I returned home yesterday to a very nice surprise..
I am so blessed!
🙂
Year: 2010 (Page 3 of 7)
Less than five miles West of Suzanne’s is this really cool Wildlife park.
The giraffes are my favorite.
Judi
Kevin is 11.
And Kyle just turned 13.
They like lettus.
They have the prettiest eyes.
Mama and baby.
So beautiful.
They had a pair of white Bengal tigers that were very entertaining.
They only met a couple of weeks ago and are still getting to know each other.
Their names were Gerber and Icecess.
We enjoyed watching them sneak up on each other, pretending not to be by swatting a branch,
and I especially enjoyed hearing Icecess roar the one time Gerber got close to her.
The ring tailed lemurs were pretty cool.
For a dollar you can feed them a crainraisin.
The kangaroos were softer than we expected.
A couple were carrying joeys in their pouches.
These are white handed gibbons.
We were all very surprised to see momma and baby with different colored coats.
Kevin loved feeding the turtles.
They all went for their first camel ride. The camel can hold up to 700 lbs.
J
My good friend, Suzanne, got married this past weekend. We are so happy for her.
After 10 years of living as a widowed, single parent
God has brought her a husband and father for her two sons.
She met Mark over the internet almost a year ago.
I knew right away that he was the one. It took her a while to believe
that God loved her enough to bring her someone who really loved her.
God is so good. Better than any of us could ever imagine.
Mark lost his wife five years ago and had been bringing up her two sons and their
daughter on his own. Both parents are so happy to find someone
to help them love and raise their children for Christ.
Judi and I arrived Wednesday afternoon to help prepare for the wedding.
Judi and Michelle hit it off right away. Michelle’s a year younger than Judi.
Judi helped Michelle with her make up.
Doesn’t she look great?!
Here’s the happy bride with her new daughter. I am so glad she gets a daughter.
Every mother should have at least one of each. Michelle is sweet, smart and a lot of fun.
Here’s the happy couple. They were both so calm and took everything in stride.
Don’t you just love Suzanne’s dress? She looks like a princess!
This is one of the prettiest dresses I’ve ever worn.
I have the groom’s ring on my thumb. 🙂
Aren’t the flowers just gorgeous?
These flower girls are Suzanne’s new nieces. They are just adorable, busy, funny girls.
I smiled for this one. Smiling can be challenging for me. I need someone to make me laugh.
Here is the whole wedding party: Michelle, me, the bride and groom,
Mark’s best friend, his two older boys with Suzanne’s boys on the end.
Here’s the whole family. Suzanne now has more kids than me and a daughter-in-love,
who couldn’t come because she is expecting their first grandchild!
They took this photo outside.. hoping later to photo shop in the missing daughter-in-love.
Don’t they all look so happy together? They really are. I’ve never seen Kyle so happy.
The wedding service was very beautiful, worshipful, full of thanksgiving and prayer.
Everything went very well.. Suzanne and Mark had a ton of help
from friends and family who were all so happy for them.
J
Our second day was much less eventful. Yay! Alabama and Mississippi were much prettier. We had to drive a bunch of 2 lane highways.. but several of them had passing lanes every 10 miles or so. It was nice when we got closer to Wichita and had a 4 lane divided highway again.
We got up early and decided to stop at the Precious Moments’ Chapel. Last time we went was when Judi was still in diapers.. and I thought that it would be a nice girly stop. It’s free to see.. huge gift shop and museum. Mr. Butcher is now 71 years old and still paints in the chapel occasionally. It’s worth the stop if you ever drive by Joplin.
Supper sized!
Thai dolls in the museum.
Loved this painting.
I remember this poster!
Rock Garden
This butterfly flew over and stood still for a picture..
if only I could hold the camera still.
In the Chapel.. “Heaven’s Gates”
Mr. Butcher has included true stories of people
who have gone home to heaven in his recently completed painting.
Part of the ceiling.
The East wall has new testament scenes. The West wall OT.
One of my favorites.
Can you guess this one?
