Our Christmas!

We are growing!  Therefore we cannot all be together all of the time.  Here you will be able to see our Christmas and the Christmas of our expanding family.  Hope you enjoy!
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A Score!

Lookie what I found on my excursion in NC!

Old wooden soda crates and an old wooden box!

from my favorite antique store

I LOVE!

I vacuumed them, then I took them out and hosed them down.

Boy, were they D.U.S.T.Y!!

the top box has 24 slots, I think I will put this in the scrap room and load it up with my pens and so forth. The bottom box is a Coke a Cola box and has a horizontal slat and a vertical slat making four spaces.  Maybe I will put plants in it?  Books?  Ideas?  Wish I had a steady hand to retrace the lettering on the Coke box. 

 this beauty caught my eye right  away.  At the time I did not know where it would go, but I'm loving old, chippy wood containers so I just knew that I could find a spot.

 This is where it is for now, on top of my mama's cabinet

 It needs to be filled with a plant or something....any ideas from all of you creative people out there?

I would also like to fill mama's cabinet with all white!

Wouldn't that be pretty?

white bowls, shells, candles, lights.....

yeah, dreaming again.....

little by little....

Indescribable

One of the many books that I am reading at the moment is "Indescribable" by Louis Giglio and Matt Redman.  It speaks on the heavens, stars, and our galaxy from the viewpoint of a former astronaut.  The psalmist sang that the "heavens declare the glory of God" (19:1).

A few hundred years ago, astronomers believed that there were only about 6000 stars.  Now scientists and astronomers know that there are billions and billions of stars.  As a matter of fact there are more stars in the heavens than there are grains of sand on the beaches and the deserts! 

This bit of information is mind-boggling.

Only God could do that!

Eagle Nebula

If you get a chance, please check out this book. 

Meet Eileen!

This is Eileen and a gift to me from my Secret Santa, Kevin, my future son-in-law.  I LOVE HER!!  Remember how I told you that we draw names and make that person's gift or have someone make it.  Well, this is what Kevin painted....just kidding.  Someone else painted her and OMGOODNESS. I am in love!!  He went above and beyond.  Some friends are saying that poor old Kevin probably pooped his pants when he drew my name and he wanted to make it really good and to impress me so he had someone do it.  Kevin knows that he does not need to do these things to impress me!? Right Kev?  I think he wanted it to be be perfect and perfect it is.  This is the artist who painted her and named her.  Now that I see her work, I want a rooster and a pig and a lamb.... I didn't see a lamb on her site but I can envision one in a meadow just grazing with an old fence post in the background.....

She is just sitting here on my mom's china cabinet, but she will sit on top of my hutch int he dining room where I can look at her every time I walk by....sigh.. I probably will never eat red meat again....

You really went above and beyond Kevin, but I so love her and will treasure her forever. 

Angels for a night

I work at a a school that cares about people and our little community.  Instead of our annual Christmas party this year, we dontated, collected, shopped and wrapped for a few families who are in need this year.  Whether it be financially, spiritually, or just because.

We were instructed to meet at our administrative building wearing all white or as much white as possible.  We were met at the door by the admin staff who graced each one of us with a bell to wear and a silver halo.  We were to be angels to deliver  goodies to a special family.

We were divided up into teams with instructions to knock on the door, and just say that we are the messengers delivering a little cheer. I don't know how the other teams made out, but our team felt very good about our delivery.  It is better to give than receive!  The recipients were very happy. 

It went very well!

DONE and with an "A"

YES!!  I am finished with my one class that I stressed out about all semester...And I am happy to say that I earned an "A"  YIPPEE. 

This is my research paper on the benefits of an all plant-based diet.  I "earned" an A.  I got help from Chick 1 and an editor friend on that one. Also edits from Chick 2 and her hubby on various weekly essays. And a few edits on some other essays from a fabulous friend from work.  Thanks to all of you I passed with an A!
 Plus lots of praying and ideas from my Lord and saviour Jesus Christ!!
Now maybe I can get back to my normal life of scrapping, blog stalking and my own blogging, well at least till my next class in January!!

