Huntin' With My Husband

Ain't Nuttin Better Than Huntin' With Ya Husband!

Today was the first day of rifle season! It is only in for 2 weeks and you can only shoot a buck with a gun, no doe. You cannot rifle hunt in Wyoming county where we live, but you can one county over in Raleigh. So that is what we did. Our attire was camouflage and blaze orange. We hiked up into the woods, looked for signs of deer, and found us a good place to hide. Although it is a little hard to hide when you are wearing bright orange, but that is for safety since it is gun season.
Sit down, shut up, and be patient! The ground was damp so we had wet, cold bottoms. It was so peaceful and serene just sitting outside with each other. We haven't had a lot of alone time since Aaron came back from PA. We have just seemed to stay busy, so we couldn't help talk to each other, whisper of course. Then we would get tickled, laughing silently and under our breath, mouthing words to each other, and reading lips. Making funny faces, and signing "I Love You". Then it began to drizzle rain, but we had hoods and were nestled under a big pine tree.
Soon the rain began to pick up the pace, and it was getting dark. We hadn't heard or seen anything so we decided to call it quits and head home.
Off we went out of the woods hand in hand, without a buck, but with each other.

Day 5 Creatures of the Sea and of the Air

Genesis 1:20-23

20. And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open expanse of heaven



Sea turtle and fish

 

Dolphin

 

Peacock at a farm in Tenn.

21. And God created great whales and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

WV State bird - Cardinal



22. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

Baby robins in a bush at Mamaw's. I was able to snap some pics without the mama bird flogging me.

23. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day

God made so many beautiful and extraodinary creatures that roam, swim, and fly around this earth, and they are to multiply. The miricale of birth is something that happens everyday. I was so excited when I found that Robin's nest last spring. I would keep a watch on it every time I visited my Grandparent's to see if they had hatched. Finally I got to see the little baby birds, ugly but beautiful at the same time. Not only was it amazing to see these babies emerge into the world, but the nest that their mother had made was also amazing. It was so detailed and sturdy, man could not have replicated what this bird created, and God is the one that implanted the knowledge into this tiny creature and  it is natural, they are born with instincts. Mother's will protect their young at all costs, and that is the amazing power of love. If she would have thought I was endangering her young she would have attacked me.
Think how much you love your children, God loves us even more, and this love was proved when he sent his only son to die on the cross for our sins so that we may have eternal life. We are his children and he is our heavenly father.

What are some experiences you have with new life?

Plans Change

I have done a study on creation, and I had PLANNED on turing that into 7 days of posts. But life got in the way! I am not perfect like God and got distracted. God created the world in 7 days, because He wanted to, so that's how He did it. I don't always get what I want or do what I plan. Haven't you ever heard, "If you want to make God laugh, tell him YOUR plans".  Well my PLANS were interrupted because it was on my heart to share my grandfathers story for Veterans Day, and then my PLANS were interrupted again by according to me, one of God's greatest creations. And according to The Oak Ridge Boys song Thank God for Kids

 I will share the last 3 days of the creation story, but first I would like to share my weekend because I was blessed to spend it with two children that hold a very special place in my life & heart.

Making a cake...we started with a white cake mix (or you can make a white cake from scratch)

she is going through a peace sign phase...he tries to copy her

It was a Rainbow cake so they had to color the batter...

Split the batter equally into 4 bowls, and color with coloring paste (or liquid food coloring)

 It turned out really well. All the colors swirled...and after it was baked we covered with white icing...YUMMY! Rainbow sprinkles would have been a nice touch, but we didn't have any.

 Learning about the frog life cycle, because we are growing FROGS. They each have a tadpole that we are going to try to raise and not kill. Hopefully seeing them through the cycle to adult bullfrogs.

 We colored bullfrog life cycle printouts...then made paper bag frog puppets. Idea from Enchanted Learning

 Air mattresses are not just for sleeping...they make a bumpy road to race monster trucks

Our plasma isn't working so it has retired to the floor

Watching Sponge Bob and eating popcorn...while I did the dishes

The non-working floor model serves as the stand for an itty bitty TV

Then it was time to brush our teeth, bedtime prayers, lights off, and hope they fall asleep before I do

And they did...a fun filled exhausting day...can't go wrong with cake, puppets, and moster trucks.

Veteran's Day

Thank You to all Veterans past and present.

He is gone from our sight, but never from our hearts.

Albert Lee Maynard

 My grandfather recently passed away and I wrote an article about my Papaw Albert Maynard, a Veteran of WWII, which was published in the local newspaper.

