The Day After Christmas!

While most people are out shopping and getting in on all the after the holiday sales, Elise and I stayed home in our pj's all day and took down the Christmas tree.

That's right, for the first time in YEARS I took down the Christmas tree BEFORE New Years Day!

The little girls are coming back on Thursday and I didn't want to mess with it while they were here or next weekend because I have family coming from out of state.

Well anyway Christmas at our house went VERY WELL! Ernie got me PJ's like I had asked for and bought my favorite parfume! I was rather impressed. We also aquired about $120.00 in Videos this year. Elise made a killing on bath products and CD's she even got a new Portable CD player which she needed as she gave her's to some neighborhood kids who weren't going to have much of a Christmas.
She got a scarf that she could use and a couple of gift cards as well.

We had lots of family over and had a great meal ( if I do say so myself). I did all the cooking this year which was a first. Some of the family members brought desert but I did the major cooking. I even baked 3 pies.
Well it is getting late and I need to get some sleep , we have to clean the garage out tomorrow so that we can put things in the attic.

I hope you had a Merry Christmas and I pray you have a Blessed New Year!

God Bless you!
Gidgit

Two Days 'Till Christmas!

Almost everything is done, all that is left is the baking! I will take the day tomorrow to bake pie's, and cookies, I'll listen to Christmas music and sing wile I work. Tomorrow I will be teaching my daughter our family baking secrets. She is 18 now and needs to learn all about our Christmas family traditions because some day she will be doing the cooking for our family events. She will someday have a family of her own.

It is very interesting to look back on the past year and see where all we have been. Last year we lived next door in a rental. We had a full year, I stayed busy with the little ones S & M. Elise with school and Ernie with work. Things were pretty normal this year until June. We prayed about buying our home and moved to this house. We have had lots of family gatherings here this year, which I love!
Okay let me see... Oh yeah we changed churches in the fall and love where God has put us! We are looking forward to moving forward in God service in our lives at home as well as in Church.

I am looking forward to spending more time with my husband and learning what God has in store for my marriage.
I am also looking forward to watching Elise grow into a woman that God will use for His glory. I pray daily that she listens to his calling in her life and follows him and not her own will. I know it will be hard to do but I pray for her to have the strength to do so.

I pray that God will bless you in many ways!
May you have a MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A Post To My Darling Daughter.

Elise,
I know I've told you this but God sent you to us as an answer to my prayers. I had been praying for years that He would give me a daughter that I could teach and love and guide through life. I asked for a girl with dark curly hair, and eyes like her dad's. The thing is I didn't expect my daughter to come in the form of you. I struggled with that at first, and God has shown me how much you truly are our daughter. You have dad's eyes, and that dark curly hair. You even think like me! It is amazing how people think we are biologically connected. I praise God for those things!

I thank God for you every day. You are my joy and sunshine. I love looking at your smiling face! Some day. You are going to leave home to become a college student, and the blossoming young woman that you are is going to shine through! Elise, I pray every day that you will continue to follow Gods' will for your life. He has blessings in store for you if you will just follow him!
I don't know who your spouse will be but I pray for him as well. I pray God will prepare him to be a strong leader and loving husband that you need. I pray that you will follow the teachings of the bible on how to be a Godly wife. I know that I am not perfect but I am trying to give you some kind of example to go by. You also have your Greatgrandmother! She is a treasure chest of knowledge please take advantage of that knowledge while you have a chance! I know God has blessed me with a wonderful Grandmother and I am so truly thankful for her and her love for me. I have tried to show you that same love each day.

I know that we have our problems but My dearest Elise I could never thank you enough for all the help you give me. I know that you do so much for me. I hope that some day we will be able to look back on your first two years here and laugh at all the craziness that went on!

I LOVE YOU BABY GIRL! I know you are 18 now and I will be honest I wish we still had more time to be just mother and daughter. I know you want to spread your wings and your daddy and I love you very much!

Do try my child to open up to him more. He has made some pretty big sacrifices for you. He loves you just as much as I do ! Don't let yourself push him away! You will need him someday sweetheart. He will always be here and he will always love you!

Merry Christmas my darling daughter!
May the Blessings of the Lord Shine Upon you!

Love,
Mom

Saturday...

Today was pretty good. We got up around 8 am which is sleeping in for us. Then we got up I made breakfast, which is a weekend thing only... Then we went to our friends' house and helped them move some furniture. Then we went to the flea market and got some stuff.. I had to get some cd's and I got an old movie! It is " The Best Little Wh**e Houe In Texas" with Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton. I love that movie!
Then when we got home we had to get ready to go to a Dinner Theater at our church. It was great !
The food was good and the preformance was wonderful. We had a good time.

Now that we are home I'm listening to my Monsters of Rock CD and getting ready to go lie down and watch Ernie play video games in our room.

Have a Merry Christmas!

The FIRST Snow Fall of The Season!

I LOVE snow! Of course living in Oklahoma it doesn't help that most of the snow we get is not "good" snow.
I like the kind of snow they get in the Rockies. You know the powdery white that is perfect for skiing. But being here we get more ice than anything. Today however we actually got powder. It has been a rather dry year and when it is dry durring the late summer and fall we usually have a rather wet winter. So far the temps have stayed so low that we have only gotten snow!

It is about 12 degrees with a wind chill factor of -5. For me that is COLD. I mean I have been to places like Wisconsin where the weather get's unbearable (for me that is), but I don't mind the cold for now.

So speaking of the weather, it is perfect for curling up with a good book, a hot cup of coco or coffee and a snuggly blanket! I love to read, I really love to read when I'm all warm and snuggled up under a quilt.
Ernie spent a good part of the day trying to make sure my Rabbit was safe from the cold. We insulated her cage a little more and he hooked up a lamp in her hutch for heat. I've had to go out and defrost her water bottle a few times today so that she could have fresh water. I just looked out and she is snuggled up on the horse blanket I put in her hutch near the heat lamp. I have just been praying that God will keep her warm through the night.
Tomorrow Ernie will have a hard day and I have been praying that there will be no problems for him and Bob as they work tomorrow.

Well I need to get some sleep. I did sleep quite a bit today but I've been so sick that I didn't care to do much else.
I have a lot to do tomorrow so I had better get to bed.

God Bless you!
Merry Christmas!

The Atheist.

An atheist was taking a walk through the woods and thinking to himself - what majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!" he said to himself.

As he was walking alongside the river he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7 foot grizzly charge towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the bear was closing in on him. He looked over his shoulder again, and the bear was even closer. He tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw the bear right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw and raising his right paw to strike him.At that instant the Atheist cried out: "Oh my God!..."
Time stopped! The bear froze in mid strike! The forest was silent.As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky: "You deny my existence for all of these years, teach others I don't exist, and even credit creation to a cosmic accident. Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?"
The atheist looked directly into the light, "It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask You to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps could you make the BEAR a Christian?" "Very well," said the voice.The light went out.
The sounds of the forest resumed.And then the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed his head,... and spoke: "Lord, bless this food, which I am about to receive from thy bounty, through Christ our Lord, Amen."

Merry Christmas!

Update On My Sister and More.

Saturday Mary called my mother and told her that she and Kayla are staying with some "friend" in Houston. Then she called a guy in California, and told him she didn't want to come home, and that she was staying in Houston to party. He told her that she was being immature and stupid and was putting her mother through way too much stress. He then proceeded to tell her to grow up and come home.* Thanks Ben*

So at this point she is just being a selfish teenager, who doesn't care that she is hurting her mother. Please continue to pray for her and Kayla as at some point they will want to come back to Tulsa and then Mom will have to deal with a lot more crap!

On a diffrent note....... Yesterday was the last day for our Pastor and his lovely wife. We are going to miss them dearly! Ernie and I have only been at Calvary for a short time (3 months), but we have come to love Shane and Misty and little Maci so much. It was really nice to have our pastor as our Sunday School teacher,it gave us the chance to really bond with them.
We are looking forward to getting a new Minister however, it makes me excited to think that we get someone new to get aquainted with. We will also get the opportunity to know some of the other Ministers and leaders in our church over the next few months.
Our class will have to work hard to continue growing! We have been doing well but now it is time to step up and do God's will!

Well I have alot to do today. May God bless you and Thanks again for all your prayers!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Helping Friends!

We like to think we are good friends. We try to help our friends when and where ever we can. For instance tonight, we had dinner with our friends Mark & Michelle and then we went and took a load of stuff to their new house which is only 4 miles from our home and across the street from my mom.

