Well, yes, I have been married for 30 years. Well over half my life. So in honor of the 30th anniversary of this union, I decided it appropriate to share some of my observations and some things I have discovered about marriage.
1) IT AIN'T EASY! It isn't possible to spend any length of time at all with a person and not have issues. Dang, I have issues with my dog after being with him all day.
2) Love grows. There is a love there that is so amazing. When God joins you with another person, He blesses you with a love that has no explanation.
3) You honestly do become one. I have seen couples that really do start to look alike as they age. Hmmmm. no comment about that. Lane and I do think alike though.
4) You KNOW each other. I know he doesn't like certain foods. I know what temperature he likes the thermostat set to. I know which socks he likes best. I know his favorite color. I know what he likes to do on Sunday afternoon. I know what kind of ice cream to get at Ingle's. I know how he likes his shirt ironed. I know what songs to turn up on the radio. I just know.
30 years..... I looked at him the other night and asked, "What have we done for 30 years? Where did all that time go?"
Well, we've done a lot. We had three precious children. One now in heaven. We started a business that is still in operation and has provided for us very well for these years. "Logan Plumbing Service for all you plumbing needs. 704-739-6696". We remodeled a house. Not an easy task and here we are 30 years later doing it again. We started out with no heat/ac, one bedroom, cardboard walls in the kitchen and bare plywood floors. I had a washing machine but no dryer and would hang clothes on the line before I left for work in the morning. Fun times...really.
There are a lot and I do mean a lot of things that I would like to forget. We made mistakes and some bad choices. Fortunately, those mistakes and bad choices helped define who we are and what our marriage is today. Perfect. Yes, we have the perfect marriage. Oh, we still disagree and he still drives me crazy with dirty socks and ice cream bowls in the den and forgetting to pick up milk on his way home. I still think we should change the step treads and he thinks we should fix up the sunroom first. He thinks we should paint the potting shed something whimsical and I think it needs to be more traditional. I think we should store my gardening stuff in the garage and he absolutely refuses to let me in there near his precious cars. I think we should have one car each and he thinks he needs 15. There are always things in a marriage men and women disagree on because, believe it or not, we are different. Yes, we have issues, but our marriage is still perfect.
Here is the key to a perfect marriage, GOD first. I truly believe and know and have witnessed that if you put God first in your marriage, everything else falls into place. Is it going to be easy? HECK no. But can you handle things? HECK yes.
So my one word of advice to newly weds and young couples and people thinking about getting married or people thinking about getting a divorce is "Commitment."...People do not commit to anything. This is why our divorce rate is so high. Get tired, get a new one. Just like buying a car or new shoes or a new house. Just move on. Keep your word because you are only as good as that.
Happy Anniversary.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Friday, June 6, 2014
school days and birthdays
Well, today was the last day of school for students. It is kind of a bitter sweet day. I will truly miss some of my students but I am honestly glad to see a lot of them move on over the hill to KMHS. It has been a, well, year. Again this year we had a student with cancer. Fortunately, he went through surgery, treatment and returned to school for the last few weeks. His first day back was very emotional. I could hardly teach my class that day. Praise God for this wonderful miracle.
State testing is always horrible. Scores came in this week. We look for growth from 7th grade to 8th and I was extremely pleased. One of my students had a 20 point increase and most had increases of between 2 and 14 points. Woohoo. Take THAT Common Core..
I received some of the most wonderful notes, calls and gifts from kids and parents. That's what makes walking in my classroom each morning worth it. Monday we do paper work and finish cleaning and then we are out for a few weeks. And no, what's your name in Raleigh, I don't get paid for these weeks I don't work but it is still nice to be home.
Its been a rough year. Some of our kids have issues and challenges that most of us can only imagine dealing with. Death of parents, abuse, severe poverty, etc., only begin to touch what we deal with. Then there's all this junk the state is trying to do to us lowly teachers. I knew when I originally went into teaching that I would never be rich. But, what's your name in Raleigh, it would be nice to have just a tiny little raise. I mean it has been years (I don't even remember how many now). But I will continue to go in that classroom everyday next year and do what I love and love what I do.
Today is my birthday. Can I really be 53 years old????? Where has all that time gone? My grandmother died at 53 and I thought she was the oldest woman in the world. Geeze. My mom's comment was, "what if you had a daughter 53?" It is pretty cool being in your 50s. I see people in the 30s and 40s and I am so thankful I am not them. Whew. Get a grip. A lot of the crap you are stressing about will not amount to a hill of beans when your in your 50s.
