Love is...

1 Corinthians 13

 ¹ If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
 ⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
 ⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

 ¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Time Flies When Your Having Fun!

Wow...Last I blogged it was August and right before I was to surprise my son at his Marine Bootcamp Graduation!   That went well...CRAZY but well.  He was graduating on Friday the 12th of August; the same weekend I had two great weddings.  One wedding was one of my son's best buddies (from the band) and the other was a pastors son...what sweet couples.   My sons other friend Tyler picked me up on Thursday at 3:00 and we drove through the night to get to South Carolina in time for a the 9:00 am Graduation.  The day was full of surprises as my son had no idea that I was coming (due to the two weddings) let alone his buddy who drove me and his other buddy Zac and his family and as if that was not enough, my sweet brother drove from Georgia to see him graduate too!  The day was a scorching 99 degrees, or at least that's what it felt like.  After graduation we got Jeffery's things and said goodbye to my brother, and the Johnson's, except for Zac who was coming to the wedding too, and we all headed north on the long 12 hour drive.  We got in around 11 and I worked through the night on the rest of the flowers for the next day.  It was an intense weekend.  I thank God for his protection and mercy on me as I went 50 hours without sleep.   It was so good to have my boy home, I didn't care.

September was full of its own craziness too.  Christopher my other son was anxiously waiting to get his drivers license and was scheduled to take his test on the 7th of September.  It was a rainy day in fact a unusually rainy day as we noticed the creek up the road had rose very quickly but was still under the bridge, but he didn't care.  So we headed to Penn dot and waited patiently for his turn, all the while we heard the news flashes about the heavy rains and the potential flooding.   Chris had no choice but to take his test in my huge suburban, and he passed with flying colors!  He was so proud of himself and gloated all the way home, that is until we reached that creek again....we were stuck, it was flooded over.  We stepped out of the truck to take some pictures and made our way home another route, which was all but covered over too.  I'm pretty sure that within minutes of us crossing it was no longer safe for anyone else.   It was pretty scary actually.   We got home to find several things canceled that evening due to the rain, and then discovered that our yard had a river running through it and over our pool....which no longer looked like a pool but a muddy pond.   It caused quite the mess, especially since my husband had just pumped most of the water out and vacuumed it to get it ready to close it.  So much for pumping it out.  In retrospect that was nothing compared to the thousands of people that suffered for weeks to come.  The flooding broke records from back in the 60's. Thousands of people were without a place to live, many lost their homes and everything in it, it was a small isolated Katrina for many.  We had planned on leaving for the beach the next day, but it was just to much to see people hurting and think about going away, so we stuck around for a few days to see where we could be used.  God plugged us right in.   The church was being swamped with calls from every direction, mostly people wanted their basements pumped out...remember that pump we used for the pool well, it burned out helping others to get four and five feet of water out of their homes.  So glad we had it.

As it turned out we ended up leaving for the beach on Sunday Night, things had slowed down a bit and we had really needed the vacation, it was a long and busy summer.  Plus, some of us were headed down to North Carolina to meet up with Caity and to see Jeffrey graduate from combat training.  We enjoyed our time in Ocean City and had fun catching up with our good friend Diane.  We also spent an evening with my cousin and her husband who were down for Harley Davidson Week.....crazy week if you've never been.  They are a breed of their own, fun, but wild at heart.  
Our trip to see Jeffrey was fun; short and sweet but it was so nice to see him one more time before he flew to California for his job training the next few months.

October was just plain too busy.  We were working on getting Christopher ready for Peru, between shopping for supplys, proper clothing, and doctors appointments to get all his shots, it was full to the max. I had a couple of weddings a play in November that we were coming down to the wire with lines, costumes, props and sets.  Chris left on the 29th and for the next two weeks it would be the quietest it has been in over seventeen years.  It was just the girls and Jeff and I.  Of course Caity was down at college, Jeff in Cali and Chris in Peru....it was actually kinda lonely.  But we got over it. 

Novemeber started out quiet due to Chris being away otherwise it was status quo as far as "busy" goes.  Saturday the 5th Rebecca and her daddy had a Father/Daughter day through our church.   A bunch of dads and their daughters hiked Govener Dick and then came back to the church for a little pampering and the dads making them dinner.  It was a sweet day for the two of them for sure.  I had a few weddings but certainly the highlight of the month was Thanksgiving.  Jeff, Caity and Rebecca ran a 5k race and then Jeff and Chris went to play football at Shenk Park.  Jeffrey surprised the guys at the game and finished out the game with them.  They all came home and decided to have Jeffrey slip in the door and see if we even notice.  I looked at him and thought he was Chris, but thought to myself, boy do you look like your big brother Jeff, when I then realized it was!   What a fun day! The next day the kids all took a hike with the dogs and had a blast.

