Happy Birthday, Dear Hubs!!!

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Today we are celebrating his birthday for the 23rd time together!!! WOW!!! That makes us sound a little bit old, huh??? YIKES!!!

Today's memory is of that very first shared birthday...his 18th! Man, we thought we were hot stuff! I also don't have too many memories of that evening.
I, unfortunately, don't have any pics of that birthday...this one is pretty close to it when we went to Six Flags that summer.


We went to dinner that evening with his parents and Grandmother to a restaurant off of Stemmons Frwy...Mother Tucker's. Does anyone remember this one? The food was really good....that I do remember well!!!

We had only been dating a few months but already realized we were falling in love, and those around us knew it! Just a couple of months after this, we literally began talking about our future...together!

My gift to him that evening? Why 18 kisses, of course! Too bad he hasn't let me continue that tradition for many years - something about how it would take too long!

I love birthdays and my desire is that everyone notice and make a big to-do on my special day! However, oppisites do attract and his desire is for the day to pass quietly and shared by only those closest to him. So today, that is what I am trying to do...this is my big to-do for the day!!!

To my dear hubs...I love you. You are such a precious part of me and I am privileged to be your wife and share in your daily life. I pray today that you will be blessed and that in the year ahead, you will continue to seek God's will for your life, family and business.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow....like my wonderful 41 yr old husband!!!

God's girl, Pamela

I Remember When....

If you would like to join other bloggers on this Wednesday walk, visit Lynnette's site for all the details.

Can we play a game today??? Well, I suppose since it is my blog you really don't get a say in that, now do you!!!
Yes, I'm feeling a bit snarky....thanks for noticing!!!

Somewhat still on the subject of letting go, what are some of your favorite memories from your babies...ya know, when they were still babies??? And because it is my blog, that means I get to go first! Yippee!!!

I remember when....

...She would not go to sleep when it was bedtime!!! The first approx. 6 wks of CD's life and about 8 wks of Bunny's, they simply REFUSED to go to sleep before 2 AM!!! They would do so well during the day, not always taking really long naps and waking around 7 pm to nurse, get a diaper change and hopefully interact with us! By the time 11 pm rolled around, I was getting tired but my girls were just getting going good!!! At around midnight, they would begin to get fussy - didn't want to nurse, had clean diaper, nothing was poking them, they would just get fussy! Closer to 1 AM, they were no longer fussy...they were all out crying!!! For up to two hours!!! Screaming at the top of their little bitty lungs!!! They refused to nurse, did not want a pacifier, just wanted a little lung work out apparently!!!

Finally, at close to two months, both of them learned to go to sleep somewhere between 9 and 10 pm. Other Moms would tell me this was normal behaviour but I was really never sure about that!!! Man, am I ever thankful they finally started sleeping at a decent hour!!!

I remember when...

...I woke up one morning, shortly after having Bunny, listening to a baby cry and wondering why in the world my Mom did not get the baby!!! I even went so far as to look out the front window to see if there was a car out front before I came to the full realization that this was my home, my baby and my job to go get her!!! I must have been really tired...ya know, that whole staying up half the night thing!

I remember when....

...CD would play with her sippy cup by shaking it violently up and down and having fun watching all the liquid splash out!!! Yes, this was long before the no-drip sippy cups!!! It didn't take long, though, for her to realize that the only sippy cup she could truly play with was one filled with water. So, in order to get 10 min. of peace to clean the kitchen, I would put water in a sippy, snap on the lid, put her in the middle of the kitchen floor with the cup and say, 'Play'! I do believe between the ages of 12 and 18 months, that was her favorite thing to do!

I remember when...

...Bunny would go outside, just inside the gate to the backyard and scoop up dirt by her fingernail and put it in her mouth!!! She loved to eat dirt!!!

I remember when....

...Bunny was just figuring out how to go downstairs and the girls wanted to go out and play, having to go down two stairs to get out the door. Hubs had recently changed the oil in the vehicle and left it standing in the large round container right by the stairs! By now, I'm sure you have guessed that Bunny made it from the first to the second step but when trying to maneuver down to the ground, she fell head first into the oil!!! Poor baby, we laughed so hard and she was screaming!!!

I remember when....

...It was 114 degrees on CD's 4th birthday!!! El Paso can get hot, y'all!!!
...They loved to sit on the patio and finger paint!
...They would want to play in the water but drink more from the sprinkler than went on the lawn!
...They wanted to sleep together in the same bed...and it only lasted about an hour!

I remember when....

...Barney was the first thing we watched on TV. But their favorite show was Lambchop!
...Life seemed simpler! I knew where my babies were...right under my feet no matter what I was doing! It was hard, I do remember that, but I knew where they were!