Elise went to her first Hockey game tonight! She isn't home yet but I'm sure she had fun. I love hockey and Michelle and I have that in common as well.
We have gotten really attached to Mark and Michelle and hope to have the as our friends for many, many, years to come.
Any way we love to do things for people and tomorrow we and the rest of our Sunday School Class will be bidding farewell to our Pastor and his Lovely Wife. We will miss them dearly but we know that it is God's will for them to go to this other church. Well, any way we feel it is part of our God given gift to spread hospitality to others. I love to host parties and get togethers and I love to play the hostess in church in our SS class.

So, I've been told that this is my gift and I aim to use it for the Cause of Christ! I want everyone who enters in my door to know the love of Jesus. I want to show them how Jesus would love them by making them comfortable in my home.

So does anyone need a dog? She is a good dog and is very loveable but we just don't have room for a third dog anymore. So let me know if anyone needs a good watch dog.

My Heart....

To be quite honest I have not gotten along with my sister Mary for several years now. I love her but we just don't see eye to eye on just about everything. I am 10 years older than her and I have loved her since the first time I saw her through the hospital window in Madill, Oklahoma.

We lived in Kingston at the time and I was in school when mom went into labour durring lunch time. My grandmother came and picked me up from school and we went the 7 miles to Madill to see my new baby sister.
When Mary cam home from the hospital she slept in the room next to mine but I was always getting up to check on her. I would hold her and pretend that she was my baby. I thought she was the cutest baby I had ever seen. I can even remember being afraid of my step father and taking the three little kids in my room and hiding them with me. I was afraid that something bad was going to happen to them.

Years later our family after having gone through several seperations, and bad relationships was finally looking normal and Mary decided she hated me. I don't understand why and some times it doesn't even matter. I miss that sweet little child who used to play hide and seek in the house and boy was she good at hiding. :)
God, I don't understand what is going on right now. All I know is that you are the only person who knows where my baby sister is right now. She's 17 Lord and maybe she's bitter and angry, but Father she is hurting our Mother so badly right now. PLEASE God! don't let anything bad happen to her. Please forgive me for saying the things I said about her deserving whatever she got. I didn't mean it I just want he to understand that life is not going to easy and that she has to take responsibility for her actions. God please protect Mary and Kayla. Please allow my mom to rest and be okay, I'm so worried about her. I know you promise not to give us more than we can bear but Father it seems like so much ! I lay my sister in your hands father and I ask you to comfort my heart! Thank you Jesus for your comfort and for protecting Mary and Kayla. Thank you for your forgivness. Thank you for being with my mother. In Jesus name, ~amen~

My heart is so sad and tired, I don't know what to do. I can feel this weight bering down on me and I'm afraid it is going to affect my family here at home. I really need prayer...

I know several of you are praying and I want to say from the bottom of my heart THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS!
With out God I would not be here today! Praise God from whom all blessing flow!
Merry Christmas all!
~Gidgit~

Still looking...

Today I got the pictures of my Sister and Kayla sent to The Center For Missing and Exploited Children. They are going to start a media campaign to get the girls faces seen. I have been posting their pictures everywhere I can think to post them.

ON a more personal note ... I've still got a cold and am praying to get better as quickly as possible so that I can keep working to find my sister.
Also I have Church and stuff to be working on...

well I have to pick Elise up from school so I'll post later.

MISSING!

This is my sister Mary and her friend Kayla. They were last seen at a Shell station on the southside of Houston, Texas on Griggs Road. My family is doing everything we can to find these girls.
If ANYONE has seen these girls please contact Houston police at 713-731-5223.

My mother heard from Mary on Saturday night at about midnight. When someone got there to see if they were really there, there was no trace of the girls or the car. The car is supposed to be broken down so we don't know what is going on.
Please continue praying for my Sister and Kayla that if they are playing some sort of "game" they will realize what they are doing to my mother and come home.
Please pray for my mother I have never seen her so distraught! Pray for strength and endurance for I am afraid this will be a long journey.

Thank you and may God Bless You!

Merry Christmas!
Gidgit

Angry but relieved!

My sister has been missing since Thursday. Today I spent the entire day searching for information that would help the police find her. I made at least 100 phone calls. I searched emails and computer files. I cried, I thought and I prayed.
At 11:50 my mother called me to say that my sister who is 17 called my mother telling her that the car is broke down and they had been sleeping in the car.
She was so angry that Mary had not contacted her or anyone else for that matter. We have a sister who lives in Houston so she could have made a local phone call from just about anywhere. Well my mom kept trying to get a phone number for the gas station they are supposed to be at but Mary wouldn't get one for her. When mom told her that she filed a missing persons report Mary got angry. Mom said " I'd rather you be in jail than dead!"
So I am glad that she is okay so far but very angry that she is so much of a jerk that she allowed her family to worry so much!

Okay so now I'm praying for self-control so that when she gets back to Tulsa I don't kill her! :)

MERRY CHIRSTMAS!
GIDGIT

It is the day after

Thanksgiving and my husband is sitting in front of the television watching WWE Smackdown.
I HATE wrestling!! Elise is spending the night at a friends and we could be using this time to be ALONE together!

UUUUUUUUhhhhhhhhGGGGGGGGGGGG!

Okay anyway. Today we put up the Christmas tree and got it all decorated, I don't have a tree skirt yet but I will before too long.
I love Christmas! I know I said that like twenty times before but I can't help it I Do!
I just fed the animals and am sitting here listening to the Dixie Chic's. I guess I'm really bored!
Well From now on you'll see MERRY CHRISTMAS on all my posts! so there it is.
God Bless you and good night.

Happy Turkey Day!

Today is a day when families gather to give thanks for all the blessings God has bestowed upon us. As I posted earlier this week I hosted Thanksgiving this year. It wasn't so bad I had just hoped I'd have more help than I did. Also I have a very small kitchen and more than two people becomes a totally frustrating mess.
In fact I almost lost my composure completely today. I chewed out my kid for no reason. Of course I went outside and appologized, because I know when I'm wrong, and she needs to know it is okay to be humble, and responsible enough to admit your mistakes.

I did a almost all of the baking which I don't mind because I love to creat new things. I actually love to bake, I just hate to do dishes!
I made my pie crust from scratch and I didn't cheat! It was so good, I amazed myself. :)
Okay enough about my food.
Tomorrow it is time to put up the Christmas tree! I am so excited, we will probably take a good portion of the day doing just that so that we can make it look just the way I want it.
I really love Christmas and not for the same reason most people like it. I love it because it is a time when I can tell people of my Saviours love for them. How God sent his son to be born in a stable and sleep with the sheep. How as Jesus grew he fufilled the prophecies in the old Testement. And how at 33 years of age Jesus died on a Cross that was made from a tree in which he created, for the payment of our sins, so that we may enter into the Kingdom of Heaven!

I pray that you had a wonderful-good day today! Weither you were with family or just a group of friends, I pray God has blessed you in some way!

May God Bless you through out the entire Holiday Season!

My friends NEED your prayers!

This is to anyone who has ever had a friend or loved one go HOME to be with Jesus.

I am asking you to pray for my dear friends Mark and Michelle. Mark's mother went home heaven this morning after a hard battle with brain cancer. Please pray for comfort and strength for this greiving family.

Proverbs 15:14 tells us that if we have God's understanding, we can ask Him for the knowledge to overcome every trial and problem we face. God is bigger than our grief, sorrow, pain and every problem that any of us could face. We must never blame Him for our troubles, as the devil is the trouble maker, not our Lord. God is there for us, to help us overcome anything the enemy has done, or is trying to do. God is the one that will rescue us and help us in our hour of need. However, we must not be like the fool who feeds on his folly. This is a person who is continually mouthing his troubles and blaming others, including God, for his circumstances. He feeds on self-pity and rehearses his problems to all who will listen. We must give our heartaches and troubles to God and keep a cheerful attitude no matter what is going on in our lives. We need to remember, "this too, shall pass" as God is eternal and has a good plan for our future.

As Christians, death is the last enemy we face, as we have the assurance that we shall see all of our loved ones who have died in Christ once again. The devil may have snatched them off this earth, but because they belong to God, He snatches them from the devil and takes them home with him. We will be reunited with them. That shall happen when we get to Heaven, or when Christ comes again to this earth and brings them with Him at the resurrection. We are not like those who have no hope. In Christ, our future is full of His promises and we are promised victory over death and the grave!

Also keep lifting up those around you in prayer. God heals broken hearts and through prayer we can see hearts changed!

THANKSGIVING!

This is the time of year when we sit down and ponder on what we have to be thankful for. Most people use it as a time to look back on the past year and see what "things" they have to be thankful for.
I see it as a time to look at what spiritual gifts I have to be thankful for. I am thankful to God for giving me the gift of Hospitality. I love to be a hostess. I love making people feel welcome weither it be in my home or in our Sunday School class at church.

