Smile for the Day & Hope for the Heart

Traveling Through......

2010-01-11T18:54:00.004-06:00

I think everyone has one or more favorite verses from the Bible that have special meaning to them. I am no exception!! If someone were to ask me what my favorite verse is today I would say, Romans 15:13, Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope in the power of the Holy Spirit. This verse has brought me much comfort over the past few months and has been applicable in many areas of my life.

As I began to seek the Lord for a clear direction in my walk with Him, I feel as if He is calling me to travel with Him through the book of Psalms. I have run to these precious chapters in His Word at various times in my life. I have looked to them for refreshment, for comfort, for strength and for peace, but I have to say I was a surface reader. I read them for what they could give at that moment but I did not take the time to really study or meditate on them.

I guess maybe I am getting the idea from a recent movie, Julie and Julia, to make the commitment to blog about my travels through the book of Psalms but this is a wonderful way to help me be accountable to follow through with this commitment. I am excited and apprehensive at the same time to begin an endeavor such as this. I will still have work, two graduate classes, travels to Memphis to spend time with my mom, a grand baby coming in April, and I am sure many more reasons that I could come up with to not do this right now but I know that I am not alone in this journey and that He will help me. There are 150 chapters in the book of Psalms and I know that things will come up that could keep me from studying every day so I will set the date of May 31st to be finished with this journey.

As I write this I am smiling with anticipation of what treasures He will reveal to me as we walk this road together. :)

Let the travels begin!!!!

New Beginnings

2010-01-01T21:05:00.001-06:00

The word NEW has several different meanings:

recently made
first hand
replacing the existing one
recently discovered

The one that I like the best is the third one listed here, replacing the existing one. I think that is what happens with each new year, the old year is replaced with the new one. I am reminded that we can't go back to yesterday, last week, last month or last year but what we can do is to make the best of each day that we are given and that each day is the new day that replaces the previously existing one. I am trying to learn that each day is full of new things and that I shouldn't worry about the days to come but to enjoy the day I have been given.

I also like the definition of new that refers to things recently discovered. Over the past few months I have discovered that I can be a new graduate student and make good grades, I can handle new transitions at my job, and best of all I will be learning to be a new grandmother around the middle of April!!

I realize that life is full of new things to be discovered. As I begin this new year, I hope to look for the new things in different areas of my life with joy and anticipation.

Spring Break

2009-03-31T16:05:00.004-05:00

Spring break is always a welcome time in the life of an educator. I look forward to this week off as much if not more than the children at my school. This year is no exception. I have made some plans for the week but I have also left some time to do what ever I want. I spent some of that time today reading a book. It has been so long since I have been able to put things aside and just read for the pleasure of reading. It was so nice and peaceful to do that for awhile today.

Yesterday I went to Murfreesboro to spend some time with my son, Ben. We had a great time despite the fact he got called into work for a few hours. I did his laundry for him (what a great mom I am!!!) while he was working and then he took me to dinner for my birthday (which is Thursday) and then we walked around "The Avenue" for a little while. The day zoomed by and before I knew it I had to leave to come home. As I drove home I couldn't help but wonder where had the time gone. It is hard not seeing him more than I do but I am thankful to be able to talk to him a lot on the phone. We always have a good time when we are together and yesterday was no exception!!

I am looking forward to the rest of my week that will include more reading, organizing, maybe some shopping, my birthday on Thursday ( I am looking forward to dinner at Tornio's with my hubby) and then on Friday I leave for Louisville, KY to attend the Women of Joy conference with Angela. What a fun week to look forward to!! I am so excited to see both of my children in the same week! I started my fun week spending time with Ben and will finish it off with time with Angela and sandwiched in between is time with my wonderful husband and my birthday!!! How great is that?

Fabulous Friday

2009-03-13T11:41:00.003-05:00

Snow days are always appreciated, especially in March. We were supposed to get snow and sleet yesterday and last night but it didn't happen the way the weatherman predicted and all we got was a dusting. I guess the school system thought it would be worse than it was and decided to call off school for today. It is hard to realize that just 4 days ago it was 80 degrees and spring fever was being felt by a lot of us. Now, I look out and see a dusting of snow and a temperature of 35 degrees.

I was reminded of the 8 inch snow we had this time last year and how beautiful everything looked with a blanket of fresh snow and had to share these memories.

One of Those Days.....

2009-02-19T12:48:00.005-06:00

Today is one of those days that I am reminded that no matter what is happening in my life there is Someone who knows what I am going through.

I look around me and see the blessings of my life and I am so humbled. I have so many things that I am grateful for:

A God who loves me unconditionally,
A husband who cherishes me,
Children who love me and that I have a wonderful relationship with,
My family,
A church family that is always there for me,
Friends,
Food on my table, my home, and I could go on and on.

I encourage you to look around you, especially on days when things seem to be all mixed up, and begin to think about all the good things in your life. You will be surprised at how much better you feel when you take your mind off the negative things that may be happening and focus on the good things that are around you everyday.

Answers

2009-02-07T09:42:00.003-06:00

The economy; will I have enough money to make it? Job security; do I have it? Marriages crumbling, is mine secure? The welfare of our children; are they okay? Health; am I okay, what about those I love, will they be okay? On and on the list of questions in our lives grow. I seek answers to these and so many more questions in my life.

I think we are all seekers. It is in our nature to want to know. We have become a society to want things quickly. Fast is something we have become accustomed to and when we don’t get it quickly we become irritated and begin looking else where for answers. We turn to the news; according to what you hear or read these days the answers to many of our questions are gloom and doom. We hear then we react accordingly. We become discouraged and depressed. We have a tendency to focus on the bad things in our lives and forget about the good.

Okay, maybe things are tough for you right now but if you would only look out the window, you can find some good. Look at the birds, watch the clouds or stars. Listen for the laughter of children and the rush of the wind. Smell the fragrance after a rain shower, open a bag of chocolate inhale the wonderful aroma then reach in and put a few of these wonderful morsels in your mouth, don’t chew quickly just let them melt in your mouth and enjoy the taste of this delicious treat. Your taste may include something salty as well, so popcorn could be your tasty treat. There are good things all around us; we just have to look for them.

As I was watching the news last night a story came on about the economy. I watched and listened with interest and sadness as the jobless numbers were announced. So many numbers given, so many people and families affected. What caught my attention in this story was the fact that indeed there was a business that was flourishing right now. It is the business of psychics. The news story introduced us to a woman whose business has picked up tremendously over the past few months. People come to her wanting to know what they should do about their money, job situation, will the economy get better, and on and on the questions come. She says that she can tell them exactly what is in store for their lives by reading it in the cards. People are so desperate for answers they will go anywhere and trust anyone.

What has happened to spending time in the Word of God to seek answers? I was reading His word this morning and was once again reminded that the answers for everything that we face in life are given to us in His Word. EVERYTHING. We have to take the time to seek and study His word. So many times we skip this resource because it takes time or even because we think we may not like the answer when we find it. It may require more from us than we are ready to give. We run here and there seeking answers to questions. We trust man to give the answers to us and when we don’t like their answers we run to someone else to seek answers that have a better sound to us.

When will we realize that He has given to us all the answers we will ever need? That there is not a question that He cannot answer. He knows the economy is shaky, He knows that many are sick or lonely, He knows marriages are crumbling, He knows that many are discouraged and hurting. He knows and He cares!!

Trust what you read in His Word. He has the answers!! Spend time with Him, let Him give encouragement and fill you with His Peace.

Sad Day

2009-01-31T19:40:00.003-06:00

Tomorrow will be a sad but exciting day as the football season of 2008 comes to an official close. I love football on both the college and professional levels and it will be hard to see the games come to a close once again.

My favorite college team is Ole Miss. What a finish they had to their terrific season. They had earned a post season bowl game by beating teams such as the Florida Gators,( who, by the way went on to be the National Champion), LSU (the defending national champion), and other SEC teams. No one gave them a shot to win many games this year. They went into the new football season with a new coach and a new approach to playing the game. What a season they had!! They ended up with a record of 9-4, which includes a Cotton Bowl win against Texas Tech. Ole Miss was not a favorite in that game, but once again they played with focus and intensity and won the game!!

We had a great time watching the National Championship game with Florida and Oklahoma. Of course we were cheering for Florida because they were from the SEC but also because the only game that Florida lost was to the OLE MISS REBELS!!!!!

My favorite professional team is the New York Giants, mainly because Eli Manning their quarterback is a former quarterback from Ole Miss. I am also a big Tennessee Titian fan. Because neither of these teams are in the big game tomorrow, I will be cheering for the Arizona Cardinals. I have several reasons for this, I like the colors, they are the underdog,(no one thought they would make it this far) and I like the quarterback, Kurt Warner. He is a man of integrity and is never afraid to acknowledge where his strength comes from. He is a believer that carries his faith and witness onto the football field with him. I first heard of him when he led the St. Louis Rams to the Super Bowl a few years ago. I heard him give and interview and he was not ashamed to share his faith while being interviewed. I have liked him ever since.

I am looking forward to the big game tomorrow, but it will be bittersweet to know that it will be several months before we hear the wonderful words

"It's football time in Tennessee"

Let it Snow (or ice)!!

2008-12-16T08:44:00.001-06:00

One of the fun things about working in the school system is the anticipation of snow days. Teachers as well as the children get all excited wondering if we will be out of school when there is a chance of snow or as in the case today a chance of ice in the forecast. There is talk of doing the "snow dance" and the run on the grocery stores that always make me smile. I always say that I won't panic and go to the store on night before the big event but I found myself at Walmart last night buying up my bread and milk and cookies and chips and any other snack food that sounded good. I really did "need" some groceries and it was fun to be in the store watching what others would put in their cart. I got some ideas on what to buy such as cereal, hot dogs and the ever popular snow food of bread and milk!!

