It's so quiet I can hear myself breathe!

The only sound I hear is the hum of the air conditioner. After last weekend that is a good thing... thanks to the ants who had built a nest in the outside unit! But the quiet is not what you would think... I AM ALONE for the night!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The first time EVER in my life....46 years !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, I have had a few hours alone before but never in a home overnight. I'm not really sure what to do with myself!  Or if I really like this. No hubby...No kids...No dishes....need I go on? My husband begged me to make sure I do return home on Sunday. Now why would he think otherwise?

Don't worry...it's not for the whole weekend! I wouldn't want too much alone time. I do have to live in reality...my reality! Actually I came up to get our house ready for a group of young ladies who will be retreating to our little piece of heaven for the weekend. Another first...I have now been called one of the older women! When did that happen? I have been so busy with life that somehow I forgot to look into the mirror. Not only did my kids grow up when I blinked....but I have aged into that older woman category. I'm not sure you could call it gracefully either! Life is what it is....and I wouldn't change a thing. The good,the bad and the sometimes really ugly! That's the great thing about being a Christian....God's unconditional love for me covers All my good,bad and ugly! He loves me just as I am...my mindless wrinkled self and all!

I hope my husband knows how much I love and appreciate his love for me. After 28 years and 9 kids...I know the juggling that he will have to do this weekend in my absence. He's in  The kids are in good hands!


 Come Sunday....somebody may be raising the white flag!


P.S....The lake house is not the same without my family here! It's definitely true what they say.."Family is what makes a house a home!"

Raising the white flag....Low vitamin B12

Have you ever seen that mom and thought..."She has it all together"? But what you don't see is that the smile is just hiding what's really going on inside. Not always...but a lot! Struggling to keep up. Struggling to just make it to bedtime only to wake up and start all over again. Never feeling like you are accomplishing anything.Struggling to find joy in the mundane things in life.

What mom of many doesn't struggle with many of these things? This past year I have felt more stretched as a person than I ever thought possible. My husband the same. I thought it would get easier as our children grew!The economy hasn't helped. House full of girls...we are blessed...pulling every possible hair from my head. I do enjoy my time with them! Husband who broke a foot and needed surgery with another surgery scheduled for this fall. Sons whom are still unable to find sufficient employment and still living under our roof. I am very thankful that we are able to help them and I do cherish the time that they are here. 10 people under 1 roof sharing 1 set of washer and dryer and 1 small kitchen....yes we are bursting at the seams! All these are just part of living in this day and time....mine just X 10! Feeling like a tug of war rope on many days! Expectations getting the best of me. Mine and expectations from others. Giving my all to them...but neglecting the giver(me) and Giver(God) in the process. Time with Him has paid a price for my very full plate. Lack of place to find quiet.  All by my own choosing. I have had time with Him...just not to the quality that keeps me grounded. Balancing life can be a job in itself.

It must be part of the mom nature. Whatever the reason it's time for me to raise the white flag and surrender! It's only by the grace of God that I have made it this long without a major breakdown. Not bad..huh! Well...it was bad!  Loss of appetite,weight loss...although this was a good thing, major fatigue, anxiety. Several months ago I knew I needed to make changes. I could see the road I was headed down if I didn't. I had let stress get the best of me and the wife and mom that I should have been. I know a lot of it I bring on myself by choices that I make. Some are just part of life! I just wasn't dealing with life so much. After all I am no energizer bunny! Oh how I wish!

Hitting a brick wall is what sent me to find the answer for all this madness. What I thought was just a stomach virus or something worse has turned out to be a very low B12 deficiency. 1000 mg of B12 is the prescription...maybe a shot to boost it would help?  Hopefully now I can start making changes that will free me to be a better wife, mom and friend! 

In my search  I came across this website with some great explanations on B12 deficiency. Although the world wide web has lots of information on anything you need concerning health issues. I realize working with my doctor to get my levels up is the safest road to take. Hopefully soon I will be the one pulling that rope instead of becoming the tug of war rope!

Our little caboose!

Check out This post of our recent photo shoot for my Etsy listings...

Due to the fact that my listings may have caused a few heart attacks today.... No Mackenzie is Not the one who is about to become a big sister!  Although she would very much like that to be the case. She will have to settle for being the Crazy Aunt!

Sugar and Spice or Snakes and Snails?

Our house is beaming today with the news of what our first grandchild will be. The Big reveal last night was so sweet. I am proud...and amazed our daughter was able to keep their secret for so long...24 hours! This baby is going to be one loved little...

