The Wonder of Christmas

Wordless Wednesday

Veterans Day

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Random Ramblings

My blog has been neglected once again! Life is just going on and my blog is sitting here in Blogland unattended! Facebook has been biggest downfall as far keeping up with my blog.

I have been painting ornaments for Christmas. This is like therapy for me and Lord knows I need all the therapy I can get these days! Each year I paint ornaments and sell them. I start taking custom orders in September. Every year I come up with a different design or theme.
This year it is snowmen/snow people.

Christmas 2009 Ornaments

Please keep my family in your prayers. We are dealing with my mother who has Alzheimer's. My Dad has his hands full a lot of the time. It seems like in the past 2 weeks she has gone down hill so fast. The doctor is working with a different combination of medications and she is to see a neurologist in 2 weeks. She is having problems with knowing who my father is a lot of the time. It has been so painful for all of us to watch this horrible disease come in and steal away Mom's mind. It's as if it has come like a thief in the night robbing our mother of her memory. She is so sad and afraid most of the time. It's like she is stuck between knowing what is happening and being totally lost. There is no happy middle in her mind right now.

Lesa

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Heavenly Sunlight

Walking in sunlight all of my journey;
Over the mountains, through the deep vale;
Jesus has said, "I'll never forsake thee,"
Promise divine that never can fail.

Heavenly sunlight, heavenly sunlight,
Flooding my soul with glory divine:
Hallelujah, I am rejoicing,
Singing His praises, Jesus is mine.

Shadows around me, shadows above me,
Never conceal my Savior and Guide;
He is the Light, in Him is no darkness;
Ever I'm walking close to His side.

Heavenly sunlight, heavenly sunlight,
Flooding my soul with glory divine:
Hallelujah, I am rejoicing,
Singing His praises, Jesus is mine.

I got up this morning thinking - oh yuck - another Monday! I wish I could stay home. My stomach hurt. My head hurt. You name it - I felt it this morning. I was moaning and groaning about having to go to work. I even grumbled about it being foggy again and tried to think of what Daddy always said about the fogs in August and the winter snows. Didn't we have a lot of fog last August? Is that why we had the horrible ice storm in January? Then I thought about how I was going to be late for work because I couldn't drive at my normal break-neck speed! By the time I got to the end of our road, I was fit to be tied just thinking about everything I had to get done today.

Then I looked behind me and this is what I saw.

Hello & Good Morning from God!! I felt like He had smacked me on the top of my head! I was being so ungrateful for the beautiful day that He had given me and for the blessing of being able to go to work at a job that I love. As I drove to work, I kept singing this song over and over in my mind. When I pulled into the parking lot I was singing out loud! I was even earlier than I thought and didn't have to drive fast! This has been one the best Mondays I have had in a long time. Yes - there were stressful moments but in my mind I kept singing His praises and knowing that Jesus is mine!

I'll try to remember this day when there is six inches of snow and ice everywhere in January.
Lesa

Knock Knock! Guess who is back?

No – I have not totally fallen off the face of the earth. I’m just clinging to the edge!

School started here on August 6. That’s all I can say.

Work – home – work – home – and back to work. That’s all I have done for over a month.

Well - work and Facebook. Am I the only one that is addicted to Facebook? And FARKLE? Where has FARLKLE been all of my life?? I could sit and play it for hours. I even dozed off playing the other night while sitting up in my chair! FARKLE is like Yahtzee but the game is shorter and you play against your friends. I'm not to sure about how the chips work - I just enjoy playing the game - over and over again until I fall out of my chair!

I’m hoping to post a few things within the next week. I have new recipes I have tried lately that I can’t wait to share.I’ve also started on a few Christmas crafts. I know – Christmas is months away. I have to get started now to get everything finished that I plan to make.

Most important of all – our Jennie is getting to be such a big girl! Here are a few pictures from her birthday party on Saturday. I can’t believe that it has been two years since I first fell head over heals in love with this little sweetheart!

Thanks to everyone for emailing to check on me! I enjoyed hearing from you!

Lesa

Wordless Wednesday!

