We know how to P-A-R-T-Y

This morning we took off from Atlanta and headed to Virginia. Wayne's mama's family lives up here and we decided that there was no better way to ring in the New Year than by embarking on a road trip to visit the relatives.  Lynn and Craig (Wayne's sister and her hubs) are our FAVORITE traveling partner.  I have heard stories on the way up here about their childhood that make me laugh so hard I could wet my pants.  I have laughed until I cried.  This New Years party is just getting started. After spending all afternoon with Uncle Georgie, and eating some of Aunt Dean's incredible vegetable beef soup and cornbread (the kind that tastes better than cake), we are now trying to get in the party mood. I think we decided after watching a little sci-fi  TV we are gonna walk over to the El Matador restaurant in front of our motel and ring in the New Year with a enchiladas....yeah....this is the good life!

What's your plan?

About 2 weeks ago out pastor, Andy, invited us to take part in a 30 day challenge. For the month of January he wants us to read through the Bible. OK, I've never once read through the Bible, ever. Should be interesting.....

My sunday school class is starting of the year with a Kay Arthur Bible study. "Lord Teach Me to Pray in 28 Days." We are going to do it online and each girl takes a day to go online and talk about her study that day.

I read this blog today by one of my favorite online preachers.

What's your plan for 2010? If you have an organized plan to study the Bible I'd love to hear it.......

look what I did yesterday

Ever since we took the pool down this summer, (does it make me a redneck to swim in a pool that I can put "up" and "down"?) I have  been wanting to take off that part of the deck and make that portion a garden. 

Yesterday I got up early, got Wayne's crowbar and mallet from his shop, and what you see above is the result of four hours of hard work.  The standing rail and stairs are going down, but Wayne will have to do that. The  area where the deck was was will be my daylily/vegetable garden this summer.

When Wayne got home I told him that I really liked working on a project today that had results I could see. Being a nurse means listening to people tell you how bad they feel, treating them, and they leave. You don't see them better, because they only come back if they feel bad again. Sometimes I feel like I never see results from what I do.

Wayne informed me that if I had to build decks and install gutters for a living, the Welchs' would probably starve to death, and there is no way he would be a nurse. I guess I'll stick to what I know, but for one winter morning I was the woman with a tool belt!

New baby sis

This Christmas brings us a new baby in the house.  Willow is Ginny's new baby puppy. We love her. There's nothing like puppy breath, puppy sighs, and warm puppy sleeping under your neck.

Ginger is learning to share her turf, and despite our misgivings that she was too spoiled to have a baby sis,

She is learning to take care of her little sister. She comes and gets us when the baby cries, keeps trying to pick her up, and

has even given her a kiss or two.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

Random picture....long story...Merry Christmas!

Don't screw up in Pakistan

Check this out. Maybe the old "eye for and eye" isn't just an outdated model.

His favorite girl

Bye Daddy! I'll miss you today. Stay warm while you are hanging gutters.  I'll be right here at the door waiting on you until you get home!

These are the best days

More than ever before, I have this deep sense of awareness that the days I'm living in are the best days of my life.  I was thinking this morning as I plugged in the Christmas tree lights and sat in the early morning darkness sipping my coffee, "These are the good days."  This Christmas finds us at a great place in life. All my circumstances are not perfect, but I am full of peace and joy.  I think I have learned this year to live in the moment. I've learned that life, marriage and children are continually changing.  It is important to soak each day in and enjoy it for what it is.  Learning to live in the moment means forgetting what is behind and not wishing for what tomorrow brings.  This Christmas I'm living in the moment. I am watching Ginny laugh while she watches Christmas movies she's seen a hundred time. I am listening to Wayne belt out Christmas carols while he makes pancakes in the kitchen.  I am laying on Leslie's bed chatting with her about nothing in particular, but knowing that these are important conversations.  I am living in the knowledge that all these gifts are from above, from a God who does not change in the midst of my crazy ever changing life.  I have received immeasureably more than I've ever asked or thought.  These are the best days.

Blehhhhh

Yeah that's how I feel tonight. Have you ever noticed how the slightest thing can take a perfectly good day and turn it inside out?  Well, that's me. That's right where I am tonight. When I was little I used to say I felt "Blucky" a combination of blah and yucky. I am in need of a hot bath, a good book and some Tylenol PM. See ya' in the morning! Hopefully the sun will be shining and I will too!

Stop what you are doing

and immediately go to iTunes to download the Holiday Sampler album . It's free, contains about 15 holiday songs by great artists, and I've been listening to it all day. You'll love it!

The best of my weekend

Talking theology with old friends at a birthday party (ever heard of progressive sanctification?)
Baking cookies with Ginny all afternoon
Knitting in the recliner, with Ginger snoring beside me and the rain coming down outside
Christmas caroling for Ms. Maggie
Singing my favorite worship song while Will rocked out on the drums
Listening to God speak to me while Andy preached on "Maybe"
Thinking about what God "May Be" able to do with me....anything! (I needed to know that!)
Lunch with my favorite girls
Sunday afternoon nap with Wayne and Ginger
Chips and salsa with Worth and Shantal
Listening to Leslie burp and laugh as she walks in the door tonight.
My cup is full and overflowing!

Tonight......

........I'm sad for people I love who felt deep loss today.
........I'm thankful that God is in my future and already sees what will be.
........I'm ready to spread my wings and fly again. Feels like I've been running instead of flying.
........I'm taking tomorrow to be still and soak the season in.
........I'm tired of trying to manipulate and figure out the next step.
........I'm not wonder woman, just an average woman who is loved in an immeasurable way.

My tree....from Leslie's viewpoint......

Once upon a Christmas......

There was a woman who had two little girls.  They loved Christmas.  They ask for Santa for things like new baby dolls, kitchen play sets and tricycles.  They woke up very early on Christmas morning and jumped up and down in their rooms until their mom and dad said they could come out.

Those two little girls grew up and Christmas is different but still fun.  They ask for big girl things like scarves and boots and ipods.  They still shake their presents and help their mom bake cookies. Best of all....they still believe in Santa.

I guess you're never really ready

A really good friend of mine had a really bad day. Her elderly father had a stroke.  He's nearly 90.  He has done every single thing he's wanted to do in life. He loves God, his family and has been blessed indeed.  As I stood in the hall of the ER with her, her eyes filled up with tears and splashed down her cheeks.  Through quivering lips she said, "He's ready, I guess I'm not."
Strange, a sixty year old woman should be ready to let go of her dad. She's taken care of him on a daily basis for the last decade.  She knows he has no regrets, and neither does she.
Strange, even in the best of circumstances, I guess you're never really ready to let go. 

24 more days.......