another catch-up-summer's end

good friday morning- it is the 3rd of september- where has the time gone?--it has been a pretty busy summer- it seemed every weekend we had either a party or wedding or something out of the usual to attend, so even though we didn't get to take our beach vacation this summer we were certainly not bored--there were also some sad occasions as we had several funerals

robyn started taking some ballroom classes this summer and her regular dance school's dance camp- where i also taught drama----we have been able to spend more time with my son colin as he is still looking for a full time position ( still has the part-time job) so that has been a blessing in disguise---the baby quinlan is growing very nicely and is as cute as a bug, of course!

we had major car repairs this summer which if it hadn't been for colin, my dad and frank's sister kim and her husband james and his brother and his wife's business , well it probably would have had to sit in the driveway for a good while- praise God it is fixed!!

our grandson cadhan started football this summer, he is 8 and has never played before--he's playing defense- very cute but worry about him--hope to go to lots of his games-

my friend shannon and i have been trying to start a wedding coordinating business but so far no work--after getting back into it this spring and summer for a couple of friends and families weddings--i thought it would be a great fun way to make money - we'll see-

oh yeah robyn has started making cool hair bands and pins- her dance teacher is letting her sell them at the studio- so far she has sold 2--they are really cute and you can't beat her prices!

we have gone back to our old church so far so good- robyn has thrown herself completely back in- even to the point of working on a video for the church's 60th anniversary and is planning to do a praise dance along to it--she is having some problems right now with the video part- hope it all works out

my mom is doing about the same, but they were able to get extra help from a dear lady at church- the insurance allowed for them to use her so it worked out nicely for both--

this weekend we are celebrating my granddaughter rylee's 6th birthday- she was going to have another pool party but just a couple of days ago she broke her arm- she is doing well though and should only have it on about 3 weeks-

i am always concerned about all of my grandchildren going to school each new year- but am very concerned about my oldest grandson brennen as he will be in middle school this year -

well i think i will go for now and try to get something done before frank gets home, or maybe go feed my fish on fishworld-- i know it's really very sad isn't it-

He will destroy death forever. Isaiah 25:8

on facebook i usually put up a bible verse from an old devotional by Max Lucado- most all of the time i go by the days date- as i did today june 21--

right before i went to put my verse up this is what happened-

i was watching a report about a 7 yr old boy who has been missing for 2 weeks- i have heard about this little boy all along- you probably have also- he disappeared from his school-

each time i hear of the story i stop and of course pray for him to be found-
today with so much time passing- i begin to think he is most likely dead--but as i prayed i begin to cry ( i believe in the Spirit) i asked God to let the family find their little boy no matter what had happened to him--

i suddenly felt that God was reminding me that He could do anything He wanted and change anything He wanted--
i begin to pray-"God you know just where this child is and even if he is dead, even if someone has mutilated his little body- You can put him back like he was and make it as if it never happened--why you can raise from the dead of course"

i cried as i was being touched by the Holy Spirit to continue to pray- i felt this awesome power as i have felt from time to time-

a friend today had put up a verse the one about not letting ourselves be conformed to this world--everything was coming together--God was telling me to let Him strengthen my faith--

of course the devil was saying to me--okay well why didn't your God heal your little children-why doesn't He command that they be brought up out of the graves the are in--

i knew that i don't have to have all the answers are even any- i just needed to ask in faith what God was telling me to ask at this time in my life-and to believe for this young boy that it was still possible for God to bring a miracle to this family-

i think most all christians know this but sometimes i forget what kind of God i have--i believe that there are angels all around that we can't see and i believe that God is hoping each day that we will allow Him to give us the faith to see miracles--
they don't have to be a certain kind of miracle- just to know that God is in control and that to us good or bad, nothing happens without God allowing it--

so when i read today's verse and how the commentary also talked about a boy being called back to life -i knew that God was telling me to keep praying and believing-that He was right there beside me and He could do anything in His plan and even change His mind if that is what He wanted to do--and also that death was not to be feared but to trust Him--and not to think He doesn't know the pain of these parents or any other parent here on earth who is experiencing great pain and loss--

i pray for this dear little boy to be reunited with his family-and if this is not what God chooses to do, i pray for God to give them a great faith and the great Comforter<3

kelli

first of all sorry kelli that i didn't write on your birthday or before--

i feel like i have known you for lots longer than i really have- you and colin were so young when you started dating---you spent so much time with our family before you officially became a part of our family--

