How Can She be Thirty?

Today is Autumn's birthday. She is thirty years old....today. Last night as the evening got late I began thinking about how the night went thirty years ago. I thought about my water breaking, thinking it was something else, then realizing what it was. I thought about the list I made of my contractions....they looked and felt consistent. I thought about getting to the hospital, how my mom beat me there, how the nurse told me my contractions were not consistent. They admitted me anyway. I remember getting sick....won't go into those details. I thought about my blood pressure getting high and the nurse giving me Demerol and telling me to imagine blowing a candle flame so it would gently flicker....how that worked to calm me. I thought about how quickly Autumn came. I thought about our moments together soon after she was born. Her father had gone home. We were in recovery. I remember looking at her and singing "Jesus love you" (same as Jesus love me). I remember praying for her. Funny, I wasn't a believer at that point, I thought I was, but I did earnestly pray for her.

Now, here we are thirty years later. Can it really have been thirty years. Truly it seems like it was just yesterday. The memories are so vivid. My child, my first girl, she is a woman....has been a woman for some time. It happened so fast. I am very proud of this woman. She has had struggles, hardship, heartache. She has not only survived those but has come out stronger. During those struggles, hardships and heartaches, I have continued to pray, but now I am a believer and I know who hears. I know He will answer in His time and for His glory. So, the question was asked, "how do you feel having a thirty year old child?" It feels grand. She is strong, loving, competent, beautiful (inside and out). She is a good wife, mother, daughter and nurse.

Autumn, I hope today is more than you hope for. I pray this next year is your best year yet. I hope you know how proud I am of you and how much I love you. momma

Stars and Enemy Ants

Last night, as I took the dog out for a bathroom break, I looked to see if I could see the stars. I could...it seems that has been rare lately. We have lot of light pollution here so I can't see many stars. That makes me sad but I started thinking about the stars and how I love them. Then I started thinking about God's grace and the stars. When there is a lot of light we don't see a lot of stars...when life is going "well" we (I) tend to not see God's grace, though I know I don't take a breath without it. Hope will be spending a good part of her summer at Broken Arrow...not much light pollution there. Oh the stars she will see because it is darker...well, less light. As life grows dark (hard trials) we see more grace. The heavens truly declare His glory...don't they?

Enemy ants, you ask? Yes, for some reason little tiny ants have decided they like the sink in the master bathroom. It is a bit gross, but I have taken to just smashing them with my finger and rinsing them down the drain. (our pest control guy is working on ridding us of them, but they are stubborn) So this morning, Richard and I were talking and I realized that we are like those ants. Those ants are the enemy, as far as I am concerned. We were/are God's enemy. I smash the enemy with my finger, which God could do to me and be perfectly justified in it. But instead He reaches down picks up this little ant and loves it, feeds it, cares for it and provides all it needs so it never has to die...this ant that is His enemy, He makes part of His family. Another way God uses His creation (in my life anyway) to declare His glory and grace. What an incredible God we serve!!

Thoughts

I've been thinking about my blog a lot lately.  I think of things to write but then wonder if it matters if I blog.  Most of the time the things I think about to write are just short little things.  I've wondered why people blog, why I blog, why I want to blog.  Maybe I need to just get on here and ramble like I'm doing right now :)

I've been angry with myself.  Three years ago I worked hard and lost a lot of weight.  I was very diligent to follow weight watchers for nine months, then I went on a trip and ever since then I have watched that weight come back, even though I have still attended the meeting!!!!  Just before the new year I got on the scale and had regained all but 8lbs of the weight I lost.  I guess that was finally enough and I have returned to weight watchers...not just the meetings but actually doing the program...eating appropriately and exercising.  Can I say I love our Wii!!  So since Dec. 29 I've been "on program".  If nothing else I'm feeling better emotionally, knowing I'm eating healthfully and exercising.

Next topic:

I started reading "365 day with John Newton".  I'm using in for my evening devotion.  The first four days were taken from a passage in 1 Chronicles, not sure exactly where and I don't want to get up to find out :)  They also went along with the song "Amazing Grace".  Some thoughts were, Who am I, not as in "I'm searching for myself, who am I?" but "who am I, that God would look at me, just some dirt."  The more I think about it the more I'm amazed.  I know I will never be able to wrap my mind around those thoughts... How could God, creator and sustainer of all things, love me, choose me.... Amazing Grace it is tooo amazing!

