There are some things in our day to day, week to week lives that just become part of our routines.  Simple things like grocery shopping, showing up for work, or even scheduling get togethers with friends or dentist appointments.  And while I am going about these regular, normal things there are little extras in my life that I know are gifts from my faithful, loving God.  There are too many of these extras to mention in one blog post but I wanted to write about just one of those blessings - Teressa. 

I first came to know Teressa when she was my Children's Church teacher.  She told us countless Bible stories & always had the best games planned for us.  It was exactly what  a Children's Church class should have been.

As I grew up & promoted out of Teressa's class I didn't have as much contact with her.  But she was a constant presence in our church, faithful as faithful can be.  And though over time her health faded, her smile never did.  My sister started helping her with her house cleaning & I found out some fascinating things about Teressa.  She was a skilled propagator of violets.  Beth said they decorated her house with beauty.  And Teressa rode a stationary bike for several miles every day, no matter what.  And she was in her 80's!

Sometime in the past 10 years or so our church set up a prayer chain.  When they drew up the diagram they put my name with a straight line leading to Teressa's name.  And this is when Teressa became the biggest blessing to me.  Taking my calls, listening with care, making concerned comments about people she most of the time didn't even know.  She taught me about faithfulness, she taught me about prayer, & she became such a sweet friend.  She even asked me to be the second call after her daughter on her Life Alert system.  I was so honored (as goofy as that sounds). 

A few weeks ago we said farewell to Teressa when she went home to heaven.  When the prayer line calls come in now I miss her most.  At her funeral her family had brought in a table full of violets.  They asked that we take one home to remember Teressa.  We grabbed this little beauty & have been trying to nurture her well.  Right now she has even more blooms than are pictured here.

When I look at this pretty little flower I remember Teressa & her life well lived for the Lord.  I also remember the Lord & how He brings so many beautiful extras into our lives to add some sparkle to our day to day, duty-filled routines.  And I'm so grateful.

Aloha! *sniff*

I'm sniffing because we are saying, "Aloha, goodbye" to our friend Cody.

It's not the first time.

She's lived in Hawaii for a long time now.

This last aloha was hard though because we thought the Lord was leading her to come home & go to school.

She'd have been captive here in Indiana for at least a couple of years.  And that would mean we could go get coffee together, watch stupid girl movies together, hang out.  Fun stuff.

But...

At seemingly the last moment (doesn't God work like that? just reminding us that things happen in HIS timing, not ours) the Lord provided a job for Cody back on Kauai.  Her dream job, in fact.  She will be working to get the Bethany Hamilton (yeah, the Soul Surfer girl) Foundation off the ground.  Super exciting stuff!

Before she left Autumn & I met up with her for one last night of girlie fun.  We went to Applebee's to eat sinful desserts & watch the turtle races.  We know how to party.

Great conversations were had all the way around & I was reminded once again of how the Lord has blessed me with such beautiful friends.  And not just cheap glitzy beauty but the inside shining through to the outside kind of beauty.  And they both like Irish music like Celtic Thunder & Gaelic Storm.  Yeah, I have the best friends *grin*

Right before we called it a night Mike had to come to my rescue because I had lost my keys.  When he arrived at Autumn's house I asked if he would take a pic of us girls.  I forgot that Autumn is so twitchy that she can't sit still for a pic.  So the one shot turned into many hoping we could get her to behave. 

In this one Autumn was talking.

In this one she was just being ornery.

Come on, Autumn!  Focus!

Now we are all giggling!

I think Mike just scolded her.

This is her 'model' face.

We have officially given up.

 We miss you, Codes! 

Cabbage!

I'm trying to get caught up around here & I realized that I never gave you the low down nitty gritty on the Gaelic Storm concert! 

Here it is...

We arrived at the venue a good 45 minutes before the show started.  I had been advised that seating was limited & that no tables could be reserved.  Armed with that info we arrived early & were happy to see that we were only about 25 people deep in line.  We're good, so I thought.  Not so much.  When we got inside we wandered for just a moment because none of us had been there before.  It was also dark inside & our poor little eyes were super dazzled from the bright setting sun.  Long story short, the balcony was closed, there were quite a few reserved tables, & Autumn's socializing skills were put to the test as she made friends trying to find us seats.  She was successful & I was super grateful because while I can certainly stand for the length of a concert, my dear momma cannot.  Autumn, you're a peach!  And I love how you have never met a stranger.

I snapped a couple pics as we waited for the show to start.

My sissy-poo & me

Autumn & Momma

Gaelic Storm

All in all, it was a super fun show.  I would definitely recommend you get yourself a ticket if they are anywhere near you.  If you like Irish pub music, that is.  They were super fun, down to earth, & amazingly talented.  After the show was over they all came out & just mingled with the crowd, signing autographs & taking pictures.  They featured their new album, "Cabbage" which is full of fun songs & rousing instrumentals.  My personal favorite, 'Space Race' says:

They say there was a Space Race,
If there was I guess I missed it.

From the earth up to the moon & back...
Well, doesn't that take the biscuit!

The song then goes on to lament about how there are no Irish astronauts.  Maybe I'm goofy, but I think it's hilarious.

Here's to belly laughs & toe tapping rhythms!

Applesauce & Song

Recently I have been made very aware of how important it is to have some sort of activity that you can fall back on when you've had one of those days & you just need to relax.

