Not my way but God's way

I seriously thought that this post would be an exciting post with wedding pictures of Keith and I. Today is our 5 year wedding anniversary. It was a beautiful brisk fall morning when we married at 10:30 am at Huffman Baptist Church on Saturday, October 29th, 2005.

Instead of posting pictures, my heart is saddened to say that my beautiful Grandma Dison went to Heaven yesterday. She was such a special person and I loved her so dearly! Instead of celebrating our anniversary, we are celebrating the life of my Grandma!

She was rushed to the hospital yesterday morning with a very low blood pressure and being unresponsive. She stabled out and they planned to admit her but we feel the aneurysm got her. Mom said that she was waiting on a cat scan and complained that her stomach was hurting really bad. It wasn't too long after that and she was gone.

We rushed to the hospital to find out that she had already gone. I will never forget walking in the ER and seeing my mom and dad standing in Grandma's room. I looked to catch a glimpse of Grandma and instantly knew that she had gone. I absolutely fell apart!!

God placed some very important people at the hospital yesterday. It was so amazing to see God's good works in such a hard time. To preface my story, Mom and Aunt Irene were the only ones at the hospital with Grandma. Dad had gone back to work and Uncle Rudy had gone to the dentist. We all had the understanding that she was stable - and she was. A very important member of Huffman Baptist was also in the ER. Because of that, Ron, the new pastor of Huffman and Larry Smith, the adult pastor of Huffman and Pat Ray were there. I am very fortunate to say that they were with Mom right after Grandma passed. They knew when I walked into the room with mom, I think because they heard me crying. Ron was the first one that I saw and of course I cried on his shoulder. (Hello, you don't know me well but I'm crying on your shoulder!) Then I cried on Larry's shoulder. It was a comfort to have them with us. Chris Howell also came in the hospital to be with us also. Chris is always been faithful to visit with Grandma and the family each time she has been in the hospital. It was only fitting to have him there with us. He was wonderful to stay until Grandma left.

So, it looks like we will be celebrating my Grandma's life on Sunday - which is Halloween. That was not my plan to do on Halloween but it is not like I have much of a choice. My cousin Amanda pointed out that their must be a heck of a reunion going on in Heaven. My Grandpa Dison died 32 years ago so I know that Grandma was excited to see him and I know that he welcomed her with open arms!!

The picture I posted on my blog is of my Grandma holding Noah when he was about 3 weeks old. This was the first time that she had met him. I am so thankful for this picture. I knew that I would be!

Please keep our family in your prayers, especially over the next few days!! We love all of you!!

~Randi, Keith and Noah and the whole Dison family

Personal Patience

"WHATEVER happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. "

                 ~Philippians 1:27

This verse has hit me hard this week so I knew that I had to share it. It is SO easy for us to get down in whatever is going on in life. Life brings us down. It is easier to get brought down than it is to be lifted up. We're human. That's the way life happens. But this verse very simply reminds me that NO MATTER what happens or what I/we are going through, we should praise God. I know, much easier said than done. But this is my focus and my goal for now.

Life is still so up in the air for us right now. It's so frustrating. It's easy to blame Keith or get mad at Keith (which I don't - only in my head) but by any means, it is not Keith's fault. I know that God has HUGE plans for our life. Not sure what they are, but they are HUGE, and great! I feel it coming!! And I am excited about it. But only in God's time will it happen. It may be 6 months or a year from now, who knows? God knows!

My biggest weakness is patience. God did not give me a lot of patience when it comes to something I want to do or something I want to happen. My Momma would 100% agree with me on that statement. I have lots of patience with people, elderly and sick - which is why everyone says I would make a great nurse, but I do not have personal patience. That's what I am gonna call it - personal patience. I do have a dream to go to nursing school ... maybe that will happen one day.

God has been doing some great things in our life recently. One being a car for Keith. This was a HUGE blessing for us. Keith sold his car 2 years ago; one reason was it was about to require some major work done and two, we needed the money to build Noah's bedroom and Maggie a fence. Since the selling of it, he has been driving my GrandDaddy's 1985 Toyota truck. While it was a great truck back in it's day, it is on its last life. GrandDaddy had already driven the wheels off of it when he died. In fact, he was getting ready to buy a new truck when we found out he had cancer. He decided to wait until after his surgery, and well, that didn't go according to our plan. But, anyway. Keith has be gracious enough not to complain and drive the little "putt-putt" truck. Maggie loves the truck and the two of them looked great riding in it. It was a picture from a magazine.  

We have been looking for a car for Keith without looking for a car. I honestly figured that we would get something for Noah and I and Keith would take my car. We found out a couple of weeks ago that a family friend had a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee that they did not drive and had considered selling. We instantly jumped on the opportunity. Keith and GrandDanny went to look at it on a Friday and Saturday night it was ours. Boy, it feels great to pay cash for a car. This Jeep was nothing but a pure God thing!!! Keith is loving driving it -- no, I did not get the Jeep. Keith deserves it! Besides, he seems to be driving Noah more lately than I do! Oh, did I mention that I found a car seat at the Thrift Store for $9.99?? It was is perfect condition and fits Noah perfectly. Just needed a good cleaning!

