No Matter What

..we would tear around those field lanes ..NY days ..campground experiences ..crocodile ****** ..surprisingly we have come a long way. I know people wondered about us. They were good days but I would never wanna go back to them. Those days are long gone now. The "martin gang" reunited. Don't ask where the name came from! We calculated the years and it hasn't happened since Nicole got married. There are 10 kids. Crazy how 10 years can change things so drastically. It was agreed we don't wanna think how it will be in the next ten years. Life moves on!!! glimpses of the night...photo credits go to Steve..he was enjoying it a little too much! All the kiddos but one. He was left in MO with his father. We had a great night catching up with each other again!  

Should I cuss or should I cry? Neither one came...my first thoughts were "God...what next?" Rain was falling {I.hate.driving.in.rain.} I was on a road I didn't know well.  That called for not as high rates of speed as could possibly happen other times. Rainy back roads at night call for wild animals. Tis the time of year for mmhhmm that is right .... DEER!  Archery opens on Saturday..Car killing opened tonight?! ...someone failed to give me the memo.  #*@ CRASH *%^&.. THUD I turned around to watch it hide its drooping head and slinging tongue. I backed up again to see it as it drug its damaged body deeper in the darkness. My headlights still worked at least. Fear kept me in my car. I couldn't see damage from my seat and that appeased me.  My prayer on the way home was rather selfish.  "GODDDDDDDD please.....like somehow you know..umm yeah help it not to be real bad." As my garage door went up mom and dad met me. No da

I love to observe people. I do it too much. I was at the wrong place for that. Seriously..hmmm people need to wake up and get serious with life. This half way thing..I see why God say you are either hot or cold. There's no middle ground and by appearance of things there are many exactly there. Ok returned foreign lands person..hush your mouth.  Why does she wear that ring? A necklace adorns his neck. Her hair is cut short but she is garbed in conservative clothes. He asks if I'm amish...is it any wonder the confusion this world has. To be honest I was quite confused with many things I see tonight. It challenged me to REAL live my life. I am representing someone...is it who I know it must be?  We get along quite well...oh the questions she asks me. I won't start! Lauren insisted she wanted to do it. After about 10x of me trying to reconsider we got ourselves caged in. around and around and spin and spin...up and down all around we went. Her final words on t

You know that Starbucks hot cocoa in the previous blog...yeah it is being consumed. Uganda decided it was not needed and thus brings me to the things I've learned today. 1. I despise sanding this chest I am redoing. My fingers feel like sand paper. 2. They say you get weak as you age...my father is still stronger :(   (why do I try?) 3. I do not like death. Viewings are not for me... she left behind many memories. She was my "mom" when I became a Christian as I spent the week by her while my parents were in Israel.  4. Once again God opens and closes doors. The tickets were bought. One suitcase packed. Sunday was fast approaching and excitement was rising. Today the heartbreaking news came that the adoption is closed. It appears permanently.  I wanted to be annoyed and frustrated as I look back on the past two months of waiting. It won't help so therefore I will realize that..... Life isn't always perfect. Life isn't always easy. Life do

As others returned to Grenada I attempted to console myself with things like..."well at least I don't have to do this and that...mainly buy and pack many things for everyone and their brother and sister." Here I am...doing the despised thing. PACKING. I am accustomed to having a list of items under demand to take with me when I travel. This trip is not the case. Take whatever you want is what I am told. I am not sure what I like better now that I am on this side. I don't know what people need in Uganda. What will a baby, kids, ladie's homes need? After much grabbing and spending the stuff was accumulating and needed to be packed away instead of cluttering the basement.  Do I have enough?  What else? I am sure when I reach there I will know exactly but oh well.  I cannot forget some Starbucks. Whether I will have the ability to make it I have not a clue but I will make something work!  Only a week and I am out of here. I am super excited but the o

Endurance: 1.the fact or power of enduring or bearing pain, hardships, etc. 2. the ability or strength to continue or last, especially despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions; stamina: I thought of this as I had my devotions today. I believe I can endure lots physically but this spiritual part...hmmmm {*think.rethink.}* The physical endurance was put to the test with my mother biking and me jogging beside. I wanted to stop and walk. It was my choice. My brained screamed endure. I really wasn't tired but why huff and puff unnecessarily. Too many times in the spiritual aspect I wanna stop and walk. That is not " running with patience the race before me. " I am not tired so therefore I must " press on toward the goal to win the prize. " The choice is mine. The choice is yours. Are we remaining faithful to the Son of God in everything that attacks HIS life in us?  2 Corinthians 11 speaks of Paul's sufferings. He was imprisoned, beat, lashed

It was a rainy, dreary day. It started off nonetheless with a nephew trying to awaken me at an early morning hour...but I was awake already. I forget how kids ask a million and half questions when it was the last thing I felt like answering. In a matter of time I was off to a place that fit the wet day. Cozy Cafe with the sister-in-law. The pumpkin spice latte was grand...grand in size and taste! and more wetness it rained and it rained and it poured and it poured Bananas were ten cents a pound. Why wouldn't we buy some? I nicely thought I would make banana goodie for the parents but I told mom that I am not gunna end up eating it all for myself...well here you have it. They ate about 2 spoonfuls and said apple is better. sigh! Fatten up for the winter months I find!

simple roadside beauty The legs are no longer accustomed to such walking but it was simply amazing! {minus the temperatures} It's ok if you shake your head and say it was a beautiful day. I know it was for fall weather. The weather patterns could go in reverse and stay like that! This was the song ringing through my mind as I walked like a vagabond to the project for the afternoon. I had to remind myself that it is ok if people stare...after all I did have a bag on my back and who does that here? Oh well where I come out of "so they does do ting." Don't Quit When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, When the road you're trudging seems all uphill, When funds are low and the debts are high, And you want to smile but you have to sigh, When care is pressing you down a bit, Rest if you must, but don't you quit. Life is queer with its twists and turns, As every one of us sometimes learns, And many a failure turns about

Grandparent: A parent of one's father or mother "Beautiful young people are accidents of nature / But beautiful old people are works of art."  ~Marjory Barslow-Greenbie Proverbs: African: "If you know his father and grandfather, don't worry about his son." Chinese: "To forget one's ancestors is to be a brook without a source, a tree without a root." Indian: "The baby is not yet born, and yet you say that his nose is like his grandfather's." Jewish: "One of life's greatest mysteries is how the boy who wasn't good enough to marry your               daughter can be the father of the smartest grandchild in the world." {*hmm.I.like.*} Spanish: "Those who have no grandparents lose very much." Traditional: "Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their                                                                           pare

 It was a night of babysitting...and picture taking as you can see. "Angie...take a picture of me here or there or now or of this or that." persimmons: my only thought of them was "grandpa food" cuz that is my memory of who ate them. I must say it is kind of a good fruit after all! OWEN he is quite the little charmer and loves to say my name along with everything else everyone says. He don't miss much. DOG: a boys best friend possibly? Watch Myles with his tongue hanging out! MARY KATE I would say this is her pose. Kind of girly. Definitely an oldest child.  ANNA ..."only anna"..this is so her..do-de-dum..it's anyone's guess. She is a wild one! just Myles and I I love Myles mouth...sucha boy! MYLES loves anything with wheels especially tractors. He's the big brother and has a little follower that does so well with his bossiness...most times! Cup of coffee always enhances babysitti