Wednesday, October 21, 2009

MY MELLY IS COMING!!

Today is actually Wed., but I am writing my Thankful Thursday post now as I have soo much to do between today and tomorrow that I have to do this with the time provided, haha. And with my sweet grandson slumbering beside me, the time seems right. For all the other thankful hearts that are participating in this opportunity to praise God for all their blessings click HERE. I am soo thankful to Charlotte and Ginger for hosting this event.

Psalm 100:4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

In this life we have so many things both large and small that we could be thankful for it is hard sometimes to narrow it down. This week, this day, my heart is so full of happiness and joy it is hard to contain. My Melly is coming tomorrow!!!

For those of you who do not know the story I will try to briefly catch you up as to why this is so significant to me, and for those of you who DO know the story, I'm sorry for the repeat. I had 3 wonderful sons that I loved beyond measure and yet my heart had still longed for a daughter, and had ever since I was old enough to understand I was capable of having children. 23 years ago the Lord granted me the desire of my heart and my beautiful daughter, Melody Joy was born. She and I are as close as any mother/daughter are capable of being and my love and enjoyment of her has known no limits. As she grew into young adulthood our relationship changed to include a friendship that is truly kindred. I saw many years ahead with us sharing our lives as she became a young wife and God willing someday a young mother. I looked forward to all the usual things I am sure most of you would understand. Helping her decorate and set up her home, (another love of mine)shopping and lunches out with just her and I, watching her children grow and play and just being there to play the role of Grandma, holidays and birthdays to celebrate together etc., and on and on. When she decided to live at home during her college years, I thanked God for this added time knowing the day would come of course would she would move on. But never in all my plans or dreams did I ever see my only daughter moving 1000 miles away from me. Melody married the man of her dreams a year ago last June and moved to New Mexico to join her dairy farmer husband and begin a very different life from the one she grew up knowing. So the life with the daughter I had dreamed of has become very different indeed. We do manage to talk to each other almost every day, though there are times of course when it just doesn't happen. I haven't even seen a lot of things she has done with her new home as I haven't been there since last Thanksgiving. She misses most of the family birthdays, and several of the holidays as well. There are no lunches out and shopping and time alone with her has become almost non existent. She has friends I have never met, and clothes I have never seen her in. Which I know part of these things would have happened rather she moved far away, or simply down the street, but I struggle with them all. When she does come to California her time is in great demand. Her brothers and her daddy miss her desperately too, and want to occupy her time as well. She left behind MANY friends who count the days till she visits and who squabble over the time she has available to see her. Melody feels stressed I know on her visits to California trying to keep everybody happy, and often times leaves so tired I am sure she looks forward to getting home just to relax. I try as hard as I can not to add to her stress by demanding she spend more time with me. I do get the lions share of it I know, but it is still hard. Part of me wants her all to myself, and would love to hide the fact that she is even here. But I don't of course.

The Lord has taught me much during this season in my life. A new dependency on Him, and new directions and purposes for my life. I decided today I would dwell on all the reasons I am thankful that things are just as they are and my daughter lives as far aways as she does. At first it took some time, haha, but I did manage to come up with more than I thought I would. I will share a couple of these...first I am so grateful that she is happy and loved and cherished by her husband, and more importantly right where the Lord wants her to be. I am grateful she has grown into a strong and independent young woman living her life to serve her God and taking good care of her responsibilities as a wife and the woman of her home. I am grateful that we can talk on the phone everyday and have the Internet as well to keep connected. Years ago long distance bills and snail mail would have made this so much more difficult. I am thankful she is able for now to visit as much as she does, and that her husband is quick to share her. I could go on but this is getting lengthy (as usual, sorry I do tend to run on) and I hear the baby stirring.

1Chronicles 29:13 "Now therefore, our God, We thank You And praise Your glorious name.

I am including a couple of pictures of her, and her wedding picture slide show that I put together last spring for those of you who have not seen it. Be sure and click on the full screen for the full affect, and it is lengthy (though so worth the time) so be prepared. You can hit the escape button on your computer at any time to exit. Most of you probably already know this, but it was new to me not that long ago, so I thought I'd share just in case. ENJOY your week-end... I know I will....MY MELLY IS COMING!!!







Mike and Mel on their first anniversary..celebrating with dinner out AND in the city, haha


Mel on her last visit home right before she left


Seems like she always has her sunglasses on top of her head in a pic, haha


Mel's 23 birthday party in New Mexico I stole from her facebook


Mel and her beloved dog Baxter



Click to play this Smilebox slideshow: Wedding
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20 comments:

  1. Oh. My. Goodness. Debbie...what a gorgeous wedding and gorgeous bride!! I have to go for now, but will be back to comment some more!! Lovely...simply lovely!!
    Love and hugs,
    Becky

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  2. Enjoy your visit. (Your blog layout is just gorgeous, and I enjoyed the family pics!)

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  3. What a beautiful story about your precious daughter and how GOD is using her in your life, today. HIS plans never cease to amaze me. I am sure HE is growing her in profound ways as she learns to balance her new life with the one she loves and leaves behind.
    Blessings, andrea

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  4. Beautiful post. Hope you have a wonderful time in the coming days!

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  5. What a beautiful slide show! She was stunning. Where did they get married???
    Everyone looked so happy!
    Enjoy your daughter while she is visiting!!!

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  6. What a beautiful woman your daughter is and what a lovely relationship you have. i just sat here smiling the whole time I was reading this beautiful post, ending with me tearing up watching those photos.
    Enjoy your precious time with your daughter.

