True Friends

When you are real, true friends, time doesn't matter. Winnie and I have been friends for many, many years (longer than some of you are old). We haven't been able to spend as much together in the past years, but we met for supper last night at Cracker Barrel. In one way, it was as if we had just spent time together last week - the love, kindred spirit, and friendship were the same. On the other hand, we were there almost 3 hours and it didn't even scratch the surface on catching up with each other. I couldn't believe we had been there that long. Of course, we did take time to show off pictures of our grandchildren - as I've said before, nothing like being a grandma! The last few minutes of our time together we spent rocking on the porch and laughing - laughing at the way we were hanging onto our purses while we rocked, laughing at how stiff we felt and didn't know if we could get up, and counting to 3 to get up and then laughing so hard we weren't sure we would be able to get up. Obviously, we stood up or I wouldn't be typing in my blog (ha, ha). Winnie is off to take two of her grandbabies to Disney World in a few weeks. It will be her 37th trip - you see it's one more thing Winnie and I have in common - we are both kids at heart and love to have fun! Have a great time, Winnie! We left our rockers, hugged, and promised we'd get together again after her trip. Can't wait!

Merry Christmas

One more time - I just love Christmas. We had my Mom, Uncle Archie, Scott and his girls, Chris and family, Julie & Cliff (and of course, their dog, Red). We had a good lunch and then opened presents. All the grandbabies were very excited to open presents. Abby (our youngest - the almost 3 yr old) was oohing and aahing about the wrapping and actual opening of the presents. She had to take every single little piece of paper off of each present before looking at the present. She only took one article of clothing out of the box - the Dora shirt my Mom gave her. Then she rolled it up and stuffed it back in the box. Everything else she insisted on holding up for a picture, but didn't take it out of the box. Julie & Cliff gave the girls stocking hats with a present inside. Jessica (Scott's middle girl - 11 yrs old) put the hat on, left it on all day Christmas, and still had it on today (the day after). You never know what the kids will like. The kids and grandbabies played "Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader" with us. I asked the questions - anyone could just call out the answer. We laughed and had a good time. Sometimes the older ones were smarter and sometimes the young ones showed us up. I think it was one of the best Christmas' we've had. It's always great to be with family. Scott will have his girls this weekend and his youngest, Katelyn, is already planning on making cookies with me. It'll be so much fun. Hope everyone had as special a day as we did. (One more time - I just love Christmas!)

The Wise Men and Mary & Joseph

I just love Christmas (familiar saying in my blog lately). Pastor Mike preached an awesome sermon today. I always take notes - sinks in better that way. Today, he had such good stuff, I had a hard time keeping up. (Not my best example of handwriting in my notes today.) The Wise Men were gentiles. I probably knew that, but just forgot about it (sounds good, huh?). They were searching the ancient writings and then followed the Star. What an adventure. Nothing stopped them from their search for the Baby Jesus. To live my life and not let anything stop or hinder me from searching for His will in my life is my goal - but I fall far short too many times. The Wise Men were excited in their search. I'm trying to be more excited about every day, no matter what happens. You can miss a valuable lesson if you're not paying close attention. When the Wise Men found Him, they fell down and worshipped Him. Can you imagine seeing God right in front of you? What do you say - what do you do? I CAN ONLY IMAGINE (those who know me well, know that's my favorite praise song) ! Another interesting point Pastor Mike made was Mary and Joseph willingly accepted the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They did not rob the Wise Men of the blessing of giving their gifts. There is real joy in giving. I hope this Christmas we all get to experience the joy of giving of ourselves as well as our gifts. Remember to willingly accept the gifts - don't rob the other person of their blessing. (To my family, be prepared - I plan to quote Pastor Mike on Christmas Day.)

Kids program at church

Last night was our kids Christmas program. They represented the story of the birth of Jesus while several adults read the narration. There were a couple really cute moments: one was of Nathan Wilson (~2 months old) as Baby Jesus and his brother, Thomas (who's 2), playing the donkey - they looked so cute; the other one was when a sister, Mallory Dipasquale, and her older brother, Mason (think he's 5), entered as sheep. He was flicking his sheep ears all the way up the aisle and for a few seconds on the platform (couldn't help but hear giggling in the congregation). Then Mallory playing a baby sheep went right over to Baby Jesus and leaned down for a closer look. The costumes were great. Jill Yoho organized and directed it. She did a fantastic job. She even taught the kids how to bow at the end. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

What a weekend...

This was a busy weekend. We did some major cleaning around the house. Wanted to share some of our good fortune with those less fortunate. We took 9 leaf bags full of clothes and house stuff to Goodwill tonight. There were clothes from Julie's younger days and John's & mine smaller days. We also cleaned out the hall coat closet and took a few coats too. It's a good feeling to get things in order. Slowly, but surely we are making progress. Church was awesome as usual. Pastor Mike talked about the joy of the shepherds and how they told others. It was a good reminder of the joy we need to feel and share about our Savior. Too many times I know I don't think about the individuals and the individual events that occurred at Christ's birth. I want to focus on that more. After church, we went to Chris' girls baton holiday extravaganza. AJ and Stephanie both did excellent in their solo routines. AJ has really improved this year and Stephanie just seems to have the talent for it. We got to take Scott's girls with us. It was great to have all 6 grandbabies with us. We took Scott's girls home and had supper with my Mom, Scott and the girls. Played some horse bingo and then home. There's nothing like being a Nonni (interpretation - grandma) !

God is great !

In the last two days, God has shown me His awesome power to handle everything. Praise the Lord just doesn't quite do it for me. I feel like shouting to the world - no worries - just trust in the Lord. Ms. Deb has been offered a school nurse position and our china closet sold on craigslist.com. I had seen the ad for the school nurse position and called Ms. Deb. It was a God thing - I never read the want ads now that I'm retired. It was a long wait, but I kept talking to God and saying I know You brought this to my attention. Then our china closet ad was up for a week and I had about 5 people who were interested, asking questions, but no sale. I prayed about it again and felt I should repost it. I reposted it in the early hours of Wednesday and had a response by noon and a sale by 2 PM. God is so good. It reminds me of my previous post about surrender. I pray I will always surrender to His guidance and His will for my life. If you don't have a close relationship with Jesus, begin now - just ask Him into your life. It's awesome !

SMYDEK Christmas Party

No matter how old I get, I'm still young at heart. I'm sure I would have several witnesses to endorse this statement - some would probably say I'm still a child. I love Christmas - I love the story of Jesus' birth, the music, and the lights. We attended the SMYDEK Christmas party (Church party). It was held in conjunction with the Point of Rocks youth. We had a great time. The food was good and the smoothies were excellent! Enjoyed watching everyone play the different games. Charades is always a favorite. God's people know how to have fun!

First Snow

I always enjoy the first snow of the year so much. It's a tradition of mine to celebrate it. It reminds me how Jesus washes our sins as white as snow. It is so beautiful to see how God can use such tiny flakes to turn our world white. It is just another reminder that He is in control. Thank you, God, for the beauty of the earth! It also reminds me of my Dad. I miss him so much this year. My Dad and I used to get in his Travel-All (predecessor to the SUVs). We would go exploring in the snow - check to see if roads were safe to go to church and just to have fun. It is one of my most treasured memories. Miss you, Dad.

Surrender

Every time I think of the word surrender, I think of the hymn "I Surrender All." Wouldn't life be so much simpler if we could just surrender to God's way? I know I struggle sometimes with the "I can fix this" attitude. I like to solve problems - I hear the problem and immediately start thinking of options to make the situation better. Sometimes you can't change a situation or fix the problem. God is in control even though we don't understand why things are the way they are. I have a friend who is dying of cancer - she is lingering and she is ready to go to her Heavenly home. I don't understand why she must linger - not that we ever want to lose a loved one. I must surrender her to God, His plan, and His timetable. If you are reading this, pray for me to be able to surrender all areas of my life to God and make His way, mine...

