Mrs. Ruby Bernice Sheppard 2/12/1926 ~ 1/25/2009

My Grandma passed away earlier this afternoon (1/25/09).

She would have been 83 on February 12.

She was the best Grandma I could have ever hoped for and I thought that she would live forever...

I'm not in the best frame of mind at the moment. I can't sleep. Everyone else can sleep but me. Even Otis is laying in the doorway of our computer room and dreaming of something. She keeps making barking squeaks...

She loved her God and she loved her life. She loved every last one of her children and all of her grandkids and great-grandkids.

She was always an inspiration to me...She raised 6 children into adult-hood, was married to an Army man, and lived in MANY different places throughout her lifetime. She met every challenge with her faith in God fully intact. She always praised God for every little thing...saying..."God has been so good to me..." She believed in prayer. She would always make sure that our home-church knew when something was out of the ordinary in any of our lives so that we would have multiple people praying for us.

I didn't make it to the hospital in time today to see her before she was sedated...I talked to her, though. I like to think that she heard me.

I know that she loved me......and I loved her greatly.......and I will miss her more than she'll ever know....

Playin' in the snow!!

The temperature got up above 40 degrees today, so I bundeled the boys up and we headed outside!!!

We played a little with the sled, but then realized that this was good SNOWMAN SNOW!!!

Soooooooo........................

Creston & Mackie Snowmen!!!

Pretty good for a 4 and nearly 2 year old, don't you think?

Inaguration Day 2009!

‘A New Birth of Freedom’ ~ the 2009 Inaugural Theme

"A New Birth of Freedom" commemorates the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth. The words, echoing across 200 years from Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg address, express Lincoln's hope that the sacrifice of those who died to preserve the United States would lead to "a new birth of freedom" for the nation.

At approx. 12:00 noon, President Elect Obama will take the oath of office and become our next President. He will be sworn in using the Bible that Abraham Lincoln was sworn in with.

Political affiliations aside, this is truly a Great Day in American History! Something that has never before seemed possible will occur as Barack Obama is sworn in. Our Country will have elected it's first African American President!

I'm proud of our country and all that it has accomplished over time. I know that the election of any new president doesn't ensure that things in this country will get better, but I believe that we as a people are hoping so much for a good change of any kind, that maybe, just maybe, great changes will be able to take place and take our country to a whole new level of growth and security and togetherness.



The challenges that Obama faces are many....it will take time for things to get better if that is what things are supposed to do. All we can do is Pray for the President and for his family and for our Country that our new leaders will turn to God and pray for guideance in their daily decisions. We have the possibility to become a great nation once again! While it is foolish to believe that any one man can make all of the changes that this country needs right now, with God's help, maybe quite a few of those changes can be realized! Just keep the Obama's and our Country in your prayers daily as we enter into this new time of leadership!

Lot's of Posts and Finding Old Friends!!

I'm going to take this Snowy/Icy day and post everything from the last week and a half that I haven't had the time to post until today....even as I'm typing this, my two little gremlins are screaming at each other and trying to tear their room apart, so this post will be one with MANY stops, I can already tell!!!

I can post things on the actual date that they happened, so I'll be going back and posting everything on it's respective date! So.....look backwards to find what all I've put on here!!!

As for finding Old Friends...I joined Facebook many months ago, but never really got that into it. I'm not the best with "NEW" technology, so it was a bit overwhelming to me, but as time has gone by, I've been figuring it out a bit better. I've made contacts with lots of friends from High School, places I used to work, and lots of family as well. If you don't have a Facebook account, you might want to check it out! You can make your info. public or private, and you can accept friends, or deny them (if you've got some stalkers following you around!).

One of my friends from High School and Church (Amanda Scott-Bowers) found me a few weeks ago! I thought that was pretty neat! We hadn't talked in forever, and now we are planning on getting together sometime soon to gab and let our little boys play! She has a really neat Blog that's worth looking into... www.onesacrifice.blogspot.com . She has found a wonderful way to Honor God and all of the things that He has done in her life. I'm just glad that I've been able to reconnect with Amanda and all of my other friends! Like I said, check out Facebook if you haven't already!

