"The Man With the Runaway Legs!"

I would like to share a very special story if I may. A story in honor of one man's birthday today. That man being my Dad, who has lived upon this earth for all of 79 years today! I write this story for his birthday because he loves to hear and read stories about himself. Not only for him do I share, but also to remind you of God's wonderful and abundant provision in our lives.

I received a text from my Mom on December 18. It was a picture that absolutely made my heart sink quickly. You see....it was a picture of my Dad and a very sad one at that.

My Mom then calls me and sounds distraught. My Dad is refusing to go to the hospital and she doesn't know what to do.......

My Dad had suffered a bad accident. 

This man loves to walk and walking is simply what he does. You could very easily call it his hobby. In all my years of knowing him, that simply has been his life. And so it is on this day, he was walking home. As he tells the story...."I was walking and my legs begin to want to run. I told my legs 'No, legs...you can't run! I don't want to fall down!' " Before he knew it, he was running across the street and onto a sidewalk. And as his runaway legs continued on, it was only moments after that his body would fall and skid across the pavement. As you can see by looking at the picture it was no easy fall! In fact, my husband and I exclaimed "He didn't just fall down....he fell off a building!!" 

As he lay there on the sidewalk, he tried to think of how to get up. His mind did not think logically and so it was that he lay helplessly there....unable to get up. At some point, I believe it was then that God sent three angels to help my poor father. One man and two ladies came together and scooped him up from the pavement. The man then put my Dad in his truck and was going to take him home. This man did not know my Dad and had no clue of where he lived. He began asking..... According to my Dad the man asked him several times. He got him home, and made sure he got safely inside the door, before leaving. At the time, my Mom was out. She would later have such a tragic shock of what would meet her at the door. When she arrived, he met her with a bloody face, swollen head, a nasty gash on his hand, ripped pants and a messed up knee. She was very upset and it was at that time that she called me. 

With some influence from my husband, they did make the decision to go to the Emergency. Six to seven hours later....they were once home again. His hand had been stitched up and the CT scan showed normal results. He was sent home with instructions to keep his head elevated while he slept and to take Tylenol for pain. But the nagging question remained with my Mom - Why did he fall?? Was it his heart? Was it something else internal? She needed more answers.....

She secured an appt for him on Christmas Eve day with their regular doctor.

Meanwhile, I was sent these pictures two days later......

On December 23, my husband and I went to spend the day with my parents for Christmas. It was the first time for us to see him in person. It was rather quite pathetic to see him as he was. He soaked up any and all attention though....for he loves that best. :) Seeing him as he was, helped me understand to appreciate the valuable time that God had still allowed for us to have with him. 

I took some pictures myself .......

And so on December 24, the news had come.....he was good and well.....no problems to speak of! It was recommended to him that he would do well to start using a cane AND go to rehab to be evaluated for any balance problems. That happened to go over like a lead balloon (as they say). Needless to say, he wasn't for either. 

Today, December 28, my Mom says he still has new bruising appearing on his face. He also has a large bump on the side of his knee that hasn't healed and now believed to have fluid in it. I reminded my Mom that he is older and his body would require some time to heal. 

And so it is on this day, December 28, 2014, we celebrate the life of a man who I call "Daddy". A man who by God's grace and provision is still with us today. Thank ya, Jesus!!

Friend, I share all of that for my Dad because I love him. 

But most importantly, I want to share for God and the great grace, unfailing love, and provision that He gives to each of us. 

In Psalm 139 it reminds us in verse 2 that God knows us. He knows when we sit and when we rise. In verse 3, He discerns our going out and our lying down; He is familiar with all our ways. I know that God was very much with my Dad on December 18, just as He is on everyday. 

And just as Psalm 138:7 tells us that "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life." It lets us know that even when we walk or fall into trouble, God is there to preserve us. He doesn't just leave us helpless. For His grace is sufficient for us as we are told in 2 Corinthians 12:9 - "My grace is sufficent for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." God's grace is sufficient for any crisis we might face...including falling flat on our face. Friend, that can mean more ways than just the literal sense. His grace is sufficient for me and for you when we have strayed and made wrong choices in this life too. For in each case, He lovingly reaches down, picks us back up, and loves us faithfully forward. Psalm 145:14, "The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down." 

Are you trusting in the Lord to be your refuge, no matter the circumstances you may end up in? Psalm 91:2 says, "I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust." 

God promises us in verses 14-15 "Because he loves me, says the Lord, I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him." Just as He was with my Dad that sad day.....so He also has promised to be with YOU and with me.

