saturday and roll back the clocks!

well now it may not be dark at 7:30 and I am ready for that, BUT it will be dark at 5:00pm, and I am not ready for that! I have had a linda lou averitt day, just took some much needed time to rest and rest I did:) I got up at 9:30ish just laid around and read then bathed and went to the store then got fried pickles and came home put PJ's back on and sat in the middle of the bed and watched tv and ate fried pickles;) yummy!! then took a nap and then went ot eat, had lobster:)) now that is what I call a great rainy day!! The sun did come out and I hope we see it fro awhile, I am tired of the rain:) Steve's sister Patsy called and ask him to go to fayetteville with her to the hogs game, they will spend the night with his brother Biff so he was excited, he doe snot get much family time with his brothers and sisters:) I talk to mine daily, I am thankful my brother and sister live close by!

well going to bed, and looking forward to a fun day and sunshine!! hugs and nite!!

baby A has got back or above her birth weight, she and Jill are doing great!! YEA!!

where did the week go?

Little lady bug Olivia

Victoria and Olivia at fall festival:)

pics never go in order:( me and Baby A:)

This is Cole, Sean and Sarah and Cole spent Tuesday night and some of Wednesday with us:) he is too cute, he is a stout little boy, he is trying to walk and get three teeth at the same time, ouch!! He loves playing is just a happy baby!! They are for sure blest!

I last blogged on Tuesday:) and I am not sure what all has happened since then! Tuesday as you know A did not get to go home, I do have my pic with her from when I went on Monday and got to hold her for the first time;) Jill and Baby A went home on Wednesday, they are doing real good, Jill's mother Belinda is there so I am giving them their special time with mother and daughter and baby, I of course will be there asap if they need me for anything!! But I do know form my daughters having babies that is such a sweet time with your daughter, cooking and cleaning and being the NANA!! I plan to go on Saturday afternoon and see her again unless I can not wait then I will go on and visit!! Last night we helped with the small group we are in at Mercy Cross, they were responsible to have the bingo room for their fall festival, Steve and I worked that room for about 45 minutes, it was too fun, the children were so cute!! Jenn brought the girls, and would you believe I forgot my camera!! I took a few with Steve's phone, Hannah brought her children, they all had fun, Olivia was to cute as a lady bug, she just danced every where she went!! Its raining here again, locks like a deary rainy day!! off and running! Jenn goes to Dr. today so I have Peyton and Laila for a couple hours, can not wait!! Laila is a NANA's girl, she just throws out her arms and grins all over her face when she sees me:) I am loving it!! then I am having some Linda Lou Averitt time for Friday and Saturday till about noonish, then back to doing what I do best!! wife, mother, Nana, Realtor and friend!! Have a great day where ever you are:) you make it a great day, its your choice!!

Jill adn A update

Jill Averitt is sitting in the NICU with A. Had a little set-back...Amelia has lost more weight, her bilirubin is up, and she was unable to hold her body temp overnight. Keep her in your prayers, please.
This is Jill's status update on facebook. Jill and Alex will stay at hospital tonight, Jill is discharged but they have a sleep room near the NICU, Baby A may go home tomorrow...pray for her:) and for Jill, Jill is exhausted and has very little rest, she has been in hospital for a week so that alone is enough to wear you totally out:)

held Baby A today:)

Alex called and I was on my way to chiorpractor and he ask could I come and help JIll with brest feeding, I was delighted to do that!! So I went to the office to do catch up and then went to the hospital about 12:15, baby A was sleeping but we woke her up, I got to pick her up and hold her, Jill took my pic but its on their camera and I do not have it yet;( but when I get it I for sure will post it:) Baby A nursed like a champ and Jill did real good with it, nursing is harder then most realize, some say it just comes natural and it does after you have nursed your first baby but its frustrating on the first one and you and the baby learn together, but today mother and baby got a A+! I stayed for a couple of hours then went back to work, had a meeting tonight and just got home, tired and on my way to bed! You would think my blood pressure would be up but no it is and has been very low, I need to go see my Dr. I may not need the medicine now since I have lost weight, but with it low it makes me tired and I stay cold! SO when I can I will go see Bruce Sanderson my Dr., off to bed for now.....OH yes the most important thing, Jill and baby A will go home tomorrow!! Both together at the same time...this is a answered prayer! Keep the Simmons family in your prayers, tomorrow is Candy's funeral at 1:00pm. Thank you for all your prayers......hugs and nite!

