fishing with P

Pipe cleaner fishing! P said she was wanting to go fishing so I brought out a blue covered basket, grabbed some pipe cleaners that were lying around, made fish and fishing poles! We had a lot of fun!!

Fall Wreath

I made this wreath, and wanted to pin it for people who want to put a letter on their wreath but don't have a "hole" in their letter. I bought all the materials at Hobby Lobby, and the letter I tied on with 2 pieces of fishing line! It turned out pretty well if I do say so myself!

Tomboy?

I consider myself a tomboy. Believe it or not- with all my vintage dresses and hats, away from Sunday mornings this girl is rough around the edges! Now, I love looking girly and feeling like a woman, but I appreciate the finer things in life too. Like, getting dirt under my finger nails even if they're polished pink, coughing and sneezing up black gunk after halling straw, ruining a pair of jeans in the mud, and the smell of gunsmoke on September 1st.
 Before I joined the Leyhew family I was still a tomboy at heart, but had never been dove hunting. Now the beginning of September is like a national holiday for me! I know some people think it's awful to hunt, especially doves cause "they're so pretty" First of all- I believe it's wrong to hunt if you are not eating the animal or it's not a threat to humans and I'll stand by that, it's wrong to kill just cause. Secondly- Doves are not "pretty!" I cringe when people say that! I'm terrified of birds for starters, but people think of the white doves that are released at weddings, not the ugly gray things that dart across the sky!
 I don't mind getting dirty! Today when I was at my in-laws I sat down, in my Sunday clothes (Reminder- I DRESS to the nines for church) at the desk that has the relolading station on it and started loading shells for Thursday. My father-in-law said "honey you're gonna get dirty" I said "it really doesn't matter." Dirt doesn't bother me, Most times it will wash out and if not, then it can be used as a "play" outfit. (BTW- I didn't get a speck of dirt on my dress, I'm that good.)
Riding my fourwheeler, though I don't get to ride it near as often as I want to, is one of my favorite things to do. If you're upset about something riding on that fourwheeler will release all of those feelings. It's like a renewing when I get to go out and trudge through fields. I can use most tools that are in a machine shop. Though I haven't done it in a few years, it wouldn't take much to pick those skills back up.

I will always be a Southern Belle- but that doesn't mean I can't hang with the boys. Just remember that just cause a girl is polished doesn't mean she's a frail lady!

Content?

Yesterday I heard a wonderful sermon, presented by one of my favorite persons. It was on being content in your life, which I feel like was a definite God-send for me, because I have been struggling with being content.

Sometimes I think, "I really wish I had some extra money so I could go buy some clothes," yes dresses and hats are my weakness, as you may know. Then I may think "I really wish I had some more money so I could get these cool sandals, or wedges..." I always want more, when I already have so much! After I want for these things, I often scold myself for feeling I need more when some people may only have one outfit to their name, and may not even own a pair of shoes. It's such a shame that we live in a world where we are often not satisfied with all we have been blessed with, and like I said, I'm talking directly to myself here.

Along with material things, sometimes I struggle with wanting to spend more time with people, expecially my husband. You may be thinking, well you shouldn't feel guilty for wanting to spend more time with them, but hear me out. For everyone out there that has lost their spouse, or mother, or brother, or best friend I should be content that I've had this long with them, and shared this relationship with them, rather than feeling like I deserve to spend more time with them. Whenever I say, "I miss you," especially to Nick, I feel guilty and scold myself for thinking that I miss them....I have no reason to miss them because they are still on this Earth...

I need to focus on relying on God to provide the things I need, and knowing that will be enough...The sermon presented Psalms 23, which really broke it down for me, I never really understood what those first verses were saying until it was explained, I shall not want anything, because the Lord is my shepherd and He shall provide for me...

Psalms 23- The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

The Boy I Thought I'd Marry

** This phrase popped in my head one day and felt it would work great as a poem or a song, though the words don't rhyme, I wrote down what came to mind and this is how it came out...**

The Boy I Thought I'd Marry

I always thought I'd marry that boy,
he was my childhood best friend.
When we were old enough to marry
we'd be royalty in our small town.
Well life doesn't always go
the way you may think.
That boy was always
just one of my best friends.
It's funny now to think about
what might have been.

