WOW, WOW what a Christmas!!! It was great. Better than I could have dreamt. God is so good. He just keeps showing him self in our family and I can't stop telling of his goodness and grace. I got some great presents for Christmas, a web cam ( now I will be able to see the grandkids in PA when ever I want)a new watch and matching bracelet, Chanel #5 (my all time favorite--there is a story behind that but it will wait) AND a new to-be daughter-in-law!!!!

Bubba came home from NC and popped the big question to Hillary and made her the happiest girl in the world...No really I mean it...she is so giddy and moving on with the wedding plans! I guess the date has been set for Oct. 24th. Her dreams has always been for a fall wedding.

The big event was big for the family but when you are the 7th of 7 children what are you to expect. We set Hillary up. We told her the day after Christmas the families were getting together for a family meal at The Barn Restaurant...no really that is the name...as Bubba and she was getting to know each other pretty good. She did wonder why it was so many and KIDDINGLY she told her brother-in-law that Bubba was going to propose!!! Little did she know.

After the waitress found out what everyone was going to do Robert said the pray and then Bubba took the floor. He was a nervous wreck and ask me what he should say...I coached him to say...well, everyone knows why we are here except Hillary-- and then I told him to just go for it. With a big Bubba grin that is just what he did and with big eyes Hillary dropped her jaw to the floor and Bubba got on one knee and presented her with the ring. This is about how it went, Bubba, "Would you mar"....Hillary, "YES", Bubba, "ry me?"

After Hillary got her breath she ask some of us if we knew he was going to ask her and I nicely told her every in the county knew, except her of course. She was quit amazed. See Bubba gave her a heart necklace surrounded with diamonds Christmas to throw her off and not to hurt her feelings for not getting anything for Christmas. He did a very good job. We are so happy for the both of them and pray they will always be as happy as they are today.

2 Corinthians 6:14
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

Hillary and Bubba meet at church...I pray they will continue to seek God first and each other second for what so ever God brings together, let no man take apart!!!

Decorating

I have started my Christmas decorations. I have one tree up in the dinning room and one tree in the family room this year. I choose to do 2 trees this year for a couple of reasons, 1) we are going to host our Sunday School Christmas party and thought I would go the extra mile but only because of 2) our kids were selling real trees this year and I wanted to help a good cause.

In the picture here is my best friend (of the animal type). Ginger, a Cockatiel and she was given to me by my sister as a gift. She is very gentle and I have taught her to talk and whistle. She says, "Ginger good girl" or just "Ginger". We are working on "Bubba, where's Bubba?" She loves to be with me and do anything I like doing. I can put her on my shoulder and go about my business and she will stay there all day if I would let her.

I never thought I would love a bird like I do this little girl. She has a great personality. She is like a dog in the fact that when I go home at night and she hears my voice she makes a racket until I pay attention to her. She is very easy to take care of...it takes me 5 mins. every other day to feed, water and clean her cages.

In the picture she is sitting in the tree in our dinning room. Niki put it up and decorated it for me and Ginger enjoyed the pleasure of acting like a wild bird. I started decorating our front deck yesterday (Sat) when the weather was great for it. I had to stop because I lost day light so I went out today to add more when the weather was NOT great for it. I am still not done but the other picture is of me fighting the elements to try completing the job. I guess that will have to wait until tomorrow.

Bubba left this morning(Sunday) to go back to base and we got a call that he made it at 7:30 this evening. The traffic was bad and it held him up some but we were very thankful he made it safely. Another blessing we are counting these days is the fact that Robert's job has been saved for another contract period. We were really worried about it. They had contract talks and there was talk about going on strike. The contract passed by only 7 votes but we are thankful for them.

My mom is on her way home. She left my sisters on Friday and stopped to visit with her sister in Nashville, TN. She should be home by Friday of this week. Any one reading this please pray for her safe trip home. I do fret when I know she is traveling. She is 70 years old and driving by herself. I would like to tell her she can't do that but that isn't going to happen and if I did tell her she would do it any way...she is her own person.



