Musings from Graceland

THANKFUL FOR 45 YEARS

Finally feeling well enough to work on my birthday blog post. It has been a yucky past couple of days but I'm really glad that the sickness didn't kick in til the day after my halfway-to-90 celebration.

See, all of my grandmas, and most of my great-grandmas, lived til almost 90 or even beyond. So I'm realistically hoping I've still got another 45 years to look forward to. And look forward to it is what I'm doing. God has been so good to me and I'm so very, very thankful for the life He has given me. I am truly excited to see what He has in store for the rest of my time here on earth. I know that with aging there comes its own unique set of challenges, but as He's proven to me over and over again, He has promised to be with me and won't lead me to do anything that He's not going to provide a way.

So I thank God for another year of living and look forward to celebrating my halfway-to-100 in Africa! See you then!!!!

In the meantime, here are photos of how my day was spent. Thanks to everyone who made it special, even if I don't have a photo to record your contribution. The phone calls, greeting cards, facebook messages, emails, and Five-in-a-Row wishes all helped contribute to a very fun day!

Lunch was spent with some of my homeschool buddies and my two big girls at Rooster's in Fondren. LOVE those burgers and love those women!

After lunch, I took the girls prom dress shopping. We bought the very first one Betsie tried on --- a beautiful, vintage, formal we found at Repeat Street.

After shopping with Anna and Betsie, it was time to go home and celebrate with the hunky hubby and the rest of the kiddos.

Little Miss M drew a fab picture of the two of us and gave me a Rachael Ray magazine.

T and LG also gave me artistic masterpieces.

David and Patrick gave their mother weights to help me become a muscle-bound mama.

My sweet man gave me paints and canvases.

And my big girls gave me an mp3 player that they are patiently trying to teach me how to use.

For all of this and so much more, I am greatly blessed. It really has been a good 45 years. And I can honestly say that it is because of Him. He has set me free. He has given me purpose. He has chosen to use even messed up me. He has loved me when I definitely didn't deserve it. What a good, good Father He is. I pray that I'll use this life He has given me only as HE would desire me to live it. He is what gives life true meaning and peace.

"The one thing I ask of the Lord -
the thing I seek most -
is to live in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
delighting in the Lord's perfections
and meditating in His Temple."
(Psalm 27:4, NLT)