March 24, 2012

  • Love, Marriage, and Divorce

         Does anyone listen to their vows now days? Do they take them seriously? I have actually heard young people voice that they can get married and so what if it doesn't work they will divorce. Wow!  Any divorce is heart breaking to me, but I find it less so if both spouses agree that they want to end the marriage. But even then I would pray that both parties have given it all to make it work before throwing in the towel. Then there is the abused spouse and to that I say no one should stay in a situation where they are getting beat up. One of the most heart breaking of the divorces is where a third party comes in and breaks that marriage apart. And by third party I mean an affair or even an in-law that does not like that spouse. That is where forsaking all others may come in. But the most heartbreaking of all is where there are small children involved.  Children are shipped back and forth between ex spouses and the new person. Even if it is intended or not children figure out what has happened with the family. They are torn between loyalty to the wronged parent and the parent who has split their world apart. Income is split between two homes which reduces the children's quality of life. Do children deserve this? I don't understand this. I love my husband and children more than I love myself. My mother taught me this and was reinforced by the sweet old pastor that counseled us before our wedding and then married us.They both said that if you don't love this person more than yourself then don't marry him .  Selfishness is not a pretty quality to bring to a union. My marriage was not, nor is it now perfect. We work at it everyday. I believe what happens in a lot of marriages is that people let their anger get out of control. Anger is a natural response, but what we do with it is our responsibility. I once heard of a divorce because the wife collected unicorns. Hubby hated them and resented the money she spent on them, so he divorced her. That marriage may have worked if that husband had of stopped his anger before it turned to hate and tried come to a compromise with his wife. Nine years ago I found myself in a hospital bed with a life threatening situation and my precious mother had passed away the day before.  I came out of that a changed person. I promised myself that I would try to do what my mother had always done. Try at all cost to salvedge the family she loved so much and do what I always wanted to do which was keep the peace. So much for keeping the peace. I recently decided to offer advise to a much loved nephew.  I only decided to do this because one month before I saw him and his wife sending I love yous on face book. Suddenly he had an affair with someone who knew he was married. (now I am not using names here) But the wife was shocked she didn't know her marriage was in trouble.  She is heartbroken and angry and has every right. But here is the big thing there are two small children in this marriage. But anyway the attacks started from someone in the family who did the same thing. Now I may not have expressed my opinion in the best way. But never the less I feel I have the same right to express my beliefs as anyone else. And by the way this was already advertised all over face book.  I was told my daughters divorce was brought into this. And yes she is divorced and the two of them are Christians and are heart broken that this happened to them.  They are working on resolving the problems that brought them to this point in their lives and may someday revisit the marriage. And the big thing there are no children involved. To any of you that was offended I did not mean to do that. I have and will treat all new spouses with respect. We each answer to God on our own deeds.  I am very passionate about family and offer no apologies for that.  I love you all.

March 12, 2012

  • my sweet sister Ruby

    My sweet sister Ruby is having a pacemaker put in this morning. She is such a wonderful person and has always shared freely of everything she has. I remember her  home canning extra every year so she could share with people who needed it. Not just her family but anyone she knows. She loves her husband, children, grandchildren and greats fiercely. She has always been there to help anyone who has needed it. Please pray for her now and after surgery. God Bless, Patty

  • Wow has it been this long since I posted

    heartSo much has happened to our family these past few years.  Jessica is 35 now and Joe jr is 33. Jessica married a guy she had dated off and on for 8 years and she was engaged twice. Unfortunately the marraige was filled with problems from the very beginning. Things that neither one of them could do a lot about and they divorced after a year. But they are still trying to work out there problems and perhaps revisit the marraige later on. They both are christians and don't really beleive in divorce (which makes it all the sadder). They also don't beleive in marrying someone else until one or the other are deceased. Oh well with God and time things will prayerfully get better. Our son has a sweet girlfriend in Holland and they someday hope to marry.  God bless, Patty                                                                                                                                                  

May 1, 2009

August 12, 2008

  • another correction !

    Oops I did it again.  Too close to midnight so I will just tell you Jessica was born August 2, 1976 and was followed 2 years and 9 days later,  August 11, 1978 by Joe Jr..  Sorry kiddos! Mom stays up too late! Love you  Both!

