Just Mention His Name

I’m rockin’ some purple streaks in my hair.  This is a pic taken at Christmas with my sweet cousin Christine.

I’ve been asked, “Why?”

Why not? 

I’ve had the urge for some unnatural hair color for several years.  Originally I wanted pink, but that was when I was blonde.  I thought purple fit better with the brown hair. 

I did ask permission from my employer before I did it.  They were cool with it. :)

I got a call from one of the partners where I work.  He asked me why I had purple hair.  I laughed and told him I thought it would be fun.  I could tell he was smiling, not laughing, but smiling when he said, “Peyton would be embarrassed.”  I said, “I KNOW!!!  I went to the high school basketball games the other night and all the kids loved it, but it’s different when it’s your own parent.”

I said all that to say this.  I love that he mentioned Peyton.  He had met Peyton a couple of times and he has watched me miss him the past 3 years.  I am blessed to be surrounded by people who are not afraid to bring up Peyton’s name.

If you know someone who is missing a child, spouse, loved one or friend, do not be afraid to talk about them.  It is a blessing to hear their name, even if it brings tears.  Be brave and cry with them if that’s what happens.  There’s nothing better than knowing you are not alone.

Thanks for reading :)

What’s it Like, 3 Christmas's Without Peyton?

I was asked a week or so ago how I was doing, dealing with the holidays.  I said, I was doing really well.  She then said, “I suppose there are triggers that blindside you?” 

Not really.  I have my moments when the wanting is so great I can’t stand it.  I have times I want to throw something, hit something, and kick my feet because I want so much for things to be different.  I want my boy here with me; but these emotions don’t come as a surprise.  I’ve experienced them all before, sometimes like a tidal wave.  I still stand because God is holding me up.  Friends’ prayers have wrapped me in a blanket of strength.

I don’t know how I live with Peyton being gone, except for God’s grace.  I am discovering more and more about the grace of God.  It’s always there.  It never fails me.  I only have to recognize it and use it.  Lean on it. 

“His grace is sufficient” – I know this is in the bible, but I used to think it cliche’.  I thought it was an excuse for being weak.  It is truth.  It is life.  It is how I’ve survived these past (almost 3) years.

How does a person tap into God’s grace?  Speak it.  Tell God you can’t do it.  Ask Him for help.  Be grateful, not for the hurtful thing, be grateful He’s there to bring you through.  It’s so basic, so simple.  Why do we make it hard? 

I didn’t answer the question posed in the title of this post.  What’s it like……….it’s not nearly as much fun as it would have been if Peyton were here.  Tom & I try to play “what would he be doing now”, but it doesn’t really work.  There are too many variables.  So as we come upon the third anniversary, be praying for us.  Pray that we see all the good things surrounding us and we lean on and glorify God with our words and actions.

Thanks for reading (and praying) :)

Office Decorations 2010

I want to show you my office decorations for this year. 

Snowflakes for the door.  I used sticky tak to make them stay on, no damage to the finish.  I also put snowflakes on windows at home using the same stuff. 

 

Refurbished styrofoam fireplace.  I talked about it in this previous post.

 

Cardboard mantle

 

I like this sign I bought in Branson :)

 

Improvised tree topper. (hot glue is a wonder!!)

 

Table top tree

 

 

Santa is a little trimmer this year than usual, and he moved the fire out of the fireplace. :)

 

Hope you enjoyed the Christmas tour of my office.

Thanks for reading :)

These Pictures May Make You Queasy

if you’ve eaten as much as I have over the last week or so. 

I like to bake….and make candy….and then give it away.  I made these morsels a few weeks ago, before everyone was tired of sweet stuff.  Here are some pictures of my efforts.

Lots of chocolate chip cookies!!!

 

Brownie bites with Reese’s cups :)

 

Drop sugar cookies, no rolling & cutting.

 

Toffee with almonds and Pecan Pie bars (my fave)

 

Microwave Peanut Brittle (Tom’s specialty)

 

My grandma made these when I was a kid and then my mom and now I make them.  They are called “Martha Washington’s” coconut, pecans, eagle brand milk, butter & powdered sugar mixed up, rolled into balls and dipped into chocolate.  Tom’s the dipper in the family. 

