Holy Heck!

Why do backaches make me so cranky? I am so not a nice person this morning... everything is getting on my very last nerve! I think I shall go back to bed... try and get warm, and maybe sleep in hopes of waking up to being more myself! Check back with y'all later! Let's hope I'm still married at that point... Ham, the hovering husband is truly a saint!

**** Okay... I'm back! My back is still a little tweaked, but I am upright and a little more sane than I was this morning. Lots of Tylenol and heat on the back have helped. I'm not sure what is going on with my back these days... but I think it's just plain old arthritis that is getting me. I've known that I have it in my spine for many years.. and sometimes if I over do it... it just takes revenge on me! My wonderful DH, Ham, is very patient with me and he was able to help me with some massage for pain management. I am glad that he hovers... even when I protest! So, on that note... I am blessed with a great husband... Ah... Sweet Sunday Love!

What a Difference...

A year makes! Today marks one year ago that I met the remarkable man that is my husband. He has made this year of my life... wonderful, happy, safe and secure, blessed beyond belief, supported and deeply loved, filled with laughter and adventure.

We met at church... and not on the best day of my life... I was hurting and sadden by the death of my father the day before... whom I never got to say the words "I love you and I forgive you." (That's a post for another time.) And my dear friend Mary introduced us... and we went back to her house after church for breakfast and conversation. The conversation has never stopped. This man... let me talk... and listened with great intent. This man, was not boastful, this man was humble and yet self-assured in who he was as a person and a christian.

That first day... as we sat in the dining room at Mary's... began a deep and true friendship, sparked with chemistry and a deep understanding of knowing that if we wait upon the Lord, that he will be faithful to answer our deepest desires of our heart.

It had been 2 years before at my bible study, that our leader had given us a simple 3x5 index card. She told us to write down the desire of our heart, that it would be prayed over... and simply placed back into our bibles... and not looked at again. Ham and I had gone to coffee house once, and then to the theatre when we knew that this was something special.

I awoke in the middle of the night... I had to find my bible... I opened it up... and it opened to my favorite verse, Jeremiah 29:11-14. Nestled next to that verse, was my 3x5 index card. On it were these words, written in pink ink~ "I long for a peaceful, secure loving relationship ~ I surrender this & give it you, Lord." It was all I could do to not pick up the phone and call Ham. I waited. When I saw him that next morning, on the way to church, I told him that I had picked up my bible... compelled to read it during the night... and what I had found inside. He quietly smiled... and told me that he had prayed that God would show him a sign, if I were the right woman for him, that I would talk about reading my bible. (It's not something that I ever really talk about, and he was wondering if I did read it.)

We both got huge goosebumps after that... because we both had confirmation that this was what God had waiting for us. We just needed to be patient and wait upon him. (That reads for me... no more trying to design the hand of God, just relax and let God do what he will do.) We've had other confirmations... and we know that God does have his hand in and on this marriage. We aren't where we are because we chose to go here... we are here because God chose for us... and we were willing to surrender to His will.

Happy Anniversary... of the day we met... the one that changed me forever~ Dear Ham!

Thanks for reading... I hope that I blessed you!

~Suzanne

I am Officially Hooked

Ok... that sounds bad. And it is! Way back when I was working for a "certain wireless cell company"... one of my team mates was always busy on her phone. (We were all busy on the "company phones"... I'm talking her personal phone.) She was a team mate when we were on a different team and sat near me. When we went to the "team we loved"... (meaning we adored our supervisor who was really very hands-off unless you really needed her, which is a great trait in that arena!) we were able to have adjoining work spaces!!! (Miss you much, Kase!)

Anyway... one day, we had a blue-moon kind of Saturday. That means call levels were waaaaay down, and we were in code blue... which meant that we could all go off-line because service levels were so low. (That means there weren't enough calls for all of us, but they didn't want to send us home in case something were to change.) We were encouraged to catch up on training modules, or work through follow-up issues. Since my team was pretty much caught up on all of that... we pretty much just hung out on the floor and visited. It was pretty fun getting to know people from other teams, that you work around but don't get to really interact with other than saying "hi" everyday. Kasey, on the other hand, was at her desk... with her phone... and she was playing a game.

I'm not a gamer... I'm of the age of "Pong" and Donkey Kong" and am really so over that stuff. I didn't care for Atari or that kind of thing. I thought it was a waste of time after I turned... 23!?!

