Happy Birthday to my Mama!

 I'm usually at mama's on her birthday, but I went up a couple weeks earlier this year.  Peony-wise, it was perfect timing.  We had a wonderful visit but I miss them terribly when I get back home.  

 The fanciest of the peonies didn't have much of that heavenly smell, as often happens with hybrids--fragrance gets lost when the plant is changed to make bigger "better" blooms.    But still, we gravitated towards this one because the blooms were so pretty and they matched mama & PJ's perfect t's to a t.  They are as cute as the peony!

So happy happy birthday to my beautiful sweet mama today.  I love you and am so proud to be your daughter. 

Annual Spring Vaca @ Jonathan Creek

We've been blessed blessed to be able to go to Jonathan Creek to fish and eat and visit with family for most every year for the past 12 years.  

 He may not have caught very many fish this time, but Mark caught a few big ones :)

Judson and Rachel brought the kids up and we all went to the Dinner Bell.  We eat differently now, but the Dinner Bell is still a favorite place to eat.  We also went to Patti's and to the Brass Lantern.  And we cooked a lot.  Four pounds of bacon over the course of the week. A couple quarts of heavy cream.  A keto cake for Mark's birthday.    Deviled eggs.  Cauliflower rice.  And western Kentucky barbecue from The Four Little Pigs in Benton and from Starnes in Paducah.  We don't eat pie or cobbler anymore, but we had wonderful meals and we didn't go hungry not one time. 

The before picture in Mark's collage was from a couple years ago.

I read good books.  Loved Option B by Sheryl Sandburg & Adam Grant.  I've been worrying way too much lately and this was a perfect read to help me let go a little bit.  The Wally Lamb book was a pretty quick read and I liked it.  I loved Hillbilly Elegy,  J.D.Vance's memoir about his hillybilly family who migrated to Ohio to escape the crushing poverty of southeastern Kentucky. 

I journal almost every morning thanks to Pat's Artist's Way classes that I've taken at Unity over the years.  I had a lot to pour out on the page this week.  This was a beautiful place to write. 

I got to visit with Sue.  Why didn't I take a picture with her?!?  I talked to my mom almost every day.  Mark and I went to the cemetery.  

I was feeling a little (okay, a lot) blue at the first of the week. Seeing Judson and Rachel and Betsy and Kyle, talking with my mom, visiting with Sue, fishing, reading, writing, looking out over the lake, seeing Mark so happy with his fishing, eating good food:  all good medicine and I feel so much better. 

We're home safe and sound now.  Can't wait til next time.  

Don't Worry

I posted this picture of me with my mom and mammy on facebook for mother's day.  I've been thinking a lot about my mammy lately.  When Tommy and I were in the hospital (it will be 40 years this August) that she told me to remember the 23rd psalm. She'd send notes and letters and probably a little cut out version like this one too.  The other day I went with a friend to the cancer center for her treatment and I  felt like Mammy was right there with us.

   

We've had a beautiful spring.  Lots of rain, mostly cool.  Mark has worked like a dog in the back yard and it's never looked this good this early.  Of course, he's had help from our actual dogs--Skye loves to dig and G dog is her very good teacher. 

I have so many many blessings.  I'm thankful for children, my children's children, my garden, and another spring. 

G dog and Skye after a big day digging in the garden. 

I love this picture of Judson and the kids on his birthday. 

I was cleaning out a closet the other day and found this "therapy fund" jar that I've had for years.  I wish I could remember who gave it to me but I have always loved it.  I used to recommend God boxes to my clients.  You may have heard of those--a box or container where you put all your hopes and dreams and worries and give them to God to handle.  This was what I used as my God jar. 

 When I opened the jar, I  found all these prayers that I put in there way back when.  I wish I had dated them.  Every single prayer has been answered.  Every. Single. One.   Even big ones like Mark's diabetes.  I've been saying lots of prayers lately and I will add those now.  My friend Gail reminded me the other day, "His eye is on the sparrow."

The TV is on in the background and I'm hearing the latest troublesome news from Washington.  I'm going to put our country in the God jar too.  

 

February/March Report

 Betsy & Kyle had 80s day at school.

I had another birthday.  With keto cake this year :)

 We made a trip to California to see Isaac.

I love this picture of Betsy and Judson.  I wish we could have been at her choir concert too.

 And spring is here again. 

 

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