A Journal From Nana

A Time To Wait On God

2011-07-14T00:21:00.009-05:00

He says to us in Psalm 46:10
..."Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among nations, I will be exalted in the earth"
(NIV)
..."Stop your striving and recognize that I am God! I will be exalted over the nations, I will be exalted over the earth!" (NET)
..."Cease striving and know that I am God. I will be exalted in the earth." (NASB)
..."Be silent and know that I am God. I will be honored by every nation, I will be honored throughout the world." (NLT)
..."Be at peace in the knowledge that I am God. I will be lifted up among nations, I am exalted in the earth" (NRSV)
..."Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at Me, your High God. Above politics, above everything" (MSG)

This has been one of my favorite verses for many years. I guess as long as I've been old enough to recognize my limited ability to control the days of my life. Of course I grew up on the words from the NIV, but as I have been looking at, and drawing strength from this verse , especially this past year, the Message says it in a way that addresses what we, you and I, understand and need.

It seems to say, "duh, slow down, get out of the way of what's running over you and focus on Me. Just let your eyes rest long and lovingly on Me. Soak in Me as you might in a pool of water.
(My mental picture) Don't focus you eyes only on your problems. I am your High God, not the things that distress you everyday, no matter how important they seem to be. It tells me...you don't have to worry, I can not only manage it all, I will be honored and held up before all these things you fret over and let consume you, Trust Me.

Tonight we were coming home from the Y, after swimming with the boys for an hour or so. Everyone had fun. As we were leaving, Toni signed Zack and Hunter up for swimming lessons in August. Zack cried and begged to not have to be taught by someone he did not trust. He worried about lots of things and wondered why we would trust someone else to teach him to swim, he trusted us. I asked him several questions and then thought, as adults, we worry about just the opposite. We choose people we don't know, instead of trusting the One who knows all.

How many times, even in one day, do we say "I'm at my wit's end, there is just too much, I can't seem to make the right decision, and all the time we are looking everywhere but at our Father God. The Creator of all the earth. If you haven't spent much time with the above verse, and reading it in different ways, I urge you to do so. It gives me peace and even courage that the things I stress and strife to solve are not too big for the God of all the earth.

Nothing profound tonight, just sharing my favorite verse with you and telling you a little of what it means to me.
Love you all...

THE FEAR OF BELIEVING

2011-03-14T21:44:00.016-05:00

WILL WE BE DISAPPOINTED IF WE DO

I read a blog today written by someone I don't personally know. We know some of the same people, but I had never heard of the author. There has been something nagging in the back of my mind lately, just beyond recognition. It is becoming more clear the more times I read his posts. It did not originate with his writing, but became clearer to me with the reading of it.

He was actually writing in this particular blog about the "Irksomeness of Prayer". It took me awhile to come to the conclusion that he really just felt let down and at a loss because God obviously COULD have stopped the Tsunami in Japan, but didn't. He referred to another writer's statement that, though that we pray the same prayers over and over, there is no real resolution. Or, is it just no real resolution in the way we would have chosen? To believe there is no resolution would seem to indicate God is either deaf and can't hear our prayers of repetition, or has a memory retention problem.

Neither is the case. He knows full well what is happening on His earth, and yes He could make it turn out differently. I ask, whose outcome should He choose? Would it be mine, or yours, our neighbors, or our enemy's? I say that because none of these people would have a problem with control, right? It has to be one of those categories though because God's resolution is not good enough for those He created.

That's why our country is in turmoil, as is most of the world. Some do assume they have more knowledge than other people, but trust me, it's only an assumption.

The question still remains, what do we do with a God who allows things to happen? Things that are truly bad, or wrong, or just out of character for our loving God. Here is a concept. I admit I sometimes struggle with this and in fact am struggling with it right now.

What if we try "Trust" or maybe "Faith" (could be the same thing). I realize I, myself, cannot accomplish what I'm asking of Him in our present situation, but I believe "He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world".

Is it possible we pray to the Father with a ready made wish list and only notice the biggies we don't receive? We aren't aware of the answer if it doesn't come packaged with brand name recognition.

Can I wrap my mind around why tens of thousands of people die in one disaster? NO... or why a young family aches and hurts and misses the daddy who was doing his very best to lead and take care of his wife and children, but died anyway? NO...Do I have an answer for destruction of nations by other nations? NO...Do I think God needs me to tell Him what He should do about it? NO...

What I do believe is that He wants us to talk to Him. He wants to hear something other than "gimme" or "I want" or "ARE YOU LISTENING" "HEY, DID YOU SEE THAT WALL OF WATER"? (shouting here)

It isn't for Him though that we talk , it is for us so that we might come to a trust that comes only with knowing and being familiar with someone. A best friend or brother or sister who knows us better than we know ourselves and vice versa.

Is it possible we transfer our disappointment and lack of control onto God? Sure it is. I do pray each of us will learn to trust that He knows the number of hairs on our head and also choose to believe that His ways are greater than our ways and His love is bigger than our love. That He loves the people of Japan, Chili, Iraq, Iran, even the whole of this earth with a knowledge and love we cannot even imagine.

We don't believe He hears or is big enough because we are afraid we might be disappointed. Fear is at the core of our not believing but "Perfect love casts out all fear".

There is one who would love nothing more than to convince each of us that God doesn't have a grip on what He is doing and what His plan is for His people, that one can only approach you and share his lies with you if you invite him in.

It it is my hope and yes, my prayer, that each of us invite our Friend to go for a walk, boat ride, to sit in the sunny cool breeze of spring and learn to talk and trust the one who holds you in His hands. Don't be afraid of the really big jobs because His hands are big enough to hold the jobs and to hold you too.

Love to each who reads my thoughts.

Your friend, Alma

The Love of My Life

2011-02-21T23:07:00.010-06:00

"For Some There Is Forever Only One"

I'm not sure how many of you who read my feeble attempts at putting my thoughts, memories and blessings in print even know The Love of My Life. If you have had the good fortune to have met him, then you know what I say is true. If you haven't, my hope is that one day you will have that opportunity.

Those who know us know I have a personality that, at times is at the least, aggressive. The man I'm married to however, is a peacemaker. He tries to live his life for the purpose of being a reflection of The Father, bringing a peacefulness to those around him.

That's not to say he hasn't failed at times, but he has never put himself before me. He has been open and available to serve all whom he meets. Through out his life and especially for the past twenty-five years, he has been an example to the wisest of men and the meekest of children, church elders, pastors, employers and employees. He has served husbands and wives while sweeping the hallways in a daycare, and he has served our children and grandchildren. Many times making the hard choices and showing a tuff love, eventhough his own heart was breaking.

I've seen him cry grown man tears because of disappointments inflicted by those he loved and trusted, somehow "wept" is a more discriptive term, but I've not seen him allow his heart to harden. I do not intend to portray him as "rightous, or pious", those who know him understand what I mean. He is just a man who places value on relationships rather than judgements.

This man, Les Fenter, did not become who he is on his own. He has a very rich heratige passed down to him from his mother and father and I thank them for dedicating their lives to loving and preparing him for a life of service. During times of struggle and pain they loved him and thus taught him to love in the same way.

I'm sure, by now you get my message, and hopefully you understand why...

"For Some There Is Forever Only One" and why he's The Love if My Life.

I Love You, Les

City Girl

2011-01-23T23:29:00.031-06:00

As a little girl I remember going to visit my grandma and papaw, who lived in the country about thirty miles from the city where I lived. There were lots of reasons to go to the country and most of them revolved around playing and pretending -- and no chores.

I got to help (and pretend) in the huge yard grandma called her "flower garden." The garden was so big it took us about three hours to water all the plants. While we watered, we pulled the "heads" off the drooping ones. I was never sure if those flowers were already dead, or they died because we pulled their heads off and left them lying in the sun with no water to drink. After we finished "pruning" the flowers -- oh how I hated prunes -- I could get the basket and pick up all the flower heads and play with them. Some were still pretty, but by morning they really were dead. Oh well, nothing much bothered me for long in those long lazy days of childhood.

Beyond the flower garden gate was the pasture. It had all the normal things a pasture has: weeds and dandelions, cows (and cow patties), a barn -- and George. George was big and ugly, dingy white, with sharp pointed horns and two humps. George might have been ugly, but he ruled the pasture. When he was anywhere to be seen, for whatever reason bulls demand attention, the cows followed him around the pasture. I, however, would not open the flower garden gate. There were too many other things to see and do and George did not impress me.

