HE knows best...

Good afternoon friends.

We finally have been able to see the sun for a few minutes today.  The weather says it is only going to stick around for a few days though and the rain will be back this weekend.   Guess we will enjoy it while we can.

Have you ever had something in your life happen and you have no way to explain it?  You can hardly believe it yourself?  The only explanation you can say is it was God?

Listen to this story.

Hubby and I had discussed several times over the past year about selling our car or trading it in.  We haven't been too happy with it for a while. We decided several months ago we were going to trade but not until sometime next year.  That was that.  The decision was made.  

Fast forward to a few weeks after that.  Darbee and I were driving around town and I realized I was nearly out of gas.  I am not one who likes to pump gas.  I don't if I can help it.  I wait and let hubby get it for me.  But, I was literally almost out of gas and had no choice.  

If I ever do have to pump it, I usually use the debit card.  I hate having to get Darbee out and go in and pay and then end up having to go back in for the change.  

This day however, I had cash.  I had to go in.  I went in and told the guy behind the counter I wanted $30 on number 3. His reply was 2013?  I was a little confused. I gave him a crazy look and replied, "No, pump number 3."  He smiled and said, "No, your car.  Is it a 2013?"  I told him no and laughed and said I wish it was new but it was a 2008.  He immediately looked out there again and said, "No way.  It looks brand new.  I like it.  Will you sell it?  I want to buy it today?"  I was so blown away, I didn't know what to say.  I was also a little nervous.  I didn't know where this was going.  I quickly replied that I could not sell him my car right then and that he would have to talk to my husband.  He handed me a pen and a piece of paper and wanted his number.  Wow.  This guy was serious.  I wrote hubby's name and number down and he wanted to know if he could call him immediately.  I seriously didn't know what was going on and couldn't believe it really.  I started to walk away to go pump my gas and he wanted to know how many miles it had.  I had got so nervous by then I couldn't even think.  I told him I would look and let him know.  He wanted me to call hubby and see if it was ok for him to call right then.  I was ready to get out of there.  I hurried to the car and called hubby and explained what was going on.  He said to tell him he could call but didn't think much of it.  He said he wasn't expecting to hear anything from him.  

I went back in and told him how many miles and that he had the ok from hubby to go ahead and call.  I quickly got back to my car and got out of there.  I know it's sad, but crazy things were running through my mind.  I was a little scared.

Hubby called to check on us and make sure he wasn't harassing me or anything.  

Not too long after that, hubby called me again and said the man had called him and he was coming out to look at the car later that afternoon.  Oh my.  Really?  

Hubby got off early to meet him here.  He showed up and went back and forth with hubby forever outside.  He didn't want to look under the hood.  He didn't want to drive it.  Nothing.  He bought it.  Right then. 

I was completely blown away.  

How?  Why?  I had no explanation except God.  He had a hand in it.  He knew I needed to stop there for gas that afternoon.  I am fully confident he saw in our future and knew we needed to get rid of the car.  There was no other explanation.  

So....we were on the hunt for a new car.  We knew when we did get something different, we wanted something with a third row seat.  We wanted the room.  We looked for nearly a week and finally brought home this.

I absolutely love it.  

I  couldn't be happier.  

I am so glad HE is in control of my life. 

Until next time....

Almost Over

Good evening. I think I need to gather friends and start building an ark!  I can't believe how much rain we have had this past weekend. The sun came out Sunday afternoon and I thought we were good.  BUT...more rain last night and it is pouring again. It has also been cool!  It never got out of the 50's today!  My oh my!  I am ready to see the sun!

I can hardly believe my baby has only 9 days of school left!  This year has been wonderful and I can't believe she is almost a kindergartner!

Friday after I picked her up from school, I surprised her with a playdate to Bayleigh's.  It is bad when a mommy is just as excited as the kid about a playdate?  Hehe.  I was excited to have some girl time with Bayleigh's mom, Stephanie and catch up.  They are also planning a Disney trip is just a few weeks so we have had fun planning together and sharing ideas.  

