Helloooo out there...

Hi guys..how's things going with you today? Me? Oh, i'm still fighting this sinus crud..actually sitting here with kleenex stuck up both nostrils trying to catch it...(cool mental picture huh? hee hee....)...seriously tho, I just can't seem to get rid of this stuff...ugh. I was gonna go back to the Dr this week, but kept telling myself that I was better, you feel better, you're almost well, but i'm not...so if i'm not better by Monday, i'm gonna go back...my throat is sore from all this drainage junk...ok...now that I have officially grossed you out..i'll change the subject..ha ha!
I hope everyone had a good week...we stayed at the campground most of the week. We came home tonight to go to church. Tony wasn't able to go...he had tummy issues..(he'd prolly be thrilled to know I told ya'll that...(snicker....lol)...I think he ate too many Pinto's last night...I cooked a huge pot of Pinto's, grilled pork chops, fried some taters, made some cornbread fritters, corn on the cob, onion and peach cobbler for dessert! That's some fine eatin'..especially outdoors around a campfire....well, actually the campfire wasn't too great...like, who needed a campfire in this 100 degree weather? But they wanted to roast marshmallows..so we had a campfire...i'm like...here..give me the marshmallow..i'll stick it to my forehead, let me know when it is melted enough for ya...I was sweatin' like crazy, pert near to suffocating and everyone else is wanting to stand by the fire and roast marshmallows...good grief people....but once my body realized that it was either adapt to the heat or croak, I was able to reach a tolerable temperature, somewhere between hotter n' firecracker and toasty as a marshmallow...ha ha...I wanted to be inside the RV....and be cooler n' cucumber but nooooo....that would not be sociable, so I endured it...I think I sweated off a pound or two, so it was not all in vain...I love staying at the RV...Tony lets me turn down the AC way lowwwwww....like..see your breath low...and you talk about sleeping..man, I can sleep like a log...I just have to get used to the rhythmic shaking that happens to be Tony over there shivering like crazy under a sheet, 2 blankets and the bedspread...he usually stops shivering after bout an hour or so...that's bout how long it takes him to get frozen good thru and thru...he kinda just stiffens up over there, and the shaking stops!...he's a good ole fella, he knows I can't sleep good at night nowadays...and he knows a cold room helps me, so he takes the cold so I can sleep...course it takes a lil while for him to thaw out in the mornings...most mornings i'm up before he is and i'll go turn up the thermostat to start the thawing process...bless his heart...
Our revival starts in 2 weeks...i'm very excited about it and looking forward to it...it seems like it has been a summer of miracles...and i'm anxious to see what's in store for us...I hope I can be a help during the revival..I can't stand for long anymore, and I sure nuf' can't get on my knees anymore, (there are no cranes at church to help me get up)...so I don't feel like I am much help in that area, but I sure wish I could be...sometimes the girls will get me a chair or the piano bench so I can sit and be close...but sometimes it embarrasses the hound outta me...so I just don't...it's not too bad if it's just homefolk, but I prolly wouldn't do it during revival...it's bad when you want to, but aren't able..I will just try to focus on the things I can do!
I'm also looking forward to 4th of July...my family always comes down and we spend the day outdoors around the pool...eating, splashing, eating, dunking, eating, diving, eating some more and then fireworks!!! We love fireworks, and usually have a huge display...we all pitch in and buy them and most time have like $750 -$ 1000 in them before it's all said and done...we've had traffic pull over and watch em...a lot of our church family will gather at our house at dusk to watch them with us...ya'll are welcome to come too!...I sure hope it doesn't rain...
Well....I think it's time for me to hit the sack...can't hardly keep my eyes open now so i'll call it a night....love to you all!!!

Checkin' In....

