To Warm Your Hearts!

C'mon, you know the words! Sing along, you know you want too! Happy Monday Everybody!!!!

Sound Byte Saturday

Looky at what I came across at Local Girl's! This GREAT idea came from Almost Somehwhat Positive. Go check it out, okay? It's gonna be fun so c'mon give it a try!

DeeDee, this is for you!

I've been having a hard time trying to figure out how to post a video and add my comments so please scroll down...Thanks!

Donny Osmond

Friday's Feast

Appetizer

If you could take lessons to learn any musical instrument, which would you want to learn?

Uh, hello? I so love the drums!!! They would drive most people crazy, but I have always loved them best. Maybe it's because I would be allowed to beat something with a stick and not get in trouble ;o)

Soup

Have you ever mistaken a person for someone else?

My hubby always makes fun of me for this one...we were boarding a plane for CA and I kept looking at the guy in front of me. Hubby starts talking to him and I am not paying attention to their conversation, but trying to figure out how I know this dude. When he starts boarding the plane I asked my husband, "Didn't we go to school with him?" Hubby laughs and says, "NO! That was Al Unser Jr. you twit!" LOL! I knew he looked familiar!

Salad

On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how well do you keep secrets?

I know it's hard to believe, but I can keep this big mouth shut completely! I am definitely a 10.

Main Course

What's the closest you've ever been to a dangerous animal?

I got bit by a snake when I was five years old. It wasn't exactly a poisonous snake, but scary none the less, and painful too!

Dessert

When was the last time you lost your patience?

Yesterday was a rough day here at the shop. I don't think I exactly lost my patience. I didn't scream or yell or anything like that, but without going into details I just felt like giving up. It's rare that I ever think that way, but I had reached my breaking point. My trouble was I hadn't given anything over to the Lord at that point. I was trying to do it all myself and we know it just don't work that way, does it?!

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Personal Prayer Requests

1. Mom is doing well, but please remember her these coming months.

2. My sister-in-law has stage 2 breast cancer and will be going through chemo and radiation.

3. My brother is having a rough time with dad's death. My brother is a christian, but I think he is having regrets about not spending as much time as he could with dad when he was here.

4. My Awana girls! They are eating up all the Bible stories and verses. Please pray that they come to an understanding of salvation and accept the free gift!

5. Our business. We have many cars to restore, but owning your own business is rough. Please pray for financial stability and that we find good dependable workers.

6. I usually don't like to ask for myself. I don't why I do that. This winter has been very rough so far. I have many responsibilities (I know you do too!) and so many people depend on me (which I don't mind!), but my physical needs are demanding and I am barely able to take care of myself let alone my responsibilities. I do appreciate it~Thanks!

7. My kids. Because of my health they are having extra responsibilities themselves. For right now we are doing what really needs to be done. I hope nobody stops by our house because it is not in that great of shape! But there will be clean dishes and laundry. You might see the cobwebs~please don't think it's that way all the time! How are you with a dust cloth and a new can of Pledge?

8. My mother in law needs her knees replaced, but since her daughter has cancer she is putting it off until she is well. I know her pain and I want to be there for her. She's a great mother in law and we love each other very much!

9. My mother's dearest friend, Phyllis, has many ailments that the doctors cannot figure out what is wrong. She's one of the sweetest ladies you'll ever meet.

10. The Colts~that they win the Superbowl!! Should we even pray for stuff like that?

11. My oldest daughter is trying to find a better paying job outside of Kroger. And she's taking classes at a local college. I know God's timing will work out.

12. My Uncle George had brain cancer and is doing well, but because of the chemo and radiation treatments he has many new problems. I know I shouldn't have favorites, but he is mine!

13. I appreciate your thoughts and prayers. Please leave me a note and let me know how I can pray for you!

Wordless Wednesday

Binder Park Zoo in Michigan feeding my babies!

Suggestions? Anybody? Please!

