SHM

It's been six years!

The later part of 2004, I gave my
letter of resignation as office
manager for a local dental office.

At that moment I became a stay-home mom.

Although this was a well prayed about
happening for my family, it didn't make it
easy.

But I know with out a doubt, it is where I am
supposed to be. Oh, if I had not listened
to God's plan for my life, my family, where would
I be? Who would I be?

Are you a SHM?
Has there been a time you listened or
didn't listen to God's plan for your life?

I am not a reader...

I know, I know
I have said several times,
I am not a reader!

And although I still claim that to be true,
there are a few things I have read over
the past year that I really, really liked.

Two books, by Chris Fabry
June Bug
Dogwood

I read them just in that order.

When June Bug first came out last year,
I saw it in the home life magazine. Not knowing
who Chris Fabry even was, I felt compelled to
looking into getting the book.

The cover really caught my eye.

I was at a point in my life of needing to
reconnect spiritually, which is another blog
or book in it's self. So after making a trip to the
local Christian book store, I purchased June Bug,
at the beginning of the school year, last year.

I relate to my kids school year.

Reading June Bug took me to a safe zone,
a zone I personally needed to be in.

I absolutely loved reading June Bug.

By the end of the school year, I was looking for
another book. One that would take me peacefully
to where June Bug had.

So off to the local Christian book store I went.

I really had in my mind, I would find another good
book as good as June Bug. After browsing the shelf
for awhile looking at different books by different authors,
I couldn't find one that really jumped out at me.

I knew I really liked the way Chris Fabry writes.

So I went over to Dogwood, picking it up.
Paid, left and laid the book down somewhere at home.

It was several days maybe even weeks
before I even started reading
Dogwood.

I had in my mind I just bought it because I didn't find anything else.

I'll let you in on a little secret.

When I finished Dogwood, I wanted more of Chris Fabry.

Only thing is his next book,
Almost Heaven, is not due until
October of this year.

Now if you clicked on the Almost Heaven, you
probably saw something else first. If you didn't click
on it, go do it now.

Yelp there you have it, Drew Brees-
Coming Back Stronger:
Unleashing the Hidden Power of Adversity
with Chris Fabry

Now how bout that? I had no clue either...

Back at super bowl time, I posted
Interview with Drew Brees, to me Drew
is just an awesome person...

But if I ever tell you again I am not a reader,
that's that...

I am not a reader, I am a writer...!!!

but SHhhh writers do read too...
I just find it hard for certain types of books
to hold my attention, I guess it is kinda like a movie
or music. We all have differences.

Have you read any of Chris Fabry's books?
Have you ever been on a cross road spiritually?
Do you plan to read Drew Bree's book?

A New Hallelujah - Michael W Smith

My oldest daughter took drivers ED this summer, which meant my younger
daughter and I got time to ourselves...

One morning after dropping her off, I turned the radio up,
hearing a sweat little voice on the back sit singing
A New Hallelujah....

priceless

Life can change in a flash

Friday April 30th '10 my mother was involved in a single car
accident. She fell asleep at the wheel on the way
home from work.

That afternoon, I had just talked to her.
We were making plans to attend
my step-cousin's wedding on that
Saturday.

Around 3:45 my cell phone rang,
a unknown number, which I am usually
guilty of not answering, showed up on my
screen.

When I answered, it was mother.
She didn't say hey this is mother.
She just went directly into, "I went to
sleep on the way home and I am hurt bad"

My mother is a woman of her word, what
she says she means.

I flipped out right in the middle of the local
shoe store. Both of my girls were with me
and we left the store immediately.

Making my way to the hospital, still so unsure
of her injuries, I tried to calm the girls and
myself. Her life flashed really fast in front of me.

When I was 20 years old my father died
right in front of my eyes. I had told myself through
the years if and when something happen to mother
I would be fine. If I could be so young and lose
daddy like that I could make it through losing her as well.

Wrong!

