TIS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

? Did I say..."It's Beginning to Looking A Lot Like Christmas?

What I meant to say is... it's the night BEFORE Christmas and it looks like

Santa threw up in Nana and Papaw's house.

Does that bother anyone here? No sir it doesn't because that is a normal state in this house. What is beginning to bother a few people, Nana included, is all my presents are getting mixed up under the tree. (not unusual either). This year though I thought I had a fool proof system. I made my list early and it went every where I went, even to church. If you ask Papaw, he will tell you what a professional Christmas list maker I am. Each person has several lines under their name and the items I wish to purchase are listed under their name. As I purchased my gifts with loving care (and sometimes I had to exchange a gift item because I found a more perfect one), I put a check by the gift and stored the bags in secret places around the house (uh, maybe this could be a clue). Then as I wrapped a gift I put a star beside that item and put it under the tree. As I completed each person's list, I cross them off. Here's where the problem(s) started this year.

Right in the middle of my quest for the perfect gifts, we acquired two new families (eight or so) to buy for who weren't on the original list. These gifts needed to be purchased and wrapped much earlier than Christmas so I switched to another list and in the process I left my original family list on a counter at Wal-Mart. I panicked...I even called the store to see if the cashier had found a three page list with a bunch of names and gift items that had been crossed off or stars placed beside them at her register. (how on earth do you explain my system to a stranger?) Of course no one ever came back on the line to put my mind at ease. Papaw drew the line when I told him I was going back to Wal-Mart at 9:00pm to see if anyone had turned it in. The only thing left to do was try to remake the list. Now I have a "second edition" and there are checks and stars and gifts under the tree. I'll have to let you know next time if everyone got what they were suppose to get. I guess so long as the guys don't get the girls gifts and vice versa we will be okay.

I've completed the necessary things for Christmas Day and still have another week to catch up on what still needs to be completed. That will be the easy part though. (no list needed).

This has been the shortest four weeks in Christmas history. Hunter and I shopped, I wrapped late each evening after they went home and papaw went to sleep. Tonight, December 24Th, Christmas Eve, I still have a couple gifts left to wrap for tomorrow morning, but it's quiet and peaceful for a few hours. Even though we won't have everyone here on Christmas Day, we will only be as far away as the wishes in our hearts that you will all know we love you and would love to see you. I will leave you tonight with this thought...

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight"

p.s. Okay, so now it's the night AFTER Christmas and I hope to get this blog posted before NEXT Christmas. I hope everyone had a wonderful day and will be looking forward to a wonderful year.

Maybe soon I will post some pictures taken with the camera Santa brought me. Love you all!

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS

****Nana and PawPaw's... A Month Before Christmas*****

We start pulling out the decorations and memories the day after Thanksgiving.

In years past, we took trips to tree farms, cut down our own tree and after having hot apple cider and a ride on the back of a diesel driven tractor, drove home. By that evening everything was done. The Christmas dishes were in the cabinet (the regular ones, you know the Styrofoam ones, put away), the tree is up with all the decorations shining from each branch, our three little trees with the snow and nativity nestled under them is in place in the front window, cookie jar out, bathroom candles ready to be lite. Ask Kaela about that one. She scraped red wax off the toilet and floor until she looked like she was bleeding. The floor still has red wax on it this year. We would even have a few presents wrapped and under the tree before going to bed that night...then the kids grew up and moved away.

We have had Christmas mornings (actually some of our best) when we would wake up to coffee brewing and muffins being warmed, fruit and cool whip ready for Christmas breakfast. We've also eaten Christmas breakfast at Denny's and IHOP and shopped at Cracker Barrel. We've decorated table-top trees with ornaments and celebrated in hotels. It's not been all about "getting it right". We have always told the kids it's the spirit of giving and believing that lives inside us ( the spirit of the One in whom we believe and who gave all) that makes it Christmas.
(the two pictures below were about thirteen years ago)

(This picture, was at Connie's about three years ago)This year, paw-paw grew the tree a couple days before Thanksgiving (no lights until the Saturday after though) Then on Wednesday Zackary and Hunter came over and helped with the small trees and nativity and put some of the Christmas Around The World keepsakes out while their mom and dad went to class. When they got back we had supper and watched Rudolph while we decorated the tree. Before we were done, we had egg nog and cookies. I'm not sure how far Hunter made it before losing his egg nog.