"We all face dangers and heartaches in life because we live in a lost and fallen world. But in the midst of these difficulties we can be absolutely confident that we are not left alone to deal with them. God's faithfulness is our constant shield. We are covered by the shadow of the Almighty! Oh, the security that is ours in God's promise that He will be with us in trouble."

And as I earlier spoke....I would like to believe that God did indeed send 3 of His angels to help my Dad in his time of need as well. For in Psalm 91: 11 we see that, "For he will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." They are sent to protect. We also are told in Hebrews 13:2 "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it." And lastly in Hebrews 1:14 it says "Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?" 

So we see that God uses His angels to guard, to protect, and to minister....and they do so unknowingly to us. 

And so it is that I am grateful.......for God's grace, love and provision that He showed to my Dad on that tragic day....December 18, 2014. And I'm grateful for my Savior's grace, love and provision that He has shown me in my own life when I have fallen flat on my face and wasn't sure how to get back up as well. 

THANK YOU, JESUS!!!!!!

"Living Together.....Right or Wrong?"

Maybe I can be a voice to that "one person" as they say.......
A voice that tells you simply  - - It is NOT acceptable, permissable, alright, excused, or okay for you to live with your boyfriend/girlfriend before or out of marriage. Although this world has somehow blindly come to accept that it is......God does not. WHY has this act become a situation that is so permissable and accepted as a normal way of life today?? WHY are the churches not loudly proclaiming to every adult - "You don't live together before you are married!" ??

For years I have cried out - "Someone PLEASE tell my children this is not an acceptable way of life. It dishonors God and the act of marriage He has ordained." And not let it just be me, my husband, and their grandmother. But sadly......no one does. That hurts like a hurt that can't be explained. So, if I can be that voice in the wilderness- and God allows me to be - then maybe you will read this and understand why it isn't okay anymore.

You may be asking "Well who are YOU to be making such bold decisions of what is right and wrong in this world??" And my answer to you would be "I am no one especially chosen to enlighten the world of it's wrongdoing. Rather, I am a Mother who loves her children deeply. A Mother that longs to see her children make godly decisions in their life, and follow the One true God Who loves them more than I ever could. A Mother who has read God's Words."

You see....God has made this decision that it is wrong and not this Mother.
Find a Bible and look up these verses along with me so that you too can see: Ephesians 5:31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." No where does it say that a man shall leave his father and mother and move in with his girlfriend before she becomes his wife. No, rather it says a man shall leave his father and mother and be united to his wife. That same verse orginated from the beginning of time, with Adam and Eve as the first ones being told this in Genesis 2:24.

Living together before the thought of marriage....or not......only invites tremendous temptation that you are placing yourself in. The Bible tells us to flee temptation - And that temptation being sex before marriage - and not to continually expose ourself to temptation. 1 Corinthians 6:18 "Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body." 
You see, premarital sex is wrong in all matters and is repeatedly condemned in scripture alone with all sexual immorality. "The Bible promotes complete abstinence outside of (and before) marriage. Sex before marriage is just as wrong as adultery and other forms of sexual immorality, because they all involve having sex with someone you are not married to." 

Ephesians 5:3 "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people."

1 Thessalonians 4:3 "It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality."

Colossians 3:5-7 "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these in the life you once lived." 

1 Corinthians 6:13 "The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body."
verse 19 and 20 "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whome you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body." 

Galatians 5:19 "The acts of a sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery." 

"The Greek word translated “sexual immorality” or “fornication” in these verses is porneia (from which we get the English word pornography), and it means literally “unlawful lust.” Since the only form of lawful sexuality is the marriage of one man and one woman Genesis 2:24 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.";Matthew 19:5 ""For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.", then anything outside of marriage, whether it is adultery, premarital sex, homosexuality, or anything else, is unlawful, in other words, sin. Living together before marriage definitely falls into the category of fornication—sexual sin."

"Hebrews 13:4 describes the honorable state of marriage: “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” This verse draws a clear distinction between that which is pure and honorable—marriage—and that which is sexually immoral—anything outside of marriage. As living together outside of marriage falls into this category, it is definitely sin. Anyone living together outside of lawful marriage invites the displeasure and judgment of God.

If this is your path that you have chosen PLEASE, PLEASE know this.....God forgives, God heals, God restores. I know this to be O so true in my very own life, for I am by no means perfect and have made many wrong choices. In 1 John 1:9 God tells us of His forgiveness "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from ALL unrighteousness." Romans 4:7 also reminds us of God's great forgiveness "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered." 

