Summer Fun...pics U

mmmmmm, S'mores in the backyard!!
Hanging at Carowinds with the girls
Camping in Cherokee, NC...before the rain.
Megan Slip Sliding Away....
Park Patrol making team signs for VBS, Tay in the glasses

Temps. are WAY to high here!!

It's been a few days since I've gotten here to post. OMG it's SOOO hot here. I believe they said with the heat index it got to 118* yesterday! That's just plain craziness!! And of all the summers for Eddie to come off the road and go back to construction...poor guy, he is just tuckered out when he gets home in the afternoon. I did take the girls over to a friend's house yesterday morning to hang our with the horses and at 10 am it was already too hot to hang out for very long. It's amazing that even though we don't live RIGHT in the middle of town how much my girls (meg and daycare girls I keep in the summer) are such, what I call, City Slickers. It took a lot of nudging and prodding for them to even walk up and pet the horses...LOL! We were there for about an hour and then headed back home to spend the rest of the day in the comfort of our A/C...ahhhhhhhh!! Here's hoping you all are keeping cool...one way or another!!

So sad

I'm sitting here watching The Early Show as they report on the horrible tragedy in Minn.! I have tears welling in my eyes as they are interviewing the kids that were on that school bus and the 2 older boys who rescued those poor scared little ones. I think about school starting soon and all the precious kids I transport on my bus and thinking about what if had happen with my kids. The stories that the survivors are telling us today are just amazing...what they lived through. And my prayers and thoughts going out to the families of those who will not have their loved one walk through their front doors again.

Why does it keep taking something like this to remind us how lucky we are to be here and to treasure our loved ones each and every moment we have with them. So remember to love on those who mean the most to you today and give a smile and "hi" to someone passing you by today!!

An Amazing Compliment

I know...TWO blog entries in the same day!! LOL But, right after I posted my entry on friends I recieved an e-mail from one of my best friends from high school...yes, I do have 1 or 2 I've kept in touch with from WAY back when!! But she wrote something to me that I think is probably the BIGGEST compliment I could have ever recieve. I don't think Karen will ever know just how much those few lines really meant to me. After I read it I actually went back and looked through lots of my girls pictures in the hope to see what Karen said she sees. Here is what she wrote to me...
"I love the pictures of the girls too. I have to tell you that I can see that they are so very happy. It shows in their faces. I can honestly say that I don't think I have ever seen any kids have happiness illuminate from their faces like they do. That is a sign of great parenting. You and Eddie should be very proud. They are both beautiful and have such great futures."

Karen...thank you oh so very much those lines. You have such insight into things that just simply amaze me!! And you too have 2 amazing and beautiful kids!

Friends

friend /frɛnd/ Show Spelled Pronunciation[frend] Pronunciation – noun
1. a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.
2. a person who gives assistance; patron; supporter: friends of the Boston Symphony.
3. a person who is on good terms with another; a person who is not hostile:

Have you ever just sat back and thought about the friends in your life and wonder what the specific reason God put that certain person in your life is? God has blessed me with plenty of friends, good friends. For awhile there I wondered if I would have any friends that I met that wasn't connected to my children...not that that is a bad thing, but it seemed like every friend I had I had met through the girls. And I'm sure as moms we all experience that.
But as I sit here waiting for one of those friends to come over for coffee and girl chat I feel so blessed to have friends. Of course we keep some of those friends closer to our hearts than others, but they are all special in one way or another.
I sit here and look back over the years and the friends who have come and gone, their season in my life had an impact in one way or another. Then their are others who season seems to be here to stay...thank the good Lord!Angie ~ the bestest friend a girl could ask for. There's really not that many people who you can "really" say what's on your mind, whether good or bad, and know she's not going to get mad & walk away...it goes both way for us.
Rebecca ~ (pictured above) even though she is only a "wee" bit older than me, she is my guidance, my protector and pusher (has made me grow & face things I probably never would have if not for her). We've only taught together for 2 yrs. now, but I feel our souls have always known each other.
My Loopies ~ it's amazing that we have been together for what...10 yrs. now? Boy have we been through it all together; births of our children & grandchildren, marriages, divorces, child rearing (delights & disappointments) and just everyday life.
To all my friends I say:

May you be blessed with good friends. May you be a good friend to yourself.

May you be able to journey to that place in your soul

Where there is great love, warmth, feeling and forgiveness.

May this change you. May it transfigure that which is negative, distant or cold in you.

May you be brought into the real passion, kinship and affinity of belonging.

May you treasure your friends. May you be good to them and may you be there for them;

May they bring you all the blessings, challenges, truth and light that you need on your journey.

May you never be isolated. May you always be in the gentle nest of belonging.

"Tag, You're It"

Tag, You're It!
OK, I'm joining the game. I've been "tagged" by another blogger friend.
Here's how this little exercise in randomness works: Grab the book closest to you. Turn to page 161, and type the fifth complete sentence on your blog.

I'm currently reading The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartain.
"Freedom may be just a prayer away."

I think you see this one coming -- "TAG, YOU'RE IT!"