Carol's Joy

Sunday Rest... with the scriptures...

2011-01-02T05:00:00.006-06:00

Restfulness is not meant to be an every-now-and-then pleasure that we treat ourselves with. God encourages us to experience restfulness often, and even set aside one of His days during creation for REST. As we rest on Sundays around our house, I choose to read while resting, and my choice reading is always from the Bible - God's holy Word.

This week, I was introduced to two excellent videos...

a dramatic presentation by Max McLean...
The Gospel of Mark - onstage,

a moving 5 minute story of a tiny nation getting 1st copy of the Word, printed in THEIR OWN language...
Kimyal New Testament launch in Indonesia

These would be excellent RESTFUL reading for today!

"Place these words on your hearts. Get them deep inside you. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder. Teach them to your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning until you fall into bed at night. Inscribe them on the doorposts and gates of your cities so that you'll live a long time, and your children with you, on the soil that God promised to give your ancestors for as long as there is a sky over the Earth. "

Deuteronomy 11: 18-22 (The Message)

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Thankful Thursday

2010-12-16T12:48:00.000-06:00

Have a lot going on in my life and have avoided the blog for a long time... but today I was reminded that I need to get back to it!

This "thankful list" is an ongoing converrsation that I've been having with myself and with God...

Today I am thankful especially for the love that God has for us, and that He sent His Son to save us, and that Jesus is indeed our Redeemer - we owe everything to Him!

I'm also quite thankful today that God preserved his Word, the Bible, in such a way that all of us (including ME) can have a copy of our own - to hold with our own hands and to read with with our own eyes.

Thankful for all that the Lord has blessed me with...
and realizing that I will NEVER be finished with this list!

"I rejoice at your word
like one who finds great spoil."

Psalm 119:162 ESV

The JOY in having a growing family...

2010-07-03T17:31:00.006-05:00

The last several weeks have been filled with great times for our family. Justin and Rachel brought Megan to visit last week for a week-long visit; Matthew and Annette did this a few weeks earlier. Uncle Dave loved having his nephew and the nieces here! (not to mention Granny and Granddaddy's swell of excitement!)

NEWSWORTHY:

Sophie is a little sweetheart!   She began to CRAWL just before her 7-month birthday! She can really move it along, and is cheered on by her parents and her big brother Austin. What a sparkle in her eyes as she stops and sits up, turning back to see "if you were watching me"! Her other latest talent is to "say no" with her head, in the method taught her by Austin. See the videos here.
Sophie, you have given us great delight, and we can't wait to see what you learn next!

Megan is a little learner - and is eager to share her knowledge as well. At just 21-mo-old Megan taught Uncle Dave a new thing which he tried out today. :) Dave loves to be on the screened porch as often and long as we will allow it. He prefers to have "alone time" out there, so we allow it. He can come and go as he pleases - but today had more difficulty than usual getting his body to respond to his brain's command to twist-and-push simultaneously - so he felt "stuck" out there.
I was swapping laundry loads and heard someone knocking at the door. I rushed to the front door, but no one there. However, at the french door to the screened porch, I saw my youngest son, standing and knocking on the window pane - just as he had observed his niece Megan this past week. THANK YOU Megan! We knew you three cousins would start teaching Uncle Dave a few tricks - we just didn't know who would "go first"! Megan was the FIRST winner! : )
Megan showed us the side of her personality that loves to tease... she is so imaginative! Megan was also talking a great deal more on this trip, and strung together words in 2- and 3-word sentences. Going to be a communicator like her Daddy - but in almost every other way she reminds me of her lovely and talented mother.
Megan, you are a precious, interactive teacher and entertainer! : ) Can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve next time! : )

21-mo-old Austin is quite the dude this month. What a great grandson he is! Bright eyes and smile ALL THE TIME, and so loving towards his baby sister! He's an all-around good sport. I love it! In the last few days he showed us a neat trick of his own, showing special ability. His Daddy, Granddaddy and I were talking via Skype... hoping for Granny to catch a glimpse of Sophie doing her thing, CRAWLING. The two computers and the stretch of connections and Internet between us were NOT cooperating, and so we had to hang it up - giving up on my great desire to SEE Sophie traveling on all fours. Granddaddy went to the kitchen to get some ice water, and Granny(me) stayed in the LR with our laptop. Within 5 minutes, we got a call on Skype... FROM OUR GRANDSON AUSTIN!!!! Daddy was in another room with Sophie, and had left his laptop there in Sophie and Austin's playroom... and...   AUSTIN CALLED GRANNY BACK !!!      WOO HOO!!! What excitement around here! the two of us "talked" for about 2 minutes before his Daddy came in from the other room and caught us!
Austin, I hope you didn't get in too much trouble.   : ) Tell Daddy you are going to be as interested in computers as he always was!