you took to all the kids right away and they to you- i will always remember how sweet you were to step in and offer to babysit the kids - you can't begin to know what that meant to frank and i--

i remember how when you and colin got your first house--you guys were so unhappy there and you would call me just about every night as you had to drive that long lonesome drive- i hated it too-

you are a wonderful wife and mother and a very special daughter to me-

i am so thankful that God brought you to colin and to us- happy birthday<3

#2-and #2boy of 4 boys but better known as "baby boy"

thursday may 27th will be my son colin's 30th birthday--to me he will always be somewhere around 14 or 20?---

colin was born almost on memorial day- you see i went into labor with him and to the hospital with him on memorial day- after hosting a cook-out--including baked beans and cole slaw- not good if you know what i mean- he was born just a couple of hours after the end of memorial day--this is why i am always calling memorial day "labor" day--

colin was the best baby and little boy - after his brother who was much more active and a handful- we were surprised to have a boy so quiet-

a few years passed and he quickly made up for all the "quiet years"--haha no we survived and now he is a wonderful husband and father of 2 beautiful girls, rylee and dylan and a great son!

colin has a wonderful talent for photography and can take apart any honda car or computer--

i hope he doesn't worry too much about leaving his twenties- for he will always be that kid with a big smile on his handsome face as he blows out the candles on his cake, surrounded always by his many many friends- we love you baby boy<3

quinlan darcie proctor

she's here- quinlan darcie proctor was born at 12:41 pm on wednesday may 19th - she was 7lbs. 14 oz.-- she is very very beautiful- and healthy!! mom and dad are tired but doing great

quinlan's 4 big brothers and sisters are at my house now and they are so excited about their new sister coming home tomorrow-

quinlan will probably be the last grand-baby for some time as i'm pretty sure dustin and adrienne are through and colin and kelli may not have any more and robyn is only 15!!

frank took the day off yesterday- so we waited at the hospital for the baby to be born--we first heard she was here by a mass text haha technology!!!

we are so very thankful quinlan is here and we plan to enjoy her lots<3

#8-robyn ivy

today is robyn's 15th birthday--as you have noticed if you have been reading my blogs- i have been trying to write a little something on my kids birthdays-- wish i had never started that- and after i get through once around for each kid i will stop!!

robyn was born the day after my 41th birthday- so that makes her the baby and the child of my "old" age--maybe that is why in many ways people find robyn to be very grown up in her understanding of life etc.

robyn's brothers named her- you see i was pretty sick during some of her pregnancy and they wore me down- i mean she was #8- so what if someone else named her haha jk--dustin (robhye) named her robyn- i guess you can guess why and colin named her ivy- after some group that was popular at the time- i think they picked a beautiful name-

as you know robyn is my dancer- she has been taking for 8 years- i have to say i believe it is her gift- i could watch her dance all day-

robyn is a very caring person- she was such a good sister to her brothers and sisters that are in heaven now----and she is a wonderful aunt to 6 , soon to be 7 nieces and nephews

robyn as i have told you is an old soul- she loves old movies -40's music- war novels - all history and esp. "the waltons" tv show--i can pick her up any old tv sitcom and she will most likely love it--gidget- full house - even" charles in charge"

robyn loves to dress up and wear high heels she is a very girly girl- but quite feisty when she has to be -

i hope she has a wonderful new year with many new experiences - and i hope she knows how much her family loves and treasures her- happy birthday robyn ivy<3

men in trees

hello everyone- i have been pretty busy lately sorry i haven't written--

i have shared with you about my mother----something she talks about has really got me wondering--you know i told you she seems to see things and people. which everyone says is a part of her disease--but this one thing seems about more- see what you think

for the last few months she has talked about these men (that sometimes have special suits on) walking (not climbing) in the trees in the backyard next door- she talks about how they are preparing and taking care of the animals and trying to save them- she talks about how remarkable it is , the job they are doing-

now i have to tell you that the last couple of weeks her mind has seemed to me to be much much clearer- she can carry on a conversation and just seems so much better in many ways to me--
my daughter robyn was saying today (after i got off the phone with mama and she was telling the same story about the men in trees) that she thought that maybe nana was seeing angels - that it was maybe the way God does it - like that most of us can't see them but that angels are around doing many of the things that we attribute to nature -- a very interesting thought--