MATTHEW 1:18

18Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

These pictures are of my niece, Clarinda, her husband-Ryan and their 2 beautiful children, Destiny and Dominic. Wonderful blessing form God our Father.

Well, everyone is gone and I thought I would sit down and write a thing or two about one of the greatest Thanksgiving in my life. It is a bittersweet one too because this is the first T-day without dad here. What more could one ask for then to know he is at home with the Lord and our precious granddaughter that was born way too early in March. Gracelyn is with Jesus and her Great Papa Frey.

Now to tell you the events of this week. First of all we have been on pins and needles because Robert's factory has been talking contract talk. They had a vote on Tuesday and Robert said he thought it would be close. Robert got up Wednesday and called for the results of the vote. He was right...BUT they did pass it by 7 votes. PTL looks like work for another 2 years.

Last night we went to bed and at about 2:00 in the morning Robert woke me up getting back into bed. Usually that doesn't bother me but I ask what he was doing and he told me he was letting my dog in with his hunting buddy. I couldn't figure that one out and ask, who are you talking about? At 2:00 in the morning my husband wanted to play a guessing game with me. He said who do you know around here that hunts. All I could think of was Bubba's buddy that lives in the area but why would my husband be letting him in with the dog at 2 a.m.? Didn't make since to me and Robert said no, not him and told me to think...who do I know that hunts...all I could think of was Bubba but he is in North Carolina...but was he? I ask Robert if he meant Bubba? He said YEA!! I was out of that bed and flying through the house to see my son. What a blessing to have him home for Thanksgiving!!!

We have a tradition we started 4 years ago in our family. We pick someone in the family to bless with a grocery shower at Thanksgiving. It has been one of the kids that has had a hard time during the year and we just want to let them know we love them and we are here for them. This year it was my niece, Clarinda, (my brothers daughter) and her family. It was so cool........she was so caught off guard and surprised. My sister (and Hubby) in AR and her kids, my daughter with her family, my mom, Robert, I, Brandon, Heith, Jessica & boys and Niki and kids all went together to gather food for them. This year we even had extended family, my aunt her daughter and husband came to dinner and they gave to the grocery shower.I love to give and this is something the Lord has laid on my heart to do.

The grocery shower not only blesses the family that is getting it but blesses our lives and pulls us closer together as a family. My kids and grandkids get to share in the awesomeness of giving and being blessed as they bless others. I didn't want to do it this year but am so glad I did and everything worked out as it did.

Proverbs 28:27
Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.

Psalm 138:2
I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.

The Protigal Son

I have loaded this picture although it was taken some years ago. The 2 little ones in the picture are the 2 boys that are playing sports in school now. I loaded this picture because I wanted a family picture to tell you about the great news we received today.

Let me start at the beginning...great place to start. Way back, over 23 years ago, Robert and I got married and created a blended family. Robert had 2 boys and I have 2 boys and 2 girls...then a year and a half later we added one of our own...Bubba. After Robert and I got married, we made the decision together that it would be better for Robert to adopt my four kids and we would have a Yours, mine and ours family but it would then be "our" family and everyone would have the last name "DUNN".

The kids were all for it and their Biological father was for it for his own reasons, so we started the paper work and it was done. I wish I could say we all lived happily ever after but the story doesn't stop there. When Heith reached his senior year in high school he had a time of rebelling and went to live with his biological father. He was going through what I would say is a natural reaching out to what he knew to be his roots. He made the choice to change his name back to "Jones". No, I am not kidding that was his given sir name at birth.

It hurt Robert and I deeply at that time but I called Sis. Clay and she reminder me that it was far more important that his name be in the lambs book of life then anything he might be called on earth. I held on to that thought through the years. When the babies came I would think it would have been fun to have these 2 little ones with the same last night as us but I loved the family unconditionally.

We were invited over today and the kids gave us some astounding news. Something I had never thought would happen. Heith made the announcement after lunch that him and his family had petitioned the court to have their last name changed to Dunn. Heith told Robert and I that he was proud of us and that we had done a great job raising him and he thought of Robert as his dad and he wanted to go by Dunn.

