Tim's 100kg Clean Pull....

Tim did a 100kg = 220# clean pull last night.  He is inching closer to being able to do a clean a jerk with that weight.  This was just a stepping stone to being able to do just that.  We are so proud him.

Sports Then & Now...

A then and now pic of Tim.  He's grown and changed so much.  We have cherished every ounce of his growing up thus far.  He is growing into such a strong, smart & capable young man.  I see more of his maturity that expands beyond his years each and everyday.  I'm so thankful that God gave us such a great gift in Tim. It's a blessing being his mom and I know his dad feels the same about being his dad too.  We are blessed beyond measure and so very thankful.  

TaeKwonDo taught Tim lots of discipline and respect.  It taught him so many techniques to the sport that he will have with him for the rest of his life.  It taught him about the kind of man that he wants to be and it also taught him about the kind of man he doesn't want to be either.  He has had some great teachers and not so great teachers but he learned valuable lessons from them all.  That journey ended though in July 2023.  Not because it was what Tim wanted but because it was what had to happen to keep his self respect.  In the process he lost all respect for a handful of folks that he thought really cared about him.  It was a hard thing for a 15 year old to have to deal with but he kept his head about him and walked away knowing that he was in the right to do so because of the situation and circumstances.  We were so proud to see him handle things like a real man.  He left that all behind knowing what he wanted to do next and that was....Weightlifting. 

Weightlifting is Tim's passion.  He has followed the sport since he was 10 years old.  He has taken to it like a fish to water.  It's like he's where he belongs.  He fits in perfectly with the sport.  He really loves his coach and loves how much he encourages and teaches him.  If he doesn't get something his coach is patient to help him fix things so he can do better next time.  He doesn't focus on where Tim is missing it but focuses on building up and getting better with each training session.  The total opposite of what Tim experienced in sparring.  Shifting to this has been the absolute best thing for Tim and we couldn't be happier because he is so happy.  He's the happiest we've seen in I can't remember when.  

The curve thrown him in how things ended with sparring put him on such a better path now with weightlifting, school and just life in general.  Tim's overall attitude is night and day what it was before he made the switch.  Scot and I often just shake our heads thinking how much further along Tim could have been had we made this change when he was 10 instead of 15 but we also know that Tim's training with sparring was a spring board for weightlifting.  We can't wait to see what all 2024 has in store for Tim as he continues in this sport.  No matter what we are just happy to have our happy boy back that we had when he started his competitive journey back in 2017.  Bottom line for us is that we just want Tim to be a happy well adjusted young man and he's definitely that.  He amazes his father and I everyday with how mature, focused and driven he is towards his goals.  He's laughing so much and having so much fun again.  It's amazing what taking a step back can do for a person and did for us as a family.  We are loving everyday we have together and making the most of the moments that life gives us.   

It's Thursday...

It's two days after Louise's Celebration of Life service.  She was cremated.  It still feels like it's all a dream and not real.  I have such mixed emotions from it all.  I'm happy that she's in heaven and no longer suffering with her seizures anymore but I also regret so very much that we didn't stay in contact more over the years after our kids went their separate ways from their Taekwondo days together.  Tim was training with a coach in Charlotte as an elite athlete in sparring.  Greyson moved on from sparring to track at his school.  Addy moved on from TKD to riding horses.  Our lives were a whirlwind with our kids and we just didn't make the time or effort to keep in touch as we should have.  That's the part that bothers me the most.  She was my oldest friend.  She knew all my stuff and her memory was so much better than mine in remembering our youth.  What a pair we were and then there were three when Kris came along.  We were quite the 3 Musketeers.  That's what everyone who knew us called us because where one was the other two were almost always.  

At the service I got to see folks I haven't seen in years.  I hate it had to be under those circumstances though.  Our old youth leaders had the photo albums out in the foyer and Louise, Kris and I were in almost all of them.  

Our 3 Musketeer group is no more.  I take comfort that we will see one another again someday when we are all in heaven together with our Lord and Savior.  Then we can have quite the reunion.  Until then it's not goodbye it's just see you later.  

I think of the old hymn:  "When we all get to heaven, What a day of rejoicing that will be!  When we all see Jesus, We'll sing and shout the VICTORY!"  

Here's the full Lyrics:

When We All Get To Heaven

Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace;
In the mansions bright and blessed
He'll prepare for us a place.

When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We'll sing and shout the victory!

While we walk the pilgrim pathway,
Clouds will overspread the sky;
But when trav'ling days are over,
Not a shadow, not a sigh.

