Bretta's Babbling

Almost a year

2008-07-11T18:40:00.003-05:00

Well, if I waited a full year from my last post then I would miss telling everyone that Christa Joy is getting married on August 15th. It's a lovely story, full of testimony to waiting for the right person. Their story can be found here.

2007-08-18T09:07:00.000-05:00

I've had this list of "things to blog" sitting on my desk for weeks. So, I thought I'll tackle it a bit at a time. It's not like it's work or a chore, it's really fun for me, but I haven't had much time for "fun" lately.

Ward's dear grandfather passed away in late June. We actually got the call on my birthday saying that they discovered that morning that he had cancer and only had a couple of weeks to live. We debated on waiting until the following weekend to go down there, as that is when Ward's mom was going, but decided to go on immediately. We were so glad we did! The timeline went like this: Friday - Granddaddie was doing errands, driving around town and such. Saturday (my birthday) - found out about the cancer, admitted to the hospital. Sunday - we left here at 2 am and got to the hospital around 10:30. He was sitting in bed talking some and knew who we were. Monday he ate the last time and quickly began to get worse. Tuesday evening we had to leave to come home. Wednesday night he was gone. SO FAST! We were so glad we went when we did. We had plenty of time to say goodbye and support the other family members as well. It was really bizarre too, because as he got progressively worse the only voice he would respond to was mine. He would answer me in one word answers, when the same question asked by three other people would get no response. Then when he could no longer answer he would blink to answer. I was so glad to be there to help assess some of his needs.

He was a lovely man. Educated. Smart. Hard-working. Caring. He will be missed.

Be a blessing...receive a blessing...

2007-08-07T11:06:00.000-05:00

Please consider helping the family whose story is told here. You get some great homeschooling and family resources and a chance to bless someone.

Congratulations!

2007-08-07T10:46:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Nina & Bernd! I am privileged to be on Ninascraps' Creative Team and she is getting married today. She has a little gift for everyone to celebrate with her:
Love Ahead is free today only at Oscraps with the coupon code Celebrate.

2007-08-07T01:36:00.000-05:00

Five Minutes for Mom is giving away a HDTV! Check it out here.

I have a list of things to blog about...maybe I'll get to it in a couple of days.

Happy Anniversary!

2007-07-07T13:07:00.000-05:00

There's something special about having our anniversary on the "luckiest" day of the century. We don't believe in luck, but we do know we are blessed! Twenty two years ago today, on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Texas, we were married on a day that was more meaningful to us because of the "two sevens" in the date 07/07/85 . Seven is often thought to be a number signifying completeness or perfection and we were certain God had chosen us, placed us together to be one in His sight.I can't even remember life without you...nor do I want to, except for being able to compare how much brighter and richer my life is now as to then. Can I put into words how much I love you? I won't attempt to do so here, for those are words to be spoken between the two of us. I will say, though,that as I have watched you be a Christian, a father, a son, a friend, a worker and a husband, I have fallen in love with you over and over again. You are my best friend and so much more. Happy Anniversary!

2007-05-27T21:12:00.000-05:00

I have pictures to show you! Tyler took his friend, Jade, to the Georgia Homeschool Foundation Prom. They went with friends Hunt and Katie (Katie is the one Tyler took to winter formal - as friends - where she met Hunt and they have been dating).
My favorite photos from the evening:

And a layout:
Credits are here and here

Yesterday we walked in the Memorial Day Parade, honoring Georgia's soldiers who have died in the Iraq/Afghanistan wars. No pictures, but we each carried one or two names of soldier on a placard...101 soldiers in all.

This month we had to have our dog, Zeke, put down as he had cancer. He was a loyal, loving friend. Look at his "old man" grey beard...

And one final layout I recently did - I love this one! I was also thrilled to discover it was Layout of the Day over at The DigiShoppe gallery.

2007-05-13T09:18:00.000-05:00

No apologies...life is just busy.

Today is Mother's Day. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms in my life.
I was awakened by breakfast in bed. Fresh cantaloupe and kiwifruit and my favorite berry juice.

Some years I don't look forward to Mother's Day. I tend to think about my failures as a mom and feel like I don't deserve all the praise and sweet words. I know this is stupid and I should just relax and enjoy the day, but I can't help myself. At the same time, I know it's not really all about me and is a chance for my children to express their love. It makes them feel special to make me feel special.

