my very new haircut

I love April, my friend who cuts my hair.

She is Amanda's age,

She lives at the beach.

She has twins ~ a boy and a girl.

She is beautiful,

but in a down to earth, natural sort of way.

I always come away having laughed a lot and feeling happy.

It is flat ironed straight and smooth.

This week before Easter is sobering to me.

As I think about Him 

and how He spent His final days on earth, 

I am always amazed.

With Jesus it was business as usual

up until the very end.

He ran the robbers out of the temple.

He did some of His most troubling and hard to understand teaching.

His disciples were fearful and puzzled.

The Jewish leaders wanted Him dead and gone.

But Jesus never faltered.

He knew what he was born to do,

 and He set His face to his coming death.

Yes, at one time that week, Jesus asked God to

 "remove this cup of suffering,"

but that wasn't to be.

Jesus willingly went to the cross for our sins.

That last week He spent much time with His friends

and much time in prayer,

agonizing.....

sweating drops of blood over what was to come.

He was human,

He felt everything we feel,

but without sin.

Jesus knew what was coming,

but He went to the cross because that was what 

God His Father told Him to do.

Thank You Jesus for what You did for us.

tulips & father goose

Aww.... the absolute joy of spring!

Can't let the outside in because of the pollen,

but still....

how amazing is spring.

To see everything greening up again,

flowers blooming,

chicks hatching,

sky so blue,

sun shining brightly.

I love it!!!!

Bubba bought me these flowers

for feeling better.

after all this time he still loves me so well

and I am thankful.

A good marriage is a blessing from God.

So....

This afternoon I went back 

to see the new family of geese down by the side of the road.

Mother goose was sitting on her nest

and Father Goose had the chick

out walking nearby

and keeping very close watch.

When I went back to get a picture,

the lawn was being mowed by crazies,

and the geese were nowhere to be seen.

One more try yielded me

a great shot of the dad.

He was hissing up a storm

but I whispered to him.

"I would never hurt your little one."

He was not convinced and he kept hissing.

The baby must have already been put down for the night

safely under her mother's wings.

Thanking God for spring this evening.

mother goose

Coming into Southbridge where our home is located,

one goes around a beautiful

lagoon with a fountain.

This is a much traveled roadway.

So....

 this Canadian goose

builds her nest not three feet from the road

right up close to a pine tree.

We noticed her last year in this exact same spot,

Seems kind of insane to me

to build a nest

right out in the open,

when there are woods all around.

Anyway....

She was sitting serenely this morning on her egg

as I made my way to church.

This afternoon,

on the way to the visitation for Mr. Jim across the street,

 this was the scene.

Looks like that little baby chick has hatched

and is emerging from the shell.

When I got close, 

the big moma opened her mouth and hissed at me.

and just as quick as a wink,

out of the blue.

 the dad ran at me and started hissing too.

I love God's creatures in the wild.

Instinctively

 they know what to do.

Why should I question where 

Mother Goose 

 decides to build her nest?

finally done

This project started back in the middle part of January.

I bought a round, white jute rug

and asked Bubba to retrieve

our old round oak table from the storage house.

Last night, 

while I was sleeping,

He brought the finished project into the house

to surprise me this morning.

I didn't waste any time today decorating it for Easter.

The biggest holdup,

according to my husband,

was the persistently cold, damp weather.

I put on my patience 

and sure enough he came through with a winner.

He had the pedestal cut down

so that it would be coffee table height.

I just love how it all turned out.

Now, on to the next thing.....

E-bay!!!

I am offering Amanda an all expense paid trip to Savannah

plus a new,

crisp,

$100.00 bill

to get me going selling on E-bay again.

Its been a while and I need a refresher course

So much to sell ~ so little time.

Feeling better this afternoon. 

Staying true to my antibiotics and resting.

Getting well feels so good!

Thank you Lord!

almost easter.

Last Friday,

I picked up Lucy,

and we proceeded to have an

exceptional

Lucy ~ Grammy

 weekend.

First off, we went to see Cinderella.

Such a feel good movie

to see with your granddaughter.