That's not to say that I don't have a pogo account, cuz I do. I play a few things on pogo... mostly first class solitaire, sweet tooth or poppit. I've had 2 accounts on that site... the first one, I had over 1 million points and then got locked out somehow. On my new account, I am standing at 354,685 points in about a years time.

Back to Kasey... she was playing Chuzzle. It looked cute, seemed easy... she let me play a little on her phone. I wanted to download it to my phone... but, NO... it wasn't available for download. I was not happy... I really wanted that game.

I do have the game downloaded several times on my desktop for the "free trial" but have never bought it for my PC... something I will soon rectify. (I think...) One day, Ham and I were sitting at the laundry mat, cuz he still hasn't fixed the washer in the basement... and I pulled out my phone to browse what games were available. I went through What's New... and Best of 2008, through Top Sellers and Featured Games. Nothing there that sounded interesting to me. Then I went to Puzzle Games... and there it was! And before I knew it... I had downloaded that sweet game into my phone!

I am so happy about this... It will keep great harmony in my already harmonious marriage when we take road trips together and I don't want to see how Ham is driving. I can play it while we are watching one of Ham's tv shows that I don't care for, and still be together! (Yes... that means I can now take a "House" marathon or several episodes of "How It's Made.") I am addicted to this game... Thanks to Kasey! (Girl... you know I loves you and misses you!)

It only takes a little thing to turn it all around... and the world goes right!

Thanks for reading... Be Blessed!

~Suzanne

What a day...

We woke up to an ice storm this morning... the same one that hit the midwest. Poor Ham was up early and called the *"a$$hat" to let him know what the weather was doing. The a$$hat told him that the weather was just fine down his way... (which happens to be 80 miles south and a much lower elevation) and that he had better not be too long in getting to Philly this morning. He has no idea of all the closures and liberal leave notices are on the tv, let alone how thick the ice actually is. Ham got up and got going on the road by 6:30. I spent my morning praying.

(* asshat - One who has their head up their ass. Thus wearing their ass as a hat. Asshat -taken from the Urban dictionary )

I have continued to work on boxes in the guest room. I have worked at sorting all my Christmas storage bins. I have a huge stack of boxes ready to go to the loft in the basement. Ham finally got to the lights on the windows tonight. We have finished Christmas... finally!

I pretty much have most of our everyday things put back into place. Tomorrow, I will really dive into deep cleaning, with moving furniture and polishing everything. Ham has to be on the road really early tomorrow, thankfully I have his lunch ready to go into his cooler. Just ordinary, everyday stuff.

Tonight, I will spend the most of the night in prayer... lifting up my home town as they batten down for another great flood. My brother came to my sisters tonight, they were bringing their appliances and cars to the hill for safe keeping. They had water in their home with the last flood and this one is suppose to be worse than that. With all the snow the Pacific Northwest has had it's now going to melt along with the 6-10 inches of rain that they will get... not a good combination for an area that really just began to recover from the flood from Dec. '07. Please join me in lifting them up in prayer... along with the rest of my family and also my home church. If the dike does not hold... the lower level of the church will have water up to the ceiling. My sister said she would keep me posted.

PS~ I have several friends on facebook... if you all can, please post so we all know what is going on!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

A Quiet Day

It's been a quiet day around here. Ham had to get up at 5:30 to be out the door at 6:00 for the drive down to Philly. (Per new company policy, the first hour and the last hour of his drivetime is now on his own! Grrrrr....) After getting everything ready the night before... it doesn't take me long to assemble his breakfast and lunch. And today... little dog slept in... it was too early for him to go out.

I did the usual domestic chores... and tried to go back to sleep around 7:30. I was watching the Today show with little dog curled up next to me to keep warm. That lasted until about 9:00am when Ham called. He wanted to know if he had any open warrants for his arrest... his Area Supervisor told him that he had looked him up on the Maryland Court System and that he had open warrants. I told Ham, that... a) there were no open warrants at all... b) the only thing that would be open would be for child support... and c) his Supervisor was an A$$hat that was being a friggin jerk and was extremely unprofessional!!!

I must have stewed and fussed and fumed around here for a good hour... it's a good thing that I am so far away from the head office.... That took some rude, impudent NERVE to 1) actually look someone up that you work with, and 2) actually tell them about it and admit to looking up everyone in the company!!!! What a total a$$hat.

