April 30th, 23 years ago

Twenty-three years ago at lunch time I gave birth to this little lady. Today, I can't believe she is the age I was when I had her. Life sure has flown by. As I think back to her last 23 years alot of things come to mind. She was a funny child, she was sick alot, like to hug but didn't like to sit still on your lap for long. She was mischievous in her only little creative way, didn't take no for an answer, was very persistent. Loved, I mean Loved sweets, candy of all kinds, Oreo's and chip sandwiches. (no wonder she was sick all the time). For many years was attached to my hip, didn't like to spend the night away from home. Was a little on the scaredy side. As she matured in middle and high school, she became very determined, loved school, wanted to be a part of the school spirit. She came out of her shell more throughout these years. Became a little on the OCD personality, stresses out over small things, holds her feelings in more than she should, was a pretty good teenager to raise. College years were alittle harder at first, But she has come around wonderfully. She is into running and exercise. She eats much healthier than as a child. She is still pretty OCD and determined. She is learning to speak her mind and stand up for herself. I think she is coming into her own skin and I see growth in many areas of her life. She is a beautiful woman and I believe God is going to use her. One of her verses we learned as child for her personality was I Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety (worries, cares) on him because he cares for you" As our children grow up, we hope and pray that what we have taught them will stick. That they will remember through out life God Loves them and will be there for them. I am a little sad because my baby isn't at all a baby any longer but God has blessed me with a wonderful young woman to enjoy life with now.

First Home Pictures

This is Josh and Abby's new home. The previous owners were foreclosed on so they ripped out all the landscaping in the front. As you can see it will be an easy house to keep up, since it is all brick. It is on a private little drive and is surrounded by alot of trees. The neighbors have been extremely friendly. They have brought up hot cookies and tea while we were helping them move in.

This is the master bedroom, the colors in the house are this green everywhere. The basement has a darker shade of green, as Josh says it goes great with all my stuffed animals on the walls.

This is the dining room. The only problems with the house were it was a little dusty because no one has lived here for 3 years. They removed light fixtures from some of the rooms, took knobs off of some of the cabinets,they removed only one window shutters on the front porch, little random things need to be fixed. They removed the shelving in the master bedroom only, I don't know why this is the only closet they did this in. But I decided that this was something that I could work on Saturday. Josh started helping me and then left me to do the rest by myself. I followed the directions to a T, and at church told Abby I hope nothing happens to the closet or I will get fussed at. We went back to help again on Sunday and they came out the front door Abby was laughing and Josh said "Mom the closet shelves just came out of the wall" I thought he was kidding, but no they all were laying in the middle of the closet floor. What the directions did not tell me was that you had to buy a separate anchor (that did not come in the packet with everything else) and screw them into the studs in the walls. So off to Lowes I go.....

The shelves are in and so far are holding up wonderfully.

First Homes

Josh and Abby are purchasing their first home today. They close on the house at 11:00 and we are going to start moving them in after lunch. The house is a fore-closure so they got a great deal. We have been going there at night to help them paint and clean up a little. When we left last night Joey said " I know your jealous, do you wish you had their house. They have twice the size house we have and have paid less for it than we paid for ours." I am a little jealous, but really happy that my children are being blessed from God with such a great opportunity. I will have pictures next week..

Turkey's

Here is my first born with his first kill of the turkey season. He did allow me to keep this turkey to cook for him sometime. This is one of his hunting buddies, Mike but we call him Fritzy, or The Fritz Man

This is Josh's other hunting buddies, His dad of course and David, aka Big Daddy Dave.

This is Josh's second bird of the season, he kept this one for him and Abby. When I look at these pictures I have to laugh, because Josh mentioned the other day, do you realize I hang out with all old people. I have always said he was born a old man at heart.

Allergies

I have never experienced allergies like I am this week. My whole family is allergic to everything. Josh took shots as a small boy for about 3 years, Joey is allergic to everything mildly except for grass. When grass starts heading out he can barely function. Audrey has been on allergy shots for 5 years, we finally decided they were not working, (when questioned "why am I still on shots 5 years later) the Dr.'s quote "there are some people this doesn't work for, we usually can tell after 3 years, they got extra money for 2 years. Thank goodness Audrey finally questioned them. She is allergic highly to alot of things, so she always looks like she has been crying or drunk. Me, I maybe get a little sniffle one time a year. This year the Dr tells me that the pollen is so bad that they have seen many who never have problems coming in. I have a sinus and ear infection, I can hardly talk without sounding like a deep voiced mad woman. I have been praying for the Lord to help me not talk so much, his humor is incredible, I haven't wanted to talk because I start coughing so bad, so maybe this is his way of shutting me up. To top it all off, I am not a person who takes medicine of any kind, Allergy medicine, benedryl makes me want to kill people. I have a very short fuse if I am on these types of medicine, so I choose not to take them and suffer through. This time I have to take them to try and clear up the ear infection. I also don't take anitbiotics well, I usually keep up with what works and what doesn't. I missed one this time, I took what they prescribed for me and about 3 hrs later I started feeling sick, as I was going to church to teach small groups I found a bottle I kept in my car of a antibiodic that made me really sick last time I took it, I kept it in there as a reminder to never take again. I forgot about it , you guessed it, I took the same stuff again, need less to say, I didn't get to finish my small group, I stayed as long as I could, then grabbed Joey out of his class and drove home as fast as possible. Then next morning I was a half way new woman. I have never felt very compassionate for people who suffer with allergies, (get over it, it can't be that bad) was usually my comments. But after this week of suffering, I will be a kinder more gentler soul and I am considering giving up exercise.....Every since I started exercising 2 years ago I have been sicker than I have been the last 20 years........