tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21522192922912129772024-03-12T19:45:00.083-07:00Looking For MoreYou will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:12-14Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-70089781890196742232010-06-12T07:45:00.001-07:002010-06-12T08:08:14.046-07:00Happy 17th Anniversary Sandy<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/TBOiINV5MII/AAAAAAAAAk8/N8z0J_6myoA/s1600/Wedding+Pic.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481903433344168066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 228px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/TBOiINV5MII/AAAAAAAAAk8/N8z0J_6myoA/s320/Wedding+Pic.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Dearest Sandy, </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">17 years ago today I married my very best friend. My blue eyed boy, the man of my dreams, and the keeper of my heart....my Sandy. It rained that day and people said that means good luck. I knew I didn't need luck because I had already been given the greatest gift of all...I had you to love me.<br /><br />We have been through a lot in the last 17 years and we have grown up together. You have taught me what real love is and how a man should love his wife. You have taught me about family, faithfulness, and trust. You have shown me that lifetime commitments are not only possible but wonderful. You have helped me grow as a woman and as a person. You have allowed me to be me and good or bad you have loved through it all. You have even carried me many times when I didn't have the strength to stand on my own.<br /><br />I am not only lucky....I am blessed by God to share my life with you.<br /><br />Thank you for being the keeper of my heart and for keeping it well. You are my strong warrior and my sweet prince and I adore you with everything in me.<br /><br />Happy Anniversary! </span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">Love, </span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">Me<br /><br />Here are 17 things that I love about Sandy.<br /><br />1) Sandy is a godly man. He knows where his strength comes from. He does his very best to honor our heavenly Father and he honors me as his wife. He is a wonderful Christian. He loves God and he loves to go to church. He loves our church and is very involved in it. He loves to sing praises as part of the choir. He is our <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">treasurer</span> and keeps our finances in line. He loves to pray for others and he prays for me. He is a righteous and honorable man.<br /><br />2) He loves me no matter what. On those days when I am a wonderful wife he loves me...and on those days when I'm anything but wonderful....HE LOVES ME. I have never doubted even one time that Sandy is completely in love with me. I need to feel that way and I'm so thankful for Sandy who shows me every single day how much I am loved.<br /><br />3) He is romantic. He loves doing special things with me. There is always time for candlelight, music, quiet dinners, snuggling, teddy bears, flowers, limo rides, cabins, fireplaces, hot tubs, picnics, walks on the beach, and......... all that other fun stuff :-) He always makes me feel special and loved.....and happy to be his girl.<br /><br />4) He takes good care of me. He provides well for us and always makes sure our needs are met. He works hard and gives his best. He takes classes to improve his knowledge and help grow his business. He takes care of everything from my car to my heart...and he does all of it well.<br /><br />5) Sandy has a tender heart. I call him my tender heart bear. He cares about people and animals. He loves babies and little children. He makes everyone around him feel special and important...no matter how young or old they are . He is always willing to help someone in need. He is man <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">enough</span> to cry with me, or for me, or for others. He is a lover all the way to his soul.<br /><br />6) Sandy is smart. My man is a thinker. He likes to read and study. He is good with numbers....and that's just plain sexy. He can figure things out when I don't even know where to start.<br /><br />7) Sandy is a wonderful cook. He grew up working in his family's restaurants. He can make something wonderful out of nothing and you will clean your plate and ask for more. I love that he cooks more that I do and he does it well and with a giving heart.<br /><br />8) Sandy takes care of his family. He is very close to his parents and his brother. He is always looking out for them with business and personal things. He is the their go to guy when they need help or direction and he never lets them down.<br /><br />9) Sandy is a Florida football fan. He let me convert him to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Gatorism</span>. He watches football with me every Saturday in the fall. He lets me plan our schedule around football games. He yells at the TV with me during the games. He takes me at least once a year to whatever state we have to go to to watch the Gators play in person.<br /><br />10) Sandy loves my family. He is always willing to do all the "family" stuff with me. He is good to all of them. He takes extra special care of my mom.<br /><br />11) Sandy has the best laugh. I love to hear and watch him laugh. His eyes just sparkle and his whole face lights up. It makes me laugh when he laughs....it's contagious joy. It makes me smile inside just thinking of it.<br /><br />12) Sandy likes to travel with me. I am a born traveler and need to get away often. Sandy is always game to go wherever I want to go. He lets me make the plans....and he drives the car. I love that. Sandy also has a great sense of direction. He can go somewhere one time and he will always remember how to get back there. I think that is so great because I rarely remember how to get anywhere outside of our town. I can sit back and enjoy the ride with Sandy because I know he will get us where we need to be.<br /><br />13) Sandy is a great friend. He loves all of our "adopted" brothers and sisters and friends. He would do anything for any one of them. He loves to be with his "boys" and knows I need time with my "girls". Anytime we are all together...is even better.<br /><br />14) Sandy remembers dates. My birthday ( Oct 19<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">th</span>), our anniversary (June 12<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">th</span>), our engagement day (Aug 15<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">th</span>), our first grown-up date (Jan 18<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">th</span>). (I remember too!!!! ) He never forgets any of them...and never has. Love that!!!<br /><br />15) Sandy still completely owns my heart. He loves me, he cherishes me, he makes me feel loved, honored, and safe. He is mine....heart, body, and soul. I trust him with all my heart.<br /><br />16) Sandy is a great hugger!! He has strong arms and when those arms are around me I feel completely safe and warm and protected. I love to put my head against his chest and heart and linger in that place of complete rest. That is the only place in my life that I feel that safe and free all at the same time. Being in Sandy's arms is for me the same feeling I think I would have sitting on God's lap.... at least, that's the closest <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">comparison</span> my mind can make.<br /><br />17) Sandy is my very best friend. He is the one I never have to doubt for even an instant. He is faithful, devoted, and true to me. He always has been. I love watching the world through his eyes and I love walking this journey with him.<br /><br />That's just 17 reasons out of 1,104,609,432 reasons I love Sandy.<br /><br />Sandy (My Groom), I'm proud to be your wife.<br /><br />Forever & Always....And then some....I LOVE YOU!!!<br /><br />Your Bride,<br /></div></span><div><br />Tammy</div><div> </div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;"><div></span> </div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481903437334122626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/TBOiIcNLEII/AAAAAAAAAlE/B3ehu_mnpaM/s320/S%26T+MB1.jpg" border="0" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:130%;"></span></div>Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-3151309831812370192010-04-13T09:17:00.000-07:002010-04-16T17:03:47.496-07:00A Life Changing Phone Call<span style="font-size:130%;">Almost 3 weeks after I had this last test I came home to a message on the answering machine from my Doctor. He just said he had the results of the test and to please give him a call.<br /><br />My initial thought was these two things.....1 ) if it was good news he would have left it on the machine.... and 2) HE SOUNDED VERY DOWN..... !!<br /><br />The next day I tried to call and he was out of the office for the day. So on Friday, ( June 26<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span>, A day I will forever remember) I was able to speak with him by phone. He asked me if after the test had the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">technician</span> told me anything about what he saw and and I told him no. I knew by the sound of his voice I was about to get some really bad news.<br /><br />He said, Tammy, I'm really sorry to have to tell you this but both of your tubes are completely blocked. I was totally shocked to say the least. I was expecting him to tell me something bad but honestly I wasn't expecting it to be that life-changing bad.<br /><br />He said that this report was the last thing that he expected for me and he was completely surprised at the results of it. He said that he didn't expect it at all because we had never in the many years I have gone to him had a single issue that he thought could have caused any problem. He sounded like that he was as upset as I was. I could really tell he was disappointed for me.... for us.<br /><br />I asked if the report showed him anything as to what the damage was or what had caused it. He said no that it didn't. He did tell me that this is usually caused by scar tissue, infection, cysts, or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">endometriosis</span>. None of which we had had a problem with before (except the possible recent ruptured cyst on the ovary). He said it was very possible it had been that way for years. That often women have ruptured cysts, or even infections and never even know it. The body just heals them on it's own....in it's own way. Apparently, sometimes that healing makes scar tissue that can cause problems like this. :(<br /><br />I asked him what our options were and he basically said that there were two things that could be done.<br /><br />The 1st thing being surgery to clean out the tubes. He said that this sometimes works but not always. The surgery would only clean out the tubes for a limited period of time and then the scar tissue would come back....maybe worse because of scar tissue from the surgery too. Plus the fact that you have to wait until the tubes have time to heal before you can even try.... doesn't make this a very good option.<br /><br />The 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">nd</span> thing would be <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">in vitro</span> fertilization. This basically involves bypassing the tubes and implanting the eggs.<br /><br />Both of these options have a 40/50 % chance of working and are not covered by insurance because they are elective. The cost of either of these procedures would run about $20,000 - $40,000. A lot of money for something that has only a slim chance of working.<br /><br />We talked a few more minutes and he again told me how sorry and surprised he was. He then told me to take some time to decide what I wanted to do and let them know if we wanted to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">proceed</span> to the next step. He could arrange for us to meet with a fertility Doctor. With that we hung up.<br /><br />I realized two things as soon as I got off the phone. 1) Never make a phone call that could potentially change your whole life while sitting at your desk at work surrounded by people who don't have a clue what's going on. And 2) Life rarely ever turns out the way you think.<br /><br />I can tell you that I have never before or since felt the range of emotions that I felt in that moment. I don't know if I was more angry or sad but I do know that it didn't take long for me to ask God why things had turned out like that.<br /><br />I just didn't and still don't understand why God allowed me to go through about two years of hard counsel before He changed my heart about wanting to have a child...and then over a year of trying to give us this answer of no. I STILL TO THIS DAY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT!!!<br /><br />As I sat there at my desk..... I suddenly had a thought that cut me to my core. A thought that absolutely hurt me in a place I have never been hurt. That thought was this....<br /><br />How am I going to tell Sandy that I can never have his child? How on this earth will I be able to say those words to him? How do you break the heart of the person you love more than anything and take away their dream of being a daddy? I have never been more mad or hurt at God in my life than I was in that moment.<br /><br />I didn't know what to do at that point. I sent an email to Sarah & Keith telling them that I had gotten bad news on that test and to please pray and keep me and Sandy covered. I told them I would tell them the results later after I talked to Sandy. I also tried but couldn't reach Dewey.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><p><span style="font-size:130%;">And then I started praying....and praying...and praying. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;">I was praying and asking God to tell me how to tell Sandy. Did I call and tell him over the phone.... did I email....because I wasn't sure I could make the words come out of my mouth. How on earth was I going to tell him.... and how was I going to get through this day? I forgot to mention that this phone call happened around 9am and it wasn't even near lunch time yet. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;">Within a few minutes my cell rang and it was Keith. He said, I couldn't stand it any longer...what happened and how can I help? I said I can't say because I haven't talked to Sandy yet. To which he said, Tammy, Sarah & I know what that test is for. I'm going to say that since you said it is bad news that that means it won't work. To which I started crying and softly said...it can't work. Keith, being my friend and my Pastor took a long time to counsel me and remind me of God's power in this situation. He reminded me that we had just received this news and that we didn't yet know how God would choose to redeem it. He reminded me of God's love for me and I needed to hear that....because in that moment....I wasn't happy with God at all.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;">After talking a few more minutes he said you have to tell Sandy in person. Can you leave and go find him and I said no. He said <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">ok</span> but I need you to know that you have to tell him in person even if you have to wait until this afternoon. This is your dream together and you have to tell him the result face to face. It will be better for both of you if you do and Sandy deserves that from you. I said I would and we talked a few more minutes and hung up. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;">The rest of the morning and afternoon was spent with a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">variety</span> of emotions that I can only describe as heart wrenching. Unless you have walked in this place you really can't understand the loss you feel in that particular moment. My friend Dewey later told me it was like suffering a death. And I think that is the closest thing I can describe it as. He called it a death of a vision and Sarah later confirmed that to me also. The death of a vision is the loss of a dream or plan that you had for yourself or your life that was good but somehow not meant to be.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;">I had several more phone calls and emails from Keith and Sarah checking on me throughout the afternoon. They reminded me that God is bigger than test results and heartbreak. He is also the healer. I wasn't very convinced of that in those moments. I was in a place of hurt and confusion beyond what I could carry. I so badly wanted to just go and be with my honey and have him hold me. But leaving work would have made me have to explain to the whole group what had just happened.... and I sure didn't have the strength to do that. So that meant having to make it through the afternoon. Only by my friends prayers and concern...and my God holding me up did I make it until 5:00.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;">I then headed home to tell Sandy...</span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;">To be continued...</span></p><br /><br /><br /><p><br /><br /><br /><br /></p>Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-26691299269287254862010-04-07T08:58:00.000-07:002010-04-14T08:47:47.796-07:00Tests, Tests, and more Tests....<span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">This is a continuation of a previous post.....<br /><br />In March of last year I began to have severe pain in my left kidney or ovary area. This started on a Wed. night at church. It was terrible shooting pains that would make me cringe or double over with pain. My friend Sarah noticed that I was in pain and immediately asked me what was wrong. When I showed her where I was hurting she then asked if there was any way that I could be pregnant? Not really wanting to answer that (because at that point no one even knew that we were trying except my dear friend Dewey) I just stood and looked at her blankly...or more like a deer in the headlights probably. To which she said....well, let's just say that it is possible....you could be having a tubal pregnancy....because the pain sounds similar and it hurts in the same place.<br /><br />Well, as you can imagine....that scared me to no end. So all during the bible study that night that possibility was all I though about. After the bible study I told Sarah that there was a possibility of me being pregnant but please to keep that between us since no one knew about us trying at that point. I did tell her that she could tell Keith. (Keith is our Pastor and Sarah is his wife and they are both our great friends). She said she would and she and Keith became two more invaluable confidants for us on this journey.