I'm just checking in today to give some bored, out of their gourd soul, something to do...lol. A lot has happened since my last post...a revival at Nila, which was very good, Father's Day, which was sad to me..and yet another set back with this sinus junk. My heart went out to Rhonda Brown this week-end due to the passing of her father, Br James Cain. She celebrated Father's Day with him, lying in state, at the church...now that is sad. But I know she has that great hope of being with him again someday and that is priceless. I loved my Daddy...He was a hard worker and provider, who loved his family, baseball and fishing/hunting...He was hard on me when I was younger..but it only made me stronger. And it made me the tough skinned gal I am today. Well...I guess i'm not so tough skinned anymore...but I used to be. Nowadays it doesn't take much to reduce me to a blubbering, snotty mess...I think that happens to all women as they get older...and I can't stand that. I don't like letting things bother me...I like peace. I like to lay my head down on my pillow and not struggle with the days events..not worry about something i've said or done...what needs to be done or not done...but in the end, it's ok. It doesn't matter anyway...whatever makes for peace is what I want. I would love to be a peacemaker. The Bible says peacemakers shall be called the "children of God"...sometimes wanting our way will cause a person to sway from being a peacemaker..so I want to be careful. I sure don't want to be a hinderance...but I don't know anyone who does..haha.
It sure has been hot here...I feel sorry for the boys that have to work our shop. We try to keep them supplied with Gatorade, HUGE fans, and even popsicles, but I know they have to be miserable out there working. Last year, when all those storms came thru, they worked 60 hr weeks in that heat, just to get all the orders out...we could not have done it without them...(we rewarded them with a trip to Disney..lol)...this year there has been no severe storms to overload us, but they still have the heat...it has to take it's toll on them...and then they freeze in the winter months...if I keep on i'll feel bad enough to give them a raise..so i'll end this blog right here!...HA HA ....Just kidding guys..... lol

Feeling Better..for real this time.

I am feeling much better again...this time I waited a couple of days before I said so..lol...didn't want to jinx myself like I did last time. So glad that has passed, and feel sorry for those suffering with it now. It seems like there a lot of people dealing with sinus issues and the heat only seems to magnify the yuck...
Revival at Nila is going so good..I haven't heard from services today (Tues), but Sun and Mon were very good...there have been a couple of new ones start to the altar..sure hope they make it. There were several sisters and their kids from Skyline that came down to swim today...they brought picnic food and it seemed they had a lot of fun...we're glad that people enjoy the pool, it gives them a place to take their kids without costing a arm and leg...just bring your own stuff...whatever that may be...and have a ball! Kristen and Carter always have a summer pool party, but i'm thinking that this year they might have to have separate parties. Kristen says her party will be themed Team Edward/Team Jacob...Carter is thinking his will be an Alabama pool party...they have it sometime in the midst of all the revivals going on and before school gets back in...its a little work, but they always have a ton of fun...and that's what it's all about to me. Caden and Resiana will start having their's in a few years...bout the time Kristen and Carter think they're too old for it..lol....well...gonna get off here and do some sewing...going to church at Nila again tonight and going home with Carissa....can't wait!

Happy Birthday Kristen!

I was so consumed with my pain and difficulty in functioning that I forgot to mention that today is my beautiful granddaughter, Kristen, birthday! She turned 12 today...I can't believe it's already been that long since she came into our lives and changed them forever! She is a great kid, always trying to get a laugh, very protective of her friends and family, and a wonderful little Child of God..I will never forget the day she was born...Erica called me around 7:30 that morning, I went straight out there and was with her all day long...we went to the hospital around 10pm i'm thinking...and she was born around 3:45am. We couldn't believe that we got a girl! We did'nt know what we were getting..so we were all anxiously awaiting to hear...she's been such a blessing to us ever since...I know Br Ray and Sis Joyce...PawPaw and Grandmaw, are just as proud of her as we are...
And Tuesday was her spiritual birthday...1 yr old! I began praying for the Lord to give her the Holyghost when it was time about a year before He did..I knew He would know when she was ready...when someone called us from the church that night (Flat Rock) and said she was praying in the altar and Erica said to call us...I just knew she would recieve it...my prayer going out there was for the Lord to allow me to make it in time...Tony had just walked in the door from work and was dirty and didn't feel like he could go anywhere like he was, so I ran out the door and made it from the house to the church in 12 minutes..I was driving like 80...when I walked in the door, they told her " look who has come to see you make it..(or something like that)....she started back praying and I think in less than 1 minute she was speaking in tongues with the prettiest witness you ever did see! She is making the Lord a good little soldier, trying to be careful what she says...and trying to obey the Lord when He tells her to do something during church....me and Pappy are very proud of her!

I take it back....

Did I say I was feeling better???? Well, I take that back.. I WAS feeling better...around 6pm I got to coughing and couldn't stop. I tried cough syrup, drops, mints, popsicles, honey...you name it. I had to get up and go sleep on the couch cause I was disturbing Tony, the culprit who started it all..yeah, I'm back to blaming him for giving me this stuff...lol...so i'm heading to see my Dr around 3 for a dose of feel good stuff...I hope. Sure hope no one else gets this crud. I don't really think it's contagious..just something in the air..cause I was doing good til I went outside yesterday...but it was only for a little bit. Anyways, i'm down for the count again...