We had hot, buttered popcorn,

and shared a Sprite with two straws.

Next stop was Red Lobster,

 where we cracked some crab legs together.

Then home

to watch part of Harry Potter ~ movie one.

At 9:30, bleary eyed,

I looked at her and said,

"Lucy, I have to go to bed."

We finished it the next morning.

Upon arising,

we made cinnamon rolls

and ate them together with granddaddy.

At some point,

we dyed twelve eggs.

We left then, went downtown,

and had brunch at the

Funky Brunch Cafe.

Home again,

I sent Lucy out back with

balloons, vinegar, and baking soda

to do some experiments

so that I could help granddaddy get ready for the

dinner party that we hosted that evening.

Nothing exploded,

and it bought me a little time.

At some point we played checkers

at which she beat me soundly

because my brain was fried by then.

If you look at the picture, you will notice a big pot.

She poured a little bit of all twelve dye

colors into that pot 

and then plopped in an unboiled egg

which promply got broken and made a huge mess.

All that to say this...

I love Grammy ~ Lucy days!!!

I mean it...

I really do.

Resting and recuperating this weekend....:)

pencil sketched picture

Grounded!

I don't know when it all started.

I am always up and running around at full speed,

counting myself blessed to have such stamina and energy.

Slow going is just not for me.

But...

one malady led to another and another,

and I just wasn't getting well.

Finally, 

this morning,

Bubba gave me the mandate.

You will rest!

You will give yourself time to get better!

I'll be gone all day so as not to be a distraction to you.

So, for the next three or four days,

I will do just that.

One thing....

I have been on a death watch for two days.

The man across the street,

who somehow made his way into my bedroom 

on our move in day,

who I thought died while we were on vacation last August,

really did die just now.

Yesterday morning an ambulance came,

and I thought he had died then...

watched people come all yesterday afternoon.

This morning another ambulance came 

and then I became very puzzled.

If he died yesterday,

why did the ambulance come back today?

Just now I looked out

 and a white hearse was backed up in the driveway.

Then they rolled him out the front door

and loaded him (or somebody)

into the hearse and proceeded to drive away.

This whole thing has been so weird.....

so shrouded in mystery.

Which brings me to this point....

I don't think its good for me to be here in the house

all day alone

trying to recuperate,

with all that going on across the street.

I certainly could not rest,

and what a distraction that was.

*I am very sorry for the family.

some favorite pics from our trip

Eli & Grammy gathering shells.

Eli standing by the Sea Turtle Rescue ambulance.

Jake shooting his "found driftwood" bow and arrow.

Amanda and I ~ a beach "selfie."

And last but not least ~

 two boys in the late evening surf ~

kissed by the last rays of the setting sun.

God in His gracious manner,

 smiles on our family with lovingkindness every day

in ways unsearchable to the human intellect.

His love and mercy are unfathonable

to the human heart,

unmerited,

but gladly received with humbleness and thanksgiving.

His guidance, 

love, 

protection,

 provision and care

are products of His abundant grace and mercy,

Tonight...

to Him....

go all the praise and worship I can muster

from my heart.

sorry......

....about the blog notice yesterday.

I was trying to make some changes 

and it went completely away in the process.

I had a rough weekend...

Thank you all who love me & my blog

and who were dismayed that it was gone yesterday.

I let myself be shaken.

(above verse)

"My soul finds rest in God alone."

cathy

read it

I love Dr. Suess.

I especially like to read Dr. Suess out loud.

He had a way with words that just makes me smile.

When David was born,

he had already been read to.

Whatever I was reading I read out loud to him.

When he emerged from my womb,

I continued to read to him....

probably why the man devours books in his middle age.

The other night in Barns and Nobel,

I was sitting on the little stage with Harry, Gus, and Archie

gathered around

 listening to me read a book to them.

It can happen anywhere,

"Grammy, will you read this book to me?

I have read thousands of books in my lifetime.

I started with 

Gone with the Wind

and I've never stopped.

Some I've loved so much I wanted to reread,

but not many.

Most of the time when I've read it,

I'm finished.

