Cary's Birthday Celebration

We went to church this morning in the winds and rain of Hurricane Gustav. It was pretty impressive, considering we really aren't in the path. This is so incredibly sad. While we know some of what it is like, we really have no idea when it comes right down to it. I have already checked on my friend in New Orleans, and they left on Thursday. After church we had lunch at P.F. Changs and then we came to the house for DQ cake and presents. The kids all went together and got Cary a digital frame for his desk. He says he will have to spend the holiday tomorrow figuring it out! Cary is catching on...he knew the pictures being taken would appear right here, just for your viewing pleasure! We missed Kaylee, but we have too many birthdays in a row here to be postponing the celebrations! This is our busy month! This week Carissa will turn 21 and Kaylee will turn 16 in a couple of weeks!

Happy Birthday, Cary!

Today is Cary's birthday, but for the most part, we will celebrate tomorrow. We hung out at home today. I got caught up on a lot of "little" projects, and Cary worked in the yard and washed cars. The only excitement was when the Gators came on, for the first game of the season. Kaylee is actually in Gainsville with Hil and they went to the game. Carissa and Tuc got all dressed up for the occasion...that is the game, not the birthday! And, yes, if it looks like Tuc is WATCHING the game too, he is! Loves to watch the TV! Tomorrow we will have lunch and do presents for Cary.

The Patriarchs

Nothing too eventful has been going on around here again, a short dry spell for the blogging! Everyone is back at home from summer trips, school has started, and everyone is adjusting to schedules! I told you before that Jen and I had been taking a Bible Study together this summer, on the Patriarchs. Jen has already started back to school, so she wasn't quite able to finish the class with me. Today was the last class and it was kind of sad! I've met new friends, and visited with new people from another church here in town, and we've done some deep studying together! I had actually done this study before, but I was a week shy of finishing it when mom got sick and I left town. I learned and re-learned a lot. There are things that I know my mom prayed for that she never got to see the answers in her life time. Promises that she believed God for. I have seen some of her prayers answered since her death. To be honest, I have fussed at God because I don't understand why He didn't let HER see those answers. But, through the study this week, I found the answer. We live in such an "immediate" world. Everything is RIGHT now, quick. That is what WE expect of God. However, ancient Hebrews would have considered the possibility of a promise fulfilled in his descendant a great honor because it would have shown God's CONTINUED blessing over the extended line. I know that even though mom left this world without seeing some answers, she also left here EXPECTING God to still be at work. Her faith was not shaken one bit. No, she BELIEVED, and now I am getting to see her prayers answered, as well as my own children. Pretty amazing. I'm going to copy the next few sentences right from our book. "Let's be open to the possibility, however, that if the years slip away and we find ourselves on our deathbed without seeing a promise fulfilled, it may have been intended for our physical or spiritual descendants. God's promises to us are bigger than us and reach far beyond us. Their ultimate purpose is glory. HIS. He is always faithful, and He will never make a promise He won't keep. His promises to "you" could be for you personally, your family, or your line. If precious promises aren't fulfilled in the fruitful years of our lifetimes, let's believe God and welcome His promises from a distance. What kind of faith could be more pleasing to Him?" I love knowing that I am seeing the fruit of my mother's prayers. I pray that my own children will be able to see the same. And THEIR children. Wow, that's pretty good stuff!

Kaylee is a Junior!

Yep. The BABY has only two years of high school left! Kaylee started school today with a half day. When I picked her up we ran around making preparations for Hurricane Fay, and planning to NOT have school the very first full day! Cary won't be working either, so I'm guessing we'll be playing cards tomorrow! We are glad our beach week was LAST week! Tuc was especially cute today, and I have to add this picture for his mom to see while she's in Dallas. Tuc is crate trained, which a new idea around here. He is a very good boy, and I hate always leaving him in the crate when I leave. Today I had to run to the store really quick, just to get a couple of hurricane things. I had washed the blankets out of his cage and they were in the dryer, so I didn't want to shut him up in the cold cage! I knew I'd only be gone for a few minutes, so I decided to be brave and see what would happen! When I walked out the door he stood and looked at me like "hey, don't you remember, I get locked up when you leave!" I ran to the store, and when I got back he was in the exact spot where I had left him, not a thing was out of place! GOOD boy!

Our Last Day!