So, thanks to all the kids and parents who were really great this year. God bless you with success at KMHS and in your future. Many of you I will hear about in the future because your potential is so great and your future is so bright. Go forth with love in your heart and passion in your soul.
Thanks to all of those who sent me posts, texts and called, sent cards and brought gifts for my birthday. I am humbled at your love and thoughtfulness.
State testing is always horrible. Scores came in this week. We look for growth from 7th grade to 8th and I was extremely pleased. One of my students had a 20 point increase and most had increases of between 2 and 14 points. Woohoo. Take THAT Common Core..
I received some of the most wonderful notes, calls and gifts from kids and parents. That's what makes walking in my classroom each morning worth it. Monday we do paper work and finish cleaning and then we are out for a few weeks. And no, what's your name in Raleigh, I don't get paid for these weeks I don't work but it is still nice to be home.
Its been a rough year. Some of our kids have issues and challenges that most of us can only imagine dealing with. Death of parents, abuse, severe poverty, etc., only begin to touch what we deal with. Then there's all this junk the state is trying to do to us lowly teachers. I knew when I originally went into teaching that I would never be rich. But, what's your name in Raleigh, it would be nice to have just a tiny little raise. I mean it has been years (I don't even remember how many now). But I will continue to go in that classroom everyday next year and do what I love and love what I do.
Today is my birthday. Can I really be 53 years old????? Where has all that time gone? My grandmother died at 53 and I thought she was the oldest woman in the world. Geeze. My mom's comment was, "what if you had a daughter 53?" It is pretty cool being in your 50s. I see people in the 30s and 40s and I am so thankful I am not them. Whew. Get a grip. A lot of the crap you are stressing about will not amount to a hill of beans when your in your 50s.
So, thanks to all the kids and parents who were really great this year. God bless you with success at KMHS and in your future. Many of you I will hear about in the future because your potential is so great and your future is so bright. Go forth with love in your heart and passion in your soul.
Thanks to all of those who sent me posts, texts and called, sent cards and brought gifts for my birthday. I am humbled at your love and thoughtfulness.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Snow Days
I am totally speechless this morning at the beauty around me. Even my cats look beautiful this morning. I slept in until 8:00 and am really sorry I did. I should have stayed up at 5:30 and watched the snow. I like to find one flake and watch it fall to the ground. It's peaceful flight amazes me. I think I could stand at this window and watch it fall forever.
Someone asked if I had noticed the quiet. I think that is what is so amazing about a snow day. The noise level drops to near zero. In the woods, it is more noticeable. All my senses come alive when I stand in the sunroom and open the window (yes, I do open the window). I can hear the birds chirping and the squirrels scratching for fallen birdseed. This squirrel has dug a very deep hole to find seeds. The sight of the vibrant red birds, the doves (I think these sweet love birds are here for valentine's day), Woody was hanging out earlier, the finches and the others all take my breath as they scamper around for seeds. The smell is simply clean. Just pure and clean. My coffee even tastes better standing at that open window. But I think the sound is what amazes me most. Quiet. Nothing hurrying by, no alarms or emergency vehicles in the distance. No cars zooming by up the hill. No dogs barking in the distance. Nothing....Just quiet.
Northern people are laughing at us southerners. But they can laugh on. We down here love our snow. Even if you say you don't you deep down really do. It's just a treat for us. A very special treat. A time to be home (hopefully) and just enjoy life and family and, yes, food. It is rare for this "holiday" to come to us. Yes, I consider it a holiday, even if I have to make it up at school in April. It is a time we will remember and recall in the months and maybe years to come. "Remember that time in 2014 when it snowed and we......?" Yes, we will recall this "holiday" just like others we celebrate.
I think today I will celebrate. I have new snowboots (hoping they are tall enough) and I am going to dress warmly and hike in these beautiful woods God allows me to enjoy. I have lots of family near by. I know somebody is cooking something good and I think we can make it through the woods.
So, as for my opinion about the snow and this "holiday", I will love every minute of this time and enjoy the beauty God has graced us with. Maybe He sent this "holiday" to get my attention. To get me to focus on my senses in a way that I needed to be reminded of His presence and His works.