I could never explain with words how much these three grandchildren and our interactions mean to me... so I won't waste the words here. These were just highlights of the past few weeks - I just had to brag! : )

Sophie - 6.5 months old

Megan - 21 months old

Austin - 21 months old

Thankful Thursday

2010-03-11T17:40:00.000-06:00

As always I feel overwhelmed by the task of listing a "peek through the window" view of what I'm truly thankful for. This week's list is short aside from the MOST important thing I'm thankful for: God... and all that He is!

The only other thing on my thankful list this week is:

the way that God chooses to and does use people (that we know or don't know... closest of friends or the ones we try so hard not to like)... He uses people to speak truths into my life, grabbing my attention and pointing me back to Him where I get a directional change for my day, my thoughts, my LIFE!

"Your ears will hear a word behind you,
"This is the way, walk in it,"
whenever you turn to the right or to the left."

Isaiah 30:21 NASB

Thankful Thursday

2010-03-04T21:57:00.004-06:00

I'm so thankful for God's provision for me, for the reality of the Savior's love for me, and for the encouragement of the Holy Spirit. Our God is gracious towards us.

This week, I am also thankful for:

people with medical training
people with patience
people who pray purposely
people who smile broadly
sunshine
chocolate

"Honor all people,
love the brotherhood,
fear God,
honor the king."

I Peter 2:17 NASB

Thankful Thursday

2010-02-25T08:11:00.010-06:00

I've been sharing my list of things for which I'm thankful, piece by piece, as I become aware (or newly-aware) of them. The list grows far more rapidly than I can record, but once again, on Thursday, I'm posting a bit of the list that is most currently on my mind.

Thankfulness begins with the acknowledgement and recognition of the one true God. There is no valid thankfulness or gratitude without this awareness. So, here goes the list for this week...

I'm so thankful this week...

that there is a God and LORD over all - I am an infinitesimally small speck, in the big picture
that He beckons me to come to Him, to know Him -even though I'm so small
that He alone gives all things - I have nothing that didn't come from Him
that He grants forgiveness - whenever I ask, admitting failure and turning back
that He LOVES unendingly- and shows ME how to love, giving me relationships with both loveable and those harder-to-love people
that He allows me to recognize the blessings of:
family and friends, "health" and "home", sunshine and rain.

Lyrics Tommy Walker lyrics - Only A God Like You lyrics

Personalities...

2010-02-24T04:12:00.001-06:00

All of my grandchildren are full of personality! Such precious personalities, at that! The thing that really tickles me though, is how DIFFERENT these three are in their personalities! Yes, similarities. Yes, even Allison-family traits showing through at times. But they all have separate personalities, and this makes each one separately special to this Granny!

Austin is a bundle of personality! At 16 months old (21st of the month)... Austin is a wild man! Haha! He's a shy guy! Really, he's both! Austin's got a sparkly, bubbly, parent-loving, sister-hugging kind of a personality. He is a people-person - longing to be with others and to interact with others... all the time!! He is smart, but too busy having fun to show off for anyone. Austin is just GREAT! Love my grandson, our "little-biggie-guy"!

Megan is bursting with personality! At 16 months old (24th of the month)... Megan is an confident creature! She is!! She is a fashionista on training wheels! Haha! Megan has a spunky, assertive, Mommy-mimicking, Daddy-adoring, playful kind of a personality. She is a busy little person - always working on something, or inviting others to do something with or for her. She just doesn't sit still - except for story time! Loves books, looking and being read to... what a little learner! Megan is just PRECIOUS! Love my granddaughter, our "precious princess"!

Sophie is beginning to bloom with personality, too! At 2 1/2 months old (3mo on the 9th of March),... Sophie is a quiet baby. That's for now. Haha! She is developing her personality, more and more every day - with smiles and sweet sounds that go with the sweet expressions on her face. Sophie is a beautiful baby and she loves Austin's attention. Even when he gets carried away, she seems to know everything is alright because he's her big brother. Sophie is just SO SWEET! Love my granddaughter, our "sweet baby princess"!

Missing them across the miles... this "every two months" thing is just not getting it for me. I've turned into a gushy, wistful, almost-sappy sort of a grandparent. Who knew that being a Granny was going to be so life-altering?

Sophie is here!

2010-02-10T00:13:00.012-06:00

Thinking of my grandchildren again... this time at 12:30 AM.
These three beautiful little children have had a huge impact upon my life, already - and they have just begun to live!

Isn't Sophie adorable?
Here she's only 3 weeks old.