Love stained glass.
This castle built for the Butcher grandchildren made the biggest impression
on me our first visit when the kids were all under the age of 7.
There were many new things to see.. can you see the angel sitting by the empty tomb?
Love,
J
You should see our van. I’ll try to take photos later today. It’s so stuffed.. only two girls .. but TWO weeks. We spent all Monday afternoon taking stuff to the car. Judi asked she could use a big black trash bag for her clothes. It seemed a little odd, but I couldn’t think of a reason to say no, and was just glad she had had time to get her laundry done after just returning from youth camp in FL. Got to love my big washer and drier.
Judi told me later that she didn’t feel like she had time to plan out outfits and pack them all so threw ALL her clothes in the trash bag. Ha! I mentioned hoping Suzanne had coset space for us.. she said.. all she needed was the floor. Any given day, if you were to come see her room, you’d see a sea of clothes on the floor. I’ve tried saying, “No driving ’till your clothes are picked up.” and that works sometimes… I told her she couldn’t live like that at Suzanne’s.
Judi and I made it to MO yesterday. It was a long drive. Judi drove a total of 5.5 hrs and I drove 3. So nice to be able to crash in the hotel. It’s work for me when she drives, too.
The very minute I started getting a little comfortable with her driving and the road we were on and thought about getting my knitting out she decided to try to throw away something, went off the left shoulder of the road and it was a few swerves before she had control of the car again. Focus. Shortly after an 18 wheeler decided to turn left and she just made it around his tail without hitting the car in the right lane beside her. Does that count as my cardio work out for the day?
The only other scare we’ve had so far was when another 18 wheeler lost his tire and I had no time to go around it.. so I went right over it. It was almost a whole tire and felt a good bump under my car, flew up a little and the CD player stopped for a bit. The car seems OK. Thank you, Jesus and all the heavenly angels watching over us!
After lunch, Judi wanted to drive again and before we knew it we were in the Ozarks. We cut through the Northeastern corner and they weren’t too bad.. up, down and around and around… They had wide shoulders on the curviest parts. There weren’t really any speed limit’s there.. just lots of caution curve ahead and a suggested speed signs. The trucks coming the other way scared Judi at first.. especially the ones crossing the yellow lines but she got the hang of it and enjoyed the challenge.
We had a good time listening to the new CD’s that we bought for the trip, ate lunch at a Cracker Barrel and dinner at an Applebees; threw away our leftovers because we don’t have a fridge. I found an all natural, corn free soda on a corn free list that they actually carry at this new heath food grocery store near us. I got to drink a whole soda for the first time in 5 years. Felt so spoiled. The root beer was really good. I won’t make a habit of drinking it.. ’cause they have a bunch of sugar in them.. but it’s nice to have a treat.
We’ve got 4 more hours to go ‘tll we get to KS and the wedding. Keep us in your prayers.
Love,
J
I’ve been sewing.. and even Judi decided that she wanted to learn to sew!!
Just a day or two after I had resigned myself to the fact
that she’s not like me.. she has different interest and
I should just accept her for her beautiful self, she saw this
fabric and decided that she wanted to learn to sew.
that she’s not like me.. she has different interest and
I should just accept her for her beautiful self, she saw this
fabric and decided that she wanted to learn to sew.
We made this shirt together. Isn’t it cute?
I read about a couple of new games while reading some blogs
and decided that I had to make them to play with
all my nephews and my only niece (so far) at our family reunion.
The ones on the blog were made on poster board.. I decided to quilt them –
I made one game quilt for each family. Can’t wait to teach them the games.
This side of the quilt is for checkers –
I found the cute bug/nature fabric at Hancock’s – all the other fabric I had in my closet.
I love the little bag for the felt checkers. It snaps onto the quilt on the other side.
Did you know to make three sets you need 72 checkers??
I think if I had known before I started I might have thought twice –
but I am a sucker for games. I got a lot done while watching TV.
I embroidered a little crown on one side.
The cups are for a super Tic-tac-toe game on the other side.