Blessings

John and I went to church tonight to help Julie and Cliff decorate the church. It was a fun time. We got it all done in about 4 hours. It was a fulfilling adventure, but we were tired when we were through. One of the things I did was arrange the nativity in the vestibule. This is important because what happened next. I checked my email when I got home and had a devotional email from Max Lucado - a Christian author. I subscribe to his email devotions and receive a couple a month. Tonight's was about the Wise Men. It was such a blessing so here it is: "Suppose you could give a gift to Christ, what would it be? How could you possibly select a gift for the One who not only has everything, but who made everything? The Wise Men did. They can be an example to us. In addition to the gold, frankincense, and myrrh, they gave the Savior some gifts we can give him today: their hope, their time, and their worship. The wandering wise men gave Jesus their hope. When everyone else saw a night sky, this small band of men saw the light. The sight of the star sparked a desire in their hearts that send them packing. They went, seeking Jesus. When night comes to your world, what do you see? The darkness or the stars? Hopelessness or hopefulness? Sometimes, just as he did so long ago, God uses the darkness to reveal his stars—“The light shines in the darkness” (John 1:5). Give God your hope for Christmas. While you’re giving, give God your time. The wise men did. Before they gave God their presents, they gave their presence. It’s likely that these men traveled as long as two years before locating the prince of heaven. Before that one incredible moment when they knelt before Jesus, the wise men spent many moments, months, perhaps years searching, in anticipation of that meeting. Just as the wise men devoted themselves to seeking the Savior, so can you: “You will seek him and find him when you seek him with all your heart” (Duet. 4:29). And when they did find him, the wise men gave Jesus another gift: their worship. Men of wealth, influence, and intellect: what did they do when they saw Jesus? “…they fell down and worshiped him” (Matt. 2:11) Worship. It’s a gift that extends to the giver as well. Through worship, we come to see God more clearly. God invites us, through worship, to see his face so he can change ours. In worship, we simply stand before God with a prepared and willing heart and let God do his work. And he does. He wipes away the tears. He mops away the perspiration. He softens our furrowed brows. He touches our cheeks. He changes our faces as we worship. The wise men sought the child of God, just as God seeks his children. “The Father is actively seeking such people to worship him” (John 4:23). The gifts of hope, time, and worship. Three gifts the wise still give." God bless...

Come and listen

We sang the song "Come and Listen" on Sunday morning and it has been in my head all week. "... come let me tell you what He has done for me, let me tell you what He has done for me He has done for you, He has done for us, Come and listen, Come and listen to what He’s done." How awesome are these lyrics. Too often we are so busy saying God listen to me, we forget to listen to Him. I pray I'll boldly tell others about Him and that I'll also be listening to Him...

Thanksgiving

It's always wonderful to get together with family. We had a great day. I always enjoy the grandbabies. Because we have 15 for every holiday meal, I always sit with the grandbabies. This year, Jessica asked to say the Thanksgiving prayer. It was very sweet. She thanked God for the food, those that fixed it, and she hoped everyone would have a happy day. We were eating for about 10-15 minutes when Katelyn asked me who made the sweet potatoes - she said they were really good and asked if she could have the leftovers if there were any. I told her I made them and she could have the leftovers. She then asked if she could pray. I said sure and we had a second blessing - she was thankful for everyone there and for the good food. One of the highlights of my day was from our youngest grandbaby, Abby. Her parents had been saying we need to get ready to go to Nonni's for Thanksgiving. When they got to our house, they asked her to tell me why they were here. She said we are doing Thanks - Nonni - giving. A phrase I will always hold dear...

Working together

I have a terrific hubby and we work well together. He has done the cleaning today in prep for Thanksgiving. I was working on kitchen curtains - finishing them up so we could hang them tonight, finishing the newsletter and slides for church. Didn't want to forget to do them with prep for Thanksgiving and the catching up on sleep afterwards. I'll do the kitchen floor before going to bed tonight and then be up about 7 AM to get the turkey in the oven and start the prep on some other items. Everyone comes to our home so it will be an exciting day tomorrow. I love having family around. We eat at noon and then we go to John's sister for his family dinner at 5 PM. We will be a couple of "stuffed turkeys" ourselves. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

God is so good...

God is so good and is in control. We forget that too often. We get caught up in the things of this world. I've been reminded of it several times this week in amazing ways. One of the most special is the husband God gave me. John and I are very compatible. We enjoy being together which by today's standards is remarkable - we've been married for 25 years. We love to laugh and do so every day. Laughter is a great gift from God. It doesn't cost anything and it makes you feel great. It's contagious! I highly recommend adding laughter to your daily life. There is always something to laugh about...

The beauty of Fall

No painter can top the Master. God paints the trees with the perfect brush. The variety of colors is awesome. We took my Mom to see the fall leaves yesterday. We rode up to Westminster. The leaves were beautiful. We are especially fond of the sugar maples - the ones that have the brilliant reds, oranges/yellows and sometimes a touch of green. The colored trees always remind me of a bowl of Trix - yes, Trix are for kids and I are one! Take a look outside and see if you think the same thing. Most importantly, it was a wonderful time with my Mom.

It keeps gettin' better and better...

God is an awesome God who is continually working in our lives. This has been an especially wonderful weekend with the Lord. In my exurberance to talk about the sermons of my guys in my last entry, I forgot to mention Pastor Mike's sermon on remaining faithful until the Lord calls us Home - an inspiring reminder of the work we need to do. I have heard several thought-provoking sermons this weekend. Topics like - what vision do we have, what is our legacy, our need to remain faithful - to be good stewards, and putting our complete trust in Jesus. Where are we with the Lord and where are we going? There is no retirement from God's work until He calls us Home. As we were reminded in church this morning - don't gloss over the awesomeness of God! He is there for us every minute of everyday. Too many times we try to handle things on our own; when we can't, then we ask God for help. My goal is to live my life reflecting God's love and grace. I don't always do a very good job. I want to be more bold in my witness about my Lord. I heard a gospel musician say this week: I gave the Lord Saviorship in my life right away - I gave him Lordship of my life later on. It is a profound statement. It made me think about my own life - of course, He is my Saviour; but do I daily give Him Lordship of my life. I'm praying I will give Him Lordship daily.

Awesome time at Marsh Road Baptist

Today was just awesome! Marsh Road Baptist was celebrating 40 years - it's Poppa Shepard's church. I played for the congregational singing. It was a great joy to share in their special day. John Yoho (Poppa's grandson and he's like one of our kids) is in St. Louis with Julie, Cliff, and several other youth leaders at a conference. (I miss my kids who are in St. Louis.) He videotaped a message talking about the vision it took to start this church. He did a great job - it's hard to video a message when there isn't anyone else to interact with. Dave Yoho (Poppa's grandson, and he's like one of our kids too - used to vacation with us) preached his first sermon on the legacy we leave. He did awesome - you would never have known it was his first one. The only clue was the ending "that's all I've got to say." I took notes during his sermon and was crying out of joy at his commitment to the Lord and how the Lord was using him. Poppa Shepard told me Pastor Mike and Ms. Deb Yoho (parents of the guys mentioned above) would sing right after Dave preached. I was wiping away a tear after Dave finished preaching when I noticed Pastor Mike and Ms. Deb stand up. I quickly threw my pen and notepad at my hubby and went to the piano to play for them. They sang "Find Us Faithful" which was so appropriate for the day and so touching. It was a wonderful day with friends and "family." Can't wait to see what God has in store for tomorrow.

God so loved...

It's been a wonderful day with the Lord. There were so many prayer requests in Sunday School today. We got word during church that one of our members, Debbie Schmidt, had passed away this morning. She had been suffering from colon cancer and is now in her Heavenly home. Pastor Mike preached on John 3:16 this morning. A very familiar verse, but an awesome story. It is difficult to comprehend such love. I can't imagine sacrificing one of my children or grandbabies for the whole world. To think that God sent Jesus, His only Son, to die for me - it is a very humbling thought. I pray I will be able to remember each day that Jesus died for me so that I might live my life for Him. Thank you, Jesus. Music is such an important part of my life and the one thought that comes to mind now is from a favorite hymn: "Then sings my soul, my Saviour, God to Thee, how great Thou art, HOW GREAT THOU ART"

Grandbabies & Friends

We had a great time at church - had Abby and Katelyn with us. There is nothing like spending time with your grandbabies and it is an added blessing to have them in church with you. They both enjoyed wearing one of my necklaces with their dresses. I'm teaching them young the importance of accessories and coordinating your outfits. God's blessings are so many - friends are one of my favorites. We had dinner with Pastor Mike and Ms. Deb at Ruby Tuesday's. The food was good and the company was even better. It was wonderful to be able to relax and just visit...

It's a God thing...