On a lighter note... I went to the flower shop today. It was extremely quiet. J had received the first shipment of Valentine's product and it was great fun to go through it and shelve it with her. After we were done... we did the right front window and it turned out lovely... for really having nothing to work with. We did a huge wicker vase filled with two-tone pink peonies on a pink backdrop covered with white tulle. It is very pretty and screams "Flower Shop" as you drive by.... Oh, to have the money to buy this little shop and transform it into something wonderful... that would be a lovely thing.

Tonight... we are in the midst of an ice storm. The snow came early and coated everything... then it started to freeze. Now we have a heavy, frozen fog coming down... it should make for an interesting morning with lots of delays. Ham has to drive to Philly again tomorrow at the request of the a$$hat. I made something really good and easy for dinner... Hawaiian Meatballs, herbed rice done in the microwave, and fresh peas. It hit the spot and was ready as soon as Ham was done cleaning up from a dirty day. I also made a huge bowl of buttered popcorn... done the old fashioned way, on the stove. It just tastes so good that way, with real butter and good salt. The perfect anecdote to a rather rough, but quiet day. Ham has walked Nolli tonight and says that the driveway is coated with ice... poor guys.

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

I am not #1 anymore!

Everyone who knows me, knows that I love and adore my pets. My own Mom has said that if she believed in reincarnation... she would want to come back as one of my dogs. (I am not kidding... she really said that!)

I love and spoil my dogs. When I had my wire fox terrier... Dottie, she was a frequent flyer. I took her along with me when ever I could. She loved the ride down to the tarmac, and the handlers loved taking her because she so enjoyed it. She would stand in her crate and look for me... and wag her tail with all she had once she spotted me. She was a lot of fun and I miss her.

When I adopted Canolli, I was single and living with a different partner... and even tho it was a total of 3 years that we were together, Nolli was what brought me the most joy and was the glue that was holding us together. When I left... I took the him because I knew that my former partner would not be responsible and give him good care.

When I first started to go out with Ham... having him meet Nolli and seeing if there was any kind of issue was important. They seemed to hit it off... and in the course of the past year, that relationship has blossomed. Ham gives him treats, prepares his dinner for him and lets him lick the spoon when he's done mixing his food for him. They play and do tug-of-war and tag. Ham takes him out at night for me.

This past weekend, we were snuggled in, watching tv on Saturday night. It was cold and we like to watch tv in bed when it's cold. Nolli will often get up on the bed and lay across my end of the bed. Sometimes, he will want to snuggle... and he will gently come up for hugs and kisses. I had left the room to get something to drink and came back to find this:

That cutie-patootie had taken my place! He got all comfortable and warm on my pillow next to Ham. What on the heck???

I do acknowledge that it's my own fault for spoiling that little guy... and it's my fault for giving up being top dog... (altho as far as obedience when outside... Nolli still listens to me, Ham just hasn't done the leash training with him.) So... yeah, I get what my Mom was saying.

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

The end of 2008

I laid in bed last night and thought about this past year for quite a bit... I guess with everyone posting about their own year-in-review it was rubbing off. I tried to remember what I did last new years eve... I went to my church New Years Eve coffee house. It was a fun time with my (now-ex)roommate and our mutual friend, Jane. I got lots of hugs and well-wishes from so many friends at church. I do remember that I didn't want to be out at midnight... so I went home and got in to bed with Nolli, to help keep him from freaking out at the noise. (It wasn't too bad.)

January brought hurt and change... my Dad passed away. My brother and I never got a chance to say good-bye to him or tell him one last time that we loved him. We had planned a conference call for Saturday evening after I got home from work. He died on Saturday afternoon while I was at work. I thought I was ready for it... and it still devastated me. I had to leave the floor at work... I couldn't go on.

The next day, was the day that I was introduced to Ham. I went to church... and he was there, sitting with my friend Mary. She waved and I sat in front of them... and when the praise band began to sing "East to West"... all I could do is cry. My friend Nita came back to where I was and just held me and let me cry. I was sure that Ham thought I was a total basket case. I went to Mary's after church for breakfast... and sat and talked to Ham for over 3 hours.