Boxes are still sitting around in every room, the left over polyester snow is still on the floor and there is no centerpiece on the kitchen table yet. We have the snowman dishes in the dishwasher and the regular ones on the counter. It is now three weeks before Christmas, but we are still working on it. When Zackary comes in now he says "okay, Nana, your best decorationer is here". In the next day or so we will be done, all except watching the stars in their eyes.

We've had snow and a fire and a few extra days off work (for paw-paw). Nana has been making her "list", checking it and re-making it, and probably having as much fun as any of the little ones. Even though we will not have our family Christmas this year until after Christmas I'm looking forward to getting together with everyone as often as schedules allow.

As this season progresses and gets more hectic, I pray we will all take a few minutes each day to reflect on the blessings of family and friends and on the true Reason for the Season, Jesus.
Love to you all,
Nana

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY

OR SHOULD I SAY, WHO YOU SAY IT IN FRONT OF??

You would think after 18 years of being a grandmother I would have learned a thing or two. Well, "I might have been born in a barn, but NOT at night" (Michael, age six). So, a word from a slow learner, be careful who you use your most expressive words in front of. Yes, there is a memory in the making here.

Thursday afternoon after Hunter and I picked Zackary up from school, I had to pick up a perscription from the drug store. The whole trip from his school to the house is about twenty-five minutes, if we get behind the school bus on Monroe. So needless to say I was just a little preturbed an hour and a half later when we weren't home yet. This is how it happened...

...Wrong turn in subdivision to avoid school bus (fifteen minutes wasted), prescription not ready at Walgreens (just give me about ten minutes, Mrs. Fenter) okay, so we waited 10 minutes, another pass through the drive-through and "we're having difficulty getting it to go through, can you give us about fifteen more minutes?" (now we have twenty-five more minutes wasted), second pass through... bag flys out of the little box and goes under the car which is pulled very close to the curb, visual NOT pretty and Zackary can't understand why I'm on my knees mumbling (another five minutes wasted). Okay, prescription retrieved and we are on our way. Ten minutes and we should be home! Turn left onto the 'short cut street' to make up time...OH NO bridge under construction turn left into a side street to detour, NO OUTLET, turn around in driveway back to the 'short cut' street and back to Walgreens parking lot (total of twenty minutes wasted!) Cut through to main four lane street to go the L-O-N-G way home and the car behind me cuts around and in front of me causing the car passing on the street to slam on their brakes and me to honk my horn (five minutes wasted)...here are the words of wisdom...

Don't say CRAP with your seven year old grandson in the back seat, because if you do, you will likely get a lecture on why that wasn't a good idea to say that.

The conversation went something like this:

...Nana, "Oh Crap, Dude, that was stupid."

...Zackary, "That probably wasn't a good thing to say."

...Nana, "WHAT?"

...Zack, "Just saying, you know with HIM in the car, (that was a head motion in Hunter's direction) I don't think mom is going to like it much when he says that word, you know the one you just said."

...Nana, "Huh??? Yeah, you are probably right."

If you think God gave you children to help you aquire patience, I wonder just what it is we are supposed to learn from our grandchildren...wisdom?

I love all of my grandchildren and you would think I would be pretty wise by now, thirteen of them later, but I'm still learning.

Love You All

What Is Today??

Most of you will not know the significance of this day in history, my history, at least. November 16th is my dad's birthday. I don't remember celebrating that day with him until his 60th one came. I remember him calling me and asking if I would fly over and spend the weekend if he sent me the airfare.
I was living in Houston in 1985 thinking all would continue along the same path it always had. I was excited about a trip to see daddy, to spend time with him. (Several times in the four months prior to that visit he had come to Houston to deliver products to some of the chemical plants on the channel and would come to my house and have dinner, he would stay at the hotel I worked at and we would have breakfast before I went to work and he left to go back to BR.) After the weekend was over he brought me back home.
That weekend he shared with me his life, his dreams for the future and plans he had made. I saw something in my dad I had not seen in a long time. Direction. In case any of you might think I wore Rose tinted glasses when it came to my dad, I did not. I knew him as few did. If you never had Pete Wallace invest in your life, you missed a great deal.

What I want to share next is for those who still have a parent living. Reach out and hold them, pick up the phone and call them, share yourself with them and let them share with you. You see, just about two months after our birthday weekend, around mid-January, a messenger brought the word that daddy had died. He had been working on clearing the field for his Christmas Tree Farm and had a heart attack.

I know we each have our memory of that day. The edges might be frayed just a little, but the subject is bound in our hearts. A love so deep it still directs our steps and those of our children. There are times I sob so hard just from the empty space in my heart that Les has to just hold me until the grief passes. Yes, 23 years later. Those times are fewer and further between and most often now it is with laughter and fond memories I remember him.

