thosewhowait

Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

country music...


...somehow tim and i were able to bring three wonderful daughters into this world with three totally different "likes" and "dis-likes". obviously the one majoring in agriculture at PSU is the country music fan. she spent all day saturday in philly at an awesome "country music" concert.


perhaps because i grew up having to watch HEE HAW i am not a huge fan of country...although i have noticed that country music has changed a bit from the days of buck owens and roy clark and minnie pearl and stringbean (the scarecrow)...anyone else remember this stuff???


i can say that i don't remember buck owens or roy clark looking anything like kenny chesney or keith urban or that cutie from lady antebellum!!!!


because i have an IPOD that was passed down (or should i say up) from my kids i am now listening to music that perhaps i would not have put on my own personal IPOD (if i had one). interesting stuff to say the least...


some of the music is ODD...


"Bawitdaba da bang a dang diggy diggy diggy said the boogy said up jump the boogy" over and over and over again.


what more can you say about that song from kid rock...and how did they get classified as country???


some of the music is TOUCHING...


"You find your faith has been lost and shaken You take back what's been taken Get on your knees and dig down deep You can do what you think is impossible Keep on believing, don't give in It'll come and make you whole again It always will, it always does Love is unstoppable" by rascal flatts.


some of the music makes me LAUGH...


like why would someone say "chicken fried" instead of "fried chicken"??? zack brown band.


some of the music makes me CRY...


"Baby why'd you leave meWhy'd you have to go?I was counting on forever, now I'll never knowI can't even breatheIt's like I'm looking from a distanceStanding in the backgroundEverybody's saying, he's not coming home nowThis can't be happening to meThis is just a dream" by carrie underwood.


and some of the music is SO TIM...


"Come on in boy sit on downAnd tell me about yourselfSo you like my daughter do you now?Yeah we think she's something elseShe's her daddy's girlHer momma's worldShe deserves respectThat’s what she'll getAin’t it son?Hey y'all run along and have some funI'll see you when you get backBet I’ll be up all nightStill cleanin' this gun" by rodney atkins.



i drove up to berwick yesterday to drop off a kid at nana's for the week and while i was there my mom asked me if there was ever a time that "it didn't seem real"...my answer was "almost every single day". but we can't change what is...life continues on...so i continue on. i just hope that i can add enough "tim" to "tam" to help make our kids become the best that they can be. he was such a great guy and i miss him SO MUCH.


hope you all enjoyed my "mini-take" on country music.


thanks for checking in


tammy


ps


stay tuned later this week i will hopefully have an update comparing cedar point amusement park to teaching two daughters to drive...good stuff!!!

Thursday, June 25, 2009

the stars were aligned...


BIG DAY in the dewalt household...


meg had alarms set and two computers on stand-by and all her info stored in ticketmaster...and there we sat in front of the computer(s) waiting for the big hand to hit the 12 and the little hand to hit the 8.


we were hoping and praying that she would be "lucky" enough to be one of the few freshmen that are able to get a STUDENT SEASON TICKET to all the home PSU games. today was her lucky day...in about 45 seconds she was able to snag a ticket. life is good!!!


she payed for her ticket and her "white-out" t-shirt and NOW she is set. it didn't seem to matter that we got her ID and her bank acct. set up. it didn't seem to matter that we scheduled all her classes and made some minor changes to her major. it didn't seem to matter that everything else that could be done was already done...she paced all day long just waiting for 8pm to arrive.


NOW she is ready.


NOW she is officially a PSU true blue (and white) freshman. all ready to go.
thanks for checking in
tammy
ps...
the official count is in:
the golf tournament brought in over $12,700.00
the silent auction brouht in over $7,600.00
the total of both was over $20,300.00
totally mind-boggling and amazing. we have been so blessed in so many different ways but having this money to fund the kids education...makes us speechless. (and you all know how hard that is to do).




what a crazy few days...


