Sunday sentiments

robust. stylin'. handsome. show-offs.

the boys.

Easter Sunday 2007 (i think this is correct)

be informed

do you know how to fold a fitted sheet?
i didn't.
until i saw this video referenced on someone's blog
(if i remembered i would give credit to that someone)
but i do know that the girl in the video is Annie

watch and learn



now, go to your linen closet and correctly fold your fitted sheets

alone @ night

this week, Chris began his 3rd shift job (11 PM - 7 AM)

i knew i could camp out with family/friends.

but i also knew that doing so every night would get old.

eventually, i would need to face my fear

and stay at home at night alone.

i prayed about the issue.

Sunday, i heard a song on the radio

by an artist i didn't know.

a portion of the song spoke directly to me:

"the One who holds the world in His hands,

holds ME safe in His arms"

right then, i felt His peace.

so, i decided to stay alone from the start.

get it over with.

i've not been scared at all.

for precautionary measures, though, i have been

staying up really late until i'm "drop-dead" tired.

leaving lights on in the rest of the house

"in case" i need to get up in the middle of the night.

playing music on the iPod or computer all night.

and had my guard dog right by my side.

i've really surprised myself. and my mom. and Chris.

and others, i'm sure.

yea, i'm growing up. getting tough.

hard to believe, i know.

and i did tell Chris i need instructions on shooting his gun.

and if he continues to work 3rd shift,

we will invest in a security system.

featuring: Nellie's story

Chris' lady

she's probably his third favorite lady.

cause, I am #1.

and the dog is probably second.

so, yea, Nellie comes in 3rd.

and #4 would be his Martin HD-28 guitar, Harriet.

(named for her previous owner - another story)

5th is Lucy, his Gibson Dobro.

on with Nellie's story...

it was August 2001.

Chris decided he wanted a guitar

just like his "resophonic hero," Rob Ickes

we were in the mall parking lot,

he dialed 4-1-1 got Mr. Tim Scheerhorn's number

called him, made arrangements, and ordered his guitar.

and he almost didn't get her.

the first of May 2005, I randomly suggested

that he call to check on her.

and sure enough, the guitar was ready for pick up,

and because we had moved,

Tim had no contact information for us.

He was about to sell her to someone else.

but Chris called in the knick of time. aren't we glad.

Chris loves his Scheerhorn resophonic guitar.

on cloud nine, the day we picked "her" up in Nashville. Memorial Day weekend 2005.

he patiently survived the almost 4-year wait list.

she's hand-crafted, #542,

by custom builder, Tim Scheerhorn.

Nellie is gorgeous

and she screams and squeals beautifully.

wordless wednesday

go ahead and laugh!

i did. :)

strange random photography moment

Cinderella has lost her slipper.

not sure she'd want to find it in this junk pile.

or at least i don't think she would want the owner

of this junk pile for a prince!

ha! ha!

Sunday sentiments

Pastor Appreciation Day 2007

i love hearing little children sing!

playing in the park photos

baby plays patty-cake faster! faster!
weeeeeeee! - little sister loves swinging beautiful big sister posing in the playhouse window

welcome to the world

Riley Jefferson

born Thursday, January 21, 2010

at 11:34 AM

weighing in 7lbs 10oz

and 20 inches long

proud parents: my cousins, Matthew & Angela

proud big brother: Logan

proud grandparents: Ray & Tricia and Jeff & Sybil

Congratulations to all!

He's already there

on the way to church Wednesday night,

i was listening to David Phelps (duh!)

#3 and #4 on the CD, i mentioned last week.

"He's Already There" and "God Will Take Care of You"

-on repeat-

then, what do you know: the preacher titled his sermon
"He's the God of Before"

before there was time ... there was God.

...before the foundations of the world!

He is. always was. and will be FOREVER.

He's in tomorrow. He's in next year.

in the same way, that I was in yesterday.

reminds me of Psalm 139.

no matter where i go - He is there.

no mountain is too high. no ocean too wide.

nothing can separate me from God's love & care.

we can run, run, run. but we can't hide.

