EGG ON MY FACE

Confession is good for the soul.....but sometimes it leaves us with egg on our face.

Would someone please hand me a wash cloth?

We are a very close knit, loving family and usually celebrate every type of happening; Birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc. with a family get-together.

Since yesterday was Mother's Day, I am wondering where the kids are going to take me for dinner to celebrate this year.

Wednesday our younger daughter, Jacque, comes by to borrow our 4 folding chairs as their community, Bro*ken Arr*ow is having Rooster Day Celebration and she and Benny are going to set up a table outside Benny's business which is right on Main Street. She also brought photo's from her recent trip to Florida for us to look at. Jacque, who is a Pharmacy Tech has to work a lot of Sunday's and I ask her what her work schedule is for this week she says she has to work Saturday and has Sunday off. I say "Why don't you guys come and go to church with us this Sunday?" She then informs me she had signed up to walk the "Why Me?" cancer walk. She said she'd forgotten it was Mother's Day. Well, my heart kind of dropped. Mickey's says, "I'm going to take Mom out to The Chalkboard for dinner." One of my favorite places to eat in the old Ambassador Hotel downtown. I am thankful for my sweet, wonderful husband.

Our older daughter, Suzette and her husband, Dave, are on their annual May trip to Florida and are not due back until Saturday.

I do not hear a word from our younger son, Marc, since we picked up the grand kids on Wednesday from school.

Saturday morning when the mail comes I have a card from our older son, David, who is in California. As I come back into the house, with the envelope from the mail box, I have not even opened the envelope yet but I know it is a Mother's Day card and I say to Mickey. "Well at least one of the kids hasn't forgotten me on Mother's Day."

Can you tell I've found that "pity pot"? Oh, yes and I'm thinking, "I cannot remember a Mother's Day that we have not celebrated with our usual family get together." By Sunday morning, during our prayer and Bible study time (of ALL times) I am crying about my kids forgetting it was Mother's Day. Mickey is saying, "I'm so very sorry, honey."

We go to Sunday School and Church, which are both wonderful, and our dear friends Kahri & Michael come and sit with us. Such a joy to have the privilege of these dear friends attending the same church with us again. I am blessed.

During Church one of the songs we sang has the line "You are more than enough, more than enough, Jesus you're more than enough." As we are singing I become convicted of putting so much attention on "self" and I realize anew "Yes, my Lord is more than enough." As we leave church I tell Mickey about this and that I am now fine and sorry I got so hurt this morning. He says, "Good, I'm glad."

As we are driving he says, "I've decided not to go to The Chalkboard. I've picked out somewhere else in Bro*ken Arr*ow. I say that is fine and am really glad we are not going to drive all the way to downtown Tulsa. We drive along and finally I say, "Are you not going to tell me where we are going?" He says I've decided we'll go to Black An*gus Steak House. It's strange because when he said he'd picked somewhere else in B.A. I was thinking I hope it is that Steak House on Main Street.

Driving along, on the main street that runs along the turn-off to Jacque & Benny's , all of a sudden he says, "Let's stop and see if Jacque and Benny are home yet and see if they want to join us for dinner." I am NOT wanting to do this but he pays me no mind and proceeds. When we are in the drive-way I am refusing to go in and I'm saying, "I can't believe you're making me do this.....or is this something that's been planned?"

My sweet kids have planned a SURPRISE for me. Jacque & Benny are hosting the dinner and celebration. Boy, was it ever a surprise. I walk in and confess to Jacque who says: "Oh Mom I feel so bad that you got your feelings hurt and thought that!!! You know I'd never want to hurt your feelings."

When Suzette & Dave came in I confess to them. Suzette was almost a little angry about it and said, "I can't believe you'd even THINK that!". When Marc & the grands arrived I confessed to them. Marc said, "The last couple of days I'd start to call Mom and then decide not to. I knew I'd end up giving away our secret".
Dave & Suzette. These two & their "tans" had arrived home from their Florida trip at midnight last night.

Marc & Oksana (who never wants her picture taken!)

What a wonderful time we all had. Jacque & Benny (Benny does most of the cooking) had a wonderful dinner of Bar-b-que pork, Amish Green Beans (Benny's speciality at almost every family dinner we have), a new delicious Potato Casserole, Broccoli & Cauliflower salad, & rolls. For dessert: banana pudding & jello with fruit and Marc brought a Chocolate cake, & Macedonian nut cookies & chocolate chip cookies.