Well, our first snow has arrived! There is only three inches on the ground and we are expecting some more tonight after the Colts win the football game ;o) I've been wondering how the snow would affect my ability to get out and about. Guess what? I found out today that snow makes you slip and slide all over the place :o( I was hoping somebody might have a suggestion or two for me! Get your thinking caps on ladies....ready? set? go!

Here is the problem: I'm going to be using my two best friends (a.k.a crutches) for a long time. I went to church this morning and even though the place was shoveled my crutches were slipping at the slightest wet spots. And when we went to lunch later the tiles in the restaurant made for a fun time as well! In reality, it was very scary for me. If I were to start falling I am unable to catch myself because I might break one of my bionic shoulders or elbows~then I would be an even bigger mess than I am now!

I keep towels in the van so I can stand on them and scoot them as I walk, but what do I do when I need to go up a step or two? Has anybody else been in this situation before? If so, what did you do? Do you know of a special product I can use? Thanks for your thoughts!

Do You Want To Know A Secret?

Pssst! Just in case you were wondering, Donny emailed me today (I promise, he did!) and his new album is "Love Songs from the 70's"!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sigh!

The Thinkers Meme

Local Girl tagged me for this meme a while back. I've been kinda busy with stuff so I am just now doing it!

1. If you had to choose one vice in exclusion of all others what would it be?

It's sad, but true~I just love pillows! I had my daughter count them for me and I personally use 12! They come in all shapes and sizes and a lot of them are blue! I ache so bad by the time I get to bed that I make sure I have plenty to support my weary bones ;o) Plus I feel like a Queen!

2. If you could change one specific thing about the world what would it be?

Oh, there are so many things I would love to see changed. I would suggest a harsher penalty for child molesters. I remember a movie titled "I Know My First Name Is Steven". The kidnapper/molester had taken Steven when he was seven years old. Steven finally made it home when he was fourteen. The man only got 7 years for his crimes! Heartbreaking.

3. Name the cartoon character you identify with the most.

This is a hard question! I guess I would have to say Linus from Peanuts because as attached as he is to his blanket I am the same way by my pillows. I know, I know, enough about pillows already ;o)

4. If you could live one day in your life over again which one would it be?

The day we first met our girls and the day we met our son for the first time! I was on cloud nine both times so I would love to do it again! We have lots of pictures, but I would soak up every precious moment of my children!!!!

5. If you could go back in history and spend a day with one person who would it be?

There are so many amazing people I would love to meet, but since my father just passed away this week I would give anything to spend one more day with him so I could tell him again how much I love him, what a wonderful dad he is, and that we are going to be okay and we will see him soon!

6. What is the one thing you lost, sold or threw away that you wish you could have back?

Our Candy Apple Red Shelby! My husband sold it after I had my knees replaced so he could pay for my surgery! I'd give anything to be able to buy it for him again.

7. What is your one most important contribution to this world?

I just pray that maybe somebody has been able to see Christ in me.

8. What is your one hidden talent that nearly no one knows about?

I can smile and laugh when deep down I want to cry. Is that a talent?

9. What is your most cherished possession?

The few pictures I have of my children as babies. Since they were adopted I don't have much from their childhood except a couple pictures of each of them.

10. What one person influenced your life the most when growing up?

Both my folks have taught me so much. They worked hard, played hard and loved hard!

11. What one word describes you better than any other?

Patient

Friday's Feast

Appetizer

Which television shows do you just refuse to miss?

I don't get to watch television that often, but I love American Idol and I have wanted to start watching 24! I need to rent the past seasons and play catch up in my spare time~LOL!

Soup

Who did you last speak to on the telephone?

A grouchy customer who blamed me for something that was not my fault~~pouty lip :o(
Does anybody feel sorry for me? No? Oh well! It was worth a shot ;o)

Salad

How many pillows do you keep on your bed?

Haha! I don't think I can count that high!! I have massive amounts of pillows on my California King size bed! I have several small ones and then medium size soft ones and a big long body pillow and a special one that was my dad's! Can ya tell I love my pillows?

Main Course

Name one addition to your computer (software, hardware, etc.) that you'd love to have.