We had a great time and can't wait to get together again!

Darbee also came home with a school project on Friday.  For her graduation, they are using guitars as props for a song.  They cam home with white guitars made from foam board.  Their project was to decorate any way they liked.  Oh boy.  A project like that makes me wonder what did I ever do without the internet?  I quickly set out on a search for decorated paper guitars.  Surprisingly, there wasn't a lot.  I did find one that was really cute.   We headed out in the rain to Michael's and Hobby Lobby for the supplies.  Darbee was so excited to help.  She picked out the stickers and letters and paint.  

She helped me paint.

And then helped me deocrate.

I love how it turned out. 

I can't wait till her graduation to see her use it!  Trust me, I have heard the songs 1000 times but I know they will be so cute! 

Since it was raining, we didn't get to go to the Cotton Pickin Fair.  We usually go every year but it was just raining too hard.  After church on Sunday while the sun was peeking thru, we decided to give it a try.  Oh boy.  I knew it had rained the day before but I never thought about MUD!  We slipped, sunk and skidded in mud. 

This picture doesn't do it justice.  

It was terrible.  I felt so bad for the vendors. 

I enjoyed walking around but there was NO primitive booths.  There was one booth that had a few prim wood items, but that was it.  I found this cute Uncle Sam to hang on my front door.

He is huge.  Probably close to 3 ft. tall!

I can't wait to hang him.

Darbee had fun there too.

She has always seen these water balls at different places but has never been brave enough to try it. 

She decided that since she was 5 1/2, she was big enough. (SMILE) 

She hopped right in the ball and they blew it up.

Then they pushed her right in the water.  Doesn't that look like fun?

She had a blast!  

I wish they were for adults too!  I would have love to have had a turn!  

She enjoyed an slushie with her baby too!

We had a great time and made it back to the car just in time for it to rain again.

So...the countdown continues...9 days and counting until summer break!

I hope all of you are having a great start to the week.

Until next time...

To all the Mama's

A friend of mine posted this on Facebook today and I just had to share.  I love this.  It is long, but worth reading. Maybe a little encouragement for everyone.

Enjoy!

Dear Mom,

I've seen you around. I've seen you screaming at your kids in public, I've seen you ignoring them at the playground, I've seen you unshowered and wearing last night's pajama pants at preschool drop-off. I've seen you begging your children, bribing them, threatening them. I've seen you shouting back and forth with your husband, with your mom, with the police officer at the crosswalk.

I've seen you running around with your kids, getting dirty and occasionally swearing audibly when you bang a knee. I've seen you sharing a milkshake with a manic 4-year-old. I've seen you wiping your kids' boogers with your bare palm, and then smearing them on the back of your jeans. I've seen you carry your toddler flopped over the crook of your arm while chasing a runaway ball.

I've also seen you gritting your teeth while your kid screamed at you for making him practice piano, or soccer, or basket weaving or whatever it was. I've seen you close your eyes and breathe slowly after finding a gallon of milk dumped into your trunk. I've seen you crying into the sink while you desperately scrub crayon off your best designer purse. I've seen you pacing in front of the house.

I've seen you at the hospital waiting room. I've seen you at the pharmacy counter. I've seen you looking tired and frightened.

I've seen a lot of you, actually.

I see you every single day.

I don't know if you planned to be a parent or not. If you always knew from your earliest years that you wanted to bring children into the world, to tend to them, or if motherhood was thrust upon you unexpectedly. I don't know if it meets your expectations, or if you spent your first days as a mom terrified that you would never feel what you imagined "motherly love" would feel like for your child. I don't know if you struggled with infertility, or with pregnancy loss, or with a traumatic birth. I don't know if you created your child with your body, or created your family by welcoming your child into it.

But I know a lot about you.

