Today after I said my prayers and did my devotion, I was listening to my Kirk Franklin Worship CD when something came across my mind. I just realized that I'm super blessed because of the peace I have. I have been through many trials and throughout all of them, God has ALWAYS brought me through! I am thankful that even through the toughest of times, I have gained a tremendous amount of wisdom. There's no way to buy wisdom or gain it without going through an experience that teaches you about it. I could not imagine going through life without having peace of knowing that no matter what God is going to take care of me and watch over me. There were times in my life when I didn't always do right, and I am thankful that to this day, I didn't have to suffer many long-term consequences. God has always loved me through everything. And the great thing about knowing that I'm walking in His Will, is that I know He will not only take care of, provide, and protect me, but He will do the same for my family. I am not afraid to ask God for exactly what I need or want. The Bible says to ask with humility and full believing and that's what I always do. I talk to Him like He's my best friend, because He is! I'm thankful for what all He has done for me and my family and our many blessings, and I also thank Him for everything He has left to do for us! I am blessed to not have to worry. I can give all my cares and worries to Him! And I can rest knowing He's in control. He can see everything and He sees time on so many different levels than I can, so I know that His plan and ideas for my life far surpass any plan I could make on my own. I've tried on my own before, and it never works!
Verse:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phillippians 4:6-7
Family Photo from Chase's 5th Birthday Party, July 16, 2011:
Today was a good day! Played ball with wild Destiny, my furry niece after a yummy Lein Cuisine Shrimp and Angel Hair Pasta Meal for Lunch :) Great news! I'm positive that as of tonight, there will be a definite home for Charlie! So thankful and excited! I plan to feed him well when I get home and give him a bath! I know he will be happy with his new family! So, Annie suggested I blog about my toe, which I have since named "gimpy" (which I find it rather amusing that my smart phone always wants to automatically to change the word to "humor!") It happened one HOT summer day in 2008...I decided on my own that the land was just looking too overgrown and that I needed to do some work. I've watched my daddy previously spend hours outside so I was confident that I could handle it...little did I know! I went outside in shorts, Tshirt, flip flops and a large cup of Coke. So here I go, I start out by picking up the limbs from a huge fallen tree and putting it in a pile to burn. I have no idea how long it took, but I did it until it was all done! Go me right, just a couple, ok quite a few, scratches on my arms and legs. Then I decided, hey, the island in the middle of the pond needs to be cut, but I couldn't get the small push mower to turn on so I decide, well, daddy's set it on fire before, I should try that! (by now, I don't realize how worn out I am and I'm not thinking straight because I'm hot too). I grab a near full 5 balloon gas can and walk over the bridge with some matches. Hmm...how will I set it on fire? I don't remember that part of the process. Ok so I throw some gas out on the island and maybe I should just dip this twig in some gas and then light it and throw it real fast. I try that, the twig lights but goes out as I throw it. Try again Karen. Ok let's just put a little gas on a blade of thick grass and set it on fire. Ok got a little burning but it's going out. Maybe it needs more gas? So I go to toss some more gas out of the can and as I do, WHOOM! The gas in the air catches on fire and I fall backward. Phew! Almost caught me on fire! It could have gotten my hair! You think I would have given up but oh nooooooooooooo...I decide to give up on the island and just use a Weedeater, except I haven't ever used one before. I can't get the one with orange twine turned on, and I don't see any more orange string and it looks like it's out, not that I would have known how to put the string on...but anyway. Oh look! There's my daddy's old Weedeater! You know the one with metal blades! That hasn't been used in years! Yeah, that one! Hmm...it says on the side that it needs half gas and oil...ok how to mix...oh yes a small 1 galloon gas can with it already mixed! Score! So I pour it in, it says how to choke and pull it and push the button, etc. So I read and follow the instructions (still to this day, people ask how on earth I managed to get it turned on!) And it's not too heavy either. So I tell myself I will come back to the island when it stops smoking and start on around trees etc. You know I might drop my phone and lose so I should put it inside the house. And the ditch out front by the road really needs the most weedeating, so off I go, down the driveway. I get to work and it's looking good, I got a little system going. I think to myself and amuse myself, thinking what a sight I am and literally having a dream of cutting my foot off. Well about this time, a hornet or something comes out of the grass and flies under my left foot flip flop and step on it and it stings me! Ouch!!!! In an effort to try to "swipe" the hornet away, I go to swipe but I forget I have a Weedeater in my hands, I swipe it right across my big toe and into my second before I realize and drop it and myself to the ground! Omg!!!! I was in such shock, I barely felt it at first! By the time, I realized I was screaming at the top of my lungs in the middle of the driveway and here come several neighbors in their cars and they just wave and keep going! They must've been thinking, that girl is crazy! I try to think of what I need to do, I don't want my toe to fall off so I need to keep my flip flop on. I try to stand but I can't. I try to stand and hop, but I keep blacking out. Stay on track Karen think! So I drag my foot behind me, grasping grass and dirt with my fingers and pulling myself. Ofcourse I'm at home alone and the dogs are frightened, not that they could help me. I somehow manage to make it to the front door where I collapse on the tile. My foot is throbbing and I can tell I'm losing blood fast so I grab a kitchen towel and wrap it up. I manage to reach my phone off the counter and call my mom before I collapse on the floor and just had enough signal to scare the mess out of her! And she's in Tennessee by the way! So then I get someone to come get me and once we get to the hospital, I realize, we left the front door open, the dogs frightened and not locked up and my purse with my ID and insurance card! They ask me if I want to keep my flip flop! No, just help me! They do X-rays using a portable machine and move my toe every which way before numbing it! I'm dying here! I've never even broke a bone before! They finally numb my toe, ouch that hurts like...ahh that's better, now let's get pictures! So they stitch my toe back on and I see my foot dr. I worked for, because I only trust him! My toe finally heals. But the bone started growing out of my toe and it rubbed on my big toe. Which my big toe nail grew back fine. I had surgery in 2009 to remove the sharp piece of bone. My toe it fine now, just GIMPY! Moral: Wear steel toed boots, pants, and safety gear when doing yard work... Or don't do it at all (which is what I chose from then on!) Suggestion: GET A MAN TO DO IT! :)
PHOTOS OF GIMPY: Toe at Hospital.
