Miracles on the road and in life.

 I want to tell you about my miracles from this last 11k trip around the country we made this past year (2023-2024). We live full time in our RV and when summer hits Florida we head for the cooler parts of the country. So as we were getting ready to hit the road..............

Miracle #1 - We were still in our winter quarters in Bowling Green at an RV resort - and I happened to be in the pool bobbing up and down with a noodle. If you don’t do that you really need to because its so relaxing. I was kinda by myself and God said in my head “ask me for a blessing” and now my head was spinning because WHAT DO I ASK FOR??, deer in the headlights look because WHAT DOES ONE ASK FOR? so I thought in my head “GOD YOU PICK”. I'm so excited now I have a blessing to look for! 

But then, I was told to look up  and there was this beautiful cloud in the sky and I watched as an angel formed. The cloud was bronze, and then it formed into a full-sized man the helmet, sword, boots with his back to me - but it was sooooo beautiful and I’m trying for a coherent thought because all I could think was GOD GAVE ME AN ANGEL. 

Little did I know how much I was going to need that angel.

Miracle #2 - We’re flying down the highway 65 mph 4 lanes, we pull off the highway because Tom is uncomfortable so we get off drive down the road and our tow bar breaks. It wasn’t a big deal we were on a regular street and there was no catastrophic cars piling up. Also, we were a few hundred miles from Blue OX that makes the tow bar - a lovely site to overnight and since its guaranteed for life - free. We then unhooked and drove separately to Blue Ox where we had a site for the night and a new tow bar.

Miracle #3 - Shane (favorite youngest son) flew over handlebars on a scooter - no helmet. Suffered a traumatic brain injury and is now recovering nicely, however, it was really dicey there for awhile and anyone who knows Shane, knows he does nothing the easy way. He and his wife have sinced moved to FL. One year later his brain is still swollen, and his eyes are still not right. Please pray for him. 

Miracle #4 Once again flying down the highway, 65mph rush hour - 4 lane highway with fences and antelopes. I stood up in order to give Tom a blow by blow because I could see the antelope (and they are squirrelier than squirrels and they were twitching). Tom - here they come they made it over the first fence and 2 lanes and not getting hit by the grace of God. Now they’re coming to us. Cars are rushing by, antelopes are twitching, bumper to bumper and I’m telling Tom they’re coming. Somehow they made it past all the cars that were passing us. Then they under the left side mirror just standing and twitching, and then they moved under the right side mirror. 

- I’m talking to Tom letting him know what’s going on - he’s not responding and I get it because its tense. Now the antelope are still off our right mirror and I’m looking down on them and WE NEVER HIT THEM and of course they’re being squirrelly and I’m actually calm saying they’re still there. I look over Tom is still driving we’re doing 65 mph - AND WE NEVER HIT THEM. In looking back and I do it a lot because I’m beyond awestruck and over the moon and blown away - 

The ONLY way I can explain it - we were in suspended animation. 

Cars are still flying around, Tom never braked or acknowledged anything I was saying, and I watched the antelope for like EVER as they were dancing around and even at one point were thinking about going back across. 

WE NEVER HIT THEM. 

They finally ran off to the right and everything went back. I was trying to explain to Tom what went down and he was oblivious to it all. It would've been so catastrophic and we’d have been thrown right through the window - not to mention the rest of the traffic would have piled up with catastrophic results. 

Miracle #5 - We came home and were setting up with our new doctor and Tom complained about his hip hurting so they took an x-ray and found that he had a Triple A - Abdominal aortic aneurysm - Very life threatening. After fighting with insurance including the day of the scheduled surgery- it was very successful, although he did get an infection and other stay in the hospital. I was very blessed to friends and family with throughout this process. God was there every step working out the disaster of the insurance and infection. 

 

We were beyond so blessed. I found miracles are everywhere: some you have to look for and some just appear.

God Bless you and keep you.

Find joy in the ordinary page - Traveler's Album

 Created this page for my traveler's album.

It's a photo of a flower at the Vistor's center in Dawson Creek. 

TH die, sissix die, stickles, bo bunny 6x8. 

Those adorable butterflies are from Little Birdie and there's really awesome flowers too. 

Assorted stamps, w/TH vintage distress ink.

Just add a bit of sparkle and shine

I made this card awhile while playing

with a new (to me) TH Die that as you can see

was a mighty fine price.

I also have to admit this layered dies completely

baffle me.

Jigsaw puzzles are not my thing.

However, 

I did love it.

But then, boredom set in.

and wa-la

Sticles and Nuvo to the rescue.

The background is a Sissix die.

 

Beautiful scenes rolling down I90 in South Dakota

This adorable chapel is in one of the rest areas

on I90 near White Lake, SD.

(Actually there's one on the Eastbound side)

Dignity of Earth and Sky  is a beautiful, stunning statue

off I90 in Chamberlain rest area.

The Chamberlain bridge over the Missouri River.

I adore old structures.

No matter what shape they're in.

Seriously.

Who doesn't love a wooden structure.

