Reflections…

This is how I spent ringing in the new year…..

Yes....the empty chair is mine!! Temps in the 70's and lots of relaxing
with some shopping, good seafood, and fireworks over the ocean!!

The warm beaches of Panama City in sunny Florida were a welcome treat as the year lingered for the last time. As one door closes new ones will open….and I look forward with anticipation..........

2011 came to a close like the slamming of a door.  It started out good….really escalated to being on the top of the world…. and then came crashing down all at once.  Life is good when we are constantly walking on the top of the mountain….however; God wants us to rely on Him in every moment.  Those moments when we are struggling deep in the valley of darkness, we are not alone.  I walked in this deep valley from August 30 until the end of the year.  I honestly do not know how people can pick themselves up and move on without the unselfish help and love of our Heavenly Father.  

He has now shut that door and I am glad to put it all behind me…not forgetting and not without learning, but moving ahead and excited about what He has in store for our family in 2012.  I have missed blogging and so appreciate those of you who “checked in” on me throughout this time.  I know without any doubt that things could have been worse and others experienced far greater tragedies than we did; so I must remember how truly blessed we are and to take this valley journey and see it as a bridge between the mountains.  While crossing this swinging dark path, I learned that there are not always answers to our questions…so we have to rely on FAITH and TRUST.  Sometimes that is easier said than done….but the sun will again rise over the hills and a new day is always there. That new door will open wide and welcome us in…..

I have busied myself with crafting and painting. Door hangers (speaking of doors)  seem to be all the craze at the moment …so I tried my hand at it, first making a couple for Holly….and then boom….everyone wanted some!! I’m not complaining, mind you, it’s good money for a hobby I love!  Here are a few I’ve done:

Aubie from Auburn University

This one is reversible!!

Not a door hanger...but still some of my work!
Gooble Gooble!!

These are all designed, cut, sanded, primed, painted,
sealed, and ready to hang.... all by me!!
Yes I use power tools....don't mess with me!! :)

So…. my reflections on the past are for making me stronger, they are for putting a few things into a new perspective, and for making me grow in the Lord and trust Him more each new day. When I look in the mirror this year and see that reflection I hope I will be smiling most of the time....and with God's help I will.

As many bloggers have done in the past by picking a "word for the year"…so shall I this year too.  My word for last year was "HOPE" and I carried it throughout each day until the year ended; but it did not end without "hope"; it was still always there….  This year my word will be

 ….too find "joy" again in everyday experiences and regain some "joy" that was lost somewhere toward the end.  So I’m looking forward to the new year with hope and joy.  I hope you too will have a joyous new year with lots to make you happy!

Shattered Dreams

We loved you from the very start, you stole our breath, you embraced our hopes and dreams.  You are a part of us sweet little one, and will live forever within our hearts.  Her name is Alaina Pearl.  Jesus calls her His angel.  She is also our angel, looking over us each day...Comforting her Mama and Daddy by blowing them sweet kisses each day. 

Life is so precious… grab it and hold on tight, never take anyone for granted as they can be taken from you in a heartbeat.  Tell them you love them every day. 

Why?  We asked that question over and over.  We still have no answer.  I feel like the harder I press for the answer the less likely it is to come. I guess time will tell, and maybe it won’t.  We struggle with the pain, the grief, the sorrow, and even anger for the unfairness of it all. I watch as my only child suffers mentally and physically…now she suffers a huge loss and has an empty spot in her big heart.  A spot that holds love for her baby and an over whelming sorrow that she is no longer here with us. I guess time and strength given through God will heal all that hurts.  But the memories never fade or go away.  Alaina came into this world quietly and left it with tiny angel wings.  She is loved.  She is precious.  She was our miracle. To love that precious little one is a love like no other.   It’s amazing how much you can love her when you never got to cuddle her in your arms, never got to look into her beautiful eyes, or see her precious smile as she giggled.

