. . . And then they shall become one!

Friday - May 15, 2009

On Saturday, May 16, 2009 Todd Layne and Cassie Bordea will become man and wife! Both are Christians and will do and go where the Lord leads them. They met at Marshall while being active with Campus Crusade. They both love the Lord and eventually found out they loved one another. I would like to wish them much happiness as they begin their life together. They are a loving and caring couple whom we all love very much!

I have posted a few pictures of them through the years! First as babies, then as toddlers, on to grade school, participating in sports, as young adults, and then as a couple. Hopefully I will be able to post some wedding pictures next week!

Matthew Todd Layne

Cassandra Dawn Bordea

Todd and Cassie as toddlers!

Grade school years!

They loved playing sports!

It must have been their smiles that attracted one to the other!

All dressed up for the wedding of family and friends!

The engaged couple!!!!!!

We love you Cassie and Todd!!!!!!!

Mothers – Caring, Loving, Protecting

Sunday - May 10, 2009

I would like to dedicate this post to ALL mothers who read our blog! Wishing and praying you all know how important you are to your children. Many times we take our mothers for granted and forget to say thank you or I love you. One day a year is set aside for those who may forget to say anything to their mother as to how much they are really appreciated.

I don't know when it happened, and I can't remember never saying "I love you" to Mom and Dad after every phone call or leaving the house, but it was something we all said and was just as natural to say as breathing is! We always said it, and it was truly said from our hearts! The last words I heard my father say to me was I love you too! My brothers, in-laws, nieces, and nephews all tell Mom they love her. Some day these will be precious memories and a comfort to know how much those words meant to Mom (and Dad when is was still living here on earth)!

If you haven't told your mother, grandmother, aunt, the lonely widow down the road, or the ladies in the church choir you hope they have a Happy Mother's Day -please do so before the day is over! A kind gentleman held the door open for Mom at the store yesterday and then said, "Happy Mother's Day"!!! This shocked her and pleased her! It made her smile, and it will make all those ladies out there smile as well! Make a lady happy today. Notice I didn't say "mother." You may ask why - because all ladies may not have given birth to a child, but they have the love of a mother for "little ones" that are around them - cousins, nieces, nephews, step-children, and even those kids who might be their students!

When trying to put together my thoughts for this blog, characteristics of a mother came to my head - so I wrote them down and would like to share them with you! These are things my mother and grandmother did for my brothers and me!!!!!

Mothers

Caring, loving, protecting
Patience, watching, guiding
Tolerance, laughing, crying,
Endurance, frowning, comforting
Forgiving, helping, watching
Reassuring, encouraging, cheering
Persistence, sighing, soothing
Compassionate, adoring, shielding

I would like to post the pictures of two mothers - one is the oldest mother in our family and the other is the "newest" mother! Happy Mother's Day Mom - the "oldest," and Jeni, the "newest" mother! We love you both!!!!!!!!

Mom with her four - John, Mike, Sue, and Dink

Jeni with her precious Cora Ann

29 Years Have Passed - Happy Birthday David

Friday - May 7, 2009

Twenty-nine years ago today, David Austin Hardin was born. Much has happened during those years with one of the most joyous being that this baby boy grew up, got married, and now has a family of his own. He has also dedicated his life to serve the Lord and to go where he feels the Lord is leading him.

We would like to share pictures of David's life and hope you all enjoy them - even you David! There are so many we could have used - it was hard to choose from all the pictures we have!
We hope you have had a great birthday!

David at six weeks old!

David at two months!

Ready to throw out the first pitch - almost 10 months old!

Let's go sailing!

Whoa - he won this reindeer which was bigger than he was!

Oh the joy of being a kid and getting to go to Camden Park!

David's birthday party at Fifth Avenue DayCare - his mother, Charlotte, is kneeling beside the birthday boy!

David and Bill in David's "dinosaur room" with all the critters on the bed!

David and I holding "LittleFoot!"

Gotta love that smile!!!!!
David with his Mammaw Bertha and Pappaw Clyde - Bill's parents.

David and Granny - Bill's grandmother (Hattie McCoy)

David with his Uncle John and cousin Ashlea!

