Happy Birthday, America!

4th of July means the parade...which means the family float. Jess designed it this year and we were the Country Americans..AKA Hillbillies. Our MO is to shoot the crowd with waterguns, which we did again. Wouldn't want to disappoint!

Our neighbors (chosen family) gave it their heart and soul and dress up. Complete with a fresh batch of whiskey and shotgun. Don't ya mess with that Mama!

And our neighbors from the other side joined in the fun with much enthusiasm and energy! We have the BEST neighbors!!and then, you are never to old for sparklers!

Multitude Monday starting with #716

Today is SURELY the most thankful Monday I've had in a long time! Numbers 716 and 727 are HUGE. Just HUGE. Two of the most heart filling thankfulnesses I have felt since beginning this quest!

It has been a while since I posted the "button" of where this idea originated, so here it is. You can find this "Stranger-friend"'s blog link on my blog list.

716...the lower layers of skin are clear of bad cells. (That makes #716 the most important in all 1000!!!)

717. Friends and family who rally around in times of need.

718. People who will say, " I will pray for you". and I know they will. Thoughts are great, but saying "I am thinking of you" is so weak compared to the prior comment.

719. My Bible study ladies who came to my house and prayed with us, cried with us, and encouraged us during a hard time. Different denominations and non denominations...

720. For my new friend who introduced me to "theives oil" in just the knick of time. Thank you, Jordan!

721. For major improvement in infection after only 3 days of using the thieves!!

722. For 4th of July parades..the fun and simplicity!

723. For neighbors who throw their heart and soul into it for us.

724. For a wonderful boss who believes in alternative ways of teaching kids and tries to step out of the classroom to let us teach them in unique ways.

725. For places like Amarillo, TX who did their 4th of July festivities on the 3rd so Sunday was still held reverent as God's day.

726. For the smell of burgers and hotdogs cooking on the grill.

727. For celebrating Independence day with RILEY who made it home for Afganistan, safely. Thanking God hugely for this. HUGELY.

728. For that generous man from Oklahoma who donated a $100 bill to our school programs yesterday. Who knows who he is, he didn't do it for recognition. He did it because he believes in us. Wow.

729. You know, I don't think I've been thankful for flip flops yet. I AM ! Love flippies!!

730. For the feeling of being home. Home with my family. The comfortable, messy hair and jammies feel of it.

731. I'm thankful for the overflowing thankfulness I feel today. I could go on and on and on and on. It feels good to be thankful!

Thanks for stopping in. What are you thankful for today?

The latest...

Just before school was out, I was hugging my son in an extended kind of hug. I was eye to shoulder with him.( Thankfully, I kiss with my eyes closed and hug with them wide open!)

Looking me in the eye was an ugly mole I didn't remember seeing before. Off to our family dr....mole removed...6 days later, pathology said it is melonoma, bigger biopsy needed. 8 days later, with a trip squished into the week between, he underwent surgery. All layers of skin removed, down to the muscle and a skin graft taken from the same upper arm. 8 days later...we thank God that there was not cancer in the lower layers of skin.

So, if you are skweemish (how do you spell that??), don't look. But otherwise, here is a peek at the result. The graft site is still wrapped and has to be for 10 days. Thus, we haven't seen that.

This isn't your melanoma poster child. Not tons of sun exposure, only a couple of sun burns to speak of, never runs around shirtless...dark hair, hazel eyes, no family history of melanoma.
Check your family closely...this was a wakeup call.

Buy the sunscreen recommended after much testing. Yes, it is expensive. So??

Eat healthy...drink water.....etc. etc.

When you've been pampered and cared for, you must return the favor to other family members. Here, he walked in and said, "I'm Dr. Habeeb, I am here to help you"...as he rubbed his sister's feet with oil when she wasn't feeling well. He described how to massage feet...."you squish the mushroom..." all said with quite an accent. I think Jess got a dose of laughter along with Dr. Habeeb's treatment.

LOVE this face! This is a "I'm shooting off fireworks and no I'm not worried what the neighbors think" smile! Teenagers! :)

Happy 4th of July! We will celebrate our country, our freedom, and our many blessings!

