A Day of Art - My Art Is For Sale

Today has been...

::happy sigh::

...perfect.

Perfect sunshine.  Perfect time of prayer on my back porch with a perfect friend.  (All my friends are perfect.  A God-given gift and grace I have not earned and do not deserve.)  Perfect time with my Preacher, enjoying the flowers of spring on our city's Dogwood Trails.  The Preacher grilled me a ribeye for dinner.  And I got to spend hours and hours shooting pictures and making art!

And since our church is raising money for a missions trip, I am going to fling caution to the wind and let you know that anything you see is up for sale - half of all proceeds (because I need to reinvest half to replenish my supplies) will go to fund our youth group's mission trip to the streets of California - where they will do street evangelism, hard core, with our good friend Mike Giordano and his LifeQuest ministry!  (Friend Mike on Facebook...check him out, he's the real deal!)

Please email me if you are interested in anything you see below!  Remember - half of all proceeds go directly to my church to fund our youth's mission trip, the other half will be spent at Jerry's Art-O-Rama, replenishing my supplies so I can paint/shoot even more, hopefully raising more much needed funds!

Feel free to share this blog post on your Facebook or any other social media - I'd love to raise some serious cash for our Harvest kids, several of whom are from a single parent family!

(Click on any image below, for a larger view)

"Amazing Grace"

 A color print of this can be yours, your choice of 4x6 ($10, postage paid) or 5x7 ($12 postage paid)

 1 "Amazing Grace" has SOLD - but more are available - just let me know

 Again, your choice of 4x6 ($10 shipping included).....or 5x7 ($12, shipping included)

"Delight"

 ...same price as above...

"Spring"

If you want any of the following florals, same thing applies - $10 for a 4x6, shipping included, or $12 for a 5x7, shipping included.  These are all from my gardens, shot on my porch.  If you want a larger size, email me and I'll see what I can do:

I heart the texture in this photo - the crackled antique wooden toolbox with the violets, the bright orange glass, the dwarf iris...beautiful!  Or, you might love this version:

"Grow In Grace"

1 "Grow in Grace" has SOLD - but I can print more...please continue to order this one if you want it.

"Bottled Sunshine"



Again, I love this photo's texture.  I am reluctant to re-stain our deck, because the crackled patina makes for some beautiful pictures.

"Spring Iris"

 ::happy sigh::  This photo was a joy to shoot.

"Colorwashed Spring Iris"

The canvas I completed last week is for sale.  Here are pictures of the end of the process:

This is inks and acrylics, with a part of a page of the Catechism.  It's my favorite of the few canvases I've completed.  It was done in gesso, guache, acrylics, stamps, pages, and it was all hand lettered.  Here is a better shot of it:

 $45, shipping included (still available - last one!)

Next, here is the first canvas I ever completed, done in acrylic, gesso, ink, and watercolor, a bit of General's Sketch and Wash pencil, layered onto the pages of an antique book:

very "folk art", very graphic... 

 This one is $45, shipping included

SOLD

Lastly, this is the 10x10 canvas I completed today, in acrylics and guache, antique hymnal papers and vintage print papers, modeling paste, stencil, inks, crackling medium, and even some watercolor:




$45, shipping included.  SOLD

This would look beautiful against any neutral wall, white, candlelight, ivory, or soft gray.  The camera doesn't do it justice - there is lots of texture that the camera isn't picking up on.

Please click on this link for more available prints

For now, please email me if you want any of the above pieces.  (You'll find my email link at the upper to middle right of my blog page, below my picture.)  I am throwing caution to the wind and diving straight into this, as I said, so I don't have my Paypal button up on my blog just yet, but I will figure out how to do it, and get it up ASAP.

Oh, That Scandalous Martin Luther!

"If you are a preacher of Grace, then preach a true, not a fictitious grace; if grace is true, you must bear a true and not a fictitious sin. God does not save people who are only fictitious sinners. Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly. For he is victorious over sin, death, and the world...pray boldly - you too are a mighty sinner." (Weimar ed. vol. 2, p. 371; Letters I, "Luther's Works," American Ed., Vol 48. p. 281- 282)

"If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong, but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.  ...Do you think such an exalted Lamb paid merely a small price with a meager sacrifice for our sins? Pray hard for you are quite a sinner." (same original source document, as cited above)

Luther, Luther, Luther...you and the Apostle Paul were so scandalous.  You were so unapologetic with the Gospel.  You preached grace straight up - no fruity mixed concoctions in your preaching.  Reading your words is much like throwing back a shot of 100 proof whiskey...or getting slapped in the face.  We either decide we hate it, or we thank you because we need it.

