300th POST WINNER

Finally a  post to announce the winner of the 300th post giveaway….Drumroll…..


 WHIMZIE (AMY) of SNOODLINGS. 

I happen to know her so that makes it even more special.  I will be shipping her a box of goodies soon.  Stop by and read her blog.  She has a way with words and a lot of humor.
 
Also, please stop by
 MilandDil Designs 
and get in on another Great
Fall Giveaway.

Tell her I sent you and maybe you will get an extra chance.  She is in Dallas welcoming her new nephew Tanner.


Another super great post is from Beth Moore…a way with words is putting it mildly.  She is just the best. 

Please do not forget the prayer requests on the previous post.

Nothing has changed and oh how they need Brooklyn to wake up.  It’s been two weeks today. The family is so weary and hurting so bad.
 
I am praying for a Brooklyn Miracle.

One more request…so many times I have written about little Ashley..
A few nights ago she took a bad fall in while buckled in her wheelchair.  Please leave Trish a note of encouragement.  She carries a load I could not carry.



Precious Ashley


By the way…thanks for the heartwarming comments you left on the last post)

The holiday blog should be back in swing in the next few weeks.
The calendar is almost full, trees are coming out of storage, glitter is everywhere and I think I already feel tired.

Have I told you lately how much I love my blog friends?
People that don’t blog, don’t get it. That’s OK.
 
With love,
Teresa


PS..Amanda and Micah bought a wonderful new house.
I am going to decorate it.  I want it to be Southern Living worthy…we are going to look for all new furniture this week. 
If you have seen any cute tween boy rooms, send me the link.

Random Monday

I loved your responses on this post.  I hope I did not scare anyone away with the political question.  I am not really into politics, just thought the premise that the Donald might run for office was interesting.  This week I will be joining the
 
Hope you will stop by…I will be giving away a card box and then I will have another FUN giveaway here.
Today was a fun day.  I met a local blogger (not in person but hope to).  I ended up reading her entire blog.. Her name is Megan at  Mackey Madness.  Cute, cute blog…stop in and visit her.


    Grayson getting his LAUGH on today


Jack getting in TROUBLE…drug that Lion from his room to the KITCHEN while Amanda was doing her HAIR….His Response was, “I NEEDED A POP TART”

Parker IS camping for a few days. ….I am already wanting him home.  Austin got a new puppy today. 

This has been a weekend of Sat and Sun both being PAJAMA DAYs.  The pollen has given me a major headache, so staying in was all I wanted to do.. really I wanted to mark things off my long “To DO” list.  That did not happen, instead we watched three movies .
 
Please pray for my blog friend Paige from Paige’s Petals! SHE needs prayer for her entire family.
She is such a gifted writer and is walking a hard road.  Her husband is in his second bout with cancer, this time pancreatic.  They are a beautiful family and my heart breaks for them.  Please stop by and leave a some encouraging words.

I also am asking you to pray tonight for sweet Ashley.  They are at a very critical time, AGAIN and are so  in need of your prayers. I know that Trish and Dave covet every prayer and every word of encouragement. 
This is Spring Break week and we did not plan a big trip, but hope to take the boys somewhere later this week.  
This week will mark six months since Jack'stroke!  If you remember nothing else today, remember that live can change in a split second.

I will be back on the first with The Ultimate Blog Party post and more giveaways….my favorite thing to do. If you look closely on my blog I am getting very close to a huge MARKER….really an UNBELIEVABLE ONE…and that will call for a prize too,
Have a great week…

PRAY FOR ASHLEY

Many times over the past couple of years I have ask you to pray for ASHLEY ADAMS. 
This year I had the privilege of meeting HER, her Mom and Dad.   What a special family. They live in a city just an hour away from me.   Ashley had to have her transplanted organ removed this year.   In the next day or two they will find out if she is even eligible to get back on the transplant list.  There are many problems that complicate all that goes into that decision….and without another transplant this beautiful little girl might not see another Christmas.  You can read all the details on Ashley's Journal. Trish, her Mom has the gift of writing her heart and I never leave the blog without being blessed and full of gratitude. 
Trish and Ashley get on a plane this evening and head back to Nebraska to the transplant hospital.  The next 24-36 hours are critical in their family. 
Please say a prayer for them and even leave them a note of encouragement.  They need a miracle. 
 

Thanks for praying….
Teresa

A LITTLE THIS and THAT, A LITTLE JACK

That title sounds really RANDOM.  I have had a little bloggers block for a day or two.  I have some things to write about but half of them would make no sense.  My heart is just broken for the Adams family.  If you have not read this post, please do and add Ashley to your prayers.  If the family  ever needed them, it is now.  Trish
just posted and it is gut wrenching.. I did have the honor to take some Mexican food on Friday and visit with Dave, Ashley's Dad for an hour.  They are just the BEST family.  I am hoping I can take them some more meals this week.  Ashley has been off the vent as of this morning but the next few days are critical to her being able to go home and just be with her family.  And that is SO their desire. 

Saturday, Jack came to visit and spend the night...allowing his Mom and Dad a date night.  Pop was out of town, so just Jack and I hung out.  He is a mess.  Since so many of you read this post, a little update...Friday, Micah and Jack went to see his Dad in prison and were able to go for the monthly family picnic. 

Below are a few shots I got of Jack, AKA WOODY THE COWBOY!  He want you to know he DOES NOT have a pimple, but a mosquito bite on his face. Notice how he wanted his chocolate milk and Grammy always tries to make his wants HAPPEN! Please just glance at Woody.  He really does not like for ANYONE to look at him or touch him.  PERIOD..He is JACK'S and he has no interest in sharing. 