<br /><br />After another day the pain eased off for a few days and then it came back with vengeance and a fever and cause to believe it was my kidneys instead anything else. I called and made an appointment with my regular family doctor...who thought immediately that I had kidney stones. We did labs and nothing showed up out of the ordinary. It did not show that I had any type of infection. However, because of the fever and where the pain was he still believed it was my kidneys. He immediately scheduled me to go the next day to Hamilton Diagnostics to have dye ran through my kidneys to see if anything showed up.<br /><br />The next day I went to have this test and my sweet Sandy went with me. When I went back for the test and was in the room signing the consent form the technician asked me if there was any possibility that I could be was pregnant. Knowing that there was and not believing I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">had not</span> considered the danger of this test if I was….I said yes. I thought the guy was going to fall over in the floor at my answer. He said, well, this dye is radiation….and so before we do it we need to have you do a pregnancy test.<br /><br />So I got dressed again and went to their lab and had blood drawn to be tested. This blood work had to be taken to the hospital to be tested since they needed to know the answer right away. If you ever wonder what a blood test at the hospital costs…this one test was $144 ….. Anyway, after they took the blood work I went back to the waiting room to wait for the results. This was stressful because by then my phone was ringing with my family wanting to check and see how it went..... and I couldn't / wasn't about to tell them I was waiting on a pregnancy test before I could even do the test.... so I just had to stall them which wasn't fun. I will say that my friends Dewey, Sarah, and Keith all called to check on me too...and I did at least have them praying for me as I waited. Best of all...my Sandy was right there with me. Finally, about an hour later the results came back negative and I had the test done on my kidneys and we went home.<br /><br />The next day we went back to my doctor for the results. The test showed nothing in my kidneys and my Doctor asked me if I thought I had passed it the night before the test? I didn't think so but I still don't really know.<br /><br />This pain continued to bother me off and on over the next few weeks and I began to wonder if something else was going on. Most likely a cyst on the ovary causing the pain. So I made an appointment with my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">GYN</span> Dr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Stuckey</span> to get everything checked out.<br /><br />At the appointment with Dr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Stuckey</span> everything appeared to be the norm. He did think that the pain was caused by a ruptured cyst that was on the ovary. He wasn't very concerned about that because he said they are very common and can cause a lot of pain but they are generally not dangerous.<br /><br />So after discussing that I told him we were trying to conceive and not having any luck. I think that he was surprised at that revelation since he has been my doctor for many years and never heard me mention anything about kids. He said he was excited for us and that he hoped that everything would work out. He then suggested that we do some additional <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">blood work</span> to make sure all my levels were normal and that we didn't have any problems there. Everything came back normal.<br /><br />We discussed a few things and he suggested that I start taking <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">pre</span>natal vitamins and come back in about a month. He did point out to me that on this particular day that my blood pressure was very high (160/90 I think) and that he wanted me to keep up with that daily for the next month. He and I both figured that this might be stress related with all that was going on but he wanted to be sure.<br /><br />In April I went back for our next appointment.....still no luck. We did some addition blood tests on this day.....which again came back normal levels. My blood pressure was almost back in the normal range so we decided we were just going to keep an eye on it and see how it went. We scheduled another <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">appointment</span> in another month.<br /><br /><br />In May we still hadn't had any luck and so Dr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Stuckey</span> suggested we move to two more extensive tests. First we had to get Sandy checked out and that came back fine. So the next was a test for me called a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Hysteroscopy</span>. This test involved having a dye ran through the tubes to see if they were blocked. We scheduled this test for June 5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">th</span>.<br /><br />On June 5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">th</span>, I went back to Hamilton <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Diagnostics</span> to have this test done. Sandy wasn't able to go with me this time as he was with his mom as she was having heart by-pass surgery this same day. So I went by myself. This time I knew I wasn't pregnant so no more $144 pregnancy tests on this day. This test involved having a dye ran through the tubes while the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">radiologist</span> watched the dye on a computer screen to see if it was able to pass through the tubes. There was a computer screen up by my head that also allowed me to watch the dye and my insides on a screen and see what was going on. That was pretty neat to watch and I think I could tell by seeing where the dye stayed that we had a problem.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">This</span> test really hurt a lot but thankfully it didn't take but about 30 minutes. When it was finished I was allowed to go home. I got calls from those who knew I was having the test before I even reached home checking on me. That was a blessing.<br /><br />When I got home I crashed for a few hours and then we headed out to a wedding renewal of two special friends. I was in a lot of pain but we had a great time. The couple glasses of wine probably helped....<br /><br />We wouldn't find out the results of this test for 3 weeks. So again....we waited.<br /><br />To be continued...</span>Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-42439045263472875262010-03-19T19:28:00.000-07:002010-03-19T19:37:07.110-07:00Trying....Well, This Should Be Fun.....<span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to this blog. There is a lot going on in my life right now and it is sometimes hard to sit and try to put my thoughts into words.<br /><br />Well...again....excuse me if I say anything that offends anyone...... I said I was going to be real and I'm trying to do that without going to far. This is our experience.<br /><br />So we finally made the decision to try to have a baby.... and we got started on that right away : ) ... So if any of you have known me for more than an hour....you know that my primary love language is physical touch and that I make no excuse or bones about that. I love all of the physical stuff.... hugs, cuddling, and that other good stuff too. I could very easily be a guy when it comes to sex....except.....well....I'm not. This is just who I am and that is who God made me to be. If you want to show me that you love me a good tender hug will take you a long way..... <span style="color:#ff0000;">ALL</span> that other stuff though belongs only to Sandy.<br /><br />But I digress. So we, like most, thought this part would be easy....and fun. And for a while it was.<br /><br />When you are trying to have a baby you at first don't really put a lot of thought into the planning of it. You just as Nike would say..... "Just do it". You enjoy the freedom of using no protection and the excitement of just being together whenever you want.<br /><br />However, as times passes and you are not getting the results that you want you have to start looking a little ... well, a lot closer at the technical timing of being together. You see...there is an optimum time of the month that you are most likely to be able to conceive. A window of about a weeks time at which you are most likely to be able to be able to make a baby.<br /><br />I will tell you that we hated this part of trying with a passion. There is nothing like being on a schedule to take the romance out of the most intimate part of your life. We really hated this part so much. As much as we love being together, to have to look at calendars and timing and predictors..... romance quickly goes out the window and making love becomes a task to do. That is something that it should never be. Emotionally this was very difficult for both of us.<br /><br />There are a lot of emotions that go into trying to start a family. There is the joy of thinking about what will happen when you find out you are pregnant. There is the joy of thinking about telling your family and your friends that you are going to have a baby. The thoughts about baby names. The question of will it be a boy or a girl....or in my family the possibility of twins.<br /><br />There are also a lot of emotions that go into wondering why it's not working. Like... I wonder what the problem is? Is it time for tests? What does that involve? What if it's him? How do I tell him it doesn't matter? What if it's me? How do I tell him? Am I enough? Are we enough together?<br /><br />It's really difficult to have these kind of things on your heart and spirit day after day....week after week....and even month after month. There is a constant reminder ever single month to tell you that all that you have done....has not worked.<br /><br />And it didn't.<br /><br />The story continues.......</span>Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-63705448492696037422010-01-13T08:52:00.000-08:002010-01-15T10:05:42.479-08:00A Walk By The River<span style="font-size:130%;">The Story Continues..... (See the three blog posts from October to catch the beginning of this story....or if you haven't read it since then you may want to re-read it just to refresh your memory). This is a real in progress story and I have promised to be real and honest as I share my feelings. If I offend anyone with what I say along the way I ask that you forgive me and try to understand where I / Sandy are walking right now. This is our story.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><div><br /></div><span style="font-size:130%;">A Walk By The River.....<br /><br /></span><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427006616706575042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/S1CZw659asI/AAAAAAAAAkc/0LSO3XH7c_o/s320/untitled.bmp" border="0" /> <span style="font-size:130%;">Have you ever had one of those days when you know something big is coming and yet the words just won't come out of your mouth to acknowledge it? A day that your spirit senses that your whole world is about to change? It was a day like that that we first began to try to have a child.<br /><br />For a few months we had been talking back and forth about having children and if it was in the plans for us. We didn't really know what we were going to do or what God wanted us to do. We had concerns about our ages....specifically mine and any health issues that might arise from that. We knew that with me having just turned 40 that there was going to be a higher risk associated with that to both me and a child. But I guess in the end we knew that if God was strong enough to change my heart about having children (He was!) that He would certainly be strong enough to protect them and me from any danger.<br /><br />I don't think that we ever consciously said out loud that any particular day would be the day we would start trying. I think after all the years it had taken to get to this place that the pressure of saying this will be the day would have been a bit overwhelming. I guess we both knew within us that we would know when that day had arrived....and we did : )<br /><br />I remember that day just like it was yesterday. It was a beautiful fall day and we were headed to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Gatlinburg</span></span> for a long weekend of enjoying the Christmas lights and visiting <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Dollywood</span></span> . It was one of those days when everything you see catches your attention and you see beauty everywhere you look. We had a late check-in time so we took our time getting there and drove in along the river road. The sun was shining and the river was sparkling like thousands of beautiful diamonds. We were captured by the beauty around us and decided to stop and walk down by the river and take some pictures.<br /><br />Everywhere we looked we saw God's glory and magnificence. In some places the water was running briskly over the rocks and driftwood making beautiful waterfalls and cascades. In other places the water was as calm and smooth as glass. The trees all around us were still displaying their beautiful fall colors as the sun smiled down through the trees onto the water. The picturesque curvy mountain road touched with colorful fallen leaves completed the whole beautiful picture. </span></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427008841562100946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/S1CbybI2lNI/AAAAAAAAAkk/ecHtqJBiZko/s320/untitled.bmp" border="0" /><br /><p><span style="font-size:130%;">It was an afternoon of enjoying Gods beauty and of also feeling His presence within you and around you. It was a day that my spirit sensed something big was coming our way. We had an intimate time of just being quiet together and enjoying God’s creation. I had a knowing feeling deep within me that this day would hold something special that would forever change who we were as a couple.<br /><br />After several stops along the way we finally made it to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Gatlinburg</span></span> and our condo. What a nice place with a wonderful mountain view. God was really working overtime on showing us beauty and on calling in the romance….<br /><br />We went to dinner at Calhoun’s for <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">BBQ</span> and enjoyed having time to sit and talk and watch the Christmas lights through the windows. After dinner we drove around <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Gatlinburg</span></span> and Pigeon Forge and enjoyed the lights. (If you have never seen the lights in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Gatlinburg</span></span> and Pigeon Forge at Christmas it is well worth the drive to check them out. They are beautiful!!) After that we drove back to the condo and relaxed.<br /><br />The rest of the evening I won’t talk about except to say…. It was wonderful and when it came time to make a decision ….the decision was already settled in both of our minds that this was our time. And….that’s all I’m going to say about that…..<br /><br />The next morning we went to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Dollywood</span></span> and spent the day having fun and celebrating being together and being in love. We had taken a big step in our relationship. It had taken 14 years to get there and the bond we felt on that day was deeper than it had ever been. There would no longer ever be any barriers between us...no longer anything held back.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Our lives and our relationship had forever changed in a single moment. We just had no idea how much.</span> </p><p></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427008844313350018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/S1CbylYzT4I/AAAAAAAAAks/SndikdO7IfQ/s320/untitled.bmp" border="0" /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">To be continued.....</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Tammy<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">p.s. For all of you who thought I was going to say that we fooled around down by the river....SHAME ON YOU .... :) ... it was just too cold.......haha<br /></span>Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-17927665361076435002010-01-07T15:34:00.000-08:002010-01-07T15:39:56.546-08:00A Fresh Start<span style="font-size:130%;">Happy New Year!!!<br /><br />Isn’t it great to start a new year? To be given a clean slate….to leave the past behind….to start over completely fresh.<br /><br />I love it! Starting over soothes the soul in a way that few things can.<br /><br />I can tell you that I have never been happier to start a new year than this one. This last year has been the hardest year of my life. I have struggled with my life, my faith, my spirit, and with my God. I have hurt in places that I never even knew existed in me. I have questioned who God is, what His motives are, and why that He has allowed such pain and confusion into my life. It is the most lost that I have ever felt in my Christian walk.<br /><br />I could go into what that is all about but I will just say it like this. This past year we lost one of the greatest dreams that God had ever put into our hearts and soon after that we lost one of the greatest joys the God had ever brought to our life. To say it was a tough year is a complete understatement.<br /><br />I have never experienced a time in my life where I have been more filled with confusion and hurt and questions that just have no answers than in the last year. It has been a life changing experience and I will never be the person that I was six months ago.<br /><br />Have you ever noticed that when you are in a crisis that it completely steals your focus away from everything else? Trust me when I say that it does :) A great friend of mine recently told me that I needed to take a step back from all I was looking at. He said that I was standing so close that all I could see was the problem. In essence....that meant that even though God wasn't answering my questions to my liking.....or on my time table.....that I was so absorbed in the problem that I couldn't even see the things that God was doing.