In the wee hours this morning, words just aren't adequate for what I'm feeling... so I'll continue posting pictures, this time "family" pictures.

Justin and Rachel, with Megan
December 2009

Matthew and Annette, with Austin and Sophie
December of 2009

I love my growing family!

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Megan walks!

2010-02-05T07:57:00.004-06:00

So... I'm a bit behind in getting my blog up-dated, but I'm not going to give it up.

The bragging
about my grandchildren
continues... : )

My oldest granddaughter was born only 3 days after my grandson in 2008 - and they have both grown and learned SO much!!! Last week I posted Austin crawling (he did it first) - THIS week the video is of Megan walking, or wanting to. Megan began to walk alone a few days before Austin began his crawling.

MY grandchildren are SO SMART!!! They are both 15 1/2 months old now, and are REALLY getting around and doing so many MORE things! And Baby Sophie who just turned 2 months old is going to want to catch up with them just as soon as she can! : )

Here's MEGAN, at about 6 months old...

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Austin - crawls!

2010-01-29T19:30:00.002-06:00

I've had so many irons in the fire, and haven't given enough attention to my blog to make myself happy. I'm not going to vow to make amends for that or say that I won't be writing a similar blog note again in the future. No promises being made here.

I plan to show off my grandchildren... and what better way to do that than to insert a video here and there! TODAY... take a look at a video of Austin, my grandson and firstborn grandchild! He was about 6 1/2 months old. : )

Thankful Thursday

2010-01-21T18:46:00.003-06:00

I'm forever thankful for the grace of God's love for me, Jesus coming to save me, and the Holy Spirit guiding me.

I'm also thankful today for...

awareness of God's presence
sunshine peeking out from behind the clouds
the privilege of voting for government representatives
an abundance of opportunities
caregiving situations for our son
freedom to share about God
God's promise to provide for me always
prayerful friends
Skype conversations with my grandchildren
paved roads between Alabama and Texas! : )

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Grandchildren... a slice of my life!

2009-11-22T14:26:00.008-06:00

My grandchildren live far from me. It's not my fault but I'm dealing with it. (haha!) Every Sunday, I find myself a quiet hour or so to study my grandbabies' pictures... and relive the moments I "got to" spend with them.

Here's a couple from the vault. They are not new, but were special moments just the same!

MEGAN - peeking out her window to see the cat!
( a picture from our visit just before her 1st birthday)

AUSTIN - gathering candy
(another picture from his 1st birthday party)

Granny's prayer...

Dear Lord, please keep these two (and baby Sophie too) safe and protected in your care. Help them to grow up knowing and loving you - even more than they know and love the cat and fun with friends.
Thank you for such sweet times!
Give their mommies and their daddies strength and energy to do the hard work of parenting. And give us more moments together, throughout their joy-filled lives!

...

Thankful Thursday

2009-11-19T18:10:00.002-06:00

Today, I'm thankful for...

- a skilled rehab physical therapist for my back problems

- time available to go do the 2-hour therapy sessions

- a reliable vehicle and money for the gas it needs

- son David's gentle spirit

- my husband's support

- prayer partners and friends who care

- HOPE, for all pending solutions in my life

- God's provision for everything in my life

---

(daybook) October 29, 2009

2009-10-29T09:00:00.008-05:00

(daybook) For today...

Outside my window...
Fall leaves on the trees and on the ground...
just golds and browns this year.

I am thinking...
How much faster I could get things done
if I weren't nearing "my birthyear" in age.

I am thankful for...
a few days of sunny weather!

From the kitchen...

We're eating a lot of salads
and topping them with seafood or chicken.
I can't take credit for any of those ingredients. : )

I am wearing...

Black jogging pants, green top,
and tennis shoes (doctor's orders!)

I am hoping..
for sunshine

I am creating...
less clutter

I am praying...
for financial needs of the special needs ministry at my church.

Around the house...
Dinner simmering in the crockpot,
dehydrator humming away preserving fruits,
and... papers and bills sorted, awaiting filing.

One fave thing...
my marigolds planted in the SPRING,
have finally come into full bloom!

A few plans for the rest of the week...
Trip to visit sons' Grandma,
conversations with hubby on the short road trip,
some free time on Friday,
more physical therapy, music on the iPod!

A picture to share...
"My Three Sons" - about 2 months ago

With much JOY!

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Monday Musings...

