NO MORE TEARS, NO MORE PAIN, NO MORE FEARS

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

"Remember that this world is about God, not us.

If we live for anything other than God's glory,

we will end in regrets." Francis Chan

MY COUSINS ARE NAVY SAILORS

Congratulations!

Another generation of Abblitt military greatness!!!

So proud of you both...wish we could have been there to watch you graduate.

Brielle and Brittany graduating from Navy Boot Camp on the 23rd of September

Brittany just reported to her new duty station in Virginia where she will be attending
Intell School & Brielle is remaining at Great Lakes, IL
to continue her follow-on school in Advanced Electronics.

OUR DOG THE HORSE

Scott and I were talking last night...there is very little time in our relationship when we didn't have a dog. We got Sierra when I moved back to Iowa a few months after finishing up my internship at a hospital in Wilmington, Delaware in 1997. A couple years later, Hector (renamed Dakota) was adopted from a shelter when we lived in Colorado Springs, CO.

DAKOTA aka HECTOR FROM PUEBLO

This is the last week with our puppy.

I took him for an evaluation because he seemed to be losing the battle with age. The Vet said he had never seen a dog compensate for weak back legs like Dakota does. His behavior is more like that of a horse. NOT a dog. He gets a very wide base and then drags himself up with his front legs. There is nerve damage...either from age or a tumor on his spinal cord causing weakness & incontinence. There is also pain in his back and possibly his hip. He has almost slipped down stairs due to lack of control in his back legs. He yelps at times trying to get up. He has started to bark warnings at Riggs to stay away. He has also stopped following me around outside. He will lay there and watch me walk to the back of the yard. He normally follows me. Not any more. He lays down most of time just watching. I know it's time.

It will be sad.

But, it's what is needed.

We have 5 more days to love on him and say good-bye.

THINKING ABOUT GRANDMA

My 'Florida Grandma'

I realize now there was a lot I didn't know about her. Actually, it was at her bedside in the hospital where I learned a great deal about my mom's mom. It was there she told me she loved me while looking into my eyes...to make sure I understood just how much she cared. It was there she whispered words for only my ears that made my heart swell. It was there that it became clear to me that this woman, who seemed so strong as she chased off anyone who dared to sit in her recliner because she didn't want them making it hot before she sat back down, had such a soft heart that she had a tendency to hide and that she really didn't understand her value.

Let me tell you some things I knew before the hospital...

My Grandma loved cooking and collecting recipes. Shrimp Jambalaya was my favorite and she always seemed to make it while we were visiting. I like to pretend it was especially made for me! Another favorite was English muffins with Canadian bacon and melted cheese for breakfast while playing scrabble dice. I always sat next to her at the table when we ate. I enjoyed watching her form words...and wishing I could be as clever. It was funny to me when she would have a bad roll and was audibly annoyed by it. (And, I wonder where I get some of my traits ~ ha!)

grandma's scrabble dice

She loved jewelry and I LOVED when she would ask if I wanted to look through it with her. Sometimes, I even got to play by myself and I became the 'Queen of Omie Circle' in those moments. Ohhhh....and her unicorns, fairies, dolls, crystals, shiny things....really anything pretty or full of fantasy...always ended up in her house. It was a little girls dream to read all the books filled with stories of fairies and unicorns and then to have all of her collections there to make it seem so real. The ceiling was even sprayed with glitter and it sparkled from the crystal chandelier hanging above this magical world she created.

some of the treasures grandma gave me

I can remember Grandma wearing pants on occasion when I was younger but with very fancy shirts and jewelry, of course. But, at some point, she switched to always wearing dresses. Probably easier to get dressed...but in my mind, wearing a dress seemed 'fancy'. But,  as much of a 'lady' as my Grandma was, she was equally as tough. She made comments all the time to me that I 'walk like an elephant'. On more than one occasion you could find me walking around a room with a book on my head under my grandma's tutelage 'helping me learn how I was supposed to walk'. My mom had to do this growing up too. So, apparently I get my elephant walk from her! Sorry, Mom! :) It makes me laugh now...and even at the time, I remember thinking it was kind of fun because there was a challenge in it. Have you even tried to walk with a book on your head??? It ain't as easy as you would think! She was also impatient, easily frustrated by certain things (again...seeing a lot of myself in her), thoughtful, generous and loving. And, her eyes were such a light, bright blue....amazing light blue. There is a picture of her that always causes me to stop and enjoy just how pretty she was and how blue her eyes were.