Today we headed to Thurmont to see AJ and Stephanie appear at Food Lion's Customer Appreciation Day. They performed their different routines in baton. Abby sat on my lap while we watched. The girls did real well. I can see AJ improving each time and Steph continues to do well. While we were there a Catoctin Zoo rep was handing out free passes for adults and kids. I asked for 2 adult and 5 kids to give to a family I know in the community. Then I thought about Scott having the girls this weekend and how much they love animals. Chris went to see the guy about getting some passes for his family. I asked him to get another adult and 2 kids since I realized I had one extra (kids under 2 don't have to pay). Abby was holding our passes. She would hold up one at a time and we would look at the animals. Then I would hold them and pass them back to her one at a time. John even took a turn. We did this numerous times with me growling if it was a leopard or making monkey sounds if it was a monkey. We had 2 adult (passes were blue - this will be important momentarily) and 5 kid passes (which were yellow). I heard the man tell Chris he only had two adult passes left, but plenty of kid ones. Chris took the 2 adult and got 5 kid ones. (Adults for he and Desiree and then 3 kid tickets for their girls and 2 kid ones to give Scott.) I told him it would be OK - I would just give one adult pass to the family - maybe just the Dad could take the kids and the Mom could have some rest time. Here comes the God thing - get ready. Abby gave me the tickets as a group which were now all mixed up - could see two blue ones in different spots amongst the yellow. I went through them to count out the number for the family and the ones to give to Scott. I took 1 adult and counted out 3 kids for Scott. Then when I went to check the tickets for the family - I suddenly had 2 adult and 4 kids - just what I needed. I immediately looked up and said it is a God thing. John, Abby, and I had all handled the tickets one by one and there were only 2 adult tickets. I looked at John and said you know there were only 2 adult ones and he nodded his head. I looked at Chris and John and said IT IS A GOD THING. Then I looked toward Heaven and repeated several times - Thank you, God ! How awesome a God do we serve... Thank you Jesus for a wonderful day, showing me once again you are in control, and with You nothing is impossible ! I love you, Lord.

Time with the kids

Cliff and Chris came by on Thursday night to change the radiator in the John's car - the Toyota. Then it was such a beautiful night, I made supper and we ate outside. We had beef stew and rolls. We talked, laughed, gazed at the stars, and laughed some more. We talked about the wonder of God to make the stars and how many there were. They were just beautiful. Friday night, we met Julie and Scott to look at some tiles for the kitchen counter. Then we went to Applebee's for a late supper. (Julie had to work late again) We talked about everything - mythbusters episodes, childhood memories, movies, funny things the kids have done, etc. I can truly say God has blessed us with a wonderful family and we enjoy spending time with them.

Happy days...

It seems the days are passing more quickly. I had a wonderful time on Thursday with the Shepard, Lawson, and Yoho families. Went to Woodbridge to practice Ms. Deb's and Kim's song for the upcoming wedding - our first practice. We got more comfortable each time. Had done some personal shopping for Ms. Deb and Kim - finding red dresses for the wedding. They looked sensational in their outfits if I say so myself - however, the guys all thought they looked good too. Then we all went to lunch: Poppa Shepard, Ms. Jean (fiance), Pastor Mike, Ms. Deb, Davey, DL, Kim, Andy, and my hubby. Sat beside one of my favorite hunks - Davey (the youngest son of Pastor Mike & Ms. Deb). Both their boys (John - mentioned in earlier blog) are such handsome hunks and I'm privileged to get hugs and kisses from them all the time. Eat your hearts out ladies ! Hadn't seen DL in a long time - it was good to joke around with him. He's such fun and a wonderful guy. Missed Ben (son of Kim & DL), but will see him in a few weeks. Got my hugs and kisses from Andy too - another gorgeous hunk (son of Ms. Deb's brother, Mike). With my hubby beside me, I was thrilled to be in the company of such handsome men. Ms. Jean, Ms. Deb, and Kim looked pretty good too. I feel like part of their family - God is so good. What a blessed day !

AWANA kick-off carnival

AWANA is a program at church for preschool thru elementary aged kids. John and I went tonight to help with the kick-off carnival. Jill Yoho did a great job organizing it. She has a special way with kids and organization. There were lots of volunteers to help out. John helped Cliff & Woody put up the moonbounce. It was a big hit as all the games were. Couldn't tell you how many kids registered for sure, but it was a great turnout. Had some new folks in the community come and register their kids. It is a great outreach tool. I manned the "guess how many candies are in the jar." The first jar (about half the size of a gallon jar) had tootsie rolls , the second (same as first) had candy corn, and the third (gallon jar) had blow pops. You wouldn't believe the guesses we got. One lady told her son to guess high because the little girl in front of him had guessed 29 tootsie rolls. The little boy guessed "10 hundreds" - it took a moment for my tired brain to realize that equaled a 1000. (I actually was good at math in school - I just hadn't heard 10 hundreds in a while.) For the candy corn, he guessed 10,000. The numbers were 267 tootsie rolls, 697 candy corn, and 107 blow pops. Three different kids won the 3 jars - they were excited ! All the kids seemed excited about AWANA starting next Wednesday. It was a great time in the Lord with good friends and volunteers reaching out to the church and the community. We serve an awesome God. Luke 18:16-17 But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

God blesses...

Wow - these last few weeks have been busy. God blessed me with the most wonderful of husbands - one perfect for me. He has been a real trooper with our schedule - mostly commitments I've made. I'm thrilled with the new kitchen except for the countertops. Scott stopped by tonight and suggested putting tile over them. It's a great solution and he's willing to do the work even after I told him I wanted/needed it done now. I want it all done so we can clean the kitchen (dust from installation, scrub the new sink, etc.), put stuff back, and decorate. I've been looking for new curtains - even thought of sewing them myself - but, can't find any material or curtains I like. I'll keep looking until I find the right thing. Thanksgiving isn't that far away and everyone comes here. It will be exciting to cook in the new kitchen. Thank you God for a wonderful family...

Another great few days...

Been a busy few weeks and it doesn't look like it will let up anytime soon. Saturday we ran some errands in the afternoon; Sunday - we had a great day at church. Mr. Woody is back for a visit and it's always good to see him. Told him he should move back here and I think he's ready. Then we took Mom to Red Lobster Sunday evening. We had a good dinner and an enjoyable visit. Then Cliff and Julie stopped by after SMYDEK to see the progress on the kitchen. We had a short visit with them. Today the guy came to install the floor - it looks great! We won't walk on it until tomorrow. Almost a complete transformation of the kitchen - have to hang curtains, get shelves lined, and everything put back. An exciting time. Can hardly believe it is our home. Went with Ms. Deb over to Tysons Corner to meet her sister, Kim, and her daughter, Dawn, to look for dresses for Poppa Shepard's wedding. We found one for Dawn, but nothing for Kim. We had a great time laughing and shopping. Friends are a special blessing God gives us to enjoy. I'm very blessed to have so many friends and I love spending time with them. Bonus for the day - got to see one of Ms. Deb's hunky sons, John, before he left for work. I love that kid and he is easy on the eye! Never hurts to appreciate all of God's wonders...

Great day with friends and the Lord

It has been a very busy week. The contractor has been working on the kitchen. He finished today - it looks great, but doesn't seem like it's our house - shock of having some new items in our home. The floor will be put in on Monday. That's when it will all seem real - a finished product. I spent a good part of the day with my cousin, Ms. Jean. We haven't spent time together in over a year at least. We had lunch and I gave her the tour of the growth in Urbana. We had a wonderful time. I enjoy Ms. Jean so much - she has always been a special part of my life. She kept Julie for us when Julie was just a baby until she started school. I can never thank her enough for that piece of mind in knowing my child was loved and safe. Hope to spend time with her again very soon. Then when I got home I finished the church newsletter and powerpoint presentation. The paint smell was strong so we were going to go out to supper when John remembered a message for me. I called my friend, Dianna, and she invited us to a revival meeting tonight. The speaker was Dr. Branson who was fantastic - scriptural preaching and he had a great sense of humor. He preached on the Glory of God. Ends up he is the brother of Poppa Shepard's fiance - small world. Got to see Poppa Shepard & Ms. Jean (Poppa's fiance - not my cousin), and Pastor Mike & Ms. Deb. We all went to IHOP afterwards - there were 16 of us. We had a great time. It's been a full, glorious day and I'm off to bed...

Busy weekend

Since we are without a stove during the kitchen remodel, we had to grab something for supper on Friday night. Then we went to Lowe's in Frederick to get some sample hardware for the cabinets. Came back and decided on the one we wanted, but it was too late to go back and get more. Had a good time with the grandbabies this weekend - Scott's girls. We celebrated Katelyn's 8th birthday by going to the movies, McDonald's, and then to Mom's for ice cream and cake. It was good to be in church today. We made Sunday School and church - PowerPoint presentation went well except for one slide - it didn't translate well, but I'll correct it before next week - not bad for the first time. Got to hold some babies - what fun. Sammy is growing up so fast. He is really crawling at a fast pace now. Jude was all full of smiles. Jack was absolutely adorable in his cute outfit. After church, we headed to Hagerstown for Josh's & Eli's birthday party. Got to hold Phoebe - she is petite but growing. She has the cutest giggle. Then we had to go to Lowe's in Gatihersburg to pick up the faucet and cabinet hardware for the contractor's to install tomorrow - had hoped the Lowe's in Hagerstown would have the hardware, but no such luck. The kitchen is coming together quicker than we expected. God is so good...