  • My baby is 30 today!

    marine pic Joey and Pea      First let me correct Jessica's birth date. I was typing the last entry close to midnight without noticing the time so it showed up as August 3 for her birthday. But she was born on August 2, 1976. My bicentinial baby. Two years and nine days later along came Joe Jr. I prefer to call him Joey, but her prefers I don't do it in public so shhhh! Now this child was not an easy birth and I told the doc with the drugs to knock me out! Now! Right now! Not in a minute! Now! And he complied. So after being awake with Jessica this was really different. I awoke to this long skinny red baby in an isolet and asked who the ughly baby was.  Now he was not an ughly baby as my husband quickly reminded me and I saw it was true as my husband explained.  And he reminded me "He is my son and he is beautiful!" And I got past the pain and saw yes he was beautiful and so was my husband  AND the whole world around me. This son of mine only out weighed my 7 lb 7 oz Jessica by 4 oz.  But her short little 19 inch body made that 7 lb 7 oz seem significantly  more than the 7 lb 11 oz. on my whopping 21 and 1/4 inch long boy. And after this experience I looked at my husband and said no more! And I have forever wished I had more. They are the loves of my life. Now if one would just get me a grand child before I meet my maker.

         Now Joe was one of the smartest little guys and I say that not because he was mine but because others saw it too.  He figured out crib toys and became bored with them as fast as we replaced them.  He talked way before he could walk.  In fact at his one year appointment he told the nurse who gave him a tine test "ouch that hurt" and visualize that with a mean glare. The doctor imediatly said"Well we can skip from single words to full sentences for this one!"  He talked constantly. He sat in his high chair and entertained anyone who would listen. He went fishing in the big boats in the big waters. To this day we still don't know where he saw big boats and big waters. He was my best buddy. Followed me around and told me how pretty my creations were. It went like this " Mommy that Pretty! Did you make? Can I make too? At kindergarden pre enrollment he was asked to draw a man. He drew a horse with a man on and and flipped the paper over ready to draw a snoopy. Which he loudly voiced to the person testing him. She said "Wow he really likes to draw and he is good at it! We just wanted to see if he could make a stick figure." Since kindergarden was tested a year early, he wasn't quiet 4.  As an artist he is tempermental and sometimes I want to kick him in his rear. But then he is so charismatic. He just draws people to him. One of those people who never lacks for friends.  Always had a girlfriend and more waiting if something happeded to that one. I am so in awe of him and Jessica too. I can't believe that I had a hand in creating such wonderful people.  Happy Birthday Joe! I love you.

August 3, 2008

  • Jessica is 32 today

    Today my first baby turned 32 years old. She was the one that first turned a care free young woman into a mother.  And having that first baby pretty much smacks the selfishness out of even the most carefree young person. We were just babies ourselves I was almost nineteen and he was almost 20 when we got married and 2 years later in the same month God blessed us with this beautiful child. I went into labor at 6.00 in the morning and made my husband go to work. But he wisely made the decision to check on me at lunch. I kept delaying until he convinced me to get the show on the road at 3.00pm.  At 6:01pm same day she popped into the world and popped her fist in her mouth ready for someone to bring on the grub.  And this beautiful child of mine has been a blessing everyday of her life. When I was in the hospital for 2 and  1/2 months with my leg she was right there bossing the nurses about taking care of her Mom. Now neither one of my two children are married and I don't have grand babies. The said daughter, who is named Jessica Renee' is seeing a guy that she has been engaged to twice.  Now he thinks his time clock is ticking for baby making and she wants to make sure he is really prince charming. Now he is a gorgeous hunk of man, loves God, can quote the Bible to you and is well settled with his own home. Shucks if I wasn't already married, I would marry him.  He is the whole package. Now I really wouldn't marry him, I think that might be too disturbing for even me. I think she just is having a hard time letting go of her freedom. Now she loves kids and even after spending a lot of her grown up years in college she tossed it all to be a nanny. And go figure it pays better than her career  would and has better benefits. Things have always happened like that for her.

    Now back to her birthday.  I always let my children make a  request for dinner on their birthdays.  Now this time it was a lunch.  She had a dinner date with said boy friend.  Now keep in mind she could have chosen a lot of food items and Dad would have run out where ever for it.  But she chose-------drum roll------ my home made salmon patties, home made version of a Rich and Charlies salad, corn nuggets, and my home made strawberry cup cakes. And yes out of my old hillbilly mouth came salmon patties, not crouquets, croquets or what ever fancy folk call them.  I ate mine with ranch dressing using my fingers. There I said it.  Anyway I was once famous for my cupcakes. For  every party they had, for what ever reason I made these cupcakes.  Half strawberry and half chocolate.  And the children raved over my cup cakes and came back until the left overs where gone. But please don't tell these silly kids that those were made out of a box cake and canned icing from our local store. Now I intended to show you a picture of this lovely food, but someone said I am hungry I am going to snack. Next thing I know there was one salmon patty and some shriveled lettuce, pimento and artichoke hearts left in the bottom of the salad bowl.

