Big Catch Up Time!!

Good grief!! I had to look back at my blog to see where I left off. Gracious, this week has been busy. I hope I don't leave anything out...

Thursday, Jan.20th, Grace and I went to pick up the bouncy house for her birthday on Sunday. We rented from a friend, and she sweetly let us pick it up so the men could help unload. But no help in loading. This got sticky. Apparently my trail blazer is not quite as large as her suburban, and we ALMOST didn't get it in. In fact, I'm not sure we would have if a nice man hadn't come to help. I had to put Grace in the front, let down all the seats, but a blanket under the front side of the bouncy, and PULLLLLLL while they PUUUUUUUUUSHED! Finally! But then I couldn't see out of ANY window except the two front and windshield. Thank goodness David and Travis were available that night to help Robbie unload.

Friday was a short day at school...busy everywhere else. Vicki, Casey, and I worked on birthday decorations So cute!!!

Saturday Robbie and I went to Montgomery to shop for flooring. Can you believe it!? It's still January, and we are looking for flooring!! It just may happen this year! When we got home, Josh, Vicki, and Grace met us at the church to unroll and set up the bouncy. That turned into a pre party celebration. We had a ball...almost made not being able to move quickly Sunday morning worth it :)

Sunday was a wonderful, busy, mixed up kind of day. First we went to pick up Robert's children, but I had messed up communication and we had to regroup... flying trip back to church, Big Sister party for Kennleigh, and on to Children's Church...Robbie left to go pick kids up...church over, run to the house for sandwiches and chips...back to church to set up the rest of the party. Whew!!! That was all BEFORE the party started!

The party was a huge success! The kids LOVED the bouncy house, Grace was so excited everyone got to come, and the food and punch were fantastic. Then...party over...pack up food...put up chairs...put up tables...let air out of bouncy...gather garbage...roll bouncy...load it in the back of Robbie's truck (yep, that was easier)...take the kids home...get a bite to eat...text from Lauren to bring them food...Church's Chicken...down to Lauren's to stand outside the garage door FREEZING...home to collapse. Wow! Double wow!!

Monday was Grace's "real" birthday-- she turned six right after nap :). Vicki sent mini cupcakes and the kids loved them. I sent my sweet boys to unload the bouncy (much easier this way). Gymnastics came later, and when I got home I learned that Robbie's Uncle Billy (his dad's brother) had died. The visitation would be Wednesday night and the funeral Thursday. Ok...make plans for the week.

Tuesday was a good day in school and gymnastics. My Tuesday team girls are just the sweetest things!! We had a great class.

Wednesday we had a scare at school. One of our students had a seizure during class. The ambulance had to come get him...it was very scary! He is the brother of one of our little gymnasts, so I felt like he was family. Wednesday night was hard...I stayed in another room at the funeral home for the most part. At least it wasn't at Robert's funeral home...couldn't have done that yet. Funny of the night: A woman sat beside me toward the end of the night and wanted to know my name. What was my last name? Who was I married to? What was his last name? Wait!!! HIS last name?? I could NOT help the look I gave her...it was a "Here's Your Sign" moment. We all got a good laugh out of that one.

Thursday started out innocently enough. I was taking Grace to school and delivering substitute information. On the way, I met a car, and I'm telling you I don't know what happened...SOMETHING flew up and hit the back window on my side. It shook the whole truck! Grace screamed and said I had ice on my window. I saw that the glass had shattered but was still hanging on. So I told her not to open her door at school and we would both ease out my side. Oh well...doors got opened and slammed (not her fault) and on the way home, the window slowly shifted awaaaaaaay from my truck, hung briefly in the air, and CRASHED onto the side of the truck! So here I was, by myself. I stopped, got out, and pulled as much as I could off. The insurance office had already been contacted, so I drove on home. Did I mention it was freezing Thursday morning? Cold ride home...brrr!  Robbie was his normal heroic self and simply saw about the truck and got his ready to go to the funeral. He was a pall bearer...I know that had to be hard. We had lunch at his parents with lots of people I didn't know. I did my usual fabulous job pouring tea...you just can't find a better cup fixer than me. It's my specialty :)  Then we went to the funeral. I seriously considered staying at the house, but that wasn't fair to Robbie, so I went. The service was short and sweet. The violin playing was beautiful. The message was truthful. I cried. I would cry at the funeral of a mass murderer, I think. The whole process is just so emotional for me.

Friday it was back to school for the day and then.....RIVER TIME!!!!