I'm still learning how to do stuff so I have no idea what Pamela (that's what I call her!) can even do!

Dessert

What is your favorite foreign food?

Since one of my dearest friends is from England I would have to say her Yorkshire pudding and her scones that melt in your mouth! She drove down from Pennsylvania for dad's funeral and brought me some scones just for me :o) Thank you Teresa!

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Memories Of The Past Week

For those that stop today my father went to Heaven one week ago today. This will not be a sad post. I just wanted to write down my memories from the last seven days! Thank you!

1. My dad was in the nursing home just a few days before he died. We went to visit him on Sunday and he was having a great day. We brought pictures so he could look at us during the night when he got lonely. We told stories and he smiled many times. I held his hand most of the afternoon. We all told him how much we loved him and he tried to tell us the same. It was a good day for all of us.

2. I was notified at 12:23 am by Lisa at the nursing home that dad had just passed away. Why they called me instead of my mom I just don't know. It took me asking a few times if this was for real until I believed her. I had my husband tell them not to call my mother. I thought that was something my brother and I should do.

3. I arrived at the nursing home about 12:45 am. I was the first one there. At first I was afraid to go see my dad, but then I took a deep breath and said a prayer. I knew I had to see him. He was at peace! Honestly, I hadn't seen him looking so well in such a long time. No more tubes, or machines! No more struggles! PTL! I loved on him and told him I loved him one more time.

4. My mom and brother arrived shortly after that. My mom said the same thing I did. It's very hard to see the love of your life like that, but we rejoiced together because we knew at that very second Dad was with God! We cried tears of sadness and tears of joy at the same time.

5. The next few days were busy making final arrangments for the funeral. My pastor asked each of us to write out memories we wanted to share. My kids each shared a different memory and I, being the big mouth of the family, wrote two pages worth! At first it was difficult to write, but I am so thankful I had the opportunity to tell people what I loved most about my father. I was able to write about his humor, his gentleness and his courage!

6. We were supposed to have nasty weather on that Monday and we prayed and prayed for it to hold off. We had many people coming from hundreds of miles away. The Lord provided and it only rained that day. Our snow and ice came the next morning!

7. Monday was the calling and the funeral. My family picked mom up and we got to the funeral home early so we could see dad again. When we walked in we were surrounded by dozens and dozens and dozens of flower bouquets!! How did I forget that people would be sending flowers and plants and even blankets? Yes, blankets! I guess it's a new thing to do. The flowers kept coming in while we were waiting for the calling to start. The comunity loved my dad and it showed!

8. Dad did look very nice I must say. My brother bought him a blue suit and I bought him the tie to match. It was a deep blue with some little black print on it. They didn't over do him with makeup either. He looked like my dad!

9. So many people came that day. My friends from Pennsylvania drove down for the day. People that I had not seen in years came. People I had no clue who they were came! People from our church and people from Kroger. So many people loved my dad! I was told over and over how well respected he was and how kind also. I've even heard from a man that dad fired once that it was the nicest firing he ever got ;o) Dad didn't have a mean bone in his body. He had severl ornery ones, but no mean ones!

10. Pastor Jim read our memories for us and reminded us of all the great things dad had accomplished! And Pastor Steve did a wonderful salvation message! Just what dad wanted. And my husband and my bestest friend's husband sang Calvary Covers It All. That was one of dad's favorite hymns. And the funeral home taped everything. Mom is finding comfort by listening to it everyday.

11. My brother cried alot, and so did mom. I managed to be the strong one that day. I felt I needed to be for mom. We've cried alot together this past week, don't get me wrong. I just wanted to be strong and talk to all those that came if mom wasn't able to at the time. My son, who helped grandma take care of dad hasn't shed a tear. And that is okay! He knew more than anybody how much dad suffered and he is celebrating in knowing where dad is!

12. Mom and I are getting stacks and stacks of cards everyday. The outpouring of love is amazing! And my mom is also getting monetary donations from all over the place. We tend to hear how greedy people are, but not in this case. Or Kelli's either! It's amazing, isn't it?