Thanks.

I Now Have a Studio

Well, there's something to be said for using what you have.  And I now have an art studio.

And guess what?  I love it.

It's my dining room.  I have been enjoying working in mixed media more and more - and getting better at it, with each project.  So, on a whim, I emptied one of my china cabinets of all its china, and filled it with (some of) my art supplies.

(Click on any picture to see a larger view of it...)

 This is what it looks like when things are all in their place, and the door shut...

 ...a little bit of a clearer view...

 ...top shelf...with its brushes, watercolor pencils, micron ink pens, and General's Sketch and Wash pencils.  Were you to peek in that oak antique drawer, you'd find an unbelievable amount of watercolor cards, even snippets of fabric and antique papers, gesso's, matte medium, washi tapes, various glues...

 ...top and middle shelves.  That middle shelf has my small canvases, my handmade watercolor paper journal, a stack of large stamps, my acrylics, and a small chest of glitters, beads, and antique buttons, all in glass jars, inside the trunk.

...the bottom shelf has a few of my art books, and miscellaneous stuff.

I haven't even taken any pictures of the drawers I emptied of their cloth napkins.  They are now full of gauche paints, watercolor tube paints, acrylic tube paints, and inks in various colors.  I also keep my heat gun, protractors, rulers, and some of my decorative papers in those drawers.

The plan is, once we graduate our youngest from our home school, I will get two whole shelves in our dining room closet back!  Those I will stockpile with the rest of my stuff...the stuff that still waits for a home.

Until I have a whole room I can dedicate to my writing/photography/blogging/Photoshop/painting/sewing/and all my books, I am happy with my dining room table, which is religiously protected with waxed paper every time I sit down to paint.  I also have a plastic tablecloth I am going to begin to use, in order that the entire table is protected...since it is oak.  Ahem.

And people...my friends...creativity is a messy state of being.  My penchant for mis-en-place and my drive to create can seem to be at odds, but I know me.  Until I have an art studio in a separate room, my mis-en-place will win out every time.

If for no other reason than I love how all those art supplies look when they are nicely put away...

 Yes...please do take note of the adorable baby to the right...sigh...I adore that child (my grandson).

 

Messy, messy.  And this is after I cleaned up half of the mess.  I cleaned up half of it before I thought to snap a picture of the chaos.  I almost put the mess all back out, just to get a true picture of it...but...yeah...mis-en-place.  It is ingrained in me, and it wins almost every battle.  Unless I'm very, very ill or my back is out.  Then I (nicely) ask everyone else to mis-en-place for me.

   I almost mixed up my coffee cup with my paint-water...twice.  Twice, I nearly drunk paint water.  Thankfully those brushes sticking up were a huge deterrent.  My hand would sort of go, "Oops..." and move to the coffee cup.

 This is a little mixed-media tag book I've been working on.  The tiny sketch is by my son-in-law, Jonathan Howe, who sells thousand-dollar pieces of art.  But I am not ashamed of my little mixed media labors of love...

 ...Jonathan sketched some mercury glass balls I have hanging from my dining room chandelier, and Hannah did the hand-coloring...

...and I put it all together, to make a tag-sized page in a book I've made for a friend.

There's a peek into my "art studio".  I've learned something else in my old age (I am a grandmother, remember!  I'm so stinking proud of that fact...) and it is this:  when a woman tries to be "prophetic", she messes up every time.  Trying to be a prophetic person will make you strange.  God has gifted me with a prophetic inclination...I simply live my life...and it turns out to be prophetic, many times.

Right now, God has me cultivating an arts skill set.

So I chase down joy, I follow the delights of my heart, and there ends up being something of destiny in it, even if that destiny is simply to inspire others to do what I do and then they do it much better.

I love it when that happens.  In fact, I'm all about that.