2009-10-26T04:00:00.046-05:00

Things I like…
in no particular order

♥ ~ flowers ~the color pink, particularly rose-pink~ hot tea ~ creaky rocking chairs ~ all sorts of music ~beautiful papers ~scent of vanilla extract ~words~ soft cuddly blankets or throws ~ little girl's hairbows ~my hubby~special old greeting cards~good friends~ folding clothes ~ textured things ~comfy sweaters ~fluffy pillows~computer communications~bare feet~ my camera ~ photographs of my grandbabies~fonts ~warm fuzzy socks ~ crepe myrtles ~ art museums~ ceiling fans ~ the smell of freshly laundered sheets ~children’s books ~lilies and irises ~ Mexican food ~ cinnamon toast ~ scenic paintings ~ sensible shoes ~colorful scrapbooking papers ~roses ~springtime~ old afghans made by my Grannies ~journals ~coffee ~videos of Austin and Megan ~ brownies ~peonies~ the crinkled pages in my Bible at my favorite verses ~wonderful women who are my sons’ wives~reading~ shady pathways ~ the sound of the wind in the trees ~labels on things ~shades of pink ~ Thanksgiving~ vintage family quilts ~ gazing into another’s eyes ~puzzles ~children’s smiles ~old porch swings~ family meals ~ handwritten personal letters ~VBS ~reading~ good conversation ~well written books ~ 3/4 length sleeves ~bookshelves~ my family photos ~ my three grown sons ~ homemade banana bread~ old books ~ my grandbabies(Have I mentioned that?) ~Christmas ornaments~hand-crafted greeting cards~ family heirloom china~big hugs ~traditional furniture ~ a loving God, a loving Savior, and the Word of God ♥

Sonshine Sunday

2009-10-25T17:20:00.008-05:00

It's Sunday, and I'm writing again. I've been away from blogging for a bit, mostly just distracted by my new role as a grandmother. We have been busy going to Texas as often as we can, and I have just not posted here as often as I thought I would. But today, I have decided I just HAVE to update this blog. After all, BOTH of fmy grandbabies had their first birthdays' last week!!!!

Austin had his birthday party a few days ahead of the actual birthday in order for both grandparents to be able to attend. Belia and Tony, and Mike and I, attended the special party held for Austin at the park. Grampa Tony even provided the piñata ! There was a lot of excitement, and many little baseball-shaped cupcakes !! Austin celebrated again with his parents on his birthdate October 21st. I heard that day was also very special.

Megan's birthday was this past Saturday, but we squeezed in a visit early... on last Sunday. Megan enjoyed the wrappings of the gifts almost as much as the gifts themselves. We hated to leave to come home, but duty demanded it. Megan had a wonderful birthday trip to the zoo on Saturday morning with her parents to celebrate her first year of life. Judging by her Daddy's video, I'm sure she had a wonderful time!

Pictures can say much more than words sometimes...
so here are a few taken in the last two months:

Thankful List, on Saturday...

2009-09-12T13:16:00.003-05:00

Life was hectic this week at our house... and I almost forgot to post my weekly Thankful List. Can't get away with that!!!!

So, in addition to the major grattitudes I've posted before... THIS WEEK, I'm so thankful for...

doctors for David and the ability to be SEEN by them when we need to
a husband with whom to share life's ups and downs
sons... And wives for our sons!
the amazing JOY in having grandchildren!
options in life, and choices to make
the overwhelming truth that... Jesus loved me enough to die on the cross, covering my sins with His righteousness! Truly there aren't any words to fully describe that!

"Beyond all these things put on love,
which is the perfect bond of unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
to which indeed you were called in one body;
and be thankful."

Colossians 3: 14-15 NAS

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Anticipation...

2009-08-30T02:30:00.015-05:00

This week we are anticipating a trip out to visit our sons' families. We've confirmed that we will visit our oldest son's family, and are hopeful about the chances that our middle son and his family will join us there.

What a treasure our sons are, and what Wonderful Treasures their wives are!! And then... there's the inexpressible joy of being with our grandchildren! No one could have prepared us for this!

These photos are not exactly current ... but are a couple of my favorites.

Our precious granddaughter,
Megan Ashley

Our adorable and active grandson,
Austin David

Born only 3 days apart...
These two lively cousins love every minute together!

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Thankful Thursday

2009-08-20T17:40:00.003-05:00

Though I'll never be able to list all the things I am or have become thankful for, I'm listing a few again today. No amount of thankfulness nor any of the items on my list would exist without the presence of our holy God. So I'm thankful, first of all, that He exists and has made Himself known to men - and particularly to THIS woman.

Furthermore, I am thankful for:

~ a reliable vehicle
~ the ability to taste and differentiate between flavors
~ variety as opposed to continual samenesss
~ lunch break with my hubby
~ that my toe problem of last year is now past history
~ books
~ friends
~ and family

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His love endures forever".
Psalm 136:1

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Wednesday... August 19, 2009

2009-08-19T16:47:00.010-05:00

(daybook)
For today...