I went to bed last night wondering if there would be enough to close the schools for today and sure enough at 5:30 this morning the phone rang saying that our school system would be closed for the day. Looking outside ( a few hours later and sleeping in a little) there really didn't seem to be much out there but when I looked harder I could see a thin layer of ice on the driveway and sidewalk.

I was reminded of how sometimes things are not really as they seem. Everything outside looked normal at first glance but by looking closer I could see the danger that was looming if the ice was not given the respect it deserved. We must always be on guard to not be too causal in our everyday lives.

I am excited about the extra day off this week and plan to do fun things like make cookies, wrap presents and watch White Christmas!!

What Happened to the Alarm?

2008-10-26T15:52:00.001-05:00

It was a normal Sunday morning at the Shaw home, or so I thought! I was in the state of not being fully awake to stretching and yawning getting ready for a new day when suddenly the phone rang, it was one of the Sunday School teachers telling us that he wouldn't be there for his class this morning. I was glad that he called so we could make arrangements when we got to church, but what I couldn't figure out is why he called so early, the clock said 6:30. I just shrugged and hung up the phone. I still had 15 more minutes to enjoy the morning before I would get up and start my day. I got up at 6:45 feeling refreshed and ready for my coffee and the rest of what the day would bring. I got into the bathroom and looked at the clock in there and not believing what I was seeing walked quickly to the kitchen to look at the clock in there, all the clocks were reading out the time of 7:55, not the 6:55 time that I thought it was.

Then I remembered that we had gotten a clock that would automatically reset when it was day light saving time. BUT GUESS WHAT? IT WAS NOT DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME!!!!!! ( We copied Angela and Zach's clock that they had gotten for a wedding present.) I had thought how neat it would be not having to remember to set my clock those two times when the time changed!!

I never really had a problem remembering when to change our clocks before because the spring time change was the weekend after my birthday and the fall change was the weekend after Steve's birthday in October. What I had forgotten this year, is that the government decided to make daylight savings time last longer so the time change to spring forward this year was in March and the time to fall back is in November. The spring time change and not remembering to change the clock didn't have any affect on us. But, this one made us late!! We ended up with our extra hour today and then I guess we will get another hour when the time really does change!! (whenever that is!)

I am not someone who likes to be late, in fact that is something that Steve and I have had issues with over the years. I was brought up that you are not late to things instead you should be early. He was brought up to get there when you can. I know that when I yelled out "Steve, get up, we are late, the clock is wrong" really got his attention this morning. I made phone calls to let the leadership at church know that we would be late. It made me so irritated at myself that I let this happen but then I realized, how did I know that the clock would reset itself like it did? I realized that sometimes we put undue stress on ourselves because we think we are the only ones that can do certain things.

What happened this morning reminded me that we should control the controllable. I couldn't control the fact that we were late this morning, it was just one of those things that happen. I think I handled things okay for me but as I got ready, I had to laugh that the more I tried to hurry, the more little things happened. Like I thought, I won't wash my hair but when I got in the shower as I was planning out step by step how I would get things ready to go, I realized that I was washing my hair, then I was getting out my makeup and dropped part of it on the floor, then I couldn't find my other earring. Nothing, it seemed was easy this morning.
I realized that with this experience that I have changed my way of dealing with things like this. I didn't get mad and try to blame anyone, I didn't stay stressed on the 30 minute drive to church, I was able to laugh and tell how technology got the better of me this morning.

Life is too short to stay upset over things that are out our control. I hate the fact that we were late this morning but I am happy in the fact that I didn't let the situation get the better of me. But, you better believe that I will be finding out the specific dates for day light savings time in the future!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVE!!!!!!!

2008-10-24T16:30:00.006-05:00

Today is my wonderful husband's 50th birthday!

For the past 7 months my sweet husband has been kind enough to remind me that I am 50 and that he is not!! Well, today is the day that he turns 50, so once again, he is the same age as me.

Finally, no more teasing about me being soooo old! Now he knows how it feels. I have to say that it doesn't seem to be bothering him either about turning 50, it's going to happen so why be depressed.The years keep going and so do our ages. We figure that as long as we don't act our age it is okay to keep having birthdays!!

He has been on vacation this week so it was good to spend most of today with him. I have had a few happys for him to open throughout the day, like chattering teeth, in case he needs to replace his, a small construction cone to put out when he is having a senior moment and things like that. I am saving the rest for when the children get here so we can have cake and open the rest of his special presents! Payback is fun!!!!

When it was Angela's, Zach's and Ben's birthdays I listed things about them that matched their ages but with Steve turning 50, I don't know if I can think of that many, ha ha

I will just say this about him:

He is a man who loves the Lord and his family with his whole heart. He is kind and compassionate. He has a wonderful sense of humor. He is very smart and knows so much about so many different things. He makes me laugh and has the most beautiful smile and twinkling eyes of anyone I have ever met.

I could go on and on but I will stop with:
Happy Birthday Honey, I love you very much!!

Fall Break

2008-10-20T20:43:00.001-05:00

Over the past few years the school system I work for decided to add into the school calendar a whole week off of school in the month of October, Fall break. It has been a welcome addition for students and teachers alike. We all look forward having no school for the whole week. Many other school systems and universities also have fall break around this time. MTSU had fall break last week too, so Ben was able to come home for a short visit. His break was only on Monday and Tuesday, not the whole week like I had but I was happy just to have him home for a little while.

Ben was able to come home last Friday and stayed until Tuesday afternoon. He brought with him his wonderful smile and laugh, his guitar to entertain and his laundry that would fill an entire laundromat. I sure was glad to see him and enjoy his company. I even did most of his laundry. My mom was very glad to see him as well. She has been staying with us for most of the month of October. So the timing of fall break was perfect. Ben was able to have a little time with all of us. Ben and I did one of our fun things while he was home and that was to take a trip to Sam's Club. We are both very impulsive shoppers so when you get us together in Sam's, my checking account can take a hit. We went in there for TP, washing powder and coffee beans but came out with books, juice, water, cinnamon rolls, ink pens and much more. We always have a good time there.

When he went back to school on Tuesday, mom and I had Wednesday to get laundry done and get ready for our trip to Knoxville to visit Angela and Zach. We had already had tickets to the UT game on Saturday before we knew mom was going to be here with us, so Angela suggested that we bring mom to Knoxville with us and that we could take her up to Gatlinburg and drive around the mountains and show her around the area. Mom was excited about that since she had never spent any time in east Tennessee. Mom and I went on Thursday and then Steve came up on Saturday in time for the game. Mom stayed at Angela's and Zach's while we went to the football game. She was very glad for the chance to see where her grandaughter and grandson-in-law live, to meet their dog, Jere, and the newest addition to the family, Pickles the kitten, AKA Kitty, and to see some of the mountains. We were a little disappointed because the day we had planned to drive into the mountain area was drizzly and rainy so she didn't get to see as much as she wanted too but was still happy to be there.

We got home last night and of this morning, fall break is over, how sad is that? The time went fast and now it is time to move on with the school year. I am glad that I had a good fall break and now I am looking forward to Thanksgiving break and then on to Christmas break.!!!!!

Football, Fall and Family

2008-10-12T20:15:00.003-05:00

I love the fall and the things that come with it. I get to hear some of my most favorite words, " It's football time in Tennessee". I love football. I like the colors, the cheering, the excitement, the players working together for a purpose and that purpose is to win the game. I like watching the fans cheer when they see a great play and then boo when the players or coaches don't perform the way they want them to. Football is a game of skill and strength. It is a fun game to watch and cheer for. Did you know that football is on everyday of the week on TV except for Tuesday and Wednesday? I have to laugh when I hear about a "Special Edition of Monday Night Football on Thursday Night". Why don't they just say they are having a game on Thursday this week instead of renaming Thursday to a Special Monday? Oh well, I don't mind having another game.

We watch football all day on Saturday and from the time we get home from church on Sunday till we go to bed. There are games after games after games. We watch mostly SEC games but occasionally we will watch other conferences. We cheer for our Ole Miss Rebels first and foremost! This is a team near and dear to our hearts. Steve and I are both graduates from Ole Miss and we have a niece that is attending there now. Even though Angela and Ben went to other colleges, they too, have a heart for Ole Miss. I think even Zach is getting fonder of Ole Miss even though he is a very devoted Tennessee fan.

I love the fall for other reasons besides football. I love watching the leaves change colors. The vibrant colors are so amazing and inspiring. I love the smells in the fall. When you get up on a crisp morning, it is almost like you can smell the new day dawning. I love the smell of the tobacco being smoked in nearby barns. I look at the trees as their leaves begin to fall and wonder if it makes them sad to loose them. It seems that on a crisp fall day that you can touch the blue sky because it seems so very close and vivid.

Fall in the Shaw family means plenty of birthdays. It seems like every week someone is having a birthday. Steve's dads was last week, his sister's is this week and Steve's is next week. It is interesting having so many birthdays in one month. We were able to go see Steve's dad last week for his birthday and I think they will be able to come see him for his birthday on the 24th. He will be turning 50 and I know they want to help celebrate this milestone birthday. I guess we will just be able to call his sister for her birthday. She lives pretty far from us so it is harder to get together.

Fall has many things to enjoy. I will always love this time of year and the things that come with it. Football, changes in the weather, vibrant colors, crisp days, and of course celebrating these times with family. After all family is what makes these things that much sweeter!!!

Happy Birthday Pop!!!!

2008-10-03T17:18:00.004-05:00

It is birthday time again in the Shaw family. My wonderful father-in-law, Billy Earl Shaw, is 77 years old today!!

It has been so fun to get to know this man over the past 30 years. There are many things about him that I have come to love.

He is a kind, honest man who always puts his family first. He loves his wife, children and grandchildren with all his heart. He is kind, honest and a man of integrity. He has been an example of what a Godly man is all about.