Multitude Monday----what number am I on?!!

Oh so thankful for cousins, relaxing fun days, smiles galore and shaded swimming pools! (up to #689)
For FAST times that blow all of the thoughts and worries from your brain and rattle your body so much that the extra ones jiggle right out! (Jess and Selina) (690)

For Aunties, for nephews, for nieces. For the bonds that make my sisters kids mine and my kids theirs. (#691-694)


For teasing! For powdered sugar donuts that are yucky and smiles that say, "Oh no they aren't!" For Great nieces....cause plain ol' nieces were pretty special already! For life jackets too! Especially pink ones. (#695-701)

For KISSES!!! and how they are so much more fun when someone is saying ,"Don't you DARE kiss my daughter!!!"(#702-703)

For fun times. For little girls who think they are big and for big girls who were just little yesterday! (#704-706)

Should I be thankful for dorky "I'm cool" looks? Yes, I am. And for toes that in "tippy" position make us taller women! (#707-708)

I'm thankful for faith. For peace beyong understanding. For answered prayers. I'm thankful that I KNOW fear is not of God and therefore, he can and will replace it when we ask. I'm thankful for doctors who understand urgency in a mother's eyes and are willing to skip lunch to make it right. I'm thankful for being a mother. For the nurture God puts in us.

I'm thankful...I'm thankful... (#709-715)

Summertime!

I was so thrilled when my first ever iris' bloomed! I see it a smile from heaven!
Our new baby calf. We have two "Pet" cows...old girls..who we just couldn't part with when we sold the herd. This is one of their babies, born yesterday. She is soooo sweet!

Jerry's girls! The one on the left is the new Momma and the one on the right is Suzy..the expectant momma. Jerry was distracting the mom so we could give loves to her baby.

The kids, taking turns loving on the baby.

Birth and new life is something that never gets old and always gives me the warm fuzzies! Miracles!

Multitude Monday

#674 It is SUMMER!!

676. We've had nice rains. No more drought! The green grass and weeds are so beautiful this year!

677. I'm thankful for old friends. The ones who love you no matter what. They love you in the dark, so to say....for who you are on the inside, not just what they see.

678. I'm thankful Riley is out of Afganistan. I think I can count that one every day.

679. I'm thankful for healing.

680. Today, a baby calf was born. I'm thankful for the miracle of life, of birth, that never gets old and always gives me goosebumps.

681. I'm thankful for the freedom to juggle my schedule. Routine is great, but I love having times when there is not an agenda. Ahhh....nice.

682. I'm thankful for the truths in scriptures that are new all the time.

683. I'm thankful for cold iced tea on the porch!

684. For the blue sky that is only this color here.

685. I love clean laundry! Especially dried in the sun.

Have a beautiful week. Enjoy every moment, every person.
Forgive. Heal relationships.
Hug.
Say I love you.
Make the best of what you have..always.

Kicking off summer!

We celebrated 19 years of marriage, to start off June! It is completely unreal that it has been that long and that we are this old! HA!

The kids were involved in helping teach Bible school this week. Jessie taught songs and Cody taught recreation. They had a blast and loved doing it. I really love seeing the influence of older kids on younger kids. The little ones respond so well to the older ones and the older ones get confidence and encouragement in their faith. It was a great week!

Below is Jess with some of her friends after a water fight.



This is Beki and Cody. Yes, it is Cody's girlfriend. She is a very nice girl from an incredible family.

Here are Jess and Jamie roasting hotdogs one night in our yard. They took a break from roasting to make up and sing a few songs, puncuated with much laughter!

A group of friends had a great afternoon in the swimming pool. Summer is just great!

That is a sampling of the start of summer in our circle. I love summer. I love the kids being home, them being HAPPY and able to completely be themselves. It is some serious food for thought to think of the pressure immorality, values, drug use, alcohol use, etc. that is so prevelant in our schools, affect them so negatively and drag them down so much during the school year. The upswing of that is I see great growth in character, faith and wisdom that come from having to be strong. For that, I'm thankful! (And it isn't even Monday yet!)