Did I See Spring?!

70 degrees in February has the birds singing, the frogs croaking, and me gazing out the window.

I know it's too good to be true.  I know that it won't last but it's the hope it brings that gets my heart pumping!

I immediately know that I am behind once again in starting seeds for the summer garden.  It never fails!  I have grand dreams and high hopes that I will start seeds on time and will have lush plants just waiting for the ground to warm up but it never happens.  So, here I am, at the very end of February, going through my little boxes of seeds to see what I can put under a grow light just to make myself feel better.  I would at least like to get some tomatoes started, after all, who doesn't have tomato seeds on hand?! Yep, that's right.  ME!  It looks like we will have peppers of every size and color this year and I will be buying tomato plants once again.

Hello World

Hello Blog!

Oh, how I have missed you!

I think of you often but, ashamedly, never sit down to write.

You are often in my thoughts and I long to tell you what is going on in my life but I find that if I do get time, I am too tired or too distracted or too ......

So, please let me catch you up on life.

My oldest is a high school senior this year.  We are headed out of town a little later to interview for a big college scholarship. He has worked at his part-time job for over a year and a half now.  He works and then comes home to do his school.  He has a 3.85 GPA and made a 28 on his last ACT!  Colleges are sending him letters daily but he knows the plans that God has for him and is faithfully following that call.  I am so proud of him.

My youngest has his driver's permit now.  He is anxiously awaiting the day that he can get his real license and get a job. He amazes me with his incredible talents that just seem to materialize over night.  One day, he took a bar of soap from the box and the next day he brings me a beautiful carved flower.  Now, he has started drawing and the drawings are awe-inspiring.  He is the very definition of introvert, yet he has this wonderful comedic flair that rears its head often and it never fails to make me smile. My youngest always has and always will occupy a very special place in my heart.

I am doing all I can to avoid the reality that we will soon be empty-nesters.  My heart will not allow my mind to go there.  When I do dare to peek into the future, I wonder what I will do with myself.  I have devoted myself to educating my children for the past 10 years.  What do I possibly do next?

You see blog, this is why I need you.  This is a season of change.  It will be wonderful to look back later and see how life has progressed and it will be therapeutic now to share my thoughts with you.

I plan on talking to you again soon!

Zaycon 10% off

Today only Zaycon is offering 10% off all of their foods.  If you have been wanting to try them, now is the time! Click here to order.

The Summer Garden

When the warmth of Spring begins, I long for time in the garden.  I plot and plan. I scour the seed catalogs that have filled my mailbox for weeks.  I dream of what I will can and dehydrate as my lush Summer Garden provides all of the food we will need for the winter.  And then, it RAINS.

When I say rain, I don't mean a nice spring shower.  No, I mean it rains 3 inches and just about the time I think it's safe to walk outside without boots, it rains another 3 inches.  It teases me like this for weeks. Finally, I come to the conclusion that it's never going to dry out.  The sun will never shine long enough to put a garden in.  I guess we will have to rely on store-bought food. :(

Just as all hope seems to be gone....the sun shines! And the days heat up! Before I know it, the plants are in the ground and I'm fighting 100 degree temps with 110 heat indexes!  What happened to SPRING??  I'm even wishing for a little rain to give my sprinkler system a break.

The lush garden from my dreams looks like a dry, parched wasteland.  The tomato plants droop and the squash bugs are feasting on the squash buffet I have provided them.  The only thing that seems to thrive are the weeds.

I managed to collect enough green beans for a meal or two.  There will be no beautiful quart jars full of green beans awaiting us this winter.  The zucchini that I stole from the squash bugs was rationed between the four of us.

The tomatoes? Oh, the tomatoes.  I had a lovely tomato sandwich courtesy of my husband's co-worker.  Maybe the most delicious I have ever eaten.  You are wondering about my tomatoes?  Well, so am I. There were a few that survived the desert conditions but not many.  There will be no fresh-tasting salsa, no tomato soup.  There will be no pasta sauce (although my basil THRIVED!)  and no canned tomatoes.

Today, I have tilled under the last of my summer disappointment and I begin dreaming once again.  This time, dreaming of greens and broccoli, spinach and kale. I pray the heat weakens and winter takes it's time arriving.  There is still hope......in the Fall Garden.

Emergency Food for your Family

I am excited to have placed my first order with My Patriot Supply.

I'm not much on the Zombie Apocalypse theory but....

