Lucy blows out candles

Babies mix it up

Darby and Stonewall mixing it up:-) It is funny. When these two get together they each think that they can pick each other up like the adults do to the babies. They are very interested in someone their own size.

Lucy's Sixth Birthday

Lucy celebrated her 6th birthday on December 28. Here photos of Brenna and Lucy, Lovin' Cousins. Brenna and family got Lucy's dress up outfit for her present along with matching shirts.

Update on Family illnesses

An earlier post mentioned family illnesses. This is an update and Praise. My sister-in-law Debbie who had Stage 4 Cancer discovered November 2007 has undergone 6 months of chemothereapy and 2 surgeries and at present there is no sign of Cancer. Amazing! Also my brother Bob had his early stage colon cancer removed by surgery and does not have to do chemo or colostomy. We are praising God for His mercies and lovingkindness providing their present healing and we are praying for protection against recurrence.

Lego Land People

Some of the people and dogs are all made out of Legos. Some of the people are my grandchildren. I have never seen this display before but found it intriguing that you could make such detailed images with legos! Isn't it Cool?

A Christmas Memory

When we lived in Paxton IL and all our children were still living at home we positioned our Christmas Tree in the bay window. That put the tree nearly at the base of the stair landing. All four of our bedrooms were upstairs. We as parents knew that our children would try to figure out what was in their gift boxes if we placed them under the tree too early as in days before Christmas. We positioned extended family gifts under the tree up until Christmas Eve or whatever day we decided to open our immediate family gifts. We always had to be at someone else's house on Christmas Day so we would pick what day we were going to exchange and treat it like Christmas Day in our household. The night before we would have the children (3of them) station themselves on the stairs and pass the gifts from our bedroom at the top of the stairs where they had been hidden to the first child in the relay. He then would pass it on to the next child on the stairway. It was always funny listening to their comments on each box as it passed their way down the stairs. Guessing what was in it, whose it was and so on. It became a bit of a tradition. This was when the children were a bit older but it was fun for us and fun for them. My husband's recollection is that we were so late getting our shopping done that we were busy wrapping them last minute in our room and as we completed a box we would pass it out of our room to the waiting hands on the stairway. His memory is correct, I think. A Christmas Memory.

Christmas Day 2008

Hubby and I spent a quiet Christmas Day together. The first time to be alone on Christmas Day. It was lovely. We rose from our bed when we were ready about 9am, what luxury! I prepared a yummy lunch of baked ham, baked white and sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, broccoli, and Watergate Salad(pistachio pudding salad). My husband was complimentary on the meal which makes it all worth while. It was nice having a free day not "having to do" anything.

We will be gathering all our children and grandchildren in January when Tom and Amber and family are able to come for a visit to share a meal and exchange gifts. We look forward to seeing them after 1-1/2 years passing.

Today the weather was very pleasant with windows open, and a slight breeze. The only down side is the humidity. We had a late afternoon shower.

Electrified Bike.mpg

Here is video of what Bill and I enjoy doing. We have ridden to work 6.5 miles each way numerous times with the Electric Rider Bike Conversion Kit. It gives you just enough help so that uphill you don't have to work as hard. You can pedal or not as you wish. Our bikes are Townies that we bought the previous time that gas went sky high. We rode them some but when gas went even higher recently we decided to try these conversion kits.

Remembering Gordon Clark Darden

November 7, 2006 Gordon Clark Darden was born and died. Our grandson was buried at Hopewell Memorial Gardens in Plant City. It is a lovely country cemetery. I was asked to create an arrangement to commemorate baby Gordon's 2nd birthday. This is that arrangement. Kerry and Dave took it to the cemetery on his birthday. We miss him but know that one day we will see him again since he is with the Lord.

I didn't get a picture of Sammy helping me with the yard. So here is a picture of him at his recent birthday party trying on a gift of a Thomas the Tank Engine Costume. He looovvves Thomas the Tank Engine. Sister Lucy in the red dress and Cousin Brenna at left. Mommy is helping Sammy.




