Birthday

Yesterday was my birthday. It was a good one too. I got a fabulous pecan pie (my fave!) from my sweet friend Janet at work on Friday. I had my whole family over Saturday night for dinner. I cooked for them and it was great! I love cooking and I love feeding a big crowd. My niece, Brittany, and her fiance came too so that made it even nicer. On Sunday my wonderful daughters cooked lunch for me and we spent the day together just talking, laughing and playing with Piper. My mom gave me the greatest gift. Makeup!! I absolutely love makeup and even though I have a ton...I love getting it all the same. She also gave me the sweetest card that made me cry and I will keep it forever. I have always adored cards and I know that I take great pains in picking them out for other people. My Sunday School class gave me a sweet card too. Megan always gives me a homemade card. I love those best because she really puts a lot of effort and time in them. She is a pretty good artist too. Erica gave me a new tea kettle that is the loveliest shade of green. She knows that is my favorite color. Birthdays, as you get older have a different meaning. I really don't care about expensive gifts but I do like to know that I am thought about. I don't just mean crossing someones mind either. I mean really, really thought about. It takes time to get to know what someone really likes and doesn't like. It takes an effort to make their favorite cake or pie. Pie is my own personal choice over cake every time. It takes true, genuine love for someone to go that extra inch or mile to place a smile on their lips that whispers, "They really know me..." I realize that sometimes things get in our way of doing and preparing for birthdays and other events in our life. But the people in my life that I truly cherish I always try to do a little more for them. If it only is just wrapping their gift in their favorite color paper. You don't have to spend a lot of money either. I gave my sister on her birthday a big jug of fabric softener and detergent that she is crazy about!! Sounds like a dumb gift but she was thrilled! It doesn't really matter what you give...as long as it comes from your heart they will love it.

Changes for the good

During this past year I have experienced many, many changes. Most were drastic and not good. The death of my 27 year marriage. Devastating. This was the biggest change. Tied to it were many others. My finances were drastically changed. I have had to learn quite a few things that were foreign to me. Just every day life is different. I spend quite a bit of time alone and talking to myself. But there have been good changes too. The birth of my grand daughter, Piper. Fabulous. Watching my two grown daughter grow in their walk with the Lord. Huge blessing. Learning a new way of life. Hard but... getting not so hard. But I got a compliment the other night from one of my dearest friends, Kelley. She said that she could really start to see some changes in my life from the inside. She told me I was starting to be way more relaxed. This was soothing music to my weary soul. Before for many years I have been very uptight and stiff. I got a massage once about 3 years ago and the person who gave it to me said I was the most unrelaxed person they had ever worked on. No tip for you, buddy. But...they were right. Years had went by and I was just used to being tense. Always on the watch for anything out of the ordinary. But now I am more relaxed. I laugh more. I laugh deeper and longer over a whole lot of things that I never did before. Why is that?? I was so grateful for this bit of information but intrigued all the same. I think I am getting to a place where I am getting comfortable with ....well...life. Life as I know it anyway. I am depending on God like never before and He is providing. He is sheltering me from so many things that could enter my life if I allowed them. Worry, anxiety, fear (big one there), loneliness, isolation, anger, bitterness...the list could go on and on. I have my days and times of deep sorrow and sadness but not as often and farther between. God is so faithful and He keeps His promises. Why do I ever doubt His word? I don't know, except that I allow the enemy to filtrate things in my mind that ought not be there at all. I am praying against that very thing.

Early Pick

Okey Dokey... I am going way out there and picking this guy for a top ten on American Idol. I flat out love this guy. He is only 19 years old!!! Seriously??!! So talented. I say I am going to boycott this show every year and this year I struggled but I have to say I am loving the show and the judges. I truly did not want to like Steven Tyler but....he is so nice! Jennifer Lopez is gorgeous. That skin!! Too pretty. And of course Randy Jackson just makes me grin. So, I will keep you filled in on my likes and dislikes of this season of A.I. Next week The Beatles...I am not a fan but maybe there will be a few standouts.





Enjoy!

