He knows!

Back from vaca today.  I have so much to share and so many fun pictures.
But first before I jump into all of that fun I have to stop and say Thank You!


It has been a tremendously hard month.  We had some issues with the big mutt, that seemed super huge at  the time and then a dear friend died.

 Suddenly died, tragically.
The kind of news that sends you through the motions of planning for the funeral, caring for the family and holding one another.

 I was there for my hubby when we got the news...it was his dear and close friend.
 I was there for the younger friends who had not yet experienced a loss...the twenty somethings.
 I was there for my kids.
 
                                Explaining the hard facts about cancer and depression.

                                        About how four kids lost their dad way too soon.

 But....then....when you least expect it....WHAM!
 You get hit!
 The why?  the How could it happen?  the Oh God, please help! 

 I am the gal who feels...and I mean really feels.  Your pain is my pain.  Your fear, my fear.  This loss hit me and tossed me around like a rag doll.  

It made me physically ill.  I could not eat, my stomach was a mess.  SO you go to the doctor and they give you meds. And those meds make you even sicker.....Hence the trip to the ER.

So..there I was..with doctors and medicine and none of it working and a vacation to plan for not to mention getting on the road.

What do you do.....You pray.

Not the everyday kind of prayer...I am talking about the Lord take it, kind of prayer.  The you have no words, no understanding, no strength kind of prayer.  I asked Him to cover me, to protect me and I leaned in.

 I am not a good leaner.
 I am the go to girl.
I LIKE to control stuff.

AND guess what?   My hubby was right there...he never left...he was still stinging from his pain, but my guy was with me.  He was in the restroom with me..you all know what I mean..that type of wedding vow stuff.  It was going to be ok.....just let go.

See who has his hand on the bottom, my rock, my man, my Moon Bear.

We did pack up and we did go and we had the best most relaxing week of vacation ever.





You see...He knows.  God gives us just what we need when we need it.  His grace is sufficient.  Those of us like me who hold on tight have a hard time remembering this.

 We are so use to fighting and figuring out and taking care of , that when we are met with something that is so beyond us, we freak.

My sweet cousin, Catherine and her hubby Duane and(Max,Dom, Ava, James, Sophie, Gino, Bella, Noah, PG, )

My cousin, Catherine was my first friend and will always be my sister, said something our grandmother use to say.     "Don't go before the Lord, Joannie."

See... she knows me...she knows how I think...and how I can spinnnnnn.  "Don't go before the Lord!"

AMEN!!!!!!  

This week was exactly what the Lord ordered.  OHHHH....get this one girlies.....I even forgot my entire suit case.

Not only did God want me to lean in He wanted me to TRUST HIM!  

No luggage.....and it was the best week ever.

Blessings sweet friends...and remember....DGBL.

Family Fun Close To Home!!!

We are in Williamsburg!!

It took less then two hours to get to Kings Gate by Wyndham.  We have one of those timeshares and usually make the drive to Orlando to stay at Orange Lake.  This was fine when we lived in ATL.  Eight hours and we were in Disney bliss.  When we moved to Raleigh NC it was more like 12 hours...still doable.  Now that we are in Richmond.....no way!!!  We did it last year and it was not a relaxing haul with the four kids and a car that air conditioning decided to die.

So this years mission statement for the family...something we do every year, was to KEEP IT SIMPLE!

YES!!  We are having a great time and it was a quick easy drive...and here is a good one.
I was not feeling well before we left. The trip was on the back burner and I could see this kids wilting.

Phone Home!!

Well one six hour stay in the ER and no longer taking a new medicine and I was on the road as scheduled.




I think it is amazing what we can do when we see our kids making kind adjustments and leaving their disappointment aside to make sure mom is ok.

  It is empowering,...so  sweet hubby, who never left my side, packed up the Imodium the Hydrocodone and whatever else the Dr. had for me in my cocktail remedy and  we made it happen....time to make some vacation memories.

I am trying to Instagram so you all can get a look at this amazing part of the country...no guarantees...learning curve.

Many blessings and sweetness being sent your way...joannie b

Sing out loud!!!!

What would we do without our girls???

Ya know those friends that are there even when you don't know you need them?

The ones that sing back your song when you have forgotten the words......

These are special people.  They may be family, your sister,your mother, your cousin.  Or they maybe a friend you met when you were six and you have always kept in touch.  Or maybe they are a few great gals that you only met this year. 

You share with them, you laugh with them and you hold each other up.  Friends like this are a gift. 

 Since moving here to Richmond I have found some sweet sweet sugar sisters.  They are an amazing gift...I have a tendency to be very very silly and they still keep coming back. 

 I rarely miss a chance to wear glitter and sparkles and I mean to Kroger and they still go out with me....love my girls.  

So here is a shout out to my Sugar Sisters..Lenina, Kimmy and Becky!  

Cant wait for the adventures we have ahead.

Smooches!

The Big Marshmallow!!

