In light of all the stress this week it was a joy to listen to two of my three sons quibble about hair. I snapped a few shots and decided to scrapbook the event.
Author: Diana Brandmeyer
Christian author Diana Lesire Brandmeyer writes historical and contemporary romances set from the Midwest to the Mountains. She’s written Mind of Her Own, Frontier Legacy Brides, Small Town Brides, and A Time for Love, among others.
Once widowed and now remarried she writes with humor and experience on the difficulty of joining two families be it fictional or real life.
*affiliate links are used on this site. It won't cost you more but those extra pennies keep me stocked in tea, thank you!
Top Ten Blessings
I’ve been tagged by Jennifer Tiszai.
1. A friend who has blessed me:Just one? You have to be kidding I can’t pick just one! My mom, Gail, Barb, Barb, Kathie, Elaine, and a lot more!
2. An unexpected gift: A ring from my husband
3. A kind word shared with me recently: Someone told me I make them laugh.
4. Something that makes me stop and praise God: Sunsets every time.
5. Something I’m looking forward to: cooking in my kitchen
6. A particular part of me I’m pleased with: my quirkiness
7. Something in my life that I wanted but never expected: my ring 🙂
8. A place that moved/moves me: St. George’s Island and the ocean
9. One thing/person that always makes me smile: my kids even though they are no longer little, they make me happy! That included you too Sara, Alyson and Brianna!
10. Most recent “love note” from God: I was reading Jen’s manuscript and it’s as if He jumped out off the page just for me.
Whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.
Anyone want to play along? This is tough but I’m glad I did it. Post yours in the comments or post a link were it can be found.
Benifits of not having a kitchen
I’ve been thinking about this for the last few days and this is what I’ve come up with:
no cooking,
no need to worry if your house is a mess if company comes by unexpectedly
no need to buy groceries
When it’s time to put things back in cabinets it will be an opportunity to clean out items I no longer use and give them to someone who might like to try decorating cakes.
Not having the living room is not full of good benefits so far I’m struggling on finding any. I can’t get to my bookcase. If I only had a good book to read I might be able to lose myself in another world for awhile.
But I did get a chance to read a manuscript by Jennifer Tiszai and wow that was an awesome read. Thanks for sharing it with me Jen! I can’t wait to see it published. Check out Jen’s blog, the link is on the left.
Yesterday I had to write an extra chapter for a requested manuscript. Normally that wouldn’t be too hard for me but they were still tearing out flooring and cabinets in the kitchen. AND one of the workers kept singing John Jacob Jinglehimer Schmidt over and over and over. I did get my work finished but it made for an interesting day, somehow the song found it’s way into the chapter but I did delete that section before sending it on to my agent.
Below are shots of my kitchen.
Broken Pipes
I am so blessed. As a child of God I can scream and complain about my situation right now. I can stamp my feet and hold my breath and yet know that my Father will still love me when I’m finished with my tantrum. And I know that there must be yet another lesson I’m supposed to be learning or maybe I’m supposed to be a light to my non Christian friends. The one’s that always say ‘this stuff shouldn’t happen to you and your family. You’re such good Christians and good people.’ So if you’re saying those things about us please stop.
So what happened?
Ed and I finally found a few days to go on vacation. We filled the trailer with water from our back water faucet. The water ran almost an hour. Then with huge smiles thinking about the trip we were planning we came inside to find WATER! Almost an inch of it all over the kitchen floor and into the living room. We mopped and used a carpet machine, blew a fan and ran a dehumidifier but no use. The laminate floor in the kitchen is ruined. The carpet had to be pulled back to dry. Right now the restoration company is ripping up my beautiful floor and removing cabinets and banging holes in the wall. We have been told we cannot leave unless there is someone here everyday to let them into the house. So our vacation is over before it began. Could we go later? Probably not. Our workforce is returning to school and our house sitter (our son) is returning to college so there won’t be anyone to watch the pets.
