• The sixth day of August 2014…

    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!

    cindydawnandclayton2

     

    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!

     sch_noitems_leaf

    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. 

    Dot21

     

     

     

     

  • Minnie Pearl…

    I was at my daughter’s house the other day, when my nine-year-old granddaughter laughed aloud and reached for the waist of my bermuda shorts.

    “Grandmom!  You have something hanging from your shorts,”  she said in the midst of the laughter.

    I reached back to the waist of my fairly new shorts to find a tiny-well-washed-ziplock-bag which probably at one time held buttons!  Then came the realization that I had worn these shorts everywhere:  on a flight to Florida, Disneyworld, Anna Maria Island, the grocery store, the mall!  I tried to comfort myself with the fact I have yet to see anyone I know!  😉  That’s probably because I basically don’t know anyone (besides family) here.

    When in the world did I turn into Minnie Pearl?!  Remember her?  She was one of my parents’ all-time-favorite comediennes.  Her trademark was a hat with the tag hanging down.  No doubt there’s a lot of laughter in Heaven now with Sarah Cannon (Minnie Pearl) around!

    To be honest though, all I could think at the time was:  GOOD GRIEF!  I need a keeper!!!

     

     

     

  • Hide and seek…

    When it’s cold and windy outside with a blanket of deep white covering the ground, one must be creative…especially when playing with grandchildren inside.  One must also have a very good sense of humor!  😉

    It is a challenge trying to win at “hide and seek” when Kiana (the Hungarian Vizla) is a dead-give-away!

    Me (whispering):   “Go away, Kiana!!!  I’m trying to hide!”

    Kiana:  Slurp.  Slurp.  Kiss.  Kiss.  “Aw, Grandmom, let me in here with you!”

      My eight year old granddaughter:  “Found you, Grandmom!  *laughter*  You’re too big to fit in the cathedral room (the tent under the table…evidently, the sun shines through the different colors of blankets and looks like stained glass)!  Your bottom sticks out!” 

    At this point, my daughter and I cracked up in laughter!

    Actually, I think it was Kiana’s bottom that was sticking out from the tent!  😉

     

  • Kindred spirits…

    The past few months have been a challenge.  I’ve been through enough changes in my life that I scored quite high on the “stress level” meter.  I have fought to remain positive but, as you already know, that is sometimes beyond our reach.  When I first arrived in the Midwest six months ago, I spent two months living with my daughter and her precious family (my grandchildren thought they’d hit the jackpot!).  My belongings were stored floor to ceiling in her garage.  Not one word of complaint from her or my son-in-love, an amazing young man.

    When the worst of the depression hit months ago, I spent four days in an out-patient “depression class” which lasted all day long.  (Remember I was a Psych nurse for ten years and believe in getting help when needed!) When my grandchildren asked where I went early each morning, my daughter simply said “she’s going to a depression class”.  Each night at dinner, I had tales about who had joined the class that day (no names or details of course).  One day, a beautiful young Sandra Bullock-look-alike joined the class.  The next day it was Al Pacino’s double!  On my last day, Dennis Hopper showed up (nevermind he had died by then).  There was laughter at the dinner table and my grandchildren were so happy that Grandmom “graduated first in her class from depression school”!  Their words – not mine!  Mainly, they were glad I was home again during the day.

    When the time came for me to move into my own apartment/condo, my grandchildren weren’t so sure they wanted to part with me.  Thankfully, I’m only 14 minutes from them if I hit all the green lights just so.  They love coming over here.  They are my little kindred spirits.  They can read me like a book.  Especially my eight year old granddaughter.  She searches my face for signs that I am fine.  I may think that I am hiding tears or sadness from them, but they are not to be fooled.  Thankfully, there are very few tears now and even though they don’t realize it – they remind me, once again, that I am strong.  I am thankful for my daughter who is the biggest kindred spirit of all.  I am thankful for the closeness and the memories we are making.

    Spending time playing with grandchildren is the very best therapy in the world.  Anytime I am at my daughter’s or they are here, there is an abundance of laughter.  Laughter releases endorphins, the body’s natural painkiller, and makes anyone feel good…

    candle

  • Trick or treating under a full moon…

    There’s nothing like spending a chilly evening – under an amazing full moon – “trick or treating” with your grandchildren and your daughter…especially if you are dressed like Grumpy and your daughter is Winnie-the-Pooh!  My thirteen year old granddaughter and almost four year old grandson were “Penny” and “Bolt” from the Disney movie Bolt.  My eight year old granddaughter was an adorable fairy.  My daughter created or coordinated each of the children’s costumes.  What a fun night!

    Grumpy with attitude and padding!  😉

  • Laughter is good…

     A sense of humor is a wonderful thing…especially when all of your belongings are piled high in your daughter’s garage and you have no idea where anything is.  I happened to mention to my daughter that I had a certain cookbook “somewhere” in the garage and a few other interesting things.  The next thing I knew there was a grin on her face and a gleem in her eyes.  She grabbed a pair of scissors and said “let’s go look!”

    There we were outside on the pavement by her garage going through box after box  and having a blast.  She “found” my knifeblock which she borrowed and a few other neat things.  We were laughing so hard that suddenly I wondered what her neighbors in the upscale neighborhood thought about all of this and voiced that question.  We looked at each other and laughed again.

    My soon to be fifteen year old grandson has graciously given up his bedroom and bathroom in the downstairs suite for his grandmom and is bunking in with his almost four year old brother upstairs.  Not one word of grumbling or complaint.  Pretty amazing kid!  I’m loving my time with my daughter and her family and am getting spoiled in the process.

    In the photo below:  my eight year old granddaughter and I were sorting and organizing when we came across a couple of my summer hats.  She thought trying them on was fun!

    grandmomandmakaylainhatsingarage