i was reminded of a conversation that my husband frank and i had the other day- he was saying how it was so fascinating how God had designed things in nature- he was saying how for instance the wind- it moves the clouds , that makes rain- it cools the earth and also blows seeds around-

i asked him- if God could just do anything then why wouldn't He just say it be done- why the intricate nature system--and frank said maybe God just got tired of twitching his nose--

then we saw a sign outside of a local baptist church that said--"God couldn't be everywhere, that's why He made mother's"-- i guess they weren't thinking about the part about God being everywhere at once---

of course God could do everything all by himself--but wouldn't he have much more fun doing it with "men in trees"

virginia ashley would have been 26

ashley died when she was 17-- it was just over a week before Christmas--

ashley was my first girl, i hadn't known what i was having, i had 2 boys so we were very happy about it- it did not take long to figure out something was very wrong--and so it began-

many years of believing God would heal her and i do believe He answered my prayers- just not the way i had thought it would be-

she was so beautiful and sweet-

she loved to laugh the first 5 or 6 years of her life--then later not so much-

i definitely had plans for her that didn't come true, but i always struggled with the idea of not wanting her to feel she was not the way i wanted her to be-but if any child is sick i know any parent would pray for healing- it was just not easy to come to terms with the dreams i had to let go and maybe she did--i still feel guilty to say at all that i didn't want her to be just the way she was--if you have been reading my blogs , you know i went on to have more children who had the same thing as ashley--

it wasn't as hard with them to accept them and to not always be thinking they would be healed-- i still always prayed that they all would--

ashley i love you and want you to know you were just the way God planned for you to be, i don't know why and i didn't want it that way for you -- i hope your life wasn't too unhappy -- i love you<3

dylan

today is my 6th grandchild's (and my 4th granddaughter) 2nd birthday- she was going to have her party today but she and her sister,rylee were not feeling too well , so we will all celebrate next saturday-

she is of course a very beautiful little girl- she really reminds me of my son when he was little and her disposition is much like his also, very laid back and quiet-

she has the biggest eyes , which people say come from my side of the family-

she is a joy to all who know her--she is very funny in her quiet way--we are still laughing about how at Christmas, we went with them to see santa --well she wasn't too sure about him and she said--"santa's not nice santa's raaaaaaww" - as she made a clawing sign with her hands- yes she is another joy that the Lord has blessed our family with- i hope this next year is full of wonderful things for our little dylan<3

taxi

i've been looking up music the last couple of days- music from my past-when i was somewhere between 15 and 21- probably my favorite was "taxi" by the late harry chapin- i have been crying as i listened to it, i'm not really sure why, but it has stirred up so many feelings -

harry died in 1981, as he was going to a world hunger benefit concert-- his song "taxi" talks about a guy who drives a taxi and this one night he picks up his last fare for the night- it is an old girlfriend- she doesn't recognize him at first- she has married up in life- he talks about she was going to be an actress and he was going to learn to fly-and she's "acting" happy inside her handsome home and he, he's flying in his taxi taking tips and getting stoned- he goes flying so high when he's stoned-

to me it has always been one of the saddest songs- a song of regret and life not turning out and dreams not fulfilled---as i was looking this song up i discovered the "sequel" to "taxi"- i listened to it - it didn't really answer things for me and i kinda wish he hadn't written it--

i too was gonna be an actress and a song writer--life doesn't always turn out -rarely the way we see it at 15 or even 20--but sometimes there remains a part of us that hold that dream just beneath the surface of our emotions and something as simple as a song will bring it all pouring back into our souls and so it has been with my dear "taxi"- i miss you harry chapin<3

wow i haven't been writing for a long time!

hello -hope all are doing well- today finds richmond va with beautiful spring like weather- it is sooo nice to see and feel!

robyn has had another dance comp since i have written- it was fun- did spend the last night in the hotel room throwing up but other than that it was good-- she is going to have her last comp this coming weekend- this one is really kinda neat- it's small and the dance teachers come to our dance studio on sunday and teach our girls privately-the comp is called nyla and has teachers from new york and la.

