What have learned from another woman this week? (or ever)

Titus 2 Tuesday is a post about a woman I admire and have learned from. My FIRST Titus 2 Tuesday is about my own sweet, mommy who has been in heaven "rocking all the babies" since 1991! Mother was a saint in my eyes. She raised 6 of us, ranging in age from 22 to birth, having had Joy when she was 41 years young. (I followed in her footsteps with my #3 daughter, KJ, having her when I was 41!) She raised the 6 of us basically on her own as a single mom! How she was able to do alone, what Royce & I have trouble doing together, with 1/2 as many children and NO boys, is more than I can comprehend, except that she followed what she taught to me & my siblings: keep God 1st. Mom taught me to tithe my earnings. Mom taught me how to smile, even in the worst of situations. Mom taught me manners. Mom taught me TOUGH love, as well as HOW to be tough! Mom taught me to laugh. Mom taught me to love, especially the unlovable. Mom took me to church, no matter what, and I learned to enjoy it & the blessings my God and Jesus pours out to me! Mom taught me independence, even though she managed to give me all of my heart's desire on a shoestring budget! She showed me unconditional love and how to give unconditionally. I remember more of Mother leading by example than actually telling me the words. Mom was ALWAYS there for me! I talk to her since she's been in Heaven, so that I feel she is still around to guide me, and know she will be one of the first ones I see when I get to heaven. She'll scoot right over and share a rocking chair for me to "rock the babies" in Heaven. Mother having taught me about Christiandom??, (word???) and about Heaven, I do not fear anything on earth because I know I have an eternal home with God, Jesus and all the Saints when I die. Mother also taught me bravery! She battled lung cancer for the last 14 months of her life, and NEVER was anything but positive about recovering from the "monster". She had me totally buffaloed, and I took her to Hospice to get better, not understanding about the world of cancer, because it was my very first bout with the deadly disease! Once her brain was allowed to rest from morphine, her body FINALLY gave in & she died one of the bravest, dignified deaths I have ever witnessed: brave and dignified like she lived her life. Yes, my mother was a Godly, Titus 2 Woman, whom I loved and admired DEARLY! Momma is where I got my silver, gray hair. I always said if my hair could be as beautiful as hers, I would gladly wear it as a crowning glory, & I constantly encourage EVERYONE else, especially Becky Hardcastle, to "go GREY"!!!! Mother, I LOVE YOU DEARLY, and appreciate all the MANY lessons you showed and taught me. Love, your daughter, Claudia

Tuesday with TAKS!!!

KJ is taking her math TAKS test; I am praying for her & for my students. It's a COLD Tuesday morning. I bought more flowers for the garden yesterday & about froze planting most of them last night after supper. What are your favorite garden flowers. The Cora Vinca in any color is a favorite of mine because it is HARDY!!! I happen to have a JET BLACK gardening thumb, but I just WON'T give up planting. IF I had a nickel for every plant & bermuda grass plug I've planted, and every weed I've pulled (I find weed pulling EXTREMELY theraputic!!!), I could very likely pay off our trillion $$$ national debt. NO, I'm not kidding!!! I'm loving the moisture, but ready for the warmth to come back! I haven't yet dawned my Cuddle Duds since March, but I have been in long sleeves. We are honoring our volunteer fire dept & emergency teams tonight with a silent auction, meal, and bball game between the faculty, that would be me, and the seniors. I can't shoot, but I can get out there & defend with the best of them. Looking forward to the bruises!!! Come Friday, it'll be my turn to ride the bike while I let Kaylee J drive to school because she helped me get to work on time during April. Whatever it takes. So do tell me, what are your favorite garden flowers. Love the spring, MERRY MARION

Rainy Sunday

Praise the Lord for the rain!!!! It's Sunday afternoon & I've dwindled the afternoon away blogging, reading blogs, checking other sites, and working on getting videos on my blogsite. What is ya'lls favorite thing about blogging?, the writing, the sharing, the ideas of others, the comraderie, the color?? I gave Mr. Royce a burr haircut on the top of his bald head. Listen for the scream when KJ sees him. Ha ha I think he looks kinda cute & he's satisfied because he doesn't have long hair sticking up on top of his head after the wind blows!!! If I CAN, I'll try to get him to let me take his pic!