One of my favorite things about him is his smile. He doesn't just smile with his mouth but mostly with his eyes. He has the best twinkling eyes I have ever seen. I love to watch him smile and laugh.

He is special to me because he is a father that I never had while I was growing up. When I became the wife of his son, I became his daughter as well. I have never felt like an outsider or been treated any differently than his other children and for that I am truly thankful.

Happy Birthday Pop!!!! I love you!!

Happy Birthday Zach!!!!

2008-09-19T18:38:00.009-05:00

Well it is birthday time again in our family!! Our newest son, Zach, is 26 years old today. He has been a wonderful addition to our family. Zach likes birthdays as much as the rest of us do. He makes me laugh because he wants to either know what he is getting or open his presents way before the real day of his birthday. He tries very hard to get people to tell him what he is getting. I have found it fun to make him wait and tease him about his gift. I was disappointed when I found out earlier today that his present that we mailed didn't get to him today, on his birthday. Oh well, he will have something to open tomorrow! He called me before wanting me to tell him what we got him since it didn't get there today, but we are making him wait!!!!

In honor of our new son, Zach, here are 26 things we have come to know about him.

1. He is a child of the King
2. He is married to our daughter Angela
3. He is a University of Tennessee fan
4. He is a Boston Red Sox fan
5. He is getting a cat for his birthday
6. He has one sister
7. He has lived in east Tennessee most of his life
8. He is very techy.
9. He has brown eyes
10. He likes NASCAR
11. He doesn't like onions
12. He likes deer jerky
13. He doesn't like to fly
14. He likes Mac computers
15. He is one of my technical advisers.
16. He likes green beans.
17. He has a dog named Jere
18. He works for a media company
19. He wears glasses/contacts
20. He plays guitar
21. He has driven the Dragon
22. He has family in Arkansas, Tennessee and Maryland
23. He likes to play golf
24. He and his dad went to the same college
25. He has a beautiful wife
26. He has wonderful in-laws

Happy Birthday Zach!!!!!

Whew........

2008-09-18T15:38:00.004-05:00

My world has been so busy the past few weeks. I am sure that most of us can relate to the fact that life is busy. It seems like I would get up, go to work, work hard and fast all day, run errands after work, meetings in the evenings, come home, see Steve for about 10 minutes and then go to bed. On days that I did not go to work, I had plenty of things to work on at home, ie laundry, ironing, some cooking, office work, errands that needed to be done, etc.

I have been placed in a challenging situation at work this school year and instead of relying on Him to help me through it, I have been trying to come up with my own solutions of how things should be done. I had wanted to show them that I could rise to this challenge and be super woman and have time to see approximately 45 children two times per week , have assessment time, paperwork time, planning time and meeting times for all of them in three days per week. I have come to the conclusion that this cannot be done!!!!

I had to do something last week that is very hard for all of us to do and that is to admit defeat!! I had to go into my boss and tell her that I could not do everything that needed to be done in the three days I worked. I told her I needed help (that is such a hard thing to admit). She understood my dilemma and said that she would try to get some help for me. I soon found out that the extra help I so badly needed was not to be and I was told to do the best I could.

At first I was mad, then upset and saying to myself that it isn't fair that they should expect me to do a full time job on a part time schedule and on and on. Finally, in desperation I cried out to the One who knew my dilemma and despair. Why I waited so long I don't know but He began to bring peace to my soul about the situation and helped show me the error of my ways. I was whining and complaining to everyone, and the whole situation consumed me. I had become negative and disheartened.

I was having my quiet time one morning and reading a devotional that was meant just for me at that moment. It was talking about whatever situation you may be in not to lose your joy and to praise Him no matter what. I was so humbled as I read this because it was all playing back in my mind just how negative I had been, how much I had complained and on and on. As I began to seek His forgiveness, I began to realize that it had been all about me. He showed me that no matter what He is in control and has a plan a purpose for me. I began to realize that He had moved me to be in this new school for a reason, He knew the road would be hard, He knew the circumstances that I would be in and He knew that I would wake up to theses truths. I read this morning that as I enter His throne room with my cares and burdens loaded into a dump truck; that I should dump them out before Him and leave with a song and dance of praise. I have unloaded all my cares on Him and now I am singing and dancing His praises!!!!

I know that the tasks will be difficult as I continue this path during this school year. I know that discouragement and discontentment are always lurking around the corner. But!!! I know that I am not in this alone. I know that He will light my path and give me what I need to face each day. I know that I am there to love on these children and to help them to the best of my ability and with Him I will!!! I may not get things done as quickly as I would like, I may not know where I will place the new children that will be entrusted to me but I do know that I will keep on plodding down the road just like a turtle, (slow and steady wins the race!!), and get things done as quickly as I can, even though it may be slower than I would like.

At the end of the school year I will be able to look back at all the things that have been accomplished and the lessons learned both in the world and spiritually as well and give a big sigh of relief!!!!

Whew!!!!!!! We made it!!

All By Myself......

2008-09-08T20:54:00.003-05:00

It is hard to be home alone when you are used to someone else being here with you. Steve is out of town this week attending meetings for his job. For many years these meetings were held in August and he would usually have to miss our anniversary and/or one of the children's birthdays. I think it is kind of funny that now they move the meetings to September and the children are both gone from home, so it really doesn't matter that much when the meetings are. Oh well!!

I don't mind being alone too much but this is the first time that I have been alone for an extended time without my precious Pepper. It is hard for me to believe that he has been gone for almost four months. I never realized just how much I talked to him and even though he had slowed way down in his movements, wherever I was in the house, he was there too. If I went to the kitchen, he was in the kitchen. If I went to the bathroom, he was in the bathroom. If I went to do laundry, he would lie down in the hallway and watch me go back and forth. He would go with me to get the mail and to walk in the yard. He would bark and guard me with all his might.
He would love me and let me love him. We were content just to be with each other.

I told Steve tonight that I missed the sound of his paws as he walked through the house. I miss the sound of his dog tags hitting against his water bowl when he would drink. I miss the sound of his barking at the animals he would see from the window. I miss the sound of his breathing as he slept contentedly on the floor next to me. I miss watching him play and run through the house sliding on the floors trying to stop. But most of all I miss his devotion to me. I was his and he was mine. I know he was the family dog but he was my dog. We would call him "momma's boy" Although he had his moments for the most part he was a dog to be proud of, he had a very laid back personality and he loved people. When we would have friends over he would be so excited, it was like he thought they were coming to see him and not us. He would go from person to person with his tail wagging and waiting just in case they happened to drop a bit of food!!

I know someday we will get another dog but none will ever take the place of Pepper. Thank you, Pepper for all the joy and love you brought to our family you will never be forgotten!!!

Busy, Busy, Busy

2008-09-07T21:02:00.003-05:00

It has been a busy few weeks around our house with all the birthday and anniversary celebrations, the garden stuff that had to be done, working and the everyday things that have to be done around the house as well as the errands that have to be run. I have found that the days go by so fast when you are busy.

Last week after a trip to Eupora to see Steve's mom and dad over the weekend, and a busy two days at school, I actually found myself looking forward to a dental appointment that I had scheduled just so I could sit down for awhile and not feel guilty about not getting something else done. I don't think I have ever felt that way before about the dentist!! There was a plus to the visit in that I didn't have any cavities and everything is looking good. That is always nice to hear.

There are days in which busyness is a good thing because you can get so much accomplished and then there are the days that you feel that you are spinning your wheels; you work and work and look at what you have done and you realize that you have only scratched the surface. This is a time when the whining and complaining can start. I found myself in that situation and was whinning to my son when he said to me,"Wait, wait, I hear it, it is getting louder, can you hear it? Here comes the whambulace, whaaaa, whaaa!" Well, he made me laugh but I also got to thinking about what he said. I was whining and complaining and what good was that doing me or anyone else? I had to admit to myself that my complaining was bringing me down along with whoever the lucky person, or should I say unlucky person, I was complaining to.

The only one that can fix this issue is me. So I will be trying very hard not to whine and complain about things that come along in my life. I realize that when I do this, I get fixated on me and when my focus is on me, I tend to forget about Him because it is all about me. I felt very ashamed when the true reality of this hit me. My devotion one day this week talked about this very subject, it was time for me to get my act together!!! I have made an effort to stop, but it very hard because you just want others to understand what is going on and before you know it, I hear the whambulace once again! I realize that this will be an ongoing process but one that I intend to work on very hard.

I realize too, that many times we bring busyness on ourselves. We feel that we have to do this and go there, watch this and that, be the one who does everything and in doing these things we get so tired that we can't find the time for the most important thing. We sometimes forget where our strength comes from. When we get too busy that we don't spend time with God, then we are too busy. When our priorities get out of balance many times our quiet time with Him is one of the first things to go. I want to encourage you that if you have been forgetting or you have been too busy for your quiet time with Him, that you make it a priority once again in your life. He promises to give us what we need and through Him your busy life will have purpose once again.

Happy Birthday Johnny!!!!!!!

2008-08-25T20:29:00.005-05:00

August is a month of many birthdays in our family. We have had Ben's, Angela's but the biggest birthday in the month of August this year is my brother-in-law's, Johnny. Johnny is Steve's sister's, (Lisa), husband and he is celebrating the big 50 birthday today.

Johnny had a good time helping me celebrate the big 50 birthday this year back in April, so Johnny Fulgham, this one is for YOU!!!!

Happy Birthday!!!!!!

We hope you have had a wonderful day and aren't paybacks fun!!!!

Cheers For 50 Years!!!

Happy Birthday Angela!!!!!!!

