I just wrote an entire post and it is now somewhere out is space as I did something wrong....
I said I was going to be better about keeping my blog updated but boy was I wrong. I love blogging but I just forget it at times.
We went last weekend to my sister's again and had a good time. We went to her grand daughters horse show and she did really well. I love horses so I loved watching them. Her little brother Gus had a bag of snacks and he pulled them out and said "My favorite meal of the day." He is so funny. I enjoyed the good food and even more the company.
School is going ok. A class of all boys. This is a different year with no girls with us. It is interesting because the boys do not hold back anything because they have no girls to try to impress. I love everyone of them but I can not tell a lie it is a tad stressful somedays. I raised all girls and they were different.
I am so glad that my daughters house is coming along pretty well. I know that they are thankful for the BOX but I know that it is getting smaller all the time to them. The girls say it was exciting to see the walls of their bedrooms as they went up. They will be excited when the sheet rock goes up and then is ready to paint. I thank God that he is so good.
Tom seems to be feeling pretty good. He is having some headaches and that worries me but we will take it one day at a time.
Jennifer and all of us was so proud of all four of her kids in school had great grades. I thank God that he blessed us with seven wonderful grands and they all do well in school. Tamara's girls grades were great too. They are healthy and that is so much to be thankful for. Reagan is so cute and so rotten. With four older brothers and sisters he could be no other way. I need to see if I have any new pic's to show off.
There is so many people sick, some everyday things and some so serious. We need to ban together and pray for each other during these hard times. We need to pray for our country and the men and women who are fighting to keep us free. They are a wonderful group and I am proud to be an American.
God bless all my blog friends.

I can not beleive it has been so long since I have updated my blog. I need to be better about it. I guess it is true when they say "times flies when you are having fun".LOL
It seems like yesterday that school was starting and it is nearly time for first report cards to go home. Parent conferences will be starting next week and again it seems like we were just planning our first day with the students.
This year we have all boys...That has been different but not bad at all. They can keep us on our toes. Do not let anyone tell you that boys do not argue like girls it is just in a different way. My mom always told me that raising boys was easier than girls because boys would go on about their business and girls want to stay right with you. I do not know because I had only girls.
I am going to try to do better about keeping up with this. Not because I think that anyone is dying to read it, just because it is good to just write your feelings sometimes.

I think Tom and I both needed to get away for a few days. We just about waited too late and let school starting slip up on us. On Monday I told him that I had to work Wednesday at school but I would be free until the next Wednesday if he could not work. We really did not need to spend the money but I wanted to see my sister and as I said we both needed a few days away.
We went to Charleston today and had a good time just doing simple things. We rode around and looked at the houses,spent some time on the Battery, went to Antique shops and junk stores. Spent a whole six dollars so you can tell we are big spenders. One of the Antique shops had a desk I would have loved to have but they only wanted six thousand for it,and that was AS IS. The set of eight chairs was only eight thousand and five hundred dollars. We passed them up too. Even if I can not afford them I love to look.
We were going to go to the beach but we wasn't dressed for it so we did not go. If I go to the beach I want to be ready to soak up the sun.
I am so glad that God allows us to take some time from our everyday life and travel and see family and friends that we do not get to see often.
I am trying to prepare my mind to be ready for work when we get back. This has been good for me so I think I will be ready to go full, well maybe half, speed.

We are having Vacation Bible School this week at our church. I have always loved to help and I love the nursery. For the past several years I have not been able to help but once because of surgeries I have had for several summers in a row. This year year I had planned to help but not teach. I ended up doing the nursery with the preacher's mom.
We had eight the first night, six the next, and seven last night. I found out that I am too old to be working with the little ones only because of picking them up and carrying them. I have enjoyed being with them. They are so sweet and loving.
I tried to teach because that is what I thought a preacher's mom would expect. Tuesday night she offered to teach the next night and I gave her the next two nights. She did not teach either. She played some music and tried to read a book but they were not interested in anything but playing. I have come to the conclusion that they are too little to teach but they can be touched by our love and care of them. We are setting the way for them to be ready to learn when they are older and can learn and understand. I pray that each of them feel the love that Shirley and I have shown them and mostly the love Jesus shows them everyday. They are God's special ones that he will use in the future to show the world about Jesus. I pray that in some small way they know in thier little hearts that God had some adults at VBS that loved them and cared for them and will pray that they grow up to love him and make him the center of their world.
Next year maybe God will allow me to help with the crafts or the kitchen. HA