You know, big time relax...when you get to pull your shoulders down from your ears & ease the frown between your eyebrows.  Ahh...doesn't that feel better?!

In this quest for relaxation I have discovered something about myself.  I really like to peel apples.  Peel 'em up, slice 'em up, rah, rah, rah!  And once they are peeled you can make yourself some fab.u.lous apple sauce.

You start with a bunch of Granny Smith's & you can even get a little loosey goosey with it & add some Golden Delicious or Gala or whatever makes you sing. 

And if you have a cute little cutting board & a corer/slicer you're doing just fine.  I actually prefer to have a sharp paring knife & a compost/garbage bin & I go to town.

Once you get your crock full to the brim, add a little apple juice or water, put the lid on, & let it simmer away for hours.  Those bad boys will get all cooked down & scent your house with a heavenly aroma. 

If you don't like apple sauce, if apples give you hives, or you hate crock pots I have another relaxation exercise for you.  Grab some cd's (preferably some opera or broadway show tunes).  Get in your car.  Drive to a remote area.  Roll down the windows, crank up the opera/show tunes & sing along at the tip tip toppy of your lungs.  Really dig down deep & reach for those high notes.  Scream it out, if necessary.  Get your tunes on with the windows down on a sunny summer day & I dare you to not be totally relaxed.  You might even giggle.  I know I do *grin*

Tomatoes

Yeehaw!

My tomato plants are really coming along.

I've already eaten one of the big round ones.  I'll admit that it was a bit crunchy & so not quite ripe but the flavor was ex.cell.ent.  I about fainted from happiness!

Mike thinks I'm crazy.

Migraine Eyes

I have a little excuse for why I have been MIA lately.

I really, really, really wish I could say that I have been outside doing tons of fun sunshiny summery things.

I have been doing a little of that.  After all, those volunteer tomato plants have to be tended.

But I have also been spending some time dealing with migraine headaches. 

'Migraine Eyes'

I started having migraines when I was about 12.  The first one I had scared me to death.  I always seem to have a lot of visual disturbance leading up to my headaches so that first time it struck I was convinced that I was going blind.  It was a bad day.

Those headaches of the past were always triggered by stress.  Most of the time it was emotional stress but they could even be triggered by physical stress - too much activity on too little sleep.  Since we have a strong family history of migraines no one was surprised when I started having them & my pediatrician advised aspirin & it really worked.  I could usually head it off at the pass if I took two aspirin as soon as the visual disturbances appeared.  After a couple of years I seemed to have developed the maturity to handle the stresses in my life & the headaches sort of disappeared except for maybe two during my college years.

Fast forward 12 years (ouch!  has it really been that long?) & I have had something like six migraines in the past six weeks.  I don't really know what is going on.  A couple of them seem to have been totally unprovoked while a couple of them definitely flared when I was overtired & a little upset.  I went for two whole painful weeks without eating cheese to see if it made a difference.  My grandpa became sensitive to cheese when he was in his early 30's so we thought maybe we shared a trigger.  Nope.  Thank God I can still eat cheese!  So I don't really think I have developed a food allergy.  I'm thinking it's probably the same old song & dance - I need to relax! get more sleep! trust the Lord for all the scary stuff!  Yes, yes, & yes, all easier said than done.  But I can be very grateful about a couple of things: these headaches are for the most part much less intense than the headaches of the past.  I have been able to work through most of them.  I don't really get nauseous.  Light doesn't bother me but loud sounds really do.  It's easier to escape from noise than it is to escape from the daylight.  My old lady stomach is too sensitive for regular aspirin so I have to take the coated stuff.  That means that the headache usually has time to go full blown, but all but one of these headaches has only lasted a couple of hours. 

A weird situation for sure & I have to admit that I'm a little sad that so much of my summer has been consumed by this headache deal.  But it's manageable & yeah, I intend to talk to my doctor about it sooner rather than later.  I just haven't done it yet.  This has just been another excellent way for the Lord to show me that there is always something to be thankful for in every painful situation.  He has protected me & given me the strength to get through the painful times. 

I'm totally open to home remedy kind of suggestions.  A facebook friend told me that when her mom feels a migraine coming on she sniffs Vick's VapoRub & it makes it go away.  Who knew?!

Today is my birthday.  Oh boy...another year.

And I thank God that it doesn't bother me.

I mean, why worry about aging now; I've had gray hair for years.

And I'm the youngest in my family so I can still be called the baby. 

Nah nah nah na na nah!

I'm so mature.

Anyway, the day has been a good one.  God has blessed with me with a husband, family, friends & co-workers who know how to make a girl feel special. 

Thank you all so much for the lovely happy birthday wishes!

 The smoothie that I concocted for my breakfast got me off on the right start.  I threw some frozen strawberries, blackberries, & blueberries in the blender with some kefir, apple juice & ground flax seed.  I gave myself a break & didn't measure anything.  Heehee...not such a great idea.  There was a lot too much solid in there for the liquid & I had to keep tweaking & adding & tweaking & I thought I was going to end up with a monster smoothie!  But it all turned out ok & I was only a couple of minutes late for workie-poo.

And then when I got to work the guys had brought in some fabulous cupcakes.

A sugar induced coma followed shortly after.

It was a good work day!

Thanks again everyone for making my birthday a special one!