River House

The plans for the River House have been ordered! Keep your fingers crossed that we build this Fall!!!

SUMMER!!!

Jake and I are alone all week, of course Chris is home, but working, so really it's just me and Jake during the day. This is one of the few weeks he has nothing planned and I must say it has been really nice. We have played tennis every day, swam, read right after lunch, played games and talked. It has reminded me of the days when Tucker and Emily were small and I tried to fill the long summer days with the pool and activities. I have really felt like a Mother this week AND I have ran, swam and done yoga every day. It is exhausting, but the good kind. I LOVE not thinking about work. I am even attempting to re-upholster a sofa...........oh to be rich and just do what I want all day!!! This bliss will all end August 10th......

Wish I Was Home!!!

I have been gone one day shy of 2 weeks and am utterly exhausted. Drove 10 hours today from Tulsa to Nashville........ I am now sitting in a Comfort Inn..........which is a motel, not a hotel....(I didn't know that) and we are right above the pool.....with about 15 50 somethings who are country music wanna be's with guitars and beer...........I have a fan, the bathroom fan and the air conditioner blazing, but am not quite drowning them out yet.. Jake wants us to just power through and drive on home, but we have about 8 hours to go and I just can't do it.....maybe they will be quiet soon. We don't want this kind of adventure!

Spring

Happy Easter!!!

It has been a very long and hard winter in Virginia, well really the whole country. Easter is normally cold and rainy here, not at all like the Easters I remember from my childhood. But, this week has been incredibly warm and sunny. This morning as I sit on my porch the tulips have finally joined the daffodils as if on Easter cue. The grass has that fresh green Easter look and the birds and air are teeming with life. I love it!!! I do NOT want to go to church tomorrow........isn't that sad? I find church depressing, not "life giving".............I would rather sit up on top of Afton Mountain at sunrise with my family and sing and read scripture. We did that last year and Emily says that is her best Easter ever.................We will go to church. I find that I still have a very strong faith.........I just don't practice it very well. I live so much in the flesh..........fear, anxiety, almost in a triage sort of way...........reacting to everything as it comes. I have started listening to Beth Moore online at Life Today every morning and then to Paige Benton Brown's four talks at: http://www.2pc.org/resources/audio/?page=4
She is the best and most amazing speaker................believe me!!
What they have to say is truth, but in the midst of my everyday life and work, I have to really change my thinking and attitude. We will all be together tomorrow.............Monday I take Tucker back to VMI after having him here for just 2 nights.........and then we have the rest of the week off for Spring Break. I signed Jake up for civility school on Tuesday...........manners camp....he is in dire need. We will have several college visits for Miss Em who is ready to fly the nest............as a Junior I have to say, I am not even close to being ready for that girl to leave me....who is really having to grow up..............my kids or me????

Granny's Funeral

Emily and her Grandma Sue and cousin Laura
The cousins

Tucker and his Grandma SueJake and his Great Aunt Betty

snow.........

We have had more snow this winter than any I can ever remember. We are expecting more tonight.............after we finally got shoveled out from the weekends. It is interesting how I along with the rest of this town hear any threat of snow and feel the need to head off to the grocery store as if we are going to be stranded for weeks with no food. I panic at the thought of no salsa or baking supplies or just plain milk in the house. The good thing about cold weather is I read more. I just finished "Chesapeake" by Michner.........a great long read. A friend gave it to me after we bought our place on the Chesapeake. You have to read it if you haven't. I am also reading a compilation of letters by the 17th century monk Brother Lawrence........It is so incredible......and inspiring. His faith in God is as it should be.......total trust and completely in love with the savior. Ok, off to the grocery store.