Surprise Birthday Parties!!

Holy moly, it's been almost a year since I have written a blog! What a year it has been too!!

Let me share a little bit about the previous few months! In March of 2025, we gave Nathan a surprise birthday party, it was a grand one too as he turned 50 years old! It was held at Dave and Busters Restaurant here in Canton, Ohio. We had the family and two friends of Nathan's that he had no idea was coming. Wally, his YouTube buddy, they used to go video abandon facilities together, they hadn't seen each other in years! The other fellow was Kyle, he works on our cars, he was totally surprised and it took some pulling off. I did have help from sister in law Kelly I was very grateful for all her help and expertise in this area.

In May of 2025 Nathan returned the favor, however, I had no idea the extreme he would go to LOL. My son was expected to visit that month around my birthday, which is May 3rd. When he arrived, since our house is so small, we do have a guest room but only 1 bathroom.

Nathan rented an Air BnB so we could have room and did we ever, never expecting this place to be a literal MANSION, seriously it was a mansion with an indoor pool, game rooms, 6 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms and a fishing pond included! But the biggest surprise was my daughter and her husband coming from Arkansas, I was so shocked, I cried! Did I mention this was my surprise birthday WEEK? Yes, a whole week. My family stayed pretty much the whole week and Nathan's family drifted in here and there but his sister, mom and dad came and stayed a few days, this was when we decided we do need a bigger house. Having the whole family coming in and staying or coming in for the day, grandkids too, was the epitome of family fun for sure!

Next exciting thing we did was a cruise to Alaska, here's how this all went down LOL

Nathan knew I wanted to go on a cruise to Alaska, well, he did too, it wasn't just me, however, I started looking around the end of March, long story short Nathan had to tell me he already booked us a cruise the end of May into June but because I was so hell bent on booking a cruise he had to tell me and I ruined my own surprise.

It was so much fun, we flew to Seattle, WA two days before our ship was to leave port so we had plenty of time to do our little sightseeing in Seattle. We went to the Space Needle, if any of you know, Nathan does not like heights, oh but there's more LOL We also or I should say I wanted to ride the tram to take us to the top of the mountain, Nate is such a good sport he faced his fear and rode the tram!

We sailed to Ketchikan, Skagway and Juneau we saw so many amazing sights in each of these cities, glaciers, whales, beautiful sunsets and sunrises, food was amazing, the ship was amazing. In Skagway we road the railway up the mountain in a semi private club car with a gal that told us all about the history of the gold rush and served us delicious food and drinks.

Juneau is where we took the tram up the mountain, Nate felt the fear but did it anyway!

I know there was so much more but I think I covered the main parts.

On to the next adventure buying a bigger house, I will let y'all know when that takes place, in the meantime, thank you for hanging in there with me, share this blog and remember to be kind to each other, it's a tough would we live in!!

I'm Turning 80(that's eighty years old)!

Wow, when you look at that number on paper, it's astounding! Still alive at 80

is an accomplishment not many people get to acquire. At the time I turn 80

I will have lived through 8 decades and close to a century old. Like I said

ASTOUNDING!

When I was in my 20's with 5 young children I suffered severe panic attacks

thinking I was going to die right then. I visited the local ER so many times

they knew my first name. No one knew about panic attacks at that time

so of course I was labeled a "hypochondriac". Then I found a doctor that

had compassion and gave me a regime of medication that helped me. I

then became afraid of going over bridges or long rides, but God knew.

I overcame these obstacles and led a pretty normal life.

In my 30's I went back to school to become an LPN. My oldest son was a very

big help with the younger kids and I managed to graduate and get a diploma.

I lost many family members during that decade, my mom, 2 of my aunts, my mother

in law and my sweet brother, life was not always easy.

My first husband and I divorced in my 40's. In my 50's a re-married a man much

older than me, thinking security but that never works so we divorced after 18 months.

60's we pretty uneventful, I did take my first Mission trip to Hungary and then a few

years later went to Brazil for 4 months, life changing!

70's is when things started happening, I bought my first house, on my own. I started

having great-grandchildren, I retired, I met and married the man of my dreams.

Now, I'm about to enter my 80th year, unbelievable isn't it?

Here's what I've learned in no particular order:

*Don't sweat the small stuff, you will get through it.

*The worst you think is gonna happen, probably won't.

*Love and laugh often, life is short, before YOU know it, you'll be turning 80.

*Learn the art of doing nothing.

*Forgive often

*Eat those cookies and buy those shoes!

*Be kind, you never know what a person is going through

My brother was in a nursing home before he died and while he was sitting in his

wheel chair, we were just talking and people watching, he made a statement

that made me laugh out loud. He said "look at all these old folks"! I said

"dear you are one of those old folks" we both cracked up!

This morning I was looking out the window and saw a couple hand and hand

walking up the hill and I said to Nathan, "hey look at these old folks walking up the hill",

we both laughed out loud!

romancingthestates.com

the stroy of how we met

thatmarionchickonyoutube.com

my Youtube channel

thatnateguyoncamping.com

Nates You Tube channel

@campingwithnate

Nate's TicToc

Guard Your Heart,,,,

,,,,with all vigilance for out of it flows the issues(springs) of life. Proverbs 4:23 ESV

I haven't done a thought provoking or spiritual thinking blog in a long time.

I watched a video my daughter did last week and she mentioned this scripture

and it got me to thinking. How do you "guard" your heart? The heart commonly

refers to as the center of thinking and reason, but also includes emotions, the will,

and thus, the whole inner being. The heart is the depository of the all wisdom and

the source of whatever affects speech and conduct.

Let's pick this verse apart a little and see where it leads and what the Lord may be teaching us or telling us what to do.

*Guard, someone who protects something, or the act of keeping something safe

from harm or danger.

*Vigilance, the action or state of keeping careful watch for possibilities of danger

or difficulties.

*Flows, to move along steady and continuously

*Issues, important topics or problems.

Here's what these 4 words above say to me:

I am to guard my heart, it's mine to keep and protect, to keep it safe from harm, abuse and

slander. With all vigilance I need to keep watch over this organ that God gave me so no one

or thing can harm or damage it. That's a hefty request, that I wish I was aware of many,

many years ago. For from it flow, moving along steadily and continuously, the issues,

important topics or problems, of life.

As states above there are many ways to guard this wonderful instrument given to us by

our perfect creator:

*Our thoughts "for out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality,

false witness, slander, theft". Matt 15:19

*Our will is something we can control, God gave us freedom to chose, chose to guard

your heart.

*Our emotions, this is a big one and often gets us(me)in trouble. I will share a little something about myself. When I was young, a mere teenager, I thought I was "in love"

every time a boy paid any attention to me. I gave pieces of my heart away so freely

never realizing that emotions were fickle and almost never told the truth. As an adult and a

woman of God I know now that my heart is something to guard above all else with all

vigilance and the only one who has any part of my heart now besides God is my loving

and caring husband that guards my heart.

So, my friends guard your heart, don't let anyone or anything damage it, keep it safe above all else.

Amen!