July 4, 2009 at 1:08 am (Family, Growing, Holidays, My Children, cystic fibrosis)
Tags: Amie, cystic fibrosis, faith, Family, Holidays, life, praises, thankful
Everybody always likes the 4th of July holiday. After all, we are celebrating the Independence of our country…right? Some people have birthdays on this day so that gives them something extra special to celebrate. By the way, happy birthday Nancy! I love you!
The 4th of July holiday holds something different for me. Fifteen years ago today, John and I were at Pitt Memorial Hospital with Nicholas. We had been agonizing for months; wondering what was wrong with our precious little baby. Due to my suspicions as a mother of what he may have, we had been through several doctors and were feeling helplessly at the end of our ropes. We could see that Nicholas was getting worse and no one would listen to us. We were not in a relationship with Jesus Christ at the time so we had no peace…no comfort.
After 6 months of trying to get a doctor that would test Nicholas for cystic fibrosis (cf), Dr. Taylor came in the room at 1pm on July 4th, 1994 and told us what I knew all along. Nicholas had cystic fibrosis. See what I didn’t realize was that even though we were not acknowledging that God was in our lives, He was there all along. He had been with me my whole life preparing me for what we were about to go through as a family.
Most of you know that my mama and daddy had been foster parents while I was growing up and we had Amie with us for a while. She had cf and we learned all about the disease, medications, and physical therapy with her. You can read more here (You should start at the bottom and work your way up. Later, as an adult, one of my first jobs was with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. God had been preparing me for this day. He had been with me through all of it and He is still with me today.
As I look back and see the steps along the roads of my life so far, I feel blessed to be able to see the proof of what my mama and my grandmother had always told me – “everything happens for a reason.” For whatever reason, God has chosen me and my family to fulfill a task for him. We may never know what it is. We may never know who it is for. We may be doing it now. It may take years, months, a day, an hour, a moment…All I know is that where ever we go He is with us. Whatever we go through, He is carrying us. Whatever is in store for us tomorrow, He has it under control.
As you celebrate this 4th of July, be thankful that we have an independent country. Pray that our country can stay this way and recover from its burdens. Be thankful for your family. Be thankful for your health. Celebrate your life. I thank God for the many blessings He has bestowed upon our family. Things could always be worse than what it is. We are thankful for the time we have been given. Tell your family you love them today. Reach out to the ones you don’t see everyday and tell them you love them too. Celebrate every moment.
Happy 4th of July everybody. Thanks for checking in today.
Love in Christ…Robin
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May 29, 2009 at 4:50 pm (Family, Good Stuff, Growing, Me, The Beginning)
Tags: Family, life, Me, praises, prayer requests, thankful
Sunday, May 24, 2009, eight and a half years after I began my collegiate journey, I graduated from Barton College. It still doesn’t seem all that real to me and it would probably be less real if we hadn’t got rained on during commencement. I guess I should re-phrase that. We didn’t just get rained on – we were soaked clear through to the undergarments, we were dripping once we stood up, and our caps were curved under where the cardboard in them was drenched by the downpours of rain. The good things about the rain – if there would be any – is that we were no longer hot, no longer nervous, we were more light-hearted. It was hilarious. We laughed the whole time it rained. It was a welcome distraction to the speakers. 
Sorry. And the best part was that it stopped raining just in time for the presentations of degrees and diplomas. I don’t think any of us were happy to have our pictures made looking like we did, but we were thankful that it stopped when it did. And we weren’t really concerned with how we looked because everybody looked the same – hung out to dry – literally.
So now that all that drama is over, I find myself at a new threshold. For the first time in almost 9 years, I am looking for a different job. I have to say that it is a little unnerving, but I have let the whole thing go. I do hope that I can say I will find one soon so I don’t have to go through the whole summer not knowing what the future holds for next school year, but I know that God has my hands in his future in His hands and I will be where I am meant to be. I would love it if you guys would join me in praying for me about this whole job thing. I have got to keep my head on straight about the whole thing.
So that’s what’s going on right now. When I get pictures, I will post them for you guys to see. John couldn’t take pictures with my camera because it got soaked, so I have to wait for copies from others.
Thanks for reading,
Mrs. Griffin, Middle School TEACHER
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November 28, 2008 at 8:21 pm (Good Stuff, Me, Misc, This is CRAZY!!!)
Tags: life
This is from April’s blog…
what you do is post this on your blog and highlight the things you’ve done in red…so here goes!
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain (hiking)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
Wow…57 our of 99…not bad. I am blessed. What else can I say?
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September 19, 2008 at 5:00 am (Family, Me)
Tags: anniversaries, life, love
Eighteen years ago, John and I were married. WOW! EIGHTEEN YEARS! When I really think about it, I wonder where all the years went – it seems like yesterday. BUT, on the other end of the spectrum, it seems like we have been together for more years.
I can’t say that the years have been completely smooth, but I also can’t say that I would have had it any other way. The things we have been through have made our relationship so much stronger. Boy God really knew what He was doing when he thought this one up. I can’t imagine being with anyone else. He is a wonderful, caring, encouraging, loving, compassionate, funny, hard-working, husband and father.
John and I went to the same high school, but we didn’t hang out in the same circles. I thought he was Mr. McDreamy from afar, and he wouldn’t even look my way. WELL, you know God has a way of throwing you in a direction you never knew you would go. I was working in Wilson with his step brother Steve – went to school with both of them, knew who both of them were – never knew they were related. ANYWHO, one morning at work, one of my co-workers said that there was this really cute guy sitting out in the show room and I just HAD to go see him. When I saw him, I immediately knew who he was. Two days later, we went out on our first date and we haven’t been apart since.
John I just have to say that I love you and I thank you for putting up with all my faults. I cherish every moment we have spent together, whether it was for better or worse, in sickness or in health, and I’ll love you till the day I die. I thank God for steering you to Paul Berry that day. I love you more everyday. I look forward to growing old with ya darling. Love ya!
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