Blessings....

I just LOOOOOVE the way God works in our lives to bring about His will and His way....and I love those He brings into our lives and what THEY bring to our lives.  I am feeling so very blessed today!!!

Shocco Springs

The project has ended here at Shocco, and we will actually be leaving....contrary to rumors that are circulating.  It has been a wonderful four months here (if you rule out the encounter I had with the 18-wheeler - see post from Jan. 16th), and we WILL miss the wonderful friends and staff here.....they have made us feel like a part of the family!  But in the next week or so it will be time to start heading the Beast (our motorhome, as Willie so affectionately calls it) toward Virginia Beach, where we will be spending most of the summer.  God has truly blessed us with the privilege of being "on the road" for Him, and it is always interesting to see where He leads!

But before we head out, I want to share a few pictures of the group from our last month here......there were supposed to be nine couples, but due to mechanical difficulties and then a death in the family, one couple never quite made it to Shocco.  Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the Webergs.

Our group of SOWERs was led by Doris and Frank Hutchison, whom we had worked with before, and we also had worked with Bill and Linda Crawford and Gary and Bev Carter.  We had never had the pleasure of working with the McRoberts, the Bergs, the Carpers, or the DeMasters....all of whom we are now privileged to call friends!

It was a great month with lots of work accomplished.  The ladies, for the most part, worked in the laundry...

...tho' there were a few odd jobs here and there (cleaning up after the men....aren't we accomplished at that?), a little touchup painting,

and on Wednesday of this last week several of the ladies assisted in the dining hall and bookstore....help that was greatly appreciated!  As I have been doing for the last several months, I worked in the office working with text and website issues.

The men were involved in a number of projects, including the continued renovation of hotel rooms..

 (How many SOWER men does it take to hang a picture?  Too many, by the count in this picture!)

They also straightened out a large wood pile,

"re-formatted" a bouldering wall in the gym (a challenge, to say the least)

 We DID get a lot accomplished, but we also had a lot of fun.  There were a lot of game nights, a potluck dinner on Easter Sunday, and we will be enjoying a hot dog roast tonight.  Buster and Mary Taylor, the director of Shocco and his wife, had us all over to their home for a relaxing evening of dessert and fellowship....we even braved the pollen and sat out on the back patio!  The group also participated in several tours, including the Alabama Industries for the Blind and a tour of the Blue Bell Creamery in Sylacauga....

....complete with a scoop of ice cream at the end of the tour.  And for those of you interested, Willie did NOT get the "SuperHero" ice cream this time....he opted for a much safer choice...."Southern Hospitality"!!
We also enjoyed lunch at the Marble City Grill and a quick tour of the VERY small yard sale for Relay for Life while we were in Sylacauga.

The ladies also enjoyed a Day Out with Mary Taylor, the director's wife, which included a tour of the Silk Stocking district, lunch at Cafe Royale on the Square, and stops at America's Thrift Store and Elijah's Barrel in nearby Pell City.

(I think everyone came away with something...I know I did!)  It was good to be able to spend time together and enjoy each other's company and learn more about the area from our wonderful tour guide, Mary!

As we get ready to leave Shocco, one of the images that I will carry with me is of spring as it burst forth!  We had been here in the cold and the snow, when the first signs of spring started to show, and now as we leave the trees are covered in the fresh green of spring/summer, the flowers are blooming, and life has once again come to what once looked dead....

....just as Christ has brought life to our lives....lives that were once barren and for all intents and purposes....DEAD!  But He has brought life, and we sing praises to His name!

Aww........

It has been a wonderfully awwwwwesome birthday so far!   From being wished Happy Birthday first thing this morning by my wonderful hubby, to FaceBook greetings, to being sung to by my fellow SOWERs at devotions this morning, to birthday cards in the mail, to surprise gifts from friends, to phone calls with birthday greetings, to a surprise birthday celebration with the office staff here at Shocco....what more could a girl ask for?  Well, how about a dozen beautiful roses and a wonderfully expressive card from that same wonderful hubby with the promise of a delicious lunch on Friday at one of our favorite restaurants in this area....Buttermilk Hill?  Sounds pretty special to me!