Young adult.....adult......won't you make the right choice today and start following God's Word to live a life that is set apart from this world -"As believers, we should be set apart from the world. This is the meaning of being holy and living a holy, righteous life—to be set apart. We are not to engage in the sinful activities the world promotes, nor are we to retain the insipid, corrupt mind that the world creates. Rather, we are to conform ourselves, and our minds, to that of Jesus Christ (Romans 12:1-2). This is a daily activity and commitment.

Romans 12:1-2 "Therefore, I urge you, brothers (and sisters), in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." 

"Being “in” the world also means we can enjoy the things of the world, such as the beautiful creation God has given us, but we are not to immerse ourselves in what the world values, nor are we to chase after worldly pleasures. Pleasure is no longer our calling in life, as it once was, but rather the worship of God."

And isn't it what this life is all about?? 

Worship....worship to a God Who has given His ALL for us. 

Father, thank you for allowing me to write this today for you....for I do NOT choose to speak with my own authority or voice.....but in and through yours. May this Blog touch one, a few, or many who may have strayed and need simple guidance back to you and your truths. 

I love you always......

"A Day of Extreme Pain....A Day of Blessings....."

It all began yesterday morning, shortly after 8am...... I received a call from Heather (my daughter) and before I had even answered "Hello" she was screaming and crying on the other end. 

It didn't really alarm me because I'm used to dealing with instances like this with Heather. It did however alarm me as time went on and I could NOT make out any of her words. She was trying to talk, but it would only come out in high pitched shrieks and non- comprehendible language. As time went on, I thought she had said something like "David just jumped off a really high bridge....!!!!" I thought David (her boyfriend) possibly had tried to commit suicide in front of her. She was THAT upset!! I didn't know what to think at this point. I just kept trying my best to get her to calm down enough so that I could understand SOMETHING she said. I finally was able to make something out about Shiner (her dog) jumping out a window and being dead. I repeated it back and she is shrieking all over again..... 
I just kept trying and trying to figure something ....anything out. She got across to me that she was on West Lake Houston Pkwy and finally was able to understand where. It was right across from our church. I asked her if we came would she still be there? I couldn't understand her again because of crying and she finally just hung up on me. 

Meanwhile..... 
I went and woke up David (my husband) telling him Heather was hysterical and we needed to try and figure out how to help her. He groggily got up because he had taken Benadryl the night before. We set out driving, even though not sure WHERE we were going. That's when she called me again and was finally speaking understandable words. She was now at an Animal Hospital which was very close to the accident. She made sure we were coming and hung up. We found her car parked in an alley way with flashers still flashing.....and our poor daughter sitting on a bench inside....crying. 

As we sat down with her, she began to try and talk through her crying. She shared that she was driving down the road and had a window only slightly opened. Shiner is a good sized medium dog....still trying to figure out HOW he ever got through the opening so quickly. While enroute, he jumped out....but possibly got hung up on his leash still attached and went straight down (as best we can figure out)....causing him to be ran over. Heather said she didn't know what to do....put the brake on, go forward, go backward! She jumps out of her car, running into traffic, and comes to find her poor dog flopping and flailing around. She said he was trying to get up, but blood was gushing from his mouth. 

That's when her angel showed up....... 
A man in a work truck who worked for the electric company was following her. As soon as it happened, he immediately came to a stop behind her. He jumped out and ran to her and told her very abruptly "Get back in your car and call your Mom. Just get back in your car and call your Mom now!" ----- my own Mother would later ask me "How did that man know to tell her to do that? Call your Mom and not your husband or boyfriend or such?" I told her because we believe it was an angel sent from God and he knew Mom was the very best to call....in ALL situations. He then took out cones and put it around Shiner so no one would hit him and he covered the dog with his own jacket. At the next point, she says 4 doctors showed up somehow (from the animal hospital). It was quite unclear how they were notified so quickly and the scene wasn't in their view. Again.....God sent. They were taking care of the dog (hand carried him back to the hospital along with man who stopped behind her helping too). One doctor stayed with Heather and even drove her car,with her in it, to the animal hospital. They made sure she stayed in her car to catch her breath and brought her out a Dr Pepper. The man who stopped behind her (the angel) came back to be with her after the doctor left her. He made sure she was going to be alright....that her parents were on their way....and that she was following directions correctly. She got out of her car and took other dog inside with her. The nurses were VERY sympathetic to her. 

