it's really happening!

This is the progress on my flooring as of lunchtime today.

Yesterday this time it hadn't even been delivered.

The installers are moving right along. 

I think the loud Mexican music really spurs them on.

I just really can't believe how fast it's going.

My excitement is out of control over this!

(as excited as one could get while feeling poorly)

The wood was delivered yesterday in this cute little red truck.

Do you think it could have been Santa?

c

 

my second post of the day

Read the second post first.

It has some good information.

I drove my poor, sinus infected self to my house just now and this had happened.

Not only was my flooring delivered, but they were installing it!

It is perfect!

I love it!

I couldn't believe what I saw.

It should be done by Friday.

Amid the loud and raucous Mexican music and the workers eating lunch,

it was a zoo...but

the flooring was being installed! 

And if the workers are happy that makes me happy!!!

Erika raced over with some of the kids and we rejoiced!!!

Closing is February fourth!

I think I can make that date!

I am so thankful and thrilled!

 

I found a few more Christmas pictures

Here we are bringing the Christmas gifts to the Cleland household on Christmas morning.

I have no idea where Amanda is headed off to.

I wonder who took this picture?

I got this information in an e-mail this morning.

My closing is set for February 4, 2022.

Looks like my new house will be my birthday present.

My flooring will be installed on December 30, 2021.

That's tomorrow I think.

Is this set in stone?

I do not know.

I have lost all trust in these people who are building my house.

I do trust Jesus though.

He will see me through till it is done.

All praise to the One who made heaven and earth!

My final departure date from #716 is February 8, 2022

🏡

 

Merry Christmas!

We did have Christmas this year.
It was different ~ it was perfect!
Amanda and I cooked a lot of food for various different celebrations.
We hauled it all to David and Erika's who did the hosting.
I managed to catch a little sickness which slowed me down a bit.
No one was disappointed.
It was a holly ~ jolly Christmas for sure.
There are a lot of stories to tell when I get to feeling better.
Not more pictures, just stories.

★There is still no flooring in my house.
It was supposed to be installed last week.
It didn't happen!

 

the day before Christmas

May all of the blessings of this season fall upon you this day.

💖

 

Merry Christmas from Cathy

Before things start getting really hectic around here,

I want to wish everyone who reads this blog a 

Merry Christmas!

"May all of us know the true joy which comes only from Jesus.

May we have that joy which His people feel

from a sense of Christ's love to their souls.

May we constantly rejoice in those things in which Christ rejoices."

jc ryle

Thank You for coming to redeem us, Lord Jesus.

The first time You came as a baby,

as our Savior.

You came to die on the cross.

You became sin for us.

You were resurrected by the power of the Spirit.

You are back in heaven with God Your Father.

You are preparing a place for us to go when our time on this earth is done.

The second time Your feet touch this earth, you will come as our King.

You will rule and reign the world in holiness and righteousness.

Praise God for what is to come!

Jesus says, "Yes, I am coming quickly"

Revelation 22:20

"Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!"

This is my prayer every morning!

Again...

Merry Christmas!

🎄

let there be light

You can imagine my surprise yesterday when Erika called and told me,

"I'm at your house and you have electricity."

It just warms everything up and makes it feel like a home.

There are two of these "beaded beauties" in the front entryway.

There was a beautiful glass shower enclosure installed also.

There is nothing to step over as you enter

I want it to stay clean like that with no hard water spots.

Any suggestions?

I don't know why that door is in the shower stall.

There was also a "fence of separation" between me and my neighbors.

My own little outside oasis.

There will be white lights strung on those boards for sure.

Flooring is to be put in next week

(I hope).

What a nice Christmas present that will be.

It's getting close y'all!

It feels like home!

🎁

I'm wrapping presents today then heading to the beach. We ordered a new mattress that was delivered in a box. Need to set it up and get it ready for my Christmas guests. We are having Summer instead of Winter in Savannah.

Yes, the beach is calling.

Sunset at Tybee just now.

An absolutely beautiful sight.

Then as we were leaving the island,

the most gorgeous full moon was rising out over the ocean.

