It's Grand Central Station With the Grandkids Here!

Yep... the grandkids are visiting, and they keep us busy!! Their school was dismissed at 1:00 on Wednesday for the annual "Teachers' Conference." Grandpa picked Belle and Josh up at school and they started their "vacation" at our house that afternoon. Jaden didn't go to school on Wednesday because I invited him to stay with us instead of going to K4 as it was going to be a "short day." Grandpa and I had a fun time with him and then picked up Belle and Josh at school when they got out at 1:00 for their 2-1/2 day vacation from school. During that morning with Jaden, we played outside and had a "BALL." Here is a picture I made:


As Amy left for the conference this Thursday morning and Brian headed off to work for the day, the kids arrived on our doorstep. We had a nice leisurely early morning and then headed for the church at 10:30. Richard and I had a luncheon meeting at the church that we were helping to "put on" so we had to be there at 10:30 to get things set up for the 12:00 luncheon meeting. The kids went to the gym (located in that building) and spent 3 hours entertaining themselves in the gym. We checked on them a couple of times, took their lunch (from the luncheon spread) to them, and then helped them put the equipment (balls and other paraphernalia) back where it went when the meeting was over. I was so proud of them. They allowed us to do ministry and participate in the luncheon and took care of themselves those 3 hours.

We got home from church at 1:45 so it was time for Jaden to grab a nap so Belle and Josh went to their house to get their music practice times done. While they were gone and Jaden was down, I found a warm place in the sun room and took a little snooze myself. It felt soooooooooooo good!!

Brian (their daddy and our son-in-law) brought pizza home for all of us to have dinner together so that was nice. He gathered up the troops (his kids) to take them out on a special fun evening together. Grandpa and I are enjoying the peace and quiet after their departure. Tomorrow will be another day of entertaining them and then we will have them through Sunday afternoon while Brian joins up with Amy after he gets off work on Friday and they take a 2-night get-away. We will enjoy the kids while they enjoy their R&R!! So Friday morning (when Brian leaves for work and the kids come over) will begin our 2-1/2 day and night fun of keeping our grandkids. It's like Grand Central Station but we need that once in a while.

NUMBERS COUNT!

This was D-Day week for me. I have been having trouble with my blood pressure and high triglycerides for a couple of years. I knew that the blood work this time would reveal how well or not-so-well my current meds were doing. I have been on HCTZ for my high blood pressure and on Fish Oil pills for the high tris. I went to the hospital lab on Monday for the blood work and then reported to my physician on Thursday morning for the results.


It turned out that my triglycerides were UP from 208 to 247 so he put me on a medication called Triglide to help bring that number down. My blood pressure was still up (152/92) and my potassium level was a little low so he took me off the 25 mg. of HCTZ that I have been on for two years and put me on the pill called Lisinopril/HCTZ which contains half the dose that I was taking of the HCTZ.

I am thankful that our Great Physician gives man the wisdom to formulate these medications to help us with our physical problems. I pray that the blood work in 3 months shows improvement in both my blood pressure reading and my triglyceride number. As far as I know, I am as healthy as a horse otherwise, and I don't take that lightly. Thank You, Jesus!!

Richard's Latest Projects Around the House

1Kings 11:28 And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.

It's hard to believe that Richard has been retired for nine months. When he was making plans for retirement, I wondered how in the world he would keep himself busy. I knew he was used to being busy 8-5 and worried that he might not enjoy being un-busy.

Ha!! Retirement life can be as busy as you care to make it. We are more involved in ministry and have somewhere to go most every day. In addition to that kind of being busy, Richard has kept busy with projects around the house. He is always thinking up some way to make an improvement, etc.

Last summer we got rid of our 2nd car which was our third vehicle. With Richard retired, we didn't figure we needed the two cars plus the truck so down-sized to one car and the truck. The truck (big ole dually) is parked in the back yard (behind the gate) so this opened up one side of the garage. Richard has a lot of tools and "stuff" that has been in his "workshop/shed" for these 7 years. He has made a switch!! The shed is now a storage place and one side of the garage is being transformed into Richard's workshop. He is a happy camper!! He will be cooler working in the garage than he was in the shed, he's got a big utility sink in the garage that will be handy, he is just outside the laundry room door so I can communicate with him better when he is working. He is enjoying putting it all together in the garage and having the shed for more storage.

His project this week was to buy, assemble, and install cabinets. He bought two huge cabinets for our garage.... his and hers.... so we can store some things out of sight. I had so much fun filling my cabinet with extra crock pots, warming buffets, Christmas dishes, and other things. His, of course, is full of ............. whatever men put in storage cabinets. HA!