If you asked each of my kids what their most vivid memory of "Papaw Pete" is, each one would have a different answer. All would be of a gentle and non-confrontational nature though, I'm sure...what would each of you say???

I know I did a blog about him on father's day and posted pictures. I won't post them today. I will leave you with the thought that while he presented an exterior of toughness, he loved deeply and expected all he knew and loved to be treated with love and respect.

It is to him in large part that I have an understanding of love.
I pass that love on to each of you.

A MOTHER'S BLESSINGS

******************Being a Mom******************

For the past couple of months I have been preparing for and participating in a class on identifying and dealing with wounds and hurts (real or perceived), the lenses we see life through, and how these things affect our interactions with others. After saying that, I want to say the class only relates to this blog through my experiences in it.

If you are a mom (or maybe a parent) you might find yourself nodding in agreement with me as you read. I hope the journey will be as touching for you as mine was today.

I sat with three other people in our group, we have reached the "practice" stage of the class and I was the first to present my problem, for lack of a better word. What started out to be an assumed problem turned out to be a real one for me instead. The problem, "I just don't know how to fix what hurts those I love deeply, I'm afraid I might loose them. Some of those God gave to me to protect and teach and con ...oops, did I almost say the "C" word? (you know, the one moms never consider they do) control, but in a good way, like in "...teaching, correcting, training..." What I got when I asked that question was not what I expected, a "how to for dummies". It was an impression, or picture, or a vision, depending on how you feel God interacts with you. For me it was a picture. Not of me helping those people, but rather of Him helping them. Holding or carrying them like in the print of "Footprints" reminding me that when they (or myself in this case) only saw one set of footprints in the sand, they were His. We talked about it for a little bit and as I left class I saw completely different pictures.

You see, sometimes we forget what our "job" is. I DO believe that job includes some of the above things when our children are young. It is part of the role of a mother to instruct, nurture and train our little ones. Not for the purpose of making them into "mini mes" or what ever we precieve is best, but rather for Kingdom service. Giving them tools to use to live life the best they can and to love and trust the Lord as their friend and saviour. In so doing it frees us to love them and appreciate their uniqueness and strength and it frees them to make mistakes and learn the Grace God so wants to give. It frees Him to reach in and heal hurts and wounds, both for our loved ones and for us.

That's what this day was about, not figuring out how I can fix the hurts, but learning how to let God do that. I think it just might remove a wall that separates parents and children, friend and friend, self and God.

His blessings to me come in the forms of daughters, sons, their spouses, grand children, brothers and their families, friends -some closer than sisters, some of long standing and some new. Times of laughter, weddings, births, parties and living life together. Times of remembering the investments made into our lives by those who have loved us and gone to rest in Perfect Peace. I pray we will all give credit to these times in our lives as gifts, with out strings, from our Loving Father, Creator, Protector, Provider; our Abba (Daddy God) get to know Him and let Him do His job. No one can do it but Him.

I know in some cases this seems an over simplistic approach and in the midst of attack we don't always default to trusting. My prayer is that we will more often make that our focus. Enjoy those in your life and let everyone know how much you love them.

I Love You

More Family Fun Pictures

I just got several new pictures from the party on Saturday night and want to share them. If you don't believe in pirates, think again. I also finally got Lilly and Cade's pictures to download. Enjoy these!!!

I hope you guys don't feel like you are invited over to watch "home videos". We would just love to have every one here with us.

Picture from the front of their house.



Ghost of pirates past, giving out candy and Noni in the fish pond. The last on is Cade on left and Lilly on right. Cade was a little Monkey and I guess Lilly was a pumpkin.

A Family Party

**OUR FAMILY ACROSS THE MILES**************

Last night was a fun time of dress up, laughs, treats and games. I wish I could say I captured everyone on film and in character, but unfortunately, more often than not, those with cameras were some where else when you needed them.

The subdivision is built around a lake and most of the people set up tables there for giving out candy. A few stayed in their homes which made the walk a long one. Hunter and Kaden led the pack. I could not hear if they said "trick-or-treat" or not but I could hear Hunter saying "Tant tou bye, tant tou, bye" the whole time. They ran their little legs off. Of course they stole the show, (well maybe they had to share the prize with Wayne). It was hard to hold Zack, Chey, Abby and Abram back, they really got into it. After they finished trick-or-treating, we went in the backyard and bobbed for apples and "went fishing" we all enjoyed that.