2008-08-24T22:59:00.005-05:00

Today is a very special day in our family, it is the day our first child, Angela Lee was born 26 years ago. Steve and I talk often about how fast these years have flown by. It seems that she was born only yesterday. She has brought us much joy and we are so proud of the young woman she has become. We were able to go to Knoxville this weekend to visit with her and Zach and to be there for part of her special day!!

26 Things About Angela

She is a child of the King
She has had her daddy wrapped around her finger since the day she was born!!!
She has a dimple in her cheek
She has a beautiful smile
She is tall but doesn't play basketball
She is the older sister
She has a wonderful husband
She has a cute little dog
She has been to China three times
She loves to travel
She loves to shop with her mom
She likes to scrap book
She loves Cinderella
She loves her grandparents
She is the oldest grandchild
She loves to read
She is a photographer
She plays piano
She loves football
She likes Tennessee but her heart belongs to Ole Miss
She has a Bachelor's and a Master's Degree
She used to think Lou was her middle name
She is a blogger
She loves the colors pink and purple
She can charm just about anyone with her twinkling eyes and cute smile
She loves to be with her family

Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

29 Years and Still Counting!!!!!!!

2008-08-18T19:43:00.006-05:00

The month of August is always a busy one in our family. It is back to school time and for so many years that was such an exciting time for Angela and Ben and I guess in a way for me too. I had fun taking them for the shopping trip to Wal-Mart for those ever so important school supplies. Ben would go through his list pretty quickly but Angela on the other hand would walk up and down the aisles looking at every style of notebook, pencil, and pencil box, crayon and marker package. She loved the fun of the new supplies; in fact this is something that she still loves. ( She loves to look at markers, papers and any kind of stationary stuff. I guess she comes by this honestly because I love these same kinds of things. She and I have a wonderful time in Hobby Lobby just looking at all the different kinds of scrap booking things.) They would also have much anticipation of their new teacher and which ones of their friends would be in the same class with them. The first day of school was always a picture day and a day they looked forward to.

August also hold birthdays for Angela and Ben. Ben is the first one to celebrate his special day on the 15th even though he is the youngest child. He, even to this day, loves to tease Angela that he is only one year younger than she is even if it is only for nine days. August 24th is the day that our firstborn made her appearance into the world. So as of this writing Ben is 24 and Angela is 25 (soon to be 26). We have a lot of cake to eat in August!!!!

Back to school is fun and birthdays are special but the main event for the month of August is that 29 years ago today, August 18, 1979, I became Mrs. Steve Shaw. I look back at the past 29 years and wonder just where the time went. Steve and I have had our ups and downs over the years but that is to be expected. I am so proud of the man I married and love him more with each passing day. So in honor of 29 years of marriage here are 29 things about our lives together.

29 Years of Happiness

1. We are both children of the King.
2. We both love college football (Ole Miss!!)
3. We both love to hunt, he game hunts, I bargain hunt
4. We love to laugh
5. We have moved 13 times
6. We love cruises
7. We love to sing
8. We appreciate the beauty of creation
9. We love our families
10. We have been to many baseball games
11. We have been to many tennis matches
12. We have been to many piano recitals
13. We have been to many soccer matches
14. We have worked the concession stand
15. We love to go for rides in “little red”
16. We both love sports
17. We are the DREAM TEAM !!!!
18. We love to travel
19. We like to ride 4 wheelers
20. We have been parents of the bride
21. We now have three children
22. We have lived in the city and the country (aka boonies)
23. We take a lot of pictures
24. We are proud of our children
25. We like the Atlanta Braves
26. We like to walk out on our property
27. We still hold hands
28. We pray together
29. Our love is always and forever!!

Happy Birthday Ben!!!!!

2008-08-15T11:00:00.005-05:00

I grew up always anticipating my birthday. I fact I would and still do start singing Happy Birthday to me on February 2nd, which is a full two months before my actual birthday! I have passed this excitement of birthdays on to my family, and today I am proud to say is my son’s, Ben, 24th birthday.

He gets excited and talks about his birthday in advance just as I do. Something else we have in common is that we are both the second and youngest children in our families and for a short number of days we are only one number year away from our older siblings. My sister, Cathie’s birthday is April 10 and mine is the 2nd. Our birthdays are only 8 days apart. Ben’s birthday is August 15 and Angela will be 26 on the 24th of August, so their birthdays are only 9 days apart. Get this, Steve and his sister are only 10 days apart. I think that is pretty neat!!

When I think of Ben I think of someone who loves his God, his family and is looking forward to what this next year has for him. He has come full circle in many ways and had has many life experiences. I am proud to have him for a son.

In honor of his 24th birthday, here are 24 things about Ben.

1. He is a child of the King
2. He loves life
3. He makes me smile
4. He is a good listener
5. He has gets frustrated in traffic
6. He has a passion for music
7. He plays bass guitar in a praise and worship band
8. He is a part time youth director
9. He loves football
10. He likes to hunt
11. He loves jerky
12. He played baseball for many years
13. He makes others happy
14. He is very compassionate
15. He played soccer
16. He played in the jazz band
17. He has had many jobs
18. He doesn’t like to do laundry
19. He has a contagious laugh
20. He can charm anyone, anytime!!
21. He is very competitive
22. He is the only male Shaw in his generation
23. He has wonderful twinkling eyes
24. He is a wonderful son!!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Ben!!!!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

2008-08-13T17:35:00.006-05:00

Summertime brings us wonderful things like swimming, going to the beach, eating watermelon, vacations, baseball and this year the Olympics. For many people the summer also brings the wonder and fulfillment of growing a garden.

This is one of my husbands favorite things to do. He loves the planning of what to grow, planting, weeding, harvesting and then enjoying the fruits of his labor by eating the wonderful things he has grown. Having a garden in summer is a part of his life. He is from the country where having a garden was something that you just did every summer. On the other side of the coin, I grew up in the city and for me green beans was something you got at the local grocery store from a can. I never realized the difference between store bought and fresh vegetables until I visited his family while we were still dating. They were amazed that I had never eaten fresh veggies and were quick to fix things for me to eat. I have to admit, fresh veggies have a much better flavor. I think part of the better flavor comes from the pride of planting, growing, harvesting and preparing them yourself.

For a long time we didn't live in a place that we could have a garden but since we have moved out to Southside, aka the boonies, we have more than made up for it. We, or maybe I should say, Steve has a good sized garden since the first year we were here. He puts a lot of work into it and we have had many wonderful meals as a result of his labor. This year he planted corn, butter beans, green beans, peppers, squash, tomatoes, okra,watermelon and cantaloupe. I enjoy the bacon and tomato sandwiches, fresh veggies from the garden to the table, the walks we take everyday to look at how things have grown and the satisfaction on Steve's face when he looks at his garden.

There are times though, when I don't want to see him bring in another bucket full of tomatoes, corn, butter beans, etc. because I know that means we have to do something with it. I have to admit that Steve does 80% of the garden stuff. I am just the helper, and that is okay with me!!!

We have had a bountiful garden again this year and I am so happy to be able to share with others what God has blessed us with.

Back to School....

2008-08-11T19:36:00.001-05:00

It is hard to realize that it is time for school once again. The summer has gone by so quickly. I have been on the road to Memphis a lot this summer, taken a couple of trips and have been helping Steve work on things from the garden.

For many years I was a stay at home mom, a part of my life that I will look back with fondness but, after my youngest child graduated from high school, I knew I would need something else to help occupy my time. I applied with the Clarksville Montgomery School System and soon I had a job as a part time speech/language therapist.

I have enjoyed working part time for the past six years. The first year back I worked in two middle schools and a Head Start all in two and half days a week. The next year I was moved to Glenellen Elementary School to be the extra person needed in that school. Glenellen is the largest elementary school in our area and had enough of a case load to support a full time therapist and then me on a part time basis. (I was working three days a week at this time. ) I was blessed to meet Kristi Kimmell who was the full time therapist there. I learned a lot from her. We got along well and became good friends. She has since moved to a differen school but not until we had four fun years of working together. Last year a new therapist came in and we got along well but I knew that change would be coming for this school year. A new school had been built and rezoning would bring the numbers down so that only one full time therapist would be needed.

The call from my principal came in July that I would indeed be moving to a new school. I would be going to Norman Smith Elementary School and I would be the only one servicing that school. It seems funny not having someone to collaborate with as the start up procedures are being done. It is also strange not knowing the teachers and staff. I have found myself more than once turning down the wrong hallway, or going past the room I was looking for. I can find my room and the office and restroom but after that I am still kind of lost.

I have been greated warmly at my new school and know that before long I will be able to put names with faces and grade levels together, but for now I feel like some of the little ones I saw this morning, trying not to act afraid or lost but being that anyway!!!!

Just like the children I had opening day jitters today too. It was fun seeing their faces shining with excitment as they looked for their classrooms. Most had new backpacks and supplies that they carried so proudly. I too had a few new things for my classroom. It has been fun fixing up my room, (I have had to share a room in the past) and making it my own.

I look forward to this new school year and the adventures it will bring. I will miss my friends and my children from Glenellen but I am looking forward to the new friends and relationships that I will make in my new school.

Let the new year begin!!!!

Fabulous Friday Returns!!

2008-08-08T15:48:00.003-05:00

I am pleased to revive Fabulous Friday!! It has been a long time and I have missed not updating regularly but I hope to start writing a little more often.

Date Night returns for Steve and I today. We used to have a specific date night at least every couple of weeks for many years that would be our date night. We would plan to go to a movie or out to eat, or just go walk around the mall. This was time for just the two of us. It was wonderful to have that special time planned out that would give us time together away from all the distractions and obligations of everyday life.

Tonight we are going to see the new batman movie, The Dark Knight. We used to go out and eat before the movies we would see but we found that left no room for the wonderful movie popcorn and goodies that you can only get at the movie theater. So we are meeting tonight at the theater and our dinner will consist of movie popcorn with extra butter, diet coke, and some kind of candy to follow for dessert. I have been looking forward to this all day!!