There was not one thing easy about this ordeal at all.

I paced the floors of the ER waiting for the ambulance
to arrive. When it did, I watched mother flat on a strecher
roll into a room. That I later entered, looking at the
bottoms of her shoes first.

All she could say was how SORRY she was.

That night turned into a week stay or longer in
the hospital. Test after test, looking for answers
to the case of the wreck as well as answers to her
injuries. Injuries was bang up literally from head to toe.
The first 24 hours she could not even left her head off
the pillow. Lastly, she ended with 3 compressed fractures
in her back. OUCH!!!! is really a little word for how she
has felt.

Although it has been two months now, she is doing so
much better.

We got her a car, hers was totaled, this past week and
her glasses, they were lost in the wreck.

I have tend to her as much as possible.

When she first came home she was on a walk.
Unable do do anything for herself.

showering
cooking
cleaning
grocery shopping
drying her hair
ect.

any daily chore you do for yourself
was out for her, but like I said she is
doing much better. Slow but better
is what I have to keep telling her.

I am not sure when she will return to work.

I am very thankful no one else was involved.

Her car left the road hitting a ditch, ramping a
cattle fench landing several several feet past the
fence. I picked at the ER workers, telling them she
was chasing cattle.

Playlist

My family took a day trip to the Memphis zoo
one Saturday in June. This trip was extra fun!!!

The last time I can remember going to Memphis
was when I was a child, then one time I took a flight
and the first flight stop was Memphis - so actually I was only
at the Memphis airport - which I thought was really nice.

So for this day trip, I googled all the directions, printing them
out placing them in a small black binder-which my husband
completely laughed at. This way my kids were able to see
just what it really takes to even take a day trip, educational.

My binder included directions, zoo hours & prices, zoo rules-which my kids
loved reading-they got a kick out of your under ware could not show. Also
I had a list of the zoo exhibits and the zoo map.

Boy was it hot!

We planned well ahead. My daughter has a roll around cooler- I checked
to see if we could bring, the website said yes. We put drinks, mainly water
and snacks in the cooler. My kids have those water bottles with fans on them,
those really came in handy. We dressed in cool colored clothes,
making this a lasting memorable trip.

For lunch we stopped at Neely's BBQ-from food network.
It was really good!

Off to the Children's Museum of Memphis before we headed home.

The kids absolutely loved it. There were so many hands on things
for them to do:
grocery store-they were able to shop, check themselves out
firetruck-they were able to put fire suits on, sit in
police car- they were able to sit in, turn lights on
air plane-they got to sit in the cockpit

and so so much more!!!

I included information on Neely's and the Museum
in my binder as well. The kids loved looking at the binder
in the car, it gave them alot of insight for what was ahead.

Because this trip was 3 hours one way, I knew
my ipod would need a fast up date. I love new music
and ideas of music. The week before I saw
Keith Urban's Playlist in the July issue of Redbook.

And then Brooke White's, brookiebabble, Summer Playlist
she shared on her facebook page.

Both of these list made it to my ipod, along with
True-Compass-Edward-M-Kennedy-memoir audio.
When I told my sister I was listening to the Kennedy memoir
she huffed at me, he is a liberal Democrat. In my mind,
I just sighed. I was not listening to him because
he is liberal, rather because he sounds interesting
and he died from a brain tumor-cancer-and I wanted
to hear his outlook on cancer. Explaining that to my sister
would have been like explain to the preacher why I farted
in church, I guess. It just seems anyone and everyone linked
to cancer some how, know, know what it's like and someone
someday is gonna get it figured out! But until then, those who
have been down that road of cancer, we all have to stick together
because if you haven't been touch by cancer you don't understand
the fact of what the health care system from that stand point is like.
And believe me there is huge room for improvement!

During those hours of driving, I really enjoyed listening
to the Kennedy memoir over listening to the two actually
playlist. Since then I have listened to the playlist at home
while dressing for the day....it just adds alittle peep to my step!