We had a baby Buz Lightyear and Elmo, we had a Jr. and Sr. aerospace flight crew, a night in shining armor (Prince Caspian actually) a ballerina, and a fairy. Those were the little ones whom the party was suppose to be for. Then we had a big orange pumpkin (yours truly), a partly cloudy sky with a chance of rain (Toni Lin) a pirate and his woman (Wayne and Candi) and I mean Pirates of the Caribbean at that, accent and all. You would have thought they were back in their trick-or-treat days. Hopefully before I actually post this, my picture from New Mexico will download and we will also have Cade and Lilly (Elizabeth's and David's little babies) in costume also. I don't think David's two older girls were in the picture though.

The older grand kids were also there. Some dressed up some didn't. For those who did, I must say I'm not sure what they were suppose to be. Michael turned himself over to Jayella (his girlfriend) and Kaela and they did make up and fingernails and a wig. It was interesting.

Oh yeah, the food. What is a family party without food. One of Wayne's co-workers came and brought Crawfish Quiche, two dips and chips and home made pumpkin bread with cream cheese icing. We also had stuffed Jalapenos, Queso with chips, Rubens, brownies, bar-b-Que meatballs, wings (from Hooters, NOT my favorite)

Besides pictures from the party, I am including a couple of Zackary and Hunter from the pumpkin patch when they went pumpkin shopping. That was cute. Hunter thought the small ones were balls and kept trying to throw them. You might also notice he isn't worried about taking pictures, he is there to play with "pundins". I never tire of seeing Zackary smile. Life to those two is fun and games.

I'm sure I have forgotten things and other things, I choose not to forget. I hope you have enjoyed our party as much as we all did. Thanks Wayne and Candi for being gracious hosts. I wonder where you got all the "booty" to throw such a memorable night. From the high seas me thinks.

I love you all and you're always invited to our parties.

Each family is beginning to see how God has interwoven lives and hearts together for this life and the one to come. It is to Him we give the Glory of life.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELIZABETH

Make a Smilebox postcard

MY "LITTLE BROTHER"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, "LITTLE BROTHER"

This brings a smile to my face. The title of this blog is as old as he is. For so many years I would tell people, "this is my little brother", Valmond. I'm not sure why that description stuck. VP, as I call him most of the time now, hasn't been my "little" brother for many years. Why I never said younger I don't know.

He is two years younger than I am, and yes, I think that makes him just a bit past middle age now. (no comments from the peanut gallery, okay?) He's also been much taller than I since we were pretty young.

He has about half as many grand kids as I do, and I'm sure he has twice as much gray hair...but who's counting????, not me for sure.

...I remember times when he let me "dress him up", (very much younger brother)

...Times when we would sit under the kitchen table, in the old kitchen on Webb Drive, and tell stories that scared us both so badly we would get up and lock the back door, locking mom and dad in the backyard.

...The times I upset him about something, imagine that, and he would chase me around the house speaking in some unknown toung and saying "if you only knew what that meant"

...Playing Rook with Wayne and Sam and never understanding how they could win every game. I think about two years ago I figured out, when they talked about what color the telephone was, they wanted trumps to be black, or how the grass needed cutting, trumps would be green. It really took me a long time to get that one.

...I remember him doing my biology note book my senior year (he was a sophomore) and I would do his English papers. Bub, who came out with the better grade, never mind I don't need to know the answer to that one. We both passed, right?

...I guess this would be about the time he started working at National Food Store on Acadain. I didn't know sackers made so much money. Well, I guess you could say sackers sisters made pretty good money. I was really glad they got tips every day. Oh, did I ever tell you how much I appreciated you loaning me those tips??

...Then came the time I got really sick and had to come home and stay for a couple weeks (he would probably have been about 19 at the time). About all I could eat was crushed ice. Guess who brought a certain sister a huge cup of ice every afternoon and sat on the end of my bed just to visit? Yup, it was that "little" brother.

...I guess after "Little Wayne" was born and I was back at home again, those tips were burning holes in VP's pockets because he started a piggy bank for little Wayne and every afternoon he would come home and put the change in the pig. How did Wayne thank him, by burping up on his sweet uncle.

...Then there would have been Uncle Gowman and Uncle Bagins, where did those names come from, do you remember? Both of my girls do.

...Wayne, on the other hand remembers having his uncle Valmond for a fifth teacher when he was only in the fourth grade.

...I guess what I remember when I think about my "little brother" is family, both ours when WE were kids and our kids when they were young. I love them all. And dear little brother VP, I love you, more than you will ever know.