I had promised Robbie I would go with him to the river to get some painting and repairs done. What a GORGEOUS weekend to go! The weather was so pretty and the warmth did a lot to heal our feelings. We go so much done!! Windows are caulked, doors painted, doorknobs replaced, molding installed, cleaning done, bedskirts put on....that's just a mini list of our projects. We were busy, but we had a lot of fun. We had planned to get back for church on Sunday, but just as we were getting ready to leave, Robbie mentioned that he couldn't find his wallet. Panic in the house!!!! We searched everywhere: under beds, in the garbage, in our bags...no wallet. We finally came on in and spotted in the moment we walked in the house -- thank the Lord!!

Since we were too late for church, we cleaned up, I graded papers, Robbie fixed lunch, we washed some clothes, and I can truly say that I FEEL SO PRODUCTIVE!!! I just know this next week is going to be GREAT!!

Note to self: Don't wait so long to blog again...it's too hard and takes too much time.

I Believe...

I BELIEVE...

• that God sent his Son Jesus for my sins...mine alone...if I were the only person in the world, Jesus would still have come.
• true friendships don't die...they may stretch out and be far apart, but the souls of friends always touch.
• in the spirit of Santa Claus.
• generous people are happy people.
• there are two kinds of people in this world: those who will, and those who will let you.
• changing a roll of toilet paper will not cause dreaded disease or brain damage.
• any job worth doing is worth doing right and to completion...taking out the garbage also means putting a new bag in the can, and washing clothes means folding and putting away.
• babies are God's way of allowing us to see the innocence we were born with.
• God does not get angry when we wonder WHY?
• parents should take a more active part in their child's education...teachers cannot raise a child in 7 hours a day.
• students perform to the level of expectation...if you don't expect them to perform well, they won't.
• horses are the most noble and dignified of animals.
• the internet is a good thing if used well.
• the internet could be the downfall of society if used badly.
• that if you want to be able to do anything better, you must do it more...and more...and more...
• we should all be more aware of our environment.
• that every child is God's gift to his family, and should be treated as such.
• turbulence experienced by airplanes is due to lost faxes, emails, dropped calls, and the socks the dryer eats.
• boys and girls are inherently different and therefore choose on their own to play with different toys.
• chocolate should be adopted as a major food group.
• emails and texts can't take the place of face-to-face talk or a handwritten note.
• it is impossible to "train up a child in the way that he should go" if you don't know the way or aren't living it.
• giving is more enjoyable than receiving.
• lipstick is highly overrated.
• heels are an endangerment to one's physical and mental health.
• church should be fun and filled with joy while providing Biblical teaching.
• when your WANTS exceed your NEEDS, you are truly blessed.
• pets attach themselves in some way to our inner child.
• most people do not know what they ask of others.
• allergies are of the devil!
• cold, wet stuff has no place on hot food.
• God has a plan for my life, a wonderful sense of humor, and a wealth of teaching tools to use on me.

Just the Way I See It...Cell Phones and Facebook

You ever just have those scattered thoughts running around in your head...no organized thoughts, but just a bunch of jumbled up, random thoughts fighting to get out of your head somehow? That's what's been happening in my head for the last few days. I don't know if it's because of this headache that won't go away, or if the thoughts are causing the headache. Anyway, it's my blog, and I'll vent if I want to.
Now consider this fair warning: These are simply MY feelings on some things and I'll feel better if I get them out!

On Cell Phones:
Ok, people, let's get real. In the not-to-distant past, only a very few people had cellphones. Thankfully they have become more available and more affordable for all of us. No more worries of having a flat tire in the middle of the night with no way to let anyone know. But if we are going to have them for "emergencies" and "safety," let's not lose our good sense and our manners. Text only when safe; turn our phone on silent or vibrate to appear professional; and, for goodness sake, if we are with a REAL, LIVE, VISIBLE person, don't be texting or talking to everybody else in the world! Enjoy the time we have with a warm body and friendly smile, and if you absolutely must text/talk, excuse yourself and be quick about it while using your inside voice. FYI: Did you hear about the woman who fell in the fountain while texting and walking at the same time? Yeah, she looked like an idiot...

On Facebook:
What a wonderful tool--the ability to stay connected with friends it is impossible to see every day-- simply amazing! Again, we should mind our manners. Facebook is not the place to air dirty laundry, have arguments, call names, and discuss the problems of others. There is a difference in someone's WALL and a PRIVATE message. Learn it. Use it. Think before typing: Is what we are typing KIND? TRUE? NECESSARY? If not, we should keep it to ourselves!

