Blue Moon

Our grand kids from Oregon came for a visit tonight.  We had such a great time visiting and eating pizza and working on a "Blue Moon" craft.  Did you know that the second full moon in one month is called the Blue Moon?  It only happens every 3 1/2  to 4 years and Lily was so proud to tell her Papa this fact.  While we were waiting for our yummy pizza to be cooked, the grand kids completed a marble painting of the blue moon that was yet to come that evening.

Eve of All Good Things

Remember that wonderful feeling on the eve of a great event?  Christmas Eve and the anticipation of the next morning.  The night before the first day of school, anticipating wearing the perfect outfit, the night before your wedding when you should be sleeping to look radiant but just can't seem to close your eyes?

That's just how I feel tonight.  School starts tomorrow and so begins my last year of service with AmeriCorps.   I just love this chance to serve in our local After School Program.  (please remind me of this fact in a couple of months when I feel exhausted and want to give up}

Just so you know I'm not some sort of perfectionist nerd (would love to be), my school bag is not yet packed and I don't even have site ID yet.  I think my smile and full heart should carry me through the first day, don't you?

They Paved Paradise....

I just returned from a two day trip to take Ty down to the airport so he can spend two weeks with his sister Lizzie and her family.  Emily was so generous to give up her airline rewards so he could make this trip.  Chris put us up in his sweet home so I could have some rest time in between the big drive.  Our world is getting more crazy by the moment.  What should have been a 2.5 drive turned into a nightmare of a 6+ hour drive because of all the road construction and traffic.  It took us over an hour to get from Target in Napa to Chris' location.  I know Josh and Lindsay Stovall can relate to this as you travel home.  Thank you Emily, Chris, Lizzie and Trey for setting this Mama's heart at ease today.  I am soooo thankful that Lizzie will take take of Tyler while he is away from us!

 Al and Tyler have been working on this raised patio in our barren garden for awhile.  I will try to post some pictures of the flower bed just to the right of this but the heat is taking its toll on our garden.

this area used to be a hilly slope full of weeds but no longer.  Al has incorporated many items from the home we lost to foreclosure to make this space very special.  Tyler has the mind of an engineer so the two of them together form a great team.  I keep them supplied with beverages and food and on they go!  

True Beauty

I watched this beautiful movie earlier this evening.  If you or a loved one have breast implants please watch this or make sure you are always ok by checking in with your doctor.

Many years ago, maybe 10 or 11 I had my regular Mammogram and you know the drill... they make you stay until they are sure the films are ok.  Well, I was asked to hang out awhile in the cafeteria until the radiologist had a chance to review the films.  That was fine, I was up for some ice cold lemonade.  Ten minutes later the  technician shows up and escorts me to the ultrasound room.  After many conference calls I'm told that I need to see Dr. Persky our well known breast cancer specialist.  At that point life took on that surreal slow motion effect where everyone else is talking normally but I was underwater only hearing a blur of words.  Thank goodness for Lizzie.  She drove me to the surgeon, sat through the unsuccessful needle biopsy and helped me make the appt. for the next morning's surgery.  Going into surgery I was prepared for the worst.  Did I want reconstructive surgery if necessary?  At that point I distinctly remember knowing I wasn't going to have the offending tissue removed and then replaced by something my body wouldn't recognize and then reject.  I woke up bruised, stitched and sore but cancer free with a huge dent where healthy tissue once resided.

Months went by and it came time for our annual trip to Ft. Bragg to our favorite bed and breakfast to celebrate our anniversary.  I planned a horseback ride on the beach for Al as my present to him.  I'll share that hilarious story for another post.  We had talked long and hard about my recovery and my scar.  His gift to me was a beautiful dragonfly tattoo which encompassed the length of my ugly scar.  Best friends do this sort of thing for each other all the time.

Queen Isabella

Columbus would have had a hard time coming up against this Queen Isabella.  Here is our "sweet, innocent" beloved Bella.  Isn't she so cute?

She is also a child eater, man biter and a very insecure, protective member of our family.  I wish I knew a dog whisperer here who could release her from some of her memories that she brought from Mexico.  Bella loves to herd.  Mostly me.  She protects me from anyone who dares to come near me without permission.  She loves her long walks with Daddy and Tyler, engages in the most fun play, sits upon command, loves her kennel but generally hates the rest of society.  I'd say she is truly Tyler's dog but if I come any way near her radar she feels the need to protect me.  She behaved very well at the vet's office the other day when she received her shots.  OK, I'm lying.  We sent her in muzzled and she peed all over the place but then was able to calm down and responded well.

Any thoughts?

I Surrender All

I'm about to turn in for the night.  I have Pandora Praise music plugged into my earphones so I can fall asleep to calming music.

This week has been difficult.  A dear, sweet friend took her daughter and retreated from a very bad marital situation.  My own Mama has suffered from pain from an infection.  Friends are going through unthinkable situations.  Music comes to me "Jesus has overcome...Victory has been won...And I will Rise on Eagle's wings.