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Organizing My Stuff

I was off from work last week and decided to organize my craft stuff. I threw away lots of junk and boxed up some stuff to give away.

Jennie "helped" me Monday and Tuesday. She is really into putting things in the trash can. She is also into pulling things out of the trash can too!

My biggest problem has always been how to store my Stampin Up ink pads. I've tossed around the idea of building a shelf for quite awhile. Yesterday, I finally mapped out what I thought about making. I went to Lowe's and started thinking about what I would need. Last night, I started measuring and cutting. I finished it today and sprayed it with a light coat of white paint.

It's not exactly what I had in mind but it will work for now.
It doesn't look professional by any means but that's OK.
It only cost me $23 and a smashed finger.

Next - I have to work on my paper storage.
I may have to build another room on to the house.....

Lesa

Wordless Wednesday

Signs From the 70's

I just noticed this sign on the restroom door at school. I have worked here for 15 years and just noticed the picture beside the word “WOMEN”. Doesn’t the woman look like Judy Jetson or the mother in the Family Circus comic strip? Our school was built in 1970. This sign has never been changed!

The sign for the men’s restroom is long gone. I wonder if it looked like George Jetson or Ward Cleaver? It was replaced with one that simply states "Bathroom". There are very few men here. We have a faculty and staff of approximately 80. There are only 4-5 men here on a daily basis. The men were over taken by the women a long time ago! There is only one set of restrooms for faculty and staff. When you have to go, it doesn’t matter where you go, as long as you get to go! Visitors are usually confused as to which one to go in. It really doesn't matter - they are same inside!

There is no confusion for the students.

The boy looks like Charlie Brown.

The girl looks like Charlie Brown's little sister.

I can’t believe that I just blogged about the restroom door signs.

I think I need a break.....

A long vacation with lots of cool drinks to sip.....

Somewhere with lots of restrooms would be nice…..

Lesa

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Birthday Mary Helen!

This is a picture of the barn that Mary Helen would see on the way to Granny and Papa's house when she was growing up. She knew when she saw this barn that they were almost there! That was many years ago when it was a long trip from Pembroke to Pee Dee. (I'm not sure if she rode in a horse and buggy or not!) It now only takes 20 minutes. I will not tell how old she is today. Let's just say that she is older than me (and dirt) and that is old.... I love her dearly.

Guess who is coming to see you today?
Love Ya!

Lesa

Bringing Home Lucy Lane!

My blog friend Kristi left for Ethiopia today to bring home her sweet baby girl. Kristi and Will already have four of the cutest children God ever made. Now they are making room in their hearts for one more. Keep Kristi in your prayers this week as she travels with her sister to bring home Lucy Lane. Also keep Will in your prayers as he "holds down the fort" at home! I cannot imagine the anticipation and excitement that is stirring inside their hearts this week!

You can keep track of Kristi in her travels and read about her journey to this point at Longing for Lucy Lane. You will see that Kristi and Will are truly two of God's most special parents!

Lesa

Wordless Wednesday

Please forgive me for not posting more. I have been swamped with end of year "junk" at school but somehow I always make time to take pictures!

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Memorial Day

Wordless Wednesday

Friday Fave Five

It's time for Friday Fave Five! I have been slacking in this area - I've been slacking in a lot areas lately but I had rather not think about that now! Be sure to check out all of the Friday Fave Five entries over at Suzanne's - Living to Tell the Story.

1. Crop Duster – Monday afternoon I kept hearing an airplane buzzing around the house and flying low. Then it dawned on me – it’s a crop dusting plane! I love watching planes fly low and swoop down! I ran out the front door with my camera in my hand so fast that I tripped over my feet at the bottom of the steps and hit my knee on the sidewalk and slipped in the muddy grass on one side. I got up and took off running again with my camera ready to take pictures and video. Thanks goodness I didn't drop my camera! After taking several shots, I realized that two of my neighbors were watching me instead of the plane. With mud all down one side of my body, I very gracefully walked back into the house as if nothing ever happened. They probably sat at the supper table that night laughing about the short chunky neighbor lady, with the white legs and skinned up knee, falling over herself in the yard like she had never seen a plane before. I bet I looked like the guy on “Fantasy Island” yelling – “De plane! De plane!” At least I provided a little free entertainment! Meanwhile – my knee still hurts but I got some good shots of the plane!

