EF1

We went to church and Cheddars for lunch on Sunday, May 21, 2017. Cheddar's is probably my favorite place to eat here lately. Mostly, I am just burnt out on restaurant food.
The rest of the week consisted of Blood work, church class, El Tap, Brooke cooked Spaghetti Thursday night, Lunch on the patio at Craw Daddy's Friday and dinner at the Rose Garden Friday night. It was a pretty tasty week.
We had rentals on Saturday, but luckily the storm at 7pm didn't interfere with them. I first started hearing limbs hit the roof of the house. By the time we looked out the door, we could see that the trees were almost bent sideways because the wind was so strong. Before I could tell the kids to head for our "safe place", it was already over. We could see that trees had fallen and uprooted. We got in the car to drive around, but every other road was impassable due to downed trees, power lines, etc.
There were no tornado warnings, but I'm pretty sure that is what we experienced.

Everyone was talking about the storm at church Sunday morning, May 28. It was crazy at how fast it developed and then dissipated. Yet it left tons of damage straight across Cookeville.

We had one rental on Sunday, but the weather was great that day.

Treasure came over and spent the night with Brooke so we can get an early start Monday morning.

Cherish Every Day

I got up early on Sunday morning, May 14, 2017 and headed over to Sparta to place moms flower arrangement by her grave at 7am. What an empty feeling to wake up on Mother's Day and not have a mom. I had decided a few day's earlier that I was not going to let my circumstances affect everyone else's holiday.  We went to church as usual and had steaks for lunch at Gary's mom's (Judy) house.  Brookelynn went with me for lunch. Stroker stayed home. Later in the evening, I had a hair appointment, so I went just as usual.  I know there will be difficult days ahead, but as long as I keep putting one foot in front of the other, I will get through them.

We had two deliveries on Monday, May 15, 2017 so we started on them early. We took a drive out through muddy pond and the Mennonite community. We have some beautiful area's right here in our back door, we just don't always take time to explore them.
I cooked dinner at home on Moms Birthday, May 16. I thought about her all day. Wished I could have taken her out for lobster tail and had birthday cake. Those birthday traditions are tucked away in my heart to cherish.

Time has marched right on through Brooke's entire freshman year of high school. On Wednesday, May 17, 2017 Brooke attended her final day of freshman year. I know that she is excited and looking forward, but I just look at her and try to lock the image of her sweet little freshman face in my mind to hold onto forever.

Since school is out for the year, Brooke assisted me in two deliveries on Thursday, May 18, 2017.

She is quite the helper. Although she and I are girls, we can work just as hard and lift just as much weight as the next guy.  Never underestimate us.

We only had one delivery on Friday, May 19. 

After we got it picked up Friday evening, we sat on the patio and karaoke'd with Steve, Georgi, Mary and Brooke until 11pm.  It was a fun night.

After our deliveries on Saturday, May 20 to Sparta and Cookeville, I hung flower hooks on the patio.

May Flowers

We ended up having the Bradford Pear tree cut down completely on Monday, May 1, 2017. After all, there isn't much left of it anyway. It was windy today, so it is probably best.
We had two rentals on Tuesday, May 2nd. Weekday rentals isn't usually a busy day, but sometimes it works out that way.

Jimmy Johns was running a $1 sub special today too. We stood in the line for one. So did five hundred other people

Amanda and I met Paula K. at Cheddar's on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 for lunch on the patio. I love lunch on the patio this time of year. The sunshine and the warm breeze feels so good. The weather has been so nice these last few days since Saturday nights storm.
I was tired on Wednesday. Stroker took a picture of me when I dosed off on the couch.

Our church class still continues to grow each Wednesday. Who would have ever thought that Stroker and I would lead a youth group? I would have never expected that of me. We sure have a good time and have made lots of new little friends. 

We keep the same routine each week after church, we head over to Cracker Barrel for a late dinner....actually, we order breakfast.
I had a dentist appointment on Thursday, May 4, 2017.  I dread the dentist more as an adult than I ever did as a child. I have a cracked tooth that I am eventually going to have to have crowned. I keep putting it off as long as I can.
I went by Kevin's for a visit when I left the dentist office. He is sick with bronchitis or something. He stays sick quite a bit. Stroker and I had a delivery to make at 4:30 in Sparta before heading back home for dinner.
We had to pick up a rental Friday evening before heading to dinner at the Dipsy Doodle. It was a pretty day outside. Out house looks different with the Bradford Pear tree gone from the front yard.
I'm gonna miss that little tree.
It started raining on Saturday, May 6. God blessed us with an indoor rental that day. The rest of the day was for relaxation. We tried to sit on the patio since it is covered now, but it was almost too cool outside to hang out.
It was my Sunday to bring breakfast at church on Sunday, May 7, 2017. I usually make a cheese Danish or fruit and some chocolate milk.  Sometimes, it works out that I have to work the sound booth on the same day as breakfast.
We went to Olive Garden for lunch after church with some friends. Although we were stuffed from over eating, I decided to work on staining the new patio cover. I worked at it for hours. Stroker took out an extra ladder and helped for a couple of hours too. We finally finished it up.  It wore me out and had me speckled with redwood stain.

Monday, May 8 was stressful. I had a budget due on ePlan. That always stresses me out.  So, to relax, I hung some cute patio lights under the patio cover. I also made a flower arrangement for Mother's day to place beside moms headstone. I made it with yellow roses and a butterfly. I wish I could show it to her. She would love it.

