My Favorite Time of Year

This is my favorite time of the year!  You know how so many people come up with all these changes and goals they want to make for themselves on January 1st called New Years Resolutions?  Well, for me - that usually happens about right now.  Spring and summer and warm weather do that to me.  :)

 

Monday evening after work, Dave got our garden planted with a small amount of help from me and a few onlookers from the edges in the form of our kids and a couple babies who could have cared less!  I love looking out our window and seeing the garden back there knowing that in a few weeks we will be seeing such wonderful things coming from that garden!  Fresh tomatoes for salsa and juice and just plain ol' slicing to eat!  Cucumbers to eat, carrots to freeze for the winter, onions and green peppers to eat AND freeze for later!  And, plenty of green beans to eat and can!  See?  It's just a lovely time of year!  New growth in the garden!

 

And - you know what else it makes me think of?  New growth in me.  This is when I tend to think about the things in my life I want to change and work on.  I come up with all kinds of deep cleaning projects around my house.  I usually try to move around furniture much to the dismay of my husband and whatever kids are around who get roped into helping me!  I like a fresh new look at this time!  I go one another diet - always thinking this one will be more successful than the last one!  :)  I want to be outside and often look longingly out my office window at the sunshine!  I find new "self-help" books to read and buy a new notebook for all the notes I like to write.  And, I think more about my spiritual life and where I can change and grow in this area.  It's just my favorite time of year and I look forward to what God is going to help me do this Spring and Summer.  While we get out and take care of the weeds in the garden, we water it, we care for it, we work hard towards a bountiful harvest - that is what I am looking forward to doing in me.  Take care of the junk in my life and look forward to the harvest!  :)

 

Happy Spring and Summer everyone!  Now go grow something!  :)

Daybook April 27th, 2014

Outside my window:
It's a beautiful Sunday afternoon, the sun is shining, the windows are open and the breeze is blowing my curtains around.

Out in the kitchen:
Confessing that there are some dirty dishes in the sink but they aren't calling my name right now. There is more food in the fridge and sitting around than we are used to but the explanation to that will be somewhere in this blog!  :)  I must confess that my eating habits are not all that great right now but I am seriously hoping to change that soon.  And, my new favorite meat is a pork roast cooked overnight in the crock pot!

The rest of my house:
So the reason for the extra food is the same reason there is baby stuff sitting everywhere.  Josh and Carrie  moved back to Frankfort a little over a week ago and have been staying here until their apartment is ready. That means Andrew and Ashley have been here more frequently.  So - I have a baby swing borrowed from a neighbor, a stroller, a little rocker bed (because I have no idea what it is really called), a pink little tykes car, a bag of toys, and that is just what I can see from my spot!  And just in case you misunderstand me or or in the off chance one of my kids reads this blog - I am NOT complaining in the least!  I am glad we can help our kids but I am pretty sure they are MORE than ready to get settled in their own place!

What I am reading:
I am still working my way through my Bible chronologically with an app on my phone.  I will admit that I have missed a few days here or there and clicked on the button to "catch me up" more than once.  Strange thing - I ended up reading the Easter story the week leading up to Easter.  It was so special to me!  And now, I am reading the book of Acts and must admit I am preferring it by far over the book of Chronicles!  :)

What I am looking forward to:
Dave has tilled up the garden spot and will be getting it all planted in the next day and a half before he heads out for a revival.  I LOVE looking out my bedroom window and watching all that lovely produce growing in my back yard!  And, I am so excited about spring and summer!  Love, love being outside and I am trying desperately to figure out more ways I can be out there even with working full time!

New at church:
We are getting ready to say goodbye to dear Pastor Mowery and his wonderful wife!  I don't think they are going far because there is no way they would want to leave their next door neighbors!  :)  But, we are also saying a hello (of sorts since they are already here) to our new Pastor Fry and family.  Looking forward to what is happening here!

News of the family:
Dave is busy as usual with all his many jobs but NEVER, and I do mean NEVER too busy to play with his grandbabies!  David and Christa along with Addison and David are plugging merrily along in Florida!  I think they should come live close to me and while I am in serious discussions with God about that, HE is telling me to mind my own business!  :)  Josh, Carrie and Molly are here now and having LOTS of adjustments to make but I will admit that my heart rejoices at them following God's will.  Andrew, Ashley and Estaley are are entering the world of very mobile toddlerhood and attitude "adjustments" and I promise I only laugh when no one is looking!  :)  I text my six "kids" on a frequent basis to remind them to follow God with their whole heart and leave the devil no room to cause trouble!  Ask them - they will tell you I am GOOD at passing on that advice!  :)

What I am learning:
Trusting God for big things, setting aside ANYTHING that takes my time from HIM, living clear in HIS eyes at work while taking care of "issues" that come up, making sure my lifestyle, standards and convictions are glorifying to HIM and not others, remembering that my kids and grandkids will not forget the TIME I spent with them.  And, that prayer is THE answer!

