Catching up....

Looking back at all of my post over the past few years.... WOW, I really have a LOT of catching up to do! :o) LMDQ is about to graduate high school in June and begin her new journey as a college student and living on her own. Her plans at this time are to go to Boone and live in Grandma's apt. I think this is a wonderful idea....all the way around! :o) LMS is a jr. in high school and it looking very forward to going to her first HS prom. Both girls are driving, which takes some strain/pressure off of Mr Rooster and I...however just adds the stress of worrying about them on the road. Oh, and it adds a couple more car payments...AND insurance, whoa!! But you do what you gotta do! You have heard the saying "It is all in God's hand now." Yep, that is SO right. They have partially flown the coup and forced with making those daily decisions that we used to make FOR them. But I know that God is by their side...helping them make the right choices. I just hope/pray that THEY realize it as well. Raise you children well, so that when they go out into the world, they will become good stewards for the Lord. I hope Mr Rooster and I have done that. Well, I do not have many followers (Jeanine & Renee, I love you :o) thank you for keeping me virtually connected), and that is just perfect for me...cause I obviously canNOT keep up with blogging. But it is always cool to read back over the years for me. Life is good. We are blessed beyond measure, in SO many ways. I just hope that I spread those blessings with others on a daily basis. Peace out for today....

Friends......

Ok..so it has been a while.....
This summer is flying by SOOOOOO fast! Seems like the girls were in school and we were looking forward to our beach vacation for the summer!...well, that has come and gone :o( A week with 6 teenagers and 2 of our bestest friends in the world....we had our best vacation yet at Garden City, SC...it was a perfect week! :o)
Now we have less than one month until school starts all over again! This will be a great year...both grils (yes, I said grils) in High School...my where did time go...you turn your head and they are grown up so fast! LMDQ will be a sophomore and LMS will be a freshman!...WOW!
I am in Boone for a few more hours. LMS and I came to see Grandma for a couple of days and to feel this much cooler weather of the NC mountains! I have enjoyed our time together this week, as she has been an only child...and has played us to the hilt on that one! :o)~ DQ is at OIB with her dearest girlfriends, M, I and M! I know they are having a blast this week...oh to be young again! I have missed her bunches and know she has had a wonderful week...but I am ready to have her home again!

This morning I was enjoying this beautiful view of a mountain and the sun rising above it and having my coffee...and reflecting on so many things in life. As I pondered, it brought me to this....
I ran into a dear friend from High School last night at Pepper's Restaurant...she and her husband were having dinner. I bring this up because they were eating alone. Their 2 kids are grown and her son is in college and her daughter is married and expecting in 7 weeks....(blows me away that one of my best friends from high school is going to be a Grandma...AND the fact that she still looks the same as the day we graduated!) ok...so I am getting to my point here ( I know I can ramble and get side tracked easily). It got me thinking...she said to me..."yes, we are alone...we always are now!..the kids are grown!"...lol)...well it got me thinking this morning......how blessed I am with such wonderful friends in my life...there are some really special people in my life...I may not talk to them every day...or even every week...but they mean the world to me! They go back to my earliest days...or last few years. They have stood beside me thru think and thin!..and I really mean that! So...my first point of this is...my husband, Mr. Rooster....he has been my best friend for almost 17 years now and I am so happy for that. You know kids will keep you running...be they babies, toddlers or teenagers...then they REALLY grow up and go to college, move away...get lives of their own, etc...so this 'glue' keeps you together for all of those years..but when they are gone...what do you have left?...each other?...you better not only LOVE them...but LIKE them as well :o) And I am soooo happy that I have a husband that I look forwrd to enjoying our 'old' time together. I will miss our grils dearly...but look forward to rocking on the porch with my old man one day...I am so blessed...I love Mr Rooster....but most of all ...I LIKE him!..my best friend.:o)

k...so gonna go one step further and tell you about a friend that I have had forever (literally)...has been there through thick and thin...ups and downs...good and bad and NEVER changes. He is responsible for the person that I am today and why I have so many dear friends IN my life. As dear as all of my friends are..none would lay down thier lives for me...but HE did. That 'He' would be Jesus Christ :o) He will never forsake me...turn his back on me...NEVER leave my side. PRAISE GOD!

Joseph Scriven inscribed the words to a beloved hymn called "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" in 1857. I think of this song when I think of all of my wonderful earthly friends...cause He has blessed me so! :o)

The words written at the beginning of this song....
"What a Friend we have in Jesus
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privlege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!"

and of course....some words form the second verse..
"Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a Friend so faithful?"

The awnser is NO!...I have tons of great people in my life...but none so faithful as My friend, Jesus.

So...point number 1. I am glad I am married to my BEST friend...and will enjoy his company for as long as our lives here on earth are joined...
2. I thank God for placing each friend in my life for what ever reason/season He sees/saw fit....
3. What a friend we have in Jesus!

In closing (I know this has been really long, but I have to make up for lost blogging time!...lol)........

Nothing but heaven itself is better than a friend who is really a friend. ~Plautus


If instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend, that would be giving as the angels give. ~George MacDonald

and scripture...

Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:

If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!"
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 New King James Version

Love to all of my friends!
Denise :o)

Prayer for today:
Dear Lord, my best friend....I pray for my daughters and all of my friends/family to know that YOU are The Friend that will always be by their sides...forever.
Amen

Father's Day

I knew when God chose you for me...that it was meant to be. David, you are a wonderful and loving Father to our girls. You have taught them how to love...and to keep Christ in their hearts first...always. I got so lucky...2 times in life....with my own Father (RIP Daddy)...and then to have you as my husband and Father to my children. I love you more than you know..... Denise

Wow......