13. I've only known many of you for a few short months, but you have taken the time to send words of encouragement and to tell me you were praying for my dad and my mom and even for me. I was a stranger, but yet you showed such love and concern. I just want to say thank you from me and my folks. I love you guys!

Wordless Wednesday

Not the best picture, but a couple of weeks ago our friends got a tumbleweed storm instead of a snowstorm! Yikes!

WFMW

I know many of us are trying to watch our weight so bear with me. I make tons of snack foods for my hubby to enjoy as he watches the superbowl~Go Colts! I came across this easy, easy fudge recipe right before Christmas and made a variety of flavors for gifts. I'll list the different varieties at the end of the post!

1 16 ounce can of frosting
1 12 ounce bag of baking chips
Nuts ~ optional

Put the two ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds. Pour into a slightly sprayed 8 x 8 pan. Chill for one half hour and cut into squares. See? Isn't that easy? And it really is delish!

Peanut Butter Fudge ~ vanilla frosting, peanut butter chips
Chocolate Fudge ~ dark chocolate frosting, semi sweet chocolate chips
Chocolate Covered Cherry ~ cherry frosting, semi sweet chocolate chips
Chocolate Covered Strawberries ~ strawberry frosting, semi sweet chocolate chips
Peppermint Fudge ~ chocolate frosting, Andes mint baking chips
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge ~ chocolate frosting, peanut butter chips

The list could go on and on, but you're a smart bunch so you get the idea! Please if you try it and like it let me know! And I would love to hear more great concoctions too :o) Your hubbies are going to love it~I promise!

Happy Wednesday!

A Little Can Do So Much!

Boomama like many other bloggers loves Kelli. She is a jewel. I don't know how else to sum it up. She needs our help and it will cost us very little. Donations are anonymous. Go to Boomama's if you can donate $1.50 or more to help with Kelli's hospital expenses. She needs a kidney transplant. She is very ill, but is still thinking of others first! If you can help, please do. If not, please keep her in your prayers! Thank You!

In Loving Memory Of James Evans Williams, Sr.

December 8, 1936-January 11, 2007

Wordless Wednesday

My hubby is paying homage to the first Mustang ever built!

Another Tag 4 Me

Annamary tagged me for 5 things you may not know about me. Considering I just did my 100th post this is going to be tough, but it's fun to be tagged and I do not want to disappoint so here goes nothing!

1. When I was in grade school I absolutely loved using that really cool colored paper! Oh how I loved the hot pink, the fluorescent orange and green and of course my favorite~the bright blue! We didn't have much money when I was a child, but mom knew how I loved this paper so every school year she made sure she bought me a package. Well, I found some the other day! I bought a package and put it in a three ringed binder and am reliving my childhood :o) Oh how I wish I had homework to do! I'm just enjoying looking at it again! Boy, my life sounds sad doesn't it? I've said it once and I'll keep saying it~It doesn't take much to thrill me! OBVIOUSLY!

2. I pray for people when I am in the shower! Hey now! Don't get all creeped out~that is the only time I can find for myself nowadays. Seriously! I have a horrible voice so I shouldn't sing, not even in the shower. Plus I am a big girl so I have plenty to wash which takes a while so why not use that time to do two good things?!

3. I was a sweet little girl. I was so naive too. When I was in third grade my group of friends asked me if I knew what the "F" word meant. Well, I had never heard it before and had no idea that it was bad. I told them no and they just laughed at me! Right before recess I marched right up to my teacher and said, "Mrs. Huess? Do you know what "F" means?" She gasped and asked where I had heard such a word. I pointed to my three friends and said "They wanted to know!" I was allowed to go to recess and my three friends had to stay inside the rest of the day. I never learned what it meant until I was a teenager.

