Cinderella, Little Furmaid, and Sleeping Judy

Getting to Know You

2012-02-26T06:07:00.000-08:00

As Abigail does what she does best,

sitting and discovering toys with her mouth .....

John moves into her baby world of small toys and gumming things.

He seems very curious about this baby girl who is often around.

He calls her "baby".

Getting to know you,

Getting to know all about you,

Getting to like you,

Getting to hope you like me.

Getting to know you,

Putting it my way,

but nicely,

You are precisely,

My cup of tea.

Getting to know you,

Getting to feel free and easy

When I am with you,

Getting to know what to say.

Haven't you noticed,

suddenly I'm bright and breezy?

Because of all the beautiful and new

Things I'm learning about you

Day by day.

John Moore and Abigail Barber,

my two youngest grandchildren.

She is the baby now, 8 months. John is 2.

It's Been an Unusual Four Days Which Have Just Passed.

2012-02-06T09:01:00.000-08:00

Monday morning and Andrew and Luke are at my house. We've already been to Wal-Mart very early and not looking very refreshed. We'd just come from taking Ellie back to her house, early, for school with Mom.

Let me go back.

Friday, all day, their dad, Steve, was very sick. None of us knew what, but we knew he was sick. It was stomach, but the pain and nausea changed locations all day. Doctor appt. was scheduled for Saturday.

Uh, no.

He ended up in the hospital in Huntsville diagnosed with appendicitis. Oops!

I had Ann's four, while Ann and Charlie made 2 back and forth trips to the hospital. I enticed breastfed Abigail with a bottle of formula. Once I added 2 tsp. of sugar and some vanilla flavoring, she got a little bit interested.

So - surgery was at 5:30 Saturday morning. Got it done and Ann and Charlie back home. Sleepy grownups and well rested children. Ahhhh. Bad combo.

But a few good pictures in between. Like..... well.....bathing Andrew in the kitchen sink. I'd rather clean out the sink twice (before and after) than lean over that tub. Oh, the back! Abigail can sit up really good now so I had the idea to bathe her in the sink - and then I thought, hmmmmm. Wonder if Andrew can still fit in there. He's 3 but small. yep. And he loved it. Sobbed when he had to get out.

Okay - so that was Saturday while Ellie and Luke were at a birthday party.

Metta Parr was kind enough to take them and bring them home.

Ann was at home receiving Steve, who was being transported home by Scott Parr.

At the party Ellie and Luke received favors which have been a very big deal to them.

Glow in the Dark thingies plus Luke had this army guy whom he's become very attached to.

Tiny little guy who amazingly hasn't gotten forever lost yet - but -

just now - he broke and Luke truly grieved. There was something about his legs popping off.

So pictures before we bury him. We are, we're going to bury him in the back yard.

At first, when I suggested it, Luke was shocked at the idea.

Yet .... he played it over in his mind and actually liked it.

We're gonna do it.

But first I took pictures.

Here is the ~~dead~~ broken army guy on the trailer bed being pulled by the truck - both of which I just got Luke at Wal-Mart. El Cheapo.

And Andrew pondering Luke's loss.

Really just watching as I take closeups of their newly purchased vehicles

Andrew has an inordinate affection for this Lightening McQueen car, the one on the left.

Yet, he does misplace it over and over while the adults in his life work very hard to keep their LM antennae up because he's inconsolable without this car.

Therefore, while at Wal-Mart I purchased him another which you see on the right.

Thinking this would be a good alternative to a misplaced car.

NOT! I mean he likes the new one and picked it out and wanted it... to play with.

But it's not the old one and once we returned home from Wally World,

Luke was able to locate the beloved LM and so you see them together,

side by side and Andrew knows the difference.

Make no mistake. The one on the left is the one he loves.

Like an old worn pair of shoes or a tattered blankie.

But earlier than that, while I was checking email and blog posts,

I heard this:

"HEY NEAR!!"

I looked and saw this:

And it started to come closer.....

and closer....

closer still.....

right at me......

and then the thing bumped into my camera lens,

and out popped Andrew and Luke.

It's Monday and the sun is now out.

Great for small kids who love to play.

Good Morning

2012-02-01T06:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was school with Ellie. She's in the first grade.

And then we worked on her mom's birthday cake for today, February 1.

The recipe calls for 4 eggs. By mistake I only put in two eggs.

Ellie and I know that it's delicious anyway, because I cooked one cupcake for Ellie out of the batter.

Not as dense as it should be, but delicious all the same.

I iced/frosted it with buttercream frosting.

Cake and Frosting Recipes from Magnolia Bakery in NYC.

31 years ago right now, 8:44, I would wake up in about 15 minutes to Motherhood.

The Earth moved that day.

Stolen from Kate

2012-01-29T02:00:00.000-08:00

These quotes.

"One student a year who hears God’s call would be sufficient for God to have called the Bible Training College into existence. This college has no value as an organization, not even academically. Its sole value for existence is for God to help Himself to lives. Will we allow Him to help Himself to us, or are we more concerned with our own ideas of what we are going to be?” - Oswald Chambers

“I do know that waiting on God requires the willingness to bear uncertainty, to carry within oneself the unanswered question, lifting the heart to God about it whenever it intrudes upon one’s thoughts. Its easy to talk oneself into a decision that has no permanence – easier sometimes than to wait patiently.” Elisabeth Elliot

“The will of God is never exactly what you expect it to be. It may seem to be much worse, but in the end it’s going to be a lot better and a lot bigger.” Elisabeth Elliot

January Sunshine

2012-01-28T12:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, as Luke, Andrew and I returned from a walk,
I followed the boys as they cut through my neighbor's front yard into our back yard.

That caused me to pass by my snowball bush. I haven't given it or any of my flowering bushes much thought during these unseasonably mild days of January 2012. But I saw this as soon as I topped that embankment.

I have this one "almost" bloom on the bush. And the whole bush is full of mature buds just waiting and trying to come to full bloom. First frost they'll all be ruined. Sad. This post is a memorial to what might have been. I love and look forward to the white blooms on this bush in early spring.

And there you have it. What my bush is full of.

So, unless I'm wrong, all I'll be able to expect in the spring and summer are lots of pretty green leaves on this bush. Oh well. There's always other years of gorgeous whites.

I did take pictures of Luke and Andrew on the walk and earlier when Luke was doing school.

They're listening to rushing water beneath the street.

And here they are peering at what I showed them led to that underground noise.

Of course Luke asked if they could walk on that grate.

I recommended that we not do that.

The noise made Andrew a little insecure so he reached for Luke's hand.

Brothers.

Earlier in the day when Luke was tracing and writing his D's.

and his d's.

Andrew built towers while Luke wrote his letters.

Hope you're having a good weekend.

Grateful for more sunshine today.

Seventeen Days Ago

2012-01-27T06:46:00.000-08:00

I wrote something here - as my mind was blanking out pretty much -
going dormant for January, I suppose.

No - my mind's not dormant, but there's very little I can think of to write about.

I could tell a very revealing tale (but I'm not going to) of how
Charlie and I have finally, finally gotten on the same page of how to reel in my our overspending - so as to recover from 11 years of college expenses, 18 years of growing 4 daughters in our home and 7 more years of growing 3, 2, & 1 daughter at home. I just haven't ever quite "gotten" the frugality and boundaries we needed to embrace - seriously. I finally get it.... or finally got it. So - Charlie and I are now enjoying "not spending money". Well, we're enjoying my not spending money. Charlie doesn't spend very much money. I won't go into all of the uglies of it - but I look forward to having a testimony of "how we got out of debt by living within our means". There - that has been a big biggie between December 30th and right now. I'm enjoying it. It's a whole new and free way of life.

So, hmmmm, what else has been happening to document.
Well, due to our January Spring Season, I'm guessing I'm not the only one who has daffodils already.
At first I didn't want them to come up. I wanted to say, "Go away! Go away! You're too early! It's not time!" but they knew better and I'm enjoying them. What a season! Surely we'll have some cold and dry weather with January sunshine. Not complaining, just surprised.

It's shocking, how much time I can spend doing this:

It's a crossstitch piece I started the year I married, 1979.

There have been small segments of time over the years

when I've picked it up again, done a little more.

When the cross stitch craze flourished in the late 70's and into the 80's

I did several other pieces - smaller.

This was my favorite, but I like instant gratification - and this one seemed endless.

I was too young and fidgety -

Now I'm really, finally finishing it.

The verse reads:

See how the lilies flourish white and fair

See how the Ravens fed from Heaven are

Then ne'er distrust thy God for cloth or bread

Whil'st the Lilies flourish and the Ravens fed

And...

Have I mentioned on here that I teach an art class at our church?

I'm not a natural teacher - like a classroom format kind of teacher. I suppose our actions, our lives, our words, they all teach something. Still - you know how here in the bible belt, or maybe all over, every church has a childrens' choir? We did, but now we don't. Because we don't have a teacher to teach. (we're a very small church) So I was approached about teaching art. At first I gasped at the idea - but then it settled in and now I'm into the second semester of doing this. It's ages 6 to 12 and they all seem to enjoy it. I suffer some unnecessary angst about it. I've joked with friends and family that I act as though I'm teaching a college course at Vanderbilt or somewhere. I do have a little tight feeling in my chest as I prepare for it. But it always works out.

We've completed 2 projects already since we started back and we're working on a third.

Look at some of the cats that were created.

Nice, huh?

I love their finished products and how they all look different.

I promised them during the first semester that we would have an art show at our final meeting time before Christmas. We did.

I displayed their work semi-professionally and had a small, nicely done table, with simple refreshments.

And we all received our guests as each one perused the displayed art.

The "show" stayed up through Christmas, at our church, and it came down before we began our second semester. Each student was then able to take home their work.

Okay other thing -

I nursed my never-get-sick-or-ever-have-surgery husband back to health last week.

I did. I still have the maternal in me. I was nice to him. I did for him. He was surprised, I think.

In fact, many jokes were going around and people were calling in to see how I was doing as a nurse.

I'm not that wife who waits on and dotes over. It's every man for himself around here. Actually, Charlie seems to wait on me more than I do on him. He's kinder and more giving that way.

But it was my turn to do for him. He had hernia surgery. 2 were repaired, mended. awww. Two really nice boo-boos on Charlie's lower tummy and all kinds of aches and pains inside afterwards.

Bless him. I had four C-Sections in 81, 82, 86 and 88. I was VERY sympathetic.

He's mending nicely.

And finally,

before Andrew and Luke arrive at my house,

I'm helping Ann 2 days each week in her homeschooling endeavor.

The plan is that Steve brings Ellie to my house on Tuesdays and I "teach" her.

On Thursdays he brings Luke and Andrew and I "teach" Luke.

I really like this new plan and Ann says it's helping.

We agree that it will evolve differently each semester as the childrens' ages change.

Huge difference next fall will be that Abigail will have passed her first birthday and probably be weaned.

That will give us all much more flexibility.

So that's it.

Oh - and I continue to play tug o' war with this same 10 to 15 pounds which insist on clinging to my body. I loathe them and desire that they go away. They love me and I don't love them.

Food - Calories - Metabolism - 60 years - Exercise or lack of (cross stitching doesn't burn calories)

Somedays I fight the battle and other days I don't.

It's January and no January is complete without bemoaning those extra pounds.

Okay - that's all.

2012-01-10T11:09:00.000-08:00

Heavenly Father,

our sins are too heavy to carry,

too real to hide,

and too deep to undo.

Forgive what our lips tremble to name and what our hearts can no longer bear.

We come to you now, beginning to name the ailments that plague us.

We can do this only because You promise to forgive our sins

through the death of Your dear Son.

Set us free from a past that we cannot change;

Open to us a future in which we will be changed;

and grant us grace to grow more and more in Your likeness and image,

through Jesus Christ, the light of the world.

Prayer found on Sarah's blog one year ago.

Go Back to Sleep, Christmas Is Over.

2012-01-02T15:37:00.000-08:00

Just kidding.

I was looking for an eye catching title.
Christmas is over. Not kidding about that.
But the other.

My site meter tells me I'm down into the 30's of people even happening upon my blog. The highest I've been is in the 70's and 80's.

I mean, I know my blog is not even on the radar screen of blogs to read,

but it's as if its pulse is fading - what little pulse it had.

I can't find the pulse of my blog.

I suppose it would help if I would post more often. As in daily.

I just can't do daily. I wish I could.

Also I have no instructions to give or share. My blog is very very random.

I do have this one thing to share.

Have any of these left over from Christmas?

I have lots.

So I did what I always do.

I googled.

Google: What to do with leftover candy canes.

Link I chose: http://www.candyblog.net/blog/item/recipe_candy_cane_sugar

and I discovered Candy Cane Sugar.

I made it today. One cute little jar.

I have lots more candy canes - but I just want to see how I do with this one delicious jar of

Candy Cane Sugar.

Cakes? Cupcakes? Coffee? Ice Cream? Valentine's Day?

Tomorrow is the first day of non-holiday 2012.

Here we go.

Wake Up, It's Christmas!

2011-12-25T05:46:00.000-08:00

Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas!

Here's to all our candle light services, to all our gatherings, to all our delightful dishes, to all our decorations, to all our spending and celebrating, to all our traditions, to all our disappointments and to all our exhilaration, to all our needs for Advil or Tylenol or something stronger,

to all our bells and lights and beautiful bows,

to our humanity - and to His Holiness -

and to His gift of love and life and light.

He became human like us

so we could become sons of God like Him.

"This is the name by which He will be called: The LORD our righteousness." Jeremiah 23:6

Cleaning Is a BIG Part of Christmas

2011-12-22T08:40:00.000-08:00

Is it not?

I mean... who wants to decorate on top of dirty?

or...

when we entertain - we have to pick up the clutter

and clean...

and when family comes in..

those clean sheets..

getting the bedrooms ready..

and the bathrooms.

I LOVE CLEAN!

Don't always have it - 'cause I don't always clean.

Today I'm cleaning.

Sarah's coming home tonight.

Mary Ann is coming tomorrow.

Kate came when John and Ada came, and, yes, I cleaned for my grandchildren.

Here's what Ada now says when she comes into my house for the first time after a long time away...

"It's so CWEAN!"

I get it ready for the big mess up that she and John and Ellie and Luke and Andrew will create.

Their creation of playing and imagining and exploring and eating and digging into my home.

So - today as I clean - I have thoughts. Do you do that?

I've already vacuumed the kitchen and mopped it - before Kate waked up -

She'll be cooking some for Ann who will have Steve's parents for Christmas.

I wanted to get the floor clean for the new layer of drops and spills and tracks.

So - my thoughts -

Know what I ALWAYS think of when I mop?
This:
Once upon a time, while mopping, the phone rang.

It was Mary Bratton - this was a long time ago - and of course she asked, "What are you doing?"

But we continued to talk and I learned how cool it is to have a long phone conversation while mopping.

That's the best my floor was EVER mopped. Because the conversation lasted longer than the mopping.

So I mopped and mopped and then did a very thorough rinse mop.

and then did my foot dry.

(I'll explain below)

I have absolutely no idea what we talked about. But it was probably about our children and some common thing that was going on in our active lives produced by having 2 and 4 children at home.

The Foot Dry.

I get a towel or two hand towels or 2 large dry wash cloths.

I put my feet on these and slide all over the floor.

It not only dries the floor but picks up some remaining soil.

It gives one a good idea of just how stained the floor can get

and how good, or not so good, it's been mopped.

Christmas gets us cleaning.

It's a steady task and it makes my thoughts go to other times

when I made these same beds and dusted these same spots and handled these same possessions.

I remember people and days and events.

I consider the changes in our lives

and how we've evolved.

And before I know it,

I've gotten it done,

and I get to enjoy the completed task.

Sarah will be home around 9:00 p.m.

Christmas Update

2011-12-19T13:44:00.000-08:00

Last Weekend on the 10th
I had the unique privilege of traveling to Clarkston, Georgia with Steve, Charlie, Ellie and Luke to handout blankets and other warm things as well as gift bags to immigrants from Burma and some other countries. Our church family had collected/purchased and put together these things for 40 or 50 families. The 5 of us had the fun task of handing them to these brave and dear people. Our connect in Clarkston is my friend, Mary Emily Mulloy, along with her husband, Bob. Mary Emily and I were friends and housemates in Auburn all the way back in 1973. Long time ago.

In this photo I'm keeping Ellie warm underneath my jacket.

It looks like I'm smothering her.

For some reason she had taken her jacket off.

That's Steve handing a gift bag and blankets to a very sweet lady.

Young man on the left is Tha-htoo. He is a leader amongst his fellow Burmese friends.

He has been in the U.S. 3 1/2 years. Was in a refugee camp in Thailand before coming to the states.

He is a hard worker and speaks English very well.

He was our director - getting us to those in need of what we brought.

Ellie and Luke on the right.

These other children - aren't they adorable?

My friend, Mary Emily, handing blankets to a very grateful lady.

I love this picture. Left to Right, Moo from Burma, Ellie from United States,

Moo's friend from Iraq, and Moo's friend from Somalia.

Four beautiful girls from all over the world.

This weekend, beginning on Thursday the 15th....

I met Laura Beth in Adairsville and picked up Ada and John. Laura Beth and Scott drove to Scottsboro to join them on Saturday and they all left on Sunday after lunch.

And so began 2 nights and 2 days with Ada and John.

The days began very early - which is fine with me.

I get up early anyway.

My grandchildren own my house.

Any drawer is free game - especially the pen and pencil drawer.

Again, early Friday morning, still dark out.

Coffee tastes so very good that time of morning.

Around 10:00 on Friday Ada was anxiously awaiting the arrival of her cousins.

Ann had called to say they were en route.

She's dancing and twirling with excitement.

a brief stand still...

Finally here.

It all creates so much silliness - all that excitement.

And Ta Daaaaaaaahhhhh.

She worked her puzzle which I had for her to open.

They were so anxious to open just one gift.

I got them each a small puzzle for them to open and work.

I wanted more pictures.

But that would mean actually remembering to pick up the camera and clicking.

Kate drove home from North Carolina on Friday.

Laura Beth and Scott arrived on Saturday.

We had a modified Christmas meal on Saturday night,

because that was our Christmas with Laura Beth and Scott -

and

On Sunday the 18th Abigail was dedicated to God by her parents.

Because Steve is our pastor and Abigail's daddy, Steve has to get someone else to do baby dedication for his children. This time he asked Charlie to do it. Unique, since Charlie is her granddaddy.

Charlie, Kate and I concluded Sunday evening with a trip to Birmingham

to see Briarwood Presbyterian's Christmas Program.

Beautiful!

It involved Choir/Orchestra/and Ballet celebrating the Gospel.

The joy of God's gift - God coming to us - to bring us to Him.

Redemption.

That's my Christmas so far.

More Christmas

2011-12-08T06:23:00.000-08:00

With 96.9 on my radio, playing that "cool" and "nostalgic" Christmas Music, I drove up/down 72 to get my dear friend, Mary, for lunch - this holiday season. Cold, rainy holiday weather calls for friends to hunker down and get some soup. We got it at The Veranda in Scottsboro. Delish! Chicken Noodle Soup was featured today and it hit the spot - that and their coffee.