 

These are pecan sandies that would not come off the cookie sheet.  I thought it only fair to show my screw ups along with the good stuff :)

 

Cookie Tray

 

 

Candy Tray

 

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!!!!!

Thanks for reading :)

From Paradise to Plan B: The Unvarnished Story

Read this yesterday and wanted to share.
From Paradise to Plan B: The Unvarnished Story

The Flip side of the Archery Shop

I hope I didn’t give the impression from Saturday’s post that I was on the verge of tears the whole time we were at the bow shop.  That wasn’t the case at all. 

I started out my morning at the beauty shop.  I love my hairdresser very much.  She takes my hair to the edge, so when I left there, I looked like I was ready to go somewhere super cool and fashion forward.  After all, I was going to a town an hour away; who knows the shopping opportunities that could arise? Oh, the reality.

Tom knew the bow he wanted and had found a retailer (retailer is such a loose word here).  We plugged in the Garmin and headed out around 10:00 am.  We arrived in the middle of nowhere 75 minutes later.  Don’t get me wrong, we found it with no problem but the archery shop was pretty much it.  It was in a town of less than 2,400 people.

We got inside and Tom was looking around and told the guy he had called the day before and what bow he wanted.  Since I had been in the car for over an hour, I had to find a bathroom.  The bathroom doubled as the recycle room.  It had trash bags full of aluminum cans.  The best part was the duct tape……on the toilet seat.  Yes people, the seat was broken and had been repaired by the greatest stuff on earth, duct tape.  I was a little disappointed it wasn’t camo, just the regular gray stuff.

There were several  “good ‘ole boys” milling around talking about hunting.  There was also a “good ‘ole gal”.  She was buying her son a bow for Christmas.  She looked over at her son and told him she would take him to stay at his nana & pop’s house while she got her nails done.  Then she spit a mouth full of spit into the water bottle she was using for a spitoon.  Somehow those two things didn’t fit, a lip full of chew and getting nails done, but maybe I’m closed minded?

All the people seemed very nice and down to earth.  The owner is truly an expert at his craft, but I felt a  like a duck out of water.  There was a horrific moment out in the parking lot.  I COULDN’T GET INTERNET SERVICE ON MY PHONE!!!!  Then I moved a few feet and I was on Facebook in a flash. 

I asked Tom on the way home if he wished I were more of an outdoorswomen.  He’s fine with me just the way I am  :)

Thanks for reading :)

Christmas Tour 2010

Merry Christmas and welcome to my home.  I am participating in the Nester Tour of Homes again this year.  I look forward to checking out everyone’s decorations.  Click on the link, it will take you to a list of homes decorated for Christmas. :)

These are pictures of the things I have in my living room.

Dining Room!!!!

Christmas in the kitchen :)

Living room tree

Master Bedroom with a special tree.

 

Thank you for taking the tour.  Merry Christmas!!

“We used to be just like you.”

Tom and I spent the majority of our Saturday in an archery shop to purchase Tom a new bow for Christmas.  It’s quite a process, measurements taken, adjustments made, practice shots fired, etc.  Only the owner of the shop was working and he had a couple of customers before he was able to get to Tom.  There were men there with their sons.  There was also a mom there with her son.

I couldn’t help thinking how much Peyton would have enjoyed that place.  So much hunting paraphernalia (yes, this word has an “r” in it, who knew?)  We were both missing him.  I could see it in Tom’s eyes.  All those boys with their dads, some getting outfitted with new bows, others buying arrows and other necessary equipment.  One of the boys used a rubber band to shoot some paper at his friend.  I had to smile, it was exactly something Peyton would do.

I wanted so much to tell them all, “we used to be just like you!  We have a son we love very much but he can’t be here.  He lives in Heaven.  You would have loved him if you met him.  He loved hunting.  He loved being with his dad.  We miss him.” 

Of course I can’t go around randomly telling people those things.    So here I am, typing them on this blog.

Thanks for reading :)