<br /><br />So I've taken some time....I've stepped back the best that I could... and I have reflected on the last year....AND..... I have seen God's hand in action all along the way. I want to tell you a couple of things that I learned during this time of reflection.<br /><br />The most important thing that I can tell you that I saw is this…. GOD NEVER LEAVES!!! . I mean He never leaves ..... Ever! When I questioned Him.... He listened. When I yelled at Him (Yes, I have)...He smiled. When I walked away....He followed. When I doubted...He was visible. When I cried..... He drew near. No matter what I did..... He stood right beside me and He never ever left.<br /><br />The second thing is this. No matter what is going on in my life God is still God. He loves me, wants only the best for me, and He will work this out for my good in His perfect time. Just because I may not be getting answers or seeing things through God’s eyes does not mean that His plan is not already in action every single minute.<br /><br />All that being said, I’ve given myself a fresh start with this New Year. I’ve laid down the last year’s hurts, disappointments, questions, fears, anger, confusion, and worries. That doesn’t mean I am over the things that have happened or that I won’t ever pick those things up again. What it means is this. I have put all these things back in God’s hands where they belong and I have started fresh once again. It may not be God’s will that I ever know the answers I’ve been seeking….but it is always His will for Him to take care of me. That is more than enough.<br /><br />Friends, Will you join me in starting fresh with God this year? Will you take some time to reflect and see God’s hand working in your life? It’s time to make a choice. It’s time to lay it all down to the one that it belongs to in the first place. Will you lay down the hard things that you have been carrying over the last year…..years? Will you give it to Him and leave it in His hands and trust that He will make something beautiful of it in His perfect time? It’s time to give it back to Him. We were never meant to carry it in the first place.<br /><br />Please join me. I know it won’t be easy. I will struggle to hold onto the past and the questions that I have. So will you. But it’s time to let the weight of all that go. Our Father loves us. It is not His will for us to carry the things that we don’t understand. It is not His will for us to feel brokenhearted, or guilty, or unloved, or misunderstood. It is His desire to walk with us the hard things of our life….and to carry the things that we don’t have the strength or knowledge to understand.<br /><br />Let’s lay it down guys. Give Him our burdens, our past, and our future. Lay it down! Accept the freedom He gives. It will change us forever if we will but trust Him to do what is already His nature to do. That is to take perfect care of us. There is nothing He wants to do more.<br /><br />Lay it down! Then look up and watch to see what He does. We are going to be amazed!!<br /><br />Blessings and Peace and Freedom in the New Year!<br /><br />Love,<br /><br />Tammy</span>Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-27854316864996755222009-12-19T18:18:00.000-08:002009-12-19T19:35:46.111-08:00Merry Christmas<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Sy2SmvQ_83I/AAAAAAAAAkM/jIhSDkEJrOc/s1600-h/IMG_9604.jpg"></a><div><span style="font-size:130%;">We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year.</span> </div><div><span style="font-size:130%;">May Christ be real to you this Christmas season and always.</span><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Sy2Rqyu4WQI/AAAAAAAAAjc/S9aToR9urKg/s1600-h/IMG_9516.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417146091155511554" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Sy2Rqyu4WQI/AAAAAAAAAjc/S9aToR9urKg/s320/IMG_9516.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Sy2Rr9_yuVI/AAAAAAAAAj8/Vshikiyy1ks/s1600-h/IMG_9603.jpg"></a><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><div><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Sy2LqqI4CrI/AAAAAAAAAiU/4nNgCYyergI/s1600-h/IMG_9526.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417139491778857650" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Sy2LqqI4CrI/AAAAAAAAAiU/4nNgCYyergI/s320/IMG_9526.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Sy2Rres7CLI/AAAAAAAAAjs/14R9J0poncw/s1600-h/IMG_9581.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Sy2RrEmPmDI/AAAAAAAAAjk/QGYqgaCw2eQ/s1600-h/IMG_9528.jpg"></a><br /><div><div><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Sy2Nr-6d7fI/AAAAAAAAAjM/ZWpktwpkjFc/s1600-h/IMG_9549.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417141713558695410" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Sy2Nr-6d7fI/AAAAAAAAAjM/ZWpktwpkjFc/s320/IMG_9549.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Sy2SmaeI5NI/AAAAAAAAAkE/HG09yw8V8H8/s1600-h/IMG_9605.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417147115434992850" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Sy2SmaeI5NI/AAAAAAAAAkE/HG09yw8V8H8/s320/IMG_9605.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Sy2NroeZBtI/AAAAAAAAAjE/fCTvSBqjN1M/s1600-h/IMG_9527.jpg"></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Sy2NrYCUnDI/AAAAAAAAAi8/ucnvZFrEW5g/s1600-h/IMG_9516.jpg"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Sy2NsAJVFOI/AAAAAAAAAjU/P9al-cHFe-w/s1600-h/IMG_9556.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417141713889465570" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Sy2NsAJVFOI/AAAAAAAAAjU/P9al-cHFe-w/s320/IMG_9556.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Sy2RrqAUpZI/AAAAAAAAAj0/3KE6UXT04oc/s1600-h/IMG_9579.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417146105992619410" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Sy2RrqAUpZI/AAAAAAAAAj0/3KE6UXT04oc/s320/IMG_9579.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Sy2LqxOYLuI/AAAAAAAAAik/bAIOmjUPUpc/s1600-h/IMG_9557.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417139493680983778" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Sy2LqxOYLuI/AAAAAAAAAik/bAIOmjUPUpc/s320/IMG_9557.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;">Love, Tammy & Sandy</span> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-41757383217707778452009-12-03T08:43:00.000-08:002009-12-17T15:22:05.129-08:00Nipper's with Jesus<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Syq88vFo-AI/AAAAAAAAAiM/SljRXZfToJ4/s1600-h/IMG_5713.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416349253484738562" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/Syq88vFo-AI/AAAAAAAAAiM/SljRXZfToJ4/s320/IMG_5713.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;">On Nov. 25<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> our beloved Nipper went home to be with Jesus.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">He fought a hard battle with kidney failure but in the end we saw that he could not win. He showed Sandy and I in his own way that he was ready to go home to be with Jesus. Out of our love for him we allowed him to go home with our blessing and many tears.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Nipper went home peacefully surrounded by his momma and his daddy and his beloved vet Dr. Moore. He just closed his eyes and woke up in heaven. He is no longer hurting, nor sick, nor is he hungry. He has been perfectly restored to wholeness and happiness. He will never hurt in any way ever again.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Nipper was buried by my family under his favorite tree in our back yard. His body is protected in a small little casket with it's own vault. He is forever safe and resting in a wonderful sun spot. His spirit, however, is with Jesus and he will be playing ball and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">chasing</span> squirrels until we make it home to meet him. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">We dearly miss our boy. He was the joy of our home for 12 years and the loss we are feeling cannot be put into words. We see and miss his presence in every room of our home. His loss for us is like the loss of a child....because he filled that roll for us for many years.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Please keep us in your prayers as we grieve and process this loss. We know that God was greatly merciful to us and saved Nipper's life many times over during the years. We believe that this was Nipper's time to go home and we are not hurt or angry at God in any way. God even worked out the timing of his <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">home going</span> and for that we are truly thankful. But the pain we are feeling is very great.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Please pray for us and all those who have suffered losses this holiday season. It is a sad time to lose anyone that you love.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Thank you for all your prayers for Nipper and for us as he was fighting his battle. We can never express to you how much it meant to our hearts.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Blessings to all,</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Tammy</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">p.s. Nipper.....momma and daddy miss you with all our hearts. You fought like the warrior that you always were. Jesus just needed you to come home and play in heaven for awhile. Keith said he got a vision of you sitting in the lap of Jesus getting a good petting. You deserve that because you were our good boy who loved us with everything in you. We miss your wagging tail and having you sleep and lay on us all the time. We miss our snuggle time, puppy kisses, and your big boy bark. I miss our swing time, mailbox walk, and watching you play ball and tug with daddy. We also miss those pretty sparkling brown eyes. We miss all of it my little man dog.... but most of all we just miss the feeling of completeness that you brought to our lives.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">We will always think of you at 10:00 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">snack time</span>.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">We are glad you are well!!! Perfectly whole never to hurt or take another pill again : ) Have fun little boy.....play hard, run, bark.....and catch those squirrels. AND EAT ALL YOU WANT.....</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">We will see you again someday. Look for us at the gate.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Love always,</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Momma & Daddy </span></div>Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-13334863099375802082009-11-16T09:08:00.000-08:002009-11-16T09:21:45.581-08:00Nipper<span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Right now Nipper is in the process of battling kidney failure. Please keep him and us in your prayers. It is a daily battle that with God's help and the prayers of our friends we hope to help him win.<br /><br />Please keep him in your prayers that his kidney blood levels will go back down to normal. Please pray that he will have an appetite and not lose any more weight and that he will be able to take the medications that he needs to take.<br /><br />Please pray for peace and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">perseverance</span> for all three of us.<br /><br />We love our fur child and want him to be perfectly healed. Please join us in prayer for his life.<br /><br />Love & Thanks,<br /><br />Tammy & Sandy<br /><br />P.S. The other in process story will continue to be told once we are in a better place with Nipper</span>.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:Courier New;"></span>Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-31824203873154102972009-10-27T15:03:00.000-07:002009-10-27T15:25:01.091-07:00A Change Of HeartI wish that I could say that God changed my heart about having a family as quickly as He did about having a husband. But alas, No, it took many years.<br /><br />My Sandy loves children. He always has. He is so good with them and they love him. I have many times throughout the years wondered how one gets to feel that way about children. I mean ... I just didn't understand it...because there was nothing in me that ever felt that way. It's not that I had any bad feelings towards children...it's just that there was nothing in me that ever said.... I want one of those....at least not seriously or for very long.<br /><br />Sometimes I felt like the Grinch....my heart about that was three sizes to small.<br /><br />About four years ago God decided it was time to start working on changing my heart about having children. It all began with a phone call asking if <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">I would</span> teach the 3-4 year <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">old's</span> class on a Wed. night because the teacher was going to be out. Now to most people that would have been an easy job to do....but for me it was the last thing I wanted to do on a Wed. night or any other time. But God knowing that there was no way that I could or would say no to my dear friend Jo...started the change in my heart right here.<br /><br />It wasn't long until I was co-teaching this little class on Wed. nights. I am going to be honest and say that a lot of the time I didn't like doing it at all. However, there were always those times when those little kids would look at me and my heart would melt and I would think....hum...they are so darn cute : 0)<br /><br />As time went on God really began to convict my heart on where I was with the family thing. I really felt like I was letting Sandy down. He never made me feel that way at all. I was just becoming more and more aware that my heart was in the wrong place.<br /><br />I began to really look at the deeper issues of why I felt the way I did. I had always had an idea what it was all about. I just didn't know how to get to the core of it. I talked to my good friend Dewey, who was my Pastor at the time. Dewey suggested that I go see a counselor and try to get to the bottom of the issue. Being the stubborn woman that I am I told him I would not and could not go spill my guts to someone I did not know. Well, Dewey being Dewey and one of the few people in my life that I let tell me what to do said....then <strong>you will talk to me about this</strong>. Be in my office at 5:15 on Tuesday. That was the beginning of many meetings, emails, and hours of long and often heart wrenching talks to finally find the bottom of this heart issue.<br /><br />It didn't take Dewey or I long to figure out where the lack of desire for children came from. Dewey is an awesome counselor and he knew the right questions to ask. He asked me all the hard questions and he kept asking until I answered every single one from the very depth of my heart. Because of the trust that he and I share I was able to completely share my heart and my life story with him. In the end...over about a two year period....God did two amazing things for me. He gave me one of the dearest friends of my life and He gave me the desire to have a family.<br /><br />I am not going to go into the issues that we found out or why they effected me the way that they did. Those things are deeply personal and will be told only on a one on one basis.<br /><br />I do want you to know that the reason I never wanted to have children has never had anything to do with Sandy. Sandy is the greatest gift from God I have ever been blessed with. He is an incredible man who loves God and he loves me. His heart belongs to me and mine belongs to him and the love we share is the definition of true love to me. He is my best friend, my lover, and the keeper of my heart. My love for Sandy is the only reason I ever wanted God to change my heart about having a family.<br /><br />Next up.....A Walk By The RiverTammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-23794059757861061562009-10-16T16:35:00.000-07:002009-10-18T18:19:51.543-07:00The Story Begins......This story....like most good or bad stories should start at the beginning..... but this story actually starts somewhere around the beginning . Sometimes there is a story within a story and that is what you are going hear in this post. My part of a story within a much bigger story that is not mine to tell.<br /><br />I think I was around 16 the first time I realized I didn't want to have a family. I'm not talking about parents or siblings or the immediate type family. I'm talking about not wanting to have a future with a husband.....children.... white picket fence... not even a ....DOG family. I was at a point in my life where I really felt insecure about the whole idea of family. My family had recently went through the pains of a divorce. Being the youngest child I spent my time going back and forth between my parents. Even though I was greatly supported and loved and always taken care of I never really felt like I belonged anywhere. I had a lot of trust issues. I put up a lot of walls and and barriers between myself and most people. I pretty much felt like I could stand on my own. With the exception of some really close friends, relationships were not something that I put a lot of stock or effort into.<br /><br />As I continued to grow up and move forward in my life these feelings really didn't change much for a really long time. I had become a very <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">independent</span> do things my way type person. I had a pretty tough exterior and it took a really long time for me to let people get close to me. I can say though that if you made it through that tough exterior you had the most loyal of friend in me.<br /><br />I know looking back now as an adult that all of that was just a way of protecting myself from getting hurt.... or from self <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">perceived</span> hurt. I knew and realized many times that the feelings that I had were not what my Heavenly Father wanted for my future....but I just didn't know how to or want to lay them down after so many years.<br /><br />So my Heavenly Father sent me the one I needed to tear the walls down.<br /><br />The turning point in my life is meeting up again with my Sandy. Sandy has been my friend since I was in the 8<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span></span> grade. He was my friend when all the stable consistent things in my life fell apart. He was always there with a tender hug and a loving heart when this lost little girl needed him.