I am thankful for my husband. God blessed me with a wonderful man who loves me as Christ loved the Chruch. He Blessed me with a family that is supportive and loving and willing to be a shoulder to cry on, or a rock to lean on. God also blessed me with a daughter who even though she is going through her own issues is trying to live her life for Christ.

I am thankful for our pastor and his lovely wife, whom will be leaving soon to follow God's will for their lives but our prayers are with them and we hope to continue to grow a wonderful friendship with them .
I am thankful for our church! I felt so blessed that God saw fit to bring us here and allow us to get so totally involved with this church. We have been welcomed and given the chance to serve Jesus in diffrent areas of ministry.
This Thanksgiving what is it that God has done for you that you are thankful for?

Happy Thanksgiving all and May God Bless you!

~Gidgit~

Today.....

It is beginning to look alot more like winter! I really like winter, not as much as I like fall but I do like it. I love the smell of the crisp air and the falling snow.

We went to get more things from my grandparents old house today. It took us about 3 hours and I am in some pain after all the trudging on my sore ankle.

We are going to rest for a bit and then we have to go to my mothers and unload her things.

wooohooo! loads of fun!

Elise is Home!

Elise came home from the hospital yesterday. We are glad to have her home and she is excited to be home as well.
Today we skipped school so that she could adjust back to her schedule.
I got her up just a little later than normal because we stayed up late. We have been caring for the girls and we cleaned the front porch off like Ernie wanted.
We are about to make the girls lunch and get the living room cleaned up and the dinning room as well. I will have to cook dinner later and I don't want the table all cluttered up with junk.

Well I need to make lunch so I'll post later.

Things....

I thank you all for your prayers. We are doing well, I am much better this time because I didn't have to be the one to put her in the hospital. Last night when I went to visit her things seemed okay. She isn't better but she is kind of trying. She still won't look me in the eye, so I'm almost positive she's keeping something from me. She doesn't call me mom any more but at this point, I guess I don't really care as long as she get's her head on straight.

She is still overly concerned with the boy... she insists that she won't call him very often, but I know better. She has decided that he's in love with her and that she want's love from a "boyfriend" type more than from a father. I don't think she is listening, because all she want's to talk about is him, saying I hope he doesn't think it is his fault I'm here.
I was like how on earth do you think a guy, that you have only been dating for 2 weeks, and only known for 2 months , is going to think he caused you to be in the hospital?

But teenage girls try anything to get attention. I'm sure if the games don't stop she will end up back in there with in the next few months.

I feel like this is where the demon of decption is coming in.... She is trying to decive and manipulate us and I can see right through her.

Once Again Your Prayers Are Needed!

Please pray for our Elise. She is back in the hospital. This time since she is an adult we are kind of in the dark about what is going on. Please pray that she will get the treatment she needs. That the Depression will go away!

 

Also pray that I will be able to handle the long days and the short visitation times. I can only Visit her from 7:30 to 8: 30pm. So that kind of limits me to night driving which is not always really easy for me.

I am really concerned with her spiritual well being, she seems to me to be possessed by a demon. I know that may sound crazy but I know what the bible says and I know that it is possible. I ask you to pray for deliverence for Elise.

 

Thank you for your prayers!

 

 Gidgit

The Dog Show

Yesterday our pastor and his wife were gone, and his brother filled in. Greg did a great job, but we missed Shane! We had a guest teacher in our Sunday School Class and it was nice. I was glad that everyone welcomed him by participating. Things went quite smoothly for our first Sunday after joining, and being involved, to have a responsibility like making sure the attendance records were taken care of, and making people feel welcome even though we had a guest.

After Church we had a Veterans recoginiton luncheon wich went rather well also.

Ernie and I brought my mom home with us and mom and I went with M&M to the AKC dog show. I loved it! I love dogs and I was happy to find some of my favorite breeds as well as some I don't really like. But it is fun to do things like that especailly when it is FREE!!
After the dog show we droped off my mom and took Mr.M's daughter to meet her mother. Then M&M and I came to my house to see if Erine wanted to come with us to eat dinner. Well he didn't but I went and we went to Tally's. A great little dinner where the food is good and the prices are GREAT! When 3 people can eat for $28, with an appitizer you know you've got a good deal!

So any way today, I started cleaning the dirtiest room in the house,(my office! Suprise, suprise :) ). then I got side tracked by the girls and now instead of blogging I need to be cleaning the living room before Ernie get's home from work.

Okay I must go blog ya later!

How Hard Is It...

To say yes mam and no mam? To RESPECT those who are taking care of all your needs? I will never understand why it is that when a teenager gets to be around 16 they forget to be respectful, and think that they can run things better than their parents?

I will never understand why I of all people don't deserve to be respected like my grandmother is! I was raised by her and I am fair in my discipline. I mean this kid has barely gotten in trouble for anything. We have only one other time grounded her and this time was much worse because she really deserved it. Then she managed to take advantage of Ernie being nice a couple of times, and spent more time on the phone than she was supposed to. I feel like we are being played against each other to a point. She refuses to talk to Ernie and then when I get so mad at her I want to scream, she makes me out to be the bad guy, and he falls for it every time! I can not stand the fact that she kisses up to him and mouths me. I am the one who spends the most time with her and I try to give her, her space and whatever else... but I am the one who gets treated like crap!

Just like my sister..... she treats my mom so very disrespectfully, that I just want to punch her. I sware if she had gotten any closer to me I would have hit her today.
I apparently need therapy, because I am dealing with some major anger issues. I have got to find someone to talk to...

The Fall Festival!

Tonight was our church's annual Fall Fesitval. We don't do "holloween" so we celebrate the Harvest and Fall by having something like an indoor carnival. It was great and we had almost 250 people!

It was fun and I am really tired but I wanted to pop by to say "Happy Harvest!"

Tomorrow is All Saints Day....Something that was set up by the Catholic church and I personally have never taken part of.. Okay well my computer is being stupid so I am going to post this and go to bed... Hope you have a great night, day or whatever! God Bless you and Keep you. Gidgit

This Weekend...

I went with 24 other women from my church on a Women's Retreat! I had a smashingly good time! Translation: I had a BLAST!!

We left the church at about 6 pm Friday and arrived at 7:15. We had a nice dinner that was greatly appericated. Then we went to the cabin to find beds and get settled in.

I shared a room with my Friend Michelle and a lovely lady Ms. G. We then had Bible Study time and we played a getting to know you game. We went around the room telling our names and how long we have been with the church, then we went around answering a question that our leader Mrs. B, gave to us. As we answered the question we each recieved a personal note of encouragement and a supprise gift. * Mine was a candle, My FAVORITE!*

 

Then we began our bible study on Having a Wise Heart. It was GREAT!! I am so glad I went and had the chance to learn about God's wisdom and our desire to have Godly wisdom as women and as Christians.

Michelle and I were up until after 2 am talking about life and it was lovely.

 

Saturday we got up to go have a great breakfast. Biscuts, Gravy, sausage, eggs, fruit and cereal. Then we went back to the cabin to finish our bible study and it was rather govial. There was lots of participation and lots of feedback.

After we prayed and dismissed we were asked to take the time alone to pray and spend time with God alone.

As I walked and talked with my Abba Father, I began to sing songs of worship. I tell you I never felt more at peace and in tune to the Spirit of Christ. I know that I certainly desire to have that kind of relationship with my Saviour all the time.

 

If you don't know Jesus I pray that you will seek him and allow him to Change your life. Jesus is the reason I live today . With out him I would have died several years ago in a small Texas town. Even though back then I didn't realize it God was planning great things for me.

 

He blessed me with a wonderful husband who even though he knows my faults and my past loves me with the love of Christ. He blessed me with a Child who even though I didn't give birth to her is my child and is a precious gift. She is growing every day and I am blessed to get to be a part of her adult hood and some day when she is blessed with a family of her own I'll get to spoil my grandchildren.

 

Jesus loves you!

 

" Lord I want to be like Jesus,

In my heart, in my heart.

Lord I want to be like Jesus, In my heart.

In my heart, In my heart,

Lord I want to be like Jesus in my heart."

 

Mrs. Gidgit Graham

It Is Almost FRIDAY!!!

I've still got a million things to do! I need to get a bag ready and get the things gathered and washed that I want to take. I only need PJ's and one change of clothes but I am one of these people who need to make sure I am prepared for anything.

I guess I should tell you what I am getting packed for! LOL.
This weekend the Women of our church are going on a retreat. That simply means that we are going away from home for the night, we are going to have bible study and play games and eat!
I am really looking forward to going as I really want to get more acquainted with the other women in our church. My buddy Michelle is going and I am looking forward to that. Our Pastors wife Misty is attending and she is looking forward to getting to go and have some of us younger women there. We are hoping to use this time to grow in Christ and learn what we need to do to reach out to other women.

I am leaving Elise at the mercy of her daddy!