Another Late Night

Posting again late at night, cas I don't get to the computer until about 9pm. Check the email, play a few games & then start trying to learn something new in the blogging world. For a slowpoke like me, that takes a few hours. Thus the late hour. I keep posting in hopes I'll garner some comments from the outside world. I feel so alone!!!! Speak to me, bloggers, plz! Claudia

Late at Night

Go to bed, Claudia!!! Everything & everyone tells me that! So why do I fight it so??? Not quite sure! Want to get things, more things done! I've been working in the yard, planting new seeds, trimming the trees, dead lilac leaves from the freeze, and cutting hedges. Didn't ever get to Kristen's quilt today or yesterday because of working outside & watching tv. Shame! Royce mowed the lawn Sat., and I've been watering. Looks so much better. Royce tells me he will get me some more Cora Vinca for MOM's day. No rose bushes! I love them, but somehow I CANNOT make them grow. I'd LOVE a snowball bush. I would like just a nickel for every plant I've killed - I'd be a thousandaire, probably. Well, I am going to beddy-bye. Write later. C

Praise for the RAIN!!!

Hi, it's Saturday morning & I'm frittering away my time on the internet. i could be cutting Kristen's quilt pieces for her t-shirt quilt!!! I better get outside, since tomorrow is supposed to be WINDY!!! Today looks gorgeous, but I sit here in my robe soaking up the heater warmth & not moving! I need to figure out how to put new music on my music list. Keri did it for me & since I'm a visual learner and didn't do it, I'm having trouble figuring it out, or like you Amanda K, I jump around a lot & get off "chasing rabbits"! But I am enjoying my Saturday morning. I've already talked to a close high school buddy & we're trying to through a "girls weekend" together at her home in Breckingridge! What fun. I'll have to lasso one friend to get her down there, but that's all right. One of the friends went through a HECK of a past year in the loss of her son and the fight for custody of her grandson to her oldest son's family! She really needs the fluff from her friends. So pray for all of us to get together!

Corrections to My Family Post

New Pic of Me

The new pic of me on the post is me holding a 2 yr. old sea turtle on the cruise at the turtle hatchery in Grand Caymun. I really enjoyed the turtles!!!! Also you need to go back & look at the new pictures Keri posted for me.

My Middle Child, Keri

I just read the post about my birthday. It was lovingly written by my middle daughter, Keri, as a surprise for me, no doubt! The age is off worse than mine was by one year. She's off by 10 years. The ages are supposed to be 57 & 58 instead of 47 & 48.

My Family

All the Girls and Lance came in this weekend for my birthday. I told everyone I was 48 when I started doing the math however, I realized I added an additional year to my age and truthfully I am only 47. There's something to say about adding an extra year to an old lady's age and not even thinking about it.

I had a great birthday we fixed steaks, Keri made me a yellow and chocolate staked cake with strawberries.... and I received an ipod shuffle that's bright blue for my birthday. And the promise of new curtains. Keri brought in a few samples of curtains and I picked out what I want. So right now I have one window covered and the promise of the rest are on their way.

I spend most of Saturday working on Kristen's T-shirt Quilt it's looking really cute. Kaylee got all of us outside to play basketball with her. Quite the challenge for the older girls but we all held our own.

Here's some lovely pictures of my family.... Love to ALL. Claudia

WINDY POSTINGS from Merry Marion!!

Hi from the WINDY Panhandle!!!! In Wheeler, we are so grateful God graced us with saving our town. 8 homes, 5 families and a lot of grassland were taken in the fire, but think of ALL that WAS NOT taken in the fire. PRAISE YOU, LORD!!!! Kaylee is through with track. The school year is quickly speeding by - 9 more weeks! My sister, Joy, & I traveled to Denton last weekend to see my oldest brother in the hospital. Please pray for good health from him. He has won the leukemia battle twice, and is suffering with severe headaches. The drs. thought he had shingles, but now say he has a syndrome. Anyway, his right eye droops & he has lost a lot of weight. Pray for him to get stronger and to be able to keep food down. He is on a feeding tube, but does eat some food by mouth. I really appreciate your prayers. His name is Charles Rhine. I turn a whopping 58 years young tomorrow! I am glad to be healthy and surrounded by family and friends who love me and care for me. Keri said she'd take me out to lunch in Pampa tomorrow, but I opted for her to come help me clean house. I've been putting that off for at least a year now. If the wind would stop blowing, I'd plant the drooping flowers I bought a coupla weeks ago!!! I'm going to try growing sweet potatoes as hanging plants on the front porch. Happy Easter to all & God bless all of you! Love, Claudia