Fav Quote

"Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow.  The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing. -- Abraham Lincoln

Our AM Country Back Road Adventure

This is the AFTER shot of Jamie's and my "adventure" this morning on our way in to HQ.  I have lived on this back country road for awhile now, and I have NEVER had to stop my car, get out, walk and sink down in mud with my heels to move a downed tree branch from a storm the previous night, but I did this AM!  It was NOT fun getting my feet and shoes all muddy and dragging a tree branch, but having a friend there with me made it an adventure.  Good friends help their friends move a fallen tree branch trampling through mud!  :-)  Again, this is the AFTER shot.  We couldn't and didn't have time to totally remove it as shown in the pic.  Only enough to get by.  I drove to the left around the remnant pieces of branch as shown above.

Just A Few Candid AC Graduation Weekend Shots from The Cam :-)!

 Just a few of the many photos I took at this years AC graduation!

My personal favorite part of the graduation weekend is seeing the sheer joy on the graduates faces.  They have worked so hard for that moment in life.  There is so much joy at AC grad that it's contagious and makes you so happy for the graduates.  I love it!

ABOVE:  Kyle T. and Michael.  I am going to miss these two super guys, but it's neat that they get to take the education away from here and share it with others abroad.

 Above:  I love this Uncle/Nephew Shot of Mr. Cocomise and Kyle

 BELOW:  A few little pics I shot at a private Saturday Evening dinner my family hosted for a few of the Seniors and Sophomores and their family's at my brother and sister in laws home.

Sophia Keeping Us Entertained On Mother's Day

ABOVE:  Sophia impressed by Aunt CC's lip sound effects

BELOW:  Something about the ceiling is just so fascinating.  :-)

What are you doing, Aunt CC?  Can I come over and see?  Ready or not here I come.  :-)

Working on Standing Up.......Sophia is ready to go straight from just learning to crawl to walking.  She's a real go-getter. :-)  Maybe we should get her a baby walker her size instead of her thinking she can fit Grandma's adult size one.  LOL!

 Rocking out with a paper towel roll.  LOL!

 Daddy and Mommy are helping me to learn to walk.  Forget about this crawling business, I want to walk.  :-)

Our Most Special Mother's Day!

 This Mother's Day is special!  If God hadn't intervened, this could have been my first mother's day not observed personally.  I'm so thankful to still have my mom here physically.  Mom's are such a blessing that shouldn't be taken for granted.  In today's society, it's really sad.  True womanhood is looked upon as silly and not very intellectual when in reality, true womanhood is awesome how God intended it to be.  Through all of this, I have learned how wonderful my mom really is, and she is a true lady of faith.  She's never been in the workforce, didn't get a big degree, but took her God given role seriously to stay at home and take care of her family putting God first as the central focus.  That's a beautiful woman and  real lady that I have for a mom.  Above Photo by Sonia Coats shot this past week.

 We are so blessed with some of the best friends any person could ask for.  Mom has received so many visitors, in moderation.  Recovering from a heart attack means lots of rest and peace and quiet, but every now and then she really enjoys the visits from our best friends.  Not shown is Aimee Goulet, Melinda Brown, and a few others I missed on camera. 

 Mom still being alive is a true miracle.  Below all of the pics I have put a brief account of what happened.  I do sometimes post miracles on my blog, and this by far is the biggest one.  It has taken me awhile to post b/c of being tired and the emotional side of dealing with it, but finally, it's time.

 Our Family Miracle!

My mom was at my home feeling normal when she suddenly told me she felt really, really sick , and then she fell unconscious in my arms and stopped breathing and had no pulse.  It was so sudden.  I cannot describe how scary that was.  I laid her on my floor and cried out to God out loud screaming over and over to help in a big panic, and then begin CPR and mouth to mouth resuscitation immediately.  After maybe two or three minutes, it worked and she started breathing on her own again, and then came to and was confused what was going on.  I told her that I thought she had a heart attack and told her to stay lying on the floor, and then all of a sudden she started having VERY severe pains again and a little convulsing, but at least she was conscious and breathing w/a pulse  She must have thought she was dying b/c she told me to hurry and bring my Bible and lay it in front her and turn to a specific scripture, so I did.  She started asking for Stephen and my dad in a way that scared me she was dying b/c she really wanted to see them right that second, but I hadn't had time to even make them aware of the situation yet.  Then, I grabbed the phone and called the minister.  I then phoned my dad and told him what was happening, and then ran across the yard banging on my brothers door until he opened.  I then called mom's sister, my Aunt Mary so she would know and could pray.  Then she went back into severe pain and vomiting with a minor convulsion  Everyone arrived at my place and my mom got a little better, still really bad off, but you could see God intervening so she didn't die.  My mom is one of the kindest, helpful, sweetest ladies I know, and it's not just b/c she's my mom.  She's amazing, so it was hard to see her suffer. 

Cutting the story short and coming to the present 1.5 months later.  Mom is still recovering at my house.  We are okay and have already witnessed a miracle, but she's not completely out of the woods yet.  My mom died in my arms 1.5 months ago and I witnessed first hand God bringing her back to life.  What an awesome God we serve!

Thank you all for being our family friends!  Everyone's prayers are appreciated.  We're okay and trusting in God and grateful to Him! 

After 10 years!..... :-)

This is why it has taken 10 years to put in the intercom/camera system at my desk.....Wow!  Hats off to the techy IT guys!.....Travis L., Benjamin T., and my brother.  Pulling wires through different rooms, through the ceiling.  Genius men they are!