This is where we come in..... 
I had assumed that since we were at the Animal Hospital then Shiner must still be alive and they were working on him when we arrived. But as she told us her story she said "And Mom...he's deeeead." Then it all clicked in. She had been told that she could go back and see Shiner one last time if she wanted. She waited on us to get there. I went back with her, but before we did, the nurse warned us that the dog would not look the same as before. Who KNEW what we were about to see?? We went back and there was a covered body laying on a table. It felt like we were going to identify a body or something kind of eery like. They pulled back the towel and there he was. It wasn't anything really gory or overwhelmingly awful. Simply he was asleep with blood from his mouth still dripping and blood from his ears. I asked how he died. She said quietly....It was a head trauma accident. Massive injury to the brain. She was very respectful of Heather and stood quietly by as Heather cried and mourned the loss of her sweet dog. She petted him and stroked him. Saying this isn't real. She finally knew she couldn't take anymore and had to leave. The nurse asked me what we wanted to do. There was a standard burial at no fee and an ashes one with a fee. I told her it was up to Heather. Heather chose the standard burial. Once again they were very considerate and kind. Another big blessing.....there was NO fee whatsoever for all they had done to go out of their way to help her!! We were thankful. 

David drove her car, with her other dog in it, to her apartment......while I drove my Jeep, with Heather in it, to her apartment. Neither David or I had been to Heather's apartment. But I knew once we got her there that we needed to go in and be with her. So we did. We let her talk and cry and talk...... I then got her involved in getting her mind off of the situation by telling her we would play her some video games. That's one of David's (boyfriend) favorite thing to do and hers to. So we went with that for awhile. She did well and even made mention at one point of feeling guilty for feeling possibly happy. I assured it that it was not wrong. As time went on, I was concerned about my David (not to confuse you with her David). He hadn't eaten and had a lot on his mind dealing with other matters .....but he was doing well in the situation. She assured us she would be alright. And we decided to leave. 

Once home.....I started receiving texts of her feeling so bad and hurt. She was even throwing up at this point and said she couldn't stop. The memory of it all just kept replaying. She asked me when it would stop and would the hole fill itself? I told her when she fills it with God then He would fill it in his timing. And that the memory would be there, but that didn't mean God wasn't helping her through it. I assured her that each time she had the memory - to give it to God and look to him and trust in him to help her through it. I also told her to get our christian radio station playing on her radio.....to which she said "Mom, they just keep playing sad songs." I told her "KEEP listening.....listen to the words and not the melodies." I told her to read Psalm as well. Later.....I called her and she told me that she was upset so she called each her brother and her sister while they were at work....telling them about it.

Well.....
She had Savannah crying at work now and her brother concerned for her. I was proud of Savannah though....she came through. She asked Heather "Have you had anything to eat?" Heather said "no" Savannah then said "I'm picking us up some sandwiches and bringing them to your apartment." As soon as Heather hung up, there was a knock on her door. It was Taylor (Savannah's husband) standing there holding a Sprite and giving it to Heather. Perhaps Savannah had quickly told Taylor about Heather throwing up a lot and he headed over right away (they live across the street from each other). He came inside and sat down and talked with her for awhile. 

All in all......
I know this was a very DIFFICULT experience for my child.....but I also know God was there to protect her, help her, and even bless her through the ones that he chose to surround her with help. He is good.....always he is good. And as my Mother In Law reminded me - God always brings good from that which was hard or bad. He brings beauty from the ashes.....how very well I know this to be true! Romans 8:28 "And we know that ALL things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

As I try to point out to my child....look for the blessings of how God provided and protected - even in the worst of circumstances. So I also encourage you, my friend, ...... look for the blessings of how God is providing, protecting, and taking care of you....even in the worst of your circumstances. Be blessed......

"Look What I Can Do.....Thank You David!"

And so it is that I'm back once again doing what my heart loves.....writing. And through that writing - -sharing and encouraging (hopefully) others with God's love, God's blessings, God's faithfulness and life in it's realness. :)

My life, as it looks today, is winding down a journey.

A journey that has had laughter, smiles, happiness, amazement, thankfulness, surprises, love, joy, accomplishments, togetherness.......as well as tears, anger, frustration, disappointment, fear, impatience, and non-comprehension. I speak of the words - raising children.

You see, our youngest child, who is Levi, will be 18 in less than 2 weeks, and graduating 7 weeks after that.  Our second child, who is Savannah, will be walking the aisle in marriage in 6 weeks. And our oldest, who is Heather, is on God's timetable to make straight her paths. If you would, please pray for each of our children for they truly need it.....and who of us doesn't?

