Examples

This week has been a fast one at school. The kids are winding down towards the end of the year. 32 days to go...Thank You Jesus!! But as this year finishes up I start looking at the fifth graders closely. they will be leaving elementary school and heading for the dreaded middle school years. Those are my least favorite ages in children. I would never ever want to be that age again. I am going to miss most (not all) of the fifth graders. I got a few compliments from some of the girls this week because I got a fresh haircut and some color. They really notice that stuff. Some of the boys are telling me their baseball stories and telling me about upcoming football camp. I am a big fan of my Eagle football team!! Many of these kids come to school for breakfast and they come in with really sad faces. One little boy confided to me in tears that his parents weren't working out and he was moving away. He cried really hard and I couldn't help but cry a little too. So sad. One young girl tells me everyday, Bye Miss Cindy...See you at lunch and have a good day." So sweet. Sometimes we "lunch ladies" are the only smile they get that day. Maybe the only hug they get is from one of us. And yes, I hug and kiss these children. They need it. Some of them very badly. My friend Janet works with me and she is a hugger too. She and I know that sometimes we are the "example" for these kids. All of us "grown-ups" are whether we like it or not. Kids, preteens, teens and college kids all watch us grown-ups all the time. It isn't what we say to them but how we act towards them. How we react to them. What we do in front of them and what we think we are sneaking around them that we don't think they even see...but they do. We are examples for a lot of people. Do we act in the proper way, say the proper things, go to the proper places all the time? Probably not. I don't. I have failed miserably at being a good example at times. Now that I am a grandmother I am more conscious than ever of what kind of example I am showing to my little Piper. When she grows up I want her to remember positive things about me. I truly do not want to let her down. I know at times I will. I am human. But I pray each and every day that the Lord shows me what to do and say to make me a better example. For my children, my friends,
the students and my grand babies. The one I have and the ones to come....

Weekend Wrap-Up

My Easter weekend was just beautiful!! The weather was fabulous and church was even better. We had our Cantata/Drama and it was so powerful. The true meaning of Easter was really explained and I hope the visitors we had got "it." I hope to see every one of them back at church next week. My kids, sister, parents and Blake's mom Robin all came to my house for Easter dinner after church. We had a great time. Just laughing and eating and just being with each other is such a treat for me. I love having a house full of people to cook for and talk with. Megan's boyfriend, Thad, had an awful injury with his horse Friday night. He was trail riding when his horse threw him off and his foot got stuck in the stirrup. Thank goodness his foot slipped out of his boot but his horse still kicked him in the chin. Thirteen stitches later he climbed right back on that sucker. On Saturday Thad said that his horse rode perfect. Hopefully that will not happen ever again! I personally, have a car so I see no need of having a horse. Ha-Ha! Here are some photos from the weekend.



Thad's stitches are right in his beard line so he can hide the scar really well he says.




Megan and Thad goofing off. This is her last week at NC State. Woo-Hoo!!!






Erica and Piper looking pretty for Easter.




Piper's Easter dress had a pretty sweater to go with it but it got so warm that I forgot to take her picture with it on.





It got so hot that I put a little water in the baby pool that I have had for about 20 years and let Piper splash a little. She loves the water!!





I love these fat little legs. I hope Erica checked her for bite marks because I could just eat her up!!!



Piper got to lick her first sucker and let's just say I wish I had a picture of the fit she pitched when her mommy took it away after she rubbed it all over the ground. So funny! I can't wait to give her an ice cream cone!

How Great

I watched this last night and though it isn't a traditional Easter song it really just sums it all up.



How Great Thou Art......

End of the work week

I, for one, am ready for a long weekend. This weekend is Easter. One of my favorite holidays. Today is Good Friday. It is sad to me that it is not observed like it used to be. Banks are open, the mail runs and life goes on all around like any other day. But it really isn't any other day at all. this is the day that Christ was crucified for me and for you. But Sunday is coming!! In the mean time here are a few shots from the past two days around the house.


Kisses from mommy are the best!!




A four day weekend is just what mommy and Piper need!




A barbecue brush makes a great teether!






I explained to y'all that I was not sleepy!




Climbing around and looking to see what I can get into!




I am getting so big so fast!!

Retreat

This past weekend I went with several ladies of my church to Asheville, NC for a retreat conference. My church is a missions based church and this conference is an annual event. Asheville is a lovely town with lots going on. Quaint shops, great food and funky little stores with neat stuff. On Friday we walked all over downtown Asheville. That night our conference started with praise and worship music and then some really dynamic speakers. Our first speaker, Debbie, is a missionary to Papua, Indonesia. She was hilarious with her stories of such a different culture. But she also moved each of us to tears with her heart for a people group who do not know of Jesus. Her family is doing a great work for our Lord over in that land. The next day we, my dear friend Kelley and I, went to Black Mountain to walk around and see what was going on there. It is a cute little town too. So many great shops and such nice people. We headed back to the retreat center and listened to another night of great music and wonderful speakers. They had a Parade of Nations that day too that made me sob my eyes right out. Many, many ladies have given 40 plus years to foreign lands to tell the people of Jesus. So many hardships. Separation from family, poverty, disease, fear, doubt and many more obstacles. But not one would trade a day of their journey. One lady said she missed her mother so much and it hurt to see her only once every few years or so but she would spend eternity with her mom and these people need Jesus now. What a sacrifice they give to our God who sacrificed His only son....for us. I took no photos of the missionaries because some are in countries where it is dangerous for them to be identified as missionaries for God. But below are some of the sites we saw. Enjoy!




