For the first time in at least 15 years-- we now have some canned peaches.  It is one item that has been missed greatly among our family.  We enjoy them so much with toasted cheese sandwiches.  It is also the last item of need, and the last thing of the season to can-- so for many years it has not been done.  There are seven perfectly beautiful jars of peaches setting on our kitchen table, waiting for another set to join them! It would be nice to have one quart for each week of the year, but not likely to be done this year.  It was fun doing them again.

We spent the day with Jacob, Valerie and Isaac doing their corn today.  It was a beautiful day, nice breeze and not very warm. Merle and Jacob had husked it all last night, so we had a head start this morning - even if we started later than we had planned.

As we were ready to eat lunch, Isaac came to me with up stretched arms, "I want to hold you" -- oh yeah, this Grandma took the privilege to hold him tight.  He even gave me a great BIG hug and later a kiss! I will be looking forward to more happenings like that.

After dinner, Isaac got the water hose and focused on "Grandpa" (at his mother's suggestion)!   Grandpa was prepared with a rain poncho. Then it was suggested (by Grandpa) to turn it on Mama, and be sure to hold it higher so it would reach!  Someone finally solved the problem - after he began to chase a runaway Daddy - by turning off the water faucet.  Then Isaac looked at the nozzle, "Where did the water go?"

We had a pleasant time.

This week has brought two of my dreams into reality.  The first one came when my youngest sister put carpet on my bedroom floor.  That was a 27 year wish, and oh does it ever feel good on the feet when you walk across the floor!!

The second one was on the waiting list just as long -- cabinets were installed in the dining room for me to have a place for all my good china dishes and good silverware! 

I am - as my sister says - "just giggling" as I go from one room to the other.  You see - she also did a whole bunch of things after the carpet was down that I had wanted to have done, but never found the time.

Although this is "vacation" time from my nanny job, it has become a time so full that I wonder if it will all be completed before I go back to work.  There is also a dress that needs to be made for Elizabeth to wear at a wedding next Saturday!  Today we are going to help Jacob and Valerie with their corn.

With all these things on our mind to be done, we are so grateful for good health to be able to complete them.  God is good --- all the time.

When it rains, it pours!  We have had lots of rain the last few hours.  It was so tempting to go "like a duck" in it, but the lightening kept me inside.  I really enjoy a good strong thunder storm.  Today I had to drive through some of the downpour, and we crept along at 30 mph  - just to stay on the road.

I went past the Pickens Flea Market, and oh my--- the water was all over the place, and up to the roofs of the buildings.  The road was flooded just past there, only one lane of traffic on the high side of the road.  The water was still axle deep, and not showing any signs of getting lower any time soon.  That area may have more rain this evening --- oh my!

We are keeping our "heads above the water" -- thank the Lord.  Merle found that the spindle on the Spirit has worn itself to about nothing, and in doing so is damaging the wheel bearing area.  He said it had gotten to a dangerous level, and was glad it had not broken while it was being driven.

We thought we had a replacement, but apparently the part came off the front of the car, and we need the rear wheel parts.  Than means a trip back to the salvage company, and probably another hour of waiting.  At least they have the part!!

Father's Day has come and gone, and we both still have our fathers.  For that we are very thankful.  We gathered with Merle's local family at his parent's home for lunch that day.  Three years ago when we sat at that same table, Merle's brother gave him his "Jenny" car!  (That has been such a blessing. It was the make and model of car that Merle had wished to drive ever since they were first produced. Dreams do come true, as my father would say -- "Someday"

I called my father on his cell phone, and he answered, "We're coming!"  I told him happy Father's Day, and he immediately let me know it was not to our house they were going! I told him we would set a place for them both-- but they went to my sister's place not far from their home.

Yesterday evening our air conditioner sounded like the insides were being eaten up with a saw  .  It is still under warranty, so we were able to contact the repairman this morning, and have it fixed this evening!! Praise the Lord --

We are feeling so blessed -- sort of a second layer of blessings.  One of my cousins will be taking his family to Hondorus for four years in July.  He had wanted to see my father before he goes, knowing that this could easily be the last time to do so.  One of the sisters to my cousin found plane tickets for my parents to be in Pa. this weekend to attend the farewell for the family that is leaving.  Just knowing that they both are going to be enjoying each other, and completely surprising the remainder of the siblings, gives us a sense of being a part of the whole thing.

I hear thunder --- MAYBE we will get some rain.  The corn in the fields around the house is a total loss, according to Merle.  He wonders if they would even be able to get any use for silage --- it is soooo dry.

Elizabeth has her very own car! It is a '96 Chevrolet Cavalier, beige in color.  I am sure it is a good feeling to have her own "ride" again.

