thanksgiving ~ 2015

Bubba drops the first turkey into the vat of hot grease.

Amanda made the dressing.

It was delicious!

I am passing the turkey making wand over to her!

  

Bubba's list.

Mark tampered with it a bit.

From the Hollingsworth family's annual 

Thanksgiving photo shoot.

Gus in his ninja mask.

The weather was beautiful.

All of the kids played outside and had a ball.

The adult table.

I love my big ole country table that seats a crowd.

All of the kids sat here.

Staging and waiting for the feast in the garage.

Jake and Eli eating a little something else before going to bed,

What a great Thanksgiving we had.

Love these Snoopy Christmas PJs.

The next day we did Thanksgiving all over again.

The neighbor's dog Lucy

came over to play with the children.

They could not believe it.

Watching the kids play with the dog Lucy.

Such gorgeous weather.

Second Thanksgiving meal.

The six.

Dirty and sweaty

 from playing in the yard all day.

Thank you God for these days.

Every single day of the year is Thanksgiving

because of His gift!!!

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift."

II Corinthians 9:15

Now....headed to Tybee

to play on the beach

with some of my favorite grandkids.

a few......

....of my favorite people in the world!

Thanksgiving smiles ~ 2015

Thanksgiving Blog later :)

Hollingswoths are back in Florida.

Lots of washcloths to wash.

happy thanksgiving

Quiet and peace fill our home tonight.

I am most thankful for all of the blessings that come from our God,

undeserved,

yet freely given and bestowed by His loving hand.

I won't begin to start to name them one by one

because it would take all night 

and I still wouldn't be done.

Thank you Amanda for all your help today.

You watch over me and love me so well.

Your words of encouragement,

your laughter,

your love!

Thank God for you.

And Bubba, my servant husband.

You have worked so hard for all of us,

so unselfishly,

through all of these years.

You have held me up through these last two years

with Scripture and your prayers.

I love you.

Have a good one tomorrow everyone!

May it be the best feast ever!

Cathy

really thankful......

....for these people that God put in my life.

Beach vacation ~ 2015

not exactly what i wanted

Tuesday morning our fridge went out!

At the astounding cost of

$99.95

the repairman came by for a visit.

He took it apart,

told me it would be over $1000.00 to fix it,

(he did not recommend putting that much in it)

put it back together

and asked for his hundred $$$.

Who ever wants to buy a new appliance?

but, with it being a necessity,

off we went to buy a refrigerator.

We bought the very same one we had because it was just the best.

I don't want a water dispenser on the front.....

breeding ground for mold.

I like it sleek and clean!

Don't want anything hanging on the front with magnets either.

So there you go.

We were without a fridge until yesterday.

The only thing that is different is that it has LED lights.

I do not like LED lights.

There is a bluish glow that makes my eyes hurt.

Thank goodness I don't have to stare into the fridge for that long.

Everything else is exactly the same.

There was a blessing, though.

Of course there is always a blessing.

What if it had happened this coming week?

It would have put our great Thanksgiving feast

in real peril.

I am thankful that if it had to happen

it didn't happen this coming week.

Lu and I modeling identical infinity scarves at J Crew.

a very favorite store of ours.

Had dinner first at Jim & Nicks over in Bluffton, SC

Thank you Lord for this child.

anticipation

"The old sorrow,

through the great mystery of human life,

passes gradually into quiet, tender joy;

the fiery blood of youth

 gives way

 to the gentle serenity of old age.

I bless the rising sun each day,

and my heart sings to it as of old,

but now I love its setting even more,

its long, slanting rays

and the quiet, gentle, tender memories

 that come with them;

the dear images

 from the whole of my long and blessed life....

and over it all divine Truth,

tender, reconciling, and all forgiving!

My life is drawing to a close.

I know that.

I feel it.

But I also feel every day that is left to me 

how my earthly life is already in tune with a new,

 infinite,

 unknown 

but fast approaching future life,

 the anticipation of which 

sets my soul trembling with rapture,

 my mind glowing, 

and my heart weeping with joy......."

Dostoyevski

The Bothers Karamazov

I have never read more beautiful words than these

concerning getting old and dying 

and the future life that awaits us in Christ.

there's just something about my face

This blog is kinda a follow-up to the last one.

Sunday morning,

after David and Erika's moving marathon,

everyone got up and went to

Sunday School & Worship Service.

Some were shot out of a cannon,

some were very fidgety,

and some found it hard to stay awake

because after working that hard for that long,

a body at rest wants to fall asleep when it sits down..

We came home afterwards for a very brief rest

and then went back to the beach for the 

"viewing."

Bubba hadn't seen the new place yet.

When Lucy and Harry and Gus and Archie see my face,

immediately

 there must be some kind of flashing light that says

"I want to go outside and play some kind of ball game with you guys."