Did I mention that the pasture also had an artesian well that flowed constantly and never ran out of water. I remember it being the sweetest, coldest water to drink. No faucets or knobs to turn, no glasses to wash. You just knelt down in the mud (yuck), cupped your hands and drank, ummmm. There was also a smoke house in the pasture. Even though it made a good place to hide from my brother, it had a really odd smell, sorta like the bacon and ham we ate for breakfast. Since my mom and I shopped in the big grocery store in the city, I never thought about why it smelled that way. There were too many other things to see and explore on the country farm, to keep me from pondering about it too long.

Vines to climb and swing on and the barn to play in. The barn had a loft where hay was stacked high to the roof. We climbed up the ladder and slid down a rope swing all the way to the barn floor. I quickly found out the barn was not built simply for me to play in. Sometimes fantasy and reality meet at the end of a rope swing and you soon realize where the cows go when it rains. Boy did my feet stink. That lazy day in the summer turned into a rare scolding from my papaw and I was banished from the barn. For awhile.

The Mimosa tree beside the cattle guard, next to the road, was a lookout where my friend and I could climb up and watch for the fruit truck to come around the curve. When he, (Mr. Poche or Fontenot or Sanchez or Langois, I'm fuzzy on names) pulled across the cattle guard, we got to help pick out apples, grapes, bananas and juicy peaches. Funny, I never saw a cattle guard on a city driveway.

There wasn't a large grocery store for food, like in the city. There were only two small stores, one on each end of "town," with maybe five miles separating them. The smaller store on the south end of town, where the road forked, was owned by my uncle. His store had lots of stuff people needed, things the farm couldn't provide. Things like candles, sugar and a few loaves of bread, batteries and small cans of shrimp lined the shelves. I remember those because grandma would sometimes put them in her okra and tomato gumbo. There was parafin wax and jars for canning, although grandma would "go into town" to buy most of her canning supplies. The most important things he sold though were gas and penny candy. I remember wondering why you filled up your car, your tractor or even a boat motor in the same place you bought penny candy. We couldn't just go in and help ourselves to the candy, even though my uncle owned it, which I didn't understand either. We had to earn it, and that meant we carried empty boxes and other trash a store produces out to the trash pile to burn.

The other store, on the north end of town was Savic's grocery. I remember his name, though I'm not sure why. Papaw and I could walk to Savics together, passing the Poche's, our closest neighbors. Papaw (Henry was his name) talked and visited with the other farmers while I shopped. I knew where the store was because I could see the two story schoolhouse from the Mimosa tree. Mr. Savic sold larger items like big sacks of flour, papaw's blue shirts and other larger items. He had a fresh meat counter and even knobs and tools for household repair jobs.

Across the highway from Savic's grocery store was the school. Imagine that -- a school in the country. I didn't understand why the kids there went to school while the kids in the city were out. Grandma tried to explain that a long time ago, when my daddy was a boy in school, they had to work on the farm and went to school when there were no crops to harvest. Sometimes I went to school with my aunt who taught there. It felt strange going to the school because a lot of the teachers would tell me things like, "do you know I taught your daddy when he was in school." My dad went to school? He must have been very important because I got special advantages the other kids didn't. They let me out of class anytime I wanted to explore the big two story schoolhouse. I noticed some strange things to me, like kids from first grade playing on the playground with kids from the twelfth grade. And everyone seemed to bring their lunch.

Most summers I would visit in the country two or three times and, yes, I did sometimes get bored. There was a telephone but I couldn't just call my friend in the city and talk anytime I wanted. Grandma would have to dial the number and she said we could talk for three minutes. THREE minutes? Really, three minutes? No way! So I would invite her to go with me at least once each summer. Actually her grandparents lived in a small town too, but it wasn't really country. More like a town pictured in some of the family TV shows back then. We sometimes went there too, so summers weren't so long.

Something that confused me about people who lived in the country, like my grandma and grandpa, was they didn't get milk and eggs from the National Food Store like we did in the city. Grandma tried to convince me that the milk we bought in bottles and eggs that were in the refrigerated section, actually came from country cows. The cows that followed George around, and those scrawny chickens I unwillingly fed in the yard? They laid the eggs. Gross, no wonder I didn't like milk and only ate eggs if I saw mom buy them from the store.

I don't know how many of you can identify with me when I say I was a city girl growing up, and I am still a city girl today, some 46 years later. Someone could have said, "how much of a city girl were you," and my answer would have been, "you get your milk from WHERE, oh no you've got it all wrong. You see we bring our milk home every day from National Food Stores in a waxed paper carton". Eggs come from the cooler section in cardboard cartons shaped for each individual egg.

I know this is rather long, but the memories a city girl has of the country takes a long time to think through. I wonder, did a country girl who visited grandparents in the city enjoy the long lazy days of childhood as much? Surely not, the city didn't have George or a Mimosa tree, or the man with the fruit truck. And that is sad to this city girl. Hope you all enjoy a summer spent in the country.

Making New Traditions

2010-12-22T00:10:00.038-06:00

WHAT DO WE DO WITH TRADITIONS WHEN THEY DON'T FIT ANY MORE

That's been a hard one for us, and not only this year. You see, for several years after Zackary was born he lived with his mommy and daddy at Nana and Papaw's house. His baby bed shared a room with papaw's desk and the room was called the "waffice" (office). The two of them would talk late into the night, and first thing in the morning. Lot's of things were solved during those discussions.

Somehow a tradition evolved around our night time hugs. Zack would climb into Nana's lap and give the sweetest hugs and kisses, called "bedtime lovins", then he would climb up in papaw's lap and play the "kissing game". Papaw would dodge every attempt he made to kiss him, moving at the last minute and sometimes pulling a hat over his face. This frustrated Zack until he would slap both of his chubby hands on papaw's face and squeeze 'till there was no more movement. Everyone dissolved into laughter and went to bed happy.

When mommy and daddy would be at work and papaw would be at home with Nana and Zack, sometimes we would go to McDonald's for lunch. There would inevitably be another kid on the playground bigger than Zack and he would get in trouble. All Zack would say was "MY papaw", and point to Les. Of course he always got an ice cream cone for basically telling the kid, "my papaw is tougher than your papaw".

There were times Zack would walk, holding Nana's hand, and go to C & D Burger for lunch. On the way back we would stop on the bridge and watch for "little frogs" to swim in the 'big ditch that went under the street". A long walk, by the way for young short chubby legs and old short chubby legs. We would make it everyday and then have a nap.

We decorated for birthdays with paper fish, halloween with cute jack-o-lanterns, Thanksgiving with corn and hay and scarecrows, but Christmas was always the most fun. Bright ornaments on the tree with white twinkle lights...a big red bow on top...music boxes older than Zack...lots of presents under the tree (not all for him, but he didn't know that)...and hot chocolate. Hot chocolate was his favorite with blueberry muffins after presents were opened.

Of course there was family, always lots of family. At Nana and Papaw's we had all his aunts, uncles and cousins over for snacks and visiting. Usually one present would be opened by each little one. Then there was his family on daddy's side. Christmas Eve for Grandma Hinkey and at some point on Christmas Day he would see Maw-Maw and Papaw Terry with Uncles Russell and Derrick. Always bringing home more presents, but loving the being with more family.

Then, when Zackary was about five and thought life couldn't get any better, lo and behold a little brother came to the share the lime light, and share it he did. But they seemed to work it out fine between them until one day Zackary had to give Hunter some of his own attention. Standing over Hunter I heard him say, "Look it it's not all about YOU. It use to be all about ME, but not anymore, buck it up." I watched him a little closer for awhile. LOL

Mommy and daddy found them a new house about the same time Hunter joined the family and they moved from Nana and Papaw's house. Leaving all of Nana's furniture, except the chair she watched the Astro's in. He found rooms in his new house for everyone, even Nana and Papaw and didn't understand when we didn't move too. Needless to say, he adjusted but always wanted to spend as much time as possible at "our old house", and he wanted his best friends Abby, Abram and Chey-Chey over to play in his backyard.

Right after they moved into their new house, Zack started Kindergarten in a new school. He loved his school and his teacher, but making new friends was the best part for him. Life settled down for Zack pretty well, mommy took him to school and Nana picked him up. Daddy always got him in the evenings and took him home. Two years passed and life was good for Zack.

Just as summer vacation started in June 2010, something bigger than Zack, or anyone else could ever have imagined happened. His daddy passed away suddenly, leaving only mommy, Zack, Hunter and big brother Dakota to figure this change out. Of course Nana and Papaw, and the whole family at large, were there too but...it wasn't the same. Needless to say, traditions, no life changed faster than anyone could keep up with.