If you don’t have Date Night as a part of your relationship, I encourage you to do so. Things can become so busy and we can get focused on other parts of our lives that sometimes we take for granted the relationship we have with the ones we love the most.

Time with Mom....

2008-06-18T11:40:00.005-05:00

Time is a precious thing.

Mom and I have had some special times while she stayed with me and Steve in Clarksville for almost two weeks. I wondered if I would be able to keep her with me that long. She is very much a home body, but she stayed with me for 12 days. We had it timed out that I would bring her home the day before her next doctor appointment, which is also the day before Steve and I leave for our New York City trip.

Angela came home the first weekend she was with us and Ben came home on Monday. It was precious to see them share a sweet time with their grandmother. She would tell them how much she loved them and how proud she was of them. They in turn shared with her about the activities in their lives.

We had a good time while she was with us. She loved looking out our big picture window. She was able to see deer, turkeys, birds, butterflies, squirrels, rabbits and the beautiful view of trees. She would sit there for hours just admiring the beauty of God's creation. She mentioned several times that she was so thankful that she was His child and thanking Him for that and the beauty of nature.

We watched the Cubs play baseball. (She is a die hard Cubs fan, she can tell you their win-loss record, the names of the players, the school they played for, etc.) She has always enjoyed watching her Cubs. We watched the Braves too but she didn't get nearly so excited to see them!

We had lots of good food and I was able to cook extra so I could fix her some plates that we would freeze and then take home with her. I think we ended up with enough for fourteen meals that all she would have to do is warm up in the microwave. We even had deer steak twice! She loves that so much, it is one of her very favorite meals. Steve was wonderful to cook this and other things for her too.

We went to town and ran errands, she stayed in the car while I shopped at Wal-Mart but we parked in the shade and she was fine reading while I quickly stocked up on supplies. She also got to meet all the repairmen that I had to call while she was there. The air conditioner, the clothes dryer and my Internet service all went out with in a 24 hour period. We also had to have a window replaced and that was done while she was there too!

The weather was pretty while she was there and again, one of her favorite things to do was to just look out the window. She continued to talk about the peacefulness and tranquility she felt at our house. I guess I had begun to take it for granted so I am thankful to her for reminding me how blessed I am living in the country.

One afternoon Steve took mom for a ride in Little Red. Little Red is our convertable that we bought last year. We have so much fun going for rides in our little car. I thought I would have to talk mom into going but when Steve asked, she got right up and got ready to go. They were gone about thirty minutes and she had a great time. I started calling her "Hot Rod Momma".
When I call her this, she just smiles.

I think one of my favorite days with mom during this time was the day we looked at old pictures. We had found a box of pictures a while back and I had them at my house so I asked her if she wanted to look at them and I would write on the back of the pictures who the people were. (with an acid free pen of course!) This project took us almost all day and we felt very successful with our accomplishment. There were sad moments but most of the day was spent reminiscing over sweet memories of her past, most I had heard about before but some were new and I am glad to have these new insights on mom. We came across several pictures of my grandmother of when she was a little girl and the house where she lived in up in Milwaukee.
We also found some of my uncle and his family as well as friends and places she had traveled.
It was a fun day.

We had several sweet talks and a few little squabbles, (too much togetherness!!!). I will never forget this visit. Time is precious and I am learning how important it is say what you need to say and do what you need to do for those special people in your life. You never know when it could be the last time.

Reflections.....

2008-06-10T16:35:00.005-05:00

The past weeks have been filled with many things in my life and as I sit and reflect on them, I am amazed at the variety of things that life has given me since the first part of May.

This time began with the farewell dinner for a precious friend who is moving from Clarksville and as we celebrated with her I received word from Memphis that my mom would be admitted to the hospital. She had been trying to recover from a bug and never really got her strength back so my sister took her to the doctor and then to the hospital.

Since Angela and Ben were both coming in for the weekend to celebrate mother’s day, my mom insisted that I stay here in Clarksville and enjoy my children instead of rushing to Memphis the next day. So I did and indeed the time with Angela, Zach and Ben was very special. Steve, Angela and I went to see mom on Sunday, Mother’s Day, we teased that were other ways of getting us to come see her for mother’s day rather than to visit her in the hospital. Angela was able to take a few days off work to stay with her until I could get back on Tuesday that helped me a lot to know that she would be there to help out and that my sister would have someone to relieve her at the hospital. I went to work the next day and was able to close up my room at school, just in case I didn’t get back before school was out. I am so amazed out how God worked that out.

I went back on Tuesday, at this time they were calling mom a “diagnostic dilemma” and were still running tests. On Monday, they were able to remove some fluid that had accumulated around her lungs so she was able to breathe better. On Monday they told mom that she had an abdominal aortic aneurism and that she would need surgery, but they had to figure out where the fluid was coming from first. Needless to say we were all very concerned, as I drove to Memphis on Tuesday morning, Angela called me and said that another test had been done and what was there, was no longer there. Some would call that coincidence or that a mistake had been made but I know that it was a miracle from God!!! We were all so excited.

This excitement changed to disbelief when the doctor came in on Thursday with some bad news. The fluid that had been drawn off her lungs showed cancer. CANCER, this is a word that no one wants to hear. He gave us the names of several oncologists and helped us get in touch with one. He would be passing off mom’s care to this dr. This news came on May 16. They did however release her from the hospital, which she was so grateful for because her bed was extremely uncomfortable to her. I came home with her and stayed until Sat.

The oncologist met with us in the hospital and wanted to do a few more tests before meeting with us. I would take her to one the next week and Cathie would take her to one the week after that and then we would have a consultation on May 30th. God was so kind to me in this area because my sweet niece was graduating from high school in Mississippi and then afterwards we had planned to go to Florida for a few days with her family. Mom was doing well enough for me to go and enjoy these days with Steve’s family. Florida was a much-needed break in these days of uncertainty and even though I still felt overwhelmed, I was able to enjoy the beach!!!

We drove home on the 29th and then I got up at 5 the next morning so I could drive to Memphis for the appointment at 10:15. The results were not what we wanted to hear. The doctor told us that mom had adenocarsinoma and that the prognosis is not good and that there is no cure. The numbers she gave us were 3-12 months. Needless to say we were all numb and really had no questions for her because we were not expecting this news.

How do you react when you are told that your mom may only have a short amount of time left to live? I am still working through things myself. But, I have to admire my mom so much because at the word cancer at the hospital the first words out of her mouth were “my God is bigger than cancer”. Her faith is so strong and her belief in God’s healing power is a testimony to all she comes in contact with. She refuses to believe that this is going to beat her and I stand with her all the way!!!

She has had fluid removed from both of her lungs and is breathing much better. She is not using oxygen and at this time she is with me here in Clarksville. We are having a special time and I thank God that He is allowing us this time here with Steve and me. Angela was able to come in for the weekend and Ben was here yesterday and left this morning.

I have begun to look at life in a very different way over the past month. Things that I thought to be so important aren’t. I have been looking for the strength and grace from God each day, instead of taking it for granted.

I have faced other trials during this time, such as:

• The loss of my precious Pepper.
• I hit and killed a deer, the first one ever for me.
• The sudden loss of a special friend.
• Steve’s mom has been in the hospital too.
• My Internet service, my air conditioner and my clothes dryer have all gone out in the past 24 hours.

But one thing I have to say about all these things is that MY GOD LOVES ME and HE IS IN CONTROL!!!!!

I have had some good times too:

Going to the beach
Spending time with family
Vacation Bible School
Knowing that I have special friends that love me and are praying for me and my family
Seeing my children

As I reflect on these past days I am realizing once again that life is too short and precious to fret over the little things. I am learning to live life each day and to take advantage of the things that matter most.

Passing Time

2008-04-27T17:22:00.001-05:00

Where does the time go? I have asked this question numerous times over the past four weeks. It was four weeks ago yesterday that my family surprised me with a wonderful 50th birthday party. I felt and was treated like a queen! I even had a crown to wear! I was so honored and blessed to be treated in such a special way. I was going to blog about it right afterwards but one thing led to another and the blog got pushed to the side.

As I began to reflect on the party and all the wonderful things of my birthday week, I also began to reflect upon the years leading up to this milestone event. I think that when you turn 50, you have a right to be in a reflecting state. I realized that I am no longer a little chick that needs to be constantly taken care of by her mother chicken. I also realized that I am no longer a spring chicken,( as evidenced by the back pain I woke up with the day after my birthday, no kidding!)
I want to think that I am the same Barbara that I used to be; but reality hit me when I realized that I look forward to going to bed at 9:00 and that I like to take naps!

When you start to think about your life, I mean really think about it, you can react in one of two ways. You can look back at it with regrets and beat yourself up about what you did or didn't do, the choices you made or didn't make OR you can look back and think about the blessings that you have as a result of your life. All of us have blessings, we may not recognize them for what they are but we have them. We all make mistakes and have made choices that may not have been the greatest. We may have regrets and think "if only", but I have found that if you choose to dwell on these then you are hindering yourself from being the one God intended you to be. You are limiting the God of the Universe from using you to be His vessel because you are so wrapped up in you that you forget about Him.

As I begin my life as a 50 year old (half a century ) woman, I am once again reminded to live each day to the fullest. I want to remember to smile and hopefully make others smile as well. I want to continue to be a good wife, mother, daughter, and sister. I want to make a difference in this world by shining the Light of Jesus wherever I go. I want to pursue the calling that He has for me and to encourage others to do the same. I won't let the passing of time be something that I look back on with regret but instead with fondness. What about you?

Happy Birthday Sister Dear!!!