I also thank Our Father for showing us His love and giving us His grace.


I Love You, Bubby
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AGAIN


Sissy

KAELA WILL BE 15 ON WEDNESDAY!!

Fifteen years old. Does it seem to any of you like our grand kids are the same ages as our KIDS?? How can this happen...When my mom told me I would turn around a couple times and Wayne would be grown I thought she was exaggerating, just a little. Then after Connie started walking and was nearly ready to start school Toni made her appearance and I've been turning around ever since. I guess I expected they would grow up some day but I am still turning.

It's different now though. Now the grand babies are all growing up and I seem to be spinning instead of turning. I remember the day Kaela was born. Not the birth mind you, but the day. My boss would not let me leave when I got the call from Wayne that they were on the way to the hospital. I had only been at work about half-an-hour and went in to tell her I had to leave and why and she said, "Alma, the hotel comes first. If you leave then who will make your calls, check the meeting rooms, check the A.V." and on and on. I thought she was joking and said, "divide it up between the other nine women in the office?". She was serious, I was not given permission to leave to be at the hospital with my son and daughter-in-law. Les went and I cried ALL morning and into the afternoon. Every time I took a call some one would ask if I was sick and my answer was "YES"! About three o'clock (I got off at 3:30) she came to my desk and said, "Look, maybe I should have let you go, why don't I take you up there", for those of you who know a little about the Houston area, it was a little north and east of Spring. I simply told her to forget it. Someone would have to "cover" for her if we both left. Needless to say, it was not the happiest day I spent at work.

That afternoon though when we got to the hospital there was Kaela, with her family gathered around. How sweet she was. I remember she had a very distinct and one of a kind lullaby. Nothing could put Kaela to sleep except the vacuum cleaner. I think Wayne and Sandy must have burned out a dozen vacuums and a lot of carpet before Kaela would go to sleep on her own. Guess what, she still sleeps through vacuuming!

When she was about two years old she had the wildest curly hair. Pony tail holders were pointless with her because her hair was so fine and unruly they would not stay. She loved to be around people, hated being buckled in her car seat, and laughed her way through every one's heart.

One day she and Bailey and I were going shopping and to lunch at Souper Salad. I think Kaela was maybe four and I kept calling them Baela and Kaley (which I still do). Finally she said, "Nonna, why don't you just call us guril one and guril two"?
Kaela has grown into a sweet, beautiful and always smiling young lady. Don't tell her mom or dad this, but when she comes to Nana's she helps with little ones, sweeps or vaccuums, loads the dish washer, anything I need help with. I am looking forward to watching as the next few years go by and knowing that her smile and blue eyes will always shine.
Kaela Bug, I Love You and hope your birthday is great!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Nana's Peapod

Have you ever seen such a sweet little pea?

I know Cade must think Nana will never post his blog entry. I started one as soon as we returned from Denver but somehow never got it completed. In a way I'm not sorry because now I have some comparison pictures. You know the tiny baby ones compared to the six week ones. Thanks to his mommy and daddy following tradition. I want to think she will break it when he becomes a year old and keep getting them done. Most of us have fewer pictures as baby gets older. Hunter will be two in less than a week and I am having to reuse pictures already.

We had a wonderful time visiting with Libby, Bernard and Cade. (oh, did I mention Kelsey?) She is Cade's watch puppy. Did I say puppy? She only thinks she is a puppy I'm not sure I want to see her when she's five. I hope Cade will mind half as well as Kelsey. They've done a great job with her. Once she got right up by Cade and put her face on his feet and didn't want Nana or Papaw to pick him up.

The first couple nights we were there, Cade had a tummy ache and tried his best to tell us about it. All we did was feed him and mommy and daddy took turns sleeping on the couch while holding him. Then on the third night I noticed he seemed to eat, cry and eat again. Pulling his little legs up when he cried. We determined it was colic and brought in the "baby walker". Everyone knows who that is...papaw...He has spent many hours through the last 18 years walking grand children with colic. They seem to respond to his calm, security.

Now here we are, almost eight weeks into Cade's life and we have some new pictures. He continues to grow and will soon pass up his mommy. I'm serious! He will for sure get much bigger and will grow into a young man before we know it. Hold him now mom and dad because he will soon be holding your hands in his and walking you instead of the way it is now.

We love you sweet Cade and can't wait to see you again.

WHEN DOES A MEMORY START

Are they from years gone by and become memories when we are old, or do they happen as we live life and become more precious as time goes by? That's one of those questions, you know, the chicken or egg sort of thing.

