A peak at a work in progress...... HOME.....

I started this piece a couple of days ago. My inspiration.... A photo of the Cofer vacation home on Lake Rabun. My husbands family created generations of wonderful memories in this old home and on the lake. I am in the finishing stages now, putting on the last embellishments, thinking about how I am going to hang it and making a back piece for it. Hopefully, I will be finish by next week.

Do you have a favorite place that you are inspired by?

Vintage photo of the old family lake house.....

My husband's cousins wife just posted some old pictures of the old family vacation home on Lake Rabun. My husband's grandparents owned the home with their sister and brother (who married each other) and all of the double first cousins. The home still exist beautifully on Lake Rabun. For anyone familiar with Lake Rabun , the house sits on the hill almost across from the boat house. My husband's aunt now is owns the home and takes care of it. The home sits on a a peninsula with a hidden tunnel below the house that leads to one side of the lake. It is one awesome house that probably could not be built today the way it was in the past. My husband's parents own a 100 year old home that sits across from the boathouse. To build the home, the previous owners had to barge the materials across the lake. That was the only access to the home. I remember when we were first married, we would start at the bottom of the hill praying to make it up to the top. Sometimes it took many trys to make it to the top with us laughing all the way and hoping that we did not meet a car coming in the opposite direction. For years we spent our anniversary in May at the home. I miss it and the views! The home is full of history and ghost stories. Reid's Aunt Neta owns a home further down the lake. It is also just gorgeous! Maybe I need to take a photo tour of the lake and share it with my blogging friends? Thanks Tara for taking me back.......

Vintage Hankie Tree for Happy Tears.....

In the Special Touches to our Wedding section of the Program it read.....

Vintage Hankies - Started by her Gingin Joyce, it is a tradition in Whitney's family to give a handkerchief to the bride for her wedding day. In order to pass that tradition along to all of the women in attendance, we wanted to give you each a vintage hanky. These have been handkerchiefs that Whitney and her mom have been collecting since before she even met JD. We are excited to share this tradition with you all!

After collecting vintage hankies for years, we had to figure out a way to display them at the wedding. The perfect way did not happen until about two weeks before the wedding. I had a metal topiary that stood about three feet tall. It worked out perfect to clothespin the individual hankies to the topiary creating a vintage hankie tree.
You can purchase large lots of vintage hankies on Ebay. Also, Whit created the blackboard by using a white paint marker!

Standing on Holy Ground....

One of the first decisions Whit and JD made was to go barefooted at their wedding.

Exodus 3:5
"Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground."

Whit created a large blackboard for the entry of the wedding which invited everyone to remove their shoes for the wedding. As Whitney walked down the aisle with her daddy, Starla Harbin (our cousin) performed Holy Ground. I knew the Lord was surrounding each one of us at the wedding. Under the Special Touches for our Wedding, Whitney wrote.......

Barefoot - Exodus 3:5 "Then he said, "Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet for the place on which you are standing is Holy Ground."

We believe marriage is a very sacred and holy vow to another and above all to God. As "marriage should be honored by all (Heb.13:4)," we have asked our bridal party and anyone else who would like to partake in this honoring of marriage to remove their shoes... for you are now standing on Holy Ground.

Kitchen/Recipe Shower Garden Style.....

Whitney's Aunt Betsy hosted Whitney's second shower. All the food was in her pool room, with all of the decorations on the tables being themed with a garden style. It was a perfect day that I will remember forever.

Whitney showing her beautiful corsage that Aunt Betsy made for her!

Me, Whitney and Josie!

My gift for the kitchen/recipe shower!

My mother, Whitney and Lauren Kirk (Matron of Honor)!

Whitney at the table with all the wonderful and delicious food!

One of the many beautiful table settings!

We played the best game! We divided into two teams with each team picking its bride. We were given a large bag of items to decorate our bride. We had the best time!

Lauren Larkin (Whitney's cousin and bridesmaid)

Lauren Kirk (Whitney's cousin and Matron of Honor)

Lauren, Whitney and Lauren!

Beautiful!

Gift opening time with Aunt Betsy by Whit's side...

