Happy 10th Birthday, Gwendolyn!

 

 

 

I think it’s pretty safe to say… WE HAD A GREAT WEEK!

Plans included…

1. Balloons
2. Build-a Bear
3. Goofy Golf
4. Gatlinburg
5. Swimming

I was needed at work, so we didn’t get to leave Nashville until Tuesday midmorning. We arrive Knoxville early afternoon and surprised the birthday girl with lunch at Pelancho’s — one of Gwen’s favorite places. After a trip to the nearby mall, we headed to the pool…

 

On Wednesday, we drove up to Gatlinburg, where we spent most of the day walking around, checking out stores and buying delicious candy. But the best part was the drive to and from the Great Smoky Mountains! Oh my, it’s a beautiful drive!

That’s one tired, little birthday girl!

 

We meant to get balloons . . . but we forgot them. But the rest of the trip was great! Lots more swimming . . . and we had chocolate-chip cookie cake — plus an ice cream cake — to share with our extended family (especially Ms. Pam, our favorite person to visit in Knoxville).

Then it was time for the long drive back home on Friday evening.

All in all, an excellent trip — and an excellent birthday week.

 

Happy birthday, Gwen!

Blessings!

DJ

 

© 2016 DJ Mynatt

big plans coming up…

 

 

 

shhh

. . . don’t tell anyone — especially my granddaughter, but . . .

we’ve got some special plans coming up!

Next week, we will be celebrating my granddaughter’s 10th birthday!

 

Plans include…

1. Balloons
2. Build-a Bear
3. Goofy Golf
4. Gatlinburg
5. Swimming

 

 

…and anything else we can fit into the week!

Yep! We’re celebrating for a whole week!  Beginning Monday… thru Sunday. (If I know my little, sweet girl, she would prefer to celebrate the entire month, but that’s another story)

 

Gwendolyn, this post is dedicated to you . . .

I hope you have the best birthday ever!

 

 

 

Join me in wishing Gwen a happy birthday . . .

Blessings!

DJ

 

© 2016 DJ Mynatt

I’m not complaining about the weather…

 

 

 

This has been a very unusual year, so far.

Everyone thought we would have an early spring . . . then winter came back — again and again.

 

 

We’ve had more than our share of rain (especially in Texas)! But we’ve had lots of sunshine, too.

The most unusual weather I’ve noticed is the nice, cool mornings (and evenings). Even when the day gets hot — very hot — it’s nice and cool by the next morning.

And I can’t complain about that! I love the cool breezes…

I’m walking more, since the weather is nice and cool.

 

 

I don’t think anyone knows just what to expect, but whatever type of weather comes along, I know God is in control — and HE has a plan. The weather is just a part of His plan.

So whether it’s hot, cold, wet, dry, thunderstorms, hail, snow, fog, sleet, wind or a mix . . . it’s just what God ordered.

And I can trust that it’s just right.

 

 

I can’t do anything to change it, so I might as well enjoy it!

Blessings!

DJ

 

© 2016 DJ Mynatt

Arthur, Illinois . . . the heart of the Illinois Amish Community

I’m back from Illinois — and I can’t wait to visit again!

Guess what we got to do?

 

Right!  We were invited to ride in a buggy . . . and it was fun — really fun…

I sat in the back and took pictures (so there’s no pictures of me) while my two grandchildren rode in the front with a very nice lady. If you know anything about the Amish community, you’ll agree with me that she was very nice, since her family was preparing to have church at their house in a few days, yet she still took time to give us a tour of her very beautiful home — and a buggy ride. Thankfully, we accompanied her on an errand, so we didn’t inconvenience her too much.

 

 

What a beautiful buggy! The Amish take care of their possessions, but they aren’t prideful. However, I did see a horse or two that might have looked a little proud and haughty. And rightly so… since many of the horses that the Amish buy at auction have been racehorses when they were younger.

 

 

The houses all looked nice and neat.  I loved looking at the colorful laundry, blowing in the wind. The colors you see depend on the community. I’ve visited communities that wear nothing but black or brown. The home below obviously belongs to a district that allows pink and lavender.

 

We visited several stores, chatting with customers and clerks — everyone we spoke to, made time to stop and speak with us, answering our questions. No one made me feel as if I didn’t belong.

 

And this concludes our little tour…

 

Illinois . . . to Indiana . . . to Kentucky . . . and back home to Tennessee.

 

 

God bless you and have a great weekend!

DJ

Blogpost © 2016 Donna’s Family Life

Casey, Illinois . . . the small town with a big heart

I’m back from Illinois!

Although we had lots of rain while we were there, we had a splendid time! We spend an entire afternoon in Casey, Illinois — the small town with a big heart!

Casey is famous for big . . . huge . . . giant . . .

OK!  They have the World’s Largest . . . rocking chair, wind chimes, knitting needles. crochet hook, pencil, mailbox, bird cage, horseshoe and golf tee. There may even be more things that we missed, but we saw as much as we could fit into the time we had — and most everything was “hands on” fun for the whole family.

Wow!  That rocking chair is BIG!

B.I.G.

Right across from the rocking chair — is the set of wind chimes — and yes, they really work! My grandson loved making them ring . . .

Next, we found the knitting needles and crochet hook!

. . . and don’t forget the pencil, with an eraser for those, like me, who make lots of mistakes!

And this mailbox will hold all the Christmas mail for the whole state — maybe!

I’m thinking the birdcage was our favorite… the kiddies LOVED it! They sat inside and sang . . .

I’m a sweet little bird in a gilded cage

And here’s the horseshoe . . . and my precious grandchildren!