Wow, no amount of money would have given us that joy we felt at that moment. There wasn't a dry eye in the room. I cried, Robert cried and Heith walked over to "his dad" and gave him a big, big hug!!

All I could think of was what must our heavenly father feel when we say that we want to be called his child. I had a tiny taste of the joy that he must feel when one of his children comes back to HIM.

Luke 15:31 And he said to him, "Son , you are always with me, and all that I have is yours!

Praise God for the healing of relationships and family in ways we don't even imagine.

Little Sports

Here are the latest pictures of the little sports in my life. Jacob is the football player and Garrett the soccer player. They are brothers and are my son Heith's 2 boys. They are definitely a great joy in my life.

I have to confess my humor and tricky side got the best of me last night...I have not for years had anything to do with Halloween but...since the grandkids have come along and it is their parents that make those kind of choices for them, I had to jump in and have fun with them.

Jake and Garrett came over as usual, they thought, to get their treats from grandma and grandpa. I had a trick planned for them with the help of their parents. I had a bail of straw in front of the house with corn stalks, a pumpkin and a mum. That is where scary comes in-ME! I set up the house to look like no one was home put a table cloth over my head to represent a ghost "holy" that is and sat on the straw. I had told my son to have the kids look by the ghost to find there treat if it looked like we weren't home (he know it WAS going to look like we weren't home).

When they arrived my son didn't bring the boys, their mother did and they went in the house, right past me, and turned on the light. They were looking on the kitchen table for their treats. They were leaving and the boys were getting in the truck and Jessica was lagging behind so I was able to whisper to her to have the boys look around the ghost. She told the boys that maybe grandma left the candy some where over by the pumpkins so being the boys they were they came running.....well, all I have to say is, one for grandma and a good one ON the two boys that will never forget that Halloween. We had some good laughs and I better be on the watch because we all love to play tricks around here and not just at Halloween!!!

Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.

Believe me in this house there is no dried bones...we all love a good trick and a laugh.

A Little Boys Pray

Here is a picture of Chase (5) and Gabi (2). I had them for the day last Friday, while the 2 little ones were playing I was getting some fall time house cleaning done. I was washing the windows on our back door, right out side the bathroom and there was a yellow jackets nest next to it some place. Well...I was trying to shoooo them away just long enough to finish cleaning the door.

As I was waving and wipping one of the little varmits got in my hair and stung me. I was jumping around and trying to get him out but I couldn't. Finally, I came in the bathroom and found my pick in between jumps and picked the litlle devil out of my hair. All the time Gabi and Case was watching, big eyed and concerned. Chase ask me if I was okay and I told him yes, but nana's head hurt.

Chase has a big, big heart...he told me to sit down and I would be okay. I sat on the toilet and he ask again if I was okay...(light bulb goes on for a learning moment) I told him yea, I was okay but would he pray for me. I will never as long as I live forget this little boys prayer. As I was sitting there and holding his hand her turned looked up to the celing and without a hesitation said "Would you make my grandmas head not hurt" and I said "Aman". He ask me again if my head hurt and I said it felt better already.

Then Monday night I got a call asking if I would go pick up Jake (10) and Garrett (8) because their dad-Heith and mom-Jessica were in the ER in Wauseon. Heith works on houses for a living and was building a garage for his best friends father. While he was using the power hammer it went off and stuck the nail through his thumb...bone and all!!! OUCH!

I picked up the boys and took them home to have them in bed for their parents and before I tucked them in bed, the three of us prayed for their dad and asked for healing of his hand.

I want my grandkids to know they can call on God any time and any where for anything!!

If we don't teach our kids to pray, who will?

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 20:11 Even a child is known by his deeds, whether what he does is pure and right.

Keep it simple.....

Wow, it has taken me 3 nights to get these pictures uploaded. This last weekend we made our last trip to Lake Michigan for the season. This time Chase went with us. He was a great little trouper. We weren't there very long and he made a new friend with a little boy 2 campsites down. With Chase there is no stranger.

We went over so the men could catch some fish. I am told this time of the year is good Samoan fishing. I didn't see it this weekend!! LOL While the fishermen were out in the big fishing boat with the big fishing poles and the "fish FINDER" Chase and I sat on the dock with one little pole and some wax worms. In the picture you will see one pan with 3 fish and one pan with what the big fisherman caught---that would be "0"!!!!