Miss A holding daddy's fingers

Day of rest:)

Sunday has been a lovely sunny day here with a crisp breeze, we went to early service at Mercy Cross, then spent the rest of the day totally chillin at home, it was nice to be home, I wanted several times to go to the hospital but felt like I needed to rest, I took a nap and then visited with Sherry Maxwell awhile, I am still resting in my chair, watched some TV and just did nothing:))) still missing seeing baby A but Alex said it has been a good day, A did nurse and is doing real good, she still has a itty bitty feeding tube, they are bottle feeding her too and now Jill will nurse her when she is hungry:)) all is going well for them, I am so thankful, thank you Lord for your faithfulness! Since church got out by 10:15 it has seemed that it should be about midnight now:) Tomorrow I got to get with it with my real estate closings and I need to list and sell a home this week, so pray I do:) My cousins funeral will be Tuesday at 1:00pm in Elizabethton, Tenn. I want to go but it is just too far and with Steve still recovering and Jill and A still in hospital, my heart is sure there. Wesley has been a church of Christ preacher since he was young, so I know he knows God is his strength and refuge and so does Elva and Candy's husband Tim, its just so sad and hard, I do not know how parents get though losing a child, the only comfort is they are with the Lord. Well I am yawning and yawning, so will get to bed early tonight:) hugs and nite!
by the way the kitty is still here, she comes and goes:) Max loves her and wants to call her sally:) I have not heard anything form Kimberly our house guest, I hope she stayed in the hospital:)

FYI ON JILL AVERITT

FYI on Jill Averitt, she will not come home from hospital today, her blood pressure is still high and of course A is still in NICU so Jill is happy to stay a little longer, A is doing great and Jill will get to try to nurse her today, then ...A will go to step down nicu if she continues to do this good and I believe she will!

