Hello Friends,

    First of all I have to tell ya'll that I have learned how to add pictures to my blog, with the help of my awesome daughter, Sarah. She wrote down step by step instructions, and after doing it about 5 times, I can now do it without the instructions. I kind of went overboard on this entry. Although it took me 3 hours to get this entry done. Half way through, it all disappeared. I guess I accidently clicked a wrong button or something. So enjoy.

     I have so much to say that I don’t know where to begin. As you read in my last entry (which was done by my daughter Celeste) it was my birthday and I would like to thank each one of you who left such sweet birthday comments to me. “My Man” came home on Thursday night and he brought home three of the grandchildren. I had a rough night that night with the 6 year old granddaughter (Hannah) keeping me up until 12:30 A.M. So, I was still sleeping at 8:00 a.m. when Jordan, Sarah, Lil. Mitchell and Heather came waltzing into my bedroom singing The Happy Birthday Song, with a breakfast tray that Sarah cooked up for me consisting of bacon, scrambled eggs, toast, grits and juice, with a beautiful lavender Iris. 

Then came the flashing of the camera from Sarah who decided to snap pictures of her Mom while still trying to get her eyes opened. (Who does this child take after anyway??) Everyone in my home knows that I AM NOT a morning person. I get up each morning and my girls say, “Mornin Mom” and I just grunt. It actually takes me a couple of hours to become a human being. After breakfast I must have stayed on the phone for at least 3 hours talking to family and friends calling to say “Happy Birthday.” Anyways, around 2:00 p.m. “My Man” took me out for an early supper. I decided that we would go out to Ryan’s, mainly cause “My Man” likes to have a Big salad before his meal and I knew that we could get nice and filled up for a reasonable price. Afterwards he has me find an address that my girls have pre-programmed on my G.P.S. So, I’m asking all kinds of questions and he keeps telling me that I ask too many questions. So, finally we pull up in front of this old fashioned, beautiful, Victorian house.

Well, I start to ask questions again, and again he tells me that I ask too many questions. So, I think to myself. Well, he can’t be here to feed me, because we just got through eating. He then gets on his cell phone and is talking to someone. He then hands me the phone and it’s our daughter Celeste and she tells me “SURPRISE.” So, I ask what is she talking about and she says, “Don’t you recognize it?” and I said, “Why should I recognize it?” So, she then says, “It’s your Bed & Breakfast from the picture on your homeschool Blog”. That’s when it clicked, Celeste & Ryan and Sandy & Mitch were giving me a night in this absolutely gorgeous Bed & Breakfast for my Birthday present. I was shocked speechless. All I could do was stand in the driveway of this beautiful home and cry. I had no idea what so ever that they had been planning this for me since the beginning of February. Celeste then started to give me the details. The last time Sandy came to visit me, which was the beginning of March, she took my G.P.S. and went and found this bed & breakfast and told Celeste all about it. That’s when Celeste made the reservations and began the plot to surprise me. Before “My Man” and I left for my birthday supper he asked me to go for a walk with him outside, that he wanted me to show him all that we had planted in the garden. So while we were outside Jordan and Sarah ran around the house putting stuff together in an overnight bag because they were in, on my “Surprise Secret”.  The bed & breakfast was absolutely breathtaking. We went inside and were taken to our room, “The Rose Room”,

and I was in awe. I was greeted with a bouquet of Spring Flowers from Celeste and Ryan that they had delivered to my room.

There was a door that went to the outside of the room that led to an adorable Sunroom

and the bathroom had an old fashion claw foot bathtub. My children all know how much I would love to own a claw foot bathtub.

We did have to leave to go to Wal-Mart cause my girls forgot to pack me some shampoo and conditioner and “My Man’s” shaving stuff. (You see ladies, ALL evenings out DO wind up with a trip to Wal-Mart) When we got back to our room, I was greeted with another bouquet of flowers that were delivered to our room of pink long stemmed roses from Sandy, Mitch and the children.

When we woke up the next morning we were seated at the largest table in the dining room, which was covered in an elegant laced tablecloth which had our room name (The Rose Room) on it,

and only “My Man” and I were allowed to sit at this table. Our breakfast consisted of bacon, biscuits, some kind of egg omelet with bell peppers and onions cooked in it, covered with cheese, and we had orange juice and coffee to drink. I absolutely had a lovely time. I do believe that God has blessed me and “My Man” with some of the most awesome children that He has ever created.

   On Sunday, we went to a home fellowship get-together with a bunch of homeschooling friends. It began with a time of Worship & Praise then the Word was ministered. Afterwards we had a feast of different foods that each family brought, and then it was off for a volleyball game. Oh course I didn’t play, because there was a baby that needed to be held, and everyone knows that babies come before volleyball. 

   Monday, I took my girls and the grandchildren to spend the day at the Davy Crockett Creek Waterfall. We packed a picnic lunch and had an absolutely wonderful day. We made some great memories that day.

Tuesday we got in the garden and planted our tomato plants. We planted a total of 94 plants and will be getting some more as soon as the ground is dry enough to walk in the garden. This year our garden is about 10 feet longer and 10 feet wider than last year. We planted green beans, lima beans and sweet peas last week. We still have our bell peppers, cucumbers, cantaloupe and watermelon to plant. We are determined that all of the money that we raise from our produce this summer is going to go to purchasing our family a tractor. God has blessed us with a wonderful Landlord, who comes to our home and chops our garden for us each spring. Actually, we don’t even know that he’s come, until we happen to look in the backyard and see the garden chopped. God has totally blessed our family.

   I think that I’ve said enough for now, so I will close with this prayer. Today I am going to begin to release a prayer to The Lord for each of My children. Although I have 5 children, I will pray for them individually and I will begin with my oldest, Sandy. Sandy is married to Mitch and they have 3 children, Lil. Mitchell, Heather and Hannah. Sandy would do ANYTHING for her Dad and me. I always tell people that Sandy is “My Giver”. She would give everything she owns to help someone. She would drop everything and rush to me, if I need her. (Which she has done numerous times and, I live over 8 hours away.) She is a faithful friend and sister and has a true love for her family. With my next entries, I will pray a prayer for my other children.

   Father, in the name of Jesus, I pray and confess Your Word over Sandy, that you would surround her with faith—faith of Your Word that You watch over her and help her to perform to be a good and loyal wife to her husband. That she will be a blessing to her husband and children. That she is being transformed into a gracious woman who retains honor, and a virtuous woman who is a crown to her husband. I pray Father that you anoint her with Love, Compassion, Wisdom and Godliness. That she would be anointed by You Father to be the most Godly Mother that you have created and that she will be a Godly example to her children and that they will rise up and call her blessed in Your Name. Amen.

Talk More Later,

Josephine