Good morning world!  So happy it is Friday!  What about you?  It's funny to me that when I was in the working world, way way back when, I got excited about Fridays because it meant the weekends.  Sleeping in on Saturdays, unless the kids had events such as a swim meet.  Then cleaning that didn't get done during the week and grocery shopping for the next week.  

Now, I'm not out in the workforce.  I have worked at home on and off.  And for the most part, Fridays weren't as exciting as they once were.  Except for the weekends that we go camping!  Since Patrick has been driving a big rig, Fridays are exciting again.  He comes home!  I really miss him during the week.  We talked almost daily.  Text pretty often as well.  It's not the same.  I'll admit the day he leaves and sometimes the next day is my sad day.  That is what I call it.  After a year and a half, it's gotten a little better.  

Today, I'm leaving in about an hour or so to go to Branson, Missouri.  It's only about a 2-hour drive.  We spent our honeymoon there.  And over the 26 years of marriage, we have spent a lot of anniversary weekends enjoying shows, attractions, and the countryside.  We have been there for about 3 or 4 years, definitely pre-Covid.  

This is it for now.  I need to get finished gathering things and get to the car wash before I start out.  

Just a few of my thoughts and actions,

Elizabeth

A brand new day!

 Good morning world!  Already been busy this morning.  I rarely to never go to bed with dishes in the sink.  I did last night.  I wasn't feeling all that great last night.  I normally would ask a son to wash dishes.  But last night, I didn't.  So I woke up to an extra mess to clean up.  UGH!  

This is not my sink, but you get the idea!  And mine was worse than this.

On the first of this year, I decided to detox my home.  Over the past few years, even earlier, when I was writing this blog, I was making my own personal care items, making meals from scratch instead of boxes, gardening and canning, along with other healthier choices.  However, I was still using some plastic storage containers.  Under my sick was a toxic wasteland.  

I have since cleaned out under the kitchen sink.  Got rid of most of the plastic.  Still using a plastic pitcher for sweet tea. Either a gallon jar or 2 half-gallon mason jars. I still have to think about this.

Also, I made my first tincture of mulleins.  It helped us through some flu A that was going through my house.  My yard and field are a smorgasbord of medicinal plants.  As soon as I can, I'll be harvesting and preserving as much as I can.

I have strayed somewhat from the old-fashioned lifestyle that I still crave.  However, I'm going to work on returning to it.  

The other thing I am returning to is going back to my routines.  Some I use are from Flylady.  Some from what was done in the '50s.  

Just a few of my thoughts and actions.

Elizabeth

It's been quite a while!

 Oh my!  How long has it been?  A few years since I've written here.  It use to be an almost daily thing for me.  Well, here goes.  I'm going to try it again.  

I've read through several of my old posts and I'm amazed at all I use to get done in a day.  So much has changed over the years.  I'm older.  My boys have grown up.  Tommy and David are back home for a bit for different reasons.  PJ is married!  I have a wonderful daughter-in-love, Lexi!  They are so suited for each other.  AND, they are expecting in June!!!  I can't wait!  Even though she is not my first grandchild, it feels like it in some ways.  There is a story to that for another time.  I do have a grandson, David's son Dre.  I claim his baby brother Saint as well.  

They are so cute!  Usually, they are at my house every weekend.  And I'm ok with that.  

Patrick got sick pretty badly a couple of years ago, right before Covid hit.  They found that he had mold toxicity.  If we hadn't found the right doctor when we did, he could have died.  Mold is not anything to mess around with.  So now he drives for TMC Transportation, a flatbed trucking company.  He loves it!  I get to go with him when I have someone here to take care of the critters, chickens, ducks, horses, dogs, cats.  I absolutely love going with him on his truck for the week!  Being an Air Force Brat, I still love traveling and seeing everything.

This is about it for now.  I'll keep this up daily again as I can.  Not sure about this coming weekend as Patrick and I are going to Branson for our anniversary.  Did I forget to mention that today we have been married for 26 years?  We have and I love him more today than ever.