I know that you didn't get everything that you wanted. I know that you got a wealth of things you never knew you wanted until they were there in front of you. I know that you don't believe that you're doing your best, that you think you can do better. I know you are doing better than you think.

I know that when you look at your child, your children, you see yourself. And I know that you don't, that you see a stranger who can't understand why the small details of childhood that were so important to you are a bother to this small person who resembles you.

I know that you want to throw a lamp at your teenager's head sometimes. I know you want to toss your 3-year-old out the window once in a while.

I know that some nights, once it's finally quiet, you curl up in bed and cry. I know that sometimes, you don't, even though you wanted to.

I know that some days are so hard that all you want is for them to end, and then at bedtime your children hug you and kiss you and tell you how much they love you and want to be like you, and you wish the day could last forever.

But it never does. The day always ends, and the next day brings new challenges. Fevers, heartbreak, art projects, new friends, new pets, new fights. And every day you do what you need to do.

You take care of things, because that's your job. You go to work, or you fill up the crock pot, or you climb into the garden, or strap the baby to your back and pull out the vacuum cleaner.

You drop everything you're doing to moderate an argument over whose turn it is to use a specifically colored marker, or to kiss a boo-boo, or to have a conversation about what kind of lipstick Pinocchio's Mommy wears.

I know that you have tickle fights in blanket forts, and that you have the words to at least eight different picture books memorized. I've heard that you dance like a wild woman when it's just you and them. That you have no shame about farting or belching in their presence, that you make up goofy songs about peas and potatoes and cheese.

I know that an hour past bedtime, you drop what you're doing and trim the fingernail that your 3-year-old insists is keeping her up. I know that you stop cleaning dishes because your kids insist you need to join their tea party. I know you fed your kids PB&J for four days straight when you had the flu. I know that you eat leftover crusts over the sink while your kids watch "Super Why."

I know you didn't expect most of this. I know you didn't anticipate loving somebody so intensely, or loathing your post-baby body so much, or being so tired or being the mom you've turned out to be.

You thought you had it figured out. Or you were blind and terrified. You hired the perfect nanny. Or you quit your job and learned to assemble flat-packed baby furniture. You get confused by the conflict of feeling like nothing has changed since you were free and unfettered by children, and looking back on the choices you made as though an impostor was wearing your skin.

You're not a perfect mom. No matter how you try, no matter what you do. You will never be a perfect mom.

And maybe that haunts you. Or maybe you've made peace with it. Or maybe it was never a problem to begin with.

No matter how much you do, there is always more. No matter how little you do, when the day is over, your children are still loved. They still smile at you, believing you have magical powers to fix almost anything. No matter what happened at work, or at school, or in playgroup, you have still done everything in your power to ensure that the next morning will dawn and your children will be as happy, healthy, and wise as could possibly be hoped.

There's an old Yiddish saying: "There is one perfect child in the world, and every mother has it."

Unfortunately, there are no perfect parents. Your kids will grow up determined to be different than you. They will grow up certain that they won't make their kids take piano lessons, or they'll be more lenient, or more strict, or have more kids, or have fewer, or have none at all.

No matter how far from perfect you are, you are better than you think.

Someday your kids will be running around like crazy people at synagogue and concuss themselves on a hand rail, and somebody will still walk up to you and tell you what a beautiful family you have. You'll be at the park and your kids will be covered in mud and jam up to the elbows, smearing your car with sugary cement, and a pregnant lady will stop and smile at you wistfully.

No matter how many doubts you might have, you never need doubt this one thing: You are not perfect.

And that's good. Because really, neither is your child. And that means nobody can care for them the way you can, with the wealth of your understanding and your experience. Nobody knows what your child's squall means, or what their jokes mean, or why they are crying better than you do.

And since no mother is perfect, chances are you are caught in a two billion way tie for Best Mom in the World.

Congratulations, Best Mom in the World. You're not perfect.

You are as good as anybody can get.

With love,

Lea

I found the letter here.

