It has been a BUSY

couple of weeks but oh so much fun. We have had alot going on and it will be hard to know where to start so I will just delve in. We started off June with celebrating Brads birthday with a picnic at a lake/water park and then several weeks ago we were able to get mom out of the house and up to Ruth's for awhile to celebrate Vicky's graduation - my where does time go. I remember so vividly holding her in my arms as a baby. She has grown up to be a very beautiful young lady as have her sisters. We had a wonderful time up there. The weather was perfect and Mom really enjoyed herself. She was tired afterwards but that is to be expected . The next weekend Tracey and her family stopped by on their way back from Florida and stayed for overnight and the next day. We had the entire family here at our place for good food and just good family visiting - of course Celeste was center of attention - Tom did babyback ribs on the grill along with hamburgers and hotdogs. As always it was delicious - he has yet to do a bad meal on that grill - that has to be our most used wedding gift - thanks again Dawn and Kevin - ya done good.

Tracey, Kenny and Anna went back late Sunday evening and left Zachery to spend some time with his cousins. This is where things got real fun - lol. To make a long story short - Tom and I ended up babysitting all 4 boys during the day. In the meantime we had company coming in on Thursday - Alli a very dear friend from our racing forum and then the 3 of us were headed to Charlotte to meet up with other forum members for our annual get together. This group is very near and dear to me because they were the ones that supported me so much when Glenn was so sick and the months, years after I lost him. Dawn and all the boys stayed at our house to be with Mom while we were gone along with Ruth helping out on Friday till Dawn got off work. Poor Mom - she had people coming and going all weekend but she was WELL taken care of - it is so good to have good family around - we are very blessed.

Things got more hectic the next week when Lee and Danny came down on Monday - Alli left on Wednesday and then Tracey came back on Friday - I wasn't sure who was in the house when I woke up each morning but it was fun. Mom seemed to really enjoy seeing other faces than just mine in the mornings to give her her breakfast and to check on her during the day to make sure she was OK. Lee and Danny were down to scope out the area and look at the housing and job market. I am very selfish in that I want them to move down here so the house will always be open for them to use as a home base down here. Goodness knows that Glenn and I used Ruth and Russ's house many times while we were looking for our home down here.

All-in-all while very hectic and busy at times - the couple of weeks was such a breath of fresh air and I so enjoyed having extended family around (yes we treat Alli as a sister so she is family too) but we were also glad to get our house back and into our little routines. The gardens did take a back seat for a few days and now the last couple of days Tom and I have been back out in them weeding, deadheading and doing general maintenance. Seeing them through other peoples eyes I can visualize some changes that we want to make. Tracey went home with a trunk load of plants and that makes me happy to know a part of my garden will live on in another garden. I spent my time with Lee letting her know that she will have a ton of plants to start new gardens down here to sort of entice her to move (the house next door is for sale and I think that would be perfect - we could just extend our gardens into each other). This is what dreams are made of and there is nothing wrong with dreaming.

On a personal level - the trip to Charlotte is always a wake up call for me as to just how far my life has come. The first time I went there in 2003 to meet Kay, Paul, Jerry, Mel, Jimmy and others I was so lost - having no idea where my life was headed. I had just had 38 years of my life ripped away from me and I was scared but...........God had his plan in motion . I find myself today looking forward to my first wedding anniversary this Sunday with a guy I truely love with all my heart and the support of friends and family and this past month I got to spend time with so many of them......Life is very good in the 'Heartland'

Lynne ~he who plants a seed - believes in tomorrow~