After lunch she and I meandered through two local shops and mostly looked at all the pretties. So much Christmas. We reflected about all those past years when we were younger - and so wanted to gather as many gorgeous ornaments and trims as we could. They're still gorgeous to look at, but we both agreed we're maxed out. Can't buy another ornament, the way our tummies get full and we can't hold another bite. This year I just made my ornaments and didn't even get my old ones out. The trouble with that is, NOW I HAVE MORE ORNAMENTS TO STORE! What was I thinking? Oh well, I'm having fun. I had fun.

And with all that said - and written on Wednesday -

It is now Thursday -

Our Christmas Dinner at church is a memory. It was last night. I took my camera and came home without a single photo. But we had a delightful time. Fellowship - Food, catered by The Veranda, (2nd time The Veranda is in this post) and beautiful table settings. We, the ladies, signed up for decorating one table each.

As Laura Beth said in this post, "And, because I hate a post without pictures, I'll end with a few..."

What follows are the "outtakes", the ones that couldn't show up in Ann's Christmas Card.

This is the reality of taking 114 photos for one perfect Christmas Card Photo.

1. That's me trying to hide behind the four so that they are lined up and it will appear that Abigail is sitting alone. Do you see my back and hair and hand on her arm?

2. Better solution as long as I don't choke Abigail.

I was so very very low down and had a death grip on the back of her dress.

See how it's pulled around her neck?

3. She gets smothered with kisses. If one starts kissing her, they all do.

They are a very competitive, keep up with each other, set of siblings.

4. Andrew apparently wasn't enjoying the photo shoot.

This is in the beginning. Ann was trying to get some individual shots of him and of Luke.

Andrew needed a nap and it was tough getting his cooperation.

5. He was more interested in ladybugs crawling on his fingers.

6. I think here, Andrew had just put his finger in Abigail's mouth.

Notice the funny face she's wearing, my fingers on Andrew's shoulder, and the look on his face.

It's, "I know I wasn't supposed to do that, but I just had to".

7. And here are the brothers -

Ann wanting them together in a shot, but again,

Andrew not in the mood for Luke's arm to be around him.

8. Okay - so we've moved to Ann's screened porch. The kids' smiles aren't natural nor are they smiling all at the same time so I had to think of something funny - I remembered Andrew and Luke's favorite version of Jingle Bells. I'm singing it and acting it out with Ann as the victim - as she takes the picture.

Lyrics, here, so you'll understand:

Jingle bells, Shotgun shells
Granny had a gun
Shot me in my underpants
and boy I had to run!

Notice that Abigail doesn't seem to understand the humor.

9. So I had to single her out and talk all

ooshy goosh to her - the voice she recognizes as "Near" (that's me) speaking directly to her.

That's all.

How are you doing Christmas ?

Christmas

2011-12-05T19:22:00.000-08:00

Getting Ready.

I've made fruitcake.

I love it.

I keep my recipes out.

The ones I like to do, if I can, each Christmas.

The wrapped fruitcake - in soaked cheesecloth, wrapped in foil.

and my tree with the crafted paper ornaments.

I guess we can call this our "paper christmas".

and here at the last, I've begun to make these.

Saw what I would call the originals at Anthropologie and just KNEW I could make them

But didn't pursue the idea.... UNTIL...

I saw them done HERE

at itsoverflowing.com.

That's all I needed. I loved them first at Anthropologie

and then this gal gave me what I needed to make them myself.

And my sweet white Lenox Nativity.

I collected it so long ago.

It's quiet and white and serene and breakable.

I keep it up high.

And my Fontanini Nativity collection.

The movable pieces are beautiful and touchable for little hands.

I had it arranged but in reach.

Some little person moved the pieces so that all the sheep are around Baby Jesus.

And my past and present Christmas Pictures.

Decorations that have so much history and are built on the theme,

"Every Christmas" or "Traditio"

and then there's my little "craft stash"

ready at a moment's notice

to make one more thing.

and the Christmas Mugs.

Christmas Coffee.

Every morning.

Some afternoons.

The Day After Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T18:56:00.000-08:00

I really am thankful. No, Really.

I just didn't post a list of what I'm thankful for.

Seriously - I do say thank you a whole lot. Who do I say it to?

To God. My Maker, my Creator, My Savior, my God - who loves me - and opens up ways for me to love Him and be used by Him - the giver to me of husband and family and children and grandchildren. He's given me good health. He's given me safety and comfort and friends and mind and body and spiritual blessings and so so so so much. I will live forever. I have wonderful memories. He's given me trials and ordinary and stress and He's given me not what I asked for. He's given me different from what I expected. He's given me simple and mundane - and did I mention ordinary? Oh yeah. I mentioned ordinary. He's given me "not filthy rich". He's given me American middle class. He's given me the good, the bad and the ugly. and YAY - He is my Savior, Redeemer, Sanctifier of my soul and heart - He shapes my life and orders my days and I am His. I am His. yes and hallalujah and thank you, Lord.

Anyway - it's the day after Thanksgiving.

What are you doing?

Kate is here. Charlie drove his mom home. My sister, Mary Ann, left this morning. Ann, Steve and the children are in C'nooga with Steve's parents.

I'm the last person I would have expected to see in Huntsville today. I was headed back to my dining room table to begin work, again, on the homemade ornaments. (see previous post ) Kate wanted to make some similar ornaments - this kind...... the round orbs.

So - we went to Huntsville to Hobby Lobby to only get Scrapbook paper for this ornament.

After Hobby Lobby and Belks and Gap at Bridgestreet and Anthropologie and Cantina Laredo - we're back home. PJ's on immediately. Kate cutting out paper for ornaments.

I'm posting on this blog.

Welcome, Christmas Season.

Let us not go nuts. Let us stay calm and simple and easy. Let us be so glad He was born the way He was born and became a human being and lived in flesh.

God became flesh. God became human.

God saved us.

Wherever we are - whatever we're doing - How little we have - How much we have - How badly we hurt - How scared we are - God became flesh and lived amongst mankind and paid everything we have to pay for and now we can be safe and we can live.

He suffered the worst that can be suffered. He lived through the worst that can be lived through.

He died and brought us life.

Thank you and Merry Christmas.

I'm a Little Bit Nuts

2011-11-18T10:43:00.000-08:00

I get crazy like this when I get in the zone - a trance comes over me - a project gets me under its spell - I can't look up. I can't look to my left or right - I go crazy. I'm a project fool.

It all started a few weeks ago when this book came in the mail.

I could return it or keep it.

I kept it.

I found 2 or 3 ornaments which I thought would be pretty simple to make.

No stress. Easy.

And they are. Easy, I mean.

Here is one of the pages which caught my eye.

It only involves Christmas Scrapbook paper.

But see? There was this other ornament I found online.

The link is here at a blog called I Heart Naptime.

Here is the ornament I saw.

So off I go to Hobby Lobby with my list

Okay -

Hobby Lobby is like Wal Mart.

I could have spent more. I put some things back.

I kept it somewhat reasonable.

Here is the mess I've buried myself in.

Complete with Pacifiers

All my neat little supplies exploded all over my dining room table.

Isn't that what dining room tables are for?

Craft and Art Projects?

In my case, though, we have to eat on it, also.

The fam is getting large.

And guess what?

I don't like messes.

God made me to like order and neatness but also made me with this artistic gene.

The two don't go together.

Art and tidiness. I also like Math. I don't think Math and Art fit.

or do they? I don't know.

Anyway -

This is my blog about my crafty mess

and now I'll show you my finished products

But First.

It's come to my attention that a popular photo these days

which cute young gals put on their blog

is a shot of their cute feet.

They will either be bare feet with polished nails

Feet in very very cute shoes,

and the feet are usually posed pigeon toed.

It has a coy look.

So here is my photo of my feet while I do these projects.

Because I couldn't show you how I look within these walls of my home as I craft.

You can imagine the rest.

I couldn't bring myself to pose them pigeon toed. I'm too old.

I'm not into coy.

The message behind this photo is that it's hard to get cleaned up for the day.

I grab my coffee and start in again on the ornaments.

I go to bed with glitter on my face at night. Seriously.

And there's always dried glue on my hands and under my nails.

Here is what I have so far.

At first I was disgruntled with myself as I began these projects.

I felt as if I'd spent too much money on too simple a project.

But then I began to persevere and kept it going and

now I'm thinking about this year

maybe not getting previous ornaments out.

Just having a tree with all new homemade ornaments.

I don't know. It's just a thought.

On a serious note

"Seriously, though"

The verse on the tag of the decoupaged ornament balls

"For today in the city of David

there has been born for you

a Savior who is Christ the Lord"

Luke 2:11

The Gospel in one verse.

We need a savior.

There has been born for us

Christ the Lord.

He was born in the city of David.

The history of the world.

God's creation. God's redemption.

And those old Christmas Hymns and Compositions,

Brilliant in theology and music,

They thrill my soul.

O Come All Ye Faithful

The First Noel

Joy to the World

& The Messiah by Handel

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given,

His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor,

The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

(And now I'm headed out to Ann's with a can opener and my camera - she has company coming this afternoon. I have cleaned up. Just no makeup on. )

November 9th and Looking Toward Christmas

2011-11-09T07:20:00.000-08:00

See? We've kinda already had Thanksgiving at our house -

but we'll have it again - modified.

Sarah was home last week - a whole week.

Monday through Yesterday, Tuesday.

She rode the train.

That's right.

From New Orleans to Birmingham and back again to New Orleans on Amtrak.

It's like a car ride and the cost is about the same as gasoline for the car.

I would like to get with the city planners in Birmingham and suggest that they dip into their budget and give their train station a makeover.

It needs it badly. Sarah had warned me. She said the New Orleans Station is pretty nice but the Birmingham Station was a bit of a shocker.