A heavenly show!

 

breathtakingly beautiful

This is what I have for today.

It pretty much sums up life as it is.

And life IS amazingly beautiful!

Wouldn't you agree?

 

landscaping is in

I have a carpet of grass but no flooring.

This strikes me as kinda funny.

It has been over a week since I rode by my new house.

(I've kinda lost interest because nothing is getting done but maybe not really)

It's Christmas time!

I have lots to do!

But anyway, I rode by today and sure enough nothing has been done inside.

Hopefully, the flooring will get here and be installed next week, and then they can finish up.

I got an encouraging e-mail from my lender today.

He assured me that my super-low interest rate is locked in,

(It can't go any higher),

and if they fall any more before we close,

I can snag an even lower rate.

 👍 

Christmas is coming on fast.

I am looking forward to cooking and partying and wrapping gifts and loving on my family.

I am so excited to celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ with my favorite people

and with my church family.

These are beautiful days full of wonder and awe.

Thank You, God, for writing the Bible for us and giving it to us

 so that we have the story of Jesus' birth to read and enjoy and meditate on.

Worship the King born in a manger!

Laying on a bed of hay.

He came to die for the sins of the world!

Hallelujah!!!

 

they finally found my flooring

I cannot even begin to relate the saga of my flooring.

I just want to say...

They found it!

In these perilous times, this is a miracle.

It will be installed the week before Christmas.

Once it is installed the work can be done to finish my new home.

I will close sometime in January.

All praise and glory to the God of eternity who made this happen,

And to David who made some phone calls,

And to Erika who fought with me to the end,

and to Amanda and Mark who cheered us on from South Florida.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

 

this got done ~ that's all

In this long stretch of waiting for my flooring,

the post on the front porch got its brick base.

Everything else is still at a standstill.

The flooring that I chose back in February is hard to find.

I am supposed to hear good news this morning.

If I do, 

I will let everyone know later today.

In the meantime ~ I wait.

c

 

happy birthday sweet 16

How did this happen?

How can my Lu be sixteen years old?

How can she be almost able to drive me around?

This sixteen-year-old is on the fast track to becoming a pediatric nurse.

She knows what she wants and how to get there.

Saturday night we celebrated her here at my apartment.

She wanted my broccoli ~ chicken casserole

and my homemade pecan pie.

All favorites since she was a little girl.

We played the spoon game, opened presents, and ate pecan pie

Lucy, I love you so much.

You make me happy.

May God continue to bless your life.

You have a servant's heart and a kind spirit.

I am blessed by you.

Love, Gram

You are special every day!

 

apartment tree

I think this is the smallest tree I've ever had.

Living in my tiny apartment, 

I had to think about the tree placement very carefully.

Amanda and I went early on the day after Thanksgiving to beat the rush.

This Fraser Fir is six feet tall and kinda skinny.

I think it is perfect.

I put all 900 lights on myself...

never done that before.

All of my Fall and Christmas decorations are packed at the very back of the storage house.

There was no way I was going to get my hands on any of those.

I think I've mentioned this many times before.

I went to Big Lots and Wal-Mart to shop for the baubles on my tree.

Under the circumstances, I think it turned out pretty well.

I love the garland and the Star Of Wonder ornament.

And...

David and Erika and the kids gifted me with these wooden ornaments with the names of Jesus on them.

Best gift ever!

There will be Christmas in my apartment this year.

I was hoping I would be in my new home by now but that didn't happen.

My place looks cozy and warm and festive.

It smells so good.

I feel so loved and taken care of!

Thank you Lord for these blessings are a gift from you.

PS...I had my tree delivered.

It was a day late.

"Patience is not about the waiting,

It is about the attitude you have while you are waiting."

 

grief grips

I call them grief grips because that's what they feel like.

I'll be doing just fine and then all of a sudden my innards will seize up.

There is actual physical pain.

Bubba's been gone from me for 21 months.

I miss him like crazy...still.

The death of a spouse is hard...

unrelenting.

Holidays are worse.

Life without Bubba is just not the same.

💔