Please Pray for My Mom

You might recall that my mom had her right hip replaced in April.  Well, she is having the left hip replaced on Monday, July 21st.

Her right hip, her "new" hip, is doing great and she is almost completely pain free.

But the left hip, the "old" hip, is really giving her fits.  Arthritis is wreaking havoc on the joint and she is really in a lot of pain. 

I would appreciate your prayers for a successful surgery, for a quick recovery, and for peace.  She is, of course, nervous about the surgery.  If you're like me, and like to pray for someone by name, know that her name is Donnavee.  I know that God will be in that operating room with her.  He is The Healer.

It is beautiful here in Missouri today.  Temperatures in the 70s, blue skies and low humidity.  Feels more like fall (my favorite) than summer.  This kind of weather is a rarity for the middle of July around these parts.  Thank the Lord for recent rainfall.  We've not had an abundance of rain, but we've had rain every time we've really needed it.

Oh, and something I haven't talked about lately . . . gas prices.  $3.39 per gallon around here.

Next week I'll be sharing some details about a trip my daughter and I are taking very soon.  Passports are required . . . .

Stay tuned, and please keep my mom in your prayers!! 

Change

Good Morning to you (or afternoon or evening depending on when you are taking the time to read this little blog of mine)!!!

Wow.  Can you believe today is the first day of July??  Another year half over.  I can't believe it myself.  Soon the days will get shorter, the temperatures will start dropping (which frankly is fine with me) and fall will be peeking around the corner.  Fall is my favorite time of year, hands down.  And yet, fall means winter is coming.  And winter in Missouri is no picnic.

Yesterday was my husband's 49th birthday.  We are the same age for 9 days.  And then.  And then.  My 50th birthday on July 9th.  Talk about something I can't believe.

I remember when 50 was old.  Seriously.  When I was in my 20s and 30s I really thought someone 50 was old.

I don't feel 50.  I don't feel old.  And those of you who ARE 50 and then some know what I mean.  I don't feel any older than when I was 25.  I really, really don't.

I somehow thought that by the time I was 50 my life would be slowing down.  It hasn't.  I still work full time and  as long as I work full time I will always be busy.  I used to think busy equaled good.  Now I'm not so sure.

But one thing I know, my life is changing.  My handsome son has bought a house and moved out.  I am so proud.  He has finished his first month at his big kid job.  He loves it.  I miss him.  I miss his messy room, and I miss his muddy boots on the floor.  People tell you when your kids are little that you will miss every second of it , and you think "NOT."  But you will.

Not that I'm counting, but we move our daughter to college in 45 days.  45 days until she no longer lives at home. 45 days until it's just back to me and my handsome husband.  45 days until our lives change forever.

Am I sad?? Are you kidding.  I cry just thinking about it.  I am so proud of her.  She will love college life.  She is ready.  I hear people say "I can't wait til' my kids get out of the house."  I have no comprehension of that.  If I could turn the clock back 15 years, I would do it in a heartbeat.  I would enjoy my kids more.  I would cherish every second more.  Because I would realize just how quickly the time would pass.  I guess that's why everyone loves their grandkids.  Because that's your second chance. 

I don't know if I am ready for all this change??  I don't know what I "do" next??  I've been a full-time mom for 21 years.  Now I am just mom from a distance. 

My microwave died last weekend.  The handle broke, so for safety reasons of course it won't turn on anymore.  My microwave oven was 27 years old.   Seriously.  I had had that microwave for over HALF OF MY LIFE.  I walk to the new microwave and I have to actually LOOK at it to figure out how to turn it on. That old microwave, I knew exactly what buttons to push.  But this one . . . really, I just want to heat up some water and a couple of tea bags for iced tea.  Three minutes and 20 seconds, then push start.  But wait?  This new microwave doesn't TAKE 3 minutes and 20 seconds to boil the water.  Change.

Life is so good.  I am so blessed.  And yet all this change is unsettling.  I keep waiting for things to get back to normal.  And then I realize the old normal is over.  Coming home to both kids, over.  My old microwave oven is gone.  I have to find a new normal.

I have less laundry to do.  I have more leftovers.

And I'm trying to figure out how I, ME, fits into all this change.  Because I know that I have to change too.  I can't keep wishing I could turn back the clock. That isn't going to happen.  I have to "embrace change."