Tonight I have been trying to decide what to take with me. I know I want to be comfortable and I also don't want to look like a bum.

My baby sister called me earlier all worried and upset wondering if I had heard from my mother. They are supposed to be moving and Mary is at the new house but her car is not really drivable and she could not find my mother. Mom was supposed to be over to the new house by now ( 10:19 pm.) but my mother is never on time for anything!

So any way... I really need to make a quick list and get things ready . I have a clean blanket and sheets now I just need to get the clothes I want to wear and buy some PJ's . I don't have any that I could wear to something like this. I don't really want to wear my old night gown so I need to buy new ones! -- yes this is an excuse to go shopping--

Okay well Good night God Bless and have a great weekend!!! I will!

Bon Jovi Tickets!

A local Radio station is giving away Bon Jovi Tickets for January 14th. I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, WANT TICKETS!!!
I have been a huge fan of Bon Jovi for, wow, 20 years! I have always wanted to see them in concert and this for me is a ONCE IN A LIFETIME CHANCE!

So I tried to win tickets this morning . I listened to the clip of music they played backwards, I KNEW the song and I couldn't get through! The woman that won, had her 6 year old tell her what song it was! The fact that it was Bon Jovi's 'You Give Love A Bad Name' blew me away! A 6 year old in 2005 knew that song backwards and it came out in like 1985!!!
Well any way I spent the rest of the day taxing my mom around. I have not been home for very long and I am totally frustrated with just about everyone and everything.
I am so ready to go on this Women's retreat I am going on this weekend! I know it will only be one night but I need to get away!

Okay I have to go help finish building the T.V. stand Ernie is building. I have to put some felt on the bottom of the feet.

Good day and God Bless!

AFTER THE PARTY!

Saturday night Elise still had "the boy" over and we had some friends over, ( you know who you are). So I was here in the office checking my email rather quickly, when all of a sudden Elise runs in the front door yelling " Mommy, Mommy, he asked me out, he asked me out!" Ernie said that she almost broke her neck running around the corner from the living room to the hall to tell me that Rex had officially asked her to be his girlfriend!

She was so excited it was so funny! We were not suprised because we all saw it coming. He is a good guy and I know that he will not be harmful to her. So we are not going to worry about the small age difference.

well I have a lot to do today so I'll post more later.

God bless you have a good day!

The Party is Upon Us!

We spent all week cleaning for the party and I got a bit stressed out.
I think my biggest deal is when I ask people to do something and they don't do it right away. I can ask for something to get done and they will say okay no problem, then hours later it is still not done and I get upset.

I hate procrastinating! I would rather get things done right the first time and not have to wait for it to get done or have to go back and finish the task.

Well there is still about an hour and a half before the party starts and I am going to take advantage of it and rest.
My nephew is here and Elise's friend Rex and we are just kicking back until 2.
Okay i'll post after the party!

Oh My Gosh It's Friday!

This is soooo not going to be a typical Friday! First of all I have only been out of bed for about 20 minutes and I am still in my pj's!
Second of all it is fall break and I have Elise at home (which is a huge help)!

So we are going to get the ball rolling on tomorrow's party! We have to go pay a couple of bills and go to the grocery store. There is SOOO much to do!

Well we are looking forward to seeing our friends and family there tomorrow!
God Bless and I'll give all the details about the party tomorrow night or Sunday!

URGENT PRAYERS NEEDED!

I WAS JUST NOTIFIED THAT AS OF NOVEMBER 1ST MY HUSBAND IS LOOSING HIS JOB.

PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL PROVIDE HIM WITH A NEW THAT MEETS OUR CURRENTS NEEDS. PLEASE PRAY THAT WE WILL NOT SUFFER A TOTAL LOSS FROM THIS AND THAT GOD WILL MEET OUR NEEDS.

 

THIS COMES AT A TIME WHEN THINGS SEEMED TO BE GOING GREAT FOR US. PLEASE PRAY FOR STRENGTH FOR OUR FAMILY AS WE MEET THIS CHALLENGE AND TACKLE THIS TRIAL.

 

WE KNOW GOD WILL SHOW US WHERE TO GO FROM HERE AND WE TRUST HIM ENOUGH TO LET HIM GUIDE US.

 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS!

GOD BLESS!

 

Mrs. Gidgit Graham
Tulsa, Ok.

Day Trip to Grandma's

So today we took the short 45 minute trip north of Tulsa, to Bartlesville Oklahoma. My Grandparents recently moved up there and we took S , M, & Elise up to see my grandparents. We always enjoy visiting with my grandparents and the girls think of them as theirs. It is good for my Grandparents too as my sister moved off and they don't get to see their youngest Great grand children.

We discovered that they are going to sell their house out in the country and stay in Bville. This means that most of us in the family will be getting the items in their home that they don't have room for or that they don't want any more.
Ernie and I are getting their sectional and possibly some curio cabinets * which I could definately use!*

Take the time to check out my friend Michelle's blog she gives some great insights into our local government as well as having a very interesting life.

Well have a great evening.... I'm off to Church very soon.

God Bless!

PARENTING

It is still sometimes odd for me to tell people that I'm the parent of an 18 year old. I mean after all I'll only be 28 in November.
But after helping my single mother raise 3 siblings all my life and then, having those siblings live with me and hubby after marriage, we feel almost seasoned. We have helped with more than our share of other people's children. Elise has been in our family for 2 years now and we are in every sense of the word her parents. We provide for her, we love her and we want what is best for her.
There are still people who look at me as though I am stupid when they ask for my advise about kids and I tell them... They look at me like: " what do you know you have never had kids of your OWN"! That makes me so mad!
I may not be the world foremost authority on child rearing but I do know when a child is sick, or needs medical attention, I also know when a child needs to spend more time with their mother.

The thing I struggle with is this: allowing my 18 year old to grow up with no help. She has been through so much pain and heartache and it kills me to think that she could be hurt. I just want to guide her and I know that she probably thinks "leave me alone and let me live my own life."
I don't want to be her best friend and I don't want her to think that she can't tell me things because she will never live up to my expectations. I don't ever want her to feel that way but sometimes I think that maybe I am trying to hard.

I don't know........ Any advise? Any words of wisdom out there?
I mean I remember what it was like being that age and I was a BAD teenager! I really don't want to see her mess up her future by making really stupid decisions. I know I can't make all her choices for her but sometimes I wish I could!

Well any way.... Keep praying! God Bless and Good night.

Public Opinion

Should a person who is basically good, and tries to be a good Chiristian, feel obligated to help someone they KNOW will only take advantage of them and treat them like dirt?

I really want to know! I have been placed in this situation many times and almost everytime I and my little family get the short end of the stick.Not only that but I always make someone mad at me and I eventually get told the preverbial " well if I were in your place and you needed my help...."
AAAAAAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!

I am tired of saying no and being made to feel guilty for stating that I have limits to what kind of stress and how many people can live in my home! I am tired of having other people live in my home!

I have always wanted to have a home of my own and my husband and I work very hard to have it. But it never fails some one always needs a place to stay "just for a few weeks" or "just until we can get back on our feet."
Well my question is:
How long does it really take one to get back on their feet?
I know this may sound heartless and rude but I am a human being! I know that the Bible tells us to help the widows and orphans but the people who are asking for my help most of the time are capapable of helping themselves!
I know I am probably making someone mad who is reading this so I will state this one point.

THIS IS MY BLOG AND MY PERSONAL FEELINGS... SO IF YOU ARE MAD AT ME THAT IS OKAY. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO YOUR OWN FEELINGS AS WELL BUT PLEASE DO NOT BERATE ME FOR MINE.

FEEL FREE TO TELL ME YOUR OPINION HOWEVER YOU MAY FEEL I DON'T REALLY PLAN TO RETRACT ANYTHING I HAVE TO SAY!

I do hope God will continue to Bless each and everyone of you!
I know that after a post like this someone is bound to think I am crazy but you know the way I see it is like this: it takes one to know one!

later!

Friday is here again!

I have been a bit under the weather as of late and am still struggling with a nasty stomache bug. Yesterday I woke up feeling fine, I was going about my day as usual and then about 2 o'clock I started feeling weird. I was all clamy and my stomache was chruning! So I went to sit down and it kind of all hit me at once. So needless to say for the rest of the night I was trying to do anything I could to stay out of the restroom. :(

I HATE being sick! Today the girls I keep didn't come because I'm too sick to care for them. My hubby has had to care for me and make sure Elise got to and from school, he took her to the dentist and then he took care of the lawn which need to be cut and trimmed before the party next weekend.

I got some meds in me and am feeling a bit better but I am still a bit icky!