what a week,long blog

I am not sure where to even start this week at, it has been a hectic, unbelievable week for me. It started with church on Sunday then Jill had a baby shower, when I saw her I was worried, she looked toxic to me, I ask her when she saw the Dr.  I did not want to scare her, she was going Tuesday morning, so I told her to try to rest and get off her twice or three times her size feet.  Her little face was distorted with flood and her lips as if she had several collagen injections, needless to say it concerned me, she reminded me of Alicia when she was toxic with Alexandria.  Then Monday I had work and agent interviews and I was cooking dinner for several people for a Southern Living Party, had the party and enjoyed it, was tired and knew the next morning I would be up early to get work things done before Steve’s surgery, when I got out of the shower Tuesday getting ready to take Steve to the hospital, I went into the kitchen and saw a lady I did not know with April, I ask who she was and April told me she had helped her get this little boy to school who had missed his bus, the little boy was eight, the lady was really manic and said she was homeless, April had got her breakfast at McDonald's and she was eating at the kitchen table, I sat down and talked to her for a few minutes, it wasn’t long and I knew she was coming off something and manic and homeless and probably running form someone or something.  I told her about Celebrate Recovery and gave her the church's number and told her my sister leads a bi-polar group at celebrate every Thursday, she felt she had found hope and was elated………I told her it was time she had to go and April took her to a street a few blocks away, this is where the little boy lived. ( I did check on the little boy) For those who know me, my home has always had a open door to help people, but in 2002 when we had left our church I shut some areas of my life down, I know God has always used me with the down trodden and hopeless and the people no one wants to help and I have been skilled in those areas when working at Living Hope and thru the church in lay counseling.  When I went thru so many things in the church I had just went through some times where I now realize I shut down in some areas, and my heart became hard toward some areas, as I have shared about not wanting to make new friends, I also quit getting involved in helping hurting people.  A few weeks ago I felt the Lord prodding in those areas of my life and showing me where I was at and where he wanted me to be, I surrendered it to Him and ask Him to use me in what ever way He wanted, so back to my story, Steve and I got into he car and went to the hospital, I told Steve it will not surprise me if she is not on our porch when we got home, at the hospital when they had taken Steve to pre opt, I was with him and Alex called, he was scared and crying because Jill had pre eclamsia and was direct admitted from her Drs. visit to labor and delivery and they were told she would have to have the baby. She was 35 weeks to the day, I left Steve at the hospital, I had Hannah come up there and called Alicia to go with me to Alex and Jill at lr Baptist, on the way I got a call that my uncle who is not much older then me, daughter who is 32 had a brain aneurism and was not expected to live, they live in Tennessee. She did pass away today :(  So my heart was heavy and I was scared for Alex and Jill and baby A. Jill’s blood pressure was real high, I was worried about leaving Steve but did not know what else to do. Steve did fine, his L 4,5,6 are completely gone and he will have surgery soon to fuse them together, his implant for his back was fixed and is now working, he is sore and getting over surgery but doing well. Jill was monitor all day Tuesday and they started inducing her labor at 1:am wed morning, Jill’s blood platelets were low and they did not want to do a c-section because she could bleed to death, the baby was doing fine, they had to put Jill on different meds, one make you hurt and burn all over and is hard on the baby, the other put her into labor, Jill stayed in hard labor for hours and began having some slight seizures, which totally scared us all, we all had to leave the room and her be in total darkness and quiet with just Alex and if he moved or talked he would have to leave, I told Jill's mother he will be perfectly still and just pray, Alex has always been the type child to be perfect in what ever he did, so I had no doubt he would be ok. Jill got somewhat better and later by 5:30ish we could go back in, of course we were quiet and just took turns helping her breath through her contractions, her epidural did not work and she was in full labor and having to breath through the contractions which were not making any progress on dilating her cervix:( at midnight wed. night the Dr.. came in and they decided to do a c-section, when Jill went to delivery I can not remember how high but her BP was about 187 over 140ish scary high and she we shivering tremors again, the baby was ok but we knew from what the drs. said she would go to NICU upon delivery, Jill, Alex and Jill’s sweet mother Belinda went into the delivery room and baby A was born, she was not breathing upon birth and they in abated (sp) her immediately and she did go to NICU, her apgar was low, her weight was ok at 5pds 2 ozs but she had some other problems to overcome, after delivery Jill started passing the fluids and toxins, her BP is still being watched but she is doing good, I came home about 4ish am and when I was going to my room I noticed the TV was on in the guest bedroom, I looked in and saw someone in he bed, I took a peek and was not sure who it was, so I woke Steve and ask him who was asleep in the guest bedroom, with all the day I had forgot about the lady:) and that is who was there, she was on the street and it was storming and Steve and April had her spend the night, Steve came when baby A was delivered but failed to tell me about it:) I got about two hours of sleep and thought I have to get up and figure out what to do with her, I promptly told the Lord I did not know He meant be ready now to help someone and I was not sure I was up for all this, my guest had not woke yet and I told Steve let her sleep till I could figure out what to do, since i had not been in counseling in so long I had lost contact with all my contacts to help people and at the places I knew of, the staff had changed. When she got up I had a talk with her, and laid down the boundaries, I am very strict in these and if someone really wants help, I will help but I am not the savior, I am the saved and a sinner just like them and they will need to look to the Lord for their help, I told her if she lied about anything it was a one chance deal for me to help her and if she really wanted to change her life then she has the opportunity and if not there is nothing I can do for her.  Of course she wanted to change her life patterns:) but my thought was she is mentally sick and needs some meds, she also abused prescription drugs, but had not had any in the past two days so I was not worried about detox, Steve took her to Celebrate that night and she was glad, I was going to find a place for her to live at for a few months till she could get straight on Friday, when Steve got up Friday he told her he had heard her talk about her father and her father seemed like a good man, she said he was and Steve said he felt she should go to her father's house, she totally lost it, started crying and shaking and wringing her hands and pacing the floor, now keep in mind I worked in psych for years so I do know how to get back control, if possible and she was very hard to deal with, I told her the only help I can give her at this point is to admit her into a psych hospital because she has to get back on her meds for bi-polar, she first said no and I said then you have to leave of course you feel like a ruthless person doing this but when someone is that messed up they can not make decisions or even comprehend what you are saying so there is no need to reason with them, I then said either you get ready and were going or I am calling 911 dn they will strap you down give you a shot and take you against your will, so she did agree to go, Steve and I took her to UAMS and she was admitted, she is such a sweet lady with a sad story and really does need the help of the right kind of friends so keep her in your prayers, as I was outside that morning a little stay cat came up to me, and I thought what is the deal, I have lived here for over four years and NO ONE has ever just came to the door  and no animals either, so I feed the cat and told Steve not to say anything to me about it and be nice to the cat!  WE had just got home for seeing Alex and Jill and baby A when my step father called and mother had lost her purse and they needed me to come over and figure out what to do, I knew it had to be in the house because mother has her keys in it and she had to unlock her door to get in, she had gone to the beauty shop with her friend Luella, mother no longer drives and she is probably stage 3 Alzheimer's, so I went there and found it in the bottom of her closet, she was so relieved she just tuned up and cried, she tried not to, I was so glad I went and was able to find it. Of course since I was back in LR i went by and said good night to baby A:) I got home and just thought what a day that has been………today is Saturday and it has-been slower, but it started with me forgetting a appointment with a agent at 11:00am, I had slept till 9:30am and still in my PJ’s when they called me form the office, then I worked till 3ish and came home and just sat and did nothing, then went back to the hospital to say good night to baby A and Jill and Alex, I dread them going home tomorrow and having to leave baby A at the hospital but I am so thankful we have baby A and Jill that I know it will just all work out. Keep them in your prayers and Kimberly my house guest, I have no ideal what will happen with her, hopefully  she will go into a rehab and change her life. Tomorrow is church and work then Monday is a full week of real estate for me and of course working it around the needs of Jill and baby A and Alex.  I once heard a story of a man with six children and someone ask him, do you have a favorite child, he said well you know (I will use my children’s name) I just love Alicia she had needed me to help coach  her in real estate, so she had a lot of my time but you know when Sean had his baby Cole he really needed me and I guess, well when Alex had his baby A he really needed me and I was there then Hannah had had some problems lately and I helped her a lot with her household thing and children then there is Jared and he has the sweetest little girls and his wife is pregnant and needs help some with the girls and then there is my sweet April she is the baby and she really needs us to help her in making life decisions….you know they are just all my favorite, I guess its what ever child that has the need  at the time you could say is my favorite because they all are such a important part of my life and such a blessing to me, there is not one favorite they all play a role in who I am and will be:)  I loved that story and that is me!! nite all