If you have known me for a while, or have followed this blog over the last couple months, you know there aren't answers to most of the questions I have about life. Life happens, through the Grace of our Lord, and we live and love through it.

Today has been another chapter in a friendship that started several years ago in a hospital in Galveston, Texas. The very beginning of this story is for another time, but through that beginning a very special lady came into our lives. That is when God, working through Jill Jones Douglas, changed my life.

Jill was, at first, a pre-transplant co-ordinator working to help secure a "new" kidney/pancreas for me. We saw each other every month for "labs" and tried very hard to maintain a professional nurse/patient relationship. Lots of things happened and several trips for the anticipated transplant occurred over roughly four years.

Finally one night in August of 2004 I received a phone call while our family sat at Chili's having a family dinner. By this time Jill had moved to post transplant and I had a new co-ordinator. As God would have it though, Jill happened to be on call that evening and called to tell me we had a 7 out of 7 match for "KIDNEY ONLY". Of course we didn't see that as the answer we were seeking but Jill said, "Mrs. Fenter, (there, that professionalism) think about this really hard, this is a perfect match; I can't advise you, but if I had to make the choice for a loved one, this would be my choice. Think hard about it and call me back within an hour. We do have others waiting but I wanted to offer it to YOU first". Les and the kids and I discussed it and one of them said "Mom, what did Jill say, that's what we need to do". That's what we did. Before that transplant took place, lots of stuff happened to my little kidney but Jill watched it, literally, for me until we went to surgery. She reported on it daily for three days.

On August 18, 2004, mid-afternoon, we went to surgery. Me being the questioner I am, Les said I questioned the doctors and anesthesiologist until they rolled me into surgery. I don't really remember much about all that. Actually, I think the family made up a LOT of dumb stuff they said I did anyway...

In June of 2005 during a clinic visit Jill told me she had met her Mr. Right, or Mr. Douglas as it were, and would be moving to Denver in July. I just knew at that point I would not be able to continue on my road to complete recovery without my Jill. I think I cried a river of tears and while everyone at UTMB continued to be wonderful and completely supportive I missed her smile and encouragement so much.

Throughout the last four years we have remained friends, e-mailing often and almost getting together on one of her visits to Galveston. She came to visit her dad, to help after Ike came to call, to see her daughter and just to try to hold a family together. We couldn't manage our schedules until today, here in Denver.

This morning, five years and one day after transplant, we sat in a restaurant, ate breakfast, laughed, cried and laughed some more. We started catching up on our families, events and people we share in common. I know somehow this friendship will continue and it will not be four years before we see one another again.

I know this, like most of my blogs, makes much more sense to me than to you. These are the times life collides with memories and memories become part of life.

As I sat across the table from her and looked into her smiling eyes, I couldn't help thanking God for yet another glimpse of what eternity is going to be like. I know He works out problems and overcomes distance even when we don't see how.

Love ya, Jill.

Alma

Welcome to First Grade

++++++------FIRST GRADExxxxxx=======

Surely not! It can not be...but yes, it's true. Today Zackary went to register and get his class assignment and his teacher's name. They told him his class could change, depending on the number of enrollment. He had this happen to him last year after the first week. That doesn't sound like a big deal in Kindergarten, but it made an impression on him because he wasn't keen on the idea. He is, however, looking forward to school starting.

Not the best picture, but who needs a camera when you have a cell phone, right?

On the way to get school supplies...DON'T get me started! Can any one remember what in the world we carried in our new school bag other than ONE pencil, a new tablet and maybe lunch money and one box of crayons???? He needed THIRTY pencils, about NINE different writing tablets, TWO kinds of construction paper, TWO kinds of manila paper (what is that? Wal-Mart hasn't gotten it in ever. Zack said it was probably something like vanilla but you couldn't eat it) He needed TWO dry erase markers, different tips on them, FOUR boxes of twenty-four crayons, folders WITH brads and folders WITHOUT brads, some red and some blue and one green...did someone say a FREE education? Of course the above isn't nearly the whole list.

I think the most disturbing part of the trip was when we were leaving the store and talking about his teacher. He told us some of the kids in his old class said she was really mean (we didn't have any of those, did we?). When Toni asked who had said that, of course it turned out to be Willieam/William, the little boy who was in trouble more last year than Zackary. Willieam also told Zack that if kids were on anything but the yellow, orange or red they were strange. No wonder he struggled to stay on the purple and green toward the end of school. I thought peer pressure was something we still had a little time to work on. Wayne was in the 6Th grade before being smart wasn't cool anymore.