Let us then be true and faithful,
Trusting, serving every day;
Just one glimpse of Him in glory
Will the toils of life repay.

When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We'll sing and shout the victory!

Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we'll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open;
We shall tread the streets of gold.

When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We'll sing and shout the victory!

When we all see Jesus,
We'll sing and shout the victory!

No truer words have ever been spoken than that hymn.  I'm so thankful for the old hymns.  Not many churches sing them anymore but they are the ones that I hold closest to my heart.  There's so much truth in them.  I know Louise also held them close to her heart as well.  Our 3 Musketeer group were given such a solid foundation in the teachings of Christ when we were growing up.  Our youth leaders put up with a lot from us and they always showed Christ's love towards us.  The lasting impact from those days will live on as a legacy to those who poured into us for Christ.

#alwaysinmyheart #neverforgetting 

100kg = 220# Back Squat Lift by Tim....

Tim did this on Saturday...

Funeral Service for Louise....

My oldest friend from childhood is home with Jesus and her family who went on before her.  While she will be missed here by her immediate family and friends we all know that she wouldn't trade places for anything in the world.  The only regret I have is that we didn't stay in contact more often than we did.  Life gets in the way and we both led very busy lives with our kids and husbands.  We both loved our families so very much and they were our absolute 1st priority over everything else in our lives.  Below is her funeral announcement:

Louise Holcomb Speckhart

February 26, 1972 - January 11, 2024

Louise Holcomb Speckhart, 51, entered into her Heavenly home on Thursday, January 11, 2024. Louise graduated from Friendship Christian High School. She earned her degree from ECU in 1997 and pursued her childhood dream of becoming a nurse. She began her career working with Fresenius Dialysis and Davita Dialysis. Later she felt the desire to work with hospice patients, first working with Heartland Hospice and more recently Cardinal Home Health & Hospice giving comfort to her patients as they transition. Louise was a member of North Ridge Bible Chapel for many years.

A service to celebrate her life will be held at 12:30 pm, Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at North Ridge Bible Chapel, 7100 Harps Mill Rd, Raleigh.

The family will receive relatives and friends prior to the service from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm at the church.

She is survived by her husband, Darren Wayne Speckhart; son, Greyson William Speckhart; daughter, Addyson Faith Speckhart; her mother and father in-law, Robert & Jeanette Speckhart; her brother-in-law, Kurt Speckhart, his wife, Robin and their son, David; brother-in-law, Randy Gallamore and his children: Jennifer and Summer.

Louise was preceded in death by her mother, Sharon Essrich; grandmother, Frances Essrich; grandfather, Karl Essrich; uncle, William Essrich; great-aunt, Genevieve Chappell.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to JDRF, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, https://www2.jdrf.org/site/Donation

Condolences to the family may be made at poolefuneral.com under Tributes.

This is not our home...

 

After finding out about my friend, Louise's, death yesterday I've been thinking over and over again that this is not our home....heaven is!  It's where I know that she is today having a blast with all her loved ones that she's missed so much in recent years who went on before her.  I know that she was received with open arms by our Lord.  She's walking on streets of gold and filled with so much Awe as she sees for the first time heaven and our Savior.  What awesomeness that she must be experiencing at this moment.  Even though we are sad because she is not here with us we know she is filled with so much joy and happiness where she is now.  Our hard days will only be because we miss her but when it's hard we can smile and look up to heaven knowing that she is up there filled to overflowing with so much love and happiness at the reunion that she is having with loved ones and her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  It is what we get to look forward to, those of us who know Jesus, when it's our turn to go be with Jesus.  We know that the Lord knows every hair on our head, that he knows our beginning and our end.  We are only here for a short time compared to eternity with him.  To wish her back here with us would be pure selfishness on our part.  She was loved.  She touched so many lives through being a hospice nurse.  She lived a life that made a difference.  She was special and there will never be another like her.  May her memory always live on in the hearts and lives of her family, friends and those that she touched through hospice.  What a jewel she was and I just hope and pray that she really truly knew that.  

Today I hold more closely/tightly to my family and friends.  My heart is filled with so much love for them that it overflows.  Some are close and some are far but no matter I love them all the same.  Memories of them all fill my heart and life and I am so thankful for the amazing memories that I have of them all.  God has blessed my life so very much and I never ever want to be unappreciative of the blessings that I have had in my life thanks for God!  All glory, honor, and praise to Him for his wonderful gifts in my life!!!  