Babies Coming, Maybe...

gigi decided to get herself a female canary.  dickie just wasn't singing anymore, so she figured that if she got dickie a wife, he would sing.   she named her lady katie. she is pale yellow and beautiful.  she got her on friday, on monday she laid an egg

tuesday, she laid her second!

wow, they work fast!!

drop out

I am sorry to say that I dropped my Algebra course today......I so did not envision this for myself, I do not like to quit, give up or anything of the sort.  I just had to admit, that I had way too much on my plate.  Plus, math is not a strong point.  I told the advisor that when I took the placement test that I probably should not of made it that far.  I was told that I barely made it to that course.  I made it to that class with 3 points to spare.....

Yeah, now I am scared off!!  Should I take a pre algebra next quarter?

Sarah and Kevin engaged!

on a much brighter note Sarah and Kevin were engaged last weekend!!  I have been so bogged down that I have not given it too much thought.  Sorry!!  He called us a few weeks prior and of course we love Kevin and are so very happy for the both of them.  God has certainly blessed us with wonderful son in laws.  We couldn't be more happy!!  Now for a wonderful, Jesus loving girl for our Pumpkin. 

barely above water

Sorry for such a long stretch with no blogging.....

I am swamped with work and school.

I've been back to work and school for almost one month now and doing both is really taking its toll on me.  I am thinking of dropping my math class.......I am so disappointed with myself.  Each day I am hopeful that I will finally catch up and begin to understand this foreign language.  Friday, I had hopes of coming home from work and reviewing a bit of math and moving onto the new stuff on Saturday.  Well, I reviewed but I forgot so much of the information that I had previosuly learned.  I stayed up till 2 am trying and finally becoming so discouraged with myself.....I fell asleep and tossed and turned the rest of the night dreaming of math formulas and no they were all wrong in my dream....bad dream.... LOL....

I got up on Saturday morning and tried again, no luck.  I moved onto the new that was covered last week and honestly I have no clue.....I decided right then and there that I give up!  I am not a quitter!!  I am mad at myself and so very disappointed......

I begged and cried and pleaded with God to tell me what to do, stick it out or be a drop out.

I moved on to my English Comp homework that I have been neglecting badly.  I did get my essay completed,well almost, another essay started, and a bit of studying in for  2 tests that are coming up on Tuesday.  So, basically I have not done any math at all this whole weekend and there is a test on Thursday.  What to do? 

a dream

I really never dream and if I do I rarely remember it.

Friday night I had a dream that I clearly remember!

It was also in vivid color.

In my dream I was standing outside looking at the sky and I was telling someone, I don't know who, how beautiful it was.  I could not stop looking at it and I kept repeating over and over, "Oh my gosh, I have never seen a more beautiful sky.  I can't even describe the beautiful colors except to say that they were yellows, pinks, and every shade of white with all shades of gray mixed in.  As I was staring at the sky, it cracked open and Jesus appeared!  He was hanging there in the air clothed in a white robe with a red sash.  Suddenly I see lots of people rising in the air almost like balloons going up.  I remember telling the person next to me, "that's not really a lot of people!"  I then wake up.  I fell back asleep and immediately went back into my dream.  I was still looking at how beautiful the sky was and I saw it crack open again.  This time I saw Jesus but His body was formed from the clouds and then His body turned into a cross.  But it was His body made out of the clouds.  I woke up again briefly and fell right back to sleep and went into the same dream again.  Me looking at the sky, the sky cracking open and His body being formed out of the clouds into a cross.  I fell back to sleep and slept for the rest of the night. 

When I woke up in the morning I immediately took this to mean the rapture.  Not so many people going up to me means that He is waiting for more.  His clothing?  Maybe the white to signify purity and the red signifies His blood?  or maybe His compassion for the world?  I felt such peace and somehow it just cemented my hope and belief even more.  God has it under control.  He is my hope!!

I do believe we are in the end times and we need to let people know that Jesus is real! He died to save us!  He is waiting for you! 

Back to School

Well school is back in session for Little E and guess who else?

Yup, me....

Week one is out of the way and I have to admit this first week was a bit overwhelming with so much information, notes to take, supplies to purchase, homework already....UGHHH

I'm still working on overcoming nagging thoughts of being the "older" person in my classes.  My Algebra class has a few older people but my English Comp class has all kids in it.  I have two chapters to review and do for math and an essay for English plus study my syllabus for a quiz on Tuesday.  Fun, Fun!!  I'm sorry to say that I will not be as active on keeping up with my blog, I will be bogged down with work, life and school.....