'cause He's already there.

my mind has a hard time grasping this concept.

can you fathom this? my finite mind struggles to.

but whatever I face. He already knows about it.

He's there - already in the midst.

and He'll be there with me.

what a consolation.

taco soup

when i heard rain was coming last night,

i decided to have this warm, tasty soup for supper.

it is easy - and i go for quick meals on Wednesdays.

and today i had leftovers; which are just as delicious.

here's the recipe.

try it some time - especially if you like spicy

TACO SOUP

Brown 1 lb of ground hamburger. Drain. (can substitute turkey or deer burger)

In large crock pot, combine and stir the following:
a. 2 cans of Stewed Tomatoes
b. 1 can of Rotel (your heat preference)
c. 1 can of pinto beans
d. 2 cans of kidney beans
e. 1 can of whole kernel corn
f. browned hamburger
g. 1 pkg of taco seasoning (your heat preference)
h. 1 pkg of dry ranch dressing mix

Cook all day on low heat. (or at least 4-6 hours)

Serve with a handful of corn chips, a sprinkle of shredded cheese, and a dollop of sour cream.
A few tips and my personal preferences:-use all regular size cans
-do not drain juice from cans; empty entire can
-I mash the stewed tomatoes up a little when I first add them; since I do not prefer large chunky tomatoes.
-I keep browned meat in the freezer so that I can just throw everything in and not worry with browning the meat each time.

oh, happy day!

today has been a happy day - all the way around.

with many reasons to SMILE:

i slept in until 8:00 AM - once again, Chris said "don't worry about my breakfast and lunch, i'll take care of it." so, i let him. two days in a row!! he's such a sweetie.

then i met Chris' sister. in celebration of being at home, she treated me to a pedicure and lunch. the pedicure was so relaxing and so nice ... i sat back and enjoyed!! we chatted and caught up on life a little too. then we had lunch at one of my favorite places - Logan's. i devoured a delicious, huge salad and yeast roll. (and had chicken fingers w/ fries that ended up in a to-go box) it was wonderful to spend time with her ... had definitely been too loooong. she never fails to make me laugh and smile. thanks, H! (i took my camera along for pictures, but left it in the car, so on the way home i took the one above)

on the way home, i got the call from Beth that little Samuel's adoption is final and he is officially a Johnson!! YIPPEE! i'm so happy for them as they've been waiting for this day for a long time. CONGRATS!!

and Chris got a new, different job.

FIFTEEN minutes from home. :)

also, God is helping our friends out.

the ones i requested prayer for yesterday.

i'm thankful tonight for a happy day filled with good news and fun.

it can't get much better.

Psalm 71:14

"But I will hope continually,

and I will yet praise thee more and more."

wordless wednesday

it's been worth every mile

looking back over the past few months, i'm beginning to see how the Lord used a lot of things for our good.And now, looking back, we’ve begun to understand why God puts us in certain places at certain times.While the road seems to have smoothed out a little, there are still bumps ahead and we covet your prayers. We continue to have many things to sort through and a lot of decisions to be made. God has worked out so much for us - we’re confident He'll work out the rest. We are ever thankful to you for all of your support, love, prayers, and concern on our behalf. It has meant so much. Since we returned home on Christmas Eve for the holidays, Chris has had a few employment opportunities and just recently began a job at a local company, Itron, working on an assembly line constructing electrical meters. He will be working third shift for now and continue to do some construction part-time during the day. I was unsure of how I would deal with staying alone at night, but I’ve learned to adjust and have surprisingly managed well. I am also on the job search and trust in your well-wishes and prayers as I pursue a career path that will be prosperous and successful for our future plans.
We are eternally grateful for provisions the Lord made, but continue to stand in amazement at how His plan unfolded.
2009 was full of fun, uncertainty, adventure, love, trouble, smiles, and some sadness. God answered prayers for us, worked out hard situations, helped us through tough decisions and as promised, He never left us. Nothing that comes our way in life takes Him by surprise; He has foreordained it all. And now, looking back, we’ve begun to understand why God puts us in certain places at certain times. But, of course, there is really no place like home. We are delighted to be staying at home in the land of smiling faces and beautiful places!