An exciting week...

My creative side has had a wonderful time this week. We are launching the new format for the church newsletter/bulletin on Sunday. I enjoyed redesigning the newsletter and giving folks a little something different to look at. I'm a firm believer that people get used to the same look too quickly and pretty soon aren't really reading it - more like skimming it for something to catch their eye. I also did my first PowerPoint presentation to be used for our church announcements before we start the praise part of the worship service. I just found out tonight that the church laptop can't handle the new version of PowerPoint that I used. I had to go back and save it to a lower version - we'll see what converted. Wes (our worship leader) is going to review it - he also has an earlier version so he couldn't view my presentation the first time. Am waiting to hear what he thinks of it now that he'll be able to view it. I'm excited to be releasing my creative side in new ways...

What a beautiful night...

The stars are absolutely beautiful tonight. I'm a big fan of God's imagination and sense of humor. He made us which I'm sure provides Him with plenty of laughter. We can be very funny human beings. Then He gives us so much beauty to behold. The full moon was spectacular last week and now tonight the stars. I tell the grandbabies I look up at the stars and say "I love you" and God carries the message to them. When they look up at the stars, they will get my "I love you" message delivered by God through the stars. What an awesome God we serve...

Praising the Lord in a different way...

Yesterday, John and I praised the Lord in a different way - we went to Hagerstown to support two of our grandbabies in a baton competition. Ordinarily we wouldn't miss church for anything, but this was their last competition and we hadn't been able to attend one this year. It was exciting. Stephanie won Miss CAMA (Capital Area Marching Association) for 7-8 year olds. AJ won 1st runner-up for Miss CAMA, 9-12 year olds (I think the ages are close to this, she's 11). They both did very well and we are proud of them. Abby - the 2 yr old - would ask me if I wanted to see her routine. She would then mimic stuff she saw the older girls do. It was hilarious, but she is really good for a 2 yr. old. She sometimes "forgets" she's 2 - she'll make up a new age. Yesterday she ranged in age from 3 - 11. Basically she wants to do anything her sisters do. She even ran and got in the picture with Stephanie and was quite distressed when her Mom told her to move. We missed being at church so much, but we were still praising the Lord !

Ladies Retreat...

The title doesn't mean the ladies were backing up. Ms. Sunny, Ms. Deb, Ms. Donna, and I headed to PA representing Green Valley Baptist for our Mid-Atlantic Regional Ladies Retreat. We always have a good time fellowshipping with one another. We had a good trip up. Heard an excellent speaker who could also sing - talk about talents! Then after a short snack time, we are used to going to the gym for volleyball, hanging out, etc. It's our tradition! Well, the gym was empty. Couldn't believe these folks were going to bed. We shared the camp with some young people who were also in bed. It was very bizarre; however, it didn't stop our tradition. We found the tea room (sponsored by District Heights) and had some tea and cookies. We closed the place around 12:30 AM. Still not ready for bed. Since I can't walk very far, I use a scooter for longer distances. (Several of the young people and young at heart at church have ridden my scooter - at camp, the hospital, and other various places.) I was riding the scooter around the camp and decided to give scooter lessons to my friends so they could experience the thrill. I've actually "burned" rubber on it a few times. I sat in one of the swings, watched, and laughed as they took turns. Ms. Donna was determined to burn rubber which she did. Then Ms. Sunny took a turn. Ms. Deb didn't want to drive last night, but rode double with Ms. Donna driving. You could hear their laughter echo through the trees. Then Ms. Sunny drove and Ms. Donna rode doubles. All rides - even the backwards ones - were done at "bunny" speed vs "turtle" speed. "Bunny" speed is the most fun. We all laughed and had a great time! Today, another speak spoke about the strongholds in our lives - things that effect the way we live. It was a very emotional time for me. It still is even now that I'm home. I want to do so much more for God. I love young people and wish my physical limitations didn't limit my participation in their activities. Pray for me...

Cabinets are here!

The cabinets are here! We are so excited - the new kitchen is getting closer to reality. We just knew they would be delivered today. The driver called me at 5:30 PM and said we would get our cabinets today, but he was in Martinsburg, WV. The cabinets arrived around 8:45 PM. Driver was real nice. Just glad they are here.

Missionary spoke

Went to church tonight and heard from one of our missionaries - it was an uplifting time. Played for the congregation to sing - that was nice - I miss playing for the congregation sometimes, but I really like the praise worship team and the praise music; who knows what God might have in store - I might get to play with them someday? Then went to Wal-Mart and found a sweatshirt for this weekend - ladies retreat (could get a little chilly around the bonfire). Got a call today and our kitchen remodel has been moved up a week. It means I have to get busy and pack up the stuff in the cabinets. I thought I was going to have another week so have been working on other things. The cabinets are to be delivered by the freight company tomorrow. Exciting times...

Got some new dishes

We've been looking at new plates, etc. for some time. I had hoped to get red square plates, but I'm ahead of the times. I opted for Corelle's white square plates with two bamboo branches across part of the plate. The bowls are also square with a light green trim. Corelle is really lightweight and that's what I appreciate. God was blessing - we went to the Corelle Factory Outlet at the Prime Outlets in Hagerstown. Corelle was having a 20% off sale - sweet! John and I have never had new dishes. Did have a Wal-Mart Black Friday special set once ($14) - we used the glasses, but not the plates. Yes, you got glasses too. One and only time I ever ventured out on Black Friday. We are getting excited about the prospect of a new kitchen...

Supper with Chris & the girls

We had supper with Chris and his girls, Cliff, Julie, and my Mom. Chris and family just got back from Disney World yesterday. We heard lots of exciting details. I missed them so much. It was great to get together. Scott had to work. Abby & Steph wanted to ride with us to AC Moore. Chris and AJ went to pick up something for supper for Desiree. We met them at AC Moore. Abby wanted to come home with us so we had to play a little game to get her into her car seat. She was so sleepy. God has blessed us with a wonderful family and we really enjoy spending time with all of them. I got to see all my grandbabies this weekend - thank you God for making me a Nonni...

An awesome day with God

Some days I'm amazed at how awesome God is. Today was fabulous. We went to church and had a wonderful time in praise and worship. Pastor Mike brought an excellent message on growing in the Lord - keep it basic. After service, I got to hold Jack - what a thrill ! Jack is Dave's & Jill's son - Pastor Mike's & Ms. Deb's first grandchild. Then we had our church picnic this afternoon. It was great. We had a delicious potluck meal and then SMYDEK (our church youth group) had its meeting. We stayed for that and John Yoho - youth pastor - introduced Steve Tate (one of our new deacons) who gave his testimony. We also sang. I got to play with Sammy Semelsberger (the little one who had open heart surgery shortly after he was born). Sammy will be a year old in December. His parents are Mike and Joy. He also loves hanging out with his Aunt Starr. He has the cutest smile. After the picnic, we stopped by the Wilsons house to see the newest addition, Nathan Michael (he weighed in last Sunday morning - on his due date - at ~9 lbs 15 oz). Wes Wilson is our worship leader. I got time with 3 babies today - how awesome is that ! On the way home, we stopped by my Mom's house real quick to give Destiny her sunglasses - she had left them in our van. It was great to end a glorious day with lovin' from my grandbabies. Thank you, God...

Fair day with Scott's girls

We took Destiny, Jessica, and Katelyn to the fair this afternoon. We visited all the animals. Loved the newborn piglets - one was especially independent. Saw a brand new calf - still getting cleaned up from its Mommy. Ran into Cliff and Julie. Destiny has a way with horses. Everyone was going up to the gates to see the horses and all the horses were back in the stalls. As soon as Destiny walked up, the horses would come right up to the gate. (Destiny has horses and loves to ride.) Cliff said Destiny must be the horse whisperer. John and Katelyn rode one ride. We got something to eat and headed home. It was a wonderful day with our grandbabies...