Outside my window...
Tomatoes and marigolds, shaded by large oaks.

I am thinking...
How wonderful it is to have shade trees!

I am thankful for...
My fun-loving, hard-working husband.

From the kitchen...
We have been enjoying sliced,
home-grown cucumbers! Cool!

I am wearing...
Comfortable cool cotton top, dark denim jeans...
and my AU flipflops!

I am hoping...
Tomatoes ripen!

I am creating...
Photo stories.

I am praying...
For my children's children...
that they'd come to know The One True GOD.

Around the house...
Dishwasher and laundry machines, earning their keep.
Dinner plans to make. Phone calls to schedule.

One fave thing...
Rose bushes planted by hubby,
bursting with red blooms! :)

A few plans for the rest of the week...
Sleeping in on Fun Friday.
Walking with my hubby.
A Terrific Transition to new ISP. :)
Reading on the shady screened porch.
Talking with my children and grandchildren...
thanks to technology!

A picture to share...

We had this view 24 hours a day...
from our balcony at the beach last week! :)

With much JOY!
...

Monday... missing my grandchildren

2009-08-17T01:03:00.004-05:00

.
It's hard living so far from my grandchildren. But thankfully, we do make it out to Texas several times a year. I can't wait until the next trip!

Here are my adorable grandchildren...

Austin and Megan

SO PRECIOUS !!!

July...

2009-07-20T07:01:00.015-05:00

We spent some joyful times visiting with our grandchildren during June and July.
Here are a few of our memories...

Could there be anything sweeter?

Austin David (8 mo)

and

Megan Ashley (8 mo)

Austin gets a lot of attention!

Megan loves people and is always expressing herself!

Austin loves everything in life, and tries to experience it all!

What a sweetheart!

Megan is a precious doll!

What a joy!

The grandbabies are both quite the entertainers, and these two grandparents just cannot seem to get enough of either of them!! They are loved so very very much!

We can barely wait until our third grandchild arrives in December!

Thankful Thursday

2009-06-18T17:09:00.003-05:00

I'm thankful every day of my life. I can't claim that I have ALWAYS been. But what I can say is that NOW, and for the past few years(possibly up to ten or so), that I AM thankful. A hard-to-learn lesson, but one worth considering, is that thankful people are those aware of what has been given to them. None of us "deserve" anything - but the Lord God has blessed all of us in some ways. I want to be responsible - reminding myself each week that I AM thankful, and for which things I am newly (or supremely) thankful.

So THIS WEEK, I am especially thankful for...

1) my Lord's love and care for me
2) an awareness of my surroundings, made possible by my Lord
3) an awareness of the depth of my inabilities
4) an awareness that there are depths of his unfathomable greatness that I shall NEVER know this side of heaven
5) the rain and the sunshine, alternately blessing
6) my copy of God's Word, the Bible
7) friendships that He has granted along the journey of life, blessing me as flowers do (Some are daylilies and last for a short season - boosting an otherwise gloomy "day". And some are glorious perennials who are with me year after year - growing, blooming and mingling their scents with mine)
.
.
.
...and, for the two tiny, precious treasures named Austin and Megan
.
.
.
...and for THEIR great-grandparents (my parents) whose 60th wedding anniversary would have been today. Thank you, God, that I know they await us in heaven!

...

My Children's Children...

2009-02-10T12:44:00.003-06:00

My life was forever changed last October when my two grandchildren were born three days apart. Ever since then, I've been struggling to be in several places at the same time... both physically and mentally. When I'm at my home, I am mentally wanting to be in Texas, visiting with them and their parents in their homes. When we are able, we do what we did this past weekend - pack up and drive across two states to be with them physically!

WHAT A TREAT!!!

Justin and Baby Megan, on the left
Matthew and Baby Austin, on the right
These alert and active babies are just over 3 months old!!!

We two grandparents with our sweet granddaughter and her parents

We two grandparents with our precious grandson and his parents

Our grandson - Austin David Allison

Our granddaughter - Megan Ashley Allison

We enjoyed being together for the weekend at Matthew and Annette's house in Houston. We were willing to split our time and drive north through Weatherford to visit with Justin, Rachel, and Megan... but they made the ultimate sacrifice and drove the 4.5 hours to Houston, so we were all able to be together in one place. I am so thankful that we were able to see the babies together like this while they are still little babies. They are growing up so quickly, and are changing every day! Such sweet babies...

These two precious sweethearts sure didn't make it easy for us to head home!

Praise God for two such wonderful and beautiful blessings!

Thankful List...

