Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Monday, May 13, 2019

Your Thoughts and Prayers are Needed. THANKS!

USS Abraham Lincoln
Dear Family and Friends,   Prayers are needed for my Granddaughter Brooke and her husband, Tristan.  Tristan is in the Navy and is currently deployed on the USS Abraham Lincoln which has been sent to the Middle East to help with the horrible problems happening in that area involving Iran....   I am sure you have read  or heard about this on the news recently.  SCARY situation for sure!!!!

Brooke is obviously very upset and worried.   AND --to make matters harder,   Brooke and Tristan's second baby is due the end of this month.  Even though she and Vivian (almost 16 months old now),  are with her mother during Tristan's deployment,   she obviously misses him so much... Prayers for Tristan and all of the men and women on the USS Abraham Lincoln --but also for Brooke as she brings Little Veronica (Roni) into the world soon...  Thanks for your good thoughts and prayers.

Here are some pictures of that sweet family.  Hope you enjoy them.


Brooke and Tristan on their wedding day



Having Fun



Aren't they just a precious family?









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ONE MORE PRAYER REQUEST and an ANNOUNCEMENT

I am having Carpal Tunnel Surgery on Thursday,  May 16,   on my dominant (left) hand.  Since I won't be able to use that hand for awhile,  I am taking a Blog  Break.... BUT--I'll be back soon  (hopefully with no numb and tingly fingers)!!!!  Fun Fun!!!

Hugs,

Monday, May 6, 2019

What is Special about APRIL 21??????

Two people still in love after 18 years!!!!  (Photo taken on 4/22/19)
WELL--- for George and me,  April 21, 2001 at Fall Creek Falls State Park here in Tennessee was the date that we professed our love for each other.  We had only been dating less than a month but for us, we both knew that God had put us together since we both moved to Tennessee for new jobs in December of 2000.  On that special day,  I got my first kiss,   he held my hand for the first time,  and we both said that we wanted to be together for the rest of our lives...  Fall Creek Falls is also where our interest in searching for WATERFALLS began.

Almost every year, since 2001,  we make the short trip on (or near) April 21 ---and relive those special memories.... After our marriage in June of 2001,  we have truly been inseparable (except when George had to go to Ireland for several days on a business trip)....   That was a very long week for me since I missed him so much.

The greatest part of this special love between two people who were 59 years old,  is that our love has never wavered ---and continues to grow more and more with each passing year.... Thanks be to God.

If you would like to read a couple of blog posts I wrote about our love,  how it all began,  etc. --CLICK  here for Post I   and then CLICK here for Part II.... Many of you have read these since you have followed me for a long time!!!!!   THANK YOU....

This year,  we went to Fall Creek Falls on April 22  (since April 21 was Easter Sunday).   Again,  as we always have done,  we retraced our steps taking pictures along the way... SO--today I'll share some of the pictures from that awesome day at Fall Creek Falls... Hope you enjoy reliving that special day with us today 18 years later!!


Looking down at Cane Creek Falls on 4/22/19  from the new overlook they built this year;  
I love the RAINBOW... See it?



My Sweetheart at the new overlook at Cane Creek Falls --4/22/19



Rockhouse Falls,  at Fall Creek Falls State Park, 4/22/19



Such a gorgeous place just to sit and relive the past 18 years with my Sweetheart  (taken on 4/22/19)



Beautiful Fall Creek Falls State Park on a gorgeous Spring day (4/22/19)



Beautiful Cane Creek Cascades,  4/22/19



Here she is --sitting again!!!!! ha ha!!! I love sitting on the rocks near Cane Creek Cascades.  (4/22/19)



My view of the creek and the Swinging Bridge,  taken on 4/22/19,  from the rocks near Cane Creek Cascades;



Walking toward the overlook at Fall Creek Falls, 4/22/19;  We picked a fantastic day to go there.  It was the day after Easter and there weren't many people in the park,  even though we had a gorgeous, sunny day....  NOTE: I'm not sure we have ever  been to this (the main) overlook in the park without lots of people around.  Amazing!



My Honey-Pie standing at the overlook with views of Fall Creek Falls,  4/22/19;



A view of Fall Creek Falls (left) and Coon Creek Falls  (right) on 4/22/19



He caught me SITTING again... BUT--what an awesome place to enjoy nature...



On April 22--we had almost NO new leaves on our big trees at home yet (we do now).   SO---I was so excited at seeing leaves on the trees at Fall Creek Falls that day, that I just HAD to take a picture of the sun coming through the trees... Isn't that just SO beautiful?



George's favorite area of the park,  named after HIM of course!!!!!! ha;   This is where we were on April 21, 2001--sitting on a blanket in the grass,  when I got my first KISS.....   WOW!!!!   (taken on 4/22/19)



At the George Hole area--where I enjoy searching for birds that live in the rocks along the creek  (4/22/19)



One more picture of a very happy couple,  4/22/19
Hope you enjoyed today's memories..   As you can tell,   this place is so very important to us ---and gets more special with each passing year.

Have an awesome week, my Friends.

Hugs,