Cliff's b-day

Today is Cliff's 25th birthday. Julie had an open house party for him. She got him a Wii and we got him another remote & games for it. Tim was there. He set it up. He was hilarious making the characters look like Cliff and Julie. We took turns playing tennis. It was fun, but I can see how it could become addictive. Mom, Scott, and the girls were there too. Destiny was very good at beating me in tennis. Amy & Lucas and Alicia & Alex came by later. It was my first time to meet the guys - they were very nice and handsome too. Chris & Desiree and the girls are still in Disney World - they will head home on Sunday. They have had a great time. It's been an exciting week!

Went to the Fair

Worked on the newsletter today. Got some music together for an upcoming wedding. Then tonight we picked up Ms. Deb and went to the Fair. We looked at the exhibits, the birthing center (nothing being born at the time, some on the way), and then visited some friends (The Murphys) who had beef cattle. We had a pulled pork sandwich which was delicious. Got a piece of pie before we left. Had a wonderful time, but am tired and headed for bed...

Lazy Day

I don't know why, but today I was just exhausted. Don't know if it was all the traveling or what. Tried to load the new software on the home computer. One program loaded fine, the other one didn't. Will have to get Cliff to help me - keeps saying a file is missing. Don't know why since it loaded fine on the new laptop. Go figure - technology is great when it's working, but oh so frustrating when it's not. Going to bed and looking forward to a brighter day tomorrow...

We're Home !

We got home this afternoon. We had stopped in Williamsburg at the Pottery Factory. It sure has changed since years ago. Then we drove onto Fredericksburg and spent the night. We looked at some of the outlets there today. Still didn't find any dishes, but did find a couple of pillows I'd been looking for in an orangey red shade - got one plain and one with stripes. Had dinner with Mom tonight at the new Pizza place in Urbana. I got spaghetti - it was good, but I couldn't eat it all (didn't care for the garlic bread - it was more like just the hard crust, soft part removed). Our new cabinets will be delivered next week...we are getting closer to a wonderful new kitchen!

Laptop has stroke!

How dependent we become on modern technology. I'm still doing the weekly church newsletter while I'm on vacation. My old laptop had a stroke...lost some of its important faculties. John was listening to me bless it and threaten to throw it off the 13th floor balcony. The cursor would float up into the corner. I would have to shut down the computer, restart, and try again. I would do one action and it would start again. Trust me, checking one email, shutting down the computer, and starting again is a VERY LONG process. We were in Greenville, NC, at a hotel and I was trying to finish this week's newsletter. The cursor started to float, but this time was different. When the cursor floated, so did the document. Then one of the graphics just moved off the page along with the cursor - that was the last straw. I was about to save the document and was afraid I would lose all of my work. I quickly saved it. Re-opened it, fixed the graphic, saved it, and emailed it to myself. I knew that we were going to see my sister, Dina, the next day and she had a computer I could use to finish it. When we were going out to dinner, John just pulled into the Best Buy and said let's check on one. (We had priced one in SC, but the tax rate there is high.) We ended up buying a new laptop that was on sale and that is how this new post has been created. Had a wonderful visit with Steve and Dina in their home. We talked and laughed until we were so tired we had to go to bed. This morning Dina and I compared laptops, programs, etc. Then we all went to lunch. After lunch, they returned home and we headed up the road. We're in Williamsburg tonight. In the words of Patrick Henry (I think - I've been out of school too long) with a modern day twist: Give me a working laptop and a good connection or give me death !

Myrtle Beach

We are in a beautiful oceanfront condo in Myrtle Beach. It is so relaxing to look out at the ocean and think how awesome God was to think of oceans. The sound of the waves just releases any stress you have. The complex offers a lazy river, a pool, and of course, the ocean. Plan to partake of all of them. We also saw some folks driving a golf cart on the road. We are going to check out a golf cart rental. We stayed at a complex once before where you could rent golf carts and we thoroughly enjoyed cruising in the late afternoon/evenings. Well, I'm off to enjoy God's creation...

Internet problems..

I'm back in touch. I had internet connection problems at one hotel. It was baffling because I could get on at some locations and not others. Got to Myrtle Beach and tried to get on at a Starbucks, but it wouldn't let me. Then I had John pull in to different hotels to see if I could get a connection from the parking lot. You know I can't stand to be without my connection to the family and email (besides I'm still doing the church bulletin for each Sunday even while we are gone). I think I've found the solution after visiting Best Buy here in Myrtle Beach. I won't go into the details, but the guy did some tweeking and I believe I'm good to go now. You know me - I have to chat with everyone. I said we were visiting from MD, he said he was originally from Philly. I said I've been there. He wanted to know if we were vacationing. I said yes, we were celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary and my hubby had just retired from being a police officer. This guy had been a police officer in Philly. The best part: After he "adjusted" my computer, I asked what we owed. (John had seen a sign that said diagnostics was $59.) He stuck out his hand to shake my hand and then John's. He said it is the least I can do for a fellow police officer. As we were walking away, I told John: I'm really going to keep you now - you're even more valuable than I thought. Only kidding, I was going to keep you anyway, forever...

Getting ready for vacation

Unfortunately, my reputation for finding people via the internet is haunting me. One of the ladies on the reunion committee still thinks I'm in business. She had to find someone and called early this morning to see if I could help her. I found some info and sent it to her and then said I'm leaving on vacation. This seems to be a job (a volunteer one) that will not end. The reunion was on 8/11. Time to be done. Now we are going to have one final meeting the end of September. I'm all for lessons-learned meetings, but I usually like them right away. Have a feeling this has other purposes (reading between the lines of some emails). On a more positive note, finished up the newsletter for church. Did a little cleaning - hard to believe (ha, ha). We are headed for Bethany Beach, DE tomorrow for the weekend and then bound for the South to relax and enjoy. I'll be in my element - accent and all...

Odds and ends...

Mom got her carpet fixed today. We went down this afternoon and hooked up the computer and TV for her. Got our thank you notes written and mailed. A productive day...

Today is our 25th Anniversary

Today is the actual date of our 25th Anniversary. It's hard to believe we have been married that long - my how time flies. We love each other so much. We got new rings - I got a new diamond (beautiful!!!) and I got John a new wedding band with a diamond-shaped diamond. I can't imagine not having John in my life - he is my best friend, my lover, the father of our children, my rock, a constant source of humor, etc. (I could go on and on...) We have built our marriage with God at the center. We have always tried to keep our sense of humor and appreciate one another. God has truly blessed us and He continues to do so...

Sunday was literally a day of rest...

Church was awesome. After church we came home, had lunch, and fell asleep. I guess all the partying on Friday night required 2 days of rest. It was an awesome party...

25th Anniversary Party

John found a pair of shoes in the morning while I rested some. Phone rang early in the morning and I didn't get to sleep until around noon. Took a two hour nap and then had to get all our stuff together for the party. We wouldn't be coming back to the house before going to our party. Got my hair fixed and then we headed for the Walkersville VFD social hall. Julie was there. She had planned the entire event and assigned her brothers tasks. The decorations were beautiful, the DJ was good, the food was terrific, and we had a MARVELOUS time. I think all our guests did too. The dancing was great - I chair danced a lot since I can't last for a whole dance. Had fun with the grandbabies - Jessica was taking care of me, getting me something to drink. Destiny kept saying she couldn't dance, but I got her on the floor a couple of times. Then when they played one line dance song, she was the first and only one out there who knew the dance. Abby, Katelyn, and Stephanie did their share of dancing too. Amelia danced with Uncle Gary and her cousin, Adam. She was in her glory. Julie is really a good dancer - I want her to teach me some steps. She was hilarious on this one song - the DJ threw her a plastic blow up guitar and she mimicked the solo guitar piece in it. She tried to get Scott to pretend play it, but he wouldn't get on the dance floor. Scott's only time on the dance floor was sweeping it up after the party. Julie had borrowed a standup cardboard bride & groom with cutout faces for us to use. You could get your picture taken by Chris and then he would print it out for you to take home; Desiree delivered the pics to each person/couple. I think everyone got a kick out of that. I even started asking people if they wanted to get their pic taken with me. I was usually the "groom." The food was good - Cliff and Julie spent most of their time making sure everything was available. It was so good to spend time with family and friends. We just had the best time - can't thank our kids enough. Scott (Destiny, Jessica, Katelyn), Chris & Desiree (Amelia, Stephanie, Abby), Julie and Cliff - thanks for giving us such beautiful memories...

Thursday

Rested some in the morning and then we left to run errands. Had to get John a pair of black shoes for tomorrow night and pickup some other things for the party. Didn't haven't any luck with the shoes so John will have to go out again in the morning. Got a photo album for our wedding pics and I had to organize them. Made the signs for the party while John fixed the favors filled with M&Ms. Then John went to bed. I laid down and after an hour and 1/2, I got up. Just too excited too sleep I guess. Did a few other things and then tried to sleep again. Was a long night of tossing and turning...

