Indie (aka Indiana Jones)

Introducing Indie!

As you know we recently lost our Little Pea suddenly a week ago Friday. Last Monday I was headed to get my blood drawn a few minutes from our home when I stumbled upon a little budge dodging traffic on a VERY busy street. I found this little cocker spaniel with a million fleas, dread locked fur and a small cut on her head. I stopped and she immediately rolled on her back and was affectionate. I've never "rescued" an animal from the side of the road, but "something" that day made me stop (part God and my love for animals). I called my mom and our vet to know what I should do. I knew the humane society may not find her a home and most likely euthanize her in 10 days or so, which meant this was not an option.

Mom and I decided to the vet we would go. We had her groomed, medicated for fleas, vaccinated and medically checked by Dr. Franklin (my hero as she saved Chloe when she was very little). The Sanlando Animal Hospital fell in love with her too. This is the kind of dog that everyone who has come in contact with her has immediately fallen in love. At the time we hadn't thought of a name and "Stray" was not suitable. We decided to call her "Indie" which is short for Indiana Jones since we found her exploring and on an adventure in Apopka, FL.

So now, we needed to find her a loving home. This little girl is such a snuggler and full of desire to love and be loved. This week Dad taught her how to play with toys and how to play fetch. They became very attached to Indie. We prayed for a good home and knew God would lead to either allow her to stay with my parents or find her a good home. Either way, we wanted God to lead and accept whatever He decided we should do.

I sent a photo of her out to my girlfriends here in Florida to put feelers out. My dear friend Ashley Birmele said she fell instantly in love with Indie by photos but that she couldn't take her. However, Ash went on to say that Bryan's mom was VERY interested. Becky, Bryan's mom, and her husband Jimmy are two very amazing and loving people. Last night we took Indie to Becky and Jimmy's. Their current dog, Max, and Indie instantly connected and started playing. We knew this was the right place for Indie as hard as it was to see her go. Indie is really going to be loved in her new home. The blessing is that we can still see Indie from time to time.

God did a wonderful thing for us. We lost Little Pea and were/are heartbroken. I found a pup which may not be alive today had I not pulled over. I am thankful for the gift of Indie. I believe God placed her in my path for a reason. We couldn't save Pea but we could save Indie. It reminded me of why I love being an ER nurse. Saving a life is one of the most rewarding actions. It's one of those things where you want nothing in return, but want everything for the person or pet. Just simply want them to find happiness and love.

If I could open a charity and do this full time I would. I have found so much joy in Indie. God sent me a small package full of blessings.

Ashley, I love you and thank you for helping me find a wonderful home for beautiful Indie!

Mom, you're an amazing woman with such a huge heart! Thank you for joining in the rescue! Thank you for teaching me how to love selflessly and help others along life's journey.

A pets sole purpose in life is to love and be loved! Their life far outweighs the loss and pain we feel when they depart our world. I will forever remember the family pets we have lost, but will forever swim in the happiness they brought and continue to bring to my life.

Our Little Pea

We love you SweetPea and miss you dearly!

Our home is missing a member today....

12-7-2002 to 10-23-2009

"Besties" --cute Kera--

This Thursday I received news that someone we grew up with and is my cousin's, Jason Wightman, "bestie" suddenly died.

What would I do if I lost a bestie? I really don't know.

My besties know the fun me. the sad me. the loving me. the wacko me. the studious me. the upset me. the Drama Queen me (p.s. I still have that funny hang up sign and card from you girls FROM JENKINS!!!). And what part of me do they love most? They love all parts unconditionally. They allow me to be me and still find each part "succulent" (thanks Tress). I sincerely feel like losing one of them would be like losing a part of me. They know how i think. they know if i am being happy just to be happy so no would know i was sad. They would know if i was full of it. they'd know. they know just how to point me in the right direction if i find myself losing my way.

my besties make me a better version of myself. I LOVE YOU WITHOUT END! Just felt like i needed to write something. You never know if the end is tomorrow.

Our Happily Ever After.......After One Year Part 6

So yes, we had a fabulous time with nothing on our agenda but enjoying the sun, sand and each other's company. It was truly perfect! These feet have walked many miles and with Tim each step gets sweeter and sweeter! I look forward to our life's journey together laughing, holding hands, remembering to cherish the moments and savor our relationship! I love you babe! 
The end...bye bye vacation....till next year!

Our Happily Ever After.......After One Year Part 5

WOWZERS!!! This place had AWESOME burritos and homemade guacamole!!! 
Nothing like cruising the beach after ice cream with my handsome prince!!! He's dreamy isn't he??? I saw you checking him out....!!! hahah!!
We road up and down Ft Myers Beach watching the sun go to sleep. So much fun! We even got a little race bug in us and raced up the beach on our bikes!!
This game was soooo simple and sooo fun! Basically you stand back and try to get the ring on the hook! Not as easy at it looks. Funny how in most simple things of life...they really are the best parts of life.