It was quiet exciting because I was showing Chase how my dad told me that sometimes you have to cast the line and then reel in real show...about that time my bobber took off and I had to reel in my first catch of the day. It was a blue gill. The picture of Chase holding the fish he caught was the first catch of the weekend. It was a great time with the lad. There is nothing like being a grandma!!! Nothing in the world.

I once heard a saying "keep it simple stupid", I think it should be "if your smart you will keep it simple"!!! I think some of the most enjoyable times in life are the simple ones!!! One little boy 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread fed thousands...what can our simple things in life do if we hand them over to the masters hands.

Matthew 14:18 He said "Bring them here to ME"

Whatever it is put it in the Masters Hands and let him do mircles with it!!!

Sister & Brother

These pictures were taken the weekend before my mother left to go to my sisters house in Arkansas. I had promised my Uncle at my dad funeral that I would go see him before the summer was over. Well it was Sept. and I hadn't made it yet but I figured that I was legally safe because summer wasn't over with until the 20th of Sept.

I gave him a call and made the arrangements and he was totally thrilled that I and my husband was coming. After I called I ask my mother if she wanted to go and see him also...after all he was her brother. I called to make the finally arrangements and let him know our time of arrival and told him we were bringing another one with us...he said is took it for granted that mother would be going too as he knew how close we were. That kind of surprised me because I knew how close mother and I are but I never really thought others saw it that way...anyway we made the longgggggg trip to Toledo!!!! Okay, it isn't that far but I have to say we didn't know where we were going for sure.

It was a grand time. Another one of those times in life when it didn't cost a lot but the memories can't be bought with silver or gold!!! I love my Uncle and have to say I do hold a special place in his heart...don't tell anyone but he has told me so.

I never thought my mom and her brother looked much a like but pictures do speak a thousand words!!! You can tell they were cut from the same fabric. I have done a lot of thinking about family and resemblance in the passed few months. With dad gone we have taken a look at the old pictures and they tell alot. The grandkids look so much like my parents and I have been told my grandchildren look like me...good thing they picked up all the beautiful traits!!!

I have thought much on this and ask what 'AM" I passing down to the grandchildren...what do they see in me. I hope they see "my FATHERS" eyes...eyes that see the good in people. His hands that reach out to help other, his feet that go where I am needed and ears to listen to them when they need one. I pray that I have my "FATHERS" heart that will love and care for others when they have a prayer that needs prayed. See my dad is in heaven with our, "my FATHER". What a privilege to be called the children of God, Abba, FATHER!!! I pray my grandchildren will inherit these traits from me.

Isaiah 64:8 But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter, And all we are the work of Your hand. Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O GOD. And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Simple Things

I thought I would share some more pictures of our adventures of this last weekend. I raised a family that loves the simple things in life. Most of what we chose to do this last weekend was things that we didn't have to pay to do. These pictures that I have choosen are some of the free things. We went to a wild game park...errr something like that. Anyway it was a reserve that VA has put aside for the wild animals.

In the picture you will see a woodchuck, a couple of turtles sunning themselves and a Bold Eagle sitting up in the tree. We first got the camera out because Bubba saw a snake in the road and we wanted to get the picture to take home to Chase. By the time we got back to it it has slithered away. A short distance up the road we saw the woodchuck and then the rest. We love to take time to stop and look at the little critters when they are unaware. Not to harm them, or to scare them but to marvle at them.

Genesis 1:20 "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". 24) "Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind, cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind", and it was so!!!

Never to OLD errrr YOUNG!!!!

The pictures you see here are of my mom and her first visit to the ocean as a 70 year young lady. She had a blast!!!

This last weekend we drove to Fort Lee VA to visit Bubba. It took us 12 1/2 hours to get down there but it was worth it. We had so much fun. We spent a lot of time it seemed in the car but we did a lot of sight seeing too.