Yep, I will remember this snow and the beauty and the peace and the quiet and the driveway I can't get up.....
Love to you all.
Someone asked if I had noticed the quiet. I think that is what is so amazing about a snow day. The noise level drops to near zero. In the woods, it is more noticeable. All my senses come alive when I stand in the sunroom and open the window (yes, I do open the window). I can hear the birds chirping and the squirrels scratching for fallen birdseed. This squirrel has dug a very deep hole to find seeds. The sight of the vibrant red birds, the doves (I think these sweet love birds are here for valentine's day), Woody was hanging out earlier, the finches and the others all take my breath as they scamper around for seeds. The smell is simply clean. Just pure and clean. My coffee even tastes better standing at that open window. But I think the sound is what amazes me most. Quiet. Nothing hurrying by, no alarms or emergency vehicles in the distance. No cars zooming by up the hill. No dogs barking in the distance. Nothing....Just quiet.
Northern people are laughing at us southerners. But they can laugh on. We down here love our snow. Even if you say you don't you deep down really do. It's just a treat for us. A very special treat. A time to be home (hopefully) and just enjoy life and family and, yes, food. It is rare for this "holiday" to come to us. Yes, I consider it a holiday, even if I have to make it up at school in April. It is a time we will remember and recall in the months and maybe years to come. "Remember that time in 2014 when it snowed and we......?" Yes, we will recall this "holiday" just like others we celebrate.
I think today I will celebrate. I have new snowboots (hoping they are tall enough) and I am going to dress warmly and hike in these beautiful woods God allows me to enjoy. I have lots of family near by. I know somebody is cooking something good and I think we can make it through the woods.
So, as for my opinion about the snow and this "holiday", I will love every minute of this time and enjoy the beauty God has graced us with. Maybe He sent this "holiday" to get my attention. To get me to focus on my senses in a way that I needed to be reminded of His presence and His works.
Yep, I will remember this snow and the beauty and the peace and the quiet and the driveway I can't get up.....
Love to you all.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Snow Day!!!!!
SNOWDAY!!!!!! Love me a snow day...Unplanned days off are the best. Who cares if we have to make it up later. I can take a day off. I have a sub list and I'm not afraid to use it. So, I'm enjoying my snow day.
Liz and the babies are snowed in with us. She came to town yesterday for Aunt Judy's funeral and, thanks to her mom's encouragement, planned ahead.
Lane's middle sister was laid to rest yesterday. It's always so sad and hard to say goodbye to someone. Someone you just always thought would be there. Someone who had always been there.
She had been wonderful to help at Catherine's wedding. What a worker she was. Always doing something to make everyone else's life a little better; a little prettier.
She was all about family. Her girls were her life. THEN came the grand kids. And, like most of us grandparents, they became her focal point. She loved them with all her being.
She loved animals. If we or anybody had a sick animal, she would call and check on them. She had this little dog when I first joined the Logan family. That dang dog hated me. Well, I think he hated a lot of people. She would have to put it up when I would come to visit. I'll never forget that best.
She loved Lane like a son. Lane grew up with 5 sisters and a brother. I always said I had 6 mother-in-laws....:) Being the baby of the crowd, they all had a hand in his upbringing. I think Judy and Mary Helen were the ones that really helped out. They tell stories of taking him to places and things he did. What great memories I know he has.
Memories......It is wonderful to have such great memories. It's what sustains us after a death. One thing I will always remember about Judy is her beautiful Christmas tree. Always a sight to behold. I will also remember Christmas Eve at her house. It was always one of the highlights for my girls at Christmas. The past few years, Mel has taken over that responsibility. Very nicely, I might add...
Meatloaf. Now, I can make a mean meatloaf but Judy's was almost against the law. The best around. She would bring it to every family gathering. AND the potato salad. yummo.
There are many other memories I have of Aunt Judy...Easter egg hunts, Thanksgiving, birthdays, summertime, etc. Memories I hope to never forget.
I imagine Judy in heaven with all those who have gone on before her. AND sitting with the Father.
Liz and the babies are snowed in with us. She came to town yesterday for Aunt Judy's funeral and, thanks to her mom's encouragement, planned ahead.
Lane's middle sister was laid to rest yesterday. It's always so sad and hard to say goodbye to someone. Someone you just always thought would be there. Someone who had always been there.
