Yesterday we spent the evening at a friend's pool until the sun vanished from the sky.  We had a beautiful sunset, yummy hamburgers and wonderful fellowship.  Since this nameless friend has forbidden me and my camera near her house I'm sharing photos of my kids, not her.  Believe me, my friend will thank me.  Although very outgoing she IS a little camera shy and wishes NOT to be seen by the world at large.
(Who does she think reads these blogs anyway??)

Baby girl found herself a bowl of watermelon and
was happy as a lark.

My very favorite two year old in the whole entire
world!!!!!!!!!!

My favorite four year old and my friends kitty.

And two of my favorite guys in the whole world!!!

Today's my 7 year old's first day out of school so we're off to the pool again in a few minutes.  Tonight's it's Dominos!!!

By the way Michelle, I've decided a Diet Coke, chocolate and a nap is the cure for anything that ails ya!!!
Happy Happy Summer…
julie

Gayle just got done with a cool tag so I'm gonna try it.

Favorite magazine?  I'm not a magazine fan.  But I guess TOS.  (hey, do i get a prize someone??)

The beginning is usually scary, the end is usually sad, it's what's in the middle that counts.

Something to think about.

From the movie HOPE FLOATS

Have you read Kindred Spirit's blog today?  It's awesome.  Her blog made me think about our trail ride the other day.  “Dallas”, the wonderful horse that I rode wouldn't load onto the trailer when we were finished riding.  Adonnya (my friend) had to be back home by 3pm and time was “awasting” as we tried over and over to get Dallas to load onto the horse trailer.

We put another horse, Diesel, on first to see if Dallas would load.  Over and over again we tried.  He refused to get on.  Adonnya became quite frustrated with him so I gave it a try.  Still, no go!   Then we took Diesel off and tried with an empty trailer.  No go.  Then I came up with the idea to try loading him on the side of the trailer Diesel had been on.  Who knows why!  I was just praying for God to give us options for getting this horse on. 

Well, up he goes right onto the trailer.  No fuss, no stalling, just right up. 

Can I get an Amen, Praise the Lord?
Thank you Jesus!!!

On the way home I kept thinking there must be a spiritual lesson in all of this.  There always is.  How many times do I insist on doing things a certain way only to be frustrated by my numerous attempts?  And all the time there is the Lord's way, not always easy, but full of blessing for He has gone before me to prepare the path. 

Now, like loading the horse on the trailer there were two sides to the same opening.  A double horse trailer has a left and a right side.  But there was only one way in that worked.

We were so intent on loading Dallas on one side we didn't even see the other side and it's possibilities.

Hmmmm….
gives a girl something to think about, huh?

IN HIM
JULIE

Not much to blog about today….

• A few updates though:
• BABY BIRD is about to eat us out of house and home.  At $3 a container of worms he's getting as expensive to feed as my kids but he's doing great.
• the BRUISE is bigger, larger, darker, uglier.  but I rode again last night.  it helped with the soreness.
• i had my second parent/teacher conference today.  it went well.  we are still praying about montessori school or homeschool for my oldest next year

And a few questions….

• does anyone know anything about biofeedback?
• does anyone know anything about diet for someone with ADD tendencies?

Here are some examples of just how awesome our God is….

Today has been quite a day.  It began by wondering if I was going  to Raleigh to take care of a friend who has been very sick.  I ended up not going because of some wonderful friends she has there who came and cared for her.  She's feeling better today and I hope she has some strength and energy for tomorrow. 

So after my morning “she's okay” phone call me and my hubbie got to go horseback riding again with our friends Tom and Adonnya.  Today I got a frisky little gelding named Dallas.  He's got to be part thoroughbred because it took him half the trail ride to calm down enough to be enjoyable to ride.  And I've got the bruises to prove it.  (I'll post them tomorrow.)  Dallas spooked at a stick on the trail ride and I ended up under his neck with my left foot on the ground and my right foot still in the stirrup on the horses back.  Now, if you can get a mental picture of this you know that only someone with a 34 inch inseam who is 6foot 2inches tall could accomplish such a feat!

My yoga instructor would have been impressed!! 

As my inner thigh scraped across the saddle horn I could feel the bruise forming.  Tonight I have a bruise about the length of a football though not as wide. 

Yes, ouch!!!!

Advil….you are my friend! 

After the 3 or 4 hour ride, a spooky horse, a bruised and raw inner thigh and a horse who wouldn't load to trailer back to the farm we finally returned home.  Both me and my hubbie were beat!  It was 4pm. 

At 6pm we were back at the farm for fried chicken, Adonnya's wonderful pasta salad and a little more horseback riding.  Yes, I actually got back on a horse this evening.    It's amazing how you can still succumb to peer pressure at the ripe old age of 41.

But this is not until after my boys found a baby robin in our yard who had apparently fallen from his nest and was very hungry.  Since he/she is not old enough to fly we've taken it in and the little guy;s eaten about 10 big ole fat juicy fishing worms since 5pm.  Now, he's sound asleep in a garbage container (tall so it won't fall out or the dog won't get it) with lots of towels for warmth.  I hope it survives the night.  He's in our closet where I hope he'll be safe until morning when he'll choke down a bunch of worms again.  It's really amazing to watch him eat.

So now it's 11:40pm and I'm barely awake, leg throbbing.  So I'm off to la la land, a handful of Advil safely tucked in my tummy.  I hope to post pics of my leg, the ride tonight and the “hopefully still alive” baby robin tomorrow.

Until then….
Have Jesus filled dreams and if you read this since I'm on EST.  Pray for our bird to make it through the night.
Julie

I got to go horsebackriding today thanks to my wonderful husband and my friend Adonnya.  My hubbie watched the kids and Adonnya provided the horse.

Here I am (first time in 15 years)!  I'll let you know if I can walk tomorrow.

My friend Adonnya.

Well, today as I was preparing to go to the Animal Control station to see if our “stray” dog was there she showed up on the front porch.  She hung out for most of the day.  I caught wind of someone looking for her this afternoon so I put up posters.  The owners came to get her this afternoon.  Her name is Lacy although you'd never know it.  She's a sweet thing who wants to be loved all the time. 

So….happy ending.  Although my kids are sad.

A friend sent a wonderful Praying for Our Children calender today.  I don't know how to get it to you except to say if you want one email me and I'll send you a copy.  It's really wonderful.  There are 31 days and each has a topic with one scripture.  For example the 1st is Salvation with 2Timothy 2:10,  the 2nd day is God's Grace with 2Peter 3:18.

So leave a comment with your email or some bright idea on how to post it OR email me telling me you want a copy and I'll shoot one over to you.

IN HIM
julie

You know…
those times.

The ones that seem to make a mental picture you carry with you for a long time.

Tonight I had one.  Baby girl was swinging.  The weather here has been unseasonably cool, so wonderful.  We decided upon a popsicle to go along with our swinging. 

Dad joined us.  And she just had to sit beside him to share her popsicle.

Daddy's girl.

My latest entry forever lost in blog land.  And I'm too tired to retype it all.  So until tomorrow I leave you with this clever little fellow that I took a picture of today.  Isn't he cool?  May we all rest under HIS wings….
julie