David - the Eagle Scout with Judge Pancake and Mamaw Johnson in the background!
David and Bill at a "Father - Son" breakfast at Wayne Baptist.

Graduation Day from HHS - Charlotte, David, and Bill

Graduation Day for David and his buddies from West Virginia Wesleyan.

David standing with his mother, Charlotte, Pappaw Johnson, Mamaw Johnson, and Aunt Jonnie!

The first time David and Jeni met face to face - Akron, OH!
The first time Jeni came to Huntington to meet David's family - we didn't scare her off!

Mr. And Mrs. David A. Hardin - January 28, 2006

David, Jeni and Molly the "wonder dog!" Hillsdale, MI 2006

David and Jeni in Akron 2006

David and Jeni - Wayne, WV - Christmas 2008

David, Jeni, and Cora Ann Hardin - March 28, 2009

Once a baby - then a boy - now a man with a baby of his own!

March 27, 2009
Cora Ann Hardin - a new generation has begun!

Saturday With Mom!

Tuesday - May 5, 2009

Generally on the weekends I stay with Mom. She loves to hit the stores - Wal-Mart, K-Mart, AC Moore's, Michael's, and most of the grocery stores! There was a time when we would make our rounds and go to as many as we could - most of the time coming away with more yarn or patterns. We are now limiting the number of stores because I have noticed Mom tires out quickly. She is 89 and will be 90 in February - so she has a right to tire out if she chooses. We all try to take her out somewhere - even if it is to run to the store, bank, or post office - she loves to go!!!!

Some weekends I talk her in to staying home so we can fix dishes she doesn't usually fix through the week. There are many reasons as to why she doesn't cook the way she use to - one major reason is her eye sight. She is legally blind and has a hard time reading recipes - that's where I come in - I read the recipes and most of the time get the ingredients out and she can mix them up!! It makes her feel so good to be able to do something she has spent a lifetime doing - cooking for all her loved ones!

We came up with a few things she really wanted "us" to fix: 1) Cheese and Garlic Biscuits (Red Lobster style); 2) Chicken Squares; 3) Broccoli/cheese/rice casserole; 4) Baskin Robbin Pie; and we ended up making 5) potato salad - Dink wanted some of Mom's potato salad, so she made it for him; and finally 6) chicken salad because I cooked tooooo much chicken for the chicken squares!

The following pictures captures the activities for the day - it was a very tiring day (for me), but it was a great day to see Mom so happy! Enjoy the pictures - oh by the way (even if I say so myself) the food was mmmmm, mmmmm, goooooood! :):):)

Mom looking for her knife to peel potatoes!

Peeling the potatoes . . .
. . . with her feet propped up - I love this view!

Now we are working on the first layer of the Baskin Robbins pie . . .

. . . getting ready to mix the pudding now . . .

. . . sugar free products were used . . .

. . . ahhh, the finished dish!

The mixture of flour, cheese, garlic, and buttermilk for the biscuits . . .

. . . instead of rolling them out, I scooped the dough out using an ice cream scoop . . .

. . . we had four pans of biscuits . . .

. . . ahhh, they not only smelled good; looked good; but they tasted great!

Heating the mixture of sauteed onions, broccoli, cream of chicken soup, cheese whiz, and rice for the casserole . . .

. . . which turned out to a golden brown! Mmmmmmm

The mixture of shredded cooked chicken, finely diced onions, lemon pepper, seasoning salt, and cream cheese . . .

. . . the mixture was placed on rolled out crescent rolls. I chose to make smaller rolls - getting 16 bite size chicken squares instead of four big ones from a can of crescent rolls.

Melted butter was brushed on top of each square . . .

. . . with the finished product a golden brown!

The extra cooked chicken was used to make a small bowl of chicken salad which was used for sandwiches!

Mom doing and loving what she has done for over 70 years - cooking and cleaning up her mess. She kept the dirty dishes from piling up - she would not let me do that - it was something she could do and wanted to do - sooo I let her be!

I love my mother very much, and want her to live a life that she feels useful, wanted, and happy! We all love you Mom!