Hey Ya'll

Just wanted to say hi, and yes, I haven't blogged in a while.  I've written but haven't "published."  I suppose I am in my hermit hole and hiding out and choosing if and when I will share my deepest feelings. 

We are all doing well.  Two months ago we passed the one year anniversary of Ethan's journey to Heaven.  June 5th wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be.  But towards the end of June I had a rough time of it.  Grief makes no sense!

We were blessed by all of my military sisters with a very special June Box.  The box arrived just as we moved into our new home here in Texas.  We/I had a gift to open every day in the month of June.  Though I appreciate each and every gift, the thought, love, tears, etc. put into the June Box meant more than anything!  These are precious women who love the Lord, and know it is better to give than to receive.  They know that love is important to shower on others in their times of sorrow and need.  Besides the love I get and receive daily from my husband and my boys, and of course, Jesus, I have never before felt so loved and cared for in my life! 

The house is coming along, slowly but surely.  Though it's a nice home and on some land, we did and still do have quite a lot of clean up to do.  There was a lot of neglect of the property, so we have a long way to go before the yard/property will be where we want it to be in terms of having a garden, pruned trees, green grass (oh this drought!), landscaping, paved drive-way, etc.

Evan and I started back to school mid-June!  He is a Kindergartner!!!  He is growing up so fast, and what a little man he is, and oh how he has a heart for the Lord!  He reminds us a lot of Ethan, and that warms our hearts.  Evan is very good with numbers and science.  His favorite sit down work is doing his phonics workbook, his math, and mommy reading stories.  He loves his new, huge backyard!  Evan is always on the lookout for bugs, geckos, birds and nests, etc.  He truly is a nature lover.

Evan has also been enrolled at a swim school for going on almost 3 months, and he is doing so well.  Please be in prayer for him as he learns to float on his back.  He is afraid to be on his back, but I really think once he conquers this fear and masters floating on his back, he will excel very quickly!

Also, please be in prayer as we continue the search for a new home church.  It isn't easy, but I know God is faithful! 

And lastly, my dear husband made this cabinet for me from scrap wood!  Didn't he do such an awesome job?  I am decorating my house in antiques with a country/primitive theme!  It has been fun to start over and change the look of my home, and I have acquired some cute items while I lived in Washington, and from some dear friends.
Thanks for reading my long novel!  I hope you are all happy and blessed and doing well!

God is Amazing!

On Tuesday, in the middle of Evan and I doing school work, I remembered that cemetery clean up for the month had started that morning.  Since moving back to Texas, we make sure to go out to Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery at the beginning of each month (and other times too) to take the semi-permanent items off of Ethan's grave.  If items aren't removed, then they are thrown away--and I do mean anything.  But more on that later.

When I glanced at the clock when Evan and I were sitting at our dining room table (the usual place we sit to do sit down work for school), it was just before 10AM.  When I glanced at the clock inside my van, it was just after 10AM.  We arrived at Ft. Sam around 10:40 AM.  Ethan is  buried in the furthest section at Ft. Sam, so I assumed that since he was at the back, that we were safe and they would get to that area last.  WRONG!  I just about had a meltdown when we drove up and every single grave was empty.  I grabbed Evan and we RAN to the nearest cemetery employee, and asked where they had dumped the items.  This kind man, named Marian, escorted us to where they dump all items.  The huge mountain of dead flowers, artificial flowers, crosses, vases, windchimes, pinwheels, etc. is unbelievable.  It was sad to see some really nice items thrown away, and graves left barren.  However, this is necessary to keep up with the demanding mowing, weeding, and maintenance schedule of the cemetery grounds.

Upon seeing the mountain of items, it didn't look promising.  However, Ethan's cross with windchime and huge orange pinwheel were right there in front of out eyes!  God is amazing!  The only thing missing was an orange Hotwheel and a black Hotwheel car.  Evan started to cry, and was having a meltdown over those items being thrown away.  Marian told us to go back to Ethan's grave and to wait on him and he would look for us.  Not even ten minutes later, the kind man had BOTH Hotwheel cars!

That was one of the best days I have had since moving to Texas.  It has been hard on me for some reason since we moved.  I needed a day like this past Tuesday, August 2.

Quilting is therapy...and a Giveaway

I have tried my hand at a few hobbies, but have decided that quilting and sewing are my new, and hopefully permanent, hobbies.  When walking a long road down the path of grief, it is, of course, most important to lean on the Lord.  But it's also good to find something to keep you busy and to get excited about.  For me that was completing my first rag quilt.  I haven't completed a "real" quilt that is bound, but I have completed that first rag quilt, and that lifted my spirits.  It gave me a sense of finishing something, and a hopeful outlook that perhaps I could use my new found talent to help and bless others!

Speaking of quilting, why not hop on over to http://blog.1choice4quilting.com/2011/08/new-fabric-giiveaway-with-3-lucky.html today?  They are having a spectacular giveaway, and who doesn't want fabric for free?  Times are tough for many, and money is very tight. Hop on over and enter to win and check out their sales.

Have a happy and blessed day!