A funky wrought iron twisted pie that looks great in this planter. This was outside a shop in Black mountain, NC











The view from the foot of a cute pottery shop. They had a goldfish pond with a waterfall in the front. So pretty!










A view from the top of the mountain at the Ridgecrest Retreat Center in Asheville, NC. This was the pond that is near the prayer garden of the retreat center. So peaceful and beautiful.







A shot of downtown Asheville. It is really a great city with lots to offer.







This I took inside and antiques store that Kelley and I popped in to look around. This is one of our favorite things in the world. Dishes! She loves glassware and dishes as much as I do.











This is my friend Kelley. We are in the French Broad Chocolate Lounge. It was a great place. I love this girl! She has been such a prayer warrior for me over the past couple of years. I could not have gone through this past year without her help, tears, love and support. One of the themes this weekend was "leaving deep footprints". The big, deep, squishy ones that make a really loud sucking sound when you pull your foot up and out. The kind of prints that really leave a mark. Kelley has left that kind of print in my life. A few others have too. I desire to leave those kind of prints in others lives. To make a spiritual impact that leaves an imprint. On my daughters, my grand daughter and my future grandchildren. On younger women that are up and coming and to my sister/friends. It was a wonderful weekend full of tears and extreme laughter. One that I so needed and am so glad Kelley made me go!!

Small things

I am loving the small things in my life right now. Hot, steamy cups of coffee in the morning. Listening to the spring birds that are early risers like me. Watching the sun pop up bringing a new day with new possibilities. Flowers blooming. Leaves practically growing before my eyes. The feel of crisp sheets on my bed that smell of Downey Jasmin, my favorite scent. Little children at school who wrap their skinny little arms around my waist and tell me, "I'll see you later Miss Cindy" with big, toothless grins. There are so many small things that I love. Watching this little one gaze at a ceiling fan with those big blue eyes that turns over her head. Sitting outside on a blanket.

Chubby little fingers climbing on my chair

Learning to crawl on grass that you have never touched before and loving the feel of it on your fingers

Figuring out stuff...all by yourself

Laughing just for the sake of...laughing

Beautiful baby feet

These are just a few of the small things I love

Spring around the house

This afternoon I was walking around my yard and over at my parents' yard next door. I was practicing some of the camera techniques I learned in my class. Spring is such a pretty time of the year that it is hard not to get a good shot.


New leaves budding on my poplar trees



Bailey the cat. She is such a diva. A fat diva too!




Pretty pansies leftover from our frigid winter.




Sweet, old Maggie. She is 15 this year.




A view from beneath one of my dogwood trees





My favorite Dogwood of all...it's Pink!





Hope Spring is springing all around you! How can you not look around at all the new growth and life and not just worship our Creator?? There really is no way!

Eight Months Old

Piper you are 8 months old today. You are starting to pull up in your crib. No crawling yet but you roll everywhere! I think you will just start walking one day and just bypass crawling altogether. You wave bye-bye and say something like "Mama" and "Da-Da". You give the best hugs and kisses. You smile and laugh almost all the time. Especially if a dog comes in the room. You love to go outside which I am going to just love come summer time!!! You really enjoy your bath and you sleep wonderfully. I cannot believe what a good baby you are!!


Here you are beside your Frog Prince..isn't he supposed to kiss your hand little Miss??







I think you're right Mimi. He needs to do the kissing!!

What a little cutie pie you are!! If you click on the photo and see the bigger shot you can see my 2 new little teeth that just popped through last week.

Hard to believe

Twenty four years ago this was me. Kissing the hand of my own precious baby girl. Now fast forward, and I do mean fast, and my baby girl is kissing the hand of her baby girl. Today is my Erica's birthday. We had a wonderful family lunch together after church with Megan, Thad, Blake and Piper. I fixed a "Mexican Feast" since that is what she asked for me to cook. Megan told me to get my chicken pie, biscuits and gravy ready for her birthday coming up....in September! I am really so pleased with the young woman, wife and mommy Erica has become.

Happy Birthday Sweetheart.

I pray you have many more!!!

Love you,

Mom

Something New

This is a short video of Piper eating a strawberry for the first time. Erica placed it in a little mesh container so she can chew it out through the mesh. Very ingenious invention. She loved it! So sweet watching her experience "firsts". How babies analyze the motion of things. The texture and how everything, small things, repeated things, are all so intriguing to a baby. When did I lose that???