Baby A's pic!!!

Daddy's first touch:)

As you can see she is off the vent and is breathing on her own:))) She took her own cannula out of her nose:) just like her mommy did in labor:) They both are doing GREAT!!! I know it will be so hard leaving her here at nicu when Jill goes home so keep them in your prayers. Jill may get to hold her tomorrow!! Is she not just a little doll?????

I will post more personal later, I have so much that has happened in the past two days to share with you but to tired to write it all out:) hugs and nite!!

Jill and baby A's update

We just got to our normal room.
Jill is doing better. Here blood pressure is still on the high side, and the Dr's said that she really needs to sleep. At this point she is running on 2-1/2 days with only an hour or two of sleep per day. She is very tired and will probably feel up to having visitors later tomorrow. The Dr. said that we should be able to go home on Sunday.

A is doing well in the NICU. The Dr. said that she will be there for 7-10 days. She has to be able to breathe without any assistance and eat on her own before she can leave. Right now, she can't be moved from her station in the NICU and doesn't need visitors. As she improves, I will be able to take one adult at a time back (as long as they haven't been exposed to the swine flu this season) to see her.

Thanks for all of your support and prayers,
Alex

I will keep you updated on my blog:) and will post pics when I can:) all is ok here, hectic, pray form my Uncle Wesley's daughter candy, she is 32 and had a aneurysm, she is not brain dead and they are hanging on to hope:) Please pray for her...nite and hugs

Baby A's Birthday!

Jill and Alex have baby A, she is 5pds.2ozs., 18 1/2 inches long, she is stable in nicu, Jill is and will remain in the labor and delivery area for the next 24 hours and can not have visitors, this is due to the blood pressure, A will... be in nicu for a few days as of now and JIll should go to room on Friday......Thank you Lord.......Amen


Once we can and Jill can she will post pics:)

update...no baby yet:(

This has been a hard day for Jill, she is doing well but has had a ruff time, the baby and Jill are fine, Jill dilated to s 2 cim. and the baby has come down and she is efaced, the DR. has her very sedated and totally dark and quiet room, due to her blood pressure and she had some tremors, seizure activity, her water broke and she is having contractions, they are doing her epidural and that will help with the pain and she can stop some of the sedation, they sedated her due to the blood pressure rising with the intense contractions, her blood levels are good. Dr. does not want to do a c-section yet since she has started showing some progress......they said it may be another 12 hours so please pray her body will go into labor and respond and do what it needs to do:)

Baby A...here tomorrow!

Jill went to the Dr today and he put her int he hospital, she was pre eclamtic,(sp) it was touch and go most of the day but her blood pressure stabilized and they will induce her tomorrow, a note from Alex:)


We are in a waiting process. Jill's blood pressure is still high, and she is just below the point where they would do a c-section. The baby's stats are great, it is Jill's vitals that have the Dr. concerned. They want her to deliver naturally if at all possible. They are giving her medication now to stabilize her and prepare her for labor, and the will begin the induction at 1:00 AM tomorrow morning. They will increase the "inducing" drugs at 7:00 AM and 1:00 PM tomorrow. The Dr expects for Jill to deliver sometime tomorrow afternoon if all goes as planned.

They have told us that A's lungs probably won't be fully developed, and that she will probably have to spend some time in the NICU, but also that they deliver babies that are more premature than her that are healthy.

I'll send another update tomorrow, or if anything changes.