After bereavement leave and talking to Ham on the phone... we agreed to go to coffee house that Saturday. We had a good time and decided to go for coffee at Double T diner. We actually decided that we wanted to go out on a real date... and we made plans to go to the theatre in Annapolis to see the Colonial Players in the round. Our first official date was January 22nd. It was great fun and we knew by the end of the date that something special was going to happen. It just had magic and chemistry. I don't think I will ever forget that night.

In February... that is the magic month for being employed at VZW. They reward quite nicely for a year of hard work. At the end of the month... is when Ham was taken from his job on a bodily attachment bond to see the judge about child support. He wasn't arrested... but since he had gone back to work, he still needed to re-institute his support. He went missing for 3 days, as I had no idea what had happened and there was no answer on his cell phones. I finally called his boss and learned what had happened. It was Wednesday morning that I drove to the county seat where he use to live to pay $1000 in back support to release him. It was a deciding factor for him in who I was as a person, and for me as well... as he payed me back that day. (My roommate was very upset with me for posting "bail for him"... and our friend Rob said it takes a special kind of woman to do that after only knowing him 6 weeks.)

March went by in a blur... Ham was out of town a great deal during the week. He was up in Northeastern PA for all that time. Work progressed well for me... and we spent as much time as we could together on the weekends. Ham had a court date in March... and all went as we expected... pay more money and stay on course.

April was the beginning of yard sale season. I tried to hit a few yard sales when we could. We also went back to court... payed more money and stayed the course. We also went up to Greencastle to go antique shopping with Mary and Randy. We had a delightful time. And we knew that we were shopping for things to go in our new home and for our wedding... we were planning for August. Ham's company wanted to transfer him to NE PA... we knew that I would be going with him... and I wasn't going to go unless we were married.

May became the month where we started to put it all together. Ham's company decided that they wanted him in NE PA as soon as possible. We knew we weren't going to make August for a wedding date. We went to Dale's for Mother's Day for a family bbq... Dale asked what we were going to do... and offered to let us use his back yard for our wedding. His girlfriend Gwen had moved in and was more than willing to help us. We set the date for a Sunday... June 1st. We had 3 weeks to pull it all together. We managed to get it more or less done by then... it was more about the commitment we were making than the ceremony anyway. It didn't matter if I had a "dream dress"... and it didn't matter that I didn't have an engagement ring... I was going to have a beautiful diamond wedding band instead.

June 1st was the big day... and it was wonderful. We had some funny things happen, and only 1 or 2 not-so-funny things happen. But we were married, happy and planning for a great future. Once we were married... Ham had to leave to go to work in NE PA... and I was left to figure out the rest. My roommate became a wicked little person and made my life hell... but it was only for a few weeks. I quit my job in mid-June and proceeded to pack up everything, put it in storage, board the dog... (that nearly killed him) and head out for NE PA to search for a place to live. Ham was in negotiation with his company owner for his transfer... it was a very stressful time. But the main objective was to get settled and start our life together.

In a tearful morning... (I was staying with friends of Hams,) the wife was being less than gracious... I set out to drive north and find a place to live. I did find our little cottage from a sign posted on a tree... and I made arrangements with Ham and it became our little home the next day. That was the last Friday of June. I drove down to Maryland on Friday and met Ham... we started loading up and on Saturday, went to pick up Nolli from the kennel. He was so sick and skinny... I knew that it would have been just a couple more days and he would have been in some very serious trouble. We finished packing up and headed north... we stopped at the friends house long enough for me to get my suitcase and we were on our way to our own home.

July... we were settling in... Ham still had a couple of weekends to get his stuff moved. He made one trip with the company highcube to get his belongings from where he had been living. The next weekend, the company paid for a moving van to get the rest of his stuff out of storage from Waldorf... 3 weekends in a row... going back and forth to Maryland. We did it... it was worth it... and we were so very happy to be together.

August... we just got used to living in our new cottage and figuring out how it all was going to work. We met our neighbors, we were learning how to get around... and we enjoying the local hangouts and farmers markets... and we fell in love deeper... and became more of a family than ever.

September... we went to Connecticut to visit Ham's family. It was our first long road trip... and one with Nolli too. We had a fabulous time... I got to meet most of the family... and we even found time to do yard sales, antiquing, go to the county fair, have ice cream at one of the best places ever, and have a family bbq on Labor day at the farm. It was heaven. We also went to our fair in Bloomsburg at the end of the month... it was pouring rain...and it was so much fun to go through all the exhibits.

