Baby cuc's are here!

 

Can you see it? It's there, my little baby cucumber! I am a momma to a garden now. I am so EXCITED! This pic was the other day, and we have had rain the last few days and when I checked this morning, we have A LOT more. I counted at least 10 little baby cucs.

This is awesome because I was getting worried I wouldn't have any cucumbers this year. And no cucumbers means....NO PICKLES. Dad's garden isn't doing anything this year. So glad I am able to have a garden this year. I have about 5 other plants that are just now starting to get their flowers blooming, so fingers crossed they will have some baby cucs when I get back from my mission trip.

YES....I leave next week for my mission and I am so excited to be returning for medical missions. I will have updates and stories on my mission blog. Check it out!  https://onemission4him.blogspot.com/      

Well, I know I will be busy canning pickles when I return and I can't wait. I love doing this and it is actually something that I am good at! I can't say that about a lot that I do, but I do pickles well. My hubs doesn't like the pickle smell my kitchen has when I am done, but I think it is heavenly. Next year, I will need to plant more than the 2 I started with. I am pretty sure I can add gardening to the things that I am doing pretty well with!

Keep growing, keep praying, keep looking to God. He will provide!

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

Love to all,

a check in

 

Well, it's been a year since I made a life change. I just wanted to check in with you and give an update.

I have to say that I am still happy with my decision in changing my job. It has been life changing in my personal life. I have to say that my stress has dramatically been decreased. I continue to lose weight. I have not made it to my personal goal, but I am almost there. It has been slower since I have gone off the GLP-1 shots and switched to oral medications. But I have less side effects and still losing weight. 

Overall, I do not regret anything. I see God's hand in all of this and looking back, I understand why so many doors closed on opportunities that I was trying to move into. Like I alway say, trust in God and have faith. He will lead you where you need to go and where you need to be. 

Psalm 28:7 (ESV); "The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song, I give thanks to him."

Love to all,

Our family did a thing!

 We had a wedding! It has taken me a week to recover, and I wasn't the one to get married! But the wedding was a success. Did I mention it was outside, at my house? The weather was great. Our house was big enough for everyone and all the food. It was just a great day. 

And you would be proud of me. I did not "take over" anything, I helped and made sure that everything fell into place. Now ask me if I wanted to take over.....well yes. That is what I do. But it wasn't my day, so I behaved. 

It was the first time that I met K's parents. Her and my son have been together for about 3 yrs and we have never met her parents. I have to say I was a little nervous. Why? Because we are now family. When I go married, it seemed like our parents just got along, but they knew each other before we got married. Remember, me and hubs met at church! Well, I have to say her parents are wonderful. And her grandmother too. I think our new family is going to be just fine.

This momma is now grasping onto the reality that her baby boy is not only an adult, but a married man now. But in all of this, I have a new daughter added to our family. I look forward to watching them grow in their love and seeing all that they have to experience. 

Hebrews 10:24-25

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Love to all,

A time of reflection

 This has been a busy time for our family. Reflecting on 2026, it has not disappointed! Finishing our home. Moving. Life changes. And now a WEDDING! Yes, that is what I said. My son is getting married to a wonderful, amazing and beautiful young lady. I am so excited for them and their new beginnings with each other. And did I say that the wedding is at MY HOUSE?!! Well it is. Lots of preparations going on this week to get ready for the big day, which is tomorrow!

But as I am busy to do my "to do" list to prepare to help make their day the best and most memorable, I can't help to stop and reminisce of the time me and hubs got married, 36 years ago. Oh my, it has been a long time and we were so young, I was 22! I can't even imagine how we made it so young. And I thought I was so grown up! I thought I knew everything to life. 

Back in the day, it was so much formalites, but it seems to today weddings are just to be simple, small. It is so intimate and seems, well, easier. No pressure. I can remember running around everywhere and planning our wedding for about a year, getting all the details just right. For the wedding "show". and it was all for just 20 minutes!  All that work for a short time. The flowers, the dress, the cake, the reception. But the fun was afterwards, the reception. I remember my first dance, all the family and friends there celebrating with us. And I had to have helium balloons for my dance floor. I remember my papaw helping me blow up all of those balloons to  cover the ceiling of the dance floor. And tie on the red and black ribbons! On every one of those balloons. 

That is how is should be, surrounded by those important to you in your life, who support you. 

My prayer for my son and my new daughter in love is for joy and love all your life. Just know that you are loved so much in my heart. I pray that my life, marriage has been an example to my children of a Godly and supportive marriage for them throughout their life. I know I have had this with my parents, aunts/uncles and my hubs parents to show us what marriage looks like with God as the center. 

Genesis 2:24 - Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Ephesians 5:25 - Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

Mark 10:6-9 - But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Love to all,

Dig through the rocks

 

I am working hard! It may not look like it, but I was. Yesterday, I planted 2 cucumber plants to "test" the dirt at the new homestead. Yes only 2. I am not using them for pickles, or maybe I will. Dad is still manning the cuc garden at his house this year, but hopefully, next year, I will have the garden going. But I need to see if the spot I picked, will be good for growing those future pickles.

As I was digging, It started to become harder to dig the hole. I kept hitting rocks! The more I dug, the harder it was. And the sun was so HOT, which didn't help. I literally had to stop and take a break, or I was going to pass out! Man I am getting old. But I got them planted and fingers crossed, they will grow!

When I got done, I started to think about hard it was to plant them. Sometimes life is like that. We have rocks in our life that we have to dig through. But when we make it through that, we will have some beautiful fruit to show. 

Don't stop, keep going, digging through those rocks. You will find some soil to grow in.

Psalm 18:2; The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Love to all,