We were headed to Point Udall which is the eastern most point in the United States.
This monument is a giant sundial was titled Point Udall Millennium Monument. It was built for the New Years celebration January 1, 2000. The tradition is that people celebrate at this monument the first sunrise of the new year .
We hiked down a dusty trail for about 1/2 mile towards the water carrying snorkel gear, towels and our lunch. Going down was fun! Coming back up? Not so fun.
The water was super wavy and it was a difficult time to snorkel. We were still able to see some fish, coral and some beautiful sea life.
We spent our lunch under (some in) a big tree talking about anything and everything from what we would have told our younger selves to Abraham and so much in between.
We drove around the South Island.
We caught a glimpse of “The Castle.” It’s for sale for $9 million. Any takers?
What an incredible view this little house has
We spent the afternoon at home just sitting on the back porch. Not a bad way to spend our time. It wasn’t hard to nap as the ocean breeze blows.
We had dinner at Flyers, grill/bar place right on the water.
Dinner was fabulous but the homemade ice cream was out of this world. Lots of flavors with 4 spoons.
Happy Easter Eve Friends.
Tomorrow is going to be an incredible day. It’s going to be an early morning for us here in St Croix but what a glorious day it’s going to be.
When Becky moved to St. Croix for her job, we spoke often of a visit.
If it’s not on the calendar it doesn’t happen……..so a trip was planned for Easter weekend!!
Plane tickets were purchased, a rental car reserved and fun things were planned.
Our flight left from Orlando International Airport with a short layover in Miami before landing in St Croix around 2:30 Fridayafternoon.
Look at that water!
How fun it is to see your people.
A quick stop at the condo and off to Christiansted.
St. Croix was hit by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 both Category 5 storms within 2 weeks of each other. Becky is here working to help with recovery and restoration of the public utility and roads.
As we flew over the island there were many blue tarped roofs as well and obvious destruction caused by the storm. The island is slowly recovering.
We walked the streets.
We fed the Tarpon hotdogs.
I love love LOVE old buildings, brick laid streets and just plain old stuff.
These steps led to the front doors of a church built in 1734. I can’t even…..
I don’t know what this building was but I needed to hug it’s beauty.
The stairs that led to nowhere
Becky has made us reservations at the Wardroom, a restaurant located upstairs at the Hotel St. Croix.
Inside the hotel was the first caged elevator ever in St. Croix. Just look at the brick wall 💜💙❤️
Steve’s dinner included a pork chop from The Flintstones and Becky spoke love to her ribeye. Obviously we were hungry .
Our first day was a huge success and tomorrow is going to be so fun!
I’m preparing for book club. We are reading Present over Perfect by Shauna Niequist.
It has slapped me a few times but today, as I re-read a chapter in the section titles Legacy, this paragraph spoke to me:
“Some of us are made to write songs and grants and novels, all different things. I’m finding that one of the greatest delights in life is walking away from what someone told you you should be in favor of walking towards what you truly love, in your own heart, in your one secret soul.”
I’ve not felt myself for a long time. I have struggled as many do with “life things.” Deaths and births, moving, new friends, old friends, jobs and no jobs and so many more I can’t begin to list.
Everyone deals with things differently and not one is right or wrong. For months, I have felt like something is wrong. I’m not a depressed kind of person but if I had to describe my feelings, I would have titled it some sort of depression. I don’t like to be labeled and I don’t like to label others. Why does it have to have a title to be real? It doesn’t.
I’m missing some things that are incredibly important to me, due to changes in our weekly dynamics. I refuse to wallow in self pity because of things that are uncontrollable. It’s ok to mourn but I can’t just stay there. It’s important to move forward. Disappointment is real. So is grace. I have listened to two sermons in the last two weeks. The first was what to do with all the extra grace and the other was how to deal with disappointment. Sermons that speak to my very core. I am so incredibly blessed and I feel as if Grace has dumped a whole load on me. I’ve also dealt with disappointment lately and I not only want to move ahead but I need to.
Do you ever feel like a new day comes and the lights come on? The sun hits you just right and the days seem to be just a little happier.
I sound dramatic and I’m not meaning to. I just feel more like myself than ever before.
I have people who have asked if I’m ok and of course it’s always yes. However I know they aren’t dumb and know there’s more.
Thank you, you know who you are, for allowing me to live through the pain in my own way without pushing. Allowing me to wallow a little. Be sad when sad is necessary. I want to be that to others in my life.