    Now I don't have pictures ready today of my newborn baby. But the one I am going to show is of she and I at a St Judes bikathon. Nine years old and she rode 61 miles. For those poor sick babies like cousin Dustin, she kept reminding us. I didn't want her to do it because she had a heart murmur. But the Doc said let her do, but make sure someone is there for her. And I was like duh! But any way God blessed my big hearted little girl and after that bikathon her heart murmur disappeared. Now explain that one away non believers!  Any way Happy Birthday my lovely child.  I treasure you, your brother and your Dad.Jess and Mom

July 3, 2008

  • Poke salad

      Yes I said poke salad.  I am one of those southern poke salad eating people.  Or should I say poor southern poke salad eating people. Now for you folks who think we are eating weeds. You just don't know what you are missing.  Hey turn us out in the woods and we wouldn't starve to death.  My husband developed his love of poke salad from my Mom.  One day while visiting us she told him that she would just love a mess of poke salad.  Just happened at that time some had shot up in my unattended spice bed.  So he told her he had some if she would teach him how to cook it.  (What a Catch and he loves to cook too. I love this man)  So now years after my Mother has passed on my husband allows the poke salad to grow wild in his garden.  I don't have pictures of this today. But here is the recipe that my husband has adapted to his own taste.                                                    

    Fresh picked  poke salad    ( you will learn to adjust the amount to your families size)                                    Enough beef, chicken or vegetable broth to cover the poke                                                                                   Several eggs ( this too you will learn to adjust according to preference                                                                  Salt and Pepper (the same)

    Wash the poke well. We let ours set in water for a while.  Remove stems.  Tear or chop into medium size pieces. Add enough broth to cover.  Plain salted water will do.  The broth is my husband's adaption.  After leaves are tender and shriveled down (like spinach) drain well and add to skillet.  While the juices cook down on the spinach.  Beat your eggs and add some salt and pepper. You can adjust this after it is cooked.  When the juice is cooked down to just a little add the eggs and cook until the eggs are done. Just like you would do scrambled eggs.   My husband sometimes adds a little ms dash while it is cooking.  Sometimes he also adds cheese and bits of ham after it has finished cooking.   And the good news for you non weed eaters is that you can substitute spinach.

         My sweet Mother left us 5 years ago one day before I lost my leg.  I didn't get to attend her death bed or her funeral.  She passed on sunday January 12th.  The last time I had with her was in the hospital a few days before Christmas. Then as my health deuterated my husband and daughter insisted that I come home.  But I cherish those few days.  I remembered propping on the rail of her bed just memorizing her sweet face. She asked what I was looking at.  I told her I was looking at her because she was so pretty. She told me " Child I always thought you were blind!"  This was something I told her often.  Because of her weight problem she never felt pretty. But to me she was the most beautiful woman I knew.  She was a warm lap and shoulder when I needed to cry.  As an adult I still liked laying my head on her chest to hear the comfort that was her heart. Her hand was the cool one that soothed my brow when I was feverish.  She was my best friend. The one I went to for advice when I needed reassuring that I was doing okay as a wife and mother.  I miss her everyday of my life.  And if I had a choice of her or my leg back I would want her.

         Below is a picture of her and my children when they were small. It is on the porch swing of the old land mark house I grew up in and my sister lives in today.  Every child adored her and she them.  She could quiet babies when on one else could. They loved to snuggle in her arm on her warm bosom.  God Bless, Patty          grandma and kids

June 6, 2008

  • Tomorrow is another day.

    After I first started this blog I decided I didn't  have anything important to say that might help someone.  After all my life is a simple one.  I am a one legged wheelchair bound woman   But today my friend bauna  told me that I am an inspiration.  I am still in awe of that. So maybe I can add something. After all I am blooming where I am planted.  I can use the word amputee and handycapped in context to myself now without cringing.  But those words don't define me. What I am is a Christian woman, good wife and good mother to my children. (Of course it is a little easier to mother them now that they are grown) lol!  My world has shrunk down to this little split foyer house.  But I am blooming where I am planted.  I am expanding my world through my computer.  Making new friends like bauna  who is a good kind Christian women who unselfishly takes care of her family so wonderfully.  And then there is copperswife  who first told me to tell my story through a blog.  Thank you guys for being so kind to me as I restart this new blog.

