Daybook September 5, 2012

I shall start this post by first wishing my favorite oldest son a very happy 25th birthday! I can't believe that it has been 25 years ago that I had a true "labor" day weekend. :)) I wouldn't trade him for anything!! Now, on to my daybook for the day! :)

Outside our window: It is a gloomy looking fallish looking day. Now that it seems fall is in the air, my flowers outside are growing better than they have all summer!

I am listening to: Southern Gospel Music on Pandora. I love Pandora! I can listen to a variety of Christian music anytime I want to and I really enjoy that!

I am thankful for: A fun weekend with a family gathering of aunts, uncles, cousins, and more! We don't get together often but when we do, the laughter and fun times are awesome!!

In our kitchen: There are cookies for Kid's Club at church tonight that I am trying to avoid! Of course they are chocolate chip cookies which are my very favorite!! I will not say if any of the dough did NOT make it to the cookie sheet! :))

Around our house: I am smelling the rest of the vanilla candles burning before I change them out for the only other scent my hubby cares for - hazelnut cream! :) The fall decorations are slowly making their way out and about! Love fall but do NOT like what comes after that!

With our kids: Pretty much the same as before - waiting patiently on the arrival of our "little man"!! I am beginning the shopping for baby and kid stuff this house needs! You know, like a high chair or booster seat, pack n' play (which I have), toys (which should be NO problem) and all that other "stuff" we may need! I guess there is more shopping in my future which is really no problem!!

What I am pondering: Why people feel that Facebook is the place to air all their dirty laundry. I cannot begin to tell you how frustrating that is and to be more blunt, nothing that would please Jesus. I know that families and friends all have issues and go through tough spots but why in the world does all that need to be made public?? I have been making a conscious effort to watch my words.

In my praying: I must say it centers completely on my children. I know that some would say that makes my world small but my husband and my children ARE my world. I have been asking the Lord to help me pray more specifically for my kids and to show me what I need to pray! And, He has been helping me do just that!

Daybook August 22, 2012

I have seen several other people do this and since I have been looking for a way to blog more and not have to think long and hard about it, I think I am going to try this! Outside my window: It has been so nice outside recently that we have turned off the air conditioner and opened the windows. Right now I am listening to someone mow grass which is wonderful in that it means we actually have had enough rain to make the grass grow! I am listening to: nothing! :)) Just the sound of cars passing outside and someone mowing their grass! I can handle the quiet every once in awhile! I am thankful for: enough that I could blog for an eternity! But to be specific, I am thankful for my husband and his words of wisdom. He often keeps me from trouble! :)) I am pondering: oh my - this should probably be considered non blog worthy! :)) Actually I have been thinking recently on the importance of being quiet. Just because I have things I COULD say doesn't mean I SHOULD say them! I am also learning....and quite slowly I might add, that God is more than able to take care of situations that I "think: I should handle. :)) In the kitchen: I am cooking very little! :)) Salads and grilled chicken and stir-fry's of all varieties are on the menu because it makes losing weight a LOT easier! Also, we have plenty of tomatoes, a few cucumbers, many green peppers and onions from the garden! Yummy deliciousness! In the house: I am contemplating room makeovers that will probably transpire this fall while Dave is gone for revivals. I visited a store today with a friend that has my redecorating desires at an all-time high! Other than that, I am only THINKING about the cleaning that needs done! :)) In the kid department: We are adjusting quite nicely to the empty nest! And yes, some days are better than others! :) David and Christa are enjoying the "joy" of raising a two-year old that really is an angel! And they are anticipating the arrival of "little man" before long! Josh and Carrie came to see us for just a few days which we really enjoyed! Josh has a new job and Carrie is back to work at the preschool! Andrew and Ashley are working and settling into married life! Of course crashing at either set of parents house on a Sunday is nice for them! :) I am praying: for far too many things to name! But, specifically I am praying for a heart that is more in tune to God's voice. Sometimes we get too busy to really listen. And, too much noise going on can make our hearing confusing. I guess what I am praying is that God will help me learn to quiet my heart so that I may hear Him better. If I can't hear Him, I will be misled and we live in a world that makes me NOT want to run the risk of being misled.

My Momma

Friday, June 1st was a special day! My mom celebrated her 75th birthday! My sister had worked very hard at planning a surprise party for her for Saturday, June 2nd. This is my lovely Momma!! She doesn't look 75 does she??

This is the rest of the family - Randy, the oldest...Greg, the middle child...Jim, fourth in line....Sandy, second in line and then me, the baby!! The best is always last! :))

Happy birthday, Mom! Love you!!

Memorial Day 2012

I am not feeling "wordy" today but I just want to say that I am so grateful I am not "remembering" my son today but that I am "honoring" him. I am blessed that God chose to allow David to live through his 4 years in the Marine Corp. No, things will never be the same but I celebrate today for many reasons and this picture gives you the biggest one. If you don't have anything else to do today, go thank those in the military and give a hug to those families that are supporting them! Then go hug your own family and be thankful!

Sometimes Life Just Happens

It is quiet here this afternoon. My poor hubby is laying on the couch feeling so very miserable. He is to start a revival on Tuesday so I am praying he gets better quickly!