I like it.....

Aunt Betsy gave Whit this wonderful apron...

I Kiss Better than I Cook....

Jill (cousin), Janie (cousin), Aunt Neta, Whitney and GinGin BettyAnne

Whitney and JD!

Beautiful Day for a Bridal Shower....

Whitney's Bridal Showers started last week. The first one was a Lingerie Shower held by her friend Felicity in Auburn, Alabama. Of course there were many, many young girls and your mind can just imagine all the fun they had.

To say the least these pictures will not be put up for viewing....... But I can tell you that she did receive enough lingerie to last many years of a happy husband!

Her second shower was given by her Aunt Sonya and her cousin, also Matron of Honor, Lauren Kirk. As we walked in we could tell that she used the theme of her fine china Lenox Chirp. They had purchased the table cloth and napkins and totally decorated their lower garden area with these colors. The party extended to the yard with a huge tent where we could all eat lunch together. To say the least it was fabulous!

My gift to Whitney....

Too Sweet....

The beautifully decorated table.... I love how Sonya and Lauren served the carrots and celery...

The guest book they made for her.....

Her incredible corsage.....

Lauren and Whitney...

Picture Perfect.....

A Strawberry Cake fit for a wedding....

Can you believe all of the wonderful food we had?

Flower arrangement by The Garden Gate, the same florist I will be using for the wedding...

One of the many beautiful gifts she received...

Josie, Whitney and Me with Whit's rehearsal bouquet made from bows...

Some of the girls.....

Whitney with one of her bridesmaid Katelyn...

The Todd and Adams Family!

Mothers, Sisters and Nieces.....

The Shumate Girls....

So, Today I am one sad Mama..... After Whitney's two Bridal Showers (pictures will come soon) last week, my body decided to collect a virus. I have been sick since Monday night, taking meds every four to six hours and today I am still walking around like a Zombie. I have been trying so very hard to get back on my feet, but every time I do, I fall back into bed. I called the doctor he said I will be down for at least a week and that I would be contagious until Sunday.

So, what does all that mean?

I am going to miss Whitney's two Bridal Showers in JD's home state of Alabama. I have been so careful to watch everything I was doing but still my body could not hold up. The good thing, as always my MOM, sister and niece are stepping in. When I turned thirty and started having health problems, my sister stepped in to be like a second MOM to my children. Our children grew up as brothers and sisters, loving and watching over each other. I never would wish my problems on anyone, but if you have health problems, feel blessed to be able to turn to your family. You never know what will happen in life.... One day you are healthy and able to do so much and the next day you are swept right off your feet. I believe that God blessed us with family so that we could love and take care of each other. My sister has exceeded her requirements of a good, devoted sister and aunt. I really don't know how these weddings will happen without the constant, undeserving sacrifices she has made to me. I can never repay her, can never express the gratitude I have to her. I can only thank her and thank the One that created her. I encourage all of you to love each other as much as possible, know that we are not promised tomorrow and take care of those around you. Mama, Sonya and Lauren I love you with all of my heart and I am so proud to have you representing me this weekend at Whit's showers. I ask for you continued prayers that I can get through the graduations, parties and finally the weddings coming up. I feel so blessed to have all of this happening now as I am getting ready to celebrate my 50th birthday. God is so good to me and it is all the time.

Grandma Moon~ Part II..........

Last night my sister called and was so excited about my Grandma! She had visited her earlier in the day and told Grandma if she ate some lunch and took a nap, she would bring Emma to see her! Emma (11months old) is her first great-great grandchild. Sister said that as she walked in, Grandma was reaching for Emma just smiling as big as her little body could! Now, Emma is the perfect baby for visiting. She is always smiling, free to go to anyone and till this day I have only seen her cry once. Sister said that Grandma really perked up and had the best time! With most of my children home (Jackie is still in California with her family) we are getting ready to visit her. I pray that she will have a good first day in 2010!

