Brandon Heath/Jars of Clay

Got free tickets on Saturday night to see Brandon Heath and Jars of Clay at the Carson Center. We got the tickets through the guitar player for Jars of Clay who is related to a friend of mine.  The concert was awesome and Brandon Heath was so down to earth.  He came out for autographs and instead of sitting behind a table, just hung out with the crowd.  He was super nice and oh, so very talented!  Check out his music if you don't know him already!

We girls said goodbye to daddy tonight!  Always difficult to do, but I lightened the mood for everyone by planking on the hood of his car!  He laughed himself sick!  Wish I had taken a picture.  Next week, I am going to owl on his car....Hee-Hee.  Look it up, people!

The week has been really rough with Madeline.  She seems to be doing better but keep praying.  If the tummy stuff does not resolve soon, we may have to take her to a specialist.  Trying to avoid that if we can!  Molly is doing well at school and seems to be settling into the middle school schedule.  I am getting ready to start Fall Festival at Concord.  I have been ticket chair for the last three years so September and October are always busy for me at the school.  

Thought the horrible heat was over but it is supposed to hit 99 on Thursday.  Uuuggghhh.  Make sure you laugh at me in January when I am complaining about the sub-zero temps!  Yes, I admit it...I am a Fall/Spring girl.  No extremes for me...!

Hope you are all doing well.  Got to skype with Grandma Carol the other night so for anyone else who skypes, give us a call!  Lots of fun!

Love to you all!

Holding my breath!

Could this be it?  Is today the last day of hell-fire and brimstone?  Weather channel says high of 98 for little, old Paducah and then it has the 80s for the next 10 days.   Hate to get excited.  I know September can hold quite a summer punch sometimes.  I know Fall is still a good 6 weeks away, but I am dreaming of pumpkins, crunching leaves, and cinnamon sticks!

Keep Madeline in your prayers.  This week has been very hard on her.  I accidently fed her something with milk in it on Sunday night after church and within an hour, she was screaming in pain.  It went on for a while.  Kept her home on Monday so she could be near a bathroom.  I thought it had passed but Monday night came and she had another violent episode of stomach pain.  I didn't know what to do...Troy was in Clarksville, Molly was upset...so, I asked her if she wanted to go to the hospital and she said yes.  We went to the ER and it was going to be four-five hours so I gave her another dose of phenobarbital to help with the pain and took her home to sleep.  The next morning we went to her pediatrician and he said the initial allergy on Sunday night, attacked her stomach and intestinal lining and it might take a week or two to feel better while it healed.  He put her on another medicine to help the healing.  Anyway, she is better today and off to school.

Anyone feel the big shaker yesterday?  We didn't but down here we are always in apprehension over the "BIG" one to come.  I know it is only a matter of time before the New Madrid opens up and swallows us all down....eeeeekkkkkk!  Come look for me, dear friends and family!

For those who have followed the drama, Troy and I had a big, black tumor removed on Monday.  Yes, who knew that a very nice black GMC Sierra could cause so much pain when you were carrying it on your back!  The economy pressing down on it made it much heavier, but alas we were unable to unload the monster and now we get to start afresh.  However, I know my husband misses his big man toy.  He has to share my car for a while...wonder how that will be:)  What we learned from the truck phase of our life....NOT ALL COMPANIES OFFER A CAR ALLOWANCE...so be careful!

Hope you are all doing well!  We love you and miss you and are praying daily for you!

Friday

Molly has made it through another week of middle school.  She is still stressing out about getting to class on time but I know this will get easier for her.  She was asked to try to sing the national anthem and has been practicing it here all week.  I am ready to stick the flag in my ears.  She is quite good and had the class cheering when she was done, but if I have to hear her belt it out one more time, my ears are going to bleed.  

Madeline loves 2nd grade...apparently, all the do is eat and go to recess.  I haven't heard about any school work.  I hope they are learning something.

Troy is home from Clarksville and ready to do a whole list of honey-do's this weekend.  It is hard being away all week and coming home to a cranky housewife!

Hope you are all doing well!

We Survived....

Yes, we are still alive!  We made it through the first week of school!  I am exhausted...the girls are exhausted...I think the dog is even tired!  Molly has to get up at 6:00 and catches the bus to the middle school at 6:40.  Classes start at 7:30.  Madeline sleeps in a bit and we have to have her at school at 8:40.  I had wanted to take Molly to school but decided not to for several reasons.  It is a good 15 minute drive for me to get there...(I will receive no sympathy from you city folk who have to drive longer to get places!).  But, to us small town people, I can usually get anywhere in ten minutes so driving out to Timbuktu for the middle school really starts my morning off with queasiness.  The other reason is sweet Maddi...what would I do with that girl from 7:20 until 8:40...shop at the mall????  I really think she needs her sleep so I pack Molly on the bus each morning and pray for her safety.  The afternoons are so much better!  Molly rides the bus home and gets here at 2:50.  We have about an hour together before Thing 2 gets home from the elementary school.  Great time to do homework or chat about the daily soap opera of middle school girls....

