Thankfulness

First. let me say how grateful I am to each and every one of you for your prayers and well wishes. What a wonderful and supportive group of friends I have here in Blogland and I thank God for you.

One reason I hadn't already asked for prayer is because I felt that what I'm dealing with is just a minor little thing compared to what a lot of you are going through. But I also feel that the Lord has given me a wake up call here and now it's up to me to do something about it, with His help and the prayers of those who care about me.

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Now on to cheerful things! Jennifer at dust bunny hostage gave me this award a few days ago. Even though I'm just getting around to picking it up, I appreciate it very much. I met Jen when she first started her blog and I was immediately drawn to her....probably because of that magnetic personality of hers! When I visit there I always get a blessing, a smile, or a belly laugh and sometimes all these emotions from one post! I love this girl!! Thank you so much, Jen, for acknowledging our friendship with this award.

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Many of you have asked to see new pictures of Josie. Well, today was the debut of her first studio pictures and her Mommy sent me the proofs to view. Even though they can't be enlarged you can get an idea of how she's growing and changing. My sweet baby is already 7 weeks old!

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Now I'm off to visit all of you and catch up on all I've missed the past few days.

Feeling unnessary..

I've mentioned before that my mother had a strange way with words. One thing I can remember her saying was, "I feel so unnessary!" I learned at a young age to "read" my mother but I never fully understood this statement until I was older. I realize now that she was in a state of limbo..not feeling well enough to keep going but not bad enough to sit down and quit or just go to bed. Well, that's the state I'm in right now...feeling unnessary!

I've never been one to frequent my doctor's office. I'm more of a wait and see what happens kind of person. I started having symptoms which I thought was just a virus and I'd wait it out. Then came even more symptoms until I could wait no longer. I went to my doctor on Friday and he officially pronounced me diabetic! I've been teetering on the border for several years now. He seems to think that all these symptoms stemmed from my messed up blood sugar levels. So he put me on medication which my body seems to have a problem adjusting to. He said it might take some time so I'm waiting it out again.

I told Betty in an email last night about what's going on with me. She had noticed that I wasn't online as much or blogging as much. She told me she would be praying for me, but reminded me of the wonderful prayer group we have in Blogland and that I really should ask for your prayers. So here I am, asking. Basically, I'm asking you to pray that my body will adjust to this medication soon and that I'll be able to turn around all my bad eating habits. I've been on diets off and on for many years but this is a whole new ballgame to me.

Thank you, my friends, for always being there and praying. A special thank you to Betty for giving me a nudge!

The Lighthouse

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom do I fear?
The Lord is my life's refuge; of whom am I afraid?

Psalm 27:1

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(Old Orchard Beach, Maine)

A book, awards, fun and games...

My book arrived today from Karla at Ramblin' Roads! She thought I might be a "rattled" Granny since I haven't taken care of a baby in 8 years! Thank you so much Karla. I know this little book is going to come in handy!



I received this award from my new buddy and hammered dulcimer player, Mike at Rambling Stuff. Thank you, Mike. I'm honored that you thought of me. If you haven't visited Mike yet, go on over and say hello. He has a link to a video of a very talented girl playing the hammered dulcimer.



The following awards are from my sweet friend and coffee buddy, Karen at Karen's Korner. I love to tease Karen about visiting everybody very early in the morning and drinking all the coffee before I get there! We have had lots of fun with that one! Thank you so much, Karen, for passing these along. I will treasure all these awards!







When I did this post with a list of my weirdness, one thing on my list was the fact that I can write backwards. Karen commented that I should show this talent on my blog sometime! Okay, Karen, you asked for it! Here's a sample:



Now get those hand mirrors out and tell me what it says! Maybe some of you have the talent to read backwards which would be helpful here! Then after you've done that fun game, look at this 3D stereogram and see if you can see the picture within a picture:



Have a fun Thursday, all.

My tiara fits...

When I visited Tammy's blog today I was reminded of why I started this blog. This one line from her touched me: Hey, I'm here, and I matter. Please read all that she has to say and you'll understand why I "wear" this tiara proudly:



First and foremost, I had things to say, stories to share...stories passed down to me from my parents and their parents before them...then finally my own stories. After all, I haven't lived 60 years for nothing...I've seen things happen in my time and many changes take place.

For instance, Karen had a post today about Martin Luther King, in honor of Black History Month. When I read it I thought, I was there...I remember. I remember riding the bus to town with my mother when I was about five years old, long before we had a car. I always begged her to sit in the back where the big long seat was and lots of windows where I could peer out at the sights that were all new to me then. She would quietly tell me no every time without explanation and I wasn't allowed to question my mother. It wasn't until I started school and learned to read that I noticed the sign at the back of the bus...COLORED ONLY--NO WHITES ALLOWED! I was there...I remember.

I have this sign at one end of my porch:



With today's hectic schedules we don't do much sitting and talking anymore. Even families don't communicate like they should. But, my children and grandchildren read my blog and they read my stories. Another important reason to blog!

I also wanted to share bits and pieces of our old farmhouse, the remodeling, the fixin' and more fixin'. This old house may not look like much to some but it was a dream come true to me. It's certainly not perfect by any means and neither am I, and you know what? I wouldn't have it any other way! It's a work in progress and so am I!