We are grateful that God has given us good health, and that there is plenty of work to keep our "heads above water"!  When we look around -- we are truly blessed.  We trust that you will experience the same blessings each day -- He is in that business!

It has been several years since I have had fresh picked peas to shell and eat raw.  It was a craving this year that I was hoping to fill, but the season was almost done.  After several phone calls, the Lord (had to be Him - and it just shows how much He cares!) had me call one of the young mothers in our church to check with her.  YESSSSS--- she had just picked about one half of a 5 gallon bucket - the very last of her peas - that morning, and was not anxious to shell them.  I told her that they would be picked up within 20 minutes, and she would not have to shell the very first one!  Ohhhhhh -- what a feast!!  I was able to share them with my sister in Belton, and with our daughter!  The next couple days were wonderful!  Someday there will be a way to repay her for such a lovely deed!  (I was willing to pay a goodly price, but she refused any monetary offering.)

Isn't it wonderful how the Lord does such silly things -- just to make us realize again how much he cares about our desires.  I was so glad He chose to say "yes" this time, but am aware that He may say "wait" or "no". 

As Mother's Day approaches, I was again reminded of how blessed our family is to still have our mother alive and well!  We talk on the phone two or three times per week, and if it goes too long between calls, she will comment on the length of time since she has heard from me. The other day we wondered what our last conversation would be about. A friend of mine said that as long as we said "I love you" before we hung up -- it would not matter.

My mother has a dinner invitation tomorrow with a group of friends, and I have one to share with Merle's family.  Paul and Anna Mae are in from Colorado for the weekend and we will be enjoying time with them on Mother's Day. (Jacob and Valerie are in Virgina attending a nursing graduation, so we will not see them tomorrow.)

Sometimes the weather makes one think it is windy March instead of May flowers.  Some mornings it would almost feel good to start a fire in our wood stove, but we don't.  No one is at home to enjoy it during the early morning, and by the time the first one arrives back home, the sun has done a nice job of warming it up.  Strawberries are finding their way to our table, and we dream of blackberries.  They should do well -- if the "blackberry winter" (cold nights) have any indication of the crop to come!

For anyone who reads this site, and is a mother ---

 HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Just wanted to share a few pictures of "my job".  He will be 18 months old May 7, and I have been his nanny since he was 8 months old.  Watched him roll over to running!  His name is Thomas, more often called Tom.  He really is about as good a boy as he has good looks!  I'm sure things will change some as he becomes more independent, but I enjoy taking care of him.  My time with him begins each day at 5:30 am and ends at 3:00 pm, Tuesday through Friday.  On Saturday I go in around 7:00 am,  if his grandma has spent the night.  Otherwise it is 5:00 am. 

 I am responsible to take care of him and run errands for his parents if they need something from town.  They started up a new restaurant on their property, one mile from our home, and out in the middle of "nowhere".  Most of the days find them very busy, with customers waiting for a table on Friday and Saturday.

He has attached himself to Merle, loves the semi truck Merle drives, and just won't hardly go to anyone else if Merle is around. As you can see, he is quite the fellow!

He likes to do everything Merle does!

See Merle, it goes this way!

He also likes to help Elizabeth spring clean!

 To think that a couple years ago I was rejoicing that my "baby" days were over.  No more diaper bags, no car seats, no strollers, and of all things -- no more potty training!  The last one is the next on my list!  I am sure I hear God laughing -- since He knew this was all on the way and I am just as sure that He sent me the job.  (It came to me one week after the job I had for five years had ended.)  We are having fun

I am feeling truly blessed!  Not only did Elizabeth return home from Haiti safely, but she came with a bundle of energy!  

We thought she would begin her new job this week, but it won't happen until sometime next week.  All her pent-up energy was put to use doing some "spring" cleaning.  I mean down to the window blinds and curtains!  What a blessing that was to me.  It has given me a new lease on life! 

She has a plan to re-do and paint in our bedroom, and we are not going to stand in the way of progress!  That will take some time, and we may begin to run short on that if she works full time.  (We are praying for her to have lots of work, as she would like to buy a car to replace the one she sold last fall. She will be using one of ours for the first few months though.)

Elizabeth and I went to eat supper with Jacob's family Friday evening.  Valerie became a year older, and we wanted to help celebrate!  We had a nice time, and were glad to be included.

Merle picked Elizabeth up from the Atlanta airport around 4pm today!!  It was sooooo nice to see our daughter again -- quite a bit thinner than when she left.  The "loss" looks nice. It would be nice to follow her idea and do the same thing.

Now we have a lot of catching up to do.  It may be a while before I post again