So we had Thanksgiving on Thursday, last week.

Laura Beth drove home with John and Ada.

Scott had to stay in McDonough and work.

This little guy and his friends were all over my house all week.

and the pink chair (can you see it?)

stays by this tree.

Luke, Ellie, and Ada use it to get themselves up in the tree.

So far Ada is the champion climber.

She goes up and up and Luke is very impressed.

Ada has a little bit of "monkey' in her.

Like Curious George.

I never stopped to take a lot of pictures.

But Sarah took some on the last day

which I've just seen

and the colors are brilliant.

So I'll close with Sarah's images.

We're moving into active days, aren't we?

I want my brain to absorb these warm colors which will evolve into Christmas reds and greens and glitter

and then like a screeching halt

the world turns gray and still and cold and often damp.

Snow might happen. Freezing Rain.

In all of these seasons and days and hours and minutes,

how do you live? How do I live?

I want mine to count for eternal glory.

I so want it to count for that.

Hand-Me-Downs, Comparisons, & Halloween

2011-10-31T12:52:00.000-07:00

What do they have in common?

2 commonalities. Andrew and John. Cousins.

2010 - Andrew

2011 John

Funny how little boys don't get a choice regarding their clothing prior to, ummmm, about the age of 2.

This year Andrew will be Superman for Halloween.

I wonder if John will be Superman next year.

Here is John, the Lion, smiling.

OMG!

2011-10-26T16:19:00.000-07:00

I just did the math!
Tomorrow, or today, October 27, Charlie and I will have been married 32 years.
That's not the math thing I did.

I wanted to know when Mother and Daddy had been married 32 years. What year was it? I did the math. It was 1979! The year Charlie and I married. Mother was 60 (my age now) Daddy was 66 ( Charlie is 58 right now)
Again, OMG. Oh, my gosh! I didn't know. I thought they were settled. I thought they'd been married forever. I didn't know that....
they still remembered their single life
they wanted to stay connected
they wanted time alone
they still needed to know they were loved by the other
they still wanted to be parented by their parents
they didn't see themselves as old
they still asked God for answers to the really big questions
So many "they didn't's", and I thought "they did". I assumed.

Differences .....
We have 6 grandchildren. They had none.
I want to go back to Evergreen. Mother had always lived in Evergreen. Daddy was a man. He loved Evergreen. But if he wanted to go anywhere else, it would have been Troy. Again, differences - Daddy was a man.

It would be 2 years before they became grandparents. Wow. I have 6 grandchildren. Big difference.

Mother was 61 when she had a masectomy. Breast cancer! I was still very very very attached to her. It felt as if I couldn't live in the world and her be gone. I didn't want to do it - not at all. They didn't know all that I thought they knew. I don't know anything. I don't feel as if I know anything. Well, I know some things, but not enough things. They were ( I know this now) tired of..... so many things - yet just wanting to enjoy their daily life. I want that now, which is how I know they felt that. They never told me any of that.
I know this. Mother and Daddy were connected - Charlie and I are....connected. Whatever love is, they loved each other. Charlie and I love each other - but the word has become a cliche in the secular world and an impossibility in the spiritual world - so we are joined at the hip - hearts in the equation - in covenant and glad to be so - we are Charlie and Elizabeth, married and glad to be so. His feet and mine touch at night under the covers - while we sleep our independent ways and styles and manners. He usually makes the bed in the mornings and I usually make the coffee. We love the "whodunnitshows". Criminal Minds, Bluebloods, The Perfect Wife, Castle, The Closer, CSI - Those are our shows. We like yardwork together - if we can get on the same page, doing it together. He makes great salads - I make whatever whenever I make it. I never doubt him, nor he, I. Either of us can walk in a room and we can see one another's countenance and know something's off. Is everything okay? we ask each other. We each persist until the truth is told - the thing that is bothering either of us.
It's a relief when it's just him and I. That is definitely love.
I did more math. Grandmother and Granddaddy in 1934 had been married 32 years. They lived to celebrate their 50th.
Ella and Elbert, well, I don't have their dates -but I think they might have celebrated their 50th. Ella and Elbert were my Mother's parents.
Happy Anniversary to Charlie and Me! October 27, 1979. October 27, 2011.

I've Been Rescued

2011-10-25T11:53:00.000-07:00

I want the following quote/truth to be embedded in my thought process, or my memory bank, or my instinct, so as to respond to every experience, person, situation, story in light of this reality.

“If you read the Scriptures carefully, you will never get the idea that the work of Christ is for well adjusted people who just need a little redemptive boost. It never presents any human condition or dilemma as outside the scope of the gospel. Redemption is nothing less than the rescue of helpless people facing an eternity of torment apart from God’s love.”— Paul David Tripp
Instruments in The Redeemer's Hands(Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishing, 2002), 195
I got this from OF FIRST IMPORTANCE, and you can click this sentence to go to their site for other gems.

14 Images of Fun and Energy

2011-10-23T05:44:00.000-07:00

October 21 on my back porch.

Ellie, Luke, Ada, and Andrew.

Eating seasonal cupcakes made by Ann.

(We encourage them to stay outside and play. :-)

Just inside were Laura Beth, Kate, Mary Ann (my sister), Abigail (4 months), John ( 20 months), and I, sitting around the kitchen table.

(There was a photo, but I deleted it. It was too bad of me for anyone to see. Vanity.)

Ann also was inside with us but she was outside at that time taking the pictures.

What I Don't Want to Take for Granted

2011-10-18T15:57:00.000-07:00

That my children are alive and well (I have friends & family whose adult children are not still with them - what we call tragic)
That my eyes work on this day (I have a friend who is having double vision and doctors are merely guessing why)
That my grandchildren are healthy and breathing and are exhausting me at times. ( I know of those whose babies didn't live nearly long enough)
That my brain is only suffering memory loss at what seems to be an expected rate. ( I have loved those whose brains atrophied much too soon with that awful Alzheimer's Disease)
That Charlie and I can pay our bills (I know there are those who can't and who are scared that they can't)
That Charlie has a job (Some don't have a job)
That my arms and my legs work - that I breathe - that I feel safe and comfortable - that I swallow correctly - that the car which swerved during our trip on Friday didn't cause us to have a head on collision - that my mom and dad lived a long, good life - that I've only ever known safe love - it's endless what I don't want to take for granted - in other words - be thankful - thankful - thankful - grateful - enjoy - breathe it in.
That at night I lie down in safety and comfort - (I see the homeless in cities and only know of them in the small areas where I live)
That noone hurts me or arrests me when I worship God. (so many are in prison on this day for their faith in Christ - and so many are being tortured and hurt for their faith in Him)

and if all of that is taken from me tomorrow? Still be thankful, though crushed with grief - crushed and bleeding - because He intends only good for me. I want to breathe those words, "Thank You." if I only mouth them because the pain is too hard to say - but if I am His, He blesses. Isn't that right? Right? I beg for grace in those God given trials. He promises grace.

That Jesus pursued me and called me out and caused my heart to live and I was rebirthed (There are those who are blind and deaf and imprisoned, without spiritual life)
That Jesus continues to shape me and mold me and make me. (He does that with all who are His)
That Ann, Laura Beth, Sarah and Kate love Him passionately and desire to be shaped into His likeness. That Steve and Scott love Him passionately and desire to be shaped into His likeness.

He won't take those away, because it all depends on Him and not us. Actually, everything depends on Him - but those last 3 things are eternal and are part of His eternal kingdom - the other - mortal and temporary and material for trials and sanctification.

Clinging to the everlasting arms.

Auburn

2011-10-15T20:07:00.000-07:00

I was in Auburn today...

to get Ada....

who was with her mom.....

who was attending a baby shower for a friend....

on the day Auburn was scheduled to play Florida.

So Ann, Ellie, Abigail and I drove from Scottsboro to "make a day of it".

We picked up Ada and had our own Auburn experience, minus the game.

Ada and Ellie at Toomer's Coffee Shop

Ann, Abigail, with Kelly on the bench.

Ann and Kelly met at the beginning of their freshman year.

Kelly is pregnant with her 3rd. Ann is holding her 4th.

Then we drove home.

A trip that normally takes 3 1/2 hours

between Auburn and Scottsboro

takes almost 5 hours with a baby

and two little girls in the car.

It was worth it.

We have Ada with us,

and it was fun to see all the hoopla in Auburn.

WAR EAGLE!

Read This and Massage It into Your Insecurities

2011-10-08T03:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a quote I got off of Noel Piper's facebook page. Also, if you go there, read her blog post.

"Our desires to be accepted by some group are a shadow of what will satisfy our longings - acceptance by God. "

We've Been at Orange Beach

2011-10-07T06:17:00.000-07:00

Mike and Mary Bratton were with us the first night and first day.
Sarah joined us on Monday night and returned to NOLA on Wednesday (with car malfunctioning as she arrived in Gulf Shores, but we had that repaired and now the car functions :-)
Yesterday, traveling home, we visited in Evergreen with Mary Ann, and my aunt, uncle, and cousin...around their table, with coffee. Sharing birth stories of the new additions to our Northcutt family. (while Charlie and John Law discussed politics and Auburn football)
Traveling still further north toward Scottsboro, we met Kate in downtown Birmingham for dinner, at 5:30. She's in Alabama for a friend's wedding, this weekend.
Now here we are, at home on, not Monday morning, but Friday morning. That's good. It feels like Monday to me.

I didn't get enough of South Alabama and Orange Beach.

But I really like home, too. Always my dilema.

Pumpkins, Hydrangeas, Sweet Potatoes, et al.

2011-09-26T06:12:00.000-07:00

I really have no brilliant fall decorations.

I just pulled out pumpkins from the past - and I'm about to show pictures - to Sarah and to Kate and Laura Beth if they want to see.

