WHO AM I?

I was driving to work this morning and listening to the radio. It takes me about 30 minutes to get there so a lot of mornings I pray! Sometimes I just listen to the FISH, which is a local Christian radio station here in Atlanta. I have been on such an emotional rollercoaster the past couple of months and this morning was no different. The song, Who am I by Casting Crowns came on about half way to work. I was listening to the words and singing at the top of my lungs as a prayer to God. Grief struck me!! I was immediately crying and sobbing about missing my granddaddy. Who am I that HE would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt? I miss my granddaddy immensely and I know this is normal and I am grateful to God that I will see him again. I feel truly blessed that I know who I am because of what HE has done. Here are the words to the song.....

WHO AM I?

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would chose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who you are

Chorus:
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in th ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

Thank you Jesus for telling Who I am!!!

Feeling blessed,
Wendy

So, I was tagged by www.fosterhome5.blogspot.com to do this 8 things survey. So, of course, I have to do it. It really is a lot of fun.

8 Things I am Looking Forward To:

1. Getting our debt paid off (one credit card)
2. Watching my new baby niece grow up.
3. Summer.
4. My 17-year-old getting a job :-)
5. Being a stay-at-home mommy one day.
6. Buying a new car (sooner rather than later probably. Mine can't last much longer).
7. My husband's business raking in the dough (see #5)
8. Pain relief (stupid back pain!! Ugh!)

8 Things I Did Yesterday:

1. Took my dog to the groomer.
2. Went to the grocery store.
3. Loved on Leah and my Tori-bug.
4. Read.
5. Found my sister's dog a home.
6. Picked my dog back up.
7. Cooked out with my sister and the rest of the gang.
8. Went to bed rather early.

8 Things I wish I could do:

1. Get rid of this stupid backache that has lasted for 4 years.
2. Cure childhood cancer.
3. Pay off my house.
4. Wrinkle my nose and my house be spotless.
5. Be a stay-at-home mommy.
6. Buy a new car.
7. Go to the beach.
8. Have another week of vacation (since I didn't get to rest on mine last week).

8 Shows I Watch

1. Survivor
2. Deadliest Catch
3. The Biggest Loser
4. American Idol
5. Dr. Phil
6. Jon and Kate plus 8
7. Oprah
8. Live with Regis and Kelly (DVR everyday)

I am supposed to tag some people. So, I tag www.adayinthelifeofacrazedmom.blogspot.com
www.jennykate77.blogspot.com (although I think she might have already did the survey), www.rajandginny.com/blog/
There you go.
Love to all,
Wendy

P.S. My great aunt passed away about 2 hours ago. I don't know what is happening to my family. Good grief, we have been on a rollercoaster.

The Best Birthday Present Ever

My birthday was on April 20th. I turned 35 and got the best birthday present ever. Here she is.... Leah Racheigh Shields. My sister, C.C. was due on April 25th., but we told her all along that she would make her grand entrance on my birthday. And, she did!!! Leah was born at 2:10am. She weighed 7 lb. 9 oz. and was 19-1/2 inches long. I love being an aunt again. She is the most gorgeous baby so she must look like her aunt Wendy. Here is my husband, Uncle Kevin holding her for the first time.

Granny of course had to hold her too. She was going to be in the delivery room, but C.C. ended up with a c-section after laboring for 20 hrs.

C.C. bonding with her new lil' angel. She is going to be a great mom and I am proud of her. I will help her in whatever I can. Since I work at the pediatrician's office she has a pediatric nurse at her fingertips all the time. My little finger is wrapped tightly though from that sweet precious baby girl already!!

Happy Birthday, Leah and to me too!!

A Champion

Well, my Tori-bug didn't win a state championship today, but she is still a champion in my book. She did really well though. I will post pics tomorrow hopefully. She got her 36 finally!!! Actually, it was an all-around score of 36.105!!! She also placed in every event with 21 girls competing. She got a 9.1 on vault (pretty good for her), 8.85 on bars, 8.85 on beam, and 9.3 on floor. I was so extremely proud of her. She is getting on a plane tomorrow night and flying to Disney World. The lucky girl!!! The best thing about today was that SHE was proud of herself.