Thinking that our visit would consist of 

sitting on the porch

in a rocker 

looking at the ocean,

I was a little surprised to find myself

 down in the vacant lot beside the house.

playing Frisbee....

lots of running and catching and throwing.

Also...

there are lemon trees there.

It was a little cool so I had worn my fleece.

To get a good look at the lemons,

I had to go inside the grove.

While in there, my fleece got completely covered with

those little sticky briars you see in the picture.

There had to be a least 50,000 of them stuck in my jacket.

Harry helped me pull them out,

but we didn't make a dent.

After a walk on the beach

down to Spanky's Beachside to eat chicken fingers and spuds,

we walked back to their home.

Lucy had made brownies for us and they were delicious.

What a wonderful evening we had.

Monday Morning...

Wash Day,

Fleece.

In my pockets were three shells from Lu,

collected on our beach walk,

Two whole pecans from Harry,

I have no idea where those came from,

and a tiny little white flower from Gus...

not pictured because it had dried up and gone to nothing.

Fleece...

each one of the briars had to be picked out individually.

It took hours.

It is good as new now.

I love the beach!!!

I love that I can play ball with my grandkids!

I love the gifts that they give me!

Thank you God for all of these blessings

and so much more.!!

moving & bubble baths

or....

4 kids and a house to empty,

or....

we lost granddaddy's help because of his fall.

Bottom line....

David and Erika sold their house before they found one to move into.

The closing is very soon,

They had to move out of the house that was sold so quickly.

So...they found a furnished rental at the beach,

(they can look at the ocean every day (:

Seems like a dream to me!!

This past week was chaos.

Kids still had to be gotten to school

 picked up,

fed,

bathed,

looked after,

spanked,

 and encouraged.

Homework had to be done,

bedtime rituals...

Some of that was done at their home, 

and some of it here.

Boxes had to be packed with the belongings of 6 people....

Some to go to the beach,

some to storage,

some to trash.

Attics and sheds had to be emptied...

Thanks Doug and Diane.

Then yesterday....

the movers came,

great friends,

who did the heavy loads with lots of spunk!!!!

After that,

Several van loads were taken to the beach 

and transported up a long, narrow staircase 

into their lovely apartment. 

God sent an angel to help with this,

literally!

A stranger who offered his hands and his legs.

Lastly,

David, Erika, and I 

were left to deal with the dregs yesterday afternoon.

When we left there,

the job was mostly done.

During the time we were working,

the kids had a continual

"going away party"

with their back door friends.

They had Chick Fil A,

corn dogs,

 ice cream,

stale cereal,

sugary drinks,

and who knows what else

 causing spats and crazy behavior,

pouts and screams

and lastly,

 tears of farewell.

It was a fabulous last day 

at the only house any of them remember living in.

Wounded,

heads bonked,

exhausted,

lots of band aides later,

we closed the door to go home.

What a tiring, productive, joyous week we had!

There was LOTS of laughing going on.

Hard work is the stuff of life!

God is so good!!!

This is why I haven't been writing for a few days.

In fact,

while getting ready to go to church this morning,

I discovered I didn't have any

"unmentionables"

 to wear.

Haven't had any time to 

wash clothes.

{ I'm doing that now }

{ On Sunday }

(-:

from the bottom of my heart i say....

A hundred,

thousand,

million

times!

Thank You!

little red schoolhouse

A couple of weeks ago,

Jake and his fourth grade class

 took a field trip to a little red school house 

that had been restored 

somewhere down there in Florida 

where they live. 

Most everyone dressed in period costumes.

This picture is a little blurry,

but Jake is on the back row to the left.

That's his teacher with the long blonde hair.

From what I  heard,

everyone had a great time

learning

how school used to be done!

Notice the old timey desks,

wooden floors,

and the big smile on Jake.

I love Him!!!!

So, speaking of school...

I used to teach third grade.

In my very first class,

I had a student that was a standout.

He was adorably cute,

well-behaved,

responsible,

and much smarter than I would ever be...

even then.

Not surprisingly,

He is now my doctor.

Well, I went to see him today.

He grabbed me up in a great big hug

 and couldn't get over how I looked just the same as I did way back then.

Oh,

did I mention,

he was charming too?

I love this little boy who became my doctor.

How thankful I am for the privilege

 to shape his mind just a little bit.

God gives great gifts to His children!

Of that I am sure!

another heart....

Church was wonderful yesterday...

the music,the preaching, the teaching.

Bubba and I came home and grabbed a quick sandwich

before thinking about a little rest.

I had almost bit into this chip when I saw it....

another heart.

I have an obsession with

"seeing hearts."

Nice that this one is even outlined.

Always little reminders

of how much God loves us and keeps us in His care.

Saturday afternoon

 Bubba and I were driving down to the beach

when this rainbow appeared. 

It took my breath away.

This was the widest, brightest one I had ever seen.

When I see a rainbow,

I always am reminded that God keeps ALL of His promises.

His goodness is forever.