a long day ends with a brain spill

here's the spill of how today went down:

went to bed late Sunday night (actually Monday morning) after birthday partying for B's big 30!!! not really a party. just lunch leftovers @ Mom's and B's favorite dessert of cheesecake squares. had 2 little girls sleeping over; so i slept much lighter - waking with every cough and whimper. got up early... prepared Chris' breakfast and lunch. then girls woke up one and two. straightened and cleaned around the house. my Granny popped in for a short visit and delivery. L discovered her birthday present -- so i "caved" and gave it to her nearly 2 months early. vacuumed with a 9 month on my hip. showered while the 5 year old watched baby. then off to McD's and the park with our windows down and Avalon out the speakers. the weather was absolutely gorgeous today. slid down slides. loved the fresh air. felt the breeze in the swings. and topped off the adventure with DQ Blizzards. L wanted the one with "little round brown things with peanut butter" ... um, Reese cups, that is. I tested out the new Girl Scout PB Pattie Blizzard - not great in my opinion (too much PB for me - but Ash, you'd love!!). took the babes home. picked up a few items at Wal-Mart. reminisced a bit with an old acquaintance. rushed home. started supper. my cousin arrived and helped me with supper ... chicken enchiladas, soft tacos and/or taco salad with beef and/or chicken, corn, mexi rice, cheese dip, and strawberry cream cheese squares. mom arrived. and cousins showed up. yes, we over-ate. then played Scattegories. much fun. L even had her list of words beginning with the chosen letters. then we said our "goodnights and goodbyes." the clock has now struck midnight; so it's off to bed for this sleepy head. hope your monday was marvelous. and may your week be wonderful.

and one more thing, when you say your prayers ... remember these two: we have dear friends in desperate need of the Lord's help. and Chris has an important decision to make tomorrow.

what are you listening to?

me?

i've been stuck in a music rut lately.

repeat. repeat.

listen again.

repeat. repeat.

Avalon - The Greatest Hits

"Adonai" and "Everything to Me" and "Can't Live a Day"

Isaacs - ...Naturally CD
"I Will Praise Him" and "Does Jesus Care?"
and "Hard Times Come Again No More"

And of course, David!

David Phelps - Legacy of Love: DP Live

"Already There" and "God Will Take Care of You"

and "There is a River"

notice a trend?

God is help! He cares.

He is everthing.

God has been so good to me.

i owe Him so much praise.

i owe Him all my worship.

i'm in debt.

although, i can't repay it all to Him.

i'll keep trying. i'll praise and worship Him.

so what are you listening to lately?

sentimental on Sunday

isn't she adorable?

my cousin's oldest daughter.

she will be 5 years old in August.

where does time go?

can you tell i've been going through old photos?
organizing. filing. reminiscing.
family. christmas. vacations. weddings. etc. etc.
making sense of all the boxes and boxes.

precious, unforgettable Virginia friends

i think of you often.

i'm missing you, each and every one of you.

i never realized it'd be so hard to say "good-bye"

it was almost like having to leave home.

during our 6 month stay,

you made us feel so welcome.

opened your arms and loved us.

made us feel like family.

special surprises of chocolate-covered cherries.

mexican cuisine with J&B.

out-of-the-blue, long talks about life with Frances.

dum-dum suckers from Papa J.
sweet visits from little girls.

Martinsville Church of Truth. Dry Fork PFBH Church.

spending time with long-time friends, Preskitts.

singing Christmas songs in the park.

late night talks at Beth & Justin's.
10 inches of snow - and tons of fun.
being humored by Dewayne and Kyle.