On this snowy Sunday morning, I just wanted to take a minute and think about what God means in my life and to my family...

I have been blessed in my life beyond anything that I could ever deserve. We have many family members and friends who care about us as people and pray for us when we are having bad days or good ones. We are all healthy and warm in our little house. We have plenty of food to eat and clothes to wear. In all of the instances where we have found ourselves in desperate situations, not once has God left us. He is always there and somehow, with Gods help, we always find that the situations work themselves out for the best in their own time. As Christians, we are supposed to have Faith that God will work in his own way for our benefit, but too often, we find ourselves in a rush to make the things happen that WE think are for the best... That's when we often make it worse. I've learned the hard way over the years that it's just best to pray and pray and pray and let God lead us.

With all of that said, and this being about the 7th time that I've had to go rescue someone....I'll say bye for now!!!

Have a Wonderful rest of your Sunday!!!

The Fire Expo.

We took Creston to the Fire Expo. in Winston Salem today. We had a good day...had a Creston Day! Mackie had a Nana & Paw-Paw day!

We saw lots of big trucks!!!

Check THIS one out!!! (LOOK REALLY CLOSE!!)

It's got TWO fronts on it!!! :o)

Had to get a Balloon! (Mackie took it when we got home! BOON!!!BOON!!!)

Creston being silly!!!

My little silly Goose!!!

Mackie has taken over Creston's Snow Boots!

LOVES them!

Has to have them on whenever he's awake practically!

Tickeles him to pieces!!!

(Us too!)

Visit with Auntie Carrie!!!

Carrie came up for a visit this afternoon after she raced her snowboard at Sugar Mountain! Boy! She's not afraid of anything!!! I'd break every bone in my body!!!

Creston and Mackie love to see "Auntie" Carrie! Maybe it's because she always brings them something!!!????? Stop doing that, Carrie!!!!...........mean it!!! :o)

Here's a pic. of us three together. There hasn't been a pic. of me and Carrie

together in a long time! I thought it was time to get one!

Thanks for coming to visit and a MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY NEW YEAR, & HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY to you too!!!!!

Visiting with Bille, Ross, & Ethan!

This evening, Nana's & Paw-Paw's friends Billie and Ross came over and brought their Grandson, Ethan! Everyone got to visit and the boys enjoyed seeing Ethan.

My attempt at getting a pic. of the grandparents and their grandkids didn't go so well!!

Neither did the one of the boys together...

Maybe bext time!!

Sledding with Daddy!

There was just enough snow left on the back bank this morning for Creston to go sledding! It was starting to rain, and I threw on Creston's snow-bibs over his jammies and out the two of them went!

Here's my little snow-kid! Lookin' cool, man!!(Love the hair!!)

Just plain old "Mom" now...

Ya know..., it never hit me how much my oldest little boy would change once he turned 4, but changed he has!

He's started using longer sentences, bigger words, wants to wear "big-boy" undies more now (we're still getting there with the potty-training!!), and has decided all of a sudden to call me just plain "Mom!".

Now...some of you may think that this is no biggie....that I shouldn't care what he calls me as long as I love him and he loves me and he doesn't call me "Hey You.....Old Woman!!!".

For whatever reason, it's bugging me...maybe it's the way he says it...."Mom!!!, Mom!, mom, MOM!!!" Kind of in a demanding, right now, LISTEN TO ME kind of way. Gone are the days of Mommy or Mama. My little boy is growing up before our eyes and I'm not sure I like the fast pace of it all. He was our little much-prayed-for baby boy. The sweetest little face and smile. Always happy. Always smiling. Now he's a ball of attitude that spouts off "Mom!"'s like they are going out of style!

Where is all the time going?

Well.....................that is my thought for the day for you all!

So.........for all of you out there with little people to raise...hold them close and tell them you love them every chance you get....cause one day soon, they will turn "old" and start calling you "Mom" too!!! :o)

Farmer Creston, getting a Haircut!

