Spring Time!

I have found that the little egg holders, also make cute little candle holders! :) Teacups also make pretty little candle holders too....I usually prefer the tealights as to not get wax on my cups!

Have a wonderful Wednesday afternoon!

Hugs!

Carolyn

Psalm 28:7

Cottage Musing

"What we perceive as dark periods in our lives are designed to be treasures from God."

~ Os Hillman

"I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name."

~Isaiah 45:3

Men...

Since my divorce 10 years ago, I have dated a little here and there. It only took a few dates after my divorce was final while my daughters were still living at home for me to know that dating could wait. My girls had been through a lot and I did not want to take any more time away from them than what I had to now that I was working full-time. I would rather spend a Friday night with them than trying to get to know some goofy guy where the relationship would probably never go anywhere anyway! There’s a lot of wasted time & energy going through the dating process. It wasn’t the time to waste when I had two daughters at home still trying to heal. I found myself often sitting across the table listening to an extremely boring guy ramble about how awesome he was or talking about his boring work. More than once, I also found myself wishing I was back at home with my daughters munching on a big bowl of popcorn watching a good movie, as I stifled a yawn.

When I weighed out the best investment of my time, getting to know a lousy guy or giving my daughters stability as they readjusted to the new family structure, I knew I would rather be with my girls. A relationship and marriage would come in time and I was not in any hurry. Marriage is no picnic; it takes a lot of work and dedication. I also needed time to heal ~ my trust level was suffering a tad. So my children and I healed together.

I also knew that if I had fallen in love with someone that I could not jump into a marriage. I had to be certain and it would have to take time to be “certain.” I did not want to short change my girls or a relationship with an awesome man -- trying to divide my attention and time. Working full time, there were not many hours left in the day.

However, with all that being said, I did keep my options open. I wasn’t looking for a relationship but if an exceptionally great man crossed my path, I would accept a date. I am here to tell you though that there are not a whole lot of exceptionally great men out there at this age. They’re all married to wonderful wives! :) The ones running around not married at this age are rejects! LOL! I’m being silly but I believe there is some truth in that statement!

There was one man that I fell for before my daughters grew up and left home. At that time, my boss at an insurance company that I worked for felt I was a wonderful gal who deserved a great man and was determined to find “him” for me. My boss was the top insurance agent in the region and knew a lot of people. He found the “great” man. I was not sold on the idea of a blind date (as it was my first). He finally convinced me ~ I went out of duty more to my boss than anything else. Ended up, this guy was pretty wonderful. He was an incredible gentleman with a big heart. However my walk with God was a high priority….and he did not believe at all. Long story ~ short, we went our separate ways…. Did I mention that he was a multi-millionaire….money is not everything, you know! In the meantime, I am living on a shoestring! :) ...Still no regrets though!

After the girls were grown and left home, I met another man….almost married him! Yikes, I am so, so glad I didn’t!!! I will save that story for another time….I have to get to work!

Story to be Continued.... :)

I have plans this weekend with my darling granddaughters...

but next week when I post, I will bring my life up to speed.

I honestly don't live in the past!! Just wanted to give a little background as to who this new gal in the blogging world is!

Is there a man in my life today? Hmmm... story to be continued next week.

Have a wonderful, fun weekend!

Hugs,

Carolyn

Psalm 28:7

Still "Tweaking"

My daughter came to my rescue and modified my blog.

She changed the banner and color scheme, etc...

I think I like it! :)

Thank you, sweetie... I love you!

Love, Mom

~

Hugs,

Psalm 28:7

Spring Time! :)

ahhhh.....spring time! :)

So how did your daughters handle the news...

My daughters stayed at my mother's on the Friday that I had the papers served to my husband at our home.

I told my attorney that I wanted to wait until Friday to have the papers served,

so the girls would have the weekend to process the horrible

news and perhaps, adjust a little before

facing their friends and the world on Monday.

After my husband left the house Friday around 2 in the afternoon,

my 3 brothers quickly replaced the locks.

My insides went into extreme spasms and tremoring.

I never knew such pain.

After my sister and I picked up the girls from Mom's house,

I brought them home and had them sit next to me on the sofa.

We held hands.

I told them very little but enough to let them know things were going to be different. They were in shock and started to sob.

I remember my mother never said a bad word about my father all the years of her life.

I learned from her the wisdom in doing so. I came up with the conclusion of my dad's poor behavior on my own.

I also wanted to do the same for my girls.

~

I gently whispered to them as they cried,

"A cheerful heart is good medicine but a broken spirit dries up the bones."

"We must work together to not let this rob our joy."

Cottage Musing

A small house will hold as much happiness as a big one.

~Anonymous

.

Cottage Industry, "Words to Live By"

Ironing out all the "set up" issues to my new blog...

I believe the "comments" issue I have been having has now been "fixed"!

Yay!!!!!

Please feel free to comment on my site!

I am excited about you coming back to visit!

Children are a blessing!