2008-04-10T17:47:00.004-05:00

I just love birthdays and what they represent. A lot of my birthday memories include my sister, Cathie. Cathie is two years older than me and because our birthdays are so close together we have shared many birthday celebrations together. My birthday was last week and I turned the big 50. Cathie is two years older, (so that means she is 52 today!!) I remember trying to catch her in age when we were growing up because for 8 days I was only 1 year younger and not 2. That was during the time when I wanted to be older. As the years have gone by, I have been glad that she got older first. HA HA!!

I am sad not to be with her today as we had planned but we should be able to get together next week and have some birthday fun at a spa and the mall. I can’t wait. I love to be with her. I love to watch people watch us and wonder if we are twins; some people tell us that we are having way too much fun as we walk along laughing and talking. I love our times at Starbucks as we try to catch up on the things happening in our lives. I love the sparkle in her eyes and the sound of her laugh. She is special to me in the way only a sister can be.

So here’s to you, Cathie, my sister and friend!! I hope your birthday is as special as you!!!

Spring Break

2008-03-25T16:09:00.003-05:00

I have had fun the past two days enjoying spring break. Our school system usually ties our week long break in with Easter, either the week before or after. This year with Easter being so early, it is the week after. My sweet husband has let me sleep in the past two mornings and has made me extra coffee to enjoy. It has been colder again and so much fun to wake up and snuggle in my favorite blue robe and drink my morning coffee not feeling rushed to do anything.

I did go get my sweet Pepper, who was being boarded at the vet and run a few errands yesterday and today I went into town to get my hair done. I was also going to get my new driver’s license picture done but there were like 50 people in the information line so I decided to come home and take a nap and do things that are fun. The rest of the week I plan to scrapbook, do laundry, sleep, maybe clean out a drawer or two, watch old movies and read!!

I think it is a very sad thing that everyone doesn't get a spring break!!!!

Easter

2008-03-25T15:35:00.005-05:00

The weekend was fun but different. Steve and I were able to leave early on Friday to go down to his parents in Mississippi, which has been a tradition for Easter weekend for a very long time. All their children and grandchildren have made this trip for many years. This year, however, was very different for all of us. This was our first year without having Angela, Zach and Ben there with us. I have been through many firsts as the years have gone by but this first was hard. Angela and Zach couldn’t come because of the time and distance it would take for them to get there and Ben had to work. So it was just Steve and I taking the trip from Clarksville to Eupora this year.

It is amazing how God will work out the details of a situation if you let Him.As the days before Easter approached I began to think about
the Easter Bunny and wondered how he would get the goodies for Easter to the children. He reminded me of the US Mail and on Thursday of last week he fixed boxes to send to each one, green grass and all!! Then I thought how can family pictures be made and pictures of the grandchildren taken? I realized that pictures can be made anywhere and we had them take a picture and email it to us. As all the seemingly small details worked themselves out one by one, I was reminded that even though not being together for Easter was not really a big deal in the scheme of things, the hurt in my heart was just as real to Him as it was to me. I also realized that no matter how seemingly big or small the reason for heartache that my Heavenly Father knows and is ready to help me through.

I have wonderful group of friends that meet together each month for a time of fellowship and sharing. As I shared my heart with them on Thursday about the upcoming weekend, I asked for them to pray for me during this time. I truly felt the prayers of my friends! Yes, it was hard for me but I think even harder for Steve’s mom because not only were Angela, Zach and Ben not there but also her daughter and her family could not come because of illness. God in His faithfulness helped us through this time.

Easter morning was a lot calmer than usual, we made it to sunrise service, breakfast at the church, going back home for a short time and then back to church to hear the Easter cantata. We came home and took pictures,(it didn’t take nearly as long), then we ate a wonderful dinner, took a nap, watched basketball and then Steve and I loaded up and made our way home. I was able to talk with them via cell phone and text messaging. Hearing their voices helped a lot!!!!

How could I stay sad knowing that the day was meant to celebrate our Risen Savior!!! Knowing that the grave couldn’t hold my King and that He is Alive forever more!!! What joy fills my soul! Thank You Jesus!!!!

The Shaw family

(minus Angela, Zach, Ben, Deborah,
Randy and Christopher)

Fabulous Friday

2008-03-21T12:59:00.008-05:00

A Tribute to Spring

F- The Flowers are making their appearances after sleeping all winter.

A- The Amazing colors that are seen. Bright blues, yellows and vibrant greens.

B- My Birthday is coming; I may never stop yacking about it. I love birthdays!!

U- My Umbrella is in demand as spring brings April showers.

L- A time to remember my risen Savior and bask in His Love.

O- Listening to the Orchestra of music presented by the birds as they return.

U- Spring Ushers in the feelings of new beginnings!

S- Time for turkey Season!!!

Fabulous Friday (one week late)

2008-03-14T09:53:00.005-05:00

Last Friday I found myself in White House Tennessee helping to celebrate the grand opening of yet another Wal-Mart store. I love to attend these grand openings. I have been doing so for the past 27 years. That is how long Steve has been with Wal-Mart ( actually his anniversary date is June 13th).

I stand with pride as currents of excitement run through the crowd. There is a mummer of voices as customers mingle with associates and local dignitaries that are in attendance. I find myself looking for Steve as he prepares to do his role in the grand opening ceremony itself. His role has changed over the years from being an assistant manager, co-manager, store manager and now market manager.

A hush falls over the crowd as the store manager stands at the podium ready to begin the festivities. The grand opening always begins with presentation of our American flag and singing of the national anthem. This time a chapter of the local Boy Scouts presented our flag and someone from a local radio station sang our national anthem. As I stand listening, I am once again thankful and feel much pride in my country and what it stands for. I think of Mr. Sam and his obvious love of this country which has been instilled in Wal-Mart traditions. He was a man with a dream, he worked hard, and because of him following this dream, we have Wal-Mart. I think he must smile every time a new store opens.

The singing was completed and next was a prayer from a local pastor from the area. I am so thankful to be in a country where prayers can be offered freely. As he finished, more introductions were made. The city and county mayors spoke briefly welcoming Wal-Mart to the community. They made known their thanks for what Wal-Mart does for the community besides employing over 320 people. At this particular opening Wal-Mart had given over 16,000 dollars to various charities and organizations in the White House area.

It was then time for Steve to say a few words, as I watched this man speak with pride about Wal-Mart, my heart skipped a beat. He is so handsome, I thought to myself. I love the way his eyes sparkle as he talked with excitement about the new features in this store. “This store has a new layout and new fixtures”, he said,” I know this community will enjoy what it has to offer. We are excited to be here in White House Tennessee.” There was applause from the customers as well as the associates.

Things were beginning to wind down but you can't have an opening without the Wal-Mart cheer and the ribbon cutting. The clapping began by the associates and the customers soon got caught up in the excitement and they were also clapping. “Give me a W”, someone shouted “W” was yelled back, “Give me an A”, “A”, “L”, “L”, “Give me a squiggly”, “Squiggly” (which is accompanied by a wiggly, twisty motion), this continued on with the M A R T, and then," what does that spell? In which the answer was yelled “WAL-MART”. I just love to hear and be a part of that cheer!

Next, they lined up Wal-Mart associates who had been with the company for over 20 years, the local dignitaries and the store manager. A long red ribbon with a large bow was stretched in front of them. They were give a large pair of scissors and the next thing you know the ribbon had been cut and store number #4483, White House Tennessee was officially open. It is the 110^th store in the state of Tennessee.

Customers were then given pieces of cake while the local high school band started to play. The atmosphere was electric and everyone was smiling and excited. The customers began their adventures in this newest Wal-Mart. It was great to see people with shopping carts looking and buying in this new store.

The associates have worked hard and were very proud of their Wal-Mart store.

And so am I!!!!!!

Fabulous Friday

2008-03-14T09:29:00.004-05:00

I had to include another picture of the snowfall from last weekend. It too, reminds me of some of the words He has spoken.

Isiah 30:21 Your ears will hear a word behind you, "This is the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the left or the right."

Snowy Saturday

2008-03-08T15:56:00.008-06:00

What an amazing Saturday this has been so far! We woke up to a blanket of snow on the ground. I am always so awed by the sight of freshly fallen snow. It looks so beautiful and tranquil. It covered tree branches as well as things on the deck. Yesterday the skies were gray and gloomy all day. We had rain, sleet and snow. Last night we even lost power at our house. I had to laugh as to how many times I tried to turn on a light, even though I knew we didn’t have power.

But when I woke up this morning, there was the new untouched snow. The birds were out at the bird feeder not seeming to mind the cold or the snow. The sky was a vibrant blue with the sun sparkling on the beautiful white snow. I am reminded of the verse from Isaiah 1:18 that says: “Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.” Once again I am reminded of His forgiveness of sins. What a wonderful God we have, I am once again renewed and refreshed in the beauty I see in His creation.

Steve and I went out for a ride in the snow on the four wheeler. We rode to the back of our property and then walked along the back creek to the water fall. Everywhere we looked was beautiful. We saw the blanket of snow covering everything. However the sun was making its presence know because the snow started to melt while we were out. We saw tracks made by deer, squirrels, and rabbits. We saw the footprints that we had made and the tracks of the four wheeler itself. We had fun walking and sliding around on the snow covered hillsides.

We took the camera and ended up taking around 80 pictures. We would look one way and take a picture and then we would look the other way and take more pictures. It was so pretty and we knew that snow doesn’t come often, so we wanted to capture this beauty while we had the
opportunity.

Sunny Saturday

2008-03-01T09:55:00.002-06:00

Today is Saturday and in Southside Tennessee the sun is shining and the sky is a very beautiful blue. It is a perfect reminder that spring is coming. Spring is my favorite time of year. It is a season full of promises and new beginnings. I wonder what new things are in store for me and my family this spring?