I hope you all take a moment or two or three or more and really truly appreciate those in your life that God has blessed you with.  They all matter.  You never know when your last moment with them will be.  Always keep your heart remembering and never forgetting no matter how near or far those you love and care about are.  As long as you do that they are never forgotten and they will always live on in your memories creating a legacy to pass on to others.  God bless you all!  Keep looking to God no matter what!  Love to you all!

No Words...Just No Words...

This morning we got a call from my oldest and dearest friends husband.  He called Scot's phone.  Scot came up stairs urgently.  I could tell by the look on his face that something bad had happened.  This was not the kind of call you want to get.  He said, "Louise passed away last night from a seizure".  He said this all broken up and in tears as he spoke every other word to me and Scot.  She and I hadn't spoken a lot in recent years.  Our lives, or should I say our kids lives, had us traveling different and very busy paths.  Whenever we did speak or see one another it was like no time had passed and we picked up right where we left off.  My heart is broken.  There are no words.  Just emptiness and heartache that she's gone and for her husband and kids who are now without a wife/mom.  These pictures are from 2021.  They didn't take very many family pics together.  Please keep this family in your prayers.

Athletic Lab Spring Open...

Tim's home gym is going to be hosting a weightlifting meet.  Tim is really looking forward to it.  It will be his second meet of 2024 unless his coach wants him to do another one before April 6th when this meet happens.

Current Schedule...

Current travel schedule for Tim's Weightlifting Meets...

Full Armor of God...

 

I am so blessed that my husband is covered in the full armor of God and because of that it makes him my knight in shinning armor!  He is an amazing provider, husband and father!  He isn't perfect but he's perfect for me and that's all that matters.  He is my best friend.  He's the one that I want to spend my time with no matter what it is that we are doing together.  Whether it's cutting and burning trees that have fallen on our property, or taking trash to the dump, or going on a vacation as a family, or just chilling at home, I'm happy because we are together.  I not only love my husband but I'm in love with him and have been since the first time we met.  He's an amazing man of God.  He's honorable and does everything that he does with excellence.  I couldn't have asked God for better, that's for sure.  I'm thankful for everyday that we get to do this life together.  All glory and honor to God for this blessed life that we have together.  

For those women still looking for your life mate keep the statement above in mind.  It doesn't matter if they are the best looking man around if they aren't covering themselves in the full armor of God then you have to ask yourself are they right for me?  God wants you to have the absolute best and there's someone out there that is perfect for you.  He won't be perfect but he will be perfect for you!

Tim's Latest Lifts...

Here's a video of Tim's latest training lifts...

Bald Eagles...

Falls Lake is maybe a 30 minute drive from where we live.  Last year there were maybe 5 bald eagle sitings.  This year there have been 16 and there are probably more.  They are such beautiful creatures.  Here are a couple of pics that a friend of mine took when he was at the falls lake dam recently.  They aren't in the best focus because you have to be quick if you are going to get a picture of them.  Regardless, they are so beautiful.  

Bad Things Best Things...

This is so true!  If it weren't for the bad things that we have been through in our lives it wouldn't have put us on the path to our best things.  

I'll start with my life.  Growing up in my parents home was hell, literally.  An alcoholic father with a mother who enable him.  She was scared of him because of his violent temper.  Us kids got to go through all the hell experiences and sometimes it was directed at us but more often than not it was directed at my mom.  I watched as she would cover her face with makeup as if to hide what he had done to her time and again.  It wasn't as if everyone didn't know anyhow because they did.  But it led to my best thing...my life now.  I'm happily married to an awesome man of God who is a great husband and a great father to our son.   Our life together is the total opposite of what I went through as a child.  It wasn't an easy road getting to where my life is today.  I had a lot of help through the years before I met and married my husband that put me on the right path in life.  God brought many amazing people into my life to influence my life in such a deep way that it has always stayed with me and made me into the person I am today.  A woman who knows her worth and who loves her husband and son with her entire being.  What God brings us through to get us to our best lives is nothing short of amazing.  

