A gift from my Mom!

I received a special package from my mom today!
Isn't it pretty?

This is what was in the little box. I told her that
I saw a cross in an ad but hadn't been able to find one like it.
This isn't the exact one but is similar. She wanted to buy
me something special for my 50th birthday.
Isn't it pretty?
I absolutely love it!

My mom and me on Christmas eve.
Thank you mom! You are the best and I love my new necklace.

My mom battles Parkinson's everyday now. We don't know the pain or the frustration to not be able to do what our brain tells us we can do while living in a body that doesn't function that way any more. She doesn't have the shakes like Muhammed Ali or Michael J. Fox. She has the rigidity which is more the unseen part of the disease. She has to tell her brain and wait for it to respond when she wants to walk or get up from sitting. It's only then that you realize that she has something that doesn't work right.
She has a great attitude and does very well with the limitations this disease has given her. She loves the Lord and sings praise to him. She feels God has given her a ministry to those in her church that are disabled or who suffer like she does with a crippling disease. She told me recently that without the Parkinson's that she doesn't think she would have the faith she has today.

Today, I see this verse in my mom: Philippians 1:6 says "For I am confident in this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." My mom is living this verse out. I thank God for a godly mother and a good mother. We haven't always seen eye to eye and still don't sometimes but I love her dearly and she given so much to me over the years. I'm not talking things...I'm talking wisdom, practical guidelines to live by and love.

I love you mom!
You ARE the BEST!

My friend Karen and her blog!

Finally, one of my friends has been bitten by the blogging bug too! I met Karen 19 years ago when we were sitting in the tiny kindergarten chairs for a meeting with the teacher to be mom helpers in the classroom. Her son, Brandon and my son, Dallas became fast friends and our younger boys, Justin and Dustin became good friends too. We watched each others little ones while we helped in the classroom and our friendship blossomed. We also served on PTA, played bunco and spent many a day together for years.
I learned so much from her about decorating and entertaining. She decorates for every holiday and season. I had never met anyone who did that. I always admired her being able to rearrange her furniture, decor etc. and it always looked great. She was always redecorating some part of her home. It was always fun to see what she was up to and to see the finished product. Her home was always comfortable and I loved hanging out with her.
Seven years ago, I moved 45 minutes away and we just don't seem to get together as often as we would like. We met this summer, see us here (Karen is in the pink shirt) for our annual lunch and I shared my blog with my old friends and she found the decorating blogs and got hooked. She emailed me recently and said she started her blog. I was so excited! Please welcome Karen and her blog Some Days are Diamonds. Stop by and leave her a comment. She will be so thrilled. I still remember my first comments and was so tickled. I can't wait to see what she shares. Karen, I am glad you are now my bloggy friend too!

We have a new President!

Yes...we have a new President. Even though I did not vote for him, I will pray for him and his family and the decisions he will make for our country. It says in the Bible that we are to pray for our leaders and those over us. I know God is in control and He is looking over us during this time. I am so proud of our country and the way we transfer the position of the Presidency from one party to the next. Rick Warren gave an awesome prayer at the inauguration this morning. Keep praying and believing!

Me and the boys!

On Wednesday, I was with Mason. He told me stories gave me lots of smiles. I love that!






Then tonight, Dylan came for a visit. He loves taking a bath in my garden tub because he can crawl around and stand up. He found the faucet tonight and couldn't figure out why he couldn't catch the water.


It's been a good week. We own a motorcycle parts business which I've been working at since the first of the year. I am enjoying learning about receiving, ebaying, that there are at least 50 million parts and that my son Dallas is amazing at what he does. God is good and we are leaning on him during this time more than ever. We just opened this business a year ago and it's doing well despite the economy, it's just that we are not profitable yet and pray each week for the cash flow to continue. Like I said, God is good. We prayed for this business and he is providing for it to continue. My husband still has his regular job. Thank goodness for that!

Bella turned 3!

A few of my favorite pictures of Bella's first three years!

My how she's grown up so fast!

With mommy and daddy!  Dylan was sleeping!

She is a happy child!

She loves to play in the water!

Sitting on a pumpkin!

Making brother Dylan laugh!

She loves to play outside with Speed.

Wrestling with Daddy!

She loves her brother!

Making cupcakes with grandma!

She likes to taste!

She calls this her hocock! :)

Being silly with grandma!

2nd birthday fun with her friend Evan!

Her first birthday donut. Our family tradition!

Elmo Bella!

Playing with Uncle Dustin.

Playing with Speed!

On the Merry Go Round with Aunt Danielle.

She didn't want to get off.

Dancing at the fair! She could really move her hips!

Playing video games with grandpa!

Bella's 1st halloween!

Playing with grandpa!

Learning to crawl at 6 months old.

We fell in love!

Isabella Joy only hours old!

My sweet grand daughter Bella turned THREE on Sunday. My what joy she has brought to so many people. She is talks to you like someone much older and with so much expression. She is good company. She is polite, funny, full of energy, smart and loves to pretend. She is asking questions about God and loves to read her Children's bible. She can sing many songs. We celebrated with a BBQ, cake and presents with family and a few friends. It was a nice Sunday afternoon. I can't believe my precious Bella is 3! What a joy being her grandmother for these last three years has been.

Smile!

I had a little down time finally and was visiting a few of my favorite bloggy friends when I found this on Kats blog. Kat at Justabeachkat is passing this along from her friend Charlotte from At Home in Scottsdale who found this at Isabella's Closet. Mary designed this and was freely giving it away to anyone who visited her blog and asked that it be passed on to bloggers who make us smile. Charlotte and Kat said, "If you are visiting here and you're smiling, go ahead and grab the award and let's keep it going around blogland." It made me smile too. Just look at it. So I grabbed it and now I'm saying the same thing to you. Let's keep the smiles going!!! Thanks Kat and Charlotte...you guys always make me smile anyway.

We had a wedding!

On Sunday, December 28, 2008, my son Dallas remarried Selena(the mother of his children-Bella and Dylan).  They planned it, invited their family and a few close friends and they had their wedding.  It was in Big Bear, CA.  We all had to buy chains the day before because they have lots of snow in Big Bear at this time of year.  We didn't need the chains and it was a beautiful, warm winter day.  The bride was beautiful, Dallas was all smiles and Dylan and Bella were perfect.  Hubby and I pray that the Lord blesses their marriage,  that they will grow old together, always laughing and making memories forever with Christ as the center of it all!  Enjoy the pictures!

New Blog coming?? And Pray!

I'm working on a new blog name since I hit the BIG 5-0!  So keep checking back and  I will let you know where you can find me next!

In the mean time, please pray for my FIL, Ray.  He is 89, we have been with him all day and had to admit him to the hospital tonight.  He is diabetic, his kidneys are failing and his EKG showed some irregular heart beats tonight.  He is a believer so if it's his time, he is ready to go.  We just have some hard questions to ask the doctors....how long does he have with the kidney failure getting worse(he should be on dialysis but is he too weak)?  God is in control and we know it.  It's just hard to see someone get so frail that has been so strong all of his life.  Pray for my MIL, Arlene.  This will be a hard time for her.

**Ray with my son, Dustin on Christmas eve.

Happy New Year!

Glitterfy.com - Glitter Graphics

Happy New Year everyone! My company is gone and Christmas was packed away today. I will be back soon. Missing all my bloggy friends! Have a great weekend!