Daybook April 5th, 2014

Outside my window - The sun is desperately trying to shine, the clouds are hopefully moving out, the grass is finally starting to turn green, the trees have little buds on them and everyone is hurrying somewhere today.

What I am reading - I have several books on my iPhone by Beth Moore and for now I am reading "A Heart Like His" which is the story of David.  So far, it has been very good.  Also on my iPhone is the devotional for "Daily Streams in the Desert" and I can't tell you how many times that has spoken to me specifically on a given day.

What I am eating - unfortunately, everything in sight.  And whoever the person was that invented the individual chocolate chip cookie needs to be hanged.  :)  Made my first one the other day and that is pretty much all I think about!  My mantra is the less I have to cook, the better I am!  :)

What I am learning - to be patient and understand that God works things out in HIS time and not mine.  To NEVER forget that HIS mercy endures forever!  That breaking my constant connection to technology and social media is NOT a bad thing.  That some relationships are not good for me and it is ok with me and God that distance is there.  That some relationships need to be more important and that takes work on my part. That gut wrenching pain deep in my heart and soul can be both good and bad for me.  And, that God is more dear to me with each passing day. 

In my house - things are the same.  I love the paint colors in my living room and am pretty sure I will enjoy that room more when the carpet is replaced!  I went bold in my bedroom with a dark blue and yellow.  I am loving the colors but am just needing to get the rest done.  There is nothing on my walls and no curtains at my window but I can't decide about those things either!  :)

My work - hasn't changed but yet it has.  Cryptic sounding huh?  In my line of work though - cryptic is the key.  :)  I like my job and am thankful for it!  I like having my own office - just don't care that I have two pictures of farm equipment hanging on my walls!  :)

The family - love my kids, love my grandbabies more!  How's that for honesty??  Addison is 4 and loving preschool!  David is 18 months old and his favorite thing to say is "Whasat"?  In other words, "what's that".  It's hilarious!  Estaley will be the big "1" in a little over a week.  She has been walking everywhere for at least a month and brings sunshine everywhere she goes!  Molly is almost 4 months old and cute as a button which is what her Papaw calls her!  Oh and the parents of these blessed children are fine too!  They would tell you they are just "chopped liver" since they had children.  That's probably true!  :)

In my church - our beloved Pastor Mowery and his lovely wife are retiring and David & Sarah Fry are taking their place.  While my heart is sad for the Mowery's are special people, I am excited for the future as well.  David and Sarah are awesome people and I know that God will continue to use them!

My favorite person - has always been and will always be my hubby.  Life with him is better than I ever dreamed and I thank God every day for him and his Godly example to me and those around him.  We have so much fun no matter what we are doing - unless I am asking him to move furniture around in my house! :) 


 

My Own Scary Friday

Today, I am in a grateful yet somewhat unsettled mood so my blog is the result of that.  Time will tell if it is a good thing or not!  :)

Yesterday morning I was sleeping soundly when my dear hubby woke me around 6:00 with the news that he was rather dizzy and could not lift his head off the pillow.  Apparently, he had gotten up around 5:00 and was very dizzy on his trip to the restroom.  He made it quietly back to bed so as to not wake me (silly man) but finally around 6:00 could stand it no more.  I took his blood pressure and nearly had my own heart attack when it registered at 180/120.  I called my wonderful sister who is an RN and she suggested I give him his blood pressure pill, let him rest and check it again in an hour.  I did that and hurried to get ready for a day I had no clue what would hold for us.  An hour later I checked it again and it was still the same.  I called her back and we decided to hold off until the doctor's office opened at 8 and go from there.  But then, Dave decided he needed to go back to the restroom so I helped him sit up on the side of the bed where he promptly passed out.  As I watched his eyes glaze over and he would not respond to me, my heart and mind went to places which scared me senseless.  I made the decision to take him down to Indy to the hospital where my sister works because I knew if there was a problem, Sandy would be able to help decipher all the medical jargon.  Bless Andrew's heart, he flew in here and helped me get Dave in the car and off we headed to ER.

