Winter's Grip is Upon Us

This is the time of year that you need to get up early and allow extra time to get all the snow and ice off your car before you can head out to work.

You pray that the snow plow will be by before you have to leave but some days the snow covers the roads quickly, even after they have just come through.

The frigid winds bend the icicles so that they come close to touching the windows at times.

The front flower beds are mostly protected under the blanket of snow.

More long icicles hanging off the front walkway awning.

A view out my window of the neighbor's trampoline.

Gorgeous Winter sunsets.

Molly cat asleep in one of her favorite spots near the warmth of the fire.

Daisy doing her "Princess and the Pea" impressions on the back of the other couch, also near the fire.

My Josh and Jessica are Coming Home!

   It's official...Josh's orders just came through.  Josh and Jessica will be coming back to the USA from Germany in May!  I am beyond excited at the thought of having all my kids on US soil once again. :)  I can't wait to give these 2 big hugs and kisses and welcome them home.  They will be stationed on the East Coast but that is still a lot closer than Germany.  Jeff and I are already planning a trip around Thanksgiving to go and see them in their new home.  Life is good!

Bradley is 10 Months Old!

Happy 10 month birthday Bradley!!!  You are our wonderful ray of sunshine and G-pa and I love you to the moon and back!

 You love playing hide and seek with Grammie.

You really think your house is quite fun!

You are a master at making goofy faces and cracking Grammie up. ;)

You are starting to walk and took 2 steps to Grammie on Saturday!!!

You love looking out the window and blowing spit bubbles (we will credit your Daddy for teaching you that), but you are so adorable Grammie does not even mind the drool. :)  You have also started climbing everything and climbed up all the stairs in your house on Saturday right before Grammie got there.  Mommy and Daddy are going to have their hands full with you now my silly Monkey!

Snowplow Wake Up Call

My morning alarm clock was the sound of a snowplow going by our home.  I knew we were expecting some snow but I was not prepared for how much had fallen.  Our school district had a 2  hour delayed start this morning due to roads being really bad with drifting and blowing snow.  I'm so glad that the powers that be think about the safety of the kids and staff.  I would not want to be out in this. ;)

 

Quote to Live By

Oh what a tangled web we weave,
When first we practise to deceive!

Sir Walter Scott, Marmion, Canto vi. Stanza 17.
Scottish author & novelist (1771 - 1832)  

 The quote above is one of my favorite "quotes to live by".  Have you ever noticed that once one lie is told, it is usually followed by another lie to back that one up and so on?  Eventually there are so many lies interwoven that they form a tangled web that the person who is telling them gets caught in.  No matter how much the person tries to escape the lies, they can't.  How often have we seen this played out in our own lives and in politics?  Why can't people just be honest to begin with?  The truth always has a way of coming out.

When God Gives You Second Chances

   Funny how God works.  Jeff and I were just talking about how God gives us second chances (and sometimes third and fourth chances) in life and how some of us truly appreciate and embrace it and others do not.  Then, this morning, a dear friend posted something on Facebook along these same lines.  Yes God, I am listening. :)
   I am beyond blessed in my life to have been given a great gift of a second chance at a happy life.  God, for what ever reason, heard my prayers as a young child and granted me my greatest desire...to one day be a mommy.  I clearly remember the day that my doctor said that due my heart condition, I may not be able to have children.  I also remember crying out to God and asking Him to heal me.  I was put on continual medication to help protect my heart from any type of infection. As they years passed, I got stronger and stronger and my cardiologist was baffled when at age 14, they did a total workup on my heart and found no hole, no scar tissue and in his words "I don't know how to explain this...it's a God thing, you have a totally healthy heart, it's like you have been given a new heart!"  Thank you God!!!
    I never forgot that second chance I had been given. It is a gift that I see in my 3 sons, 2 of them being twins.  It is a gift I see in my daughters (in-law) and it is a gift I see in my grandson Bradley and in future grandchildren.  It is also a gift when I watch my husband with our children and grandson and see the love and joy in his eyes.
   My  husband and I decided long ago that we needed to show God's love to others.  To let them know that God does give second chances.  To let them know that God does love and care about them, no matter what the circumstances or what life throws at them.  God is there.  We tried to instill on our children the responsibility and yes, joy, of serving others and giving back.  We also tried to stress that when God gives you a second chance at something, embrace it, do your best at it and don't ever forget where that second chance came from.  We all stumble and fall at times, we mess up, but if we go to God and ask for forgiveness and strength to do better, He is right there for us.
   God gives all of us gifts in life.  Those gifts are not to squander on ourselves, but to help others.  If God has blessed you the carpentry skills, then use them to help others fix their homes.  If God has given you the gift of teaching children, then use it to encourage young people and help them to become all they can be.  If you have a car and there are hungry people in your community, use that car to deliver food to them.  If you have a garden, share your bounty with others. If God has healed you from trauma in your life, help others who are hurting and show them that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that they too can be healed from the pain, anger, hurt and even shame. If God has healed you from disease or injury be thankful, share you story of hope and healing with others and realize just how blessed you are! Many people do not get that second chance and it would be a shameful to be selfish and waste it only on yourself.

Off to a Clean Start in 2013

 

I don't know about you but I like to start the new year with a clean slate.  I want to wash off the dirt from the previous  year and leave it all behind.  Seems like my grandson is pondering all of this while he takes a bath. ;)  Oh how I love my little Monkey!

The Christmas tree is taken down and the delicate ornaments are carefully packed away.  Next year we will be doing the unbreakable and soft ornaments and I think I may even enlist Bradley's help in decorating the tree. ;)  The toy train set may even make an appearance because I'm sure he would enjoy it and it would drive my cats nuts...BONUS!!!! :D

For 2013 I plan to focus on relationships.

  There are people that I love that I did not spend much time with this last year.  I know that we all live busy lives but I need to make it a priority to connect with them and get together a few times at least.  Time goes so quickly and in the blink of an eye children grow up.  Sadly we also lose some of the people we love over the course of the years and I do not want to have any regrets of not having told them how much I love them and how much they mean to me.  Some of our family members and friends have struggled this year and we have even lost a few.  Tomorrow is not ever guaranteed for anyone, young or old.  

My family.  Anyone that knows me knows that my family is my world.  I want to make it a priority to spend more time and go out on more "dates" with my hubby.  He is my best friend and the one person in the world who knows me better than I know myself at times.  He taught me about unconditional love and is my safe harbor.  I want to make sure that he knows how much he means to me and how much I love him.  My children are some of the most amazing people in the world!  My three sons and 2 daughters (so blessed to have such loving girls marry into our family) make me laugh like no one else can.  They all have kind hearts and are there for one another.  As a mother, that brings me great joy!  My grandchildren; my precious monkey Bradley and my future grandchildren are such treasures.  They are the reason that we, as parents, let our teenage children live! ;)  Just kidding!  Bradley has taught us so much.  I am in awe of him.  I marvel in all his new discoveries and accomplishments.  His smile can turn the worst day into the best day.  He has gotten us through some very rough times, just by being the wonderful little guy that he is.  I look forward to Bradley one day becoming a big brother and also to any more grandchildren that my other children may bless us with.

I have other goals too but relationships are the most important to me and I feel should be the most important to everyone.  Things come and go but your relationships are what define you, help you to grow and what makes your life complete.