Our Newest Member

Say hello to our newest member!

This is Julio - our new blue tick hound.

Our house almost got broken into the other day during broad daylight. Our neighbor just happened to be riding by and saw someone on our porch looking through the window in our door. So The Husband thought it was necessary to get a dog that would grow to be pretty large to be our guard dog. He's just three months old right now.

We now have 10 dogs. Yep. You read that right - 10. T-E-N! For someone who was scared to death of dogs when she was younger, I can't believe I am taking care of 10 dogs! They can be kind of cute sometimes, though.... : )

Enjoy!

My Very First Wreck at 26 Years Old

Sunday the 16th I had my very first wreck. It was raining, I was going around a curve, and lost control. I felt the car begin to slide, then twist around in the other direction, and I could see I was headed for the other side of the road. I knew I was going to land in the ditch and possibly flip over.

My hands gripped the steering wheel, and I closed my eyes. I did not want to see my world about to be turned upside down. It flipped. During the very few seconds that it flipped, I though to myself, This could end very badly. I prayed. Actually, I yelled out to God - GOD HELP ME! Then it stopped.

Against this tree.

I was a little nervous about opening my eyes. I knew I wasn't right side up, but I didn't know if I was upside down or sideways. So I opened my eyes and looked down to unbuckle myself. I fell down onto my door. I was sideways.

I was in shock and began to scream. Three times actually. It didn't really register with me that I was the one screaming until about midway through the second scream. Then when I screamed the third and last time, I thought, Jamie, that's you screaming. Your screams are not helping anything. Calm down. 

And then I answered myself. I began talking out loud. If I didn't talk, I would scream. So I talked.
Okay. Calm down. I paused. The phone. Where's the phone? I need the phone. Where's the phone?

I see something. It's not my phone, but could have been just as important. My grandma had given my two sisters and me this 'tool' to keep in our vehicles in case we ever had an emergency and needed it. I don't even know what this 'tool' is called. It has many purposes. You can puncture your air bag, cut your seat belt, or break a window. I see this and go through all the purposes - I don't need to puncture my air bag; I don't need to cut off my seat belt; I don't need to break any glass - I don't think. Okay, now where's the phone?

I need the phone. Where's the phone? Where's the phone, Lord?!

The back seat, I heard Him say. I looked, and there it was. Now. Who to call? Ragan or the police? Call Ragan or the police? Ragan. I knew I was still a little in shock and hysterical. I could calm down more while talking to him before talking to anyone else.

Okay, before you talk to him, you have to calm down. Take a deep breath, and talk clearly. I take a deep breath and punch in his number.

"Hello."

"Ragan! I just had a wreck!" Imagine this sounding like big sobs and getting louder with each syllable until it's practically a yell at the end of the sentence.

"What?"

I close my eyes and take a deep breath to try again. "I had a wreck!" Same thing.

"You what? I can't understand you. Calm down."

"I. Just. Had. A. Wreck!" 

"You had a wreck?"

"YES! I rolled it!!"

"I'm on my way. Where are you?"

"On Mitchell." And I'm back to the sobs.

"On Mitchell. Okay. Are you hurt? Are you okay?"

"I'm okay. Do I need to call the police?"

"I'll call them. I'm on my way.

"Okay."

I hang up and look around. How do I get out? Before I can figure a way out, Ragan calls back to talk to me a little more to make sure I'm okay. We hang up, and I'm back to figuring a way out. The windshield is broken. I look towards the back of the car. Can I open the trunk from the inside? I don't know, and I don't want to climb back there to figure it out. I look up to the passenger side window. Nope. Can't reach that either. I may have been able to reach the passenger side window but didn't want to think about having to climb up and out. I look back in front of me - the sunroof. I open the inside part hoping the window isn't broken. It's not. I turn the key in the ignition a few clicks, just enough so I can open up the sunroof and climb out.

After I get out, I stand there and look at the car in awe. I can't believe I just climbed out of this without a scratch on me. Blessed. There's nothing more to say than that. 

After a few minutes of standing there, Ragan showed up. I'm so glad he was the first vehicle to even come through; I was not wanting to talk to anyone else at the moment. Then the police came, asked questions, the tow truck came to haul the car off, and we went home.

Nothing short of a miracle. 

New Beautiful Shelves!

The Husband got into a clean-up-get-rid-of-some-of-this-clutter mood a week or so ago, and I now have new beautiful green shelves!!

Here's The Husband working hard for me! : ) I wish I would have thought to take a picture of what was in this corner before he started working. It was very cluttered!

Now it's beautiful!

I just love my new green shelves!

Enjoy!

Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer

Bethany House supplied me with a copy of Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer. This book was definitely fun to read.

No one steps on Archer land. Not if they value their life. But when Meredith Hayes overhears a plot to burn the Archer brothers off their ranch, a long-standing debt compels her to take the risk. 

Years of constant vigilance harden a man. Yet when Travis Archer comes across a female trespasser with the same vivid blue eyes as the courageous young girl he once aided, he can't bring himself to send her away. And when an act of sacrifice leaves her injured and her reputation in shreds, gratitude and guilt prompt him to attempt to rescue her once again.

Despite the fact that Travis is no longer the gallant youth Meredith once dreamed about, she vows to stand by his side. But will love ever be hers? Or will Travis always see her as merely a short-straw bride?

The story line and characters seem to be a little over the top and melodramatic, but still fun to read. Some of the things said or done in the book I can't imagine happening in real life, but then where's the fun in writing a book if you can't use your imagination, right?

After reading the first few chapters, you kind of know how the book will end. You may not know how it will all happen, but you know there's a happy ending after all is said and done!

Enjoy!