Some of the sights we saw was VA beach (and went swimming), The Missouri (a battle ship), an old civial war cememtary, some lighthouses on Fort Party (an actualy Army base) and Williamsburg. We did some shoppping and lots of eating out. The four of us really enjoyed each others company.

I didn't know it until we were down there and on our way over to VA beach that my mother had never been in the ocean before. I am so glad I got to share that experience with her. She was so amazed by the ocean, playing in the waves and the salty tast, which she hated. She was also extremely impressed with the size of the battle ship. Never did she realize they were that big.

It took us 11 1/2 hours to get back home and we were all glad to see MI again. As we drove through the great mountains and saw the awesome sea we are reminded of who is the creater of all this grander is.

PSALM 24:1 The earth is the LORD'S, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.

Praise God even after he made the earth and all that is in it, he made man.

PSALM 25:1 To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul (2) O my God, I will trust in You; Let me not be ashamed; Let not my enemies triumph over me!!!!

Related through the blood

It has been sometime since I have had the chance to blog. I have had a full couple of weeks. The first week of Aug we had Mega Sports camp at church and every night I was at the church with my 2 grandsons. It was a basketball camp and I was the prayer coach. That was exciting. I saw answers to prayers and children come to know Christ.

Then last weekend we went back to St. Joes and Lake MI for the weekend. We love going over there. This time we took Roberts brother and Sister-in-law with us and the big boat. We took the boat out on Sat. morning and I got soaked which was the highlight of the weekend for "some" people.

Then this week I was doing a job at work that I don't usually do and that was a learning lesson. Today my mother came over and I scanned and printed off some pictures for her. One of the pictures I had never seen before. It was the picture of the young lady holding the baby. That was my grandmother (the baby) and my great-grandmother. That picture was taken in the summer of 1915.

The other picture is the picture of my mother when she was about 4 months old. It was taken in the spring of 1937. It started the mind to thinking about family and relationships. Of course the most important relationship we have is the relationship we have with Christ. As I thought about my great-grandmother, grandmother and mother the one thing that links us together is the blood!!!

I have sat under the ministry of many great speakers and Bethany has some of the best. I have let their message mold and encourage and have remember some of the sermones but mot many. One in paticular I remember is when Bro. Rob Burkhart was peraching his last sermon as Christain Education, Associate and what ever other roles he played as pastor. It will stick with me forever. It was there are no "grandchildren" in heaven. I am so thankful for that.

As I look at the pictures and have shared them with my grandchildren it is a reminder how far from personal these people come. Jake my almost 10 year old grandson was asking about the pictures and they were his great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, and his great-great-great grandmother. Thank God for firt generation relationships!!! He is our FATHER!!! We are all brother and sisters. No thining of the blood here. First generation all the way.

I John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!!!

Great Weekend

This weekend has gone by way too fast. My husband and I have now begun the empty nest time of our life. We have had times when the nest has been empty but with Bubba now in the serive this is it...the begining of the end!!! Wow, let the good times roll.

Robert and I started out our life with 6 kids and we added one. "Yours, Mine and Ours". Sounds like the makings of a great movie, LOL. Well, any way, Robert thought maybe we should take a day and go to Lake Michigan-that was a favorite for us to take the kids as they were growoing up. We would camp and they could spend as much time swimming and fishing as they wanted. Robert wanted to check out some Marina's so he and his brother could put in their 20' fishing boat.

Sat. morning we got up at 7 and was on the road by 8:00. It took ua about 3 hours to get to St. Joe's. We stopped on the way at a Farmers Market. We were not in a big hurry.We spent some time on the beautiful streets of St. Joe and had lunch. We then left and made our way to South Haven, this is the city we spent our time with the kids. It brought back many menories. After walking the streets and taking pictures there we decided to start heading back to the east of the state.

On the way home I ask my husband to please stop some place along the way so I could do some shopping. He said there was some shopping along the highway at Battle Creek. He was right!!! There is was...I could see it 2 miles away...Michaels and before we got to Micheals I found Hobby Lobby. I was excited and I told my hubby "Yes, Jesus does love me"! His reply was "Yea, but he hates Me, LOL" We know that isn't ture but that is how different Robert and I are.

