Extended Birthday Celebrations:

Thursday:
Dwayne got home early and Chad invited us down for a pre-birthday supper.  Todd was there and they fried wild turkey, mushrooms and potatoes.  A typical Elrod meal, fried, fried, fried!!  lol  The only thing missing from the Elrod type meal was wilted lettuce.
It's nice to be waited on.
Friday:
I took the day off for me and Dwayne to go running around on my birthday but I wasn't feeling well and just lazed around all day.
Friday evening, we went to La Cabana in St. James for supper.  Very good food and you get alot.  A fellow classmate, Mick Byrd was the entertainment for the night.  Another friend, Kathy Schulte Kleffner was there along with Mick's wife, Debbie.  Good music, good friends and a lovely evening.
Saturday:
I had plans of painting trim but decided to go with Dwayne instead.  After going to Vichy to feed the cows, we headed yo Wardsville to pick up some tractor parts.  It was a nice day to be out.  I had Dwayne drop me off at Wal-Mart to buy groceries while he went on to get the parts.
I spent the afternoon shampooing the living room furniture.  It's always nice to have fresh smelling throw pillows and furniture.
We went to Sput's for a fish fry that evening.  Followed by going home and watching a movie.
Sunday:
April met me in Vienna and we went to a friend's, (Erica Stratman) bridal shower.  She received a lot of nice gifts and we enjoyed visiting with people we don't see often.
I fixed  supper of pork roast, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn and spinach with hot fudge cake for dessert.  Invited Chad and Todd over and we had a good evening of food and visiting.

I am grateful for another birthday and time spent with family and friends.

Todd Christopher:

My baby boy turned 32 yesterday.  Where did the time go?

(love his crooked smile)

Todd was born on Good Friday in 1981 and we went home from the hospital on Easter Sunday, the 19th and my birthday. I was also born on Good Friday in 1957.
My due date for Todd was April 4th and that was my Grandma's birthday. Since I had Chad on his due date, I smugly thought I would have a baby girl on my Grandma's birthday, the 4th. I had planned so well..... lol
God had other plans. A baby boy born two weeks late. We joke that Todd is such a sleepy head, it was natural he didn't wake up until two weeks after he was to make his appearance. At the time, (and it's no secret to Todd) I was a little disappointed not to have a girl. I looked over at the screaming red headed infant and thought, a boy, a red headed boy? Chad was born nice and clean and quiet, not Toddy, he came out screaming. I was glad when they brought him to me after he was cleaned up to see his hair was not red but almost black. BACK THEN, you didn't get to hold your baby until the body temperature was back to normal.
Trust God!! That is what I should have done. No one could have prepared me for the funny little character he blessed us with. Todd was (and is) like no other. He was such a little comedian and he wanted to grow up and be Johnny Carson. There are so many funny Todd stories, I wouldn't know where to begin.
We took the boys to the Smokey Mountains the summer Todd turned two in April. He was such a talker. We did not see any bears but a stuffed one at a souvenir shop that Chad and Todd sat on for a picture. On the way home, we stopped at Dwayne's Aunt Rita's in Illinois. The boys had been asleep in the truck and Todd came fully awake once we got in the house. He began telling Aunt Rita stories about the trip and how he saw a bear and fought with it and on and on. That was the beginning of "Todd's stories" for years to come.
In December of that same year, I saw some people in town that came to the doctor's office where I worked. Todd proceeded to tell them I was having a baby girl on April 4th of the next year. They congratulated me and I don't know where he came up with that as I was not pregnant. He also told them Dwayne, Chad and my full name and birth dates, along with the years we were born.
In hindsight, thank goodness our ways are not God's ways and he knows better than us. What a joy Todd has brought to our lives and everyone around him.
Thank you God for the birth of our second son.

I am grateful for my son, Todd.

Wordless Wednesday:

 

 

 

My big strong brother of mine.......

When I was a little girl, I idolized my oldest brother.  He would spend hours playing farm with me.  He would drive nails in the ground and stretch string around them for fencing.  Cut up grass and bind it together for hay bales.  I thought the moon rose and set in my brother.

When we moved up to the new house, we had a huge clay dirt mound that was fun to play on. (looked like a small hill to me)  Wayne would dig out steps to the top.  After a rain, he would have to start over again.  He would come home from school and I would say, "Wayne, my big strong handsome brother of mine, will you build me some new steps?"  And that was all it took.

