Weeds in a bucket

A lovely lunch at historic "Tully's"

I don't know why, but ever since I can remember, I have wanted nothing more than to be a mother. (Well, there was that brief dream I had of being a singer/dancer at Opryland) I'm quite certain that I was still playing "babies" long after most girls had stopped. When other girls headed outside to hang out after church, I headed to the nursery to hold babies. When my friends were being dropped off at the mall, I was babysitting.

I was blessed to become a mother when I was just days shy of turning 20 years old. Never had I felt such love or such fear all wrapped up into one single moment. All I knew was this...there was nothing I would not do, no train I would not jump in front of, no degree to which I would not go, to protect this precious life that had been placed on my chest.

Since that moment I have had two more beating hearts placed on my chest...Maggie and Aidan. Well, actually Aidan was not placed on my chest. He came a tad early so he was whisked away to be looked over by NICU and I was left romancing a nemesis basin. Don't ask me why I decided to have the kid with the shoulder span of a gorilla "au naturale"...good thing he wasn't the first or you would be reading "McManus Party of Three" folks.

Back to mothering.

Those three sweet babies have grown into beautiful, intelligent, funny, tender, God fearing, respectful, individuals that I adore. And genuinely enjoy spending time with. I love them so much it hurts. Their laughter and their smiles are what I live for.

And then there is Mothers Day...that's another thing I live for. It's not often in the life of a stay at home Homeschooling mom's life that you get to hear from your children just what you mean to them. And I get plum giddy over it.

So often I can second guess myself...worry that I'm doing it all wrong...wonder if one day they will pay some psychologist's retirement fund because of me. This is the one glorious day of the year that I get to see that they don't hate me for making them get back out of bed to brush their teeth when they forget at bedtime.

This year I was treated to a very healthy breakfast. Chocolate Gravy. :-) I can't even type it without smiling. :-) See?!?! Healthy for the soul at least. I was treated along with my mother in law to lunch at a neat little restaurant. There was peach cobbler. Again, I was smiling. :-) The rest of my day was spent just hanging with my favorite people and soaking up their affections.

My kids all made cards for me...it's the highlight of the day really. To see their feelings written out in their own handwriting is just the best feeling ever. I especially love how thin Aidan insists on drawing me. I like that kid.

This year Maggie brought me a little pail full of flowering weeds from outside. I'm so mad at myself for not taking a picture because they were just precious. That girl just melts me. She is one of the most thoughtful people I've ever met in my life. I was just so moved at the thought of her seeing those little weeds...thinking of me and just knowing that I would like them as much as she did. I loved it. More than my Lisa Leonard original...and if you've seen those, you know I mean business.


I have no idea why God chose me to care for and nurture these precious creatures, but I will spend my life trying to show my gratitude.

After all, they were His before they were mine...only on loan to me for a short while.

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I'm linking this post to:

"And whatever I do, may it always bring glory to you"

God of This City...Nashville.

"The rains came down...and the floods came up."

I can remember singing this in Sunday School before I could even read. This week, I lived it. I am not in the mood or mindset to worry about proper wording or even spell check at this point. I'm not in the mood to try to win over a new reader or impress some of my "blog idols"...today, I'm hurting.

The picture above is my precious Nashville today. Drowning in the Cumberland River. An epic 500 year flood. I've barely slept since Friday. I spent the first part of Saturday glued to the TV or in our storm shelter dodging funnel clouds.

As the day wore on, my fear of tornadoes was quickly replaced with waves of nausea as I watched (via TDOT cameras) as people were literally drowning in their stalled cars on the I-24. I watched people sit on the top of their cars crying for help as the flood waters rose around them. One of those people ended up being a 22 year old single father that was an employee of my husbands. So tragic.

And when it seemed like it could not get worse, the rains kept coming. And coming. For almost 2 whole days more. And what I've seen unfold on my television has broken my heart into a million pieces. I've watched a man stranded for hours as so many brave people tried to save him...only to learn later that as they tried to pull him in he was swept away and lost his life. I've spent hours in fear of a dear friend that was missing for 7 hours...she was safe..her house was not.

I've watched as beautiful The Opryland Hotel, where we take our kids every Christmas, was swallowed as the Cumberland came out of it's banks. Not to mention the Historic Grand Ole Opry...seeing this is like salt in the wound. We were just here at Christmas to see the Rockettes...remember?

My sisters boyfriend worked at the restaurant you will see in the Opryland video..he is now facing unemployment and the uncertainty of when he will be able to resume his job there.




I've received an email from a friend and fellow Homeschooler that read, "We just saw our house on the news...the water is up to the eves..please pray that we can keep the mind of Christ through this nightmare." They are facing total loss today. And our cities are still facing the threat of water contamination and water shortage.


I am also now dealing with the emotions that come with watching John Edwards mistress face plastered all over my tv but no mention of the complete devastation and loss so many are facing here...and will be for a long time. I'm praying about those feelings. Surrendering them. Some would even question "why God"...I know I do at times. But everytime I do, I'm met with a resounding "why not?". There is no where in scripture that we are promised to be spared from tragedy...or suffering...or loss. Only that in the midst of it...there He would be too. Oh Job...how did you do it?

I will say one thing. Nashvillians will not be a people to sit and bemoan their plight. They will not whine and ask when help will come. No. They are fighters and they themselves are in the trenches today...helping each other in the midst of their own loss. Being the hands and feet of Jesus.

Please pray for this city. And the numerous other towns and cities in our area that were affected....and the families of the 26 lives lost thus far.




I'm linking to Emily's Tuesdays Unwrapped



"And whatever I do, may it always bring glory to you"