As each day passed, major milestones did too. Father's Day came just a couple weeks after, leaving Zack to wonder who he would give his father's day present to this year, the first day of third grade, Hunter and Zack's birthdays, and Thanksgiving dinner came and went. I watched a young and struggling family start a new life.

I started this blog before Christmas and it has taken me this long to work it out. As we started thinking what we would do to decorate for the holiday, Zackary came to me and said, "Nana, do you think we could do something different this year? Could we combine all our traditions into one and have a really beautiful Christmas House this year?" When I asked him what he thought that would look like he said, "let's get all of the favorite decorations from your house and all of the nativitys and your tree, and all the favorite ones from our house and our tree, and combine them. We have never done that before. We need something different this year, don't you think?" That's what we did and we did have a beautiful Christmas House.

We talked more about what it should look like, and how to make it the same, but different. Turst me, Zack Dyson has grand ideas and knows how to make them happen.

The first thing he thought we should do, was have the whole family over for a Christmas party, "here in our house". He said, "we need food, eggnog, cookies and all my family". All his family came, aunts, uncles, and cousins. It was a very good night and we all went to bed later and happier than usual.

My best friend, "maw maw June", came for a visit and made the boys an "angel bell" ornament for the tree. When they missed daddy, they could ring the bell and remember him. It gave them a chance to share their traditions this year with him. Both Zackary and Hunter enjoyed the bell and the new tradition, asking only a couple questions, and loving their daddy.

Christmas morning brought Santa's gifts at the crack of dawn then we had our blueberry muffins, peaches and cream and of course coffee and hot chocolate. After that snack to hold us over, we opened family presents. Then we ate again, "Father Tim's Christmas Casserole" as we do every year, and everyone took a nap.

On Christmas night, Uncle Tonti prepared a "Cajun Christmas Dinner" with everything Cajun and we did what this family does best, we ate and ate and ate 'til we were stuffed. That tradition will probably never change. ummm.

Zack's cousin Bailey gave each of us a DVD she had made for the whole family. Pics and favorite songs of past years of her uncle Rex as he lived life with the family. Zack sat mesmerized, Hunter jumped up and down and laughed and talked about "my daddy, that's my daddy and me" and the rest of us cried. I think though they were tears we were going to cry that night anyway, but we also got to remember and laugh together as well.

We closed a very full and special day with family gifts one to another. What we shared mostly thourgh out the day and months leading up to the day, is the love this family has for each other.

Life will never be the same for this family and Zack will always be making and facing new traditions, but with the help of our Father in heaven we will make them together and we will always remember the one who loved, laughed and yes argued with great gusto.

Zack and I challenge each of you to cherish the traditions you share with each of your family members and friends,and never take even one of them for granted. This life is a gift, take it and use it, give it away with abandon, never pass up a chance to say "I Love You"...and I do...

YOUR PRINTS

2010-09-17T22:26:00.012-05:00

Where Would They Lead?

I was listening to my favorite radio station a couple days ago and the DJ was commenting on a song that had just played. The song I don't remember, but his words struck me as something worth thinking about. He said, "there has been a lot of press about our 'carbon footprint' in the news over the last few months and how they affect the earth for millions of years. How many of us think about how our physical footprints affect the earth and who would they lead?" Then we can ask ourselves how long those prints will last.

That made me think of song from, oh, maybe the 60's, I don't really remember because it was a country song and I have tried to forget as many of those as possible. But the song was, "If Finger Prints Showed Up On Skin, Whose Would Show Up On You?" Yeah, that's why I've tried to forget, not a pretty visual, but in a way, it's the same thought as who would your footprints lead?

Whose fingerprints would you find there...family of course, friends you haven't seen in a long time, maybe even someone you don't particularly like. But would you find the little old man or lady who sits in the nursing home day after day waiting for someone to come and give them a hug, or the person who lives on your street but looks very different from you, or what about the person who ran a red light and smashed your new car? The unlovable in general, the EGR's (extra grace required) in your life. Those whose views differ from your own...

If you think about it for a minute -- the footprint part -- there is really no telling who you lead, or maybe who follows you. Of course we automatically think, my children and grandchildren (their friends and children, too), but also spouses, siblings, friends, co-workers (maybe even bosses)... depending on your profession, maybe patients, students, clients, even the carhop who brings out your coke at Sonic....your prints could be endless.

My first thought was to myself and it went something like this...Yeah, maybe the children, grandchildren, spouse and, okay, maybe friends, but beyond that, I'm just not responsible. Well, okay, maybe my siblings, but that's not fair, I'm not "my brothers keeper" (just a little pun here), umm...okay I will accept that maybe I could be responsible for how my footprints might affect them. The rest of those people though are on their own.

My second thought was to God and it went something like this...okay, so maybe there are people both known to me, and those I have yet to meet, who follow my footprints. Just where have I been walking over the last half century (ok, maybe longer) that doesn't lead to You? I can think of a couple trails I wish I had blazed differently.

These paths and prints could be intentional or not, real foot paths, or verbal expressions, visual indiscretions, physical or emotional bruises, I guess there are as many possibilities as there are people. Only we, ourselves and our God, knows where our footprints have been, but be assured, others have followed, into eternity.

My third and last thought for tonight is...let's make a conscience effort to know just where our prints lead, even if we can't know everyone who follows them.

Father, may all our footprints lead to You.

I love you all, good night. :-)

TRANSITIONS

2010-08-29T22:43:00.016-05:00

Life Is Ever Changing

I think for the most part we can say our lives, as children, are carefree and confident. We do what kids are designed to do, in whatever way we are "shaped" to. We trust our parents and/or grand parents instinctively to love and provide for us. We bring nothing "to the table", so to speak, but have no fear of owing anything for what we are given.

Most of us spend years believing and trusting those who provide for us while we grow into the person we will become.

...Younger teens are still trusting loved ones to provide and make life possible for us while being completely self-absorbed and giving very little of ourselves in return.

...As life's lessons get harder and we get older, we become more self-reliant, but still self-absorbed, wanting to do things "our way and learn from our own mistakes", at least until the mistakes start to hurt us, then we start looking for someone else to blame.

...Ahhh, the blame game...it seems this is a favorite, until our own children start to arrive, then our focus begins to change. Actually it begins to look familiar, like deja vu, maybe. Let's not admit there is a state called, "'been there, done that'" save yourself some time and learn from our mistakes. We might recognize it, but let's not say anything yet, maybe no one else will either.

As each of life's transitions occur, we look back on the experiences of earlier stages and wish we could have spent a little more time in each one, maybe preparing a little more fully for what would lie ahead. We don't feel prepared to deal with grown up life.

If you are like me, and I'm fairly confident you are, you have not found it easy to trust the One whose chosen job it is to care for and walk through these bigger and more difficult life stages with you. It's difficult to understand "why?" when it makes no sense at all.

He tells us not to lean on our own understanding. Even though He has promised "never to leave us or forsake us", He tells us "I know the plans I have for you, to make you prosper, not to harm you." He calls us "friend." He says "Come to me if you have a heavy burden." "If I care for the birds of the air, and fish of the sea, so will I care for you." Even in light of the promises He gives, we still cannot fully trust Him.

This is a major transition for us....to lean on Him and not ourselves. I'm still, in many of the changes in my life, struggling to trust, to "Stop striving" and lean on Him. In our small group on Sundays we have started an exercise on "Communicating with God." Journaling is a large part of the exercise and I enjoy it greatly. The exercise is not new to me, but sometimes I let life happen and forget I don't have to do it alone, or have anything to prove. I've long started my day by saying, "Father, don't let me do anything today that will not bring Honor to You." I will now add:

"Father, what do You want to tell me today"...so far His answer has been "Trust Me."

He is in every transition we make and is big enough to carry us through them. I invite each of you to communicate with God along with me daily in a quiet time and place.

I love each of you,

"Oh That Your Hand Would Be With Me"

2010-07-27T01:30:00.011-05:00

MY TERRITORY

In our life group we are reading the small book by Bruce Wilkinson called "The Prayer of Jabez". While I was reading for this past Sunday, I asked Les his view on the prayer and he said he didn't think Jabez prayer was meant to be used as a model prayer for us. It was something personal between Jabez and God, but certainly we could learn from his experiences. I'm not sure how we are meant to take the prayer, but the words in this book have struck a cord in my heart

As I finished chapter three and started on chapter. four, the words seemed to jump out at me. The point in this chapter is "oh that your hand would be with me". The writer was talking about descending to power and how out of control and weak he was feeling in his ministry, territory, whatever. He wasn't feeling at all the way a leader should feel. The thought the advisor gave him was that his feeling of being out of control was actually his dependence on The Lord...

I told a friend just a few days ago I had felt out of control in my ministry...the same way Bruce was feeling, but is that not what we strive all our lives to overcome? dependence on someone else? We want to stand on our own two feet, do it our way, make our own mark on the world. Show our ability to "lead". I have to say, I haven't been depending on The Lord, my Out of Control is not in a good way.

As I read the words (and this will probably not explain how I feel or why, it's only helping me to see it more clearly) I realized I had actually asked God (in my heart only of course) to expand my territory within the women's ministry at BACC BEFORE it was presented to me. I wanted that territory and He blessed me and gave it to me. I wanted it to help the younger women relate to and learn from the older women, I wanted to help those who were hurting to heal and trust the Father. He brought into my life very effective tools for doing these things but I'm not actively seeking to use them.

Les and I have asked for many years for Him to bless and grow our territory within our family, our children, grand children, brothers and sisters and their families. This is a very dear and constant desire for me. Again I feel I have not depended upon Him walking beside me and have missed opportunity to bless as I've been blessed.

What have I been doing, Nothing. Actually I have been shirking my blessings and leaving them on the table. No wonder I feel incapable and weak, I'm NOT depending on Him to increase my gift.

I remind myself of the conversation I had with Zackary today about all of the birthday and Christmas gifts he has asked for over the last few years and has received. Now most of them lie in a pile, broken with parts missing and pages torn. He was willing to "donate" those gifts to others, but not willing to care for and appreciate the givers of those gifts.

Father, forgive me for asking for my territory to be larger and then not appreciating the gift or the giver. Restore my dependence on you to once again honor those in my territory.

If you happen to be reading this, you are in my territory by the gift of our Lord and I thank Him for you. I love you and offer myself to you!

Your Friend,

Alma

EIGHTEEN TODAY!

2010-03-25T10:11:00.013-05:00

TODAY IS ABOUT BAILEY BUGS

It only takes a year or two for them to grow up, but they never seem to grow out of your heart. While I'm excited for the life ahead of her, I'm sad she will be "on her own" in a world whose values are upside down.

I can remember those bright blue eyes, with her fly-away blond hair framing her face, looking up at me in the middle of the night as she asked if she could sleep with me and papa. She was afraid of the dark. My little sweetie was not even talking yet. She just patted the bed and climbed in beside me.

Trying to fix her hair for church was always a challenge, until she actually grew hair. I'm not sure just when it changed from blond to brown and then almost black. Well, I guess I remember the almost black change.

Around the time she started talking good she discovered papa kept jelly beans on his desk and she would go in and sneak them when he wasn't in the office. One day he was working at home and she couldn't get to them so she started asking for them. Only she could only say a few words. Her request came out, "Papa, beans. Papa, beans. We finally figured out what she was asking for and Bailey got her beans and Papa was dubed "Papa Beans"...

There was the vacation trip to New Mexico with Papa, Nana, Michael, Aunt Connie and Noni to play in the snow and drink hot chocolate and play games in front of the fire place one winter. I guess Bailey and Michael were probably four and five. If you ask Michael he would probably remember Bailey looking under bathroom stalls talking to the lady next to us while she told her life history and why she was in the mountains. And then walking up and talking to an elderly couple in MacDonald's while they tried to eat their breakfast. He might even remember them sitting in the back seat of the van playing while we sped through the country to our vacation. Bailey was the "robber" and we heard her tell Michael, "This is a stick-up, give me all your money and take off all your clothes". Papa nearly drove off the mountain side.

Nana would remember her saying the prayer for lunch and it going like this, "God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food. By His hands we are fed, thank you Lord for Bailey Redd."

Then... if you ask Bailey, she would probably remember sitting on a rock in the middle of the frozen stream behind our vacation rental house watching little snow flakes fall. As we were going back to the house we noticed a couple of ravenous dogs on the bank with their tongues hanging out. Nana very lovingly got her two precious grandchildren by the hands and started walking quickly to the house. As I looked over my shoulder and saw them running after us, probably thinking hurry there goes our dinner" Bailey's hand slipped from mine. Michael had run ahead of us and went under the split rail fence and after I got safely behind it, I encouraged Bailey to "Run, Bailey, run". She some how remembers me dropping her and leaving her for the bait. Now I ask you, would a Nana do that?

We went as high up the snow covered mountain as the car could get and got out to walk further up and Bailey and Michael wanted to make snow angles and slide down the slopes on their bottoms. Michael soon decided it wasn't for him while Bailey whized by and came back for more. We nearly lost her one time in a ditch.

We went though T-ball, soccer, Brownies, making gifts for Christmas parties at school, a season in little theater. I know I've forgotten some things. As she grew older there were the normal school banquets and then high school. That one slipped up on me and nearly took me down. At the end of her sophomore year she made the Cavaliers then all of a sudden she was a senior and lo-and-behold graduated at mid-term.

In January of this year she started college at San Jac and today, today...my Bailey Bugs is eighteen years old.

Bailey honey, I know I have forgotten so many things but all I can see is your smile and your beautiful eyes. I miss scratching you back and making it tickle.

God, thank you for "Bailey Redd"

I Love You

p.s. Bailey, I'm sorry I could not edit the pictures and pull the ones I wanted. Papa Beans has retired for the night so we're stuck with Nana's computer skills, or lack there of...

In The Words Of A Five Year Old

2010-03-06T16:17:00.020-06:00

"Ni Hoa"

Some of you might have seen our Hattie's debut on her mommy's blog but I just want to pass it on just in case you haven't.

Hattie is the youngest, for now, daughter of my niece Tricia and her husband Eric. As I've written before, they are in the process of adopting Lydda. Lydda lives in an orphanage in China today, but hopefully, around mid April will live with her new family.

Hattie had to do a poster and oral presentation on another country. Of course she chose China. I'm going to let her share what she has learned of her sister's native country. Hattie...

I've shared Lydda's picture with all of you before, but I want to show you again. I hope and pray these beautiful little eyes will be before you when you go to our Father God tonight and tomorrow morning. In fact, as often as you can, please lift her up. Life for Lydda is not what it is for our 12 month olds here.

satan has been working pretty hard over the last couple days to not only discourage but interrupt the plans for Hattie's sister to come live with her. You know though, you can't keep a five year old down. She doesn't understand lost flyer miles, delayed travel plans, extra charges to authorities, just all the blips on the radar. Here are a few things she has done to "help":
...She drew pictures and had her mom raffle them on her blog

... she worked at their jambalaya dinner sale

... she prays for her every night

... and she (and her sister Emogene - a story for another time) gave their

complete piggy bank savings to "help hurry Lydda up".

Anyway, this is just an introduction to Hattie. I have so many great-nieces and nephews, all with the same loving hearts. I will have to actually count down from my brothers to their kids and then maybe I'll get there. God blessed the three of us, Wayne, Valmond and me with many precious off-spring.

I Love You All
p.s. "Ni Hoa" means "hello" from China, in case you missed that in Hattie's

presentation.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ASK GOD TO SHOW UP?

2010-03-02T20:59:00.015-06:00

HE DOES!!!

Well, the dates for the Ladies Retreat we were planning at our church were this past Friday and Saturday. Of course all the details worked themselves out (ha). Anyway all the things I stressed over in an earlier post are history.....pleasant history.

COLORED LENSES GROUP SHOW OFFS

LEADING WORSHIP

We started about 3:00pm setting up the room and organizing the room keys and name tags. I think five ladies plus myself and then, of course, my wonderful hubby, were there working faster than the speed of humans to get it all done. We had three ladies working on the registration table and also putting bags of chocolate goodies in the rooms for each guest, two or three ladies were working on setting up the tables, centerpieces, door prizes and journals, pens and crayons for Friday night. Les was helping bring in sound equipment and Craige, Deborah's husband set it up. (I had nothing to do with sound or music. It took me the whole weekend to figure out how to turn the cordless mic on and off without blowing out ear drums). I was trying to get the last minute things we forgot to ask for (from the hotel) and going over the things I had PLANNED to say.

We started with an ice breaker and I have to admit, it was the first and only time I have been defined by a pig...after drawing our own picture of a pig, the lady in charge of that part began to tell us what each item told us about ourselves; i.e. which way the pig faced, if it was standing or sitting, how long and curly or straight it's tail was. That was really cute. Long story short, mine said I was "direct, aggressive, emotional, a risk taker, didn't like major change" and a couple other things I won't mention. Can anyone see ANY of those adjectives in my character???