Resting...

Think I've been on the go too much. Had a little battle with nausea the last couple of days. Decided I should take it easy today so I'd feel good for our party on Friday...

Lots going on...

Went today and had my wedding band sized to fit as well as my anniversary ring John gave me for our 5th wedding anniversary. It will be nice to have my original wedding band again. Then we dropped off our wedding negatives to have new pictures and a CD made. Our original pictures were turning. We looked pretty good 25 years ago - time hasn't been so kind to me. John still looks great! Then we had dinner with Mom at Applebees. It's been a glorious day...

Monday's events

We went to Lowe's to put in the cabinet order. It's official now, I'm getting a new kitchen! YEAH !!! It will take 4-6 weeks for the cabinets to come in. I'll be making Thanksgiving Dinner in a new kitchen this year. We've lived here for 23 years and I disliked the kitchen from the time we looked at the house. I liked the rest of it so we bought it. It will be wonderful to have a kitchen I really enjoy cooking in...

Ordering cabinets

After church today, we met our contractor back at the house for final measurements. Then we were off to Lowe's. We thought everything would be ordered today, but it didn't work out. They have to check something with manufacturer. Hopefully, tomorrow will be the day...

Lunch with Nancy

I had lunch with Nancy today. It was a spur of the moment decision. Hadn't seen her in a couple of months. She called to see if I was available so I went. Met at Perkins and discussed the reunion, etc. Had a good time.

Dinner with the Yohos

John and I were awake early (about 2 AM) so we watched a movie. Then we went to sleep around 5 AM and the phone rang at 8 AM. Another reunion task - thought it was over, but it seems to continue. Ran an errand today and then had dinner with the Yohos. It was a great time. We always enjoy any time spent with good friends...

Dinner with Mom

Tuesday was basically a day of rest. We've had such a whirlwind of activity that we spent the day resting off and on. I finished up some accounting for the reunion and a few other things. I took a short nap in the afternoon. Then we called Mom and went to Cracker Barrel. Enjoyed dinner and Mom ran into an old friend. We returned some movies to Hollywood Cinema and then went to Freeze King for an ice cream...

Still going strong...

Had to go get my new dentures adjusted today - another trip to Waldorf. Dr. White is great and I can already tell a difference. He said to come back if I needed another adjustment - I hope I don't. Tried the new McDonald's in Urbana. The dining area seems small compared to the length of the building, but it's great to have one available. We love their iced tea. Looking forward to slowing down a bit...

Pool Party on Sunday after church...

Church was awesome today. After church, we went to John's Mom's for a pool party in honor of his retirement. Being the kid at heart that I am and loving water, I was the only "adult" in the pool for most of the time. John got in for a little bit. I was in with my nephews, niece, and grandbabies. I was in for 1 1/2 hours - got red on my shoulders. It was sore last night and still today, but I think it will be fine. I slept last night - thank you God...

The Reunion was great !

The Reunion was great. I have so enjoyed seeing Jan & Pete Peterson and Sherry Stiles over the last few days. Sherry lives in Winchester so I'm hoping to see her more often. Jan & Pete rode with us to the Reunion and I got in some last few moments with them on the ride home. They are headed back to Iowa Sunday at 7:30 AM. Who knows we might end up visiting them in Iowa sometime since John is retired. Saw lots of old classmates - some looked just the same (only a little older); some didn't look anything like I remembered. Everyone seemed to have a great time and we got lots of great compliments. I'm tired and off to bed - I'm glad it's over...

One day closer to the Reunion...

I had to go to the doctor today because my kidney infection was acting up again. Got a different antibiotic - should take care of it. Had to make a few changes to items for the reunions - another person is coming. John and I had a Philly cheesesteak at Philly's that just opened up. It was delicious. Tomorrow is the big high school Reunion. Will be glad to spend some time with friends from out of town. Until tomorrow...

Saw Jan and Sherry today...

Today I had lunch with friends from my childhood - Jan and Sherry. Jan lives in Iowa and is back here for our high school reunion. Sherry graduated the year after us, but is also coming to the reunion. She lives in Winchester, VA. We had a great time and I look forward to spending more time with them on Saturday...

Jessica's B-day...

Today is Jessica's 11th birthday. We met at FSK Mall and got her a couple outfits and of course, earrings to match. We met Cliff and Julie later in the evening and celebrated at the Dairy Queen with Scott, Destiny, Jessica, Katelyn, and their cousin, Carmen. We had a good time...

Fun day...

Got my hair cut today - when you have a short hair cut, you have to go more often. My bangs were too long and were driving me crazy. After that, John and I went to Lowe's and picked out kitchen cabinets. It is quite exciting to see the computer generated new look. It took a lot longer than we had anticipated. We had decided on a counter top, but then found out you can't mount the sink underneath. We are getting estimates on 3 different types of counter tops - have to see the price to know what we will do. The thrill of a new kitchen after 23 years is almost more than I can comprehend (I'm working on it!)...

First day of retirement...

This was John's first day of retirement. He did a little yard work and then we ran some errands. It was an awesome day. We really enjoyed being together. Tonight, we watched Astronaut Farmer. It was a good movie. Time to do a little more work on the high school reunion. It's this Saturday. Can't wait to see my friends...

Blessed day...

Pastor Darren preached a very heartfelt sermon this morning about the responsibility of parents and grandparents. It makes me want to do more for my kids and my grandbabies. I know the boys are saved, but they need to be in church and have their families in church too. We are thankful Julie & Cliff are faithful to the Lord. I want to share the Lord with my grandbabies in a way they can understand and want to have Him in their lives. I need to seek God's guidance and the prayers of friends to accomplish this. Tonight is the first night my hubby doesn't have to go to work. It feels a little weird not to make sure he is awake and ready for work. A weird I can definitely get used to. Thank you, God, for all your wonderful blessings...

My Sister visited...

My sister came for a visit today. Dina, my Mom, John and I went to lunch at Bob Evans. We had a great visit. She was headed back to Jack's house to meet Steve. The Magruders were having a cookout tonight and then they will be headed back to VA Beach tomorrow. Steve and Jack went fishing while Dina came to see us. As always, she looked wonderful and it was great to see her !

John is retired !

John is officially retired. He got home around 10:40 am. Julie had a sign printed and posted it in the yard. The sign had a funny face we've seen John make a hundred times or more. It said "I'm ready to retire!" John Krop Congratulations on 32 years of service. John was smiling so big when he pulled in the driveway. I think he was really pleased about the sign and his freedom. Julie also had a cake made for her Dad (marble cake with butterfinger creme filling and butterfinger crunch all around the outside of the cake). It was delicious. Then this afternoon off to get my new dentures - they will take some getting used to, but I'm pleased. Tonight we had dinner with Chris, Desiree, and girls to celebrate John's retirement. Scott was working so we will catch up with him later. Now we can begin a life of a more regular schedule - sleeping when the rest of the folks are - during the night...

Sr. Saints Luncheon

Went to the Sr. Saints Luncheon today to surprise them with a game time. I had wrapped some prizes (dollar store and white elephant) and we played bingo. Those ladies had a grand time - I had to call the game at 3 PM. Enjoyed it. Tonight is John's last night before officially retiring at 7:30 AM - actually it will be a little later because he has to go through the clearance process (turning in badges, etc.) Can't wait for him to be all mine...

Recuperating...

I was a little tired today. Watching active grandbabies (2 yrs, and 7 yrs) can be tiring, but still enjoyable. Did some errands this evening - delivered a photo to Mom, got a couple of gifts for the Senior Saints Luncheon on Thursday, and helped Chris pick out a dress for Desiree for their anniversary. Planning to get some rest tonight...

Monday - busy day

I've had another busy day. Didn't sleep real sound last night - concerned about Steph sleep walking and Abby was sleeping in between Steph and I. The night was uneventful - just the usual tossing and turning of a 2 yr old. Steph stayed put. We went to get the door lock fixed on the new van - passenger side didn't always lock or unlock. It took Chris just a few minutes to replace it. Enjoyed a day with the girls - doing puzzles, playing games, shopping, and making smoothies. Our anniversary party card arrived in the mail - it was a hoot. (Thanks, Julie for taking care of this part). Going to try to get some sleep tonight...

Sunday and two grandbabies spend the night...

