Beauty doesn't fade - just changes

Yesterday I spent most of the day with my mom and dad. Dad had to go teach a Bible study at the prison for a bit so most of the time was with mom. Her and I talked and laughed and yeah...even cried. I watched her at one point and I remembered when I was young how I thought she was so pretty and thought she would never grow old. Her skin was always so soft and, her hair a chestnut brown and soft as rabbit fur. (her beauty secret: getting out of the shower she kept a bottle of olive oil near the tub and she would rub a couple drops of oil on her face and through her hair) My mom always stayed busy and if she wasn't talking she was singing.

But as she lay there on the bed reading the paper, her skin still soft, but wrinkled a bit. Her hair nearly white. But her eyes still sparkling, her voice still strong. I never dreamed my mom would get old. Even still she is beautiful from the inside out! I am so blessed to have the parents I have.

Then my heart skipped thinking how I may never get to share her with my child. My child may never feel her cool hands on their fevered forehead. My child may never be sung to sleep by her sweet loving voice. So much I want for my child to know about her. Then of course my mind wandered to my dad. I am a daddy's girl for sure and I don't want my child to miss going fishing with him, or hearing him preach or help him plant the garden or rob the honey.

I am going to take more pictures.
I am going to write things down about my parents.
I am going to take some videos.

No matter what my child will know them and feel their love.

Mom and I practiced the song and her voice was a little shakey, she takes more breaths but her voice is still beautiful. Dad got home and we decided he should sing with us. So, he is! I really can't wait.

Pray for my sister in law Susie. Her father is gravely ill and from what my mom said it could be any time. His name is Walter.

Have a great weekend, I hope I can keep up with my posts...we are having Founders Day in our town and I know it will be busy!

I surrender all...

Sunday is homecoming for my parents Church. I haven't sung in a while - for many reasons. Lisa and I sung several songs last year and this year I have the soundtrack for I surrender all. I saw it in my box and kept passing over it when looking for something to sing. Every time I did...when I started looking again it would stick out. I pulled it out and put it in the cd player and it skipped and crackled and I took it out and somehow there was a dent in the CD. I almost threw it away. The last track was the one I sang to and something urged me to put it back in and see if it would work. The only track on the CD that worked was that one.

I practiced a few times, it is a familiar song so I didn't think I would need much practicing. Then a thought came to me...I haven't sung with mom in a long time, her and I could harmonize on this and it be a surprise for dad and the church. I asked her today and she was soooo excited. I am going there tomorrow to practice it with her. Scott has a class tomorrow night so I will stay all day pretty much.

I surrender All

All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust him
In his presence daily live

I surrender all, I surrender all
All to Thee my blessed Savior
I surrender all

All to Jesus I surrender
At thy feet I humble bow
Worldly pleasures all forsaken
Take me, Jesus, Take me now

All to Jesus I surrender
Lord, I give myself to thee
Fill me with thy love and power
Let thy blessing fall on me

This song means so much to me. The first time I went to the altar at Grand Strand this song was being sung. I recommitted my life to God and surrendered it all. Just lately have I started giving things up to Him again. My infertility, my pain, family issues, financial things are the big things that I have tried to 'fix' myself.

I have started to feel the peace that I am going to be ok, everything will be ok. Something extraordinary is about to happen in my life!

Ok...pics of Memorial day :)

This is Gary's cabin. Just so peaceful up there!
They are pickin and grinnin :)
This is inside, love the fireplace soo rustic


I love this cook stove, reminds me of one my mom has.
Gary tears down old cabins and keeps the wood. He numbers each one so he can put it back just like it was before he tore it down. People call him quite often to do this!

