Crazy how fast things can distract you. We get so busy 'doing' that we forget to experience and relish and taste and dream--we forget to remember (yes, I meant that). It's December, and I've been blessed by so very much! Been privileged to be part of amazing things. Blessed in my home, my job, my church, my friends and family. But I don't think that I could truly express all of those things that I have "pondered in my heart".
The ability to feed students who have no food. Or very little. To comfort a young man who was facing colon cancer (but now is told, it's not cancerous, but will have surgery in the spring)....to pray with that young man and another student, who are both seniors at the same school, but had never met. Yet the one wanted to reach out to the other. What a precious and blessed time it was to hold hands and cry out to our Creator!
Making new friends who live in our neighborhood, and have the most wonderful heart and caring spirit for the students who attend the high school right across the street. Watching those students respond and give back! Hanging THOUSANDS upon THOUSANDS of Christmas lights for a show of all shows (any donations as response to this gift, goes back to the school!)
Working with my church to present the TRUE meaning of Christmas to over 8300 people! Getting to kneel at the manger over 20 times in 4 nights. Acting? no, a true response to a very real Savior.
Spending time with family. Taking an out of town road trip during a very busy time. It was so nice to get away! So nice to relax and breathe. Trekking through a creek bed and watching animals scurry away from the humans! Shared food at their table. Brought home firewood.
Shopping and making. Creating and wrapping. Cooking and consuming. Reading and mailing. Celebrating birthdays---and the BIRTHDAY of ALL Birthdays! Making bows to go on cute little baby heads. Bows to wrap presents. Stringing lights all over the house. Setting up manger scenes. Hanging all of those ornaments on the tree---not just ornaments, but memories every one. Watching sappy holiday/thanksgiving/christmas movies on TV. Yes, all of those things.
Hoping and praying that everyone is safe this season. And remembering, that HE is the reason.
Christmas blessings all!

October 15th? REALLY? Wow! Time has flown!
Working at a high school is certainly way different than being in elementary school. And this high school is one that my husband and all of his sibling's graduated from (as well as other members of the fam). What used to be a school in a rather 'affluent' neighborhood is now considered an inner-city poverty stricken public institution. Very diverse ethnicity, gang activity, laziness, lack of respect, etc.
And I've blamed the parents. Everyone else blames the teachers for the schools failing to educate our kids. And believe me, teachers work so stinkin' hard! So I blamed the parents for not raising their kids right.
Then, the other day while driving to school, my heart and mind changed....so I blame Satan, our enemy who seeks to destroy. And suddenly found myself praying for every parent that drove by as they dropped of their children. Even thanking the Lord for those who brought those same children late to school. People who don't know the Lord are even more overwhelmed with the current financial stress, etc., than those who have God in their corner. So now instead of blaming parents, I am reminded to pray for them.
A local church blessed the sox off of the school food pantry this week. And I mean, I've been overwhelmed trying to put it all away. Some people were obviously able to afford to donate quite a bit to our kids. Others were like the widow's mite in the New Testament. And I could see in my heart's eye someone who doesn't have much, worrying about a hungry child, and giving ALL that they could. Brought tears to my eyes, and a humbleness to my heart. And yes, I prayed as I put away canned green beans---and even when putting away asparagus.
It can be overwhelming to live in a neighborhood that is itself surrounded by poverty, work in a school that is impoverished, and worship in a church building that is in the smack middle of a poverty sticken area. But I am reminded that I am not alone. That I can't stop the gang fighting and attitudes without love. The love I receive from the Lord, my family and my friends...but more importantly, I am falling in love with these kids. And believe me, with some, it is very hard. But God has given me the eyes to see a young lady who is dressed appropriately, and compliment her on her appearance. The eyes to see a young man hold the door (even for me!), and to wipe the tears of a football player (yes, a black player letting an old white woman wipe his eyes) who just watched his team FINALLY win a game, and it's his senior year, yet because of medical problems couldn't play. (And be given the opportunity to pray with him as he awaits test results---thank you Lord). So, now I look for chances to love instead of blame. To encourage in addition to correct.