2009-02-05T07:45:00.001-06:00

In continuing to add to my Thankful List, I must always begin by restating my thankfulness for the love of God, and the gift of His Son Christ Jesus - His free gift of salvation. In addition, I am so thankful for the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, as Comforter and Encourager, and more.

This week, I am thankful for opportunities:
1) to visit with our sons and their families in TX
2) to freely worship God in a church of our choosing
3) to live in this country, the USA
4) to share life with my spouse
5) to access the written word, without regulation
6) to know and have friendships with other Christians around me
7) to bring my needs, and those of others, to the Lord in prayer
8) to know the one, true God

I realize I am extremely blessed, and plan to share these blessings - not hoard them.

" I will praise the name of God with song

And magnify Him with thanksgiving."

PSALM 69:30

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Thursday's Thankfulness...

2009-01-29T13:51:00.002-06:00

I’m so thankful this week for many things…

1) Sunshine
2) Photos of grandchildren, shared by their parents
3) Caring friends
4) Work to do
5) My vehicle
6) Moody Christian Radio
7) My copy of the Bible
8) My new washer and dryer
9) My family

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever."

1 Chronicles 16:34 NIV

...

Little things left behind...

2009-01-28T19:10:00.005-06:00

One tiny little sock...
one pink and white pacifier...
one blue bottle brush...

I have to admit, I love my little collection. : )

While the grandchildren were here visiting (Megan came at Thanksgiving, and Austin came at Christmas)... we had such good times. I loved holding the babies, smelling their hair, and kissing their toes. And I even enjoyed their crying and diaper changes.

It's all so exciting! Having grandchildren is so much more than we expected... and so much more than we could have imagined. Mike and I were so thrilled to anticipate their coming, but our feelings now simply cannot be described. All I can say is...

We have

GRANDCHILDREN !

Thankful Thursday

2009-01-15T11:54:00.003-06:00

...

I have been keeping a Thankful List for a couple of years now, and this is a continuation of that list...

On this day, I am very thankful that there is a God, and that He has made Himself known to me. I am thankful that He has a plan for me, and that He sent His Only Begottten Son to pay the price for my sin. I am thankful for forgiveness in Him.

I’m also thankful for:
1. Friends who will pray for me - supporting me in the best way possible
2. A son living at home with me - giving me purpose while my husband travels.
3. A home to live in - keeping us warm and dry, and so much more
4. My view through our fence - a neighbor’s holly bush has berries that are still bright red and quite beautiful
5. The Entrekin family who came to my rescue Monday morning - the four of them helped get David into our van and headed to the ER quickly
6. David’s diagnosis of “just” a UTI, and not something more serious
7. My children and grandchildren - giving me so much JOY

"Give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. "

1 Thessalonians 5:18

...

Missing in Action

2009-01-13T20:37:00.006-06:00

I know. I've been missing in action. I've been away from almost everything , not just my blogging. Wanna see the reason why? : )

Take a look at these two beautiful grandchildren of mine - that ought to explain it!!! : )

My grandchildren are 2 1/2 months old now!
I was blessed when my pretty little granddaughter Megan came to visit me for Thanksgiving!
And I was blessed again a month later when my active little grandson Austin came to visit me for Christmas! Oh what JOY!

GRANDCHILDREN !

2008-11-01T15:59:00.023-05:00

Newsflash! We're grandparents!

Our oldest two sons & their wives have entered the world of parenthood, and we two old-fogeys have fallen head over heels in love with ...

Grandchildren!

Austin David Allison.... Megan Ashley Allison

2 wks old Tuesday .......2 wks old Friday

"Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers."
Proverbs 17:6 [ESV]

OCTOBER ALREADY!

2008-09-27T12:49:00.004-05:00

It's October already! Now, typically I'd be thinking, "how can that be?" - but this year I have been so anxious for October to arrive that I've been basically counting the days, and even half-days! You see, this month is the month our two grandchildren are due to arrive!

We have been enjoying the thrill of anticipating the births of a granddaughter and a grandson. They are due very close together, and we aren't even sure at this date which baby will make an appearance first! Pins and needles... I'm sitting on pins and needles ! Practically every day I am drawn into one or another of the fine baby stores I have located, and even when I shop at Wal-Mart or Target for groceries I cannot help myself and must drift over into the baby aisles. I've never been much of a shopper, but these two babies may make one out of me yet! Everything "baby" is cute! It's irresistible, all of it!

MORE NEWS - WHAT A SURPRISE !