2. Jennie – This is Jennie on her rocking horse last Sunday before she had her fit of “Drama”! (See previous post!) The necklace that she is wearing was her grandmother's when she was a baby. I love her little bare feet!

3. Iris – This is my favorite color of iris that are in bloom now. A dear friend gave me these many years ago. They really are more a chocolate brown color. We used to call them "Flags" and I thought they were only purple and yellow when we were growing up. I know a lady that has over 200 different colors. She can tell you the names of each color and she is 92 years old! I do good to remember my own name some days!

4. My Mama – This is a picture of Mom and Jennie that I took last Sunday. Mom’s memory is slowly being robbed by Alzheimer’s. For now, she knows all of us and for that blessing I am grateful!

5. Philippians 4:6-7 – These verses have been in my heart all week.

⁶Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

⁷And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Lesa

Wordless Wednesday

Maybe a few words to explain -

This is Jennie on Sunday afternoon when she did not want to have her picture taken one more time. She had been cute and smiled for way too long!

Lesa

Happy Mother's Day!

This is the picture I'm giving Mom for Mother's Day.

I took it last Sunday in the pouring down rain.
I had it made into an 8x10 and framed it for her.
I hope she likes it!
Lesa

Max & Muffin - Friends or Not?

Muffin, Callie's kitten, is now almost 7 weeks old.

I named her Muffin because of the "M" on her head.

Max loves cats and kittens. He is very kind and gentle. He can't imagine why Muffin doesn't like him. He just wants to sniff her because cats smell
really great when you are a schnauzer!

Muffin is still not sure of Max and lets him know exactly how she feels. Kittens are so funny hissing and spitting while they fluff out every little piece of fur on the their bodies. It's so funny to watch them inflate like
little beach balls!

Muffin is still not eating kitten food and is perfectly content nursing from Callie. She sees no need to ever eat from a dish! I have been working on this with her for a couple of weeks now with no luck. The vet told me to start taking her away from Callie as much I can. I brought her inside this morning and she did eat a few bites of soft kitten food. I'm going to keep her in the kitchen until about 8:00 tonight and maybe she will eat before she goes back outside to her box with Callie. She has to eat from a dish before she packs her little bags and goes to a new home! I'm ready for her to find a new home!

Callie is not ready to let go of her baby!
I know how she feels!

Lesa

Wordless Wednesday

Blog Catch Up!

Good grief! Where did the time go since I posted on here last?! I started back to work part time on April 13 and full time beginning on April 20. I don't think I have stopped since then! I'm ready for another break from work but not like the last break I had with surgery! Only 22 more days of school for the students! I work year round so my fun just begins when school is out for the students.

Back the ark out of the garage!

I may need it to get to work in the morning!

It has rained here for the past three days! This is the radar right now for us. There is more of this moving in tonight and tomorrow. The highs have been in the upper 50's. I am so ready for carpi pants and sandals everyday - not once a week! There is rain in the forecast tomorrow also but the high is supposed to be in the 70's. Yucky and humid. So much for my hair looking good.....
And then I think - if my hair looked good - everybody at work would be totally shocked and amazed!

Last Sunday, Neil & I rode over to Todd County to the Chapel Hill Church Cemetery. My father's sister is buried there. It was an absolutely beautiful Spring day. Here are a few pictures that I took of the church and the cemetery.

This is the tombstone of my father's sister. Dad was born in 1930 so he never this sister. He was the last baby born and the only boy. This was Granny and Papa's first baby. I can't imagine the grief and pain that they felt losing this sweet baby girl. They went on the have five more babies and losing one other little girl. I'm not sure where the other baby is buried. Her name was Mae. I'll have to ask my cousin who is the storehouse of family history knowledge!

Kathleen
Daughter of
W.C. & Mary Thaxton
Born
Nov. 30, 1912
Died
July 10, 1914
"Budded on earth to bloom in heaven."

Lesa

Wordless Wednesday