On Facebook on Your Phone:
Really? Is it so necessary to find out that someone just checked in at Wal Mart that we have to stop a conversation to get that information from our phone? Some things I just do NOT get. For example, I log on to fb and find a friend posting that she is eating at a fantastic restaurant with her adorable children and amazing husband and the food is To.Die.For. Really? So the event is so interesting that she can just whip out the phone and type that in? What does one say in a situation like that? "Hold that thought, honey; I just need to tell my 568 friends where I am right now and who I'm with." Or that they are in Lowe's shopping for building supplies, flooring, etc. So what...while waiting for a price quote you just log on and let everybody know that you are not happy with the color choices of laminate flooring? And one more thing: if two or more people are in the same ROOM or even the same HOUSE, do they really have to communicate by using fb on their phones? Does that even sound sane?

On Camera Phones:
Once again, hallelujah for technology!! Amazing, awesome, almost unspeakable joy at having a way to take a quick picture with the same phone we keep for emergencies and safety. What a wonderful tool. So let's talk about safety. Can we really be focusing on the road if we are taking pictures of ourselves WHILE we are DRIVING?! Some things just should not have to be explained.

On Children with Phones:
I am amazed at the number of very young people who have phones. Exactly how much time are they not in the presence of either a parent or teacher? If they absolutely must have a phone, do some parents even know what all is available to them at just the touch of a screen? Did you know that on one brand there is an app for a new sex position every day -- free download -- no parental consent needed? Really? Elementary students have these...and we wonder how they become so worldly at such a young age! Knowledge is power, and that goes for parents, too. My hat's off to the parent of one of my students...she did her research and called her phone company. His texting is turned on only during certain hours, and his phone shuts off at a certain time at night and comes on at a certain time in the morning--and he's a junior in high school!  Guess what? His grades are better than most, he gets plenty of sleep, and he STILL has friends (even though he's not texting at 3 A.M. or logged on the report his whereabouts in the wee hours).

On Customer Service:
You think we might could get some of this wonderful thing back in our world? The whole problem is a lack of understanding of the term: CUSTOMER SERVICE. Service for the customer. Since the customer is paying for the item/equipment/service, she deserves the best service from the company and employee. Customer service should not be a burden; the customer should not be made to feel guilty for asking for help with a purchase, an exchange, or a refund. And for heaven's sake, don't carry on a conversation ABOUT customers IN FRONT OF customers...soooooo rude!! And just to make this post come full circle: no customer should ever be made to wait while the business owner/employee is on the phone or checks facebook. How would we feel if our surgeon took a moment out to "check in" to the OR, or took a personal phone call during our appointment. My advice to anyone who is in business...remember your customers--or you will find yourself without any!!
That'll do it for now.

Extraordinary Men in My Life -- Part II

Several weeks ago I wrote about some pretty extraordinary men in my life, and I promised the second part of that was coming up. Life got busy, holidays were here, and I just haven't gotten around to it. The first post was made up of men who still impact my life today. Part II will focus on extraordinary men who are no longer around in life, but will never be forgotten.

Pigo
Pigo is what we all called Mama's daddy. What a special man Pigo was. As the oldest grandchild, I was given the honor of naming him. What was meant to be Grandpa came out as "Pigo," and it stuck! EVERYBODY called him Pigo-- he was Pigo to the grandchildren and great-grandchildren; he was Pigo to the in-laws; he was Brother Pigo at church; he was Mr. Pigo in the community. He was not a man without flaws, but he was a perfect Pigo. He was creative and artistic. He was a man who had a vision and kept after it when no one else understood it. He encouraged my creative side, loved the healthiness of our family, worked hard, and adored Granny. He was as unique as the name he loved. It is a testament to his influence that my grandchildren, who were born after Pigo died, know of him and about him and mention him in conversations. A few weeks before he died, we had a long talk -- he was missing Granny and I was visiting him. Someday I'm going to write all he told me about his children and love for them and their spouses and families. I think they would be honored. After his stroke, I was sitting with him in the hospital and as far as I know, heard his last words: "I need some water" and, after that, "Don't worry; they're all around me." I'm sure they were--the angels, that is.

PawPaw
PawPaw was Daddy's daddy, and there has never been a harder working man or one more dedicated to his life work. I cannot say that he was the fun-loving, creative man Pigo was, but he was not any less important in my life. He went to bed early and rose early (I'm talking 6:30 P.M. and 2:30 A.M. here, people). It was beyond his understanding how people could sleep and vacation their lives away. When I was pregnant with Lauren, there came a time when sleep was impossible. I'll never forget how impressed he was when he drove by our house at 3:00 in the morning and saw me with lights on, working in the kitchen. I was the golden child for a little while! After that, I left a light on over the sink so I wouldn't disappoint him. I remember that on Christmas day he always had a special gift for us. We lined up to se him one-by-one to get our special envelope. I remember feeling soooo important! I also remember the day when he was at our house and I told him that someone had asked me if I could do something. He said, "When people ask if you can do something, tell them 'Yes,' and go learn how to do it." It's a thing I still try to do. He always said he never got old enough that he had nothing to do but sit on the porch and wave at passersby, and he didn't. Mama, who was with him in the last days of his sickness, said he opened his eyes once and said, "It sure don't take long to get old." I'm glad the bulk of my memories are of his stronger self. He would have wanted it that way.