He has promised eternal life through His 

Son Jesus Christ,

and He will keep that promise.

Bubba and I have enjoyed reading the book

Heaven by Randy Alcorn,

so looking forward to being there.

Just two simple observations,

a potato chip 

and a rainbow....

but what reminders 

from our Awesome God and Father!!!!

cathy's grace

When I think of grace,

this is what comes to my mind....

Grace is God not giving me what I deserve.

Grace is God looking at me,

a poor, wretched, blind sinner,

lost in the squalor & filthiness of sin,

and seeing me perfect and righteous and pure....

because when God looks at me,

He doesn't see what I am,

 He sees what His Son Jesus Christ did for me.

The color of grace is white.

White is pure and holy.

That is what God makes me when I come to Him

with a truly repentant heart.

Grace is a most precious word to me.

Grace is God,

pure & simple.

Grace is what He is and who He is.

No other word describes God more perfectly than the word 

Grace.

grandparent's day at veritas academy

Archie's class ~ Kindergarten ~ 7 years old

Harry's class ~ 2nd grade ~ eight years old

Lucy's class ~ 5th grade ~ 9 years old

God in His great goodness,

has provided for our grandchildren

the opportunity to have a Classical Education.

Bubba and I are very thankful,

and cherish the opportunity

 to be a part of this great school.

God is honored and lifted up as the Creator of all life.

 He is sovereign from the beginning of time until the present.

All of history emanates from Him.

Everything is taught from a biblical perspective,

and all Glory goes to God.

Harry's project!

very, very thankful

A Quick update......

about Bubba.

Thanks for all of you who care and have been praying.

Such a dangerous fall he took,

and yet,

He didn't break a bone in his body.

Very, very thankful!

His black eye is getting blacker,

he broke his glasses,

the skin is scraped off of his knees,

but he fared well in 

the book of falls.

Special thanks to Frankie for getting the golf cart back 

on Monday morning.

Thanks also to David and Frankie

for sitting with me at the hospital Sunday night.

Thankful for Amanda 

who was planning to get in her car

 and drive here that very night....

and for her help and encouragement

 to get me through a 

very scary night.

We live daily in God's Grace and Mercy.

There is never a time when He stops caring about His children.

We stumble and fall but

He lifts us up...

He sends His ministering angels,

(This angel was a man who got Bubba up and to the van,)

And then He causes all of you to pray.

What a Savior we have!!!

the fall

Sunday afternoon

 this guy and I 

set out to have one last golf cart ride 

before we had to turn it back in.

We had rented it for the whole weekend 

with its primary use being for 

Halloween night.

We parked the van at the golf cart rental place,

and commenced to begin walking to my brother's house

where the cart was parked.

Literally,

the first step onto the cart path,

Bubba tripped and fell onto the asphalt,

face down.

He hit hard and fast.

Bleeding from both of his knees,

his arm, and his head,

he was a mess.

He managed to get up and back to the van

where I doctored his wounds.

So far so good.

I convinced him to let me drive.

By the time we got back to the house,

He was in bad shape....

white as a sheet,

nauseous,

with a pain in his stomach

 that was quickly getting worse. 

The ambulance got here quickly.

They loaded him up in the pouring rain.

I followed in the van.

Many scans later,

we were told the diagnosis...

internal bleeding in the stomach area 

from a blood vessel tear.

He was admitted for observation

and possible surgery if the bleeding didn't stop,

We can't stop talking about the 

mercy and grace of God

 in this situation.

The scan yesterday morning showed that the bleeding had stopped

and he was discharged for home.

He is doing so well.

Lots of black and blue,

bruises,

a black eye,

and

soreness all over,

but nothing broken.

He wanted a steak tonight

and we went to Longhorn

where he graciously

 allowed me

 to take this picture of his 

black eye

that is getting worse as the minutes pass.

Scary times,

but the sweet grace of God

intervened.

halloween blog....{i finished it}

....coming later tonight.

But first,

Bubba is going to take me 

for a spin around the marsh and by the 

Skidaway River.

We have to hurry, because the sun's going down early today.

Boo Hoo!

Long winter nights have started 

and its still 84 degrees.

{There will be a blog later this week about

 why I did not finish this Halloween Blog last night.....

but not right now.}

Sweet Gus and our beautiful Charlotte Bell.

I know you can't tell, but this is Cam!

The "spooktacular" deserts!

Peter & Superman

This is what makes Halloween so special.

Lucy was Hermione Grainger again.

Little Miss Pumpkin Bell..

First Halloween!

Pumpkins full of treats!

Robbie dressed up in his tuxedo.

Help yourself Superman!

Beautiful Lindsey!

I love, love, love this boy!

And lastly,

From Jupiter, Florida,

My loves,

Amanda, Dead Pool, and Ant Man!

Halloween,

It was Magical,

and fun, 

filled with fellowship,

laughter,

kids and candy.

Just perfect !!