Hospital Xray.
After stitches. Weedeater. Weedeater Blade.
Xray after surgery to remove bone.
FAVORITE PHOTOS OF DESTINY TODAY:
FAVORITE PHOTOS OF THE DAY:
Me and My Foster Mom Giving Me My First Bath!
CHARLIE :)
Charlie Playing After His Bath :)
So, just a quick post today. It was hard to wake up this morning! The hubs was off to work early so I barely remembered saying goodbye to him around 4am or so. I was counting down minutes all day until we got Chase! Rep brought in lunch today from Peppertree! Yay, I love free lunches! It was so good and ofcourse I over-ate! I was miserable all afternoon! I ran by and let Destiny and Jack out for a bit. Destiny was WILD so no short siesta for me! Jerry texted me around 5ish to ask me to get Chase because he had to work late. So I picked Chase up from school. He was excited to see me! We went to the gas station so I could put gas in my car and he said he wanted a Orange Gatorade and a "Hot Dog, Hot Dog, Hot Diggity Dog" LOL So he got one, which he covered in cheese, ketchip, mustard and mayo! He said it was yummy and almost ate the whole thing! We then went home to play until Daddy got home. We took out his little water slide and some water balloons. I heard that dog bark again so I ran outside all expecting a big viscous dog, but no....it was a sweet little black lab puppy. I didn't have the heart to run it off :( So Chase and I fed it and gave it some water. Ofcourse, we can't keep him. But I guess hes been around for a while because our dogs weren't too worried about him. I called the neighbors and no one claimed him. So for now, Chase has named him "Charlie" and I plan to take him to a Vet Adoption Center or Humane Shelter. If anyone is interested in him though, please let me know. I can't take him until Saturday morning. Chase and I played for a bit, and I was getting covered in bug bites! I must be so sweet! HAHA Chase didn't get a single bite! LOL But hes sweet :) I told Chase he could set off one of his leftover fireworks from July 4th and he chose one of those things that make smoke. He chose Orange, go figure! LOL And ran through the smoke yelling "WAR EAGLE! HEY!" Too cute! We decided to head inside to play with his new toys. We played with his new Tow Mater and Lightning McQueen. We raced them and Chase won! ;-) And then we had a "car show" with all his cool cars. Jerry got home around Chase's bed time. They played a Monster Truck game on his phone. And now we are getting Chase calmed down for bed. My sweet boys are curled up in the Snuggies on the couch. Couldn't ask for a sweeter moment...they are my world :) Saying lots of prayers tonight for many things! Good Night All! And I do plan to blog some more about suggestions friends have made!
Favorite Photos of the Day:
Chase with a water balloon on the trampoline, we had fun playing with them. We got something from Academy to make them easier so now its much quicker to make them and play :)
Charlie, the puppy we found today under Jerry's old gray truck.
Chase playing in Orange Smoke! WAR EAGLE! :)
His cool Tow Mater (From his Aunt Beverly and Nana) and Lightning McQueen (From Pawpaw and Zelda) that he got for his birthday.
So I decided today to start up a blog. I am always sharing stories with friends and family. What a great way to keep up with recent happenings and my thoughts! It took me a while to get it set up the way I wanted, a lot longer than I wanted, haha! And now as I type, my hubby has come in the door from working and is talking nonstop to me so it's hard to keep my train of thought! Gotta love him, at least he missed me!