Uncle Robert 
Uncle Robert was the preacher at our church for a time, and proof that God works miracles. He was absolutely nowhere near being a Christian before his salvation and call to preach. It just all happened at once. Over the years, I've learned many things about him that make him even more admirable: he was the only son and took over the earning of money for his family after his father died--I think PawPaw told me Uncle Robert was 9 years old. He struggled with alcohol and cigarettes until his salvation, and then laid both down. He nurtured and cared for my entire family when PawPaw became sick--now we know that he had the cancer that killed him even then. In the hospital, while in terrible pain and being allowed to drink only one ounce of water at a time, he never asked why; instead, he had Aunt Priscilla to read the Bible aloud to him, requesting certain passages from memory. In his greatest misery, he thought of others and wanted to keep them from sorrow as much as he could. When I was a very young Christian, I used to badger him with question after question. The range of my curiousity was limitless: would our pets go to Heaven, would I know Noah, how close to God could my house be...and on and on. Uncle Robert never tired of helping me, but I'll never forget the day he said, "Maybe you should write all these questions down and then mark them out when you know the answer or they don't matter any more." I did...and all of them have been marked out, mostly because they don't matter anymore. How wise he was! He was an extraordinary many, and he left an extraordinary mark on my life.

Robert
Robert, our youngest son, lived to be only 21, but what a man he had grown to be. One would think that as the baby of the family he would have matured more slowly, been more babied, acted more spoiled. But he didn't. Now don't get me wrong--he was not without his flaws either. He set the pasture on fire, ran away when he was 5, covered his room in baby powder, "washed" all the towels and bathcloths in the bathtub, hid in the dishwasher, threw the cat behind the washing machine, had a dream of playing basketball at a higher level, studied precalculus while watching basketball on television, and became a husband and a father right out of high school. I worried so much because I knew that scientific research showed that a man's brain wasn't capable of thinking long-term until he is 25. Robert must have been a rarity. After his sudden and premature death in a car accident, more and more information became available to show that he was a man among men. He was an amazing father and son; he kept a full scholarship and 3.99 GPA even with a family of his own and working full time--well, if you can call 70 hours a week full time; at 21 he was made supervisor of an entire division of the company we worked for; he prepared for his family to be taken care of in case something happened to him as if he were much, much older. He taught me that rules and statistics don't apply to everyone--in fact, they don't apply to anyone. Each person makes his own choices, determines how he will handle his own obstacles, and makes his own name despite and in spite of what others may think or what has been published. One of my friends once told me that at his funeral all she could think of was the song "Standing on Holy Ground." What a terrific impact his young life made. Being his mother, knowing him, and learning so much about him after his life ended has taught me so much about the children I teach and their possibilites. He was an extraordinary man, even if he was my little boy.

How blessed I am to have had the terrific influence of these men in my life. God has richly blessed me -- truly I believe that every fiber of my life has been carefully woven by a wise and loving heavenly father. There have been times...still are times...will be more times...that some of that weaving may seem flawed, a thread out of place, a color not just right. I am not ashamed to say that had God consulted me on the future concerning any of my extraordinary men--especially Robert-- I would unashamedly have tried to get him to see things my way. And yet I know from God's perspective (and only he knows the vision of the finished tapestry) the weaving is perfect and with great purpose. And so I am left with a choice: I can wallow in sorrow for what I -- we -- have lost, or I can celebrate the beauty of the life God has given me, including time with these great men. I choose the latter. Can you blame me?

Two Horses and Friendship

I always have such good intentions toward friends...sending cards, calling, stopping by...but life always gets in the way.

Recently an old friend lost her sister to a sudden illness. Knowing how loss makes one feel, I began to pray and send messages to let her know I was there. This morning, I checked on my online sewing friends, found this post, and I knew I had to borrow it. I don't believe in coincidence. God allows people to come into our lives to help us in different ways, as he allows their thoughts to minister to us. Just read below...you'll find yourself remembering the "bells" in your own blindness. I know I did.

TWO HORSES
Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it.


From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse.

But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite
amazing....

Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has
chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him.

This alone is amazing. If you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound
of a bell. Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it
comes from the smaller horse in the field.

Attached to the horse's halter is a small bell. It lets the blind friend know
where the other horse is, so he can follow.