Other thoughts:

I can't believe Hope only has three semesters left of my schooling her.  She is so much fun.  I'm so grateful to God for her.  She isn't perfect, none of us are, but she is a joy and I'm so glad God gave her to me(us) 16 years ago.  Last night was homecoming and she looked so beautiful.  I'll post pictures once I get them uploaded from the computer.

Well, I think I'm out of thoughts.... I'm going to strive to blog more often this year... we will see :)

Blankets and My Sweet Granddaughter

The post is about a project I helped my friend Jennifer with. We made baby blankets for Craft Hope I was so happy to participate in this. One of the things that made this special for me was that the Lord led me to pray over each blanket for the child that will receive it. I pray that that child will understand, one day, the love of Christ and embrace the God of the Bible. Anyway, I was watching my grandchildren one of the days I was working on the blankets. Hailey was watching me and asked why I was making the blankets. I explained that there were babies in India whose mommy and daddy couldn't take care of them. Those babies were taken to a special place where there were people to care for them and give them these blankets. She then asked if she could help pin the blankets. I showed her how to pin. She then asked if she could pin one side of the next blanket. I then did a very unlike Kathie but very Nini thing....I let her :) The following picture is of her pinning job...and no I didn't re-do it before sewing. If you notice the pins start out (on the right) along the edge of the fabric but slowly progress away from the edge :) As we were finishing the pinning she said she was glad to be able to help the babies who had to go live at the "baby hotel" :: smile:: What sweetness!

If you go to the Craft Hope link you can see all the things made for the babies in the baby hotel.

Revelation at a Wedding

Yesterday Beth and Paul got married. I don't know how many weddings I've been to where 1 Peter 3:1-6 has been sited and talked about. I'm quoting it here, just to refresh the memory.

"Likewise, wives be subject to your own husbands, so that even is some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external-the braiding of the hair and the putting on of gold jewlery or the clothes you wear-but let your adorning be the hidden person person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening." This is taken from the ESV

I know that we are to always look at the context of a passage to help understand exactly what the passage means. I don't think I'm always very good about doing this. But yesterday as Todd was talking I realized that the part about not fearing is completely in relation to submitting to my husband. I do not need to fear submitting to him. Now my husband is pretty easy to submit to...when MY attitude is right. But there are times when I do fear a decision he makes, but I don't need to fear. God wants has a good plan for my life and my husband's decisions are apart of that. This doesn't mean I can't express my concern or give more information, if I have that but I do think it means that once the decision is made I need to trust the LORD that it is what He has planned for me. I find that quite freeing....now if I can just remember this and live it out. Blogging it is easy, living it, we will see :)

For my followers, all three of you...

DON'T FAINT :)

Someone recently mentioned the fact that I haven't blogged in a while. That is very true. Part of it is because I use Facebook alot and part was because I didn't feel like I had anything worth writing. I have thought about it and have decided that I will use my blog, somewhat, as a spiritual journal. Just writing out thoughts, questions and/or insights as I read my Bible. Will I blog everyday? Probably not. Will it always make sense? Surely not. We will see what happens. Oh, this doesn't mean I won't ever blog about other stuff.

To start, just some thoughts I've jotted down over the last month or so.
Just as God restored literal sight to the blind, He restores spiritual sight to the spiritually blind. I know, duh! But just as I was typing that I was reminded of the man who was blind and Jesus made mud out of dirt and spit. After Jesus applied the mud He asked the man what he could see. The man said something along the lines of he could see men walking around like trees. That makes me ponder...why couldn't he see clearly? We know it wasn't lack of power on Jesus' part. Was it lack of faith on the part of the blind man? I was going to write more but I will stop there. Do you, my readers, have any ideas?

PS...to the freind who nudged (and maybe didn't realize she was nudging) thank you :)

Brain Test

Autumn and Dawn did this. Their results made me curious so here are my results:

Your Brain Usage Profile:
Auditory : 53%

Visual : 46%

Left : 50%

Right : 50%

Kathie, your hemispheric dominance is equally divided between left and right brain, while you show a moderate preference for auditory versus visual learning, signs of a balanced and flexible person.

Your balance gives you the enviable capacity to be verbal and literate while retaining a certain "flair" and individuality. You are logical and compliant but only to a degree. You are organized without being compulsive, goal-directed without being driven, and a "thinking" individual without being excessively so.

The one problem you might have is that your learning might not be as efficient as you would like. At times you will work from the specific to the general, while at other times you'll work from the general to the specific. Sometimes you will be logical in your approach while at other times random. Since you cannot always control the choice, you may experience frustrations not normally felt by persons with a more defined and directed learning style.

