our get-away...

I wanted to share our little family get-away that we are blessed with. Drew folks restored a rental property that they've owned for a while. It is north of Tupelo and sits on the historical Brice's Crossroads Battleground of the Civil War. I'm not sure what year the house was built but they've had fun getting this little house and filling it with treasures they find at antique auctions. This picture is from the front of the house.



The pieces in the house are so beautiful and it's so far out in the country that you feel like you could hear a pin drop. We stay there each time we go to Tupelo. It is not occupied so we have the whole place to ourselves!

Isn't this the coolest lamp!?

Centuries ago, that whole area was underwater. One day, Drew's mom found these fossilized type rocks/shells and started picking them all up. You can click on the picture to enlarge.

This is the back porch. Very peaceful to just sit and watch the cows. The old slave quarters were behind the house too but they tore them down recently. They were beyond restoring..

This is the newest purchase at auction...A massive concrete bench that weighs a ton I'm sure!

One of my favorite pieces! Aunt Jemima Cookie jar. I found this on eBay for her...pretty sure it's not an original, but looks good in the kitchen.

This is the room Hannah likes to sleep in when we go.

LOVE the kitchen. My favorite is the window seat that looks out of the back of the house.

Dining room table....leather chairs are gorgeous!

This bed is so beautiful! I always think Hannah will want to sleep in it but she likes to sleep close to the room that we sleep in. It's called an angel bed. Papaw calls it the Michael Jackson bed! LOL!! Someone told her a scary story once about the house and a cemetery that is close to the house. Maybe one day she will want to sleep in the angel bed.

I love this chair...but it's so low to the ground! Wonder why? There's bound to be a name for it.

isn't this piano gorgeous!?

This is the room we sleep in. It takes me forever to go to sleep cause I stare at the green canopy. It's so pretty. The mattress was custom made for this bed..

HOPE YOU ENJOYED YOUR TOUR OF THE HOUSE AT BRICE'S!!

I wanna hold your hand...

I'm a hand holder. Anybody else that is a hand holder knows what I mean without explanation. I always wanted to hold my mother's hand. When I was little, I studied what her hand looked like and felt like. The older I get, I look at my hands sometimes and realize they are starting to look like my mother's. Hannah and I have always held hands...although she is wanting to do that less and less lately. :( There is just something about holding hands that calms me and makes me feel secure. Working in oral surgery, I encounter alot of folks that are very afraid...some don't even think twice and reach out for my hand when we are about to begin. If they seem anxious, I offer my hand and most gladly take it. What I find most interesting is that when we have a sedated patient and they seem to be anxious even under twilight sedation, I reach and place their hand in mine and they always gently squeeze...like something in their inner most being wants human touch. Touch is calming. I had a lady the other day that wasn't sedated...she didn't care so much to squeeze my hand but asked if it was ok if she just rubbed my arm. It kept her mind off of the surgery and calmed her. I started thinking about this whole touch thing and thinking how we can allow God to touch through us. You never know who or what someone may be going through and who needs a touch from God. Make a conscious effort to touch someone this week and bring comfort that you weren't aware was needed! Everybody just needs a hand to hold on to....

Influenced by Miss Nan...

I realize only half of you may know my friend, Miss Nan...I really don't know if I can put into words what Miss Nan means to me. If you know her, you know where I'm coming from on this. She is a spiritual mentor to many in our church and has been my Lifegroup teacher for the better part of 10 years. She is a retired school teacher and turned 80 recently! Never married but so full of knowledge that I can't even begin to describe. She's written 3 books..(let me know if you're interested and I can get a copies for ya!) I guess the best thing for me to do is to attempt to make a list of things that she has taught me:

Put on the full armour of God each day. Never start a day without talking to him. She says, "How in the world could you talk to anyone else without talking to Him first??" Your day will go much better if you do.

She's taught me that fear, confusion, shame and guilt are fingerprints of satan.