Okay, now it is your turn!!!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow....like my beautiful daughters

God's girl, Pamela

My Nephew

If you would like to join other bloggers on this Wednesday walk, visit Lynnette's site for all the details.

My parents are blessed with 5 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren! Of those 7 children born to me, my sister and my niece, two of them are boys! Yes, only 2!!!

The oldest of those boys, RB, was born on the Ides of March my sophomore year of high school, while we were studying Julius Ceasar!!! I thought that was so cool! It has always made it easy to remember his birthday...even if I do want to forget just how many years have passed since then!

The youngest of those boys is brand new to this world! He turned one week old yesterday! Congratulations to my precious niece on adding to her family!!!

Various circumstances have led to the fact that I haven't really shared much of life with either of these young men. It has sometimes been a hard lesson to learn that what we expect out of life is not what we always get! I would have loved to have had a relationship with RB, my nephew, since day one...but now, I will take what I can get. Realizing it takes both of us to communicate but only one of us to close that door, I pray that this time, I won't be the one to close the door.

So, a couple of years ago RB and a couple of his friends came down to visit with his Mom for a few days. I'm glad he brought along friends because down here, hubs is the only male in the family....and he was busy working that week! I cannot imagine what it must look like when all 5 of us girls are together - laughing, giggling, making high pitched noises!!!! I can imagine even less what it would be like to be an only male in that group!!!

We ate lots of food...'cause that's what you do with family!, played Dance Dance Revolution until we could not breathe, and stayed up way too late! But we had fun! One evening, RB and I decided to go for a drive and see other parts of our fair city that he had not yet visited. We came to an open field that is used for motor biking and mudding on the weekends , across the street from one of mine and Sissy's childhood homes . The field had really deep ruts all around and it leads to a creek bed...where my Sissy and I played as children!

It was just the two of us out in that field...an opportunity for a memory! Even though he was in his young 20's, he was still such a kid at heart out there in the middle of nowhere! He was trying to pretend to be tearing down trees with this little branch that he found on the ground! He was talking of making a fire and fixing up whatever he caught on his hunt that day! He was re-living boyhood moments...with me!

I have been privileged to raise two girls. They have their own fantasies..about princes and dresses and forts made with sheets and pillows. And while I have also been a teacher, I've not spent much actual playtime with boys...I simply don't know how they operate! I saw that night as a memory-making time with the boy that I never had the opportunity to know!

Isn't it neat how God gives us special moments...especially when we aren't looking for them? Redemption for a lost relationship. Redemption at the foot of the cross.

I heard from RB recently. I know he needs prayer. I know God is holding him tightly!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.....

God's girl, Pamela

PS...I love to receive your comments. I would also love to visit your blogs. Miss PD makes it impossible to spend time on the computer so it may take awhile before I actually get to visiting yours. Thank you for your patience! Thank you for visiting!

walking down the aisle with a scraped knee

If you would like to join other bloggers on this Wednesday walk, visit Lynnette's site for all the details.

I am so sorry to have been away for so long...and yes, I know I am only apologizing to the two people that read my blog on a somewhat regular basis - and I really do love y'all!!! Remember, I said I was getting a bit sick?? Well, turns out I got really sick! I am finally slowing down on the coughing and was even able to host the family Easter lunch here in our home!!! This annual lunch gathering includes both sides of the family...his Mom and Dad along with my sister and niece. This year, we were also privileged to have Casey join us from the Honor Academy! It was definitely a blessed Easter! And yes, church was absolutely awesome!!!

Mom, Daddy and DL, I miss y'all something terrible! I wish we could spend some sort of holiday together....that is what I'm praying for and that it would be SOON!!! I love y'all!!!

Okay, now that I have that out of the way, are you ready to share a memory from a very long time ago? The occasion was the day of my sister's first wedding...circa April 1981! I cannot even fathom it has been that long ago since I was a 12 yr old girl!!!

We traveled from Texas to Middle Tennessee during Spring Break to attend the wedding. We had only moved to Texas 6 months earlier and still had many friends and family in the Middle Tennessee area that she wanted to be at her wedding. This basically meant, for a 12 yr old, that the comforts of 'home' were left behind right before an important life event...I was not exactly happy about that part of it!

In Tennessee, we stayed with friends in a newer subdivision, but remember, this was the early 80's and the road was still not fully paved around the subdivision....there was still lots of gravel on either side of the 'road'! And the gravel was the rub!!!

