Happy New Year 2023

 So this is the end of 2022.... as usual a year with high high and low lows.  A good medium year would be great if I could just order one

2022 literally started in the ER for Sarah as we realized her tummy situation was not resolved in spite of a week in the hospital in December 2021,  She ended up staying almost the whole month of January at St Joe's.  At one point they wanted to send her home with the issue unresolved.  We literally had her dressed and I literally felt "that nudge" so I changed her back into her gown and refused to leave unless they were transferring us to another hospital.  It got a bit heated with the doctor but I've got broad shoulders (literally lol) and really do not give a fig what someone like that thinks of me.  The little doctor girl got snooty with me and asked me for my diagnosis.  So I told her I thought it was her small intestine  I had been researching everything.  So the doctor agreed to do an upper Gi with contrast the next morning but warned me we would have to leave if there was nothing wrong.  Sarah's entire chest/belly area was swollen like she had a giant beer belly.  Well..... as they test was running I looked at the screen that was lit up under her arms with what looked like her intestines and her belly had absolutely not contrast   When I pointed that out all hell broke out!  Her intestines were literally up and down under her right arm pit instead of across her belly!  Her appendix was under her left lung......needless to say we got a new gastro group/doctor immediately and did not leave the hospital.  She had surgery as soon as they could arrange it with a surgeon that we personally knew.  He basically told us she had had many volus (where her intestines twisted) she could have died from this!  So again trust your gut in situations even if you don't understand everything medically!  

Sam had a rough January- May as he has seasonal depression (just diagnosed through the DNAstudy he is in.  They found another deletion and it is related to seasonal depression which he has had every year of his life.  I've bought a light box to see if that will help him in the coming year.  We also had him checked for Malrotation of the small intestines & guess what he has it too but his is a more normal case.  It could still become very serious and now we have to decide about surgery for him.  Since he had a very bad anesthesia reaction in 2021 we have to really weigh it.  We gave ourselves a little time and have had a few consolations.  Right now I think we are leaning towards doing it.  

In February after ten months of paperwork calls to Tallahassee we were able to get Selah into a wonderful medical group home.  They were originally not taking clients under 21 but I knew it was the place for her if we had to place her in a group home.  It was very bittersweet to move her but after 10 months we are still so very happy with it.  It is an amazing group home.  She is well taken care of- they have a nurse, CNA and a respiratory therapist on every shift for just 6 clients.  In fact Selah has had a private nurse 6 days a week for 12 hours daily.  They also have their own doctor, physical and occupational therapists and many volunteers.  It is a dream for young people like our daughter.   Last night I walked out with one of the therapists and she told me she has never gone to such a wonderful group home.  That made me so happy!  We are blessed!  On Christmas Eve we did a little Christmas service for the clients and staff.  We brought in stockings for the clients and for the other group home they run and goodies for the staff.  While we are so happy it's still not what we wanted.  We wanted to keep her home but we feel God helped us to find the best place possible for her.

Our dear friend who was like a family member was losing his battle with cancer during the first part of this year and passed away in May.  That has been such a hard thing for me and for Jon too.  Our whole family has missed him so much.  But we are thankful for all the years he was a part of our life.  There will never be anyone like Guy for us.  He was an uncle to my boys, loved all our kids and was so supportive to us and our church.  It was an honor to be part of his funeral, we along with others watch over his grave for his family who live out of town/state.  I've had lots of losses in my life but most were older folks who had lived good long lives.  There was and is always sadness about their passing but Guy's death has affected more than anyone's except my twins.  I don't love (or even like) people easily and I certainly do not trust people easily.  He was someone we knew had our backs and as pastors that is so important!  I could call him and ask him to pray about something and I knew he would!  He's the one I called as I was following the ambulance with Jon in it when he had his heart attack.  While we know we will see him again it's been hard. He was truly my brother.  Until he was sick we always keep clear respectful boundaries even though we were very close.  The three of us were close and it was an unique situation as we worked together in our church.  Once he was sick things were different, I even went with him to doctor appointments and he became even more like family.  Just days before he passed I was able to sit with him and talk.  We knew it was going to be our last conversation until heaven.  It was the most precious time.  He gave a blessing to my children that meant so much to me.  He gave me a few assignments -so I gave him some too!  I asked him to find my twins in heaven and tell them how much I love them.  I also told him to tell Jesus to send us more people for our church!  That hasn't happened yet....we laugh about it sometimes that he hasn't done his job!  In those few minutes I just told myself to "be in the moment" and soak it in.  Not everyone gets the privilege to say good bye to a loved one and I realized despite the fact that my heart was breaking it was a blessing.  I'm so thankful for the hope of heaven We told each other we would see each other again!   Jon saw him more often and had some special moments with him mixed with tears too.  

