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Back on August 8, I took advantage of the sales tax free weekend we have in Tennessee once a year. It's wonderful! Well, I bought new sheets for my bed and a new extra pillow. I use a memory foam pillow but keep another one off to the side. One of my cats usually takes up nightly residence on that one.

I washed the sheets and put them on my bed Sunday afternoon. I slept on them that night. It was heavenly. They are 400 or 450 count sheets...meaning comfort :) But I didn't get to enjoy their softness and freshness again until thirteen days later. My grandpa passed away that morning and I house/dog/cat sat for some friends once I returned from his funeral.

I can't tell you how happy and anxious I was to get home to my bed, my kitties, my own everything. The friends I house sat for are great people, with a great dog and cat and house. Nothing bad about staying there. I just wanted to go home. I felt out-of-sorts. It was weird to come back from a funeral and immediately start house sitting.

So, last Saturday night I crawled into my bed with the new sheets and slept soundly. Like, really soundly. When I woke up on Sunday, I felt so rested. Then I took a nap on Sunday afternoon. I love my bed. And I love being back home.

What a day that will be

My Grandpa New passed away this morning. He is now at peace in the Lord. Grandpa has been ready to go home for many years. Every time I visited him, he told me he wished the Lord would take him on home. Today, God answered that prayer.

As I mourn over this post, I also rejoice. Only a Christian can put those things together. In Christ, I have a hope. In Christ, I have joy that goes beyond the circumstance. Grandpa understood this. He knew in the Lord was his hope. The following song by Steven Curtis Chapman says exactly what I mean.

...Through the cloud of tears, I see the Father smile and say "well done."
And I imagine you where you wanted most to be,
Seeing all your dreams come true 'cause now you're home,
And now you're free.

We can cry with hope, we can say goodbye with hope
'Cause we know our goodbye is not the end,
And we can grieve with hope,
'Cause we believe with hope there's a place by God's grace,
There's a place where we'll see your face again.
We'll see your face again.

We have this hope as an anchor
'Cause we believe that everything God promised us is true.

So we can cry with hope and say goodbye with hope.

We wait with hope and we ache with hope
We hold on with hope, we let go with hope.

You will be missed on this earth, Grandpa. But you are exactly where I long to be. Someday, we will be together again. As your favorite song says, "What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall. When I look upon His face, the one who saved me by His grace." And I can still hear you sing that song while sitting in your chair at home. Your voice was basically gone, but you still sang it will all your heart. I love you.

Surprise bubble busted

My mom's birthday is today, she is +%#/~ years old. I'm not putting how young she is on here, I'm not stupid! :)

I ordered flowers for my mom, they would be delivered to her workplace this morning. Mom works as a library aide at an elementary school. The kids start back later but the staff is there already. Since the kids aren't there yet, they don't work all day; knowing this, I made sure the flowers were delivered in the morning, to make sure mom got them.

Well...while talking to mom last night, she told me she was off tomorrow (today) on her birthday. What?! But the flowers are going to be delivered at the school, not the house! My well laid plans went out the window!

I tried to stop the delivery this morning but didn't get in touch with the flower shop until the driver was out and about. My mom's flowers are sitting at the school, awaiting her pick up. I had to tell my mom about the surprise so she would go by the school before the rest of the staff left.

I tried to be a good daughter and surprise my mom with pretty flowers. It didn't work. Oh well, she'll have flowers later on today.

Happy Birthday Mom! You're the best! I'm so blessed to have you as a mother. May you have many more years of happy birthdays!