...just a quick update on the last few days.




we survived a wonderful "fun-filled" high school graduation party for megan on saturday evening. the weather was a bit funky to start but at official party-time the clouds cleared out and we had a GREAT TIME. (kids say their dad must have some influence up there and that is why it stopped raining for meg's party-never know)




thanks to all who came and made the party such a great success...we had a great family turn-out and that was so much appreciated. especially since they all had to battle the torrential down-pours and the intense fog getting here...and yes...they too thought i was crazy for having the party OUTSIDE but it all worked out as the day went on.




then on sunday the twins (and friends) and i took off for OHIO...off to the land of roller coasters...CEDAR POINT. it was always a dream of tim's to be able to take the kids out to the roller coaster capital so we decided to make the trip--leaving on father's day in honor of him.




we had a GREAT TIME out there and just got back tonight (wednesday). it is absolutely beautiful out there. for those of you who have never been there...the amusement park sits on a pennisula in sandusky, ohio. it is surrounded by the waters of lake erie i believe and the senery is breathtaking.




for those of you who know me well...our room was located with a balcony...from the balcony:




i could look to the left and see a roller coaster


i could look to the right and see a roller coaster


i could look out straight and see a lighthouse and a beach and an endless supply of water


i could look down and see the pool and a TGIFridays




LIFE WAS GOOD IN OHIO




the first night i was there i let the kids do their thing and i went for a walk down this long pathway. soon i found myself all alone and very close to the lighthouse so i found a rock and sat down. i looked around admiring the beautiful view of the sun beginning to set...and when i glanced to my one side i caught a glimpse of a huge PEPSI umbrella. i just started to cry. i felt so lonely on that fathers day at sunset yet somehow i felt that i was not alone. it is so hard for me to do the things that we talked so much doing together but i think that it is also good for me (and the kids). life can't stop because i feel uncomfortable.




after my mini-breakdown i was able to pull myself together and we really did have a wonderful time...we laughed so hard at times that i needed to medicate myself afterwards because my jaw hurt so bad. the weather was great while we were there and everyone stayed healthy and pretty much even got along. that was quite an accomplishment for me and 4 teenagers. i was able to read an entire book while i was there...another amazing accomplishment (probably because there was no washer and dryer there).




well...it is late.




thanks for checking in




tammy




ps...in a day or so i will be updating the final tally of the golf tournament and silent auction...stay tuned.








Wednesday, June 17, 2009

blessed assurance...

i can't really say that this song "blessed assurance" was a favorite song, but i have to admit that recently i can't seem to get the lyrics out of my mind and it is becoming one of my favorites.

it is hard for me to describe all the emotions that are going on inside my head these past few weeks...just think about it:

the twins turned 16
megan graduated from high school
the twins are learning how to drive
meg's big graduation party is on this saturday
the twins are learning how to drive
meg scheduled all her classes for the fall semester on monday
the twins are learning how to drive
i wrote my first check to "PSU" on monday
the twins are learning how to drive

and it is fathers day...

i would imagine that most of you haven't even noticed that you can not turn on the television without seeing ads for fathers day. you can not go out to the store without seeing sales for fathers day. the card racks are full of singing fathers day cards. it makes me sad. sad because for the next 40+ fathers days his girls will not be able to get that "perfect" card or "perfect" shirt for dad.

every now and then i will get out some of the letters that friends and family have written me and this morning i happened to come across a letter from one of the HMC employees that used to spend a significant amount of time with tim when he was in and out of the hospital. i hope she doesn't mind that i tell you all what a portion of that letter said:

Dear Tammy, Kelsey, Ashley, and Megan,

...I really enjoyed talking with Tim and hearing all about you girls and how he loved going to the games and being so involved even the late night sleepovers. What a dad! Since my dad was never there for any of those things, I am in awe when I see a dad with such devotion.

...i never knew anyone who dipped their pancakes in eggs. Interesting!

