Beauty/Destruction

Beauty

Destruction

Beauty

Destruction

Driveway Gone

What is more beautiful

Snow is wonderful

But beauty is in the eye of the beholder!LOL

Little House on the Mountain Style

Thank goodness, and I mean thank goodness, I am so glad we left Friday afternoon to go to the mountains instead of waiting till after work.  We got about 15" of snow up in them there hills.  Also we got a pile of mess....I have gone back to old country talking after having to cook over a kerosene heater, no heat or running water because of no electricity, our water runs on a electric pump. I will post pictures later of the beauty and destruction snow can be.  We had limbs and trees down everywhere, kind of like a snow hurricane. The driveway to the house was completely gone, our tractor broken down that was taking us up to the house, since we could not drive the truck up there, so I walked with luggage and slick boots, not a good combination. As of today, my back is out (honestly) I think I over worked it this weekend and got a massage and it put it the rest of the way out.  As I sit here and cringe in pain sitting at my desk, flat or standing is better, walking so so...But it brings me back to I am so spoiled....I am use to air, heat, dish washer, hot water on demand, air conditioning, bathing on demand, using the toilet on demand.  I know God had blessed me to live in this day and time, I live what I call "Little House on the Prarieing It"  but I don't want to.....Joey and I started picking up and cutting limbs and trees  early Saturday morning, there was actually about 13" inches of snow to trudge through with the debris. Then I needed to try and cook us something to eat, we did not get supper the night before because I didn't know there would be no power and I had brought something to cook up there, so we went to bed without dinner.  I take for grant having running water on demand, so I finally came up with a meal, cream corn, warmed pork n beans, and Terriakki (?) chicken and onions, I had a outdoor grill that has a burner, so I fixed one pot at a time and put the Pots stacked on each other on top of the kerosene heater to keep warm till all the dishes were done, Cleaned out and pack up refrigerator and freezer.Then I had to heat water to wash and  water to rinse, no wonder the families in the olden days didn't get alot accomplished. Then we melted snow to put in toilets so that they would flush (I know too much info).  Finally, Joey was wore out and decided that the trees and brush around the house was all we were cleaning up, he did not want to stay another night and have to play Chinese checkers and up-words  with me again by candlelight. We drained all the water out of the house because they did not know when we would have power again and the temperatures were to be in the teens up there for a few days. One again I would like to thank my dear heavenly fathers for creating me on this time and this place. Maw Ingells I am not...AMEN

Snow! Where are you?

The men in my family are what you call winter weather obsessed. I have to pay extra every month for Joey to have this thing called weatherbell on our computer.  He watches the models, and grafts, and charts for hours on end.  His true calling should have been a meteorologist instead of construction.
A couple of weeks ago we told me we would probably have snow yesterday or today (he was right). Josh texted me Wednesday night at 11 to see if we were still up, he was at home looking at the computer models and was so excited to see the possibility of snow, of course we are up, its winter and the models say 6-10" of snow here, we have to look this over carefully to see if it is right.  Joeys favorite weatherman use to work for the weather channel but he is a little more conservation thinking and disagrees with a lot of them on the global warming thing so he was let go, so now Joey follows him online.To say we were disappointed with this snow storm is a understatement, so we are heading to the hills where supposedly there is about a foot at our house....Pictures to follow.... 

A story to tell

As you know Audrey is a Dental Hygienist in High Point.  She works for a office that most of the patients are subsidized by the government.  Most of her patients are drug addicts, mentally and physically handicapped, AIDS patients, working the system, and some do pay like the rest of society does for dental work.  To say this has made her very cynical is a understatement.  My once quiet, non opinionated child has turned into her mother!!!!!!OH KNOW as Harper says.  But my story today is about a patient she had last week at their office.  Audrey seated the young lady and when she went to put the apron around her neck, she saw something moving in her hair.  She left the room and went to the office manager, who immediately started to clean the front area where the girl first sat, then went to the assistance room that they first put her in before Audrey brought her to her room.  They informed the Dentist and he told them they had to tell her to leave until things were cleared up, but he was glad Audrey saw it first or he would have screamed like a little girl. Audrey and the Dental Assistant showed the girl in a mirror what was happening in her hair, Audrey said there were brown bugs crawling everywhere, up and down ponytails, out to the ends of her hair, 50 -100 of them.
Of course, everyone wanted to go and take a bath immediately, I made Audrey wash her clothes twice.Wesley is a real clean freak, he told her she had to take two showers before he saw her that night. The poor girl told them she had never noticed them before. RIGHT!!! My question is how can when you live in a country with fairly clean water and you as a adult not be clean.  It cost pennies a day to bathe and brush your teeth.  I understand foreign countries who deal with disease ridden waters but her, there is absolutely no excuse.  Now, for all of you deep thinkers, where all has this girl been in the last few months, because this didn't just happen, these bugs have been there a while.
Maybe the movies, where we put our heads back on the seats, or at Kohl's trying on clothes or scarves, or she works at the drive thru you just ate at.  Now tell me your thoughts, it makes you not want to go out in public much, DOES IT.......Something to think about. UGH!!!!!

