Our May Newsletter

We are very pleased and blessed to welcome a new grandchild.  Lucy Mae was born April 29th to our son and daughter in law Rachel and big sister Lyra.  Lyra is excited to have everyone look at her baby and has been very sweet and gentle with her.  We are planning on taking a road trip to Fort Worth to go visit them and meet little Lucy and marvel at how much Lyra has changed over the last year.  To say that we are excited would definitely be an understatement.  Please keep us in your prayers as we start our grand adventure soon.  Be on the lookout for blog posts along the way and lots of pictures of our Texans.

Last October I spent 5 days in the hospital to learn that I have atrial fibrillation.  I have been on medication but my stubborn heart refuses to convert back into normal rhythm.  I have been teased repeatedly about being a missionary with an unconverted heart!  Since that time I have seen many specialists and even went through Electrical Cardio-Version where they restart the heart to see if it would return to normal rhythm.  Charlie says it is like a computer reboot. It did reboot but only for 24 hours and returned back to afib.  I have good days and some really bad days where it is difficult for me to breathe, my BP is high, my heart rate races and I have no energy, but on a good note....my prayer life has never been better!

Remember that old Sunday School song "Be careful little mouth what you speak?"  We have taken on a 31 day challenge based on Philippians 4: 8-9.  We call it the What So Ever Challenge.  "Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.  "  Too often we find ourselves using careless talk that hurts our partner in a lame attempt to be funny or flippant.  We say things to each other that we would never say to anyone else.  Words can hurt and are hard to let go.  Also non-verbal communication, tone of voice, and attitudes sneak into our  speech that are hurtful.  Our signal word to each other when we feel attacked by hurtful words or careless jesting is to look at the other person and say, "Ok, whatever!"  I tend to over embellish so I am learning how to let my Yes mean Yes, and my No mean No.  

Thank you for your love, prayer support and financial support during this time of sickness and extra stress.  I am struggling with wondering if my current state of health is "my new normal."  With God, all things are possible so I am learning how to be content in whatever state of health I'm in.

My Bucket List for this year

My Current Bucket List for 2017

I, Lazy Daisy, being of unsteady mind, and currently with a calypso heartbeat, no energy, and breathless have decided to come up with a bucket list to start work on.  I believe life should be lived to the fullest and should be a daily adventure.  I love anticipation so can easily do some the simpler things.  Are you ready ?  I know I am....so here goes.




The List....in no particular order

1.  Leave a note in a library book.
2.  keep a journal for 365 days of the year...starting today 5/8/2017
3.  catch up on my blogs for each grandchild
4.  Start a new blog for grand girl Lucy Mae.
5.  take a daily photo and post it for one year...starting today on this blog.
6.  Have a silly string fight with the grands
7.  Own something from Tiffany and Company.
8. Volunteer at an animal shelter.
9. Meet my doppleganger.
10. Pay for a stranger's meal anonymously.
11. Finish a whole tube of chapstick.
12. Send a present to a soldier.
13. Change someone's life.
14.  Use a fake name at Starbucks
15.  Finish an entire adult color book.
16.  Ride a segway.
17.  Buy a meal from a food truck.
18.  Own a lava lamp.
19.  Try every Ben and Jerry's ice cream flavors.
20.  Go to Dollywood with the grands.
21.  Have a huge water balloon fight.
22.  Start a heart ornament Christmas tree.  One heart for every year married.
23.  Make a quilt with Suzy.
24.  Ride on a train across the US.
25.  Join a gym and actually go.
26.  Own a Vw Beetle (Willie Nelson)
27.  Volunteer at Suzy"s school in the library.
28.  Walk the Twistie Trail.
29.  Catch fireflies in the yard with the boys.
30. Go to the 4th of July fireworks display with family.
31.  Send a message in a bottle.
32.  Learn how to play the ukulele.
33.  Learn origami.
34.  Own a "Keep Calm shirt"
35.  Name a star.
36.  Wear a Tiara whenever I want to.
37.  Make a daisy patch and wildflower garden.
38.  Make a treasure box for Lucy.
39.  Dive to Texas and see my grandgirls.
40.  Lose 100 pounds or more.

Cats and kind hearted boys.