Our Happily Ever After.......After One Year Part 4

See what I mean???? Shells everywhere!! I was just beside myself!
This is Captiva Island...very beautiful! The pictures just don't give the place justice!!!
While on Captiva Island Tim spotted this street sign! Look Aunt Trish and Uncle Al...apparently you have relatives on Captiva Island...maybe we can get some free lodging!!??? Haha! We thought of you on our trip and took this pic for you!
We noticed a very busy little guy (actually kinda big) on the beach. He'd peak his head out of his hole to make sure the coast was clear. Then he would have a little claw full of sand and throw it to the side. He'd look around then scamper back in this hole. Tim and I must have looked so silly because we hovered over this sand hole with the camera in ready position staying as still as possible! Lots of Europeans on the island and must have thought us Americans were VERY STRANGE to stare at sand for so long!!!

Our Happily Ever After.......After One Year Part 3

While staying in Ft. Myers Beach we decided to cruise over to Sanibel...for guess what??? SHELLING!!!! We were told by Dan and Tree our Mango Street Innkeepers that Bowman's Beach was where to go and they were soooo right!!!
Tim is the most AMAZING shell hunter! He went a little deeper and scoured the ocean floor for great shells! You frequently find alive shells as the one below is. Of course we had to take a photo before setting Mr. Shell back into the ocean. We were soooo amazed at this little guy...well he was kinda big as you can see in Tim's hands.

I loved this flower on the trellis at the Mango Street Inn....SO UNIQUE! I'm hoping my grandma can identify it so we see about getting this plant in our yard. How cool is that flower???
The precious Mango Street Inn...we loved it here! If you ever go to Ft. Myers Beach...stay here! Wonderful hospitality, warm and friendly, Dan's a chef so we had gourmet breakfasts and I learned about jicama slices like french fries drizzled in lime juice with chili powder!!! DELISH!!! 

The Mango Street Inn is also awarded for being eco friendly. They use rain barrels to water their lawns and flowers, have water sparing toilets/showers/faucets, recycle and conserve energy at all cost. So cool!!! Tim and I have been researching rain barrels for our home given all the Florida rain so seeing their system really inspired us. 

Our Happily Ever After.......After One Year Part 2

As you can see we were very busy on our trip. This begins our journey at Ft. Myers Beach, Sanibel Island and Captiva Island....AMAZING PLACES!!! This pup you see exhausted from a hard day of lounging is named Cookie. He is the proud owner of Dan and Tree at the Mango Street Inn in Ft. Myers Beach. :) 
Cookie loves to be pet but if you delay....he does this dance! Tim and I loved the dance...As you can see Tim picked up the moves quickly!
This pic of Tim above is a little out of order but very important! This was taken at the condo his family took them too when they were young in Long Boat Key! Tim found it on the strip and needed to stop and reminisce. It was really special for him since he had so many great stories and memories there! 
Back to our Ft. Myers portion of the trip. One day we took an Eco Tour of Estero Bay. We stopped of at Hickory Island for some shelling....MY FAVE!!!! As you can see...white sand beaches and clear water! I was in awww the whole time. The shells we found were amazing!!! They are everywhere!!!

Our Happily Ever After.......After One Year

We decided after the Dave Matthews Band concert in West Palm Beach we should stay in South Florida for a week to celebrate our one year anniversary. We both travel quite a bit with work and have been very busy with other engagements, home projects and just life in general. I have learned with being married how important it is to celebrate the love and relationship given to us by God. I find myself so much more in love with my best friend Tim as each day passes. We had originally thought to travel to the Dominican Republic but the thought of another airport and all the stress of that....why bother!? So we wanted to see our own state and support our local economy. 

Above is a photo of Anna Maria Island Beach...who needs the US Virgin Island beaches right??? Amazingly white sand beach and clear water. 

Each evening we took in the West Coast sunset amazed at all the colors on the horizon. We would take our beach chairs and just wait for the sun to go to sleep. It was such a peaceful way to close our evenings!
I decided the best way to stay cool while reading home design magazines was to sit in the ocean!!! It was so peaceful! Of course the water can make magazine reading a little challenging but life couldn't have been better! My husbando must have liked the view because he took a bunch of pics of me like this!!!! hehe!
Our week away we wanted to break away from the hotel chains and try the local culture so we stayed at B & B's as rated on tripadvisor.com. What a way to travel! This is the Harrington House in Anna Maria Island. Gourmet breakfasts and wonderful hospitality!!!

Technically, this is part 2 of our trip....i loaded the pictures backwards and was too lazy to start over!!! haha!!! 

West Palm and the GrooGrux King

August 14th Ashley, Bryan, Tim and I headed to West Palm Beach, FL for some R & R and the Dave Matthews Band concert! It was wonderful...as seeing them usually is! I had this feeling, since I was trying to be economical when purchasing tickets on the lawn, that we might be in store for rain. So I suggested we snag up ponchos...BOY AM I GLAD WE DID!!! The hour before the concert it rained bucket loads! We were packed under a picnic table umbrella like sardines before the concert cursing the weather!!! Then...the sky was fabulous and we enjoyed an evening of DMB followed by two GIGANTIC Papa John's Pizza's....DELISH! We love taking time to enjoy life with our friends on mini-vacations! Cheers Bry and Ash...thanks for hangin!!!! Till the next concert......