Keith is still looking for a ministry position without actively looking for a ministry position. I know, that doesn't make sense. He would LOVE to be a full-time recreation minister but knows that he must complete seminary first. He has started the application process for seminary and is following the correct steps to get to that point. We know several people who are full-time ministers who have found positions in other cities and states. It is a scary thought to think God may have a church for us outside of Alabama. If He does, then off we will go. Would that be my first choice, absolutely not!!! I asked Keith if I could preference a few cities that would be my first choice! Ha, I know that is not how it happens though.

So, we are ready to tackle whatever God has in store for us - the good, the bad and the ugly! I am again learning personal patience. Boy, God has such a sense of humor with me and my personal patience!!

~Randi

AFS Fundraiser

Come paint a beautiful "Funky Tree" picture to display in your home for Christmas. The local chapter of AFS (American Field Service) is having a fundraiser to raise money so that we can do some fun things with our exchange students while they are here. It only costs $35 and a good portion of the proceeds comes directly to us! Come help support and have fun while there!!

Sunday, October 10, 2010

2 pm - 4 pm

Japan Internation Karate - Trussville, Alabama

227 Main Street

Trussville, AL 35173

$35 - supplies included

To register for this event, go to www.everydayartist.net and click on UPCOMING EVENTS and click on the link for the AFS Fundraiser.

Call me if you have any questions!! I hope everyone plans to come!! We're gonna have a blast!!!

"Comand them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life"

- 1 Timothy 6:18,19

What an amazing weekend we had with Ellie. She was truly a blessing from above!


I met Ellie Friday afternoon. Her "family" had to leave early for their daughters football game, so I met her about 3:30 and brought her back to Fun Source to work for our last hour. Yes, I introduced her to the world of inflatables. No, she didn't get to jump in one, but I did reassure her to wait until Noah's birthday party! There will definitely be some jumping going on there! HAHA!


We headed home after work to meet Keith, Noah, my mom and of course, Maggie. I for-warned Ellie about Maggie - told her that Maggie would be excited at first but would then settle down. And that is exactly what she did. If you have read Maggie's blog, then you now that Maggie and Ellie shared a blanket. I told Ellie that was a true sign that Maggie has welcomed and accepted her into the family. Noah liked Ellie also. He showed her all of the "hikes" that he has (ie: footballs) and showed her his slide. He even walked her to her bedroom and showed her how he can get on her bed.


 We took Ellie out to eat that night - and boy was that an experience. It is always an experience going out to eat with Noah. Ellie had not had the opportunity to experience a true hamburger so we went to Red Robin. I think we overwhelmed her with amount of choices. We enjoyed a great meal and just a time of getting to know each other. After dinner we headed to Target -- I had to get a gift for a baby shower. Ellie had never been to or heard of a baby shower. I explained to her that it was a time of giving gifts for the expectant mother - I had to explain that it was not giving the baby a physical shower. They do not have baby showers or teas in Italy. Instead, they go to the home of the baby following the birth and visit with the family and new baby and take their gift then. It sounds like a "Sip-n-See", which is not very common in the South.


Saturday was a great day - once it got started. Noah woke up early which in turn woke up Ellie. I felt so bad for him waking her up. She said that she slept well (which was a relief because I always worry about that!!) She was excited to sleep in the queen sized bed because she had never slept in a bed that size. I knew she would be comfy because she is so tall!


We headed to the Galleria so that I could participate in a Flash Mob for Breast Cancer Awareness. The link is on youtube so I will find it and post it on here. We enjoyed lunch at the Galleria following the flash mob but that is about as far as Noah would let us go. He had been up so long at this point that he was ill as a hornet! I promised Ellie a better trip to the Galleria, probably Noah-less and we could shop all day long!! We took Noah and Keith home, met Nina and Papaw there, left Papaw and took Nina to the baby shower with us.


Saturday night was filled with Domino's Pizza, Alabama vs Florida football game (which Bama dominated in) and fireworks from the neighbor at halftime. YES - I fed Ellie Domino's Pizza. Dorinda laughed asking if I was seriously feeding an Italian Domino's pizza and yes I did! She liked it though. AND - would you guess that Ellie and I like the exact same pizza?? Ham and pineapple - YUM!!


Sunday was filled with church and lunch with the family. I introduced Ellie to Huffman Baptist and then we went to Irondale Cafe for lunch. Keith's family joined us for lunch which was such a joy for them to spend some time with her. Nina and Papaw joined us as well as a couple of people from Papaw's church. Mrs. Rosemary was dying to meet Ellie since her family was originally from Italy. Her mom and dad were actually born there.


Sunday afternoon as relax day. Saturday was SO crazy that we were exhausted on Sunday. Dorinda, Meghan and Katelynn came over to spend some time with us. Poor Ellie, she tried to study but Meghan and I wanted to show her Rock Band. (She must have been able to study anyway because she made a 100 on her test!!) We had a great time playing Wii!


It was time to take her home Sunday evening. We waited as late as possible to head home but neither of us wanted to go. She enjoyed her stay at our house this weekend and I was so excited to hear that. Said it was the best weekend she has had since coming to America. YAYY for us!! (I was afraid I had worn her out too much!)


We are hoping to plan something for next week, if it is ok with Ellie's new family. She moves to a new home tomorrow so we are praying hard that this is a better fit for her and she will enjoy it. I stressed to her that she is welcome at our home any weekend that she wants!


I posted a few pictures that Ellie took this weekend. I'll go back and post the others -- it is so much fun seeing our world from her perspective! The pictures were taking at the train tracks at Irondale Cafe. That reminds me -- gotta go get "Fried Green Tomatoes" for her to watch! :-)


~Randi