Exploring new sights

Good morning everyone.  It's a dark dreary day here in the south.  Yuck.  It's quite cool outside too.

It has been a rather quiet week here and I am thankful for that.

This past weekend, we took a day trip down to West Point Lake to the big dam.  Darbee has been asking what a dam looked like so we decided to go and show her a real one.  I guess we could call it an educational fieldtrip. Ha!

There is a really nice park and walking paths.  We took a picnic lunch and enjoyed a fun afternoon.

Look at this huge dam.  Darbee was amazed.  You can walk up to it and watch the water pour in when they open the gates.  There was one gate open a little bit and the water was gushing in.  It was neat to see.  

There is a small pond for kids to fish from.  Darbee enjoyed feeding the ducks and geese.

Afterward, we drove across the dam and thru the campgrounds.  It was a fun trip.  

I am still busy working on our Disney trip.  

We only have around 110 days until we go.  I know that sounds like a lot but I know how fast it will go by!  I still have so much to do. I have all of our dining reservations made.  I am buying up "prizes" for the road to keep Darbee occupied.  It is going to be so much fun.  

I hope all of you are having a good week.

Talk again soon!

Until next time.....

Finally...

Good afternoon everyone.  It's finally Friday!  Woohoo.  I just love weekends.  If he isn't on call, hubby is home with us and we usually stay busy.  I just love it when he is here with us.  Darbee does too.  She likes having him to play outside.  We laugh all the time about how nice it would be if he didn't have to work and could just be here with us all the time.  Do you think we would get tired of each other?  Hmmmm....

Anyway...I posted yesterday that Blogger wouldn't let me upload any pictures.  Not sure what was wrong, but as I tried again today, it worked perfectly!  Whew!  I didn't want you all to think I had given up on my blog.  I haven't.  Just needed a break I guess.

So...since I last posted, we have been keeping busy.  Darbee is nearing the end of her school year and is very excited about her graduation. She is growing so tall and I can't believe my baby is nearly done with her first year of school. 

Here she is on the morning of her cap and gown pictures.  Yes, you read that right.  Cap and gown pictures.  She was so excited.

I received the proofs this week and let me tell ya....my heart skipped a beat.  They are absolutely adorable.  I can't wait to share them with you.

The weather has been warmer and we are really enjoying that.  Darbee loves being outside.  Me-not so much but I will go out some.  

We have already enjoyed our first picnic.

I pulled out an old quilt and we headed up to the lake.

There was a nice breeze blowing and it was a great afternoon.

Hubby tried to teach Darbee how to skip rocks.  

She tried sooo hard but hasn't quite mastered that skill yet.

I know it won't be long with her determination and she will do it.

The warmer weather has allowed us to have outside playdates too!  

We had a fun day with Bayleigh and Braxton and Ms. Stephanie.  

We enjoyed lunch at a local Chinese restaurant and Miss Darbee learned that she LOVED their rice and sweet and sour chicken.  She now asks all the time to go back there.  

I guess eating rice with a large soup spoon makes it better huh?

These two girls have so much fun together can't you tell?  Ha!

We have even had fun when it was raining too. 

Darbee begged to put on her rain gear and play in the puddles.

I couldn't say no.  

She had the BEST time.  

Oh the simple pleasures of being a kid.

Papa has now finished his part of the playhouse.  

It is done.  

Now comes the hard part for us....Painting.  Ugh...

We have to paint the trim, the porch and the inside.  

Look at the counter Papa built.  This will end up being the sink and counter.

We did get the door painted.  It's a bright lime green.

Sorry for the shadow.  

We have a door knocker and a metal mail box to add to the door.  

It is going to be so cute!

The latest news is Darbee's eyes.

She had an eye doctor appointment in Atlanta this week. 

She did great.  She got a great report.  Her eyes look super healthy and her prescription was only increased a little bit.

She was a little nervous, but the nurses and doctor were great!