Yesterday, he completed installing new cabinets in my laundry room. When the house was built, we had the wire shelving put in over the washer and dryer. I was fine with it but knew it always looked kind of messy. I love my new cabinets!!! They are pretty and so very functional. As usual, I am the one who benefits the most from Richard's projects. I am so grateful for a husband who is willing to make these improvements in our home.

Next on the agenda???? There's no telling.... but I bet I will love it!!

The new cabinets in the garage

Richard organizing and putting together his workshop in the garage

My new cabinets over the washer and dryer

Pics of Us Celebrating Richard's 62nd Birthday

Brian, Amy, and the kids came over on Saturday morning (actual birthday) for brunch. We made a few pics outside after brunch.

On Sunday, we went to Ryan's to celebrate Grandpa's birthday again and I made a few pics there.

Grandpa and Josh working on a project in the garage

Brian surveying things while Amy and Belle soak up the rays.

Jaden found his toddler ride in our garage and just had to ride it again.

Beautiful Bella

Josh with the bike he won on Friday at the candy sale awards assembly

Grandpa and Jaden at lunch at Ryan's today

Josh and Grandpa at lunch

Richard and Susan after lunch

That's all of the pics made during Richard's #62 celebration.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DEAR HUBBY, RICHARD!

Ps 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.


62 years ago today, Richard entered this world. From the pics, he was a handsome baby boy. I am so thankful to his parents for the good son they raised and to my Heavenly Father that they raised him in a Christian home for Richard is a man of integrity, love for his Savior, and maintains the goal of living his life for Christ.

Richard is my best friend, my love, the fabulous father of our children, and the fun grandpa of our grandchildren. He is my rock, my safe place, and loves me in spite of all my faults. I could wax on and on about my love for Richard and how blessed my life has been as his wife of 35 years, but I will just keep those thoughts tucked away in my heart to share with him and him alone sometime today.

Happy Birthday, Honey........... I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Baby Richard with mom and big brother Larry






L-R: Richard, cousin, and brother Larry



As a teenager, singing in church


High school graduate and 4 years later, a graduate of the University of Alabama




Served his country with a stint in the U.S. Army



Brookwood FWB church where we met at a revival service



Richard was raised in that church and was ordained a deacon a few months before we were married. L-R: My dad Pastor Byron Meyer, deacon Tommy Jones, Richard, and the guest preacher for the ordination service, Bro. Stabbs.




Our wedding day ~~ September 29, 1973


Richard with his family. L-R: Larry, Bill, Richard, Dad, Mom, Diane in 1975




Richard as a new father at Amy's Baby Dedication in February 1976 ~~ Pastor is Susan's dad and Amy's grandfather, Byron Meyer



Richard is the patriarch of our family: Back L-R: Chip, Richard Brian; Susan and Amy in the middle, our grandchildren acorss the front: Isabella, Jaden, Josh and Jarrett



Grandpa Richard and Granny Susan with our beloved grandchildren




Growing old together..............

I HAVE A FAN!

A friend emailed me to say that she enjoys my blog and hopes I will keep writing. Boy, there's nothing like knowing you have a fan to keep you motivated. :)

I am so much enjoying having my 24/7 husband since his retirement last May. After 9 months of this lifestyle, I'm so thankful we have found that we enjoy each other's company full-time. Some retired couples have trouble in that area so I just want to give God the glory and praise that we are doing fine. :)

Richard had a recent lab done which revealed that his cholesterol meds are working as his numbers were much improved. I'm so thankful for my hubby's good health as we anticipate his 62nd birthday on Saturday!!!

I go for my lab work on Monday and then meet with my doctor on Thursday. I hope my triglyceride number will be improved and that my blood pressure reading is improved.

We have a special-called meeting with our pastor tomorrow to talk about a new avenue of ministry in the church. We eager to learn more about it!!

We were thinking of going down to mid-state Florida to watch the launch of the shuttle next Thursday but nixed that idea and will try to make the NEXT launch.

I'm so excited that we will get to have our grandkids for two days while Amy goes away to an educator's meeting in a couple of weeks. I'm hoping that Brian and Amy will try to plan a weekend get-away in conjunction with her trip. During the school year, we don't get to have the grandkids for extended periods and so I always look forward to this February event when we can have them. We'll have to plan some fun things to do!!

Josh sold 30 boxes of candy in the recent fundraiser at school. There are nice prizes for the highest sellers so we are hoping he might win something exciting at the Friday assembly. Grandpa and I plan to go so we can find out in person if he won anything. We bought a box (24 bars) ourselves and then took him around on two different Mondays to sell candy so we do have a vested interest in the matter .... both monetarily and in our waistlines!!!