<br /><br />Sandy and I meet up again after losing touch for several years when I was in college and he was working in Atlanta. We happened (really it was a God ordained meeting)<strong> </strong>to both be home for the weekend and visiting our childhood church when we found each other again. That became a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">life changing</span> moment for both of us. It was the beginning of a great love story and it was the beginning of teaching my heart what the love of a man and family are all about.<br /><br />I said before I was tough and had a tough exterior.... but it only took a few phone calls and one incredible date to know that Sandy was my soul mate and that he would be my forever love. In fact, God told me at the end of our first date that I would marry Sandy. Seven months later we were engaged and 10 months after that we were married. Sandy is my very best friend and the true love of my life. He has consistently loved me, prayed for me, taken care of me, and taught me who God is and what the love of a man is all about. His love for me has taught me that trust is real and that walls come down when love overcomes fear.<br /><br />It's been over 16 years since God changed my heart about having a husband....it took many many more years before He began to change my heart about having a family.<br /><br /><br />The story continues......Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-58451332429579066302009-10-13T17:42:00.000-07:002009-10-13T21:27:28.028-07:00WE ARE ABOUT TO GET REAL"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"<br /><br />"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."<br /><br />"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.<br /><br />"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."<br /><br />"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"<br /><br />"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."<br /><br />"I suppose you are real?" said the Rabbit. And then he wished he had not said it, for he thought the Skin Horse might be sensitive. But the Skin Horse only smiled.<br /><br />(Taken from "The Velveteen Rabbit" )<br /><br />Sometimes being Real hurts. Sometimes it really hurts a lot. But being real makes you beautiful inside and out. Becoming real for me is and has been a really hard road. Being real means becoming who and what God wants me to be even when I don't understand Him or the process to get there. Being real means seeing myself truly the way I am and hopefully by the time I become completely "real" I will see myself as He really sees me and I will see Him as He really is.<br /><br />I am about to get really real with all of you on this blog. I am going to tell you the story of great growth and great pain. This will be an on going story and the moods will change as often as the pages of a good book. It won't always be easy to read. It may often be painful in fact. But it will be very very real and it will be the complete truth of how God is growing me and making me the woman he wants me to be.<br /><br />Please understand as we go along and you read this in process story that I am not looking for your sympathies. I do not expect you to have the answers I am looking for. I know that those answers will only come from God in His perfect time. I am going to write this story to help bring healing to myself and hopefully to others as the story unfolds. In the end may we all look back and see what God has done and give Him great glory because we have all become a little more real and because as is His promise.....He worked it all out for our good.<br /><br />Come back soon and hold on tight .... the story is about to begin......Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-88513755080079713282009-09-12T19:07:00.000-07:002009-09-12T19:56:23.032-07:00FriendsI'm Blessed!<br /><br />There is just no doubt in my mind that I am blessed beyond measure.<br /><br />I've been thinking over the last few days that I have some of the most amazing friends a person could ever ask for. I struggle to even put into words how totally overwhelmed I am by the blessing that I receive every single day of my life by my incredible friends.<br /><br />The thing is they are such a wide range of people and they cover a wide range of age groups and social status....and yet....they all fill a perfect niche in my life. Each and ever single one of you teach me the meaning of love, grace, truth, laughter, joy, peace, commitment, faithfulness, and I could just go on and on.<br /><br />My friends are my rocks. They stand beside me when my world is full of peace and joy...and they stand beside me when my heart is broken beyond words. They love me in the laughter and they love me in the silence. They know my heart and I know theirs.<br /><br />Recently, Sandy and I have been going through a difficult time in our life. Not anything that is an issue between he and I but something that is difficult that we are going through together. Our friends have just been amazing. The time and the prayers and the love they have poured into us has held us up when we could not stand on our own. Their love has and is helping us persevere in a way we could have never done without their strength.<br /><br />I have just been amazed at the people God has sent to us to share our lives. Whether it be long time friends who have been in our lives for years or new friends who already hold deep and special places in our hearts... I am just amazed at the blessings God has bestowed upon our lives.<br /><br />I have never been happier with the friends that share my life than I am at this time in my life. I am secure in knowing that whatever I face I will never walk alone. That is a blessing beyond description and a peace that can't be explained.<br /><br />I just wanted to say I'm thankful for all of you. Each and every one of you make my heart happy and my life complete.<br /><br />Thank you for your love and support and for all that you teach me each and every day.<br /><br />I love you beyond words,<br /><br />TammyTammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-193638047722204992009-07-16T18:44:00.000-07:002009-07-16T18:54:41.148-07:00Unexpected Answers<span style="font-family:georgia;">This is the latest writing to the Sunday Prayer team at EMC. </span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"> Good Morning friends,<br /><br /> Have you ever had your own words come back and bite you really good?<br /><br /> I don't mean just a little nip....but a bite so bad you probably need stitches? Well, that just happened to me. I just finished reading over the last thing I wrote to you which was about waiting.... and I think I need stitches.<br /><br /> Let me refresh your memory for a moment. I've been waiting for the answer to something for a long time now. It has been a tough time of waiting, seeking, whining, waiting, listening, and waiting. I told you some of the things that I have been learning in my waiting time...such as.... I'm not ready for the answer, waiting for the best takes time, He is renewing my strength - preparing me for the answer, and that all the pieces are not yet in place and I'm not seeing the whole picture.<br /><br /> All of that being said...I have made this statement. I will take whatever answer you give God....I just want an answer. Famous last words......<br /><br /> Several days ago I got my answer. If you look closely you can probably see the blood flow from there. What I mean is this...the answer was not at all what I expected and it cut me to my core. I'm talking complete and utter surprise, shock, hurt, disappointment, confusion, and pain. Do you hear what I'm saying? It was an answer I was not in the least bit prepared for. I've always heard God answers....yes, no, and not right now...... This is one of those answers that is not completely a no...but definitely a no to it working out according to MY plans.<br /><br /> So...now what? What do I do now that I have the answer and it's not the answer that I wanted? The truth is that I just do not have a clue. I'm at an utter loss at what to do at this point. I am doing all the usual things that you should do when you find yourself in a place like this. I've placed myself under the direction of my spiritual authorities and those who know and understand my heart the very best. There is a time of prayer, reflection, and direction seeking going on. But when it comes to me doing something I'm at a complete loss at the moment. In all truth, my heart is so hurt and confused that this prayer warrior can hardly even pray. However, one thing seems abundantly clear to me already...I am now in another period of waiting.<br /><br /> So here I am again...waiting. Waiting for direction, waiting for answers, waiting on Him. You see, the thing is this. Just because I now have an answer to what I was waiting on....that does not mean that His answer for me is complete. I had a plan for the way I thought things were going to work out and now I know that was not His plan. That means one of two things...that door is now closed...or He will answer in another way that will be better for me. So.... I wait.<br /><br /> Friends, I say all of that to say this. I take His answer. I have not and will not back up from that. I have not lost my faith and I am not angry at God. I am wounded and my heart hurts deeply. I'm disappointed and yet.....I CHOOSE HIM!! I CHOOSE HIM OVER MY WILL. My Father, my daddy, my God, always knows what is the best thing for me. Even beyond that He wants what is best for me. In this time of confusion... when I don't know what to do or what He is going to do .... I TRUST HIM!!! I TRUST HIM WITH ME.<br /><br /> It all comes down to this. I'm His. Sold out. Even when I don't understand His hand or see the plan He has for me...I'm His. I trust Him to bring me His best even if the road to get there is sometimes painful.<br /><br /> It's like Keith said last Sunday, we have to give it all up to Him. Let go of the 10% (or more ) that we hold onto. Lay it down. We cannot hold onto the things that hurt us or disappoint us without becoming slaves to them. If we are slaves to them we are not free to live Him.<br /><br /> I don't know if any of you are where I am right now or if you have been here before. If not, I can unfortunately assure you that at some point you will be in a place just like this. A place where you don't understand His answer or know what the next step is. I want to tell you even now that our God is real. He draws near when we hurt and He whispers peace beyond our understanding. He places the flicker of hope in our heart that grows into a mighty flame of expectation as we begin to look to Him for the next step, the next vision, the next dream. Because there always is one and His is always the best. <br /><br /> Things don't always turn out like we plan. That does not mean that they won't turn out even more perfectly ... in a different way. God is the master planner and His plan is always for our good. He has promised us a future and a hope. I'm trusting Him to bring it altogether for my life. <br /><br /> Will you trust Him with the best for your life too?</span>Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-73948843984116816472009-02-20T09:00:00.000-08:002009-05-11T18:39:10.693-07:00GROWING IS HARDI don't know about you, but I think growing up is hard. Growing in Christ is even harder.<br /><br />Lately, I've been really struggling with knowing what to do with the things that God gives me or teaches me. You see, over the last three or four years God has been majorly at work in my life. He has grown me up more in these last few years than in all my 34 years as a Christian. That's saying a lot isn't it? It makes me wonder what I was doing before.<br /><br />In the last few years, God has taught me so much about who He is and who I am. I have learned that you grow a great deal when you are struggling. It seems to be where I learn the most from Him. It seems there have been so many struggles that have come into my life that involve family, friends, church, work, and people that I don't even know. God has taken me from being a bench warmer to being a prayer warrior and it seems in no time flat. He has changed me from the inside out and I am and never will be .... who I was.<br /><br />I like the fact that God is growing me so very much, but I have to be completely honest and say... Growing is HARD!!!! I want so much to be a mighty warrior for God. I really do try to do my best... at least most of the time. However, I have to say that changing is hard and being changed by the great hand of the universe is even harder.<br /><br />Lately God has really been dealing with me about my life and who I am for Him. You see, I've always been this really independent person who stands on her own two feet. I feel like most of the time I know exactly what I need to do to take care of me. That usually involves doing just what I want when I want. To say that I'm stubborn is a great understatement.<br /><br />God has really been showing me that I need a change of mind set. That in essence means, I need to set my mind to the things that are of Him and Him alone. I need to live a life of holiness, honor, and respect for who He is and for who He has called me to be. I need to be intentional with how I live my life....every single day.<br /><br />Simple huh? Not at all. Necessary? <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Absolutely! I guess I'm becoming more and more aware that people watch my life and how I live. A few years ago if someone judged my life I would have quickly told them my thoughts on their opinions. It would have been ugly. Sandy has said more than once that I have no tact at all. Unfortunately, that is so true. But now my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">thoughts</span> just might be that their opinions could be right (could be.....) and probably are. My <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">thoughts</span> about representing Him are daily, almost moment by moment, changing the way that I live and think.</span><br /><br />I think that our time left on this earth is short friends. I think that I can no longer have the mentality that my life is all about me. God is constantly calling me to be a representative of Him in all that I do. He is constantly showing me, usually very quickly, where I make the wrong call or make the wrong decision. It's hard and it often hurts. It hurts when you fail the one you love doesn't it? People are watching me (all of us) every single day. Every single day, someone is looking to see Him in me or looking for me to fail Him. Every single day, I seem to do both.<br /><br />My life seems to be a constant battle between living a life that is representative of Him and living the life that is representative of me and my world. Every single day, I struggle to do the right thing or things. Every single day, He sends me <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">challenges</span> to stretch me, to grow me, and to show me that He expects more of me than I even knew I could give. Every single day, He opens my eyes a little more to who He is. Every single day, He grows me in Him. EVERY SINGLE DAY, IT IS HARD TO LET GO OF ME AND LIVE HIM.<br /><br />I think growth is a constant state of change. Growing is never finished. We grow by the encounters that we face every single day. Life grows us in good ways and hard ways and sometimes in painfully unbearable ways. Whatever these encounters are we grow. If we allow ourselves to look deeper at our circumstances, our lives, our world, we will see Jesus. If we grow enough.... others will see Jesus in us.<br /><br />The challenges that cause growth show us Jesus in a deeper way. They make us keep our eyes on Him and they form a intimate relationship between Him and us. All of the struggles are worth it in the end because we become more like Him. In becoming more like Him we show the world who He is by the lives that we live. When the world sees Jesus in us... lives are forever changed...theirs and ours...and He is forever honored.<br /><br />Growing is still really hard though.....................Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-50141790239397450472008-12-22T19:37:00.000-08:002008-12-23T05:29:57.020-08:00The Prayer Warrior Gets Some Beautiful Armor<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SVBx3djKDQI/AAAAAAAAAg4/b1CdutZvnco/s1600-h/IMG_6888.JPG"></a><div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-size:130%;">Have you ever received a gift that just touched you to your very soul? I got one of the most touching and amazing gifts I have ever received in my life this past weekend.<br /><br />Most of you know that over the last two or three years God has really turned me into a heavy duty prayer warrior for him. Now before you think that I am bragging let me say right up front that I am not. What I mean to say is that God has captured my heart in such a way that my life is an ongoing prayer <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">re pore</span> with him. Often even when I am sleeping he is talking to my spirit. It is both a wonderful and difficult thing for me. Wonderful in that I love the time that we get to spend talking with each other. It is personal and it is tender and life changing. It is difficult in that I often learn and hear more than I know what to do with or how to process. I am very often in way over my head.<br /><br />I have been blessed to be able to head up our prayer team at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">EMC</span> for the last couple of years. These are a group of amazing people and God uses them to teach me and his church just how powerful the power of prayer is. We have seen incredible things happen because of their dedication and prayers. I have been blessed to work prayer on a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Tres</span> Dias weekend. I saw lives change including mine because of that <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">privilege</span>. I have been blessed to pray in many wonderful and amazing and extremely difficult situations. I am by no means a master.... but prayer is the greatest <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">calling</span> of my heart.