She had been wonderful to help at Catherine's wedding. What a worker she was. Always doing something to make everyone else's life a little better; a little prettier.
She was all about family. Her girls were her life. THEN came the grand kids. And, like most of us grandparents, they became her focal point. She loved them with all her being.
She loved animals. If we or anybody had a sick animal, she would call and check on them. She had this little dog when I first joined the Logan family. That dang dog hated me. Well, I think he hated a lot of people. She would have to put it up when I would come to visit. I'll never forget that best.
She loved Lane like a son. Lane grew up with 5 sisters and a brother. I always said I had 6 mother-in-laws....:) Being the baby of the crowd, they all had a hand in his upbringing. I think Judy and Mary Helen were the ones that really helped out. They tell stories of taking him to places and things he did. What great memories I know he has.
Memories......It is wonderful to have such great memories. It's what sustains us after a death. One thing I will always remember about Judy is her beautiful Christmas tree. Always a sight to behold. I will also remember Christmas Eve at her house. It was always one of the highlights for my girls at Christmas. The past few years, Mel has taken over that responsibility. Very nicely, I might add...
Meatloaf. Now, I can make a mean meatloaf but Judy's was almost against the law. The best around. She would bring it to every family gathering. AND the potato salad. yummo.
There are many other memories I have of Aunt Judy...Easter egg hunts, Thanksgiving, birthdays, summertime, etc. Memories I hope to never forget.
I imagine Judy in heaven with all those who have gone on before her. AND sitting with the Father.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Out with the old
Can you believe it is the last day of another year? 2013 is almost gone and 2014 is here. I guess it's really no big deal. This seems to happen a lot and the older I get the more frequently these new years seem to come around.
This has been a year to remember. Can you say STRESS???? Well, the last 5 months have been running over with stressful situations. Whew. Kinda glad to get to start a new year. I worked at school this week and am ready, I think, to begin a new unit. So, work is good. Mom and dad are doing really good, Liz seems to be some better and, perhaps, adjusting to her new life a bit better. My friend Linda comes home today. My friend Joe is at home and doing pretty good. My dog still has issues with his leg and still may become a three-legged dog. Sweet, sweet Charly and her mom and dad are adjusting very well. What a blessing she is. Can you say over the top cuteness?????? The new house, or what we affectionately refer to as the money pit, is coming along. So, things are pretty much on a level plane......today......
It is the American way to set goals or make resolutions on this the last day of the year so here are a few goals/resolutions I will consider for 2014:
1. Mail more cards/letters. I love buying stamps. Oh, not paying that crazy price for them but actually holding them in my hand and sticking them to an envelop. And I love getting cards and letters in the mail. Email and smartphones are great but there is nothing like that physical card in your hand.
2. Read more for fun. I love a good book. I have a Kindle Fire but I love a good book in my hands (see above...same deal).
3. Tuesday share day. I want to get back to cooking for others on Tuesday. I used to do this and really was blessed by sharing. On it!!!
4. WALK!!!! Dangit. Since we moved to the woods, it's just not as convenient to walk but I must get back in this habit. I miss it and my body misses it and my soul misses it. I was telling my dear sweet friend just yesterday that walking would solve allllll our problems. It nourishes you physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. MUST walk.
5. Slow down. I don't have to hurry home everyday to get crap done. It will wait. It isn't going anywhere. Slow down.
6. Spend more time in God's word. Sometimes I rush through my study. See number 5 above.
7. Worry less. Yeah, right. My precious eldest child says that I just find stuff to worry about. Not true. It finds me. But my goal is to hide from worry. Give it to God. Maybe I need counseling...:)
8. Spend more time at our little place in the mountains. With everything going on this summer and fall, we didn't get up there that much. I am going a lot this year....The first week-end we can open it up, I'm there.
9. Have a vegetable garden. With the move last summer, we didn't have a garden. Being in the woods, I have a great place. Just hope the deer don't destroy it. We have pears, walnuts, grapes, apples and various other things so it is only natural to have a veggie garden.
10. Chickens....I want chickens. I have a coop and daddy is going to help me fix it up. Fresh eggs. Can't wait.
It is good to set goals for yourself. But one thing to keep in mind, don't beat yourself up if you don't reach all of them. I can live without chickens and I will probably still worry and I will not walk as much as I'd like and I'll still text and e-mail my friends but with goals we start thinking about what we are doing and what is important to us. We are but mere humans. We live in a world of convenience and technology so we will all fall short on some of our goals but that is totally ok.