Dear friends of ours who moved away last May are coming for a visit at the end of March. I am already busy thinking of ways we can entertain them while they are here. On the Saturday night of their 4-night visit, we will host a dinner party in their honor so other close friends can enjoy a visit with Jerry and Peggy, too.

That's all for this post. Knowing I have a fan motivates me to no end. I'll keep my eyes and ears (and my heart!) open for things to blog on here.

FACEBOOK RULES!

I am enjoying being on Facebook and as a result, I have neglected my blog. Too boot, I guess I haven't had very much to blog about lately. I wish all of my family and friends the world over would join FB. It is a lot of fun and is a neat way to share pictures and video. I will write here as I have things to blog about. Otherwise, look me up on FB!!

PRAYERS FOR THE PRESIDENT

Our new President was inaugurated on this past Tuesday, January 20, 2009. No, we didn't vote for him nor desire that he be our president, BUT God allowed for Barack Obama to be our 44th President of these United States. It is now our duty to support him when he does right, to stand up and be heard when he does wrong, and to pray for him every day of his presidency~~ no matter what.

Honestly, I was kind of at a loss as to how to pray effectively for President Obama. I find it easier to pray for him as a husband and father and for his wife and their two precious young daughters, but how was I to pray effectively for his presidency? It was such a blessing last night in prayer meeting as our pastor preached on prayer and why we should pray for President Obama. Here are some notes I took and at the end Pastor Jackson gave us a special plan for praying EACH AND EVERY DAY for our new president. Here goes.........

Why should we pray for President Obama? Four specifics about prayer for our new President as found in I Timothy 2:1-4:

1. THE PRIORITY OF PRAYER
We must wage a good warfare in prayer for prayer is the key. Make prayer our first priority. This is a serious time for our country. We must pray.

2. THE PETITIONS OF PRAYER
A. Supplications: offering a request for a need
B. Prayer: communing and fellowshipping with God
C. Intercessions: approaching the KING on behalf of others.
D. Thanksgiving: include giving thanks in our prayers.

3. THE PEOPLE OF PRAYER
Prayers are to be offered for all men. Not sweeping generalities but enlarge our love to embrace prayer for all men. Pray for all men and pray for kings. Every ruler in the world is appointed by God. We should pray for our president when he is right and when he is wrong. He needs it most when he is wrong.

4. THE PURPOSE OF PRAYER
What are we to pray?
1. For peace in public life
2. For purity in private life

Godliness: Seeking to please and glorify the Lord. Our greatest civic duty is that of prayer.

And then Pastor Jackson gave us this guide for how to pray for President Obama every day of the week:

SEVEN DAYS OF PRAYERS TO PRAY WEEKLY FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA
As presented by our Pastor on Wednesday night, January 21, 2009.

Praying Through Psalm 101 for our President

SUNDAY:
1 I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing.

Pray that President Obama will love and practice mercy and judgment and that he would love and praise God.

MONDAY:
2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

Pray that President Obama will act wisely, that he will sense and know the presence of God. That he will live a life of integrity both in public and in private.

TUESDAY:
3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.

Pray that President Obama will hate evil, that he will not tolerate compromise in his own life or in those around him.

WEDNESDAY:
4 A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.

Pray that President Obama will repent of sin and fight sin, that he will keep his heart right with God and with man.

THURSDAY:
5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer. 6 Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.

Pray that President Obama would hate and avoid pride, evil talk, and slander. That he will appoint blameless and efficient men and women to positions of authority.

FRIDAY:
7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.

Pray that President Obama would maintain Godly standards and that lies and deceit would be unacceptable to him.

SATURDAY:
8 I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD.

Pray that President Obama will remove ungodly and immoral laws in our country and with God’s help that he will work to build a righteous nation.

I intend to pray for our President every day of his presidency. Will anyone join me???


With that said, I would like to express my love and appreciation to President George Bush and for the way he conducted his office as President with honor, decorum, wisdom, and reliance upon God Almighty. Laura was a lovely First Lady, full of grace and femininity. I pray that their post-presidential years will be the best years of their lives. May God bless them abundantly!

BLESSINGS ABOUNDED IN HUNTSVILLE

Richard and I were so blessed to be a part of Chip's move into his first "owned" home. As a college student, seminary student, and first years as a youth pastor, he lived in dorms, apartments, and rental houses. As his friend and realtor Tommy told him on Monday, January 12, after the closing on the house: "Chip, welcome to the American dream..... you are now in debt!!!"

Chip invited his dad and me up to attend the closing with him, go shopping for furniture, and to help him move in. We had a blast!!!!!!!!!!!! We arrive on Sunday evening in time to visit Chip's church and be blessed by Pastor Zach Terry's evening message.

