Day of Firsts....

Today this precious lady whom I thought the world of spent her first day in heaven while...

the first snow of 2011 fell... Lynn said earlier as we were playing in the snow... "Mama picked the right day to leave us. The snow has kept us all out of the house and our minds occupied."

Impromptu Photo Shoot

This morning Tyler wanted to try out his new camera so ....

I agreed to model...

Psalms 27

Last Thursday morning, December 30th, I was perusing a blog and going through "my morning time" when I came across a nugget of scripture, Psalms 27. I immediately thought of Phyllis and the battle she was fighting with cancer. I typed the scripture and edited the pronouns to include Phyllis all through out it. I wasn't even finished with it- when Ashlyn called to tell me things really weren't good- the doctor was giving her days to live. Definitely one of those "road checks"- I knew right away why God had given me that scripture. I shared it with Ashlyn, her response "perfect".

Psalm 27

1 The LORD is Phyllis' light and my her salvation—
whom shall she fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of her life—
of whom shall I she be afraid?

2 When the wicked advance against her
to devour her,
it is her enemies and her foes
who will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege her,
her heart will not fear;
though war break out against her,
even then she will be confident.

4 One thing she asks from the LORD,
this only does she seek:
that she may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of her life,
to gaze on the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble
he will keep her safe in his dwelling;
he will hide her in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set her high upon a rock.

6 Then her head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround her;
at his sacred tent she will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
She will sing and make music to the LORD.

7 Hear her voice when she calls, LORD;
be merciful to her and answer her.
8 Her heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, LORD, she will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from her,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been her helper.
Do not reject her or forsake her,
God her Savior.

10 Though her father and mother forsake her,
the LORD will receive me her .
11 Teach her your way, LORD;
lead her in a straight path
because of her oppressors.
12 Do not turn her over to the desire of her foes,
for false witnesses rise up against her,
spouting malicious accusations.

13 She remain(s) confident of this:
She will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

At this point Phyllis was still in the hospital. Arrangements were made to move her to the hospice house Saturday, January 1st. Sunday- the 2nd I had the privelidge to stand by her bedside and pray and then kneel by her bed and share this Psalms with her. No words...

Biltmore

Since before Christmas Erin had been asking me to go to the Biltmore House. Finally it worked out to go just after New Years- the day before they took down Christmas decorations. The only thing I know to say is- "Why haven't I been before now?" As the old saying goes, "Some of life's greatest adventures are waiting just outside your back door." Asheville is roughly a 2 hour drive from Kannapolis.

When we got to the Biltmore we had time to spare before our tour time at 1:45... the couple that took this picture of us in front of the tree had driven all day the day before from Mississippi, would spend a day touring the Biltmore and a day driving back. Crazy to me- that our drive was so short compared to theirs and yet this was the first time I'd been there in my 26 years of life. I think it's safe to say I won't let another 26 years pass before I go back.

We made the best of our day despite the rain... I mean, "hey... the majority of our tour was inside anyways- what's a little rain going to do? At least it wasn't a tourential down pour.

Outside the mansion- too bad photography is not allowed inside. How beautifully is was decorated for Christmas!

We toured roughly 40 of the 250 rooms... only 40 rooms... less than a 5th of the rooms were even opened for viewing. The Christmas decorations were spectacular- my favorite part was going from room to room and comparing the elaborately decorated Christmas trees and envisioning all the behind the scenes decorating that takes place.

Now that I've seen the inside decorated for Christmas- I can't wait to go back in the Spring and see all the floral gardens!