Sarah and Kate live about 8 hours driving time away. They've expressed that seasonal homesickness.

I feel it too. I want to go home. To Evergreen. I want to have coffee with Mother and her sisters and my cousins and Mary Ann and Ella (my grandmother) - and laugh with all of them and talk about everything.

Only

Well - there aren't that many left in Evergreen - but still, I want to go home.

I talked with a friend who used to live in Scottsboro - told her I missed her - and she said she always thinks of Scottsboro this time of year. We had a lot of fun when she lived here, along with 2 other gals who've moved away, also.

This time of year stirs up nostalgia - doesn't it? Therefore,

Here's a taste of home for my girls.

Burlap Pumpkins

on the mantel

My "funkin" which I can't decide whether to paint or not.

(I mean, I want to definitely, but just not sure how I want to do it.

There are so many ideas on Pinterest and in magazines)

Faux Mercury Glass

which I did a couple of weeks ago.

The kitchen pumpkins

or, pumpkins which are in the kitchen

Blue and Orange

when there are reblooms on the hydrangea bush,

well, we get some blue and orange for football season.

Notice, Sarah and Kate, the two updates

on the photo wall!

Sweet Potatoes

from Farmers' Market

These birds were on the clearance table at SteinMart.

$1.95 each.

And finally,

the best pumpkin of all

in pink

(or a little sweet potato)

Happy Fall.

It's early in the season, yet.

I'm sure I'll get more pumpkins (real ones) and

Chrysanthemums.

(MUMS)

and

CANDY CORN

for Halloween.

Fall Meal with Recipes

2011-09-16T19:22:00.000-07:00

Since I haven't posted in so very long -

and still can think of nothing -

Today I have been cooking for family and for someone who's had surgery - to take a meal - and naturally I select some of my favorite recipes if I'm taking to someone -

Pictures with Recipes:

In this picture I'm cooking apples in apple cider, all from Crow Mtn.

It's that time of year.

Apples from Crow Mtn. - and their apple cider.

Also - I'm perking coffee on top of the stove.

It's its own kind of flavor.

Authentic.

Brunswick Stew

(Recipe below)

Cookies. Easy.

Delish!

Cake Mix Recipe, compliments of Kate,
with her two blogs here and here.

Recipe Below.

And Buttermilk Cornbread.

In an Iron Skillet.

Recipe from any cookbook.

Okay. Recipes Below.

Brunswick Stew

original recipe came from this link

I made a few changes.

My adaptation to that recipe:

THE SAUCE

In a medium saucepan, over low heat,

combine 1 3/4 cups catsup, 1/4 cup yellow mustard, 1/4 cup white vinegar.

Blend that until smooth and add:

1/2 Tblsp. chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper,

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, 1/2 oz. Liquid Smoke, 1 oz Worcestershire Sauce,

1/2 oz Tabasco Sauce, 1/2 Tblsp. Lemon Juice

Blend that until smooth, then add 1/4 cup dark brown sugar.

Heat thru, stirring constantly. Don't boil.

Makes about 3 1/2 cups of sauce.

(set aside - to be added later)

THE STEW

In a 2 gallon pot, over low heat,

Place in the pot

1 large bag of frozen hash brown potatoes (frozen cubed potatoes)

1 large onion, diced

2 cans(14 1/2 oz each) chicken broth

1 lb. baked chicken

8-10 oz. smoked pork

(easy way to do this, purchase rotisserie chicken and use that meat,

and for pork, purchase at local BBQ place)

Bring to a rolling boil, stirring until potatoes are near done, then add:

1 - 8 1/2 oz. can early peas

2 - 14 1/2 oz cans diced tomatoes

The prepared sauce

1 bag of frozen lima beans

1/4 cup liquid smoke

1 - 14 1/2 oz can creamed corn

Slow simmer for 2 hours.

Yields - 1 gallon

APPLESAUCE

I used the apple cider from Crow Mtn. And I sliced LOTS of apples - peeled and sliced - to fill up a large boiler. Bring those apples in the apple cider to a boil. Add about 1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice - or Cinnamon. Cook and simmer until right consistency. When I removed these soft cooked apples I tasted and knew they needed a perk. NOT SUGAR. but ... a dash of salt. yes. Salt. Not too much. Not too little. A dash. At least 1/8 tsp. Salt definitely brings out the flavor in ANYTHING.

Once done with cooking I stirred in 1 tsp. vanilla flavoring.

COOKIES

Any Cake Mix (for these I used the spice cake)

1/3 cup of oil

2 eggs

Add in whatever. 1 to 1 1/2 cups of add ins.

(for these I used 1/2 cup white choc. chips, 1/2 cup toffee bits, 1/2 cups chopped walnuts)

Bake 9-10 min. at 375 degrees

That's it. FALL MEAL.

Happiness is......

2011-09-08T15:48:00.000-07:00

Okay - so I have an idea for a post.

ummmm - well - a lot of folks, including my daughter Laura Beth, are doing Thankful lists. Seriously, that blesses me. It does. I especially love reading her list, naturally. But, well, I haven't done that one - since - well - since Laura Beth is doing it. And others.

Anyway -

Yesterday I was putting new ink cartridges into my printer - FINALLY! - and I had that "ahhhhh feeling of momentary contentment". And I thought to myself, "Happiness is having brandnew ink cartridges in my printer". It buys me more printing time. So then I thought - what other insignificant things give me fleeting, momentary happiness. Things which I know will fade - yet it's in the moment.

Like......

Well - I'll number some.

Happiness is.......
1. Having new ink cartridges in my printer.
2. First cup of black coffee in the morning.
3. Being in the black in our checkbook - (being in the red for us is really still in the black - but it means we're spending more than Charlie earns - borrowing from Peter to pay Paul - whatever that means - more like borrowing from Charlie to pay Charlie - or it could mean we're "shooting ourselves in the foot" - something like that)
4. Empty House - just me
5. Empty House - just Charlie and me -
6. Full House with children and grandchildren
7. Full House with friends (See? I want everything at the same time - I'm a very mixed up person)
8. Coming home from Wal-Mart and I spent 30.00 or under. Almost never happens.
9. Gets to be 5:00 pm and my tummy's truly empty - as in I haven't grazed all day.
10. Sticking to a diet and the scales go down.
11. Waking up in the morning and the scales are down.
12. Being done getting my teeth cleaned.
13. No cavities or cracked teeth or anything having to be done.
14. Working on projects.
15. Sleeping baby.
16. Smiling baby.
17. All four of my girls being emotionally well.
18. Watching the Waltons on TV in the early evening with Charlie (or by myself)
19. Being at the movies with popcorn and diet coke.
20. A glass of wine on an empty stomach in the late afternoon.
21. My girls being happy - oops - I already said that - sorry - idol territory.
22. Having Sunday lunch prepared and being very hungry after church.
23. Friday night.
24. Sunday night.
25. A completed project that turned out well.
26. Clean house.
27. Waking up to a clean house.
28. Putting on pajamas in the evening.
29. The Beach. The Coast. Salt air. Salt water. White sand. Clear sky. Seafood.
30. Evergreen
31. A Baby being born.
32. Smell of a clean house.
33. An entire day to work in the yard and not feel like I need to do something else instead.
34. Noone mad at me.
35. Someone liking me.
36. The faces of my grandchildren when they burst through the door.
37. I'm exhausted and I wave goodby to my grandchildren in the driveway.
38. A song on 96.9 or 101.7 which takes me waaaaayyyyy back. To high school. To college. To dating Charlie.
39. Gladys Knight and the Pips - especially Midnight Train to Georgia.
40. Phone call from an old friend.

Okay - that's 40. I'm tired of doing this. Maybe I'll do more later.

I'm sitting on my couch and I just glanced out the front window and I saw my magnolia tree and just the out of doors. I love that. Another happy moment. I just looked up again and saw the evening news on TV and some reporter who is waist deep in muddy flood water. I would NOT be happy about being there.

If I were that reporter I would be especially glad(happy) to get home from work that day and to get a bath - no - a shower. I take showers. So - if she were making a list she might list "getting home from wading waste deep in muddy water for a news report."

Okay - now on the news there are people who have suffered tragedies from this flooding around the country. Awful stuff.

See? If I can make a happy list instead of a thankful-in-the-midst-of-trials list, well, I'm not in a valley right now. So for that I can be so glad - but trials come - don't they?

So - #41 on my "happiness is" list -
Being able to count my momentary happiness things - and to be able to focus on them.

42. Getting emails from friends and family.
43. Getting a comment (very rare) on my blog post.

Well - I just can't seem to stop.

No White or Pastels After Labor Day?

2011-09-05T17:36:00.000-07:00

Really?

No more flip flops? No sandals? Is that the rule?

Here it is at 7:00 pm and I've been reading a few blog posts and there is that continuing theme of no more summer stuff after labor day.

I hope the weather pays attention.

Seriously?

I can't slip into my yellow sandals? which usually sit outside my back door -

I used to know all of that and pay close attention.

I don't think the rules are as hard and fast as they used to be. At least that's what I'm saying and sticking with. Honestly, I don't care that much.

I was just reminded of my childhood and going downtown with Mom to the shoestore where we shopped. Suddith & Bethune - and later it was Lambert's. We bought fall shoes for fall & winter and Easter shoes for spring and summer. School shoes and Sunday shoes for fall - but I only remember Sunday shoes for summer. What did I wear to school after Easter? I know I wore sandals and flip flops in the summer. Oh, and keds. I wore keds to school. Without socks, probably.

