What A Way to Break Out of a Drought

 How about 2+ inches of rain in less than an hour...complete with marble-sized hail and 60 mile an hour winds!


Driving around post-storm last night we saw some trees down:

 Nothing shocking...


Until we saw this:

Not a great picture because it was taken in the dark with the zoom lens but this huge sign had fallen and crushed at least six cars.  Thankfully, the cars had been empty at the time.

Dinner Out

Last night I needed to get out of the house.  I had to get my mind off the events of the day.  Several ideas were suggested and discussed...and what we ended up doing was not even in the mix of the discussions...but sometimes those outings turn out to be the most memorable.

So yeah...we went to the A&W and ate outside in the 90* heat.

Once again I was only able to get one semi-good picture of Zack...next time I went to take a picture, he did this:

at least Ollie was a willing subject.

when he wasn't wagging his tail and trying to greet every new person who walked within 10 feet of him.

Saying Goodbye

 Before I begin I need to say that this was one of the most heart-breaking, gut-wrenching days of my life.


You may remember this post that I wrote a while back.  Well...none of us got the kind of healing we wanted for Mikayla...the miracle of an earthly healing.  Instead...Mikayla was reunited with her heavenly Father last Sunday.  

Mikayla's stuffed animals.  She was an animal lover like no other!

Mikayla was a very lucky little girl.  She had two wonderful, Christian parents who taught her about her Savior and Mikayla accepted Jesus into her heart long before the illness that damaged her brain.  


As true Christians, we rejoice for Mikayla knowing that she is healed and in Heaven.  


But that does little to ease the pain we feel from the separation death creates. That pain, I believe, is many times greater when it involves your own child.


Today I realized that I have never attended a funeral for a child.  


Today I heard the cry from a mother's heart as she saw her child's face for the last time on this earth.


Today I pray that I won't ever have to do that again.

I have heard before that "it's not goodbye...it's see you later' and this is very true.  So maybe the post title should actually be "Saying See You Later."  But I digress...the point is we are not left without hope...we have the joy of a reunion in Heaven to look forward to.  And we have our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to thank for that!

You Might Be A Redneck...

...if this is your front yard.

The first thought as I pulled into my driveway and saw that my husband had jacked the car up and removed the wheel was "oh my gosh...we are rednecks!"  Combine that with our "green acres mobile" there off to the right and that bulldozer we STILL have in our yard on the left and it's a scene straight out of Poor White Trash.

Groomed

The only time that he actually looks somewhat like a Jack Russell Terrier:

The traditional "roll-around-in-the grass---what-happened-to-all-my-fur" move.

Thank goodness it grows back quickly because I like my furry dog better.

Another Tooth Bites the Dust

It is a well known fact, for those that know me well, that my teeth are a major source of stress (and pain) for me.  


Soft, eroding enamel, lovingly inherited from my mother cause many infections and abscesses that eventually lead to root canals or extractions.  


Yes indeedy, I have had so many extractions that I have lost count...but if I was keeping count, one more could be added today.


Luckily most of those teeth are molars so they are not seen...and luckier still, I have an understanding husband who won't let me go through life looking like a hillbilly with missing teeth (no offense to those who have missing front teeth).


But, as the extraction site needs two weeks to heal...I will be doing a limited amount of smiling until July 11th when a temporary tooth will be placed.  Just a warning...not to be offended if I don't smile when I see you.  


You would think after so much experience with tooth problems, I would be used to it by now.  


You could...but you would be soooooo wrong!!!


I am a little bitty baby when it comes to my teeth. 

I've already had a root canal this year which drained all our insurance money so this reconstruction work will be out of pocket...but my alternative would be to take antibiotics and pain pills every other month until January when our insurance renews and that, my friends, is NOT an option.

Seven Years

Seven years ago today I married my best friend.  

Our pastor was kind enough to to marry us on his own wedding anniversary.

That day we were blessed with the presence of our family and great friends.

Blessed with the presence of our four children...

(A little experiment with the teeth whitening feature in Photoshop.  I turned down the amount of whitening after this...but thought the picture was funny and wanted to post it as is)

And blessed with the presence of our Father God.

This past seven years we have been blessed with great times, good times, and even not so good times.

but through it all...we keep our focus on the commitment we made that day.  After all, marriage is a commitment - it is not a feeling.  

This commitment comes in to play when you have a husband who does not even go out to get an anniversary card until 6:15 on the evening of said anniversary!!!


Oh well...he DID pick out a good one so that kinda made up for it...that and the bottle of amaretto...AND the very large bag of dark chocolate m&m's.  


I think I can forgive him!