So go make something.

Definition: Mis-en-place

I learned a new term awhile back.  It is a cooking term, but I find it applies to all of life - at least for me, it does.  Genius is a feat of association.  ::big Barney Fife sniff::

The term is mis-en-place.  It's French, and pronounced MEEZ-ahn-plahs.  It means "everything in its place beforehand".  Before you cook - you first shop, gather your ingredients, chop and dice and measure and sift and make sure you have all tools you need...

...all before beginning to cook.  It's the work before the work. 

See, if there is one thing I have learned in my life, one idea, other than the fathomless grace of God, that has given me profound insight, it is this:  there's the work before the work, then there's the work, then there's the work after the work.  Every single job you do, large or small, involves these three phases.  In order to truly attain excellence, you have to take all three into consideration and planning.  And if you want to rock  this thing called "life"...learn to love (or at least have a platonic relationship with) all three phases of the work.  Each part of a project, big or small - the before, the during, and the after - has its charm, if you have a vivid imagination.

So many people I know will, for example, wash clothes, but the clothes don't get put away, or don't get ironed.  In other words, they may be clean, but they are not "wear ready".  (I've done it.  When I point a finger, three more are pointing back at me.  I accept this.)  Or folks may wash their clothes, but don't go in beforehand and sort them properly.  (Ahem.  Yeah.  Me, too.)

In my world, a meal is not complete until the sinks are cleared.  And in my world, I do not like to begin to cook unless sinks and surfaces are clean and ready, and ingredients on hand.  This isn't to say I never have a cluttered kitchen or full sinks, I do.  Often enough.  But it never feels right or normal to me.  And it shouldn't.  Who wants to live that way?  Unless there are very mitigating circumstances?  Which brings me back to the first question:  who wants to live that way?

My husband has always called mis-en-place "approach to task".  I prefer mis-en-place because it's French.  Anything French has to be way better - even their superiority complex is better than ours.

"Going along to get along" rates lower and lower on my happiness scale, the older I get.  In fact, going along to get along brings a whole lot of unnecessary stress.  I love me some mis-en-place.  I love approaching each new day, or approaching my work, whatever that may be, with tranquility and a sense of having been prepared.  Which means whatever the last thing it was I worked on?  It needs to be completely finished and all tools put back in place for the next time I need to pull them out.   This pretty much implies that all of life is spent preparing for the work, then doing the work, then tying up the loose ends after the work.

Work is life. 

"Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy ________ "  (that blank gets filled with the word "WORK")

I just spent a couple of hours in my closet today, doing mis-en-place.  I can't consider myself done until the linen pants get their fastener sewed back on, and the cuffs of my brown trousers get cleaned (what is all that, in there?  I am shaking my head over it...how do I manage it?) and the sleeves in a certain dress have to be altered.  Then, and only then, is the job done.  My wardrobe will be ready for what lies ahead of me this year - I will have done the mis-en-place.  Hopefully getting dressed, and dressed well, will be a no-brainer.

After I find me some white skinny jeans.  I shall tell The Preacher, "I'm not shopping.  I'm mis-en-place-ing."

Roasted Cauliflower Soup Recipe - Easy, Feeds a Crowd

If you, like me, are trying to eat more veggies, or if you, unlike me, want to cut back on carbs, you may want to check into cauliflower soup, as opposed to potato soup.  I made some today, it turned out well, and here's how it was done:

Ingredients:  two heads of cauliflower (I used 1 1/2), an onion, some carrots, a stalk of celery, 32 ounces of chicken broth (lower sodium), a stick of butter, some half and half, some flour (you could forego making the roux completely, if gluten is an issue) 

dice about a half cup of carrots, the celery stalk, and the onion.  Put it all in a colorful bowl for it's photo shoot, because you are a goober-blogger-geek.  Own it.  Nod your head with me and say, "I.  Am.  That.  Girl."

 Rough chop your cauliflower...

 sweat and simmer your diced stuff, in 1/2 a stick of butter, until it seems just right, or five minutes, whichever comes first

Add your cauliflower, turn the heat back to low, pop a lid on all of it, and heat through for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally, while singing a country music song - preferably "Makes Me Wanna Take a Back Road".  Don't forget to dance, too.

