Uncle Joseph's 61st Birthday

Happy Birthday, Joseph Stephen Young! In a little over a month, I'll catch up to you. I thought your birthday was the 6th, and after texting my kids to remind them, I called you. Josiah and I both wished you a HAPPY day, and you graciously received our wellwishes. And then you told us that we were two days early. Tomorrow you drive your older brother Daniel to the airport where he'll fly fly away.
I was telling Josiah my happiness. He suggested I blog it. Here's what made me happy...
Louisey and Duncan were having a nice quiet morning before the rest of the family emerged from their wing of the house. She was trying to feed the little wiggleworm his oatmeal. He had on slippery pjs and kept sliding off his chair under the table. I hear rumours that he was talking meanwhile. When she heard him say, "Meemaw", she peeked under the table to find him holding a picture of his grandma (moi) and Louise taken when he was a newborn.
Duncan had recognized me! That blew me away. When I call the girls they often tell him to say, "Meemaw" and "I love you" to me on the phone. While I love hearing his precious little voice say my name, I didn't really think he knew who I was.
Then I got to wondering if it blesses God's heart when we recognize His Hand in life situations.
For instance; Hannah is displaying her crocheted goods in a coffeeshop during the month of January. She needed some wig stands for her hats and cowls, but she thinks they're creepy. One day right before she set up the display, she and Louise just happened to be at a store where two beautiful glass wig stands were on sale (very inexpensively!). They were made of recycled glass and if you'd like to see how classy they are, go to:
www.flutterbyhannah.blogspot.com
Hannah recognized God in this situation, for she told me the story and exclaimed, "How gracious God is!".
I bet He loves it when his little kids recognize Him.

Carol Lewis

just finished watching the slideshow Kim put together in loving memory of her mama, Carol Lewis. I think all my tears are dried now, so it's off to finish my cleaning.

Pillow of Love and journally things

This is not a picture of the famous pillow. This is my mumu flanked by Whispy and Booker. Whispy is now in heaven, while Booker is crated with two blankets draped over his cage. That's to muffle his howls.

Toby, while not pictured here, is a cute doggie. He's somewhat socially impaired however and has turned to Booker's round, blue doggy pillow for comfort. Sometimes I'll find him solacing himself when I enter the office to use the computer. He sort of bunches the pillow up, strides it and begins the procedure. I thought it revolting when I first caught him at it, but Sheryl can put a sweet spin on anything and she laughingly explained to me that yes, this was the pillow of love.

Is it permissable to add a postscript to an unfinished post? May I place my PS right at the beginning? Thanks!

PS Sheryl threw the pillow in the trash a few weeks ago and the trash guys hauled it away! Insert BIG smiley face.

I just read Liz Robertson's second post about Guatemala. She mentioned rain. I will copy her and mention lots of rain, thunder and lightning that we've been experiencing here in Muncie recently. Day after day.

Next, I will tell my readers that God is amazing, wonderful, faithful, kind and patient. He's generous and loving and humble (yes...that's Scripture) and SO trustworthy. Jonathan is in a year-long residential program for folks who want to be free from all substance abuse. He's doing wonderfully and is growing like a weed. Maybe a lush, green, edible weed, like poke. Or maybe not a weed....maybe a...a...oh Hannah, you suggest something appropriate!!

We did go to Indy to the Tea Party Rally; we did hear Sandy Patti sing, and we DID hear George Bush speak! 'Twas fun.

Since then I've been to Lawrenceville to visit my sweet Josiah. He was hit by a car while riding his scooter, and he had to have plates inserted into his arm to repair shattered bones. He got a car to drive and it's the same color and model as Sheryl's. The Kellers went to Europe for a month. Josiah moved into the Man House near the HOP and lives with Mike, Jacob, Stephen, and someone else. He lost his phone again and I haven't texted him or chatted with him in AGES. Too long. He works at Panera and is taking some summer classes in college.

Louisey and I have tickets for Guate in August.