...I also have to think of a conversation that comes to mind. He was telling me about this little boy and how he asked his grandfather to put him on his shoulders so he could see over a fence. The boy wanted to see the whole picture on the other side of the fence, and Tim said he wanted to see the whole picture as well. Now he can.

...I hope you can rest a little easier with the assurance of knowing that you took such wonderful care of Tim and that he is now with his Heavenly Father.

...ps. I will continue to push Pepsi products to all who will hear it. I am so glad that they took such great care of your family, and that says a lot about them as a company.

this was just a portion of the letter and i have received many very similar ones that often times keep me going some days...thank you for sending them.

what more can i say...he was a great dad and this blog is sort of a "in memory of..." kinda blog. so if you have any "i remember when..." stories please pass them along and i will forward them to the kids.

back to that song that started this whole thing...many times a song will pop into my head and many times i know that it is not just a coincidence. there are times when the lyrics are just what i need for that moment. look at these:



Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!Heir of salvation, purchase of God,Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
Refrain:This is my story, this is my song,Praising my Savior all the day long;This is my story, this is my song,Praising my Savior all the day long.
Perfect submission, perfect delight,Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;Angels, descending, bring from aboveEchoes of mercy, whispers of love.
Perfect submission, all is at rest,I in my Savior am happy and blest,Watching and waiting, looking above,Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

not that i wish to rush getting there...but it sure is NICE to KNOW that without a shadow of doubt that i have the assurance that one day i too will be with my Heavenly Father and reunite with tim.

thanks for checking in

tammy

Monday, June 15, 2009

been awhile...

sorry.

things are insanely crazy around here.

had to work thursday
had to work friday
had to work saturday
had to work sunday

had to be in state college by 7am and that meant up by 4am today

every time i have 5 minutes to just sit down and relax i have a 16 year old or two saying "can we go driving now?"

if i don't mow tomorrow i will soon need a machete to cut my grass

so this blog entry is pretty much just to say HEY and let you all know that i am still alive.

hopefully in a day or so i will "re-group" and post a more informative blog update.

thanks for checking in

tammy

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

june 9th


BIG DAY in the dewalt household...


the twins BOTH passed their drivers permit test (on the first try i might add) and are now ready for the road!!!


both the girls were so happy that they both passed...it was so funny that just before they went back to take the exam they both said that they hoped that they either both passed or both failed...they didn't want one to pass and one to fail (cute).


yesterday we started out in the parking lots and a small service road and today we actually ventured out on to the roads a little. they are doing pretty well...my initial prediction is that the one will be a bit heavy on the petal (not sure which parent she would take after) and the other one will be the perfectionist (has to be exactly even between the lines, don't go over the speed limit, etc..).


i have about 4 hours down and about 96 more instruction hours to go...keep us ALL in your prayers.


kelsey mentioned that it was kinda "neat" that they passed their test on the anniversary of their dad's passing...january 9th. i am just glad we hung on to some of his nerve medication!!!!


it is weird teaching TWO at once...just when you start to relax a little and see that one is getting the hang of it you have to pull over and start all over again. i am not thinking drivers education would have been my thing!!!


but...so far so good. i think we are going to be able to do this...


thanks for checking in


tammy







Sunday, June 07, 2009

summer has arrived...


i have one at the beach...


i have one at a graduation party...


i have one going to play laser tag...


it is an icky 80+ degrees outside...


and i am choosing to stay indoors as much as possible (GOD bless the person who invented air conditioning).


later on tonight i will be mowing the grass...and trying out my "new and improved" weed wacker. i sent it away for obedience training and it came back with a few minor alterations that i am anxious (and a little nervous) to try out. i told my brother that if i couldn't handle it this time i was shipping it back to him and he could keep it...we will see how it goes.


we have been joking around with this evil weed wacker so much that if i really tryed i am sure that i could write a script for a pretty decent horror movie. i have been getting ideas from a goofy show my kids have been watching called "harpers island". they didn't have stuff like that when i was a kid...thank goodness.


we had a nice church service today for all the graduating high school seniors...nice job pastor rob.


