Keri....Sunshine Girl

My neice Keri is a special girl...
I remember her birth...just 2 months after Nate
and how she was so different than him lol
Light to carry for one thing...
and she'd bring you her diaper when she wanted to be changed..
and lay down and not move!!!
She was kinda quiet as a child...well at least we thought so,
kinda hard to get a word in edgewise when you're up against
LORI & NATE, JENI & SARAH!
She always had a beautiful smile...
the kind that lights up a room
She still does- and she shares it with everyone!
I love seeing her as a mom...she's a very good Mom too!
She went far away for college...hence the lack of pictures here...
The first time she was driving Joel home from Tulsa for a holiday...
i called her to say be sure and drive careful...she replied that she would, and that they planned to tow Joel behind the car on a skateboard!
One time she was coming home at Christmas but would not be here for Christmas Eve so we had our family party early and called it
"Keri Missus" (Merry Christmas)
There is a rumor that she is Grandma's favorite....
Of course that is hotly debated amongst the cuzins....
One thing is for sure this gal is full of surprises!!!!
WE LOVE YOU SUNSHINE!!!!

what's holding you back?

God Speaks
He directs
He tells you just what to do.
Then we....don't do it.
why?
"I know what I need to do is...."
Do you hear the call?
Do it even though you are afraid....
Do you recognize the gifting?
Step Up
Step Out
Step into it.
One small step of Faith...
GO
don't wait
DO IT!!!
Time is up.

even a bowl of cherrries has a few pits

man I can't figure out some of these things....where'd my title go?
oh well....
It was beautiful day....
started with prayer at church...
quick consult with RZ - then breakfast with LZ
then home
I changed the furniture around...ahhhh that feels so good!!!
My Mom moved furniture in all the rooms seasonally...
and so I do it too! It doesn't feel like spring until I do!
I don't think bob's Mom has ever changed her furniture in the 30+
years that i have known her....what's that like????
Talked to Bob's Mom twice and my Mom once- such a sweetie
watered all the plants I planted yesterday (O my achin back)
I sat in the sun and read (and finished), "Women of Destiny" by Cindy Jacobs
-An Awesome book.
Watched some news...and played on Blogger
oh yeah I cooked a little....very little.
This is a long night... both Bob & Sarah work late late late.
so...as Dean Martin used to say...
"well, I think I gonna go to the couch" zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

day found

Ok, I am always saying there are not enough days in the week for me....
well for some reason I thought yesterdy was Tuesday...
so today feels like wednesday....
but in reality it is Tuesday...
so I find that, indeed, I do have an extra day this week.
Now what do I do with it?

Oh I had plans. but they got cancelled, as often happens these days.
I need to plant my my gardens...but first I need dirt.
I dread going without Bob for that stuff.
I should do dishes since no one else does that around here (except April ;0)
Beds need to be set & phone calls made.
So this is it- there is no end to what I should or could do with this day...

What say you?

One picture...worth a million

YAY JORDAN & CONNOR!!!! YOU"RE BIG BOYS NOW!

rain

Rain Rain go away.... for a while ....I'm trying to have some fun in the sun!
I want to garden!
I want to walk in the park!
I want to sit thru a Tiger game and be DRY!
One day a week for rain seems fair to me....preferrably on Monday...
so that by the weekend things are dry again.

Women's Bible Studies

I have been attending Women's Bible Studies for a loooooooong time. Probably since 1978 at Kathy's house! YAY! They were the best! Now I lead them...Here's some thoughts.

I think they are a wonderful tool for a church...it brings women together...and women need to be "together" Let's face it, we no longer all gather at the river...to wash...or talk over the fence while hanging out the clothes..like our mom's did.
It's a different world now, but this remains the same...women need to be in fellowship with other women...it's how we process life, and learn to parent , and get encouragement to go on.

Today we encouraged a mother of a teen...who wanted her mom to drop everything and bring her lunch to school. The mom said no, she was at our gathering. She handled it beautifully & with love..."are you leaving me here without a lunch?"-
"No, you left yourself without a lunch when you left it on the table this morning...." She hung up and we praised her! That's great parenting! I said.

She sighed...really? I 'm reading Kevin Leman's book about raising responsible kids, and I'm changing how I do things-
SO I told her a few of my own stories...
then she asked, but did you feel guilty?
I said sometimes....at first...you have to retrain yourself as you train them.
but this is for their good.

See what I mean? she had read the book, she believed it was right, she was doing it...but she needed to hear from another Mom, "you're doing it right."

APRIL, LORI, KERI, NINA
YOU are doing it right!!!
I read your blogs and am amazed at what FABULOUS mothers you all are!
I cannot wait to see what this generation ( your kids) does for Jesus...
I know it will AWESOME!!!

ALL you other Mom's who have been there and done that, like me....Please encourage the younger Mom's around you- your words will lift their spirits and spur them on to continue the good work....the great work....the BEST work...of raising children.