Never posted/This Pandemic then/now.

APRIL 2020-Things are uncertain and strange right now.... we have been "sheltering in place" since March 15th. We live on 5 acres and I am a stay at home mom so being home isn't strange but not going out or getting together with friends and MISSING church.... is hard. It's not unbearable and honestly I have enjoyed the slowing and more time at home, with my kiddos. 

I have two seniors.... one graduating from high school (home school) and one from college. Both of their graduation ceremonies have been cancelled/postponed. Especially sad for my college senior, Alyssa (Lysa)~ her senior spring semester cut short. She never went back after spring break (March 16th). Lysa is finishing classes online but no official "lasts" or "goodbyes" and of course, her ceremony that was suppose to be May 9, 2020. 

All that to say.....  we are ok. It will all be ok. Lots of events cancelled. Lots still being cancelled. 

We are taking advantage of this time though.....  we have fished, walked, went to an outside nursery and several drive-thru for food. We try to shop local... because our small local businesses are struggling. At the first of the 'shelter in place" we went to a drive-in movie. It was the first for my youngest three! So we are embracing this time because when this is all over .... I know we will miss it and look back and cherish it!

OCTOBER 2020 -8 months later... I never posted the above so I thought I would do a then and NOW.  It’s been crazy. Who would of thought back in March- that in October we would still be dealing with the virus. I journaled our days on Instagram- up till day 90+ but ... today is day 225 since the 15th of March when we started the shelter in place. 

We are not staying home 100% - we are attending church on Sundays since June but with distancing & masks. Lots of controversy about this virus. It’s really discouraging. Lots of opinions and not much grace being given. We do Walmart pick ups but will go in for a quick run but with masks. None of us has contracted the virus ... but we know several who have and a few who have died. I’m ready for this to be gone. I miss the old ways but ... we are good. We have a roof over our heads, food, air conditioning & heat, and money to make it. Things can always be worse. 

I will give an up to date- update soon!

Does anyone read blogs anymore?

What are You Reading?

I am reading lots more these days. I wasn't always a reader. But, as my children have grown I've had more time to myself. Bittersweet.

I like reading lots of self help books and lots of fiction.

These three books have been highlights of my 2019. God has really spoke to my heart through these reads. I love Jessica Smartt's book Memory Making Mom ~ so much of what I do with my children is intentionally make memories. I know first hand it is the simple things that they take away as grown children- adults.  I asked them what was a childhood memory was one of their favorites. Three out of four of them said.... our picnics in the woods. Another post on that later.

Whispers of Rest I shared about in the post about Cambodia and the Yellow Flowers. This devotion is one I want to do over and over. I truly LOVE it. It amazed me over and over how God met me right there....  I've just started this over. I love Bonnie Gray and I'm half way through her first book Finding Spiritual Whitespace.

So many books..... so little time!

Some of my fiction .....

Redeeming Love is my favorite! I love all of Francine Rivers books. These two are my favorite so far. I finished Leota's Garden and I love it. As I am older my heart went out to Leota. I also loved Francine River’s book Masterpiece!

So tell me what are you guys reading?


Grace~ Teena

More Yellow Flowers~

A few post ago I shared with about Lysa going to Cambodia in March~ and the yellow flowers. You can read that here....


Lysa is in her senior year at college.  She completed an internship this summer  in Thailand. She again worked with Rapha House. The stories she shared and the work they do is overwhelming to me. The Hope she says she feels .....   the girls express themselves through ART. Lysa and one of the girls became very close. I loved hearing her share about this young girl that has been rescued.

One day as they were leaving the site.... she saw these yellow flowers. Isn't God great. Every time I see yellow flowers now....  I think of those girls... rescued, filled with HOPE.

Lots of privacy so not many pics .... but she did do some site seeing and I love seeing them!

I've really thought about how much I trust and support Rapha House. I love the work they are doing. We buy from them to help support their cause. Lysa seeing it first hand in two different countries means so very much to me. I'm so very thankful God allowed me to share a small part of the places Lysa goes.....   so very thankful for her heart and the way Jesus connects the dots.

 Grace~ Teena

Only By His Grace~

In November we will be married 39 years. We were high school sweethearts. We lived in the same town as our parents....   a couple years in and we moved to Georgia. Not far from where we live now. We lived next door to my grandmother for a couple years and then Billy joined the Navy. We were stationed in California and our first child was born. Our second child was born in Southern California and during that time~ Billy started having panic attacks. When she was four months old he was diagnosed with agoraphobia with severe panic attacks. Our life would NEVER be the same.

At the time of his diagnosis we were stationed in Meridian, Mississippi. Our children were 4 and 6 months. After the diagnosis they sent him to NAS Pensacola. We were there for a year before his medical discharge. We decided to settle back in Georgia and bought a small, wooden home in the town my grandmother lived~ Broxton.  Billy loved the Navy and hated it being taken from him.

The following year our little house burned down and we moved out of town ... onto 5 acres of land and a mobile home. Michael was 6 and Mandi was 2. Life was hard. The fire took so much. The people of Broxton, home school friends and our church were so supportive. It was in August and it was so very hot....  from the time of  the fire till we spent the first night on our place here... was only 2 weeks. All we had were the clothes we had on and a few things we salvaged from the house. Again, people poured out their love.

We loved our new little place. After 3-4 weeks we started our first day of homeschool. Michael was 1st grade. We have been here ever since. Our house has been remodeled with 3 extra rooms added, a hall way and another door. The following year our third child was born.

Billy continued to struggle with his illness and it affected all of us.... but mostly I saw it robbing him of his life...

Four and a half years later our fourth child was born. Two girls and two boys. 12, 8, 4 and newborn. Life was full. Still homeschooling.  Four years later our 5th child was born... at 33 weeks because of pre-eclampsia.  Seventeen month later our 6th child was born. Half a dozen.

That 6th child just turned 16 this month. Only 2 years left of homeschooling. My last year with 2 students. Life continues to change. I have so enjoyed this home schooling journey. So thankful for each one. We have always felt God called us to home school~ it has had its ups and downs. Two of my 6 wanted to go to school. That's hard.  I choose JOY.

Agoraphobia has been the theft. All these years and it has been a battle. I feel like a single parent. He self medicates with alcohol.  Very rarely going places. Home bound.

Sometimes I feel I can't go on. I get weary. I'm not some great person. God just gives me grace daily and I fail daily.

I'm lonely. But have so many friends and family that love me. God's ways are better than mine and even though I don't understand I can trust Him.



I question myself often and doubt myself. I love taking pictures and posting on instagram... looking for His beauty. Giving thanks. Counting my gifts.

                                                               2018

I can't do any of this without HIM.



Grace~ Teena