Friday, June 14, 2013

I'M BACK!!

Well, believe it or not I'm back!  I fell off the blog wagon and found it hard to get back on.  But, I'm back with a new vigor, and I've got a lot to share with you!

Summer is here, and I couldn't be happier!  I've planted flowers, and as an added bonus I have a garden as well this year.  Our son-law-law, Josh, built me a raised bed garden.  He built Rachel one last year, and she had a great little garden.  I somehow got my garden in at exactly the right time between the cool spells and all the rain, so it is coming along really well. 





 
 
 I already have tomatoes, squash and little bell peppers.  I go out to my garden three or four times a day and just look at it.  I'm so excited!
 
Josh is a fireman for the Hendersonville Fire Department and graduated from the fire academy in April.  The academy lasted for ten weeks, and he had to stay there through the week, come home on Friday night, work a 12-hour shift at the fire hall on the weekend and go back on Sunday afternoon.  We couldn't be more proud of his accomplishment!! 
 

 
On May 7th, Terry and I went to New York City.  Terry had a conference at the end of the week, so we took a few extra days at the beginning of the week to have a few days for ourselves.  We got there on Monday, and at 6:00 on Tuesday morning we received a call that our precious friend, J.R. Gould, had passed away unexpectedly in his sleep.  We were so shocked.  It was really hard to wrap our minds around it.  We flew back home on Wednesday morning.  We did go to a broadway show on Tuesday night and met our friends, Mike and Stephanie Burnette, for dinner afterwards which we enjoyed, but our minds were never far from Shirley, the girls and their families. 
 
 

 
J.R.'s funeral was a beautiful tribute to his life and legacy.  He and Shirley were missionaries to Kenya for many years.  He was the District Superintendent of Tennessee before Terry, and Terry was honored to serve him as his assistant.  J.R. had the most contagious smile.  Whatever he did, he did with exuberance.  He is already missed so much.  It was an honor to have him as a friend. 
 
 
I had a wonderful Mother's Day.  We all went to church with Josh and Rachel and afterwards went to Josh's grandmother's house where we all celebrate together every year.  It was a great day with family.  I love my kids, Michael and Rachel, so much!!  When they were both born, it was love at first sight.  I couldn't be prouder to be their mom!!!
 
 
 
Last week, Bentley found a little bird in the yard that couldn't fly.  We started looking around and found a nest up high in one of the gutters that still had baby birds in it.  Bentley was obsessed with the bird and wouldn't leave it alone.  Every time he went out in the yard lots of birds would literally go wild, flying around, landing in the yard and on the fence and making a ruckus.  Finally, we putg the bird on the other side of the fence.  Then, over the next couple of days Bentley found two more birds that apparently fell out of the nest as well, and we had to put them over the fence too.  It was really strange.
 



 
Another thing I love about summer is the garage sales and estate sales.  I went out on Saturday and found some great things. Rachel and I have started collecting Fiestaware.  I went to a sale where a lady was selling her pitcher collection.  We didn't have a pitcher, so I got us both one for $10.00 each.  I know it is the old style of pitcher, but that doesn't bother us.  The orange one is mine and the turquoise one is Rachel's. 
 
 
I found this cute little trunk at an estate sale on Saturday.  It was originally priced $125.00, but I got it for $35.00 on the third and final day of the sale.  Rachel is going to use it in her living room.
 
 
Hebrews chapter 11 has meant so much to me lately.  I just keep going back to it.  "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen".  All those mentioned in that chapter received the promises of God because they "judged Him faithful Who had promised".  What are you believing God for?   He is faithful, so don't lose hope.  Whatever He promises, He will perform. 
 
 

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