    Bless you this Thursday!

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  7. Melody is simply beautiful; no wonder you are so proud of her. You raised her right because she is able to be independent and live her life with her husband. I was the lone sheep in my family who moved away. My brother and sister live close to my parents. However, my mom died four years ago and I miss her so. But I visited them often going from Arizona to Florida. I understand the stress Melody may feel though because you want to get to see everyone. Staying with my parents helped though as we always had the mornings and evenings together. And my parents loved my friends too so there was no problem bringing them by. Enjoy this time Deb with her.

    Hugs to you,
    Debbie

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  8. She is a beautiful girl Debbie!! I know you will, but enjoy your visit together!

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  9. Debbie, Melody is so beautiful! You have such a lovely daughter and I am glad you have a wonderful relationship with her. May God continue to bless your daughter, you and your family. Thanks for visiting my blog and your encouraging comment. Take care and have a very Happy Thankful Thursday!

    Nancie

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  10. Wow! No wonder you are so proud! She is such a gorgeous girl! I really enjoyed viewing the pictures of her wedding - it reminded me so much of my sweet daughter's wedding a few years ago. Our stories are so similar. I see the love for your child in your beautiful words. I can sympathize with you about the distance between you and your daughter. My kids are all far from me and it is definitely not something I ever envisioned for my life while they were growing up. I wanted to be the mom who was always nearby to help - and to be close by to capture every moment with my grandchildren. Life throws curveballs, but thankfully it makes our visits all the more sweet when we DO see each other. I am so glad for technology - because of cell phones and blogging, facebook and Skype - it makes it so much easier to keep in touch. I still feel the distance though - especially during the holidays. So happy for you that you are able to enjoy time with your precious daughter! I just know that you will cherish every second of it!
    Blessings on your time together,
    Kymber

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  11. Debbie...what a beautiful post and honor to your beautiful daughter. She is gorgeous! Reading your post I see that we have another thing in common ... I also had my 3 sons and prayed to God to give me my hearts desire to have a daughter. and He blessed me with that.

    Thanks for your comment on my post today. And all I can say about my story writing is that I think I can write about just anything and often times when my kids say or do something and I laugh at it, they will say "Mom don't blog about this!". aha ... nothing is safe from my blog - you never know what might end up there! ha ha.

    Have a wonderful visit! -love, Laurie

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  12. Good Morning, Debbie,
    What a beautiful weddings, one of the most beautiful ones have seen in a while.I soo enjoyed looking at your video, I felt as though I was there.Such a beautiful couple! You have a beautiful family.
    Your daughter looks so much like mine, and we have the same relationship as you both do. We are first mother-daughter, but best friends next. and when she moved away it broke my heart, but like you I let her go for the same reasons. The exact same reasons.
    I watched as Mel was putting her earrings on and she had her tongue fixed just like Susan does, I thought :"this is so sweet. " I will admit I had to cry a little bit.
    I hope you have the most wonderful visit, and am looking forward to you sharing.
    Blessings,
    Sue

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  13. What a beautiful post about your daughter! She is such a pretty girl! I know that you will enjoy your time together. I'm so excited for you that she's coming to visit!!!

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  14. Enjoy your visit with your daughter! I, too, am a daughter that moved several states away from my parents when I married. There are challenges, but there are certainly blessings along the journey, too.

    Happy Thankful Thursday!

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  15. Hi Stranger,
    What a great post and one dear to my heart as I share your feelings. Enjoy your time with your daughter...yay Melly is coming.
    Her wedding was beautiful and she is gorgeous..enjoy your blessings.
    :)

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  16. Have a wonderful visit with your daughter - what a blessing!! :) You have a beautiful family and I love your blog. It is so pretty.

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  17. I can so relate to this post, since 3 years ago my oldest daughter got transfered back to New York, she now lives in Ct....and I miss her very much. Even tho I try to get back a couple times a year, you are right, its not the same as lunches ands shopping whenever we wanted. But I take comfort in knowing shes happy, as I know you do too. thanks for this post!

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  18. Debbie, I can feel your heart as your wrote out this post...its an incredible thing to let your child go, let along so far a distance. Its just something we have to do...let them go and make their own lives. As difficult as it is for you, no doubt she struggles as much or more, being so far from the family that she loves so much. She has to trust the Lord with her life, and trust Him to walk with her in her new life...like an adventure, with new experiences at every turn...and for you too...the mother in us wants to always be the mother to them, no matter how old they are. About two years, my son and dil were going to move to Idaho. I sobbed for weeks and weeks...I couldn't function at all...life as I knew it was about to end, and worse of all, they were taking my granddaughters with them! I prayed so hard, but eventually, I found comfort in God's grace. They didn't end up going, but I know I would have been okay if they had gone...they may leave, but God continues to be our best friend, our peace and comfort. I know you've discovered that for yourself...you are a wonderful woman of God, and your daughter has a mom to be very proud of, a mom that has given her everything to prepare her for life on her own. Beautiful story, Debbie...I was holding back the tears as I read it, and then to see the wedding photos of your beautiful girl...and you with her, all I can say is that I have felt it, too, and there are just no words to express it. God bless you, and God bless your Melly...have a wonderful visit with her...hope to see more pictures later on!

    Mary

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  19. You have a beautiful daughter. I hope you enjoy a great visit and take lots of pictures to share with us!!! Enjoy your time!

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I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!