Thanks to all of you who helped to make this a wonderful birthday.....you and your thoughtfulness are really appreciated.

MOVIE NIGHT!!

Sometimes it's just the little things that make me happy....like today when I was coming out of an RVer's "home-away-from-home" (WalMart)  and decided to stop by RedBox on the off chance that "Blind Side" would be available (just released via RedBox today).  I NEVER seem to be able to get the movies that are newly-released, so I wasn't very hopeful...kind of felt like it would be an exercise in futility.  Well.....I was WRONG!  That machine just "spit" that movie out into my waiting hand....YAY!  

I know what we'll be doing tonight after dinner....can't wait!  I have been wanting to see this movie for a long time.....and I am going to enjoy it....make it my early birthday celebration! 

Like I said....sometimes it's just the little things!

A FISHY STORY!

Last week Willie was fishing in the lake here at Shocco....he had been catching quite a few blue gill (catch and release)

and a couple of fairly good-sized carp which he definitely threw back...hear they are not "good eatin'".  He had even called me to come down to the lake to get a picture of one that he had on the line....of course, it "got away" before I made it down there.  Hmmmmm....   Well, any good fish story should include an unbelievable element to it, right?  So....the next big fish he landed didn't look like any carp he had pulled in, but to him it DID look like a pretty good-sized catfish.  The next day he was sharing his "fish story" with several of the staff here and they all "swore up and and down" that there are no catfish in this lake.  Well, he happened to have the camera with him, and took a picture of that fish.....and guess what....it WAS a catfish!

For someone who really only started fishing last year, he sure is enjoying it....and the tales and braggin' rights that go with it!

THE END....

of the fish story, anyway!

I hope to post photos of some of the work that has been going on here during the project this month....the guys are about to finish renovating some more hotel rooms.  The ladies, well for those of you who have been at Shocco, you know they are NEVER going to be totally done with all that laundry!

Before I leave you tonight, I want to send out birthday greetings to a friend, Esther Smith,

and Happy 66th Anniversary greetings to my Mom and Dad....wish we were there with you to celebrate, but we'll see you soon!

HOMECOMING

Late Friday night there was a wonderful celebration.....a homecoming!  Our son-in-law Chris returned from serving eight months with the Navy SeaBees in Afghanistan....what a wonderful night.  The time for their arrival was changed again and again....and Janelle found out at 11:00 pm that they were landing at 11:30 pm. You want to talk about shifting into high gear....this was like shifting into mach 4!  Getting the older boys out of bed....getting everyone dressed and out the door....whew!!!   I don't think Janelle even knew what she was wearing....all she was concerned about was being there when the buses loaded with the guys pulled up on "The Grinder" and discharged their occupants into the waiting arms of friends and loved ones.  We made it...thank goodness....and when the buses (five of 'em) came into sight a roar went up from the waiting crowd....

Unbridled joy....that was the emotion that swirled all around....and it was an honor to be part of welcoming these heroes home.  ANY military member who serves our country is a hero in our book!

We were excited to be a part of welcoming Chris home, but we almost feel like we were intruding on a very private time....a daddy and husband coming home to his family.  To a wife who had dealt with all kinds of situations, had felt overwhelmed at times but who had always managed to do what needed to be done.   To two little boys who had missed their daddy terribly, but who were also proud of him.  To a new son that he was meeting for the first time.  Joy, smiles, hugs, tears, kisses....

Welcome home, Chris....husband, daddy, son, friend, soldier, hero.....we ALL love you!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GREETINGS!

We want to send a "shout-out" birthday greeting to our granddaughter, Sierra!

We hope your day was as special as you are!!

And, also a Happy Birthday greeting to my brother, Ray.....

I won't tell you how old he is, but he and Willie (together in this photo) are very close in age....hint, hint!

Today was a day of birthdays and other celebrations (I'll share more of that in the next post), but tomorrow is REALLY a day to celebrate.....the resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior!