A Mixed Bag

Yesterday was a mixed bag! Lots of great wonderful stuff, and some not so wonderful stuff. That is life though. Sweetheart was home all day. That was a blessing. He worked SO hard all day long. He mowed the yard and tended to many things that needed tending outside. He turned my small garden and painted the little fence that goes around it. He killed dandelions and clover, and tended to his little rose bushes. Let's talk about those rose bushes. Sweetheart loves roses and had several beauties in our last home. When we moved here he planted 3 bushes. They bloomed beautifully that first year, but since....nothing. Not even a bud. They grow like crazy, but they are not getting pollinated for some reason. What can he do? Any rose pros out there?While Sweetheart was working outside, I was in our home, doing laundry and schooling. Zach had a day of melt downs....one of the not so wonderful things, and Charlotte decided to scam me on her schoolwork, turning in papers that were done last week. Do they think we are that dumb? Well maybe since it worked for her the day before! The mail came and a large box was brought to the door. Inside was an unbelievable blessing!!!The entire Saxon Math grade 2 curriculum! I was expecting the binder, but both workbooks and all the hard cards were there, completely unused! I was touched to tears. This is such a wonderful blessing because and money meant to go on this expensive curriculum can now go to other books. Pluuuus, my wonderful neighbor Cindy was here and said "Do you have Saxon 3?" No, I don't, because Charlotte started at 4th grade. "Well, I have 3rd grade and my daughter can't use it. You can have it." Wow!!! Math for Zach is covered forever. He has 2nd and 3rd and when he gets to 4th I can use the books Charlotte has. Only the tests will need to be ordered ($12). God is faithful and knows our needs!!! Anyway, thank you so much Donetta for blessing us with this "glorious" gift. That is what Zach said as he looked through the workbooks. "It is glorious, Mom!" Hadias asked me to post some pics of my garden. Before yesterday, it was just a hard patch of dirt. After Sweetheart turned the soil and painted the fence, Kyle and I put in some plants.3 big boy tomato plants, and 1 ...ooooh, I can't remember. It is a large tomato with low acidity and starts with an "s". How is that for gardening know how??!!4 pepper plants and 4 broccoli. We are experimenting with the broccoli at Charlotte's request.That little pepper plant will be so happy that no cucumbers are nearby to choke him out like last year! They all got a really good drink after their photo op! Today we will plant the seeds. TJ will help! Hadias is posting on her garden today too. I am excited to read it. She is about the sweetest lady ever!!! I really enjoy reading her posts.Another blessing yesterday, was a visit from my mom. She stopped in to bring Sweetheart his birthday gift. She brought me one too! This little book with the instructions to sit down later, by myself and read it. I did just that. It is a very touching book of promises from a mother to a daughter. She promises to "listen" to me anytime I need it. She told me she will keep her opinions to herself.....doesn't sound like any mom I have ever known!!! It was a very sweet book and brought tears to my eyes. It said "If you could see yourself through my eyes, the view is amazing."

There was another gift in the bag too. Let me tell you something about my mom. She has had the most beautiful fingernails for years and years. Always well manicured and usually hot pink! She goes to a nail salon and has them done regularly. And then there is me....I love to have my nails done too. My favorite is a french manicure with squared off nails. However.....I am a quilter. There are many quilters who have long nails and still quilt beautifully. I can not. They get in the way and I find myself peeling them off. All this to say, my mom bought me a gorgeous glass emery nail file.Look at my non-nails! The flower is hand painted with a rhinestone in the center. It comes in a nice case. Beautiful. It did a great job on the rough edges of my stubs!! My mom really blessed me yesterday. My kids too, because Grandma took them for ice cream and a donut!!!

While sitting out on the deck reading the little book, I kept getting whiffs of this most heavenly scent. What was it??? It was beautiful. I realized it was my Lily of the Valley!Hard to see in the picture, but there are hundreds of little white bell shaped flowers, and the scent is like nothing else!

Well that was my day! This pic of Sweetheart about sums it up. Poor guy worked so hard and is suffering horrible sunburn on his legs! I am truly blessed to have this man in my life! I guess, all in all, there were many more blessings than not! Just hard to see that through all the melt downs! Thank you for letting me see it more clearly here.
Announcement: Sarah Dee is having a book giveaway! Leave a comment telling her I sent you, and you could win (or help my chances!).

Also, Peggy at The Simple Woman Cannery, is having a giveaway. She is drawing for a Blue Ball, (or is it Ball Blue?) book and canning tools. I have never canned anything before, but want so badly to try it. This is when I really miss my Grandmas!

Another part of my evening was feeling the grief of a dear blogging friend. Please lift Ashley and her family up in prayer as they grieve the loss of their little Jeremiah. He was due close to the same time as my granddaughter. Ashley made him a little blanket, as she has for all her children, and has a beautiful picture of her sweet baby's hand holding her finger. The empathy is overwhelming even as I write this. Maybe you could pop over and leave her a comment to let her know you are thinking of her. This is a very difficult time, though her grace shines through like a beacon!