6 June 2012.....wow, time flies! I can not believe that my girls school years are this close to an end. And then of course Summer is upon us with so much to do that I am not sure we can get it all done before they go back to school in Aug. See...there is my point....wishing and worrying away our lives. How many times have we heard..."live a day at a time"!...or "take it day by day"...sometimes I do just that....but other times, like when I was on the phone with a friend yesterday.....I found myself saying.."yes, after this week...we have to go to see Grandma in the mountains (she is really missing us...bad!)..and then DQ wants to learn tennis this year.....a week planned at the beach and each of them going back with friends for another week. Get to SC to see family and would love to fit in a trip to Charleston to see our niece this summer! Ok...see where this is going?..I have already planned and wished away the whole summer before it has even begun...and almost are to the point of beginning school again in the Fall. whew!!...time sure flies!

Looking backwards......
I try survived a whole week of teaching 6th graders this week...topped of with a field day to boot in the end (and on a HOT Saturday!)!!...I sure was wishing this week away!!...LOL But in the end...it will be a good paycheck and by the time I get paid, I won't even remember what a week it WAS!!...lol

Looking forward.... to today, my Lord's day...everyday is my Lord's day...but Sundays are just special...going to church and being with my church family...it feels like a Reunion every week to see those people that are special to me. Maybe I should plan on visiting with some of them during the week this summer...what do you think?....will I find the time?...lol Hearing God;s message brought thru my Pastor...most days I know that God is talking directly thru him to me :o)
God is so good..everyday. Let me open my ears and have my eyes wide open to Him this day....

Denise

Movies & Memorial Day

Movie Movie Movie....all weekend long!! :o) Last night we had Movie Night at our church....everything is FREE....admission, popcorn, soda....and the homemade cookies that were made by one of our famous cooking church ladies! We watched 'The Blind Side'...wonderful movie!! I have seen it about 5 times now...lol I know know a lot more about football positions than I ever knew before.

Today I am having a little bit of a 'chicky' afternoon. Going to a matinee to see the newest 'Sex and the City' movie. I never watched the series when it was on HBO years ago...but I did see the 1st movie with my Beach gals about a year ago....and it was funny! So... meeting some fun chicks (you know who you are!) this afternoon to see 'Sex and the City 2'...ready to laugh and have a great time! Then home later to be with The Fam (that is what DQ refers to our complete family unit...lol) to probably go see yet ANOTHER movie in Graham, 'Shutter Island'. Not sure about this one yet, as it is a rated R and very intense movie....we shall see...I think Mr. Rooster can take DQ and her friend to see it... and LMS and I...well, I am sure there is ice cream around to find :o)

I am looking forward to this weekend....but my thoughts are not far away from the reason of the celebration of this Memorial Day weekend. In remembrance of all of those that have died in our Nations Armed Forces...I say 'Thank You"...and God bless your families that gave you up to defend/support this country.

God Bless America......

Saving $$

Ok...so I went to this 'coupon class' that a friend of mine had at our church this past weekend. I got really excited, because I really think this is something that I can do...you know...shopping, talking to people...spending money..and saving $$ all the while...right down mt alley. SO... I convinced Mr. Rooster to let me go give it whirl, you know.... while the Harris Teeter was doing double coupons. He said yes (very nervously) but he checked my list and all my clipped coupons and made me promise that I would not buy ANYthing that was not on my list. I went hungry (it was right before lunch) and that is the worst time to go into a grocery store, ya know? Well...turns out...there are A LOT of folks out there that really take advantage of the coupon system. I mean like really serious folks. Very friendly people that don't mind sharing some of their insights to this new little world to me. Ok...so it took me a while, because I am not a Harris Teeter shopper (well, I am really not allowed to be the family grocery shopper, period.)...but after a while, I got the hang of it. Even put some coupons back in my little bag, cause I felt like we really didn't need what it was...and if it wasn't FREE or under a dollar...I couldn't justify buying it. And the whole point of this trip was to prove to Mr. Rooster that I could go into the store and come out with exactly what was on the list (with coupons) and save $$. Now, how did I do? Well....I saved more that I spent!! :o) At least that is what the little cashier/Manager at the register told me with an excited voice! I guess Mr. Rooster might actually let me go back and do this again...soon, I hope! It was a fun treasure hunt and it was a very strict self-discipline lesson for me. Glad I past this test with flying colors :o)

Sunday Mornings....

Sunday morning and it is so peaceful with Mr. Rooster in front of me at his laptop and LMS still in bed and DQ at a friends house. Ahhhhhh peaceful. :o) I know today will be a great day...full of things to get done...but great none the less! :o) After a very exhausting 2 weeks, with a prom for Miss DQ ( she IS just a Freshman!) and an 8th grade dance for LMS this past Friday evening...I am exhausted and Mr. Roosters pockets are empty. I am so very proud of my young ladies and they both looked fabulous (they hate it when I use that word...lol) . It is all a part of growing up (which they are doing WAY too fast!).
Sunday is going to be good..church and then my youth group in the afternoon. It is a small group these days but they are (here it comes again...) a FABULOUS bunch! Maybe I can work in a Sunday afternoon short nap after lunch...cause it is a rainy day...and ooooo I love a nap on a rainy day!! :o) well, tata for now....

Denise