I don't think I ever bought any clothing item outside of Evergreen, AL when I was growing up. I don't remember it. Unless, it was in Troy, AL and we bought it at Rosenberg's - a very fine ladies' shop in downtown Troy. I know my grandmother bought Mary Ann and me our Easter Dresses from Rosenberg's when we were 6 and 4. Mine was dotted swiss. Perhaps Mary Ann's was too. When I was a senior I bought my prom dress at Rosenberg's. It was so expensive that my uncle paid half for it as my graduation gift. Total cost of the dress? $55.00. Too expensive for Mother and Daddy to buy as one purchase for Prom - and "The Miss Evergreen Beauty Contest". I confess. We had that. Sorry.

I'm rambling - but Labor Day in September is so different compared to the past.

It rained all day today - as in flooding. Charlie worked in his office all day since the Courthouse was closed for Labor Day - so that he could get a lot done. Labor Day defines nothing for me anymore in terms of seasons changing. What the rain has done is probably make things a bit cooler - or at least less hot. I'm so glad for that. I'm looking forward to fall and winter. Usually I'm not looking forward to cooler weather. I am very glad for fall and winter this year. It's been such a hot summer and a very very - well - not a summer for vacations and recreation. A tedious summer. Detailed. Details. Blessed. Abigail was born. Laura Beth and Scott had major changes, for which we are all grateful. Kate came(from Wake) and went(to China) and came(from China) and went(back to Wake). Sarah visited but she's deep into New Orleans.

Good grief! I'm rambling.

But tonight? I am enjoyng the sound of rain all around and all over us. We're very wet outside.

Chairs and Desks and I Don't Know What Else to Post About....

2011-08-31T10:27:00.000-07:00

What I've Been Doing - besides other stuff.

You see below a very very old chair.

Mother and Daddy had this one and the other one you're about to see.

Originally they were part of an outdoor set - with a matching glider.

They each were covered in a metal back and seat and it had a typical 50's look.

Eventually the metal rusted and Daddy replaced it with strips of board.

His invention to recycle these chairs.

I have kept them and left them outside in the elements - where they've always been.

Pieces of the wood have come off - the screws are rusty.

The wood is yukky - and 2 weeks ago when I was sitting in one of them while Ada and John played,

it occurred to me - "I CAN REPLACE THESE BOARDS!!!"

And so I did. I don't know why that hasn't occurred to me before.

See the curved pieces? I know Daddy must have learned how to "bend wood"

to make these pieces fit over the arms of the chair.

I googled that to see if I could.

I just can't.

We'll just have arms without wood pieces.

I love these chairs and the way they sit.

I look on ebay from time to time and in flea markets -

wondering if I'll ever find the original chair - 2 like these used to be.

Below is the old wood from the first chair.

Very distressed.

I'll do some piece of something with these.

Maybe art. Maybe an old frame.

I don't know.

And below is a row of orange desks which came from my old high school.

I've taken the desktops off in order to paint these.

These are the desk tops.

All I need is a jig saw and some pine boards joined so I can make a true wooden top for the chairs.

I think I've seen a tutorial that shows me how.

I was going to get someone to do it for me, but I want to do it.

I just need to buy a jigsaw.

Oops! I'll wait a couple of weeks.

I've already spent too much at Home Depot.

They don't give spray paint away.

They don't give anything away.

Customers have to pay.

Here is one chair painted yellow.

Yesterday I painted the metal part a brownish nickel color.

Looks good - but the masking off is tedious.

I've figured out how to save time.

The other 3 I'll first paint the yellow part without masking.

When it's solid dry - then I'll mask the yellow part to paint the legs their new metal color.

Masking the body of the chair was easier than masking the legs.

I have two other desks which I'm also going to revamp/spoof up.

They are different and have a more traditional desk look.

They came from my old high school, also.

I have so many projects waiting to be done.

I love doing this stuff.

Art Projects

2011-08-30T08:19:00.000-07:00

I'm working on art projects for Ellie and Luke. I agreed to teach them art, mainly Ellie, since she began "FIRST GRADE" yesterday. At Home. I'll be teaching Luke and Andrew also. The Barber children come in threes these days. Abigail is still attached to Ann and is only interested in being fed/rocked/ and held - and if she falls asleep, well, that's a great thing. Andrew doesn't like being left out of anything - nothing - he is on board for whatever Ellie and Luke are doing. He repeats everything they say and do. He's their echo - but he also has his own things to say and talk about. He talks constantly.

So - I've been researching art projects for children. I already had two books which are all about children and art and doing art with them. I don't want to teach them crafts - but - I want them to enjoy expressing themselves creatively.

So I found a recipe for Pudding paint. It can't be eaten - but it does involve flour/water/salt/sugar - to be cooked together like pudding and then it cools and tempera paint is added to create these different colors of paint. The brush is a craft stick. I'll probably use wide and thin for different lines and marks.

It's to be applied to any stiff board, like card board, mat board, something stiff. I recently ordered gesso and will probably gesso some cardboard to create a painting surface for them. (I'm assuming the pudding paint eventually dries like regular paint - otherwise why create a wet painting that we can't keep - I hope it dries!) (I'll give the recipe below if anyone is interested)

ANOTHER PAINTING PROJECT I FOUND involves making my own watercolors. Homemade watercolors!

Here is THE LINK TO GO TO but there are so many on the internet for making these paints. Just google Homemade Water Colors and all kinds of places have it. Suggested containers for the paints are empty ice cube trays - small, saved containers - I used tiny muffin tins. I never use mine because I am beyond the stage where I'm interested in making tiny bitesize things. Too tedious - so I gave my tins up for the water colors - besides - they'll eventually be empty again)

Another project I'm looking forward to - Making a Book out of a Paper Bag!! And then creating the book. HERE'S THE LINK which tells how to make the book. So simple. I've done it using small brown lunch bags which is a more manageable size - also - I just don't have any large grocery bags - paper ones. I plan to start requesting them.

I have no pictures today. This post is begging for pictures - but I have no time for that right now. I don't even have time to be posting this.

It's just something to move past my last post. I hate for the same one to just keep staying up there.

Here are the instructions for the pudding painting taken directly from my book.

PUDDING PAINT.

Mix 5 cups water, 2 cups white flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and 3 tablespoons salt. Pour into a saucepan and cook over medium heat until thick and bubbling (about 7 minutes). Cool well. This can be stored in the refrigerator in covered containers for several weeks. (right now mine is cooling in a pyrex bowl and I put saran wrap directly over the surface, as in touching the pudding, so a film wouldn't form as it does in edible pudding)

TO MAKE THE DIFFERENT COLORS:
1. Spoon cooled "pudding" into 5 containers and mix with 1/8 to 1/4 cup powdered or liquid tempera paint to make 5 main colors. (I ordered my tempera paint from DICK BLICK ART SUPPLIES ONLINE I ordered the already mixed kind.)
2. Place spoonfuls of the main colors on one paper plate; use another plate to mix colors. Use craft sticks to paint on cardboard. (I want a white surface so I plan to gesso cardboard. I also ordered my gesso from Dick Blick. It's expensive so I had to order a small container. My daughter Sarah instructs me on gesso. I haven't used it much but I do like it a lot. It just prepares a surface for paint. She mixes 2/3 water with 1/3 gesso. She has to apply several layers. It dries pretty fast or you can use a hair dryer, I suppose. Since the cardboard will absord the water I might use a thicker application - less water)
3. Pull up to get pointy peaks, or scrape a design into the paint. Make an abstract design, or paint a realistic picture.

WOW! Wish I still had access to all that scrap matboard and scrap foam core board from when I worked at the frame shop.
Those would be great for this.

I think that's all. I need to get off the computer.

I Started This Blog Post on Sunday Morning, Early....

2011-08-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

But didn't get to finish it.
I'm taking Ada and John home today.
It's been quite a week.

Cousins.

Ann and I couldn't get over the energy generated when these four got together.

Admittedly, they exhausted us and we had to take breaks from that combo all along.

Ada would wake up asking if she was going to see Ellie and Luke that day.

And there was no leaving Andrew out of the action.

and all week John worked on

maneuvering my back steps, alone.

Fat Toes. I love baby feet!

Ann took them to the park and to the splash park

on two different days.

While I kept John and Abigail.

Here is where I was interrupted.

Today is a new post.

After the interruption, yesterday, I greeted Ada and John who were waking up.

From there we did "breakfast", completed packing and dressing and preparing for the road trip home.

I drove them home to McDonough.

From McDonough I drove to Tallassee, AL, by way of I-85, getting off at the Auburn exit and

driving through town, College St, to get to Co Rd. 14 which takes me to Tallassee.

Beth and Jamie Baldwin have created their home there on the land

where Beth grew up. She loves South Alabama the way I do.

It's home.

Her oldest daughter, Hope, lives here across the country road from Beth.

It's all a very well planned, country, South Alabama, pastoral paradise.

They all enjoy hard work very much and do most everything by themselves.

They budget, they deal in bargains, they give, give, give and work, work, work,

and those are some images of the results.

I've returned to Scottsboro today.

I have a cold, which Ada gave to me.

That's okay. I never have colds.

I'm having to shift gears, having been the caregiver to Ada and John for 7 days.

Go back to Grandmother with no Grandchildren living in the house.

It's a major shift in gears - a welcomed one - yet......

there's the missing them and the knowing they're where they belong.

When I drove up to Laura Beth's and Scott's house yesterday,

I almost couldn't stop the car fast enough.

They were rushing out to the car to retrieve their girl and boy.

The reunion was very endearing.

I loved it.

Images from the week.

My sweet Georgia grandchildren.

The Help and What I've Been Doing Since My Last Post 9 Days Ago

2011-08-17T18:57:00.000-07:00

Charlie and I did go see The Help - I really, really liked it. I had read the book already because I knew it would be so much better than the movie and I definitely wanted to see the movie - but didn't want the movie to ruin the book for me. I have read lots of articles about the author - who is from Jackson, MS.