We then had about 20 minutes of worship and a friend of mine signed to "Open the Eyes of MY Heart, Lord", a song I have claimed as my plea to God for about twenty years. I cried. Then it was time for me to open and I struggled with my memory. Whether it was emotion or poor memory I can't say. We spent a lot of time enjoying each other, eating, and exploring our Great and awesome God.

For about six weeks I had been asking for clear direction on how to say the things I knew He wanted me to say. We had a very definite struggle on the fact that I would say anything at all for a while, but after thinking about the people He called in scripture to pass on His message...Moses for one, wandered in the desert for 40 years for disobeying and hardening his heart (I SURE don't have 40 years to catch on) and then Jonah checked into the "Belly of the Big Fish" hotel for three days and I don't even do Holiday Inn Express very well, I said "okay, You lead Lord". At that point, He did.

We spent the rest of the night and Saturday mostly on personal introspective communication with God and seeking His guidance for our lives. It was called "Colored Lenses" and dealt with our prejudices of scripture, or if we even believed they were true, for us. How the choices we make in our lives color our belief that God is big enough to deal with them and still save us. Most of the ladies said it was different from what they have done in the past and were pleased they came. If and when we do another one depends on many things, but mostly on His guidance. Believe me though when I say "When we ask Him to, He does show up", and in a BIG way.

Thanks to all who helped with the week end, most especially, my Father God, my Abba, and my Lord.

I Love You All

WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE BEFORE CELL PHONES

2010-02-14T14:36:00.006-06:00

There was a time I refused to have a cell phone. That wasn't too many years ago. Well, not as I count years. Probably it was about eight I guess.

I can remember.. sitting in a restaurant and actually talking to the people you were with instead of the one who couldn't make it...not having to listen to the person behind you in line at the store threaten her kids (and wonder if she really thought they cared. What was she going to do, reach through the phone?)...being at work and knowing the person looking at me was talking to me...leaving the house and knowing the kids couldn't find you until you were ready.

Today after lunch though I remembered...walking the floor at 2a.m. because a child wasn't home yet (I guess that works both ways)...being stranded in traffic and not having a way to let anyone know...being lost coming back from a Christmas Around The World party and being afraid to knock on someones door to use the phone...running out of gas...not being able to find your parents when you want to...

I remembered all this because Les and I went to church in separate cars this morning and I forgot my cell phone. Soooo, we left church in separate cars, and met for lunch. When we left the restaurant I went first and was cruising down Clear Lake City Blvd. When I crossed the tracks I looked back and he wasn't behind me. I drove slowly for another few blocks then turned on my hazard lights and barely rolled. Finally just before I got to I-45 I turned around and started back, watching for him. Sure enough, there he went, right past me going the opposite way. We saw each other about the same time and I had to U-turn and go back. Anyway, by the time I pulled up in the driveway he was about to back out to go look for me.

If there is a moral to this story I guess it would be, keep your cell phone with you and turn it off if you don't want to be found!!

Love You All

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF INSURANCE DEPENDENCY

2010-02-09T17:03:00.011-06:00

--------------WHAT IS THEIR PLAN, REALLY?----------------

Brand Necessary vs. Generic

I have spent the last five months fighting "the system" and guess what? I'm loosing.

I feel a little like Ziggy, "It's just you and me against the world (insurance company), and frankly I think we're going to get creamed". I suppose in most cases, even for me, generic drugs are a blessing. This time though the generic does not work and they don't care.

In October a patch came out to replace the one I have been using for almost ten years for blood pressure, and it cost us nothing. No co-pay at all vs $100.00. So, what am I complaining about? It's a patch and does not stick to my tough hide. The process that has evolved has turned into a fiasco.

Before we found that out I had to have my doctor write a script for the generic so I could get it filled, for nothing. Then for the next two months I paid nothing for my blood pressure patch, but my blood pressure was staying around 190/90 because the medication did not stay stuck. The insurance company said "move it to a less 'exposed' part of your body". Okay, I won't tell y'all just where all we tried that patch, but it still didn't stay stuck.

At that point I got really upset with the insurance person on the other end of the phone and told her to pass on to "whom ever won't let her do anything about the situation", that as their insured I had two options. Have a stroke and be hospitalized for weeks, costing them a little more than my co-pay, or opt for "the public option", whatever that turned out to be. Then I was on a roll and said, "maybe there is a third option, which would behoove you guys. That would be to just choose pain meds until my blood pressure took care of the whole situation".

In January I gave up and paid the now increased co-pay ($131.00) because I refused the generic. My doctor and I both wrote appeal letters to the insurance company stating "medically necessary" and they have 45 days to respond with their ruling.

Well, today I went to pick up my February refill and it had gone up to $156.00 because now not only do we have to pay the non-preferred cost, but the difference between the "market price" of the drug, and the generic price. Whatever that means. I guess processing the name brand must be a little like dragging the coast of Main for lobster or processing caviar. It cost about the same.

So, what happened today? I called the doctor again and asked to have a script faxed to the drug store stating name brand only based on medical necessity. I won't have it for today, which I should have, but maybe by tomorrow evening after four pm I will.

I know people who work for the insurance company are just that, people. I try really hard not to shoot the messenger since they are probably a little like the guy in Custer's battle with the Apache. They know they are going to get slaughtered, probably from both ends. (don't ask where that gruesome analogy came from, not today).

Besides all the conversation between the pharmacy, me, the insurance company (two different people) and the doctor's office, I had Hunter running around spilling his coke and talking to all the people waiting to get their medicines filled. He just climbed up beside this older man and started shaking his hand and telling him, who knows what? I'm sure the man didn't know nor did I. I guess only Hunter knows for sure.

Maybe none of you feel any better but I think I do. Hope you all have a good evening.
Love ya,
Nana

"YOU ARE FREE"

2010-01-29T00:31:00.012-06:00

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE FREE

A while back I went into a convenience store to "borrow" their restroom and purchase a Diet Coke. You never want to go into a store to use their facilities without buying a $1.00 drink, right?

Well the restroom was occupied so I, not so patiently, stood there and waited. Obviously whoever was in there didn't have anywhere else to be. I was about to knock on the door and ask if I could have just a couple minutes and then they could take as long as they wanted. Just before I knocked, the door opened and a little girl who looked to be about six years old came out, the door closed behind her and she just stood there looking at me. No smile, no indication she even saw me.

Okay, I'm a pretty reasonable grand-motherly type but there is only one reason you risk a pubic bathroom. I looked at her and smiled and said, "Hi honey, are you finished in there"? She nodded her head and walked to the front of the store.

After I got the Diet Coke I went to the register to pay for it and the little girl was standing in front of the counter. I'm not sure the lady behind the counter could even see her. As quick as a wink her hand went up and she got a small piece of candy and tried to put it in her pocket. About that time a lady came up behind her, I guess her mom, and took it away. Of course she started telling her that what she was doing was stealing. I could tell the little girl was confused and was trying to say she wasn't going to take it, she just had it in her hand and didn't know why she picked it up.

As they went out of the store, the lady was telling her all the reasons she needed to apologize and to whom. First to her mom for embarrassing her, then to Jesus for doing something she shouldn't have, and then the lady in the store because it was her candy. Seems to me mom might have gotten that a little out of order, but I guess the idea was right.

A few minutes later the door opened and the two of them came back in. The mom said to the lady behind the counter, "We have something to tell you". The little girl looked up and said, "I'm sorry I,... Umm I didn't mean to,... well I'm sorry I almost took your candy". By this time the lady's husband was standing behind the counter with both hands on top of it. They both looked down at her and the man said, "YOU ARE FREE. YOU ARE FREE, YOU CAN GO". He gave her a big smile and she wiped her eyes with her little chubby hand and smiled back. As they were leaving the store the last time, the little girl looked up at her mommy and said "I don't feel guilty anymore"!

Even I had to wipe my eyes. It could have been me, or you, or anyone with children or grandchildren. If we could free others from their guilt, we ourselves would feel free just like the little girl did. I picture her skipping down the sidewalk in front of her house singing joyfully.

BEING FREE MEANS "NOT FEELING GUILTY ANYMORE"

Good night and sleep in peace.

A HEART THAT IS PURE

2010-01-23T00:03:00.010-06:00

A LOVE THAT REACHES ACROSS THE OCEANS

..."religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:
look after orphans and widows in their distress and keep oneself
from being polluted by the world." Jas. 1:27
What can "keep oneself from being polluted by the world", and "looking after orphans and widows", have to do with each other? Maybe the prevailing idea that it isn't "our responsibility" to look after helpless humans made in God's image (regardless of parental origin) is pollution from the world?