I guess to sum up goal setting we can do it very easily; be nice, be good to yourself, serve God and enjoy living. Happy New Year.
This has been a year to remember. Can you say STRESS???? Well, the last 5 months have been running over with stressful situations. Whew. Kinda glad to get to start a new year. I worked at school this week and am ready, I think, to begin a new unit. So, work is good. Mom and dad are doing really good, Liz seems to be some better and, perhaps, adjusting to her new life a bit better. My friend Linda comes home today. My friend Joe is at home and doing pretty good. My dog still has issues with his leg and still may become a three-legged dog. Sweet, sweet Charly and her mom and dad are adjusting very well. What a blessing she is. Can you say over the top cuteness?????? The new house, or what we affectionately refer to as the money pit, is coming along. So, things are pretty much on a level plane......today......
It is the American way to set goals or make resolutions on this the last day of the year so here are a few goals/resolutions I will consider for 2014:
1. Mail more cards/letters. I love buying stamps. Oh, not paying that crazy price for them but actually holding them in my hand and sticking them to an envelop. And I love getting cards and letters in the mail. Email and smartphones are great but there is nothing like that physical card in your hand.
2. Read more for fun. I love a good book. I have a Kindle Fire but I love a good book in my hands (see above...same deal).
3. Tuesday share day. I want to get back to cooking for others on Tuesday. I used to do this and really was blessed by sharing. On it!!!
4. WALK!!!! Dangit. Since we moved to the woods, it's just not as convenient to walk but I must get back in this habit. I miss it and my body misses it and my soul misses it. I was telling my dear sweet friend just yesterday that walking would solve allllll our problems. It nourishes you physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. MUST walk.
5. Slow down. I don't have to hurry home everyday to get crap done. It will wait. It isn't going anywhere. Slow down.
6. Spend more time in God's word. Sometimes I rush through my study. See number 5 above.
7. Worry less. Yeah, right. My precious eldest child says that I just find stuff to worry about. Not true. It finds me. But my goal is to hide from worry. Give it to God. Maybe I need counseling...:)
8. Spend more time at our little place in the mountains. With everything going on this summer and fall, we didn't get up there that much. I am going a lot this year....The first week-end we can open it up, I'm there.
9. Have a vegetable garden. With the move last summer, we didn't have a garden. Being in the woods, I have a great place. Just hope the deer don't destroy it. We have pears, walnuts, grapes, apples and various other things so it is only natural to have a veggie garden.
10. Chickens....I want chickens. I have a coop and daddy is going to help me fix it up. Fresh eggs. Can't wait.
It is good to set goals for yourself. But one thing to keep in mind, don't beat yourself up if you don't reach all of them. I can live without chickens and I will probably still worry and I will not walk as much as I'd like and I'll still text and e-mail my friends but with goals we start thinking about what we are doing and what is important to us. We are but mere humans. We live in a world of convenience and technology so we will all fall short on some of our goals but that is totally ok.
I guess to sum up goal setting we can do it very easily; be nice, be good to yourself, serve God and enjoy living. Happy New Year.
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
I Have A Car!!!
On this the eve of Thanksgiving, I was just standing outside on this cold wet morning with the hubby as he was about to leave for work. (No, I didn't have on my Donna Reed pearls, dress and heels.) He was asking why my car was so dirty. My response was that I had never had a parking spot to call my own. We (or should I say "HE") has so many dang cars it has always been hit and miss to find somewhere to park. Now that we live in the woods, there is lots of mud and leaves to adorn my car. After I told him this, he looked at me and said, "Yeah, but you do have a car." And it got me to thinking, yes, I do have a car. I have always had a car. A nice car. A car that runs and usually has gas. A car that always has good tires, the oil is always checked and is somewhat clean. I can go anywhere I need or want to go and not really worry about the car. I feel safe in the car and feel confident my babies are safe when they are with me. I have a car!
This got me to thinking of all the things I take for granted. We all do, I know. We take the little things for granted and when they are not working, or missing, or whatever, then we realize how important they are. So, I decided, in honor of Thanksgiving, to make a list of the things (a few of them) that I am thankful for. (these are in no particular order...well, except the first one.)
