I have tonsils in my Spine???

For Today:

Outside My Window: The sun is just starting to come up. The birds are singing. Another wonderful day to come!!

I am thinking: So much to do. Shipping, Listing, Gardening, Cleaning. Yea, I think I'll leave that last one to Mom today. I started doing laundry at 5:00 this morning, but decided that I'd leave that for her and do what I NEED to do.....listing to eBay!

I am thankful for: The VERY little time we had at the river yesterday. Even Bobby, Slibs and Rebel came down. Rebs didn't get to go at all last year. He sure did enjoy himself!!!!

From the Kitchen: Something low carb. Yesterday was a high carb day.....those days are awesome!!! Today....not so much!! Boiled eggs and bacon for breakfast. Probably Grilled Chicken and Broccoli and Cheese for dinner. Maybe Salad?????

I am hoping: To get all my daylillies divided and replanted today. I'm hoping Mom divides hers tomorrow so I can finish planting the ones she's going to give me Wednesday and be done with it!!

I am reading: Online scriptures and devotions! Not much else. Working on that......

I am creating: Purtyful flowerbeds!

I am praying: For strength to make it through this day. The longer I'm up, the more I'm realizing that I'm really sick this morning. Not just allergies like I thought. Feeling feverish and have cold symptoms, bleck!!!!!!

I'm still praying for Sarah. This new medicine hasn't helped the headaches. She does NOT want to go through this surgery. As long as she can stand the headaches, she probably won't have it. If she starts having trouble swallowing, that's when we won't have a choice anymore :-(

We're still confused about the cause of the compression. I've always heard it was the brain stem that is being pulled into the spine that causes the problem. The doctor is talking about her tonsils being pulled into the spine. Weird......I guess that would explain the eventual problem with swallowing that occurs, but still.....WEIRD!!!!

I am hearing: The cat taking a bath right beside me. Gross.

One of my favorite things: My new Jean Warehouse of course!! AND my new Fanpage for my eBay store!! If you haven't already......look it up and join.......CJ's Family Store on Facebook!!!!


Around the house: Everybody (except Rob of course) is still sleeping, even Rebs.


A few plans for the rest of the week: Gardening today. Free eBay consultation for my "business" tomorrow, woohoo!! May have to go to the river Thursday through Sunday to work on the leaky roof.....


Mini Devotion: Speak out to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, offering praise with voices (and instruments) and making melody with all your heart to the Lord. Ephesians 5:19

The way you speak to yourself is as important as the way you speak to others! It's too easy to fall into the trap of negative talk....about our problems, our struggles, our disappointments, etc.

Life is not always easy. Boy, don't we all know that! God has filled us with His spirit to be able to handle the difficult times a little easier. If you're going through a hard time, think on all the blessings you have instead of the troubles. Don't forget that God has blessed us with our health, our families, our homes, our Church friends who lift us up in prayer, and all the other little things that we take for granted every day!

Choose to think on these things, and ask God for help with the rest. Choose your words wisely today.....words to yourself and to others. They have the power of life or death.


Here is the picture I am sharing:

It was so cold at the river that the kiddos slept with their heads under the covers all night. No matter how cold it is though, Bobby has to have a fan. So....with the fan and the fact that we didn't realize the ceiling vent was OPEN, it was freezing in there when they woke up!!

This "blob" is Slibs, sleeping on the pull out couch!!

I took a pic of Bobby sleeping on the kitchen floor, but it it didn't turn out!
(Yes, I said Kitchen floor! Poor fella, lol!!!)

This is where we had dinner. Had to take this picture for Sophie!
They said their Sophie is actually the owners 2 year old daughter. How sweet!!

Bye for now! Have a blessed day, and be a blessing to somebody this week. It's the little things that mean the most!!

Pray for our Children!

For Today:

Outside My Window: The wind is blowing and it's sooo nice out at 5:00 this morning!!! I'm not going to complain about the coming drop in temps. I've been ready for spring.....not summer!!!!!

I am thinking: I have sooo much to do, but want to start this day with Praise to my Lord and Savior with my blog! The rest will work it's way out through the day.....don't stress :-)

I am thankful for: The fact that my kids seem to be able to know and do what is right MOST of the time. We know several families struggling with the bad choices their young adult children have made. Thank God that even though Bobby isn't in Church right now (but he will be, I have faith!!), he has learned the lessons his dad has tried to teach him about right and wrong, and tries really hard to do the right things. I'm so thankful he doesn't have to struggle with the addictions that seem sooo normal for kids these days.



