Some Firsts

Hey Y'all,

This post is all about "firsts". Since I am a first-time mother-in-law and a first-time grandmother-to-be I thought I should show you some other firsts.

Here is Blake and Erica's first home. Isn't it sweet?


This is Penny. She is Blake and Erica's fence jumping dog. Honestly, she jumps their fence in the backyard like a deer. Amazing to watch.


This is Tyson their boxer. Needless to say he does not jump the fence nor anything else. He is just super-sweet.


Here is Erica and my little "Eggplant Baby-girl" in her kitchen. The dogs are looking for something to eat I am sure. Erica is really blossoming. I secretly wish she would ditch the old t-shirts. This one is from her college freshman year. The UNC-Charlotte FortyNiners. Woo-Hoo go "Niners!


It won't be long until Tyson and Penny will have to move over but Erica loves her dogs!


It is just unbelievable at how fast this pregnancy is going by. Before I know it I will be holding that precious baby girl. I could just cry right now! I truly am looking so forward to this new life. To whisper in her ear secrets and dreams and songs and prayers. To watch her grow and learn. To kiss her and hug her and guide her as much as I can towards the one who loves her the most. Jesus. I don't believe you can ever start too soon in telling our children of the love of God. I told Erica to start playing music and reading to her right now. I read that babies can hear outside sounds at this stage so hop to it! There are many firsts that I am going through right now. Some good, some not so good and some I never even dreamed I would experience. But God is good and He gives me all I need each day. One of the other firsts is a new Bible study I am doing called, "Ruth, loss,love and legacy" by Kelly Minter. I am going to a different church with my cousin to this study. There is not one lady I know in my small group and that is okay. They are wonderful ladies and the study is awesome. I highly recommend it for your church or group. Just read the book of Ruth. For the fiftieth time or for the first. What a blessing.

Bless Y'all,

Cindy

Singing, As Loud as I Could

Hey Y'all,

Last night I went to the best concert I have been to in a very long time. I went to see Caleb, Tenth Avenue North and brbrbrbrbrbr (drumroll sound effects without the sound) Casting Crowns! It was the most worshipful thing I have done in a mighty long time. Caleb is two of Steven Curtis Chapman's sons. Caleb and Will are their names and they were really good and they spoke a little on the accident that took the life of their little sister a while back and that nearly broke my heart. But these two young men were filled with the Holy Spirit and gave all the recovery their family has come through to the glory of God. Precious boys, just precious. Then came Tenth Avenue North. Wow! They were fantastic and so full of energy. Everyone was on there feet with their hands in the air just praising away. It was just a taste of heaven but it sure made this old soul hungry for the real thing....soon! Then came Casting Crowns. I truly felt as if I was worshipping right at the feet of Jesus. I cried just about the whole time and I sang as loud as I could when I wasn't just sobbing in worship. That is really why I don't sing in the choir. Music, it seems, the older I get is just so emotional for me. I don't know if it is this season of my life or what but I truly just cry through almost every song. Nevermind the fact that I can't sing very well. God just asks for a joyful noise. I suffice to the requirement. Enough said. Even through all the tears that coursed down my face I couldn't quit smiling either. The sweet lady beside me must have thought I was a serious basket-case! For the most part I am. We hugged each other good bye when we left the show anyway. The whole concert was just what I needed. My daughter, Megan, and her friend, Casey, were on the fourth row back and she said it was just awesome. She loves Casting Crowns and has always wanted to see them and I am just so glad she did. She has been going through a really hard time as of late and I believe it helped that sweet soul figure some things out. She is a real music lover too. I wanted to find her and get a picture of the two of us but I couldn't get to her and she couldn't find me either. I went with our youth group at church as a chaperone. I must say, middle schoolers are not my favorite age group but these kids were super to be around. We elected a new worship pastor at our church and he went last night too. It was just so nice to be with such a diverse group and all of us have such a great time. Looking around the coliseum gave me just a minute insight to heaven. Every nation, every tribe will be there. All of us singing as loud as we can in praise to the One Most High.

