At Home in Georgia
16 Years Ago Today...
01:50, Wednesday, November 12, 2008 .. Posted in From the Desk .. 6 comments .. Link
It took 2 full years to get our Miss Jennifer. We had lost our first girl, Stephanie Michelle, at 36 weeks gestation with CMV, pre-eclampsya and Placenta Previa and were told it would be best not to have another baby until my body had gotten back to normal. We waited that next year and then tried again. Must have been a half-hearted, worried attempt on our part because it took another year to get pregnant....and if you know me at all, you'd know that I am jokingly referred to as 'fertile Myrtle' so a year of no babies was rather unusual, or so we know now looking back!
With our previous pregnancy troubles, I was a doctor's nightmare this time around. If they said it was 'normal' to sneeze 3 times a day and I only did it once, I was on the phone in a state of panic. I worried about all manners of things that seemed different this time around. I worried about every little thing concerning pregnancy and babies in general. Ahh, those young, ignorant years.
The day before Miss Jennifer joined us, my Mom and I had done some shopping and such. Dewey had classes that evening, and it was snowy and nasty out. I had promised him a big pot of chili for dinner when he arrived home. However, things changed a bit from the plan of the day. Around 2 pm I started having some back pains. Mind you, this was pregnancy #3 for me, but I wasn't thinking about anything other than what might be out of the ordinary. I ignored the back pains until I couldn't stand for more than a few minutes or couldn't walk but a handful of steps. Note to new moms-to-be...if your back hurts and you are close to your due date, just head to the doctor :o)
As the day progressed, my back hurt even more, tightening and loosening almost constantly. I finally broke down and tried calling Dewey at school. Being night classes, I had to call the security office and they would send someone over to his class. I waited and waited and finally someone called back -- Dewey wasn't in class. He had left earlier, they assumed because of the roads getting bad for the night.
Nice. My husband wasn't in class. We lived out in the boonies basically, a good 45 minutes from the hospital if the day was bright and the roads clear as a whistle...longer with a solid covering of snow and more still falling, let alone if the roads in the boonies hadn't been plowed clear yet.
I put a bag together for the hospital and wandered about, wondering where Dewey was and how I might end up at the hospital if no one showed up at home. We had had to make arrangements with the fire department for emergency transportation already, due to my high risk issues, but I just couldn't see a helicopter landing in the ice and snow covered fields at night.
Finally Mr. Missing-in-Action pulls in. He takes forever to get inside...his arms are loaded. So were mine...I had my bags for the hospital and my coat on. He brought in the mother-lode of baby goodies -- diapers, receiving blankets, bottle liners, formula, some outfits and doo-dads, and a cute little baby doll, all soft and squishy. I love my husband dearly, mind you, but a less-oblivious-to-his-surroundings man you couldn't find, at least that night! He's showing off this and that with a smile, tickled at the idea of a baby coming...
...then notices there isn't any chili on the stove.
...then notices I'm in my coat and have my bags.
I promised he'd get his chili soon enough but we needed to leave. LOL...gotta love a man who buys baby things, right?
We got to the hospital and within a couple of hours, here was Miss Jennifer Annette, all pink and pudgy and a bit on the cold side. We had issues with the doctor on-call, from previous experience, but he came in only long enough to play catcher for the nurse so all was good. Jennifer was cold and needed an incubator and warming lights...and we had issues with that as well, but finally things were taken care of and all we wanted was to go home with her.
I tend to have issues with hospitals...I have a plan in mind, they like to do things their way and by their books. I'm really more of the sort to try and re-write those books. Generally it's best if we just collet baby and head for home as soon as we can ;o) Saves wear and tear on all concerned because I don't give in easily at all.
All turned out well and Miss Jennifer flourished :o) She is spending her second time away from home right now, in Arkansas with Dad on his job until Thanksgiving. She gave him a stern talking to about not eating, hardly anything really, and certainly not very decent foods, and made him go shopping Monday evening. He said she did us proud, shopping as she did. She packed a lot of food into that buggy for a very good amount. Other than to drive -- and pay -- he wasn't really needed at the store at all. She planned the menus out and bought what she needed for him :o) He'll feel just like he's at home...minus the missing 8 people ;o)
Miss Jennifer will make a great wife and mother one day if The Lord moves that direction in her life. She has common sense, panics very little over anything (remember Jacob and David being burned so badly a year ago? She remained totally cool and calm through it all while we raced to the hospital, and she managed the homestead while I was gone at LeBonheur for those weeks). She askes questions and fully expects to get decent answers from folks (like doctors...). She can plan a menu and see it to fruition, and save money in the process.
