Yesterday

Wednesday I wanted to finish writing about St. Francisville but instead what I had planned to do was pre-empted and filled with sad phone calls and tragic news all the way through the day. It's okay though, God is STILL on His throne and we press onward.

Pray for my GOOD friend Nora, she had a scan this week and found out yesterday that her cancer is back. She's been clear now for about a good year and a half. So I was sad sad when I talked to her on the phone. Of course, I didn't let her know that.....but afterwards....I fell apart. For her. Because she's got a strong front on right now. And rightly so.
She will have a biopsy on her sternum on this coming Tuesday the 22nd.

Another friend of mine who is connected with several other friends of mine as well, found out on this Tuesday that she has cancer of her breast. We have now added Susan's name to our prayer list.

I have a tiny, very FUN, part time job, at nearby shop and I know I am "appointed" to be there for many reasons...upon arriving yesterday I found out that one of the employees there that I am very close to wasn't going to be coming in.

Her Niece's 25 year old husband had been killed in a motorcycle accident the day before coming home from work.
They have a 3 month old baby.
My friend called into work and I talked to her a few moments......their entire family is absolutely devastated. All she could do was cry. They are in so much pain and shock right now.

I was so sad for her and especially for her Niece who has now become a widow at a very young age. Her name is Angie.

I listened to her and comforted her the best I could over the phone.

My heart is very heavy with all these things that are happening and that have all hit at one time.....yet I am not discouraged.
I am grieving with my friends.

But I am so thankful that I have such a mighty rock to stand on during times like these....and I am able to be strong for people that can't be strong at the moment.

That is what friendships are all about. Lifting up one another in hard times. Standing in the gap when someone can't.
IF you will and you have a moment.....would you pray for these women and their families?
They would appreciate ALL the prayers they could get right now.

I have to run Miss Priss to the dentist again this morning.

I will be back and write more later.
For now.......
Be blessed,
Joyce

Good life.....Good friends.....

Miss Priss snapped this photo of my friend Shawn and I after lunch at the Cafe we went to.

Yesterday my good friend Shawn, Miss Priss and I went to lunch and had a great visit.
Miss Priss and I decided it was cold enough (and it was for here) to wear our new hats and our winter scarves...good thing too because where we were first seated at the Cafe......was so cold....then we saw there was a "HOLE" in the woodwork in the window....like from humidity and condensation...ummmmm......
"Welcome to Louisiana."

This eatery is no "dump" either. It's just how it works here with the weather here at times.

So we moved tables.....and the place was STILL cold.
Oh well.....better cold than hot. Or something like that.Miss Priss...cold but cheerful.

Shawn gave me and Miss Priss some lovely "Christmas gifts" and we had some things for her and her children as well.

I MUST say though....I was the one that was SOOOOO happy with my GIFT!!! I mean we all liked what we recieved...but I NEEDED what I was given big time.

Shawn gave me a tube of lipstick and it was a MIRACLE I am telling you!
I had just started to "fret" a bit the other day....because my ONE and only tube of lipstick is down to a thin "sliver"....ha!

I'm the kind of person that HAS GOT to have on lipstick...I mean I may not dress up...I may not have my hair done...I may not even have any other makeup on my face but I have to have on a tad bit of lipstick.
Don't ask me why but I am a bit of a freak about that.

Thing is..I never buy make up until I NEED it bad I hate spending money on make up so even though I need and use it. Just me.
So..I was very out of lipstick at this point.

I had even resorted to looking for something "close" to the color I normally use at the GROCERY STORE the other day when I was in there getting some items.....sill me.

However.....my friend Shawn didn't know any of this. I was overjoyed when I opened my package and seen a lovely tube of lipstick in my EXACT color!! She used to sell this make up so she knew what I wore! HA!
IS this awesome though or what?

This is the SECOND time this has happened to me since Christmas....

I had been wanting a new "cloth purse"....something lighter weight and something CUTE (of course) and something...ummmm....cheap (not designer)....yet elegant enough....Ha! And something with a longer handle so I could cross it over my body if I'm out shopping or whatever.

Hummmm......it was a tall order....because I had even somewhat looked around and nothing suited me.

We had received a package before Christmas from my Father and Step Mother and I put all the gifts under the tree without checking them over any at all.

One night.....before leaving to go to church.....I reached to turn off the Christmas tree lights and had to "move" one of the packages...and it was soft. Hummmm....and it was for "ME!" Hummm....well I was telling my friend Lori about this and she said...."Open it early."

So I followed her "good advice" (I know I'm "naughty" but it was only like 4 days from Christmas at this point)and IT WAS A NEW CUUUUUTE "Purse"...just what I would have WANTED....long strap.....cute, cute...and I could tell it was hand made.
I loved it....great colors and shape.
It was the "Total package!!!"