<br /><br />The reason I say all of that is because you need to understand how very much prayer is my life to understand how much this gift touched me to my soul. I am by no means a materialistic person. Having and giving things really does not impress me very much. The kind of gifts that I like to receive are gifts that I know someone really thought who I am before they bought or made them. Those are the kind of gifts that show it was about blessing me and not just about giving a gift.<br /><br />My friend Beth gave me an incredibly gift this past weekend. She has been working on it for over a year. It is only the second time I ever remember receiving a gift that touched me so deeply that it brought tears to my eyes and left me speechless. I still am emotional just thinking and looking at this gift.<br /><br />Beth gave me a tallit. A prayer shawl. Armor for the prayer warrior to wear when she is in deep prayer and mighty warfare. She made it herself and she had Tamara's mom-in-law monagram it with the words I usually always sign my writings to the prayer team with " Love, Pray, Serve" along with a cross and the words "Our Father" written around the shoulders. It is the most beautiful prayer shawl I have ever seen.<br /><br />This gift honored me by celebrating one the greatest loves of my life....Prayer.<br /><br />I had to publically thank her and I had to show you this beautiful gift she blessed me with. It will have a place of honor in my prayer room at home and it will get used often.<br /><br />Thank you Beth. You blessed me by knowing what the greatest love of my heart is. I love you dearly! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. It touched me to the depth of my soul.<br /><br />Check out this beautiful gift. The pictures don't do it justice.<br /><br />Tammy<br /><br />P.S. I love all of you!!! Blessings and Merry Christmas!!!</span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;">My Tallit Prayer Shawl</span></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SVBx3BT9zDI/AAAAAAAAAgw/5zJ0OCwd50w/s1600-h/IMG_6887.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282847552964512818" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SVBx3BT9zDI/AAAAAAAAAgw/5zJ0OCwd50w/s320/IMG_6887.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;">Pray like this... Our Father....</span></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SVBx2VJYfEI/AAAAAAAAAgg/eOKJ9QftTSo/s1600-h/img_6874.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282847541108964418" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SVBx2VJYfEI/AAAAAAAAAgg/eOKJ9QftTSo/s320/img_6874.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;">Make a difference. Love, Pray, Serve</span></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SVBx2CnIYpI/AAAAAAAAAgY/-e_Bt5QiR7c/s1600-h/IMG_6872.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282847536133464722" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SVBx2CnIYpI/AAAAAAAAAgY/-e_Bt5QiR7c/s320/IMG_6872.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div></div></div></div></div></div>Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-7375732833901632742008-11-14T08:38:00.000-08:002008-11-15T07:20:56.546-08:00Happy Birthday Nipper And Happy Fall Y'all<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SR2tserA0bI/AAAAAAAAAgI/ZVtz4a5WlzA/s1600-h/IMG_5735.JPG"></a><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Nipper's 11th Birthday</span></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SR2trq56gHI/AAAAAAAAAgA/QQ8B32VWpRk/s1600-h/IMG_6246.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268558104856526962" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SR2trq56gHI/AAAAAAAAAgA/QQ8B32VWpRk/s320/IMG_6246.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Well, I finally decided to come back an revisit my lonely blog. I would like to thank whoever got me hooked on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">FaceBook</span> for the fact that my blog is getting ignored. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">FaceBook</span> is addictive and if anyone asks you to join....shut your computer down and run away as quickly as you can.....Just kidding! I've been busy and not taken any time to write and I'm way behind on my updates. This blog is about Fall and Nipper's birthday. There are many more things to come soon .....I hope.</span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Have you been enjoying the fall this year? I have just been mesmerized by the foliage. It has been so beautiful that I have taken to keeping my camera in the car so I can take some pictures along the way. Everywhere I go I am just taken in by the beautiful colors. It makes me realize what a masterful artist our Heavenly Father is.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Here are a few photos of the fall colors in my neighborhood.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div></div><div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Our house in the sunlight</span><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SR2ttqbCRzI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/pKJ2zwubX4c/s1600-h/IMG_5738.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268558139086751538" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SR2ttqbCRzI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/pKJ2zwubX4c/s320/IMG_5738.JPG" border="0" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;">Isn't that pretty?</span></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SR2rQxp8iyI/AAAAAAAAAew/au5rGJsDHdM/s1600-h/IMG_6187.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268555443788876578" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SR2rQxp8iyI/AAAAAAAAAew/au5rGJsDHdM/s320/IMG_6187.JPG" border="0" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;">These maples are beautiful every year</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SR2rSbWQ8-I/AAAAAAAAAfQ/PrOWw9apTqI/s1600-h/IMG_6217.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268555472160486370" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SR2rSbWQ8-I/AAAAAAAAAfQ/PrOWw9apTqI/s320/IMG_6217.JPG" border="0" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;">Nipper in my birthday present...a new swing </span><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SR2rRXThAmI/AAAAAAAAAfA/LSX-_RZjGlQ/s1600-h/IMG_6205.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268555453895344738" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SR2rRXThAmI/AAAAAAAAAfA/LSX-_RZjGlQ/s320/IMG_6205.JPG" border="0" /></span></a></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Yesterday was Nipper's 11th birthday and I just want to say what all of you already know...I love my little guy with all my heart and I'm very thankful for him!!! He has had a rough year this past year and I am thankful that God allowed him to get better and allowed me keep him a while longer. I appreciate every single day! </span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Below are some pictures of Nipper with his new bone and toy. He was very excited. You can say to Nipper...I have a "present" for you and he gets so excited and starts jumping up and down. He knows exactly what that word means. (Could be cause he gets lots of presents....).</span> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></strong></div><div><strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></strong></div><div><strong><em><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></em></strong></div><div><strong><em><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></em></strong></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><em><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div><em><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></em></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Can I bite this?</span><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SR2seu3oTmI/AAAAAAAAAf4/vljU3w_CD_w/s1600-h/IMG_6244.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268556783070760546" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SR2seu3oTmI/AAAAAAAAAf4/vljU3w_CD_w/s320/IMG_6244.JPG" border="0" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;">Tasty!</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SR2seMaSZOI/AAAAAAAAAfw/bB7iCsvude8/s1600-h/IMG_6243.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268556773820884194" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SR2seMaSZOI/AAAAAAAAAfw/bB7iCsvude8/s320/IMG_6243.JPG" border="0" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;">Tennis ball barbell....a good workout!<br /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SR2sc61MgXI/AAAAAAAAAfo/dmSPvytXYl0/s1600-h/IMG_6232.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268556751922037106" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SR2sc61MgXI/AAAAAAAAAfo/dmSPvytXYl0/s320/IMG_6232.JPG" border="0" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;">Nipper's new bone</span></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SR2sbI4jORI/AAAAAAAAAfY/Fwzq-FfKyT4/s1600-h/IMG_6220.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268556721334466834" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SR2sbI4jORI/AAAAAAAAAfY/Fwzq-FfKyT4/s320/IMG_6220.JPG" border="0" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;">Chewing away...</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SR2sb-h6UTI/AAAAAAAAAfg/g_-sITBDPvk/s1600-h/IMG_6221.JPG"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268556735735025970" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SR2sb-h6UTI/AAAAAAAAAfg/g_-sITBDPvk/s320/IMG_6221.JPG" border="0" /></span></a></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Look for a blog on my birthday beach trip in the near future.<br /><br /><br />Tammy</span></div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-84821229581301898562008-10-13T09:01:00.000-07:002008-10-13T16:38:55.302-07:00NIPPER UPDATE #2<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN2183JPfI/AAAAAAAAAX8/Fz4Ld-Xe3TE/s1600-h/IMG_5713.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256675859314064882" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN2183JPfI/AAAAAAAAAX8/Fz4Ld-Xe3TE/s320/IMG_5713.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Isn't he precious?<br /></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN22ECMyZI/AAAAAAAAAYM/r6zrgfMKUz8/s1600-h/IMG_5719.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256675861239482770" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN22ECMyZI/AAAAAAAAAYM/r6zrgfMKUz8/s320/IMG_5719.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Want to play rope?<br /></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN22ZPWsVI/AAAAAAAAAYU/iv0g9n0oW5U/s1600-h/IMG_5720.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256675866931802450" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN22ZPWsVI/AAAAAAAAAYU/iv0g9n0oW5U/s320/IMG_5720.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">All smiles</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Several of you have asked me lately how Nipper is doing so I thought I'd give you a brief update. </span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">I took Nipper to the vet last Friday for a re-check on his head and to have his liver enzymes tested. Nipper has had a liver problem for several years and I have to have his enzymes tested every few months. He got a really great report. Dr. Moore said the place on his head looks fine. It is still pink and there is still a small knot there but it doesn't seem to be causing him any problems. He has also not had any problems with limping since we treated him with the ointment. So he is pretty much convinced that the problem was an infected gland. At this point we are just going to leave it alone unless he starts to have problems with it again. Nipper seems to be feeling fine now and is back to his silly puppy dog self. Most of his hair had grown back in on his face where they shaved it...so he is about back to my little handsome guy again. </span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Thank you all for asking about him and for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers while he was sick. It means the world to me that you care enough about me to worry about him. :o) </span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">I love you guys, </span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Tammy </span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">P.S. Nipper got a great report on him liver enzymes...2 of the 3 that they always check where in the normal range. That has not happened in several years.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Now that he is better I'll show you some of the pictures. Can you see why I was worried?</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN1QSvizXI/AAAAAAAAAXk/BuWegNK5XBY/s1600-h/IMG_5586.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256674112841108850" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN1QSvizXI/AAAAAAAAAXk/BuWegNK5XBY/s320/IMG_5586.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Doesn't that look awful?<br /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN1QA-JcpI/AAAAAAAAAXc/hejvEmukES0/s1600-h/IMG_5584.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256674108070523538" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN1QA-JcpI/AAAAAAAAAXc/hejvEmukES0/s320/IMG_5584.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">My poor little guy!!</span><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN1Qp_CR0I/AAAAAAAAAXs/CAZQmlIGzYs/s1600-h/IMG_5588.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256674119080101698" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN1Qp_CR0I/AAAAAAAAAXs/CAZQmlIGzYs/s320/IMG_5588.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">He still wanted to play....<br /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN1QBIxpxI/AAAAAAAAAXU/g9ROWDmeRJ8/s1600-h/IMG_5683.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256674108115101458" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN1QBIxpxI/AAAAAAAAAXU/g9ROWDmeRJ8/s320/IMG_5683.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Getting better.....</span><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN1Q1rxJaI/AAAAAAAAAX0/h9L-OtWQgyc/s1600-h/IMG_5682.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256674122220512674" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN1Q1rxJaI/AAAAAAAAAX0/h9L-OtWQgyc/s320/IMG_5682.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">And better.....<br /></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN3vXQpypI/AAAAAAAAAYs/lfmsVM2_t18/s1600-h/IMG_5725.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256676845652920978" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN3vXQpypI/AAAAAAAAAYs/lfmsVM2_t18/s320/IMG_5725.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Much better now.....</span><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN3vkXGtUI/AAAAAAAAAY0/Xdf8BZLBGzQ/s1600-h/IMG_5726.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256676849169642818" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN3vkXGtUI/AAAAAAAAAY0/Xdf8BZLBGzQ/s320/IMG_5726.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Feeling fine and ready to play</span><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN3wJD0Q9I/AAAAAAAAAY8/aS1qLuxEvLk/s1600-h/IMG_5728.JPG"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN2298QVgI/AAAAAAAAAYc/4UND0idtmok/s1600-h/IMG_5722.JPG"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN3u230GeI/AAAAAAAAAYk/IC8fGkcODkY/s1600-h/IMG_5724.JPG"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN22A0pC7I/AAAAAAAAAYE/TbkRj8lZwM0/s1600-h/IMG_5714.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256675860377308082" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SPN22A0pC7I/AAAAAAAAAYE/TbkRj8lZwM0/s320/IMG_5714.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Handsome as ever!!!</span>Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-4353490463136156132008-09-30T20:00:00.000-07:002008-09-30T20:52:08.705-07:00I REALLY AM IT!!!<span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">I got tagged by Shana.....<br /><br />Rules: Each player answers the question themselves. At the end of the post the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment letting them know that they've been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person that tagged you know when you've answered the questions on your blog.<br /><br />10 years ago I:<br />1. Was 30 years old (where did the time go?)<br />2. Had been married 5 years<br />3. Was skinny too Shana :-)<br />4. Got my dog Nipper for Christmas<br />5. Thought 40 was old (not anymore!)<br /><br />5 things on today's "to do" list:<br />1. Go to work<br />2. Feed and walk Nipper<br />3. Get groceries<br />4. Iron clothes for tomorrow<br />5. Update my blog<br /><br />5 snacks I enjoy:<br />1. Ice Cream<br />2. Chips with ranch dip<br />3. Cereal<br />4. Chocolate (anything)<br />5. Cookies<br /><br />5 things I would do if I were a millionaire:<br />1. Pay off my house<br />2. Buy a beach house<br />3. Pay off my parents houses<br />4. Pay on the building fund at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">EMC</span><br />5. Travel a lot<br /><br />5 places I have lived:<br />1. Dalton, GA<br />2. Stone Mountain, GA<br />3. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Vinings</span>, GA<br />4. Atlanta, GA<br />5. Rocky Face, GA<br /><br />5 jobs I have had:<br />1. Vet <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">assistant</span> at Dalton Animal Care - I was 12<br />2. Sales clerk at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Baskin</span> Robbins<br />3. Sales clerk at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Proffitt's</span><br />4. Customer Service Rep at World Carpet<br />5. Customer Service Rep at Oriental Weavers<br /><br /><br />The rules say I have to tag 5 people.<br />So I'll tag:<br />1. Marilyn<br />2. Cyndi R.<br />3. Tamara<br />4. Brandi<br />5. Jennifer</span>Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-44977472686419562132008-09-26T08:57:00.000-07:002008-09-28T17:47:00.790-07:00CASTING CROWNS<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOAdEv01-JI/AAAAAAAAAXE/qG5bjNP4KYU/s1600-h/img_5666.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251229132908787858" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOAdEv01-JI/AAAAAAAAAXE/qG5bjNP4KYU/s320/img_5666.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Last Saturday night we went to see Casting Crowns at the world famous Dalton Trade Center. I know, I, too, was amazed that we could get tickets to this most famous place...but we did. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">We had a total of 27 (I think that is right) from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">EMC</span> attend the concert. Several from the youth, the 30's & 40's...and a couple of those rocking 50's. It was great fun. Several of us met early for dinner at Chili's....it was great but they are <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">soooooo</span> slow. Then we headed over and got in the big long line. The doors were to open at 6:00 with the show starting at 7:00. We were in line by about 5:15 and it was already long. Thankfully, they decided to open the doors a little early and we were able to go in around 5:45. We had general admission tickets so we all rushed to the front to get seats. We ended up in about the 12<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">th</span> & 13<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">th</span> rows I think. We had really great seats. The ushers did get onto us several times about saving seats....but in the end we all ended up together on these two rows. (We only made about 6 people feel so guilty for sitting in our row and taking up our seats that they moved.... 6 out of 3000 to 4000 people is not bad is it???) Oh well, we just like to be together don't we guys? </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The warm-up band was a group called Four Days Late ( we had several ideas about what this name meant and some were not good....<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">haha</span>). They are friends of Eric & Angie's from college. They were great! And they are a true rock band.....LOUD!!!! But we really liked them a lot. We are hopeful that since J103 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">sponsored</span> the concert that they will start playing some of their music. Request them if you think of it. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Then after a break it was time for Casting Crowns. What can I say except they were awesome and we love their music. They put on a great show. Everyone had to stand up and sing along.</span> <span style="font-size:130%;">It was so good to see so many people of all ages supporting Christian music. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">We all had a great time. It was good to see great show and hang out with our friends. Below are some of the pictures from our evening out.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOASifRX6iI/AAAAAAAAATE/oZOmqfNB8jw/s1600-h/img_5634.jpg"></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOASigrfjFI/AAAAAAAAATM/1rx7SL3Iutk/s1600-h/img_5635.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251217549611207762" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOASigrfjFI/AAAAAAAAATM/1rx7SL3Iutk/s320/img_5635.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The long line<br /></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOASjGIfSII/AAAAAAAAATU/IH2Zyf6Umn0/s1600-h/img_5636.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251217559664937090" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOASjGIfSII/AAAAAAAAATU/IH2Zyf6Umn0/s320/img_5636.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Lacey nursing Laura who got stung by a bee<br /></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOASjPfv3pI/AAAAAAAAATc/DWQZ9-1XN4M/s1600-h/img_5637.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251217562178412178" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOASjPfv3pI/AAAAAAAAATc/DWQZ9-1XN4M/s320/img_5637.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOAUIle59aI/AAAAAAAAAWM/zHYQe2NMtdQ/s1600-h/img_5674.jpg"></a><span style="font-size:130%;">Waiting for the show<br /></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOAUI59sXtI/AAAAAAAAAWU/UgYTQFW_pPU/s1600-h/img_5675.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251219308745088722" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOAUI59sXtI/AAAAAAAAAWU/UgYTQFW_pPU/s320/img_5675.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Sarah & Keith<br /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOATwW2zDQI/AAAAAAAAAVs/SSW3PyRY460/s1600-h/img_5670.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251218887004065026" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOATwW2zDQI/AAAAAAAAAVs/SSW3PyRY460/s320/img_5670.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Keith & Tamara<br /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOATwQTHJxI/AAAAAAAAAV8/0Hc7oe2K_ho/s1600-h/img_5672.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251218885243774738" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOATwQTHJxI/AAAAAAAAAV8/0Hc7oe2K_ho/s320/img_5672.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Marisa & Jon<br /></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOAS1xHHBLI/AAAAAAAAATk/rAIpXcmpTpo/s1600-h/img_5639.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251217880439522482" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOAS1xHHBLI/AAAAAAAAATk/rAIpXcmpTpo/s320/img_5639.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Marilyn & Kurt<br /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOAS2cev9xI/AAAAAAAAAT0/d6PnQNZBLL0/s1600-h/img_5641.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251217892081399570" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOAS2cev9xI/AAAAAAAAAT0/d6PnQNZBLL0/s320/img_5641.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Jennifer & Wade<br /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOAS2ecr6EI/AAAAAAAAAUE/fmRYGor22ns/s1600-h/img_5647.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251217892609615938" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOAS2ecr6EI/AAAAAAAAAUE/fmRYGor22ns/s320/img_5647.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Four Days Late<br /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOATaaznegI/AAAAAAAAAU0/-mDcFONW6VA/s1600-h/img_5655.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251218510107343362" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOATaaznegI/AAAAAAAAAU0/-mDcFONW6VA/s320/img_5655.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">They were <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">sooooo</span> loud!!!<br /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOATHjNuxfI/AAAAAAAAAUs/TnJ5PJQH-aM/s1600-h/img_5654.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251218185946842610" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOATHjNuxfI/AAAAAAAAAUs/TnJ5PJQH-aM/s320/img_5654.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">He was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">jammin</span>'<br /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOATHKuAgkI/AAAAAAAAAUU/a3JtZuwGNQs/s1600-h/img_5650.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251218179371336258" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOATHKuAgkI/AAAAAAAAAUU/a3JtZuwGNQs/s320/img_5650.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOAS2Rxcq5I/AAAAAAAAAT8/D7gMklBhV2c/s1600-h/img_5646.jpg"></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Watching the show<br /></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOAUJFhq6WI/AAAAAAAAAWk/R-yEguXxnDo/s1600-h/img_5677.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251219311848778082" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOAUJFhq6WI/AAAAAAAAAWk/R-yEguXxnDo/s320/img_5677.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Casting Crowns<br /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOATamf-dNI/AAAAAAAAAVE/AGV1wm0JjGY/s1600-h/img_5665.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251218513246188754" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOATamf-dNI/AAAAAAAAAVE/AGV1wm0JjGY/s320/img_5665.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Praising God</span><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOAUwWmPZ7I/AAAAAAAAAW0/44pVlm2p0qs/s1600-h/img_5680.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251219986446247858" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOAUwWmPZ7I/AAAAAAAAAW0/44pVlm2p0qs/s320/img_5680.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">She was good!!!<br /></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOATaorvhaI/AAAAAAAAAU8/VwMyl0jLyJI/s1600-h/img_5663.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251218513832412578" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOATaorvhaI/AAAAAAAAAU8/VwMyl0jLyJI/s320/img_5663.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Love the words in the background<br /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOAdEoQ65NI/AAAAAAAAAXM/xvhnRUSerso/s1600-h/img_5679.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251229130879067346" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOAdEoQ65NI/AAAAAAAAAXM/xvhnRUSerso/s320/img_5679.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SOATbSGA-KI/AAAAAAAAAVU/oLcjH-LISAE/s1600-h/img_5667.jpg"></a><span style="font-size:130%;">They Rock!!! </span><br /><p><span style="font-size:130%;">We had a rockin' good time and were home by 10:00. Don't you just love small town America?</span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;">Tammy</span></p>Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-75793662545818927062008-09-14T18:07:00.000-07:002008-09-22T16:30:12.711-07:00FEAR - UPDATE<span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><strong>Update: I took Nipper back to the vet last Friday. He had finished up his <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">meds</span> on Thursday. Our vet, Dr. Moore, checked the place on Nipper's face and said that it was not as hard as it had been before. He wanted us to stop the ointment and watch the place and see what happens over the next several days. If the place begins to get red or infected looking or begins to swell up we have to start the ointment again. He did say that since it had gone down some and was not hard like before that he still believes it is a gland problem. That is much better than him thinking it is a tumor or cancer any day!!!!</strong></span><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">It's been 4 days since Nipper has had any ointment or medication. He is doing well. The place does not appear to have gone down any more than before...but I am wondering if it may have always been as big as it is right now but covered with hair. He has always had a big brow above his eyes...and this place is right where his eyebrow is...I think. It's hard to tell since only one side of his face is shaved. I guess I will just have to wait and see how it looks once the hair grows completely back in. He seems to be feeling good and he has not been limping since we started the ointment 2 1/2 weeks ago. The place on his face is pink and does turn red occasionally...but usually when he is up running around...so I think that is just the blood flowing into his brow.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">I am hopeful that he is fine. I will be watching his every move until I know for sure.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Thank you for praying for Nipper and for me and for asking about him. Most of you know how in love with Nipper I am and I appreciate you sharing my concern for my little guy. You are my true friends and I know I can can share my heart with you anytime. I will keep you updated as we go along.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">I love you guys,</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Tammy </span></strong><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><strong>Are you ever afraid? I don't mean just a little bit afraid....I mean mind numbing, life consuming fear? Do you ever have a problem with trust? Do you ever doubt that God can or will do the right thing by you?<br /><br />That is where I have lived my life for the last three weeks.<br /><br />Nipper has a place that has come up on his forehead that our vet has been treating for three weeks. They are not sure at this point what the problem is. They seem to think that it may be a gland but it has also been mentioned that is could be a tumor or cancer. It looks like a big red knot right against his left eye. He was also limping on his left front foot. Our vet Dr. Moore said that if this is a gland it could be what is causing the limping since it is on the same side.<br /><br />They put him on a two week course of antibiotics and anti-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">inflammatories</span></span> and they did not seem to help much at all. As you might imagine during these two weeks I was consumed with worry about Nipper. My mind ran the whole gambit of thinking ...what if this is something more serious than a gland? What if this is a tumor? What if this is cancer? And the very worst thing of all...What if this is what takes Nipper from my life? It was consuming to my whole thought pattern every single moment.<br /><br />During this time I poured my heart out to God every waking moment. And God in is graciousness reminded me over and over of all the times that he had protected and healed Nipper. There have been many times that Nipper has been sick with dangerous things. There have been many times that he has done crazy things that could have killed him. During every single thing God has protected him and allowed him to be healed. He has given us wonderful doctors and staff who have treated and taken care of Nipper when he was in need. He has over and over been Nippers healer.<br /><br />During this time my precious Father constantly brought calming scripture into my mind when I was afraid. He even brought the song....I am the Lord his (I know it's usually your but I heard his) healer to my mind constantly. That would calm me for a little while and then my fear would return.<br /><br />I took Nipper for a re-check after two weeks of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">meds</span></span> and there was very little improvement. Dr. Moore called me and said that he was now concerned it could be a tumor and wanted to remove this place. Talk about putting fear into my heart....that really did. I told him he could praying that if it was a tumor or cancer that we had caught it early. Shortly after that Dr. Moore called me again and said once he had sedated Nipper and shaved his forehead he found about six small spots instead of one and one <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">additional</span> place close to the other eye. Seeing several places made him more convinced it is a gland problem so he didn't cut the place out. That was a huge relief to me.<br /><br />He decided to do another two weeks of the anti-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">inflammatories</span></span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">antibiotics</span> and he added an ointment to be rubbed on those spots every day. The ointment is a deep <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">follicle</span> flush to clean out any bacteria that may be clogging up the gland. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">ointment</span> does seem to be making a difference. After a couple of days Nipper stopped limping and the place on his head seems to look better. It is not gone but I think it looks better. He still has four more days of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">meds</span></span> to take and then he will have to go back for another re-check.<br /><br />I do not know at this point if Nipper is okay or not. I know that my heart hopes for the best and I know that God has the power to heal him. I know that God has healed him many times in the past. I know the memories and the scripture and the song to calm my spirit came from him. I even know that God will never take Nipper from me until it is time for him to go.<br /><br />YET....I AM STILL AFRAID.<br /><br />Do you ever feel this way when facing something that is a great fear in your life? Like loss...of anything that you love with your whole heart. Be that an animal, a person, your job, your dreams...or whatever it might be. Are you ever consumed by what the loss of this _______ would do to your whole life? Do you trust God to have full control of the things that mean everything to you?<br /><br />Give me your thoughts.<br /><br />Tammy</strong></span>Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-46873386903536187822008-08-16T16:34:00.000-07:002008-08-18T16:18:29.388-07:00A Lifetime Of Service...A Dream Trip Reward<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKicFPglkyI/AAAAAAAAAQE/DUNbE1oUR3g/s1600-h/d&j+holding+flag.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235606180694692642" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKicFPglkyI/AAAAAAAAAQE/DUNbE1oUR3g/s320/d%26j+holding+flag.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Dewey & Jo holding the Italian flag<br /></span><div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">July 27<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span></span></span></span> was a very significant day in the life of our Dalton <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">EMC</span></span></span></span> church. This was the final Sunday that Dewey was our Pastor. Dewey had been approached the previous fall about running for the District <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Superintendent</span> position of our denominations Southern Conference. After seeking God and the counsel of his family and mentors Dewey resigned our church last November. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">The actual election for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">DS</span></span></span></span> job was not scheduled to be until this past June. We were blessed that during the time between last November and July Dewey remained our Pastor. This was a tender and sweet time for our <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">congregation. God showed up in many wonderful and significant ways. There was such an anointed spirit on the church during this time. Our services were filled with powerful preaching, music, and the power of the Holy Spirit. It was a time of renewal, healing, and restoration for our Pastor, our families, and the church as a whole. It has been a special time for us and I feel like God brought the final cap to a healing that had been coming for about two years. We are now a true family in every sense of the word. I am so thankful to God for giving us this special time. It will always be a treasured time in my life.