She was Grandpa's Girl right from the trip home from the hospital. He loved her to pieces ;o)
She's a Daddy's Girl in many ways...and he's fully prepared with a dating contract and plenty of shotguns and ammo to defend her when the tomcats start making the rounds :o) Right now, we all get a laugh out of that country song by Rodney Atkins, Still Cleaning This Gun. The chorus is this:
And tell me about yourself
So you like my daughter do you now?
Yeah we think she's something else
She's her daddy's girl
Her momma's world
She deserves respect
That’s what she'll get
Now ain't it son?
Y’all go out and have some fun
I'll see you when you get back
Probably be up all night
Still cleanin' this gun
Like the song says, it's all for show and ain't nobody gonna get hurt :o)
But he's ready, nonetheless.
So, long-winded as usual:
Then, and Now...btw -- she started "mooing" in the store at that dress! She was just so cute, mooing every time we passed it, we had to buy it for her!
Chosing the good part
01:10, Wednesday, November 12, 2008 .. Posted in From the WORD .. 1 comments .. Link
" O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endures forever . " ~~ Psalm 136: 1
Are you giving thanks to the Lord today, ladies?
He is so worthy of our praises, is He not?
His mercy is forever...... forever is a long time......
Aren't you glad that He is always there 24/7 ready to meet with us, to fellowship with us?
Have you done that today?
Have you met with the Lord today?
Have you lifted your hearts in praises to Him?
Have you shared your burdens, your concerns?
Remember, He is waiting for you.... anxiously......
I love the story of the 2 sisters, Mary & Martha....
Martha loved the Lord.
So did Mary, Martha's sister... but when Jesus came to their home, it was Mary who "sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word".....
The living Word was before them..... and Mary chose to stop, and listen and hear......
Meanwhile, Martha was "cumbered about much with serving" ( Luke 10:40) ... she expressed her frustration that her sister , Mary was not helping out....
And Jesus' response to Martha was:
" Martha, Martha, you are careful and troubled about many things, But one thing is needful and Mary has chosen the good part and it will not be taken away from her." ( Luke 10: 41,42)
Both of these women loved Jesus....
But when the living Word was presented to them, it was Mary that stopped and "heard" and sat at the feet of the Lord.....
What about me?
Am I sitting daily at the feet of the Lord?
Do I "hear" Him?
I have the living Word before me.... His word will never be taken away....do I make time for the Word?
Do I make time in the busy-ness of the day to read His word?
Am I a Mary or a Martha?
Each day I have a choice to make.
Serving is important. Jesus did not say it was not. Doing the laundry, making meals, schooling the children, etc. are all important.....
But one thing is needful ---- and will I choose the "good part"?
Will you?
Will you join me in choosing the "needful" thing?
It's so easy ladies to "get caught up" in serving.... it's our nature to serve.... our families... our husband, our home, our church, our community......
Have I become too busy to meet with the Lord and sit at His feet?
Have you?
Let's remember, Mary chose what was "needful"......
Jesus did not say serving is not important... but "needful" is of greater priority.
It's difficult at times to prioritize our day and our time...
Let's remember to carve out time each day to sit at HIS feet... to "hear" His word.....and when you do, it will "not be taken away from you".
This is my prayer for myself and for you!
~ gloria ~
This week's menu
09:31, Tuesday, November 11, 2008 .. Posted in Frugal Mama .. 5 comments .. Link
This week's menu
Monday: Sloppy Joes, fresh cut up veggies and chips
Tuesday: Creamy chicken and broccoli with brown rice
Wednesday: Fettucine Alfredo, tossed green salad and french bread
Thursday: Tuna Casserole & green beans
Friday: Clam Chowder & cornbread
Saturday: Beef Stew & Whole wheat homemade bread
Sunday: Cranberry Orange turkey breast, mashed potatoes, gravy, sauteed green beans & rolls
Budget for the week: $150
Total Cost of groceries: $139
Savings: $11!!