As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see that the horse with the
bell is always checking on the blind horse, and that the blind horse will listen
for the bell and then slowly walk to where the other horse is, trusting that he
will not be led astray.

When the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, it
stops occasionally and looks back, making sure that the blind friend isn't too far
behind to hear the bell.

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we
are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges.

He watches over us and even brings others into our lives
to help us when we are in need..

Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of
those who God places in our lives.

Other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way....

Good friends are like that... you may not always see them, but you know they are
always there..

Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours, and remember...

Be kinder than necessary-
Everyone you meet is fighting
Some kind of battle.

Live simply,
Love generously,
Care deeply,
Speak kindly...... .

And leave the rest to God!

Can You Say "TIRED"?

I can do better than that. I'm a living, breathing, life-sized example of the word. In fact, if you looked it up in the most up-to-date dictionary, this is what you would see:

tired (adj., past tense)-- the state of being at or very near the point of exhaustion; unable to think clearly or move quickly due to over-exertion; in dire need of extended rest. SEE ALSO: Lisa Williams.

Perhaps I exaggerate...but, then again, maybe not.

Friday I went with Dylan to the doctor. Please pray with me that he will get better quickly. Being Robert's oldest child, he remembers more than Daniel and Kaylee. He went into the hospital to see Robert and has not fully come to grips with Robert's death. We got home just a couple of hours before Dylan's Upward Basketball game started (what an awesome program, by the way). That game was over about 7:00 and I headed home with all three kids. Robbie, bless his darling soul, had supper done and bedtime wasn't far away.

Hallelujah!!! They all three slept ALL NIGHT!! At least one...and usually all...get into our bed sometime during the night. But last night they must have all been super tired! Robbie left early this morning to help Daddy, so we had a ZiZi-and-babies day.

Breakfast was the first order of business. Is it true for everyone that whatever food you have is the food nobody wants? Every time we have the kids, they ask for Toaster Struedels. So today, when what I have the most of is Toaster Struedels, what do they want? Grits and eggs. Not a problem, except they want them to be done NOW. Once breakfast was over, we were on to bigger and better things.

Dylan had a couple of projects he wanted to do. He picked out a red garbage can for his room and wanted an Alabama A on it, and he wanted to make Valentine's projects for his teachers. So sweet. So Casey kept Kaylee and Lauren watched Daniel so Dylan and I could work. He was such a good little helper. We had the cricut going and the scissors ready. He made his teachers little flower pots and his garbage can looked AWESOME!

On to gather up the others and outside to play... I believe with all my heart that one of the main ingredients of a great childhood recipe is outside play...even when it's cold. So we bundled up and went out to the arbor. That is such a special place for me. It is the basketball court Mama and Daddy had poured for Robert's 14th birthday. The man who came to pour the concrete took up a lot of time with Robert and let him put his handprint in the wet concrete. He also wrote his name and drew a picture for him. Since Robert is not buried here at our church, the arbor is my place for him. The kids have their toys, we have a swing, and it's a great playing/resting/visiting/thinking place. After a good play, it was time for lunch and a nap. Thank goodness Casey was handy!! It is wonderful having family live so nearby who are so willing to help. She rode them on the golf cart while I fixed lunch.

After nap, back outside. Travis and Casey came up. Travis is a favorite of the boys, and he is so good to come spend time with them. He was one of Robert's best friends, and I think feels a special connection to the kids. They played ball, rode bikes, went to get the mail, and just had a great time. Robbie got back just as we were loading up to go meet Kandace, so he rode with us.

After dropping the kids off, we went to eat and to pick up a few items. Walking around Wal Mart was when I realized how very tired I was. I got just as little as I could get by with!  Anyway, I need to get my rest for tomorrow-- Children's Church, lunch with Lauren's and Josh's families, and sewing tomorrow afternoon. Grace's birthday party is next week and we need to get her birthday shirt ready, and I found the cutest knee high socks to make Carsyn some leg warmers. I can't wait to see how those turn out!!

The good news of the week: MONDAY IS A HOLIDAY FOR OUR SCHOOL!!!

Amazing discovery: There are people in Russia and Slovenia reading this blog! I had to get the globe out to find Slovenia...AMAZING!

Funny of the week: After Grace discovered that her sight word but was not the forbidden butt, we had this conversation: ZiZi, I have my leotard for today, but one t I didn't bring my pants to go over them. She actually said the "one t" so I would know she had not been ugly!

Blessing of a lifetime: Having family close enough to see them all the time.

"Few things are more delightful than grandchildren fighting over your lap."

                                                                                                       Author: Doug Larson

Nothing Says It Like This...Feel Free to Add Your Own!