Papaw with his guns

Jan. - Papaw's 86th and Mamaw's 81st birthday

licking the icing

Also the other day while going through a box labeled “school stuff” I came across a paper that I had written in the 10^th grade. The assignment was to interview a veteran and write an essay. I chose a very special man, I chose my Papaw Albert. On this day I would like to share it in rememberence of him.

Albert Lee Maynard Sr., a veteran of World War II, is also my grandfather. He was a corporal, which meant that he wore two stripes on his arm, in the army. He was shipped out in 1942 to face the unknown, but he left anyway to fight for his country and our freedom. During the war he traveled to many countries all across Europe. These included; England, Germany, Italy, France, and Belgium. While in Belgium he participated in the Belgian Bulge, this is a ceremony where they would break bread. While he was at the event a bomb was dropped and exploded knocking him twenty – thirty feet from what he called the “foxhole”. The foxhole was the hole left by the explosion.

                He made many friends while he was being shipped to and from the different countries. He grinned and said, “Two good things about being in those countries were all the places you see and the women.” He was very handsome, and every one called him a ladies man, because he had five different women at every port.  A French woman in particular must have made an impression, because he stayed with her while he was in France. Although he made some good memories traveling, he also had several bad that mostly he will not discus. He did however tell me of a time he endured severe pain. While in France his feet became frost bitten, because he was out for a long time in the wet and cold weather.  “They looked like two lumps of coal hangin from my ankles.” He said. His toenails also fell off, which was kind of gross. He spent two weeks in a Paris hospital.

                He told me about one of the most terrifying moments that anyone could ever witness. He would leave early in the morning and walk through the fields picking up the dead bodies and tossing them onto trucks. It is an image that will always be in his head and that he will never forget.

Now that he looks back he remembers a time that could have been a scary moment, caused by young foolishness. He along with his army buddies were all in a field posing for a picture, each with a bottle of liquor in one hand and gun in the other. That is one of the best memories he has, just hanging out with his friends. There were also bad memories to accompany the good. Early in his journey, he had just stepped away from a truck, and watched his friend drive off. The truck hadn’t made it very far down the road when the truck exploded. He then saw very clearly that he was at war, and anything was possible.

When I asked him about all the medals he received, he said, “I got a whole slew of `em”. He was awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and more.  He missed America, and his home in Leatherwood, WV, and couldn’t wait to return. On the ship ride home they were delayed because the propeller was lost in a storm. It took eighteen days for another ship to come and rescue them. They were taken to Bermuda until a ship from New York came to take them back to the states. He was gone for five years from 1942-1947, and was happy to return to the good ole US of A. He met my grandmother in the spring and married her in July. She has always told us the story of the first time she saw him. He was riding a bicycle down the road and she turned to her sister and said, “That is the man I am going to marry”, and she did. They have six children, five girls, and one boy (my dad). Their family has extended to ten grandkids, and three great-grandkids. He is a wonderful papaw whom I love dearly.

My papaw isn’t the type of person who volunteers a lot of information. I know discussing the war brings back bad memories, but he was kind enough to do this interview for his granddaughter. I know he is proud to be an American, and he is a very honorable man, whom I admire for his courage among many other reasons. America is thankful that he fought for freedom, and liberty, and I also am thankful and blessed to have him as my Papaw Albert.

*Surviving - His loving wife of 63 years, 6 children and their husbands & wife, 10 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great granddaughters.

Day 4 - Ruler of the Day and Night

*most pictures were in my personal library, but some I had to search for

Genesis 1:14-19

14. And God said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years;

15. And let them be for lights in the expanse of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

16. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

Sun

Full Moon

Stars

17. And God set them in the expanse of the heaven to give light upon the earth.

18. And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

19. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

Think about how beautiful the sun is, rising and setting. Not only can we see it, it is the light that rules over the day so we can see everything by it. We can also feel it! Close your eyes and imagine being outside and the sun touching your skin as it begins to warm your whole body. Think about how beautiful the moon and the stars are on a clear night. Now think of the four seasons how each is different and forever changing, but beautiful all the same. Seasons are different depending on where you live, but I’m sure we all can find beauty and tranquility in our surroundings if we just open our eyes, and soak in God's greatness.

Summer – The breeze is blowing. The sky is blue, the trees are green and full, and the waters have been warmed by the sun.  Gardens have grown and we are reaping the harvest of fruits and vegetables.

Cocoa, Bentley, & I running on the beach at OBX

Lake at Snow Shoe, WV

 Autumn – the days are beginning to cool from the summer heat, the leaves are changing colors and beginning to fall and fly through the air. The air is crisp of the mornings, but slowly warms with the sun. 