So those are the biggest challenges that 2022 held for us.  It was hard to walk through them but God....

The highs of 2022 for us were...

Shad graduating the Academy and getting his badge from the Department of Corrections.  He was only 18 years old, one of the state's youngest officers!  He's now been working for a year and has done so good.  We are so proud of our son.  He is very mature and has his head on straight.  He has done exceptual for such a young man.  I LOVE how our relationship has changed as he has gotten older.  I love that boy with my whole heart.  He is an unique young man.  He has confidence and knows who he is.  He doesn't try to impress anyone he is just his own person.  We really have fun together and laugh alot.  He still lives with us.  He was going to move out but since he works so many 16 hour days it's crazy to move since he's not here much but to sleep lol  I like having him home where I can still baby him a little.  

Of course with Steve..... he gave us a huge high mountain top moment marrying his sweetheart Nichole.  I love having a daughter in love and she is just the best!  I enjoy spending time with her.  She is a wonderful girl and worth every prayer I ever prayed for Steve to find a wife!  They included us in their proposal on a cruise this past summer which was very special.  A few years ago we were on the same cruise during a rough spot in our family.  And I remembered standing on deck watching the ship move out of the harbor pass a lighthouse.  I was praying about our family and how to deal with a situation that seemed hopeless.  Fast forward to this summer I was sitting with my newly engaged Daughter in law to be watching the same scene as we moved out of the harbor.  My heart was busting with happiness as I saw how God dealt with that situation for us and brought such a wonderful lady to our son!  Their wedding was perfect and just brought our families together.  Every moment was special to me.  It was a happy moment/day in which I reminded myself several times to "stay in the moment"  I just wanted to experience it and soak it up.  

Life is full of highs and lows and I do feel like we seem to have such extremes but God is faithful in the hard moments as well as the happy moments. Even in the hard moments God is there giving wisdom hope and comfort and in the high moments we do not forget God's faithfulness.  

In less than an hour it will be 2023 for us I pray this is an easy year.  The last 3 years have been so hard for the whole world there's more than enough turmoil unknowns and trouble.  For us we've had challenges and heartaches as well as happiness. I'm hoping for a year with lots less challenges and heartaches!  And I hope the same for you!

2023 will be our 17th year at Grace Church!  Jon will have 26 years as a chaplain and we will be married for 34 years.... we are getting old!  In fact Jon will turn 60 next year....I have no words for that LOL  It will be the last year we have a child under 18 the whole year Cr

I'm not one of those spiritual girls who get all kinds of words from God LOL but believe it or not I actually feel God gave me a word for 2023 and it is SERVE.  It came to my heart a few weeks ago.  I feel like I should serve my family/friends, community, church and God without expecting anything in return including recognition for my service.  I know that sounds so spiritual lol and believe me I didn't come up with this idea on my own!  This is something I think God has been teaching me for a long time but I want to embrace it instead of grumbling inside when I feel unappreciated  In this world we are told we should be acknowledged for everything we do.   Anyhow that's my word for 2023 and the first time I've ever felt impressed to have a word.   BTW we don't even teach or focus on having a word for the year LOL it's a little charismatic for me but look at me....lol  Let's see if I can actually do it!

Well Happy New Year 2023....I pray it will be a good year for each of you!

Wedding Day

 Yall I have no excuse for not blogging other than our life has been so busy!  

Steve and Nichole were married December 10th in a beautiful ceremony.  She was gorgeous and he was so handsome and happy. It was a lot of work to get everything together but they made it work!  Having eloped this was my first time this involved in wedding planning!  I've been in plenty of weddings but the moms usually did everything and I just showed up LOL  This was a bit more but I'm a mom now so i guess it was my turn.  They had a vision for the wedding and really pulled it together.  It was very nice.  It was such a happy day and everyone had a great time.  

This picture just blows me away!  I love that Jon is perfectly centered in the background as they walk out.....

These are a few of the professional photos, aren't they absolutely gorgeous? We are so happy for them and so blessed to get such a wonderful daughter in love  There was no sadness for us that day but we did have tears of happiness a few times.  Jon struggled at one point during the ceremony but was able to keep it together!  What a blessing it was for Jon to be able to join his son in marriage to his wife.  It was so special

Ashley their caregiver and my dear friend

Sarah was the flower girl

My friend caught this picture-it involved an explanation of a popular song.  My husband didn't quite understand it.

the best man

I love this guy!  He has done so much in the past year and works like a dog at the prison!  He hadn't taken one day off for over a year until the wedding.  He looked so handsome.  