</span> </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Dewey and Jo have worked in ministry for over 35 years. They were our leaders for 16 of those years. They have been faithful servants to our Father and to us for a very long time. I know all of us have many precious memories of them over the years. It wouldn't take long for any of us to come up with a Dewey or Jo story I'm sure. Don't they just make you smile or laugh sometimes? Does anyone talk to you like they are your Father better than Dewey?? (That voice and hair make you want to spill your heart don't they?) Can anyone talk you into doing anything better than Jo?? (Beloved, can you??? smile, I love you....you are so wonderful). It is like Harry says....when Jo says "could you?" you say to yourself...why didn't I already do that? I know also that every single one of us can think of a time that they have stood with us during a difficult or wonderful time. They are a huge part of us and they have shared our lives for a very long time.</span> </span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Over the years we have <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">often</span> heard Dewey & Jo mention that one of their dreams has always been to visit Italy. We have heard them mention the places they wanted to go and we have seen that far away look in their eyes when they talk about going there. Our church family decided that as a way to honor them for their time with us that we would try to raise the money to send them on their dream trip to Italy. We set a goal of $7000 and we had only 3 1/2 weeks to raise that amount. It was such a fun time. Every day e-mails were going back and forth with everyone wanting to know how much we had raised. Everyone gave so <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">generously</span> and with great love. God greatly blessed and in the end we were able to raise $10,770. It still just amazes me. God is so good!!!</span> </span></span></div><br /><div><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">The 27<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">th</span></span></span> was a big day. It was a day filled with many emotions. Mike roasted Dewey in the greeting... (three-ring binder, blended worship, old <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Episcopal</span> priest...enough said). Dewey preached his final sermon to us as our Pastor. We had the table and a time of worship. Then to to finish out the day we had a time to honor Dewey & Jo. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Renny</span></span></span> prayed for Dewey & Jo at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">kneeler</span></span></span> surrounded by their family and our hearts. Then we saw a wonderful video that Earl made from the photos that the congregation has sent in of their memories of Dewey and Jo over the years. Then <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Glo</span></span></span> presented a 12 piece setting of the "Feeding on the Word" china from the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">women's</span> ministry. Then Lynn presented Dewey with some official <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">DS</span></span></span> glasses....glasses and sunglasses like Laurens. That was funny! We gave our Thank <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Yous</span> and our blessing and then the real fun started. We presented them with some beautiful wind chimes that Ronnie & Brenda had found in Kentucky. The chimes are supposed to sound like distant church bells and they are supposed to sound like our church chimes. May they remind them of us every time the wind blows. Then it was time for the big trip presentation. Brad started the music (an Italian march) and then several of our friends came marching in with posters that showed different places in Italy. They marched up onto the podium briefly stopping to show Dewey & Jo each one. Then came Laura with the basket of travel brochures and Italian goodies. After that their <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">grand kids</span> came in holding the Italian flag. While they were still trying to figure out what was going on ...we yelled and told them they were going to Italy. Sandy finished us up by presenting them with the large Publishers Clearing House Check with the value of their trip on it. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected">It was the first time I have ever seen Dewey speechless and I don't think Jo's feet have hit the ground yet. (I'm pretty sure she still goes home and wears that Italian flag every day). They were greatly surprised and honored and we hope they never forget the depth of our love for them. From what I hear plans are already in the works for a trip next spring or fall. We also had a lunch after the service and everyone enjoyed hanging out and eating together. It was a great day of celebrating our friends.</span> </span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Tammy </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">A special note to my precious friends (family) Dewey & Jo, </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Dewey & Jo (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Maximus</span></span> & Alexandria Alexis), I truly love both of you more than <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">mere</span> words could express. I am thankful that I have been here for 14 of your 16 years. I am even more thankful that we have become really close friends over the last few years. You know my heart and I know yours. You are both such incredible warriors for our Father and being friends with you has shown me who he is in a deeper way. You are both my hero's! </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">I know that God is going to bless both of you as you go forward in this new <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">endeavour</span> that he has for you. I know that he still has big plans for you because our Father knows he can count on you and our Father doesn't think small. I know that he is going to continue to use you to show the world who he is. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">I'm also so thankful that you get to stay here with us!!! </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">I Love You Both, </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Tammy</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKidJDLF9oI/AAAAAAAAAR8/f1bqOvkGJaY/s1600-h/prayer+for+dewey+&+jo.jpg"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235607345614419586" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKidJDLF9oI/AAAAAAAAAR8/f1bqOvkGJaY/s320/prayer+for+dewey+%26+jo.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Dewey & Jo with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Renny</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKidJLGNCwI/AAAAAAAAAR0/0z3VlioRQQg/s1600-h/prayer+for+dewey+&+jo-+family.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235607347741395714" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKidJLGNCwI/AAAAAAAAAR0/0z3VlioRQQg/s320/prayer+for+dewey+%26+jo-+family.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Renny</span> praying for Dewey & Jo</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKic0iofDCI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/F72j6ihKqhA/s1600-h/Glo+,+Dewey+&+jo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235606993281944610" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKic0iofDCI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/F72j6ihKqhA/s320/Glo+,+Dewey+%26+jo.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Glo</span> presenting the china</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKicYsW_hlI/AAAAAAAAAQc/JhTNHz0zOOs/s1600-h/d&j+opening+china.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235606514856592978" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKicYsW_hlI/AAAAAAAAAQc/JhTNHz0zOOs/s320/d%26j+opening+china.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Opening the china<br /></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKicYQb1AWI/AAAAAAAAAQU/_EbiUPiDL94/s1600-h/d&j+opening+china+#2.jpg"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235606507360682338" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKicYQb1AWI/AAAAAAAAAQU/_EbiUPiDL94/s320/d%26j+opening+china+%232.jpg" border="0" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Still opening the china...</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKicEkAUgCI/AAAAAAAAAP0/v9D1lpDK6Qw/s1600-h/d&j+china+open.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235606169016631330" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKicEkAUgCI/AAAAAAAAAP0/v9D1lpDK6Qw/s320/d%26j+china+open.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">The Feeding on the Word china</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKicYxRDeSI/AAAAAAAAAQs/Hy0WtJWwixM/s1600-h/dewey+laurens+glasses.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235606516173863202" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKicYxRDeSI/AAAAAAAAAQs/Hy0WtJWwixM/s320/dewey+laurens+glasses.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">The "Official" <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">DS</span> glasses</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKicYBJ_nvI/AAAAAAAAAQM/YMYDmDhK8Bc/s1600-h/D&J+laughing.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235606503259348722" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKicYBJ_nvI/AAAAAAAAAQM/YMYDmDhK8Bc/s320/D%26J+laughing.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Opening the wind chimes</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKiddXz3xXI/AAAAAAAAASc/t2W5BwuV2_A/s1600-h/wind+chimes+cross.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235607694751548786" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKiddXz3xXI/AAAAAAAAASc/t2W5BwuV2_A/s320/wind+chimes+cross.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">The wind chimes with stained glass cross</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKidI0zoJKI/AAAAAAAAARs/Igbg9E7Hzek/s1600-h/posters.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235607341757899938" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKidI0zoJKI/AAAAAAAAARs/Igbg9E7Hzek/s320/posters.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">The Italy posters</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKidd43J7xI/AAAAAAAAASk/n9ubzZ59diI/s1600-h/zane+poster.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235607703623692050" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKidd43J7xI/AAAAAAAAASk/n9ubzZ59diI/s320/zane+poster.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">The presenter and more posters</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKicE869PwI/AAAAAAAAAP8/nS_kF3lXQoI/s1600-h/d&j+hearing+Italy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235606175705022210" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKicE869PwI/AAAAAAAAAP8/nS_kF3lXQoI/s320/d%26j+hearing+Italy.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">They just said "ITALY" !!!!</span></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKiddB7930I/AAAAAAAAASU/proFDINEwv0/s1600-h/the+check.jpg"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235607688879923010" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKiddB7930I/AAAAAAAAASU/proFDINEwv0/s320/the+check.jpg" border="0" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Sandy with the big check</span></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKiddGXd-SI/AAAAAAAAASM/GIc3qfugF8Y/s1600-h/seeing+the+check.jpg"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235607690069014818" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKiddGXd-SI/AAAAAAAAASM/GIc3qfugF8Y/s320/seeing+the+check.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">How much did you say??? </span></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKithpxHWkI/AAAAAAAAAS0/-Xemw8uWybo/s1600-h/looking+at+check.jpg"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235625360477346370" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKithpxHWkI/AAAAAAAAAS0/-Xemw8uWybo/s320/looking+at+check.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKio0X26FwI/AAAAAAAAASs/QmmKcMEJncg/s1600-h/looking+at+check.jpg"></a></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Wonder where I can cash this?<br /></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKicEeYJrGI/AAAAAAAAAPs/iid-7pHxWtM/s1600-h/d&j+holding+the+check.jpg"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235606167505972322" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKicEeYJrGI/AAAAAAAAAPs/iid-7pHxWtM/s320/d%26j+holding+the+check.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><br />We're going to Italy!!!<br /></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKic0-F2n3I/AAAAAAAAARE/LNpjJAkCpUI/s1600-h/holding+the+check+smiling.jpg"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235607000652881778" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKic0-F2n3I/AAAAAAAAARE/LNpjJAkCpUI/s320/holding+the+check+smiling.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Don't they look happy?</span></div><div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKiddMMIcDI/AAAAAAAAASE/cwNB18X6Asw/s1600-h/praying.jpg"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235607691632078898" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKiddMMIcDI/AAAAAAAAASE/cwNB18X6Asw/s320/praying.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><br />Praying</span></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKidIrDKuHI/AAAAAAAAARc/fZaG_MvhDD4/s1600-h/Jo+talking.jpg"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235607339138726002" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKidIrDKuHI/AAAAAAAAARc/fZaG_MvhDD4/s320/Jo+talking.jpg" border="0" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Jo & Dewey saying Thank You<br /></span><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKicYxhJLiI/AAAAAAAAAQk/o7-6xup_FrE/s1600-h/d&J+with+check+and+grandkids.jpg"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235606516241346082" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKicYxhJLiI/AAAAAAAAAQk/o7-6xup_FrE/s320/d%26J+with+check+and+grandkids.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">The Grand Kids<br /></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKic1KnT4_I/AAAAAAAAARU/X3ewjn8BS5I/s1600-h/Jo+in+flag.jpg"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235607004014437362" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKic1KnT4_I/AAAAAAAAARU/X3ewjn8BS5I/s320/Jo+in+flag.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Jo wrapped in the Italian flag</span></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKicEEpLc2I/AAAAAAAAAPk/Awgotmsc6Kw/s1600-h/D+&+J+holding+flag.jpg"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235606160598070114" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SKicEEpLc2I/AAAAAAAAAPk/Awgotmsc6Kw/s320/D+%26+J+holding+flag.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Dewey & Jo holding the Italian flag<br /></span></div></div><div></div></div>Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-31407953457074873832008-08-06T09:10:00.000-07:002008-08-06T19:30:37.610-07:00Nipper And His Party Hat<span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">While I was working at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Tres</span> Dias a couple of weekends ago....Mr. Nipper broke one of his nails on his front foot. I tried really hard not to say anything about Sandy "breaking my dog" while I was gone.... No, not really I'm just kidding. </span><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Sandy always takes good care of him...and it is a lot of work. Nipper takes several medications and so I have to leave pages of directions any time I am gone. Anyway, Nipper has always had bad nails and every now and then he breaks one. </span><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">This time he broke the nail all the way off the nail bed and couldn't put his foot down at all. Not to mention he was shaking the pain was so bad. So on Monday morning he and I made a trip to the vet. Our vet, Dr Moore, who I owe Nipper's life to on more than one occasion, said the nail broke off the nail bed...which <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">for us</span> would be like having our fingernail torn completely off....OUCH, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">OUCH, OUCH</span>!!!</span> </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Dr. Moore and Nipper come to an understanding... the understanding is this...if Dr. Moore <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">muzzles</span> Nipper he can take the nail off and not lose his hand in the process.... (never said my boy was a saint did I?). So Dr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Moore takes</span> Nipper in the next room (they have to take Nipper into another room <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">to work</span> on him...otherwise he thinks they are going to bother his momma and he turns into an army of one) and starts taking the nail off....piece by piece. I can hear the conversation between Nipper and Dr. Moore and I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">don't think</span> either of them were having a good time...</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">When he finished taking the nail off...I poked my head in the door where they were and I asked if at all possible could they NOT put a bandage on Nipper's foot? My reasoning is that I knew that Nipper would not leave <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">the bandage</span> alone nor would he let me take it off of his hurt foot when it was time....but the main thing is that I figured Nipper would take the bandage off when I wasn't around and eat it. My thought in all that is this....my dog will eat ANYTHING!!! He has in his life eaten.... 