Here is my other short story of Grandma that I promised~

When I was younger, I loved going to Grandma's house to stay. I especially loved the spring, Grandma had fields of daffodils that stretched forever. I would pick daffodils by the armfuls, run into the house and eagerly give these to her as though she had never received any before. Sunday lunch was on the table, ready for anyone that would enter the door. If we were lucky, my uncle would have raided the closest blackberry field for fresh blackberries and we would be treated to one of her yummy blackberry pies. Sunday afternoons would find us on the porch in rocking chairs until I would bore stiff. More than likely, I would then choose to climb the highest of pecan trees only to get stuck and have to find my own way down (even if that meant breaking a bone). Sometimes we were lucky to play ball with our uncles, although they would usually loose our precious softballs in the nearby woods! Summers~ Oh the hot summers complete with watermelons and grandma's fresh homemade churned ice-cream! Grandma gave me so much~ the love of gardening, the excitement of summers, and the shoulder to cry on that many times I didn't deserve. At times she was the one that I ran to when I was upset or just needed to be hugged and comforted. She never really sided with me, but she never sided against me. She was just there to listen, to comfort~ I loved her for that! *Now that I am a grown woman, I admire my Grandma in so many different ways. I see a woman that stood where so many other women fell. I learn more about her everyday. I see a woman who raised four children by herself. I see a woman who made a path for other women in her day. I see a woman who took care of others and now others are taking care of her. I see a woman that is so loved even though she constantly speaks her mind. I see a woman of strength, of heart, of determination!
I see a woman that I dearly love with all my heart~
My Grandma!

2010... It will be a good year!

As I am sitting here pondering over the New Year, excitement is building up! I know it will be a year of beginnings and endings..... 2010 will be a GREAT YEAR hopefully filled with many blessed God Moments!

I see a year filled with my husband and I gaining two more children through marriage, me turning 50 and the sad part..... My grandmother, who I love so dearly, passing away. We end the year with her health going down more and more each day. The doctors have finally decided to keep her sedated because of the pain she is in. Her mind is still as sharp as it was 10 years ago. She reminds me constanly of how blessed she is, how much she loves us. She is trying so hard to keep alive her memories of past events. Her body weight is only about 95 pounds, she lays in bed curled into a little ball. I know when the Lord finally takes her that she will be with HIM, but yet I will be sad to have her go. Saying that, I also will remember how blessed I am that God decided to place this incredible woman in my life.

The next two days I will share with you short stories that I have written for my Grandma. I am not a great writer, I just love to be able to go back and cling to the wonderful memories of her. I hope you enjoy and will be blessed by her and her generation.

Is it not amazing that the older we get, the more we cling to the words of our elders!
I went to visit my grandmother in the nursing home the other day, hoping this would be a good day for her. As I walked in, she was laying on her bed. I thought she was sleeping soundly… I just watched her, soaking in every curve of her face. After about five minutes she looked up somewhat startled, surprised to see someone. She then informed me that she was not sleeping but she had her eyes closed thinking! After that comment, I knew it was going to be a good day and I truly believed that she was probably thinking.
She went on about how beautiful I was and how I was just like her and my mother. Even though my mother doesn’t know, my grandmother places her on pedestals of greatness. Sometimes grandmother just has a problem of telling her how wonderful she is. After talking about all our “likeness” for awhile, grandmother looked up and said, “Yvette, you need to remember that you must always protect your name”! I knew exactly what she was speaking of, but I sat there and listened, trying to grasp each and every word. She explained to me that in much earlier days, times were hard for her. She was raising four children on her own and during those days it was not easy. Grandmother continued on telling me that she could have went on welfare, but that was a choice she could not make because of her children. She said that if she had started on welfare, she was terrified that it would become a pattern lived for generations. Her only desire was to work hard and show her children good work ethics. She wanted to be the good example, keep her name strong in the community as her Mother and Father had.
Grandmother’s words ring so true…. As a parent we have to live the way that we want our children to live. If we want them to love Christ… We have to love Christ! If we want them to serve others…. We have to serve others.
My grandmother has always been an example of a strong, accomplished woman. She has so many people that love and admire her. I hope that as a Proverbs 31 woman I can keep my name strong through loving Christ and serving others as she did!