1. My God.....WOW..I could go on and on.
2. My precious life-mate, best friend, confidant, helper, etc. Lane Logan, the MAN!
3. My precious girls. What a blessing they have been to me..(most of the time..:)
4. The precious son God gave me for a few short weeks. I know that someday when I get to heaven, there will be a rocking chair there for me and him to share....
5. My amazing parents. Their love and guidance all these years is overwhelming.
6. My grandbabies...over the top joy and love
7. My job that I absolutely love. I walk in my classroom door each day and feel so blessed to be there.
8. My church family. What a blessing to me.
9. My home. comfortable, filled with love and laughter.
10. My friends. Those who are always there and give of their time and love to me so unselfishly.
11. 4-H club. I went to 4-H club when I was growing up. Here in this community. I learned to cook and sew. Today....I cook and sew....my loves.
12. My health...Dang, I feel good.
13. Prayer...Where would I be with out it?
14. All the things I enjoy....food, sewing, reading, decorating, food, creating things, gardening, trips to the mountains, food, antique shops, coffee shops, food, yarn stores, kitchen stores
15. Spending time with those grandbabies I love so much. coloring, playing with Barbie and dump trucks, sitting them on the counter to help me cook, bubble baths, reading stories, telling stores in the night.
16. Those 3 precious South Carolina babies. What a blessing they have brought to our lives in the short time we have had them.
17. Discovering those amazing things in the woods at my new home. fruit trees, beautifully strange shrubs, barns, horse carts....treasures
18. coffee.....Need I say more??????
My list could go on forever. Thanksgiving is a day to be thankful but we should all remember to be thankful every minute of the other 364 days in the year. We live in a place of abundance. Most of us do. There are those who struggle so. Families here in our own community who struggle to make ends meet, to feed and clothe their precious children. We reach out to those and strive to help because we are so blessed. Please remember this season and all through the year to give. Give to those who are less fortunate. Your time, your resources, etc. CAN be shared.
May your Thanksgiving be one of love, laughter and happiness. Remember those who are sad, and suffering this holiday. Please pray for precious Landry Crawford and his precious family. May God give them peace and patience and comfort for what they are about to face. God is so good and powerful..
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
This got me to thinking of all the things I take for granted. We all do, I know. We take the little things for granted and when they are not working, or missing, or whatever, then we realize how important they are. So, I decided, in honor of Thanksgiving, to make a list of the things (a few of them) that I am thankful for. (these are in no particular order...well, except the first one.)
1. My God.....WOW..I could go on and on.
2. My precious life-mate, best friend, confidant, helper, etc. Lane Logan, the MAN!
3. My precious girls. What a blessing they have been to me..(most of the time..:)
4. The precious son God gave me for a few short weeks. I know that someday when I get to heaven, there will be a rocking chair there for me and him to share....
5. My amazing parents. Their love and guidance all these years is overwhelming.
6. My grandbabies...over the top joy and love
7. My job that I absolutely love. I walk in my classroom door each day and feel so blessed to be there.
8. My church family. What a blessing to me.
9. My home. comfortable, filled with love and laughter.
10. My friends. Those who are always there and give of their time and love to me so unselfishly.
11. 4-H club. I went to 4-H club when I was growing up. Here in this community. I learned to cook and sew. Today....I cook and sew....my loves.
12. My health...Dang, I feel good.
13. Prayer...Where would I be with out it?
14. All the things I enjoy....food, sewing, reading, decorating, food, creating things, gardening, trips to the mountains, food, antique shops, coffee shops, food, yarn stores, kitchen stores
15. Spending time with those grandbabies I love so much. coloring, playing with Barbie and dump trucks, sitting them on the counter to help me cook, bubble baths, reading stories, telling stores in the night.
16. Those 3 precious South Carolina babies. What a blessing they have brought to our lives in the short time we have had them.
17. Discovering those amazing things in the woods at my new home. fruit trees, beautifully strange shrubs, barns, horse carts....treasures
18. coffee.....Need I say more??????
My list could go on forever. Thanksgiving is a day to be thankful but we should all remember to be thankful every minute of the other 364 days in the year. We live in a place of abundance. Most of us do. There are those who struggle so. Families here in our own community who struggle to make ends meet, to feed and clothe their precious children. We reach out to those and strive to help because we are so blessed. Please remember this season and all through the year to give. Give to those who are less fortunate. Your time, your resources, etc. CAN be shared.