The 7 sales I had on eBay yesterday. And the 2 sales already this morning! God has really blessed us! I just knew these changes were going to be so bad, but they've actually been sooo good! I don't know about profits, I guess I'll see when my next invoice comes due, how much the increase is affecting me! I really needed a jump in sales just to cover the $43.00 a month increase in fees! Selling an extra 4-5 pairs of jeans a month would cover it, and so far it's working, yay!!!!!



From the Kitchen: Well, not sure. I'll have to rummage through the freezer and see what's calling my name. Maybe the Mexican Chicken Enchilada Dinner I bought the other day. Looked good to us, but we've never tried it before. I doubt I'll have time for a cooking marathon, so frozen will have to do.

I am hoping: To start a new ministry with Rob at Church. We've been asked to work with Angel Food Ministries to provide affordable discounted food to our community and Church Family. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this ministry, and can't wait to start!

I am reading: Still reading scripture and devotions online, and trying to keep up with our nightly couples devotions, but it's sooo hard lately.

I am creating: Space for the 71 pairs of jeans I bought yesterday! 71 pairs for $200.00. THAT was awesome!!!

I am praying: For several families. My cousin Jack's daughter Kim and her husband Clayton lost her twin babies Easter Sunday. I can't imagine the pain and heartbreak. God gained two beautiful little angels, and they'll watch over you until you meet them in heaven. What do you say at a time like this? There's nothing to take the pain away. Kim has always loved kids so much, and I know more than anything she longs to be a mommy. God will honor that wish Kim. We don't know or understand His plans, but we know they are perfect, and so is His timing. God will bless you with more children, and you will be a GREAT mom! Of that, I have no doubt!!!


Also, three families are having issues with their young adult sons. They've made choices that have lead to addictions, legal troubles, and unbelivable pain and hardship for their families. God can turn these situations around, and I pray He will. It makes me so sad to think about how the devil is out to devour our children. If ever they needed prayer, they need it today. Don't forget to lift your kids up in prayer EVERY day! Satan is just waiting to snatch them up and if we're not praying for them, who will?????


I'm also praying for my hubby. His load is never lifted. He has sooo much to do inside and outside of the house, and so little time. Every time he gets one thing done, two things fall apart. He needs a husband, lol!! A FREE handyman househusband!! That would be so cool. Thank you baby for working so hard, with no time just to enjoy yourself. Your sacrifices are noticed and appreciated more than you could know!!!!!

I am hearing: Rebs is laying in the hallway dreamimg, and making little doggie squeeky noises while "running" in place. Too cute!!!! And the birds are singing their hearts out this morning. It sounds so "Springy"!!!

One of my favorite things: Ya'll.....did you know there is a Thrift Store Paradise out there??? On Midlothian Turnpike (Richmond exit), there are 3....yes 3....thrift stores within a minute of each other. And another not far away! Oh my goodness......I was in heaven! Well, until that man came in dressed in his best hooker outfit. Even women hoochies don't dress THAT bad, but that's a story for another day. Anyway, I found the Goodwill outlet!!! Why hasn't anybody told me about this place before??????? I knew it existed, but I didn't know where. They had huge bins full of clothes, and you paid for them by the pound. It was awesome! I got two GINORMOUS bags full of jeans for $40.00! I should have taken a picture for the blog but dude......I was preoccupied!!!!!!!

Around the house: Jeans.....lots of jeans.

A few plans for the rest of the week: No doctors appointments this week!!! Joyyyyyyy :-)
Today I have to plant a couple of veggies in pots, I have lots more, but Rob has to dig up my garden plot this weekend. We were planning on going to the river, then we decided not to, then we weren't sure. I think it still stands at "not sure"! There's so much to do around the house. But.......


Devotional: Worship God from a heart of gratitude for who He is, and let Him speak to you today. True worship creates an atmosphere where He CAN speak to us, and He wants our expressions of praise and love for Him to be as natural and spontaneous as breathing.

O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker (in reverent praise and supplication). Psalm 95:6



Here is the picture I am sharing:

We thought for a second about going for the Gangsta...oops, I mean dignified look for Easter:

Sooo cute!

My man makes a mean ice cream and strawberry dessert! It was yummy!!

I know ya'll are just DYING to see my new warehouse/office makeover, lol!!!