Spent a wonderful weekend with my two little granddaughters!
I couldn't have spent my weekend in a more delightful way!

*sigh*http://sewingseeds4U.blogspot.com
Thank you, my new friend!

~
Guess what!!
I have a follower!
Oh my goodness, how awesome is that??

~

I also understand by several friends that it is impossible to leave a comment!
I am working on that...
I have tweaked this and that but it doesn't seem to solve the problem!
My sister will help me soon...she hasn't had a minute yet
to do so.
She is a lot more computer savvy than what I will ever be!

~
Happy Monday to YOU! :)
Hugs,
Carolyn
Psalm 28:7

Okay...so what happened?

Okay… where were we?

Oh yes…I borrowed my husband’s car one day in September of 1998. My car was in the shop. Well, I probably should state here that during all the years of our marriage, I was never a snooper. I didn’t ever want to live that way. Life is too short to be doubting or living under a dark cloud of mistrust or being suspicious. I loved being happy …so why look for trouble when you have no reason to believe there is any trouble.
This particular autumn day though I borrowed his car to go on a quick trip to the grocery store. As I placed a few items in the trunk of his car, I picked up a little black pouch lying there in the trunk.

Not even thinking… I opened it.

That was the moment my sweet little life changed forever.

The contents held the evidence my husband was having an affair. I immediately drove to my mother’s house as I still had an hour before picking up the girls from school. I told my mom what I had found. My father had stepped out on my mother as I was growing up and I respected her decision to not leave my dad. There were 6 of us kids and my mother knew if she left dad, we would have had to be on welfare, as well as, losing our mother to work long hours outside the home. I respected her sacrifices on behalf of her children, as well as, her wisdom, courage and bravery in so many ways. As I talked to my mother, I made the decision to do the same… to stay with my husband.

My walk with God also helped me to come to this conclusion….

I was determined to win my husband back and to be the center of his world ~ this woman had better watch out…whoever she was! I was ready to turn on all the womanly charm & turn up the sizzle!!

And SIZZLE, I did! ;)
…Until the next piece of evidence fell into my lap. There was MORE than one woman!! My weight started shedding and shedding…and shedding. I was a wreck and becoming a skeleton.

More and more evidence was bombarding me ~ my husband had become sloppy in keeping his “dirty” little secrets that I kept stumbling on more …and more.

He turned out to be a big time playboy and tons of women…ends up he had been living this lifestyle all of our 19 yrs of marriage ~ living a double life.
This hidden lifestyle was starting to become so obvious and extreme that I had become fearful for my health. I knew I had to finish raising my daughters and someone had to be the adult here! I couldn’t take the risk of becoming ill with some outrageous disease he would pick up…
Long, long story ~ short;

I ended up filing for divorce. With the help of a dear friend, my sister and God, I pulled myself together before having a nervous breakdown.
Divorced him…being final in February 2000.

Here are the blessings:
I was able to give my girls a strong, Christian foundation with strong morals and values;

be the kind of mother I had always wanted to be;

and I was able to give my girls sweet, sweet childhood memories!

God protected and sheltered me from knowing these things, so I could have precious blessings!

Behind the Cloud...the sun is always shining! :)

Have a wonderful weekend!

~

I will be spending the weekend with my darling little granddaughters!

Carolyn

Psalm 28:7

So who is this new gal in the blogging world...

Okay....so who is this new gal in the blogging world? Pour yourself a cup of coffee as I will too...

and I will chat a minute before I get back to work in my real estate job.

I have been divorced 10 years now ~ not by choice.

I was married for 19 years and my little girls at that time were 11 and 13. We had the sweetest life as I was a stay-at-home Mom from the day they were born. My heart was full and my goal was to make a comfortable, happy home for my husband and a sweet, memorable childhood for my little girls.

Our days were filled with tea parties, baking cookies, Little House on the Prairie re-runs and Anne of Green Gables movies.

I was a very, very happy lady. And then it happened...

For now though, I must get back to work....sooner than what I had planned!

But this little story shall be continued tomorrow...

...

Have a wonderful spring day as I have the door propped open here at our real estate office and feeling the fresh spring breeze! :D

~

Hugs,

Carolyn

Psalm 28:7

Two more days until Spring!

I love flowers and this is the first year

I tried my hand at growing an amaryllis indoors this winter!

~

It is beautiful!

~

My camara does not do it justice!

Next year I hope to try Paperwhite Narcissus.

~

It is absolutely beautiful and springlike today...hope everyone is enjoying beautiful springlike weather, as well, wherever you are! ;)

~

Carolyn

Psalm 28:7

Happy St Patrick's Day to you!

Did

you

wear

your

GREEN

today?

Blogging...

I have been admiring all the blogs out there and have been inspired to start my own.... Don't have a clue what I am doing so this will be a learning challenge for a gal who is illiterate to computer, techy stuff! But, hey, that is okay.... not sure any one will ever stumble across this blog anyway with all the current, beautiful blogs out there! :)