A VERY BUSY SUMMER...PART TWO

SO…How was YOUR summer?



The season seems to go SO fast!...At least here in the four-seasons’ country…

I hope at least...

You made time for fun…





Were able to slow down...



That you took time to contemplate...





To sit a spell...



To figure out the pieces of your life...



I hope that you made time to enjoy the companionship of family...



Even if the children were tired...;)





SOME HAPPENINGS IN MY SUMMER…PART TWO



PUTTING MY DOG DOWN…

I had to put Hercules down on July 25…

That is never an easy thing to do, especially after I waited so long for the little guy...

But, as we all know…

Life isn’t always easy…



MANY MANY HOURS AT WORK...
.
.
.
MANY LONG HOURS WITHOUT SLEEP…

Because I work nights and also work some days...

The last several weeks have been very busy…

Trying to organize my schedule!

I just finished 80 hours with only 2 hours and 45 minutes of sleep…:/

But, it will be better from here on out, I am sure...:0)

It must!

Otherwise...

You know what they say...

Work your fingers to the bone...

Whada Ya Get???



Bony fingers! Ha Ha!



A SAYING THAT I LIKE…

"I hate when people punch my abs, and they break their hand."



Ha Ha Ha! Now, I only wish it were true!



AN ONGOING CHALLENGE…



For quite a few years now…

Nine to be exact…

I have wanted to return to school...



The Lord has closed those doors to me, in a very real way. I know that He has a plan, but it has been very hard to have the faith that I need to have. If I can’t go back to school to either change and/or better myself for my professions, I would love to be a full-time homemaker…

My home is where my heart REALLY and TRULY is at…It is in my every fiber, and I must admit that I get jealous of the ladies who are privileged to stay home…

Jealousy is not good, I know…I do hope that they realize their great blessing, though.

I really need to get stronger and have more faith….

And…That is what I am working on. :0)



HERBS!...

I have so been enjoying watching my beautiful organic herbs grow! I love them! I didn’t cut them back near enough (was having too much fun watching them get big ;) but am drying some for later cooking.



These mint leaves are from a plant that my daughter sowed last year…The plant is huge!



I planted both regular and garlic chives…



I guess I wasn’t thinking when I planted all of the herbs in an above-the-ground box rather than in the soil…

Likely they won’t winter over…



So, I am going to try bringing them inside…We’ll see what happens.

Lemon Basil…

AND...

Lavender…



A NEW CELLAR DOOR…

The old one was…Well…Old…

DH did such an awesome job in fabricating this new metal-framed door to take the place of the worn out wooden one. The guys then riveted steel over the frame for a super sturdy door!



MY BOY ACHIEVED HIS BLACK BELT!

With all of the worry about getting video footage for him to review, I didn’t get one still-shot! I can’t actually believe that! I am Mrs. Takes-Pictures-of-Everything!

Anyway…Is this one proud mama? Uh Huh! Elliott’s instructor said that he was one of the fastest ever to go from white to black belt (gloat…;)



A plus for me is that I’m able to learn a little bit here and there, which can really come in handy at work.

DB has a great advantage in that he doesn’t LOOK like he could hurt anyone...

He doesn't have the Arnold look...

Or...

The...

Ape look...



He’s tall, lean, and unassuming. A fourth-degree gentleman that he trains with has the same type of frame. But, don't let outside appearances fool...

They can pack a wallop!

Elliott actually received two Blacks that day…

AND…

I was about three feet from him when he broke the cinder-block slabs…Oh yeah!



YUP…One DOUBLE-PROUD MAMA here!



CHERISH YOUR FAMILY, MY FRIENDS…



We never know...

How long...

They will dwell upon this Earth…

HAVE A PRODUCTIVE WEEK...(And bless someone while you're at it;)