Thanks for your prayers,
Alex

On the other hand, you know when I said I felt torn between work and Steve, well add Jill and Alex and A to that and Jill and A and Alex won:) I left Steve at hospital with his well wishes and Hannah came and was with him, Alicia went with me, guess God knew what He was doing in blessing me with so many children:) My Aunt Connie called and my Uncle's daughter who is 33 had Brian aneurysm and is not expected to live, they are in Tenn., it is just soooooo very sad, please pray for them. Steve did well, he is resting, has two bug cut open places in his back and he will need a week or so to heal, the Dr. said he has no vertebrae and needed to fused his lower vertebrae, when Steve gets to where he cannot stand the pain then the Dr. is ready to do it, in which I do not think Steve is, this pain deal in his back help with the pain. Well needless to say it has been a day.........going to be to get up early to meet miss A tomorrow:) remember us in your prayers......hugs and night!

Partying Monday:)

Got up at the crack of dawn, in which I did not want to, but knew to get my day done, I would need too:)  Went to store early to get  things I needed to cook for my Southern Living Party I was having, I decided to prepare dinner since the party was at 6:30pm.  After the store I was at the office to meet with a recruit and I was so impressed with her, I hope she will come to Mckimmey, she would for sure be a asset! Then had a Awards of Excellent meeting at the board office, which went well, the home to cook, made chicken and dumplings and a huge pot of veggie beef soup and corn bread, oh yes!  A fudge cake:) Got the house straight and then headed to the chiropractor, he is really helping my neck and my headaches:) so I could not miss that appointment!  Worked real estate in between and then it was time for my party, had a great time:)  I forgot to take pics:( but did take some before the party.  Max helped me decorate for fall, he got out some of my things and he did the table and I had two little straw people from some where, and he put them in a vase I had, I added some little wheat things and curly stick, but did not have the heart to change anything, he just loved what he did!!  He said NANA YOUR HOUSE ROCKS!! he is just getting so much bigger and is so sweet, growing way too fast:(  I am wore out and tomorrow have to have Steve at hospital for surgery on his back, remember the wire came loose to his implant for pain in his back, so we will be there, then home to recover..  I had forgot and have two agents coming to sales meeting tomorrow to check out the company…. I am just torn on what to do when I do things like that, but I need to be at the hospital so that is where I will be, I thought of taking Steve and leaving go to the meeting then coming back, but thought, would I want him to do that to me:))) and the answer is no:) Although Steve probably would not care, men are different:)  Oh well life will go on, just can not be at both places at once:) going to bed….NITE!

The Acorn

Have you ever thought, hey my life is just not fair! Why do these things have to happen to me? What is the deal! I was just getting going in the right direction then whack! I am knocked down again! When I was at the women's retreat I saw a acorn, I picked it up and thought of a this story I had heard, I wanted to share it with you:) let's look at the acorn.

A little acorn was high rooted in a branch, a strong rain came and the little acorn held on for dear life, as the limbs staggered back and forth, the little acorn was thankful it could hold on, but shivered at the fright of being blown off, it made it through the rain storm. The little acorn was basking in the sun and felt so good, it wonder, why do I have to be the acorn? Why can I not be the tree or the branch, then I could stand strong in the storms. Then one night a terrible storm came, high winds and rain, the winds howled and the branches swayed, the little acorn was blown off the tree, it fell to the ground, the little Aron had no ideal where it was and was so scared and alone, just when acorn thought it might be ok, a human came by and step on it and squashed the little acorn in the ground, now the acorn said this is it! I can not get out, I am crushed and perplexed and angry, why did I have to fall out of my tree?? I just do not want to live anymore, the little acorn just gave up, some time went by and all of the sudden little acorn felt some warm sun, it thought oh my, what is the deal, I can feel again! Do I dare trust what I feel? Little acorn began to shoot up out of the ground, the rain and storms came but little acorn was growing into a big tree, as little acorn looked down at itself, it just could not believe how strong and brave it had become, now little acorn was a big solid oak tree, little acorn was so thankful, it had turned into the very kind of acorn it dreamed of being, a big solid beautiful oak tree full of green leafs and full of acorns! Now little acorn would tell the other acorns that when they think their world has ended and they have nothing left, to get ready their life is just beginning, little acorn tells them that the storms will come and they may get blown off the tree, they will think they are alone and feel like life is over for them but to hang on that they are becoming what they dream of, a big beautiful oak tree!