** This week's savings tip: Make your own sauces! Instead of purchasing canned sauces for spaghetti and such, make your own! You can purchase no name brand tomato sauce to create a yummy homemade spaghetti sauce for pennies. We also make our own pancake sauce. This saves $$ too. Homemade usually equates savings, not too mention it's healthier for you too! **
For the Love of Old Things.. My Kitchen Restoration Part Two
04:32, Tuesday, November 11, 2008 .. Posted in This old house .. 7 comments .. Link
I shared with you yesterday a little about our kitchen renovation project. Our entire kitchen was designed around our antique reproduction stove. It really set the "theme" for the kitchen. The original kitchen was a 15 x 16 room and we kept that room dimension. We did keep an old fashioned "look" but we added some "modern conviences" into the kitchen with an old fashioned "twist" to it.
One of these is our kitchen island. I absolutely love islands! We do a lot of cooking in our home . I make everything from scratch and my 3 older girls are always beside me helping me out. My island serves as "grand central station" in many ways! When I am cooking I usually have a daughter or 2 helping out and the little ones love to sit at the island and help "stir" whatever I am making.....or help "taste" too!
My husband is a gifted carpenter , so we saved tons of money and were able to add some "fun" elements to anotherwise budget project! We purchased our oak cabinets thru Lowes. They were stock cabinets and were unfinished oak. I think the total cost for our entire kitchen for cabinets was around $1,200!! The kids and I sanded the cabinets, stained them a chesnut/walnut color and then finished them with a clear waterproof finish. The cabinets were very plain, but we did some creative things to jazz them up a bit. We added trim at the bottom of the cabinets, and we also did the same on top of the cabinets for an "old world" look. We also wrapped the cabinets in oak beadboard. This gave otherwise plain cabinets a custom appearance. We love how it turned out!
On the island, aside from wrapping it in beadboard and also adding trim at the bottom we added some Victorian gingerbread..... to add some charm..... The ginberbread was actually "screen door" accents that can be added to wood screen door, and we stained it and then placed it under the island countertop.
The other custom touch we added to our kitchen was placing a piece of marble laid into the tile counter tops, for rolling out doughs and such. We couldn't afford solid countertops, but we could swing for a small piece. ( 18 x 26).
I know a lot of people may think I was nuts to choose white tile countertops with white grout, but in all honesty I really enjoy them! Yeah, they are high maintance, but with all the dark woodwork we had in the kitchen I really needed to offset it with some bright. I also didn't want the counters to "stand out" or look modern and so many of the countertops today are speckled or have patterns in them. The white is very neutral, although high maintance. ( I use a lot of bleach to clean them!). We purchased the tile thru Lowes, again a stock item and I believe the total cost for the tile was around $125!!
The island was comprised by taking 2 stock base cabinets, screwing them together and then wrapping them in bead board.
Check back tomorrow as I will share more about our kitchen restoration project.
~ gloria ~
Family Meal Table Study
04:14, Tuesday, November 11, 2008 .. Posted in This 'n' that .. 3 comments .. Link
Ladies,
For those of you who have been blessed by Nancy Campbell's ministry ~ I just wanted to share with you all, that I will be leading the Family Meal Table Study at the AR yahoo group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FMTSTUDY/
This study is 24 weeks long and goes into an in depth look at the family meal table -- or family dinner hour.
You can purchase the study manual thru the www.aboverubies.org website.
I know many of you ladies are dedicated to the whole idea of the family meal hour/table, so I thought I would invite you all to join in the study.
Hope to see some of you there!
~ gloria ~
Invisible Mom
This was sent to me by a wonderful and dear Sister. It spoke volumes and I wanted to share it with you all:) I'm sure some of you've already seen this in the past but for those who haven't I pray this will encourage you and for those that have I pray it is a blessed reminder:)
God be with thee!
Sister Lori
THE INVISIBLE MOTHER
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of
response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room
while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store.
Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on
the phone?' Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on
the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even
standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me
at all.
I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a
pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie
this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of
hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to
ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to
answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm
a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'
I was certain that these were the hands that once held
books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that
graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared
into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's
going, she's going, she's gone!
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating
the return of a friend from England .. Janice had just
gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and
on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there,
looking around at the others all put together so well. It
was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was
feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a
beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you
this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe .
I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me
until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte , with
admiration for the greatness of what you are building when
no one sees.'
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And
I would discover what would become for me, four
life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:
No one can say who built the great cathedrals
we have no record of their names.
These builders gave their whole lives
for a work they would never see finished. They made great
sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their
building was fueled by their faith that the
eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came
to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw
a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He
was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so
much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered
by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman
replied, 'Because God sees.'
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into
place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me,
'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make
every day, even when no one around you does. No act of
kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no
cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and
smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you
can't see right now what it will become.'
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction But it
is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for
the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote
to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective
when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people
who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to
work on something that their name will never be on.
The writer of the book went so far as to say that no
cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there
are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my child to
tell the friend he's bringing home from college for
Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and
bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for
three hours and presses all the linens for the table.'
That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to
myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if
there is anything more to say to his friend, to add,
'You're gonna love it there.'
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be
seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very
possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we
have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the
world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
Great Job, MOM!
For the Love of Old Things.... My kitchen restoration
06:50, Monday, November 10, 2008 .. Posted in This old house .. 7 comments .. Link
For those of you who have been following my blog thru the few years I have been blogging here at HSB, know we purchased a very old home we have slowly been restoring . I say "restoring" because it is a completely different process than remodeling. We have built new, remodeled and restored and I can honestly say "restoring" is by far the most challenging and labor intensive! It's all very gratifying to take something old and bring it back to it's splendor and beauty.
A little history on our home. It is a 1898 midwest 4 square farmhouse. It has simple victorian details. When we purchased the home, the prior owner had done some "remodeling" and we had to redo what he had done. We didn't want painted millwork -- but wanted to bring back the millwork to it's original look... darkly stained. The carpets were torn out and the old wood floors have been lovingly restored. They are old floors, so they are not picture perfect . They have knicks and holes, and that is ok... it gives the floor "flavor" and a bit of history too.
We are nearing the end of our 2 yr project and I am relieved, to say the least! It has taken it's toll on our family and on our pocket book too!
Many of you know we recently tackled our kitchen. It had been "remodeled" with newer cabinets, and pergo floor...... we gutted the kitchen.... re-wired, re-plastered, tore out the pergo, etc..... we wanted an "old" vintage look and feel. I love the finished look!! It may appear "old" to you... kind of like grandma's kitchen... that's exactly the "look" and feel we were trying to achieve.
I thought I would share some long awaited photos with you all.
For today, I wanted to start with a piece that the kitchen was designed around..... and that is an old reproduction stove......
This stove is a reproduction of a turn of the century wood cook stove. This model is electric and works! We found it on ebay for a great price and had it shipped from Maryland to Missouri! It has a small oven, and a warming oven and some storage drawers. It adds such a sense of nostalgia.
We didn't change windows in the room at all. We wanted to keep the same size room and window placements. We did install new wood windows and stained them to match the old restored woodwork. I love the old trim, with the Victorian rosettes at the corners.
The entire room was staged around this stove........ we wanted the feel to be very old fashioned... very farmhouse......we installed oak beadboard around the entire room and for the backsplash too.
The stove displays some antique copper tea kettles ( I collect tea kettles) and some other knick nacks.
Although the stove is a modern rendition of an antique -- we love how it looks and the charm it adds to the room! It really makes things "cozy".
Please stop by my blog tomorrow as I will be blogging and sharing photos about our kitchen renovation all week long.
Until then,
~ gloria ~
Traditions
15:38, Monday, November 10, 2008 .. Posted in Country Doin's .. 1 comments .. Link
For Today...
12:48, Monday, November 10, 2008 .. Posted in A Thankful heart .. 3 comments .. Link
This morning I woke up and I was overcome with gratitude...... I made my usual cup of java and headed to the living room to spend some quiet time with my Lord. The house was still , as the kids were still asleep..... I love this time!! Oh, how I love my time with my Jesus!
Today I was overcome and flooded with feelings of gratitude. We have such a great God - He is so worthy of our praise, our worship and adoration!
For today I am thankful for.....
1. My Jesus, who became flesh and took upon Himself my sins and your sins and willingly endured the cross..... Thank you Jesus!