I'm longing for Chris, Hannah and Delectable to come to Muncie. Hannah is crocheting hats and is hoping to advertise them on etsy and Fb so she can contribute to the cashflow of her home.

Louise is teaching The Song of Solomon (IHOP message) to Amarilis and me on Thursday nights in Spanish. Jonathan came to the last one and liked it.

Laurie Lunsford gave Louise a beautiful, oak upright piano. Louise has a darling garden, and she and her dad have both planted lots of pretty flowers in her yard. She is getting acquainted with her neighbors.

Amarilis is blossoming into a beautiful, graceful woman of God. How I rejoice to see this.

God is very busy keeping His promise to me of family restoration. I believe Joseph's family is included in this plan.

Well, that's all for now.

Bored?

I'm bored. Actually, now I'm not, since I began reading my own blog. How could my very own posts bore me? It's like a pretty lady in her twenties all dressed up in fashionable well-fitting clothes looking in a store window and seeing her reflection. Boring? Hardly. Absolutely fascinating.

Using Sheryl's computer is such a privilege; I can check my email and facebook and see if there's anything interesting on Sid Roth...ah, heaven. Normally. Today I would like to be in the kitchen preparing Josiah's gift box for the mail. His birthday is on Monday, and I've waited til today (Thursday) to get it done. But I'm being forced to sit here at the computer by the dogs; they keep wandering around looking for a comfy spot to spend the day, and the spot that's most attractive to them is Sheryl's bed. Because she's in it. Usually she'd be at work on a Thursday morning at 10:00, but today is a VERY SPECIAL DAY!

I'll back up a bit and tell you all the details.

My roomie and the owner of this house took the last three days of this week off in order to have ample time to get to DC and back. She was planning to join the Tea Party Tax Day Protest on the Mall. And I was going with her. She made the trip last Fall and thoroughly enjoyed herself; we couldn't wait for the next event on April 15, 2010. In September she rode from Indy to DC with a busful of likeminded Tea Partiers; 300 dollars covered the trip including hotel room and two meals a day. We assumed we'd be offered the same option for this April's trip. She hasn't found one bus going this time...weird! We're tempted to think there's a conspiracy afoot to thwart this protest. Today being April 15 our alternate plan is to go to the rally in Indianapolis. But that isn't what makes today SPECIAL!!!!! Sheryl bought tickets to see former president George W. Bush IN PERSON! Yes. After the protest meeting, we're planning to walk to the stadium and not only hear Sandy Patti sing but see the former president himself. Oh glorious day for my friend. He's one of her all-time favorite people. I'm turning around right now to count how many George W. Bush bobble heads she has lined up on her bookcase...19. Along with two little GWB statues (one is of George in a space suit) and a lovely figurine of Laura. Are you catching the joy?

Sweet Sheryl was awakened twice this morning by friends phoning for prayer; when she groggily emerged from her room to let the doggies out, she asked my assistance with them. If she can just get a few hours more sleep, she'll help me get Josiah's box mailed later. Hence the dogs' power over me. I MUST keep them out of Sheryl's room til she's had her nap.

Toby and Bookie are asleep on the pillow of love. Have I told you how the aforenamed cushion got its name? No? I'll tell you later. Right now I thought I'd catch up on some of the things that've happened here since my last post. If I'm losing some of you right about now, that's ok. These posts serve me as a journal since I haven't been keeping a hand-written one for some years now.

