I am just not a great blogger any more.To be honest, life has pretty much sucked the last couple of years, and I have put myself in a hole. I am slowly climbing out and plan to live life again. Many changes in our household. The grandkids are growing so fast I can hardly keep up! TJ is going into 3rd grade and his baseball team won the World Series of his league this summer. He is an awesome kid who is completely in love with his father! Emerson is a doll!! I love having a granddaughter! She just last week started cheerleading classes and even though she was concerned because she "can't spell", she had a blast and I know she is going to be spelling out G-O T-E-A-M very soon.
My oldest, Bud, is back home. He is working toward moving closer to his children. I think it is a good choice. He plays softball on a couple of different teams and his friend Joe (in the pic on the far right) has become an honorary son to us. Zach made the honor roll and received a trophy for Best Sportsmanship. He started Mixed Martial Arts classes and is loving ever second of it! He broke a board on his first try!! Kyle is having a great summer, and both boys are happy that their big brother is around more. Charlotte had a rough couple of years, and after a hospitalization, she is now living with an extended family member in the next county. She has some severe trauma to overcome and after 13 years of giving her every ounce of what I had to give, I have been told by professionals, it could never be enough. She needs residential treatment. Please pray she is able to get it. I talk to her a few times a week, and we are all trying to heal and create an alternative to what we thought life would be.
Sweetheart and I celebrated 34 years of marriage at the beginning of this month. It has been a very rough couple of years for our entire family, and we are hoping, and praying that the future holds some peace and happiness in it for us. I believe it does. :)
On the quilting front, I finished the 3rd baby quilt. It is bright and cheerful, and baby Mason will have years of warmth from it.
At my church we select Secret Sisters once a year. Throughout the year we buy little gifts and send cards on special occasions. The big reveal is early November and I decided to make a quilt for the lady I have this year. This is the top.....all scrap and measures approx. 62x74
It is in the hoop now and I am loving quilting on it! A fun one for sure!
Baby quilt number 4 is being pieced and has this little lady in it......
It should be a fun quilt to make also, and baby Harmonie and her mommy can cuddle in it together this coming winter.
The girls are both well. Cammy still thinks she is a kitten and Sass gets more lovable every day.
Life has started to calm here in the last 2 months, so I am just going to breath and trust God that His plan is still in motion. I am hoping to get back here more often. Thanks for stopping in!!!
I am down 8.8 pounds for the month. My mom is doing well too. We are doing this together which really helps.
Instead we are to show the love of Christ....not letting those who are talking badly of you walk all over you...no, that is not what I am saying, but if we KNOW we are under false persecution, most times we can just sit back and let God deal with them. Think about that for a minute.....I would NOT want to be in their shoes!!! (Can you tell I am under persecution? Well PRAISE GOD for it, cause it only pushes me onward, knowing HE is my Strength and my Salvation!)
I will just lift my hands and my voice in praises to Him and let those mean words pass right on by to Him who is the true Judge. I may even say a little prayer to ask for mercy on that person, knowing, Woe to him who "stretches forth his hand (or tongue) against the Lord's anointed".....many people think that refers to God's Pastors, but I know I am anointed of God in the work I am being judged for! I take this warning for myself too....just as we have all been judged, we have all judged others, while covering that sin with the lie that it is "just my opinion". It is time to step into a place where we reflect His love, not the enemy's lies. I guess I kinda defended myself here just a bit after all...believe me, could say MUCH more! (Forgive any nasty comments that may come with this post...I have no control over someone elses "opinions") Ok...rant over.....♥
Ya know what that means???? I get to QUILT without guilt!!! While Sweetheart watches the Bears, I sew! It is the deal. Has been for years, so now I need to get something in the hoop!
TJ and Emerson will be here on Friday. I have not seen them in 3 weeks! I am beyond excited! I get them overnight and then will see them again on Sunday! I LOVE my time with those babies!
Not a whole lot going on here today. Sweetheart has to work, so our Memorial Day is being spent just hanging around. Zach and Charlotte are doing some math and reading. Kyle is playing with Sassy and hanging out with the basketball and hoop. Me? I'm sewing leaves.
Just a lazy kinda day. The kids will play outside as much as they can stand to. It is suppose to hit 92 and it is already very humid. I am sure the shade will be the spot to be!
Charlotte plans to catch up on some school work she fell behind in. I am sure her embroidery needle will be in her hand at some point today....probably while watching The Waltons with her mother ;)
She is growing up so fast. It is hard to believe she will be 14 in a couple of weeks. She is all excited about church camp. She is working hard for the privilege to go...that means school has to be in good standing. She is finally putting on some weight. She is medication free for now, which makes her very happy!
For Memorial Day, I want to express my gratitude for all our military, past and present. What an honor to know that we have such courageous men and women defending us and our land. I want to share a picture of some of the men I want to remember on this day. These are my Great-Great-Grandparents, Charles and Nancy, along with their children. My Great-Grandfather is William...top right corner. Charles fought in the Civil War, and their youngest son (bottom row, center), Charlie, fought and died in WWI. He died in France, leaving behind a little girl, who was motherless. His mother Nancy, raised that little girl after her son died in the war.
Sacrifices have been made in war since the beginning of time, and they continue to this day. How important it is to remember.....
Kyle has joined us. I took him out of Center of Hope. For us, it was really becoming like a bad daycare/nursing home situation and I fought with myself for months. I even cut him back to part time hoping that would make things better. Finally, Sweetheart and I decided to pull him out. He has joined us for math, and I am doing life skills with him. He raked the yard (for cash) and is learning The Shema with us. We are going to begin a new style of Bible learning here....I need to liven it up for them. The Word of God is ALIVE....it is exciting. I want to share that excitement with my little ones. Supplies are on today's shopping list, so we will begin tomorrow!
Shane (baby # 5 from the womb) was a dolly! Here he is with Emerson....Emerson is 20 months old and Shane will be 4. Look how tiny he is. I think he wears a size 18 months clothing.
Rachel was thrilled to see him. She was his foster mommy for almost 6 months after he was born. It was hard for her to give him up, but she knew he always belonged to Sherry. 
Sherry came in to town on Thursday night and she spent Friday evening with us. I love my time with her. She is the reason I am a quilter....among other things. Do you have someone in your life that was so big in it, that it changed who you are? That is Sherry to me.
She will be 60 in September (I know!!! She looks amazing) She is a Mom to 8 (4 bio, 4 adopted), a foster mom to countless children who still call her mom to this day, I think she has 5, maybe 6 grandkids. She has buried 2 husbands, both at young ages and in tragic situations, and she is still raising an 8 year old and a 3 year old. See what I mean? Amazing.
My son and his children. 
Sweetheart and his cousin Scott....handsome men, eh? It runs in the family.
My niece April Ann and her husband Mike. I met April when she just turned 3!!! I was her nanny when I was 17. She is in her 30's now!
Here is Sweetheart's 4 generation picture. I love it! My mother in love looked beautiful that day!!!!
We did not take Kyle, Charlotte or Zach. They had an incredible day with my mom!