Paw-Paw can't stand that we take Creston to a Barber! He keeps saying that he can cut it better and for FREE!

I said....have at it, since Creston was looking a bit long and shaggy!

Here is Creston in his "gonna get my hair cut" overalls!!!

Here is the Front...

Here is the Back....

Here is Mackie looking on, and Creston looking concerned...

Here is Creston saying "No!, No!, NO!!!! Not the shaver!!!"

Didn't get a final picture. Paw-paw cut it too short in the front and a bit lop-sided, but all in all, did a pretty good job.....he enjoyed it anyway, and that made it worth it!!!

Ernest Warren Bishop 1921-1996

Today would have been my Daddy's 88th Birthday.

It's been snowing since yesterday and we've got nearly 3-4 inches on the ground. When Daddy was still alive, he and I would hope and hope for snow on our birthday since mine is in December and his is in January. Sometimes it would snow, and sometimes not....

This go-round, it snowed for mine AND his!!!

My Daddy was a really interesting and sweet little man. He was quirky, but that's what people liked about him. He loved life and loved to learn. He could debate with the best of them, and often would give our preacher (Brother Norman Cox) a run for his money on biblical and faith issues. He was right around 55 when I was born...often he was mistaken for my Grandfather. I think his older age allowed him to be more laid back with me as I grew up...until I became a TEENAGER!!! At that point...I believe I got (a bit) on his nerves. I had just turned 19 when my Daddy passed away on 1-2-96. Since then, I have realized on many occasions that my Daddy was a wonderful man who knew so very much about so many things. When I was younger, I would ask him questions about my schoolwork, and he would give me the "long" answer. I learned quickly to go to mom, but now, I wish that I had been more patient with him...he had so much to tell.

So.......for you, Daddy, I love you, and Happy Birthday!

The BIG Party!

Today we Celebrated Creston's 4th Birthday with a party at home with his little friends and several of our family members!!!

As you can see above, we wound up with 7 total little energy-filled boys rip-roaring and ready to play, eat, and play some more!!!! (We seem to grow a lot of BOYS here on this mountain!!!)


Me and my little punkin'!

Creston and his Daddy-Bear!

The weather was so nice today! It was actually pretty fair outside, so the boys got to go out and play for awhile. That helped them to get some of their little boy energy out of their systems!!!

Paw-Paw made Creston a Fire Station with 2 rolling-up-and-down doors for his trucks, and a roof that lifts up so he can store all his Fire Department stuff and "other" little cars!!!

AND...since I LOVE smilebox......here are the rest of the pictures in a slideshow for your viewing enjoyment!!!!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Creston's 4th Birthday!!!!!

Today is our little boy's 4th birthday!

We've had a unique weekend since Mark had to work today. (He had to work LAST year on Creston's birthday also...)

We went to Johnson City yesterday to get some things for his party tomorrow (Sunday), and TRIED to take him to Chuck E. Cheese, but at 2:45 in the afternoon, every child in the region must have been there, so we wound up at McDonald's. (His actual favorite!)

Last night, I decorated for the party tomorrow, and today we decorated, cleaned, and went to pick up his cake and balloons tonight.

Tomorrow, we will have a possibility of 35 people in our house.....not sure where we will put them all, but we WILL find somewhere!!!

Tonight, Nana made Creston dinner and had a little party for him with us at her house so that Creston would have a little something on his ACTUAL day. He thought that was pretty neat!

Happy NEW Year!!!

Hooray!
We made it into 2009!
I pray for us all that this year will be FAR better than the last and that we will be blessed more than we could ever imagine. I thank God for the many blessings that he has already given to me and my family and I pray that he will continue to guide us and love and protect us in our daily lives as we try to become better people and Christians for him.
Life is hard and the trials that we face daily have the ability to cripple us emotionally and physically sometimes. It is only through having a close relationship with God and having a strong circle of close friends and family to help encourage and support us that we can get through life's rough patches.
Please continue to keep my family in your daily prayers throughout this new year and we will continue to keep you all in ours.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!