You Are My Sunshine

 Jim and Kathleen met when they were in the 10th grade. Jim recently described the first time he saw Kathleen as, "wowee!! kazow!!" Does that mean 'love at first sight?' : )

They just "clicked" from that first moment. They dated through high school and went to the prom together. When they were 17 years old Jim called Kathleen and sang to her over the phone-

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away." 

Kathleen cried, and it became their "forever song".

They married in 1958 in a double ceremony with Kathleen's twin sister and her sweetheart. {Jim and Kathleen on the right}

All these years later, Kathleen still cries when Jim picks up his guitar and sings these words to her!

You've probably figured out by now that Jim and Kathleen are my dad and mom. When mom told me recently that she was looking for a sign with the words to their song, I knew I could make one for them. Don't hold your breath for my tutorial, because I did not make this : ) I hadn't told her I could make it, I was going to do it as a surprise when we got here to California. But when we arrived, she had already purchased this awesome metal one, and it was hanging in their dining room in a spot that wasn't easy to see.

When I was growing up I made my parents crazy when I wanted to rearrange furniture or change the knick-knacks. See, it starts early :)

 So this past week, they were super generous to let me re-style the family room fireplace and mantel with a little fall-ish look. Not an easy task to find "fall-ish" in southern California in August! I used  their new sign, some cool vintage stuff from around the house (and garage, and shed) some of my dad's old fishing rods and hats and even managed to find a few branches out back that had a fall look to them .

My mom has a very large collection of wooden ducks so I had lots of those to choose from for my theme.

I pulled a couple of wooden chairs from another room in front of the fireplace to create a little game area. 
 

 

 Anyone recognize this little suitcase I blogged about recently? My daughter and I really didn't squabble much over it. I ended up packing shoes in it : ) 
Here, I put it on top of the stool my brother made in high school to make a little game table.

Before we arrived, this room had been pretty much unused for quite some time. My parents were so gracious to get two new futon sofas for us to sleep on {super comfortable, by the way!}

It was fun to fix things up a little and hopefully be able to leave the space more usable for them. By the way, that pretty antique dresser with their wedding photo in the first picture is also in this room, opposite the fireplace wall.







After some cleaning and rearranging, this is what I started with.

And the cozy, slightly fall-ish after. Just some subtle changes, but a warmer feel. 

Mom and Dad are about to celebrate their 55th wedding anniversary in a few weeks! Sadly, my dad is fighting a very serious cancer. After my mom losing her mother and twin sister to cancer some years ago, you can imagine the fear of losing my dad, too.

My dad says, "from the first time we saw each other we just clicked, and we're still clickin'-just a little slower." : ) 

We'd love for them to keep clickin' for a long time to come. They have a very strong faith, but your prayers for them would be appreciated so much, my friends! 

Blessings to you-

Jeanette 


Sharing this week over at:

Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
Inspiration Monday at twelveOeight 
Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm  
The Scoop at the Farmhouse Porch 
Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style 
What's It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants 
Tweak It Tuesday at Cozy Little House 
Share Your Cup Thursday at Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
Tutorials Tips and Tidbits at StoneGable  
Be Inspired at Common Ground 
Party Junk at Funky Junk Interiors 

Just Junk?

 This is a story about a mom.....

A stay-at-home, homeschooling, single mama with three kids still at home. The mama knew that God had called her to this family-centered, home-centered life. She's been living it for 20 years! Once, she was a wife and mom of four. She thought it would always be this way. But now...

it's just the mama and three kids. She is in a scary situation, where she is left to fend for them on her own, and it's hard. The papa, and the money....gone. 
God told her to start a blog (huh?), start a shop and start moving toward creating a new life founded on His grace, and the desires He planted in her heart from the time she was born, and He would provide.

 She's trying. She's really, really trying to hold on to the vision, although some days it feels hopeless! She tries to keep moving, one "grace stepping-stone" at a time. Sometimes day by day. Sometimes hour by hour. There is the voice that whispers to her, "Keep going.....I've got you.."

  
Zero money, broken tools, borrowing a camera for every blog post and shop listing...
"Keep going....I've got you."

Yesterday, this. This seeming pile of garbage. Just junk. She knows this "junk" is a gift. It can be transformed into things that will provide for her family, and it was free.

 She is aware that this junk pile represents how her life has felt for too long. Just as she will transform the junk into something useful and beautiful, so the care of her loving Lord will transform the junk of the life of her family into something useful and beautiful. 

Today? She can't even pay the rent or utilities. 

Sometimes transformation is long and agonizing. 

She pulls herself up, again and again, like a toddler taking her first tentative steps, and moves toward the voice...."Keep going.." Even if it's hard. Even if it hurts. Even if it's scary. Even if you can't see it. Especially if you don't feel like it. Giving up when it looks impossible is not faith. Just. Keep. Going. 


Thank you for being here, friends!

Jeanette


Linking up at:

Creative Things Thursday at The Vintage Farmhouse 
Be Inspired at Common Ground