December was a very special month. As always it took me about two weeks to decorate the house, because I like to do something new every year.  The transmission went on the suburban and my wonderful hubby decided he was going to fix it himself...that took the rest of the month and part of January.  I kept my self in my room wrapping presents when I would get frustrated with that, which caused me to be done before Christmas Eve.  I usually wrap all day Christmas Eve.  ANYWAY...everyone was home including Jeffrey who got home on the 22nd, what a blessing.  We love when Christmas falls on a Sunday too.  We all got up had our tea roll for breakfast and headed to church early as we were greeters that day.  After church we went to visit Donna, the lady that I care for on Wed. evenings, she is bedridden and paralyzed, we sang to her as usual our wonderful out of tune Christmas Carols then surprised her with a little piano solo from Rachel...it brought her much laughter and believe it or not made her day a little brighter.  Thank you Lord.  After our performance we headed home.  I tortured everyone as usual and made them pose for pictures; why is that so complicated?   When that delightful experience was over the kids ran up and changed into their pj's, and planted themselves on the living room floor, anxious to dig into presents.  Like always we let the kids exchange with each other, its always fun to see the joy in each of their faces as they give each other their gifts.  Lots of hugging going on.  After that we had them open their gifts from Jeff and I and then Jeff and I opened the gifts from the kids and from each other.  The day really dragged out which we all love!

It was so much fun to have a full dinner table.   Rachel's dad and Mick were here for dinner too.  The wise cracks were flying and much laughter was had when all was said and done, then we made our way into the living room, after clean up and handed out the stockings, each taking their time to open all the fun morsals and special last little gifts.  Rachel then blessed us with almost forty five minutes of Christmas Carols that some of us hummed along too others quietly closes our eyes and took in the beauty of it all.   The evening ended with shared stories and a few more wise cracks.  All in all it was pretty awesome, thanks Lord!

January started off in a different way then it has for 22 years, we've always spent it together as a family. The girls were at a friends house babysitting and Caity, Jeff and Chris had a party with some of the nicest kids you'd ever want in your home and Jeff and I went to the movies!  We saw Sherlock Holmes II, it was wonderful, not only the special date, but the movie.  Afterwards we headed home and kept out of site till the kids were all ready to set off fireworks, we joined them for a few snacks and headed to bed.  It was a really nice start.  Happy New Year!

The month is passing by rather quickly, which is nice as it means we are that much closer to Spring, the days are getting longer and its all going so fast.   The Farm Show is always a wonderful reminder of things to come, with all the produce displays.  This year Natalie was determined and I mean determined to enter her Snickerdoodles and a Gingerbread house.  We worked hard to get all the paper work done for that and the supplies for what she needed.  She work hard, and did about 98% of the work, and it paid off as she got first place for her cookies and 3rd place on her Gingerbread house.  She was tickled pink when we found that all out!  I got an Honorable Mention on my Pineapple upside down cake !  I'm going to enter it in the county fair this summer and see what it can do there.   We really enjoy the Farm Show and the special time it is for cousins to come and visit.  What a fun tradition.

This year the "extended family Christmas" was at our house on the 14, the last Saturday of the Farm Show...twenty six family member landed here at our house for the day. We had a nice time and enjoyed having a full house.

Jeffrey came home for good on the 19th, its so nice to have him home.  I think he will want to go back in about a week, but for now he is enjoying being home.  Chris is happy to have him home too, he has missed him dearly, being home with two little girls while the older siblings are away was not fun!

I am looking forward to the year ahead and trusting the Lord for his perfect will...things are brewing.

Now, lets see how long it takes me to blog again.

Habakkuk 1:5

"Look at the nations and watch--and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.

Still spinning...what, its August?

Still spinning...what, its August?

The month of July was fun and full of weddings!  I had the honor and pleasure to help out with five different weddings!  I've been to Pheasant Run B&B, The Wind In The Willow Graybill barn, The Percell Barn in Hershey and had two lovely wedding receptions in the newly renovated lobby at the Evangelical Free Church of Hershey.   All of them so unique...that is why I never get bored with weddings!  So fun!  Pictures can be found on my facebook, I'm just too busy these days to take the time to load them on here.  Someday perhaps!

So...yes, it August!  Hello August!  I have some pretty special weddings coming up...in fact the whole weekend of August 13th is pretty special.  My oldest son is graduating from Marine boot camp on the 12th and then he is in his buddies wedding on the 13th.  I am doing the flowers for that wedding.  I also have another special wedding that day, the son of one of my pastors.   This wedding is taking place on the brides family property, its going to be beautiful!   Ball jars, candles, petal aisle runner, silver julep cups, hydrangea.....lovely!    I can't wait!

Lord knows that is going to be a busy week, but I am leaning on Him.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  

For now, I'm off to pick up over 200 stems of Sunflower!   Yay for sunflower weddings...so sweet!

Where did June go?