     I do believe in being prepared for emergencies!

If the BIG ONE ever hits the New Madrid  fault line, I want to have some emergency supplies.

If another tornado rips through and we are out of power....I want some supplies!

Do you remember the ICE STORM in 1994?  How long were we without power?  I want to be able to feed my family.  

                                           Do you??

Check out My Patriot Supply.  You don't have to spend a lot of money.  You can get a 72-hour kit for about $20!  

Renuzit Pearl Scents

Step in.  The aroma is the first thing to touch your senses.  Subconsciously it takes you to other places, it relaxes your body and mind.  It is amazing what just a scent can do.

With names like Serenity, Tranquil, and Sparkling Rain, Renuzit understands this and has created an oasis for the senses with its Pearl Scents.

Interested in knowing more?  Check out their facebook page here and email me at kfreekave@aol.com.  A drawing will be held for coupons for free Renuzit Pearl Scents.

Also, I have to tell you, I received these products free in exchange for my honest feedback.  Everything you read here is my honest opinion.

The Call ~from a Mom's Perspective

“Hey, I need you” were the words that made my heart race.  I knew something was wrong when I heard the phone ring.  Call it a Mother’s instinct or whatever, but I knew.

Josh and his best friend, Josh R., had left for work about 15 minutes earlier.  It was really raining and I had received a text from Josh R.’s Mom telling me that water was standing on the roads.  The boys were driving separate vehicles so I called my Josh to tell him about the road conditions and tell him to be careful.  Five minutes later he called me.

“Hey, I need you”.

“Why?” I asked but I was already running to get my shoes. 

“I’m in a ditch on the side of the interstate.”

“Are you hurt?” I’m frantically looking for my keys.

“No, I’m ok”

“Don’t move.  I’m on my way.”

The lights and tv were on.  The cat was in the house.  My hair unbrushed and still wearing glasses instead of contacts, I ran to the car.  It was still pouring down rain and I had to remind myself that I would be of no help to my son if I wrecked on the way to him.

By the time I arrived, I had talked to him two more times.  I knew that he either hydroplaned or had a front-tire blowout.  I knew that he was not hurt and the car seemed to be ok.  I knew that no other vehicles were involved but mainly, I knew that he was ok.

Pulling to a stop, I jumped out of the car and hugged my son in the pouring rain.  Nothing else mattered.  He was in one piece.  He was ok.

I must have been a sight because the police that showed up on the scene asked if it was my car.  I said no, it’s my son’s.  After hearing the story, the young black police officer put his arm around my shoulder and squeezed.  Even now, that small gesture brings tears to my eyes.  It was a sincere act of compassion on his part and it touched me deeply.

Mom and Dad arrived a few minutes after I did.  We decided to leave the car until the rain slowed.  Josh and I headed to their house to calm down a little and honestly, we just needed the strength and comfort that their home offers.

It was then that I began to get the details of what happened and understand how the hand of God had been on my son.  As I said, it was raining heavily.  Josh hit a water pocket and began hydroplaning.  He did a 360 in the middle of the highway, by God’s grace there was no traffic close to him.  He slid off the right side of the interstate, opposite the side of the road lined with metal posts and fencing.  He skidded sideways up a 30 foot embankment and landed nose first into the ditch, facing the road. 

There was no impact, so the airbags did not deploy.  There were no obstructions so there was no damage to the car except a flat tire.  There was nothing to cause injury to my son.

As the Joshes walked out of my house that morning I prayed, “God, watch over my boys” (the second Josh is technically not mine but he's one of the many boys that have a special place in our family, so I consider him mine.)

He did.

This was a vivid reminder that I do not control the things that happen in my life.  Neither do I control the things that happen in my kids’ lives.  While I try to do what’s best for them and I try to “control” the things I can, ultimately there is not ONE thing that I can do on my own.  Now, this is not a new concept but something that I obviously needed a refresher on.  I am a Christian.  I have given my life to Christ.  He alone has control over all and I trust Him with that.  I told Josh on the way home from church today how very thankful I am that God watched over him and kept him safe (I’ve told him this at least a dozen times in the last 24 hours) but I also explained that even if things had turned out differently…if he had been injured….if the car was totaled….if…if…if…God would still have been in control and I still put my complete faith and trust in Him.  That’s a hard thing but if I trust Him, I must trust Him completely.

I do.  I falter, but I do.  I am human, but I do.  It is a choice.  I do.