Wednesday night visits with Janice & Keith.

recipes shared - homemade french fries.

students who taught me so much.

a jean skirt hunted down in a Williamsburg Target.
evenings playing games. (Rook)
wowed!! by the miracle gift of adoption.

dinners shared. - Medo's :)
sipping on delicious hot cocoa.
bowling. bowling.

all such sweet memories that we will never forget.
you made it not-so-difficult to be away from home.
and should we ever move, we will choose VA. :)
from the bottom of our hearts,
"THANK YOU."
we love you all.
and miss you too.
hope to see you soon.

outlook on life

99 things in my life can be good.
and i choose to focus on the one thing wrong?

or even with five things wrong

and 95 things going good.
i continue to be down in the dumps.
take this picture for example.
i remember this day last July.

i was home alone. Chris was in VA.
i had been electrically shocked by the pool switch.
i had been stung by a yellow jacket while mowing grass.
(see the sting on my right foot below my big toe)
i had spilled an entire canister of sugar on the kitchen floor.

so i gave up.

called it a day and chilled by the pool.
now as i look back,

i see more things to be happy about
than those few things to be upset over:

i am alive.
i have health.
i have strength to mow grass and clean a pool.
i have feet and all 10 toes.
i have shoes on my feet.

i have a home.

i have groceries in my cabinet.

(including sugar and Kool-Aid)
i have a pool.

i have a husband.

i have a husband who has a job.

and this is only naming 10 random things

that quickly come to my mind.

if i sat here all day,

i know i could come up with 95 or 99 things or more.

truly, God is good.

and i'll take the good with the bad.

for in the end, the good always outweighs the bad.

and i'll attempt to focus in the very moment.

(instead of 6 months later)

focus on the good more

and not so much on the bad.

only excuses, better a tad late than never

the last few days have been hectic and no time to spare. especially not much quiet-thinking-time. yea, i know you are thinking ... "she's had time to blog every day." but, honestly, the past 4-5 posts have been written and scheduled a week ago or more. but, neither here - nor there, my hectic, crazy, busy life is only an excuse. and another excuse i'll use is ... i have no picture for this post. :(

but, inspite of excuses,

i have NOT forgotten.

in fact, i mailed the card yesterday.

left a message on facebook in the early morning hours.

i sent a text today AND yesterday.

cause i did not forget ...

today is one of my cousin's birthday.

a very sweet and thoughtful cousin.

one of my favorites, among 25+ first cousins.

Happy Birthday, D!!

we didn't spend much time together as children,

cause you are closer to Kevin's age.

and i am closer to Andrea's.

however,

during your college years here in the upstate,

it was wonderful spending more time with you

and becoming close friends.

it was fun discovering how alike we really are.

so many similarities ... must be in the genes!

i've enjoyed IMing - that's a great invention.

you were the first person i ever talked to.

and our chats have been so encouraging.

over dinner Pizza Hut in January!

late night in the apartment in Virginia.

we share, we laugh, we cry.

and we love.

you've definitely become an extra-special friend!

i hope you've had a beautiful birthday.

beautiful, just like you - inside and out!

and may your 25th year be better than ever.

he is. she is. we are.

he is a big goof-off.

she is more serious - she writes the blog.

can you tell?

he is adventurous and lives life on the edge.

she likes to organize, plan ahead,

have routine, and live on a schedule.

he likes to be spontaneous. make quick decisions.
she does not. she thinks things through - many times over.

he chases her down to tickle her.
she doesn't like being tickled.
he thinks it's funny and laughs -- and she laughs too.

he likes many genres of music.
she prefers just a few, but tolerates his variety.

she hates road rage, changing lanes, and no blinkers.
he loves road rage. he weaves in and out of traffic.
and 98% of the time doesn't use a blinker.

he is forgetful…she makes a list for every thing - every day.

she is a very indecisive shopper.
he gets in, gets what he needs, and gets out.
she tends to back-track; going back and forth;
changing her mind …which drives him bananas!

he is carefree ... she is a worry wart.he is strong. she is weak.

he belongs to her.
she belongs to him.

playing on each other's opposites.
complimenting each other.
strengthening each other's weaknesses.
and drawing from different strengths.

we wouldn't have it any other way.
and that's just who we are.

wordless wednesday

thank you, my friends

Friends we are

forever friends we'll remain

You mean the world to me,
I hope the same with you,
You're always helping me,
whatever it takes you'll do.