These signs ran down I90 and each

had a different fire truck parked by them.

We have not yet gone to the Brewing Co.

And this is just beautiful.

Can you imagine living there?

It's a tad too cold for me.

 

Scenes around Yankton SD

Gavins Point Dam 

is beautiful with a dramatic sky.

Fisherman out there and the fish were jumping like crazy.

Too fast for me.

A pelican skimming the water.

Of course I have more than one picture but

they are soooo cool.

Turkey

Evenidently no female around to show off for

and its mating season.

Old Schoolhouse I can find any

google stuff on it sadly.

Meridian Highway Bridge is the new bridge.

Meridian Bridge is the old bridge.

Double decker bridge.

Yankton Territorial Capital

beautiful grounds that can be rented.

Old Microwave Tower

It is kinda cool and scifi.

Mount Marty Church

That spire can be seen from everywhere.

Beautiful.

Gavins Dam (the other side)

Had some dramatic skies and the return trip.

Beautiful landmarks around the town.

And what history. 

 

Another flower page

I love how this turned out. 

I did a few things on the background, 

Small back dots.

Bigger white dots.

I was also going to fussy cut the flower like I did

on this page, however, I really

like the background in the picture sooo....

It must be kept.

Had that little gnome painted already and

it had purple in it.

A simple sentiment completed it 

AND

How about that bee.

 

With brave wings she flies....

Made this page last night. 

The tree branch is from Oliver (the owl TH die cut) 

An old sissix die bird cage and bird and the flower is from a picture I took -

printed it twice and fussy cut it out and popped up the layers. There

were printed 2 different sizes a 4x6 and 3x4 which  

makes the layers look cooler.

No clue about the pretty dots - 

but they came from Treasured Memories S/B shop. 

And the background are oxides smooshed about.

Love how it turned out.

 

4x4 Baby album Update

UPDATE - added 2 more pix below.....

I had a great time putting this little album together. 

It's all about the grandson.

I printed them in 4x4 size and that was really

neat to work with. 

I also printed 2x2's and of course created my

very own PL cards.

Naturally some of the 2x2s look like 4x4s 

because why not

they're adorable either way.

Got rid of a lot of ephemera.

Yay!

Love making my own embellies. 

I actually do not have many store bought ones

 because honestly, I buy them and then

are clueless on what to do with them because 

a. they're either not my style

b. I don't have anything to go with anything.

c. unless they're flowers............

I decided to have fun and downloaded 

Roadrunner because it cracked me up.

I didn't do a lot of journaling 

because it's not mine to journal really,

so I'm going to tuck tags

behind pictures here and there

and hopefully mama and favorite eldest son

will take care of that.

They take really great pictures and keep me quite updated.

I adore that viewmaster reel.

Remember those???

Cutting edge back in the day.

Sissix die.

Is he too stinkin' cute or what.

Used a lot of TH words and phrases.

and dated some of the photos.

I may need to pick up another 4x4 size

because this was fun to do.

Actually it's my second one as I did 4x4 wedding

album for favorite youngest son 

here

I do adore that little bear as you can see throughout.

and ta-da happy ending!!!

It's really hard to know when to stop.

Update!!!

I didn't stop LOL.

Got 2 more photos that had to be included.

Especially since mama wasn't in too many of them.

Like that's a surprise LOL.

He is just tooooo stinkin' cute.

 

Using up washi tape

I have a lot of washi tape (like who doesn't) 

and I really don't use it a lot. 

I see others that use it and it looooks sooo good.

Mine not so much.

So I have a lot of washi and blank notebook.

Well we can't have a blank, boring looking book cover

so...........................

I just slapped washi everywhere 

willy nilly.

Some had no adhesive so modge podge to the rescue.

And then.....I decided that maybe some gesso

is required to tone it down.

And then I thought maybe stamps

would work in another willy nilly kind of way.

Too much???

I kind of like it.

And why not.

 

Easter cards for the grands

It appears that over the years I have used up most

of my Easter stuff for cards.

Since I have limited space I try real hard to 

use what I have differently.

Below is actually a stamp set for a birthday card

yet there's a bunny in the basket.

So for the older kidlets - I used some QK dies,

fussy cut the stamps

and made backgrounds from distressed inks.

And the inside - A cover up was necessary since I

somehow got ink all over the green part.

So white dots from those little black daubers

and the bunny ears from TH.

I had leftover clouds sooo.....

Then the little guy needed a card his age and

fortunately for me I had leftover Easter

papers from last year.

Had some fussy cutting going on.

Violet designs (papers)

And I made the inside sort of the same w/o the background

fiasco - Love those painted dots.

Some more fussy cutting and some bunny ears.

Who doesn't love bunny ears.

 

Birthday card - one year old

Grandbaby first birthday needed a fun card.

I love this QK monkey so easy to put together.

Using some fun embellies I premade with 

watercolor color papers and leftover inks and/or paints.

and Martha Steward alpha punch (wish I got the numbers punch)

but alas.....

Love the monkey shines font!!!

The alphas in blue are QK calvin.