Stepping out of my box

I did something last night that I was SO nervous about. I started a class. A real photography class at the Sawtooth Art Center in downtown Winston-Salem. I was such a ball of nerves before it started. I really do not like change and it resist it at all cost. But I bought a new camera in the fall and I really want to lear how to use all it offers. I purchased the Nikon 5000 DSLR. It has great capabilities and I do it such an injustice. There are 14 people in the class and I am happy to report they were all normal, nice people. Not one of them were creepy or mean or anything weird. We all stated that we were novices at this digital DSLR world of photography. Most of us took photos of landscapes, animals and people. A nice new grandmother sat next to me and we had a lot in commen with one another. I don't know why I fear change so much. Lord knows I have had tremendous changes in my life in the past year or so. I think it is just the strangness of taking a class with people I don't know. Will they think I am dumb or will they think I am really lame?? I know I shoud not be concerned with what people think but let's face it... we all are and we are lying through our teeth if we say we don't. I do not know one soul who wants people to think ill of them or badly or anything negative. Don't get me wrong. I stick to my morals and I try very hard to incorporate God in my decisions and how i walk and talk. I fail a lot at that but I do try to keep it fore front in my choices. If people have a problem with the choices I make and I know that they line up with scripture then they can think whatever they like about me. Ultimately it is only Jesus I really care what He thinks of my decisions. I desire that they glorify Him and that it matters for His plan for my life. I did learn quite a bit last night and I am looking forward to the next sessions. I even have homework!! I am to take photos that are underexposed and over exposed this week. I am sure I can accomodate the instructer since I take 12,332 photos a week!! Most are one way or the other! My desire is to capture great candid shots and fast shots. I like to hear the camera go click, click, click really quick!! I would love to capture lightning but that is really hard to do! Hopefully I will do well and learn a lot more and maybe make some new friends! See?? It isn't so scary afterall!!

The Best Valentine Ever!!!

I believe that I pick this little sweetie for my "Valentine" this year.



You're picking who?





Me?! Really!?




Thanks Mimi...I pick you too!

Saturday

Today is a sunny but cool and windy Saturday. The temperature is supposed to be in the 50's but that wind is fierce. I want spring. I really want summer. I need to stop whining!! I could live in Chicago or somewhere that is 10 below zero. Praise the Lord I don't!! I just really, really love warm weather. My two daughters and grand daughter are coming for dinner tonight. Megan's boyfriend Thad is coming too. Blake has to work tonight, so we will miss him! I am making potato soup with bacon and cheese. I really love Saturdays. I try to get my housework done during the week so I can just spend Saturdays with my family. I love cooking for them and sitting around the supper table talking, laughing and just watching their faces. How comfortable we get with each other. The expressions, funny comments, teasing and the like. One thing I really like is eating outside on Saturday nights. When the weather is nice there is nothing like it. My mom and dad walk over to my house or I walk over there and we just sit around. Talking. Listening. Looking. No real obligations. Just being with one another is just..... good. Imagine how it will be in heaven. We will be eternally comfortable with Jesus. Imagine how we will just talk with Him. Eat with Him. Walk with Him. We can just go over to Abraham's house and visit or run over to Rahab's house and look at her flowers. Can you imagine that!? Eternally having Saturday with the Lord. Worshipping Him in person. Sitting with family that has went on before us. Hugging people we have really missed! Seeing people we didn't expect to see there! Talking with people we didn't really even like down here. Maybe not you, but I am sure there will be people I have had not so great feelings towards on earth that will be in heaven with me and there will be no issues.....at all. It will be beautiful weather all the time. No coats. No gloves or scarves. No tears running down my face ruining my makeup from this fierce wind. No makeup! Well, I personally hope there is mascara at least. I wonder how if we will have days of the week in heaven? Will everyday be as one? If it is, I hope it is Saturday.