4. Speaking of which...what possessed me to do this I have no idea, but my mom didn't let me do something I wanted to and I was a little miffed at her. I still didn't know what that word meant mind you. I never held a grudge, but for some reason that day I wanted to get back at her! I thought, "I'll show her!" So I took a big fat pencil and went to the garage where she had a cabinet full of canned goods. I wrote in BIG LETTERS that dirty word! I wrote it as big as I could so it would still look like a word. I wanted her to see it!!! Ahh, I felt better after doing it. That evening went mom went to get in the cabinet she saw it! She came in madder than I had ever seen her before! My heart skipped a beat! I heard her tell my father that those rotten neighborhood boys had come into the garage and wrote that awful word. Yay! I was not a suspect!!!! I was so happy and fancy free that I had gotten away with it! UNTIL......later that night mom was putting away some of my school things. I must have practiced writing that word on some notebook paper because mom asked me if I was the one that did it! Muah? Why all of the sudden is she asking me? I start to sweat and sheepishly say yes. But being the saint that mom is she explained what it meant and why I should never ever say it or write it again. WHEW!

5. I'll end with a weird one. I used to have a parrafin bath for when my hands and wrists were hurting real bad. My favorite thing to do was dip my fingers in the wax and put a little wick on the end of each one. I would dip my fingers a couple of more times and then light each wick. I was a human candle :o) This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.......!!

I won't tag anyone because I think we have all done this at one time or another. Your Welcome!

A Quick Note!

Just stopping by to say HI to everybody. It's been a busy week as some of you know. My dad is out of the hospital and was moved to a nursing home yesterday.

It was so hard for my mom to leave him last night. They haven't spent one night apart for four or five years now. Mom called me last night just bawling and I felt so, so bad for her. I can understand some, but not completely even though he is my dad. We just sat on the phone together crying with each other. I finally mustered up the strength to say that we would pray all not long and that if she needed anything to call no matter what time it was.

Because my dad can't comunicate they have put him in a room right next to the nurses station. We stopped by after church today and he was in good spirits! His room mate is a Jewish doctor that has Alzheimer's. He doesn't say much either so I think they will be good room mates.

We've been having dad blink his eyes to answer our questions and today we were talking about me as a child. I promise, I was a sweet little thing! But now that I'm older I'm kind of a stinker. The kids asked grandpa to blink if I was an ornery child and he purposely blinked hard over and over! We all laughed~except for me~I was mad~kidding!

We're at our shop right now taking pictures of all of us so we can hang them on dad's wall. We even have a picture of Wensley~his favorite granddaughter ;o) We always take a nice picture and then a silly one! We're a strange family!

Well, it's time for me to go smile and say CHEESE! Hugs to anyone that stops by today!

Love, Amy

Friday's Feast

Appetizer

Which celebrity (or celebrities) do you think will make headlines this year?

I am sure Donny Osmond will make national headlines when he whisks me away for a romantic wedding in the Swiss Alps. He has everything arranged so I have to do nothing~nada~zilch!

Okay peeps, I've snapped back to reality!

Soup

They say that good things come in small packages? What is something little that you think is great?

I love little things! I'm sure many people will say this, but babies are the best things ever! Junior humans are cool!

Salad

Name songs that makes you want to dance.

Bon Jovi's~It's My Life
Scandal's~Goodbye To You (I'm dating myself here!)
N'Sync~Just Got Paid (Sorry, I have teenage daughters)

Oh, I could go on and on....but I'll spare you the torture! Oh I just thought of one more, but i don't know who sings it....It's Raining Men!! That's a fun song!

Main Course

What is your favorite font?

As a matter of fact it's the one I'm using right now~Georgia

Dessert

If you were to write a do-it-yourself article, what would it be about?

Heehee....I love the two boys (ages 24 and 25) that work for us. The one thing I teach them to do as soon as they start working at our shop is to suck up to me big time! They both love to be in competition with each other to see who is my favorite guy for they day! They'll do anything I ask! Hey, when you are together as much we are we'll do anything to make each other laugh!

So my book would be How To Train Your Employees To Worship The Ground You Walk On!

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Ways My Friends Know I Love Them

1. Pray for them. This is of course the first and most important thing you can do for anybody!

2. Pick on them! I think this is the second most important thing ;o) Kidding!

3. Listen. I am a there for you 24 hours a day girlfriend!

4. Babysit their children (free of charge!) so they can have one on one time with their spouse. While I would love to be the one hanging out with them I think this is a top priority as well!