Well in other news I finally got my office set up!! I moved all the computer equipment into the spare bedroom and if I ever get my sound equipment I'll get rid of the Pack N' Play and the dog kennel. but for now I have a cute lavender office in which to spend my time.
Hubby helped do it all last night and let me go to bed and rest so some things are not quite where I want them but when I get to feeling better I'll arrange things better. I need some shelves for storage and I need the closet cleaned out. I have so much more stuff than I thought!!
but anything is better than having all that cluttering up my living room because I never would have had room for the Christmas tree!

Okay I need to go rest so please keep me in your prayers!!
God Bless and have a good weekend!

P.s. Elise will turn 18 on Sunday so you can wish her well on the comment link!

As of today it is only

One month until my birthday! I usually get all excited about it but this year I guess it is just another year. I'll only be 28 and I am not worried about getting older. I am trying to live my life to serve Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior.

I have not always lived on the straight and narrow path. I have truly experienced the Grace of God. I know that He has blessed me. I have a wonderful Husband, a daughter, a home and a family that loves me!

We have a great chruch home and family and are so excited to be serving God.

I have been trying to prepare for Elise's 18th birthday / adoption party. We are really excited that we are getting to celebrate this wonderful occasion. We have invited what seems like everyone and sadly people who claimed to be her friend did not respond and apparently are not coming to the party. I hate that teenagers are such snobs! I wish that they could learn how awfull they treat others and I am trying to find the right words to say to our friends and family who will be here.

I am even going to make Elise say some sort of a thank you to them.

Well I guess I better get to doing some work around here. My ankle is still sore but I really need to walk on it a bit more. I have to go to church tonight so I need to get this stuff done.

God Bless your day!

Today we went to help my Grandparents

Move from a town 45 miles east of Tulsa, to a town 45 miles North of Tulsa. It has been quite a day...

This morning I was awake before the sun came up, I was trying to make sure we had everything done. We have inherited another dog (my aunt is supposed to get it soon) temporarily, so I fed Annie. Then I fed Lilly and Howie in the house. Well at about 7 :00 a.m. Elise and I went out back to make sure the dogs had enough water to last the day. I was coming down the back steps *which are just cinder blocks* and Annie was getting under my feet well I was yelling at her to get out of the way and I tripped over her and stepped in a hole and twisted my ankle bad!

It was almost twice it's normal size! I have not sprained my ankle this bad in years! So of course I yelled at the dog struggled my way into the house. Elise ran to the freezer to get an Ice pack and I called Ernie to let him know it was going to be awhile before we could leave.

so we left and picked up Elise's friend "R". R is great and we had lots of laughs on the way to Grandma's.

We all pitched in to help move, mostly I got to drive around since I twisted my left ankle I could still do that.

Well we got a good sized load and off to Bartlesville we went. The new apartment is very nice and it is in a quite place.
We got unloaded and everyone but me went to Wal-mart to get food. I slept in Papa's recliner with my foot up!

So now we are home and I am still hurting. I have my foot up but I need to put some ice on it and go to bed, we have church in the morning and I have to climb a flight of stairs to get to class.

God Bless and have a good night!

This is how our family started out... Ernie & me, then Lilly the dog and Elise our lovely daughter Elise! So hard to believe she will be 18 in two weeks!  

This is Ernie and baby M.... aren't they cute??!!!! 

This is  

This is our Howie... It took me forever to get these pictures developed! We love our newest 4 legged baby. Howie is still a puppy and learning how to adjust to family life. A Full Blood Basset Hound for sure! I will be adding more pictures today or tomorrow

Family History

I posted some time ago that I have been doing research on my family.

Well let me tell you it is very hard to find much information.
I know that my Great Grandfather's name is William Barry Modlin and he was married to Dovie Lou Burkeen who's indian name is Little Dove and she had a brother named Jasper Burkeen...

I know that my Great Grandfather's father was married SEVERAL times and possibly to more than one woman at the same time!
I am pretty sure that some where back further my Great Grandfathers Grandparents came to America from Europe possibly Poland. The name Modlin is Jewish in heritage, I am still looking for more information...

So what I am getting to is.... IF YOU KNOW ANY OF THESE NAMES, OR SOMEONE WHO MIGHT PLEASE CONTACT ME BY POSTING ON THE COMMENT SECTION OF THIS BLOG!

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!
GOD BLESS YOU!

Retraction

It has been brought to my attention that something I posted recently has offended someone.

I would like to say that my intentions are not to offend. I also want to say that I am entitled to my OWN opinion just as you are and that if you don't tell me you are offended by my comments then how do you expect me to know? There is a reason why there is a comment link.

As for you thinking I'm not a Christian because I stated my opinion, Well that to is something I cannot help. My relationship with Christ is not for you to determine. I do NOT judge you for how you act and wither or not you are a "real" Christian.

Once again I am truly sorry if you or anyone else if offended by my blogging.
WARNING UTTERLY BLUNT STATEMENT AHEAD!!:

If you don't like what I write in MY blog, DON'T READ IT!

Why we are at WAR!

This is something for my fellow Blogs For Bush readers!



This is very informative. You have to read the litany of events in this brief piece. Then, ask yourself how anyone can take the position that all we have to do is bring our troops home from Iraq, sit back, reset the snooze alarm, go back to sleep, and no one will ever bother us again.In case you missed it, World War III began in November 1979... that alarm has been ringing for years.

US Navy Captain Ouimette is the Executive Officer at Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida. Here is a copy of the speech he gave last month. It is an accurate account of why we are in so much trouble today and why this action is so necessary.AMERICA NEEDS TO WAKE UP!

That's what we think we heard on the 11th of September 2001 (When more than 3,000 Americans were killed) and maybe it was, but I think it should have been "Get Out of Bed!" In fact, I think the alarm clock has been buzzing since 1979 and we have continued to hit the snooze button and roll over for a few more minutes of peaceful sleep since then.It was a cool fall day in November 1979 in a country going through a religious and political upheaval when a group of Iranian students attacked and seized the American Embassy in Tehran. This seizure was an outright attack on American soil; it was an attack that held the world's most powerful country hostage and paralyzed a Presidency. The attack on this sovereign U. S. embassy set the stage for events to follow for the next 25
years.
America was still reeling from the aftermath of the Vietnam experience and had a serious threat from the Soviet Union when then, President Carter, had to do something. He chose to conduct a clandestine raid in the desert. The ill-fated mission ended in ruin, but stood as a symbol of America's inability to deal with terrorism.America's military had been ! decimate d and down sized/right sized since the end of the Vietnam War. A poorly trained, poorly equipped and poorly organized military was called on to execute a complex mission that was doomed from the start.

Shortly after the Tehran experience, Americans began to be kidnapped and killed throughout the Middle East. America could do little to protect her citizens living and working abroad. The attacks against US soil continued.

In April of 1983 a large vehicle packed with high explosives was driven into the US Embassy compound in Beirut When it explodes, it kills 63 people. The alarm went off again and America hit the Snooze Button once more.
Then just six short months later in 1983 a large truck heavily laden down with over 2500 pounds of TNT smashed through the main gate of the US Marine Corps headquarters in Beirut and 241 US servicemen are killed. America mourns her dead and hit the Snooze Button once more.

Two months later in December 1983, another truck loaded with explosives is driven into the US Embassy in Kuwait, and America continues her slumber.
The following year, in September 1984, another van was driven into the gate of the US Embassy in Beirut and America slept.

Soon the terrorism spread to Europe. In April 1985 a bomb exploded in a restaurant frequented by US soldiers in Madrid.

Then in August 1985 a Volkswagen loaded with explosives is driven into the main gate of the US Air Force Base at Rhein-Main, 22 are killed and the snooze alarm is buzzing louder and louder as US interests are continually attacked.

Fifty-nine days later in 1985 a cruise ship, the Achille Lauro is hijacked and we watched as an American in a wheelchair is singled out of the passenger list and executed.

The terrorists then shift their tactics to bombing civilian airliners when they bomb TWA Flight 840 in April of 1986 that killed 4 and the most tragic bombing, Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988, killing 259.

Clinton treated these terrorist acts as crimes; in fact we are still trying to bring these people to trial. These are acts of war.The wake up alarm is getting louder and louder
.The terrorists decide to bring the fight to America. In January 1993 , two CIA agents are shot and killed as they enter CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia.
The following month, February 1993, a group of terrorists are arrested after a rented van packed with explosives is driven into the underground parking garage of the World Trade Center in New York City. Six people are killed andover 1000 are injured. Still this is a crime and not an act of war? The Snooze alarm is depressed again.
Then in November 1995 a car bomb explodes at a US military complex in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia killing seven service men and women.
A few months later in June of 1996, another truck bomb explodes only 35 yards from the US military compound in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. It destroys the Khobar Towers, a US Air Force barracks, killing 19 and injuring over 500.
The terrorists are getting braver and smarter as they see that America does not respond decisively.They move to coordinate their attacks in a simultaneous attack on two US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.. These attacks were planned with precision. They kill 224. America responds with cruise missile attacks and goes back to sleep
The USS Cole was docked in the port of Aden, Yemen for refueling on 12 October 2000, when a small craft pulled along side the ship and exploded killing 17 US Navy Sailors. Attacking a US War Ship is an act of war, but we sent the FBI to investigate the crime and went back to sleep.