To lose someone you love is to alter your life forever…The pain weakens, there are others that come into your life, but the gap never closes…you never forget…The hole in your heart is the shape of the one you lost ~ no one else can fit in it.

Alaina sweet angel

I will visit with you in my dreams.  We will play together, read books, laugh and be silly and bake cookies.  I will love you forever and you will never be forgotten.  I will see you in heaven one day…Save a place for me.

Love, Your Grammie

Sometimes the things we cannot change…end up changing us~ 

 

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit

Psalm 34:18

Sweet Friends

 I have not forgotten you all....between my computer deciding to jump off a cliff and my Mama falling down some steps and breaking her hip...well I have not been around much.  Dealing with medical and rehab care is not the makings of a fun week.  Not having a computer makes you feel lost to the outside world as we have come to know it!!
I have also come to learn of a blogging friends death while I was away and let me tell you...that hurts...even though you have never met that friend face to face...you still feel the pain and loss as if you had.
I just wanted to touch base and hearts with you for a moment and to let you know that I will return soon...hopefully.

Heartfelt Love and Happiness

Cora

"In prosperity our friends know us; in aversity we know our friends"

John C. Collins

Jumping Rainbows, Lassoing Dreams, and Wishing On Stars

...so says Cinderella.
Without my dreams and hopes, life seems rather dull. It’s like total boredom, never reaching for anything, never stepping out on that limb but always sitting at home on the couch…waiting.  Waiting for what?  Different desires come with age. My dreams are not the same as they used to be as some of those dreams have been fulfilled throughout the years.  I’ve strattled a few fences along the way…do I do this or do I do that, this way or that way?  I’ve fallen off only to get back up, put on my big girl panties, the pretty lacey ones, and move on again.
Standing at the intersection of life with 3 other ways to go, has been a test. Do I go straight ahead or turn to the left or to the right? As long as I didn’t come to a dead end, I was usually OK.
Looking ahead now the dream is looking at 59½.  I know there are those of you who know exactly what I am referring to and can relate…but for those of you who are way too young, let me explain: Retirement age…not that you cannot retire before then…but you cannot draw on your retirement funds you worked hard for until that age. Its part of that government control stuff you know. Oh they give you ways that you can get to your money with penalties and taxes, that way they still control your money while getting a chunk of it for themselves. So unlike Cinderella with her fairy godmother who is always watching out for her, I think I will just wait it out.

It sounds like I’m wishing my life away to get to that age…not so; it’s just the dream, brewing in its early stages that I cannot reach yet.
In the mean time I will jump a few rainbows, climb one or two and slide down the curve hoping to land softly in that pile of gold at the bottom. I will stand in the dark night gazing into the starry sky making wishes on every twinkle.  I will lasso the moon because I know that I can reach that far.  I will dance in the rain with my tongue hanging out to catch the sweet drops and taste the present moment. I will live in that moment; I will live in the right now.

My dreams come true

 Growing up

Dating

Being an artist…starving one but still one

Graduating high school

Going to college

Getting married

Working

Buying a house

Buying some land

Having a child

Being a Mama

Watching her walk and talk

Selling the house

Building our new home

Raising our child right

Still working

Building a nest egg

Watching her grow up

Sending her to college

Watching her walk the aisle to her love

Being happy and blessed

Retiring

Living well and comfortable, not money rich

My dreams of hope

Being a Grammie

Living long enough

Hubby retiring

Living in each moment

Traveling

Being healthy

Living easy

Spending that money I waited for

Helping and giving

Living in eternity one day

My dreams were/are pretty simple really…nothing fancy or wild, nothing out of the ordinary, just plain simple everyday typical things of life. I have been blessed.
I have made it through the rain…thus far. Sometimes I got drenched and caught a cold, sometimes I fell in the mud puddle instead of jumping over it or sometimes I simply enjoyed the coolness of it and sometimes I danced. And I know that it will continue to rain every now and then on my parade but it is up to me to decide if I will keep on dancing.

Notice how my future dream list is shorter….what’s up with that!?