5. I am not a gossip. What I mean by this is that I will listen to you share your heart and it won't go anywhere. I also mean that I will not talk about others behind their backs. If it is meant to be shared then I will let that person tell you!

6. Buying little gifts. I try to remember when I go shopping with a friend and they happen to say, "Oh, I love that bookmark! or Mmmm, that's my favorite kind of candy!" It doesn't have to be big it just shows you listen.

7. I guess in keeping with #6 I love to make up little care packages, specially to my college age friends. It's so much fun to get a box filled with treats!

8. Did I mention pick on them? I am a terrible tease and I can bring out the ornry (spell ?) side of even the most prim and proper of my friends...heehee!

9. They can belch in front of me and I won't even give it a thought!

10. This is hard, but my friends have done me this favor as well. If we get to out of line with complaining or whining we tell each other to stop! We remind each other of how blessed we are and look at the positives!

11. If they get a scary looking haircut or have on an ugly dress I won't lie and tell them how great they look! I really have no room to talk anyway because I am in no way a fashion queen!

12. I have two great bionic shoulders to cry on and I always carry tissues! I have two arms to give bear hugs. I have two hands to give high fives or a pat on the back for a job well done!

13. I also have a mouth that isn't scared to say I LOVE YOU! And I say it often!

Much Prayer Needed Please!

My father has Parkinson's with autonomic failure.

"Autonomic failure is a very tough disease that kills and devastates the lives of thousands of people," says Roy Freeman, assistant professor of neurology at the Medical School. "Without treatment, every vital function eventually stops working."

Autonomic failure is a progressive deterioration of the nervous system that controls such involuntary but vital functions as heartbeat, blood pressure, breathing, and bowel and bladder functions. It is common among elderly people with a variety of diseases including diabetes, Parkinson's, and some less-well-known maladies.

Dad has had this disease for almost five years now. The doctors have all said he is the worst case they have ever seen. He went downhill almost immediately. He didn't get to spend his retirement like he thought he would. He loved to travel, tinker around the garage, spend time with his grandkids and be involved at church. Instead he has spent the last few years inside his home. The only travelling he has done is to and from the hospital. He has got to spend alot of time with my kids though! Just not in the way he had hoped.

But dad has never complained~not even once. He is a fighter. For a soft spoken, gentle caring man he is very tough. He is the bravest man I know.

Every day brings a new problem for dad. Every day brings a new challenge for mom to take care of. She is his constant companion and nurse. She never leaves his side unless one of us comes over so she can take her shower. She loves him more than anything. It's obvious the way she rubs his head and kisses him every few minutes telling him what a wonderful husband he is and what a good provider he has always been. She reads the Bible to him everyday. They listen to hymns. They watch games shows together. They listen to audio books often. Dad even likes Lori Wick novels! Mom has done her very best. She is very tough. And she is the bravest woman I know.

This past week has just brought on too many new challenges for mom, my family and the hospice nurse (that only gets to some once a week) to take care of dad. His bed sores on his bottom have gotten (is that a word?) so bad and now he has diarrhea . Today brought on yet another problem.

My dad went to the hospital today by ambulance. He will be in the hospital a few days so they can try to get his sores a little better, his bowels under control, his blood pressure up, his temperature down, and the list goes on and on.

When (or if) he gets out he will be going to a nursing home. My mom says she can stay with him from early morning to late at night. This was a tough decision for her I know. I guess because we know that he won't be coming home again. Oh, I know I don't know the future. Only God knows. I know He can still perform miracles, but I also am in touch with reality.

Please just be in prayer for my family at this time. If you've faced this same situation then you know exactly how to pray. If you haven't, than just please pray for God's will to be done in this situation. Pray for my mom to know that she has done her very best. Pray that my dad is comfortable. Pray that I can be strong for the both of them. My heart is aching and I can barely breathe today.

Thank you.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phillians 4:13