I miss my baby boy.

He always loved the snow.  I am so thankful to God for giving him a good snow, here in the south, before he died.  I had been praying to get him to a snow, or for us to have a good snow, before he passed.  He just came alive and became a different dog in the cold weather! I have so many memories of him being happy and peppy in the cold!  He would play harder then....he'd nip you, too...lol.  Tore a few pairs of gloves over the years...lol!
He is so beautiful!

R. est I. n P. eace Samson

     We had to put our dog Samson to sleep this afternoon.  He was almost 16 years old.  He had gotten to where he was not able to get up and he laid in one spot outside for a few hours today.  He tried and tried but could not get up.  We knew it was time.
      My husband and I stayed with him while the vet came him morphine and then put him under.  I watched the spirit leave his eyes....
     Then I got really angry at the devil because if that mofo had not tempted eve and adam then none of our animals would die....ever.   We would be living in peace and harmony in Eden.  Bastard devil.  I can't stand his stupid arse.
      I wanted to go to church, to get my mind off of it, and to share with my small group the prayer and 'who I am in Christ' list.  But I needed to be here to watch our toddler so that my husband can dig the grave.
      Things really are not going to be the same anymore.  I got Samson when I was 18 years old.  That is a lifetime ago.
      I love you and since time is irrelevant in heaven, I am already with him.

My old dog Samson

     Well, my Samson is not doing so well.  He is a siberian husky.  He has gotten arthritis in his back legs and spine, the degenerative kind.  He just got it fairly recently.  I feel bad because I have healed him in the past, prayed over him and he was healed of worms.  So, I feel smucky for letting a vet speak death over him, even though he is almost 16 years old.  He will be 16 in December.  If he makes it that long.
     Today we went out back to hang some sheets on the line and he came out as usual, to be outside with us.  But he just seems worse.  His appetite has gone way down in the past couple of days, after it had gone way up for a while.  He was eating way more than he ever did before.
     We used the hose and rinsed him off because he had poop on his butt and tail, it turns out.  I was just wanting to rinse him off because he had gotten into some nasty stuff while walking about in the rain in the back yard.  He loves a good rain storm.  But while doing that I noticed the poop.  Poor thing.
     He just seems like it is taking a lot for him to hang on.   We put some rugs down in the dog room recently so he can get up and down easier.  The slick floor pictured is hard for him to get a grip on now a days.  I still have a part of my mind that feels like I failed him on a certain level.  That I should have gotten rid of Bajou and gotten him a new friend so that he would not have been hurt so many times  and so he would not be sad.  Well, I can not dwell on that, it can not be changed.
    What is the longest any of your pets have lived?  My cat is still going strong at 19.  She will be 20 in April.

busy busy bee

     First, I want to say how awesome my husband is!  Within 30 minutes time, he used his pole saw and cut off a large maple tree branch off of a telephone line, pulled the branch with the truck (to detach it from the tree), and cut up the branch and moved it out of the alley/and our neighbor's yard!  How awesome is he!  God really blessed him with common sense and great motor skills!  Not to mention he is a machine and is really strong!  Our son and I helped tote little branches, but really we didn't do much.  He did it all and then went back to work!  What a man!  
     I have been really busy lately canning things.  I will post photos later but I wanted to tell you about them while I had the chance.  After making the Holy Spirit inspired blueberry jelly I decided to make Strawberry jam!  That turned out wonderfully, as well.  I do not like big chunks in my jam and so I blended it up more smooth, the way we like it!
      This week I made dark chocolate syrup and canned it!  It is the best chocolate syrup I have ever tasted in my whole life!  It is really good in fresh milk from the farm, too!  I am so blessed by God to be able to get fresh milk!
      Sunday, I made a small Black Devil's Food cake for my family at home.  Yesterday, I made bread for us, 3 loaves, and then I made a large Black Devil's Food cake for church.  We eat together before going to our small group studies.
      I am already contemplating what to bring for Sunday.  I would like to make some cinnamon rolls to bless everyone with.  Then I was thinking about homemade macorroni and cheese or another casserole for next Wednesday night.  Something more along the lines of dinner food.  Maybe even a breakfast casserole or brocolli rice casserole.  We shall see.
      I am excited to go out with my daughter for lunch this Saturday, too!  That is going to be a lot of fun.  I asked her this morning if she wanted to go with me.  She accepted my invitation.  I had gotten up early this morning and cooked her a breakfast of scrambled eggs, hashbrowns and buttered biscuits.  She had a great morning this morning and I am so glad for that!
      I am still fighting with the devil over this cold I have.  But I am going to win, because it was already won on the cross.  He has no authority to make me feel cruddy or tired.  None.  Back off devil!  Get behind me in the name of Jesus!
      Tonight I am going to pan fry some ribeyes like they do on America's test kitchen.  Very good recipe.  Maybe boilled potatoes or pasta salad and some other veggies, like green beans, and large butter beans.  Tomorrow I am making chili.  I make my own seasoning and I love my cornbread recipe, too.  It is very flavorful with stoneground cornmeal and fresh herbs and butter in the batter.
      My mom moved up this past weekend and my husband emptied her moving truck in about an hour!  He was on fire again!  He is good, I tell you what, praise God for strong men!  She seems to be enjoying her new home and is thankful for the blessings our God has bestowed upon her.  Our daughter has really been enjoying her time with her as well.  She got to spend the night once already!
     I am going to start a new college class in a few days, it will be on 1 John.  I am excited because Lawson Perdue teaches it and he is one of my favorite teachers at CBC.
     Well, I need to do some real life things...have a blessed week ahead everyone!  What do you like to bring to church functions?