On a funny note:  Little E drove me to school on Thursday due to very high volume of traffic and literally no parking.  We were half way there when I noticed that I still had my house shoes on!!  I shrieked and told him to turn around and go back home.  He said, "your gonna be late Mom!"  "do you just wanna wear my flip flops?"  "No, I can't wear your flip flops, they are like boats, I'll look like a retard."  "I don't care if I'm late, I will not wear my house shoes onto campus, geez I'm already "old" I don't want to make a spectacle of myself any further!"  Good news is that I was not late......

first day of class!

Antiques

I love them!

Check out these beauties that a friend found not too far from my house.

How come I didn't see them?

They were just on the side of the road with the owner waiting for someone to pass by and scoop them up.

Not that I would of bought them but I definately would of stopped and drooled a little and gotten my fix of eye candy!

Doesn't the cart make you wonder about her history?  What was her purpose, who did she pull, how old is she? 

She will be traveling down south to live out her days on beautiful acreage.

The Western Flyer has a bit of history too I'm sure.

Isn't she a beauty?  Just look at her, she is in terrific shape for an old gal.....
I bet she's been around the block a few times, LOL

This wagon is so cute!

I'm sure it served it's purpose and still has a lot more purpose left.

I just love antiques and so happy that my friend does too!

Maybe we can go scouring someday soon?!

I honeslty do not have a bit of room, but I do love to look, dream and yes drool a little.
Thanks Jen for allowing me to take pics and posting, now you know why I take pics of everything!

I know I'm weird that way.........



to Africa with Love 2

another sewing party went on today with the girls!

I met some new people and caught up with old friends!

It is truly such a joy to be making dresses for these precious little souls.

This part of Africa is in dire need of food, clothing, shelter and love!
Oh yeah, and lots of prayer...

God is so good!  He is bringing in the women, fabric, and the finances to meet the needs for these precious little souls. 

This makes my heart happy!!

the girls sewing away

what a team; Casey and her mom Debbie

sweets from Sugardarlins

refreshemments!
If we finished a dress we got to have a cupcake and a drink....just kidding!!!
Jennifer treated us to this wonderful deliciousness just because she is so sweet!
Now the only problem- I forgot to eat mine!!

Debbie with the finished product

Now isn't this adorable?!

reflecting on summer

I have had an incredible summer!

Here are a few highlights from it.

a reunion in SC Memorial Day weekend with my Navy Shipmates

gardening

St. Augustine to reunite with friends/neighbors from Hawaii

Steph and John

saw Bridesmaids

read "The Sweetest Thing"

North Carolina with family

scalloping

two bible studies

sewing dresses for girls from Africa

Orlando

hubby's routine colonoscopy test came back  a-ok!!

shabbied up two dressers

and lined my armoire

organized closets, drawers and rooms

cleaned and cleaned

resodded our front lawn

completed a gift for my Secret Santa

did lots of research for  my geneology addiction

GNO with FTGI

made a birthday present that is coming up real soon

plus I figured out that I am going back to school

with a little financial aid help

and I will be working part time

I got a lot done but did not complete all that I wanted to do......

one armoire and one cabinet are left to shabby up

I would say that overall I got a lot done!

Oh yeah - whale moments too!!

Is this from God part IV

Oh ye of little faith! 

I am ashamed that I have/had so little faith.  Just like the Israelites.

One day I logged onto my college account and saw that I owed $668.60 for two classes.  First off I was still doubting if this is even what I should be doing or even if I wanted to do it or even if I could do it.  Plus the books where another $250.  And now I owed this amount of money?!  Am I crazy?  We had the money but could surely use it for other bills.

I gave it to God.  Two weeks passed and I looked at my account again and WHOA!  it stated $0 balance!  Financial aid had come through for me!  Or God more like it. Okay Lord, I know that you are in this and all over it!  It covered my classes and books plus some left over for next school year.

Would you consider this another whale moment?

I do!

Boboti, bible study and friends

I just love our Wed morning bible study!

The women are amazing women of God and so full of the Holy Spirit!

I return back to work real soon, so I will be sad about not being able to fellowship, study and pray with these awesome women of faith.

Normally we just have coffee but today Karen

 made us one of her South African dishes and oh my goodness it was so tasty!

It was rice with meat, spices and raisins.  To go along side of this you eat it with bananas, and a tomatoe and onion mixture.  It was really good.  Plus we had dessert.

today was "ask" and the "Holy Spirit."  It's not a specific study that we do, just basically we begin to share moments, our daily life and what we have learned that week.  Check out the following scriptures on asking.
2 Kings 2: 9-12
Luke 11 9-13
John 4:10
Acts 8; 14-19
Acts 19: 1-6
Hebrews 4:12  The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
It's okay to ask our Heavenly Father for what we need!