 Use the other half of your one stick of butter for your roux.  Melt it and toss in the flour.  I usually do a "one for one"...one TB flour per one TB of butter, so in this case, 4 TB flour.  Whisk it into the melted butter, and then add about 2 cups of half and half.  Whisk until it becomes thick and dreamy.
Turn the heat back to low, and let it sit for a bit, because...

...you gotta add your 24-32 ounces of chicken stock to your veggies.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes with the lid on.

 After you've simmered the veggies, add your roux and stir it in.  This smells heavenly.

 Take a (high powered) stick blender to the whole thing, and puree it to your liking.  If you don't have a stick blender that can do the job, you'll have to pour about forty batches (a little at a time) into your regular blender and puree it.

Season with coarse salt, fresh ground pepper, and finely chopped parsley. 

Serve with lots of bread and a big ol' salad, for a meatless meal.  Otherwise, use this as a first course soup for steak or roast - something beef, because chicken or fish would be too much "white" for dinner, in my world.

So, so good!

Mixed Media Art

~acrylics, inks, gesso, matte gel medium, papers, found objects

...a two-page spread, in an altered book I am working on...the right side will contain a quote about Spring, from one of CS Lewis' Narnia series.  The plan (for now - it could change) is to add more texture and layers on the left (using gesso and inks), and then use a sepia ink to hand-write the quote across the upper third of the right-hand page (another option would be to print it out on parchment paper, as another layering piece, and use a Remington font I've recently fallen in love with)  and lastly, I will paint some graphic looking flowers in the middle, springing up from the green.

I have to say this:  I was doing this mixed-media collage stuff way before it was cool.  I did this stuff back in the '90's, and it was far enough ahead of the times that I stopped - because I didn't see anything else quite like what I was doing, and that made me feel as though I was somehow "wrong".  Someday, I will learn to follow my instincts.


This is my first "big" mixed media project since those days (I've been getting comfortable with mixed media on scrap watercolor papers and these teeny tiny canvases I have, called "ATC's" - or, Artist Trading Cards), so I am absolutely certain I will look back at this picture and cringe, in years to come.  Actually, I will look back at it and feel happy, because I love to see a record of growth and progress, and am completely unafraid to share my chronicle of humble beginnings with the world.

In the future?  I want to do some simple color studies on small square canvases...texture-y, hombre'd delicious color studies, going from light to dark, top to bottom, and utilizing mixed medias.  Once I get comfortable with that, and get my bearings with color and texture, I then want to paint my version of a rainbow, no negative space, filling the canvas, in mixed media - to represent the Grace of the Gospel (Biblically, many colors represent grace and favor), and, at the very bottom, as an inset in whatever mat I will use to frame the painting, there will be a Scripture from Revelations about the rainbow that surrounds the throne of God.

And since my reach must always exceed my grasp, I want it all to be beautiful.

If you aren't creating something, you are not going to be completely satisfied.  What are you doing to image-bear the Creator?  Try mixed-media art...it is so forgiving, and unintimidating.  Perfect for beginners, like me.

25 Turned 19 Today

My baby turned 19 today.  And we had 14 in the house for lunch...grilling burgers and hotdogs after church.  Then I lit 19 candles on 24 cupcakes, all in the shape of a basketball, and we sang "Happy Birthday"....

I am having a hard time believing that this upcoming year will be the last year...ever...that I can say I am the mother of a teenager.  I remember the baby and toddler stage lasting so long, or so it seemed.  Between all four kids, I remember feeling like I'd been changing diapers forever.

Forever goes by so fast.

I remember feeling like I'd been stuck in phonics-hell "forever".  I loved finally getting out of grunting long and short vowel sounds, for years.  Then, it seemed like I taught elementary school "forever".

Then high school.

And here I am today - I have been a mom to teenagers since the dawn of this millenium.  Feels like "forever". 

Yet this year...2012...marks the end of my home school teaching career, and the end of being a mom to teenagers.  Next year, my baby will turn 20.  How does that happen?  I.  Can't.  Stand.  It.