So to every one of my friends,

you mean the world to me,

I hope we stay friends 'til the end of time,

And whenever that is,

our friendship will still shine.

to all my friends (you know who you are):

"thank you for all you've done.

i love you."

laugh

it had been a looong time,

since i laughed,

i mean really laughed,

the "freeing kind" of laughter,

when for that moment,

problems vanished....

troubles were forgotten,

no care in the world,

all i felt was J-O-Y,

i threw my head back,

smiled a huge grin,

and enjoyed side-splitting laughter,

{the kind that leaves your stomach aching}

i caught myself

looking in the side view mirror for a glimpse

i hadn't seen the sight or felt that in too long.

even Chris noticed.

it felt wonderful.

do you know what i'm talking about?

this day i choose

while i am awake, as i go about my day,
i will have many choices to make,
and this day i pray for God to help me make right choices,

i choose love: i will love God and what God loves.

i choose joy: all situations are God-approved opportunities.

i choose peace: i live forgiven, therefore, i will forgive.

i choose patience: i will take advantage of inconveniences.

i choose kindness: i will be kind to all ... just as God treats me.

i choose faithfulness: i will keep my word.

i choose gentleness: i will not raise my voice in anger or demand.

i choose self-control: i am a spiritual being.
one day my spirit will soar, when this body is laid to rest.
i refuse to let what is temporal, rule the eternal.

to these i commit my day.
if i succeed, i will give thanks.
if i fail, i will seek His grace.

thoughts inspired and

some directly taken from
When God Whispers Your Name
by Max Lucado

same girl

same girl.

same pose.

just reversed.

and a few years later.

she's the sweetest!
our Thumpy-girl!

update on our life

last week, we were home in SC,
because inventory was taking place at JBM.

Chris had an interview on Wednesday for a job.
Thursday he received a call - he got the job!
this week, he completed his physical and drug test

(which he passed with flying colors!! - ha! ha!)
and hopefully will start working first of next week.

he will begin working 3rd shift.
for now, he actually wanted this shift,
so he can continue to do some construction part-time.

he has several prospective jobs. so we'll see??

i'm not sure how i will deal with staying alone at night,
but i will learn to adjust.

i don't need to be a scaredy cat and worry wart.

i continue to look for a job.
and have submitted my resume/application for several.

we're delighted to be staying at home in SC!

please keep praying for us.
we continue to have many things to sort through
and a lot of decisions to be made.

God has worked out soo0o much for us.

i'm confident He'll work out the rest.

we are thankful for all of your prayers on our behalf.
your love and support means so much.
we love you all.

here i sit

sitting on the couch with my computer.
catching up on home life.
typing this very post.
happy to be here.
home.

enjoying time with my Mom, other family, and friends.
cleaning house (yea, i don't mind) - it's been too long

attending our home church's services.

dinner with Chris' sister & family.

driving around my hometown.
visiting my grandparents.
just being home.

it is wonderful.
(sorry VA friends -- i miss y'all!)

breaking it down

we gathered with some of our family

for a little Saturday night fun.

ate pizza, wings, and breadsticks.

delicious brownies and other sweet goodies.

we enjoyed talking together

and laughing, and more laughing.

played a few games of ping pong.

played a round or two of Wii bowling.

then broke out the Rockband.

and these two girls broke-it-down:

isn't it funny?
there's some things you don't have to teach kids.
like rhythm and dancing -- it just comes natural.

what's up with the look on her face?
that's some mean dancing!

this baby girl did the patty-cake:

since most of us lack in Beatles' style singing

and dancing ability,

i'll spare you the pictures of the adult craziness.

just know, it was tremendously funny.

but here's a shot of the girlfriends at night's end:

it was a fun night! love y'all girls -- A LOT!