Ahhh-plumb purple in honor of Fall!
Started trimming back and cleaning up the yard (as much as I can) for Fall. The squirrels have been putting away acorns like crazy, and clumps of leaves are making their way to the ground. When the real deluge of leaves start, I'll just watch until it's done. There are 4, 23- year- old maples that shade our home, 5 oak trees that are probably 100 years old (only 1 is actually on our property), and we have 3 red bud trees in our yard. But with the way our driveway is situated, we are like a wind tunnel. You guessed it....with probably 1,000 trees in our neighborhood, guess where a lot of the leaves go? My yard. When it's really windy, you can actually hear the leaves as they race up and down my driveway, jockying for position, trying to find a place to pile up. Sometimes the cat thinks the leaves are chasing her. It's quite funny to watch!
Planted pansies, mostly in pots and hanging baskets, because when the leaves all decide to let go of the trees, the pansies are covered up! And trying to get the leaves up (even with the blower) really tears the pansies apart. But I still planted some...and a few mums in pots as well. That way I can move them around for color in the yard as needed. (Besides, the moles and gophers are really busy right now----not in my yard yet---I think the cats have discouraged that hopefully). I bought 3 pumpkins as well (things are better in uneven numbers don't you know?)
We took the pool down last week. We will put the chiminaya in the middle of the circle of dirt in the back yard and put our lawn chairs out around it. Come on over this Friday night for s'mores, okay?
It was 49 degrees this morning. "Brrrrrr" as my great niece Alyssa would say, wrapping her arms around her little body and shivering for effect. Quite refreshing to drive around with my moon/sun roof open! Just watch out for the same acorn burying squirrels, who also throw them! If I don't remember to close the roof when I go home for lunch, there's not telling what will end up in my car!
Amazing how green everything became after being brown/yellow/dead for the months of July and August. Greening up in time to give us a glorious Indian summer, with green, cool grass to sit on. Can't wait for the trees to turn. I hope that we have good color in them this year!
Enjoy the changing of the seasons. That's one of the things I really like about living in Oklahoma. The seasons. Now it's time for light weight sweaters, and a favorite pair of worn out jeans.....ahhh! Fall!

It's almost September! Been in school for 2 weeks now (kids have had 7 days) and we've had a 'normal' schedule for oh, let's see, 2 of those days! How am I ever going to figure out the bell schedule if they keep changing it every day?
We are finished with our construction project! Can I hear a 'praise the Lord'? Today, I've been cleaning EVERY surface in the entire house. Windows, blinds, baseboards, carpets, floors, mirrors...etc., well, you get the idea. A couple of hours ago, I was taking a candle stick off of the mantle, and the large pillar candle fell off and hit me right on the corner of my eye. Dang...that HURT! If I have a black eye tomorrow, I won't be surprised.
The much cooler weather has been very much appreciated. But my pool is too cold to get in....Maybe tomorrow, it won't be! I have a lot of yard work to do after church, so getting that done, and floating for awhile sounds nice to me!

Andy is still having to work 6 days a week. I just hate it for him...and truthfully, I hate it for me. We don't ever have a day for just us. Or to hang out with friends, or other family members. Since we all have our own churches to go to on Sunday, that leaves that day out. We're so blessed that he has a job...that we BOTH have jobs. But please, let this 6 day a week stuff stop!

Enough for now. Same eye that got clobbered is throbbing. Time for more ice.

It's hot. And I mean HOT. I worry about those who have to work out in this heat. And I worry about the animals that live out in this. Whether they are pets or just the animals we see every day.

Currently, a mama dove is sitting in her nest in my small redbud tree in the backyard. This is her 3rd time since June to be sitting in her nest. I know it's the same dove. We look each other in the face on a regular basis. She is used to my being out there watering, cleaning the pool and clipping the grass by hand....I don't want to scare her or her babies with the lawn mower, so I cut it by hand. Her first 'nest sitting' resulted in 1 baby. I worried about that baby when the deluge in June hit. 12" of rain in 4 hours. As soon as it was light enough to see, I went to the backyard to check on my new feathered friend. There it was. Sitting tightly in the tiniest nest you could imagine, being poured on. And with a "What is going on???" look on it's face! I was bailing water out of the pool as fast as possible, and cheering out loud for the birds' survival of the storm. Yeah, if anyone else had been out in their yard, they would have heard me. And they would have known I am crazy.