I so love this boy.  He is freakishly tall for this family, and hilariously funny, and smart as they get, and the biggest brat you ever met, should you have the misfortune of seeing him in one of his bratty moments.  But there is something of greatness in this boy.  Grace will accomplish, in his life, what the law could never do.  The Gospel will be both his undoing and his best doing.

And as his mother...I wait.  I wait on the Lord, I hope in the Lord, and no one who does that is ever made ashamed.  No regrets! 

My son...he's the real deal.  A man with the call to preach on his life.  I'll wait to see what he does with it.

Happy Birthday, son!  May your Basketball bring the Spiritual Harvest you dreamed of as a little boy, when your heart was still so tender and you loved Jesus with such abandon.  That was the real you.  I see glimpses of that young man now and then....and I am moved upon by the very presence of God when I see it.

His plans for you are good, boy!

Love,
Mom

Basketball and Senior Day - Last Home Game

"Senior player number 25, Isaac Atchley..."

"...his parents, Tim and Sheila Atchley..."

"...his favorite Scripture is Phillippians 4:13..." (a teary moment, there...)

"...his favorite memories are all the stories of Coach Ritchie and his Sleep Number Bed!" (You'd have to hear these in person to "get this one"...)

"...he will be playing this fall for Johnson University, and in 5 years sees himself  wherever God wants him to be."  (Does my face even convey how I am feeling?  I didn't know how he'd answer that question.  My heart was full.  He's been such a brat, but my mother's heart was bursting with pride, nonetheless.)

In case you'd like a little visual hint on how the ensuing game went...

25 hooped it up - the whole team played phenomenally, in a very close game...and won!

Oh my baby.  Oh my heart.  Eye on the Prize, son...eye on the prize.  Keep your focus and keep your head and keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. 

It was worth it all.  I am proud.

I cannot type anymore, friends.  The tears are flooding my vision and the keyboard.  Who can know how hard this journey was, and what this means to The Preacher and I?  Who can know, but The Preacher and I, our family and our church family?

Journal Page

Sorry about the terrible photography.  This was a "snap the picture and throw it up on my blog" sort of thing...

This is a page out of my "art journal" - - meaning:  I use colored ink and experiment with Zentangles and write original poetry and play with whimsical, hand-written graphic fonts.  (The above font is called "French Manicure".  I know.  I bought a book on hand-written fonts.  And I ramble, but that's okay.  Just flow with me ...after all, you are here, and you gotta play the hand you're dealt.  And I'm dealin'.)

It says:

  "...in a religious culture of artificial, tightly controlled environments, I am a glad oddity - a seemingly irresponsible saint, out of reach of religious manipulation, and in need of no justification beyond what is already mine through Christ Jesus..."

I know, right?  I'm irrepressible.  I'm becoming ridiculously free.  The weird thing is, the free-er I get, the more I want to love and serve and obey.

I think of it like I do my marriage.  I know Tim loves me.  I mean...I know.  The man is crazy for me.  He is a card carrying member of the "I Heart Sheila" club...and it has a membership of one.  He laughs at all my jokes, and still chases me around after 25 years and 10 pounds and 2 grandchildren.

And do you know what?  It does not make me want to "get away" with a thing.  It doesn't make me lazy.  It doesn't make me an apathetic wife.

Sort of makes me want to love him more.

Grace, grace, grace.

Learn it.  Grow in it.

The Almost-Spring Garden

...my patch of lettuce...I'm using the left corner as a daylily "nursery".  See them coming up?  I put the "babies" there last fall, until I can decide where their particular color needs to live, permanently.

Still haven't made up my mind.

Here's to warmer weather, and a very, very sore back!

The Battleground of the Mind

"Blessed be God, who teaches my hands to war and my fingers to fight..."

~King David

Our warfare is not against people - it is against untruth.  We must defeat, overcome, overpower, outspeak, deal with every haughty and lofty untruth that exalts itself against  the knowlege of God. 

Is this mindset I am encountering in myself or someone else - is it in line with the ways of God?

Is this mindset I am encountering in myself or someone else - is it in line with the words of God - His words, rightfully divided,  with the all-important New Covenant perspective?

If the answer in either case is "No"...well...

It's on.  Let's get it started, devil.  (He is the source - the father - of all lies, see.) 