So, I started a blog! Then an amazing thing happened. I started meeting friends in Blogland. Through them I met other friends, and on and on...and comments were coming from these new friends. Then comments came from people I didn't know yet, people telling me they were praying for me and my family and our needs at the time. I knew in my heart that these comments were sincere. I looked forward to my daily visits at each friend's blog home. I started looking forward to my comments, knowing each of these people had come here to see what I had to say!

I had to chuckle today when I received this comment from a new friend, J.D.:

"You have so many visitors here, I almost didn't find a place to park.....JD"

Well, J.D., I'll just have to build a bigger parking lot cause I hope to have a lot more company here!!

Hey, I'm here, and I matter. And as most of you already know, I have much to say! Thank you, my precious family and my dear friends, for listening. Thank you, Tammy, for the reminder!

More weird things about me??

I have been tagged again to tell you 7 weird or random things about me! This time by Betty at Betty's This and That. I think this is about the third time I've done this meme but I just keep coming up with more weirdness, not to mention random-ness!! Lots of that going on with me. Anyway, ya gotta have rules in every game...right? Unless, of course, you make up your own game with no rules! I've been know to do that too! But, since this wasn't my game, I'm going to play nice. So here's the rules:

1. Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post THE RULES on your blog.
3. Post 7 weird or random facts about yourself on your blog.
4. Tag 7 people and link to them.
5. Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.

Ok, I did cheat a little..I copied Betty's rules from her page! :o) Here again is some of my weirdness:

1. I have always had strong nails and could grow them easily but I never liked long nails!


2. I always peel my apples when I eat them. I can't stand to bite into an apple peel. It makes me shiver and get chills. Sorta like the fingernails scraping on a chalkboard, which by the way never bothered me at all!

3. I am the youngest of 6 children. My next youngest sister is 6 years older than me. I grew up with my nieces and nephews who felt more like my siblings.


4. I love to eat cake batter. I always loved to "sop the bowl" when my mother made a cake but I could never get enough of the batter. Dave and I once made a chocolate cake batter and ate almost all of it. We were sick!

5. I like for people to look me in the eye when they talk to me. I don't trust people who don't! I feel they have something to hide!


6. I can write backwards about as well as I can write forward. I don't know what this skill will profit me but I have it! I do it to entertain the grandkids. I write something and tell them it's a secret code. They have to have a mirror to read it! I guess I do use this skill...to entertain!!

7. Now that I'm older, I hate getting dressed up to go out. If I could I'd wear my PJ's 24-7. I'm all about comfort!

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Ok, that's it! Everything else about me gets even stranger so you better not ask for more! I'm just kiddin'. If ya'll really want to know I'll tell ya!

Now for the fun part...I get to tag 7 people. I'll tag some of my new bloggy friends, but if any of you have been tagged before you don't have to play. But, hey, I know I can't be the only one that can list 21 weird things about themselves and still think of more, can I??

I tag:

Lisa at A Place to Land

Jo at Bits and Pieces

Lynne at Lynne's Little Corner of the World

Claudia at Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Ruth at Whispering Oaks Cottage

Mike at Rambling Stuff

Adrienne at With A Grateful Heart

Most all of these new but already dear friends showed up on my blog when my little Josie was sick to tell me they were praying for her. I had never met them before but they were praying for my baby. How that touched my heart! Claudia is a new blogger in our community and such a sweet person. I just met Jo who lives on a mountain..I like that about her! :o) Please go over and visit each one of them...oh, and don't forget to tell them Hope sent you!

Most of you already know my sweet southern belle friend, Betty, but if you haven't met her you don't know what you're missing. Thank you, Betty for asking me to participate.

Be grateful for the morning dew...

Be grateful for the kindly friends that walk along your way; Be grateful for the skies of blue that smile from day to day; Be grateful for the health you own, the work you find to do, For round about you there are men less fortunate than you. Be grateful for the growing trees, the roses soon to bloom, The tenderness of kindly hearts that shared your days of gloom; Be grateful for the morning dew, the grass beneath your feet, The soft caresses of your babes and all their laughter sweet. Acquire the grateful habit, learn to see how blest you are, How much there is to gladden life, how little life to mar! And what if rain shall fall today and you with grief are sad; Be grateful that you can recall the joys that you have had.
Edgar Albert Guest (1881 - 1959)

Happy things..

I called this morning to check on Josie and I'm happy to report that she had a good, restful night. Mommy and Daddy are a little tired from being at the hospital, worried and losing sleep but doing better today too. Thank you again, my friends, for your prayers.

On another happy note, I want to share Dave's new find (my new treasure) with you. He found this little enamel top table at the flea market at a great price, as usual! He thinks it needs to be painted...I think it just needs to be scrubbed and left looking chippy. What do you think?



Usually when you find a table like this it's just that..a lone table. This time there was an added bonus...two little white chairs with the matching red accents.



The chairs had been covered with the red and white checks which I think says "farmhouse"!



Our kitchen is not big enough to be an eat-in kitchen but this table and chairs are small enough to fit plus we will have extra seating if we need it. I think it will be nice when spring comes and we can have our coffee here at this little table in front of the open window! Ahhh...Spring....