You can look up “Gobblet Gobblers” on youtube if you’d like to learn how to play.
I also re-invented another game that I am calling
“Don’t Spoil Your Dinner” to play with M&M’s on this side.
With my corn allergies – I’ll probably be playing with raisins.
I made these cami/dickey things yesterday. I wish I’d known about them
years ago when shopping for modest clothing became so difficult.
They were so fast and easy to make and to top it all off
I had all the fabric and snaps sitting in my closet, so they were FREE!
I have a confession to make. I sew while standing up.
Notice that my sewing machine is sitting on my island?
Every house is different. I discovered while making the quilts that
if I sew while standing, it’s a lot easier to get to my cutting mat and ironing boards.
I don’t have to slide out a chair and stand up – I just walk over or around. So nice.
To make the cami/dickey things all I did was cut them out so the top corners
will rap around my bra straps, hem the top edge and sew on snaps.
I didn’t bother to hem the other edges – they won’t show or fray.
And look how modest I can be now! In just a snap. 🙂
One last project to share.
(If your name is Suzanne, you have to wait a week before reading below.
I am guessing that you’re way to busy preparing for your wedding
to be reading blogs right now. So stop reading and get back to work.)
I am not good at giving or receiving gifts. Since God is strong in our weaknesses
I’ve learned to pray and ask Him to help me think of and find
the perfect gift when the occasion arises.
A few weeks ago I needed a baby shower present for my friend who recently adopted
a precious baby girl, Emma. I had already made and given her a crocheted blanket –
turned out to perfectly match the colors of her room – I’d never seen but God knew.
She was so cute – offered to re-wrap it and bring it to the shower for me.
But I had already prayed and God had worked. He put it in my heart
to give her a parenting book I have called
“Raising your Child for Christ” by Andrew Murray. It’s an awesome book!
My favorite parenting book. I only had a couple of days and didn’t think I’d be able to
find her a copy, so my response to God was – “She can’t have my copy!”
Since then I discovered that it’s still in print and available on Amazon..
so I might be more willing to share my copy with someone else.
God took me up on the challenge.
Mike and I were on an Anniversary trip in Chattanooga, TN at the time.
We had some time to waste after eating lunch and discovered that there was a
(you’ll never guess) a used book store next door. We decided to go in.
I found a copy of the book on a shelf lying there all by its self – the only book on
that particular shelf – it was like God said, “I win. I am able to provide.”
So months ago, before I actually knew Mark and Suzanne were requesting that
no one bring gifts – they are both widowers and have to merge a LOT of stuff into one house,
– I prayed and had this idea..
again I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to find anything like it – but God provided.
I found the plate and goblet at a local antique store.
I was so happy to find a matching set in the last booth of the store.
I discovered that you can actually buy “communion chalice” sets on line.
They don’t have a cool bread cover like the one I made,
but I am thinking about buying a set for myself like this one for my birthday.
I made the cover with my surger, some hand embroidery and a crochet edging.
Drawing the design was the hardest part. I hope it’s not too fussy.
I was very happy with how the crochet edge turned out.
It took a lot of experimenting to find an edge I liked.
Having communion at home with family and friends is one of my favorite things to do.
I hope these will help inspire her to try it.
Want one?
Want one?
Love,
J
I’d appreciate your prayers. I’ve been really struggling with corn lately.
I’ve been having reactions to corn for about 2 years now. The first few months I stopped eating corn to the best of my knowledge and tried to treat the rash on my neck and chest with natural rash remedies such as vitamin E and C. It only got worse. After visiting a herbalist in Montgomery, a whole new world of what corn is opened up to me. For starters, I learned that my rash “treatment” of vitamin E and C is actually derived from corn.
I found a list of 200 things that can mean corn such as salt, sugar, natural flavorings and many more that I can’t spell. I started reading labels more carefully and eating more from scratch. I discovered that I can’t even touch corn with out having a reaction. It was in my shampoo, tooth paste, everything. I avoided all I could and started feeling much better.
