The Smallest Blessings... Memories

Spring has officially sprung here in beautiful Virginia. My sweetie and I went this past weekend to get the first batch of "mater" plants and some squash. I also planted 6 strawberry plants, 2 rhubarb plants and 1 new rose bush. Needless to say, it was a long and HOT (94 degrees!!) weekend. But, we sat on the deck, listening to the 60's beach music station and simply enjoying each other's company. It was a sweet moment that we got to spend together, with no cell phones ringing, without a house full of teenage girls, or a yard full of friends.

Tonight I made a comfort food dinner... hamburgers with gravy and onions,cucumbers in vinegar, beets, squash and onions, and a yummy peach pie for desert. In the midst of eating dinner it occurred to me that we were eating my Great grandmother's favorite dinner. She always made this every Wednesday when my mom and I would go visit during the summers when I was a little girl. I don't know what made me think about it, as my granny has been dead for over 10 years. I spent the rest of dinner telling my sweetie and my baby about her. She was beautiful, elegant, and a little bit feisty! She and her friends had mink stoles, cat eye glasses, and big jars of ponds cold cream on their dressers. She raised a huge garden, had the most fabulous red geraniums, and made the best potato salad ever. She taught me and all of my cousins how to drive in her trusty green maverick and then a snazzy red Taurus.I could go on and on for hours, perhaps even days, but that's a blog for another day.

My blessing this week is my memories... whether they are new or old, they are treasured and sweet. When was the last time you took some of your best memories out and dusted them off? I once heard that as long as you remembered, things and people never really went away.Take the time to make memories with your family and you too will have a gift to treasure for years to come, both to enjoy and to give. Have a lovely and memorable week.

Pennies from Heaven

Now, I know that some of you may be wondering what the heck I'm doing... I'm suppose to be in Myrtle Beach. Well, the Lord works in mysterious ways.

I originally was not suppose to even go this year. Financially I just could not swing it, and the accountant in me wasn't going to take away from something else to go and play. However, through the wonder of friendship, my girlfriends decided that they were going to treat me! I was so excited and feel so blessed. Still, though in the back of my mind, something just wasn't sitting right.

On Sunday evening, I totally cleaned the car out. I have the biggest vehicle (yes, I am the proud owner of a gas guzzler, I must admit), so I had decided that the least I could do was to drive. I took every single thing (a small feat in itself, as I believe I may have found Jimmy Hoffa) out of the truck. I finished my day out, still feeling uneasy, but starting to really get excited.

At 2 am, Monday morning, my dear friend Debra's father, Charles Erwin Farmer, affectionately known as "Bubba" lost his battle with lung cancer. At 6:45 am my dear friend Vickie lost her sister unexpectedly to diabetes. She was 42 years old.

Everyone quickly kicked into gear, calling, making arrangements, etc. At 7:30 am, I went out to my truck and saw 2 brand new shiny pennies sitting in my seat. I was having such a bad morning that I thought, what the heck, I'll sit on them. thinking for sure that my husband must have put them there, I really thought nothing of it. After all, it was such a busy day. On Tuesday morning, I went out and giggled at the thought of riding to work on them again. When I opened the door, I reached for my cell phone, as I had agreed to make the call to cancel our reservations. I happened to glance down, and dropped the phone!!!! There now were 3 pennies. This is crazy I know, right? Well, I called my honey and asked him why he kept leaving pennies in my seat, only to have him tell me he had no idea what I was talking about. I shook it off, and began the trip to work, riding on my pennies. About 9:30 am, I called Kingston Plantation to cancel our reservation. The clerk told me I must have been mistaken, that the reservation had already been canceled on Sunday. We disagreed for a few minutes, however I finally took the cancellation number to call each one of my friends.

We still today, do not know who canceled the reservations, or where the pennies came from. I sadly received a call this morning that my 98 year old grandfather is being put in Hospice. It is a strange story and it has been a stranger week. I typically only work 2 hours on Fridays, and you can bet that my first stop will be to see my grandfather tomorrow as soon as I leave here. Have a beautiful week and remember to kiss and hug the ones you love every single chance you get. Life is my blessing this week, and perhaps it is one of the greatest blessings, as we never know when it will be taken away as quickly as it came.