And so that brings my journey - as Mom - to a close. I know you're going to say "You never stop being a Mom." and that would be correct. But, I don't believe everyone is called to keep being the "Mom" you were the first 18 years of their lives. Instead I see it as I step out of their lives.....letting go of all preconceived ideas that I have ever had any power to stop what they chose to do or not do.....continue to trust and pray that God has his own timetable and plans of turning them each one back to him.....asking him to stand the TRUTH, his truth, so firmly planted undeniably in front of them that they cannot see around it or through it and must deal with it in God's way and not their own..........

AND.........

I CONTINUE ON loving the Lord my God with all my heart, soul and strength.....and loving the beautiful gift of his love to me through my beautiful husband, David!!! 

My life started, almost 48 years ago, with God. And almost 27 years of those 48, God brought along my David to join me in this wonderful adventure we call LIFE. And so it is.....my life will begin and end with God and my David. Yes, added blessings along our adventure that we call children.....and hopefully someday called GRANDchildren. But nonetheless.....my life is......God and then my David. And I wouldn't have it any other way!!!

I have wanted to write a Blog dedicated to my David along the way of my Bloggings, but I didn't want it to come off as me just bragging about what I have. My intention and goal is to NOT have that come across to anyone.....for we are ALL blessed in God's blessings of who he has placed in our lives (even if you don't see it). But rather my desire to share comes from a heart that is so FULL of gratitude and complete LOVE for a gift to me. And in that gift of my David is the very heart of God himself. For my David shows forth the very nature and character of God daily to me. So please read this in the way that it is given.....through a genuine heart of gratitude.

David and I have been doing some renovating of our home. Renovations are fun, cool and exciting....I love to see new things take place, shape and form! And in those "Renos" <<the home shows call them that.....David has taught me many skills along the way. As I was learning each new skill, I began taking pictures. As I took more pictures, I began thinking back to all the MANY things David has taught me in life. I scanned back through many pictures of days gone by and came up with a collection of various things. Although certainly not all; these are some. . . 

Demolishing is super FUN!!! I yelled every single time I swung this sledgehammer!!

Thanks David. :)

We are hand sewing curtains in this picture! David has always been our seamstress in our family. And now with his guidance, I can sew too!!

Thanks David. :)

I can now say I have stained furniture as well as varnished too!! This is our handrail up the stairs.

Thanks David. :)

I am also the designated "roller-painter" too! David is the detailer and I'm the roller. 

Thanks David. :)

And yes, sometimes, I do trim work too!! Although this looks BAD - - we were coming back with a main color for walls. :)

Thanks David.

David has taught me a real LOVE for adventures of ALL kinds!! Our adventures lay before us daily (yours too)! Seize the opportunity whatever it may look like....you'll be glad you did!! :)

Thanks David.

Adventures even in the smallest sizes can be O so FUN as well!!! :)

Thanks David.

David has taught me to love exercise through walking too!! We walk everywhere and often. :)

Thanks David.

David has taught how to do yard work and make areas pretty by planting flowers! I seriously enjoy the accomplished feeling when you have worked HARD all day in the yards and look back to see something was done and know that you were a part of that something! :)

Thanks David.

I can now say I also know how to use a crow bar to remove an entire wall of paneling and base/crown moldings too!! Which had about a 100 nails AND glue on it!! And take it ALL down the stairs and into the garage myself!! No small feat!! :)

Thanks David.

And although these are David's hands and not mine....I learned how to sand spin along with him!! :)

Thanks David.

David has taught me how to even play golf....believe it or not!!! Although we never fully became accomplished at it, we had FUN!! :)

Thanks David.

Although technically full credit should probably go to my Dad for this one, for he started me off very early in life loving this adventure....my David is the one that renewed it's desire once again. :)

Thanks David.

But David gets full credit for the bow and arrow lessons! Haha! 

Thanks David. :)

As well as the cooking lessons!!  

Thanks David. :)

AND......I can shoot a gun now too!! 

Thanks David. :)

Hey I can even peel and eat a crawfish now....although very S L O W L Y!! 

Thanks David. :)

David has taught me the love of a good hike up a very TALL mountain....to reach the tippy top and feel the joy of accomplishment while praising the very Creator of our Universe!! 

Thanks David. :)

David has taught me to be ME..... like me.....to enjoy being me.....to accept me. That even in all my quirkiness and weirdness.....I can be ME.

Thanks David. :)

And he has taught me to enjoy each and all of our moments......together. For in those times we are at our happiest!!