Is this from God part III

so now that I was signed up to go to school, classes picked out and forms filled out I began to doubt myself again.  Will I be able to do this?  Is this for me?  And on and on my thoughts swirled!  But as I went about my daily routines I would see, hear, or read this verse

"I know the plans I have for you!" Jeremiah 29:11.  I am not kidding!! It seemed that everywhere I went I would see that or hear someone say it or read it in my dailys.

Okay Lord I guess You really do know. I surrender, I will trust, I will let go. So He was speaking to me. TO ME!! 

Meanwhile one day I was waiting on my husband in a crowded waiting room at the Veteran's Hospital when my phone rings.  It seemed all eyes and ears were tuned into my conversation.  I was trying to be quiet but you know, how softly can you speak in a waiting room?  It was my dear friend Jennifer who I had not spoken to in ages and I mean ages.  She told me that she had been praying for someone for two months but she didn't know who that person was.  Then one day the Lord woke her up at 4:30 am and told her that person was me!! Can you believe it?!  Me??  Why??  He told her to call me and encourage me and to tell me that I was doing what I was supposed to be doing!  Now Jennifer had to idea what I was doing or that I had signed up to go to school.  She knew none of this.  I did not tell her right then and there either, cause everyone was listening...  I just kept repeating over and over again,  "Okay thanks, Oh my goodness you don't even know Jenn." all the while tearing up.    "I will call you later."  She also told me, " I don't know why your in a hospital waiting room but your husband will be ok, nothing to worry about." 

 OMG!!  a second time that He was talking to me, just through someone else. 
I took this to be my whale moment that I wrote about here

Isn't God so amazing?

more to follow.......

is this from God part II

so I was feeling pretty happy that I went to take the test, and I was happy that I didn't do too awful, but now I had to attend a mandatory orientation.  So now you can tell that I get nervous about the littlest things.  Well, I was a wee bit nervous about orientation!  It would be full of young people, I would be the only "old" lady there.  Do I really want to do this?  Is this really from God?  blah, blah, blah....

Again I got myself over there, and lo and behold it wasn't so bad and I was not the only "older" person there.  I then ran over and spoke to an advisor.  Just like that I was signed up for my first two classes to start in August! 

People ask me what career I will pursue, or what direction I will go and to tell you the truth I really do not know, but God does. 
I was obedient and took the first step now He will direct me each step of the way.
Oh yeah, I will also be working part time while attending college!
I can do all things with Christ who strengthens me.

a little more to follow.......:o)

Is this from God?

For well over a year I have been feeling that I needed to go back to school but I didn't want to go back to school.  My dear hubby mentioned it to me way back that he thought that I should, well I didn't take that too kindly!  "Are you kidding me?  I don't have time, I am too busy, I am too old, I don't even like school, what would I do, and the list went on and on."  Time went by, lots of time...... I have to admit that I did look up our local community college on line and just became overwhelmed with it all.  I have no higher education whatsover!  I even called and made an appointment with an advisor and became overwhelmed again with feelings of despair and I placed it on a high shelf again.....well the Lord would not let me forget or put it up high enough.  I became uncomfortable, hounded by HIM!  At the beginning of this summer I really felt Him telling me to get over there and take that test! I had to take a placement test to see where they would start me out.  I was scared to death...a test?  I will surely fail!! But wait - it's not a pass/fail test.  But still I was feeling really inadequate, I have been out of school for years.  "I can't do this Lord!!" "With Me you can."  So one day I just went, I felt if I didn't I would just absolutely pop.  When the lady said be prepared to be here 3 hours I panicked!!  What??? 3 hours??? I don't have 3 hours of knowledge in my head!!??    I prayed through each question, passage and section.  It wasn't so bad, some of it was coming back to me!  I felt at ease, feelings of peace washed over me... Oh my goodness, God was guiding me!!   
After the test my results popped up!  I didn't do so bad after all. 
RELIEF, JOY, EXCITEMENT swept over me!!
I left the exam room and ran to make appointments with an advisor and a mandatory orientation.
By this time I had already filled out my application to the college and FAFSA (financial aid) forms that was recommended to me by a staff member at the college.

more to follow!