Twin Falls State Park, WV

 




Mom walking with Hayden through the leaves in the woods

My backyard

PA - Sometimes it even snows in the Fall

 Winter – the leaves are gone, and replaced with snow. The white has dusted all over the land, and even though it is cold the sight is beautiful.  

View from Mamaw & Papaw's Porch in the Holler

*Holler = Hollow - having a space or cavity inside. Basically there are valleys in between the mountains where roads have been carved out and follow along the creek, where people have made their house seats along the way. I have also heard it defined as a, "one lane road with two way traffic"

It is easy to become depressed or discouraged in the winter. The days are cold, and the wind can cut you like a knife. The nights are longer than the days. The roads are slushy and slick at times. Salt is applied to roads, driveways, and walkways to melt the ice, therefore it clings to all the vehicles, and makes its way into every house. But that is just how it is, it is a season, and it to shall pass, so look beyond the cold and dirty slushy roads, to the white tiped trees, or the warmth of children smiling, sleigh riding,  Christmas cookies and presents. Most importantly we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on December 25th.



My nephew Jaden first sleigh ride...EVER!

Nick - Dixie's little brother

Dixie - decorating cookies

My nephew Hayden in his new tent

 Spring – the snow is gone, the days are starting to warm, and life is beginning to bloom once again. The seasonal cycle continues. The rains may come throughout the year to wash away the dirt, and give the Earth a drink, but in the spring the rain waters the plants, and along with the sun, help them to grow. This continues the cycle, and produces herb and fruit, that were created on the third day.

Creek with blooming flowers



Flowers from Aaron...Just Because

Not only is spring beautiful but it leads to delectable smells, including one of my favorite smells, Honeysuckle.

Honeysuckle bush at my great-grandparents old home place in the head of the holler

Not only can we see God in the sky, land, and waters, and feel him when the wind blows and the rains fall, and stand still and hear him, and taste the fruit and herb he provided, we can also smell the fragrances he placed on this Earth. Negative can be found no matter where we are, it just takes a negative person to find it. So don't worry, be happy, and take it all in!



What season is your favorite?

Day 3 - Land, Water, & Seeds

Genesis 1: 9-13

9. And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

Desert

on top of a mountain

10. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters he called the Seas: and God saw that it was good.

at the beach

 11. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was good.

forest

12. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.



apple tree



vegetable garden

How beautiful is our earth that God has created for us. His word plainly states what he created and when he created it, and as we look at the world around us we can see his touch on it all. When we dip our feet in the water of the sea or in a stream, or we simply walk along a path made of dirt and grass surrounded by trees, we see his majestic greatness. Every time we take a bite of an apple, or watch our gardens grown, it is all because God gave us the seeds.

What do you love about land, water, & seeds?

Day 2 Heaven & Earth

Day 2

God made the air/sky which divided the Heaven and the Earth

Genesis 1:6-8

6. And God said, Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

7. And God made the expanse and divided the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse: and it was so.

8. And God called the expanse Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

I didn’t include any pictures because there are no accurate pictures of Heaven, we have some glimpses that are described in the Bible, but we do not yet know what heaven looks like. Right now we live on Earth, but if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour we will one day see Heaven.

John 14:1-6 Jesus Said…

1. Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

4. And wither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

5. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thow goest; and how can we know the way?

6. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

7. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Jesus assured his disciples (and us) that he was going to heaven to prepare a place for them, you, & I. In his Fathers (GOD) house (Heaven) there will be a home for all who have accepted him. The only way to Heaven, and to see God is to accept his son Jesus Christ as your Saviour. Then your name will be written down in the Book of Life, and eternity will be spent in Heaven.

Instead of just taking my word, I encourage everyone to look these verses up and read THE WORD = BIBLE, study, and ponder on them, because if you do I am sure you will be blessed.

What are your favorite verses about heaven?

Smell the Roses Figuratively and Literally

I have been motivated and inspired to study the creation and beauty of the world around us by my Cousin Pam. She lives in Florida, and she loves West Virginia and its scenery, which sometimes I take for granted since I have always lived in the Mountain State.

Most of us have heard or read the first chapter of Genesis in the Bible. God created the world in 6 days, and rested on the 7^th, but I had to ask myself, did I really hear it and understand its magnitude. So I decided to apply the scripture to my everyday life and the surroundings I see. Depending on where you live you may see different surroundings, but they were created by God just the same and I am sure they are wonderful.  Because as simple as the words may seem the meaning is so much deeper.