How the heck do I do that???

Family Reunion 2014

Last weekend was the family reunion for my dad's side of our family.  You may recall, we have these reunions every two years.  Usually, every fourth year they are in Missouri 1998, (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016).  We were in Las Vegas in 2000, Biloxi, Mississippi, in 2002, San Francisco in 2006, Las Vegas in 2010, and last weekend we were in Estes Park, Colorado.

I had never been to Estes Park before, and I can tell you it is FANTASTIC!!  I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves beautiful mountains, cool temperatures and, NO HUMIDITY!!!

 While we were there, we also took a tour of the historic Stanley Hotel. I love ANY kind of history, so the tour was very interesting to me.  And just so you know, the movie "The Shining" WAS NOT FILMED AT THIS HOTEL!!!  Stephen King spent the night at this hotel, in Room 217, and got the inspiration for the book, but Stanley Kubrick's movie "The Shining" with Jack Nicholson was not filmed at all at this hotel.

The hotel is simply gorgeous.  And we got the history on the twin brothers, F.E. Stanley and F.O. Stanley, and how F.O. Stanley was diagnosed with tuberculosis and sent to the mountains to die.  But he thrived in the mountains near Estes Park. His health was restored and he actually built this building as a GUEST HOUSE so his wife could invite their friends to spend summers there.  The property wasn't used as a hotel until the 1930s.

If you ever get a chance to head to this part of Colorado, I would highly recommend Estes Park.  It is a neat little town with lots of shops, and a beautiful river walk area. 

We had a fantastic time!!  And we had about 80 people attend the reunion.


Blessings to each one of you!!

A Thankful Heart and THRIVE!!!

I do a lot of praying in the shower.  No, I really do.  It's quiet, I'm alone, I think the shower is a great place to pray. 

So this morning I started praying for all of my family (which I do every day), praying for the son of a co-worker who had surgery yesterday.  Praying for the sons of two ladies whose blogs I follow (both boys are named Grayson and I'm sure their mamas would appreciate your praying for healing for them too).  Praying, praying praying.  I mean, we're supposed to pray about everything, right??  The Bible says in I Thessalonians 5:17  Pray without ceasing.

And as I was praying this morning, the thought came into my mind "why don't you give thanks for what you have before you pray for what you need."

Wow.

So I started praising God, thanking Him for my husband and my kids, for my parents, for my sisters and their families.  I thanked Him for my house and for my job and for the beautiful sunrise this morning.  I thanked Him for health, and for being so good to me when I don't deserve any of it.

And I thanked Him for salvation, and for the promise of eternal life.

I'm still praying today.  I'm still praying for everything I started praying about this morning.

But I'm PRAISING too.  

And I bet, if you think about it, you have much to be thankful for as well.  And I know that God loves to hear us say thank you. 

If you have a moment, click on the video below and listen to a song that I just can't get out of my head lately. It's called THRIVE by one of my favorite groups, Casting Crowns:

Have a blessed day!!

Worship

Amen.

The Graduates

On Saturday our son, Cole, graduated from Lincoln University, Cum Laude, with a Bachelor's in AgriBusiness. 

On Sunday our daughter, Alex, graduated from Eldon High School in the Top Ten Percent of her class.

We are more than proud.

Just so you know, I pray for everyone who reads my blog.  And I am certain some of you who read my blog pray for me and my family. And for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart.   I would ask that, as the Lord brings my family to your mind, that you would lift my children before the Lord.  Please pray that, as they both move into the next season of their lives, their hearts would stay close to God.  That He would watch over them, protect them, lead them, and guide them every day of their lives.  And say a prayer for two parents who love their children more than life itself, and have shed a few tears these past few days. 

My cup runneth over.  Thanks for allowing me to brag on my family. 

Top Ten

My beautiful daughter, Alex is in the Top Ten Percent of her graduating class academically.

I am so proud.

I use that phrase a lot on this blog.  "I am so proud."

But I am.  

I am proud of my son, and proud of my daughter.

Just to let you in on what's happening Down On The Farm this weekend . . . . TWO GRADUATIONS!

Yep, our son graduates from college on Saturday, and our daughter graduates from high school on Sunday.

So just warning you.  There will be PICTURES and SHAMELESS BRAGGING going on next week.

I am so proud :).