HEY YA'LL!!! UPDATE!!

Hey ya'll!!!!

Ok, so my last post was uh....almost three months ago.....I can't believe it!! So much going on here I hardly know where to begin!  BUT, before I begin, I want to thank each of you for praying for my Sweet Mama and my family.  You have no idea how much your emails of encouragement and prayer have meant.  Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!  Many a day I've felt like I could fall apart, but thru His strength and encouragement and prayers of sweet friends I'm taking it one day at a time......Bless you!!!  I may not know what today holds, but I know our todays and tomorrows are in His hands and He always brings us through!!! 

Mama is still with us but it's really been a very rough road.  She beat the pneumonia, but her transition (as hospice calls it) has been difficult to say the least.  Some days are better than others and my daily vigil by her side has been so heart breaking. However, true to my mama's ways, she remains an example and deep reservoir of encouragement and true faith and trust in the One who holds her in the palm of His hand.....she is such an amazing women of faith and I count it as a true honor to have her as my mom!!!  My sister, Diane, stayed for a month and we made such rich and lasting memories as we sat with mama and took many trips down memory lane and reminisced of bygone days.....moments that will forever be etched upon my heart and precious nuggets to treasure.  One of my favorite moments was when we crawled into bed with her....I'll never forget that moment....we hugged, giggled and cried....priceless!!

Well, in the midst of all this, we were informed that the house we were leasing was in foreclosure and would be sold on the courthouse steps!  Our landlord just pocketed our rent and let the house go!  You may recall we sold our home last year and leased this house (which I loved!) with the plan of staying here until hubs retires in a few years and move back to Phoenix (he works in N. AZ).  But those plans came to a screeching halt when the lease house was purchased by investors with the intention of flipping it and would not entertain continuing our lease....SO BUMMED, YA'LL!!!  I'd really nested and settled in that house and I'm a nesting, decorating, wanna be settled kinda gal!   Thank God I found a cute, but little, small, tiny, bungalow style house.....uh, I think you get the picture....cute, BUT TINY, bungalow  house that was vacant so we leased it and I went into "throw everything overboard" mode and quickly got into my downsize AGAIN pack and move groove.  All the while, visiting mama most everyday, endless phone calls with medicare, medicaid, hospice, etc. (the federal red tape is just too much) and rushing to make numerous trips to donate stuff to Goodwill, and Salvation Army and local charities.  I even managed to have a mother-load garage sale and sold allot of my lodge/rustic/moose decor and got some cash to decorate my new TINY place....another post on that another time...hint - I switched from moose lodge to beach cottage (weird to think of beach cottage in northern AZ mountains I know...but I'm lovin it, ya'll!). We managed to move without too much fanfare....just allot of sore muscles, short tempers and bruises....news flash - I'm not 25 anymore!! : )) Unpacking stuff and re-settling is just the pits but we're getting there - thank God!  I did, however, do the DUMBEST thing, ya'll!........   

In an attempt to hurriedly decorate the space above my kitchen cabinets with the cutest stuff from Home Goods and Ross, I climbed onto the counter without a ladder and without my hubs home to help and slipped and fell and clobbered my leg pretty bad.....it was almost one of those "my life flashing before me moments" as I fell!  Seriously, I know that His angels kept me from hitting my head on the island....I would have landed on my neck and I can't bear to think of what would of happened!  I laugh about it now, but it was no laughing matter at the time....note to self - you're not 25 anymore!  So, my decorating stunt put me out of commission for a while spending allot of couch time watching American Pickers and Storage Wars - not sure why I like these show so much except maybe it's comforting to see that there are people out there that amassed more junk, stuff to get rid of than me! LOL!  

Side note...For some odd reason I've also found Swamp People to be strangely entertaining....anybody else out there find the alligator huntin', cajun bayou culture interesting?  Just curious!!  

Anyway, I still managed  to limp over to the nursing home and visit mama as much as possible, unpack, rest (???!) and continue to trust Him and take it one day at a time!

I mentioned above that ALLOT has happened in the last ninety days......So much that my head spins somedays.  My hubs had a health scare but praise God it turned out ok!  I had a severe bronchitis attack and also weird excruciating nerve pain in my jaw that required that I take strong migraine/anti-seizure meds to calm the nerves down so the pain would subside.....the meds made me sick as a dawg and again I was put out of commission but praise God I'm on the mend now! Thank You Jesus!!

And lastly, with a sad heart I want to share that Chris and Laraine (my son and DIL) lost yet another pregnancy and she had to have subsequent surgery.  Wild horses couldn't have kept me from being there with my kids as they went through this heartache again.  So, in the midst of all the other chaos and demands going on in my life, I dropped everything and went to Phoenix to help and be there for them for a few days.....that's what mothers do....love, pray, support and encourage, isn't it.  That's the example my Sweet Mama has lived out before me and sowed into my life and I am so grateful.....and that's, with His help, what I want to be for my children!  Also, I covet your prayers for Chris and Laraine.  We are standing firm upon the promises of God for grand-babies!!!

Also, you may recall that my daughter Katie fell ill several months ago and I wasn't able to leave my mama at that point in time and go be with her in Florida.  She is doing well and I so appreciate your prayer for her!  I still haven't been able to go but my hubs was able to fly out for a visit last month and I hope to get there soon!!  I sure miss her and would love to be transported to Florida this very moment and lay on the beach with her......if only!!!!

Oh, and the icing on the cake......I got a "speeding" ticket last week in my neighborhood.....I was clocked at the break neck speed of 38 in a 35!!!!!  OMG 38 in a 35....can't a girl catch a break!!! (Just had to vent a little)!!! : ))

Seriously, no doubt the last 90 days have been peppered with heart ache, tears, frustration, disappointment, fatigue, cratering emotions and stress.  But as I type this post and reflect again, I also see 90 days flowered with the beauty of His presence, mercy, strength, grace, power, favor, healing, encouragement, protection and faithfulness!  Where would I be without Him!!!  Praise Him Forevermore!

Well, I'm so glad that I unpacked my Mac and got plugged back in today and I look forward to "hearing" about what's going on in your bloggy corner of the world.  Your words and ponderings bless me so....I've really missed ya'll!!!  Gotta run....gotta a whole lotta unpacking and settling in and nursing home visit to do today!!!

Thank you again, dear bloggin' friends for your prayers and encouragement!  You are such a blessing in my life.....I continually lift you before the Throne of Grace!  We serve a Mighty God!!

Let's always remember.........

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psalm 46:1

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you,

He will never leave nor forsake you.

Do not be discouraged.

Deut 31:8 NIV

HE IS FAITHFUL!!

Love,