Note* I still have the pennies in my seat, and am working on getting a picture of them to add to my post. *

The Smallest Blessings-Friendship

Every year in April, 5 close friends and myself go to Myrtle Beach for a "Girls Weekend". It's my mother, my cousin, and some other ladies. Unfortunately I got laid off last September, and although I did go back to work, it was at a much reduced salary. I scrimped and saved for the last few months, but something always has come up, so I made the decision ( a big girl decision) that I just wasn't going to go this year, we simply could not afford it. I was very sad to have to tell everyone, especially my mother. We in the past had made the 5 hour ride together, and it really served as a sweet and private time for us.

About 2 weeks ago, I got a call from one of my dearest friends, asking me if I still was not going to be able to go. I told her yes, financially there really was just no way. She said ok and after a few minuets of idle chit chat, we said goodbye. The next day she called me again, asking the same question. I have to admit, that at first, I was a bit angry. I told her again, that nothing had changed... she quickly cut me off by saying that everyone had talked the night before and that I had to go. She then laughed and said that one of the best things about friendship was the chance to do something nice for someone else and that the "girls" had decided that they were paying my portion.

I encourage everyone who read this to take this to heart. Friendship, true friendship is being able to experience the joy of not only each other, but the opportunity to do something nice for someone else. It doesn't have to be extravagant, it doesn't even have to cost anything. I challenge you all to do something unexpected today for your friend. Whether that be your spouse, your sister, or just a girlfriend from college, surprise them with a gesture and when the thanks come, encourage them to pass it on. If everyone did this for one day, perhaps it would spill over into the next.
Have a wonderful day!

Blessings of being a Woman

I'm a few days late, with my post I realize. I hope that everyone will understand upon hearing my reasons.
For the past 9 years, my gorgeous husband and I have been trying to have another baby. Unfortunatly it just doesn't seem to be in the cards. We've done every test under the sun, treatments, etc, and nothing has worked. Last monday, I geared up for "the day"... anyone who has been through the whole precision of trying to concieve knows what I am speaking of. As the events of the day unfolded... work, taking our daughter to ball practice, making dinner, laundry, I grew more and more tired. At about 9 pm, I thought I would just lay down for a quick nap... well, the next thing I knew, the clock was going off and it was 6 am, tuesday morning. I panicked, I cried, and I yelled at the ceiling! I had missed my little window of opportunity.I went through the morning like someone in slow motion.At about 11:30, one of my dearest friends called me with some exciting news..... she was expecting her third child. I think I went into a hazy fog.
I spent the next few days in a state of turmoil. I was so happy for her, and yet felt so betrayed by my own body.
On Sunday at our Easter services, there was a little girl in the pew in front of us. She looked to be about 18 months old... cute as a button! I stared at her, and then felt a little pat on my arm from my husband. I think in that moment, we came to a mutual decision that we would just let nature decide what was best for us as a family. My husband told me that whether I had 1 child or 40, I was a woman in his eyes. I know it's crazy, but I felt like I needed that confirmation.

My point to this, is that my blessing this week is womanhood. We as women, run ourselves to the max. We try to do it all, we down ourselves, if our hips or bottoms aren't what society thinks they should be, or if we aren't looking like a Victorias Secret model in our wonderbras. I encourage each and every woman who reads this to take a moment and hug yourself, your curves, and your femininity, not to harbor disappointment when you feel as though your body is betraying you. God made us in the image that he felt was right for us, it is for him to decide what our bodies should do, and no one else.
I recommitted myself to God yesterday, feeling as though I had gotten off the path in striving for something that maybe just wasn't meant for me as a woman to do more than once. Til next week..... or I guess I should say thursday!

My loves

I hope that I get this right.... I have so much that I am thankful for everyday, so this was very hard for me. I hate to sound selfish... but my blessing today will be for my eyes. Now before you stop reading and think I've gone crazy, hear me out.
With my eyes, I see every morning when I get up that the "coffee fairy" (my sweet husband) has left me coffee to enjoy and a note to read. I see the way that my daughter is curled up sleeping looking about 8 years old (until she unfolds her legs and turns into my little super model at 13). I see the love that we have put into making our house beautiful and the feel pride deep in my heart. I see the daffodils that we planted years ago when we first moved here to our home.I see that Oscar, the cat's big orange belly is now fully covering his bottom paws when he sits up and I have to laugh.
I see a million things a day, but none as sweet or dear to me, as those things that I see within my first hour of waking each day. I thank God everyday for this amzing gift that he has given me, and know that if tomorrow I woke and could not see, I will have been more blessed than I ever could have imagined by what I had seen the day before.
I have included a picture of my beautiful daughter, as watching her grow into a young lady has been amazing.