BEFORE:



AFTER:

Can you tell a difference? Yes you can!!!! Well....I can!!!!


This is all Rob has left of HIS shed,
Have a blessed day everyone,
and BE a blessing to somebody somewhere along the way!!

And Then She Cracked!

Ahhhhh, today is Thankful Thursday. I didn't want to do the usual "fill in the blank" For Today blog that I've been using. Since it's almost Easter, and I've been thinking about how much I have to be thankful for, I thought I'd do a real blog for a change!

I don't know about you, but for me, Easter represents a time of renewal. All that's dreary becomes fresh and alive again. It's Spring...time for the flowers to bloom, time for the weather to change, time for more sun and less darkness. Time (almost) to plant our veggies and watch the glorious fruits of our labor ripen to perfection!!!! I LOVE this time of year.

Best of all, it's time to remember that special day that Jesus rose again......a day that changed our future forever, Praise His Name!! I'm so glad Jesus loved us enough to die for our sins and give us the promise of everlasting life with God in heaven. That is the hope we have.....the promise we live for.....the reason we serve Him....He is (or should be) our everything!!!

Today I am soo thankful for MEDICINES!!!! Sarah has gotten some relief from her headaches with a new med. It's still not a cure all, last night she was in a lot of pain again, but it does help. She just can't seem to catch a break lately. But she is one tough girl, and keeps plugging on....

I keep thinking about what happened in our marriage class Sunday. Catherine was teaching, and she was talking about how hard it was when Mark broke his wrist, and the hospital stay, and trying to take care of everything and being so incredibly tired all the time. And through her tears as she talked about it, she said she thought about me, and how I go through that all the time. Then Donna started talking about how nobody knows what it's really like until you've been there, taking care of a handicapped child. Well.......so of course I cracked like a raw egg, crying a river, grateful that somebody does understand how hard it can be!

But as hard as it can be on me, that's nothing compared to what Sarah goes through. I just want to take all the pain away, I want to give her my legs so she can run around and do normal things with her friends like shop and go out to eat. All the things we take for granted. I know how hard those things are for her to deal with. Yet, she doesn't complain (much). She's such an inspiration to me!!

I don't know why I went there. I just needed to say it I guess. But as hard as we have it sometimes, thank God this year has been the exception. Things aren't usually this bad, and there have been plenty of years without hospital stays and surgeries and complications. We're all looking forward to getting back to that place!

I'm so thankful for my Bobby too. My short little man is such an awesome son!! He pretty much has taken over the yard work from his daddy already (without asking, woo hoo!), and provides me with comic relief, although his humor is quite dry. He just cracks me up!! I'm so thankful he got his old job back. God has been good to him!!

And then there's my hubby. What an awesome man God has blessed me with! I'm forever thankful that God put us together! Who knew all those years ago that just one street over lived the man of my dreams? Pretty incredible I would say!!

Beautiful Flowers from Rob this week!

I'm thankful that the eBay changes haven't affected me in the negative way I thought it might. I was afraid nobody would find my stuff once the changes came. But....with 6 sales yesterday.....that didn't seem to happen. I'm sooo tired of eBay though. I want time to work in my flower beds, deep clean my house, cook like I want to, work on projects that get pushed to the side, etc. There's just not enough time in the day.

Hopefully the Drs. appointments will die down now and I can spend more time at home. Except Bobby has me running to the Auto Parts store today. I guess it will always be something, lol!!

My cat should be thankful I can't reach her right this minute. She's sitting on the dining room table like it's her throne or something. If I was closer........grrrr! She found a stack of newspapers. I don't know why she likes them, anything small and stacked.....she claims it as her own!

I'm thankful for the visit with my brother and his family. I LOVE them, and don't get to see them enough! Everybody is growing up wayyy too fast! And Rob is going to be 40 this month. 40-40-40-40-40-40!!!!!! OMG, he is sooo old. He's always been my little brother. Now he's my OLD little brother. How does this happen??????

By the way, these are the reasons I can't find a new Easter Outfit. Not gonna buy one in an expanded size, lol!!!!

I'm thinkin it was soooooo worth it!

I guess I'll go for now. I have a list a mile long of stuff that needs to be done today. If I can stay off of Facebook and get a tiny portion of them done, I'll be happy!!


I wish everyone a very Happy Easter! Enjoy time with your family, and don't forget to thank God for the priceless gift he gave us in His Son, Jesus Christ!!


He is not here, for He has risen......Matthew 28:6