This is John's last week of work. When he gets off on Friday morning, he will be officially retired. I owed Stephanie a "spend the night with Nonni" since she was away at National's when her sisters stayed. We met Chris & Desire (w/girls) for supper after Desire got off work. Stephanie came and Abby had to come with her. Hopefully, it will be a smooth night - I'm sure it will. Love having the grandbabies - they are growing up to quickly. Been having lots of storms so I'm hoping to get this posted before the next one. We are thankful for the rain - it is much needed. Thank you God for an awesome day!

A day to relax

Saturday was a wonderful day. Caught up on some sleep and then we ran errands. Found some pillows for the couch - I'll have to check them in the daylight to see if I like them (got a green shade, Ms. Deb). John and I thoroughly enjoyed being together...

Light Sapphire Blue Van

We have a beautiful light sapphire blue van. It has a passenger door on the driver side which is new to us. We will miss the built-in child seats, but we will manage. It is so nice to have a reliable van. The AC is really cold which is great! Chris and Cliff worked hard to get everything ready for us - they even got my scooter lift installed. I drove it tonight - it's great. I'll probably be lost looking for the gold van for a while, but I'll remember it's now blue or get carted off to the looney bin...

We have a van almost...

Chris called today to say Dave (Stups) had found a van for us. It has to go through inspection yet, but we are excited. It is a 2003 blue Ford Windstar LX. I've had several blue cars in my life - my Dad used to say "is blue the only color car you can buy?" Chris is going to try to get my scooter lift installed tomorrow. Our old van is on its last leg, 174K miles. It has been a good van, but we are excited at the prospect of having something reliable. Chris, John, and Cliff say the new van is a nice one. I've only seen pictures. Plan to see it tomorrow. God is good...

More relaxing day...

Was up most of the night finishing up the reunion directory for layout and the financial spreadsheet. Then I had to work on an ad for AJ's and Stephanie's baton field day book. When I went to bed around 4:30 AM, I felt I had accomplished a great deal. I haven't slept a lot today - hope for tonight. I think Julie and I have locked in on a place for John's and my anniversary party. We'll see it Friday night. My Mom called this afternoon to tell me her cousin, Violet, had passed away. Violet was a sweet lady and a very special person. I'll miss her. She would have been 90 on her birthday on Saturday. Now, she'll be celebrating with Jesus...

Reunion Meeting Tonight...

We had our high school class reunion committee meeting tonight. It was supposed to be a brief meeting, but it went from 6:30-9 (we did have salad too). I think we got everything in order, but I've got a lot of work to do. Got to reformat a file, make some corrections, and get it to our graphics person. I can't wait for 8/11 to attend the event and have a good time. I got asked to lead the opening prayer at the reunion. It will be an awesome time to praise God during that prayer...

Busy Monday...

My sciatic nerves are still bothering me, but I had to work on the high school reunion stuff. We have a meeting tomorrow night and changes are still coming in. Had several calls from old friends today. Have a lot to do tomorrow before the meeting. Hopefully, will get some rest tonight...

Rough day...

Had a bad day today - terrible headache, itching, and my sciatic nerve was hurting so bad. I planned to go to church. I got up to get dressed, but my head was pounding so hard even my eyeballs felt like they were throbbing. Wanted John to go onto church, but I went back to bed and so did he. He goes back to work tonight for his last two weeks before retirement. It seems surreal...

Relaxing day...

I've spent the day relaxing and catching up on phone calls and emails. My sciatica nerve in my right leg is giving me a fit. Makes it difficult to sit for very long. Still having the itching on my hands - think it might be from switching soap. Have tried not to use the soap the last couple of days, but the itching is still driving me crazy. What else is new - some may say I've been crazy for a long time...

A full day...

Missed the grandbabies today. I've been hearing "Nonni, I want you" from Abby, our 2 yr old (translation, hold me). Stephanie and her Mom got home safely. You can check out the welcoming home video at http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=13572774 There are two of them, second one is http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=13593393 Went to get fitted for some new dentures - the better to eat with, I hope. Besides my liver surgery, losing my teeth was the biggest trauma. Even though I know I couldn't have prevented it from happening (due to the throwing up from my liver problems, my teeth fractured and broke, pulling them was only option), it is still a frustration sometimes. We went to the Urbana Carnival to eat tonight with Ms. Deb (Pastor Mike was playing softball). The shrimp was great. She had never been to our carnival. I told her I always loved the candy apples, but can't eat them now. Talked about redecorating plans, grandbabies, etc. We had a great visit. God has certainly blessed us with having the Yohos for friends. Until next time...

Exciting days...

Stephanie should be home tonight sometime. Can't wait to talk to her. AJ and Abby spent the night last night. We had a good time yesterday. Did some chores in the morning/early afternoon. Then we went to see Mr. Denny about some flooring, and then went to Lowe's to look at a stove. Our stove is basically down to one burner and the oven only browns on the bottom. Needless to say, long overdo for replacement. Ran into Pastor Mike & Ms. Deb at Lowe's. Then we watched a movie. Girls went to bed late. Today we made signs for Stephanie's welcome home. As AJ put it, finally arts and crafts with Nonni. (It's a tradition at Nonni's that we always make something - this was just a busy week.) Chris picked them up after work and they were off to wait for Stephanie and Mommy to get home. John and I had something to eat and are aiming to rest tonight. This ole gray (blonde) mare ain't what she used to be...

Stephanie is National Baton Twirling Solo Champion

We are so excited and proud. Stephanie was competing at the National Baton Twirling Championship being held at Notre Dame. She is only 7 and it is her first time at Nationals. SHE WON - 1st place out of 46 girls her age. She competed in the duet competition and she & her partner placed 12th. In her Super X (you march in an X or something like that), she placed 7th. She did fabulous for her first time at Nationals competing with girls from all over the Country. She will be home late tomorrow night. Aren't my grandbabies wonderful - just ask me...

AJ and Abby day...

We kept AJ and Abby today. They arrived about 7:15 AM. After Hershey Park yesterday, I was really tired. Made it through today and then to the carnival. AJ and I made lunch - she is a budding chef. We also made Pineapple Upside Down Biscuits - they were pretty good. Met our son - their Dad, Chris - at the carnival for supper and then they rode rides for awhile. We had a good time, but I'm definitely needing my rest tonight. Love spending time with the grandbabies. They will be here again tomorrow and they are spending the night with Nonni & Poppa...

Monday at Hershey Park

John and I took Chris, Amelia, Abby, and Julie to Hershey Park. We had a great time. Chris, Julie, and John rode the Storm Runner - 75 mph roller coaster. The take offs were amazing. Amelia's favorite ride was the Wild Cat -a wooden roller coaster. Abby's favorite was Mini Scrambler - she waved and called our names. She was constantly asking to ride the big roller coasters. Abby is only 2! We were all tired, but had fun...

Sunday and we are headed home...

Slept in and then had breakfast at the Dough Roller. Enjoyed pancakes and french toast. Took a spin on the Rehoboth boardwalk and played a couple games. It was fun! Thank you, God, for the break!

Saturday at the beach...

Had a wonderful time setting by the beach enjoying some music. It was great to feel the gentle breeze and admire God's handiwork. Went swimming in the pool for an hour - my knees were letting me know it was quite a workout when I got out of the pool. Headed off to Phillips for the traditional crab legs and buffet. Wonderful time, feeling full, so went for a walk (scooter ride) on the boardwalk. It was fabulous!

Off to the beach

Made a spur of the moment decision to go away for the weekend. Headed to OC for a quick visit. It was relaxing to get away. The trip wasn't bad at all. After we checked in, we decided we were hungry and ordered pizza delivered to our room. It was some of the best pizza we ever had. It was Pino's. Highly recommend it.

It's another parade...

Went to Thurmont tonight to see Chris' girls in parade. They did a great job. We enjoyed it very much. Abby was busy catching candy from the fire trucks, floats, etc. Then we went to McDonald's before each of us headed home. Great time was had by all...

An eventful day

Today I went with John to submit his official retirement papers. Yeah! We are so excited. I can see him starting to get excited too. He will be on "vacation" next week when we keep Chris' girls, AJ & Abby, while Desiree takes Stephanie to the National Baton Event at Notre Dame. On a sadder note, Addison's funeral was today. The minister did an excellent job and it was a beautiful service. Cindy and Todd were emotional as you would expect, but hung in there like champs. Please pray for them in the days ahead. God is an awesome God who never leaves us or forsakes us...

Still tired

I can't seem to get caught up on my rest. My mind has been racing with things that need to get done and emotions. Went to VBS tonight and had a good time. Got to hold Jack ! I really needed to hold a baby today. They always bring me such joy. So thankful we have a loving Heavenly Father...