Meet when the family meets..Sunday morning and night and Wednesday night.

Teach your children that they don't have to go to church...they GET to go to church.
You set the tone in your home.
Not tithing is the most dangerous thing you can do.
God doesn't like murmuring and complaining....and neither does Miss Nan.

I often catch my self saying...Well Miss Nan says that... What a Godly lady. One could only pray to grow into the righteous, pious woman she is!!!

You can catch some of her teachings on our church website..look under Media and NANo vision. www.colonialheights.org

Influenced by..Susie Kimbrough, Pat Jones, Babara Herring, Libby Brown

First of all I'd like to say I had every good intention of starting to keep my blog very current but I got sidetracked when my hubby came home. It has been very surreal to have him in a war zone one week and on the soccer field the next. I feel like I can finally breathe again...which is what makes me think about these 4 women. I guess really the only word to describe what I learned and still learn from them is PERSEVERANCE. An old dictionary gives the definition for perseverance as this: Perseverance is the continuance in a state of grace until is is proceeded by a state of glory. Pretty profound, don't you think? Each lady has known me my entire life and each one has an impact on my life in different ways. Susie and Pat probably started me out with my love of music. I think I've said before that God speaks to me many times through music...not even necessarily through the words. It is truly a form of worship for me. I took piano from Susie for I think we counted one time a total of 13 years. I'm grateful to her that I can sit down and play now... Would love to play alot more than I do. Pat was my elementary music teacher. I still have in my head like it was yesterday a song from the 6th grade musical..Where There's a Wheel There's a Way. I watched Barbara and Libby keep their homes and family like I wanted to. That's the good thing about small towns...most everyone and their family is just like you. All four of these women in their own way have had personal tragedies to deal with and I've watched them all persevere. Then it makes you wonder..are they really tragedies if you persevere? Maybe we should call them blessings.

Influenced by...Odessa Horton

I'm not sure that anything can put into words what this lady means to my life. Many of you know Dessa, but for those that don't let me set this up for you...Dessa came to "care" for our family in 1967 when we lived in Fayette, MS. I was born in 1969 and we loved to Meadville. Dessa learned to drive, got her driver's license, and came to care for our family in Meadville. I grew up with Dessa. She spoiled me rotten. She cooked anything I wanted. She played barbies in the woods with me. She let me help clean and taught me to cook so many things. I felt there was nothing this lady wouldn't do for me. When our parents were out of town, Dessa would stay with us and sleep in our guestroom and there I was all up in her business. After the lights were off, I would just talk and talk to her. Sometimes I would ask her questions and she wouldn't answer me. Finally I asked her, "Why aren't you answering me? I know you hear me talking to you.." Once she replied, "I was talkin' to God." I guess that's the first time I realized that you can talk to God just like a person....and apparently I was interrupting them. I was only 5 years old when that happened but she truly ministered to me that night.
She has since "retired" from caring for us and my mom has yet to find anyone to match her!! Truly one of a kind. She always was and continues to be a blessing to me and to many..

Influenced by...Camp Wesley Pines

Not sure I'm going to be able to cover everything about Camp Wesley Pines. I began going to camp there as a camper to the younger and older elementary camps, then on to junior high camps and retreats. I began to work different camps as a counselor in training there and then on to senior high retreats. I worked several summers and I almost remember each one individually. It was in the tabernacle by the lake when I was 16 that I asked Jesus into my heart. I feel like I learned many lessons there and was introduced to many character traits. I made friends there that I still have....and even though we may not see each other quite as often as I'd like, I know we share an amazing common bond by being blessed by God through Camp Wesley Pines. I've been through several things as an adult there as well and the same remains true of my youth.....that God is faithful to meet me right where I am. When I drive through the front gates...everytime...I get the feeling of "coming home", and that feels really good. I pray our daughter will discover how special that place is. She's gone for the past two summers and can't get enough...I think she's getting it too.