Cinderella and I need to chat or either she needs to share her fairy godmother!

"Dreams are illustrations... from the book your soul is writing about you."

~Marsha Norman~

I hope that all your dreams come true!

Loving me some Adele on the playlist….

Peas, Paint, and Picasso

Hello April! You are welcome here. You have arrived with a changing warmth; one that feels comforting to the touch.
Comfort is good…it is safe. Reassuring.

The lion passed on by ~ followed by the gentle lamb.

The Easter season is approaching…a season that I love because of it’s promises. Promises of hope, forgiveness, and eternity… More reassuring comfort for us where we can find peace and joy.

I find a certain peacefulness while in my veggie garden…in the mornings while it is still cool, the birds are singing, the sun is peeping around through the trees bringing forth a new day. The dew is still lingering on the plants. Cute little green lizards are catching bugs to eat. Ladybugs are climbing high on the stems of the peas in search of the blooms. Bees are buzzing their gossip.   Life is good.

I picked my first English peas this morning…YaY! So excited!



Fresh Pick of the Day!

I then picked enough lettuce for my lunch salad. Three different types of leaves, along with some young and tender spring onions for a little zip! Going to add some roasted walnuts, cherry tomatoes and drizzle with EVOO and red wine vinegar. Paired with a turkey sandwich on Honey Wheat Berry bread; it is going to be delicious!! So rewarding to know that I planted those veggies, God nurtured them, and now we get the benefit of healthy food.

I’m working on a little project for Holly…so I cannot share it with you yet. It’s a secret…something for her new house in Jacksonville! Shhhh…don’t tell! It involves paint, wood, wire, and a ribbon. Lots of pretty bright colors.

It really feels good to hold an artist brush in my hands again! Swirling colors together, matching them together in the design…I love being creative. I can’t wait to see the finished project and see her face when I give it to her!

I'm also working on an antique mirror for a shabby look…here are the beginnings…

A large solid oak frame with beveled edge mirror…a steal for $2.98 at the thrift store in Tillman’s Corner, west of Mobile, Al.  I’m going to give it that shabby look and put some fancy hooks from Hobby Lobby where I had to fill the 4 holes on each side.

We are expecting storms tonight…I pray they be gentle and kind to us. Holly and her husband Richard experienced a rather scary tornado storm as it passed through the New Orleans area last week…you may have seen the aftermath of damages and flooding on the national news. At a friends house where they were visiting, they stood and watched black “boiling” clouds as they passed over, dumping golf ball size hail everywhere, including on Holly’s car which would have been under a parking shelter had they not been where they were. Oh the luck! 13 good sized dents not including those on the roof which were too numerous to count. They had just made the final payment on the Murano in December, paying for it in only 4 years…I was so proud of them! BUT…most importantly…they were safe and unharmed when the tornado touched near the WalMart where they shop. Thank you Lord!

Please spare us tonight from bad weather although we need the sweet rain!

Going now to put some clothes in the dryer. listen to it tumble,
and dip my brush in some paint after I eat that salad!

What Lies Ahead

Posting for the 30 days of gratitude has come to its cessation. I have spent the last month expressing thoughts and photos of things that I am thankful for. I pray my gratitude does not end here. I pray I continue to constantly be aware of how I am so blessed each and every day of my life. I look forward with anticipation and much gratitude…forward to a special birthday celebration we call Christmas; and forward to a brand new year. I also look back and try to count my many many blessings, as if it were possible. I am so thankful for each day and all that they have brought to me, whatever reason, good and bad. God is in control and He knows best!

The past, the present, the future!

I also count each of you that have read my somewhat insignificant writings, when I am counting all those blessings. Thanks for hanging with me, visiting, sharing and leaving all the sweet comments.

From the past to the present and forward we go…together. We cannot go forward without leaving the past; but we should never forget the journey that got us to the present...the present which leads our next steps into the future.  Come walk with me!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, God Bless, Sweet Dreams and Jingle all the Way!