I spent a wonderful morning on Monday working in my daughter's yard, pulling grass and weeds from around trees and mulching. It was refreshing to be out in the sunshine with the temperature around 50-60 degrees in sunny Florida. My little grandson, Sammy(4) helped to dump mulch out of the bags and spread it. He thought he was quite the man doing grown up stuff and helping Grandma.

Changing Times

This week has been full of joys and sorrows.

Sorrows:

• My Uncle Maurice(my dad's oldest brother) passed away at age 85 from complications following a successful aortic valve replacement and 3 by pass. He was hospitalized for 7 weeks.
• My baby brother(age 49) has been diagnosed with colon cancer.

Joys:

• My sister-in-law had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor and the surgery was successful but are now waiting to hear if there will be further chemotherapy.
• My baby brother's cancer may very well be operable and full recovery expected.
• We celebrated my 10th grandchild's 3rd birthday with most of the family and had a great time. This little one was so appreciative of all his gifts. He kept marveling over each one. I love it when a child doesn't take these things for granted.
  

• I was able to speak with my aunt(wife of deceased uncle) and had a wonderful conversation on the telephone.

In addition my job has been changing over the past 2 weeks. Going from full time to part time and a need to supplement income. My answer is to start an ebay business which I have been getting started on for several weeks now and am hopeful to find the right items that folks want to buy. My daughter has offered me a position as house maid for 1 and 1/2 days a week which is a blessing and a help. I am sure there are many people across the country that are in different difficulties related to the economy. My memories of my childhood are that people can live very simply and be happy. "Things" are not what makes life a joy. Knowing and Loving God, Love of family and within the family and freedom in the country to pursue maintaining these things are what makes life a joy. When trusting God and His Word as truth, (yes there is absolute truth) we know that we can be content in whatever situation we find ourselves. That is biblical.

My prayer is that the freedom we have known in this country will not be jeopardized by the person that may be elected for President this next November. I fear the connections that Obama has had with Terrorist-types who have no respect for our country and its founding principles. He wants to make the country into something it has never been before with these Terrorist-types manipulating him like a puppet. Almost like the movie Manchurian Candidate. That movie had a somewhat positive ending, but I don't see the election of Obama as being positive.

If he is elected it may be God's judgement on our country for turning away from the God of our Fathers. God is responsible for raising up rulers and bringing them down for His own good purpose and to display His glory.

McCain does not have the connections that Obama has and would be better. He does have a lot of liberal big government ideas that can be problematic. Sarah Palin is a breath of fresh air and is speaking more like a reformer than McCain or Obama. I don't know what influence she may have as Vice President,but it is fun to hear her articulate some of the things that many of us have been thinking and no one has been voicing. I just hope and pray that Americans will wake up to the dangers that lie before us or we may see a time in the near future when chaos will reign and most of our freedoms will be taken away. This may be the election that determines how quickly that comes upon us.

Generally the bible teaches that women should not teach or rule over men. But there are unique circumstances when there are no men of integrity to rule and God allows a woman to do so. It is a shame to the men for abandoning their mandate and responsibility. Ex. Deborah as a Judge in the Old Testament

Well enough of that. Food for thought

The Mother@Overwhelmed.com

An explanation of "the mother".

When our children were little we would read classic books aloud as a family. This is a very fond memory of mine. My husband was very good at reading aloud and bringing a story to life for us as a family. We read many books together and 2 of those books were Louisa May Alcott. One was "Little Women" and the other was "Jo's Boys". In "Jo's Boys" the professor always referred to his wife as "the mother" when speaking to the boys they housed and schooled. In jest and good fun, anytime after that my husband would refer to me as "the mother" when giving direction to our children and needing to point them in my direction. It got to be a family joke and official title for me. It has been fun and has made me feel rather important over the years to have a "title". In turn as the children have grown up, found spouses, and have their own families, they have come to refer to my husband as "the dad" or " the father".

Overwhelmed.com: I was speaking to my daughter about various aspects of life and struggles we have all been experiencing and I jokingly said. This is "the mother" at Overwhelmed.com. I think we all feel this way at times in our lives. Perhaps in this blog I may share some things that might be of encouragement to those of us who feel we are located at Overwhelmed.com.