Today Chase and I slept in to catch up on rest from the busy and fun weekend we had! We had a huge 5th birthday party for him! We decided to go to breakfast at the Waffle House near our house so we rushed getting ready! My hair was all perfect and straight and if you know me this will make or break my day sometimes! We made it to Waffle House in plenty of time before we had to be at his school to leave for the Field Trip. Chase ordered his breakfast on his own, such a big boy! He ended up eating over half a egg omelet with cheese and ham, a sausage patty, a strip of bacon, hashbrowns with ketchup, toast with strawberry jelly and to top it off chocolate milk! Goodness is he growing! He ate more than me! He said eggs have protein and so does every meat so he said he wanted to eat a bunch so he can be strong like daddy! Random things, on the interstate, Chase says, "When I grow up, I want to have a boy, a strong one. But we can't help it, we have what we get in the belly that God puts in there." WOW! So smart buddy! I asked him if he would be ok if he had a girl when he got older and he said he would and he'd love her, but he wouldn't play with her because he doesn't play with girl toys, LOL. Well, we made it to school and hung out while they got AUM ECC shirts on for the Field Trip. Ofcourse it started raining on the way to school :( there goes my perfect hair! I have pretty much figured it out though! I bought these adorable new sandals (Wal-Mart, $9, Don't Hate! LOL) and wore them for the first time on Saturday for Chase's bday party and it rained. Wore them Sunday to church with a cute outfit and it rained. And then again today! So I think wearing those shoes make it rain! And on top of that, they make squishy noises when I walk after they get wet! Anyway, Chase wanted to ride on the bus with the other kids, but there's not enough room and rules are I couldn't go on the bus so he rode with me as planned. (Distraction: Cat is laying on Jerrys leg and needing his knee, haha, and Jerry says, "I'm scared to pet her because if I do she will bring in a dead frog or something, haha, Ok back to blog) On the way, he started getting a little sleepy so I asked him what one of his favorite colors is and he says light red, which is totally random! It's usually blue or orange or burple. So, I tell him lets count all the red cars we see on the way to the boat. We proceeded to count, and ofcourse, he doesn't want to stop until we reach 100! LOL But we made it. We had to park at one of those meters and luckily I actually had some change. And even enough for one of the other mothers! Chase said it was nice of me to help her, cause that's what Jesus would do. :) Then he put the coins in for her :) by now, it is pouring down rain. I have an umbrella and Chase decides he doesn't want to hold his so he goes without it like everyone else, but me because I didn't want to mess up my already frizzy hair anymore, haha. By the time we get to the tunnel, my jeans are wet up to my knees. Then we had to run the kids through pouring rain to get on the boat. And now all the kids and teachers are soaked! As we are sitting eating lunch, we are all trying to stay close together because it's cold in there, we are wet from rain, and theres a vent above our table! What do you know, a girls accidentally spills her ENTIRE cup of Sprite on my thighs! So now my jeans are wet almost up to my hip! AH! Oh well, it was accident, I had to tell her it was ok because she was in tears! Hey, accidents happen, at least it wasn't on my hair to make it frizzy and poofy, oh wait, it already is! HA Head off the bathroom to try to fix it, that won't work and I don't have a hairband so I take a photo in the tiny bathroom (don't ask why) and one with Chase before it gets worse and decide to suck it up and go out on the deck without an umbrella in the sprinkling rain. He loved the outside of the boat, and didn't want to go back in. And ofcourse, as soon as we dock, the rain stops and no more rain the rest of the day! We make it back to the car, and no ticket YAY, because I knew our time on the meter had run out! Chase wants to stay with me until it was time to go back to his mother and stepdad, so we decided to go to the park. Keep in mind, I'm still wet some to my knees and wanted to get in some dry clothes and not so squeaky shoes, but its Chase so I do what makes him happy. The sun comes out just as we reach Vaughn Park! AH! Chase wanted me to play with him nonstop, which I loved except for the fact that my sandals are now giving me blisters and he constantly wants me to play with him where theres sand. So I give up on the shoes and just run around barefoot with rolled up jeans, pulled my hair up, boy was I a sight! HAHA I realize we've been out there for too long in the sun and we are both sweating profusely. We decided to grab a drink and snack at Chappy's, yummy! Where Chase orders a pizza and eats over half then starts on my fruit bowl, goodness! After eating, we headed over to his mothers to meet his stepdad, even though it was rather reluctantly on his part (and mine). I remind him, we get to see him after school tomorrow! He gives me all his toys out of his pockets, haha! I drive off and not even half way down the street, I'm missing him! I decide to run by and play with Destiny for a while. I don't know what came over me, but I decided to take her for a walk. Well, she ended up taking me for a walk! OHHH CRAMP in my side! We make it back in time to cool off and play for a few then I headed home to chill. On the way home, I decided I wanted to try this blogging thing. I took a shower as soon as I get home and about the time I get out, I hear the dogs barking like crazy so I get worried the neighbors big Rottweilers are out again and got in our yard (how hard is it to keep them in your yard, it's the country!) I grab a robe some slippers and head out with a baseball bat just in case, again what a sight I was! Anyway, finally threw on a movie on Netflix instant and work on this. Once Jerry gets done updating me on his day, I tell him about mine and about starting a blog and he says "baby, how do you have time to blog?" I say, "Well, I will just do it when I have time or something funny or interesting to share." Then he says, "Do I need to give you something else to do?" LOL Thanks hun, but No I'm good! You boys keep me busy enough! Enough rambling for the night, I'm off to bed! :) Until next time!
Favorite Photo of the day:
Chase and I on the back of the top deck of Harriott II. Downtown Montgomery in the background.