Influenced by....my parents

You know the old saying, "It takes a town to raise a child.." That would possibly be very true of me. Living in a small town America it does tend to be the responsibility (and privilege) of raising others children. The friends that I was in first grade with, were the very same friends I graduated with. There were my besties parents that treated me as their own and vice versa. All wonderful role models. There aren't a whole lot of people that can say that. I was going to start now and go back but decided I better start from the beginning. I will say that my parents have been the most important influence in my life. From as early as I can remember, even though I didn't have a word for it, I had a feeling of what unconditional love was. The love that they had and still have for one another is truly an inspiration to me. The character traits that I learned from them, I am frantically trying to teach our children and am seeing that it isn't such an easy job. That patience that my mother has and still has with my father is immeasurable. The way that no matter what time he use to get in from the hospital or have to leave unexpectedly at lunch on Thanksgiving..no complaining...just keeping a plate for him and having it hot when he got home. The compassion that my father has for people when I would've been so done with them. It all comes from making God the center of a marriage. I get it now.

Complete Overhaul

Well, to be quite honest, I had thought about deleting this blog altogether but I think I'll carry it out a bit longer.... ONLY because my old friend John gave me such a good idea. John and I recently caught up with one another on where else, Facebook (another thing that's been keeping me from blogging) I've enjoyed so much reading his blog and he has given me some motivation to blog about some things. Some of his posts have really made me stop and examine some parts of my life...especially my past. Uuugghhh..don't ya hate that word? PAST.. Thank God that's exactly what it is. The Past.
Some much has happened since my last post before Christmas. I won't even attempt to go back and touch on everything. What I can tell you is that this crazy deployment that is keeping my husband away from us is about to come to a close. Less than one month away now. I've gone this long....One month is a piece of cake.
So the thing that John blogged about that has my wheels turning is People or Places I've Been Influenced By.... I've got a few important ones in mind. Still have a little churning to do...but please stay tuned to see who made the list.....
In the meantime, I've given this little silly blog a makeover and changed some blogs that I follow. Check them out! I'll be back soon...Promise.

Christmas Tour 2009

Well, I decided to branch out on my own this year with the Christmas tour. Last year's Christmas Tour post was through a fellow blogger's blog (did I say that right?) For those of you that are new to a blogger's Christmas tour...it is simply a way to stay in the comfort of your own home, in your jammies, or whatever makes you the most comfy...and tour a home or homes via internet and leave comments about your likes and dislikes..Hope I start something here. I sure would like to see some of my fellow blogger's Christmas deco! Get your snuggie and a snack and here we go....

As I said in last year's post..I absolutely LOVE nativity sets. I have many...and want more. This is one of my newest ones...cut out of wood. My parent's brought this back to me from a recent trip. Isn't it cute?! By the way, to see any picture bigger or closer, just click on it!

Another nativity in my living room...as I said last year, I have seriously considered leaving some of my nativities out all year long.

I realize this picture kinda looks boring. I took several shots and none of them really did it justice. This is on my front entry table as you walk in the front door. My glittery trees (that get EVERYWHERE!) with gold mesh wrapped around them, sitting on red mesh...can't really tell, but I've got red lights inside the trees. Looks really beautiful from the street at night.

Three Wise men. I love these. One of my favorite decorations! My mom gave them to me a few years ago from the Southern Living line. A small nativity painting on canvas given to me by a friend. LOVE this too!

Are the Santa's cute? I got them at Country Originals on Northside Drive... if you've never been there...don't go. You'll be hooked. On the right is another nativity that I got years ago from Dollar Tree..yes, Dollar Tree. Hannah played with the pieces for hours when she was little. Have you ever noticed a child play with a nativity set? They know exactly what to do with each part.

My friend Lisa twisted some of the meshy stuff and we put it on the mantel to cover all our electronics. I must say that stockings is something that I never buckled down and bought when the kids were little. My friend gets tickled looking at all of my stockings when I try to decide which ones to hang. Sure wish I had gotten special ones when they were little so I could give them to them one day you know?