Nothing says we live in our car like having to have a garbage can, a box of disposable spoons, and a ziploc bag of salt and pepper packets in there.

Nothing says it's cold in the South like Robbie wearing his socks and sweatpants to bed.

Nothing says we've started over with children than stepping on a hot wheel in the middle of the living room.

Nothing says I'm a teacher like trying to find a pen that is NOT red.

Nothing says I love you like him having a hot meal ready when I come home from gymanastics.

Nothing says I coach gymnastics like having more gym clothes than school clothes.

Nothing says I hate grocery shopping like buying one meal's worth at a time from the Dollar General.

Nothing says we love our grandchildren to stay with us like rearranging the house so we have a boys' bedroom and a girls' bedroom.

Nothing says I'm at the gym a lot like having chalk all over my clothes.

Nothing says I'm a mama first like having yahoo messenger up so my kids can talk to me if they need to.

Nothing says we love Christmas like shopping in January for the next Christmas.

Nothing says family time like Sunday dinner with all the kids.

Nothing says I love you like a slobbery kiss from a baby.

Nothing says God is real like a rainbow, a baby's toes, or a rosebud.

Nothing says I'm a Baptist like potluck lunches at church.

Nothing says someone at this house is potty training like a Dora toilet seat in the bathroom.

Nothing says thank you like a real, honest-to-goodness Thank You.

Nothing says I'm in teacher mode like not hearing my name but answering to Ms. Lisa or Ms. Williams.

Nothing says I may go to prison if I don't leave like turning and walking out of the room to count to 10.

Nothing says we are blessed like not having to say I NEED before anything.

Nothing says it was good to be a child like reliving childhood stories with siblings and laughing all over again.

Nothing says I value your opinion/advice/help like someone asking for it.

Nothing says I'm a Christian like living it every day.

Nothing says I miss him like tearing up over a silly picture.

Nothing says we're busy like washing two suits of clothes because neither of us has anything clean to wear.

Nothing says I need a vacation like dreaming of the house at the river -- even though it's freezing.

Nothing says I'm a chocoholic like choosing to buy mini Reese cups over healthy cereal.

Nothing says Nannie's cooking like dumplings and dressing.

Nothing says we care like a baby shower from the family.

Nothing says I'm content like peaceful sleep after a long, hard day.

Nothing says I don't have time to shop like having to bathe with shampoo.

Roller Coaster Weekend

What a busy weekend! After we went to see Dylan play basketball Friday night, the weekend didn't slow down one bit.

Saturday morning I went with Lauren and Carsyn to have Carsyn's six-month pictures taken. What a doll she was!! The outfits Lauren had were so cute, Carsyn was in a great mood, and Heather (the photographer) is amazing. I'm so glad there are no videos of me while I was singing the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme song to get Carsyn smiling!  Well, anyway, it worked. We originally had the pics scheduled for Sunday afternoon, but weather reports said we might get a winter storm, so we went early.

The next few hours went like this: quick trip home~ run in and get a pan Lauren needed~ go to her house and help her get a ham in the oven, hold Carsyn while she packed up the last of the Christmas gifts and unloaded the photo clothes~ run back to the house to wrap Kaylee's birthday presents~ drive to Andalusia and pick up the cake~ go to Kaylee's party~hunt monsters with Dylan and Daniel~play ball with Kaylee~ make foamies with a BUNCH of kids~ sweep up foamie paper (looked like snow)~ get snacks to all kids~watch Kaylee open presents~ listen to screaming meltdowns from all over~ left with Robbie~ drove by cemetery~ had an emotional meltdown~ bought groceries~got pizza~came home~ sewed two onesies, a diaper bag, a bib, a burp~went to bed~got up~wrapped presents~went to church~went to shower for Leigh~came home and got plates and napkins~cleaned up after shower~came home~ate chili~cleaned up~went to bed.

I kept Saturday and Sunday together because, well--they ran together!

It's hard to believe Kaylee is three years old. Just two years ago Robert helped her open all her presents at her party at the church. Those events are so hard for me, but my goal is to behave in a way Robert would be proud of. Kandace has remarried, and that is hard for some to understand. But she is young, and the children need a strong family. No matter how hard it is for me to deal with, I never want to be a question in their lives. I don't want them to have to wonder why I'm not there or don't support them. Kandace is a good mother, and Dustin is becoming the daddy figure for the kids, especially Daniel and Kaylee. They were just so young when Robert died. He will always be their daddy, but Dustin deserves my prayers and support as Kandace's husband and the father figure for the kids. I realized that when I heard the song "He Didn't Have to Be" the other day. Being open to this change may be hard for me, but it's the right thing to do.

