First day of Spring 2017 !

The LORD has such a Word for me this morning ! 40 years I have been married, and a very different 40 years than I ever would have expected to live through. I was blessed with a caring man and a beautiful child, always having a home and everything I needed .

"For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing." Deuteronomy 2:7

And now I start a new phase of my journey. As He said to Moses and the Israelites before they crossed the Jordan River..."You have dwelt long enough at this mountain."

I may stumble and fall a few times, but His Word says, "For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief", so I pray, LORD keep me from wickedness and walk by my side, as you ever have !

Better days are coming

Today was the first beautiful sunny day we've had all week, and I got to get out and clear some of the leaf debris from some of my flower beds.  New growth of Tiger Lily had grown tall and lanky trying their best to top the piles of leaves.  I hope that they will survive now that I have stripped them of their 'cover'.  I sprinkled Blood Meal in those beds to deter the deer, and as a bonus, it is supposed to feed the plants.  WIN-WIN !

I haven't been able to sew yet, as that's where I spent time while caring for the hubby, and he would always call me to the living room when he needed something, with a loud, "mama-a-a-a-a".  I just am not ready to spend alot of time back there yet and NOT hear him....you know what I mean?

So, I'm taking it one day at a time.  I've put in a couple of job applications, with nothing more to show as a work record than my last jobs from 1977-78 !   Gotta break into the job world slowly and carefully.....IF anyone will have me !

But, TOMORROW, Lord willing, I get to go back to church for the first time in a LONG time; my church family has been so supportive throughout all of this......God is SO GOOD !

Have a blessed weekend, and let's get together again next week.

Living in God's Grace

This post is for my personal log.  Visitors looking for quilting content today might just want to come back at a later date.



My husband, James, is finally at peace and out of pain.

Better days--June 2016

God blessed us with another whole week of days together since my last post.  He was able to respond to my daughter, son-in-law and the grandkids, and make a few more memories.  When they had to go back home, it was clear that his time was near.  I had to say goodbye yesterday evening.

Kelley's last photo with her papa

Today,  my brother, John, took me to Columbia, where I made his final arrangements.  He will be cremated, and his ashes will (LORD willing) be scattered right here on our property that he loved so much.

Our last photo together.....just look at the smile

I hope to be able to find some kind of work, locally, to support myself.  God has provided me with the strength I have needed for every step along this journey, and I have faith that He will see me through.

Married 40 years as of December 31, 2016

I love you,
and I'll see you later, baby boy.
October 1950--March 13, 2017

Crisis averted

I came back to the hospital from a quick trip home, on Thursday, and hubby was in full crisis mode.  I was shocked......everything had been stable when I left for a couple of hours.

They had administered what they said was one last chemo shot, and he had a horrible reaction AGAIN.  Suddenly, I was surrounded by people telling me "this is it".  I called my daughter to come from Virginia, but she couldn't get an early flight, and it's a 10 hour drive.  They told me she wouldn't make it in time, so they were precious in setting up 'face-time', and she got to talk to him and see him.

They moved him to in-hospital-hospice, and he hung in there quietly all evening, on a bi-pap mask, so that we couldn't understand him when he wanted to speak to a few visiting family members.  When they left, he and I dozed off for about 3 hours, and then my daughter and her family arrived, around 4 a.m.

Our daughter, Kelley, and her papa

Long story, short, he's STILL hanging in there, and we've had 2 1/2 days of good visiting and just relishing each other's company and his still being here !

The LORD knows his timing, not the doctors, and we are so thankful.  He's had good hours, and more mellow hours, but was able to smile and participate in picture-taking with the grandkids yesterday !  Oh, how we praise God for these days !

Our son-in-love, Tim, and James

Our grandchildren, Seth, Zoe, their pawpaw, and Tim, jr.