And of course you know the events of 11 September 2001. Most Americans think this was the first attack against US soil or in America. How wrong they are. America has been under a constant attack since 1979 and we chose to hit the snooze alarm and roll over and go back to sleep.

In the news lately we have seen lots of finger pointing from every high official in government over what they knew and what they didn't know. But if you've read the papers and paid a little attention I think you can see exactly what they knew. You don't have to be in the FBI or CIA or on the National Security Council to see the pattern that has been developing since 1979.
The President is right on when he says we are engaged in a war. I think we have been in a war for the past 25 years and it will continue until we as a people decide enough is enough. America needs to "Get out of Bed" and act decisively now. America has been changed forever.

We have to be ready to pay the price and make the sacrifice to ensure our way of life continues. We cannot afford to keep hitting the snooze button again and again and roll over and go back to sleep.After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Admiral Yamamoto said "... it seems all we have done is awakened a sleeping giant." This is the message we need to disseminate to terrorists around the world.

Support Our Troops and support President Bush for having the courage, politically or militarily, to address what so many who preceded him didn't have the backbone to do, both Democrat and Republican.
This is not a political thing to be hashed over in an election year. This is an AMERICAN thing. This is about our Freedom and the Freedom of our children in years to come.

God Bless America!

As the night goes on

I begin to think of things that we should try to do. Like go to New Hampshire next year. We have been talking about going to visit Ernie's sister up there for a few years now and have never had the time or money to travel that far. I mean after all we are lucky to get to travel to the far south part of the state to my family reunion each year.

So we have been discussing Elise and I going for a couple of weeks next summer. My sister in law would love that! I know we would have a tremendous time! The first time we spend a lengthy time together we didn't quite agree on things but we are older now and we have gotten to know and love each other and I know we would have a wonderful visit. Ernie only gets a week for vacation and he said that he would not want to just stay for a few days and then come home alone. * doesn't want to fly alone*

any how.... That's what I do at night... Think.... Tonight I've also been contemplating the fact that Ernie may be having to find a new job. I KNOW that God will provide, He always has. It is just that I am trying to fight the doubt that keeps trying to creep up out of my mouth. I know enough not to speak doubt out loud as Satan will try to use it against me.

I believe that as long as we are trying to live in God's will then He will provide our needs. Doesn't he feed the birds? I know my Father in Heaven will keep my family safe and allow my husband to provide for us. He is a good man and Ernie will work at just about anything because he is committed to providing for his family. In fact he told me that he just couldn't understand men who didn't want to be providers, and how they could just let their wives do all the work. I mean don't get me wrong Ernie would love to take a couple of weeks and let me "bring home the bacon" but after that he would get so bored that he'd be looking for a job real quick!

Now because he is such a good husband I try to do little things here at home to let him know that I appreciate him and the hard work he does to give us a home. I cook, clean, do his laundry, and today I even soaked his feet and rubbed them because he had such a hard day!
You see I know that I have to take care of him because he takes care of me. This was a very hard lesson for me to learn and it took me almost 7 years to learn it.
I used to think it was his JOB to provide for me and take care of me and that it didn't matter weather or not I appreciated him or not. He was just supposed to do it. I didn't care if the house was clean when he came home and I didn't always want to cook him dinner * I always did though*.

God dealt with me and thought me that Godly submission was my calling and I fought it! !! Tooth and nail I fought it. I did not want to be a 'Christian door mat' I was thinking NO man is going to tell me what to do!

Well God tells me what to do and respect my husband and Godly mutual submission is what I've learned... I'll tell you more about that later..

Good night and God Bless.

My 7th Anniversary!

First off I would like to say Happy Anniversary Ernie I love you and I so proud of you for all you do!

Okay......... Now let me tell you, training a puppy and keeping up with two girls all day is not easy!!!

I think that as long as I have animals I should only have older children. Howie steals food or the girls feed him their food.
Man this gets frustrating! I had to put Howie back outside after he took M's cracker from her and then S fed him a cracker. So I had to disipline Howie and explain to S why we don't give Howie our food.
Then Elise had a friend over this weekend and she decided to leave all of a sudden Sunday morning ( i think to get out of going to church), without helping Elise clean up the mess they made. Well I'm not going to clean it up I have the whole house I need to work on... Especially my bedroom.

So for my anniversary I got a Bamboo plant! That is what I wanted, I love green plants and Have been telling hubby I wanted him to buy me green plants for each "event" we have. You know birthday, anniversary, valentines day, so forth and so on.
Well off to clean the house....

God Bless your day!

Bring On The Rain!

We have been sitting here enjoying the weather and had put the dog in the back yard... Then like usual Lilly starts to scratch on the door to come in. Well normally if we just ignore her she stops, not this time, the scratches started getting frantic..... Then I heard it.... THUNDER! LOL My dog is terrified of thunder! She hides in the bed and doesn't like to come out. Of course usually Ernie is in the bed because we are always up later than he is.

Tonight he's watching wrestling and * in case you couldn't tell* I'm on the web!
So poor Lilly is lying on the floor by my feet and Howie is in the chair with his daddy.
Well I better get off here.... Lots of lightning... God Bless!

Today we say good bye

to a local icon!
Casa Bonita came to Tulsa in 1972 and was Tulsa's first all you can eat mexican resturaunt. When you go in you order and go down a path that seems like you are walking in a garden.
When you get the tray with your food on it a hostess takes you to one of the Themed rooms.
This CasaBonita had a Court Yard, an Angel room (very pink with angels on the celing), a Cave, and a Tropical Waterfall room, there were also a couple of rooms I have never been because they closed them down. During the Holloween season they would have a haunted house in the upper level that you could tour. They also had a big game room at one end and a childrens theatre with magic shows and puppets.
Oh! and some of the best cheese enchilada's !

We will miss it because it is actually really close to our home and we loved going there! I was great. Well I guess we will just have to find another favorite mexican resturaunt to eat at.

So today the weather was superb!!!! I am so loving the fall temps.
Elise is praying for snow on Chirstmas day, which is rare in Oklahoma. I'm sure my big dog won't mind she loves the snow.. I'm not sure how Howie will like it. He turns one on Saturday and Monday we celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary! Not a big one but in a couple of years he is going to have to do something REALLY nice for me!
Last year he took me to Embassy Suites. It was wonderful.

well i'm actually getting sleepy so i better go to bed. Goodnight and God Bless!
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Starting Tomorrow

On Spending Time With God I will be posting a series on Proverbs 31.

We will be focusing on the last half of the chapter and How we can become the Woman of Impact God has called each of us to be!

 

Please join me. As always the blog is open for discussion! I welcome all feedback! So please if you stop by leave me a comment.

 

In Christ,

 

Mrs. Gidgit Graham
Tulsa, Ok.

Visit our weblogs!

www.gidgitgraham.blogspot.com www.spendingtimewithhim.blogspot.com

Today things seem

to just keep on going.... Elise is about the same, still won't open up and still afraid that something she has to say will hurt me, or make me not love her anymore.

I could never stop loving her! I am looking forward to getting the adoption finalized! All we really have to do is file some paperwork and set a date to see the judge. Then all we have to do is go before the judge pay our fee and let her tell the judge why she wants us to adopt her.

So anyway, we went to church tonight and Elise really enjoyed spending time with the youth group! that is the most important thing to me.
Well it is getting late and I need to get off here.
Good night and God bless

The only thing about

sleeping babies is that if you need to go somewhere and they just fell asleep and I need to go pick up Elise from school .. But since Ernie is here I'll leave them with him...

well i'll edit later... and add more!

5:55 PM..................

Well the so called naping didn't last to long for the girls. In fact as soon as Elise and I walked in the door S & M were both awake and ready to play!
Erine on the other hand, napped on... I decided that I was going to have dinner ready at 5 today so I got things gathered and defrosted so I could cook. * speaking of cooking. Last night I showed Elise how to make Stuffed Manicotti! It was so good! Ernie took some to his boss who thought it was every bit as good as what you could find at an Italian restaraunt. * But anyway.. tonight we had steak, left over manicotti, new potatoes and peas. So now we are all full and ready to relax!
The girls just left and we are going to watch some season premiers tonight... I want to see the new one tonight "Comander and Cheif" with Gena Davis.. I think it will be good... Well have a blessed night and I'll post again tomorrow!

