Photo Collage

At the beginning of 2008, actually at the end of 2007, I decided I wanted to take a monthly picture of my kids for a whole year to create a yearly scrapbook for each month. Well, I can't believe I did it, but I did. I think I may have missed 1 month, so that page will just have a space w/no picture in it, with journaling on how I forgot to take a picture that month. I'm hoping this will give more more inspiration to get back to my scrapbooking, now. I have been out of the mood for soooooo long.

I made this photo collage using Google Picasa with all the pics I'm going to use in the scrapbook. I have to say thanks to my good online scrapbook friend, Marlene, for actually giving me this idea. I saw one on her blog that she made & it was super cute! I can't believe I have been using Picasa for this long and have NEVER tried out that tool on there!! What is wrong with me???? I'll probably be making a bunch of these collages now, so get ready for it! Please take a look at Marlene's collage: (http://myspotofsunshine.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-year.html). She's very talented and I love her work. Thanks Marlene!!

PEPAW MILES

My beloved Pepaw Miles passed away on December 31, 2008. He was 94 years old & lived a long, happy, fulfilled life. This was a great man of whom I have many, many wonderful memories. Now my Memaw is left behind to carry on without him. They were married December 24, 1930. Wow, that's 78 years!!! They have 5 wonderful children & countless grandchildren & great-grandchildren. I worry about her, but I know she's going to be fine. She has my dad & all of her other children & grandchildren around to take care of her. I love them both sooo much. He is going to be greatly missed.

We will be traveling to TN today for the funeral. Please say a prayer for our safety traveling, along with many other family members who are traveling from out of state, and also for strength for my Memaw. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family.

I hope you all have a wonderful & safe Happy New Year. God Bless!

Merry Christmas from the FAM-A-LY!!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Concert & Class Reunion

Hello friends! Just to update on my tailbone condition: I'm feeling a lot better, although there is still a lot of discomfort. I have to be very careful in the way that I move or to not sit down hard. Once the swelling went down, it started to feel much better. Also the bruising is starting to turn more of a lighter blue now. The dr. said it will take about 6 weeks to heal. Thank you for all your prayers.

Bret & I had a great time at the Casting Crowns Christmas concert last week. Special guests were Michael English, which I am a loooong time fan, Avalon, Denver & the Mile High Orchestra, pureNRG, a new teenage group, & Natalie Grant. We were so lucky to have front row, center stage seats!! What a great view! Here's a few pics from the concert.

















Finally, I went to my 20 year *tear* class reunion in TN. this weekend. Wow, I cannot believe it has been 20 years!! I saw so many people there that I haven't seen in 10-20 years. Not everyone showed up, but we had enough to have a great time. My sweet & gracious friend, Jan & her husband Justin, let me crash at their house all weekend. Jan did a wonderful job of planning all this & putting it together. We had 2 nights of fun. Friday night was a girls night at Jan's house. We had lots of food & sat around telling stories & talking about our families & old times. Saturday night was a fun night out on the town with the guys & girls, along with some spouses. And my 2 brothers also joined us. We did a little dancing & a lot of laughing. It was sooo much fun! We have all committed to trying to get together once a year & doing something. It's great getting to catch up with old friends. Here are a few pix. One of Jan & me (I miss her so much), a group pic of all of us & I can't resist sneaking in a pic of my sweet brothers w/me.

Prayers

I would like to ask for prayers for safety this weekend. I am driving to TN for a class reunion, which wouldn't be such a big deal, but I fell this week & broke my tail bone in 2 places. So, driving has been a little bit of a challenge for me. I've found a way to prop on a pillow to relieve some pressure & I think that I'll be ok.

I'm sure you'll hear all about the reunion when I return, plus I'll tell you about the Casting Crowns Christmas concert that Bret & I went to this week & post a couple pics. It was awesome!! Thanks for your prayers & I hope you have a wonderful weekend doing some shopping or crafting (Kim & Jill) or whatever you choose to do.
Peace!!

**IF THERE IS EVER ONE BOOK YOU READ.....

........PLEASE, let it be "The Shack" by William Paul Young. This is one of the best books I have ever read. It has changed my life forever. I want to read it again! Go to this link, http://theshackbook.com/aimages/bookmarklongad.jpg, & read the reviewes & previews of it. I promise, you will not be disappointed and you will not be able to put the book down. It made me bawl like a baby, then made me laugh out loud at times, but most importantly made me stop & think about relationships in my life & how I treat people. Oh yes, it has DEFINATELY changed me. And please, call, e-mail or text me & let me know how it affects you. I'd love to know if it has the same affect on you that it did on me. God Bless!

Thanksgiving & Family Time

Wow, I am so thankful for so many things & people in my life! Just when you think you have all the love in world from all the people that matter, God drops more love in your lap! The last 2 weeks, I have gotten to spend time with with some of the most precious people in this world. My nieces & my nephews, who next to my children, are the most precious gift that I have been blessed with. I haven't gotten to spend a lot of time w/2 of my nieces, Haylee & Ashlynn. But in the last 2 weeks, I have been back home to TN, & by the grace of God, I had the oppurtunity to get to know these sweet angels. I also got to meet my nephew, who is 5 yrs old. His name is Alex & I fell in love with him also the 1st time I laid eyes on him. And then there's Dakota & Brilee. I have always been in their lives & I can't begin to explain the love & joy they have brought me. We treasure each & every second that we have with all of them. Not only that, I spent Thanksgiving at home with my family. We haven't done that in quite a few years. My Pepaw is 94 years old, and not getting along very well. I am very thankful to have spent some precious time with him these last couple weeks, since I don't know how much more time he has left on this earth. There honestly is nothing else I could ever ask for. Just spending time with the people I love is ALLLLL I ever need. What are you thankful for? Look around you & count all the many blessings in your life. I bet like me, you'll find way more than you thought you would. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! PEACE!