This is Bonnie and her granddaughter, friends of Todd and Lisa.This is Gary's horse, he is so pretty and very friendly!
Another picture of Bonnie and her grand daughter
Todd's friend Travis

Daddy causing trouble.
Cara and Illan...singing with his paw.
Just people...that little girl was so cute - had bandaids on both knees!
Aww Cara and Illan
He finally pooped out and noone would do but Grandmaw

He is so sweet.
I just couldn't stop taking pics of him!
My sweet mama
Mom and Me
Illan and his Grandmaw Lisa

Family friend Leon
Just one of many pictures of the creek
Daddy thought he was being funny...haha

The real picture of Dad
Me and Scott...I just love him

Lisa and Zach dancing
Zach and his sister (brunette) and her friend doin the hodown!

Bunch of crazy girls :)

Old timey truck
Loved the rustic fence
Dad and Mom
Listening to the music

Randall and Cara
Randall and Illan with the horse
Lisa and Illan dancing

I know this is a lot of pictures, more than I thought. I played around with them a little too before I posted them. The day really was great. I guess this is as close as it can get of you being there :) I have a few more from that day I will post too...we went up on top of the other mountain for a Sunday drive and it was lovely.

What is a Pig Pickin?

Well, of course there is pig! At the McCurry pig pickin' he puts 10-12 Boston Butt roasts (shoulder roasts) on the grill the night before and cooks and cooks and cooks them. By the time church is out on Sunday all the folks drive the rough and rocky road up the mountain to his cabin. It is so peaceful up there. No power - a cabin that his great great great grandparents built that has not been updated. There is a creek all around the property almost with a horse and pasture. The pasture is encompassed with a log fence. He does bring a generator up to power the musical equipment. There are many many trees offering amazing shade and soft gentle cool breezes. He does the meat and everyone else brings the fixin's. The pork is so tender, the pickin comes usually when you pick the meat off the grill...at least that is my interpretation. My husband thinks it comes from the pickin' and the grinnin' during the music.

There is sweet tea of course, watermelon in the creek keeping cold. Tater salad and slaw, hush puppies and corn bread. Desserts fill a whole table with my favorite being the pineapple upside down cake and the red velvet cake!

Kids playing all around, playing in the creek too. Young people dancing to the music and all the older people catching up on life...or gossiping haha.

It is super fun, very relaxing and it just makes for a great day. I will post some pictures - didn't take as many this year but got a few!

woops it is late...will post pictures tomorrow!

Have a great night ya'll!

Happy Memorial Day

I want one...

Scott is seriously thinking about getting a scooter - haha, his family has always called him scooter. The mileage is amazing and they aren't toooooo expensive. The trip to work is about 15 miles so it would be feasible. Some of the scooters now go up to around 80 mph! I hope he never drives that fast though.

Anyways...I was looking around and lo and behold there is one calle Hope haha....so Scooter can get a Scooter and Hope can get a Hope

http://www.schwinnscooters.com/scooters/hope50.php

Jealousy

A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot (Prov. 14:13).

A friend posted about this verse recently. Jealousy is something I can usually push down and 'pray' it away. Possessions, money, great jobs even good health is something I am rarely envious about. I would love to have some - ok all of those things but not to the point of being jealous.

Children...that on the other hand is the one time that green monster is bigger than me. I try to just ignore it but it seems that is when it gets stronger. I have to face it head on and pray and deal with it or it will grab hold and not let go. There are those that get pregnant around me that I am genuinely happy for. Especially those that have shared infertility with me. But there are times I hear about someone being pregnant and my heart pounds and my eyes swell with tears - and I do cry out to God WHY!? Why not me, why not Scott...why not Kari or Jill...or any on my blog roll or my circle of friends that are wanting a child.

I belong to a fertility message board, I used to be there daily and all over the boards. I found a group of friends there that have forever changed my life. For over a year that site was my source of knowledge on things infertility. It was a community of women trying anything and everything to have their dream. Lately though it has been tough going there - some are pregnant with number 3. Few...very few are still childless and the signatures with babies and toddlers decorate every page. It is hard to go there and read anymore, not really because of jealousy but it is more like a mommy board now than the wannabe a mommy board. Maybe I will feel different when it is my turn.