Two friends, out of no where stopped Saturday at our house. They both apologized for just showing up. The best part of their visit? They stopped without calling. That means that we are open and welcoming. Nothing could make me happier.
Being present over Perfect is not easy for me. I want to be both for goodness sake. However I also want to sit where my gifts are and use those gifts where they belong.
Spring has sprung and it feels like I have entered my spring. New growth, a brighter day and abundant blessings.
Be intentional friends. If your gut tells you to call someone, call them. If you get the urge to invite people for dinner, DO IT. It doesn’t have to be a big deal. Listen, I’m preaching because I’m the one who is listening the hardest. Just do it.
In 2015 as we began renovations and reinvention of the stairs were a must.
Could they be any grosser? Is grosser a word?
Steve said when the new stairs were being installed that one day, a space under the stairs should happen. Not knowing we would have the cutest little grandson, it immediately became a place for him. A place that one day, he would want to play in, a place to nap and maybe even spend the night when he’s older.
The news stairs are not gross and actually so very the opposite of grosser
My wheels started rolling a few months ago.
Enter the master bedroom, make a hard right and behind the door you will find the entrance to the Hideout.
Before it was obviously a pillow storage.
But now…..
We still need a door, but that’s coming and it’s going to be a doozy!
Immediately to your right as you enter, is a book/toy nook.
Jack loves little toys so the baskets will hold his toy animals and of course his favorite, cars.
There is no electricity so I had to be creative and used @nestingwithgrace magic light trick. Regular sconces with puck lights installed. Remote controlled allows for instant lights.
The first section holds a twin size bed. I purchased a piece of foam so it could be cut to exact measurement required. Sewing sensation Mom/Nana made a “beddy bed” like cover for the foam. It has a fitted bottom sheet just like a regular bed with a cover on top connected with a zipper. No blankets scattered and no cold children. All snug as a bug.
To the left of the first space is a play wall which now holds a magnetic board for our ABC practicing and a chalk board.
The left wall is just for fun. I wanted whomever was in this space to feel loved and empowered.
Immediately behind the first space is an opening that leads to the second space.
As you pass through the first space, the second space holds a queen size bed, with the same zippered bedding, the same lights but has rope lighting all he way around the space.
I admit to crawling back into this space with a book and relishing in the quiet and the comfy cave feeling.
Claustrophobic? This space is not for you?
I’m so very proud of the space we have created for Jack and for the next babies that come along.
Making a space from nothing is part of our DNA and I think we did good.
Jack is almost 2. He’s exactly 1 year and 11 months old today.
He can tell you how old he is.
He can also tell you how old he ALMOST is.
Two is a big deal.
When you are almost two you love to take walks and play outside. You also love to read books and sing the ABC’s. There’s even a made up song about your name.
When you are almost two, you get your own play set for Christmas. It has to to be big enough for the big kids to play too.
When you are almost two, you love to help. It’s fun to push the garbage cans to the road with a little assistance from Papa.
When you are almost two, you can ride your motorcycle all by yourself. You learn how to push the go button with your own foot. You only need a little help steering.
When you are almost two, you get to share snack with the grown ups.
When you are almost two, you get to put your feet in the water and have snacks on a beautiful spring day.
When you are almost two, you get to help in the garden. You get to wear your rain boots and use your very own shovel. Helping Papa is the most fun.
When you are almost two, learning to use the potty is a priority. Sometimes reading helps to pass the time
When you are almost two, you love your people. You share kisses a lot 💜❤️💜
But the best thing about being almost two……
Is that you get to be a big BROTHER!!!!!!!!
Baby Wissinger #2 will makes his/her appearance in mid August 2019.
In 2010 when we moved to Ocala, we bought a house. It was not beautiful but it was in the best neighborhood and we knew we could make it a home to be proud of. We did some upgrades and eventually put in a fantastic pool.
The house had a sweet little back porch area and Steve had built a beautiful wooden swing bed that would hang from the rafters.
It was going to be perfect…..and then we bought an old house and we sold the beautiful home in Dalton Woods.
Renovations took all of our time and the wooden swing bed sat in storage for 5 years.
Until now.
The beautiful wooden swing bed now hangs in our pool house. It has a cute cover that sweetest friend Becky gave me 5 years ago when the swing was meant to be installed. I’ve carried the cover along as we moved because one day I knew the swing would be the perfect addition to the old house.
Somewhere is here.
