Encouraging Deep Roots

  Things have slowed down a bit and it's been nice to get back into a routine of focusing on some things around the house.  I feel like I'm going through a bit of an identity crisis with my youngest getting ready to go off to college.  I always joke that Dan is going to fall apart when Emily leaves, but I have a feeling it's going to be me.   I purchased a case of cucumbers for $14 and I spent the day yesterday making 17 pints of bread and butter pickles.  Today, I'll be doing dill pickles with the rest of the cukes.  When I compare with how much a jar of pickles cost in the store, this is certainly saving me money. We had homemade pizza for dinner and I love doing that.  I find the dough to be like a blank canvas on which I can create anything.  We ended up with Greek style (feta, fresh tomatoes, basil and onions) on one and pepperoni and onion on the other. We have had so much rain this spring and summer but I have t...

This post is from a couple of years ago, but since today Dan & I celebrate twenty-seven years of marriage, I thought it was a great one to revisit.  For better or for worse.  We've had better days and we have definitely had worse, but we've stuck it out all these years.  I think our marriage has stood the test of time because we've used the following recipe. Ingredient #1 - A strong foundation. It really helps to start out the right way.  Make sure you are on the same page spiritually.  That goes a long way towards making a good marriage.  I know plenty of couples where one is a Christian and the other is not, and some do have really good marriages, but this is an area that always brings heartache.  It is helpful to start out heading down the same path. Ingredient #2 - Commitment We are both committed to each other.  When we took those vows twenty-seven years ago we knew there was no turning back.  Trust me when I say tha...

Happy Birthday, to my beautiful, sixteen year old daughter!  It's hard to believe that my little one is becoming a young woman.  She is a gentle, sweet-spirited girl who loves people.  She is merciful, kind-hearted and joyful.  She is artistic, athletic and determined.  I'm so thankful that the Lord blessed us with her!  She makes me laugh, challenges me and keeps me on my toes! We are celebrating with a party today with some of her friends and a cousin or two. :-)  Looking forward to making her day special. I love you, Emily.  Happy Birthday!

I love looking back each December 31st at some of the highlights of the year.  There were lots of good ones in 2013. :-) February Stephen turned 20.   We celebrated Valentine's Day as a family once again, continuing a tradition we started the year before.   March Nathan achieved Firefighter of the Year.  We were bursting with pride. April My very first book, Words of Encouragement for a Discouraged World, was released. May May was a busy month! Nathan turned 22. Memorial Day kicked off a summer of firemen parades. I started my own business, Terri's Country Crafts & Books. Nathan bought his first car. Emily turned 14.   June I threw a surprise birthday bash for Dan's 50th birthday.  I also put together a published book, A Life Well Lived, with words from the many people whose lives have been touched by him. July We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary by renewing our vows in front of family ...

Saturday dawned beautiful, sunny, and HOT.  Yet, not even the humidity and heat could ruin the day.  Dan & I renewed our vows for our 25th anniversary in front of family and friends. What a special day.  It was fun.  Everyone had a good time.  I loved being able to see my extended family again.  The only thing missing was Dan's side of the family (too far for them to come) and Nathan, who was in bed with a 102 fever.   I was able to do the bulk of the food myself, as well as the decorations and I really enjoyed. it.   My brother-in-law officiated.  Two friends who were fellow ministers participated.  My children played a part.  It was wonderful!    One of the comments that someone made was how well Dan & I compliment each other.  And we do.  His strengths balance out my weaknesses and my strengths compliment his weaknesses.  God truly knew what he was doing whe...

On Saturday, another milestone was reached.   Nathan purchased his first car and Dan went to pick it up yesterday evening.  The car and insurance are in our name, but he made the down payment and is making the monthly payments.  We told him that as soon as it gets paid off, we'll put it in his name.    He got a 2000 Honda Civic and it's in good shape with fairly low mileage. He made me laugh today because every time I saw him, he was standing and staring at it!  He put his blue light in it, put the fire department logo around the plates, and put his gear in it.   He took it next door to the firehouse to show it off.  He gave one of the fireman a ride who paid him $1.00 for gas.  LOL!!!!!  I reminded him that he should be paying his friends who have been chauffeuring him around for the past two years. :-) He's happy as a lark!  He didn't even fuss when I wanted to take his picture.  Another step towards inde...

Twenty-two years ago at 3:41 p.m., the doctors laid my 8 lb. 15 oz., 21" long, piercing blue eyed, beautiful boy in my arms after 15 hours of hard labor.  I only got to hold him for a few moments before the roomful of doctors and nurses whisked him away, concerned for him.  I'm glad that at the time I had no clue that there was something wrong.  Nathan's whole life has been one of achieving things most people said he would never be able to do.   • The pediatrician doubted he would be able to speak well, yet, with speech therapy, he achieved that milestone.  • The little boy who was petrified of everything, stood in front of a crowd at his Kindergarten graduation and told his father and I why he loved us. • The child who never learned to read beyond a 5th grade level, recently sat and read a novel about firefighting and got the gist of it. • The endocrinologist  who said he would be lucky to make it to 5'1" is amazed at how four y...

Tee hee hee!!!!  I love secrets and surprises.  My husband doesn't get that at all but it's the way I'm wired.  I love to go out of my way to make something special and surprise someone too. Dan turns 50 this June.  We also celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary the same month.  So many special days coming up!  He is pretty technologically challenged, and never here on my blog or on facebook so I can plan and share bits and pieces and never worry about him finding out. I have some doozies planned for that man that I love! The best day of my life was the day that the Lord brought us together.  He makes me laugh all the time.  There are so many wonderful qualities about him, but because he is so easy going and doesn't promote himself, I fear that those qualities often go ignored and unnoticed by many. So this year is going to be ALL about letting him know how much I and others appreciate him. I can hardly wait til June! ;-)

Today is Day #3 of "Operation Celebration" and it is Emily's 13th Birthday!  It's hard to believe that my baby girl is a teenager.  She is such a joy to us and makes us laugh every single day. She got up this morning and opened her birthday cards from her grandparents.  Part of the surprise today is that I'm cleaning her room from top to bottom and leaving a bag of candy on her pillow, attempting to finish a dress I'm making for her, and making her favorite dinner tonight. Her main gift from us is coming on Sunday on the last day of "Operation Celebration." Happy Birthday, Sweetie!  We love you! Total Cost (not counting the food for dinner which is stuff I already had) - $1.50 for the bag of candy/

Yesterday was Nathan, Stephen & Emily's first day of school. It was a very weird, tense morning because they were very nervous about going to a new school. I had tried to relieve some of their stress as much as possible by taking them to their schools and letting them walk through their schedule two or three times. The boys especially are going into a huge school compared to the one they left. They are coming from a high school with a few hundred and going into one with 3,500 students. This is a huge adjustment for them! However, they all got off the bus with smiling faces. The one I was most concerned about was Nathan but he seemed to have the best day. Whew!!! On Friday we met with the head of the special education department, his guidance counselor and school psychologist and I was so pleased at how accommodating they were. They understood that the cafeteria was his biggest anxiety and he is allowed to eat in his 5th period classroom. He has a great schedule this ye...