Just a few days ago, I thought that I might be preparing for spring without my faithful Pepper. The first part of the week, he seemed so lifeless and no energy. But, he is doing so much better; he is eating a little more, has a little more pep (no pun intended!) in his step and is even begging for people food! Steve and I are encouraged but we also know that he might not be here much longer. The kidney failure cannot be reversed but hopefully it will slow down so we can have more time with him. I am thankful for each day and I feel a little more prepared for the day we no longer have him.

Spring also brings the wonderful sound of the birds. I love to hear them chirp and sing their beautiful songs. These songs fill me with joy, hope and reassurance. Many mornings I am given a showcase of color and beauty as well as a symphony in song as I watch them at the feeders in my back yard.

I also love the flowers that bloom in the spring. My favorite flowers are buttercups. I have already seen a few blooming!! The colors and fragrances that flowers give us are some of my favorite things even though I am not a flower grower. That is Steve’s department. He loves to work outside in the yard or in our garden that he is already thinking about. I love the flowers, I just don’t care for the dirt that you have to grow them in, I just don’t like to get dirty. Something that I might add, I have passed on to Angela; she would come in as a little girl with dirty hands and say, “Wash it, wash it”, looking down at her hands. Sorry Angela1

Here’s to spring and the wonderful things that it brings!!!

Fabulous Friday

2008-02-22T17:08:00.003-06:00

Whoo Hoo!!! Pepper is better!!!!!

Pepper is home from the "hospital". He was there for two days. He is better but because of his age we aren't sure just how long we will have him with us. He is moving a little slower but when he wanted to eat one of my oreo's I knew he was really feeling better!

We will just live each day at a time enjoying our time together.

Reality Check

2008-02-21T15:07:00.004-06:00

I was reminded over the past few days of just how much I take everyday things for granted. I think that in the past I have thought about maybe not seeing my loved ones or friends again but I never gave much thought that one day I might lose something that is very dear to me and that is Pepper, the Shaw family dog. He and I have been through many adventures through the years and the thought of him leaving me breaks my heart.

Pepper is the family pet. He hold special memories for each one of us. He is a lasa apsa with black and white fur although the years have added a tinge of gray to his coat. He is usually all over anyone who comes in our home. In fact when we have people over, Pepper thinks they are there to see him and he makes himself known to all by jumping, barking, running in circles and, as he has aged, many wags of his tail and the contentment he shows just being next to the one most likely to drop him a bite of food. Pepper has been a mainstay in the Shaw family for over 13 years. He has never been sick. Last year we found that he had a heart condition but with medication he has been fine. He has slowed down over the years but don’t we all as we age? It has been hard to see him not jump up to sleep with us on the bed but he has compensated by sleeping on the floor at the foot of the bed. I think that is one of the things that I love about Pepper; he makes the best of the situation. He loves freely and is loved in return. He doesn’t speak in human words but he communicates his thoughts to us in other ways. Barking when he needs out or back in, wagging his tail when he is happy, which is most of the time; he even sings Jingle Bells and joins in on Happy Birthday. I think about the joy he brings to our family and my eyes well with tears that come from the sorrow I am feeling at this time.

As I write, Pepper is in the “animal hospital”. I had been gone all day on Tuesday and got home around 8:15. Steve had gotten home before me just long enough to check the mail and let Pepper out. At first everything was normal about Pepper, Steve said, then I saw the look on Steve’s face was of concern when I walked in from the garage. He was looking down at Pepper and as I followed his gaze I understood the concern. Pepper was just lying on the floor with seemingly no life to him. He looked up at me and then dropped his head onto his paws.

Tuesday night, Steve and I thought would be his last. He let us pick him up and lay him on his bed without making a sound. He would not eat anything, not a treat or even a cracker. I am talking about the dog that would eat paper and now he wouldn’t even eat a real people cracker. We knew he was sick. He would look at us as if to say, “I don’t understand, help me, please.” We were heartbroken and at that time we were both facing for the first time that Pepper might die. I knew he was getting older and that one day he would leave us, but I wasn’t ready for the reality of it. I was scared and deeply wounded that the friend I had had for so long might not be there tomorrow.

He made it through the night. However, Steve and I didn’t get much sleep, I would just watch him lie on his bed to make sure he was still breathing. He wasn’t any better in the morning so I took him to the vet. I explained the details to the vet as I watched the usually active Pepper lie on the exam table with no movement other than his eyes watching everything and everyone in the room. There was much concern and as the vet ran tests and examined Pepper. It was determined that he was having kidney problems. He kept Pepper there to give him fluids and medicine. I wanted the vet to tell me that he would treat Pepper and that he would be fine. What he told me was that he didn’t know for sure that treatment would help and that we would just have to wait. When I called this morning there didn’t seem to be much change and that Pepper needed to stay another night. They would repeat the tests tomorrow to see if he was responding to the treatments. They did make a comment that he was a little cranky, which to me is a good sign, a least he is responding in some way. Time will tell. What I can do now is pray and realize that my time with Pepper may be limited and to prepare for that time when I do lose him.

Reality. We will all lose someone or something that we love.

Reality. We are never ready to face this.

Reality. Make the most of the time we have.

Reality. Take time to love and be loved!!!

President’s Day

2008-02-18T14:34:00.002-06:00

Today is President’s Day and a holiday from school. I am just like the children enjoying time off from school. Right now I would be down to my last two groups of the day, watching the clock and thinking about what I had to after school.

I have had a relaxing day but have gotten things accomplished as well. I have done laundry, bible study, watched a little TV and done a little writing and reading as well. I know what I am fixing for dinner and for me that is half the battle. I find that if I have something planned then it is a whole lot easier to implement.

I am finding that written planning and goal writing is something that I need discipline to do. I think about doing things and sometimes I get them done and other times I don’t. I think that I don’t write things down on purpose because when I do then I will have to be accountable to do them. If I don’t write them down then it’s okay that I didn't do them because I didn’t have them planned in the first place. AFLAC !!

Today has been a fun day because I have done the things I had planned to do. I had a to do list and was able to complete the things I had written down. I even added things to the list that I had done, just so I could mark a line through them too. It makes you feel good to put that line or check mark by something that you have done. You feel productive.

Try writing things down, not only will you have a sense of accomplishment, you will have fun marking through each task and have direction for the rest of the day. If by chance you get nothing on your list accomplished, don't beat yourself up about it, sometimes your day is beyond your control, just smile and try again tomorrow!

Fabulous Friday

2008-02-15T08:44:00.004-06:00

Highlights from my week

This beautiful sunrise was on Monday.

Snow Day on
Wednesday

Gifts from my Valentine
on Thursday

Fabulous Friday

2008-02-08T20:56:00.000-06:00

Last Saturday my niece Aleasha placed first runner up in her high school beauty review. We are all very proud of her and think she should have won. Way to go Aleasha!!

Plans Change

2008-02-05T21:02:00.000-06:00

I was supposed to be at Wal-Mart right now buying school supplies with the generous gift the PTO at my school gave to each teacher. We were to ask for the Wal-Mart credit card if we wanted to shop there so yesterday I asked for the card for today because I knew I had to stay in town for a meeting at 6:00 but the lady who hands out the credit cards at school left early today. Not her fault I had to change my plans, not my fault either. I could have gotten mad or gotten a bad attitude but what good would that do. It did make me a little frustrated because I had my plan ready to go. I sat at my desk at school and thought about it, do I go home only to drive thirty minutes back to town for the meeting or what? I didn’t want to shop, I didn’t want to stay at work and then I had a light bulb moment. I can go to Starbucks and get a coffee (decaf of course!!) I thought “I can go write a blog and drink coffee at Starbucks, how cool will that be!” So here I am drinking coffee and writing.

I started writing and within 10 minutes Angela called, we had a nice conversation, then Ben beeped in so I let her go and talked to Ben, he was on his lunch break, then Steve beeped in and I had to laugh to myself. I guess I will change my plans again. I wouldn’t trade talking with them for anything; I just think it is funny that when I had a new plan all made, bam, change of plans, no writing for a while.

I now have a few more minutes before the meeting and I am thinking about plans. My plans are sometimes so superficial; I think to myself, what is in it for me, what do I want to do. I think that I get so into things of the world that I forget that He is the one who I should ask about plans. One of my most favorite verses ever is from Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” This is one of Angela’s favorite verses too. So it is even more special. I got to thinking about plans and how futile they sometimes can be. Planning is a good thing, it is good to be prepared and even think about if plan A doesn’t work then try plan B and so on. If all else fails then you can punt!! Just don’t stress, that will not get you anywhere but in a bad mood.

I think God wants us to plan so that we can be all that we can be for Him and the furthering of His Kingdom. When we get to the point that our joy is gone because we have become so desperate to make sure our plans go just the way we want or we feel that we have failed, then we need to stop and examine our motives for planning. Is it to be more effective or to be in control? I am learning that it is okay just to live for today and not have a specific plan. When we learn to let go and let God then we are accepting that He is in control and will guide us. We can soar in the knowledge of His protection and we are free. Free to release control to Him. I don’t want to live everyday without a plan because for me I don’t have enough discipline to do what I need to do but it is fun to have days every once in a while that you can just “BE”. We all need days like this. What fun they can be. Angela and I came up with “BE” days when she was in middle school; these are days when you do what you want, watch a movie, read a book, scrapbook, or make cookies and eat all of them while they are still warm. These days are meant to restore and refresh for the days to come. Thank you, Father that You allow us to “be”, to rest in You and receive the comfort that only comes from You.

I am learning to live in the moments with plans and the moments when my plans change. I want to have the attitude of peace and joy no matter what.

I wonder what his plans for the day are. He looks happy and content. Are you?

FABULOUS FRIDAY

2008-02-01T09:13:00.000-06:00

Steve and I are big Giants fans mainly because of Eli Manning. We have followed his football career ever since his college years at Ole Miss.