It 2 am and I am sitting here on the computer because I can't sleep, My mind goes in crazy directions when I lay down at night.  Tonight, I was anxious because it was so foggy out and I was worried about Audrey out driving late at night. I thought I heard strange sounds on the porch right before I went to sleep, I just knew Joey had left a radio on somewhere.  Audrey finally came home, so I thought now I can sleep soundly, but instead I am writing on the blog. Between hot flashes, allergic reactions ( my neck and chest has rash from something)  my restless legs hurting so bad tonight  I have to laugh. Joey said right before I went to bed tonight, " oh my hips out, no its my neck hurts, oh my legs are killing me, oh its my kidneys, no I am itching all over, oh I have a hump on my back, oh am I burning up or last but not least my stomach hurts" who showed up today? Life with a pre-menopausal women can be strange to say the least but he gets to sleep with a different woman almost every night.....HA!!!!

The Time has come.....

The time is finally here when we all have realized that Harper is listening and saying what we say....
That means we have to watch our words around the house.  She is also telling on her mam-maw and pap-paw to her parents.  I do sneak and give her a little coke every once in a while and dill pickles. She told on me to her mom the other day.  I said "Gosh" the other day and she started to say it, I have now decided that this is the Lords way of shutting my mouth.  Josh has always laughed and said his baby would be the one in the church nursery to say the first cuss word. It is funny how you get relaxed with your speech when you have adult children around and then there are those new little ears....The old saying be careful  little eyes what you see, be careful  little ears what you hear, really is for grandparents.....

A picture of Jesus

I have for the last couple of years looked for a picture of Jesus.  I wanted one that showed Jesus with a smile, really laughing.  I have not been able to find one until now.  I don't have a facebook page but I sometimes get on my mom's page and check on my cousins, uncle and aunt. Well I saw the picture that I have been looking for.  Unfortunately, it is not a professional picture that I can buy.  I tried to send a letter to the lady that had this on her FB page. It is a drawing a man in their church did of a father who depicted Christ in a church play and his son.  If anybody knows how to find this please let me know.  I would love a copy.

My first New Year Resolution

I don't make New Year Resolutions, because like my friend Cindy, I do not usually follow through with them. I always think about losing weight at the first of year, mainly because after the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays I am sick of eating. What better time to start dieting, then by Valentines I am ready for Chocolate. I have decided to pay close attention to my eating habits and see areas that need working on.  I am trying to drink coffee, Joey  believes it helps with weight loss.  So this morning I got up and tried to drink a cup, I did get about 1/2 cup down, I like cold drinks compared to hot.  I also decided to try and get up and read something in the spiritual realm (whether it is the Bible, a book, or article) every morning with my cup of joe. This morning I started a book by CS Lewis, Mere Christianity.  Pretty deep stuff, like nothing he writes is deep. HA!!!!
Joey has read this book a couple of times and he wants to give it to someone, and I decided to read it before hand.  First couple of chapters, what is right and wrong, moral laws, do you believe correctly or could someone else be right. What struck me was a line, " pianos have two different types of keys, when you play it, those keys can be played wrong, but when played correctly to the right music, there is no wrong keys, just wrong playing".  Apply this to life, sex is not wrong, politics is not wrong, anger is not wrong, eating is not wrong  but when your whole life is decided by that lead it is wrong.
What can be beautiful music suddenly turns to filth and unlistenable  gongs.

Reflections

This last year has been different, I will not say it as been easy nor will I say it has been hard.  It has been challenging in many different ways.  Not really for Joey and I but for people we know and love, so it still effects us.  Harper having surgery and learning to trust that God is in control in our children and grandchild's life. The realization that Harper needs glasses at such a young age.  My childhood friend going to live with Jesus who she dedicated her life to in so many ways.  The storage building being robbed again.  The small things in life that sometimes rob you of your so called normal life.  Sinus infections for 3 months, back going out at the most inconvenient times, new food allergies of your favorite foods with quick hospital visit to confirm, church stuff (need I say more).  But through all this God is still good. I have seen him work in wonderful ways this year.  He has shown me new things about him, he has shown me new things about me.  I know that life changes everyday, and that we have to learn to adapt sometimes, but know that God never changes and his ways are always true.  So 2012 is over, and 2013 is here what ever changes come my way, they have already passed through the hand of God. In Deuteronomy 2: 7, Moses wrote" the Lord has helped us and taken care of us the last 40 (50 for me) years  that we have been in this huge desert. We've had everything we needed,and the Lord has blessed us and made us successful in whatever we have done."
I choose to believe that no matter what is going on in my world (huge desert) God will provide all I need and bless me. I will have joy and peace that is unexplainable because it will be from him.
2013 holds alot to look forward to, Wesley promised me in a Christmas card that Audrey will not be living at home by next Christmas, Harper's parents hope to have a sibling on the way , Joey and I will celebrate 30 years of being married. So this year has alot of excitement to look forward to.