Hope

Today marks 11 years since I put up my first blogpost. My life was so different then and I could not have imagined what the future held. I think the blogging turned out quite differently than I imagined, but that is ok. I have made many friends through the shared interests we have.

My first few blogposts had azalea pictures too. Azaleas are a core memory of my life. They bring me such joy. We drove to Pensacola this week and all along the way they were just showing off. The older the neighborhood the better because they had those huge unchecked ones. The azaleas have been such a blessing to me. We have to always look for the good and the beauty amongst the crazy.

I am blessed with 4 beautiful grandchildren from my two amazing children and their spouses that I love like my own. I often look around and think how did I get so lucky to have so much. BUT, we know with blogs and all forms of social media there is life behind the pictures too. This blog has been the highlight reel for certain. When I started this blog, no one would have known that I was driving an equilateral triangle between my home here in FWB, to Brewton to take my stepdad to chemo in Pensacola and then back to FWB on many of those days. I was spending the weekends going to Brewton when I started this blog and my house was a mess. I had planned a wedding for my daughter on many of those drives home from Brewton. I would cry the first half and pull myself together for the second half so I could get all the things done. I was a mess, but I was hopeful for better days a head. There is a book by Ronda Rich titled, There's a Better Day a Comin' that reminds of just that. One of many she wrote to inspire us to draw on God's goodness through struggles.

Yesterday, Mama turned 90. 

The senior living had a banner outside her door. They celebrate the 90, 95, 100, etc.

Lindsay and I both agree that Mama is the most photogenic person we have ever seen. She can be hardly moving around and yet, she looks like a dream. 

She always does her best to look nice. 

I got her early in the day and brought her to my house.

The kids are all on spring break so they arrived early afternoon for entertainment value:)

They all loved her crown which had a 90 woven in the jewels.Those doggone balloons didn't want to cooperate so the boys helped out.

She got to hold Valerie who is  growing and holding onto her black hair.

Later on we had her favorite pizza for the party. She ate quite a bit of salad and 2 small slices of pizza. We were amazed at that.

Then it was cake time. She also ate a large piece with strawberries and whipped cream. Truly that is more than she ever eats.

We got her a new outfit from Talbots. A leisurely outfit but quite nice. I know when I go over today, she will have it on. She likes to have new clothes.

We celebrated her well and told her what a big deal it was to be 90. I think she knows that.

I have been stitching on Valerie's name. This is my current location on it. 4 more letters to personalize.

I will back at stitching it today at some point between watering plants, checking in on Mom, and watching the basketball tournament.

A couple of things to share....

Jeff and I have decided to no longer look at homes. We have had time to look at retirement plans and have decided we will not be traveling or doing all the things such as that. Sitting on the dock and looking out at our water is vacation enough. We will continue to stay here for now which gives me a big sense of relief. God will show us if we need to make a change. For now, we will  hire people to do some of the bigger things we can't handle such as yard work. 

On that note, I kind of thought at some point I would share more about the Parkinson's journey because it might help someone. That has not flowed from my fingers yet. God will tell me when to do that too. What is more pressing at the moment is that Jeff has a bladder tumor. I have been sitting on some of that too. I am sharing it not for pity. 

I serve an amazing God and am so blessed, but to say that, I can't really be authentic without writing that we are facing another challenge. He had the telltale blood in his urine and that set off the trail to find the cause. Monday, we had the final tests in Pensacola to find the cause. He will have surgery on April 2nd in Pensacola. On Monday, we have to get him through all the pre surgery details like the EKG, so prayers would be helpful.

It is a heavy weight right now, but we will tote it. For those outside the rural south, tote is the word we use for carry. 

I am grateful for spring right now...azaleas brightening my day, grandchildren to come running in with hugs and joy, and so much more.

On this blog anniversary, I will continue to find joy in the things of home and have hope in the days ahead.  I am looking forward to summer and all the hot days. That is me!

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

This Week

One morning this week, I captured the sun just as it came up over the tree line. We are loving the new view minus the pines.

Spring is still doing its best to pop out here. The trees are either budding beautifully or dropping their leaves right on time (live oak leaf drop season is spring). The camellias have their last blooms on them this week and the azaleas are popping out all over the neighborhood. I added some day lilies to my front bed. I happened to come across some more Alabama Jubilees and one called South Seas. Jeff says I pick my day lilies because of their names and he might be right. 

In my last post, I had been so busy that I didn't cover all my goings on in that post, so here are a couple other things I did in February and early March....

Jeff and I along with friends went to Pensacola one evening to see Sean of the South and Three on a String. Saying it was good doesn't even come close to the experience we had. Seriously, we all left in the very best mood talking about it all the way home.

The tickets to this had been purchased back in early December - before we took the trip with friends to Atlanta and the holiday lights at Calloway Gardens. You may remember that trip was not as easy as I had hoped.

I sort of thought to myself after that trip that we would do this one with the friends, but I would not plan anymore trips like this with friends. I put out of my mind until about a week before. Jeff seemed fine so as it approached time I thought he would be ok. The night before the event I panicked big time. He was putting off the driving to Pensacola on our friends and I could see his anxiety. We had even driven over to Pensacola to check out the parking over the weekend prior to the Thursday night event. Here is the thing...I know Pensacola as well as I know Fort Walton Beach. I spent my entire life going there...I am completely comfortable driving there. I tried to assure him of that, but this new Parkinson's thing attacks him at random times with anxiety that I have explained before is so NOT my Jeff. 

Anywho, when he kind of pawned off the driving to Mike which again is not like him...I went into panic mode. Was this going to be like the December trip? After talking to my wiser than years daughter, she said I really needed to talk to my friend Cindy and let them know what it might be like. I heeded her advice and let Cindy know how the Atlanta trip had gone and that I sensed Jeff getting anxious about the parking and getting there on time, etc. 

Bottom line: that was a good idea and God guided me the whole time. Parking could not have been easier with hardly any walk to the theatre. The event was in historic downtown Pensacola that I love so much. The seats were incredible and the music and stories were amazing. 

If either Sean or the group is ever near you ---Run to it. The music was so good. It covered all genres and I truly can't say enough about it.

*****

Tucker's first field day happened. I enjoyed it so much. You know being a teacher I really missed my own children's field days. Jeff would attend them, but often I was dealing with my own class while my kids had field day. I got to watch and enjoy my oldest grandson have fun. I just wish the powers that be would not do Field Day in March. It can be 60 something degrees and freezing. The wind here in this month can make the same temps seem completely different depending on said winds. It happened to be a cold day for his field day:)

This week has been lots of baseball games but mostly at home during the days which I needed. Friday, I kept Tucker and Palmer because there was a teacher workday. Spring break is this next week. Katie brought Miles and Valerie over to play. I had to take Mama to get her nails done but brought her back over for play time. I think she thoroughly enjoyed watching them all. It is loud with 3 boys in the house. 

I have done a good bit of stitching this week and will share soon on Valerie's name. 

Bad weather is expected today and I am trying not to listen to the weather reports because they are scaring me. I have the alerts set, but I can't just listen constantly to it.

My dad's first cousin posted this prayer poem today ....(I thought it to be very appropriate.

Until next week,

Sandy