Our sons life.  At the young age of 15 he has been through so much.  He's had two near death experiences.  He did sparring from the age of 8 to 15 (July 2023 was he last comp).  The amount of mental and physical abuse a fighter goes through in the sport of TaeKwonDo sparring is something else.  Our son loved the sport so much that he just took it and kept doing his best to move forward.  He took it until there was a point that his father and I said no more.  That point was reached when our son reached an impasse with his last coach.  Things happened.  The coach inserted control basically ending our sons fighting career and his love of TaeKwonDo altogether.  But it led to his best thing...Weightlifting.  Tim started weightlifting training in August 2023.  He has progressed more rapidly than his coach had expected he would.  His weightlifting coach is amazing.  I can't say enough good things about him.  He's doing what a coach should do and that is doing what is best for his athlete.  Instead of breaking him down he's building him up.  Instead of anger and frustration our son is full of happiness and joy now.  He's smiling more than he ever has.  He really loves weightlifting.  Everything he's been through has prepared him for doing what he's doing now.  It just makes his dad and my heart overflow with happiness to see him so incredibly happy.  This is a move that probably should have happened a long time ago but it took what happened to happen in order for us to move on to what Tim is doing now.  

I can't speak for my husband on this subject except to share what I know.  He was laid off from his job before we met and married.  I know that it was a bad thing that happened to him but it was also one of the best things to happen to him.  It led him to building the business we have now that has been going strong for over 20 years and it pays way more than he would have ever made at his old job.  I've watched as we have went from having portable units in our business to having truck mounted units (way better) in our business.  We went from a minivan to run the business to a large Sprinter Van (until it died on us) to a truck and trailer.  God has always provided just what we needed to run our business.  Our repeat customers are our bread and butter.  I believe if Scot were to share for himself that he would share exactly what I've shared with you here.  That was his bad that led to his best outside of our marriage of course.  We are partners in life and business.  We love our life together and even with the ups and downs of everything we wouldn't have it any other way.  God is so good!

All Glory and Honor to God for all that he has done in our lives and is continuing to do in our lives because I know there is more best things to come.

Lesson Learned from Last Year...

With all we went through mid year last year this was our take away from it:

The saying that time heals is so true.  We've all went through a healing process through all that happened mid year last year.  It's been a really good family bonding and healing time since then until now.  We love where we are at and looking forward to all that God has in store for us this year.  We are so excited about this year and all the possibilities that lay ahead for us and we give praise, glory and honor to God!!!

Braces Are Off!!!

Tim got his braces off yesterday and he is loving it.  He also got his retainers yesterday and he's not loving that...LOL! Mostly because he has to wear them all the time except for when he eats for the first three months.  We told him three months will go by in a flash and it will.  We love his smile.  His teeth look so good.  Here's some pics to share with you all.

Tucker's Christmas 2023 Pic...

Our Tucker is so sweet.  I was able to get this pic of him while his dad was holding a pizza bone for him...LOL! 

1993 and 2023....

This is how our sky looked in 1993 compared to 2023.  The difference is the chem trails that they are putting in our sky calling it "artificial cloud cover" to supposedly help with global warming.  Does it look like it's anything that is good for us?  I don't think so.  There is no telling what them spraying that into our sky is going to do to us down the road either.  So many have no clue that this is not normal or healthy either.  Pray like never before.  Pray! Pray! Pray!  This is so concerning.  

This Year....

Everyone does New Years Resolutions at this time of year.  I'm not much for doing those because in the first week I always blow it.  Goal setting is what we do.  Once we achieve one goal we set another one and just go from there.  We always say, that it's ok to try and fail but get up and try again and never ever quit!

This year it is my hearts desire to see my family healthy whole and complete from the tops of their heads to the soles of their feet and that includes me.  I want to see us all thriving like never before.  

I personally want to make a new commitment to God to grow an even deeper relationship with him as I seek him more than I ever have in my entire life.  I want to know him on a much deeper level than I ever have.  I want the change to be so incredibly evident in my life that it turns heads.  

I want to work on being a better version of myself physically than I ever have been.  I want to be the best version of me that I can be not only for myself but most importantly for my family.  I love them so much and we so enjoy doing this life together.  I want to get every area of my life health wise in check so that I'm the healthiest that I can be for my guys especially.  I love them so much.  Outside of my relationship with God they are my entire world.  

I want to see my husband the happiest that he has ever been.  I want him to be able to work less and enjoy life more and I'm committed to seeing that happen for him.  I'm seeking God for his direction in making our work life much easier so that we can enjoy life more.  To that end I'm looking to God for Him to drop into our spirit what it is that He would have us do at this time in our lives.  We are seeking a "God Idea" that makes making money physically easier on our bodies than what we have been doing all these years with our carpet cleaning business.  It's been a great season but we need something that isn't so taxing but that will also pull in the same revenue if not better.  I know that God has our backs and that He will show us exactly what our next move is supposed to be and until that time we will continue doing what we are currently doing.  I trust God completely.  I always have.  He's been so good to us!!! 

