you want with it?


Me:  I just told you.


P:    No! What do you want to eat?


Me:  Whatever it comes with.


P:     hahahaha


MAN!! KIDS!! When they're growing up, we try to make them laugh; then when we get older they laugh at us!
 

Have a wonderful afternoon!

:)

Does anyone watch...

The b*chelor, or am I the only nut?

This one?

The one that everyone loves to hate.

Seen shopping for a wedding gown.

Makes one wonder if she really has  

been chosen, or counting her chickens

before they hatch!

More importantly, MUCH more importantly:

Sweetie surprised us with a visit!  I wasn't

able to hold her 'cause of the "rib

situation", but I love just lookin' at her!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Stay safe, and God Bless.

:)

Well, bless her heart....

Emmy Lou done found us some dates!

Meet Smiley and Gimme.

Ya'll have a nice day!