Friends, I have come face to face with a precious baby girl, a child with
beautiful brown eyes and chubby cheeks whose parents could not raise her and give her the care she needed to survive in a country that does not place value on human life. Rather than kill this child, they loved her for a month before making the heart wrenching decision to leave her on the steps of an orphanage thousands of miles across the world. God's world.

My niece and her husband and their girls have been waiting for a "baby
girl" to become theirs for nearly four years. During those years they worked extra jobs, gave up things you and I expect as our rights, learned things about living for someone else rather than for ourselves, shared their dreams with others and at times wondered if that space in their hearts and home would ever be filled with the laughter and patter of little feet. The feet of the little girl left on the steps of an orphanage by birth parents whose circumstances forbade them watching her grow into a young woman.

Tricia and Eric have saved thousands of dollars toward bringing their baby Lydda (age 11 months now, soon to be a year old) home to live in a family who has been loving her and waiting to share a "pure and faultless" religion
with a child who might never have known a loving Father God. They are still short on the money needed to accomplish this by several thousand dollars. While I'm not asking you to send money to a family you do not know, I am asking you to lift this need up to the Father of all children in prayer.

They need money for:
...three visas and passports
...airline tickets for two to the country to get Lydda
...and for three to bring them all home
...hotel expenses for their two week stay
...$5,000 to pay the orphanage when they receive her

Friends who have gone through this journey with them are helping with fundraisers and auctions and by donating proceeds from various other efforts. They are donating airline miles, etc. If there is any thing you can help with, please let us know. I am going to post Lydda's picture and give you a blog site to visit so you can meet Eric, Tricia and their family.

"and now these three remain: Faith, Hope, and Love. But the greatest of these is LOVE". I Cor. 13:13

Meet Lydda. She has already made a huge place in my heart. I love you so, sweet Lydda.

Dee Dee

www.thejoysofmommy.blogspot.com

Planning a Retreat

2010-01-20T00:44:00.003-06:00

??????????HAVE I LOST MY MIND??????????

How many of you would even think about planning a retreat for women? That's what I thought. I HAVE lost my mind. Of course I've been called a lot of things in my short life time, but "The Brightest Crayon in the Box" hasn't been one of them.

Last summer I accepted a volunteer position, Women's Ministry Leader, at our church. We only have about 125-150 women ranging from young mommies to great-grandmothers in our congregation. There hasn't been anyone "in charge" (like anyone is ever in charge of that many women) for about five years. They really are a sweet group of women and are always ready to lend a hand, at least until you start planning a retreat for them, that is.

So, I have one lady helping me plan this retreat for the last weekend in February. She will be in charge of music and worship. That, my friends is a VERY good thing since I don't know a note, from a bar, from a staff, and would not know how to put any of them together, unless the staff would write a note to someone in the bar. No?, I thought not. I have a lady who will do the layout of the program and one who will print and assemble name tags.

I have done enough retreat planning in our former church and on my job for fifteen years one would think I could do it with my eyes closed. Here are just a few of the obstacles I've faced in one week.

*Made a typo on the poster I put up in the restrooms and foyer

*Sent the info to the church secretary to post in the bulletin -

cost not designated as per person on it.

*Had to call the ladies already signed up and explain cost

*One lady told me she called the hotel and they don't have queen beds

*Sent out e-mails to ask for help on different things - no responses>br>

All except the last one is fixable. Everyone seems to be excited and looking

forward to the weekend. I guess though they think chocolates will put themselves in the guest rooms, the rooming list will appear out of thin air, the program will be written by God himself, the small group questions will be pre-printed and someone from the hallway will lead the groups, the chef will just know what food we want to serve, centerpieces will be donated by every one else except them, a prayer walk is something made out of concrete, decorations jump on the tables and the props are purchased on-line. Oh, did I mention we will need about 20 dozen cookies with affirmations written on them. I think the biggest mis-conception though, is that this Women's Ministry Leader has it under control. Anyone out there want to be the MC? If you do, you have to think of something to say all by yourself.

I know this sounds crazy, and it just might be, (it did to him too) but I keep hearing the words "remember Gideon" (thanks Tricia for the reminder I had to look up the story and read it again)...long story short, God accomplished with 300 men what Gideon had assembled 30,000 men to do. Of course, Gideon was defeating a nation, I'm planning a women's retreat. Gideon, where are your 30,000??

Anyway, I'm sure on February 28Th, the day after the retreat, I will have had all the help I needed. I am looking forward to it. Anyone out there, ladies, who wants to attend a well though out and semi organized retreat, let me know.

I think I say all this to say I'm having a blast, and a few sleepless nights!

To God Be The Glory

Just A Few Memories

2010-01-07T00:13:00.008-06:00

.......................From My Heart To Yours.......................

In choosing to write this, I have had to think over events long past and by some, maybe best forgotten. I don't, however choose to forget a man who has lived just weeks short of 92 years on this earth.

On the lives he touched, and in most cases changed, finger prints were left to be read like one might read a book. Though all the stories would be the same. 'Live life, love people and serve God".

His story started with his wife "Dot" (or granny to the family), and his kids and extended family, and traveled with him to church, and through out many counties and even states.

I remember:

... him driving an old blue truck

... a rambler with the back floor board out

(and him spitting out the front window and it flying in the back window)

... holding "little Wayne" in the front room at the old house

... a green pick up with a dash so full of papers he couldn't find anything

... calling home to see what granny needed from the store

...him with "toodles"(granny's little dog) at the old house

... chopping and stacking wood

... his face when Jonathon started to lead "Elvira" in church

... reaching out to the "younger generation" RJ and David Hutton

at the "new house"

I don't remember:

... him getting angry

... spanking a grand child

... loosing his temper

... stopping at a red light

I know there are many people who saw him every day and remember many stories and adventures they shared with RJ Redd, they are worth a mint. Please remember and share these memories, keeping the legacy alive for his family and yours. You will be continually blessed.

To my sister-in-law Linda, her sister and brothers, my nieces and nephews and their families, and to my own children... my heart goes out to you. He was a special person.

May His Life Continue To Glorify God Through Each Of You
..

TIS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

2009-12-24T17:10:00.014-06:00

? 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

2009-12-05T18:44:00.018-06:00

****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

2009-11-22T20:49:00.004-06:00

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??

2009-11-16T15:08:00.007-06:00

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

2009-11-15T23:18:00.012-06:00

******************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

2009-11-02T21:54:00.010-06:00

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

2009-11-01T22:19:00.017-06:00

**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

2009-10-15T23:13:00.000-05:00

Make a Smilebox postcard

MY "LITTLE BROTHER"

2009-09-20T07:55:00.013-05:00

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!!

2009-09-15T10:11:00.010-05:00

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

2009-09-08T16:19:00.011-05:00

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

2009-08-19T19:04:00.015-05:00

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

2009-08-12T23:07:00.005-05:00

++++++------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

2009-08-04T12:19:00.018-05:00

******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

2009-07-10T00:06:00.012-05:00

****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

2009-07-01T00:13:00.030-05:00

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.

Forever With You

2009-06-27T10:29:00.011-05:00

Make a Smilebox scrap pages

HAPPY 23RD ANNIVERSARY!

Today marks the twenty-third year Les and I have been married...and they said it wouldn't last two.

These years have not all been easy, but they have all been worth it. Blending two families is, at best, a challenge. At some times it has been down right difficult. We have been blessed with outstanding role models, both in our families and within our church family. Through out the years the kids have struggled with identity, but when we look around us and ask others who are not "blended", they seem to have struggled just as much and many in the same areas.

I would not trade even one of our six children and their children for any others out there. I thank the Lord for his love and blessings, as well as the nearly 13 grand children he has given us.

Les and I have been blessed to both have had good jobs (if not high paying, at least steady and rewarding). We have served the Lord's church in many capacities, worked with kids, older adults, ladies, and shepherding His flock, praise team and in community efforts as well. I've been blessed with a husband whose heart is after the Lord's and totally devoted to me. During my years of kidney failure and transplant he was ever beside me and never missed work. I thank you Lord. I also thank my precious husband.

To all those, family and friends, I love you all and have loved sharing our twenty three years with you.
Looking toward 24.