09 AUG 09

On August 09, 2009 Michael Derek married Becca Townsend at The Oldest House in St. Augustine, FL. Of course, I sobbed..... Actually, I was sobbing because Michael D. was. See, his best friend Jason Calvert, whom he's known for 20+ years married them. The night before Jason collected quotes from family and friends. The last quote was one from our mom, "I'll love you forever. I'll love you always. For as long as you live, my baby you'll be." My mom has said that to us for years. Michael welled up in tears...what's a sister to do???

They had a beautiful wedding! Cheers to happily ever after Michael Derek! I love you Becca and am so happy to have you join the Freeland clan!

When Michael returned from his honeymoon, he came to work to find his cubicle decorated by one of the ladies at work, Arta Tibbits. SOOOO FUNNY! He was soooo surprised and loved every moment! They love him at work....I have to admit, what's not to love???

CONGRATS MICHAEL AND BECCA!!! The new MR. AND MRS. FREELAND!

How Time Goes By....

I am sitting on the couch and looking back over the years. I remember my "little" brother Michael playing at the corner of our driveway on 231 Sunshine Dr in Bolingbrook, IL. I think he was 3 or 4 then. He had white blonde hair. It was curly around the back and his body frame was so small. He wasn't allowed to play in the corner of the driveway because he would create a mud hole with a cup full of water and his favorite Tonka trucks. He couldn't say, "dirt", so he said, "durt". It was sooo cute. He always got in trouble, but my favorite picture over the years is him looking up from his mud hole with specks of dirt all over his precious face. He was adorable then and still is today.

In two weeks my "little" brother is getting married. I couldn't be more happy for him and his fiance', Becca. It's hard to know how the time flew. I can only imagine how my loving parents must feel. Michael will also be 30 this coming May...What??? 

I am just so proud of Michael, his accomplishments, his love for his family and the man he has become. I have always adored Michael and been a bit more protective than I probably should have. It is a little strange taking on a new role with him as Becca becomes the woman who protects him. 

I love Michael so much and the family I call "The Freelands". I have been blessed beyond measure. My parent's story is truly one of a Miracle from God. 

Today I am thankful for who I am and the roots I have.

Coming Home to Florida

Vacations are wonderful, but there's something about coming home. I love coming home to our pets, to fall soundly asleep in our own bed, and to wake to the warm Florida sunshine. I love it! I love this morning filled with sweetpea in my lap, as I sip java, and look at our backyard from our patio. It's always fun to take an adventure but so wonderful to come home, take a deep breath, and enjoy the solace of your own space. I love the space Tim and I have made our own. I slept till 10 am today which is unheard of for me. 

Home Sweet Home.

Isaac's Birthday and Bowling

So we recently had a birthday celebration. Sussie surprised Isaac with a party at the bowling ally. Ashley and I got the brilliant idea to create team shirts with glo-in-the-dark puff paint. OH YES, bring back the 80's! Ash and I were "Team Linkettes" and Bry and Tim were "Team Big Franks". Funny thing...I accidently forgot the "K" in Frank on Tim's shirt. So his shirt said "Big Frans"!!!! haha!!! We had a blast being goofy. 

The Love of Tim

Today I woke to a crisp morning feeling so thankful. I let Chloe out, fed the animals, made a small pot of hot coffee and checked email. Tim woke and came into the kitchen to hold me as we do in the mornings when we first see each other. I went to sit down and saw Tim on the couch with Chloe giving her the morning belly rub. She loves her daddy. Something more hit me this morning. I just love the love of Tim. Being married to him is sooo amazing and such a CLEAR BLESSING from God. 

Last night Tim had a business dinner so I stayed home flipping through decorating catalogs and websites. Though I enjoyed the research, our home wasn't complete last evening. I find it so interesting how a home feels empty without us both in it. Tim fills the space with happiness, support, and strength. I enjoy each day we are blessed with together.

The Ridgeside Project

Good morning it is! It's pretty cold actually. All snuggled in my fleece and house shoes wishing to stay in bed. 

Tim and I stumbled upon a foreclosed gem in Apopka. Two miles or so away to be exact. It's just down the same main street in a few neighborhoods over. We purchased a new home which feels like our dream home. This week we've been picking out tiles, carpet, wood flooring, and on a mad search for a pool cleaning service. We are hoping to close March 9th so we can get in and get to work. Our goal is to move in by mid to late April. We are really excited to purchase this home together and start a place of our very own!

We will have plenty of space and would LOVE for you to come down to Orlando. We're not too far from Disney. We could be your free lodging for your family! I'll even put chocolates on your pillows. :)