(just incase this blog entry does not make any sense...i have had 5 phone calls from the child going to the graduation party in getttysburg. the first one we determined that if one goes the wrong way on a certain road to start... one will end up heading towards lancaster and not towards gettysburg...i think 90 mins and 4 more phone calls they are finally in the right neighborhood.)


these are the days i really miss tim's keen sense of direction and realize that after 20+years of him doing most the navigating...i am clueless giving directions over the phone.


hope you all had a wonderful weekend.


thanks for checking in


tammy












Wednesday, June 03, 2009

a weird kind of day...


june 3rd...as some of you may already know today is my birthday. thank you thank you.


as i look back over this last year i can honestly say that this is probably NOT going to be listed as one of my best although i can come up with some positives.


the good the bad and the ugly...


lets start with the bad...the most obvious one would have to be the passing away of the love of my life and father of my children. i look over on my kitchen table and all i can see is what isn't there...the dozen or so roses. i ALWAYS would get flowers on my birthday from tim and i would ALWAYS tell him that i didn't like flowers (maybe that wasn't exactly true but it kinda turned into a joke with the kids...). he was such the romantic and having me for a wife made that very challenging...poor guy.


as we move onto the ugly...the most obvious would have to be the fact that i will spend my next birthday without him and the one after that and the one after that...


but there has been some good this past year...the twins have celebrated their 16th birthday and i am still somewhat sane. as of last nights graduation megan is no longer a high school student. finished up 29th in her class with distinguished scholar status (which is awesome) and a member of the national honor society (which is tough to do in our school district). she will be heading out to penn state in a couple of months...her dream come true. as of tomorrow the twins will no longer be sophomores. i will have two high school juniors and one college freshman. pray...pray hard.


we have an amazing support group that watches out for us...i always tell the kids that i have eyes in the back of my head plus at the school plus the the church plus at their friends...anywhere they go SOMEONE is watching after them. thank you. (kinda freaks out the kids but i am ok with that).

so as you can see...a weird kind of day. i can't dwell on the bad or the ugly...but i also can't seem to only think about the good.


the highlight today will be that my girls are taking me out for supper tonight. looking forward to us all being together (as i suspect those days are coming to an end).
thanks for checking in
tammy









Monday, June 01, 2009

golf tournament


as many of you are aware...some very dear friends of ours held a golf tournament this past weekend. it was called a memorial tournament in memory of tim and all the proceeds are going directly to the girls education fund.




it was amazing...the weather was great and the turn out was awesome.




there were 88 golfers (as you can see...ashley was one of them) and about 35 others joined us for the dinner afterwards.




local people golfed...




out of towners golfed...




out of staters golfed...




non-golfers watched and cheered them on...




i wrote up a little thank you note on the back of the program that went something like this:




once again it is hard to find the words to express our heart-felt gratitude towards everyone involved in this event. from the coordinators to those who made donations to the hole sponsors to those who participated in the silent auction to the golfers to the volunteers to those who dined...we say THANK YOU. tim would be so pleased and proud of the way everyone is looking after our family. the proceeds of this event are going directly towards the girls college education-a gift that will last forever.




may GOD bless each and everyone of you




tammy, megan, kelsey and ashley




we do not have a final tally of the funds raised because the silent auction is still going on...until this friday at 5pm...but i can tell you that the number is staggering (to me anyway). i hope to be able to let you know the final amount in a week or so...we have been so BLESSED.




thanks for all your prayers




thanks for all your support




thanks for checking in




tammy


ps


it was so great to see tim's old work buddies...thanks for coming out to support us...i miss seeing you guys (and gals). still drinking PEPSI (and DR PEPPER) and forever will!!! love you guys. i actually cried myself to sleep that night...not because i was sad but i had this overwhelming sense that tim was so close. (kinda weird i know) i don't know what he knows and what he doesn't know but i DO KNOW that he was one awesome guy and he had a great group of awesome friends.