She liked being a grandma. Even though at the end, she didn't think she had been a very good one. How can a person see themselves so differently than others see them? Although she enjoyed her grand kids....I have to say, she lit up with her great-grand-babies. I was the only one that got to experience having my kids held by her and those are memories I will always treasure! It was amazing to have a couple years with 5 generations! My great-grandma, grandma, mom, me and my girls. These are some of the moments that branded the importance of family into who I am.

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Five Generations on the front porch of my great-grandma's house

that her dad built when she was a girl

Let me tell you what I learned at & after the hospital...

It became evident that Grandma's health was going down hill very quickly. My brother, Andrew and Mom were working REALLY HARD to convince the hospital to release her so she could be at home when she went Home. Quickly, our attention turned to Grandma's faith. Mom, Aunt Tammy and I were asking her questions; Do you believe in Jesus...have you ever asked Him into your life? Are you going to Heaven...because we want to see you there?!?! And, she answered with the most heart breaking statement: "He wouldn't want me". I will never forget how she closed her eyes and just looked so horribly sad and defeated as she said that. Mom went to church growing up...so I don't know if this was a life long belief OR just in the later part of her life  that she began believing that lie but, GOD IS SO GOOD!

HE was there. In that moment. He was working on her heart as we spoke of  HIS love for HER...in all the good, bad and ugly of her life! He just wants her to love Him...to choose Him. We explained that she could not fall beyond the reach of His love...none of us can! Isn't that amazing???

You can't lose it. You can't change it, win it or control it.

His love extends before and beyond time and He loves us before we even know Him!

God blessed me in this experience with my Grandmother. I was able to witness the Spirit working/softening/loving on her. I witnessed her making a decision to accept Jesus as her personal Savior...either for the first time OR inviting Him back into her life, I don't know??? But, what I do know is that it not only left a huge impact on my relationship with God but also in how I want to encourage Brooklyn, Alex & Riggs. I want them to truly believe and understand that for their whole life, no matter what happens

God loves YOU!

"And, I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through the Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have the power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ" Ephesians 3:17

"And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." I John 5: 11-12

Thank you, Lord....for loving us and giving the gift of your Son.

And, thank you for speaking to my Grandma's heart so we can spend eternity with her!!!

POP

The phone call came yesterday,
Pop Kouns finally had enough of battling his body and went home.

It was not a sudden thing....its been years. But, it's still hard. And sad. Not only because he is my grandfather but since Grandma is gone too, he was the last connection to Omie Circle & Orange Beach.

I've found that I am a very sentimental person. Family is HUGE to me. And, the places where memories have been made with family mean a great deal to me as well. I know the people are what are important and I have my memories and pictures of them. But, the real thing is SO much better! And, it is sad to me that my kids are so little and won't get to experience the fun that came with 'going to Omie Circle' anymore. Granted what...really WHO made it fun...well, they aren't there anymore so really it is just a house. With my memories.

AND

As Brooklyn said last night, through her tears...

we will see them again when it is our turn to go to Heaven.

RIGGS' FIRST TIME OUT

This just about broke my heart!

I was in my room trying to fold clothes and Riggs kept walking over to photo frames that are on a tiered glass top table and knocking them over. The first several times, I just told him the standard, 'no, no, no' and removing him from the room. But then he started looking at me and walking over and knocking them down. I could not believe I was about to put this sweet little baby in a time out.
But, I HAD to! He was challenging me.

I picked him up, grabbed a chair and faced it toward the corner. I put him on the chair, told him he was being naughty and to stay there. HE SOBBED!!! GUT WRENCHING, COULDN'T CATCH HIS BREATH SOBBING!!! I about died! And, he didn't just sit in his chair...he smashed his face into the corner! Ohhhhh, break a mommy's heart! Finally, after 13 hours his 1 minute time out ended and I told him to come give me a hug. It was the tightest, sweetest, wettest hug he has ever given me.

Oh, my sweet baby boy!

I pray that your heart remains as tender and sensitive as it is today.

I love you, Mister!

A COMMON LOOK

Its amazing to me how different the kids are in look and personality yet they still have a commonality that says we are sisters and brother.

I love that.

Brooklyn, age 2...almost 3 years

Alex, age 13 months

Riggs, age 17 months

SHOULD I BE WORRIED???

Normally it is pictures of flowers, rainbows and sunshine...

but this is what came home from school today in Brooklyn's Friday folder.