So today I’m sinking in my pity party pool. But today I also know God loves me. He didn’t do this to ruin my vacation but why did he allow it to happen? Maybe I was supposed to clean under that stove last week. 🙂
We’re back home. Not from a fun vacation but a trip to the ER and a three day stay at the hospital. Not a place you’d want to visit or even stay over night! The nurses are great but no matter how often you hear, “Is there anything I can get for you?” It still doesn’t feel like a five star hotel–no matter that it will cost more than one!
And the food! Oh my I was so glad I wasn’t the one required to eat that cup of cooked spinach without any seasoning. It’s a shame, spinach can be good just not when it comes out of can. And is oatmeal supposed to be gray?
My husband was a trouper though he ate what he was supposed to–even the mac and cheese which he dislikes. Anything that might make him get released sooner he was willing to do. Turns out all that snoring I complain about is probably the cause of more than a zillion nights of me sleeping on the couch. He stops breathing and makes his heart rate go ziggy. So in our future is a night at a sleep study. Until then I will be happy to hear him snore next to me.
Kids and Water
What a fun night! Our little friend K. came to play in the pool. I had forgotten how much fun it can be once they’re water safe. It seems like when my kids were small I was always the ever watchful mom afraid one of them wouldn’t surface so pool time wasn’t relaxing. Tonight I got to play ‘robbers and person’ and ‘teenager’ and ‘chase’ I wanted to scream I don’t want to get out along with her when it was time to go. It was good to feel like a kid again. It didn’t hurt that the water was warm either!
What’s that doggie in the window?
Yes, I said what, not who. There is a lot of construction work on the bridge in St. Louis which results in long traffic lines that don’t move quickly. While we were waiting our turn to move forward I glanced in the car next to me. A small face popped up catching my attention. My brain didn’t process the information it was getting because what I was seeing didn’t belong! My brain kept saying small dog but my eyes were screaming, NO, it’s a monkey!’ And it was. A spider monkey was in the car next to me riding on the driver’s lap. I have to say it was the oddest thing I’ve ever seen on the bridge.
Last night, St. Louis was hit by a major wind storm. We were spared from any wind damage but we also didn’t get any rain. Not good for my little town across the river. My son lives on the other side of the river and he is one of the many without power. Today it is going to be 101 degrees. Many people will be without air conditioning today, please pray for their safety.
Bats!
We leveled the garage yesterday. The hottest day of the year so far, 98 degrees in the shade. We had friends to help and our sons and that made the job much easier. We did fill one huge dumpster and it will take another two to clean up the rest of the debris.
When Ed pulled the garage
door away from the front about 30 bats swarmed through the air. We had no idea they were living there! It does explain why there never seemed to be a wasp or mud dauber anywhere around that old building. Around here abandoned sheds are a favorite place for those insects. If I had known they were there I would have contacted someone about moving them. Even though I’d rather visit bats living at the zoo I’m saddened that we destroyed their home.
The inside was really cool. The building was first used inte 1930’s a a machine shop. It was one of the first of it’s kind in Belleville. That made it hard to take down but the wood was rotted and the ceiling had a huge holes!
Oops, we buried the tongs to the bobcat under there! It’s going to take a while to dig them out.
New Layout
credits:
paper, elements and sketch Gina Miller http://ginamiller.typepad.com/live_laugh_love/
fonts: Copperplate Gothic Bold, goudy old style
I love Gina’s sketches. They challange me to learn more about my program, PSE. Sadly, Gina is stepping down from SBB so their won’t be anymore challanges. I’ll have to check her blog site for her newest sketches. She’s promised to post them them there.
Sold we hope
There is a contract on our house! That is such a relief but we do have to take down the garage. I’ll try and post a picture of that nightmare next week. The dumpster arrived today but I don’t think it will be big enough.
Today I decided God put that house into my life so I wouldn’t have so much time to mope around my empty house missing my sons. I know, I know… they have to move on and it’s part of my job to make sure they do. I have to say I’m grateful I’m human and not a momma bird though at least the season I had them in the nest lasts much longer!