Following God!

We have been praying for quite a few weeks now that God would show us what His will for our life is. We asked Him to put us where we could be used to glorify Him and to minister to others like us.

We prayed that if it were His will for us to stay at our church He would show us.

As we drew closer to God he began to show us that He had a different plan for us. He led us to a church closer to home that has a need for leaders as well as others to minister to the people in our age group. We started spending more time with the pastor and his wife as well as with the Sunday school class and the youth group.

Our prayers became where do you want us to serve Lord and he has revealed that to us.

Today we moved our church membership to Calvary Baptist church near our home and we are at peace and are in love with this entire church! Praise GOD He is Good!

We can't wait to get involved! In fact we are begin serving next Sunday.

Elise is fitting in so well in the new youth group. They are so very friendly! The youth have been to our house twice already and it is so wonderful to see them just scoop her up and love her! This is where we belong!

www.calvarytulsa.org

 

We ask that you pray for us as we try to walk according to God's Will for our lives. Pray for our new Church family as they work to help the church grow. Pray for the church family we are leaving, help them to understand why we are going and that they too can follow God's will in that church with discipline and hard work.

 

Well, Good night and may God Bless!

 

Mrs. Gidgit Graham
Tulsa, OK.
Visit our weblogs!
www.gidgitgraham.blogspot.com

 

www.spendingtimewithhim.blogspot.com

 

Saturday Fun

We went on a Picinic with our new sunday school class yesterday and it was great! I don't know if I mentioned it but the pastor and his wife are the teachers of our class. This has really given us the opportunity to get to know them and pray with them about where God wants us. They have been very honest and real and have not tired in the least to sway our decission.
They did say " Now I'll be honest we'd love to have you, but you have to go where God leads you." That is just what we've been doing. Going where we felt led by God to go.
We chose to leave our other church because we truly felt God was telling us it was time to move on to someplace where we could be more involved. We really want to serve and be in some sort of acitve ministry where Ernie and I can both be involoved together. We feel that God is leading us here to do just that. We want to be involoved in growing this department into a ministry that glorifies God!

Okay off my soap box. After the picinic I called some friends that live close to the park we were at and they came over and hung out with us. Then we all decided to come back to our house and hang out, talk, laugh! We had so much FUN! Thanks M&M for coming over! This was actually our first time to spend any quality time with them and we enjoyed it so much! We decided we were hungry so we all went to one of our favorite little chinese buffet's and had a blast! it is so nice to find a couple that has so much in common with us and likes the same things we do.

We are definitely going to be spending more time with them!
Well I need to go get ready for church.
God Bless your Day!!

Prayer needed

I am asking for you all to pray for Elise's friend "L" * who will be 19 in two weeks* She received Christ as her personal saviour and she is afraid of her what her parents will do.

I don't see what the big deal is but aparently she doesn't want to hurt her parents feelings and she thinks that if she follows Christ in Believers baptism that she will make her parents mad.

Please pray that L will grow in her new found faith and that she will be able to be and adult and not feel like she has to be afraid of her parents.

Day's Go By!

So today has been pretty normal. We went to the bank and paid bills and then we picked Ernie up and waited for Elise to get out of school.
Then she calls me and says that she is at a softball game with the school, and that she doesn't know when she will get back to school.
That was cool... She got good and sunburned *well she actually just gets pink then tans* and looks funny!
We decided to lounge around at home tonight... I wanted to go see StarWars 3 * no I haven't seen it yet!*but we wound up sitting here so Ernie can watch WWE Smackdown... I HATE wrestling!!!
It used to be fun to watch back in the day but now it is such a soap opera!!

Well enough griping for now... The weather is good... my sister and neices are safely away from Hurricane Rita and I am praying that we get some rain.. my yard needs but I am praying that is doesn't rain until after 5o'clock tomorrow because we have a picnic tomorrow.

need to make phone calls so i'll post later....

Another Hurricane!

This time I could be personally effected by this hurricane!

My sister Kristina, her husband,

their kids and his family live in Houston!

I just called and they did evacuate but please keep them in your PRAYERS! Kristian and Shawn have 2 little girls and one on the way, His brother has 3 little kids,

and they ALL live with Shawn's parents!

Pray that things will go well I think they are going to stay with some grandparents or another brother but I'm not s ure.

Also pray for all those Kartina survivors who are once again looking in the face of death. Texas is emptying the Astrodome these people need our prayers for strength!

Father God, please watch over EVERYONE in the path of this massive storm. We love you and know that you have a reason for everything. Please protect my sister and brother-in-law, my neices & the whole Patterson family. God only you can truly make a difference, please protect those babies and the suvivors of hurricane katrina as I'm sure they are scared and tired. Thank you for your infinite wisdom and your mercy, and for the ability to have free will.

In Jesus name I pray AMEN!

Oh My Goodness!!

Tonight I watched the season finalle of CSI. I didn't get to watch it at the begining of summer so I just watched it!
OMG! I was so glued to the t.v.!! Man I can't believe it. I guess you could call me a CSI addict. I love to watch it and I prefer the original and CSI New York.

So anyway today was long and hot! I took Holly to a doctors appointment. I had a meeting with a teacher today and I had to take my little sister to get a check cashed and get insurance so she could buy a car. Well that took like 3 hours and we had a 2 year old with us and it was so very hot...
Well I droped S off and then Mary (my sister), then Holly and I went home!
I was so hot and tierd by the time we got home I was ready to just eat and go to bed... but I'm glad I didn't because at 8 O'clock CSI came on!

So tomorrow I am taking Holly to school coming home to play with S & M
and then going to pick Holly up.... then coming home and cooking a lovely dinner for my family and doing noting else!!!! I will have a long day on Friday agian so tomorrow I'm taking it easy!

I hope things are going smoothly for you and I hope God is Blessing you in big ways!
The party is still on but we have moved it to our home. I love entertaining, so this will be a blast for me. I have to go to Sam's Club so I can get Plates, cups, and napkins, and I still have to call about her cake.

goodnight all!

A Little bit of ??????

I never know how to start out ! I just sit here and think of something cleaver to put in the "title" spot and I always come up with something that either doesn't relate or is cheesey!

Okay "a litte bit of?????" I guess that is my way of saying that not much outside of the norm happened today and that I just felt like popping on to let you see just how crazy and totally insomina ridden I really am . No, I guess insomina is not quite right. I have actually been sleeping when I get to bed. I do nap with the girls and that could be a good thing because I can not seem to stay asleep once I go to bed. Well tonight I should be able to because it is early enough that I can go lay down *I'll have to clean my side of the bed off, because Ernie didn't do it when he went to bed;* talk to God, and drift off to sleep, just before the dog, jumps into bed.

Well now that I have produced a horribly long run on sentance I will leave you with a quote I found that I really liked!

" I LOVE BEING A MOTHER BECAUSE MY CHILDREN ALLOW ME TO LAVISH THEM WITH LOVE. ALL I GIVE THEM, THEY HAPPILY RECEIVE AND ENJOY. THEY HAVE BLESSED ME, PRAYED FOR ME, THANKED ME, APPERCIATED ME, AND OF COURES, I'M THEN ENCOURAGED TO GIVE MORE LOVE. ~MARIE CHAPIAN~


The thing about love is that is EXACTLY how it works!
I think the next subject on our other blog will be love.
We'll have something posted with in a day or two.

Love to all and God bless!

Obeying the Call

We have been collectively struggling as a family with being obedient to God's call on our lives. We have created a new blog page in order to be obedient and live our lives according to God's will.

Speaking of God's will. We have been trying to find the place God wants us church wise. We have really been trying to figure out where to go. God has reveled that to us and we are going to be going to a church where we will be serving Him regularly.
Please visit as the whole family will be posting whatever God reveals to them about whatever subject He lays on their hearts.

There will be a permanent link on this page as well as a link on that one to here! Have I confused you yet? Good!:)
Well Have a good night and I will be keeping you all in my prayers!

The Last Yard Sale of the Year!

Well Today was just that! I will never again have a yard sale! I hate it. We have been here since June and have had a garage full of yard sale stuff since. We didn't make much but since I am NOT keeping any more of it, we will donate it to Hurricane survivors. There are still people at Camp Gruber and we have lots of clothing that is in great condition.
Our internet is finally up and running again after a few days of being down due to bad weather. Our wiring for the phone line needed work because everytime it rains the phone goes out.
Well I'm beat so I am off to bed.

God Bless you all and Good night.

WEATHER!!!!!!!!

WE ARE HAVING SOME FUNKY WEATHER! MY DOG LILLY IS TERRIFIED OF THUNDERSTORMS AND SHE IS HIDING IN THE BEDROOM! HOWIE IS SNOOZING WITH NO PROBLEM...