I thought I might marry that boy,
I planned the wedding in my mind.
Church folks thought a preacher's son
would do my life good.
Well life doesn't always go
the way you may think.
That boy I was crazy for was
never more than a friend.
I wonder if he thinks sometimes of
what might have been.

I never thought twice about marrying that boy.
I actually said I never would!
He tirelessly asked me out, but
I always turned him down.
Well life doesn't always go
the way you may think.
That boy is now my husband,
and my very best friend.
I'm no longer saddened by thoughts of
what might have been.

Britney

      My friend Britney Waycaster Orndorff, that last name only became hers 3 months ago (just one week before Nick and I got married), passed away on Marh 11th due to a car accident. Britney and I grew up knowing each other through school and church functions, but had gotten closer the past few years. We sat together on the second row at church. On Sunday mornings, when Roy was away, Nick and Britney sat together and passed candy and gum back and forth! They were like 2 little kids! Most weeks the 4 of us (Brit, Roy, Nick and I) would sit together next to Ralph and Mary.

      Whenever Britney came in with her engagement ring on, I was so excited for her! I remember asking her when they were planning on getting married, and she said, "oh it will be a while." (I was neck deep in planning our wedding at the time.) It makes so much sense now that Britney, maybe just a week later came and told me that they were getting married in 6 weeks! (She got to experience the joys of being a wife before she left this Earth) That was going to be the week before Nick and I were getting married! I remember telling Mary (her aunt and the youth minister's wife) that I couldn't imagine planning my wedding in 6 weeks! She said, "you couldn't, but Britney can." That's how Britney was, she was very laid back and it didn't bother her to not be in charge and a control freak (....ok maybe a little like me....) Whenever Nick and I went to get Britney and Roy a wedding gift, I refused to go look at their registry and instead went to World Market and bought them a Popcorn Set. I cant remember exactly what the card said, I know it was funny and Roy made some remark to me about it afterwards, but I do remember writing "from someone who got tired of opening endless gifts of dishes and cookware,(though much appreciated) here's something fun" (or something to that effect!)

        On December 11th, it was raining terribly! It was the night of my bachelorette party but before all of that it was Britney and Roy's big day. I ran in soaking wet, and found a seat near the front on the bride's side. The wedding was sweet and low key. Just like Britney. Her nephew tripped and fell several times coming up the aisle as the ring bearer. We all laughed and then it was time for Britney to come down the aisle and she looked so beautiful! (She was actually in a dress, a rarity for those who knew Britney! And her mother MADE it!) I was sitting there watching these 2 friends of mine profess their love to each other and once it got time for the vows, I thought, "wow, those sound really familiar!" Ha they used the vows Nick and I picked out! After the ceremony, I went to the back to give Roy and Britney a hug and laughed with Britney telling her how familiar those vows were, she looked at me, laughed and said, "yeah they worked out good didn't they?" I said, "well that's something we will always share."

        Saying goodbye to Britney was very difficult. Thankfully the weekend of her passing was the weekend of the teen retreat, in which I chaperoned. There, I got to pour my heart out to my God and to my brothers and sisters, away from all the distractions of home. The joy I have is I know that I will see her again someday! When my friend Bruce died back in 2004 a verse that helped me get through was Isaiah 57:1-2. I have fallen back onto this verse many times since then to help me through. The verse says:
1 The righteous perish,
   and no one takes it to heart;
the devout are taken away,
   and no one understands
that the righteous are taken away
   to be spared from evil.
2 Those who walk uprightly
   enter into peace;
   they find rest as they lie in death.

Save me a seat beside you friend! I can't wait to worship our Lord together again!

Cloud Shapes

When is the last time you laid outside on a sunny day, when there are big clouds as fluffy as cotton candy in the sky, and watched for shapes in the clouds?

As childish as that may seem it's one of my favorite things to do on a nice spring day. Just the other day, I wasn't laying outside, but from my car I saw an elephant in the clouds.

The weather is warming up, embrace your inner child, or take your own kids and on one of those perfect spring days go see (and argue over) what characters you can find in the sky! It's fun to see how others around you depict what they see!