I am 60 - so I lived through all of that. I have my own stories from my very white perspective and wish so much we hadn't all been so blind. Anyone of us in my age bracket lived through the reality of that - It was and continues to be shocking to me. I was born in 1951 and so of course in 1961 I was only 10.

The book is good and trumps the movie. Still, the movie is so good, too. I watched it with Mike and Mary Bratton, and Charlie and none of them had read the book. I was curious to get their reaction. They liked it a lot.

There's a lady in south Alabama whom I know. I knew her as a child when she would help Mother with Mary Ann and me. I LOVED her. She was just a very young teenager when she would baby sit us. I thought she was beautiful and had a magical energy. I never forgot her. I never knew her last name until our paths crossed again when I was 50. Mary Ann knew she'd moved back to Evergreen and she and her sister were willing to help us care for Mom after Mother's near fatal stomach event which had put her in intensive care. I remember my strong emotional reaction when I saw her again. I was maybe 4 or 5 the last time I'd seen her. I cried and was trembling. She had no idea that she'd meant that much to me. She still had that same energy and was still beautiful and smart and bright and laughed so much. Here we were adults and able to share stories - mostly hers with Mary Ann and me listening. Amazing to get her perspective, with no bitterness, on life in Evergreen, AL during all the days of segregation and then life during the time of the civil rights movement. We had lived in the deepest of the deep south, she on the black side, Mary Ann and I on the white side. She had loved Mother. Even before this movie and this book, I've wanted to make some questions for an interview with her - and share it on this blog.

I'm going to do it one of these days. She's a great story teller. She has amazing stories!! She and her sister together have amazing stories.

What I've been doing since the last post - Last week - getting my house and yard in order to prepare for Ada and John being with me, here at my house, for a week - while Laura Beth and Scott prepare to move into their cute rental house.

So - pictures from yesterday. (I met LB and Scott in Adairsville. Mary Bratton rode with me - the drive over was certainly different than the drive home. On the way back to Scottsboro we had tired John and chatty, excited Ada in the back seat. Mary saw my grandparenting world in full swing.)

2nd Post Today, August 8th.

2011-08-08T12:45:00.000-07:00

Daddy - to Mary Ann and me - Frank or Mr. Wilkerson - to all others -

died on this day in 1993.

August 8.

I still miss him. I know Mary Ann does, too.

We miss Mother and Daddy, both.

But not in a morbid or unhealthy way. A happy way, actually.

I've always wish we'd (Mom, Mary Ann and I) handled his disease better.
We gave it our best shot.

Our goal was to make him feel as safe and comfortable as possible.

Always our goal, but then one looks back and second guesses things.

He had Alzheimer's Disease.

We were on unknown territory, for us, and for most of the world.

But he's been in eternity for 18 years now.

He would be 98. People live to be 98 and more. The rest of Daddy's body was very healthy.

Good genes. Good heart. Good mind, until the Alzheimer's ravaged it.

Earliest memories of daddy.

He and I sitting on the floor with the soles of our feet touching, spread legs, and rolling a red, white, and blue rubber ball back and forth. I LOVED that game. I remember I could tell he was doing it for me and that he didn't love that game as much as I did. He didn't intend for me to know that but I could tell. He always had a smile on his face, still I knew. I guess his duration wasn't as long as mine. I had to have been so young. 3 maybe?

Other memory. Daddy coming home from work and Mary Ann and I rushing into his arms as he came in the side/back door - His arms opened wide and he's kneeling down to take us both in. Our excitement and squeals. I remember that. I know he loved that. Who doesn't love that?

Daddy throwing Mary Ann and me on the bed and saying a phrase as he did it. It's such a nonsense phrase and I have no idea how it got started, but we loved it and giggled so much over it. He would say, "Whole Tatum!" and he'd stretch out the "o" really long in the word, whole. He'd say that as he threw each of us on the bed. Of course he could only do us one at a time, so the one waiting would be shouting, "Do me! Do me!" and he'd laugh and say, "Okay, come on, Do Me." He'd call us "do me".

Oh gosh. I remember those endless glasses of water we asked for at night or in the middle of the night. I can see Daddy sleepily coming in the room with that tiny glass and I'd take a small sip and be done. Of course every parent knows it's a tactic - that the child probably isn't very thirsty - just needing some contact. Daddy knew it - but he came anyway with that small glass of water. He always looked so sleepy.

I can still feel the way Daddy held me when I was very small - on his side the way a man holds a child, usually, with one strong arm, and just grasping the legs with the other hand. My arm around his neck. One particular night I ran to get in his arms when he was going outside to check and listen to see if he could tell the direction of a fire engine we heard. I thought I would be safer if I was in his arms. He stood and held me and we listened - and I said I hoped it wasn't coming to our house. (I've told this on here before) That's when he gave me the wonderful information - that fire trucks don't set houses on fire, they put them out. Boy had I been mixed up about that! So glad to know.

Of course there's the fun way to be carried - on the shoulders. We definitely did that .

And the driving - he'd let me sit in his lap when we got on our "slow" street - and I thought I was steering. His hands were on the lower part of the steering wheel.

And there were our older child years and our teen years.

And college. And being single. And married with children.

He was always there.

I'm so glad for all the people I will see again.
I'm so glad for redemption and eternity,
for grace and mercy,
for sanctification,
for Christ in me,
the hope of glory.
Grateful and glad and so much hope.
I wish God would use me to tell everyone.
I don't seem to communicate it very well with words.
I'm glad it's His Spirit telling and communicating and doing and using His redeemed ones the way He wants to and chooses to.

Monday After a Week of Traveling

2011-08-08T06:45:00.000-07:00

We returned from North Carolina on Tuesday of last week
&
Traveled to McDonough, Georgia
on Friday
with two grandchildren in the backseat - Ellie and Luke.

We were going there to celebrate Ada's 4th birthday,
staying at "a hotel" near Laura Beth and Scott's house.
The kids were excited and Ada was going to stay with us at the hotel.
We did, she did, and we celebrated and now we're home

What can I say? Charlie and I are grandparents.
And we had the look as we supervised 3 grandchildren ages 6,5,& 4
overnight in a basic hotel, complete with indoor pool and continental breakfast.

Ada and Ellie in bed after swimming and bathing.

Next day we woke ready to party.

Luke, Ada, and Ellie greet the first guests.

They look like a panel of judges on a reality show.

American Idol? Dancing With the Stars?

Children are funny the way they do the "stand-off thing" until they warm up.

No social pretense here. Just checking it out.

Here's the way a girl (Ada, who loves art projects) approaches her craft project

set in front of her.

"Build Your Own Princess Crown"

Here is non artist boy, Luke, already having completed his boy hat.

Four letters in L-u-k-e, 3 athletic ball stickers and presto, there's a visor.

and he sits back to visit with whomever.

This photo: Well, it's from a perspective of my watching Ellie watch Ada.

One of Ellie's "thorns in the flesh" is her struggle with not being the birthday girl

when she's not the birthday girl and someone else is.

She understands her struggle and that it is just that.

She even understands about having to trust Christ to "sanctify" her.

Not using such big words in her mind -

but she is taught always that it is only Christ in her who can change that part of her.

Prayers were answered and all enjoyed

the celebration of Ada turning four.

Indeed it is an awesome thing being the birthday girl

and having a beautiful princess cake

In this next picture Charlie and Luke having some "guy conversation"

during the Princess Party. And speaking of guys,

John napped through the entire party.

He is in none of the pictures.

Ada's little brother.

See the sword? Those were favors for a few little boys who were invited.

Luke has loved this sword. Laura Beth got these at Hobby Lobby for nothing.

She told me the cost but I've forgotten.

Well under $1.00 for each sword.

We took one to Andrew. You'll see later.

Art Supplies were the dominant gifts.

The girls loved all of this.

Again, Luke thinking through how to approach this whole situation.

And .... ta daaahhhhhh.

Back home. Andrew enjoying the party favors we brought him.

His visor which I made for him, but he wears it upside down.

And his sword.

He, too, has loved the sword, just like "wukie's". Lukie or Luke

The End.

And now it's Monday.

I'm cleaning off my back porch and hope to get grass cut and some inside cleaning done.

That's a tall order for me.

Don't know if I can get it all done.

It would help if I'd get off the computer.

So Little I Have to Write

2011-08-04T23:07:00.000-07:00

Still.....

I have a blog, which is to be written in/posted on/..... Write Something!!!

So - I will be methodical.

1. Returned from North Carolina on Tuesday after a different "scenic" route home - Not the usual Interstate Route. It was beautiful. Charlie and I want to do that in the other direction. Go back the same way we came. Beautiful. Majestic. We had been in Winston-Salem to help Kate move furniture into her new location/her new house.

2. Regrouped on Wednesday and Thursday.

3. We will travel to McDonough on Friday with Ellie and Luke to celebrate Ada's 4th birthday.

All of those sentences are clean and neat and made up of letters from the alphabet which form words and sentences. Still - what is not communicated is emotion - and physical "feelings" - and conversations - and things I know which have burst into my world - but are either inappropriate or uninteresting for blog world.

Babies are being born, babies have been born, messages on answering machine, phone conversations which are startling, and awesome, too, news from home - Evergreen - grandchildren - daughters - mirrors - meals - scales - morning, noon, and night - vivid dreams about it all - bills - expenses - spending - faith and prayer and trusting and asking - all of this world - so much of it - and always looking toward the eternal. His Kingdom come, His will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Still.