2. The gift of salvation! Because of what Jesus did on Calvary, I can live with God forever. Wow! I am so thankful that I don't have to 'earn' my salvation -- that eternal life, is a gift that comes thru Jesus alone. He is the way the truth and the light and NO man comes to God other than by Him! There are not 'many' roads to heaven -- Just one road......... and the name of that road/way is JESUS!
3. The Word of God. How thankful I am that God has revealed Himself in the Word.... it is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto me....... How thankful I am for the infalliable and authoritive word of God! The more I study the bible, the more I realize how complete it is...... the answers to all life's problems are found in this book! Thank you God for your living Word!! When I read the Bible it's as if Jesus was sitting right in front of me......awesome!
4. My freedoms... America is not a perfect nation. We have our problems, our sins, our issues..... but we are stil blessed with freedoms.... including the freedom to worship God ... in our homes and in our churches! We are not put in jail for praying or worshipping God. For that I am thankful!
5. I am thankful for the fellowship with the Lord thru prayer...... oh how sweet it is!!! Oh how wonderful it is to take all my burdens and cares and lay them at the feet of Jesus.......
6. I am thankful for my beautiful children...... they teach me, refine me, and challenge me..... God is growing me thru the them........motherhood is difficult......and children keep me on my knees..... a good place to be!
7. I am thankful for food clothing, and shelter....... God is our provider, and I am so thankful He continues to provide me and my family with every need we have......he does take care of our needs, not our greeds... Thank you Lord! You are a faithful God!
8. I am thankful that God has brought me into fellowship with other believers who are completely sold out for Jesus! So thankful for the little church I attend. Where the Bible is still preached and beleived and where the hearts of it's members are seeking God's will for their lives. Oh tis sweet to have godly fellowship.
9. I am thankful for my trials and challenges. Oh how they refine me... they are the school by which God teaches me! How thankful I am for the hard times, where I am led to fall on my face and cry out " God help me"........ ooooh it is so good for my soul!
I could go on and on.... but these are the things that are on my heart today......
May you Praise the Lord today because He is so worthy of our Praise!
~ gloria ~
Blahs for Monday...canning, too
08:35, Monday, November 10, 2008 .. Posted in Around the Homestead .. 1 comments .. Link
Nothing special going on around here. It's cold this morning...yes, I will concede and say that 29 outside is what I'd consider cold. Brisk, at least. It's sunny already, although we have rains moving in they say. The heat kicked in last night...must have been rather cool. I have it set at something like 62 or so. I'm not a heat person at all.
It was great having Dewey home all weekend. What a surprise to have him show up Thursday. I talked to him several times on the phone Thursday and he never once said a word about being in the truck heading this way. Sneaky. It was about 7 pm when he pulled in, and I was talking to him at the time. The children yelled and said Bro Mike was here to collect the pigs...I had just taken my covering off and pulled my hair down, so told him I'd talk to him later and I hung up. LOL...everyone headed outside to help load pigs while I grabbed a different covering (one that didn't need a bun in my hair...). I'm snapping it and suddenly someone is standing in my bedroom door. I about hit the ceiling! There's Dad, Emily grabbing his neck with a force and whispering "my daddy" into his beard and his ears
He talked me into having Jennifer go back with him for the next couple of weeks. Something about not being able to cook for himself and being tired of McDonald's and Subway for dinner. Poor man...you'd think he's never had to fend for himself...well, ok, he hasn't had to for about 21 years (or such, since I really started getting better at cooking!). They will be back up for Thanksgiving weekend. My house seems so empty with eldest son and his finance, Dewey and now eldest daughter being gone. I only have 8 to cook for now....so I took a huge pot of chicken and vegetable spaghetti, some homemade bread and a couple of pies up to church last night "just because". Told them it was because we are having evening meetings earlier now with the time change.
I'm ordering some meat from the butcher today -- earned $150 for those two hogzilla beasts out here. Honestly, I'd have given them away just to have them gone, but he wanted to pay something. I'd have been tickled with $50 for the both of them, but $150?! Maybe it isn't much to some who deal in hogs, but it's more than enough for me. So, I'm ordering meat to get picked up Wednesday before Thanksgiving....
- 100# of ground beef
- 100# of ground sausage
- 100# of stewing chunks
- 25# of bacon, sliced
What else might I need to stock, do you think? The ground and stew chunks were the only things that came to mind standing in the shopthere. Any other thoughts?
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