Okay I just realize I had caps lock on! :)) So anyway today was a fairly good day and I really need to get some sleep if I can ..I don't usually sleep when it is raining. Holly is doing well and we decided to scale down the birthday/adoption party so it will be here at home instead of at the church.

We are still praying about where God wants us. We really just have to let Him lead us a show us what to do. We don't want to jump into anything so we are trying to let him guide us to the right place and situation.

Well I guess it is off to bed... God bless you all and please leave any prayer requests that you might have I think we are going to find a place to do that on a regular basis... I am going to build a prayer support website for our friends and family so that we can lift eachother up in prayer and share Christ. As well as find out how others are doing in there lives!

I love you all and remember Jesus Died for YOU and me!

Following God's Will

There are those of you who attend our church, who may be wondering about us attending another church. Well I would like to tell you that nothing has happened that has caused us to leave. We are feeling called to explore evangelism in our neighborhood. We live a considerable drive from our home church and most of the people who live in this area do not have transportation or will not drive their children to church.

That being said; we are not at this time moving our membership from WABC. We love you all and are praying that our church grows by leaps and bounds. We have been praying about this for quite some time and I know this seems sudden, considering the resignation of our beloved Pastor. However Ernie and I do want more than anything to serve God and we are going to do what we can to abide in HIM.

Please continue to lift us up as I will hopefully begin Hebrew classes on the 22nd.
God Bless each of you as you truly are like family to us!

A diffrent Chruch

Today, we attended another Baptist church here in our neighborhood.It seemed to be a friendly chruch. They are more contemporary, and It was refreshing to be in a church who sang praise and worship songs that we knew and that we listen to on a regualr basis. The Pastor and his wife are in our age group and that was great! He brought a good message and it was easy to see that they are very frendly people. The Youth group was HUGE! We actually wound up sitting right in the middle of where the youth group sits so we got to see first hand just how many were in it. *around 50*. We were sitting here napping and there was a knock at the door. When we opened the door it was two gentlemen from the church. They brought us some information on the class for married couples and the youth group. We are glad that they did, it helped to answer some questions that we had. Holly and I are going back tonight so I'll tell about that later..

LATER:(9:14PM);
So we went to an evening service at this other chruch. The people were very friendly and didn't seem to be to nosey as to why Holly and I were alone. Then some of the girls from the youth group took it upon themselves to come and talk to her. NOONE had to tell them to come over they just did it . They talked about some of the evangelism things they are doing in the youth group and invited her back . I was really impressed. We are going to visit another church next week and then see where God leads us . I am hoping get started in Heberw class by the 22nd. I really do feel strongly that God is calling me to learn Hebrew and more about Messianic Jews. Well..... I'm off to check in on a couple of blogs... and then off to bed! I am leaving a permenant link to Jews For Jesus on this blog and I will be adding other information on my Jewish heritage. It is really cool to know that I have ancestors that are Jewish!

Good night and God Bless!

It's Saturday....

Well today we were going to spend the day at the movie theatre, then my grandpa called last night and said that he needed help fixing my Grandmother's car. So we got up and were getting ready to leave when Ernie went outside and the front driverside tire was flat! So Ernie put the spare on and we headed out. We had a good discussion on the way,*the drive is about an hour* we discussed visiting churches near our home, and I talked about going to the new Messianic church I found here in Tulsa. They seem really interesting and I still want to know more about my Jewish heritage.
So we decided where to go tomorrow and I will post about it tomorrow.

Holly went with my aunt and cousin to the anual Bluegrass and Chili Festival in Claremore. It is really fun, well I like it any way ! My mom's little brother's wife (Aunt S.) cordinates the whole thing. It is a lot of work!
Well I guess I'll go for now, Holly won't be home until after midnight and I still have to do some journaling in my hardback journal and I need to try to read this book.* Monster, Frank Peretti* it is supposed to be a good book. My Grandmother is an avid reader as well and we share lots of books! We have read many, many, books.
If you would like some recomended reading, let me know.

Something interesting

I found out a few weeks back that I possibly had some ancestors in Poland who were Jewish. So,last night I was talking to a friend in a chat room about it and he sent me to this really interesting web site. It is called Jews For Jesus, I found it rather interesting! There are loads of people of Jewish heritage who belive that Jesus is the Messiah! I was so glad to find that site. I Love my Lord and it is always a reason to rejoice when someone becomes a believer inChrist. To me it is even better when a Jew receives Christ because they are God's Chosen People. We as Gentiles were Adopted by God through Christ.
That is why Adoption is so special! Bet you never stoped to think about that! So I have been learning more about the Jewish traditions and such since I believe in their God the ONLY God. I don't see how it could be too much diffrent. Eventhough I don't know my heritage as a Jew I wish that if I did truly have Jewish ancestors that the one who converted to Chirstianity would have kept the Jewish traditions. That would have been nice. But I think I know why they did convert. They were Polish Jews in the age of Hitler and they knew they were going to be killed so they lied and changed their name. That is just my theory.!

Okay well that's it for now.... ttyl!

Neighbor issues.........

Let me see..... Today was much like all the rest except we have the new dog of course. Howie is faring well and adjusting to S&M much better today. Holly Elise is on an overnight feild trip with school so it is just Ernie, the animals and I. After dinner we disucssed things for the dogs, and he played video games wich is something he rarely does. I of course was online looking at pet supplies.

Then when Ernie went to bed 6:40ish. We all * us and the two dogs* piled into the big king sized bed and played and laughed and cuddled for about 20 minutes. Then the dogs and I went on our first walk together as a three some! It was interesting to see how well Howie and Lilly do together on the leads.
We had a good walk and the neighbor kids didn't try to follow after I told them I wanted to be alone with my dogs.
These kids are very nosey! I thought that kids just had a natural curosity but these kids are just flat out nosey! The were asking me how much I pay for my house and my animals and how much we spend on food. Very nosey kids. Of course I tell them that those things are non of their business and that when they grow up and get a life of their own they will understand why I don't have to answer their questions.....
The little girl Dawn says that I should have to answer her questions because that's what grown up's are supposed to do. I told her that if her parents hadn't taught her better than that it was not my problem but my finances were none of her, or her family's business!
I was so angry. WE have done loads to help this family since they moved in next door. We gave them furniture, dishes, clothes and have let them use our phone hundreds of times. They have no consideration for the fact that our phones are cell phones and that during the day we are paying for each minute they use. The mother makes 5-7 phone calls at a time sometime. So I started telling her if she needed to use the phone she had to be in the house and she had to keep it short.

Having neighbors that habitually try to take advantage of you is truly annoying! I am so tired of listening to them fight and then trying to be nice to them because I know that it is what's right to do.
I mean I am still nice to them and try to be a good Christian toward them by showing them kindness and hospitality, but my niceness only goes so far when I know these people are trying to use me!
For the longest time they treated us like we were Blockbuster video. The dad would send his kids over to "borrow" movies and tell them to pick them out. So when the kids would pick movies we suggested or that they would like he would send them back and say he didn't want to see that movie. So I finally told them that if their dad wanted to borrow a movie he needed to come pick them out himself. That stoped the movie borrowing!
Okay that is enought about my scarry neighbors. I'll get off that soapbox now! LOL
Well I guess it is off to clean the kitchen and them maybe a soak in the bath or even to work on my blanket for a while.
God Bless and have a good weekend!
Don't forget to keep praying for all the suvivors of Katrina!

XXXXOOOO

HOWIE....

ANNOUNCING THE ARRIVAL OF HOWARD (HOWIE) BRANDO GRAHAM!

Howie's birthday is October 1, 2004, he is 38.8lbs and about 36in. long.
Howie is a beautiful black, tan, and white, pure bread, Bassett Hound! He is enjoying his first night in his Forever Home.
Lilly ( our Lab/Dalmatian mix) didn't really know what to think of him at first but we put them in the back yard and they discovered that they like each other. We will have to watch them for a few days since Howie likes to bark at and bite her.
He did very well with the girls today and has been very loving. I have always wanted a Bassett Hound and I finally have one. I am so excited about the new addition to the family. We are dog people and have always treated our animals like children.
In fact we have decided to just raise Holly and our dogs. I don't feel like I'm really ready to have more children and I love my dogs, so I am happy being a dog momma.
Well I'll try to post some pictures of our 4 legged kids soon so keep checking back!

Looking For Another Dog!

So last night Ernie discussed getting another dog. I love animals and Holly Elise would like to have a dog. I have found at least 3 that I can choose from but only one was at home for me to talk to this morning. I'm hoping that when Ernie get's home he will let us go see the dog. Well baby M. has some kind of rash from the inside out. I gave her some benedrill like the doctor said and she and S. are sleeping in the recliners. So I'm going to do a couple of things that need to be done.