Ugh, I experienced the worst pain of my life last night...writhing on the floor, take your breath away kind of pain! I think it was a gall bladder attack/gallstones. It lasted about an hour and then went away. Totally not fun!! To the doctor this week to find out what is wrong. Left me feeling weak and tired and I still have a puny stomach today. Staying home from church to rest.

2007-04-13T12:40:00.000-05:00

I'm typing this entry on my new 22" widescreen. This thing is wonderful! Great color and clarity. The speakers are pretty lame, but I didn't buy it for the speakers as I already have good ones hooked to my PC, so I don't really care! Great for scrapping...I can have PSCS2 open and next to it ACDSee or Picasa open at the same time. Thanks, Ward!!

Layout for today (click picture for credits):

Melanie tagged her CT...so here are my answers:

FOUR JOBS I HAVE HAD
1 – Receptionist in the corporate offices of a supermarket chain
2 – Missionary
3 – Cleaning at church
4 – Consultant/Support team in US for Australian software company

FOUR MOVIES I HAVE WATCHED OVER AND OVER
1 – The Scarlet Pimpernel
2 – The Princess Bride
3 – Bangkok Hilton (technically an Australian miniseries)
4 – Sense and Sensibility

FOUR PLACES I HAVE LIVED
1 – Frankfurt, Germany and Fort Lee, Virginia as an army brat
2 – Azle, Texas and Auburn, California when newly married
3 – Melbourne, Australia as a missionary
4 – Blairsville, Georgia as...me...now and for the last 16 years

FOUR TV SHOWS I LIKE(D) TO WATCH
1 – Monk
2 – Lost
3 – 24
4 – Cold Case

FOUR PLACES I HAVE BEEN ON VACATION
1 - Florida
2 - Hilton Head Island
3 – Hawaii
4 – St. Simon's Island

FOUR OF MY FAVORITE FOODS
1 – Red Peppers
2 – Avocado
3 – Salmon
4 – Grilled Veggies

FOUR PLACES I WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT NOW
1 - I like it here!
2 – but taking a long bath is one of my favorite rituals
3 – a hot tub would be nice....
4 –

FOUR PEOPLE I WILL TAG
1 – If you are reading this, then I pick you!
2 – you too!
3 – and you, ma'am!
4 – Okay, you can do it too if you want to.

Shhh...

2007-04-06T10:35:00.000-05:00

We snuck back into town early yesterday morning. But our business is officially still closed until Monday, so we are still on vacation, just doing things around the house that need attention. We had a lovely time away, just not long enough! I could use a couple of weeks of idyllic peace and quiet like we had in Sparta. Seriously, one morning I got up early and was reading my Bible in the living room and my ears started ringing. I realized that it was that "silence is deafening" phenomenon. It was so surreal. I have only experienced that before in the outback of Australia. While in Sparta we had a blessed respite from the battles we have been facing. Spiritually refreshing!

We pretty much stayed "home" other than going to town for groceries. One evening we headed south on the Blue Ridge Parkway (which was a couple of "blocks" from the house) looking for a place to shoot some family photos. We ended up at a historical cabin "The Brinegar Cabin" and here are some of the shots we took. The family ones weren't terrific but still satisfactory!

These are unedited as my monitor "blew" as I turned it off to leave for vacation. It's been slowly dying for six months or so. That means no scrapping until I get a new one as it is painfully slow to try to scrap on my laptop. I was determined to scrap some CT requirements while I was away even though it is slow, but of the eight discs I burned to take with me, only four would read on my laptop...of course the ones that would read had NONE of my CT products on them. Sigh!
I have a 22" monitor picked out, just trying to convince Ward I "need" one that big! Anyway...back to the pictures

(What is that white spot in the upper right corner??)

We're going on vacation!!

2007-03-26T23:03:00.000-05:00

For our entire married life, I have wanted to go on family vacations just for the sake of just our family getting away together. That is never enough for my dear husband. He wants to visit someone. I can count on one hand the times we have gone away as a family just to get away, just us. Actually, I'm trying to recall just one time and can't at the moment.