My great husband suffered through the hour I took to look, which I do more of than actual shopping, and that was at both stores and then we were on our way home. AS we got close to Marshall he called his brother and we stopped in to see his brother and sister-in-law. They were camping there. Then we headed home. It was a long day but full of lots of fun with the one I love most in my life.

These days have been a long time coming and I will always cherris the memories they create. It is more important to me to have this time with my husbanf since the lose of my father. There is no promise of tomorrow, only the memories of yesterday and the life we put in the moment we have right now.

Fun with Scrapbooking

July 15 we had our first night of Scrapbooking at my house. I love to scrapbook and am glad to do it with others. Here in the pictures are my daughter Niki, her best friend Kim and Amanda Harsh. Women can talk and laugh and enjoy the task at hand and that is just what we did.

I on the other hand didn't do to much scrapping that night as I was interested in what the others were doing. Niki sure surprised the socks off of me. She is so good at decorating and scrapbook pages were as sinch to her. She has a talent for flowers, Christmas trees and now this. I totally understand when she gets my pages why she looks at them and says...nice!!! My pages (I think look great) but they look like Kindergarden work next to hers. That's okay...that's my girl!!! I just passed my talent down to her.

Amanda Harsh is a young lady that goes to our church and I found out a few months back that her mother-in-law was a friend of mine in school. This really is a small world. Amanda has many tatents along with her great scrapbooking she is in the drama team at church, she in on the worship team and has song solo's!!! Great voice. Thanks for sharing your talents God gave you with us Amanda!!

Our next scrapbooking night will be Aug. 12. I am so looking forward to it. It is great to make new friends. A Friend in need is a friend in deed...Proverb or saying? Well in Proverbs 27:10 the Bible says...Do not forsake your own friend or your father's friend, Nor go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity; Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away. I guess someone probably knew their proberbs when they were think of a friend in need....

Family

Check out my Slide Show!

Happy Birthday

Here are the 2 birthday people. Today Bubba is 22 and Gabi is 2.

I brought up a picture of Bubba doing what he loves to do best in the world. That is until today. He made his first "2" jumps out of the airplane and he thought it was totally cool. No broken bones or injures of any kind-that he told me about. He has 2 jumps tomorrow and Wed. he has to do a night jump then he will have earned his wings.

Here is Gabi doing what she does best too....just being beautiful. Gabi at birth was 7 lb. 3 oz. Bubba on the other hand was 11 lb. 3 oz. I almost had 2 Gabi's. OUCH.

Psalms 103:17 But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children's children (18) of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments!!! Praise for the LORD...his word lives on forever and ever!!! I claim this for my children and my children's children!!! God word is as real today as it was yesterday and will be as real tomorrow...never changing. PTL

Bitter Sweet Weekend

We were glad to welcome Bubba home for the short 3 days he had to spend time with his family. It was a time of laughing and sharing but all to soon we had to put him back on the plane to head back to duty.

Brandon picked him up from the airport around midnight Wed. and Robert and Brandon dropped him off around 5:30 a.m. this (Sunday) morning. They were on their way home when Bubba text his brother saying they didn't have a seat assignment for him. Brandon's advice was to tell them he was military and had to get back to his base. His next text was... the word military works wonders and some time later he text, first class is great. They found him a seat. He was back on base by noon today.

Tomorrow is a big day for Bubba...it is his birthday and he will be 22 years old and taking his first jump out of an airplane. I really don't want to think about it. I will be the most relieved mom in the country when I get the call that he has made it safely on the ground and no bones have been broken. I know it is in the army's best interest to get these men on the ground in one piece with no broken pieces but I am a mom and I will fret until I know he has made it this first time...MAYBE then the following jumps will be easier!!!

I totally believe Gods word is a two edge sword. It has life and peace and promises that I can hold on to. This is my scripture for Bubba for this time in his life and what he is going through. Habakkuk 3:19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He will make me as sure-footed as a deer and bring me safely over the mountain. PTL God's word is alive!!! All I have to do is open God's word and look for what I need and it is there.

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder!!!