There is one book, however,

that I cannot put on the bookshelf and be done with.

That would be the

 Bible.

I read it through and can't wait to get started again.

It never gets old or boring.

Every time I read it

I find something new, something that I didn't see before.

Maybe this is the reason....

"For the word of God is living and powerful,

and sharper than any two-edged sword,

 piercing even to the division of soul and spirit,

 and of joints and marrow,

 and is a discerner of the thoughts

 and intents of the heart." 

Hebrews 4:12

God's word cuts right through to the heart.

It is living,

true,

and powerful.

It can change your life.

But, you have to read and study and hear it preached.....

consistently!

What are you waiting for?

evidence....

....that there is a God.

As I look at this picture, I am once again in awe

of the God who created this world

and all things in existence.

"Then God said,

Let the waters abound 

with an abundance of living creatures,

and let birds fly above the earth

 across the face of the firmament of the heavens.

So God created 

great sea creatures 

and every living thing that moves, 

with which the waters abounded,

 according to their kind, 

and every winged bird according to its kind. 

And God saw that it was good."

Genesis 1:20&21

Everything you see in this picture was created by God.

No man can fashion a bird and make it fly.

No man can hold back the waters of the ocean.

The waves roll with great power,

but they stop where He tells them to stop.

The beautiful blue sky,

the clouds that bring rain to the earth,

the shells,

the dolphins and the sharks.

All of it was created by God for His glory.

I think that is why I love the ocean and the beach so much.

God is everywhere there,

and all of His creation cries out to be praised.

"Come walk with me by the ocean...

let us pick up some shells

and search for other treasures.

Let us walk in the water brought up by a wave,

and race each other down to the rocks.

Let us fly a kite

and watch it loft high in the heavens,

Yes, let us praise God

 while we are looking up 

for all that He has made and done.

And also, let us thank Him

for allowing us enjoy His beautiful creation."

cc

eli turns eight

 

I cannot believe I didn't get this on

last Saturday,

the day Eli turned eight years old.

It was such a wonderful day!

 

Eli at eight....

what can I say?

 

Eli at eight is smart and talented.

While we were here,

he placed third in his spelling bee,

he sang and danced for us on grandparents day,

he swam like a fish

in the ocean and the pool,

he wrote and illustrated a really high quality comic book,

and he made up some riddles.

 

Yesterday we shopped at Toys R Us with his birthday money,

enabling him and his brother Jake

to play games on the "We U." (not spelled right I know.)

This game

 has to be closely monitored by his caregivers.

'as they would play all day without pausing for air or food.

 

Still sweet and loving,

but growing fast and changing quickly.

He excels at school,

loves his teacher,

works hard!!!

There is only one Eli,

unique,

interesting to talk to,

able to talk me into just about anything

but not everything.

He loves God and his family.

His smile melts my heart.

His eyes are as blue as the sky or a spring day.

He has freckles sprinkled across his nose.

 

I am richly blessed that he calls me Grammy,

that he trusts me and loves me

and enjoys my company.

 

Thank You Lord for bringing this little boy into my life.

Eli,

May God richly bless you as you grow and mature

in your relationship with Him.

 

 

Eli had a Minion Beach Party cake.

So fitting that we were at the beach to celebrate.

 

liz and charlotte belle

 

She was born late this afternoon.

6 pounds ~ fifteen ounces,

19 inches long.

We love her and can't wait to meet her

when we get home.

 

Thankful to God for His watchcare and protection

as Charlotte made her way into the world.

Good job Liz and Robbie!

Cameron has a little sister now!

 

Congratulations to the new grandparents,

Frankie and Sally

and to Lindsey, her beautiful aunt.

 

"Grandchildren are the crown of old men."

Proverbs 17:6

grandparents day....

 

....at Jupiter Christian School.

It was a wonderful show

 with all of the songs

that we love so much from Disney.

 

So much hard work went into this day.

Bubba and I were so proud of Jake and Eli,

as they and their classmates sang their little hearts out.

Dressed in costume, Jake from Peter Pan

and Eli from It's a Small World,

we were given a grand and happy tour

of all the Disney songs

and characters we love so much.