Great day!

Today is my sister's birthday. She's my only sibling and I love her so much. She and her family will be heading to Aruba for the first family vacation in a long time. Both her boys are on their own now so this will be a special time. Tonight, I went to Vacation Bible School. Had a wonderful time studying and visiting with friends. Got to hold Sammy Semelsberger and put him to sleep. Any time I can hold a baby is special. It was extra special tonight after Addison's passing. God is so good to us. We shouldn't take any moment for granted. Enjoy the little things in your life...

God is in control...

We had a great day at church today. Worship was very uplifting. Vacation Bible School started tonight. John had to get some rest (since he had to go to work) so we didn't make it tonight. I'm sure it was in God plan since I received a call from my friend, Leesa, about her niece, Addison. (Addison was born prematurely in April. Her due date was 8/1.) She has fought hard to survive. Leesa was in Colorado for a family wedding. She got the call this morning that Addison had passed away. My prayer partners and I have been praying for Addison from the beginning. She had been at death's door so many times and had rallied. We had been praying for God to be merciful if she wasn't meant to stay here on Earth with us. Today, she is with her Heavenly Father. I don't think we ever understand why children die. Addison's parents are saved, but had strayed from regular church attendance. I believe Addison may have been here for this little while to bring her Mom and Dad back into a regular communion with God. They had been praying and reading their Bibles more since her birth. I pray they will continue and unite with a church to help them through this difficult time. God thank you for loving us...

A hot day...

What a hot day it was - about 92 degrees. We took it easy. John ran some errands and I caught up on some sleep. It's been a busy week and I guess my body was ready for a little R & R. Watched some tennis and golf on TV. When it cooled down a little (early evening), we went to Frederick. We had a date night - dinner and a movie. Saw Live Free - Die Hard. We had a great time !!!

Camp roundup...

Friday was the day to drive up to camp and roundup our campers. We ended up bringing back 3 of the boys - Jake, Mike, and Matt. Of course, we had to stop by Burger King and get them some real food after being at camp all week. Got them delivered safely back to church and then we headed back home. John needed some sleep after working all night. I decorated some greeting cards while John slept and then we stopped by my Mom's later in the evening. A great day in all !

Tired, but still going...

It's been a busy week. Something to do everyday. I'd rather be busy than not, but like a break too. Today seemed to be the day for phone calls and they started early. John and I went over to Ms. Deb's tonight and helped her arrange her downstairs den. It's always fun to use the design skills and not hard work for me. John got to do the hard stuff - Ms. Deb too. I got the easy jobs. John joked I just needed the bullhorn - like Ty on Extreme Makeover - Home Edition. It's a good feeling to see a project come together. Until next time...

Happy 4th!

My Mom taught us to be patriotic. She worked at the courthouse in Rockville and had the privilege of swearing in new citizens - citizens who had followed the rules, learned the language, and the history of our country. I can remember seeing a picture of my Mom swearing in a group around the 4th of July. They had the biggest smiles on their faces - some were crying. They were so happy to be American citizens. I'm proud of my Country and my flag. God Bless America !

A Whirlwind Day...

Katelyn spent the night and we had a wonderful day. John slept a few hours and then we took Katelyn to the Adventure Park in New Market. I put her on the roller coaster by herself. She told me she hadn't ridden a roller coaster before. I could be in trouble with her Mom. Not worried about our son, Scott. He'll probably love the idea. Got some great pictures of her on the ride. When we got back, John went to bed because he has to work tonight. Katelyn and I had some girl time and then went to my Mom's for dinner. Nothing like being a Nonni (pronounced non-nee, my name for Grandma) !

Busy day...

John just got a few hours sleep before we headed off to church to transport kids & stuff to camp at Summit Lake. We got our van loaded with stuff to find out we wouldn't have to drive up since someone else arrived late and decided they wanted to drive. Unloaded the car and wished them a safe trip; then off to have lunch. We had an enjoyable lunch. Then I dropped John off at home to get more sleep and I went to my Mom's to pick up Katelyn (Scott's youngest - she's 7). We had a wonderful adventure. We went to Starbucks and got a toffee nut creme frappacino. Believe it or not, they tried to give us ones without whipped cream. Katelyn's response was "what's a frappacino without whipped cream." I totally agreed. Then we took her Daddy a drink and were going to meet her Mom to drop Katelyn off. Katelyn decided she would rather have an adventure with me and spend the night. So Scott called and it was decided she could spend the night. From there, we went to the movies to see Ratatouille (spelling?). We had a good time. Came home, checked on John, and he was awake. He had something to eat and then we went for a walk. Well, John walked. Katelyn rode her bike and I rode my scooter. When we got back to the house, we sent John (Poppa) to bed and we went for a scooter ride down the street beside our house. Got back right at dark. Katelyn loves to style my hair - at one point, my hair was sticking out in individual pony tails all over my head ! Now there's a vision for you. Poppa was off to work and Katelyn and I are settling in for a good rest...

The Lord's Day...

Had a great day at church! We had an interesting discussion in Sunday School followed by an exciting VBS skit to promote VBS on 7/14, and then a wonderful worship experience. The only sad note of the day was about Baby Addison. She was born prematurely and has so many medical problems right now. She has been at death's door so many times and rallied. The prognosis doesn't sound good. I don't want her to suffer. I know God is in control...

Parade and fireworks...

We had a full day today. John did yard work this morning and then we headed off to run some errands. Then we went to see Chris' and Desiree's 2 oldest girls in a parade in Emmitsburg, MD. After the parade we grabbed a bite to eat at a local Mom & Pop restaurant in Blue Summit Ridge (I think that was the name). The food was great and we had a really good time. Abby was falling asleep in the high chair while she was eating. Her head would bob and get so close to her plate, but it never hit the plate. We all started laughing which woke her up. We were real close to Chris' house so he took Abby home to change her and get jackets for AJ & Stephanie. We met up with Chris and headed off to Fort Ritchie to watch the fireworks. They were fantastic. Abby had gotten her second wind, but was dozing off in my arms right before the finale. She rallied enough to give me hugs and kisses before going with her Daddy. AJ & Stephanie were wide awake and gave Poppa (John) and I hugs and kisses before leaving. Another wonderful day with the grandbabies ! What could be better than that...

A new look...

Today was hair day. It is always an exciting day for me. I like to change hairstyles often - I get bored easily. I had Tiff wisp my hair around my face, texture & shorten the top, and cut the back a little. I really like it. I also got my new glasses. I can't believe they came in so fast. I like the new look and so do John, Julie & Cliff - the only ones to see it so far. The real test will be tomorrow morning when I get up - could be my hair will be standing straight up...

Cleaning up

It's always good to get rid of things you are not using. We have been working on this for a few months. I have a new minimalistic attitude - less is MUCH better. Today, we are getting rid of some dishes - many dishes. I had several sets we weren't using and the National Children's Center called to see if we had any donations. They mentioned dishes - BINGO ! My reply - oh yes, I am happy to set out a donation for pickup. John and I moved the dishes, mugs, basket, etc. outside for pickup. Of course, I had to wake him up about 10 PM and say it's starting to rain. He had put the boxes under the patio table - now they had to be moved to the top of the table. Used some felt-backed plastic tablecloths we were donating to cover the boxes. Donating is such a good thing - they come to your house to get your junk, I mean treasures !

We've got the date...

John has decided on the date of his retirement - 8/3/07. How exciting! I can already see the stress leaving his face. We have been praying together and separately about the right time to retire. We both felt the time was now. We will have the opportunity to return to a more "normal" sleep pattern - is there such a thing? It will be a financial adjustment, but well worth it. God has always provided for us and we know He will continue. Be watching for the bags under our eyes to lessen - perhaps, that is wishful thinking....

I can see!

Today was a monumental day for vision. Had my eyes checked and it's amazing what new lenses can do for a person. If you wear glasses, you are used to them being on your face. You don't often close one eye and then the other to see how things look. Well, in the examination chair, take off my glasses, and I think I can still see fairly well. I read a line. Then the doctor blocks my left eye - still not bad - I can read (guess) at a line. Called the last letter - later found out every last character was actually a number. Then he blocks my right eye and EVERYTHING including the top line (the one with the BIG letters) was blurry. Couldn't even read the first letter on the top line! What a shock! Took a deep breath and we progressed through the exam. Second shock - how much the price of glasses has gone up in 2 years. Beware in the meantime - I still have my old glasses. New ones will be here in about 10 days - then I will be able to read those road signs and recognize folks from a little ways away. Ah, progress...