Then we moved here. I ate lots of comfort food, gained weight and my rash returned.
Several weeks ago I went back on my gluten-free, ‘corn’-free fast. Fast – that’s what it feels like – a forced fast, but also a daily offering of prayer as I don’t eat what I’d like to or what is convenient and try to find things that are safe to eat. Sometimes it seams like it’d be easier just to stop eating all together.
It’s difficult and frustrating to me to try to educate myself on corn – it’s such a huge, complicated subject and I have so many other things I’d rather spend my life on. Sometimes I wish I could hire someone to come show me what is corn and gluten free, where to buy it and how to cook it. There are a several Trader Joe’s products on the corn free lists.. we don’t have one…
This summer I’ve been forced into trying to learn more by a bad spell. It’s not bad now, but constantly irritating under the surface and makes it difficult maintain a pleasant disposition and has led to this post. I keep discovering things I been eating, drinking or touching that come from corn. And have I mentioned that we are surrounded by corn fields? Our house may even be sitting in what was a corn field just a few years ago.
Learning about corn is hard because it’s comparatively a rare allergy to have, it’s basically in and on everything and not labeled as clearly as nuts, or eggs or even gluten. The research can also be so depressing. I learned last week that a lot of my other symptoms such as urinary and sinus infections can be caused by a reaction to corn. Then today I learned that the wax used on the produce in the grocery stores is often derived from corn. I guess it’s time to find a farmer’s market.
Please pray for me.. healing would be nice.. more wisdom.. lots more patience.. more of Jesus..
I do have one praise report. Before Passover every year the Jews are required to clean their houses top to bottom. It’s where we get the idea of Spring cleaning. They are not to leave on speck of dust anywhere in their house – because it could be a speck of leaven – which represents pride and sin in our hearts.
Passover night they play a hide and seek game where the parents hide 10 pieces of leavened bread around the house for the kids to find. After all 10 are found they pray something like, “Let any leaven which we have not found be as if it never existed.” Grace covers the law. Good thing because it’s impossible to keep.
Remembering this I felt like God said that when I eat in a public place and can’t possibly know if or not the food I am eating is corn free that I can pray, “Let any corn that may be in this food be as if it never existed.” This was a big breakthrough for me. I wanted to be able to pray, “No poisonous thing will harm me.” and eat the corn chips and all, but didn’t feel like God gave me that freedom.. so I avoid the things most likely made with corn; salad dressing and the like and pray over the rest.
Thank you,
J
My new glasses came in last week.
I was so glad.. because I was starting to get irritated by the fact I couldn’t see.
When I first put them on I was so happy, because I could SEE!
Then I looked in the mirror.. not so happy.
Guess that’s what I get for buying glasses I couldn’t try on first.
They are about an inch wider than my old ones.. which I knew..
but my old ones were unusually small and I thought I might ought to
work up to getting really big ones for bifocals.
Going from not wearing glasses to wearing “big” ones was hard.
I miss my old glasses.
I can see leaves on the trees.
I can see words on a page.
I didn’t realize that my reading glasses would have a shiny metallic coating..
Although, in the back of my head I told myself
that what you see computer monitor might look a little different in real life.
I am not sure if I wish I had gotten a different frame or not.
I am still adjusting to seeing myself in the mirror.
I’ve also had a few headaches. I think mostly from the reading glasses.
I can see fine print really well with them, then when I look up at someone talking
to me I get dizzy.. I basically have to take them off to look at anything else.
Then they seem to spoil my eyes.. stuff I could see before I can’t see after using them..
and if I move my head to fast to look at the next page ..
Then I have to take my driving glasses off to read.. .
With my old glasses I could read better with them on – than off.
I am not sure if my prescription is wrong or if it’s just an adjustment period.
Sometimes I wish I could go to school for everything..
Become a mechanic and fix my own car, eye doctor, regular doctor..
and just fix everything myself.
🙂
J
With a new addition to the family, comes a lot of new stuff. First thing we got was
a Litter Kwitter. I told the Judi if she’d toilet train the cat I’d pay her $50.