 

 

 

 

This is the week I meet with some new tree customers, unpack more storage boxes than I want to, organize my shops, just generally start the HOLIDAY SEASON.  I know, its AUGUST...but SEPTEMBER 1st is coming. 

Also watched some football this weekend...as in one game twice, once on the computer as it was happening and then again on the NFL station when it showed a delayed broadcast of it. I know that's borderline SICK.   I am sure you can guess which game that was...and I was ENCOURAGED.  The gunslinger still HAS IT. 

There is going to be an ORNAMENT GIVEAWAY on my holiday  blog, A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING, one day this week.

I am not ready to advertise this yet, but when I ask for some help on the hot flash situation, a blogger emailed me a link to something that had helped her.  I did some research and ordered some and today is the 15th day I have been taking it and I am almost afraid to say this...but I have NOT HAD ONE hot flash since I have been on it....And I had been having 4 or 5 a day.  It's all natural and I am almost ready to get EXCITED about it...I will wait a few more weeks before I share it.

I meant RANDOM...

I HUGGED AN AMAZING MOM

This is one of those days that changed me. I had no idea when I got up today that I would go to bed with a new appreciation of all that we take for granted.  Long before I blogged, I read blogs.  One that I have read for years and many times asked you to stop by and PRAY, is Ashley's Story. Maybe you have seen her facebook page.  Her blog page begins with the words, She will leave fingerprints all over your heart and she has.  She is a little girl that I fell in love with through the pages on my computer screen. Her Mom is a lady that I had been in awe of.  Period...How could one person do all she did? Go days with no sleep and when she did it was in a chair, fight battle after battle, rebound again and again from setback after setback and bad news, put her heart into words and write Ashley's story, and never seem to lose heart or hope.  She is a wife, a mom to three, an advocate for her little angel, a daughter, a sister, a friend, but what I saw in her face today was just a Mom that wanted more than anything for her baby to live.  The last few months have been really rough for Ashley. After three plus years, she had organ rejection.  The last few months have been horrible to put it mildly.  She has been back in Omaha,Ne at the transplant center and ultimately had to have the organ removed a few weeks ago.. (you can read her story)
Nothing has gone right and with every procedure there have been multiple complications.  I will just leave it at that.  Ashley is very critical.  Over the weekend I realized that they had air transported her back to a hospital in my city.  Her family lives in a town about an hour away. 
Through the years I have sent Trish cards (how easy), prayed and asked others to pray, but we had never even talked.  On Saturday I called the hospital and had no idea if I would be able to get thru to her.  I did...and just told her that I wanted to serve her any way I could..if it was nothing more than food or a diet coke.  Ashley's alarms began to go off and we had to hang up.  Let me interject, I am not a hospital person....it just creeps me out, the smell when I walk in actually makes me sick...any hospital, then walking the halls and seeing people with their doors open and alone breaks my heart.  I have spent a lot of time with family members in the hospital, so it's not like I cannot do it, I just normally choose not to.  And anytime I have been in the hospital, all I could think about was getting out.  I have a staph phobia and it has been rampant in hospitals here.  I just don't want you to think I am a regular hospital visitor.  BUT today, I knew I had to go. Sometimes you JUST KNOW that you are supposed to do something.  I stopped by a local bakery and picked up some yummy treats..and packaged a little gift box, which was such a little thing...Because of my business I live in a store.  I wanted to think of something that would really meet a need but I had no clue.  I am actually embarrassed that I took something so trivial.  I had no idea that I would actually get to see Ashley but I made my way up to the PICU and ask if they could give something to Trish.  When they said I could go in the room, I almost panicked.  What if I could not stop crying?  They had me gown up, another panic, what if I had a hot flash?  The moment I saw Trish I felt like I had known her all my life.  I walked in while there were some problems and several people working on her...She was as beautiful, vent and all, as all her pictures on the blog. Trish was being the Mom I had always envisioned that she was, speaking so lovingly to Ashley, telling her how brave she was, constantly  checking her, watching the monitors, visiting with me...being kind to all those that were taking care of her..I thought of all the little things I whine and complain about, how little things can upset me, how I have 4 healthy little's and a healthy family.  How we come and go, plan trips, watch too much TV, sleep in great beds with great sheets every night, and many days our biggest decision  is where we will go to eat.  God, help me NEVER
again take normal ordinary days for granted.
I met a real HERO today.  A MOM holding on to hope when things look really bad.  A MOM thankful for a couch to sleep on as she has only had a chair in the other hospital for weeks.  A Mom that has watched her little love go into the OR so many times in the last few weeks, that I have lost count.  A Mom that has had to sign consent forms that I am not sure I could sign. A MOM so concerned about how this is affecting her other two children. I saw courage in action and transparency in a new friend that has lots of questions and few answers.  We visited for several hours, shared stories, shared our faith and when I left I knew I did not go to the hospital today for Trish, but I went for me.  I walked out of that hospital, got in my car and asked God to put the picture of that hospital room in my face every time I complained about anything or took one blessing for granted.  I ask him to change me...So thank you Trish for letting me see your life, see your little girl (there are even bigger fingerprints on my heart tonight) thank you for sharing your heart and your hurt.  I hope in the days to come I can be God's hand extended to you.  I don't have any answers and all the same questions you do, so you will never hear any neatly packaged spiritual words from me. 

As you read this post, say a special prayer for Ashley and her amazing MOM.