One day several months ago, I noticed Whispy lying on the couch. She wasn't moving anything but her eyes, and for her breed (mountain cur), this is highly unusual. Mountain curs are bred for hunting squirrels, and according to Sheryl, they're one of the hyperest doggies alive.
I sat by Whispy for a while...long enough to realize that she was ill. By the end of the day, sweet
Whispy had died and was buried in the back yard, and Sheryl was a sad, sad lady. Prior to this, Jonathan had come over for visits, but since that day, he's stayed. Cinnamon was living here temporarily til a good home could be found for her, but since that day, she's stayed. Our community consists of Sheryl, Jonathan, Bookie, Toby, Cinnamon and me. Cinnamon is a Carolina Dog who was just officially registered under the name of Canela Schwizzle.
We are so happy here. God loves us and is conforming us into His own image. That's a promise and we know He don't lie.
I think Jonathan may be starting a job and/or college soon. I like to spend a few nights a week at Louise's apartment down the street from Dan's. Sheryl just fixed up her den and is ordering new carpet...she likes the idea of participating in a house church. Things are never static; we don't know what tomorrow will bring, but we're liking today. Yeah, there's pain going on, but for the joy set before us, we're committed. If anyone reads this, I'm asking for prayer for our family. The attacks continue, but His mercies are new every morning...great is His faithfulness.
PS...my next entry may include an explanation of "The Pillow of Love". :)

another one down the tubes

Just inadvertantly deleted an almost finished entry. Ho hum.

I wanted to put a photo onto this entry, but don't know how. I tried...it got stuck on to my last post. If I'd succeeded in achieving my initial goal, that photo also would have been deleted and the world would have missed seeing Daniel under Louise's new kitchen sink repairing plumbing.
If I can keep my fingers on the correct keys, I may write a new entry soon. For the moment, I'm tired of blogging.

Holding Life Loosely or Change Happens

And a wonderful Good Morning to all you loved ones following this blog! Isn't it great the way the Lord made families...we can each be the other's adoring fan.

I'm sitting at Sheryl's computer; Jonathan is in the den on the couch with Cinammon, and Bookie is curled up on his mat at my side. Toby and Whispy accompanied their mama to Lexington KY for Thanksgiving.

Now that we're all accounted for, I'll quickly recap the last few months of my life.

God in His grace and mercy allowed me to spend some quality time with Chris, Hannah and Duncan before they moved to Texas. We got a phone call one morning saying that one of my kids was in the hospital, so Scott bought me a ticket to fly up here to IN. After hanging out a bit, I decided to stick around and Sheryl offered me her home! There you have it.

Daniel and I had a plan worked out whereby I'd chip in for gas and he'd take me to get my things on his way to Florida with Jonathan. But his vehicles are not reliable and he's rethinking that plan. I may not be able to go get my stuff just yet. I'm considering asking Monica and Jessica to put what they can up in the attic. Maybe the next resident of my little room can use the bed and dresser. Sounds like a pran, eh?

Anyone out there like change? How about lots of change in a short time? I'm not talking about loose change jingling around in pockets. I'm referring to being all settled in somewhere with friends and a schedule and in the time it takes to blink your eyes POOF!!!! you've been transported not only far away but back in time. Major Déjà Vu.

I'm just furnishing a peek into my world here...not trying to win a writing contest. Within one day, I go from Hannah and Chris's apt. in Georgia to Indiana, sharing Louise's little aerie next to Jonathan's room. After a week and a half, the dust settled and I realized that I wanted to stay near Jonathan and Louise but that I needed a place to live. Sheryl came to the rescue and now I'm an official part of her household. There are three doggies and two ladies...we temporarily have Cinammon, as Sheryl offered to train her for Daniel.

Guess what? Louisey just knocked on the door and now both of my sweet grown kiddoes are with me this morning. I'd better go gird my loins for action (cooking). To be continued...

As Usual

As usual today has had its highs and lows (and it's only 8:20 AM).

I spent lovely hours with Duncan last night and this morning as Chris was leaving for work remembered that I'd been scheduled for childcare at the House of Prayer yesterday. I was a 'no show'. Man, I HATE being undependable. So I took Chris to work this morning at 5, came over here to Monica's house and emailed Kayla bowing out of IHOP childcare til next year. Duncan's all the childcare I can handle at the moment.

Then I read Josiah's latest blog entries. What can I say? Words can't express the fullness of my heart as I watch my son grow in the Lord.

I had lots more to write about, but I got called away and forgot it all. Sigh. Old age.