We spent the morning at the beach today. We have been going most of the time to the pool area. While relaxing and watching the waves, I was thinking how much relaxing I have done since I gave up fighting the maids and worrying over the dish cloth! It just wasn't worth the energy! When I came in for lunch, the maid had been here. You'll never guess...she left a dish cloth, but no dish towel! I just stood there, stunned. I'm sure the Lord was trying to teach me something, but I haven't exactly figured out what! This evening we went to a BBQ on the beach. Very nice, great food! Then we went to the beach for our final sunset, which was pretty much like last night! Not so thrilling! But, when we went to leave...a FULL moon! Beautiful! We have had a wonderful week, lots of rest and lots of fun with family. Tomorrow, we head home and school starts on Monday! Carissa left today for a week with friends in Dallas. Tuc is waiting for me to get home! I'm on Grandma duty!

Thursday's Vacation Stories

Well, believe it or not, I have NO pictures for you today! We spent the day at the pool, watched lots of dolphins, and missed the sunset...thought it was going to rain, so we stayed in. It was a very quiet and relaxing day, except for all the interesting characters at the pool. We had a teen age couple that carried on forever about all the "he said" and "she said" stuff going on in all their relationships. Couldn't help but hear it all. I was so blessed. Then we had a lady that I knew when I saw her coming was gonna want to talk to me. She did. I wasn't all that thrilled about talking to her. She was kind of interrupting my dolphin show. Then, there was the family that had two daughters and an evil dad. He simply should have been shot for the way he was treating his girls. Then we had a wedding party arrive for a destination wedding. They were a bit more on the wild side than we are. Quiet WAS working real well for us! So, the thrill of the day was that at some point, one of my dolphins got a bee in his bonnet and started BOLTING from the water. Is was just like being at Sea World, I'm telling you the truth! I'm afraid they are going to rest well when I leave and they aren't having to perform !!!

Happy 25th Anniversary!

Yes, 25 years ago today...I married Mr. Wonderful! I can hear my mom laughing right now-she always thought that was SO funny! But, he was, and is, so laugh on! The girls headed home this morning to go to work and take care of school preparations. Cary and I were at the pool by 10, sitting under the umbrella. I could hardly get anything done ALL day. (I am really trying to read!!!) It seems that every time I'd put my eyes on the book, they would slip right off the page and be watching dolphins! Yep, ALL day. We were in the perfect spot for all the dolphin shows! My neck would get tired and I would change positions and there would be some more for me to watch! We stayed there till about 4 and then got cleaned up to go to dinner. As I went to get in the car there was a gift bag sitting in the floor. I have been wanting diamond studs for quite a while, but want no more! Mr. Wonderful has taken care of it! They are beautiful, and I was completely surprised! We ate at a small place on the island, and it was great. We both loved our meals. Then, we came back to watch the sunset-it wasn't the greatest tonight, but it was pretty anyway. While we were watching, Cary told me about another surprise...we're going to a marriage conference in September sometime. We were just about ready to leave the beach when Cary squealed. I was pretty sure the heart attack had come. No, it wasn't. He saw TWO dolphins RIGHT in front of us, almost close enough to touch! It was pretty amazing. The water was kind of rough, and they had to be up in pretty shallow water! Then we left the beach, got coffee and dessert, came back to the room to watch the Olympics. I have been working on a project for Cary for our anniversary, but due to several situations beyond my control, it will be late! As I have been reflecting on the past 25 years, I am pretty sure that I am most thankful for laughter. It's the memories of the laughter that has gotten us through rough times. We have had much fun, many happy times. We talked over dinner about Israel being our favorite thing we have done. Life changing. We have lived a very privileged life together, and we are very aware of that. But, we are also very aware that our greatest blessings have not been things at all. What a blessing to have had time with our children during this week. God has been so good, blessed way beyond what could ever have dreamed! It has been a wonderful anniversary, full of surprises!

Tuesday's Vacation Stories

Well, today was not quite as eventful as yesterday! Britt came to spend the day with Carissa and Hil came to keep Kaylee company. Both are like adopted daughters and we loved having them here. Kaylee ran into her little "golf ball boys" when I was not with her. I had the money, she did not. They were leaving and couldn't track me down, so I still have a dollar on me and they have as many golf balls as they did yesterday! We had told them that our dog at home loved to play with golf balls and they asked if it was a boy or girl. We told them he was a boy and so they were saving the baby blue one for me to take home for Tuc. Poor Tuc. We spent most of the day at the pool because it was too windy to put up the umbrellas on the beach. We are getting lots of reading done! We had ice cream after a day at the pool, cooked in tonight, and came in before we got soaked from the rain that was hindering our sunset.