we planted grass seed yesterday and are hoping for the best- would like to have some grass for the easter egg hunt--

we also sowed some other seeds yesterday- we are waiting expectantly--

kelli and robyn and i are still working on plans for adie and dustin's baby shower--it's coming along- should be fun--the girls from adie's work are throwing her one this coming weekend , i hope she has enjoys it-


my mom is not doing any better, really--i plan to take dinner over tomorrow night--nothing exciting- probably tuna casserole ,cabbage ,and brownies-


oh yeah, i think i told you guys how adie had an agent reading some of her book and how they had asked for more- well they passed - she is still sending it out, though--

colin and kelli have been re-doing some of their house-i think they are going to make the whole house over before they are through--new pink bath for girls looks really good--

robyn and i have started a fb page-group-- for kids that used to be in our neighborhood and hung out all the time - mainly when my 2 oldest boys were young- a lot of them still keep in close touch and a few of them still live in the hood--i had always planned to do a documentary on the group- still want to-- need a camera--we'll see

working it out, peace<3

honoring my dad and mom

our old church had a luncheon today to honor all the work my father has done and is doing through these, i think 60 or so years--they also recognized my mom for all her years singing in the choir-

it brought back a lot of memories - as people talked about funny things and touching things they remembered about my parents-
this was the first time we have been back to our church , since we started looking for a different church--
i didn't feel funny at all , in fact i almost made me feel like i should go back, back to where i'm welcome and wanted--yeah just visiting makes you forget all the reasons ya left-- i'm glad frank and i both feel healed - healed of the wrongs we felt were done to us-

but i don't think we will go back- not unless God reveals that plan to us-

hearing all the nice things people said about my parents. made me very proud of them, not just as my parents- but as individuals, with lives and friends all of their own-

it's easy to think of your parents as people whose only life, is all about their kids-

and partly today was about that- but mom and dad have so many people who love and respect them- it is not everyone who will have a day where they are honored in this way- it was very special to them both-

mother even sang a song with the preacher- one he said was the first duet he sang at our church and it was with my mother- it was "in the garden"-

robyn was a little sad as we left the church today-she said she wished she had known her grandparents when they were younger-

robyn also was very emotional- one of her sunday school teachers , told her that the reason we have not found a church yet, is because we belong there--robyn doesn't want to go back there, but she loves so many people there, as we do-

i hope my fater and mother will remember this day fondly -

carter, mary and t

i find myself here at the computer starting to write about carter -mary - and t's birthdays-carter and mary's have already been- t's is today--i kinda wish i had not started writing on the kids and grand-kids bdays--

carter mary and t are in heaven now, so it's not like the happiest thing to write about for me-

i really am not writing this for anyone to read- so why post it here- i feel bad that i would leave them out- i have already written about carter on his death date-

as of this day i will not hold myself to any promise to write about them on special days- because sometimes i just can't-

i don't want to talk here, about what they were like- it seems to trivialize their existence -

it is one thing to talk about them but to write about them--i just don't have the words that i think would be good enough-

i loved them and of course i miss them- they for sure changed my life --a part of me still wonders if they were real angels-i hope and believe i will see them again one day-

snow daze and baby news

hey you guys-well how is everyone in richmond va., liking our unusual amounts of snow- i know i hate it--although last weekend was kinda neat- frank was off from both jobs so we had some extra time together, which was nice--we watched some movies, caught up on some reading and i got some little things around the house taken care of-so that part was great- but i am really ready for spring-

we found out what the new grand-baby was-----a girl- robyn and i watched the kids while dustin and adie went to the doctor for the ultra-sound - it was so funny- all the kids wanted a boy- so when they texted us the pic and that it was a girl, there was a lot of groaning from the kids- robyn and i were excited either way- the kids were quickly over it and ready to welcome a new sis into the family-

remember that old house i told you about last week--we got to go in it- we are not going to try to buy it , but it was really interesting to see it--it needs sooooo much work- it's a good deal for people with money to buy it and flip it- but not us- sorta feeling like that old dream has died once more--you know if you have that dream or any other dream- go for it when you're younger- unless you are the kind of person who likes to work on houses and is retired-

we are still thinking and praying about starting a church- frank more than i am--he's has been researching how to start a church and lots of other stuff pertaining to that--

i don't really have any other news to tell at this time - just thought i would say hello,hello-

i hope all get through this winter with not too much "discontent"--

houses and churches and babies

hey-hope all r doing well--sorry sometimes my fb writing comes through--well remember i was telling y'all last time about getting bitten by the old house bug--we went riding around some yesterday and saw this really neat house--looks like it needs some work,but so so cool -- agent never has called us back though--probably wouldn't do it but would have liked to gone in to see it--maybe they will call back and we can see it next week-- robyn just loved it-- she is so funny about how she likes all the old stuff even more than i do--