When I look at my to-do list, blogging is not high up on the list. It should be but it isn't. Actually, there is so much going on that I could just about blog every day but time just doesn't allow for that. Two weeks from today is graduation day for me. I have only waited 20+ years for this so I guess you can say its a big deal! But, that is what my life is all about right now - finishing up my final semester of college. In reality, a week from tomorrow all of my assignments will be done and maybe, just maybe life will slow down for me. :)) Yea, I am not holding my breath on that one!

My wonderful children are all doing well. We got to go to FL to celebrate Addison's 2nd birthday and had a wonderful time! David and Christa are expecting their second blessing in September. I think they need a boy! My son NEEDS a boy!! He DESERVES a boy!! :)) Josh and Carrie are doing well and enjoying a busy life! Andrew and Ashley are living close enough to borrow my vacuum! :)) Sorry - I am enjoying teasing them about that! I love my kids and am proud of all of them!

Dave is keeping himself very busy between his work in town and his traveling schedule. I love that man!! In March we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary and I wouldn't trade a thing!

I am thinking about writing my "life story" here on my blog but I haven't decided. Maybe I think it will be "therapeutic" if I put it in writing. Then again, maybe there will be those who hope I don't share that at all! :)) Time will tell! I am looking forward to having things slow down some now that school will be over! Until next time I remain - the talebearer of the funny farm!

Warning - Blubbering Blog to Follow!

So - the wedding is over and I am sure you are all anxiously awaiting pictures. As soon as the lovely bride lets me, I will post some! :)) I will post all the details of wedding week when I post the pictures but for now, this is a more "personal" blog.

The wedding has caused an awful lot of different thoughts and emotions in this strangely mixed up head of mine. I am working on finding my new normal. I haven't decided if one exists or not but I am attempting to locate it! :)) My house was full to the brim for the better part of 8 days or so and I wouldn't trade one little bit of it! I absolutely LOVED the short amount of time on Saturday where all of my children were in my house! We laughed, we cried, we ate, we played and we laughed and cried some more! Sunday had to be one of the most difficult days I have had in awhile. It began around 3:30am when I got up to say goodbye to David, Christa and Addison. Telling Christa goodbye so she could situate herself in the car for the ride to airport with my eyes full of tears was tough! Holding Addison and hugging her sleepy little body should have lasted a lot longer than it did! :)) Then feeling my big, burly boy hug his momma brought on fresh tears that just didn't want to stop! They headed off and I headed back to bed. For sleep?? Yea, right. That didn't happen! I laid there and wondered why God thought this was something necessary for me to do. Its a good thing He is totally used to my questions at this point! I got back up when Kevin came to get Ashley and Andrew to take them to the airport. And guess what, the tears came again for I knew that life with Ashley would never be the same. She was off on her new life. True - she is here, she lives close but......not in my house where she has been for over 20 years! I survived church and leftovers for dinner. Then we loaded up again and headed for the airport with Josh and Carrie. I was pretty proud of myself until I heard the sniffles from the back seat when we were about 10 minutes from the airport. I hugged Josh and then hugged and held Carrie while we both cried some more. I am pretty sure the airport "cop on wheels" was getting antsy with us being in the way! :) I climbed in the car and we pulled away. I am pretty sure Dave thought the blubbering would never stop.

What have I learned in the last couple of weeks? Thankfully, God and Dave never get tired of my blubbering. They both ever so lovingly assure and remind me that this is something I can handle. I can remember reading those books where people would advise couples to make sure they had a life together that did not involve the children and Dave and I have worked hard at doing that. I am so grateful and feel so blessed by the marriage God has given me. But I am still searching and working on my new normal. Some things in my life have not changed. I am still working full time, still going to school (for ONE MORE semester), still going to church, still doing laundry and dishes. Some things just don't change. And the miracle of that is, God doesn't change either. He is still patient, still teaching, still longing for me to spend more time with Him, still prodding me to change the things that don't please Him, still speaking to me in the quiet times. So much has changed in my life but the important things have stayed the same. Dave being the best hubby ever - I never want to take that for granted! God - you see, even in that one word there is peace for He never changes. I am pretty sure He wishes I would but that doesn't make Him stop loving me.

I can't say this blog will mean anything to anyone but me and I guess that is all that matters. I read something the other day that prompted me to tell myself that there is no true worship in whining. I know that God knows I am not trying to whine. I must learn to worship Him in my life! Why?? I have decided in the last 2 weeks that my kids need me more now than ever. They just don't need me the same. They need me on my knees! So - if my blog is silent here and there, I'm praying for my kids! And yes, David and Carrie - that means I am praying for you to move to Indiana!!! :)))))

I Am Not Dead! Yet!!

I looked at my blog this morning and realized that I have not updated things for a couple of months. I need to do better at this! There are lots of thoughts and "stuff" going on in my head but I am not sure they are "blog worthy". Anyway - time will tell!



About the only thing going on right now is a lot of wedding planning! We are definitely on the home stretch with the last wedding in this Fulton household! The big day is fast approaching!!



I am pretty confident that the bride-to-be will be super excited for Saturday to get here! You see, that is when the fun begins! Carrie and Josh arrive Saturday! David, Christa and Addison will be here Tuesday as will Briana - THE best friend from Florida! So you see, once Saturday arrives all will be right in the bride's world!

I don't have much time for any more. I will definitely post some pictures here when the big event is over. In the meantime I will leave you with this thought - make the most of every minute you have with those closest to you! Things change very quickly!