Grandmother Garrett & her grandchildren

Do you ever think of the people who have made a difference in your life? I mean....a real difference. Sure there are those who have left memories (both good and bad) and those people will not be forgotten. But I believe there are a few people who truly help to make us better. I have to tell you about one such person in my life...my mother-in-law, Thelma Garrett. For the first seventeen years of my married life, she and her husband shared their lives together. They were hard-working, honest, Christian people who lived a very simple life. Together they raised four boys. During the late 70's she fought a battle with breast cancer and survived. In the mid-80's, my father-in-law was diagnosed with ALS and died in 1989. During those years of caring for him she remained strong. Some time after his death she called us and asked us to come by one night. It was then that she told us that she had another tumor. She chose not to tell anyone because she knew that she should take care of Granddaddy (her husband). By this time, it was so large and was inoperable. However, through prayer, chemo & radiation, she lived for almost ten more years. During those years her lifestyle continued as normal as possible. Yes, she lost her hair....the chemo zapped her energy....the treatments caused her pain and numbness in her hands and feet at times, but she continued to go to church & do for others. I never saw fear in her life (other than storms). She put her trust in God and knew that He would take care of her in every situation. During her last months she told me, "My body tells me to go to bed but my head tells me if I go to bed I won't get up." She didn't go to bed until the last few weeks of her life. She continued to go and give to others.......not monetary....but by example. I know that she taught me so many things. I hope I can pass some of these on to my children.

MY FAVORITE FIND

Rhoda from Southern Hospitality (one of my favorite blogs) is having a blog party for anyone to post their favorite yard/estate sale find. My favorite find is really unbelievable. I must tell you how I came upon this beautiful set of pink depression glass dishes. I found the cups and saucers in a plastic dishpan. I asked about buying them and was told that I could just have them. I was so shocked I didn't know what to say. Before I could get my thoughts together I was told, "I think there's some plates somewhere that match them and I don't need them either." Sure enough.....there was an entire set of the most beautiful pink depression glass that I had ever seen. I paid $0.00 for this entire set. This has to be my favorite find!

FLIP FLOPS

Awhile back I decided I had to have a monogramming machine. At that time I had two granddaughters and saw all these cute outfits that were monogrammed. Look at the money I would save if I could do it myself!!! I got my plan together and convinced my sweet husband that I could pay for this machine by monogramming for others. (In my mind I was thinking that worse case scenario...I would have the cutest little outfits for Breanna and Maddie if I never sold a thing). The week after I bought my machine my daughter, Amy, came home from work and told me about the "cutest" pair of flip-flops that she saw. "Mama, you can make them!" My sweet husband saw $$$ and asked Amy if she thought any of the teachers at her school might want to order a pair. FLIP-FLOP BUSINESS offically began that day!! I am not complaining, but I will tell you that it took me and my entire family one weekend to get the first orders ready. For the next several weeks my basement became an assembly line. I found the best place for me to get my flip-flops (that were good quality) were Academy Sports. I bought every brown and black pair of flip-flops in the store. When they restocked the next week I was there again. You should be pushing a buggy that is piled with flip-flops and see the stares you get! The orders were amazing....NO ADVERTISING....I made flip-flops for bridesmaid gifts, flips-flops for All-Star moms with their son's numbers, school colored flip-flops....you name it---I've made it! Who would have ever believed FLIP-FLOPS would pay for a monogramming machine!!!!

ALL MY GRANDCHILDREN

He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we ask or think...... Eph. 3:20

Yes, God does much, much more than we can think or imagine. He surely did when he blessed me with my grandchildren. I know that we all feel that way but God has blessed my husband and me with six grandchildren when it seemed very unlikely at first. Our daughter, Amy had tried for several years to have a baby and had gone through infertility treatments....(no success). After some time, she & her husband decided that they would stop the treatments. Soon afterwards, they met the two most precious little boys (ages 2 & 3) visiting our church one Sunday with their foster parents. Yes, they later were able to adopt these little boys and she also became pregnant....ANOTHER BOY!!! THREE BOYS in about two years.

Our son and his wife live in another state and became foster parents for a beautiful little girl (age 3). After about a year and a half, they realized that she would never be able to return to her biological mother. So........they adopted her and have had two more little girls of their own since then. THREE GIRLS in about three years. None of this was a surprise to God. He knew the plans He had for them before they were formed. I can't tell you the joy these children have brought to us. Is there a difference in the way we feel toward our biological/adoptive grandchildren? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! I thank God for blessing us SIX times!

Please visit my daughter, Amy's new blog. She is a wonderful mother and you will enjoy reading her adventures.

EASY STRAWBERRY DESSERT

First of all I want to thank Rhoda for her help in getting my pictures loaded. If you haven't visited her blog you must! It is one that you will definitely go back to each day for wonderful ideas.

This is a delicious dessert that is easy to make. On Friday I had to have a quick dessert to carry to someone and this was it. Here are the ingredients:

1 Angel Food Cake

1 - 2 packages of strawberries

1 - 1 1/2 cups of sugar

1 large Cool Whip

Wash & slice the strawberries. Put 1 - 1 1/2 cups of sugar over the strawberries and mix well. Let them sit for a few hours. This makes it's own juice. (You may add more sugar if you want it sweeter).

To put the cake together:

Cut the Angel Food cake in bite size cubes. Put 1/2 of the cake cubes in the bottom of a large glass bowl. Pour half of the strawberries + juice over the cake. Put a layer of Cool Whip over the strawberries. Repeat the layers. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 - 6 hours. YUMMY!!!

AMY IS 40 TODAY!!!

Many of you know that August is my daughter, Amy's, birthday month. No.....I have not completely lost my mind and cannot remember the year I gave birth.....but today Amy IS 40 POUNDS LIGHTER!!! She began a weight loss program on April 2nd and as of today has lost 40 pounds!!!! This morning she and I left early to hit some yard sales and on the way home she wanted to stop by for her weekly weigh-in. They did her measurements today and they were unbelievable for this length of time. I am so proud of my beautiful, talented daughter. WAY TO GO, AMY!!!!!!

ANNABELLE HYDRANGEA

This picture does not show how big the bloom of this hydrangea was this year. It was much larger than a dinner plate and it is still beautiful except the bloom is now a pale green instead of white. Several years ago I went to this wonderful place called Petals From the Past where they specialize in having plants that grew years ago around old homesteads. The wonderful things about this place is they usually have these plants growing around their garden shop so you can actually see what they will look like (hopefully) when they grow. For the first few years, I knew that I had a hydrangea but that was about it. However, this year the blooms were massive. Gardening (in early springtime before the heat in late July/August) is a wonderful stress release for me. Maybe there is something more to the saying...."Take time to smell the roses...."