October... we enjoyed our first fall in the Poconos... the colors were breathtaking. We went on several little craigslist adventures... and saw even more of the state we were living in. I started this little blog in October... and have enjoyed it so much. I also went back to work... but the drive ended up being too much for... 50 miles one way thru a couple of mountain passes. Ham understood how stressful it was for me... and supported my decision 100%.

November... was actually a semi-busy month... getting ready for the holiday... making plans. I also turned 50... it was a wonderful day... spent with my beloved Ham... at a beautiful restaurant having a fabulous meal. And we started to decorate for Christmas that weekend.

December... with our first Christmas, was all that we could have wanted. We both so appreciate being in our own home. We appreciate that we can be who we are and do what we want and have to answer to no one else for what we do in our home. I can cook... and Ham is the only one in the kitchen to hover... and he hovers as he wants to help me and be a part of what I am doing. We can start projects and leave them up while we are working. Our messes are our messes... and it's ok if stays a mess for a couple of days. I am ready to put away all the holiday things and enjoy our little cottage the way I set it up when we first moved in... We will have changes coming in the weeks ahead, and I am excited for that. I continue to pray for God's blessings upon us, and for guidance for the right job for me. I also continually pray for His Hedge of Protection around our home and our vehicles and for Hams job and his safety and traveling mercies. We have been richly blessed and I wait with great anticipation and humbled hopes of what God has for us in the coming year.

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

We're Off!

Hubs has the day off. The shop is closed... and if he does get a call... it will be double time. We are off on a day trip. I love Home Goods and there isn't a real HG store close by. Hubs has been promising me a trip to the one down in Bethlehem. So... we are going to find some of my favorite urban haunts. HG and some Chipoltle for a late lunch. I am very excited about this. We had thought of going to Green Dragon... but it's a little too far to go for being on-call. Let's keep our fingers crossed that he won't get a call until after we are home again.

Hey... anyone care to share what wonderful things you were gifted with over the last 2 days? I'd love to hear about it!

Thanks for reading.... and be blessed!
~Suzanne

More Sweet Sunday Love~

I have had a sweet Sunday afternoon... DH has taken VERY good care of me. I had gone into the kitchen after writing my post for today because my head started to really hurt... and I figured it was the start of a caffeine headache. I figured a diet Pepsi was the ticket to some relief. (I didn't have any caffeine at all yesterday.) So... I had my glass, filled it with ice and poured in my beverage. Then I decided I needed to make a sandwich to go along with my drink.

I pulled all the makings of a good Ham and Swiss with some pepperoni on the counter. Because my head was throbbing... I went to reach for something and didn't even see my tall beverage glass full of ice and soda on the counter. I knocked it all over! I had soda and ice in all the small canning jars I use to store things. My wonderful DH heard me and came running to the rescue. I was trying to clean it up.. but he took over. He made me go sit down and he made me another soda and my sandwich for me! What a goof I am!

I shared my sandwich with Nolli and decided I needed to go and climb into bed as I was cold. (I get cold really easy and getting into bed with my wonderful electric mattress cover does the trick! If you don't have one... it's like getting into a cocoon! ) Anyway, I took my diet soda with me and went to set it on the coaster on my night stand... and darn if I didn't knock that over too! Again, that wonderful man came to my rescue and cleaned up the mess for me. We laughed so hard my clumsiness! I also had DH bring me some medicine to get my blood pressure back down so I would be a little more normal... (what ever that is!) Two drink accidents in about 5 minutes time!

Once the medicine went to work and I could feel the haze lift off of me, I got myself pulled together. Then I went to town on making French Onion soup for dinner. (It was what I had planned for last night and takes about 2 hours to do.) The onions were very sweet and caramelized so wonderful... the whole house smelled so good. I served it in sour dough bread bowls topped with swiss cheese and broiled and some shaved Parmesan. DH loved it and had 2 extra servings with all of his bread. I couldn't finish all of mine... but it was yummy, hearty and filling. Here's my recipe... sorry there aren't any pictures... it's too complicated for me today!