Ole Miss is a place dear to our hearts, not only did we both graduate from this school but this is where we first met, dated, fell in love and later married while attending. In fact our first date was 30 years ago tomorrow!!

GO GIANTS!!!!!!!!

Which way do I go?

2008-01-31T10:17:00.000-06:00

I recently bought a new phone. I love it!! It has the keypad with all the letters so I can actually text a message in a very short amount of time! I am so excited about that. The phone I had before was just a typical number pad with the three letters to each number. It would take me a very long time to figure out how many times to push each number to get the letter I wanted. It was exhausting. My messages, if any, were very brief. It was very frustrating to say the least. I wanted to send messages but finally just gave up. I would think of my children, nephews and especially my niece who could punch out a message in seconds. In fact my niece was one of the first people I sent a message to with my new phone, she was very proud of her cool aunt, who could now send a text with more than three words!

Technology is a wonderful thing. My phone even comes equipped with a GPS system. While Steve and I were talking about plans at the store of course the salesman was telling us about all the options that came with my phone and he mentioned the GPS system, of course it comes with an extra charge, but Steve said “why don’t you try it?” Well, I wasn’t going to let that pass by and I said okay.

You have to understand about me and my sense of direction, you see, I have none. Those who know me understand if we are going somewhere different that they have to spell directions out to me very specifically. I not only have difficulty with the major direction of north, south, east and west but more importantly I get confused with left and right. It is a good thing that I am married, because I often refer to my wedding rings for help in determining my left hand. I have also been told to hold up my thumb and forefinger to make the letter L with both hands. The hand that has the L going the right way is my left, good idea, but unfortunately they both look like L’s to me!! I also had trouble opening jars and turning light bulbs, (don’t laugh, I am not blonde!) I would be told turn them clockwise, well, that was a problem too because that depends on whether you are using your right or left hand to do these things. I learned a saying several years ago that has helped me tremendously.

Righty tighty

Lefty Loosey

Simple yet true and something I can remember!!!

Because I am directionally challenged, one of my biggest fears is to be lost. I think part of the reason is that I know that following directions is hard for me. I do better looking for landmarks than street signs! So when we opted for the GPS package on my phone I was very excited. I used it for the first time this past weekend. I actually figured out how to do it on my own!!!!

The first thing I realized is that you have to know where you want to go before you can enter the information in so the GPS can tell you how to get there. I had a light bulb moment on this after I got home. I was able to enter in the information of where to go because I knew the destination of where I wanted to go, but, what if you know you want to get somewhere but don’t know specifically where? I know it sounds a little like the AFLAC commercial but think about it. How can you get somewhere or try to reach a certain goal if you are not quite sure where you want to go or what you want?

I was pondering this and it was as if God was showing me that to have long term goals is great but you have to have specific short term goals to help you get where it is you want to go.

If you have a goal to lose weight and you stop there, discouragement soon builds up because you know what you want to do, you just don’t know how to get there. The same way about your relationship with Him, if you want to get closer and have a deeper relationship with Him you have to decide how and what you need to do to accomplish this. Are you going to dedicate time to spend with Him or to read His word, or join a bible study? What will you do to reach this goal?

Just as a GPS gives the final destination it also gives you the step by step directions on how to get there. You have a long term goal in your destination and short term goals in the step by step directions. The GPS even alerts you when you go off course, my says, “Recalculating”, then tells you to turn around or gives an alternate route that still leads to the desired destination. The Holy Spirit is our GPS; He wants to lead us to the ultimate destination of being molded into the image of Jesus. He is our Guide and also the One who helps redirect us when we go off course. Listen to His guidance and you will stay on course. And guess what? If you get off course, He will be the One to say “Recalculating” and will help you get back on the right road.

FABULOUS FRIDAY

2008-01-25T08:11:00.000-06:00

Steve made it home safely!!

Don't Worry, Be Happy

2008-01-24T18:35:00.000-06:00

Today has been a good day for me. I had bible study this morning. How I love to spend time in His word with other believers. God gives insight to each one of us and I love to hear the thoughts of others as we discuss different topics. After study I had a hair appointment. I love to get my hair done. The lady that does my hair has become a wonderful acquaintance over the years. She has been the only one to do my hair since we moved to Clarksville. She is a strong believer and we have good discussions as she does my hair. I left her salon feeling good, you know when your hair looks good then you feel good too. After that I went to get my eyebrows done at Merle Norman. Laura, the sweet lady that works there, is also a believer and we too had a nice talk about the Lord. She gave me a lesson on how to make up my eyes and hopefully they will look as good tomorrow as they do today. I ran a couple of other errands and came home to await the arrival of my husband, who has been out of town for a few days. I can’t wait for him to come home!!!

As I played on the computer today I thought about what I would write about. I wanted to make the next entry on my blog, but my mind was a whirlwind of different thoughts. I could write about the snow that fell for a few hours this morning or I could talk about the feelings that I have for my children, I could write about my dreams, the beauty in creation or other various topics.

The more I thought about it, the more fretful I became. I wanted it to be just right. Soon, I realized that I was actually worrying about what I would write about. I then began to smile and laugh out loud because believe it or not the bible study that I am leading is titled; “Living Above Stress and Worry” how funny is that? Here I was stressing which was the very thing I was teaching about! Then, I remembered the thoughts that ran across my mind when I woke up this morning, “I am worried about the lesson today”, I once again realized how silly this sounded given the content of the study.

It is amazing how God reveals himself to you when you seek Him. I have been asking Him to show me areas of worry that I might not have even realized that I have. When you ask Him for things like that you better be ready for the answer. He has been showing me several ways that I do this and I have to admit some were complete surprises. Like today, I realized that I was worrying over something that is meant to be fun and instead I started to turn it into drudgery. He also continues to reassure me of my worth to Him. This is an area that I have always struggled in. I sometimes feel like an outsider looking in, never feeling quite good enough. I am assured by promises in His word that these feelings are not from Him and that He loves me unconditionally. I didn’t realize until this study that I worry about this. You see worry is something that you hold onto, pick at, chew on over and over again and sometimes it can even consume you. Worry is holding on and rehashing when there is no reason to. I have come to find that you cannot worry and trust at the same time. It is impossible to say that You trust Him about a situation and then continue to let this situation consume you. When we learn to surrender our problems and relinquish control over them and completely hand it to Him, we are filled with a Peace that is unexplainable. I know that this is a process. I know that I will hand over things to Him, only to take them back again. How wonderful it is to know that no matter how many times I do this, He will always be there to receive my cares and to reassure me that He is with me. What an amazing God we have. I am learning to trust in the small areas, like writing a blog, as well as the bigger areas of my life.

I would like to offer these words of advice:

Don’t Worry, Be Happy!!

The Beginning

2008-01-21T15:55:00.000-06:00

The Beginning

How these two words fill me with hope. I have realized with each passing day that I am not getting any younger. In just a few months, I will be reaching the big milestone birthday of 50. It is hard to realize that my life is so far along. I have been through seasons in my life filled with valleys and mountaintops. I am so blessed to live as long as I have and be as happy as I am and as healthy as I am. It is amazing what fills your mind as the years creep by. I have a wonderful husband (Steve) of 28 ½ years, two beautiful, amazing children,(Angela and Ben), but then I have to stop and recount, because I no longer have two children, I have three as of June 24, 2006 which is the day my daughter became Mrs. Zachary Whitaker. I still have to stop and ponder that one. It is hard to believe that my daughter can be married when I remember so vividly the day I got married. It is hard to believe that my children are grown and gone with lives of their own. Forgive the digression, I can get fixated on my children rather easily. What gifts they are from my Heavenly Father!!

I am also blessed with my faithful friend and companion Pepper. He has been part of the family since 1994. He is getting on in years. I see his fur change from a black with dashes of white (hence the name Pepper) to one of grey with bits of black flowing through. He is not able to jump on the bed or furniture anymore which now breaks my heart where as earlier it made mad me when he wouldn’t move over to give me more foot room.

I see and realize with each passing day that indeed it is like His precious word says; our lives are like flourishing flowers. Today we are here in all our glory and tomorrow we are gone. As I realize that I have today and don’t know about tomorrow, I want to make the best of it. I want to be faithful to that which He has called me to do. I want to begin the things I know He has called me to do.

So here I am stepping out into the new realm of technology and posting my thoughts and feelings out for the world to read. My children are such inspirations to me when it comes to technology. I want to be a cool mom!! Ben (my son), is very tech savvy. He never ceases to amaze me with what he knows about computers, phones, etc. Angela and Zach are also amazing in this area. After all they have grown up in this era, I on the other hand remember computer programs using punch cards.

I have thought about entering into the world of blogging for awhile. I would use a number of excuses to keep from doing this. One of which is that I didn’t want to be a copy cat. Angela (my daughter) started her blog last year. I thought it would be something fun to do but I kept making excuses like “I don’t want to be a copy cat”. She and her husband Zach bought a new camera and then before you know it, Steve and I bought one just like it. She has done this and that and soon I was coping what she did. So I guess that you could call me a copy cat. I call it admiring someone and wanting to be like them. So my sweet Angela, here’s to you!!! No more excuses!!

I can feel overwhelmed easily when I begin something new. I think of all the possibilities and unknowns and I begin to get uneasy. I want to chicken out. I want to give up before I start. I kind of feel that way now, I think of having to title this blog, putting pictures on it and coming up with something to write about. Then I remember the advise that I gave Angela not to long ago. She had come to a situation that seemed overwhelming to her and I told her that she couldn’t do everything at one time. I told her to think about the situation as a big cookie. When eating a cookie you have to eat it one bite at a time. Savor each bite and then begin to think about the next bite. Before long you have eaten the whole cookie, one bite at a time. My favorite cookie is chocolate chip. So here I go with the first bite of my cookie…… It’s the beginning!!!!!