We just have to open our eyes to see his beauty. It is important to take time to appreciate God’s beauty and smell the roses figuratively and literally.

So I will be writing about the 7 days of creation for 7 days…starting with Day 1 today...

Day 1

Genesis Chapter 1: Verse 1-5

1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth

2. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved (hovering over) the face of the waters.

3. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

4. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

 5. And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.



Sun rising

sun setting

So, first God created the heaven and the Earth. How else do you explain the earth’s existence? It did not just fall out of thin air or spontaneously appear on its own. God created it! The world is amazing, but only because God wanted it to be, it had to be created, it could not create itself.

God created heaven and when he calls his children home we will see it and live eternally 

 Philipians 3:20

For our citizenship is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

1 Peter 1:4

To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.

Then God created light, and day and night. Every morning when that sun rises and every evening when it sets it is only because of God’s will.  He stated in his word that He created light, dividing night and day…no one or nothing else is responsible. Take a moment one morning and wake up early to catch a sun rise, or go outside to watch a sunset…it is truly a breathtaking experience to watch the beauty God created in motion.

What have you opened your eyes to lately?

Travel Essentials & Hats

Coffee, Purse, Back Pack...my favorite color is hunter camo pink

Coffee

My purse – weighing about 10 lbs., including almost everything you would ever need, except money. From chap-stick, vitamins, and band-aids to lotion, flashlight, and sewing kit to camera, cell phone, and wallet. And a lot of the time dog leashes. Plus a lot more!

My back pack – Bible, bible study/reference book, iPad, school books for my two online courses, journal, Kindle (love by the way!), computer, legal pad (for all the lists I make), pens, highlighters, & post-its. And all chargers for my electronics (I’m always losing them so it’s good to keep them close).



Dogs sleeping in the back of the truck

Bentley – almost 2 yr. old (on Dec. 30^th) loving, cowardly male mix breed who's a little strange.

can't forget to travel with his plush, squeaky toy donkey.

Cocoa – 7 yrs. old (turning 8 on Jan. 1^st) loving, prissy female Shih-Tzu with an attitude.

doing what she does best, being lazy

Both are full of personality (complete opposite ones I must add) and are our 4-legged, furry babies.

Sunday morning Aaron & I left (before daylight) for 4 days in Pennsylvania.

Sunrising about an hour and a half north of home

My husband is a natural gas man! We have been traveling for his job the last few months, because he works 4 days on in PA and 4 days off at home. It gets tiresome at times, but we are thankful that he has this job and is gaining much experience for when the Marcellus shale natural gas HOPEFULLY moves farther south. We are also thankful because most of the time I get to travel with him, along with our two little furry babies.

This leads to my many hats I am trying to juggle during all this travel:

-     Housewife: (which has many hats in itself) with 2 households in two different states. But it seems to be working; I don’t have to be apart from my husband, and the 5 hour road trips (one way) have brought us even closer. It is also like having a vacation home, I get to leave the hustle and bustle of our everyday home life and relax in the comfort of another home.

-     Doggie mommy: and yes since Aaron and I do not have children (which is probably a good thing right now, because of all of the traveling…but if God blesses us with a baby then we will definitely change our lives to accommodate the miracle) we are doggie parents. Dogs are a lot of responsibility, especially when you have two high maintenance ones like we do. So they have travel needs also.

-     Student: I am finishing my degree…YAY! I registered for online classes, because of all of the traveling, plus it is more convenient to do from home. Problem is I sometimes procrastinate, so I really have to stay motivated to stay on top of my school work.

-     Daughter, Grand-daughter, Aunt, Sister, Niece, and Neighbor: these are also very important titles that I am grateful to hold. This means when Aaron and I are home I have to give them some attention. Visit family, do things with the kids, catch up with those who are very important to me.

-     Natural Gas Man’s Wife - Small business owner: When I married Aaron I also married into the gas well business. He has his own small gas well tending business, called Hatfield Well Service. We have a system in place for trying to run a successful business. He must tend to these gas wells and make sure everything is running smoothly, he is the labor/brawn. I guess that makes me the business/brains. I guess I am the secretary/accountant. I take care of all the boring paper stuff, phone calls, finances/bills/expenses, etc. And this can be done no matter where I am, so usually I am traveling with a huge folder that contains business stuff

-     Church member: One down side to all the traveling is that sometimes I can’t attend my church, which makes me really sad. I love my church! And I love participating and being an active member of my church. SO when possible I am there and do what I can when I can. I try to stay close to God no matter where I am, because he travels with me.

                                       So there they are, my essentials, my hats, ME.