This was at their hotel

I love this group of folks so much!  I am so very very blessed

the beginning of the ceremony

Sam was the ring bearer

the Mother Son dance

My girls!!!!! Jan on the left was my college roommate and Kandi on the right has been my friend since we moved here!  Her kids and mine have grown up together

Here are the   Wedding vows Nichole's dad videoed the vows it is priceless. I'm still on a high from the wedding, so much love that day.  What an honor to share such a special day and to have family and friends around to be a part of it.  We have not gotten all the pictures back yet from the professional photographer, I can't wait to see them all! We have pictures with all the families together. 

At the reception I gave this speech....

27 years ago God decided to surprise us with you Steve after years of infertility.  You have a special story and from the first moment I loved you with all my heart-having you (&the rest of the kids later) made up for every lonely day of my early years. We’ve had a wonderful family life and I cherish each moment whether it was the mundane things of life or if we were on an exciting vacation.  The memories we’ve made are so precious.  God had been faithful to our family through the highs and lows

The first day you were home from the hospital I sat on our couch with you while Dad was at work.  That day I read to you and prayed Ps 1 over you. 

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

² But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

³ And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

⁴ The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

⁵ Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

⁶ For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

 God has been with you to become that type of godly man.  That day I also prayed for the wife you would have one day.  It seemed a little foolish to me even while I was praying it because you were so little and new and a marriage for you seemed so far away…. There were many other times I would pray that for you even when it seemed hard to imagine you grown up and married.  But it happened so fast..

Nichole came into your life and then into ours and from the beginning was so special.  I began to wonder “could this be the One for him?” Well she is!  And we could not be happier.  Now my prayer is that God will bless every aspect of your marriage & that He will be that Rock that you build on in the good and bad times.  You’ve both seen enough of life to know there are valleys that can come but I want to encourage you both to cling to each other in the hard times as well as the good times.  You’ll be shocked at how fast life goes and when it comes down to it nothing in this world is more important than your family nor does anything last as long as your family.  Having the memorial table today reminds us of our parents and grandparents and the legacy they left behind them that has continued to us…now you two have created your family and have the opportunity to begin that legacy in your lives.  Start strong and remain strong keep God as the center and your marriage will be strong.  Forgive & forget quickly trust and depend on each other & don’t let anything come between you.  Marriage is a blessing but it also takes work  You will have our prayers and support as we watch you two grow together. 

This song is so beautiful and NO I’m NOT going to sing but I want to read these words as a prayer or a blessing on you two. 

May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
And your family and your children
And their children, and their children

May His presence go before you
And behind you, and beside you
All around you, and within you
He is with you,

In the morning, in the evening
In your coming, and your going
In your weeping, and rejoicing

He is for you

 

May God bless you with a wonderful long marriage!  We love you both!

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Looking Back at the past and Forward to the Future

Every year I go through my FB memories and I'm reminded over and over again all the details and heartache of the accident.  But I'm also reminded of God's good and faithfulness.  Somehow he brought us through it all.  When I look back on pictures of my other kids still smiling I'm so grateful to God of how He held our hearts and emotions during those dark days.  Somehow we were able to handle our emotions and help our kids through the uncertain days.  We lived in one room at the Ronald McDonald House in Rochester NY from August 10- Dec 11!  Then we transferred to Jacksonville Fl where we lived in an extended stay hotel from Dec 13-Jan30.  BUT GOD!  He held us and walked with us.  

We'd go to the book store and other places with the kids.  We still had to give the 4 of them attention to 

and find a balance.  

One of my favorite with Sarah and Steve.  She looked so little!

 When I look back there is a peace despite all that was going on around us.  I really thank God for how He walked us through that time in our lives and kept us together.  

Recently I had a free day so I hit two parks on my own and walked about 7 miles.  I've paid for it ever since with my foot tendon being swollen (the joys of old age!)  But I had a great day and I really needed a day outside. 

We don't have much fall but it's looking as fally as Florida gets!

This rascal is Bruno.  He came up about 2 years ago.  A skinny feral tom cat.  We had to feed him by himself on the side of the house because he was so afraid.  It was week before we could pet him.  Somehow he learned to love us and to become a night inside cat.  He sleeps on the foot of the bed between Jon and me.  It's so sweet for this former street cat to have become this sweet old boy.   

Our little hobby farm now has 15 chickens! 

Sweet Roo!  This is the nicest rooster I have ever known.  He calls for the girls to come and eat when he finds things.  He never chases me!  Woohoo! Isn't he pretty

SW

I let them out in the late afternoon so they can free range some and I stay out and chicken sit them.