 

Visits to their classrooms,

getting to know their teachers

 poems and essays written about us,

What a joy this day has been.

 

There was a great art exhibit

with all of the children's art work framed

and ready for sale.

The fish were done by Eli,

the cityscape by Jake.

One of these will grace the Cleland's home

and one will stay here.

It will be very hard for me to decide between the two,

as I love the ocean and I also love

folk art.

 

 

 

Our week at the beach has ended,

and now we are parenting Jake and Eli

while Amanda and Mark

go on a short cruise

 across the ocean to the Bahamas.

Still in paradise,

just not at the beach anymore.

 

 

 

 

 

God's glory on display

 

 

Everyday here ends with a walk on the beach.

The beach is covered with shells.

I have four bags full

 to bring home

to use in my beach house.

 

Just now,

when Mark and Amanda and the boys were leaving,

we saw this sight out front.

The last rays of the sun created

a pink glow in the clouds and on the ocean.

 

Every time you look, the view changes into  another scene

 that could be painted and kept for posterity.

Now there is a dark cloud hanging over the water,

and I think a squall is on its way.

 

Thank you to Bubba tonight.

He knows how much I love the ocean,

and he does everything he can to bring me to the beach

as often as possible,

and always to a place where it is right in front on me.

Quiet,

restful,

pony tails,

no make-up,

beach clothes and sandals.,

sleep like a baby.

No stress,

no place to be but right here.

Perfect vacations.

Thank you dear one for loving me so much.

fifty shades of blue.

This picture was taken
just steps from the front door of our cottage.
In the afternoon,
the ocean turns beautiful colors of blue and green and everything in between.
One cannot look out there
and not draw a breath of amazement.
I am entirely mesmerized by the ocean.

Thank You Lord for reminding me of just how big You are and how small I am,
for giving me reason to praise Your name every moment of the day.
for giving me the great pleasure of saying to my grandchildren,
God made the ocean and all the things that live there that we love so much........
Isn't He awesome?"

The real and true pleasures of life are in seeking God
and sharing with others the great joy that He brings.
I bow before Him tonight in utter thanksgiving and awe.

no place else i'd rather be

 

We are in a cottage overlooking the ocean in

Jupiter Beach, Florida.

When I say overlooking, I mean the ocean

could not be any closer,

the waves couldn't be any louder,

the smell of salt any stronger.

It is truly paradise.

.

We are here for a whole week.

I couldn't be any happier.

Just so happens,

part of our family lives close by,

and they are enjoying it with us.

 

We found summer here.

I was in the pool today.

The sun feels wonderful after such a long, cold winter.

 

Was walking on the beach just now with the boys,

picking up shells and flat stones,

writing in the sand,

letting the warm surf caress our feet and legs.

Precious moments to remember forever.

 

So thankful that God plans

times like these

to restore our souls,

to make memories to tuck away for later.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

bye bye winter.....

Hello summer!!!!!

oreos

Grammy, can I have an Oreo?

Sure you can, Gus.

Grammy, can I have two Oreos?

The amazing thing about keeping

 three active children 

for three days

is that we can do it at all.

Without strength and patience from the Lord,

it wouldn't happen,

Having five in the house changes things.

All major appliances

 are going constantly.

There is never a time that

 someone doesn't need something,

People are running into walls

and falling off porches,

They cry,

they cuddle,

the pain gets better.

They are always hungry.

They need to be fed and snacked regularly.

They need to be read to,

played with,

bathed,

tucked into bed,

taken to school ~ picked up from school.

They need help with homework,

and most of all they need

ATTENTION,

constantly!

Archie went back yet again to St Louis.

This time there was surgery.

David and Erika both accompanied him this time.

All went well,

Archie was very brave,

but there is pain,

and He can't walk on his leg for a month.

Please keep little Archie in your prayers.

All of this is working toward

a straight leg that

can run and play

and do all things a little boy should be able to do.

Thank God for His healing.

Thank the Shriner's Hospital in St. Louis

and all of the doctors and nurses

who do such a good job.