In my life I have had some major blows and I have ask God what are your doing? I have thought how will I get trough this?????? I look back over a time when our son had to go live at a boys ranch and it ripped right through my heart, I thought if I could be the perfect mother then he would be the perfect son, well you know how far that got me, I felt like I had failed him. I remember when Jared had cancer, I was so afraid of losing him, it actually took the life out of me to watch him be so sick, when Sean lost his son, my first grandson, the pain and grief was unbearable, I have had riches and I have lost everything but in it all the one thing that I have never lost is my Father's love and His caring for me and my family, God has always been faithful to give the strength and grace to walk though the valleys and I am ever so thankful. As we walk thorough painful times it makes us stronger and builds our faith, you ask, give me more faith Lord? Faith comes by walking through trails and doing what God says, that is when you learn who God is and how much He cares for each of us, even when we are angry at him, do not want anything to do with Him, like the little acorn in the dirt buried all alone, God spouts us through till we are shining again, for some of us it is a long winter and others its spring, but for us all His love never fails and will see us through what ever life my brings our way.

Thursday and a peek of sun!

Today has been a easy day, I had a board meeting and did some real estate then got home about 5ish and ate some dinner, the tried to make my self drive to Carlyle to go to church with Sarah but the drive home made me decide not to go, just to wet and far away for me to go by my self tonight, so I have worked on realtor.com on my listings, my job is never done, there is so much to do for just one listing let alone very many. People never realize how hard Realtors work ( if they have business) I remember when Alicia got into real estate she apologized to me for thinking I did not work and could be at her beckon call:) now she knows we juggle all the time to try to be every where at once:) But today was a slower pace and I enjoyed that:) Tomorrow may be a different story! I am contemplating on a post about acorns:) I will Post it tomorrow, some things I have on my heart:) going to bed earlier tonight:) thank the good Lord!! HUGS! my nails still look awful, I was embarrassed at the board meeting, I have to get this polish off tomorrow!

awake:(

It is 12:13 am and I am awake...........grrrrrrr! I think the Mercy Cross night owl's cabin messed me up:) at the women's retreat! I was up last night till 1:30 and now tonight! I use to go to bed at 8:30 or 9:00!! So what is the deal with this new life style?? I am getting excited about miss A coming to meet us pretty soon! I am excited to meet her and look her over real good:) Tell her I am her Nana:) Its not too much longer about a month, in which I can not even believe that! Then I am going to be awaiting miss M too in February....I just loves babies, I think I would still have them if I could but Lord help me I would be soooooo tired, for sure could not work:) We could just live on love:) Today I actually saw the sun and some blue Sky's for about 30 minutes!! YEA!! It may rain tomorrow but then suppose to clear up:) I hope so I am tired of all the rain, although I must admit I like taking naps when it rains:) I cooked for the first time beef stew, I rolled my beef in flour and seared it, then put it in a pot of water and added some spices and onion and celery seed and boiled it, then added potatoes, carrots and corn...........it was to good, if I say so myself! Regina fixed some rolls and they were to die for good, well maybe not die but to commit gluttony with them.....if your gonna sin that is one way to do it:) believe me I know, just have a hard time doing that sin anymore!! Speaking of sin, I have just about quit cussing, I think, I may have said some that I did not realize I said. I only said one today, so there is hope for me to quit! I should quit I have been in church most of the week, we went to life connection, I think that is what it is called at Mercy Cross tonight, it was real good, one of the pastors leads the group we have been going to, his name is Mark, we discuss what Scott preached on Sunday, it is a series on dealing with difficult people, this one is manipulative people or people pleasing people, which are you? any way it helps you set boundaries for unhealthy friendships or demands on you by others....very good stuff! If I do not do my nails tomorrow I am disowning my self, they look awful! I have a board meeting at 11:30 at the board of Realtors tomorrow, then a fairly easy day! Have closing but they are delayed.......grrrrrrr! So I will probably have a very bust first of next week, on Monday night I have a Southern Living Party at my house at 6:30, come if you can:) The Steve has surgery on his back implant on Tuesday, his wired is undone, so he will be so thankful to have that working again and get him out of pain, me too on that thankful part! So it will probably be a full week, no open house Sunday for me so that gives me some time to do something for me:) like ride horses! hugs and I hope nite!

Splashing in the rain!

Oh my gosh, talk about splashing in the rain, that is what property tour was all about this morning till this afternoon! We always do property tour of the homes we list during the week so we can know them and be able to sell them, seems it rains all the time on Tuesdays:) but seems it rains all the time right now ! This would have be a good day for rain boots!! We toured the condos I spoke of in last email, they are very nice and exclusive! Then went and signed my tax papers...ugh...whole nother story! THEN I ate some zuppa toscanna and came home and took a two and a half hour nap, woke up to Hannah's M-I-L ( Regina) having dinner ready:) what a treat that was!! She made the best home made Cherry pie too! Hannah is so blest with such a sweet M-I-L:) Believe it or not I am already ready for bed, getting ready to lay down and read in my book:) Tomorrow is not too busy, I am glad, I can get caught up on my paper work:) hugs and nite!