This was a pediatric doctor so they knew how to make her laugh!

They even had child size disposable sunglasses.  They were so cute!

The hardest part was choosing glasses.

I love the brown ones that she wears now.  We will more than likely have new lenses put in those but Darbee wanted a new look.  I don't blame her.  BUT...picking them out was a tough job.

I got many looks like this.  smile.

Thanks to Nana's opinion, we finally decided on several pair as well as a cool Hello Kitty pair of sunglasses.  They should be back in a week or so.  Can't wait to show you.

I think that's about all for now.  

I promise to do better and update again soon.  

I hope all of you have a great weekend!!

Popping in to say hi

Hey everybody!  I realize it has been twenty something days since I updated my blog.  Sorry!  I have just been in a rut.  A rut with my blog, decorating....everything!  I got on this morning to update and blogger will not cooperate.  For some reason I cannot upload any pictures.  So....I just wanted to say hello and let you know I haven't forgotten my blog.  As soon as blogger cooperates, I will post an update complete with pictures.

A tough job....

Good evening friends.  I have been a slacker again.  I have been visiting your blogs but I haven't been posting much on mine.  Last week was spring break.  We hung around here and didn't have any major plans.  Life happened and we ended up being pretty busy most every day.
Last night, our preacher's wife called to say a sweet lady in our church had just been rushed to the hospital with no heart beat.  We were over at my aunt's house who also attends our church so she and I headed up to the hospital. We ended up staying until after midnight and sadly she passed away.
Hubby was with Darbee Rae who was very excited that she got to stay over at Kakee's house late and get to be up super late.  She was bouncing off the walls when we got back close to 1:00 a.m.
On the way home she began to question about the lady's death.  What happened?  Is she happy now?  Was she really sick?  Things like that.  She has been to funeral homes and funerals and we have explained to her before that Jesus calls their names and brings them up to heaven to live with him and they are so happy and not sick anymore.  That has always been good enough.
Of course last night when it is so late and we are ready to come in and get ready for bed, she wants to know more.  The conversation went a little like this:

"Mommy, what happened when Ms. Leeda died?"

ME: Well, it's like we have told you.  Jesus called her name and told her to come to him and she went to sleep and Jesus took her to Heaven to live with him.

"O.k. but what really happened?  Did it hurt?"

ME:  No, I don't think she was hurting.  If so, the minute Jesus called her name and she got to Heaven, she wasn't hurting anymore.  She was so happy.

"But what really happened mommy?  Did her body disappear when she died? Where is she really?"

Oh no....I knew I was cornered.  She is smart enough to know that once they are dead they are in heaven but she also has now put two and two together and wants to know more.  She knows they are in Heaven but yet she knows they are still "in the box."  This was a hard one.

I asked hubby how to explain it.  I knew the concept of a soul was a little deep for her yet.  I had to explain and I had to think of something in a hurry.  She came in the house, sat on the couch, crossed her arms and said, "So mommy, what happens?"  I was in trouble.  I had to think quick.

It had to be the Lord that helped me.  This is what I said.  I told her to think of it this way.  Think of your body as a house.  Your skin and bones are the house.  YOU are living inside that "house."  When it comes time to die, Jesus is "magic."  He calls your name and asks you to come live with him.  We can't see it but your "house" stays here and Jesus magically "pulls" you out of your house and flies you up to Heaven.  When you get there, he gives you a new body that isn't sick or hurting or anything.  The old "house body" stays here because it is sick.  Jesus doesn't need it.  He gives you a brand new perfect one.  Whew....I was silently hoping and praying that was good enough.  She responds with a smile and says, "So it's kind of like he tears a hole in your head and pulls you out."  Sure...if that's how you want to think about it.  Sure.  I think she got it.  She did have one more question and it blew me away.  "So mommy, now am I old enough to know how babies are born? "  Oh my little girl....toooooo much for tonight.  No kiddo....you're not old enough yet.  :)