My Step Mom had "no clue" that I had wanted a purse like this. She even had someone make it SPECIAL for me!! She lives in Illinois and she had someone in Missouri make it for me after picking out the fabric and such herself.
VERY NEAT! She told me all this later on.

This just goes to show you that if we don't get in a rush and if we "Wait" on the Lord...HE will work it out for us if we let Him.
Even our tiniest, craziest, "desires!"

Thank You Mary!

I learned of "Miss Mary" (everyone is a "Miss" in the South or a "Ma'am or a Sir") at "Isabella's Closet" several months back after hearing her "praises being sung" because of her various "Banner talents".

I have now come to know her as well myself..as many of you have and I've learned what a very kind and sweet lady she is.

She's been in a bit of a "health battle" the past few weeks and I feel badly for her as one who truly knows how those things work as well......blah!

Please send a little prayer her way if will you.

Despite her illness and distress......she still made me my very COOL "new banner" and sent it to me just last night...after "polishing off" some last minute "touch ups" on it for
"The Secret Gardener" and I soooooo......LOVE it!!!
Don't you too?? For anyone that KNOWS me.....it is SO "me"! HA!

In fact....that could be "me" standing in the doorway of that cottage......sigh.

Now...I am very not savvy on doing all these types of things.....so I am glad that someone is! I mean I do what I can but she doesn't it FAR better and besides....
I like her work. :~)

PLEASE consider contacting her if you need a little "help" yourselves with your blog banners.

It is fun to change things out once in awhile and it is so NEAT to have someone be able to use their "giftings and talents" that they have been given to help me and so many others accomplish the things we want and need to do.

I like it when people "network" for good.
That's what I am all about.

That way....we can all get a lot of important and much needed things done all over this WORLD!

Tis true...."Two ARE better than one" you know!

"Kudos" to you Mary on another great job!
I appreciate you and am praying you will feel better soon!!

Y'all check out her blog site will you?
It's always nice to meet new people.....expand your world today.
Isabella's Closet

Engagement "Congrats" to Rache

Here's our family friend "Rache" from England looking like a "Blonde Bombshell" and in fact she sort of is....isn't she?

Rache sent me an e-mail early on "Boxing Day" reporting that her boyfriend had just "proposed" to her on Christmas Day and produced a lovely ring and all.
Her parents are......as she stated to me.......
"Over the Moon!"
I'm sure that they are.

No date is set as of now for the "Wedding"...and I have told her since I've known her which was from the time she was 14 years old.....that I would come to England for her wedding one day.

Yikes! So Miss Priss, and I have a "social event" to attend one day in the future.

Rache graduates from Oxford University this year. She tells me though she is in "no hurry" for the wedding because she wants to "plan it perfect." To which I agree.

I tried to get her to "squeeze" it into this new year sometime since we are trying to plan our Anniversary trip over there anyhow.
However..... I don't think she's going to arrange such a big ordeal around my little trip.

Which means.....we will just simply have to go AGAIN!!! HA!

The prospective Bride Groom is a "Professional Footballer"..... in otherwords he is a "Soccer player" to us Americans.....and plays for a Football (Soccer) League in England.

He is a "Midfielder." Whatever that is. HA! Sorry I know nothing about the game really.
He plays for a team called......the "Brighton/Hoves."They are obviously, hence the name......based out of Brighton.


I don't know much about all this British "Football" business, but I do know that these two young people love each other very much.
And I am glad for that.

"Cheers" to you BOTH and the very strongest of "best wishes for a great life together" from our entire family.

Sweet Little Tree

Here is our "Sweet Little Tree"......I snapped this tonight before turning into bed.
I had to wait up for the kids, who were both working tonight.

I love the little "Fairy Lights" on it.

I'll take another one of it in the daytime sometime.

Gabe's going to New York City for the weekend with the Girlfriend and her family and their visitors from England that are in staying with them all for the Holidays.

He said he would "send me some photos" from the trip.
He better.

I just "transfered" his "Christmas present" into his bank account today so that he could buy some "Snow Boots" and a few other things he needed.

We will miss him for Christmas this year. The last time he was gone from us for Christmas was when he was living in England doing an "Internship."

It seems weird not to have him here.

My very good friend Lori JUST e-mailed me to tell me that her family is in the "middle of a big Christmas!" They are opening their GIFTS right now.
She decided it was "the night" and woke everyone up and they have been doing gifts. IS THAT CRAZY?? I told her she was crazy.

Every family does different things you know.
That's what makes the world go round.

For now.......
Goodnight.