two kisses

while visiting family in the other corner 
of the state, we got an unexpected blessing.
the stork made a visit!
we knew the time was near for this newest
family member.
however to be in her area for her original 
birth day...
well joy beyond the frosting on a cake!   

my newest great neice is beautiful.
long graceful fingers, 
long skinny feeties,
a head full of dark hair,
plus she really resembles her 
older brother.
and he's a looker, let me tell you.

one of life's great privileges for me,
and great joys is to hold a baby.
but especially a new one. 
they are such a warm bundle of 
softness, sweetness and love.
i could hold one all day.
honest.

this little sweetheart has a beautiful name.
her parents are honoring us all by using family names.
she is named after two of her great grandmas,
with my mom's name being the middle one.
it's flows together beautifully with her first one.
kind of like my grammie told mom
when she married  dad.....
"sounds like a beautiful chord on the piano". 

i knew this naming might happen and 
happily gave my blessing. 
but still, when i saw her name in print,
it did give my heart a tug.
a good one, 
mixed with a sad one.
mom would love to be able 
to shower this great granddaughter with 
love and kisses. 
and we would love for that to be 
able to happen.
however, God had other plans.

so now i give my newest great niece
two kisses...
one from me,
and one from grandma great. 

                
           

tell and show

twenty years ago we lived in a different home,
different state, and my life was different.
i started this project with the intention of it 
going in our oldest daughters room.
she, however, did not like it.
ok. so there was no rush to complete it,
and i worked on it as the mood struck.
years would go by before it would 
see the light of day.  

eventually our youngest daughter vetoed it too.
even when i warned her i might never make 
another quilt..therefore she 
possibly wouldn't have one.

ok, back in the box. 

now, it's me and the man, 
we have more time,
even a bit more $$$.

which is why i finally got this project done.

 well, not completely.
but i got the borders on it this week.

today i took it to the lady who will 
machine quilt it for me. 
 

 

    basket block details.
but don't look too close, it is FAR from perfect. 

however, i am excited about it.
the quilting lady was too, 
because her creative-ness kicked in,
and 
her eyes lit up, 
her voice got excited when 
she began to tell me just what stitch patterns she
would use where.

what?
i thought she would do an all over single pattern.
nope, seems she has a few different ones
she will put on there.
wow. 

now i'm really excited!
 but...

there are also 98 quilts ahead of mine.

sigh...

please let it not be twenty more years.
amen.         

     

happy dance

our youngest child is in her last year of college.
yeah!
and this 'baby bird' learned today she has been accepted in to
the student teaching program for next semester!

yeah! yeah!  

honestly, i didn't know you had to apply for that
and then hope to be accepted in.
i figured if you took the classes, passed 'em,
life was good, you got to student teach.

guess momma's don't know everything. 
: ) 

but she was concerned...
majorly.
(she worries sometimes)  

brown-eyed-handsome-man and i 
were not worried.  
we know her, she's a good student.
and she's spent the last 4 years
volunteering at community centers
in the downtown area of her city
tutoring kids after school.

i mean with a record like that
why wouldn't this child get in?
i mean really....

so...we are doing a bit of happy dancing
for this teacher to be.
we've never stopped being proud of her.
this just adds one more reason to dance.

  

  
     

a tender note from my mom

i'm doing a bit of desk cleaning, 
re-reading of cards and letters i have not been able 
to part with.

here's part of a little note sent from my mom,
oct. 21. but i don't know the year, 
guessing it's the mid 1980's, when we only had 2 kids.
we were pastoring our first church and lived 16 hours away. 


"Hi my very dears.
Your two hour letter was so good. We all enjoyed it.
....We do pray for all of you always....My darling daughter how 
I love you - keep your eyes on Jesus and please Him - we never
can or will please all people - nor should we feel badly when we don't. You are doing the best you can and that's all Christ asks.
You know we can't change people - only give them the example
of our lives and how blessed it is to know Jesus in a personal way -
then they make the choice. This is a pep letter - by now you are wondering I am sure - anyway we love you - rejoice when you rejoice - hurt when you hurt and cry when you cry, even if we are miles apart - you have never left our hearts.Your happiness and 
well being are as important to us now as it was when you were 3.
Nothing changes - but the size of the child for a parent. So continue to share with us.
all our love, Daddy and Mother." 

this still blesses me, 
challenges me to be as loving,
and reminds me what a treasure i had for a mom. 

and my gentle reminder:
keep/or start those monthly self exams of your breasts!
get your mammogram!

 

 
 

 

MAMMOGRAMSMAMMOGRAMSMAMMOGRAMSMAMMOGRAMS

hi!
i'm back on my soap box.
along with many others this month.

be kind to yourself...
and those who love you.
schedule your boob-smashing-
deep-breath-inhaling-20-seconds-of-ouch! 

GO to that appointment.

and THEN, go eat out, see a movie,
buy a new something maybe.
 BUT ...

do something to celebrate life.

don't think this doesn't affect you...
i.e. you're a male, or not of the
mammogram age..
because it does.
make sure the women in your 
life are getting them.
go along to the appointment, 
take them to lunch.
let them know how loved they are. 

every day is a gift.
 
 

is anyone REALLY qualified to be a leader?

my brain is circling a bit here:
 
being a leader brings tremendous responsibility.
and it doesn't matter what or who you are leading.
any type of leadership is work.
personally i can say the times i've
had to lead a whatever, i've never quite
felt qualified. there was always an 
area or more i was unfamiliar with.

therefore, i depended on those i was 'leading'.
 
hence a leader also needs followers,
people who listen, and support 
the leaders ideas.
and then those very same people need to 
carry out those ideas.

obviously this election year has me questioning.
and the longer i pondered,
the more questions i came up with. 
but i don't necessarily think that's bad.

: )

happy walking-in-circles!  











 
 

stop I say...STOP IT.

i have never googled single men in my area.
i've never googled single men in anyone's area.

so please stop sending me ads for some such nonsense.

i have a man. 
his name is brown-eyed-handsome-man.
and he's mine.
not sharing.

also not looking.
one man is enough for me.

so.... in the continuing 
"i married a good man" series..
here's one of his latests.

me: " i regret not having a college degree"
he:  " why?"
me: " i might need to take care of myself financially someday"
he:  "yes you might." slow pause
he: " but isn't it nice you've not had to," 
said with a pleased grin on his face.
me: " yes. i've been blessed."