Beyond Bringing Up Boys

I began blogging 5 years ago.   Took a couple years off to nurse a Facebook addiction with periodic spurts here and there.  It takes a few years of age to say that five years is a short span of time, so maybe I'm officially OLD but it just seems like yesterday that we moved to Georgia and my boys were 11, 7, and 3. Today my oldest son turned 16.  That deserves a blog of its own, and I'm working on that, but today my mind and heart are turned toward Pennsylvania, where my dad is in the hospital and his prognosis is grim. We moved here in the summer of 2007. Sure, it seemed like a long way from our families, but we were used to living away, and to be honest, we didn't give that aspect a lot of thought. Until November of that year.  We were excited as we packed and headed to IL to celebrate Thanksgiving with David's family. We were there just a few minutes when David's dad asked me quietly if Glenda (David's mom) had told me about the mass she had found ...

I received a $20.00 coupon in my email for Shutterfly.  I had a project that I had begun over One. Year. Ago and it really needed to "come home." It's on its way! I can just imagine sitting back with my face to the ocean breeze and digging my toes into the warm sand. What great family memories we've made there! Click here to view this photo book larger Photo Book Tip: Create an adventurous travel photo album at Shutterfly.com.

Panicked. Lost my cool. Became hysterical. I  kinda, might have, may have    OVERREACTED . again . The easiest way to sum it up: Lots of DRAMA from the MAMA. Forgiveness sought and received. I need a new day and a fresh start. Lamentations 3:22-24 Because of the Lord's faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are NEW every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say: The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him. Selah.

I love dirty boy clothes. No, that's not a typo. I really do. Well, maybe it's not the dirt exactly. Years ago, I received used clothing for my active 4-year old from a boy who had never worn out a pair of pants in his precious, wheel-chair bound life . From that day on, I purposed that I would never complain about dirty, blown-out knees. And I haven't. And truth be told, the dirty they are-- the happier I am. My boys run, jump, and slide. The consequences are natural so when I see grass and/or red-clay stained knees or blown out holes, I give thanks. Today was no exception.

My first waking thoughts this morning were the lyrics from Road In The Wilderness by Larnelle Harris. With the Red Sea behind them The desert before them The children of God had to trust His plan As they followed and waited Each day He created A way that would lead to the promised land Chorus: He made a road in the wilderness As only He could do He made a road in the wilderness A nd the power of Love broke through And as I rolled over and stretched, my husband asked if he could read a paragraph to me. He read from My Daily Mediation for the Circling Year: As thy days so shall thy strength be. So I never fear that the promise of yesterday will exhaust itself before tomorrow. God's covenant goes with us like the ever-fresh waters of the wilderness. 'They drank of that rock which followed them, and that rock was Christ.' Every fulfillment of God's promise is a pledge of one to come. God has no road without its springs. If His path stretches across wa...

Zachary is almost 16. I look at his baby pictures and want to reach in and pick him up one.more.time. These 16 years have been such a blessing! He's been so easy to parent and such a delight! He wanted to have his friends from the youth group over for a bonfire. We decided that presented a great opportunity to turn it into a surprise birthday party--and give him a dream gift. Zachary has wanted a Taylor acoustic guitar for a long time. David found one on Craigslist that seemed to be a great one-- for a reasonable price--as Taylor's go. He contacted a friend from church, who's a guitar enthusiast,and asked him to go with us to look it over. It was in nearly perfect shape and had the beautiful, full Taylor sound. Trey took it home, changed the strings, added some ebony bridge pins and shined it up. Zach couldn't believe that it was a Taylor and a 200 series . He beamed! In the quiet of the night after everyone left, he came into our room last night and played...

The boys and David were shopping for me at Bath and Body Works on a very busy Christmas Eve. Samuel, in his innocence, read from the label on a body lotion "fresh bosom." His much older and wiser :-) brother quickly corrected him, "that's fresh BALSAM." David said he couldn't tell if anyone laughed, he was looking for the nearest exit. NEVER a dull moment, I tell you.

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David and I anticipated his mom's arrival for a couple of weeks but held our tongues.  It was so difficult! We left the boys about an hour before her flight was due to arrive. They didn't think anything was unusual about that since we occasionally leave alone (one of the many lovely benefits of having a teenager!). Before we arrived with her I called the house and asked them to go to the screen porch because I had something that I wanted to get to our room.  Again, with Christmas so close, it didn't arouse any suspicion. Here's what happened. Sorry about the crazy viewing.  User error with my new camera. We had a wonderful visit. It was rather sad to see the effects of cancer and chemo on her body. She has a CT this week and we should know more then.