I know Cheyenne has also gone to register and get her supplies and new clothes. I haven't had a chance to talk with her about being ready to go back or not. I feel like Chey will be ready to get back to friends, friends and friends. She is a little social bug.

Abby was on a break for a couple weeks while mommy went to visit aunt Libby and her new baby so I'm sure she has started back by now. While she and Abram were here for a week she was glad to have a break but wanted to read a book. She did very well. I hope she doesn't have a problem with her teacher...(mommy home schools her so it might be difficult to have a parent/teacher conference).

I thank God for my little ones and ask each one who reads this post to not only pray for them, but for all the little one's returning to school. We have a lot going back, or going for the first time. Pray also for our teachers. They have a job that could weigh heavy if left alone to do it.

Love to all
Nana

Special People

******MAKING MEMORIES******

Up to this point I have been recalling memories from our years as children in a loving Christian home, living, loving and laughing... Making memories.

Today I want to change focus and look at the memories we are making now. Hopefully ones our children and grandchildren will remember with as much fondness.

This blog started on Thursday afternoon when "Old Uncle Wayne" and Wa arrived. Zack was hoping to play another game of "run the bases" but he couldn't find a ball or bat. Maybe next time, buddy. Don't look now but there is a memory in the making.

Over the weekend we had the pleasure of blending two families. Not a new concept for our family, in fact most of our family is blended. The love and joy we have received and hopefully shared has blessed us deeply.

Jason Parker is in Houston working for a construction company, Griffin Construction. They build nursing homes around the country and he is here to oversee the building of one in Northwest Houston. (Exactly opposite from where we live) Jason is LaJuanah's son, a delightful one I might add.

I'm not sure if he is over a site from breaking ground to opening the doors, but what we saw was impressive.

He came down on Friday night and spent most of the weekend with us learning what it means to be in a crazy, loud family. We went out for dinner Friday night in Kemah, on the Boardwalk...yes the one that Ike destroyed. LaJuanah is crazy with the camera so, beware.

"Little Wayne", Uncle Wayne and Jason outside of Ichabons...

Dinner for Jason and probably Wayne, Tonty, was raw fish.

Saturday morning we went to see his job site and another facility his company is building and he was overseeing for the weekend.

Site of new nursing home...

Finished project...

Mid afternoon on Saturday The Family descended full force at our house where we ate, laughed, and played NERTS, what else would this family do??
This is the practice hand. I don't think it prepared him one bit for the real thing...

The real thing and guess what, he and Toni won. Beginners luck, or a nerts star? Only time will tell. Wayne and Candi were not good losers.

He got a "call" late Saturday evening, AFTER he and Toni won the Nertz game. You have all either known or been the one on "call" and it isn't fun. I'm not sure if he thought the game would go on all night and couldn't think how to escape, or if he is just a dedicated supervisor. The latter I'm sure, but that call came later in the evening.

While all the craziness went on those who didn't play watched and went a little nuts from kids and noise. I have to admit my house isn't exactly arranged for different indoor activities. We had much fun and look forward to another weekend soon.

I am going to post pictures of Jason and his family so we will all know the real part of his life. His wife's name is Kim, son is Ryley and daughter is Josie. They look like they might understand something about family and fun.

Ryley and Josie...

Jason and Kim...

Kim and Josie, love the smile and the dimples...

We are looking forward to Kim, Ryley and Josie coming to Houston in September and hope we get to share a little of their time.

Welcome to the family y'all.

Our Memories

****Are They Fact or Fiction***

There are times when I think God gave me a very prolific memory. I remember the color of the dress I wore to the eighth grade pepster "dance" at Prescott...shh, don't tell anyone it was a DANCE. Some of you remember the one, it was white with a sheer green over skirt. I wore it when I won the twist contest with Vic Polito....shh, don't tell that either, my dad might get upset, and my mom (who didn't know we were a "date") would lecture me about what nice girls do and don't do. Dancing of course was not a nice thing.

I remember climbing the magnolia tree in Myra's front yard, along with her help, and breaking off the lowest branch and then hiding it under the front of the house. Well hidden there, what, two or three feet off the ground? I think I remember wishing we had hauled it off and put it under someone else's house, maybe blocks away. And then I sorta, kinda, remember blaming it on Cathy, ...uh surely not.