Thanks David. :)

As wonderful and great as each of those things are (and there's so much more he's taught me).....I know with all my heart that the biggest and greatest of lessons are these . . . .

To love and forgive completely in it purest form. And what it truly means to do both.

To let it ALL go and give it ALL to God.

Three of those "All" being our children.

To understand what real faith is and assuring me that we can trust God even when it doesn't make since.

To know that FAITH is the answer always...no matter what. For our God is in control.

As he has often reminded me.....when is there ever a time to worry??

And it is in these last lessons, I have shared with you, that I value the most in him......"Thank you David." 

I am beyond blessed to be your wife, support, encourager, lover and very best friend!! :)

And so it is that I bring this to a close......a closing of a Blog......a closing of a chapter of my life as "Mom". 

But sure as God IS coming back again (and He IS!)....I'm off to a brand new and wonderfully joyous adventure and journey with the two most important in my life.......God first.....my David second. :)

Thank ya, Jesus!!!!

"Here It Is....The Day She Said YES!"

I would like to begin this Blog with how I PRAISE God in all the many wonderful ways he is working in each of our lives!! His mercy and grace are unfolding a step at a time and it is so much more than amazing to watch him work!! Friend, he has a timetable and a plan and knows how to fit all the many different pieces of life's puzzle together to make it into something BEAUTIFUL! As the song goes "I'm gonna take all the broken pieces and make something beautiful like only I could. So put it all in the hands of the Father - Give it up, give it all over to the One and only One who can turn it into something beautiful."
I truly believe he is doing exactly that....in his timing. Don't get discouraged when YOU can't see it happening. Most of the time we don't. God is just working a little longer behind the scenes to make it that much more beautiful. Trust HIM. There is hope.

And now....for the BIG day!!

Tuesday, October 16, 2013 would become a day to represent a very special time in the life of our daughter, Savannah. It would become the day she received Taylor Tibbitts proposal question with a .......YES! It was also a day that was shared by many including her parents. Something that this mother will cherish always. God is doing some really super amazing works in the life of our daughter and us....and I give God all the glory and thanks from a truly grateful mother's heart! Please, I ask that you keep us each one in your prayers as God is working out his will in our lives.

At 5:30pm, we met up with Taylor's family and their friends, inside a privately owned hangar. It was a little overwhelming to see all the many people there. We were told to wait inside the hangar. Once Taylor and Savannah arrived, then the doors would be shut concealing our presence. This was ALL a surprise to Savannah. Taylor had taken her to Oive Garden to eat. He had made up an excuse to have to go out to his work site, after their dinner, and do something he had forgotten. Once they had arrived, the doors were shut, and we all were making up our own stories of just what was going on beyond those doors. Taylor had a helicopter awaiting Savannah once they got there. They would then take off for a ride and finish it with a view of the field below that said "Will you" with a heart to land in below the words. Once she saw the words "Will you" he would then finish the rest of the sentence himself with the words "Marry me?" while holding the ring in his hand. :) Smooth huh!

 Heather and I knew that Savannah was nervous about flying in general. So, many of the stories circulating around were ones such as "The poor thing probably isn't wanting to get on the helicopter!" "She's probably standing there crying and Taylor's trying his best to talk her into it!" Many of us had our ears up to the hangar's door trying to catch anything we could possibly hear. I thought I heard her scream once and told Heather....that in turn started all the more stories circulating! Haha! We had Savannah a pitiful mess. BUT in reality, what did lay beyond those doors was the complete opposite. She was loving every moment of it and quite excitedly agreed to go for the ride!! :)

All the many people celebrating a special day with Taylor and Savannah!

Taylor's Mom taking an aerial picture of the proposal field.

Such a beautifully HAPPY girl she was!!!!

Savannh was SO excited!! She was sending Heather and I pictures while they were up in the helicopter! :)

We also got aerial views of the San Jacinto Monument and the Battleship of Texas!

She was loving it!

Soon we excitedly spotted them coming in the horizon!!

It was SO exciting watching them come in!! :)

This Mom got a very HAPPY hug from her daughter - - a true blessing indeed!!

A toast to the newly engaged couple!

Our beautiful girls!!

Taking a picture with Taylor's brother. :)

Cody...always the character.

After all the excitement, we were invited over to Taylor's parent's house for fajitas.

It was a very wonderful night shared by two special people . . .

Thank you, God, for the growing blessings you are allowing us to see in our lives.....

And the BIG DAY is - - - - -

May 8, 2014!!!!!