Just a few of my thoughts,

Elizabeth

God is still in Control....After all this time!

Good morning world!  I've been looking at this blank page for a few days now.  Decided to go ahead and start writing again.  A whole lot has happened in two years time.

God is so good!  I now have a daughter!  Follow Him and He will give you the desires of your heart.  I seemed destined to have sons.  I have longed for a daughter for years!  I am, as of July 10, 2019, the proud parent of a big bouncing 15 yr old girl.  She is 16 now.  And I should have said WE have a daughter.  Our family of 5 is now our family of 6.  My boys are now 21, 20, and 19.  The 19 yr old is now back home again for a while.  The two older boys have been moved out for some time.

We have traveled the road of having kids messing with drugs and that lifestyle.  All the while fighting for them in as many ways as possible, praying and other ways.  As far as I know for now, no one is using drugs.  And when I say drugs, I include the use of pot, weed, marijuana.  Apparently, I age myself with the terms I use.

A couple of years ago, we stopped fostering.  That was the right decision for us.  It was right for a season.  The result?  Our daughter!

We still live on our small farm.  We still have a business of HVAC and appliance repair.  I'm still me.
A little older... not sure about the wiser.  So I guess some things have not changed.  Rereading this I did not say things have changed, just that a lot has happened. 

God is still in control.  That NEVER changes.  During all the circumstances, God is still good!  I am still breathing.  Still able to walk, talk, move!  I am blessed beyond measure!  I have a wonderful family, immediate and extended.  I have a wonderful church family.  I, I, I, I....... believe none of this would be possible with out God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit! 

Is my family perfect?  Nope.  I'm not perfect, forgiven.  Just saved, covered by the blood of Jesus! 

Things still happen.  Life goes on.....

Be blessed and be a blessing!

Just some of my thoughts and actions,

Elizabeth

Mother's Day Blessings!

Good morning world.  Happy Mother's Day to all!  This is definitely a bitter sweet day for me.  First of all it reminds me of the infertility problems I had so many years ago when Patrick and I were trying to have a baby.  The roller coaster of emotions I went through each time I thought I was pregnant, then the test was negative.

Second, getting our first foster kids oh so many years ago too.  They were babies at 1 year and 8 months old.  I fell in love instantly as did Patrick.  Then we had the chance to not only adopt them, but also their baby brother!  What a blessing!  These babies are now 19, 18, and 17.

However, with that sweet feeling of having our family complete came the knowledge that another Mom would be experiencing grief at the permanent loss of her kids.

Which brings me to current time.  A year ago or so, we decided to foster again.  A wider age group than the first time to include teenagers from the start.  Today, the 4 we have in our home are away from their Moms.  No matter what has happened in their short lives, no matter who is at fault, no matter how bad it was, they still love their Mom.  And they will not see her today.

My Mom passed away 4 years ago on Mother's Day.  I decided to not go by the date of her passing, but to go by Mother's Day to honor her.

My prayer for each of you today is to have a great day no matter what your circumstances are today in reference to Mother's Day.  May God bless you abundantly!

I have always wanted a large family.  God has given me the desires of my heart, although it is not exactly how I imagined it at the young age of 14.

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Just some of my thoughts and actions,

Elizabeth

Not spending time with the Lord lately?

Good morning world.  I am still having a hard time getting up in the morning since the kids have for a while rode the bus in the mornings.  I get up before them, get them up, they make their beds, get dressed, do their chores, and are off to walk the quarter of a mile up our dirt road to the bus stop.

I like getting up at least 30 to 40 minutes before the kids.  My routine during that time is to get up, dress, get water heating for tea, read a devotion, scriptures, check email, post on facebook, enjoy the quiet.  That is getting up around 6 or 6:15.  During that time I was taking the kids to school.