Dave always has a sense of humor and this time was no exception.  I am pretty sure the nurses and doctors there felt this patient was clearly off his rocker.  Pretty much everyone who walked into the room was promptly asked some question that had to do with pizza.  I knew this was the real Dave but I am convinced the doctor felt there had to be something serious going on because of that, his slurred speech and his inability to touch his nose with his right hand.  On his second try at that little chore, he asked the doctor who moved his nose.  Yes, I am quite serious about that! 

I shall digress here to say that a young girl from the reception area stopped in to just make sure she had all his correct information.  She asked me what my name was and Dave promptly corrected my by saying, "Her name is Pretty Girl" because that is what he calls me.  I looked down at him with one of my "looks" and he said, "Well at least I didn't call you a loser like the last time".  All air got sucked out of the room AGAIN.  See, several years ago Dave had surgery and to say he did not tolerate the anesthesia well is an understatement.  When a nurse from our church came to get me and I walked up to his bed, he looked at the nurses and said, "That's my wife - she is such a loser".  Every ounce of oxygen was sucked out of that room!  I was given the wonderful opportunity to explain that I was going to Weight Watchers and after every weigh in, I would call him to tell him what I lost and he always said "You are such a loser".  It was NEVER meant in a mean, ugly way but rather his way of being proud of me.  Once I explained it to the nurses they saw the humor in it as well.  This time, I was pretty sure that young girl came close to having a heart attack!  :)

On to the rest of the story....the doctor ordered some blood work and an MRI which thankfully all came back normal.  What we finally determined was that Dave had become severely dehydrated which caused his blood pressure to go dangerously high which caused severe dizziness.  It took a few hours for everything to calm down and we were back home by 3:00 in the afternoon.  He will be seeing his regular doctor for some follow up and to hopefully get some answers to a few remaining questions we have but all is well at this point and for that we are grateful! 

This whole scenario has me thinking about how blessed I truly am.  Earlier in the day as we were waiting for Dave to be taken for his MRI, I heard these words from across the hall - "Yes he will survive but he will be paralyzed".  I was so worried and nervous about Dave and yes, there were the thoughts of what could have been or what might have happened but instead, we were walking out the door.  It was a scary day and one that I am glad is over but yet has taught me to slow down and remember the things that matter!
  

A New Year

Being as how the white stuff you see in the picture above is preventing me from leaving the house, what better way to spend my time than to update the ole blog.  I have not left this house since Saturday evening which has actually been pretty nice.  Christmas decorations were taken down, some furniture was moved around a bit and some extra cleaning has been done.  I actually thought I would be going to work at noon today but we are still in a level one emergency which means no one should be out and about.  I am not really complaining one little bit.

So - it is the new year.  Time for new beginnings, new resolutions, new goals, new "whatever else you want to say" and I am doing some deep thinking about these things.  I am usually not one to make goals or resolutions public and this will be no exception.  Some things just are not for public viewing.  I know there can be both good and bad from not sharing these things.  Some would say that if you don't tell anyone then you have no accountability and that is a valid point.  But for me, I am keeping most of my goals to myself. However, there are a few that I am going to talk about here.

One is that I am asking the Lord to help me pray specifically about things.  It is one thing to pray each day in general but I believe the Lord is asking me to pray about some specifics.  Naturally, praying specifically about ME is first on the list which will probably take all my time. :)  Second, I am praying for specific things regarding each of my kids.  Sorry - David, Christa, Josh, Carrie, Andrew and Ashley but your lives could be getting interesting!  :)  On the serious side, if I don't pray for my children then I can't complain about them!  :)  I am also going to be praying specifically about other things as they come up.  I just feel like God desires His children to ask for and BELIEVE Him for specific things and that is what I am doing. 

Another goal I have is to read more.  I have iBooks on my phone and have downloaded some good books for me to read.  Also, Dave would probably want me to point out that he has 4 book cases jammed full of books and could really use another one!  :)  I have been working on reading my Bible chronologically which has been really neat to do.  I just think I can profit greatly by reading so that is another thing I am going to work on.  Who knows, maybe I will do a book review or two here.  

One final thing I may or may not do is to update my blog more frequently.  I mostly use Facebook to communicate with friends and family but I can't write a book as a status update.  :)  So, I may just be writing here as an "outlet" for what little creativity I have and just general expressions of food, fun, faith and foolishness!  :)

Happy New Year Everyone!