Special People- #4

2009-06-23T22:55:00.031-05:00

Special People
***A Brother - A Friend***

Today I want to introduce you to one of my two brothers. The "older" one. While we were growing up he was an example to Valmond and me in so many ways. I might say, just so he doesn't get too puffed up, they weren't ALL the best possible examples.

There were the times he would have us be the "ammo" bearers in The War of the Spitballs between him and Sam. We learned to...stay OUT of the line of fire, even if you are doing an important job. It seems the ammo bearers were disposable and the warrior wasn't.

Then there were the times in the back seat of the car, you know the ones when the belt came off, when he would whisper things that made us scream and cry, "gross". We learned from those times to duck before screaming.

Oh, there was the game of "you can ride the bike (we all shared one) when you catch me." Ha! The lesson there was wait until he was tired of riding and then get the bike.

I trained for my future employment from him. I would charge him to clean out his car and shine his shoes. I learned to tell him he looked really cool when he combed his hair like Elvis. (I have to admit I continued to learn to support myself when Valmond started working too. Stay tuned for a future post on that one.) Tell me, do these three precious children look like trouble makers to you?

He took me for hamburgers, ice cream and rides in his car, "taught me to drive" when I was twelve. Only so I could hold the wheel while he ate his hamburger.

He never ratted me out when I would hide in the back seat of his car and try to go on his dates when he would take Laj to the movies. He just took me back home and begged me to go inside so daddy wouldn't know I had snuck away.

Before you get the wrong idea about this older brother we had, I also must tell you he was the one who took me to church before mom and dad started taking us. I remember the two of us walking to Winborn Methodist Church on yep, Winborn Avenue, when I was very young. He would take me to my class and stand outside the door to see if I cried. Of course when I learned he was waiting there, I cried. I'm not sure if I learned to attend church, or to cry to get my brother's attention. No comment, V.P.

I remember his humble acceptance of daddy's "house rules" even after he was grown and out of the house. Any time he came home he showed the utmost respect and honor for our parents. I learned it was cool to respect (if not fear) daddy's rules.

When we were older and had families of our own he let Wayne and Connie live with them in Enterprise so they could finish their third and fourth grade years. The teachers in EBRP went on strike and the schools had to make up the time lost during the summer. Of course my kids didn't think it so cool to have an uncle as principal and one as their teacher. Poor "Little Wayne" had to take fifth grade classes under Uncle Valmond and get sent to Uncle Wayne in the office.

A few years later Wayne moved to Jackson and started a career in a Children's home. After serving there for a couple years he moved to Albany and started and ministered to children sent by our Lord using land that was given him by his dad. He spent almost thirty years ministering to those in need wherever he met them on their journey through life. The examples he set forth are still borne out in the lives of many of those young people today. I had the honor of serving with him for a year close to the start of that ministry.

For twenty years our lives took different paths but we never stopped loving or praying for each other. After such a long time God brought us back together and now we share a love and understanding of Love, Mercy and Grace we could never have known as younger siblings. He now has the opportunity of knowing the most gentle, understanding man I have ever known in this life and I have been given the chance to know and love a true lady. One who knows the meaning of love as defined in I Corinthians 13. I pray we all can experience love demonstrated in this way.

On this day, June 24th, 2009, I wish my older brother a very Happy 66th Birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

I LOVE YOU,

SISSY

SPECIAL PEOPLE - A LEGACY

2009-06-21T17:28:00.023-05:00

A MAN WHO LEFT A LEGACY

The words that follow may be some of the hardest I will ever write. I think most of you who read this will either know this Special Person personally, or know him through the legacy he left in this world. My preference would be that you all could have known him personally, even as his children, grandchildren, or nieces and nephews knew him.

Henry Calvin Wallace, Henry Jr.,(even though we wasn't a junior) Pete, Petey, Daddy, Brother'n Law, Uncle Pete, Pa Paw Pete, Chief, Honey...I've heard lots of different names for him, all spoken either in respect or love, or both.

All three of us kids have stories we could tell about him until the cows come home I know, and probably most of you do, too. A few that come to my mind include:

...the sound of a belt popping through belt loops after lights out (right in the middle of a spit ball fight across the room, guys..)
...the sound of that same belt hitting the side of the bath tub (instead of our backsides, where it should have been) I don't think he actually spanked us, well me, anyway.
...the sound of that same belt across the back seat of the car along with the words, "don't make me pull this car over". Like he needed to. That belt knew just where to go. The back seat looked like an evacuation zone. We were all on the floor board. (That was before click-it-or-ticket)
...his voice, along with Uncle Valmond's, pushing grand pa Wallace's buttons about, well okay, we won't go there, but you all remember, right?
...the times I made coffee for him and took it out to the back yard. He always asked me if it burned my tongue, if not, it wasn't hot enough.
...clearing the front yard of the neighborhood guys was easy, it only took the red chief car coming down the street. Thanks daddy, I never did live that down. Someone must have been the scout because they all flew into Myra's yard at one time.
...marking out and pouring the basketball court in the back yard, along with the help of Unc and the boys, I'm sure.
...teaching us all by example about hard work, ethics, integrity and his faith.
...teaching us how to love our children and grandchildren, also by his example
...how to love and care for our Mother through the years. We all remember the latter years, but what about those early ones when he worked two or three jobs to keep us with food on the table and clothes to wear and not the best of worldly possessions, but family times to remember
...times that included trips to "the country", and to the camp
...college educations, vehicles when we needed them, an inheritance much greater than money, one that included his whole life.

I could go on and on but I want to post this while it is still Father's Day. I wish I had one more to share with him. Bub, and Bub (oh, do we sound like we are from deep East Texas, or what), here are a couple pictures to remember the good times.

What was the joke? Just sharing a good ole cook out with daddy

Okay, Wayne, what's with the hair?? (oh wait, is that Elvis?)

This is my all time favorite picture. I wish it weren't so dark, but it was taken in the swamps of Louisiana. It was on daddy's 60th birthday and we were having a birthday toast. Yes, that IS me, believe it or not. Oh the good ole days. Any stories or remembrances you all have are welcome.

LOVE TO ALL

Special People - New Mexico Style

2009-06-14T22:34:00.025-05:00

As I start to make this post, it is as unclear in my mind as the others have been. I'm not sure just what path it will take. I know I want to share with you all our trip and visits of the past week. Beyond that, God will lead me...

We started on Saturday morning and drove, what seemed to be a thousand miles, ending in Ft. Stockton, Texas, actually 300+ miles or so. For those of you who have never been to Ft. Stockton, it is the arm pit of this huge state. It was so hot and dusty I thought I had gone back in time to the Old West movies. We even had dust on our salad plates at K-Bobs. (for someone who worked in food service for almost 15 years that was hard to swallow)

On Sunday we started the fun part of the trip. Trading dust for a quick trip through the mountains of Cloudcroft. What a refreshing glimpse of the beauty on God's green earth. The temperature dropped about twenty degrees from either the ascent or descent. We had lunch there and then continued to Alamogordo where we checked into our motel and went to see David, Stephanie and girls. I must say David and Steph were cute and sweet but they don't hold a candle to the girls. I'm sure part of the post will be pictures, you'll just have to wait to see them all. We were in Alamo through Monday night. We enjoyed grilling, playing at the park, eating pizza, shopping for the girls and a movie for the guys, playing Nerts and watching a movie at their house. We were all exhausted by midnight on Monday.

Tuesday morning we all went through Ruidoso, view of the mountains again, to Roswell where we had a fun afternoon with granny and grand daddy. Grand daddy played in the back yard with Katy and Emily while granny sat on the couch and snuggled and kissed with Lilly. We had lunch and then they had to load up and return home. It was a sad time for the adults and probably confusing for the little ones.

Wednesday through Friday morning we were with granny and grand daddy, aka Les' parents. During that time we saw Marsha, Les' sister, and her daughter Tammy (and watched "Zu" movies. Zu is Marsha's grand son, Tim's son) We saw Wayne, Les' brother, and Judy and their kids and grand kids. My how two years changes children. It shocked me to see how big all of Wayne's grand kids were. (he must be getting old...) On the way to visit at their place for a few minutes we saw several antelope on the road side. Only Jerry, Les' younger brother, and family weren't there. We never seem to all be together at the same time.

On Friday morning we left Roswell for the long, seemingly never ending journey, back to Houston. The trip back was relatively uneventful save for tornado warnings in Junction where we spent the night, and heat, heat and more heat. Saturday we finished the trip, getting home mid-afternoon. We saw Toni and Hunter at dinner, where else but Casa Ole!!! We had to come back to Houston to get good Mexican (well Tex-Mex) food. The trip is over and we are left with fun memories and some really good pictures. Enjoy...