Feeling better!

Well, I am feeling better today. I had a bad breathing episode last night, had to use my inhaler for the first time in a long time, and Tony prayed for me and I have been doing better. I griped on him cause I said he gave this crud to me, but actually I don't think this stuff is contagious. Its just sinus junk, and I don't think that you can pass that on?...now if it were a cold or flu, then yeah...anyways, i'm better and that makes me happy! I've got a lot to do..our revival starts a month from Sunday and that time will fly by..Usually i'm working my head off , with Erica's help, right up to the start of revival..but this year I really want to be done with everything at least a week before. I want to have all of my clothes picked out and ironed. Tony does his own ironing, so I don't have to worry about that. He has always done his own ironing..says he likes to iron, and likes his clothes done a certain way and prefers to do it himself! I got lucky there gals...lol. I've ironed them for him a few times when he was in a pinch for time, but even then he tries to do it himself...I just insist he let me. I just have a few more desserts that I want to make...Donna is making some "Granny" cakes for me...they are just the old fashioned yellow cake with chocolate frosting..like the ones Sis Gladys made. Our Granny made them too, we grew up on em'...we didn't know what the name of the cake was, so we just started calling them Granny Cakes...she's good at making them and she's gonna make me 3 in exchange for the fruit bowl I made her yesterday...she said it was a big hit...didn't even have 1 grape left...haha...I made it, but wasn't able to get out to take it to her...Sis Janice Sanders did that for me...she's a good friend!
Erica is supposed to come today and we're gonna make me some curtain panels and her some valances. I don't know what I would do without her. I am so thankful the Lord gave me such a good daughter to help me. She is a wonderful person. She is the quiet, behind the scene type...she does not have to be in the limelight to be happy...she's very reserved until she gets to know you, but once she does, she'll open up and you couldn't ask for a better friend...she's not one to talk about stuff/people...sometimes I will tell her something, and she's like..oh yeah..I heard that such and such time ago....but she's never said anything...and i'm proud of her as a wife and mother...she keeps a spotless house...and takes care of herself, Todd and Kristen. You don't see them out in wrinkled, unironed clothes like some poor husbands and kids i've seen...and she does a great job at having company on regular weekend and during revival...proud that she feels responsible enough to pull her weight in that area.....guess you can tell i'm very proud of my daughter! Don't even get me started on her singing...lol.... Sometimes nowadays, I think I ask too much of her...I know she has to grit her teeth sometimes when I mention something I want to do...she just knows she's gonna probably have to wind up helping me with it...i'm sure she wishes I would just accept the fact that I am not able to do what I once was and slow down...my mind tells me that all the time, but my heart is still young, it has not realized that I am fixing to be 54...that arthritis has taken over my knees and is working it's way down into my ankles and feet. I figure I won't have a choice before long...either a wheelchair or surgery. But i'm not doing either til I have no choice. I'm gonna keep on the way I am until something gives. It's very depressing to realize and know that your body is going downhill, that you have reached and passed your prime and can no longer do what you please. But the alternative is not being alive at all...so I guess i'll just deal with getting older..lol....well i'm gonna end this blog before I have to change the title ....hahahaha........til next time....

And we're off..