Rainy day Monday's do not get me down:)

Today started early for me, had lots to get done today and did not get it all done:( Had a great time at the real estate school, I took lunch today and talked with the new recruits about working for me at Mckimmey:) I did make several appointments to meet with different ones this week and next, so that is great!! I then did real estate, there is a lot that goes into listing homes and selling homes!! A lot of paper work for sure and lots of leg work:) have a full day tomorrow, sales meeting and it may be raining ( hope not) then we have a lunch meeting to look at a new project:) Have several deals going and some more to follow up on:) so that is a good thing for me!! Need to call a for sale by owner who came through my open house Sunday:) hope I get to list it! Then meet with a recruit tomorrow afternoon late. SO a full day for sure, in this business your day always gets interrupted with someone calling to see a home or list a home or agents needing help, or a inspector,appraiser,termite person needing in a home, so I try to stay on task to get the business I have to get done, done:) sometimes it is hard. That is when I say there is always tomorrow! Went to chiropractor ( Dr. Varley ) and he helped me out, since I had the little fender bender I have had headaches and my upper back and neck have hurt more then usual, so I had the full treatment today and will for three days this week, hope it helps:) of course the massage always helps:))) I am such a baby!! I am still tired from the weekend, I wanted to take a nap so bad today, was so sleepy this afternoon, but manage to pull through it!! Wed. will be a easier day for me, so maybe I can catch up on some rest...........best go...nite!

Sunday

 

pic of me and Kay at women’s retreat 

Pic of Sherry praying:) a happy prayer:) I did not know her eyes were closed:)

I slept in till 9:00 am this morning, I was so tired from the retreat:) I realized a area of my heart that I did not know before this weekend, maybe why God had me go.  I had decided after leaving our church we had been in since 1976 that I did not really need new friends and really just kept with my family and my friends I had, even said I do not want to make new friends.  What I did not know is that was from hurt in the past, but as I was at the ladies retreat God showed me my heart and how I had shut that part off, even to really make a commitment to a church, I did not still have the hurt in my heart from what I experienced but I had harden my heart.  God is so faithful in showing us these things and not leaving us the way we are:)  I still feel vulnerable in making church friendships again, I have been safe in that for the past year, Journey Church it is a smaller church that is just forming, and Alex is one of the pastors, I knew everyone and it was not as threating, they went to Sunday night service so we have been going to Mercy Cross on Sunday morning, it is a big church with lots of loving people, the women at the retreat totally reached out and I had a choice to make was I going to let them in my life or not?  At first I thought no, I do not want new friends, but then we had our alone time with God and he began showing me this, I then realized my heart was hard and ask God to change it, it sure feels better when we are vulnerable to him and others, just scary for me. You know I really think I am in for some neat friendships in both church’s:) It is exciting to let God do a new work in me and let go of what lies behind me:)  Went to mercy’s cross this am and Journey church this pm, in between had a open house, which was slow:( and ate a huge bowl of homemade chili that I had craved for two days:))  Its been a good day, now I am curling up in bed and reading  Waking the Dead, by John Eldredge, I have a feeling it is about heart issues too:) I can tell God is not finished with me yet:) Thank the Lord he loves me too much to leave me to my own ideals…………….hugs and nite!

Womens Retreat:)

Friday after a full day of work, I left with Sherry Maxwell to go to camp Paron for Mercy Cross Church women's retreat, I was nervous about it because I would not know anyone there, except for my sister and Jenifer Duke. You would not think ,if you know me that I would be nervous about meeting new people, but I was out of my comfort zone, since I knew hardly no one, of course I had Sherry with me when we got there and this precious lady named Michelle came up to me and told me she already had me a bed and Sherry a bed by my sister:) We were in the night owls bunk house:) so that means everyone stays up all night! It did not take long for me to get comfortable and feel right at home with the ladies, they were all so friendly and help you fit in:) I did not get much sleep, but woke early:( and went down the to activities room. We had some time to walk the land and just be quiet with the Lord, there was this stream of water running down a brook, a leaf came down the stream, floating so cautiously and gently, it floated thru the running crystal clear water and floated right past a big rock, the actual rock I stepped on to cross the creek, I watched the leaf just float in the stream, it was a pretty fall leaf with some red color to it, then I saw the rock and it had a wad of leafs bunched up against it, they were just wadded up against the rock, stuck, I thought of the leaf that just floated by so free and went way down the stream, then thought of the leafs stuck on the rock, I felt the Lord ask me would those leafs float away down the stream? I said yes, but it will take some hard rainfalls and winds to get them to move, but with enough rain and storms and wind they will float down the stream, it will not be peaceful and it will be in ruff waters BUT it will still stay in the stream and get carried down stream as the other leaf.........it spoke to me in my life, sometimes when we hold onto to things it makes our life full of storms and ruff waters, God is faithful to keep us in His stream, but would it no be much easier if we just submitted to Him and trusted Him so we could float freely? Or do we like the storms? As for me, I much rather have the peace! but so many times choose to do it my way and end up stuck on the rock and forced downstream:( I pray God changes that in me and I will always trust Him to take care of me and my family and fiends:) hugs and nite!