One beaming mom,
Wendy

Just an update

I haven't updated this blog all week b/c I am still trying to recover from the lack of sleep and fatigue that washed over me the past 2 weeks. It has been one big rollercoaster ride with my emotions. We have a lot of family drama going on (that I don't want to get into to right now). My mom is moving in with my sister and her family this weekend. Trying to pack a house that they never threw stuff away is tough. My granddaddy was one of those people who kept EVERYTHING. My other sister is still pregnant. She is due in 9 days now. She and her boyfriend moved into the house with his uncle (who is older and has dementia). Don't know how all that is going to work out when she has the baby, but they will make do. My mom is moving in with my sister b/c she is leaving my stepdad. He has been terrible to my entire family. Speaking horribly to all of us and I, for one, am tired of it. My child is scared of him. She finally told him that she wanted to leave him. But, mom is disabled so she needs someone with her during the day thus the reason she is going to my sister's. She will be done with school on May 5th. and will be available to mom during the day. I am working full time right now and it would be easier to have mom come here, but nobody is here during the day. We will try this out and see how it goes.
Tori has her State Meet this Sat. at 5pm. I absolutely love gymnastics competition season, but I am rather glad it is coming to a close for now. She is leaving on Sunday to go to Disney World without me. I went ahead and took the week off from work though so I could catch up. My husband and I spent our 11th. wedding anniversary at the funeral home so we want to be able to do something together new week. I will do better at updating next week hopefully. Maybe I will be able to tell you that Tori-bug won State Champion then too.

Wendy

Eulogy

Never before have I spoken at a funeral. I am usually too scared to even offer to get up and try to speak, but for my granddaddy I wanted to. He was especially special to me. I wish I had my scanner hooked up so I could post a picture of him, but I don't. I will share with you what I said though.

My Granddaddy

You may have called him Peanut, Wimp, daddy, brother, or uncle, but he was my granddaddy. I wanted to tell you a little bit about who my granddaddy was. When I was a young girl I stayed every weekend with Mama Jean and Granddaddy. I could have had sleep overs with my friends, but I chose to go to granddaddy's because they were my favorite people. I loved spending time with them. Granddaddy worked for Palm Harbor Homes and Mama Jean couldn't stay by herself when Mama Mae (my great-grandmother) would go to Johnny's for the weekend or to Florida so I stayed with her. On Friday nights when granddaddy got home from work, we would go to the steak house and eat supper. Granddaddy could hardly eat because he knew everybody that came in the door. On Sat. nights we went to John's BBQ. It was the same way there.
Granddaddy impacted my life. He taught me true love. Mama Jean had epilepsy and had seizures often. When she would have one, he would wrap his arms around her tightly so she wouldn't get hurt. On April 16, they would have been married for 60 years. Yesterday (April 4) was my 11th. wedding anniversary and I pray we will be together for 60 years. Granddaddy loved lots of things and people. He loved to fish. He loved to eat catfish, chicken stew, BBQ, moonpies, and oh yes, HUNNY BUNS!!! Granddaddy told everyone about his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He carried pictures around in his wallet for everyone to see. When I was 9 years old Granddaddy told everyone that I was his "little nurse". I would just beam. I knew from that moment on that I would go to nursing school. He was so proud of me when I graduated.
There was a movie out several years ago where a man died. His family said it was not goodbye because they would see him again someday, it was "See you later". So granddaddy, "I'll see you later". I love you and I will miss you from the bottom of my heart.

My grandparents were very special to me. I just lost my other grandmother (my dad's mom) 8 months ago. They were the last 2 alive and now I have lost both of them. We are going through some really trying times right now. Please keep lifting my family up in your prayers. I will be forever grateful.

Missing my granddaddy,
Wendy

Funeral

I am so sad! My granddaddy passed away early Friday morning. My sister and I had been caring for him all this week and Wednesday we knew that it would only be a couple of days. I stayed all night on Wednesday night, my sister stayed all night on Thursday night. She called me at 3:18am and said she wasn't sure if he was breathing. I raced over there (in about 3 minutes flat) and he was already gone. Today we have the funeral. I am going to try my best to get up and speak. I am hoping I won't be a big blubbering mess. I really want to express what kind of man my grandfather was. He was my favorite person. I will miss him dearly.