I really miss my quiet time.  My sleep routine is completely off.  Yesterday I was so tired after church, I fell asleep on the couch.  I slept for several hours.  Not good.  So when it was time to go to bed, I was NOT tired or sleepy.  Went to bed last night about 1am.  Not a good thing.  Did I want to get up this morning?  NO!  However, I did after hitting the snooze button on the alarm several times.

So what do I do?  My attitude has not been the best.  I have not been  spending time with the Lord as I had before.  There is a little over a week left until school is out for the kids.  I feel I need to get this figured out and get to bed at a decent time so my routines can go back to normal before the they get out of school.

Here is what I have decided to do today.  After I get the kids to bed, I am going to take a shower.  Drink a cup of relaxing chamomile tea.  Find a book to read.  And get to bed by 10pm.  At times that is difficult to do as I have one son who works Monday nights.  I usually stay awake until he gets home.  Tonight, I will at least know where he is after work.  Oh and the book is to read in bed for at least 15 minutes.

Hopefully this will help!  I will let you know tomorrow!

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Just some of my thoughts and actions,

Elizabeth

A day in the life of....me!

Good morning world.  A day in the life of ...me.  I will start out with saying this might be a long post.  For the most part, I had always thought I had a pretty normal life, even when I was little.  As I have grown up, I realize my life has been anything but normal.

As an Air Force Brat, we moved every 2 to 3 years, lived in the Phillipeans and in Germany, as well as several different cities in 3 states.

As an adult, even though I have lived in or near the same town for the past 20 years, we have lived in different houses,  Since I had fertility problems, we adopted a sibling group of 3 through the foster system many years ago.  Our boys are now 19, 18, and 17.  And have had them since they were babies.

We are now fostering again after leaving the foster system about 10 to 12 years ago.  Right now we have a sibling group of 3 ( 2 boys and 1 girl) and a single girl of 13.  So the age ranges right now in our home is 19, 18, 17, 16, 14, 13, 12.  Two of them have had birthdays since being in our home.  We have 2 girls and 5 boys.

So here is a typical day.  I get up first.  Now that the foster kids are taking the bus in the mornings, they  have to get up earlier, about 5:45 to 5:50 depending on me.  They walk to the top of the dirt road at 6:45 after getting their beds made, dressed, chores, teeth and hair brushed.

As I am waiting on them, I read my devotion.  Then I check the news and weather, along with facebook if time permits.  After they leave, I will have another cup of tea (I quit the coffee habit back in March or late February).  Usually I have already started laundry going again.  So I will switch it around, fold whatever needs folded.  Then off to the kitchen.  Wash or load the dishes from late last night or early this morning.  Wipe the counters off again.  Sweep the floors, dust mop the living room.  Dust if needed.  Then off to make, or I should say remake, our bed.  Patrick will sort of make it.  So I straighten it up some.  Since I was sick the past couple of months, I tend to still get tired pretty easily.  So about this time I get dinner in the crock pot if it's going to be supper.  Then I rest for a while or the remaining kids at home and I will head to the classroom.

I still have spring cleaning to get done.  I plan on getting the kids to help with that.  An area behind a free standing bar has turned into a catch all spot.  That is one area that I have on my schedule for this weekend.  The computer room is another.

During my time of rest, I usually am found checking email or looking up something on the Internet.  At night before I go to bed, I check the calender for the next day as to any appointments the kids might have. Those will dictate whether the kids ride the bus or will be picked up.

Afternoons are usually reserved for homework, afternoon chores, and a time for play, outside if weather permits.  Supper, almost always as a family at the table.  Bedtimes are strictly enforced in this home.

Usually something comes up that I am not able to get done the things I would like.  But that's life.  I want to paint more in my studio.  And I try to get in there when the kids are outside playing.  We try to not have the TV on during the day at all.  Most days that is doable.

So this is about it.  Of course, I did not write about the fussing, fighting that goes with 7 kids.  The talking back, not getting chores done or even started, not putting away clean clothes, and such is life, right?

Again, sorry for the length of this post.

Be blessed and be a blessing.

Just some of my thoughts and actions,

Elizabeth