Next on the calendar of events in this household: Grace's 6th birthday!!!! Yeah!! It'll be fun--cake and games and bouncy houses. I LOVE their birthday parties!!

Finally--big things are going on in our house! I am preparing the boys a room of their own -- cleaned out the sewing room (You really cannot appreciate the magnitude of that statement since I did not take before and after pictures)--and we are getting new flooring!! Go us!! I'm so excited!! Also, I'm putting this in writing so that it is concrete and has to be acted on: WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING TO PARK THE CARS UNDER AND GET INSIDE WITHOUT GETTING WET WHEN IT RAINS. So there--I've asked for this for over twenty years and I'm not giving up. IT IS HAPPENING THIS YEAR. Seriously. No kidding. I hope.

Basketball and Grandbaby Stuff

Tonight was so exciting!! Dylan is playing Upward Basketbal in Opp and tonight was his first game. Robbie and Grace and I went to see him play. Let me tell you, those little kids are too CUTE!! It was so sweet and so hilarious...no scoring, no referees, coaches on the floor with the kids, no penalties...just pick up the ball and run and throw it as many times as you can. Just so cute.

Dylan didn't quite make it until the end of the game. He is having some problems getting some medication regulated and his little feelings are so tender. Not long before the game was over, he cried and came off the court. He spent the rest of the game in PopPop's lap telling him what everyone was doing right and wrong on the court. When they lined up to give high fives and go get awards, he was suddenly feeling all right...of course!

I felt so bad for Daniel and Kaylee. They thought when they saw us that they were coming home with us, but tomorrow is Kaylee's birthday party and it wasn't a good night. I don't like for them to be upset :(

So I've been playing with my new phone and managed to get pictures off it to my computer. Here's one of the game.

In doing so, I found an old video that is just too good to keep to myself. Notice booty shaking and the footwork...I'm sure they'll all be on television on day!

And I ran across these pictures--just look how much Daniel looks like Robert. One word: AMAZING!!

That's Funny!

This is just a listing of a few things that have happened these past few days (or that I just found out about) that I don't want to forget. Thank you, Lord, for the humor in my life!

Conversation between two of my students as they were studying for the semester exam:
A: Why do we have to learn the Sumerian god of cattle?
B:Because you might have to know it later on.
A: When am I ever going to have to know that?
B: Well, what if you become a farmer and somebody needs to know who the god of cattle is?
(Probably not going to have to keep up with other gods now that we are a monotheistic society.)

At the beginning of a new nine weeks before the new SYLLABUS had been given out:
Student: Hey, y'all, when is Miss Lisa gonna give us our new syphilis?
(Ummm, that would be NEVER.)

After an injury at the basketball game:
Student: Great! I sprang my ankle!
(That would be sprained, don't you think?)

When Grace didn't know anything about getting money for Christmas because it was being saved:
G: Nannie, you know what I think?
N: What, Grace?
G: You should just cut my mama off and worry about getting me some furniture for my new house!
(Papa should never have told Grace that the older kids were "cut off" from birthdays after reaching 21!)

When telling people she got a playhouse for Christmas:
Grace: I got a new house, and I been ebicted! I have to move out in the spring.
(Like her parents would EVER throw her out :)  )

On an essay about make a fishing trip a successful venture:
Student: You will want some live bait. I always use minners.
(Completely missed the -ow in minnows, didn't he?)

On the days that seem the longest, God always blesses me with something to lighten the day. Hope you enjoy!


Laughter is joy put to sound that erupts from the soul. When it crescendo's laughter touches the heart removing the heavy issues of the day.~ Michelle Willoughby

Everything I Need to Know

Yesterday, Grace stayed with me. Around lunch we had this conversation:
"ZiZi, are we going to school tomorrow?"
"Yes, Grace. School starts back tomorrow."
"Why?"
"Well, it's just the day Mrs. Angela set for school to start back."
"But, I mean, what will we do?"
"What do you mean? I guess we'll just keep on learning."
"But ZiZi, I already learned everything! I know all the letters, all the numbers to 100, and the Bible verses."

Wouldn't that be absolutely wonderful? If only life were that simple. Ever since that talk, I've been thinking of something I read once. It's not mine, and it's not new, but it's so, so true. If you've read it before, it'll still make you think. I hope you enjoy...and thanks to all the little ones who are so full of their own special kind of wisdom.


All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten- by Robert Fulghum

Most of what I really need to know about how to live, and what to do, and how to be, I learned in Kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sandbox at nursery school.

These are the things I learned: Share everything. Play fair. Don't hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don't take things that aren't yours. Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Live a balanced life. Learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work some every day.

Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out into the world, watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the plastic cup. The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.

Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the plastic cup - they all die. So do we.

And then remember the book about Dick and Jane and the first word you learned, the biggest word of all: LOOK . Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation, ecology and politics and sane living.

Think of what a better world it would be if we all - the whole world - had cookies and milk about 3 o'clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankets for a nap. Or if we had a basic policy in our nation and other nations to always put things back where we found them and clean up our own messes. And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.

Back to Normal

Well, our plans to spend a little time by ourselves did not work out yesterday, but we enjoyed the day anyway. This morning, though, I was wide awake before 5:00. I lay there as long as I could--but I am NOT good at that-- and then I just got up and closed the door so I wouldn't disturb Robbie. I started working on getting the house back to normal--if there is a "normal" for this house. Goodness!! We had Christmas trees, toys, paper, toys, boxes, toys, shoes, toys...get the picture? So I started slowly--just one space at a time.

When Robbie got up he made his requisite pot of coffee and soon settled in to help. It was AHHHH-MAZING what we were able to get done!! We soon had to stop and get ready for church, but right after church we took a load to the storage shed, a load to the garbage, a load to the sewing house, and a load out to burn. No wonder the house was a mess!! So now, to use Lauren's new word, the house has been "de-Christmasfied." The toy box has been cleaned out and the new toys arranged. The furniture has been rearranged. There is still a lot to do, but it that weren't the case, we would just be a "magazine house," right?

I occurred to me this morning that one of the saddest sights in the world is a Christmas tree on its way down. It is definitely not the same as a Christmas tree on the way UP. On the way up, the tree is filled with possibilities. On the way down, it is just sad...all hope and usefulness gone for a whole year. Lots of things are like that I think. We do all these preparations to put an event on--a wedding, a party, graduation, Bible School--and then when it's over, all the prep has to be taken down. I have never heard a single soul say, "Whew, I'm so glad that's over. I can't wait to take all this apart."

So today I am making a strong effort to relish the "undoing" of all the work we did to get the Christmas season started. And I am going to add to my to do list this year to find joy in the "undoing" or breaking down of events or holidays. "Great," you're thinking. "She's gonna get all happy over taking down the hearts and eggs after Valentines and Easter." But I'm talking about the little things, too.

I will be happy about the clean-up that must go on after the family comes to eat, and I will enjoy the reorganization that will have to take place after the kids go home after a weekend with us. Graduation will be glorious to prepare for, but I am also going to find enjoyment in taking everything down. Taking things apart will not mean the joy of the moment is gone. It will signify a new event is starting!

Hello, 2011!!

I heard once that whatever you are doing on New Year's Day is what your year will be spent doing. Oh...I hope so. It's been a WONDERFUL day!

Last night Dylan, Daniel, and Kaylee came to spend the night. We stopped by Robbie's parents to let the kids open their presents and had a good time there.  Fortunately, Lauren's and Josh's families were able to come over and have Christmas -- almost the last Christmas celebration of the year---and we cooked spaghetti and had a great time. This morning, we took the kids to Mama and Daddy's for breakfast and to get gifts there. What a fun morning! Yes, the weather was messy. Yes, the bottoms of my pants legs were soaked. Yes, there was mud all over the truck. But who cares??!! We had fun!! We stopped at the church and let the kids have a little "wheel time" before going home.

Never let it be said that adults can't learn from children. We got home and were getting all the kids "stuff" together (There really is no better word sometimes--but my students still can't use it in essays!). Dylan began the same scenario from last night, He started going through my "extra" stuff so he could wrap up gifts. How sweet of him! He got a present together last night for everyone who was here. Then today he wrapped a gift for his mama, Dustin, and Landen. He was SOOO proud of himself! Note to self: Take him shopping next year so he can be better prepared.

After we took the kids home we had some down time. Robbie and I had planned to take a little trip, but we decided the weather was just toooo messy. Anyway, Alabama kicked off at 12:00, so staying home allowed Robbie to see the game. Lauren and I went to the sewing house and finished a couple of projects. Carsyn is feeling so much better. She just played and cooed and chewed on stabilizer (don't worry--it didn't come apart in her mouth). I'm so glad she's and Lauren's family are better. Sick babies, no matter their age, are just pitiful.

Now we are cooking black-eyed peas, potatoes, and cornbread...for just us! It's going to be so good. Then I'm going to learn a new trick on the computer for the sewing machine and get my lesson ready for
Children's Church tomorrow.  Ballgames are on, supper smells good, the house is quiet, and I'm spending a quiet night with the love of my life with no pressure of deadlines or projects to finish.

I'll take a year of that, thank you!

Happy New Year!