You may also minimally experience conflicts associated with auditory processing. You will be systematic and sequential in your processing of information, you will most often focus on a single dimension of the problem or material, and you will be more reflective, i.e., "taking the data in" as opposed to "devouring" it.

Overall, you should feel content with your life and yourself. You are, perhaps, a little too critical of yourself - and of others - while maintaining an "openness" which is redeeming. Indecisiveness is a problem and your creativity is not in keeping with your potential. Being a pragmatist, you downplay this aspect of yourself and focus on the more immediate, the more obvious and the more functional.

I see myself in some areas. I read this to Richard and he agreed that it had me pegged some. Kind of fun and interesting.

More to be thankful for

I should have counted the previous post as items of thankfulness :) but I will pick up where I left off.

90 great time of shopping with Hope recently
91 lots of laughter while shopping...really funny
92 a great buy on her homecoming dress
93 photographers who did a great job on our family pics
94 a sweet time of blessing my mom for her birthday
95 help for setting up beautiful table for a tea...even though the help was nearly 1100 miles away 96 getting Hope's dress done for the play
97 Brenda E getting us to reconnect
98 having an easy nursery duty last night (those two little girls are such sweet ones)
99 reading and being reminded the Lord is strong
100 and able to bind up the brokenhearted
101 and heals their sorrows
102 Torrie C's testimony of God's grace
103 knowing in heaven there won't be any division in the body
104 a little boy with blue eyes as big as saucers (that would be the littlest Egg...I love all those little ones!)
105 lunch at Larry's with family and friends

Black Friday Shopping

So, I've never been shopping on black friday...that I can remember. I don't like driving in crowds or shopping in crowds but you will do things for your children that you wouldn't normally do. Hope wanted to go shopping and Richard had to work soooo we went shopping. It wasn't bad. I was surprised. Mom, Dad and Autumn joined us for a while. The worst, if you could call it that, was standing in line at Kohls for 15 or so minutes waiting to check out.

The best thing for the day happened at Belk. Hope and I were looking at the WillowTree figurines. I found one that someone had apparently dropped....the head had fallen off and was beside the figurine, hidden behind some boxes. I was curious and so I turned it over to find out the name of the piece. Are you ready for this? It was called "Good Health". It struck me funny and I showed it to Hope. We just sat there and giggled. A good memory :) I'm glad she convinced me to go shopping.

More thankfulness...I know I'm slow

I read this this morning and was convicted at my lack (again) of thankfulness. So, here I am to continue my list.



72 Trips to Maryland

73 New sewing machines

74 Snow boots and snowsuits

75 Snow that comes but doesn't make the roads dangerous

76 Squirrels and birds out the back door

77 Little boys who pull of their mittens with their teeth

78 Being called Nini and Momma

79 Conversations with like minded people, even though we don't know each other very well, we still are on the same page.

80 The God-Man Cantata

81 VHS to DVD transfers

82Safety for R when he fell down the stairs

83 That it wasn't a little one who fell (R knows how to fall)

84Red noses from the cold

85 A call from a daughter just to tell me she loves me :) (I love you too!)

86 A new pattern to make a dress

87 The fear/joy of stretching my abilities

88 Friends who are happy that I'm home

89 Spending time with my husband each morning before he leaves for work

She is 15!!!!

I realize I'm a bit late for this post since Hope turned 15 about 2 weeks ago but I was waiting for her party to be over before I posted. I guess I could have done 2 posts and made alot of people faint but be happy that I had posted twice :) For Hope's birthday this year we gave her a purity ring. We talked about the importance of physical purity but emphisised that without spiritual/heart purity, physical purity was useless if it was even possible. We let her pick her ring but we didn't give it to her until her birthday...Richard presented it to her. Here is a picture of it. I think she did a good job picking it out.

We had her party the first weekend of October....September is sooo full we decided to wait. We had a mystery party. You can find out about them here It is a great website with alot of different parties. I think it was around $30 and so worth it. The girls seemed to have alot of fun and I had a blast watching them play the game. They all stayed in character pretty well. The name of this party was "Once Upon a Murder" Each girl was a character from a fairy tale or nursery rhyme. Jack (Jacqui for our party) was found drowned in a pail of water and the girls were to read their clues and ask each other questions to figure out who killed Jacqui. Here are a few pictures.