This is the coffee table in the living room. Pine cones in a container with some left over Christmas balls is always easy and pretty. The stack of books is something neat I started years ago. I explained in last years post..I was going through Christmas cards one year as I was cleaning up and realized I shouldn't throw away all these great pictures people spend so much time and money on, so I started making a scrapbook of Christmas cards each year out of construction paper and letting Hannah decorate them and make a cover. We laminate each page and tie the edges together. I put all the books out each year and we enjoy so much looking at our friends and how they've changed. (Our card goes on the first page) With the regular cards, we cut out shapes and verses to glue in the book. It is really a treasure and people seem to always enjoy looking at all of our books!

Kitchen table...got these trees on Black Friday at Simply Spaces in Madison. I thought they were great! Wish i had some pretty Christmas dishes to set the table with!!

This is on the ledge as you go upstairs. Another nativity set..had for years. I really should start writing on the boxes where each one came from. The stocking garland we got as a gift when we got married. The kids use to love for me to put little goodies or pieces of candy in each stocking during the month!

Hannah put her own tree up in her room and decorated it herself. She started doing this when she was about 3 or 4 I think. I told her it was about time for a "big girl" tree if she wanted to keep doing it. She can save this tree for her little girl.

This is in the kitchen. I love this frosted fruit! I use it all the time in different things and it always looks so pretty. The plates behind them are some of the Christmas plates I have painted. I'm going to try and start painting one each year.

Since we got married, I have painted or made an ornament each year for us and do one for each child with the year. We have quite a collection and I'm so proud of all of them! They don't care too much about them like I do but they will be so proud of them one day when they have them to hang on their own tree. Maybe I have started a tradition with them. My friend Lindsey painted one for me this year. Isn't it great?!

Hannah always paints her own ornament. This one is from this year.

Matthew's....

Andrew's....

Lighted garland around the front doors with my ribbon wreaths! Looks pretty at night too.

Hannah and her friend making Christmas cookies. We do this every year also. MOST of the time they are edible. I enjoy it just as much as they do! Just realized I don't have a pic of my Christmas houses but you can see a little bit of them in this picture in the background on the counter. A few of these were also given to me when we got married. Good thing about getting married in December...get lots of good Christmas stuff!!

I've made several of these as happies this year already..German Chocolate pound cake. YUM!!!

and FUDGE with pecans!!

and last but not least the tree...Since Drew is deployed again this Christmas, I was just going to put up a pre lit one but Hannah had a fit so Andrew and Matthew got this one from Lowe's and together we got it up. After they did, I was glad because it smells SOOOO good. I don't have half my ornaments on it this year...decided to just go with all of our family ones and handmade ones.

On K Love radio the other day, they were having a time of people calling in with funny Christmas accident stories. At first I thought, How horrible! That's not funny, but the more I listened to stories, the funnier it got. One guy fell through the floor of the attic while getting the Christmas decorations. As if that wasn't bad enough, the box of decorations fell on top of him through the attic. He had broken ribs, an arm and I believe a punctured lung. His family of course after making sure he was ok thought it was hysterical..Only now, years later is he able to laugh about it. I was reading a blog that I follow last year and I was splitting my sides laughing about her mishap. She was getting decorations out and stepped on the lid to a rubbermaid box...did the serious splits...and broke her leg! I don't think we've ever had any serious holiday accident..other than we went through a period of about 5 years in a row that our Christmas tree fell in the middle of the night....except once, it did fall directly on top of the boys as they watched tv. All I could see was legs and arms and hollering...I didn't do it!!! They were fine but scared to death! I hope my holiday tour hasn't bored you to tears. It truly is my favorite time of the year. I love my family and our traditions. I miss Drew tremendously and look forward to this time next year. Merry Christmas everyone!!!