I'm also committing to continuing our blogging journey too.  I want to continue to write things down so that it will be here for Tim to look back on years from now.  So that he can see all the ups and downs, the good times and the bad.  I want him to see every ounce of love that is poured into this blog when he takes the time to pour over it once he's grown.  Scot and I love him to moon and beyond!  

For our son we want to give him the moon of course.  Tim has been through so much in his young life.  He's been in the hospital because he never tested positive for strep throat and ended up having his GI messed up so bad that it could have killed him.  He's had to have a hernia repair surgery.  He's been hospitalized from losing all the salt in his body from training hard with sparring causing him to go into a seizure that could have killed him.  Twice satan tried to take his life and twice he's made full recoveries.  He's our miracle.  God's hand has always been upon him protecting him every step along the way and Tim knows this too.  We are committed to helping him to achieve his goals in weightlifting in 2024.  He has accomplished so much at fifteen and he still has so much more that he desires to accomplish and we will be there supporting him every step of the way.

2024 is going to be a great year!!!  Not because I wrote it but because we are in an overall better place as a family than we have ever been.  One thing I can say for certain is that without God we'd be just as much of a mess as this fallen world that we are living in.  God is our constant.  He's our everything.  We are so thankful for everyday that we get to spend together.  And we all know just how much we mean to one another and when you know that, I mean really know that, it makes every ounce of all that we go through in life worth it.  God Bless You All This Year!!!  

Welcome 2024...

Happy New Year!

We rang in the New Year while watching the Nashville Bash.  We got to see the ball drop in NY and we got to see the Note drop in Nashville, TN and hour later.  It was a nice evening spent with my guys.  We toasted with Sparkling White Grape Juice in my new crystals glasses.

And Tucker got to enjoy himself on his dog bed just chilling.

Farewell 2023!

We don't go out for New Year's Eve anymore and haven't really in years.  We like to be safe and snug in our home to ring in the new year as a family.  

As this year comes to a close we say farewell to a year that was a roller coaster for our son but ended on a fantastic note with him starting his weightlifting journey with coach Jarrod at Athletic Lab and laying to rest a very bad ending to his sparring journey due to issues that were beyond his control.  

As I think about all that happened this year I shake my head at some things and smile at other things.  We find out who our true friends are during the tough moments.  Those that bail out because things got tough are not worth our time or efforts.  It's best to let them go and move on and that's just what we did halfway through 2023.  But I smile so big these days because Tim has found something he's truly passionate about and it's changed his whole world.  His schoolwork is better than ever and I don't have to constantly remind him to make sure that he's getting it done.  He's just doing it.  Because he's so happy it is touching every aspect of his life and relationships.  For those still in his/our lives they are seeing it and are so happy for him and us.  For those that bailed on us it's their loss in such a humungous way!!!  

Oftentimes God has people in our lives for just a season.  Other times He has them in our lives for a lifetime.  As you grow in this life you find out who your life long friends are and you hold on tight to them and never let them go.  The ones that are there for a season are those that miss out on so much because they make the decision to be that seasonal friend instead of that life long friend.  It's a choice and ours to make of which kind of friend we will be.  Being a true friend means being a life long friend.  That's the kind of friend that I always strive to be to those that I call my friend and it's very sad when we come across those that have all the right words and on the outside seem to be a true life long friend but are really just fake.  We said goodbye to several of those this year.  Some were a shock to us and others not so much.  But nevertheless we are so thankful for those that have remained our true friends through it all.  

I sit here so incredibly thankful for friends who are like family.  Friends who even though we don't talk or see one another a lot we are still close at heart and always pick up just where we left off.  For friends near and far.  No matter where our friends are we appreciate your friendship.  Our hearts swell with overwhelming gratitude because of you and how deeply you touch our lives.  

I also sit here so incredibly thankful for our family.  Our family has had it's ups and downs this year but through it all we are always there for one another and love one another.  Our hearts are filled to overflowing from the love we feel for and from our family.

Lastly, I'm so overwhelming thankful to God for always being there for us in every moment of our lives even the ones that we aren't as proud of.  We all have those moments in our lives when we feel that we've failed God on some level or another.  We take time, especially at this time of year, to start the new year fresh.  We pray asking God's forgiveness for when we missed the mark.  We pray thanking God for giving us the strength to hit the mark more than we miss it.  And we pray asking for His blessings over us, our family and friends in the New Year and for an even deeper faith to do better as we continue to walk this walk of faith with Our God!  Our Savior!  Our Reason for Living!  God Bless You All!