I am Suzanne Gunter McClendon. I am a Christian and have been blessed to have some very strong Christian influences over the course of my life. My grandparents were my rock and shelter over many of life’s storms. They taught me to pray good prayers for the people who hurt me, and not to pray for the hot coals to land on their heads instead, which was more in my nature to do when hurting.
I have been married to David for thirty-one years. He has been my love for thirty-four years. We have four adult children. Our sons are in service, the youngest in the US Marine Corps. and the oldest in the US Navy. Our daughters are both in college. We have several babies waiting for us in Heaven.
I was born in South Carolina and David in Georgia, but we have been living on the Texas Gulf Coast for the last eleven years. Things are sure different out here!
My passion is family history. I also enjoy photography, digital art, fiber crafts such as crocheting and knitting, and am an avid reader. If reading were suddenly banned, I think my entire family would go crazy! I also write poetry and have a book of poetry published on Amazon Kindle. The title is Shattered
Several big changes have recently come into our lives. On 26 May 2016, David had the first of three strokes. While it could have been much worse and we are thankful it wasn’t!, we are trying to adjust to this new life post-stroke. He is determined to beat this and get back to 100%. If anybody can do it, he can.
On 12 December 2016, I was diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes. I have been blind in my left eye since very early childhood. My right eye has had to take over. Now, it is in danger of becoming blind, too.
We would appreciate your prayers as we adjust to our new normal. Thank you.
Have a blessed day!
McClendon Villa 
oh. Love how honest your intro is! And I will be whispering some prayers for him. 🙂 ❤
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Thank you! We appreciate the prayers very much. Have a blessed day. 🙂
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You’re welcome! And blessings back to you! ❤
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🙂
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I don’t see a reply clicker at the comment I am referencing, but I wanted to thank you for the link that you shared to help me with the comments. Have a blessed night!
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You are welcome! 😉 Blessing back to you. ❤
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Thank you! I am posting mind here at McClendon Villa (WordPress) and PS Annie!(blogger). David’s blog is: http://random-thoughts-observations.blogspot.com/ Thanks!
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Hi Suzanne, thank you for following my site. Hope it will encourage your day. You’ll be part of my prayers. With love from Philippines. 🙂 By the way, I’m a follower of Christ,too. 🙂
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Hi Lilet. What a pretty name. 🙂 My name Suzanne also means “lily”. I appreciate the prayers very much. You’re in mine now, as well. I am happy to meet another sister in Christ. 🙂 Have a blessed weekend!
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Glad to know that. 🙂 i like lilies every morning. they are so good when sunshine comes in. you,too, have a blessed day ahead ^_^
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They are beautiful flowers, especially with the morning sun shining on them making them glow. 🙂
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My David/husband had a series of strokes back in 2010. Yes, it is an adjustment…keeping you in prayer.
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Thank you for the prayers. I am so sorry that your husband has had strokes, too. Is he better now? You’re both in my prayers. Thank you for stopping by and commenting. Have a blessed day!
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oh, he has good days and bad, he was only 39 when he had his, he was forced into retirement that was 11 yrs ago, not 10…I keep on forgetting he turned 50,lol….he has restless legs and L5,L6,L7 collapsed discs as well. (thanks to a spinal tap that went wrong)—TMI, I know. keeping you in prayer as well….
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Nahh, it isn’t TMI. I don’t mind. One thing you’ll get to know about me is I generally give more info than folks want, so I can’t fault anyone else for it. 🙂 What caused your husband to have a stroke so young? My husband had his a week before he turned 54 and he is a brittle diabetic. We aren’t in the best of shape, either. All of these things worked against him. Because of the diabetes affecting his vision, David has been retired from regular working since he was 33, just after our youngest daughter was born. Thank you for the prayers. May both our husbands be fully healed. 🙂
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my husband had a tooth pulled and we had to travel to FL to my grandfathers funeral. Apparently, he had a blood clot that traveled to the brain. Then, the second stroke was more serious and he had it at work…by the time I got to the hosp. he had no idea who we were—talk about scary. The 3rd one he had in the hospital during the spinal tap. Since we moved here (this is our 4th summer) to upstate NY–we have found a wonderful doctor from England who trying holistic approaches–my husband does not like to take medicine…so far, so good…just the restless legs are bothersome. He has good days and bad days, but since being off the medicines, he has more good t hen bad. He does have short term memory issues, but the dr. has him play games….—I usually offer way to tmi as well…and if I ever get way over the top, just tell me, lol.
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How very scary! David was here at home for the first one. He was already at the hospital when the other two hit. He was on the phone with his mama for the 2nd one. I am glad your husband is having more good days than bad. David is improving each day. I hope that your husband will be able to work through the restless leg situation, too. My David has diabetic neuropathy and that causes much pain. Games are great for regrowing after brain damage. 🙂 We play games, too. The same for you, if I say too much, just let me know. Have a blessed day.