Bless Y'all,

Cindy

Definition of "Secret"

Hey Y'all,

I am perplexed. Ummm...confused?? EEERRRR...disturbed???? How about all three to the tenth power! All my life I thought a secret was something you kept to yourself. A hidden fact or article. For no one else to view. Period. The End. So now that I am all of 45 years old I found out that I am oh so wrong. Wrong to the tenth power, I say! A "secret" is supposed to be exposed and flaunted and exposed for the entire free world to see. Yes, I confess.....I have been to the gym again. Yes, once again I was forced to watch women proceed to show me their bras, (some with shirts, some without and some with shirts that were size 2T) their underwear (I think? Could have been cooking twine. I have a roll but mine is off-white not neon orange) and for some unknown reason feel the need to roll their too tight sweat-shorts down over their flabby bellies. Honestly, I am telling the truth. When I am in a t-shirt that I caught at a football game 5 years ago that is a size 3XX and a pair of gym shorts my daughter wore in gym class with a dorky drawstring I feel can we say like......Napoleon Dynamites date at the prom??? Please ladies (loosely termed) put some clothes on. Cover up your secrets. I do not want to know the name brand of anything under your clothes...ever!! Also, when you are 40+ here is a newsflash. Ready?? Camisoles are not, I repeat NOT, tops. Also, just because you wear 3 different kind of bras that is not a top either. Just clarifying. Now you don't have to a complete slob but give the rest of us a break. None of us carries an airbrush in our back pocket so if you think you look good...face it...you don't. Even if your body is rock-hard and ripped to the hilt. Doing Zumba, Pilates, Sculpting, Spinning, Kickboxing or anything at the gym practically naked is not pretty. Stuff gets stuck in all kinds of places and doing what you need to do to get it.....out is just plain ugly. On any body.

Thank you. That is my sermon for the day. I feel better now and I am going to go eat ice cream to get rid of the visions in my head.

Bless Y'all,

Cindy

New Week...New "Tude

Hey Y'all,

It is the start of a new week and I have made the decision to have a brand new attitude. I have been subscribing to the online devotional from "Divorce Care" and I must say at first I was a little (well, alot truthfully) skeptical. But after reading it faithfully for 45 days now I must confess that is really helping through this transition in ways I never even considered. A couple of our local churches offer the support group and I do believe that I am going to enroll for the next session. I have never been one to go for that sort of thing but then again I have never been through this sort of thing either. The scripture has been wonderful and the recommended reading has been great too. My new attitude is hopefully going to be more positive and focusing on growth and development of this "new" life that I am facing. I could linger on about what shoulda, coulda, woulda been but that will only plant seeds of bitterness, doubt, anger and resentment. I sure don't need that kind of growth! Mainly, I just want the Master Gardner to get out the Holy Round-up and kill the weeds that have already sprouted and let the new growth take off and reach for higher ground. Make sense? I just feel the need to move on and get on with my life. The world is going to keep moving with or without me anyway. In no way do I want to seem that I am healed in full or am ready to start dating (I shudder at that!!) again. I am just stating that I am ready to start smiling for real and take that next step towards a whole heart.

Our shopping trip this weekend was fun but no real bargains were out there. They are supposed to open a Sephora store in our mall soon and I can't wait for that! I love me some make-up!! Saturday I did housework and than went to work. Loads of fun in that. Sunday was church which by the way was super-good. Our Pastor is preaching on the entire book of Revelation and it is really eye opening to say the least. My daughters and son-in-law ate lunch at my house and then I took a nap. What an exciting life I lead!!

Here are a couple of photos of my girl and her little girl to be!



Erica was on her way to get her hair done and was in a hurry.



Isn't she the cutest!



Bless Y'all,

Cindy

Friday, bits and pieces...

Hey Y'all!

It is finally Friday! Yeah!!! Only 39 school days left! Double Yeah!! This has been a stressful week to say the least but I have tonight off of work at the restaurant and I am going shopping with my two girls and my mother. I am sure we will have a great time. I picked up my beagle, Hunter's, ashes a little bit ago and I was so impressed with the little box that contained them. It even has his name on the outside and a little poem. I was going to bury the box but I think I will hang onto it a while. Is that not just morbid? Or am I just weird? I am going with the latter. If I find any super deals or see anything I cannot possibly live without I will let y'all know. If I could shop for a profession and really make enough money to live on I would surely do that. I love shopping and am actually very good at it. I can spend money as fast as it is printed but I am wise with it too. I truly do try to find a use for each thing I buy and I hardly ever get rid of anything. My daughters say I am a hoarder. I have seen that t.v. show advertise and I highly resent their remarks. I am most certainly not a hoarder. I am a "Gatherer of Nice Things". This whole post is so random. Kind of like life for me right now. Random. Things just kind of hitting here and there. No certainty, no consistency. Most definitely not boring. I miss boring. It is sure and stable. Looking forward to a little boring really soon. Hope you and yours have a great weekend!!

Bless Y'all

Cindy

All My Girls!!

Hey Y'all,

My granddaughter is an official "Papaya" now. My nieces were at my mom's house this past weekend and I though it was a good time to post a few photos of all my girls. We are a huge girly family so our little papaya baby will fit right in the group.