Molly ended the first week of middle school in a tirade of drama.  She walked in, dropped her backpack, fell face-first onto the couch and in a muffled voice, declared that she hated middle school.  Her locker is too high up and she is too short to get books off the top shelf, lunch is filled with gossipy girls, and she doesn't have enough time to get from class-to-class...Wow!  Doesn't this sound familiar to all of us???  Guess school never changes:)  

Madeline has loved every minute of second grade.  She has a darling teacher and already she is Madeline's favorite teacher of all time!  The first day of school, she came home with a yellow Positive Incident Referral card.  These are handed out to students who have fabulous behavior/manners.  Her's stated that she was a great listener.  Did I hear that right????  Madeline Yates?????  Do they have the wrong child????  I am positive that I have to ask that kid fifty time a day to clean her room!  Might check and see if there are two Madeline Yates in her class.  That has to be why!

Troy got home on Happy Thursday Night.  And, of course, we were happy!  He and I missed our 14th anniversary together so we spent Friday together without the kids.  Very nice to have him to myself!  We went to lunch together and basically came home to be lazy.  That's the best way to spend an anniversary!

Hope you are all doing well.  Have seen a break in the heat down here so we are enjoying the outside a whole lot more.  We love you all!

6:30 this morning!!!  Way too early for old mum but looks like little middle school gal is ready to go!  

My King...

Holy, Holy is my most High God...How I praise Him tonight for my blessings...my life, my children, my world...As I sit here typing, I am listening to the most beautiful praise music and wondering how life can ever be any better.  When I leave here, I will go to my sweet babies' rooms and lay my loving arms on them as they sleep.  I will be praying for God's protection as they begin school.  I pray for their hearts as they will most certainly be broken by others.  I pray for the decisions they make, that they may see the brightness of Christ as they decide where they need to turn.  God, even if they turn away, may the light be so bright on their backs that they feel the loving, warmth that you have to offer.  I pray for their daily protection, for their safety, for their health.  And, God, may their voices be heard.  May they NEVER be afraid to profess the name of Jesus and share it with others around them. Oh, Holy God, bless them as you have blessed me....

Each of you, my dear beloved family, pray for my darlings as they go to school tomorrow.  Pray daily and know that you, too, are in my prayers....

My Horse Gal...

Molly taking riding lessons....

New Record for Paducah?

Wowzer....Just hit 120 degree heat index!  Can't even walk to the mailbox without breaking a massive sweat!  Stay cool everyone!

Baby Bird Flew Out of the Nest!

Molly first day of Kindergarten & Madeline (2 years old))

Should that sweet baby be going to middle school???  Oh, man, I can't believe it is already here!  Last night, Molly and I went to middle school registration.  She is very excited!  Walked out confused and scared, but with a schedule in hand and a new cool, hot pink Heath Middle tee-shirt!  I think she will be wearing that on the first day of school.  After meeting the teachers and decorating her locker (a must-do for complete middle school success), we did a mock run-through of her schedule, starting from the bus drop-off to seventh period.  Don't we all remember those first few days of big school!  


Lost my marbles this weekend and had a yard sale in hell...Can't believe people came with a heat index of over 100...But, I MADE 100 and that was worth a little bit of sweat.  While I was working the yard sale, Troy and Molly went to Current River with the youth group.  They traveled five miles down an icy cold, not-so-currenty river and ended up with burned backs and sore arms from paddling   Molly said, "There were way too many people there with Bud Lights!"  But, fun was had by all and I got stuck cleaning dirty lake towels/clothes.


Sunday, we all sat in the congregation of Friendship Baptist, no lights, no sound system, no visual, and thanked God our church was still standing!  The people from the electric company said the church had been hit by lightening on Saturday night and the whole wiring system was burned to a crisp.  They said our church should have been in a heap of ashes that morning but we know God had another plan!  Praise God!  


On our way to school physicals and then to Madeline's registration for 2nd grade.  Not much we need to do, though.  We were up at the school yesterday and Madeline talked her new teacher's ear off for about an hour while I did PTO stuff!  She is certainly ready for the 2nd grade!  


Love to you all!  Have a blessed week!