Thursday and loving it!

Today was a super day!!  I had lunch with Jack and Alicia:) Jack had headaches all week so he will have a CT scan in the am, we think he is fine but his cousin on Bob’s side of the family had a brain tumor at the same age so it is a precaution CT scan. Again we think he is fine but just making sure:) He was so cute at lunch, he got all my quarters and actual own the little machine that you can pick up a stuffed animal and he did it!! Then back to the office for me, the office is peaceful and has a good spirit about it:) I am so thankful, I enjoyed being in the office today:) Got sorta caught up on paper work:) sold a house today and one yesterday:) so that is good and got a great listing Tuesday:)  I am going to a women's retreat with Kay and Sherry Maxwell tomorrow, will be back sat night, we are going to camp paron with Mercy Cross, it has been years since I have gone on a women’s retreat, I am so excited about it and looking forward to it!! I will take some pics and share  about it when I get home:) Thought I would post a pic of me and Olivia on Apache, I know Apache is not the prettiest horse but he fro  sure is the sweetest:) I am not crazy about appaloosa's/ best get to bed….nite and hugs

this is a owl that April saw and Sarah took a pic of in the hunting woods at Ozone:)

I love me, do you love you?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pxBay2r2SI

Please take the time to watch this video, it will make you realize how much you need to love your self and how much God loves you just like you are:) It blest my day and I pray it will blest yours!! hugs

fun with friends

Tuesday started off with sales meeting, in which was a hard meeting for me, some of what I could not share had to do with someone I worked with.  Due to the fact it was affecting our whole company I was ask to address it in sales meeting, thus was very difficult for me, I thought I was not going to be able to breath, God was faithful to me and gave me His peace that surpasses all understanding and I was able to share my heart.  It is still a difficult time because we had to let a agent go and I never like that. After the meeting I listed a neat home in Indian Hills on one and a half acre:) then it was planned that we take my dear friend Edwanda Ware, the lady who had cancer and I thought may not live and ask you to pray for, she is 77 and doing wonderful:) to the casino, there are four of us who go and take Edwanda about every 4-6 months, it had been a year and Ed was wanting to go:) so off we went, I was totally drained form my day, we got there about 4:30ish and checked in our rooms, then we all ate at 6:30, I was ready for bed, but went with the girlfriends to play some, then went to bed at 8:00, watched some TV and was going to read but fell asleep.  Woke up about 11:30 and went down to see my girl friends, Ed had gone to bed, I then came to the room and we stayed up and talked till 3:00am!!! Of course Ed gets up early and she is old school , so even though I had do not disturb on the door and my on little card saying we are still asleep, Ed knocks real loud at the door for us to get up:) But like I said I was just thankful she was alive so I got up and then we ate and came home, it was so good being with my girl friends again, we had some catching up to do:) Glad to be home, have lots of work to catch up on.  Have appointments tomorrow.  Steve and I went to Mercy Cross group life tonight, it was really good time, talking on how to deal with difficult people:)  We are going to church there on Sunday am and to Journey Church on Sunday night, I just miss church on Sunday am and Journey only meets Sunday night so guess I will just go to both:) anyway it was a good group with lots of bible teaching and things I needed to hear:) I am praying for the Lord just to renew me and my walk with Him:)  Well I am so tired from having so much fun so I am on my way to bed:) hugs and NIte! and for those who will ask, NO I did not win any money, but I did not lose much either:)

which pic?

ok which pic should I use for profile pic on here:) not much to say today, I have a lot going on and will share it all Wednesday. Work is so busy and my schedule is crazy, but I love it and love the cooler weather, getting my fall things out but I want to get my Christmas out:) it my peek out in November:) hugs and nite

Sunday and JILLIN!!

This is my sweet Jill, all pregnant and very swollen, trying to rest at a Birthday party for her brother's daughter, I just loved the pic, it such a PG pic!!! We are so blest!

This is Jill's daddy, JL, Daddy's shoulder's are always there for us:) I will blog more later, hope you enjoyed seeing my Jill:) hugs and nite