As you can see Erica is not in the mood for a picture.....too bad!


Here are my two girls, Erica and Megan, comparing their tummies!!!


This is Mariah, Brittany, Erica and Megan. I love my girls!!


This is my youngest daughter, Megan. She is such a sweetie!!


This is my little papaya girl and her mommy!!!


I am so grateful for all my girls and little girl to come. They are such a blessing. It is hard to raise girls in the world today. Really hard. So much is out there ready to just eat them up!! I pray daily for my girls. Now that my own two are grown women I pray that they look to Jesus for guidance in their choices each day. It so unbelievably hard for me not to just step right in and tell them what to do in every situation. I have bit right through my tongue more than once! Sometimes I speak up anyway and looking back I see where I take a situation they are facing to the Lord on their behalf and am so humbled in the way that He works it out. Taking my own hand off of things that I have held in a vice like grip is tough on this woman. But slowly I am learning to let go of some stuff before God has to break all my fingers so that He can take care of things.

Bless Y'all,

Cindy

Faithful Friend

Hey Y'all,

I made a decision this week that was one of the hardest I have had to make. I had my faithful old beagle, Hunter, put down. He was almost 15 years old and had a host of old dog problems. He has survived 2 strokes, cancer, broken tail, falling off a flight of stairs and poor thing buried 2 beagle wives. His cancer had returned and he had terrible arthritis of his hips and I had to pick him up many times daily until he got his footing. Heat was a real problem to him. He truly hated hot weather his whole life. I knew he was starting to suffer. Monday and Tuesday of this week was in the upper 80's and he was exhausted and ready for bed at 4:00 in the afternoon. I called my favorite vet in the whole world, Dr. Jim, and he agreed with my decision. Bless his heart, he has seen me crying more often than I can count. Hunter went so peacefully. It was really like he went to sleep. I know in my heart that he is playing with his former buddies, Lady, Lilly and Taco. I am sure he isn't finished kissing his wives, Jill and Joyce, either. Especially Joyce. I have never seen 2 dogs love each other like those two. They were constantly licking each others faces. Always had there heads together like an old couple whispering secrets. When she died she had her little head placed on her paws by his dog house and he just kept looking at her then looking at me as if to say,"Fix her please, Mom, please fix her!" I'm crying so hard now I can hardly breathe. I know alot of people do not believe pets go to heaven but I believe they most certainly do. God loves us so much that he gave us dominion over these creatures. They love us, obey us and go the extra mile to please us. Why not place them in heaven? That is an argument that I will never concede. Here is a photo I took of Hunter just yesterday. It took me I don't know how many tries to get him to stand up for a minute. I was crying hard then too knowing this would be his last picture.



My Faithful Friend...Hunter




Bless Y'all,

Cindy

Birthday Girl!

Hey Y'all,

This past week-end was the most beautiful Easter I can remember for years. Absolutely gorgeous weather. Our Church had a drama/musical that was fantastic. I could not hold the tears in when a young man in our church closed the performance coming up a dark aisle with a crown of thorns on his head dragging a huge wooden cross. He placed it up on the platform and hung the crown of thorns over the top and shook off the tattered rags he wore to display a robe of white. With his hands placed high the whole congregation sang the "Revelation Song". Chills are running all over me even now. Needless to say I sobbed through most of the whole thing. I thought of my dear friends, Tracy and Kelley, and wished they were there with me. Especially when we sang "In Christ Alone." So moving. They are my crying buddies. Especially Tracy. We both get these awful hives from emotional outbursts. Real attractive too. Anyway, when I got home I had my children, son-in-law, his mother and my parents over for Easter lunch and for Erica's birthday. She was 23 on April 3rd. It is so hard to believe that my first born girl is soon to be a mommy herself. She is just too cute. We all ate a bunch. Visited awhile. Rested awhile. Ate some more and then said our goodbyes. A really good Easter and birthday weekend. I hope y'alls' was a good Easter as well.


Here is a picture of my birthday girl and her little banana - almost papaya baby belly!




Bless Y'all,

Cindy

Blessed Week-End

Hey Y'all,

This is Easter week-end and it is a beautiful one. Yesterday was Good Friday, the day Jesus was crucified. Crucified....for me and you. Crucified. Today is the center of death and life. That place where we gain hope and grow trust. How much of our lives do we spend on "Saturday time". Waiting, hoping, trusting. Tomorrow is Easter. The resurrection. The day of rebirth, new life, risen life.

Luke 24:6 He is not here, but He has been resurrected.

He is Risen Indeed. Our hope is alive.

Bless Y'all,

Cindy