Here is what the Holy Spirit said to me, last night, as I was on the very front line of the front lines:

There is no spoil without a battle...and through Me, there is no battle without spoil.  Get ready to come out of this with more than you had when you went in. 

The whole "battle" thing is real.  It is not some ethereal, mystic putting on of imaginary armor.  It isn't merely addressing demon spirits through prayer -  demonic spirits are defeated foes who have to resort to deceit to succeed.  Demons plant the lies, and either you, me, or someone else believes them.  When you encounter a stubborn refusal of Truth - you have to battle that thing.  You gotta OVERCOME.

Denial isn't overcoming.  Retreat isn't overcoming.  Putting your little spin on reality isn't overcoming - God only deals in reality.  Getting real is not even first base - it just means you've finally left home plate, and are started in the right direction. 

And can I say something that sounds so foolish, but is actually profound?

Defeat isn't overcoming.

Neither is passivity overcoming. Ignoring the problem isn't overcoming.  Going shopping isn't overcoming.  Starting a hobby isn't overcoming.  Compensating for your depression isn't overcoming.  Checking out isn't overcoming.  Losing your temper isn't overcoming.  Quitting isn't overcoming.  Leaving your church isn't overcoming.  Emoting isn't overcoming.  Being cool, calm, and collected isn't overcoming - if you don't have passion, you aren't even IN a fight.

Engaging the battle and winning - that is overcoming.  Dadgum hanging in there is overcoming. 

What are the ways of God?  Believe them so deeply that you apply the Gospel to your Present Situation, and you act accordingly.

What are the words of God?  (He has spoken to us in these last days in Christ - Heb. 1) Believe them so deeply that you apply the Gospel to your Present situation.  Act accordingly, with pure stubbornness...well, others will call you stubborn.  The Bible calls it "faith".  Being "unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord."

What is the work of God?  Believing on the Son whom He sent.

You stand.  Even when the nontruth is coming out of the mouth of your dearest friend - be immoveable.  You stand, and you don't take one step back.  Fight for their soul, and in the process, your own.  (Remember Paul's words?  "You'll save both yourself and those that hear you...")


  

Cinco Bambino is Here!

Reese and I...

May I introduce you to Matt and Kelly Bailey's fifth child - Reese Bailey!  He got here by surprise this past Sunday.  We didn't expect him to come this past Sunday - we expected him come about Monday or Tuesday, but we sure are glad he is here.  He is the lightest and the longest of all the Bailey Babies.   Every Bailey Baby has been cute and adorable, but I did hear someone just today remark that they thought Cinco Bambino is the cutest one yet.

Welcome to the world, sweet baby boy!  Trust me, there is enough love in all our hearts to go around.

The Best Kind of Day...

Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's when you've had everything to do, and you've done it

~ Margaret Thatcher

How did ya'll spend your "extra day" today?  I finalized some trip details, perused an antique store, played with my grandson, caught up on some much needed research, filled out forms related to my youngest son and his education, did a rather in depth teaching (via Facebook letter/private message) on the baptism in the Holy Spirit - answering the questions of a young college student, cooked a simple dinner, did about ten pages of editing a friend of a friend's new book...

...and made art.   Oh, that...the art... so filled my tank.  It was the art-making that was the homage to my very own extra day of The Good Life.  I had thought about getting a pedicure, but our weather turned very nasty, and I didn't want to risk being out in it.  So I came home from the antique store, and sat down with guache and watercolors and all manner of mixed media, to work on an altered book that I am creating for a special someone.

I'm not the only high achiever.  My daughter Hannah crocheted an entire owl.  (Pictures, hopefully tomorrow...)

And I have ended my Extra Day by watching an absolutely rockin', slammin', breathtaking, ridiculously powerful DVD teaching by Louie Giglio, followed by writing this blog post.

During the DVD teaching, I shouted (and raised my hands in pure wonder and praise).  Ask The Preacher, he was with me.  Heck, ask my daughter and son-in-law, they were in the other end of the house.

Our God is a good God.  And my Extra Day has been grace-saturated. 

Pray for Our Injured Soldiers

Some of you, especially Harvest members, might remember our "extra Marine" we ended up with, for the Easter holiday last April.   He's the young man on the right in the above picture.  He was such a delightful guest, and we shared the Gospel with him, with all our heart.  He was part of our family for one long weekend of leave.  We took that seriously, and enfolded him into our hearts and lives for the short time he was here.