Monday's Vacation Stories...

We had another wonderful day at the beach today. We dodged the rain a little, but for the most part it was a pretty day! When we came in for lunch we found out that we had been booked on the dolphin cruise! Now you KNOW how that made my day! So, we followed this tourist through town and went on the cruise! We had a wonderful time, saw several dolphins before we ever got on the boat! After we got on the boat, they really performed and I was in a great spot to get pictures! We went to watch the sunset on the beach after dinner. These two adorable little boys came to sell us golf balls...used ones...any price we wanted! They had been "cleaned and rubbed". We didn't have any money on us, so we told them to come back tomorrow. They really had quite a conversation with Kaylee, I think she was flirting. The high light of our trip at this point...I'm just trying to get a dish cloth so I can wipe off the counters and table. English seems to be a problem. The first time I asked, I got two hand towels for the bathroom. The next time, I got, I am NOT kidding...a black trash bag full of hand towels for the bathroom. Today the girls were here when she came, this one speaking great English they tell me, but they forgot to ask. However, she left with my bag of paper goods for the week (paper plates, napkins, baggies, cups...) thinking it was a bag of trash. They have kindly gone and shopped for me, replacing what seems to have gone in the dumpster! Tonight I just gave up on getting the dish cloth and I am using a wash cloth from the bathroom. All is well. I am happy now. The counters and table are clean.

Celebrating!

Yesterday we started our family vacation! Joshua and Jen came along, and after Kaylee flew in from Atlanta, Carissa and Kaylee joined us. Last night we grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, fished, and played cards, and watched a little of the Olympics. Joshua and Carissa did the fishing, and Carissa caught one right away! It was pretty exciting! This morning we had a very lazy morning and then we all went to the pool. After day one, we have seen one dolphin and one FLYING stingray! Pretty impressive! Since we will be celebrating our 25th anniversary later this week, the kids had told us they wanted to take us out to dinner tonight. One of the places we went on our honeymoon was McT's and they wanted to take us there. We arrived there tonight to find some friends...the Hutchcrafts, Nashes, and Goodnights had just happened in for dinner there too! Funny how that worked out! The kids had sent out invitations and kept the whole thing VERY quiet! They also presented us with a coffee table book with pictures from the last 25 years! THAT was a LOT of work, and mostly the project of my fourth child! We were totally surprised and had a wonderful time together. Joshua and Jen had to go home tonight, Jen starts school tomorrow! Carissa and Kaylee will be with us for a couple more days before they have to go back, then Cary and I will have a couple of days together before we head home. We had a great time together, our first vacation with all four children! Too bad the grandpuppies were not invited! We miss them! I told Cary today that I am enjoying being over the "parent" stage with Joshua and just being able to enjoy him and see what a wonderful young man he is becoming. Parenting has gotten in the way of that in the past! He is FUNNY and makes me laugh! We found out that Jen likes crumbs, and she made us laugh too! Carissa really enjoyed fishing with Joshua...even at 5:30 this morning! It is wonderful to have Kaylee back with us...she's been gone so much this summer! Who would ever have thought that our family would look like this 25 years ago??? We are so blessed, so thankful for friends and a wonderful family!

This past weekend I was able to attend the Beth Moore simulcast! Oh, yes, it was all I thought it would be! It was pretty interesting to note that there were 70,000 women attending, in 715 different places! One of the groups was a group of missionaries meeting in Guatemala City. As always, she gave tons of information in a short period of time and I am looking forward to spending some time going through it all and trying to digest it. Kaylee got home from camp on Friday night and left for Atlanta on Saturday! One of my faithful readers had a birthday on Sunday-she was celebrating in Kentucky! Joshua and Jen needed a family portrait done when they were over on Sunday. I'm busy working on getting us ready to leave on vacation this weekend. We are looking forward to having some down time! There's nothing significant to tell, so I'll just add a picture of Tucker! He's always good for a smile! This was when he got caught chewing on my coaster...one of his favorites!