GRAND DADDY & PAPAW LES

GRANNY & LILLY

KATY AT THE PARK

PAPAW LES & EMILY

EMILY AT THE PARK

JERRY & SANDY AND FAMILY (ISAAC'S WEDDING)

I have included a picture of Les' brother and his wife so the family is complete, sort of. Hopefully this journal thing will get better. I Love You All. Nana

Special People

2009-06-03T10:02:00.013-05:00

Diva's Garden Party at DS#3 (Myra's)

Our special spread for the above garden party.

Meet the Divas. Preparing for First Diva trip to Spring, Tx.

Yes, we are totally pooped. Our first day of "Discount Shopping"

Sharing a hug after Chris and Karen's wedding. We are smiling
around the tired feet.

Doing what Divas do best. Sharing food, conversation and fun!

This is hopefully going to be the first of many "Special People" stories. I thought for a long time on how to combine all the "Special People" into one post but just could not. Each entry is a chapter all it's own. I'm starting today with these three because I have more pictures readily available. Theres no way to put all of them in any specific order. Sit back and enjoy (I hope)

The Special People

THE DIVAS:

There is no definition in Webster's for Diva Sister because it means "bonded at the heart". We have been a part of each others lives for fifty five to 60 years. (that part we don't publicize so don't repeat it!!!)

Only in the last four years have we realized the ties that bind us together. I would say no one (except spouses, maybe) knows us better than we know each other. Our passions, our dreams, our hurts, our joys...our hearts.

We have shopped, talked, laughed, cried, eaten, driven, (even shared toothpaste and dental floss, well not the SAME floss) you get the idea. Starbucks would be out of business without the Divas.

We've shared births of our children, weddings of our children, and births of their children. We've shared the growing old of our parents and that of ourselves. There is no time of day or night we can't reach each other and quite often the call doesn't need to go out, one just calls the other.

To be a Diva is life shared the way God intended us to share life, in relationship. The joy of being a Diva Sister is a joy treasured. I send love to my Divas and to all how read this blog.

In God's care

Alma

DS #2

If I tried to list all the reasons Diva Sisters are Divas, you wouldn't read this post because it would be way too long. I'm going to conclude with a few pictures to tie my story together. (sorry, I don't have this thing down yet, and probably never will. Pictures came first)

A Busy Week Ahead

2009-05-31T21:09:00.007-05:00

For those of you who are parents and grand parents, the words "last week of school" has a meaning others just don't understand. This week Cheyenne will have her sixth birthday on Monday, and has awards day starting at 9:00am. Zackary has awards day starting at 9:00am Tuesday morning and they both have"end of school party" on Thursday, as well as early dismissal on Thursday. Michael has graduation on Friday and a party on Saturday. I haven't talked to Tabitha yet to see if Abby will "promote up" like public school now or not. She has a little more relaxed schedule than the others. Sunday afternoon Cheyenne will have her birthday. Somewhere in here I have to pack for a week long trip. Papaw and Nana will not be here for anything after Friday night. (I haven't gotten to next week yet)

We will leave on Saturday morning to go to New Mexico to see David and Stephanie and their family. We will also see Les' parents for a few days while we are out there. We really enjoy visiting with them, only it makes me miss my parents.
We are looking forward to a busy week with lots of family.

2009-05-27T00:02:00.001-05:00

This smilebox will tell you a lot about Zackary. Time nor space will allow me to go into detail right now, but look for more later. Enjoy the show.

2009-05-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

The Lord's Day - Our Memories

2009-05-24T22:52:00.003-05:00

One would think I could find time to write more than just on Sunday morning. Actually, I think it has more to do with the Sabbath than being a day on the calender. Les and I were talking a few minutes ago about what Sunday mornings were like in their home when we were kids. He said what he remembered most was his dad getting up and putting The Chuck Wagon Gang and Tennessee Ernie on the record player, and them eating breakfast together. Very similar to what I remember (except no Chuck Wagon Gang, Please. Maybe Elvis Gospel) except there was mother bustling around in her wisp of a hat and blue house coat getting lunch ready so we could either bring home company or take our food to someones house.
We seem to sit at the computer until about half an hour before time to leave with a cup of coffee and try to be excited about "church". Don't get me wrong, I enjoy worship and love God's people. I just somehow don't love the big rush to do church. (and here I have just excepted the Women's Ministry Leader role.) Relationship is the key to fellowship and mentoring the tool for discipling, more than sitting back-to-back looking forward rather than side-to-side or up. Oh well, I guess that's my sermon for the day. You are the lucky, captive audience that gets to hear it. I also believe studying The Word is the meat of our relationship with our Lord. I would enjoy hearing about y'alls memories and thoughts about the Lord's day. Sad that He only has one, huh?
I would love to hear what each of you remember about that morning .
Love ya

Words From Michael

2009-05-18T21:24:00.006-05:00

For some reason I have been thinking about Michael more often than usual. The words that follow will be words spoken by him over the years:
(there might be a couple explanations just so it makes sense)

about three years old:
1. "wunch box" (Nana -- "What do you carry in your wunch box?") my wunch????!!!!
2. "wittle white dog wif bue eyes" (Nana -- "What are you going to call your wittle white dog wif bue eyes?" wittle white dog wif bue eyes??
3. "Nana, it's a adagator" (it was really a piece of bark from a tree but we were pretending. Michael, where is your adagator?) Uh, what adagator, it's a stick, Nana.
4. (Les tried to teach him Spanish. The sentence was, "Como se llama" what is your name.) After three days of practice with Michael not saying a word he jumped up in Wal-Mart and said "Yo mama es"!
5. We went to visit when he and Connie lived in an apartment in Zackary. While we were riding in the car with Michael between us in the front seat (before seatbelts were the law) he kept asking us what it felt like to die and go to heaven. We were both baffled and kept telling him all the "right stuff", like it will be wonderful, no pain, no crying, no bad things but he was adamant that he wanted us to tell him what it was like for us. Finally he said, "my mommy told me that my Nana and Papaw both died and went to heaven to live with Jesus, so what's it like?"
about five years old:
1. Why did God not make himself a mother, everyone knows mom's love you better than any one.
2. We all know if you have a bad conduct grade (even in Kindergarten) you don't get a birthday party, right. Michael was busted sitting behind the bookshelf changing his grade from a "c" to a "b".
3. If God is the Father, Son and the Spirit, who is the Mom and sister?
4. Nana, please pray for the kids at Burke Road, I don't think that is where they need to be. (His daycare and 1st and 2nd grade school)

about eight years old:
1. So you lied???
This just has to be put into story form because there is ground work to lay. I picked him up from school every day and brought him home with me when he went into public school. One Friday afternoon I had to go across Houston to a meeting and had to get him early. They really frown on checking kids out early so I made up this little story about having to take him to the doctor. When they called his class room they said to send Michael and all his stuff, he had a doctor's apt. Well, Connie had not told him about getting out early so he figured a trip to the doctor meant a shot. I could hear him when he left his class crying and screaming at the top of his lungs, "No I'm not sick. NOOOOO please no shot. No, oh Jesus please help me." I'm not kidding, every teacher was looking out into the hallway. After we left the office with him crying I got him outside on the sidewalk and bent down to talk to him, looking into his eyes and hugging him while I explained about the trip across town and yada, yada. He stopped crying and looked right into my eyes and said "so you lied?". I was totally shocked silent. No words would come out of my mouth. When I finally found my brains I said "you know, honey, I did and I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have. Will you forgive Nana?" His reply shocked me almost as much..."I think it's okay Nana. My mom does it all the time". That night I was hosting a Ladies Retreat and ended up spilling my sins before the whole group and after they prayed for my lying, they laughed all weeked at me.
Well, this is about all the Michael humor a body can stand. I promise I won't bore you longer.
Good night and may God bless you all

Prom Night

2009-05-16T23:38:00.008-05:00

How does one describe a heart that overflows with a touch of sadness and a burst of pride so large it blocks the sky?

This evening I, along with his mom and others, sent Michael and his date off to senior prom. (it was sorta like the first day of pre-K when we all followed him, with his "wunch" box, to school, cameras flashing ) When I left the house, the sky opened up and poured huge, tear shaped rain drops, or maybe it was just my heart turning loose. I can't imagine what graduation night will be like. He was so tall and handsome in his tux, asking me to please not cry. Just to wait until he was gone at least.

Anyway, this is not meant to be a tear jerker, the night was that. It is just a peek into a Nana's heart on prom night. I love you, Michael