While I would not consider myself a tomboy, I did enjoy spending time outdoors - especially when a bicycle was handy. The family we were staying with had some extra bikes hanging in the shed so I took one as my own that week! The bike riding was my escape from the fast wedding preparations taking place inside!

The family also had two boys a couple of years younger than me - and we all know it is more fun to ride bikes together than alone! We had taken time most days to ride around for a bit and by Thursday, I was feeling very comfortable and confident on my loaner bike! Confident enough to race the oldest boy!!!

As I'm sure you can guess by now, I did not win the race. I cannot remember exactly why, but as we were riding along, I pulled a bit farther into the shoulder of the road than was necessary and went spinning out of control on the gravel! I tore my knee up really well!!!

We were not far from the house so it did not take long for my Mom to come running to the accident! I had landed with most of the weight on my left knee, the rest of it on my hands! I was bleeding from all three of those places and quite a bit! I did try to walk to the house but could not put any weight on my left leg, it hurt too badly!

The worst part? The accident happened on Thursday afternoon and the wedding was going to happen on Saturday!

My Dad finally came and carried me in the house. They ran a bath for me so we could try to wash out all the dirt and loose gravel. It was determined that the cut was not deep enough for stitches so there was no need for medical care. That was fine with me! I was so embarassed to have had the accident in the middle of the day when neighbors could observe what happened! I was a very self-conscious 12 yr old!!!

Thankfully, my dress for the wedding was long and would cover the HUGE bandage I would be sporting! I know in the picture, we look so much like Southern Belles...this was Middle Tennessee, though!!!

I did manage to limp down the aisle and stand by my Sissy as she said her vows. I don't really remember much of the day, other than my limping (self-conscious!!) and being in some pain!

Unfortunately, the marriage did not last. However, I still cannot fathom that it has been 28 yrs ago! My Sissy and I have grown and changed so much since then. She is now one of my best friends in the whole wide world and if I could smooth some of the memories away for her, I certainly would! I look up to her in so many ways...as a friend, Mom, employee, citizen.

I'm thankful that God put us in the same family all those years ago. Don't tell her but I love that she refers to me as "Mini-Me" because I truly have always wanted to grow up to be just like her! I love you, Sissy!!!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow....like my big Sissy!

God's girl, Pamela

An Open Letter to Colleen Nick

If you want to join us on a walk down memory lane, please visit Lynnette's blog to join in the fun!

Now, to share my letter to a friend.

Dear Colleen,

I've taken too long to write this letter and for that, please accept my apology. You played a very important role in my life 18 yrs ago and for that, I will always be grateful! Now, you are never far from my mind as I cannot even imagine the pain you walk in each day.

I was a very young Mom and still learning the ropes of being a wife when we met in February '91 in Grovetown, Georgia. John had befriended dear hubs while in training at Ft. Gordon and within a matter of weeks, DD1 and I had made the unexpected move from Dallas to Georgia. Just like God, He gave me the neighbor that I needed for that season in my life - YOU!

I remember about a week after we met, you asked if I was a Christian. Our conversation ultimately led to me attending church with you. I was raised in a Christian home, attended and graduated from a Christian school - where I met my groom - but had grown apart from the Lord in our two years of marriage. I was already feeling the tug of the Holy Spirit to draw close to Him, and introduce my precious daughter to His love; you happened to be the catalyst for putting my life back on His track.

Your friendship was exactly what I needed in the coming months, as my Mom endured a difficult medical trial that brought me back to Texas for a month. You cried with me when I sat outside after dinner with Mom and Dad, where Mom had gone to put the ice cubes in the glasses but when we sat down, there were no ice cubes in the glasses...they were all stacked neatly on top of the ice tray in the freezer still!

You were the one to first cut DD1's hair, those really long strands that continued to fall in her face. You taught me the value of play as the three of y'all, dear hubs, you and John, ran around the trailers squirting one another with water out of syrup bottles...or whatever you could find handy to hold water!!!



Then, as soon as you came into my life, you moved on...to Kansas. I never forgot you, or the fact that you were the main reason I was back serving our Lord and Savior. I also never forgot Morgan. Her beautiful blonde hair, her precious smile and the adorable way that she asked you for mie-rk....her special way of saying milk!

Life moved on....I talked to you from our next duty station, Ft. Bragg, shortly after Logan was born, if I remember correctly. Then, we lost contact with each other. But, I never forgot you, or Morgan.

What do I remember about that September day? That dear hubs was in the field, had only left a couple of days earlier and was due out for at least 30 days, and the girls and I had gone to do some shopping at Wal-Mart in El Paso. DD1 had just started Kindergarten and Bunny would be two in a few weeks.