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This has been a hard week for our family...My oldest daughter and family lost their house and everything inside from a fire. I praise God every time I think about it, which is often, that they were not at home and still asleep. I know how I felt seeing it and I can not fantom what they felt and are feeling. They are giving God the Glory that they were spared and that their puppies and cats were spared. It does not do for me to even think about what could have been. I am so glad I serve a living God that cares for his own.
I am so proud of Tamara and Jay for carrying on like they have and that they are trusting God to help them start over. Both of the girls have been so good through all of this and I am sure that at 14 and 10 it is a load to carry. They have been staying with us and it is a blessing to have them here. It has helped me to carry on and stay focused.
I want to thank so many that helped during the fire, of course all of the fire stations that responded and the firemen that did so much to save what they could, the vet down the road, the Humane Society that helped with the puppies, the dog food and supplies they brought, the help with the watering and seeing if there was anything else we needed for them. Tamara's two sisters that worked so hard to help in every way possible. Both of them made me so proud and thankful for them. They went through the blackened mess to see what they could find that might be saved. My grandson who is 10 that worked hard carrying things and doing whatever he was asked. Tamara's dad for being there for her. My husband that was there to support me and them. Just having him there was such a comfort to me. Just knowing that he was near. The people who came by to lend a hand and a comforting word. The show of love that they have been shown tells me that there are many good people in this world. It was a blessing to me to have Rev.Jimmy Cox there when I arrived. He was so supportive and was ready to do anything he could to help me, and then when they arrived home he was there for them. He left and came back later to see if they were ok. Tamara's family preacher was out of town so it was nice to have someone we knew there. My best friend and her husband were so great to come and just jump right in and do whatever was needed. He is a full time fireman for the city of Spartanburg and on his day off he was there doing every thing he could to help. For the two of them feeding us for two nights. Neighbors that they did not know they know now because they have come by and offered to do whatever they could. They have been invited to stay with several, given storage areas for when they need them, food and invited to come for a meal any time. The phone calls to them and to me have been such a comfort. My home church for sending food to help us with the girls while they are staying with us. I could never begin to name everybody that was such a help. God knows who they all are by name and he will bless them.
All we hear is the bad things that people do but they do not share all the good things people do. Wish they would do a Wonderful World News Show everyday instead of just bad news.
God bless everyone of them for their goodness. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart and I thank my Lord for his love, Mercy and Grace. I know that things will be rough for awhile but I know that they will be cradled in the Master's loving hands and they will survive and thrive.

About a month ago we found out that Tom has Diabetes, type 2. In away it has been a blessing because it seems like now that we are working to keep his levels down he is feeling some better. He has even stayed up a few nights until 10:00. Before he was going to sleep after supper and getting up going to bed and sleeping till morning. Now if he does go to bed early he is up some during the night or up really early. I pray we can continue to work on it and he can get even better. He deserves to feel better. He has had a rough time for the past two and a half years.
Keep us in your prayers as we try to add the diabetes diet to the heart diet. With God's help we will do it.
I thought it was really sweet that all three girls worried about what he was to eat on Father's day. Tamara called and asked about what to do for lunch. Jennifer bought him two packs of sugar free cookies and made him a banana pudding with sweetner. Heather worries about what he does all the time and watches what he eats but not as bad as I do. I hope that I can eat the way he does and maybe we can both lose some weight. I do not see any signs of that yet.
Thanks for all the prayers and keep them up. Love to all....

Yesterday Heather and I took Tom to Cherokee for his birthday. We went last year so this was our second annual trip. We did not do as much this year because money is tighter and it was hot but we had a good time.
Tom and Heather were with Fonzie Bear as he showed off his fancy car. They wanted to ride but he was in a hurry. Ha! I really made them do it because I wanted the picture. Heather and I have always been Muppet fans. Last it it was Bert and Ernie. I am also a Tom and Jerry fan so Tom had to suffer through that. That swinging bridge gets Heather everytime. Some of the boards are starting to need repair so I hope they do it before we go back.
The mountains were beautiful as always. I drove this time so I did not get a chance to take as many pictures. I take them out the window while we are driving. Not sure why he did not feel like driving but I did not mind.
I love my husband and love to do something for him that he likes to do. So I hope you had a wonderful birthday Papa. I will love you always.

When I wrote my last blog I thought I will have lots of time to keep it up to date but as you can tell I have not done it. As always I have good intentions and do not carry through.
I have done very little so far. I can not seem to get going. Until today I have felt pretty good so I can not blame it on that. I woke up this morning with a headache and my eyes feel like they have been punched. I know it is my ole friend ALLERGIES. I have the eye mask in the freezer as I type to hopefully take the swelling down.
All I have done is clean the kitchen cabinets out and if you could see the counter tops right now you would never want to walk into the kitchen again. I know I do not and I have to so I can clean the mess. That will be my afternoon chore.
If I do not get busy and get done what I wanted the summer will be gone and I will be back at work.
Hope every other teacher,assistants and staff members everywhere are having more fun than I am or at least getting more done. Have a great one all...

It does not seem possible that it is time for school to be out but I can say I am glad it is. I will miss the kids and the people I work with but I am in need of a rest. After I have rested a day or two I have a project I am going to try to complete while I am out....My house needs cleaned. I want to do room by room and get things organized and see if I can keep it that way for awhile. I do not mean to let it get so out of sorts but it seems like I do not have the drive to do it. I am hoping to get motivated and work like crazy till it is done.
I think all of us will feel better having it cleaned. Now the big thing I need is prayer....I have so much that I need to THROW AWAY. I need strength to do this because as I said in an earlier blog...I am a pack rat.
I will keep you up on how it goes. Hope all of you have a great summer.