Soon, the baby dove left. So did mama. Then a couple of weeks later, there she was again! And she sat, and sat, and sat. With such patience. I never looked out there that I didn't see her being so diligent in bringing new babies into the world. Then one day, I saw pushing and shoving going on in this nest, and mama dove shifted over a bit. And there it was! The baby. This nest is seriously the smallest, and flattest thing I have ever seen! The next couple of days I was watching and looking, and BEHOLD 2 babies were in the nest. Mom wasn't around. She was out hunting for food for her babies. Besides, all 3 of them wouldn't fit in that thing!

Then, the 2 babies were gone. Flown the coop as they say. But just yesterday, there was mama dove again. Sitting tightly and very vigilantly in that nest. And today, I got to wondering. And marveling at her commitment. At her willingness to sit and do what it is she is supposed to do. (And yes, she watched me as I cleaned out the pool, and never took her eye off of me as I floated lazily in the afternoon heat). It makes me sad that God's other creation, man, can't be as diligent with life as those animals He created first. It's so hot outside, yet there this beautiful dove sits, waiting to do what she was born to do. Be a bird. Make new birds. Protect those eggs and that nest with everything that is in her. I don't hear her complain about being bored (mind you, I don't speak dove). I don't hear her complain about being uncomfortable and wanting a different nest. Oh yes, I know, humans are different. We have souls, we have choice. But man, I'm learning a lot from watching this mama. And wishing that ALL mamas were as protective and as committed to new life as this feathered beauty.

YIKES! it was so stinking hot today. It was oppressive! then they said on the news that the heat index was 115.....yes, 115! no wonder it felt like you were walking through wall mud! Oh wait, I was walking through wall mud! texture is done on the most recent demolition and remodeling. I went ahead and painted tonight----the paint that I had matched doesn't match...now I WILL have to repaint the whole kitchen. rats. rats. rats. Oh well!
Our little 15' pool felt great today. Got in it to clean it out. When Andy got home, he got in for quite awhile---he was vacuuming it out. But I know the water felt great for him after he'd been out in the heat all day!
A new baby great niece has arrived in our world. She was born this evening. Haven't seen her yet. Hope to do just that soon. Welcome Emma.
We currently have 6 foster kittens. I brought them into our bathroom this evening and closed the door...they usually reside in the garage. I wanted them to cool off a bit. they had fun in the shower.
Andy leaves next week for a 10 day trip to Yellowstone and Grand Tetons. There's a group of 26 men from church going. I hope they have an amazing time and get to spend some great time wiht God, and each other. I'm flying to Colorado to see one of my very best friends! I desperately need some Robin time (I'll put up with Steve too)....and I WILL sit in the cool mountains...I WILL!!
Night all!

4th of July came and went. No celebrating here. Rained and rained. But a lot of people still managed to get together with friends and family and go have fun. Guess we're not that inventive. Besides, Andy had to work July 3rd....in the rain. We didn't know until July 2nd for sure that he would have AT LEAST the 4th off....too late to make plans with anyone because their plans were already made. And he didn't want to go out in the rain to watch fireworks. Fuddy duddy. It's so hard to be married, but be by myself so much. When it's this time of year I AM by myself more than not. And it's different than being single. I feel guilty when I make plans that would take me to friends' houses for fun celebrations, when I know that Andy can't get there until who knows when, or IF he can even get there in the first place. So I stay home. Sound like a martyr don't I? But, I don't know if I explained this well enough. I do go to movies or out to eat with my girlfriends or daughter, during the day. But the evening times and holidays when Andy has to work, I don't....he has never gotten angry because I went somewhere without him, but, I still feel guilty! We have a boat. Didn't have a vehicle to pull it with for 5 years. Finally got one last year. How many times did boat get out? 1-----yes, 1. The phone company in its divine wisdom decided that all technicians must work 6 days a week, unless an emergency is declared, then it's either 14 or 21 days on, then a day off. Well, I'm off in the summer, and can get away....but not Andy! I am so thinking that this fall when his work slows down, we ARE going away for several weekends and take the boat....see, since we go to church, we don't miss, unless we are out of town on vacation. Well, no one else takes that into thought, so, maybe WE'LL do that....bad attitude, but stink!!! Anyway, I'll quit griping. Yes, the overtime is good, but when you don't get to do anything together but WORK, how much fun is that?