It was September, 1995. I'm walking out of Wal-Mart, DD1 walking in front of the buggy and Bunny sat in the buggy seat. I knew that Wal-Mart posted pictures of missing children but it was something that I only rarely noticed. As I pushed the buggy past the board that day, though, I noticed and I stopped immediately!!!

The smile was unmistakeable, the name sent chills through every part of me...Morgan Chauntel Nick. I had always loved her middle name, never realizing it would be there one day for all the world to see.


For the sake of time, I want to mention that you can read all of Morgan's story at this website. She was taken from a baseball game in June 1995, and the story has not ended.

Oh, my friend. I've held my babies tighter and made sure to keep them in sight...they can testify to this and it has NOT made them happy! I simply cannot imagine the pain that your heart feels each day as you awake to this reality. I cannot fathom how you have raised two precious children in the midst of your pain...I think I would hole away until the world righted itself!

You have been so brave, to introduce legislation and speak to so many high up in business and politics. Your love for Morgan has been channeled into helping other families in similar situations. You have never let go of hope!

Thank you, for being willing to speak into my life that February day...DD1 is now a leader in her school and youth group. People know where she stands in accordance with her faith. Bunny is growing in Christ...the teenage years have not been easy for her but she is learning more each day about walking with her Savior.

DD1 gave her heart to the Lord in 1999 and Bunny this past January. Our marriage has seen struggles, but with the grace of God, we have survived and thrived. This is only one of the crowns that you can lay at the feet of Jesus when that day comes. Because of your testimony, we are a family of Christ followers!

Your sister in Christ,

Pamela

My 1st Court Date

Update at end of post....

What a way to start a memory post, huh? If you would like to share a memory, or just read other's memories, pop over to Lynnette's blog to join in the fun!



I know I've been away for a couple of weeks but life has just really been...well, life! I did start a post earlier in the week but when I looked back over it, the post did not qualify for BYKOTA! So, I'm back for the moment with an embarrassing memory.

Those of you that have followed my blog for a while may remember our financial struggles during last summer. God has been faithful and somehow provision has come...even when we don't see it. We are still behind on several bills but there is beginning to be some light at the end of this tunnel and with God's grace, we will make it through.

Well, one of the consequences of running out of money was that the inspection on my mini-van expired in August - the same month that Miss PD's Mom lost her job thereby causing me to lose my job. The same week that I began babysitting her again in November, I was pulled over by a constable who couldn't help but notice my expired inspection sticker as he drove past me.

Now, the hard part is that this is only like the 3rd time I have been stopped by a policeman in the 22 yrs I have been driving! The first time was for going just a bit over the speed limit (5 mph) and that was in the first five years of having my license. The second was about 7 yrs ago on my way to school, when a policeman pulled me over for not fully coming to a stop at the 4-way stop in our neighborhood.

Those first two times, I was quickly on my way with a warning to slow down and a warning to make sure I completely stopped.

The third time, though, was not the charm....this time he issued me a ticket! Since we've not had the money just lying around to pay the darned thing, a court date was set for today...this morning at 8:30 CST. We are praying that we will be able to at least start a payment plan, if not get the price of the ticket lowered.

So, if you are reading this on Wednesday morn, would you please say a prayer for me and for the judge. I want it to be fair, I really do but my first ticket in 22 yrs of driving???

I know that one day, this memory will probably make us laugh...but it is not right now! My stomach is an absolute bundle of nerves, and that is okay because even Jesus had a moment of fear as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane and He cares about my fears, too.

"Lord, not my will but Yours be done"

Praise God from whom all blessings flow....

God's girl, Pamela

God is so good...ALL THE TIME!!! As I said, this was my first court date and come to find it was only a pre-trial hearing. I didn't even have to mumble 3 words to the DA because I laid the inspection receipt, dated the same day of the ticket, on the table in front of him. I was only charged 1/10 of what the fine would have been if I had so desperately wanted to avoid this date that I went ahead and paid the ticket!!! 10% - as in a tithe!!!! Ain't our God so good???? He knows our financial situation so well that He stretched our faith - and nerves! - and took care of 90% of the ticket!!!
I know this is the same that any other person would go through but it just feels so good to give the glory back to my Savior because He orchestrated every move to this point. Someone in my family has learned a lesson in humility, someone has learned a lesson in submitting to a husband (a-hemm!!!) and we have both learned to lean on God even more!!!!
God is SO good, thank Him for the blessings of life!!!

Happy Valentine's Day

Don't forget, on Wednesday's you can join in on the memories by visiting Lynnette's blog.