Take a look at this picture and what do you see? To a rabbit it might look like a sweet treat, to a farmer a field of profit but to me it says "Grandma I love you more than anyone".

This bit of clover was brought in to me by my sweat 5 year old grandson, Chase and he told me he went out in the field and picked this "flower" just for me. A dozen roses couldn't have meant more to me (but I will take them Robert). Understand, when he saw that flower he thought of me. I was on his mind and all he could think of was getting it for grandma and running it into the house to me. He know I would open my arms and wrap them around him and love him, say thank you and tell him how much I loved him and how beautiful the flower was.

I love cliche's. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and one that the pastor used today in his sermon....You can give without loving but you can not love without giving. Chase was an example of this...he loved me so he retrieved the flower for me BUT the perfect example of love was GOD...For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him will have everlasting life. God loved us so much he opened his arms and died for us so that we could have that personal relationship with him and everlasting life so full and sweat.

You might ask was the clover that beautiful...???!!!! It was far deeper than that, it was the thought that counted!!!! I was on Chase's mind and heart like I was on Jesus mind and heart the day he gave his all BUT the good news doesn't stop there. I am still on his mind and heart. He is my best friend. With arms wide open he loves to get our gifts of love, when we praise him, do good deeds, read his word and talk to him. We are on his mind...the questions is...IS HE on ours?

From This to THIS

Yesterday was quit a day for our family. This is the beginning product of the U.S. Army in Bubba's life. Several weeks ago I took the picture of him & his brother, Brandon, in Detroit as Bubba joined the Army and yesterday was the day he finished and graduated from boot camp.

I have to tell you when I first got the picture I didn't recognize him (the picture came through on my computer at work and wasn't as good as on my computer at home). My boy lost 23 lb. and I don't know if I have ever seen him stand so tall!!!

Robert and I didn't get to go to the graduation but Terrilynn, Heith and Brandon was able to go and represent the family. Bubba was surprised because he thought only Brandon was showing up. It was a great surprise for him and the four of them got to spend some great time together, I know because I was calling several times a day and every time I did they were laughing and cutting up. Bubba will be going on to jump school in July and our prayers are that we can go to graduation for that.

Bubba know that mom and dad are so very proud of you and have you in our prayers constantly!!!

I Timothy 4:12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct , in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

I Timothy 6:20 O Timothy (Bubba)! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions for what is falsely called knowledge--(21) by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen

Love MOM and DAD

Thank you

I have added some pictures of the little ones that have been taken in the last couple of weeks. Lizzie and Ben are seen here in the picture with cousin Garrett. When Lizzie and Ben brought their parents home for the funeral we took a much needed brake and visited the Toledo zoo. That is where this picture is taken.

The next picture was taken last weekend of Chase and his new best friend. He loves all kinds of critters. The one with Gabi is her pose for Nana when I tell her to look at Nana and smile. For some reason I get the funny little cock in her head when she looks up at me but I love it. It is so Gabi. Gabi was picking "flowers" while Chase was chasing toads.

This is the first day since the home going of my dad that Robert and I have had the evening to ourselves. It has been so quiet and we are taking a brake to just chill out.

I want to take the time to thank EVERYONE who has sent cards, food, took time out to be a part of the funeral or help with the funeral dinner. Maybe you took time to drop me a line in email or a phone call. None of it has gone unnoticed and is greatly appreciated.

I want to say a HUGE THANKS to Mike at Anderson Funeral Home. I so appreciate his heart and care for the service he provides. It only seems like yesterday but it was many years ago when Mike and I sat in study hall and he told me just what he wanted to do with his life. At the time, of course, I thought it crazy and morbid but I can't think of a better person. God gave Mike a vision and a dream and he has seem it come to pass.

Thank you Pastor Dennis for doing the service, Sis. Clay for playing and Linda Jackson for singing. It all was beautiful. I don't know all the women that helped at church with the dinner but it was wonderful and appreciated more than words could say. The family enjoyed it and commented what a great church family I had to provide so wonderfully for my family.

As Philippians 1:3 says...I thank my God upon every remembrance of you!!!! I couldn't have said it better. v.2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hugs, Cheryl

Daddy