It’ll save us probably $1000 in cat litter and I know I’d be the one cleaning it
for years to come if I weren’t paying her..
so I am actually feeling guilty about the steal I am making.
The cat in the add photo is a Russian Blue like George. I am even more hopeful.
Then we got her some flushable litter, food, food bowls and a collar.
We looked around at food bowls. The ugly ones designed for pets cost around $5 each.
I decided to look at bowls designed for humans in Target. They are so much cheeper!
I knew I had this fir at home, and had planned on making her a bed.
I remember when Mamalene used it to make Ruthie a cat costume one year.
I made it so that it opens at the ends and can be used as a tunnel, too.
She loves it; knew it was hers right away.
I knew I needed to do something about a scratching post.
I don’t want my furniture torn to shreds and I’d prefer not to have to declaw her.
Have I shown you the lamp I got a few months ago? We needed some light
on this side of the living room. George thinks it’s great. She even climbed up from
the inside of it one night when it was turned on and made a cool shadow.
Sorry no picture.
She’s also been climbing the curtains next too it.
See the threads she’s puled? I trimmed her nails.. it’s helped a little.
They are ugly, take too much space, cost a fortune and
I am sure that the moment George climbed up it
Sally would chase her and it’d come tumbling down.
So I discovered these cat walk climbing shelves and thought to myself,
“I could make those.” I tried to make it a Father’s Day surprise for Mike,
but he noticed right away all the money I was spending at Lowes.
I think I spent around $60 total for all the supplies. It would have cost less
had I not been low on sand paper and left
my wood stain and mineral spirits at our old house.
I found a rug for $12 at TJ Max for the scratching/climbing boards.
I used velcro to keep the mats on the shelves so she won’t slide right off.
George loves it! She was climbing it before I had it finished.
The first day she climbed up and took a nap on this shelf.
I made her a ball with some left over fur and she like’s it, too.
Here she goes.
I purposely put the shelf at a height where
she can bat at the kids heads as they walk by.
So if you’re tall, Beware!
See Joel in the picture below? He’s working on Trig/Calculus.
Anytime he asks for help, I just laugh.
I took the opportunity to use Georgia’s play place as graphic/prayer art.
It’s centrally located where if we catch her clawing
one of our couches (or lamp or curtains) or jumping up on a counter
we can easily take her over to her scratching post.
I told the kids that it’s her time out spot.
James put her other ball on the top shelf.
Georgie not quite big enough to climb up there by herself,
Georgie not quite big enough to climb up there by herself,
but she’s already twice as big as when we got her so it won’t be long,
and she can jump from shelf to shelf to get down.
and she can jump from shelf to shelf to get down.
Hope you’re having a great weekend.
Love,
J
I went to the eye doctor. My eyes hadn’t changed that much, except the +1.00
for reading. Judi went with me and helped me find glasses to try on
and see which looked best.
I decided not to get progressives because I don’t need them to see the computer.
I could get bifocals.. but I would have to get frames twice as big as I am used to.
The doctor said that my eyes will continue to change every year or two
for the next 10 years or so..
I can get two small, stylish pairs on line for about 1/3 the price of one
extra large bifocal pair in Walmart, so that’s what I decided to do. Maybe I can
just up my reading glasses and keep my driving glasses next time
and save even more money. I’ve known for a long time that those
eyeglass makers were making a bundle off me. Glad I finally discovered
how to buy them online.
I am trying to decide between two pair now.
This pair comes in two colors. Red/black and pink/gray. I’d get one of each. Anti scratch, anti glare, polycarbonate, photochromatic, a hard case, microfiber cloth and shipping for less than $85 for both pair.
I found two like this one that I could get for $12 more than the ones above. They are all at Zenni Optical. I bought James’ at Eyebuydirect.. I think these are even a better deal. We are taking George to get spayed today and I am hoping
to find some frames like these to try on while we are out grocery shopping.
I need to get them ordered because they will take a week or so to get in.
Which do you like?
J