French Onion Soup
Heat in a soup pot over medium-low heat until butter is melted:
3 T. butter
3 T. olive oil
Add and stir to coat:
5 Onions... peeled, halved and sliced top to bottom is thin slices
A generous pinch of dried Thyme
Cook and stir occasionally, watching so onions don't burn or scorch over medium heat. As soon as the onions start to turn brown, 10-15 mins., reduce heat medium-low and continue to cook covered, and keep stirring until onions are a rich brown color... about 40 minutes.
Add 1 clove of garlic, finely minced, let cook for 30-40 seconds.
Stir in: 4 T. chicken stock to deglaze pan. (You can use sherry or port here.. no more than 2 T. and let it cook off.)
Then stir in 4 cups of beef stock, bring to boil and simmer for 20 minutes, covered.
Season with 1 to 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 to 1/2 tsp pepper

To serve in a bread bowl... I get sour dough boule's at Walmart bakery... using a serrated knife... gently slice in to bread at an angle all the way around the edge... when coming to the end, slice up and it should take the center up into a cone. Place bread bowl on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven (400 degrees) for about 8 minutes. Take out of oven and turn oven up to broil.... ladle soup into bread, top with swiss cheese and put under broiler for a few minutes to melt cheese. Top with shaved Parmesan.

That's what we had for dinner... the soup will serve 8 if you use oven proof ramekins.

Thanks for reading! Be blessed... and have a Sweet Sunday Love evening!
~Suzanne

The Follow up from last night...

Well... last night was a little exciting and fun. We really had fun going out to investigate all the water and noise. It was definitely a moment to remember of making a memory together.

We were suppose to wake up to snow this morning. Because we live in a valley... what weather happens in the valley can be very different than just 3 miles away. Within just 30 minutes of getting my darling Ham out the door to work... the snow began to fall. I went out to take a look around at 10-ish. The river from last night is now back in it's banks and the mud really isn't there.

The picture on left is the north side and the picture on the right is the south side by the road. In the left picture, you can see the stream. Last night the water was up past the shrubbery. Now, you'd have no idea that it ever happened.

Along with everyone else... I have do have a pic of my tree to share.

And some pics of a few of my snowmen... they are scattered all through the house, but I have a grouping on my old steamer trunk that I love:


I love the face of the little lady on the right side~ she is just adorable!

And here is a little Victorian rabbit caroler that sits on my hutch~ she was made by a coworker from when I worked at the college. She's been around awhile now.

And here are our stockings.... hung in the dining room area because I liked the way I could look at them every time I walked by... one for each of us... mine is needlepoint, DH was added this year, and Nolli's had his all of his 5 Christmases with me.



I'd love to post more pics tonight... but Ham came home early from work today and he is starving to death. So I am off to the kitchen to find some grub for him.... I actually have no idea what we are having, I really thought he'd be out on the road or be really late. I am glad to have him home safe and sound on a night like this. (Btw... it's a full moon and is suppose to be spectacular! I might have to go out later and see if I can see it!)

Thanks for reading! Be Blessed!

~Suzanne

What To Do...

After a two week period of having only 3 hours of overtime... we are feeling the pinch. We have been praying continually for God's blessing in providing work and Dear Ham has had his 40 hour work week. All of a sudden, his contractors don't want any overtime... and his company has said no overtime for planned maintenance jobs. That takes a big bite out of the budget. This week has been better, with 2 days with over 2 hours OT each and 1 night call of 2 hours Double time. That has been a real blessing.

I have been pondering what I am going to do... I don't want to go back to work. But I really need to do it... and I could go back to work for VZW in the store. It would mean that I would have shift work, no set days off and work anywhere from 9am to 9pm. (I've done my years in retail and I don't really want to do it anymore.) There just isn't any thing out there that will pay the wage that I am used, except VZW. All I can do is keep putting it out there and praying that God will show me what and where. I know that if I apply... that it will happen quickly.

I also went shopping today... I wasn't going to spend a lot... and I ended up spending more than I had planned. How does that happen??? I picked up a few items for gifts, items for making some gifts, and a couple of things we needed to finish decorating. I managed to spend over $100! I hate spending that kind of money right now... but I know that God will provide and he will bless us for giving what we have given. (I also think that what ever I don't use, I will return anyway.) I guess I need to better plan what I am shopping for... I forget that I am trying to do budget stuff and let the matter of my champagne test take over. I am so guilty of that! I hope that Ham will forgive me for my overspending today.

Now, on to the ornament of the day:


This little birdhouse is made from cardboard and hand painted by me when I first started out. It has fake snow on the roof and a decorated gift bundle under the opening and a glittered heart above it.

Thanks for reading, be blessed!
~Suzanne