Yesterday, Ward said, "let's get away, just our family...no cell phones, no computers, no distractions". So today I emailed my sweet aunt in Indiana and asked her if her "getaway" home in Sparta, NC, is available next week. It is!! We are going away for an entire week and there really is no cell phone signal at the house and no dsl. Just a peaceful little house in the woods. I'm so excited! So thrilled Ward would suggest this on his own and so happy the house is available. I know the kids will be bored stiff if all we do is sit around and yak, play guitar, play lots of games, watch dvds, read, sleep and eat (although all of that sounds like heaven to me), so we will plan at least one day outing to get out and explore.

A week away will surely throw me out of the loop even more. I found that as some family situations have been pressing in on us that those things which I found entirely enjoyable before just seem so trivial. It's not as enjoyable to just wander all over the message boards and go digishopping. I still love me some scrappin' though as it seems "purposeful" instead of mundane.

Babbling...

2007-03-25T23:52:00.000-05:00

Now you do get to hear Tyler sing! He's a teeny bit wobbly in the middle of the song and it makes him nuts everytime he hears it, but I love it anyway!

2007-03-19T21:10:00.000-05:00

Well, our eight lessons of drawing class are over. I'm already looking forward to the advanced class coming up most likely in May.

2007-03-15T11:24:00.000-05:00

I wish you could all be sitting right here with me. I'm at the spa store and Tyler is down in the showroom singing to an accompaniment track of "My Heart Goes Out to You" by Warren Barfield. I could listen to him sing all day. Yeah, I'm a little bit biased, but he really does have a great voice. Ward's mom is a talented singer and musician so that gene comes from her (definitely not me). He is singing this song for a fundraiser at church...a dinner theatre event to benefit the dance team's mission trip to Germany.

I'm so blessed...

2007-03-14T20:28:00.000-05:00

Why do I think I have to wait until I have something profound to say before I post on my blog? Surely there are those out there who want to read my mindless ramblings for no reason other than they have nothing else to do.

Actually, I do have something great to post, but it's not my quote, but one by C.S. Lewis. I stole it off my daughter's myspace, who stole it off someone else's and so on...

"Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased." —— C.S. Lewis, "The Weight of Glory"

Really profound and definitely thoughtworthy.

Art class is going very well. I'll post my "big project" still-life drawing as soon as it is finished...hopefully done tomorrow.

Christa Joy is home one week from today! YAY!

Latest layout:It's a two pager and the credits can be seen here and here

2007-03-02T14:02:00.000-05:00

Well, it's official, I'm a LEMONHEAD! Melanie Colosimo asked me to be on her creative team! I'm very excited, because not only is Melanie a fabulous scrapper and a talented designer, she is also a super sweet and fun person. Her designs can be found here.

Reece and I are taking a drawing class from a local artist, Al Garnto. We've only had three lessons, but I've been amazed at the fact that I can actually draw! I hadn't drawn anything since high school, other than the occasional picture for one of the kids. I'm not saying I'm like majorly talented, but I'm having a blast and not totally inept at it. Although I'm drawing in "black" pencil, I'm ready to replenish my Prismacolor 120 pencil set and try my hand at color too.

2007-03-01T23:39:00.000-05:00

Pretty bad...post a new header on my blog and then don't post again for a month! So, I've ditched the Valentine header (but not my Valentine!).

The biggest thing that happened in February is that Christa Joy has gone to Texas for a month to spend time having quiet and praying about her future. She is staying at the ministry headquarters where Ward and I met and married. She's been gone for eight days - we all miss her lots! But it's all good, we trust she will hear from God and come back rested and refreshed.

I've been doing some study from the book "Praying God's Word" by Beth Moore.
I'll try to share some of what I've been learning over the next few days. Very exciting stuff.

On the scrapping front, I was in a bit of a slump, but picked up and finished two layouts over the last two days. One is the layout I based my blog header on found here (I love the picture Tyler took of me) and the other is this one (click image for credits):

My Valentine

2007-01-27T12:10:00.000-05:00

Finally updated my blog template! I puttered around to create my own again and finally decided my time would be better spent elsewhere, so I dashed off to The Shabby Shoppe and used a gift certificate I had on hand to purchase this blog header. Haven't had time to play with all the cute buttons and don't know if I will, but they are there if I want to.