There were 16 of us!!!! In addition to Jacque & Benny - Suzette & Dave - Marc, Oksana & Aric - Mickey & I were Benny's son, Josh and his wife and young son, Daden, and DeAnn and her 3 sons, Mason, Aaron & Cody.


Yes, confession is good for the soul!!



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These are my lovely gifts. The T-shirt reading "The only fish in the sea" & bottle of cologne are from Jacque & Benny. I love Christian T-shirts!! The cologne is Susan Lucci "s "Invitation". It is so neat because the bottle can be turned upside down and there are 2 separate fragrances....one on each side. The bottle is beautiful. Jacque said she knew I'd love the bottle!!!

The mug is from Marc and reads Mom - Love without end. Amen"

The white lace sandals from Suzette & Dave.

The Host & Hostess with the mostest!!!



As I dressed for church in this blue & white skirt and silver flats I I wished I had a pair of white flats.

One of the tables. The flowers are Jacque's Mother's Day gift from her daughter, Jessica. As usual Jessica missed the celebration as she served tables for other celebrating mom's!!! Jessica brought them over earlier with a wonderful, sweet, touching card.


Seating for two. These flowers were to Jacque from Josh, Jessica's boyfriend, in Florida. Do you think he knows how to make an impression on Mom?

Aric, Mason & Cody playing with a set of building magnets Madison brought along.

Dave had ridden over on his new toy. Suzette drove over separately.

Mickey & Jacque enjoying the bike, the day and each other.

When we got home at 5:30 I had two phone messages from my #1 son, David, in California. Returned his call after church and had a nice telephone visit.

Forgive me Lord for doubting.....and thank you for my wonderful kids.

& all the many blessings You bestow upon me.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

TO ALL THE MOTHER'S

YOUNG & OLD

WHO DROP BY TO SAY

"HELLO"

MAY YOUR DAY BE SPECIAL

&

MAY YOU BE BLESSED.

Whee!!!!

We had 11 straight days of rain!!!! Then Thursday we actually had a dry, sunny day. Mickey was able to mow both the front & back yards....which needed it VERY badly. They look so pretty now.

Yesterday it was scheduled to begin raining AGAIN for another spell. We had flowers we had sitting in our plant area in the garage, under the grow light, that we had to get into the ground. Mickey had told me to wake him up by 7 a.m. (if it was not raining) and we'd try and get at least the 17 sweet pea plants into the ground before the rain started.

Actually he woke up about 6:30 and instead of starting our day with our Bible study, reading and prayer we hurried out to plant those sweet pea's after 1 cup of coffee.

(click to enlarge)

I know you can not see them well here but trust me we planted the 17 plants here.



After getting them planted we weaved them through the lattice and then Mickey used green twine to anchor each on in place.

These Blue Sweet Pea plants were ones we started in the garage under the growth light. The seeds were a gift from my friend Anita from Germany. Thanks again, Anita!

Well, it went so well we not only got those peas in the ground, but I planted 24 impatiens in the front flower bed by the sidewalk, 2 more plants (can't remember their names) around the flag pole and 3 dusty moss plants in the back yard scripture bed.

THEN we weeded the entire "stream" area of the scripture bed.

We planted Moneywort in this last summer and this is all that really took hold. This was solid with weeds. Now we have to purchase more Moneywort to replant in the barrel and bare upper section.


We were TOTALLY done by 8:22 and just in time, because then the rain did begin again!!!

Blessed with 2 Awards

This lovely award was passed on to me last week by Tiffany of Southern Sass.

The Lovely Award says the following: "These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated.

Tiffany is a lovely young wife & mother who truly loves the Lord. If you are not familiar with her I hope you will follow her link and get to know her. I am so honored to receive this award from you, Tiffany.

Yesterday, I was given this lovely Golden Heart Award by Charlotte of At Home In Scottsdale . Charlotte and I share many things, we are about the same age, have both been married over 50 years and we both love the Lord. I was blessed for you to give me this award, Charlotte.

I was to pass the Lovely award on to 8 bloggers and the Golden Heart award to 5 bloggers. In the past I have always passed these awards on to my choices as instructed. This time I am just thanking these lovely gals for thinking of me, posting them here to acknowledge them and asking anyone who would like to have one or both of these awards to please take it, or them, and post about it. Just be sure to let me know when you do so I can come and see!!!!

I'm doing this in this fashion today because as far as I'm concerned all the bloggers I read on a regular basis are LOVELY and have GOLDEN HEARTS.