Well, my big strong handsome brother is having open heart surgery tomorrow for valve replacement.  Luckily, his arteries have tested fine so we don't foresee any problems with by-pass, just the heart valve.  I would appreciate any prayers for him and the surgeons.  Also, for my sister-in-law, Bobby as she is a pretty serious diabetic and will be staying at the hospital with him.

 

I am so grateful for each one in my family and today most grateful for my oldest brother.

Busy Weekend:

Friday:
Nathan and Liz came over for supper and to just hang out until their Mom picked them up.  Lizzy always keeps us entertained.  Nathan likes to watch different TV shows than us so he usually goes to the basement.  We miss them if they don't come over.  (I know, we're weird like that)
Saturday:
Busy day of working around the house, trip to Lowe's for a lawn mower tire-which happened to not fit the lawn mower-so another trip will have to be planned.
Rushed making a food to take to two different events.
First-fish fry at Chad's.  Todd fried the fish and Chad cooked the side dishes.  Both boys are excellent cooks and it certainly showed Saturday evening.  The food was delicious.  I'm not usually a fish eater, but these were really good.
We left there and headed over to Mike and Susan's for a get together.  It's nice to spend an evening visiting with friends.
Sunday:
Went to church.  Not long after I got home, Mike and April got there.  They brought my birthday present, a gravy separator from Pampered Chef.  I had been wanting one for quite some time.  (Thanks, April)
After Chad and Todd got there, we all headed to Sybil's in St. James to celebrate mine and Todd's birthdays.  I love to eat at Sybil's, it's my favorite restaurant.  Unfortunately, Sunday's food was not up to par.  Disappointing!  But we had a good time.

Todd, the birthday boy

Mine and Todd's annual picture together

and yes, it wouldn't be a picture of the two of us

without this pose!!  lol  Another annual picture...

Mike, Chad, April, Todd, me and Dwayne

quite the motley crew

 

After eating, we headed back to Lowe's to exchange the lawn mower tire-but they didn't have one that will fit.  I did get four ferns to hang on the porch for my birthday.  Of course, no one thinks I will be able to keep them alive.  I'm kind of known for my brown thumb.  I just don't take the time to care for plants like I used to.  I'm going to try to do better.  And none of them remember how I use to have a beautiful yard and garden.
As if we hadn't done enough running for the day, we went to Vichy to check on the cows and take some cattle panels over.  While Dwayne started setting up to do some fishing at the lake, I went to the stables in Vichy to pick up Zach.  He is working weekends cleaning out stalls and walking horses.  He seemed to have had a good day but he did look tired.  Nothing a little fishing won't cure.  I read a book while they fished.  It was a nice relaxing evening.

After taking Zach home, we had "supper" of ice cream cones.  It's our dairy product for the day.  lol

I am grateful for my family and the occasions we have to get together.

 

Yard Sale:

Sheila and I went to a couple yard sales today on our lunch break.  I did pretty good for finding an outfit for boy or girl.  How can you go wrong with a little pair of overalls and jacket to match?  I can just picture a little pink shirt for a girl and blue shirt for a boy. 
We have tons of books left from when the kids were growing up but added one today of farm animals.
I think April has the right idea of not finding out if it's a boy or girl ahead of time.  Lessens the impulse buying for outfits.  Which Laverne, Lisa and I would be doing.  Not to mention, Grandpa Dwayne!

I am grateful for this time in our life and the joy of a grandchild on the way.

Baby Preview:

Yesterday, I took April to Columbia for her visit with Dr. Grant.  She will see him each month along with Dr. Su in Jefferson City.
Their office is very upscale with high end furnishings, more like you would expect to see on a TV setting.  Very serene and zen like.
April had the nurse come out and get me to see the ultrasound.  What an amazing sight to see your grandchild.  I didn't have ultrasounds with my babies and they were pretty new at the time I had April.
This little baby moves alot.  The baby put on quite a show for us.  It would kick, cross it's legs and even had it's little hand up by it's face as it was posing.  The funniest thing was moving it's mouth, nonstop!  It looked like it was mouthing us and talking (probably drinking the amniotic fluid is what the tech said).  It was so cute.  We wish we would have thought to video it from April's camera.  April decided it must be hyper and talking nonstop and she is in store for quite an adventure with this little person.
The visit went well and the doctor answered alot of questions we had and reassured us he thought everything was going okay, they just need to monitor the growth of the baby and the progress each month.  We're praying everything continues to go well.

I am so grateful for the opportunity of seeing this little miracle on the screen.