30/30 Today I am grateful for what lies ahead and what has been.

My word for 2010~Experience

I have experienced much gratitude

The Royal Treatment

What do get when a friend asks you to help recover a few dining room chair seats…? She pays for your lunch at McAllister’s. OK…my Club and side of potato salad was good…

What do you get when said friend realizes it takes all day to reupholster 8 seat covers and sew two window valances…? She takes you to dinner at The Royal House in the French Quarters of New Orleans! Oh yeah!  We enjoyed Charbroiled Oysters and Eggplant Straws, Baked Seafood Tortellini, Salmon & Crab Bercy *crab sauce with whipping cream & white wine*, Salads and French Onion Soup.  Then we actually went for the desserts like wild people...thank goodness for to-go-boxes!

Peeking Inside

French Fried Eggplant Straws
(This photo from their website)

The homemade Bread Pudding was to die for with Chicory coffee!!

Key Lime Pie

Mississippi Mud Cheesecake~ Oh yeah yum!

 What do you get after you have stuffed yourself silly with dinner and dessert?

A walk to Café Du Monde for coffee and beignets!!

Oh Yummy!

A beignet is simply a square piece of dough, fried and covered with powdered sugar.
A historical favorite in the French Quarter.

So the sore fingers from pulling upholstery fabric, using a big

staple gun and sewing were paid off with good fun and food!!

Thanks Emily and Aaron!!

E & A are Holly and Richard’s friends from New York, who are stationed on the same base in New Orleans. Aaron is in the USCG too. Unfortunately Richard was unable to join us for dinner because he was working in Venice.
~~~
"In helping others, we shall help ourselves, for whatever good
we give out completes the circle and comes back to us."
Flora Edwards

Home Is The Sweetest

Ahhh…the peace and quiet of being back home, slow and easy, a familiar calmness. No traffic, no hustle and bustle of rushed crowds, only the gentle breeze, with a teasing of fall; and the soft tranquil sounds of nature. City life is NOT for me.

New Orleans Louisiana on a beautiful clear day

Our visit in New Orleans, Louisiana to visit Holly and Richard was jam packed each day. From fishing in the Mississippi river where it meets the gulf to shopping, sewing, crafting, a trip to the zoo, helping friends, nursing a sick kitty back to health, eating…and I do mean eating some good food. Yum~

Louisiana Shrimp Boats~I love the gulf clouds

Jackie returned home to Alabama and I stayed for the remainder of the week, returning home with Holly and Richard. They are now on their way to Tennessee for their annual family hog BBQ.

The house is quiet now, with soft music, the hum of the ceiling fan, and kitties purring…yes I am pet sitting the kitties for them again *smiling in a weird way*

Parents do a lot for those children they love.

My Mama turned 75 Monday, we were back home in time to visit and give her happy wishes. I made her some note cards with my photos and she loved them! We are going out to eat again tonight to celebrate because it’s the bestie’s birthday today!! Yep she has caught up with me…she is now as old as I am! *Smiling evil smile*

A new month~September… wow…where did August go? I think we skipped from July straight to September.

Audubon Zoo

Do you ever feel like time is rushing you by? Spinning you out of control…round and round… and leaving you on the sidelines wondering what the heck just happened. I really felt like this while in NOLA. Everything is rushed and busy there.

Holly, as we go over the Crescent City Bridge, New Orleans, LA.

It takes forever to go anywhere, too many people in one spot, everyone out for themselves. There needs to be more hours in the day for places like that.

I am happy to be back at my slow easy pace, my home, my space, my little world where everything in near perfect in my eyes. Now if we can just get Holly and Richard closer back to this part of the world….as for now the USCG has their own plans for them. One day…one day…one day…dreaming of one day…

I will share more photos and stories of my trip soon.

Until then my friends, I am glad to be here…

~What I’m likin’ today~

Opportunities to visit different life styles

Quiet

Slow

Easy

Home

Supper tonight with friends