3 socks, a washcloth, a dead mouse...swallowed him whole, a pair of cotton boxer shorts, flowers, green plants, dirt, sticks, paper towels, rope, and several bandages <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">from his</span> feet. (You do know what goes in....has to come out don't you....? )</span> </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Anyway, despite all my pleading Nipper had to get a bandage. Dr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Moore said</span>...the bandage I put on his foot has stuff in it to make it taste bad so I think he will leave it alone. To which I said...have you met Nipper? No, I didn't really say that but I was thinking it. No sooner did they walk into the room with me than Nipper started chewing on the bandage...and the taste didn't bother him at all. I know my boy!! So they go back into the other room and Nipper gets muzzled again and they rub this supposedly nasty tasting stuff all over the bandage...and then they come back in the room with me again. Yes, you guessed it....right back to the bandage he goes and starts chewing away. I did say he will eat anything didn't I?</span> </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">So that brings us to the reason for this post. The next option was that Nipper had to wear an e-collar....which looks like a lampshade turned upside down around his head for 4 days. This is a clear piece of plastic that is long and when they put their head down they cannot reach their feet...or their bandages. He looked so funny with this collar on. We called it his party hat. It also reminded us of a satellite dish and we kept asking him what stations he was getting. He was not amused. He kept running into the walls, the steps, he couldn't get on the bed, or eat from his bowl...and let me just say I got hit so many times with that party hat I couldn't wait for him to get it off either!!!</span> </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">The whole point was this...I got some really cute pictures and you can see my dog looks good in anything. Check out Nipper in his pretty yellow bandage and his party hat.</span> </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Tammy</span><br /><br /></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SJpQGjRM8AI/AAAAAAAAAPE/Da7l-fve1bE/s1600-h/IMG_5362.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231581990621081602" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SJpQGjRM8AI/AAAAAAAAAPE/Da7l-fve1bE/s320/IMG_5362.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Isn't that the saddest face ever?</span></div><div><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SJpQqVouWyI/AAAAAAAAAPM/wNL-oQ7Oy7k/s1600-h/IMG_5364.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231582605436934946" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SJpQqVouWyI/AAAAAAAAAPM/wNL-oQ7Oy7k/s320/IMG_5364.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;">What channels does this thing get?</span></div><div><strong><br /></strong><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SJpQqmcE03I/AAAAAAAAAPU/PSigctKkxn4/s1600-h/IMG_5365.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231582609947284338" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SJpQqmcE03I/AAAAAAAAAPU/PSigctKkxn4/s320/IMG_5365.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Space Doggy</span> </div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SJpQqv1ZGBI/AAAAAAAAAPc/2RhfjgLSpHc/s1600-h/IMG_5378.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231582612469389330" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SJpQqv1ZGBI/AAAAAAAAAPc/2RhfjgLSpHc/s320/IMG_5378.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Happily drugged and ready to party</span></div><div><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">P.S. I know all of you are waiting for a post about Dewey & Jo's last day and the Italy trip. That is coming soon. Right now my heart and head are just so full of thoughts about the significance of that day that I haven't been able to write it down. It really was a great day though wasn't it?</span><strong><br /></strong></div><div></div>Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-9186891671435416052008-07-22T17:39:00.000-07:002008-07-22T21:09:01.545-07:00TEXAS OR BUST....AND A LITTLE HODGE PODGE<strong><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Did you miss me???</span></em></strong><br /><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">It has been a while since I've written. As my last post stated....I'm busy. The last few weeks have been crazy. However I'm finishing up some projects and am looking forward to slowing down and getting some rest.</span></em></strong><br /><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">This post is going to be what my Pastor calls...Hodge-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Podge</span></span></span></span>. That means you talk about one thing and then put a period there and change directions. </span></em></strong><br /><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">Hold on...here goes.</span></em></strong><br /><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">The 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">th</span></span></span></span> of July we were lazy. We slept late, went to the pool, and watched the fireworks sitting in the car on the by-pass. </span></em></strong><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></strong><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">On the 8<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">th</span></span></span></span>-10<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">th</span></span></span></span> of July, we went on a trip to Texas with 18 other people from our church. We went to a called conference to vote down a change in our <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">EMC</span></span></span></span> denomination. Our Southern District showed up in mass and our votes prevented the changes from being approved. Well...our votes and God's mighty help.</span></em></strong><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></strong><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">It took us 20 hours to get to Texas on a chartered bus (or coach as Lynn told us) and 18 hours to get back. We talked, laughed, played games, read, watched movies, ate and ate some more, slept (very little), plotted our attack, and whined (just a little). It was fun but also extremely tiring.....let me <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">emphasize</span> the word tiring. We spent two full nights on the bus.... We were mighty warriors for our church and our <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">denomination</span></span> and our Pastor. I felt really proud of us. Our votes prevented the changes to our denomination and they also provided the way for our Pastor Dewey to be appointed as our District Superintendent. In the end...it was worth all the effort. Just don't ever ask me to go on a bus ride to Texas again...next time I'm catching a plane....</span></em></strong><br /><br /><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIajeiCtw6I/AAAAAAAAAOM/_DwyLevf42k/s1600-h/Texas.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226044162539635618" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIajeiCtw6I/AAAAAAAAAOM/_DwyLevf42k/s320/Texas.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Beth sleeping on the bus </span><br /><br /><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIaiUip9wGI/AAAAAAAAANM/JhGcYgSzxSw/s1600-h/Texas+3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226042891393941602" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIaiUip9wGI/AAAAAAAAANM/JhGcYgSzxSw/s320/Texas+3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Jo visiting with Jeanne</span><br /><br /><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIajIlCF8fI/AAAAAAAAANc/83jpjWmPqQY/s1600-h/Texas+5.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226043785385210354" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIajIlCF8fI/AAAAAAAAANc/83jpjWmPqQY/s320/Texas+5.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">All smiles</span><br /><br /><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIaiSqml2PI/AAAAAAAAANE/PqMp6DyuiME/s1600-h/Texas+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226042859167537394" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIaiSqml2PI/AAAAAAAAANE/PqMp6DyuiME/s320/Texas+2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Talking business</span><br /><br /><a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIajI7OWCTI/AAAAAAAAANk/BcQ-YWeavRE/s1600-h/Texas+6.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226043791342176562" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIajI7OWCTI/AAAAAAAAANk/BcQ-YWeavRE/s320/Texas+6.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Our Leaders - Dewey and Laurens</span><br /><br /><a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIajI3ESQxI/AAAAAAAAANs/9qb31NVoyrs/s1600-h/Texas+7.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226043790226244370" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIajI3ESQxI/AAAAAAAAANs/9qb31NVoyrs/s320/Texas+7.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIajJNEhVSI/AAAAAAAAAN0/mRiBrnocHFc/s1600-h/Texas+7.jpg"></a><span style="font-size:130%;">Dewey and Jo snuggling</span><br /><br /><a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIajebX1_aI/AAAAAAAAAOE/YvuJsMLoG-Y/s1600-h/Texas+9.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226044160749206946" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIajebX1_aI/AAAAAAAAAOE/YvuJsMLoG-Y/s320/Texas+9.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Talking <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Strategy</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIajJH7btdI/AAAAAAAAAN8/_f0Iblq1hUs/s1600-h/Texas+8.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226043794752517586" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIajJH7btdI/AAAAAAAAAN8/_f0Iblq1hUs/s320/Texas+8.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Leaving for the conference</span><br /><br /><a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIaiSbS0yJI/AAAAAAAAAM0/41VzW8gTf0w/s1600-h/Texas+10.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226042855058098322" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIaiSbS0yJI/AAAAAAAAAM0/41VzW8gTf0w/s320/Texas+10.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Our Chariot</span><br /><br /><a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIaiSpgUT9I/AAAAAAAAAM8/29eZPB17MOk/s1600-h/Texas+11.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226042858872786898" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIaiSpgUT9I/AAAAAAAAAM8/29eZPB17MOk/s320/Texas+11.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Arriving home after an all night bus ride</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><em></em></strong></span><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">The 17<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">th</span></span></span>-20<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">th</span></span></span> of July, I worked at the women's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Tres</span></span></span> Dias weekend #30. It was an awesome weekend and I saw many lives get completely transformed. I got to work a job that involved prayer...one of my favorite things to do. It was a tiring weekend and I got very little sleep, however, I was humbled to get to be there and God blessed me greatly. Thank you God for once again showing me truth about your grace and the power of your love.</span></em></strong><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em></strong><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">During this month, I've also been attending a bible study with some girls at my church. We are doing Kelly Minter's book "No Other Gods". It has been great. It is about all of the other things (or people) in our lives that we put before our time with God. It has really struck home with all of us. We did a video as part of a memorization tactic and we ended up getting posted on Beth <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Moores</span></span></span> blog. Which was pretty cool. You can check us out at <a href="http://www.livingproofministries.blogspot.com/">http://www.livingproofministries.blogspot.com/</a>. Just look for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">EMC</span></span></span> siestas video. It's a riot!!!</span></em></strong> (<span style="font-size:130%;">Check the July 11<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">th</span></span> post to see us</span>).<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>There is one other big thing to come this month. This Sunday, July 27<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">th</span></span></span> is our Pastor Dewey's last Sunday as our Pastor. It is not a day that I am looking forward to. However, I do believe God has big changes in store for all of us and I trust him with the future of our church and the future of Dewey and Jo. This is a season of change for all of us. Dewey and Jo have been our leaders for 16 years. Dewey has stepped down as our Pastor to take the District Superintendent job for our Southern District. More about all of later. For now, let me just say, Dewey and Jo....I love you both dearly. You both hold a huge place in my heart. May this Sunday bring you many pleasant memories and a overwhelming sense of how much we all love you.</em></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em></em></span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><strong><em>Oh, one more thing....check out Nipper's new <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">buzz cut</span></span>. </em></strong><a href="http://bp1.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIahyNoZ63I/AAAAAAAAAMM/YkwxPtuC1vM/s1600-h/Nippers+haircut.jpg"><strong><em><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226042301634702194" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIahyNoZ63I/AAAAAAAAAMM/YkwxPtuC1vM/s320/Nippers+haircut.jpg" border="0" /></em></strong></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIahyf8uIFI/AAAAAAAAAMc/YL3Yq_Jdtcc/s1600-h/Nipper+haircut+#3.jpg"><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></a>Isn't he cute?</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIahyYaaT8I/AAAAAAAAAMU/a37w56jB0gM/s1600-h/Nipper+haircut+#2.jpg"><strong><em><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226042304528797634" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIahyYaaT8I/AAAAAAAAAMU/a37w56jB0gM/s320/Nipper+haircut+%232.jpg" border="0" /></em></strong></a></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">What did you say ?<br /><a href="http://bp3.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIahyW0KlAI/AAAAAAAAAMk/7n8jwYvtsME/s1600-h/Nipper+haircut+#4.jpg"><strong><em><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226042304099947522" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/__mCUVxMV2VA/SIahyW0KlAI/AAAAAAAAAMk/7n8jwYvtsME/s320/Nipper+haircut+%234.jpg" border="0" /></em></strong></a></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">They left his tail fluffy...<br /></span><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">Now that's what you call a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">hodge</span></span></span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">podge</span></span></span>.</span></em></strong><br /><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">Tammy</span></em></strong>Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2152219292291212977.post-59795703108053512312008-06-27T19:03:00.000-07:002008-06-27T19:14:52.918-07:00Do You Feel Busy???<span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><strong><em></em></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>Good Afternoon Everyone,<br /><br />Do you ever feel really busy? I've been thinking today about how busy I feel lately. A friend recently said "May is the new December" and we all agreed. However, June is pretty busy in itself. I was thinking how easily it is to get caught up in all the things of life and lose control of our time and priorities .<br /><br />I was telling one of my closest friends last week. I feel spiritually drained. I have a lot going on. All good things. All things that are good Christian things to do. Things that are good for me and things that allow me to help others. Lots of great stuff.... but I feel drained. Do you know why? All of these things compiled together are keeping me from quiet time with my Savior. I get so busy doing "stuff" that when I have time to sit down and rest.... I sit there feeling like I should still be doing something else. I have forgotten how to just be still before my Savior.<br /><br />Do you ever feel the same way? You are busy doing good things. You work hard, you do things for your church, you do things for your family, you do things for your friends. Maybe, you even do things for others in the community. All good and enjoyable things. Yet you feel tired and drained?<br /><br />Are any of you like me... you are so busy doing all the right and important things.....that you are missing doing the most important thing? Are you spending enough time alone with your Savior? Are you seeking him more importantly than any of the other stuff you do?<br /><br />My friends, it is so easy to get so caught up in doing that we quit just "being". We were made to "be" in his presence. We were made to seek him and spend quiet time in his presence. There is nothing wrong with doing things for God, or our families, or our friends. There is even nothing wrong with being busy. However, when it keeps us from spending daily quiet time in the presence of our Lord and Savior....we may need to examine our priorities. We were made for him and by him. He seeks daily alone time with us. We were made for his pleasure. We do not give him pleasure when we give all of our time to other things...no matter how good. We are called to come into his presence daily and seek to know him on a very personal level. He seeks an intimate relationship with us. We need to spend time in the word. We need to spend time talking with him and sharing our heart. We need to spend time just being still before him in worship and adoration. Friends, we also need to just spend time listening to hear what he has to say to us.<br /><br />If we don't get our time with him we cannot be all he called us to be. We cannot walk in our own strength and try to do all the things we all called to do. If we do can you guess what happens? We end up feeling spiritually drained. We end up weak and easily attacked by our adversary and by the world.<br /><br />May we all take time this week to get into his presence. He is the renewer of of our hearts, minds and spirits.<br /><br />I love you guys,<br /><br />Tammy</em></span>Tammy Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14761654256709607234noreply@blogger.com4