My treasures.....

This picture was taken at our church camp in August.  There is a story behind this year's camp that I shall share with you.  

Dave was born and raised a Quaker.  When I married him, I just followed along with him.  We spent almost 10 years in Florida where our main goal every August was to come back home to Indiana for family camp.  In August of 2012, this small group of churches asked Dave to be their Superintendent.  About 5 minutes later, I started talking to my kids about making plans to come to camp.  David had not been to family camp in probably about 7 or 8 years and I don't think Christa had ever been.  Carrie and Josh had been to camp for one service in the past 5 years or so.  Ashley and Andrew have been there for a service here or there in the past 5 years since we have moved back to Indiana but not to stay.

  

The Superintendent always preaches the first Sunday morning so I told the kids they needed to be at camp for the first weekend.  I spent pretty much the entire year praying that God would work out every single detail for this to work and HE answered my prayer.  Everyone arrived for the first service Friday evening and the Florida kids were able to stay until Tuesday evening.  What a time we had together!  

My little heart about came apart with joy as I sat in church Sunday morning with my whole family all around me.  I felt so blessed to have them there!  What a privilege it is to have such a great relationship with all of my kids!  They were all so excited to get to be at camp and to get to hear their Daddy preach again!  

Honestly, my prayer didn't just stop with wanting my kids to get to be at camp but what I really, really wanted was for my kids to sense the presence of Jesus close like they had experienced as little children at camp.  And you know what??  Jesus did NOT disappoint us.  Sunday night's service was just one of those times.  It was so wonderful from the very beginning.  His presence was so real and so close and He chose to meet with my kids as only HE can.   It was so wonderful to be together as a family but more than that, it was absolutely wonderful to see Jesus meet the needs of those who sought Him.  

Thank you Jesus for my treasures and the knowledge that YOU treasure them more than I do!  

And Miles to Go Before I Sleep.......

So, I am typing this blog from a place where I can't add pictures.  I know - shocking that I would blog without pictures!  :)  And trust me, I have plenty of pictures to share!  After all, we have had the birth of another grandchild!  And Christa is EXCELLENT at sending us constant pictures of the beautiful grandchildren my kids keep tucked FAR AWAY in Florida.  No, I am not bitter or upset by that at all!  After all, (as David often reminds his parents) WE are the ones who moved away!  :)

April 15th is normally a day that strikes fear in our hearts since we have to pay taxes that day.  Isn't self-employment just the dreamiest thing????  Or not!  Anyway, I digress!  :)  After more than one hour of labor, little miss Estaley Bronwyn Ruth Wilhelm entered this world at 12:52 pm weighing 8.2 pounds and 21 inches long.  A beautiful little girl who has turned her mom and dad into complete mush!  :)  Mommy, Daddy and baby are all adjusting as normally as possible with proud grandparents close by.  She is a good little baby when she decides to let her parents sleep at night but I am pretty sure they wouldn't trade her for anything!  Now, the little four legged creature who barks loud on occasion and wakes her up - he might be traded for a little copper penny!! 

It appears this post is turning into a sappy "Nana" post!  But, want to know something really cool??  I love my iPhone!  I love being able to do Facetime with all the kids!  What is so neat is when Christa calls and she shows Lil' David my face and I say "Hi" he just instantly smiles!  It is pretty neat this technology thing! Listening to Addison chatter away and watching her little mind work is so cool!  I can't always understand what she is saying but let me tell you, she works hard to get her point across!  Being apart is not easy but our handy, dandy little smart phones help a lot!  :)  David is not necessarily fond of phones much but it is a neat thing to watch him interact with his kiddos!  He and Christa do a pretty awesome job at the parent thing as well! 

As for Josh and Carrie, I love being able to call and see them whenever.  That is especially easy with them because they aren't often apart - a fact we tease them about a lot!  :)  They are both finishing up some college courses and working!  And yes, so that you all know - I keep asking for more grandkids but man, adult children just don't always listen to their parents!  :) 

So - once again I am posting about my great kids, wonderful grandchildren which problem draws groans from the few who read here.  But, want to know what is really great???  Enjoying this phase of life called the "empty nest" with my best friend ever.  We are gone a lot on weekends - it is obvious if you go look inside my house.  It suffers greatly from a dust overload.  But, dust or no dust, I am thoroughly enjoying spending time with Dave and just "living life" together! 

Ok - that is it for now!  Who knows, I may go home today and add some pictures to this!  :)  I guess you will just have to wait and see!