• The sixth day of August 2014…

    August 6, 2014 / 10 Comments

    Another day in August…another milestone.  Joy and sadness.  Laughter and tears.  This was originally posted in Sweet Journey Home on August 6, 2013.  What can I say?  I don’t think I can say it any better.  I look forward to seeing my family in the South the first two weeks of October.  My niece Cindy makes everyone’s heart sing and laugh!  Here she is in the pic below with her two wonderful children.  Happy Birthday, Cindy!  I love you!

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    The Sixth Day of August…

    There are some days in life that are just bittersweet…today is one of those days.

    On a sweet note, today is Cindy’s birthday.  She is my sister Gerry’s firstborn.  Cindy is beautiful with a heart of gold…just like her late Mom.  She has an ever ready smile and a wonderful sense of humor.  We are always laughing when we’re all together.  An amazing pianist and wonderful teacher, she must bless the hearts of the students at the college where she teaches.  No doubt, she blesses the hearts of our entire family…just as she blesses mine.  Happy Birthday, Cindy!  I love you.  Wish I could be there to celebrate with all of you!  But I will see you in October!

    Love this photo from about 1957.  Cindy was almost 5 and I was 12.  (Guessing at the year and ages here.)

    Apparently, I’d propped her up in the car window!  I was a really good baby sitter!

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    Sadly, today also marks the tenth anniversary of my beautiful sister Dot’s death.  She fought a courageous battle against AML (Acute Myloid Leukemia) but Heaven needed her.  She had such strength and optimism.  She believed in FAMILY more than anyone I have ever known.  Dot remembered special days with a card, a note or a call.  She organized family reunions and made sure that we all got together.  She had a gift for staying in touch.  Dot had the burden/privilege of being the oldest…maybe that comes with the territory.  As I shared in the previous post, searching for our family roots was Dot’s inspiration and I will honor her by finishing it.  She would like that.

    How I would love to answer the phone and hear her quip one more time, “Hello!  What’s going on besides the rent?” with that smile in her voice.  I miss her every single day…but I will see her in Heaven.

     I love this picture of my sister when she was about 21 years old. 

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  • Pure joy…

    August 17, 2013 / 11 Comments

    Yesterday was a day of pure joy and thanksgiving as my newest grandchild made her way into this world…with mom and daughter doing fine.  She was born at 10:34 a.m. weighing a healthy 7 pounds, 14 ounces and with enough hair to know there may be some strawberry blonde for this sweet baby too…just like her big sister and her Dad.   

    My son called me on “Facetime” from the hospital in order for me to “meet” her in “real-time”.  I talked softly to my beautiful brand new granddaughter and watched closely as she peacefully slept and moved her little hands.  Sweetness personified. 

    I will fly to Dallas on September 5 to meet her in person and hold her in my arms.  I will be there to celebrate her big sister’s second birthday!  What fun that will be!

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     I couldn’t help but reminisce a bit and remember when my son was born…just a little over 33 years ago.  Here he is in the hospital with his dad not long after he was born.  Notice the strawberry blonde hair even then.  Sweet memories.  I love this circle of life and the incredible joy of being a grandmother!

     

     

  • One year old…

    September 8, 2012 / 5 Comments

    What a fun birthday week this has been!  I can hardly believe that one whole year has passed since this sweet girl made her entrance into the world.

    She loved her birthday decorations – the streamers, the balloons and all the other adorable decorations. Those big blue eyes clearly were taking it all in when she woke up on the morning of her birthday!

    Now, her Midwestern parents will tell you in a heartbeat that she isn’t a “Southern” baby but that sure is an adorable SOUTHERN baby dress that a friend of theirs gave her as a birthday gift!  I loved it!  What you can’t see are her adorable little soft leather cowgirl boots!

    The expression on her face when she saw her “smash” cake was absolutely priceless!  If she could say more than five or six words, she probably would have said:

    “Hello!  What ARE you three adults thinking?!  Uh, don’t you know that I have been fed so healthy for the first year of my life?!  I have NOT had sugar!  Nope.  Not for the entire first year of my life.  Granted this cake is from one of the top ten bakeries in the U.S.A. but still… you DO know this cake is made of pure SUGAR?!!  Don’t you?!  Are you SURE you want me to have this?!”

    So, as the Paparazzi clicked a few stills she took advantage of the moment and dove in (truthfully though, health conscious Mom and Dad limited it to a few bites – which she loved – then distracted her with a new birthday toy and removed it!)

    I have a photo of her Dad at the same age which looks just like this!

    She is always happy and even-tempered!  What an amazing baby girl!

    We had lunch at a nearby Garden Cafe.  They have herbs and vegetables growing and even a couple of chickens in a little chicken coop.

    This child is full of joy and takes my breath away!

    Happy Birthday, baby girl!  I love you!