Since then, I've gone back to snag Shabby Princess' new kit, a Piece-a-cake album and valentine's cards freebies. Pretty stuff!!

I joined on with the ladies at New Beginnings to have some accountability for losing weight and exercise. I'm still going for raw food and everyone seems accepting of my oddness. I'm not 100% raw yet, but I'm striving for MORE raw.

I've been tagged!

2007-01-19T17:36:00.001-05:00

I really must change my blog header soon! Soon!

In the meantime, I've been tagged by Melanie (keemackaymom) to blog about five things you don't know about me. Some will know, of course, but most won't!

1. My two oldest children were born in Australia while we were serving there as missionaries.

2. My third child was born at home, on purpose.

3. If I eat ice cream, I pour milk on top.

4. I cannot “curl” my tongue.

5. My cat likes to take baths with me.

and a bonus thing: I LOVE eating with a spork! I have one real metal one and I love it!

Now, I have to tag three people, so....
Melissa
Amy
Melanie (lemonyr)

Catching Up

2007-01-16T01:35:00.000-05:00

A New Year! Don't you just love fresh starts? I have been eating better and thus am feeling better. I feel God working on several things in my heart and speaking to me often about my life and the lives of those around me. I'm excited! Change is painful, but when needed, so good!

Tyler turned 17 on the 7th. Where did the last 17 years go???
The two page spread below is of Tyler and his friend, Katie, before they left for the homeschool group's winter formal dance. Click the images for credits.
Christa Joy will be 20 next month. I was 20 when I had her. Now that makes me feel old. This will be the only year that she will be half my age.

I did a photoshoot with her last month. The layouts below showcase the results:

Click image above for credits

The above layout was done for Andrea Burns' CT call, so it's not posted anywhere else online yet. All items are from her CT call kit, except for word art by Marsha Zepeda and Laura Alpuche's Messy Frameworks.

Our local homeschool co-op started up again last Tuesday for the final semester of the year. Being the registration coordinator means it's a busy time for me. I also tend to fill the hat of co-director and also, our info coordinator has just started chemo for breast cancer, so I'm helping out there too. It's such a great program, it's really worth the effort!

Until next time...

2006-12-22T12:31:00.000-05:00

Pretty pathetic! My last post was at Thanksgiving and here it is almost Christmas! Just been so busy getting ready for the holidays and enjoying the festivities.

I would like to wish the random readers of my blog, whoever you are, a most blessed Christmas, from my house to yours.

Credits: Michelle Coleman background paper from "Sweet Evangeline"
everything else from Ange Barton "Shelf Letters Volume 2"

Ugghhh...

2006-11-22T21:41:00.000-05:00

Well, I know I won't have a problem with overeating tomorrow (Thanksgiving Day). Reece brought home a lovely little stomach virus this past weekend and now Ward and I both have it. The rough part will be over today, but I know (from Reece's experience) that tomorrow we will be wiped out and still have no appetite. So we are postponing our celebrating until my niece is here from Hawaii the first week of December. We were already planning a low-key celebration tomorrow with just my parents and then going to have a bigger shindig when Michelle is here. I won't even begin to describe the lovely background noises Ward is making right now...

Everyone please have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!!! Count your blessings and thank God for them.

Oh, one layout to share:

Journaling: I loved designing this quilt! Audrey Hiers taught a wall-hanging quilt class for me and some of my friends. She told us the basic quilt blocks she wanted us to use and then challenged us to “make it yours”. I love all things designed by Susan Branch so borrowed her basic house design (with its crooked chimney) for my quilt. The blocks represent a home filled with love to overflowing. I was so pleased with how it turned out even though it took me two years to complete, starting in 2004 and finishing in 2006. It looks great in our home and matches the colors of the full size quilt I made in 2002.

Credits:
Stacie Prinzo Cascia Papers
Kathy Moore "Washed Worn and Faded" corner stitches
Ztampf Fhung Lie's artistitches
Christine Smith Watercolor Alpha
Font: Century Gothic

Sale and Tribute page

2006-11-16T10:02:00.000-05:00

My latest layout done as a tribute to my WONDERFUL father for Veteran's Day 2006:

Credits can be seen here
and you can see the rest of my gallery if you should feel so inclined by clicking the "bretta" in Home » Member Galleries » bretta
at the top of the picture (or right here, LOL).