You know there seems to be a vague memory of a game we played at night (when my parents didn't realize it was dark outside) called sardines. Not one person hiding their eyes while everyone found their own place to hide. No, everyone ran off in different directions to hide and when one found another, they hid together, then number two came along and hid there as well. Soon you had every one in the same space, like on the ditch bank behind my house waiting for the last one to find us all.

Baseball with the tin can and big stick in the street under the street lights.......Until someone had to go to the bathroom, then the parents started looking for us all and made us come in.

Oh, the best memories I have are of holidays. The ones that involved food. Funny, huh, they all did.

Back then we could go for miles on trick-or-treat and bring home grocery bags of candy and eat it right on the side of the street. No trips to the ER to have it all x-rayed.

I loved that Thanksgiving came just five weeks before Christmas. Aunt Marion started making all those yummy desserts and stored them on the hutch in the dinning room. My eyes were always sneaking peeks to what was new.

Then the Christmas tree went up on December 15th and presents started going under it, without names. Sam, remember the time we shook every package and put them back not knowing mom had placed everyone's in a certain place. I was so upset because I got boys socks and you looked really funny when you had to model "step outs". On Christmas eve we all went to grandma Abbott's and everyone got a present).

Then New Years Eve came and the holidays started over for another year. Those were the best years.

Myra, Sam, Jerry, Valmond, Wayne, do y'all remember when it became our turns to take over doing the celebrations? Planning the menus, buying the presents, cleaning before and after the party, somehow some of the magic was gone. Of course, I still love that time of year.

I have a memory of Nannie just beating the tar out of Myra and Cathy with a baby bed slat. Of course the slat was made for a doll bed and was not more than 1/4 of an inch thick and made of balsa wood or something like it. Needless to say, I tried never to "get caught" doing what Myra was doing.

I remember Unc making me stand behind one door and Sam another because we were laughing (of all things) and maybe screaming and calling each other names, or even running in the house, but this is my blog so I get to remember it the way it happened, in MY happy dreams. I really do think it was Sam's fault.

I remember an out of town Istrouma football game we went to on the bus to Bogalousa (SP) I do think we were all on that bus. Myra, June, Me, Sam, the Dantoni and Polito boys, as my dad called them (at least that's what we'll say he called them). I do believe that was the only time I deliberately lied to my dad. I think he paid Sam's way to the game so he would check up on us.

I wish I had pictures for this blog, but I don't. If anyone does, please figure out a way to post them. Everyone of you are precious to me and the memories are so fun.

Thanks for being my partners in a beautiful life.

Celebrating Cheyenne

DINNER WITH CHEY
**SIX YEARS OLD**

Monday night Cheyenne and Nana went out to dinner and then went shopping for her birthday present. Since papaw and I were out of town when she actually had her party, she asked what day we were going to get her present. Papaw laughed because he knew he would be working. If you have never had the pleasure of meeting Cheyenne Ranay Stanley (or as she use to introduce herself, Cheynan Standley), you are in for a surprise.

This little girl started wowing people everywhere when she was about eighteen months old. She took the trophies in several beauty pageants and has the crowns to go with them. I think the best thing she came out of it with was her beautiful smile, not to mention that she is a princess.
In so many ways she reminds me of her mom. Her bright eyes, her beautiful complexion, her nurturing nature and love for others, and her desire to "do it right". She has the softest smoochy lips and biggest brown eyes.

Cheyenne isn't quite the talker Zackary is but they have been best friends from her first appearance in this world. He plays the knight in shining armor, and she plays the princess or fair maiden roles perfectly. She can play for hours alone, if the need arises, but she is a social bug as well. Chey wants to be a rock star when she grows up

Anyway, back to the birthday dinner. When I asked her what she wanted for dinner she smiled and said, "well, I guess you can have salad" that meant McDonald's and Chicken Nuggets for Chey, OR "we could have yummy Green Sauce and chips"(that meant Casa Ole). Not a hard choice, Mexican food it would be. After she ate all of her bean-rice (one word) I surprised her with the Casa gang singing Happy Birthday to her and they gave her a huge sundae in a waffle bowl. Guess who ate most of the sundae?

She then had a choice of where to go to pick out her birthday present. She had twenty dollars to spend and chose Wal-Mart, of all places. I would have chosen the mall or Kirkland's or maybe even Hobby Lobby, oh the choices of youth.

I just knew she would choose a Barbie, or Hannah Montana or some glamour doll or even an outfit. No. She chose a baby doll that drinks a bottle and is not yet potty trained. Yeah! She really is a little mother hen.

How quickly they grow up and how easily they steal your heart.

Nana Loves You, Chey Baby.