    Today hubby went with his brother and nephew to the farm where they hunt to mow the grass.  So I used this time wisely to do some cleaning while the remote controll packing man was out of the way.  Then I hung out with my little buddies who I will introduce you to now.sweater boys Pea is a 9 year old  chiauhauha who weighs 5 pounds and Rosco is a 12 lb, 5 year old  min pin.  It is hard to tell this by looking at him because his ears haven't been clipped. And I love his  big old floppy ears.  So as you see I use my spare time torturing small animals.  You will probably see more of them.  We also do halloween and  Pea has a santa hat which is his favorite.  now you have met the doggie children and the reason we don't suffer from empty nest syndrome.                                                                                                                           I decided to surprise my hubby, better known as dear, sweet heart and Joe,  with a nice dinner.  Since I have been ill he does most of the cooking because I wear out so fast.  And honey is he ever good at it.  But today I made blackeyed peas in my pressure cooker, so it took only 20 minutes for the peas and a little longer for the corn bread.  We like neckbones or short ribs in our peas but today all I had was ham shanks in the upstairs freezer. Now I love my pressure cooker.  My sister in law recommended that I buy it from one of those shopping networks and she is a smart woman let me tell you.  You can only fill them half full but they come in several sizes.  The one I have is just right for Joe and I.  Now I am a southern pinch and palm cooker.  My favorite recipes are memorized in just that manner and these peas and cornbread are no exception.  But I will try to share my recipes in a later post.  Like anyother family we have our own preferences.  For instance we like our cornbread a little bit sweet and since we don't use sugar splenda does the job.  I am going to post a picture of my pressure cooker and my good old iron skillet of corn bread.  But please over look the water spots on my pressure cooker and if you see a prednesone bloated figure in the reflection ignore that too. ebay pictures 005 What I wanted you to see here is the weight system rather than a gauge these newer pressure cookers have.  They are so much safer.  The worst that can happen is that it would blow a seal.  Over filled it once and this happened.  Joe and I still laugh about finding peas where it blew them all over the kitchen for weeks later.  Notice the steam on the back of the range. The peas where still in the pot at this point and I had just released the steam.ebay pictures 003

    This is a side veiw of my pressure cooker.  If anyone is interested I can look up the name. It is from some big la de dah cheif I think.

    I just noticed that the top picture is cut off in my published blog, but you can still see the weight  on the right hand side in the  side veiw of the pressure cooker.

     

     

     

     

     

    Now didn't my corn bread turn out well in my lovely old iron skillet?

     

    ebay pictures 001 Well enough for today because it is at it's end and even two old retired folks need their rest.  And as Scarlet would say "tomorrow is another day" God Bless you all for listening.  Patty

February 5, 2008

  • Have you ever really seen a guardian angel. I mean really seen them. I use to believe it was an overdone thing so someone could make money on their angel products. Well this is how it happened. My son in his rebelious years joined the marines, straight out of highschool, to show us he could. I wanted him and his border line Genious IQ to go to a good university, but after a good cry decided it may be good for him. At any rate he would never complain to us. Oh no can't let Mom and Dad know he was misserable. Yet I am Mom so I knew and prayed continously. One day I sent him the verse at Psalms 91: 9-11.  The Lord ... will command his angels concerning you to quard you in all your ways. Then I got a lovely letter back from him telling me (Wow Mom, I believe in angels!) As it turned out he was on a difficult run and if he failed he would have to start boot camp over. Out of breath and strength he was about to quit. Then suddenly another marine ran up beside him and asked if he believed in God. Of course my son answered yes. This young marine ran along side of him encouraging him through the word of God. He told me that suddenly he was no longer tired and finished the run in high stride. He never found that marine to thank him. Indeed when he turned around he was gone.                                                                        Several years later when I ended up in the hospital for my amputations I was under a lot of medications, had lost my mother and everything seemed impossible. Well the first angels I became aware of was when the insurance company wanted me to go to a nursing home.  At this point I had a couple of ivs, oxigen, heart moniters, catheter, and wound vac on me. Everytime the hospital social worker mentioned this I would cry.  Angel 1, the doctor told the insurance company I was going nowhere for a long time.  After that one angel in behind the other would pop up when ever I was confused or needed anything. A nurse who came to me when I was restless one night, bathed me, lotioned me and changed my sheets without me asking.  Said I reminded her of her Mother. Slept like a baby. At any rate this blog isn't long enough to tell you all of them. But these were every day people who stepped in at just the right time and comforted me. All worth their weight!  Thank you for listening to me ramble. God Bless, Patty