Pursuit of Happiness?

I just finish a church video series on the pursuit of happiness. It was from the Piedmont Church in Marietta GA. I have really enjoyed this since I have been dedicating my life to God. I have been saved since I was around 12 years old. I still remember feeling the present of God in the living room of a meeting have a preacher whom preached out of his home. I have had my ups and downs over the next 36 years. I have gone through a lot of rough patches trying to figure out my place in this world. Trying to figure out what makes a person happy. Trying to be a good christian, a good wife, a good mother, a good sister and a good daughter. I have not been good all the time but I have tried. I have written in journals to try to keep my life in perspective. I have struggled with my faith questioning why???? so many times it is not funny, but always in the end I always turned to God to help me. I know in my heart that I would not be where I am today if it were not for God helping and guiding me everyday.  Thank you dear God my father in heaven.

I talked to my brother today and I was so emotional. I cried to him over nothing. I felt so bad sharing my feelings with him but he did make me feel better. It is so funny how everyday life affects us even when we don't think it is. I think if finally hit me today and it did not help that I had very bad back pain that I think hurt helping the farmer move some heavy fence post. I just hope that it is not another kidney infection like I had over last summer. My back is hurting in the same places but it really feels like muscles pulling. I go to the doctor Wednesday so if it is something else I will find out then. The doctors appointment is just an annual check-up.

I have so many feelings that have been building up since I have quit work and I know I have talked about it on my blog before so I will not go back into that. I should have just did my quite time with my bible study this morning before I did anything else. I did read my bible this evening and had my time with Jesus on day 157. I also try to listen to K-Love radio when I am feeling low like I was today. Why is it so hard some days to do what we know is right? I read this lady's blog that is right about an up everyday this year. She is on day 87 I think and even though she has some pretty rough days with her 3 children whom have fragile x syndrome she blogs about at least one up that happened that day. Everyone can find an up in a day and I think that I am going to start doing this for the rest of the year. I may not share them on my blog everyday but I am  going to keep track of them if I have to jot them down in my journal. My up for the day was talking with my brother. I am 8 years older than he is but I have always been very close to him. He is such a great brother.

Well I will end here. I am getting sleepy.
Thanks for stopping by.

Stuff weighing on my mind.....

I have a lot on my mind tonight that I just feel like I need to write about. I got a message this morning about my brother and his family are moving to Jackson Tennessee on April 17. I can not believe that my little brother is moving so far away. I know I don't see them often now with them only living a little over an hour away but this is like 10 hours away. I am happy for him and I pray that he will be happy in his new job.

I have a opportunity to adopt his little dog Baxter. I would love to have him but the farmer really don't want a dog. I love dogs and would own about 2 and some cats and any other pet that I could own if it was my decision but it is not. I have to think about what everyone else wants to.

My sister is doing good. I got to talk to her a few minutes this evening. I really don't understand why she does not have the desire to have a closer relationship with me. I have worked through this but it sometimes make me sad.

I just pray that everything works out for both my brother and his family in there new venture and I hope that my sister heals and has no more scares of cancer.


Thanks for listening to me releasing stuff off my mind.

Is it spring yet????

I know officially the first day of spring was March 20th and since that day we have had some warm beautiful days. We have also had a right smart of rain which I would be okay with if it would stop raining long enough in between the rainy days and the sunny days for the mud to dry up I would be really happy. Yesterday we had a great day doing little things on the farm. We took and walk and enjoyed the outdoors before the cold rainy weather came in today. I am hoping that the 25 degree tomorrow night does night hurt the peaches, strawberries and blueberry crops. I am so ready to pick some strawberries. I looked up the dates at my favorite farm to pick at and they are suppose to start picking around April 15th.

We took a mule ride yesterday and rode over the pop's pasture. I got a picture of these slider turtles sunning on this log.

10 slider turtles sitting on a long in the sun. 

The honey bees are busy on the peach trees.

Our pear tree is blooming

This is spring to me when the Bluets are blooming. 

I always love getting a picture of our bull Jimmy

Yellow bells are blooming.

Had to capture a picture of my baby boy being cool and swinging. 

My Bleeding heart plant is getting ready to bloom.

like this cool cocoon I found on our plum tree

Plum bloom

My shirt button bush is so pretty this year.

Thanks for stopping by.

A little of this and that...

Today started off a little cool and cloudy. We were going to head to the zoo but we change it to a more sunny day. As the day went on the sun came out a little bit and warmed up.

I have had my sister on my mind and in my prayers today. She had her surgery and everything went great. I have not gotten to talk to her yet hopefully tomorrow. I wish I could have went down and been with her but she said she did need me to.

The time change I love having more daylight but it takes me a while to get adjusted to the sleep. I am not sure why but I stay so sleeping for about a month before I get straighten out.  I am still trying to get my food tracking  and calorie intake back on track. I have lost a little but I am not really doing as good as I want. The warm weather is helping.  I love getting outside to walk for exercise. Spring is one of my favorite times of the year. Our old timey peach trees are blooming. They have little peaches on them that don't have much of a taste. Farmer's grandma said they used to pickle them when she was younger. I want to take a ride out to Candor and take some pictures of the peach trees in bloom.

The Farmer texted me a picture of one the the chickens in the chicken house today that has a funny hair do.

We sell chickens on Sunday night. I think the Farmer is going to clean the chicken houses out some. 

Mamaw and pawpaw have a new calf that has a white upside-down heart on its face. I got to take a picture of it yesterday.