Journaling reads: Dad You have my utmost admiration and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for serving our country. You joined the U.S. Army during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, never imagining that you would be in a war in Vietnam just a few years later doing a job very few people would ever want to do. That job was Graves Registration - recovering the bodies of soldiers killed on the battlefield and preparing them to be sent home to their loved ones. It's a job no one really thinks about - that someone had to go into hostile territory, usually by helicopter and often with the enemy nearby, to search for and recover a body. Sometimes you would be pinned down all night while on a mission, just hoping morning would come quickly. In your words, "Everything in me wanted to run and hide, or escape, but duty, honor and country kept me steadfast on the task at hand." You've told me stories of having to just disassociate yourself with what was going on around you and just get the job done, of having to wear Aqua Velva cologne on your surgical masks because the stench was unbearable, of struggling through putting pieces of bodies back together again and of things just so horrible that I can't bring myself to write about them. A special job, because yours was the last point of contact before a soldier went home. You were able to treat each person with dignity and respect and know that what you were doing, although difficult and painful, would bless the family back home.

You were so good at your job! After Vietnam, you served at various bases, and then the Army sent you to Fort Lee, Virginia, to the Quartermaster School where you were able to teach others about working in Graves Registration. You were so good, in fact, that you wrote the Army's policies on Graves Registration - their guidebooks, courses and manuals. Now retired, you still serve others. You still burn with zeal and your family burns with you, because of seeing you be an example of true patriotism and service. Everything in your past led to the shaping of the wonderful man you are today. I'm so very proud of you, Dad!

Thinking through some things....

2006-11-06T22:23:00.000-05:00

I really don't want to share at the moment, but I do want to post this quote (from Oprah, who I don't watch and don't endorse, but who speaks wisdom here) as a reminder to myself:

“What you have done is the past, and you alone get to determine what your future will be.”

”You are not your past. You are what is possible for you. Own this truth and move forward in your life. Forgive yourself, and others will be able to forgive you.”

Long post with lots of layouts

2006-10-20T19:39:00.000-05:00

Well, well, well, time flies when you're having fun! Busy, busy, busy! Since we last spoke, I have succeeded in taking my family on a vacation, which just never happens! Our friend, Richard, flew in from Australia on business and instead of flying into the Atlanta airport as usual, he flew in to Greensboro, NC, where we picked him up to spend a few days at my aunt's vacation home in NC. Lovely, lovely time. Lots of card playing of all sorts...Hearts, Knock Poker, No Name, Princes and Paupers. Games of Dominoes and Balderdash. Relaxing and fun! Richard being the shrewd, cunning, mathematical, card-counting sort came out on top in the "games won" category, but we gave him a good run for his money. No one plays cards with Richard in Oz because he's so shrewd and clever, so he comes here once a year to get a good dose of competition. I'm extremely competitive, so all he REALLY cares about is getting a higher score than me, whether he wins or not!

We had NO cell phone service anywhere in the area where we were staying. What bliss to not have Ward's phone ringing every five minutes! He got lots of rest while we were away!

I'm back to eating raw food only starting today. So far its been so refreshing. I didn't eat until I was hungry this morning which was around lunchtime, when I had two oranges. Then I got busy in the kitchen making myself some raw treats to help stave off any cravings that might arise. I made onion bread, corn chips, carrot-pecan burgers, mock salmon pate (what I munched on for lunch) and date/nut torte. My dehydrator is buzzing away in the kitchen and the smells are wonderful! I still want coffee, but hey, I'll live without it!! Drinking lots of water instead. Made Avocado Chutney to go with some of the corn chips that were done around the edges of the dehydrator trays. Yummy! I could live on that stuff!

And finally, I leave you with several layouts for your viewing pleasure! Click on the pictures to see credits:

My winning entry in the Ztampf Birthday Card Contest is next. I won 3 full size kits of my choice, a special surprise gift (which I haven't received yet...I think that will come at the end of their birthday month) and 50% off the store for an entire year! I'll probably own everything Fhung Lie puts out by the end of the year LOL. My other two entries are also shown.