This verse really encourages me to do better in this area...who wants rotting bones!?!

I hope everyone has a GREAT Memorial day weekend. We are going to a pig pickin on Sunday with my family. I posted pics last year, it was so much fun...and boy am I in the need for some fun.

Picture story part 2

This was a quick pic of my poppy. He was laughing with Scott. Look at that honkin' nose! He can smell dinner a mile away haha. I am such a daddy's girl. I have become more of a mammas girl too lately. I am so blessed to have such great parents. He and my mom have a beautiful garden or 3 :). They give away more than they keep, but that is their joy.

We ate dinner there, I know I talk about it sometimes...so here are some pictures to make your mouth water a little....well, if you like hillbilly cookin! This was a huge pile of cornbread she made...yummmmy!
Well, you can't have cornbread without pintos! Put the pintos and juice over the cornbread. Spoon a little chow chow on it too...chow chow you ask?? I guess it is sorta like relish maybe. It is chopped cabbage with some peppers and onions in with it - then pickled. SIGH...ask me and I will send you a jar! Mom cans enough of it to feel everyone that reads my blog haha.

Well, these are her famous chicken and dumplin's. The dumplin's are so perfect, nice and gooey on the outside but almost biscuit like in the centers. This is one thing that everyone asks for...all the time.
Ok...this was my plate....before I put the chow chow on it....I didn't eat much cornbread but it is under the beans. Of course she made slaw and fried taters too...of course :)

After dinner I went out to see the garden. Mom got a beautiful hydrangea for Mother's day and I had to have a picture of it.
This is their fig tree. Last year we had a late frost and they didn't have any figs. The tree is several - maybe 10 years old. It was a gift from Susie. By the way....I hate figs...*shiver*
Daddy has bees...more than I thought. Last I remember there was only 1 thingy up there. Well, now he has 6! He got tons of honey last year, some as clear as water almost. Everybody asks for it, not all get it :). This year though I think he will have tons. He said they are ready to rob but every day there is a rain cloud and you can't do anything with them when there is any moisture around or it will turn to sugar. I will have to get a picture of him in his bee suit...it is a riot! A few weeks ago he walked up to see the ducks or chickens one, and a honey bee hit him full speed above the eye...stung him and he looked like someone socked him one. This one has a lot of honey in it he said...I don't like bees so I stayed back pretty far!

Look at those bees...EEEEK!

This is some lettuce....can't remember the name, but it is lettuce :)

This big ole stalk for zucchinis came from a seed that was pushed in the dirt...God just amazes me!
Daddy planted these roses a few years ago...one was red the other light pink...well, now they are are hot pink - go figure!

This is their pretty lil garden. They have another small one and one bigger. Todd takes care of the big one for them. Couldn't resist the pretty lil lady bug....aww so sweet.
Row of cabbage...getting huge. Getting ready for some chow chow and slaw :)
look how pretty!
This is one of his hanging tomato plants blooming...hard to believe a mater will come outta that!

Cara and Randall and Illan was there, look at Cara round as a pumpkin. Pregnancy becomes her. We are all ready for that lil girl.
Ok I know this looks odd, but Dad took some buckets and put some holes in the bottom and hung the tomato plant out of the bottom. Yeah...crazy, but he won't have to stake them or anything. A big storm came through and knocked one down...that is the deadish one.
Lil baby cherry tomato blooms. Hairy lil limbs huh?
Illan was running around, playing piano and he likes the big wheels on the tractor.
Look at that grin...sooo toothy!

The cherry tomato's hanging down from it's pot...they are hairy too...hmmm.

Soo, that is it for picture time. I challenge all of you to post some pics of your everyday life. Just walking around my families homes I saw God in so many places. He blesses us with so much beauty, it is a shame that most of the time we pass it by without saying thank You. So...Thank you Lord for hairy tomato's haha. Seriously, thank You God for blessing us with so much, and yet You still let us ask for more.