Well..i'm off to a yucky start this week already. Tony has had some sinus crud going on for the past 3-4 days and he has successfully passed it on to me. I started feeling bad at church last night, started with a tickle in my throat after I got home, and awoke this morning to a full fledge sinus episode. You know, the kind where you have a hacky cough, eyes watering kinda mess. I was so hoping to get a lot accomplished this week..but I haven't given in to it yet. Actually, I got a lot done today. Br Duane is finishing our new deck..I have had an addition to the house built on and added a utility room, 2 walk in closets, a sunroom and a service bathroom for the pool. He got the bathroom done, my utility room is now functional altho not completely finished. He has to move my cabinets from my old utility room into the new...I did several loads of laundry, made 6 Caramel Pies, 1 Oreo Delight and 2 Cream Cheese pies and put them in the freezer to have on hand and for revival next month...so the day hasn't been a total loss. But as the evening nears, I am feeling worse...that's the way it goes isn't it. My kids were always sicker when evening and night came...guess it holds true for adults too. Tony wasn't feeling much better this morn, but paid a visit to his Dr and got something to help him...a few hours later he is saying he is already feeling some better...he could have kept this junk to himself...but nooooooooo......lol.
I am planning on going to Skyline tomorrow. I am helping Donna do her desserts. I am making a huge fruit bowl for her. It will have 2 watermelons, 4 cantaloupes, 4 lbs green grapes, and 7 quarts of strawberries in it. I layer the fruit and it is very pretty..I always make it for her and sometimes for Erica's revival cook day. It is usually a huge hit. I sure hope I feel better..I may just have to take it to her and leave if i'm not better...i'm one of those "if you have it, keep it" kinda people...aint too keen on passing contagious stuff around. I have chronic Bronchitis, and breathing problems as it is. I have to keep an inhaler with me, so I don't want anything if I can help it. I wish everyone would just stay to themselves if they know something they have is contagious. I think it's good manners for one thing. And courteous. We have several people other than myself that have breathing issues at Stevenson. Br Jim Warren, Sis Carol Sanders, Sis Della Peacock all have severe breathing problems. And about 5 kids have Asthma down here. So I think you are doing them a great DIS-service to come around them KNOWING you have a contagious illness. If you don't know, that's one thing...this is one of my biggest pet peeves, (if we're allowed to have one..lol). Don't take a puking kid to church. Or to town shopping...anywhere for that matter...would you appreciate it if someone drug you all over the place and you felt that bad? Naw...some probably wouldn't even get out of bed much less go shopping, but yet there are some out there that do that to their poor little kids...shame on them. Br Charley used to preach on that... he'd say a good mother would rest her sick children and take care of them, not dress them up and drag them all over town or wherever and them so sick they can't hardly walk....ok gotta get off my soapbox....lol....
Well, I hope the Lord continues to bless the revivals going on...maybe i'll see you somewhere!

Just another Saturday....

Well, it's Saturday afternoon. I've made 2 desserts for Donna, and gonna make 2 for me to put in the freezer. Skyline's revival starts tomorrow and I always try to help her and Tamara with their desserts. They return the favor when it's my revival...every little bit helps. I went early today to Wal-Mart to get the stuff I needed..it's so HOT outside..I know it's just normal June weather, but I guess old age is catching up with me cause I just can't handle it like I used to. I always look forward to our revival..I usually cook up a storm of stuff, have company nearly every day...and by the end of the week, i'm just too pooped to move..lol. I went to Trenton this past week several times and during dinner one day, I was sitting, talking with another older sister about how it used to be during revival...we only took out dinner on Homecoming day, ate it outside in the heat, with the flies...lol...if we cooked the rest of the week, it was of our own accord and we just took people home with us. I don't remember exactly when all that started changing, but hey, it's what we do now, so I just go with it. I guess as long as people are receiving the Holyghost, then we're doing ok. I really enjoyed going to Trenton last week. The people there treated me good, the food was good, and services were good. I know Slick and Crystal are wore out, as is the Trenton congregation, i'm sure. I meant to keep the boys some this week, but, I went to church as well..lol..and what time I didn't go to church, I went to work...so it didn't leave much opportunity for them to stay with me...I can't help but want to go where he's helping at during revival...but he probably doesn't even notice if i'm there or not..lol. Kristen went with me a couple of days...she loves going around to different places. I'm glad she has an interest in going to church, and I hope that doesn't change.
Uncle Carl and Aunt Ruby went to church with me and Tony on Wed night. I really didn't have any expectations, but I had never been in church with any of Daddy's people...ever. They are of the Baptist faith, and we've never gone. I have always wanted to be in church with U Carl..I had even thought about going to his church, but didn't know where it was, or what he would think...he came by the shop the other day and was asking about everyone, and I told him about Slick helping in a revival close by..he lives in Bryant. I asked him would he like to go to a service with me and "see him in action"..haha....and he said yes! So we picked him and A Ruby up. They knew several people there. They also know a lot of people that go to Higdon church as well and some of them were there too. Slick talked to the lost and told the Plan of Salvation. That was what I wanted them to hear. At least one time, I wanted them to hear the real and true, way to Heaven. The Lord even allowed Slick to lay hands on U Carl. Afterwards, U Carl told Slick that he wanted to ask him some questions....I can only hope that he is interested in learning more...but if that isn't it...then I want the Lord to know i'm thankful that they were given the opportunity to hear the Word.
Well i'll go for now...gonna go make those 2 desserts...see ya!