 

Next time, I’ll share the pictures we got while doing some research for future books…

In the meantime, God bless you and have a great weekend!

DJ

Blogpost © 2016 Donna’s Family Life

3 important things to say…

Awhile back, I read three important things to say daily to those you love…

And I’m sorry that I can’t remember where I saw them, but I jotted down a few words to remind myself to begin saying them — and of course, I haven’t remembered — until now.

3 important things to say…

1. I love you dearly
2. I appreciate you immensely
3. I will pray for you — always

 

 

That’s it. Three little things to say — but, oh!

There is such power behind those three things.

The picture below is a lady dear to my heart. She left awhile back, being called home. I’ll see her again some day soon.

 

But in the meantime, don’t let another day go by — without saying those three things to the people you love… you never know when someone special to you will have their last day on earth. Don’t wait until they’re gone — and wish you had said things . . . say things — now.

I love you, my readers! I do appreciate you! I do pray for you! Always!

Blessings!

DJ

 

© 2016 DJ Mynatt

One Month = Two Birthdays!

 

 

This month we have two birthdays…

My grandson’s birthday was on the 4th… we celebrated all weekend — and had a marvelous time!

 

 

This cute, funny little boy is one of the loves of my life!

He makes EVERYTHING a joy!

For his birthday, he received a few movies he’s been wanting, plus several Lego sets to build — Star Wars and Marvel kits. His favorite person in Knoxville — Miss Pam — sent him the Marvel Lego kit with IronMan and Ultron + the blu-ray movie Avengers- Age of Ultron. We visited libraries, parks, McDonald’s… all in all, everyone had a great birthday celebration weekend!

My birthday is next…

 

I’m proud to share that I will be 59 on the last day of April… that’s 9 years more than my mom lived and 10+ years more than my sister lived — so it’s definitely a good reason to celebrate!

And we do… we celebrate every single birthday! I hope I have many more, but that’s up to God. He may have a good reason to call me home earlier — and I know He knows best, so I’m trusting it’s all good.

I’ll be posting pictures the week after my birthday weekend — YES, we plan to celebrate the whole weekend! I’m pretty excited about it… fact is, I can’t wait!

In the meantime…

 

 

God bless you, my wonderful friends!

 

Blessings!

DJ

PS. If you just feel that you have to send me a birthday card or gift… I won’t refuse! I love fluffy socks, BBQ chips, Christian bookmarks, and all (well, most) things Amish!

© 2016 DJ Mynatt

Happy Easter!

 

We have never purchased “Easter” baskets for my grandchildren, yet most years, they have one!

This past Sunday was no exception… Early in the morning, there was a knock on the door. My daughter went to answer it — and came back with two baskets full of candy.

 

 

A neighbor had went to the trouble to purchase baskets, candy, grass… and filled them with the kids’ favorites!

Of course, the moment they saw them, the children ran over to the neighbor’s to thank her. She got big hugs, too!

So, God bless you, my sweet neighbor . . . and God bless you, my wonderful readers!

 

Blessings!

DJ

 

© 2016 DJ Mynatt

How long does it take to stop missing someone…

Forty long years ago, on Tuesday, March 16, 1976, I woke at 5am, only to discover that my mother was called home — just a few minutes before I woke.

I miss you, mom

 

I was eighteen — and so not ready to lose my mom.

Several months before I was born, my mom almost died.  The doctors all thought she would die before I was born.  Even worse, they tried to convince my mom to terminate the pregnancy — me — because they were certain that I wouldn’t live — or that I would be born with physical or mental disabilities — if I lived long enough to be born.

They also told her the chances were great that she wouldn’t live long enough to see my birth, and that we would both die.

But she refused. She told them it was in God’s hands.

I guess God had plans for me, because I was born on April 30th — a healthy, baby girl — and a miracle baby, according to those doctors.

These same doctors then proceeded to tell us that with a serious heart condition, and unable to withstand surgery, that she could leave us at any time. This was probably true, as she was always weak, with lots of problems, most of them occurring because of the heart condition.

But my mom was a praying mom . . . and she told me when I was seventeen that she had prayed since first being hospitalized, asking God to allow her to live long enough to raise her children. I was the youngest.

God granted her request.

God called my mom home after my eighteenth birthday. She was there to see me graduate high school, but I had only one more Christmas with my mom.

It was time. God told her, “It’s done. Now it’s time to come home.”

Mothers are special . . . I’ll always miss my mother.

Someday soon I’ll see her again. I’ll join her, and my dad, when God says, “It’s time to come home” to me.

Is it okay if I ask for your prayers? For those who’ve gone — and those who are left behind.

Blessings!

DJ

 

© 2016 DJ Mynatt

more changes at work…

Something unexpected happened to me today…

After totally cleaning an empty cubicle — which was filthy — I moved all my stuff into it.

Now, let me make it clear that I had permission from all the supervisors in my office. As a matter of fact, they thought it was a great idea. It was private enough for training new employees, as well as private conversations with staff or supervisors, yet near enough to be available when needed.

So I clean everything — counters, drawers, file cabinets, shelves, even the floor (we won’t go into the mess I found under the desk).

Then, a week or so after I’ve moved — and gotten settled, the director stops me in the hall to tell me to move back to my previous cubicle — effective immediately!

 

The reason? He thinks someone who might be hired in the near future might want to use that particular cubicle.

SO… OK. I work late, and with help, I get everything moved back.

But I’m not happy.

Once again I’m asking for your prayers…

I know I will eventually get over the idea of feeling that I’m just not important around here… about the time I retire. And I am really looking forward to that day!

Blessings!

DJ

 

© 2016 DJ Mynatt