Summer is just flying by.  I'm entering the stage of my life when my kids, at lease most of them are never home...the pool hardly get's used anymore, there are more chores for me to do, and well,, I just don't like not having them around.  I miss hearing them all out in the yard, on the trampoline, or in the pool playing Marco Polo.  When the Lord said that our lives are but a blink of an eye...he sure meant it.   I was just a new mommy a few months ago, at least that's what it feels like.   How can I be almost 47 years old?  Like, when did that happen?  When I look at the back of my hubby's head in the bed, it's more gray then dirty blond.   I'm glad he has hair, but when did the gray start?   I'm trying to enjoy the next stage of life, but I wasn't necessarily ready....I guess I don't really get a choice.   Lord, thanks for the abundance of life I've already experienced, please know that I appreciate it, I just wish this stage didn't have to go so fast.   My baby is going to be 10 in July....we worked on her invitations yesterday.   I'm holding on tight~

It's a beautiful day for a June wedding~

Today I will be coordinating a wedding that I designed the bridal flowers for.  The bride and her mom worked so hard on the reception place, which happens to be a really cool barn venue, called Wind in the Willows.   They did a fabulous job!  Ball jars for drinking glasses, and jars of all shapes, colors and sizes fill the center of the tables with silk flowers along with raffia, tea lights and star graffiti. Their theme is Starry Nights, and the colors are silver and navy blue. It looks great!  I love weddings !  I love that they are so individual... no two alike!   I love my job!

She sells sea shells in the emergency room?

What a week!  Headed to Myrtle Beach last week to visit some dear old friends, The Johnson's, who now live in Florida. It was a great half way point, and their relatives own a cottage, and allowed us to stay for free, so minus the gas to get there, it was a cheap vacation!  We brought food and ate in, and just vegged out for four days, on the beach and around the cottage.  The kids had all sorts of adventures especially when we went back to the beach at night with flashlights, they searched for sharks teeth, sea shells, and hermit crabs.  Here and there they would come across a bonus find, like a squid, and a baby shark.  We had a lot of fun!  My youngest came back with a tub of sea shells.   We arrived home after our looong trip (around Washington) around 6 pm on Monday the 6th.  We were not home an hour and we got the call that a dear aunt died, one whom I was planning on visiting next week.  I headed to bed mourning the loss and regretting not getting up there sooner to visit.  I was exhausted from not getting any sleep the night before we left Myrtle Beach.   Little did I know I was in for a very long 72 hours ahead.  At around 3:30 am on the 7th, my youngest started with severe right flank back pain.  I sent her back to bed with some Tylenol and suggested it was due to all the stooping down hunting for sea shells, or perhaps the waves from the ocean.  Unfortunately, the pain did not go away, and before I knew it I was calling the doctors office to try to get her an appointment.  By this time it was already 8 am and the appointment was not until 10:30, it only took a few minutes after I hung up with them, to realize that she was not going to make it that long.  I called back and suggested that I go to the ER and they asked me to bring her right in.  That was were I made my first mistake, we headed over and waited, soon we were in the room and she was being examined, it did not take them long either to realize this was some serious pain.  They sent us right over to the ER....duh, I should have just taken her straight there.   It turned into a long morning and until they were able to get a CAT scan they were not sure if it was appendicitis or a kidney stone.  A KIDNEY STONE!  WHAT?!  She is only nine years old! What are you thinking?  Plus, her dad was just here a little over two weeks ago with a kidney stone, that would be too weird.   Much to our surprise, within the next hour after them suggesting that, it was confirmed.  My nine year old daughter had a kidney stone.  Crazy!!  They decided to admit her and try to pump lots of fluids in her to see if they could flush it out, however, that did not work.  They took another CAT scan the next day and discovered that it was lodged in a very difficult spot and did not feel that it would pass on its own.  They suggested that we consider having it removed.  What in the world!  We were just at the beach!  Is this really happening?   It was, and we were faced with a big decision.  Let it alone and hope it never bothers her again, or have it removed, which meant that she go under.  It was so hard to know what to do.  Our final decision came down to the fact that if we left it, and she in fact started with pain again, we would have to start this whole process over again.  Meaning the ER visit, the IV port, the CAT scan, the explaining it over and over....that seemed equally scary.   So we decided to  trust the Lord with this and allow them to take the stone out, and hope for no major complications.   Again, it was all too hard to believe that just a couple of days ago she was shelling for sea shells.   She came through well, however, they had to put a stint in to keep the tube running from the kidney to the bladder open, as there was a lot of swelling from the irritation of the stone. That stint will need to come out in a week, but in order to prevent her from being put under they attached a string to it and will literately just use that to pull out the stint.  Amazing!  She was a good sport and even though she found it hard to deal with the pain, and the fact that this string is taped up onto her belly, she understood it was the best thing for her.  This was her first hospital stay besides at birth, and she rather liked the whole idea of having a room to herself.  She said it was like her own apartment and we both joked that the nurses and doctors were like her servants.  She got lots of attention. So she felt a bit sad as she was wheeled down to the lobby in her chariot,  she would miss her servants, they were so kind to her and took time to ask her about her recent trip to Myrtle Beach and how she got so many stick-on tattoos (story for another time) and they learned all about her adventures on the beach and of the great many sea shells she found.  I'm thinking she could have sold them some...they loved on her that much!