This silly girl has gone broody.....she is convinced she's sitting on eggs but I check her and take out any real eggs every day.  Amazon has everything including fake wooden eggs.  I've put them under her and lift her out several times a day.  I really do not know what to do with her  Most people say one day she'll snap out of it.  I hope so.  I lock her out of the compound during free range time and she just circles the enclosure over and over again.  

Last weekend we had a shower for Steve and Nichole at our church.  I hardly took any pictures and we had so many folks there including some of our old friends we hadn't seen in a long time.  I was just having too good of a time to take pictures!

But who will use it?  LOL

I love this picture of Steve- he laughs so hard and this picture caught that big laugh:)

they matched

Pretty girl!  

If you would like to order a gift for them here is their page. I've had a few people ask for this.   There are several things on here that have been given but need to be marked off.  You can message me if you have any issues.  SHOWER GIFTS

Well I've touched on just about everything.  I don't even know what to call this post....I guess the best title could be God brought us through and still is with us.....

God has been good to our family even through deep waters and dry deserts.....He continues to bring us through life- the good parts and the hard parts.  

Ten years ago I could have never imagined Selah being in a group home, Shad being an officer, Steve graduating from college with his BA and MA.....and now working as a tv producer and engaged!  

Sam and Sarah continuing to grow and learn at their own pace.  Nor could I have imagined Jon's heart attack and surgery and all the medical things our family has been through BUT GOD has been faithful...

Hurricane Ian & Haiti Update

 We survived with no damage other than some tree limbs down.  Our hearts go out to the folks affected by it.  It could have easily been us.  In fact at one point it was slated to hit Tampa Bay directly.  If that would have happened I am sure our home would have flooded.  There's been so much destruction that it is hard to take it in.  Just 75 miles south of us in Arcadia where my husband was the prison chaplain for a couple of years the flooding from the Peace River is absolutely awful.  That would have been us with the Hillsborough River.  Since 2004 hurricanes have scared me  before that I really didn't worry too much about them and had a cavalier attitude.  I can assure you I did not have that kind of attitude with Ian!  

We did lose power for about 43 hours but we have a generator so we didn't have any issues.  For the first time we did not lose water.  We are on county water and they generally have issues with their generator.

Steve, Nichole and one of their friends, James stayed with us.  Luckily it happened to fall on Shad's days off and he was home too.  And although we have a generator we did not waste it so we only had a lamp on.   We watched Father Stu- it was an amazing movie lots of strong language but it moved me.  I was glad to have my family around me!

Selah's' group home was relocated to St Joe's hospital on the pulmonary floor  It was a perfect situation for them. The nurses were so good to talk to us and gave us updates.  They were so complimentary of how Selah was doing and that spoke highly of her group home.  One nurse told me she could tell Selah had been well taken are  of and that they've the other patients from her group home always looked great too.  That made me happy and I let the group home know that it has a good reputation at the hospital for the care they give!  

We were all in our PJs in the pictures lol

Our church had a little bit of damage, a shed was totaled and there was more branches down there than at our house,  But all in all we are very grateful.

This palm had the bark stripped off it 

the sign across the street was turned around!

this old shed was turned upside down and around.  we were going to trash it anyhow as we will be redoing the parsonage yard this fall.

Lots of branches down but Scott Jon and Shad got it cleaned up

All of Florida hopes Ian is the only hurricane we have to deal with this year!  I'm not sure our nerves can take it!  Basically every area on the Gulf side was targeted at one point by Ian, so it was a nerve wracking time.  There was a meme going around saying "Waiting on a hurricane is like being stalked by a turtle" and that's true - there's that uncertainty for days-all we can do is prepare and hope it misses us, knowing if it misses us then it's going to hit somewhere else....

Thank you for your thoughts prayers and comments! 

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Thanks to your generosity we were able to buy 2 wheelchairs (I have my hand on the boxes), a stroller and a baby gate for Haiti!  

This is David Wine the director and our dear friend

My girl and me

its been cool enough to be on the porches and that makes Sarah happy

Hope you all are doing good also!

***** after our trip to the Keys Sarah got a bowel obstruction and was in Arnold Palmer for a week!  Poor girl! she is on MASSIVE tummy meds which means alot of laundry!  There's nothing like being woke up at 5 am and having to strip the bed and give her a bath but I'm so relieved that everything is moving along that I don't even mind!  It just happened suddenly with no real warning- things seemed to be moving along ok since her surgery in January where they rerouted her intestines.  But evidently things were not moving fast enough through her little system that has so many issues.  We are afraid to back of the meds much even though we have lots of messes.  But she is happy and thinks everything is funny so that's all that matters!