2008-03-03T01:55:00.000-06:00

This week, on Wednesday night, Mike and I received a surprising phone call from our middle son and his wife. They were cooking hamburgers on the backyard grill, and hosting their weekly Bible study group later in the evening. Of course our phone was on speakerphone mode, and we both were listening when Matthew and Annette asked us if we were sitting down. We were puzzled, and at first thought this light-hearted couple were joking around about the manner in which we received the news that last week from Justin and Rachel. But we sat down anyway and informed them that we had - and then they told us their surprising news. They are expecting A BABY at the end of the month of October!

Congratulations, Annette and Matthew!! CONGRATULATIONS!!

You are two of the 5 most special persons in our lives... and we send our love and support to you both! Babies born to you two wonderful people will no doubt become such a blessing to us in the future...while we two grandparents(!) just sit and smile knowingly at each other from across the room.

Although we were surprised to hear this news, this kind of a surprise brings a giddiness with it. Oh, what a delight! WE are going to have TWO grandchildren born in October!!!!! Both Matthew and Justin are now fathers, FATHERS! This is something that brings such a happiness to us as their parents!! We have found ourselves in love with our two daughters-in-law, anyway - but NOW... Well, NOW we are just about to burst with love for them and for the babies that they are carrying!!

Annette said that her doctor put the due date for their baby tentatively on October 27th, which is ironically their 1st wedding anniversary. I can't BEGIN to imagine the way their minds must be scrambling to grasp the reality of how fast life can move forward. (These two lovebirds have been married just about 4 months.)

Mike and I reacted with much JOY at the news of our SECOND grandchild on its way to joining our family. We are praying for this tiny little baby in Houston, and for its cousin in Weatherford... that the Lord who loves us so much will richly bless the lives of the children, and all those whose lives will be touched by these children.

You know, we weren't expecting to have grandchildren this year. And we never expected to be welcoming TWO grandbabies into our family within the same year... much less during the SAME month of the year!!! SO... in getting the "surprising" news this week, we have encountered a DOUBLE BLESSING from the Lord! And we now are joyfully anticipating that we will include TWO grandchildren in our family in October!

...

Memories

2008-03-03T00:49:00.000-06:00

Memories of sweet times with our firstborn have been flooding my waking hours, and filling my dreams. I have "snapshot" memories popping up daily, reminding me what it was like to have a child born to us... to US! Our son Justin was a beautiful baby boy with the biggest dark brown eyes that I'd ever seen. He was little for only "so long"... and he chose to learn things quickly, really speeding up the rate at which I thought he'd gain those developmental milestones. Walking and talking before we knew it... Justin was such a special baby boy, quickly winning the hearts of all who knew him. I am simply brimming over with emotion at the thought of holding HIS child - Rachel's baby... OUR grandchild !!!

NEWS FLASH !

2008-03-02T00:34:00.010-06:00

At the end of the week of Valentine's Day... Mike and I got a phone call which has turned our world upside down in an exciting and joyful way! We received a phone call and request from our oldest son to "maybe try out a video conference". Without the proper hardware on our computer, we had to settle for a regular conversation.

But as we soon found out, this was not to be a regular conversation. At the request of our son and his wife, we sat down... and received the most amazing and precious news of all of our married life. We are to be GRANDPARENTS! We just looked at each other, and... well, it's hard to describe the excitement we felt over the news of a BABY, our grandchld ! We jumped up and down, we squealed with delight, we looked at each other with the "can this really be happening?" look! Then we started thinking about the special times ahead for this special couple and their sweet baby.

After the phone call, we prayed - thanking our Lord for the blessing He has chosen to bring in the lives of two of the most special people we know...

CONGRATULATIONS, Justin and Rachel!!

Both of us had frozen smiles on our faces for a couple of DAYS following the phone call. October cannot get here FAST enough for us!! We are getting used to the idea that we will have a larger family by Thanksgiving! And we've been trying on names for ourselves... we have laughed over all the different names we have heard from friends and family who are already grandparents. We both feel that we will absolutely LOVE being called ANYTHING by a tiny little person who just happens to be the child of Justin and his wife Rachel!! A BABY is on its way! And a baby can change EVERYTHING!

Petty Family 2008 Christmas Gathering

2008-03-02T00:21:00.009-06:00

December 28 and 29th, 2007... Christmas at our house included possibly the largest number of "Pettys" ever to gather at the same place. Carol's family were all present except for one nephew and his wife, although their son came with Grampa Bill. There were 26 people... Carol's own little family of 8 (remember the older two sons are married now, and that Carol and Jeanetta "adopted" each other in 1990), plus Carol's 4 brothers and their families, etc - a grand total of _12_ females and _14_ males. If you can name all those present - you can win "FIRST DIBS" on the room for your stay for Thanksgiving 2008. :) All you have to do is be the first to drop me an email with the correct list, and you win !! (So, if you're reading this and haven't tried to name us all... I have one tip for you. Check out the picture below and now give me your best shot at remembering all the names!! )

We typically play a Christmas gift game called "Dirty Santa" which can sometimes end up as a MAJOR all-out tug of war! this year was no different - there were several gifts that were hotly sought after by all attendees. (We even had one who participated in absentia, sending his girlfriend to haggle FOR him. We are considering rewriting the rules for the 2008 version.)