Again, hanging from the rafters in the pool house.
Looking spiffy with her cute cover and new pillows.
I think I see naps here
I think I see book reading here
I think I see swinging babies here
I think I see long cups of coffee with friends here
There are a few teenagers that I love and is why I went to a “City Wide” youth event last night. It was to guide and protect our students who came to worship and to be enriched by some exciting speakers.
The pavilion was packed.
The lights dimmed
The smoke machine started
The singers sang. Boy did they sing.
I have sang with and led some of the singers last night. I felt like the proudest of momma birds.
I couldn’t have been more proud of this girl. She sang with her whole heart. She made me so proud.
Music is my jam. It’s how I worship and when I sang the words about being Who HE says I Am, the tears fell. As I watched the youth of our city sing from their hearts. lift their hands to the Father in song, I didn’t want it to be about me. But I couldn’t help it.
The last few months have been hard. They have been full of tough questions and heart hurting decisions. There have been tears and mean words. There have been quiet moments of reflections and sadness.
But when we sang Bigger than I thought by passion. The words
struck me:
So I throw all my cares before You My doubts and fears don’t scare You You’re bigger than I thought You were You’re bigger than I thought So I stop all negotiations With the God of all creation You’re bigger than I thought You were You’re bigger than I thought You were
Why is it so hard? It’s really not. I’m tired of trying to negotiate what I think I want. I know He is bigger than me.
I totally know it but I’m also stubborn and sometimes hard headed. I want it the way I want it and I don’t like to be told what to do. Plain and simple.
However I do trust Him. I trust Him with every being of my body and I don’t like to argue. I don’t like confrontation and I want Him to be proud of me.
58 and gone already? It just doesn’t seem fair. However, a debilitating disease like Dementia doesn’t discriminate. Diseases invade your life without invitation. It wrecks your life and the lives of your people. Disease doesn’t ask permission and it definitely starts to stink after a few days, let alone years.
My friend and her sister sang at the service. The band started to play and my tears immediately fell.
The old song, “He Touched Me” began to play.
Since I met this blessed Savior, Since He cleansed and made me whole, I will never cease to praise Him, I’ll shout it while eternity rolls
He touched me, oh He touched me, And oh the joy that floods my soul! Something wonderful happened and now I know. He touched me and made me whole
Ya’ll that song………
The promises this song talks about. As a child of a parent who suffered and finally met Jesus in December of 2017, there is a promise of being made whole. There is no more suffering and no more pain. The promise of joy.
As I listened to the gentleman speak who knew their family for years. He knew them prior to disease invading their lives. He spoke of Tina being such an example of God to her family. She taught her children to pray and the girls would walk into their home and find their Mom kneeling on the floor praying over their home and their family.
She loved. Those were the words he used.
He spoke of how her body is now dancing on the streets of glory. She’s not the shell she was as she left this earth. She is whole.
They played a video of family and friend photos. Her voice was the background music.
I did not know Tina. I had never met her. However I have sang with her daughters. Worshipped. And as I closed my eyes and listened to the voice on the video, I heard my friend. What a incredible gift to receive from your Mom.
Tina’s husband Bo rose to speak.
He eloquently thanked everyone for taking time out of their schedule to attend the service.
He continued, “Horrible things happen to good people. Sometimes evil seems to succeed.” But God does not answer the proposition why? But He does answer “How” better than anything else.
When chaos or tragedy knocks on your door, Almighty God knows how to give you strength and gives you stability.
There is a song by Kasey Musgraves called ” Rainbow.” It has been on repeat the last few days.
I don’t know what the reference of the songs point towards but I do know what the rainbow represents and the promises of God.
Here’s the song if you want to listen
I was traveling from Orlando early this morning and was able to see the sunrise in the background. So much traffic but I was able to get a glimpse of the beauty while sitting at a red light. Cause you know Orlando traffic.
The Bible talks about a little while and how it’s just a moment in time.
We have the sting of separation as our loved ones go before us but we are all going to experience a reunion and that little moment in time will become eternity.
At the end of the service, the girls sang again.
I didn’t want to be irreverent so I pointed my phone down during the last song, “Who you say I am.” Unknowingly pointing it directly at the picture of Tina. A woman, according to her people, was exactly Who He says she is. A child of the Almighty. A woman who loved her family. A family that loved her back. In good times and in bad. In sickness and in health. Till death do us part.
The Downtown Farmhouse 