Top row from the left: Johanna Horner, Beau Glancer, Tatianna Wolfe; Second row: Robin Arachnid, Cindy Ellis, Jill Waters; Bottom row: Scarlet getting ready to blow out candles, Scarlet Hood, A bunch of fun girls :) I hope they all had a good time. One mom said we need to do something like this for the moms. I think it would be a blast! Happy Birthday, Sweet Hope!!!

Our Celebration

Richard and I went to Hot Springs for our anniversary. I was very excited to be away with just him and have time to focus on us. We stayed in a wonderful B and B called Lookout Point Lakeside Inn. I recommend it if you want a wonderful, relaxing time away but don't want to go far. We ate great food, explored Garvin Woodland Gardens (another recommendation!) and we spent half a day at a day spa. We had a hydrotherapy bath (really a whirlpool bath), a 50 minute massage, lunch, a facial, manicure and a pedicure. The guy that did Richard's facial asked what he uses to cleanse his face. When Richard answered "regular soap" (we use safegaurd) the guy said "you must have good genes". Then when Richard was getting his pedicure the girl doing the pedicure told him he had the softest feet. She asked him if he wanted a clear coat on his toenails...I vetoed that before Richard could even answer :D We had such a great time together. I'm so thankful to the Lord for bringing us together and for giving us the grace to grow together. I'm also thankful to those people the Lord has used in our lives to encourage us in our lives as husband and wife. Now here are a few photos of our time in Hot Springs.

Twenty Years Ago Today

I received a great gift from the Lord. The Lord's grace is amazing.

Autumn Tagged Me

Rules: You must answer the questions using only one word. Then tag four others.

1. Where is your cell phone? Desk

2. Your significant other? Richard

3. Your hair? Frustrating

4. Your mother? Friend

5. Your father? Artistic

6. Your favorite thing? photos

7. Your dream last night? None

8 Your favorite drink? Water

9. Your dream/goal? Godly

10. The room you’re in? Sun

11. Your hobby? computer

12. Your fear? flying

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? home

14. What you’re not? sleepy

15. Muffins? Yum

16. One of your wish list items? laptop

17. Where you grew up? Arizona

18. The last thing you did? Answered

19. What are you wearing? PJs

20. Favorite gadget? Phone

21. Your pets? Dog

22. Your computer? Dell

23. Your mood? Excited

24. Missing someone? Hope

25. Your car? Sienna

26. Something you’re not wearing? Shoes

27. Favorite store? One?!?!?

28. Like someone? Yes

29. Your favorite color? Changes

30. When is the last time you laughed? Yesterday

31. Last time you cried? Recently

I'm tagging: Kay, Krista, Kim, Holly

Needing to add to my thank yous

I didn't realize how long it had been since I blogged. I guess sometimes time really gets away from me. I need to concentrate on being thankful today...not sure why but I woke up in a yucky mood. I even exercised (you know to get the endorphins going or whatever) I still feel grumpy. I don't like this, when I'm grumpy but there doesn't seem to be a reason. So thankfulness...

71) my pink flowers on the front deck

72) that Terri asked me to go to lunch with her :) Let's do it again!

73) I'm exercising consistantly again

74) I'm eating well again...both of these are just God's grace in my life, not my doing

75) Richard is letting Hope fly with Autumn to MD

76) Autumn is willing to go with Hope

77) Autumn and Hope are going to get Dawn and the Boys :D

78) I have the cutest grandchildren around

79) I have some of the most beautiful daughters I have ever seen (the Lord does great work)

80) My husband wants to do something special for our 20th wedding anniversary this year

81) We can afford to take the dog to the vet

82) We are going to Dallas for the Rebelution conference

83) I love my dining room (pic at the end)

84) Being available to watch my grandchildren

85) God answering prayers

86) Cool wind on a hot, humid day

87) New jounals

88) Knowing what I'm using for school next year

89) Friends that send you links to funny Youtube videos...it helped me laugh today

90) Laura, who loves Dawn so much she endured wind, rain, hail, cancelled trains, etc. just to spend time with her :) Thanks Laura!!