I wish I would have had my camera earlier today we saw the ground hog sitting beside of the road. I have a goal to try to get its picture this summer. There is also a skunk living in the neighbor hood that I would love to get a picture of but I don't want to get sprayed.  Oh well I guess I better get off here all I am doing is rambling. 

Thanks for stopping by.

On the farm ....B

Today has been a really good day. I am on day 150 on doing my bible time. I enjoy my time I spend with God every morning. Some mornings can get a little crazy getting up and down helping the boys and it takes me longer to get it done, but in the end I get it done. After my time I got Clay ready and we went outside. On these warm days I love being outside getting my exercise in. Clay loves to sit and swing while I walk. Today after I took my walk the farmer worked on the pasture so we could move the cows.

Farmer working on the pasture

The cows crossing from one pasture to the other

The cows crossing from one pasture to the other

The calves decided to run wild. I had to get on the mule and help herd them up.

Bugsy, mama and other mama in the barn

Jimmy loving the grass

a calf

Jimmy still eating.

I am loving how green everything is getting. I took a few more pictures today. I captured this bird sitting in a maple tree in the yard. I also got these two pictures of an army airplane I wish I would have been out from under the trees but I think it is still cool. 

A snapping turtle and sliders sunning in the small pond.

Love spring! I love when seasons change. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Hair....

Most of the time I really like my hair. I am  not one to keep it the same way for long amount of time. I know some people who never change their hair style and I just don't know how they do it. I have finally let my hair grow back out it is still not as long as I want it to get but I am really liking my hair a lot right now. I have tried very short hair like Dorothy Hamilton, and when Clay was born It was as long as it has ever been. Now that I am in my forties my hair is turning gray. I have to keep hair color on it about every 8 to 9 weeks. I hate it when I start getting a skunk tail down my part. 

My hair is a natural dark brown almost black. I have had it highlighted to the point it almost was blonde and sometimes it has been the color of a shiny penny not really  liking that color. Now I keep it my natural color dark brown. So I asked the farmer if I am getting to old to keep my hair its natural color. He has always liked my dark hair so he really likes it. My questioning is coming from here lately the high school students that was at school when I worked at there will just blurt out in front of any one,  "Ms. Garner did you color your hair? " I always tell them the truth and say this is my natural color.  Oh well I like it so I will keep it up.

Thanks for stopping by. I know your are probably thinking that was a crazy hair story.

Sunday.....

Today has been a great day! Clay did great a Sunday school. We had a great lunch. I made salmon patties, stewed potatoes, green beans, home canned corn, and home made biscuits. We took a ride in the country looking for a turkey but we did not see any. We took a ride on the mule over on pops land. I took a half mile walk but I have eaten terrible the rest of the day. I have had so much junk it is not even funny. The best part of the day I had was my Mommy's night out bible study. It was great! we are reading this great book

This book would have helped me more when my children were younger but I am still enjoying it now also. Since I have found my life with God in it everyday I am really enjoying it more. Thank you God for your Grace. 

This weekend has been hard because it marks 22 years since my dad passed away. Life is so different when both of your parents die in the same year 5 months apart. Life has went on without them and I have had a lot of good days and a lot of bad ones.  Miss you dad and wish you could have lived to see your 6 grandsons!! You would have been in hog heaven!

Sister.....

I have a younger sister who means more to me then she will ever know. When she first came into this world I was not to fond of her, but you have to understand that I was almost 6 years old when she was born and our dad left for Florida the day my mom went in the hospital to have her. This was not a business trip he was pulling a drunk and it is where he ended up. Well any this is not about the past but I needed to give a little history. I have always loved my sister I was just so jealous of her for so long. I just could not understand why she was taking over my world. As we grew up we became closer and closer. When our parents died it was hard on both of us and it got us even closer. I had a little boy and she absolutely loved him to pieces. She had him so spoiled. Then she got married and moved away and we started growing apart again. It was hard to stay close when I had two sons and they both have Fragile X syndrome. I had a hard time getting over this and I am not able to travel by myself with them. She has two sons also and they are all into sports and have lots of practices. So she stays pretty busy with them.

I am writing about my sister because her birthday is coming up on March 14! She is also going to have some surgery on March 25th. I am praying that everything will go good for her.

My Sister on my youngest son

my sister and my oldest son

Me my brother and my sister


Thanks for stoping by

Got my new camera...

I got my new camera and so far I love it!! I am going to sign up for the photography class for my birthday in April. I am hoping by then the weather will be cleared up and warmer so I can get out and take some pictures. I have taken a few with it. I have taken more than this but I did not want to post them all so I picked some of my favorites.

My neighbors donkeys

Red birds in the snow

Ice monster on the truck wheel when we came home from Asheboro

our biggest snow

Full moon coming up

Looked out the front window and saw a turkey gobbler

I was so excited when I saw the turkey. I was walking by our big bay window and I thought I saw a big black dog in the pasture. I stepped back for a second look and it was a turkey. I grabbed my camera and when to the window to try to get its picture and I missed. I called the farmer at the chicken house to tell him what I saw. Later when the farmer got home we were sitting at the same bay  window and there was the turkey again. This time I had my camera out and I captured him before he got away.

Clay on the farm

House Sparrows

Gold Finches and House sparrow

Seth

Tit Mouse

House sparrow

Snowing

I hope I can get better at it and get a lot more bird pictures this spring and summer.  There is a skunk in our neighbor hood along with a chipmunk living in my yard. I really hope I can get a picture of both of them this year. 

Well thanks for stopping by.