We had the tree stump grinder come and take the stump out from the Bradford Pear on Tuesday, May 9, 2017.  I can't handle stumps interrupting the flow of the yard.  It's an OCD thing I guess.
Anyway, I picked up dinner at Bellacino's, Stroker got the yard mowed and we had to make a trip to Lowe's at 8:30.  At least we are convenient to everything.
On Wednesday, May 10th, Brooke had to give a description of a kid at school. He was going around saying that there was a shooting going to happen the next day. The school finally figured out who they were looking for with surveillance camera's.  Brooke's description didn't help them any because she didn't pay much attention to they guy when he walked by her group.

We ended the week at Logan's for dinner with Gary and Darlene. On Saturday, May 13, we drove to Silver Pointe, Sparta and visited Dad. 

I ran inside moms house to retrieve her Direct TV card to mail back. I felt so uneasy about taking that card. My heart was telling me that mom needs her Direct TV because she watches it all day. But my mind had to step in and remind me that she is gone and we no longer needed TV at her house. One thing I know for sure. She burnt that card up watching so much TV. See where the chip almost melted through.

Ending the Worst Month Ever

I made a new recipe on Monday, April 24. Stuffed Shells. 

It was pretty good (if you ask me). Everybody else kinda liked it too. 

I didn't cook on Tuesday.

We had church on Wednesday evening and played outside with the kids for about 15 minutes with parachutes and foam lawn darts. They had a great time. 

We went to dinner at Cracker Barrel with Deb and SP afterwords.

I went to lunch with Maleigha on Thursday, April 27, and never went back to work. We rode around Buck Mountain and back roads until time for me to pick up Brooke from school.

I spent the evening getting started on staining the new patio cover.

Stroker and I had dinner with Maleigha and Mickey at Hurricane Marina on Friday, April 28. It was good and the views were gorgeous. We had a great time and it was nice to get my mind off of everything else.

Saturday, April 29th was a beautiful day.  Erin, Brandon and Ansley came for a visit. Erin brought me the sweetest picture frame in memory of my mom. I'm gonna put the picture from Rock Island in it. The day was really nice. We hung out on the patio for a while and Erin told us about her "Mam's" declining health. It reminded me a lot about some of the same symptoms that I seen in mom these last few months.
Kenny Cat was feeling friendly. Stroker says it is only because I feed him, but I know Kenny loves me.

Later on in the evening, I storm came up and the tree out front broke again. This time, it came right at the house.  We were not home at the time. We left to go make a pick up just before the storm hit.  Brooke called us to tell us that a tree fell on the house as we were on our way home.

We spent about 2 hours cutting the limbs and piling them up.

Just like He always does, God protected us. Although the tree fell on the front of the house, the window didn't break and the roof wasn't damaged.

Thanks God.

Brookelynn left us a letter on the refridgerator Saturday night because we wouldn't run back out to Burger King at 10:00pm

On Sunday, April 31st, we closed the month with Church, Grey's graduation and our Pastor's 60th birthday party.

Although it was a good day...I am ready to see this month be over.

Time Doesn't Slow Down

Life sure doesn't slow down, even when you are trying to morn the loss of your family. I never want to let someone down on their special celebration just because I my hardship. On Saturday, April 15, Stroker and I got up just as we do every Saturday and made deliveries. To be honest, I don't even remember much about that day, we just went through the motions.
We went to church on Sunday, April 16 and then visited daddy for a while.

We also stopped by to visit Mildred.
Monday, Tuesday and most of Wednesday the following week has been forgotten. I can't think of anything but mom.
We did have 18 kids in our class at church Wednesday night. God sure does bless us with the kids on Wednesday's. Thanks God.

On Thursday, April 20, the guy showed up to build our patio roof. I had him to build it just like moms. It reminds me a lot of sitting on her back porch. I sure wish I could show it to her.

It rained a lot on Friday, April 21, so we sat on the patio and watched the rain (still thinking of mom).
It rained all day on Saturday, April 22nd too.
Sunday was a carbon copy of Friday and Saturday. Rain Rain Rain. We went to church, I went by dads to visit and visited Kevin for a while.

We are all still lost without mom. This is going to take a while to sink in.

Good Friday

We laid mom to rest on Good Friday, April 14, 2017. Darlene and I picked out the music for moms funeral. "Peace In the Valley" was the first song. It is the only song that mom ever mentioned wanting played at her funeral. I asked Angie from church to sing "I Will Rise" and she did beautifully.
Darlene and I both agreed that we wanted another Chris Tomlin song called "Home" played at the end.  We probably should have let Kevin's song choice fall in there somewhere, but we just kind of took the reigns and made the list. The funeral service went surprisingly peaceful and I thank God for that.
Some may find it a bit odd that I would go to a concert the same day as my momma's funeral, but it was just what I needed to feel closer to mom.
The concert, that we had tickets for, was Chris Tomlin. We had the tickets for weeks before moms passing. I'll be honest, I didn't want to miss it.  You see, it's not just about the music, the singer or the crowd. It's about praising the One my mom is with.  I felt closer to mom as I sang my heart out and praised God for His goodness.
Chris Tomlin sang the song "Home" that night (and I sang it too).  It didn't get me upset to hear, or sing, it felt peaceful to sing of the Home where my mom is and always will be. Right beside her Savior. If there is one thing that I can assure you about my momma, it is that she always looked forward to meeting Jesus.