May your Thanksgiving be one of love, laughter and happiness. Remember those who are sad, and suffering this holiday. Please pray for precious Landry Crawford and his precious family. May God give them peace and patience and comfort for what they are about to face. God is so good and powerful..
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Stress.......Who needs it?????
WOW!!! It sure has been a while since I've been here. It seems like a long time since I've been, well, anywhere. The past 5 months of my life have been absolutely crazy. I mean over the top stressful. You do know that stress can kill you, right? Thank God I'm not dead. Some of the stress has been good stuff. Like a new baby..:) and moving to the house in woods. (Catherine and my sister say I need to call this place something else besides house in the woods but I we haven't come up with anything yet.) Anyway, those things have been great but stressful.
Sometime back, I blogged about "Growing up Dixon" and all the things wonderful about the Dixon Community. Well, I'm back. Back in May, we stumbled across this place and within a couple weeks we had made an offer and were on our way back to Dixon. (Well, I was on my way back. Lane was coming for the first time.) Lane has always dreamed of living in the country. I thought I had left for the big city years ago and was never coming back. It took lots of prayer, tears and sleepless nights to get me convinced it was what I wanted to do. We have lots to do here. The house was build in 1984 and sits smack dab in the middle of 13.5 acres and needs some love. Oh, it has amazing character and lots of great things but still needs some love. There is a creek that I used to play in as a child. The front left side of the land is next to my uncle's house which my cousins live in now and the back side backs up to land another uncle owned where two of my cousins have homes. Sorta like coming home and it's less than a mile to my mom and dad's.
During this time, Catherine and Roy moved back to the area. They live near Roy's parents and are doing great in their new house the in-laws bought and fixed up for them. Their precious baby girl, Charly Laine, is at the top of the list for cuteness and has brought a lot of joy to our family so far.
During this time of Catherine's move and our move to the woods, Liz and Ryan separated. Sad. Hard. Heartbreaking for my precious daughter. BUT, God has a plan. I know that separations and divorces are bad and not what God intends but I also know and believe that He is in control. I know that He has an amazing plan for Elizabeth and like I remind her, I can't wait to see what her future holds. Yes, there has been gossip. Lots, I'm sure. But my daughter has spunk. She even text messaged one such gossip queen and gave her all the gory details. She said that way, the gossip would at least have the facts. That's my girl!!!!
Then another biggie. Mom's surgery. Wow. What a mess. My mother has never been sick, nor has my dad. Tests and scans were foreign language to us. The last time she was in the hospital was when my sister was born. She's 50. So all this threw us for a loop. Mom had not been herself for sometime and after tests and scans and doctor visits, it was determined that she had a blocked carotid artery on the right side of her neck. This explained the vision issues in her right eye and the numbness on the left side of her body. Scary stuff. Crazy things happened during the surgery. You know that list they go over with you before you have surgery saying this and that could happen??? Well, all those things DID happen. Well, except the last one. And that night after the surgery, we didn't know what was going to happen. But thanks to all the prayers and God's grace and blessings, momma is great and getting back to herself. But it really knocked us all for a loop for a while.
So, life in the Logan household has not been boring. I seriously think we are now on the downside. Things appear to be going great for everybody. Well, Elizabeth is still kinda sad but functioning as best she can and doing great. Catherine is having sleepless nights and those new mom worries. Mom is still recovering and not yet back to her old self but doing better everyday. Lane and I still haven't sold our house on Wintergreen but know we will eventually and we still have lots to do at the new house. And if I can keep Lane out of the emergency room because of bee stings, we can continue exploring the property.(Yes, we did go to the emergency room last week. Oh, and the doctor said "I" probably saved his life by giving him a double dose of antihistamine before we went. I will continue to throw that up to him because he owes me bigtime.) We discovered an old barn with some wooden carts and lots and lots of beautiful shrubs and plants. There are all types of fruit bearing trees and vines. Love, love, love.
No, life isn't always easy and bunnies and butterflies. But, it is so much easier to handle the hard times when you know God is in control and will never leave you. My motto, which I struggle with, is to worry less and give it to God. I don't always do this, but as I grow more in my Christian faith, it is easier to give it to God. And you know what???? He'll take it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)