This is our cat J.J.  He is an orange tabby cat also known as a Ginger Cat or Marmalade.  He is quite the talker and cuddler.  Mr. Wonderful read an article that said on the average cats only speak about words 6 times a day. Obviously no told JJ about that.   He has whole conversations with Mr. Wonderful. Here is a typical conversation:

Mr. W :  Good Morning JJ.  How'd you sleep?
JJ:  Meow
Mr.W. :  If you are hungry meow.
JJ:  Meow
Mr. W:  If you are really hungry meow again.
JJ:  Meow
Mr.W: Don't be so impatient . I'm going as fast as I can.
JJ:  Meow.
Mr. W. :  Hey watch the attitude young man.



If four year old grandson Henry is here visiting.  He will ask Poppa what JJ is saying in tabby. Apparently that one word is very versatile and has lots of meanings.  But then I'm not nearly as versed in tabby as Poppa.

Poppa interprets and Henry always says to me,  "You know Poppa, is really, really smart."  I always agree that "yes, Poppa is really very smart."  Because Henry has such a kind heart he will give me a big hug and say,  "  That's alright Diva, you are a little bit smart and you are really very pretty."  That's my boy...always add "I love you and you are very pretty" is honey to my heart.

According to an article I read, "80% of orange tabby cats are male".  Their coats come in 4 different patterns. The mackerel pattern is what everyone knows as the traditional orange tabby, but there are also cats in a classic pattern, a ticked pattern and a striped pattern. Tabby cats are not a breed themselves; in fact, tabby just refers to the coat markings. But orange tabby cats are genetically possible in many different established breeds such as Maine Coons, Persians, American bobtails and British Shorthairs. Lastly, Winston Churchill owned an orange tabby named Tango.

JJ is 13 years old and an indoor cat.  He likes to think he can still break out and make a run for the hills but I think the deer, and racoons would scare him to death.  JJ thinks he is a dog...so don't tell him that he isn't,  he would be depressed.  He likes to take naps with Mr. Wonderful or he will cuddle up with me in the recliner.  I especially like cuddling with the cat during winter months since he is always nice and warm.

We have a cat door that leads to the basement where the cats sleep.  Mr. Wonderful can latch the door at night so the cats don't decide at 2 am to recreate" W W Smack Down" in the middle of the living room or walk on faces to wake us up in the morning.  JJ has developed the habit of standing on his back legs on the stairs and boxing the cat door to try to make it open.  He looks like a boxer hitting the punching bag.

Got to love our crazy ginger cat.

10 Things about Me

1.  This is the Love of my life for the last 43 years.  I can't imagine what my life would be like without this man.  He has taken me on some really wild adventures and always hold my hand.  I am forever thankful that God made me attracted to nerds.  I like that God gave me an incredible partner to share life, experiences, parenthood, and most of all ministry.  The grands call him Poppa, our kids call him Dad, I call him Mr. Wonderful and God calls him beloved.

2.  I love that our moving is finally completed and that we are about 95% settled.  Moving is never easy but the advantages have been getting to know our grandsons better, great hugs, wild stories, knowing all the cartoon characters of their favorite shows, bedtime stories and prayers, and just watching them grow and mature.

3.  I like that God gave me a prayer partner here in Elizabethton.  I was really lonely for a Christian girlfriend that I could pray with on a weekly basis.  Our daughter said, I know just the right person and she's from your "tribe and your clan."

4.  I am so thrilled that we have finally joined the Aquatic Center....the next step is actually going to a class there on a regular basis.

5.  I am so excited that we have tickets to fly to Texas in May to meet our new granddaughter Lucy.   We are looking forward to spoiling Lyra Jane, Mommy and Daddy.  I am just counting down the days.

6.  I used to think I was an extrovert but the older I get the more introverted I become.  I get energized by people but also need cave time to regroup and rest.  Is that being an introvert or is it just that I'm old?

7.  I like having flowers on my kitchen table....especially daisies.  It makes me feel happy inside.

8.  I like that I am learning to listen more, talk less and pray for everyone I meet.

9.  I like to write, and have taken up blogging again (even if I'm the only one that reads it!)  Everyone has a story and I want our grands to know we were real people, that loved them without limits, and prayed for them every day of their life.

10.  I love that I have a VW Beetle named Willie Nelson.  I never thought I would own one and it only took 43 years but perseverance pays off.