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

We reside in the small community of Coweta, Oklahoma which is about 20 miles S.E. of Tulsa.



This small community has a great heritage in the Lord. That is one of the reasons we are thankful God placed us here 11 years ago.



One of Coweta's claim to fame is that Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, is a native son.



Bill's wife, Vonette Bright, was very instrumental in the drive to set up a National Day of Prayer.



The National Day of Prayer was signed into being by President Harry Truman in 1952.

This special Day has been honored by every President since this Bill was signed into effect. Our current President is "playing down this day". Please make this truth one of the items YOU pray for today.

As you celebrate this 57th National Day of Prayer I trust you will pray for your individual community, as well as for our Nation and our world. Don't forget to pray for the peace of Jersusalem as we are told to do.

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall proper that love you." Psalma 122:6

Coweta will celebrate this occasion today with a noon prayer meeting at the Fire Station. We will be there.......wish you were here to join us!

Blue Birds

My husband loves feeding all the birds in the usual way, with bird feeders.

&

He has a special love for the Blue Bird.

So he raises mealworms, yes you heard me right, he raises mealworms in a plastic storage box for the sole purpose of feeding his blue birds. And yes, we have that plastic box in the closet of our office!!!!

Each morning he puts10-12 worms in this plastic bowl and the Blue Bird, almost instantly, comes to get its meal. He grabs a few & flies off to feed the babies and then returns until they are all gone.

Here is a closer, yet not as clear view.

He built Blue Bird boxes: for himself, our son-in-love, Dave, and our neighbor, Wayne.



He has nurtured and watched a pair of blue birds build their next, sit on the eggs, watch 4 Blue Bird eggs hatch, and now watches the 4 little blues waiting to see them fledge.






The Blue Bird perched on the rain guage, with its full tummy!!

A Crowning Day

Integrity, dedication and perservance have their rewards.

Above are two sides of the invitation that we received to attend the Open House at the accounting firm where our son, Marc, works. These six gentlemen are the partners of the Tulsa office of this firm.

There is much more to this than this simple invitation indicates. So I must explain ...The gentleman in the back row, with the red tie, is Rick Wagner. Marc began working for him in 1995 when he was 26 years old. In 1996 Marc called me one day and asked if I was interested in a part time job and stated his boss wanted to talk to me. I was interested and I went in to be interviewed. Rick paid me one of the hightest compliments I have ever received in my life when he said to me, "I don't even have to interview you because anyone who has raised a son with the honesty, intregrety and hard work ethic that you have raised Marc with is someone I want working for me." I began working part time, which quickly turned into a full time position.

The firm where Marc was originally hired was Randall, Huhn & Wagner. Soon after I went to work for them there was a split in the partnership. Marc & I were both offered the choice to either stay with Randall or move with Wagner & Huhn and their firm to another location. We chose to make the switch to Wagner & Huhn.

Several years later they merged with an Oklahoma City firm and became Madole, Wagner, Huhn & Cole operating out of both Tulsa & Oklahoma City. They lost a partner & became Madole, Wagner & Company. Whee!!! A lot of partner changes in there before I retired in 2002 from Madole, Wagner & Company.

But this post is about our son!!!!

He was named Office Administrator April 1, 2006 when the company had approximately 36 employees. Upon joining EideBailey July 1, 2004 they had 33 employees in Oklahoma. Since that July 1st date they merged with another accounting firm in Norman and Oklahoma City (08/01/08) then in the same year merged with yet another Tulsa firm (11/01/08). As of that date they had 135 employees in Oklahoma.

Marc has literally worked his way from the bottom rung, since his hire date in 1995, to the position he now holds. His current Title is Oklahoma Office Administrator. There are currently 19 partners in Oklahoma -5 in Tulsa, 6 in Norman & 8 in Oklahoma City.

Marc oversees the administration work for the firms 19 partners and their 147 employees.

With the latest merger here in Tulsa it was necessary to move to a larger office building and location and hence this Open House we were priviledged to attend Friday afternoon.

Marc's Office
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Single Dad - Marc's biggest title as he raises his 14 year old daughter, Oksana, and 10 year old son, Aric. Here they are sharing this proud occasion.

DeAnn joined us when she got off work. You can see Marc has our undivided attention!!

Dad & I could not be prouder of you Marc in both your roles:

Oklahoma Office Administrator for EideBailey

&

Single Dad to our grand-daughter, Oksana, and grand-son, Aric.