On Monday, we met Chip at the church to go to the 11:00 a.m. closing with him. It was uneventful but such a blessing to see that interest rate of 4.375 on those closing papers. What a blessing that he locked in that great rate. We took Chip and Tommy (Chip's realtor/friend) out for lunch as our way of thanking Tommy for working with Chip as he looked for a home to buy.

After lunch, we rode all over Huntsville with Chip as he visited the various utilities to get the electricity, gas, and water changed from the rental to the new house in time for our move later in the week. Later in the afternoon, we went with Chip as he shopped for some new furniture for his new house. He was very blessed to run up on a good deal at a great store in buying furniture with no interest for 48 months!!! He picked out some very nice things which will be delivered next week, I believe. We were at the furniture store until about 10:00 p.m. and boy were Richard and I tired by that time. We were thankful for the comfy recliners we claimed as Chip shopped and bought his furniture.

On Tuesday, Chip went to work at the church and we went to work in the rental packing up for the move. It went fast for the planned move on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the coldest air of the season was poised to move into the area. Chip was very wise and lined up some of his teen and college students and a couple of dads to come over after church on Wednesday night to load up the truck and move the stuff to the new house. That went great and we were moved in by 10:00 p.m!!! What a nice treat to move in a day ahead of time and to beat the COLD wind and temps that were moving in. We slept on our new mattresses and found the house to be very warm and comfy.

On Thursday, Chip went on to work and we went over to the rental to clean it up. Being a little 4-room house, that wasn't a very big chore and we were done in a couple of hours. Chip's landlord there is a dear man and his wife in the church. They were so good to Chip and we so much appreciate Bro. Dwayne and Jackie for their generosity toward Chip. One special blessing they were the benefactors of: Chip had a clothes dryer but didn't have his own washing machine as the rental had a washer there. Bro. Dwayne came over on Tuesday as Richard and I were packing up to check on how things were going. He asked us if that was Chip's washer and dryer. We explained that the dryer was Chip's (Dwayne's dryer was sitting over in a corner of the kitchen) but that the washing machine wasn't Chip's and that Chip would be buying one. Dwayne came back on Wednesday to tell Chip to take the washer with him. He didn't charge Chip a penny for that machine. WHAT A WONDERFUL BLESSING!!! I pray that God blesses Dwayne and Jackie abundantly for all they did for Chip.

The cold air flowed into Huntsville on Thursday and it was bitter cold on Thursday night. Richard had gone out during the evening to turn on the outside faucets to let them drip over night but no water came out!!!! Oh dear. It was in the single digits over-night and so all of the faucets in the house were dripping. We got up several times in the night to make sure everything was dripping. When we got up on Friday morning and as the sunshine came out, Richard waited until afternoon to go out and check on those outdoor faucets. (Chip was at work.) One faucet came right on and the water flowed. The other faucet still did not run. (I have to confess that I am a worry-wart (sin!) and my heart was sick.) Richard took my hairdryer out there and blew on it for several sessions. Later in the afternoon, when he turned on the faucet, the water flowed. PRAISE GOD!!!!!!!!!!

Chip was scheduled to preach at a youth retreat in Gatlinburg on Friday evening through Monday noon so he took off on Friday mid-morning for that event. We stayed at the house and did some more settling in, setting up, paint touch-ups, cleaning jobs, etc. We had a fun day working in Chip's house. Richard installed the surround-sound system that Chip had bought for the house. We were invited out to dinner at a wonderful Mexican restaurant by a dear couple in the church. We enjoyed getting to know Dan and Janice and their teen son who is in Chip's student group.

On Saturday, we worked most of the day and then were invited over to Tommy's and Terri's house for dinner. (They are great folks in Chip's church and Tommy was Chip's realtor.) Terri had prepared a delicious dinner and we enjoyed a 3-hour visit in their home.

On Sunday, we attended Chip's church for both services and took Dwayne and Jackie (Chip's former landlord) out to lunch. We enjoyed the fellowship with them and being able to express our thanks to them for all of the ways they were a special blessing to Chip for those 14 months he lived in their rental.

On Monday morning, January 19, we packed up and made our 6-hour trip back home. We were so very blessed to spend a week up there and enjoyed Chip's new home so very much. We saw blessing after blessing during the event and thank God for His blessings upon our son.

ANOTHER MILESTONE!

Our man-child is buying his first home. Chip is set to close on his house this Monday, January 12. We are going up to help him pack up and make the physical move into his new home which will take place on Thursday. We are very excited for Chip and pray his home will serve him well.