Cat Tales

So I walked into the laundry room the other day and this is what I saw...

EEK!

There was no more cat food...

 

 

 and GiGi was hungry...

 

 

 not a good combination y'all!

 

Thank goodness Hubby was at the store so I quickly called him as GiGi was giving me the "look" and told him to hurry before she decided to tie me up and hold me for ransom or...

 

eat ME!

You see, ever since GiGi discovered the high life (that would be us), she has discovered food!

You don't get in between this cat and her food!

 

She is named GiGi (aka Grumpy Girl) for a reason.

 

Even the dogs tread lightly around her!

 

 

 She is used to dealing with coyotes, these big balls of house bred fluff don't scare her!

 

One day, she discovered a basket that I had placed on the dining room table to put up later...

 

 

 and that was that!

 

 

 Her bed is now our dining room table and I'm not crazy brave enough to move her!

*grin*

GiGi, just found us one day at the pool and adopted us - us - 5 (now 7) kids and 4 dogs!

Not the type of family you would think a cat would want but she came home with us and decided that inside was better than outside and that having a continuous food supply was da bomb!

Until that continuous food supply runs out...

then I get "the look"!

 hehe!

Seriously though, GiGi has come a loooong way and while I am in no way comparing her circumstances and journey to that of the girls', there are similarities.

 

GiGi came from a hard place and has had to learn to trust and to open her heart to love and affection.

 

She has had to learn just how to function in a loving family and how to keep her independence while learning how to be dependent too.

She has had to try and let go of living in a state of constant fear and then find peace in her new found security.

 It has not always been easy and has taken a lot of love and patience but GiGi is finally starting to trust and to enjoy attention. 

She still has a long way to go and I am still not gonna move her bed off of my table (snicker)...

 

 

 but she is on her way and her little kitty cat heart is healing.

 

GiGi's journey reminds me to continue to trust in our path and in His timing and to keep meeting needs and to love, love, love!!!

Love y'all...

it heals, it protects, it comforts, it transforms and it - gives - back!

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Time...

we gotta talk

you and me

 

Mom to clock

cause you're ticking me off

hehe

You see, there is yet another birthday boy at our house and I just cannot believe that my baby boy is 11 years old today!

 

 

It just can't be!

You have kept us on our toes my sweet one but the last three years with you at home have been such a gift.

You are headed off to join your older brothers at school next year...

 

 

um, yeah, sorry bout that...

*snicker*

 

and the doggies and I are really going to miss you in the quiet.

 

 

You have a beautiful mind and heart my sweet Caleb and I will treasure the quiet in which I was able to learn more about you.

 

 

The Lord has put a depth within you my Caleb...

and tinged it with just a dash of quirky wit.

 

 

You don't meet many strangers and your ease just draws people in.

The joy in your spirit is ever present but your shoulders have been prepared and tested and I sense that the Lord has a special path for you precious Caleb.

You are a great victim little brother...

and an awesome big brother

and you are able to easily transition from one to the other as needed.

Basically Caleb...

You ROCK...

and as excited as I am to watch you grow and witness your path unfold...

Seriously...

 

time...

ya gotta chill...

cause I need just a little bit longer with my baby boy.

So, this year, can it please feel like a year and not a nano second!

Cause at the rate it's going...

by next week sometime, my sweet Caleb will be at college and Hubby and I will left with four teenage girls at home...

ALONE

 

 

EEK!

Wanna come back home for college???

just kidding

I think!

Happy Birthday my sweet boy

Keep Him close and listen to the words of your heart.

The Gift...

So I am running again!

I have always loved to exercise...

I know, I know...

but I have!

It was my time and how I de-stressed.

It is also when my mind would calm and I could actually take in some of the beauty that surrounded me and think!

Peace

I have always been very active but didn't start running until I was out of college and working.

I didn't start running actual road races until I was 30 years old and single and freaking out and needing to push myself out of my comfort zone a bit...

and after that very first race, I was hooked!

I would find local races on the weekends and as often as I could, I competed!

 I had not known that competitive side of me before and I was in the zone y'all...

and then in 1994 when I was  31 years old...

I ran a marathon!

It was grueling.

It was awesome...

and it ended my running for a very long time.

Shortly after the marathon, one of my sweet pups broke her leg.

Between the effects of the marathon and having to carry my sweet doggie up and down stairs...

my back waved the white flag of surrender and I was done...

until now!

This past fall, Christian and Charlie started running on their school's cross country team and I know I must have driven them completely crazy as I gave them tips and talked about my old races and pushed them to run even when they felt like being lazy.

 So for my birthday...

They got me a new pair of running shoes!

Sort of like, you talk the talk but can you walk the walk...

or in this case run the run??

I was up for the challenge but at that point Maggie and Lucy had only been home about a month, Hubby was working in a neighboring state and there was NO time for running, until...

Hubby was laid off and came home.

Now, don't get me wrong, I would rather Hubby have a job but I just love how the Lord uses these trials to bless us in ways that we would just never expect.

So now, after 19 years, at age 50, I am running again and I am running with my boys!

Now my wonderful Christian inherited a ton some of my competitiveness and when we run, he does not linger with his old Momma for very long.  He is usually done, back at the house, had time to shower, shave, dress and write a novel before I come huffing and puffing home!

Not really but you get the idea!

*grin*

My sweet Charlie, however, stays with me (and Sierra and Chewy)...

 and talks to me...

and it is AWESOME!

So, not only has the Lord provided the time and the energy for me to run again but He has also provided the time for me to be with my oldest two who will be grown and gone before I can finish lacing up those new running shoes!

Seriously...

where does the time go!

There have been many hard things about this bout of unemployment but there have also been many blessings, just as there have been many hard things about bringing our two newest sweeties home but but oh so many blessings and once again, just as I was nearing my limit, He showed up and gave me back something that gave me back my sanity... 

well most of it anyway!

But my God shall supply all your need, according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19 

Thank you Lord for this season of learning and growing and loving and yep, even running!