He is alive, but he was injured a little over a week ago, by an explosive - he was in deployment, I won't say where.  When I saw his picture on Facebook, sitting in his hospital bed, he was smiling that same big smile, and doing his "thumbs up".  Just like what you see up there.  That made me teary-eyed.

I'm thinking of him tonight, and I'm thinking of another Army soldier injured a few days ago.  I got the email and request for prayer for this young soldier with a wife and babies - a "GI Joe" whose name and location I've been asked not to reveal.

Please pray for these two soldiers.  God knows exactly who they are.  Please pray for all our injured soldiers.   

(For Real) It's A....

(celebratory brownies)

Please allow me the privilege of introducing you to....

Little Miss Princess "Aidyn Esther Howe".  When the ultrasound tech announced her precious gender, pure bedlam ensued.  Hannah squealed and I think I shouted.  (Jonathan quietly smiled, of course.  We aren't sure what Sarah did, we weren't paying her any mind.  She may have passed out.)  We have Miss Aidyn's ultrasound on high definition video, and I hope Tim can help me post it.   Just so you can hear the "sounds of joyful shouting and salvation".  You probably do have to hear it to believe it.  Thing is - it wasn't planned.  It was entirely spontaneous and could not be helped.

The ultrasound tech "shushed" us.

And I ain't been shushed since I was a five year old.

...we all gathered at The Crack to celebrate.  (Cracker Barrel) Our oldest son Josiah had to work his job at TGIFridays, and Hannah's husband Justin was teaching school.  But the rest of us had Crack.   Here, you can see our youngest son, daughter Hannah and grandson Timothy, Poppy (checking his i-phone for messages),daughter Sarah and husband Jonathan on the left side of the table...

Momma and Daddy...

Poppy and Timothy...

As for me, I've already been shopping tonight.  I bought babygirl her first denim, and her first book, and her first tiara (to decorate her nursery - not to wear or play with).  The tiara was the really important purchase.

Our Princess is having a Little Princess. 

And she shall reign, I dare say.  The Little Princess, that is.

Our Next Grandbaby Is A....

...we don't know yet.

We find out Monday.

Please don't kill me.  I had to pull the ol' bait and switch on you.  Had to.  Sorry.  I promise to spill the beans, come Monday.  I'm in such suspense I can't stand it.  Another boy would be so fun.  But...I need some pink in my life. Sugar, spice, and everything nice.  I'm drawn to girl stuff like a bee to a flower.

I've missed you!

Just got home a mere few hours ago.  I've been in the Franklin/Brentwood Tennessee area with The Preacher and our son.  Youngest Boy had his regional basketball tournament, and in one particular game, he shot a buzzer-beater for three to send it into double overtime.

I laid down on the bleachers, kicking and screaming like in the movie Kicking and Screaming.  You think I am joking, but I am not.  The drama was too much.  We went on to lose the only game we lost (don't think...just go with it.  I am exhausted.  Let me babble.  Just.  Let.  Me.) and we only lost it by one lousy point.  We won all the other games.

The Preacher and I made it some Time to Remember by attending Youngest Son's Games (of course) and by dinner, just us two.  (Hot dogs in a gym were good enough for us when we were 18, they were good enough for our son.  But not us. We gave him $5 and left his butt with his buddies.  We ate steak.)  We explored downtown Franklin, met a new friend in the music industry (a lead guy in the country band Bad Horse!) caught a movie and took lots of power naps in our motel room, between speeding back and forth to the (very, very nice) A-Plex sports center in Brentwood.

In a few weeks, are National Tournaments.  One whole week, in Springfield Missouri.

May God have mercy on my soul.

Until then, I am back, and I've missed you, and please leave a comment!  ::sniff::  I think this is the first time I've had to go a week without posting, and I need to know you are all still near and dear.

Have a blessed and highly favored Sunday.  You and me?  We live in the F.O.G., baby.  The Favor of God.

It is thick all around and over me, these days.  Amazing things are happening in my life, in the lives of my children.  Things I'll tell you all about when the particulars get nailed down.