Something new this year was "Petty Party Jeopardy", where the last three females who DARED to become members of the family were selected to choose teams and compete against each other in Petty trivia. Talk about some major haggling! The 2008 version of this game will hope for hosts MUCH more like Pat Sajak and Vanna White! And those two game hosts for 2007 will have to prove they have improved their memory and ability to reason - if they intend to host again in 2008! :)

All in all, the two-day gathering was successful... it HAD to be considered successful if it gathered 26 of Bill and Katherine's "motley crew" all together under the same roof !!

We loved having you all here. It was really a special blessing to Mike, David and I, and you all have an open invitation to come and stay with us for a week or a weekend any time - just be sure to bring your own toothbrush!

Mama's Recipes

2007-12-23T23:17:00.006-06:00

Favorite family recipes are hard to compete with. They are more than just physical food. They are emotional food as well. They carry special memories of the face of the cook who served you the recipe, and remind us of long forgotten stories of family members who are no longer with us.
No... there's no competing with something called "Divinity", or "Sand Tarts", or ... "Comfort Icing".

I've scanned a few of our family favorites and you can download them by clicking on the recipe card. ENJOY !

The Wedding - Part Two

2007-11-05T16:35:00.000-06:00

Matthew and Annette's wedding was held on October 27th in McAllen Texas. The weather was gorgeous and the day was filled with such excitement and joy. Although only twelve of Matthew's close relatives could make it, he had a multitude of friends there, and along with Annette's family and friends there were 350 people by the time the reception rolled around! What a celebration!

The wedding rehearsal dinner was particularly special because during that time, each of the couple's fathers stood and gave a blessing to the couple, and told a few stories about their child and the couple; then the rest of the crowd followed suit, and there was a wonderful sense of God's sovereignty and plan that brought this couple together to be married.

The wedding was wonderful, and everything went smoothly during the ceremony. Of course the children in the wedding were especially cute, too. Everything was perfect! We were blessed with beautiful weather for the outdoor reception, and there was music and dancing - and our last moments with the married couple before they left to spend a week together in Lake Tahoe. Every moment seemed super-charged with emotion for me, and I think I barely made it through the dance with my son without tearing up. Their cakes were lovely and the dinner meal provided by the parents of the bride was wonderful. Belia did a wonderful job of carrying through with the plans she and her daughter had made.

Several humorous stories continue to be told about the feeling of love in the air that night. Even Brandon the youngest boy in the wedding got his taste of love as he was chased about all evening by Sylvia's daughter! It was so pleasant to spend time with so many wonderful people, all celebrating the fact that God brought together these two, Matthew and Annette, and that He would be blessing their marriage. The day was over so quickly that we couldn't believe it was time for the young married couple to make their exit. The outdoor evening scene as they left their reception was one of happiness and joy!

The Wedding - Part One

2007-11-01T06:48:00.001-05:00

This year's most memorable event will have been Matthew and Annette's wedding. Their wedding was held in McAllen TX where Annette grew up. For us, the trip to get there was almost as interesting as the days we were in McAllen. I'll be adding photos and other descriptions of the wedding soon. Keep checking on me.

2007-03-14T22:49:00.000-05:00

"Joy is not gush. Joy is not mere jolliness.

Joy is perfect acquiescence

~ acceptance, rest ~

in God's will, whatever comes."

Amy Carmichael (1867-1951)

The theme of my life is to continue to be that of JOY. This theme has grown in my life over the past 15 years... beginning at the beginning, with Elisabeth Elliot and "Gateway to JOY". She truly characterized a life to strive for, as she led her missionary life under the control of Christ Jesus, then when others would take on retirement, Elisabeth took on the role of teaching the "younger women" to be godly women. Her radio broadcasts reached me as a stay-at-home mother beginning around 1990 or 1992.
The joy of the Lord is your strength"
As the youngest of our three sons, Dave's life has caused me to grow spiritually - drawing closer to the Lord Jesus. He gives example of the Bible verses which state that we are to "rejoice in the Lord always".

Throughout my blog, I will be journaling about JOY, and the many facets of joy represented in my life. Everyday posts are too much for me, but when I can find the time, this will be representative of my current activities, thoughts, prayers and dreams.

This is a photo book - go ahead, take a look!

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