Ok...Summer time is here for some of you and will be here Friday for us.  I am sooo excited to have all four of my precious people under my roof.  The days when we home schooled were so special because I was the one to see all the progress and celebrate all the little moments with my monkeys.  When we decided to put them into public school last year, that was what I missed most, and the house was tooooo toooo quiet.

Home schooling Gracie.

William loved to use shaving cream for his handwriting.

Nicholas took a lot of brakes.

As I am looking up camp schedules and planning our vaca and getting a bit stressed  I am reminded or a great story......


A dear family we know always plan huge camping vacations.  Not just pitch a tent and hang out type trips...Noooo, they go all out.  Backpacking carry all their food , hard core stuff.  Well to say it takes planning is an understatement and very stressful......my girl was frantic.  Just when it all hit the fan her youngest one said to her "Mom, hey! just make sure you get the big marshmallows."






That was it!  We all get so worked up over planning for our families and wanting things to be just right, that we forget about the BIG MARSHMALLOW!

 It is the little blessing that our kids are going to cherish and take with them in life.  Yes, the trips and the camping and the parties are all great, but that stuff is on us.  We are the ones driving that train, and we are the ones who can get off at the next stop.


So, relax...enjoy your families and pick up some Big Marshmallow this summer.
Blessings!

Let them write on the furniture!!

I love chalkboard paint.
No...I am obsessed with chalkboard paint.
Maybe it came from years of homeschooling and covering old tables with it to make math more fun.  Or maybe because I like to write on walls.  Who knows but the love affair continues.


This is a pine tv hutch that my in-laws had made back in the early 80's........

 It has gifted to us when we lived in our first apartment in Atlanta, GA........

This girl is HEAVY!!!!  Solid and beautiful.

She has been in every room you can think of.....

Finally after this move to Richmond VA we didn't have a place for her anymore and considered donating her....but no one is using entertainment cabinets anymore...we all have flat screens...ya know?

I just couldn't let her go......and my chicken, that I had just painted needed a home.

So we chalk boarded her!!!!  The ENTIER thing!!!

Hubby thought I was NUTTTZZZOOOO!

My kids and their friends love it and it gives the kitchen an element of surprise... its a great place for a love note....


So if you have an entertainment cabinet or some other huge piece of furniture that just isn't working anymore...make it fun...hit it with some chalkboard paint and let the kids write on some furniture......

The corner of bliss and joy!!

You know that special place?  The little shop that you drop into just to walk the isles and smell the sweet mustiness of the old treasures.  The gals (just sayin..cause they are mostly gals)  know you by name and never ask if you need anything because they know being in that space is all you want and need.

I am not sure if it is the visual aspect about being surrounded by all of  the warm wood patina or if it is the quiet that often accompanies a great shop, but it can almost feel like being in church.

My family has moved a couple of times for my hubbies work.
The favorite shop is sad to let go of, but you know...you JUST know that you will find another great place that will restore you just like the old one did.

 In Atlanta there was a small family owned nursery, Lost Mountain Nursery.  They created green houses  with architectural salvage.  It was close to home and with four small children and homeschooling, I could zip over there and take a stroll and feel like my mind got a mini vacation.

In Raleigh it was Suzanne's ,off of Durant Rd. by the railroad tracks.  Susie and Linda are dolls.  They set up shop in an old run down mechanic garage, complete with garage bay doors.  The YARD...was full of outdoor treasure and a huge propane tank made to look like a GIANT pig.  My kids loved picking up colored stones that the gals would toss around in the gravel, just so the kids could have something to do while mom browsed.

That leaves me with Virginia.  We have lived here for about 18 months.  The kids are in public school and doing great.  (Anyone want to ask me about transitioning into public school... email me..i have lots and lots to say.)  So, I had some time on my hands, but could not find that one place that gave me peace.
I have been to A TON of places and have had a great time finding them...but not my special one.

NOT UNTIL TODAY!!!!
 Sorry!.....
But I am about to BUST!
Hubby knew I was having a hard week.

 Our furry child is having some issues and we may need to make some unpleasant...NO..unthinkable choices...His name is Marco...Please pray for guidance for our furry man.

Well...He was out in an area of Richmond that he had never been, and he left me the cutest message on my cell phone.

"Baby!  I found it!..This place just screams Joannie! Bring you here this weekend!"

Welcome to the crossroads of BLISS and JOY!!!

Otherwise know as Libby St. and Grove.

I took tons of pictures to share with Ya'll.  The entire family had so much fun we can not wait to go back and make more discoveries.

I will stop gabbing and give you a glimpse of my New Special Place....hope you like it, CAUSE I LOVE IT!!

Ohhhh...did I mention the homemade chocolates....

The white one is tequila lime.....

Three of my kiddos are allergic to nuts and they could get samples here.....cool!

The streets were colorful and fresh.....

The shopping was pricy but pretty to look at.....

This shop was huge and amazing...could have been there for hours...

Old headboard with candle sconces for hooks.......

A closer look in case I need it later.....

I need a pink pig pitcher

This shop made you nervous to breath.....in a good way.

Fun for everyone!

You know you are in a good place when the awnings have pink polka dots....