Yes, I know it is early but that is the memory that I have decided to share today - so I am only a few days early!

Hubs and I did not get to share our first Valentine as a married couple together. He was in AIT, training for his permanent 'job' at Ft. Sill, OK and I was here in Dallas with my parents. However, that Valentine's day, he was a sweetheart! He called me a few days before and told me to be looking for a package that I could not open until Valentine's! Wait to open a package from him??? Was he nuts???

The post office came through for him, though, and delivered said package on V-day!

What was inside, you say?

Isn't he adorable??? He has our last name imprinted on his pocket, just like a BDU would have in real life, he has a dog tag that says Ft. Sill and at one point in time, he had a BDU cap....it is somewhere between here and Ft Bragg, probably!!! We were newlyweds so this was a very poignant gift for me! I LOVE HIM!!! (the bear and the hubs!)

The next Valentine's, we were up way too early getting ready for hubs to go to the field and I was 16 wks prego! As I rolled over in bed to give him a kiss, I felt our sweet baby moving and invited him to feel. That was the very first time he had felt our baby move, Feb 14, 1990. He left that morn at 5am and didn't come home until the first week of March. No romantic dinner, no flowers, no time together.

After that, all Valentine's tend to run together. We were parents of small children and finding time and money for such a day just became a burden....physically for him, emotionally for me. I still desired the romance of the day, he didn't! Before too long, romance was totally out of the question...making it through the day became important!

Fast forward a few years, we now had one in elementary school and one still at home but I was falling in love with this man all over again and really wanted to share the day in a special way. I set a lovely table with paper goods, heart shaped balloons and red and white carnations. I was very pleased with myself!

Unfortunately, he was not pleased! I never did learn why but when he came in from work and saw the table, he blew a gasket!!! Well, I of course, melted into tears and I'm sure the block could hear the yelling and screaming that ensued...I know my children won't forget that part of it.

A few more years went by, sometimes I asked for flowers or if he would take me out to dinner and sometimes he surprised me by coming home with roses for me and our girls. His take became, "I love you everyday, why should I have to show it on this certain day because Hallmark wants to make money after Christmas?"

But this year, 20 yrs after that first love filled Valentine box arrived at my parents house, he is sharing the love again! Please, meet 'Rett:



And I am feeling very loved!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow....

God's girl, Pamela

PS - the storms blew through late last night....just moments after DD1 and I walked in the door from picking her up at work! Most of the damage is north of us but our city got hit hard not too far from us, they have not yet confirmed a tornado and more than likely it is straight wind damage but our area has some clean up to do today. Thankfully, our neighborhood was spared. However, our friends north of the border in Oklahoma are dealing with loss of life this morn due to the same storm system. Please pray for them during this time. Thank you.

Making Memories

I told you we had a family date to go look at the stars, well we did! Go look at the stars, that is. It was a bit chilly standing up on the hill but beautiful! In fact, we have a few memories from that little hill.

You see, in the Dallas area, they have man-made lakes. This particular one was made in the late 60's and I remember going swimming there with my Mom, sister and little brother way back when. (in the 70's!) On one side of the lake, there is also a Baptist encampment and I have been to that a few times as well. But the little hill is closer to our house than either the swimming beach or the camp, and still close enough to the 'country' to be dark enough to see the stars!

The little hill is close to the dam so water can be at all different levels on the other side of the hill from the road...you really never know how much water you will see till you crest the hill. We went and stood on the hill, surveying just how dry the lake was a few years back during a drought. We went back out a few months later, during a heavy spring rain to see just how full it was getting. We've gone there just to look out at the water during the cold months...dreaming of warmer days ahead yet dreading 100 degree days ahead!

So, Friday night, we went to the little hill to look at the stars! Boy, were they sure bright! There were no clouds in the sky and even though I don't know all the names of the star formations, dear hubs is always willing to share his knowledge with the girls...and we could see lots of formations! Venus was also shining very bright near the western horizon and there was a crescent moon just beginning it's descent.

We didn't stay too long, the wind made it really cold standing out in the open and that close to the water...the shore looked to be about 20 ft from where we were standing.(about normal) Just being together, able to laugh at something funny, to be there to help someone down the little hill, to learn all the different formations that are a very small part of His creation. To think that God knows each star by name, and we could only see a few of them!!! Those are the memories I carry away.

All too soon, my children will leave our home and begin to make their own memories. All too soon. I don't ever want to stop making memories together, just adding people to the group....men who love God and are sold out, children learning from their parents and grand-parents.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow...family and memories!

God's girl, Pamela

Don't forget to pop over to Lynnette's blog to view more special memories.