church thing isn't going so well we just don't feel like we have found any place that we are suppose to be--just between you and me i have been at the point , that if some of my friends from my old church had tried to get me to come back - i just might have done it--frank and robyn say no ,no that, that is not the answer--we even started saying again how maybe we could start a church ourselves--yesterday morning it sounded good --like God might be telling us to--but today the thought of it makes me sick -you know what i mean or do you--i have never thought of myself as a pastor's wife and really don't want to be--but i know God has given us talents, i feel we are wasting --i still wonder what is church suppose to be anyway-- i mean the new testament church was a group of fellow believers that pooled all their stuff together and worshiped God --as i understand it , it was not for unbelievers like today--you evangelized outside of the church--not that i have any problem with unbelievers attending church-- it just seems like sometimes we are all just there creating programs and entertaining one another- i sure don't claim to have the answers but something about the organized church of today just doesn't seem right to me--

yesterday morning we listened to a young minister on tv saying that if you didn't want to go to church- if it was a burden to you, then you may not be saved-- it kinda of scared me for a minute, cause i have to admit - i don't want to go , most of the time--then again the Bible says that true religion is to visit those in prison and to take care of the widows and orphans--i have struggled with this for so many years--

when we had our handicapped children--we (for more than one reason) stopped going to church regularly--but every weekend we would go with all the kids and volunteer at an institution--a place we still visit--most of those people have NO visitors at all--so many timed i have and continue to believe-- if you don't have much time then you better make the most of the time you have--Jesus said He came to serve and to not be served-

then on the other side of that i do believe that Christians need one another for support, and would love to find that and give it -

sorry to go on and on -- next subject- we will find out what kind of grand baby we are having wednesday--so i will let ya know----

catch-up

wow it has been so long since i have written- just busy with all the Christmas stuff etc.--hope everyone had a great Christmas-

-we did get to do most of the things we had wanted to do this season-- we took our day trip downtown in the "slip"- we shopped a lot---- we really missed 2 of our grand-children's school things cause of 2 broken cars-- all fixed now--but got to see all the grand-kids and even baked a couple of times with some of them!--we also got to see santa with 2 of the grandkids! my side of the family thing, the thing my parents do with the barbecue from" perrin's" and all, got postponed because of the snow , but we did it at my house 2 days after Christmas- so all was well---


let's see what is new since i have written--our computer crashed and colin spent a week fixing it- thank you colin!--adrienne has a publisher reading her book, they requested more chapters- so we are waiting------she and dustin also had some great news---- they are expecting a baby in spring #5!!!

kelli's sister is getting married in june--

dustin has a california work trip coming up--his store is almost finished with the remodel--sorry this is so fragmented - i'm just telling ya stuff as i think of it-- if i had taken the time to plan anything i was going to write - i probably wouldn't have written today, or maybe ever!--- remember i warned ya how i write--refer back to my first post!

we are busy with robyn's dance and first competition coming up in d.c.-- should be fun -- and then 2 more over the next 2 months-

frank is still working 2 jobs- keep praying that will change- but for now he endures:)

my mom is doing about the same- we had dinner with them last night and stayed with her ,while daddy went to a church meeting-- he has resigned as chairman of the deacons--he still teaches and is a church trustee , still moderator of business meetings and more i can't remember- so he is still doing stuff he enjoys- am glad-

we are still visiting churches- it has been hard- we just haven't found our place yet- God knows our hearts, that we are willing to go wherever He sends us - so we are trying to listen and follow-

i was surprised that i hardly missed doing the children's Christmas play this year- one of my friends took it over - i had mixed emotions about her doing that - but i know that was selfish- just being human ya know, like i was kinda hoping they would not have the play this year-- and all be saying-- boy we sure miss lynn- she was soooo talented- just goes to show ya- everyone is replaceable in jobs- once you're gone, people move on pretty fast-----oh well, i digress--

ya know something funny--well years ago-- like 15 or so every weekend just about -- we took some of our time to ride around, with the dream of finding a neat old house-- we almost bought a couple of them- but always chickened out at the last minute---well when we finally gave that dream up, we were glad we had and decided that the Lord had saved us from ourselves(which He had)------well now that old bug is biting us again! i don't know if we will ever do it but it is kinda neat to think about it and maybe---when all the dance stuff is over---go looking again-

well i can't think of anything else right now- hope i haven't left out anything important--just wanted to say hi again and get my feet wet, writing again--hope you will keep checking-