Here is what I want my every ~~morning~~ moment prayer to be:

"May the Lamb that was slain receive in my life today

the reward of His sufferings".

based on Revelations 5:9

Here It Is Thursday

2011-07-28T18:50:00.000-07:00

I'm finishing up Kate's furniture.
Charlie and I will drive to North Carolina on Sunday.
These are days filled with so much of the unpredictable.
God's grace and provision gives me rest when I least expect it.
His grace also gives me activity when I least expect it.
I love that He orders my days.

Where Do I Start

2011-07-26T07:13:00.000-07:00

To convince you to read this post.

Don't go there yet, though.

I'll do multiple links to help you get there.

To me it's hilarious and has MADE MY DAY.

First of all, I have to tell you, the title of the post caught my eye because - well - here it is - Joy's Life-Is-Crappy Bachelorette Show.

The life-is-crappy phrase got my attention because Charlie and I have an inside joke about that. Several several years ago, when I was taxiing my four children to every event, every class, all of the time, and trying to get everywhere on time, or at least decently on time - I was having a very bad moment and was very, very stressed, so I called Charlie on my cell phone to vent and I blurted out this statement to him, "I HATE MY CRAPPY LIFE!" Well, clearly, I didn't and never have had a crappy life. I've had crappy moments - a lot of which I've brought on myself - and well, life does get rather crappy at times - but heck - that's life and I just wasn't dealing with it very well at the time. So - my husband who was busy at work providing for his family got the phone call from his wife who was acting rather "witchy" and screamed in the phone that infamous phrase. I repented of my bad behavior and we've used it in jokes quite often and we say that with "tongue-in-cheek" - You get the point.

so when I saw that post with that title I had to go read it. Well, guess what? I didn't realize this post was a spin on The Bachelorette Show. I HATE HATE The Bachelor Show and the Bachelorette Show. They are wrong on so many levels and also painful. I have watched some of them and I cannot imagine doing that, being that, whatever it is, fake or real, on public television to entertain people. It's the bottom of the barrel kind of behavior.

So this post is a different spin on those two shows and it's priceless. PLEASE READ IT!
If you feel that I'm too hard on those two shows, please comment and defend their virtues which apparently I've missed if there are any. Also, would love to know if anyone out there loves this post like I do.

In case you didn't recognize all the different spots at which I handed out the link, then here it is, spelled out: http://joyinthisjourney.com/2011/07/joys-life-is-crappy-bachelorette-show/

Andrew on Monday

2011-07-25T08:06:00.000-07:00

Andrew waiting for me to get off the computer,

get a shower,

and go with Near (I am Near) in her car.

He has on Luke's size 5 shirt.

It's all I had clean at the house for a little boy.

Notice the silly band on his arm.

He wears it high.

And his shirt sleeve is caught in it.

After my shower and he's got a better shirt on.

It had been wet and I dried it.

Still Luke's but not quite so big.

He wanted to look at Abigail.

He pronounces it now,

a-B-gail

I asked him where we were going in the car.

This is him talking behind his paci saying,

"To McDonald's, in Near's car."

To support himself there, on the couch,

he presses in on my tummy with his fist.

Now we're going.

But not just to McDonald's.

Going down to Unique Treasure's and make second payment on chair I got for Kate.

Also look at 6 other chairs which I can't quit thinking about.

Great price for the 6 of them.

And - no Monday is complete without a quick run to Wal-Mart.

What Has Been Going on this Week Besides Abigail Working on Being 4 Weeks.

2011-07-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

That's right! 4 weeks, people! That's huge. She's eating a lot and fattening up and we're all passing around children like they are hot potatoes.... or a juggling act.

and in the midst of all of that.....

Kate, my youngest daughter, 23, who has recently returned from a 4 week trip to China, will be leaving tomorrow for Atlanta - a training conference - She is an RUF Intern at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC.

Next Friday she will drive from Atlanta to Winston-Salem. On Saturday or Sunday Charlie and I will do what we've been doing for some time now, moving one of our girls from point A to point B. We will get a truck or a U-haul and load it up with the "stuff" Kate and I are presently working on (furniture) and drive it to WS and help Kate move from a small basement apartment to a larger house which she will be sharing with 3 other girls. It's very nice and very empty. So the 4 girls are filling it up with various pieces of ~~their~~ ~~parents'~~ their furniture.

I'm a project girl and a flea market girl. Why do I like that stuff? Old stuff made new. A lot of people do. Why? But I and We do. Say the words Retro and Vintage and I'm sold. I'm hooked. You have my attention.

This week Kate and I drove to Chattanooga to Knitting Mill Antiques. Ahhhh. Loved it. I spent 66.00 and bought an occasional table for Kate, a chalkboard for Kate, 3 placemats with 4 matching napkins for me, aaannnnnddd, I think that's all.

I'm giving her my kitchen table which was an antique when Charlie's parents bought it years ago, and I've used it the biggest part of our married life, and now I'm passing it on to Kate. It's an oak pedestal table. 3 of the chairs still can hold an adult person. I'm giving her those. We're painting it/them a pale gray and distressing it. The chairs will be a pink/white color. Kate's picking all of this stuff out. It's all her doing and I inquire about her plans and I'm just helping.

Kate had in mind an old ornate frame which she could spray paint a choice color and put a chalkboard in it - for her personal use, in her room - for notes and lists and reminders.

She also was thinking of a community chalkboard for the group of girls to use - somewhere in the kitchen. At the Knitting Mill Antiques I found the community chalk board for them and spruced it up with some new chalkboard paint. Kate found the cheap frame she was looking for, bought it and now we've painted it. Looks great and just have to get the board for it from Home Depot.

We've made lots of trips to Home Depot this week.

And.....Finally.......Kate had already purchased this old window and has made pom garlands(just made that name up) to drape over the top in a swag fashion and maybe put photos behind the glass.

We have ideas. She has ideas.

that's all.

that's what is going on here besides lots of breaks at fast food places with

Ann and children or just children.

Also - staying in close contact with Laura Beth and their story or Scott's Story.

Yesterday I was attaching my computer to my printer. Haven't used the printer in a while because I'm so low on ink. I have a dab of black. It might print out a faint copy of something in black.

As I turned on my computer it started printing - something I had set up several weeks ago - and it was scripture, apparently I missed getting it the last time my printer was on. I don't remember. It was like God sent it to me to give everyone in the world who needs to hear, again, that He is Sovereign and is in control of our lives, our life, our world, of history - of everything.

He made us all. He made EVERYTHING. He knows EVERYTHING.

Isaiah 45: 7-8

I form the light and create darkness,

I bring prosperity and create disaster;

I, the Lord, do all these things.

You heavens above, rain down righteousness;

let the clouds shower it down.

Let the earth open wide,

let salvation spring up,

let righteousness grow with it;

I, the Lord, have created it.

Isaiah 45:12

It is I who made the earth and created mankind upon it,

My own hands stretched out the heavens;

I marshaled their starry hosts.

That is what came out of my printer yesterday when I least expected it.

(plus.....Sarah and her roommate don't have to move!!!! Hallalujah!!!! they have found a 3rd roommate to replace the one who left New Orleans. So very very glad about that.)

I think I've just done roll call in this blog post.

Ann - check

Kate - check

Laura Beth - check

Sarah - check

Five Days Later

2011-07-19T17:08:00.000-07:00

It's been that long since my last post.

I didn't mention, while I was writing that,

that, even as I typed, Charlie was planning yet another delicious meal for me and my girls.

I just felt like he'd done more than he'd needed to do and he was working just as hard on the Friday night meal as he had on the Steak Dinner.

He was preparing Wild Salmon to be grilled, along with fresh asparagus.

Delicious bread with an herbal olive oil for dipping.

He was having Kate make a peach cobbler for dessert.

I kept saying to him that he was going to hit a brick wall and that he was working too hard.

He had arranged for Steve to take Luke and Andrew somewhere so it could be a girl night for us - an extension of my birthday celebration.

What I didn't know,

he had a huge surprise planned for me.

Two of my very close friends who live in Birmingham arrived at my house around 4:00 pm.

I was "lolling" on the couch - with Sarah and Kate in the room - Mary Ann had gone back to the hotel for the afternoon - and as I sat there I saw someone walk up the back porch.

I said, "That looks like Val Carrier!" But then said, "Oh, it must be Mary Ann."

Got up, walked into the kitchen - and in walked Val and Martha Robinson and Mary Ann and Charlie and everyone knew about the whole thing.

I've talked about Val and Martha on this blog before.

We go all the way back to childhood. Thru elementary, but mostly in high school.

Thru college, single life and here we all are -

All along I travel down to Birmingham to get my Martha and Val "fix".

That moment when I saw them walk in and I knew they were here, plus 3 of my girls -

it was such a great exhilarating moment.

Charlie had planned all of this and we had the night ahead and the next morning.

Ann showed up shortly after that with Ellie and Abigail.

Again, wish Laura Beth and Ada could have been with us.

I don't know where they would have slept.

I guess at the hotel with Mary Ann.

Below are LOTS of pictures.

There were many more.

Val took them all, so I had to stop and make sure I got some pictures of her,

so we would have photo evidence of her being with us.

You'll see 2 of her.

She's the one with the camera.

Charlie did all of this for me.

Put SO much thought into the whole thing.

As Martha said,

"He's a student of his wife".

He loves me.

NEXT MORNING

on the back porch

in our pajamas until shortly after noon.

At one point I said to everyone, after looking at the clock,

"Don't anybody panic, but it's after noon and we're still in our pajamas".

Made several pots of coffee.

Kate made for us a Grits Casserole, Strawberry Scones, and Fresh Peaches.

I brought out my sterling silver and plaid dishes.

I love silver in the morning. I do.

And friends and coffee.

The pictures reveal that Ann came over with her 4.

She apologized but we were glad to have all of them.

Had to twist her arm to get her over here.

That's all about my birthday.

I have wonderful friends and family - a wonderful husband.