A Born Fan

Just in case you do not live in North Carolina and you don't have a clue about the HUGE rivalry between Duke University Blue Devils and the UNC Tarheels....where have you BEEN?????? They play each other tonight and it is a ginormous event. Bigger than big. You either love one team and hate the other or you are no fan of either. My mother is the biggest Duke fan ever. EVER. Most of our family are Duke fans. Right now I am pulling for the NC State Wolfpack because my daughter, Megan, attends that school. I am one of those non-fan people. Erica's husband, Blake, and his whole family are huge UNC Tarheel fans. His grandmother is the biggest Carolina fan ever. EVER. So the battle ensues between the two great-grandmas. Below are a few photos of the team that my little grand daughter is supporting.





Piper and Grammy in their matching shirts. Piper is a "Duke Girl"






I can assure you that Piper is the best in the world... to me!!





I am ssssooooo sowwy Grandma Faye!!!!

Growing...

Do you ever feel like life is just... well, a stagnant pool? Passing you by? Going nowhere fast? Something going on all around you but you are just stuck??? For the last while I have felt like this. Some days I feel real strides forward are happening. Other days I have fallen 12 steps back and am digging just to try to catch up. So frustrating. In the last little bit I have watched both of my adult (gasp!) daughters make huge, ginormous strides to real maturity and growth. Godly growth and regular grown-up growth. Major decisions have been made by both. Solid paths. Good future focus. Determination and growing interest in Godly things. I have watched both of them ask for prayer in certain areas, pray about things in depth. Search God's Word. I could not be more proud of them. Really wonderful young women. All parents have struggles and trials with their children. If you don't....you will. But to witness and watch them grow into people that please you with their goals and actions is marvelous. I know they please their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Even more than they please me. He loves them far more than I ever could and He knows how much I love those little ladies!! They have not arrived yet by no means but neither have I. I fail my Lord daily. I fail my children daily. But I know my Jesus loves me and is there for me to pick me up and help me to strive to do better and more for Him. I have been searching for somewhere to serve God as of late. Really serve Him. I need to take a lesson from my own daughters. I need to pray for God to open a door for me so that I can serve Him better. There is room for all of us to grow. I want to continue growing and growing. I pray this for my girls and for my little grand girl too!

Milestone

Dear Piper,

You have reached a milestone. You are six months old today. A half year. Wow. You can sit up all by yourself. You weigh 17 lbs and 11 oz and are 26 inches long. You drool all the time but no teeth yet. You hold your own bottle at times for me but mommy is still nursing. You light up whenever your mommy or daddy come in the room. You are reaching for people whenever they wiggle their fingers for you to come to them. You are such a friendly baby. You laugh and smile all the time. You are still a cat napper during the day but sleep wonderfully at night. You like to eat everything you have tried so far. You really like fruits and carrots. You love to hear songs and really love to hear Aunt Megan sing "Love Me Do" by the Beatles. "Jesus Loves Me" is also a real favorite. You smile every time I say "Yes! Jesus loves you!" You are the best blessing we could have ever asked for!


What a sweetie....




You and your Frog Prince!




You are getting bigger than him really quick!!



I love you more each and every day. I am praying for you daily that God directs your steps and am praying for your future. I am also praying for whatever young man someday will come and take you for his bride. That he be a Godly man that will know how precious you are.

Love,

Your Mimi

Simple Pleasures

Life is just full of simple pleasures. Flowers, butterflies, fresh cookies, new snow and thousands of other things. Who would think that a pillow is so funny?? Piper does. Here is a short video of her and my mother. Piper's great-grammy playing. There is also a short line from Piper's favorite song right now. Forgive my hideous voice but I suppose I would sing at the super bowl for this little lady!

Conversations...

I just had the funniest conversation with my two daughters!! They are forever quoting movie lines to me for various situations. Most are from the dumbest movies ever. I am not much on a lot of movies. Most are just a little too much for me. But Erica and Megan quote lines from the classics. Like "Wayne's World", "Dumb and Dumber", and their all-time favorite "Anchorman". That was the one they kept quoting back and forth to me this evening. I got a card in the mail that they found hilarious. Megan called from her school in Raleigh and Erica read her this card and that was it. The quote-fest was on!! I think they must have sent 10,000 texts to each other. Every line from that dopey movie was sent over the phone waves like a 911 call. So if you have ever seen "Anchorman" just know that right now..."I am in a glass case of emotion!!!"