Before I tell you let me say how proud I am of my daughter and her husband. They are going to be really great parents and we all look forward to watching them grow their little family. It only seems like yesterday that I was celebrating our little bundle of a firecracker (July 4th is her b'day). Yes... she lives up to her birthday nickname!  She came into this world with two older brothers and did her best to keep up with everything they did. No fear Emily should have been her name. She has the amazing ability to set her mind to a goal and do what ever it takes to achieve it! I have loved watching her grow into the beautiful young woman who has worked hard and achieved so much. I pray her greatest accomplishment becomes being a mother to her children. I pray that her greatest guide to parenting will be God's word. Finally she will understand how her greatest accomplishment will become the greatest tug on her heart, mind and soul!

There is something so special about watching our daughter become a mama. There is something so special about watching our children as they get excited about becoming aunts and uncles. But what I really look forward to is seeing my husband when he finally gets to hold his first little granddaughter and then I'll remember the moment he first held her mama.

I would like for you to meet....

Our Grandbaby......This was a few weeks ago and now

This was Yesterday....

The whole family finds out this evening in a big reveal that our daughter and son in-law are cooking up. Good thing it's the day after because this baby's mama can't keep a secret to save her life! The girls are taking bets and picking out outfits to show their choices....Blue for a boy and pink for a girl. Although Mackenzie said she's wearing blue and red because she thinks it's twins! Friends and family are chomping at the bit to connect with this baby on a more personal level. Up until this point it has only been known as baby puddin or any other name this kid's crazy aunt (that would be Mackenzie) could come up with! Being the first grandchild on both sides our families are more than ready to cuddle with this little bundle of joy! Just 20 more weeks and all the waiting will have the aunts...and uncles behaving like fools as we watch this little one join our great big family!

Baby Puddin we are ready and waiting to finally hear whether you will join the Jackson/Holcombe manliness club or grace us with the girl craziness that we have all become accustomed too! Either way this grandma can't wait to meet you!

Check back and I'll let you know what we find out!

Time to turn

It's no secret about the decision the Supreme Court handed down today concerning the Health Care Law. As I'm watching...and reading the reaction to all this, my heart is breaking. Breaking for the country that I love. The country that I call home. Our country has fallen prey to the choices we all have made. Our choices have separated instead of uniting our country.  We have become a self-centered moralless nation instead of the nation that was built on a foundation that honored God. We have taken our eyes off the One who has an amazing love for us. His eyes can see far greater than we can. Why have we stopped allowing Him to lead our families? Our Nation? Our hearts?  What a messed up bunch we have become! I remember my mom quoting the Bible verse ....Children obey your moms and dads if you want to live a long life....Ephesians 6.  At the rate we are going if we don't humble ourselves and obey God's commands....We as a nation won't live a long life. Our country will be destroyed  by our very own disobedient hearts. We need to get our heads out of the sand and get on our knees. Humbleness starts at home!

This is what I wrote on my Facebook wall today.....

As I'm watching family after family fall apart. I'm seeing our country following that same path as well. I can't help but wonder if maybe we all have missed something.
Maybe it's time to lay down our pride and self-centeredness? Healing of this Country will only start with us getting on our knees!
If we believe God's word is true....then why aren't we following His commands? Tired of the fight? Tired of the struggling?
 
2 Chronicles 7:14
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Public Service Announcement....Never leave candles unattended !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Many years ago I was a nanny for a family. That is when I was introduced to matches in the bathroom and the role that they played....but not that anyone should play with matches in the bathroom. After all... I came from a family with just girls. I had no clue until I had sons. Many years ago I would have been horrified to even share this! But as a lesson learned it is very much needed.

 We have become one of those families who keep matches in the bathroom. However, my mistake is having left a candle next to those matches. The candle had been burned before but was no longer safe to burn unattended. Just a tall square candle on a metal plate. Along with a ribbon tied around it. It just served as a decoration on the cute little table. I guess you get the point. I never liked those smelly sprays but maybe it's time to find an alternative!?

Well, while we were gone our son arrived home from a long weekend trip, with a few friends. A suggestion was made to please light a match as a kid entered the hall bathroom...I guess this kid didn't come from" A keep matches in your bathroom kind of family." Instead this candle was lit...and forgotten. That was until over an hour later when the phone rang....not the kid to say he had forgotten to blow out the candle. Our son's room is in the basement and he had to come upstairs to answer the phone. That's when he discovered the smoke alarm...he hadn't even heard it. I'll just let my pictures tell the rest of the story. But first did you see the miracle in this? The phone that rang alerted our son to the fire in the bathroom! My God is good and so worthy to be praised even in the worst of situations. My heart is so thankful! What a beautiful thing to be able to find gratitude even during a trying moment. I had been wanting to redo this bathroom. I just wasn't quite ready! But oh well...Every girl needs a little motivation! Hmm....maybe I should have put that candle in my kitchen!
Now.... to count my blessings as I get the black soot off the walls and door. Goodbye Americana....Hello... I"ll just have to do an after bathroom redo post!