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never would I tell anyone that their speaking to much (oh wait, I do tell my son at times to shh,lol)—illnesses can be very devastating…I have perm. neuropathy on my left side, thanks to a accident at work that severed a nerve, I know all too well the pain…ANYWAYS—Have a beautiful day friend, we just got back from my mil’s–and while my husband is watching the dog and pony show on FOX, I thought I would get back online. smiles
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I am so sorry that you have permanent neuropathy and a severed nerve. That is so sad. Well, we know that Heavenly Father can heal even that if He so chooses. I will be praying for your healing, too. I hope that your day is a beautiful one, too, my friend. 🙂
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it’s all good, I am a firm believer that the good Lord gives us things he knows we can handle. smiles
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Thankfully He is there to help us through it all. 🙂
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yes ma’am…He sure is…
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🙂
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Thank you Suzanne for following my blog. I wish your husband a speedy recovery. My thoughts are with you..
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You’re welcome and thank you, too. He’ll get there. He’s determined to beat it 100%. Have a blessed weekend.
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Thanks for visiting and following Flying Goannas. I hope you enjoy our travels. Best wishes for David’s recovery. It sounds like he has the best support he could have.
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You’re welcome. Thank you for the well wishes for David. Have a blessed day. 🙂
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I appreciate your honesty and openness in this. It’s not easy putting ourselves out there for others to read about. I will keep you and your husband in my prayers. I look forward to following your posts. You are very inspiring!😃
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Thank you, Laura. What a sweet comment! We appreciate the prayers very much. Thank you so much. Have a blessed weekend. 🙂
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I am so very blessed to meet you–having seen your gravatar at Rosema’s blog, I apologize for the delay in coming here to introduce myself. Surely you will be in my prayers–for healing, and favor from God’s bountiful storehouse. HE IS SO GOOD!
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Thank you so much for the introduction and for the prayers. Both are appreciated. Yes, He is good, all the time, He is good.
It is nice to meet you. 🙂 Have a blessed night.
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You’re most welcome. Sometimes when I least feel like it, I remind myself that He inhabits the praises of His people 🙂
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I think when we least feel like it, that is when we most need to do it. It can be very hard when it seems everything is going wrong, though. Have a blessed night. 🙂
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I so agree with you. Currently, I’m reading Job in The Message version–really, really good, particularly because of author Eugene Peterson’s preface. It’s an anointed “reading version”–and timely for me. I’ve found it is both freeing, and brings great security, to know I can rail at God when I’m hurting, confused, angry–and still know the answer to the question, “where can I go, if not to You, Lord”. His compassion is BIG enough to absorb my worst pain-filled tirade–because He knows my heart, and We both know He won’t forsake me. We’ve come too far to give up, or to fake a saintly response to tough circumstances. Blessings to you ❤
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He knows our thoughts anyway, so there’s no real point in faking. Goodness knows He’s been hearing a lot of angry thoughts from me lately. He knows my limits and that I’m continually pushed beyond them. I am glad that He loves us anyway and forgives us for our less than Christian moments. 🙂 Blessings to you, too.
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Yes, I am so grateful that He already knows–and for His unconditional love. I will keep you in my prayers, confident that He will answer your needs ❤
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Thank you. You are in my prayers, too. Have a blessed weekend. 🙂
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Thanks so much! 🙂
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You’re welcome. 🙂
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❤
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Thank you, Barbara! I’m headed to your post now. 🙂
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Hi, Suzanne! Just to let you know I posted some photos of the Big Bend area when we were visiting there. Hope you enjoy them, and that some day you and David get to go! ❤
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Thank you, Barbara. I just read your post. Thank you so much for sharing your photos with me. It looks like a fun place to go! Those rock formations are great. Thank you for the shout out, too. I appreciate that very much. 🙂
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Prayers for you both! I came over from Friendly Fill-ins and wanted to “meet” you both. I hope your Irish Soda Bread was delicious.. I am sure it was 🙂 Thank you for the visit to my blog! I will be following and enjoying my visits here!
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Thank you for the prayers. We appreciate them very much! I appreciate you visiting and following and commenting, too. You’re welcome for the visit. I enjoyed it. 🙂 Have a blessed weekend.
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From your response to a genealogy blog about odd names, I have done some genealogy on Reason Tucker, who came to the Napa Valley, where I live, about 1846. He was the captain of the first rescue party of the Donner Party, caught in the Sierras.
Any relationship to your Reason?
Karen in Napa, CA
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Hi Karen,
Thank you for writing. I am not sure if there is a relationship between the Reason that you mentioned and the one I mentioned on a genealogy blog or not.
If you have it handy, could you please send me the link to the post you’re referencing? It may help me to answer your question.
Thank you and have a blessed day. 🙂
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Thank you so much for this post! Praise the Lord we are finally back in our own home. It will be a long road to total recovery, if that is going to happen. David may never be able to walk unencumbered again, but his foot looks much better. Thank you all for your prayers and concern. (((Hugs)))
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wishing you & your lovely site all the best ❤
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Thank you. Have a blessed night. 🙂
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Dear Suzanne,
I really appreciated the chance to learn a little more about you and wanted to let you know that you and your husband are in my prayers! I resonated with so much of what you wrote. So glad that Ellen “introduced” us – praying for your and your husband’s health and your adjustment to your new normal! Love & Hugs 🙂
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Thank you. Can you please tell me your name? I haven’t been able to find it on your site yet. Thank you for your prayers. I’m glad that Ellen introduced us, too. 🙂 Love and hugs to you, too. Have a blessed day.
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