Picture of the dining room before:

Dining room pictures after:

A Thousand Thank-yous pt 5

It has been a few days, hasn't it?! I had a migraine(sp?) for 3 days :P not fun so....
51)my headache is gone!!!
52)Dawn and the boys will be here in 25 days :)
53)I exercised today
54)We can afford to have the air conditioner fixed
55)The Lord is strong when I am weak
56)The Lord held the headache off until our Master's company had left
57)The four girls from Master's chorale who stayed with us...sweet girls
58)Hope is moving toward getting school finished for the summer
59)Decisions have been made about next years curriculum (sp? doesn't look right...still a little goofy from strong headache meds)
60)Sooo grateful for strong headache meds!!!
61)Richard decided to let Hope go with Aut to get Dawn and the boys :)
62)Autumn and Andy, who have been through some hard times, will celebrate 8 years as man and wife this weekend
63)Being able to minister and be ministered to by church family
64)Blogs with pics...gotta love 'em
65)Panera Bread is coming to Little RocK
66)Fresh Market...I just relax when I go in there
67)Getting to know neighbors
68)Autumn's encouragement to keep going on this
69)Free samples from the doctor
70)God's patience with me...I'm a slow learner

A Thousand Thank-yous pt 4

We went to Texarkana on Saturday for our niece's baptism. I was a bit sad because from her "testimony" it seems she only made a profession of faith so she can see her dad in heaven one day. I hope that isn't the only reason. Before we left I prayed and asked the Lord to hold off the bad weather till we were home :) He said sure so that is where I start my thanks today.
41)God said okay, to holding the weather off till we got home on Saturday
42)Cloudy but not rainy travel weather (no glare from the sun)
43)Wildflowers growing in the median and the fields
44)The song "Fairest Lord Jesus" on the cd while we are passing the above fields giving me a great picture of what Jesus is fairer than (make sense?)
45)I'm finished painting the dining room (pics coming soon)
46)I love the color of my dining room
47)That no one was hurt when the top of my china hutch fell
48)That the stuff that did break is easily replaceable
49)That a long time ago Mom reminded me that is it just things (thanks Mom, I remember that often. It has saved me alot of heartache and protected my mouth from sin)
50)For various sweet family members who gave me Mother's day gifts(will post some pics there too)

A Thousand Thank-yous pt 3

21)A husband that wants to help me overcome sinful habits
22)God's protection of at least (though I'm sure many more)one of His children in Myanmar
23)Friends who listen, understand and pray for us
24)Friends who have been where we are and are willing to help us through our time of difficulty
25)Getting to go to a Mother's day tea with my Mom, my daughter and my granddaughter
26)Hearing Judah help his mom sing "The Lord's Army" "yes, sir!!!!" :)
27)Getting the "kilz" part of the dining room finish (except for the little part where I discovered I was painting over VERY old wallpaper)
28)Music running through my mind
29)Living close to family
30)Hope Bible church in Columbia Maryland...They are Christ's hands and feet to Dawn and Matt
31)Ibuprophen
32)Hot showers
33)The girl at Home Depot last night...I can do it and she helped (custom paint color)
34)That I am a mom (children ARE a gift from the Lord)
35)My mom...one the greatest friends on earth
35)That two of my girls are moms (that means grandchildren...they are as great as everyone says)
36)For friends' blogs, they make me laugh, cry tears and cry out to God
37)For dandilions(sp?) They always make me think of Judah now :) (fower)
38)my new sliding glass doors
39)my husband's generosity, to me and others
40)50% off coupons

A Thousand Thank-yous pt 2

So I was thinking, if I do ten thank-yous each time I post it will take 100 posts (easy math) Here are more:

11)Easy math (math is not my best subject)
12)My grocery store is done remodeling
13)The e-mails my sweet husband sends me (it is a sacrifice on his part, he doesn't like doing e-mail)
14)veggie burgers and baby carrots
15)Daily grace to make right decisions
16)Being confronted with sin(yes it hurts and is hard, but I am grateful)
17)Technology that allows me to stay connected, even daily, with far away people
18)Living in a place where the seasons change, pretty much when they should
19)The Lord's protection during all the recent severe weather
20Weight Watchers online e-tools (more technology)

A Thousand Thank-yous

A friend of mine is posting one thousand things for which she is thankful. I thought/think it is a good exercise in gratitude, something I struggle with. I take so much for granted. I don't know how long this will take or even if I will finish (1000 is alot, but I have alot to be thankful for, right?) So here we go.

1)Being the first one up in the morning
2)The birds singing the "Dawn Chorus"
3)My salvation (should that be first?)
4)My husband caulking the dining room so I can paint tomorrow
5)The overwhelming smell of honeysuckle when I open my front door :)
6)Our homeschooling community
7)My Bible (all the copies I own)
8)Chocolate
9)Videos of Judah belly laughing
10)The way Noah says "bird", and similar sounding words

More later :)