Today is Sunday, and I have just returned from church and a lovely lunch with Jacque and Wayne. I sat down to the computer to do some Class Reunion work and thought that maybe I should blog a word or two in case somebody might want to join me.
Last week was a "killer week" - Vacation Bible School!!! Really, it was a wonderful week. What a joy to be able to spend a week at church with hundreds of happy boys and girls from pre-school age to 5th grade. The noise level was many decibels - just don't know how many reaches the top of the scale but we got there lots of times. Our days would start off with an assembly in the chapel where the music, the dancing, the singing was ear-splitting. The enthusiasm and the excitement that was pouring out of there was outstanding. It just made your heart beat so fast to see all of those little children raising their arms in praise and thanking God for loving them. The theme was PandaMania and we had stuffed panda bears everywhere and t-shirts for all of us with a panda on the front and everywhere you looked there was some reminder that God is wild about us just like He is wild about the panda bears and other wild animals. I could describe all of the good things that happened but it would take too long. Suffice it to say that the whole week was an indescribable, spiritual, lovely experience and I appreciate the fact that I was a part of it. Of course, I crashed and burned at the end of the week with exhaustion. Another great reminder that I am really getting old!!!
Now, I am engrossed in my Class of 1951 60th Reunion. When I said that we were not going to have a program - just a video slide show of pictures of the classmates taken during their school years and now in later years and I met with the hotel to plan the menu and reserve the room, it sounded like such an easy task. Let me tell you that I have had some sleepless nights. In the first place we guaranteed the hotel 85 people and at this point we have 60 people registered. The hotel will work with me up to a point because of past experience through the years but we are still busting our you know whats to try to get some more attendees. It never occurred to me that so many of my classmates were disabled, deceased or disinterested, but that is a true fact. Well, we had a meeting the other day and I "assigned" tasks to some of the committee people that didn't volunteer to take on a responsibility. Now, I do feel better because when I explained that I was distressed over the other "d" words that I mentioned they took hold and came to my rescue. I can see a faint light at the end of the tunnel now and believe that everything will be okay. I was trying to do it all and there was no reason for me to do that when these other people were willing and just needed a little prodding.
Saturday was a lovely day for me when Corinne, Tracey, Kim and Joesea came out to my swimming pool and we had a lovely visit and a picnic lunch. It is such a joy to me to have these women who happen to be my daughters sit and visit with me like "girl friends", and just talk about all sorts of topics of interest. I get to hear stories about my grandchildren and great-grandchildren and also I catch up on the lives of these daughters of mine. They are so busy, so involved, so interesting and the time just flew by. Joesea is Kim's granddaughter and we watched her frolic in the water.
Speaking of my children - well they are children to me - Nita's husband, Ray, had his 60th birthday yesterday and today they are celebrating their 40th Wedding Anniversary. Talking about time flying - where did those 40 years go? How well I remember going to Inglewood Methodist Church and the church was full to standing room with friends, neighbors, family and some people I barely knew and then we had a reception in the church before they left for Atlanta on their honeymoon. Ray was a student and basketball player at Vanderbilt and Nita worked for Dr. Batson in the School of Medicine at Vanderbilt. They had a little apartment at The Villager in Green Hills and it never dawned on any of us that they were so young to be getting married. Each Sunday they would come to church at Valley View, lunch at Louise and Ed's house, my house to do the laundry and eat supper and then go back home. Oh my, those were what could be described as "the good old days". However, I kinda' like the present days myself and I think these are "good old days". Anyway - Happy Birthday to Ray and Happy Anniversary to Nita and Ray.
Well, now it is 2:00pm and Imust decide what I want to do - read my book "Miss Julia Takes Over" by Ann B. Roos, take a nap in my lounge chair or work on the class reunion. What do you think it will be? I kinda' think it will be the second item in my list. Isn't it wonderful that I have such a good life? Church, lunch, nap, precious dog, Houston, to sit in my lap and nap with me, and just know that God is good - all the time.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Monday, July 4, 2011
FOURTH OF JULY THOUGHTS
Today is The Fourth of July - Independence Day - a national holiday to be celebrated with hamburgers, hot dogs, T-shirts with flags painted on them, music and fireworks. It is a happy day for us, as Americans, to observe. Do we think about why we are observing this day? Do we even mention to our little children what the day really means? I had a "pre-fourth cookout" last night with some of my great grandchildren and never once did I hear our country mentioned. I'm sure that when my girls were young and we had our grand "Cline Fourth Celebration" we never talked about what it really means to be an American and to live in a country that has the freedoms that we enjoy. That is one of the "do over" things that I have in my life. There are so many things that I think of now in my old age that I would like like to be able to "do over" with my girls. Alas, that is not possible.
On my recent trip that I have told you about, we spent part of one day in Philadelphia. The history of that place is not only in evidence with the buildings and the landscape, it is in the air. When I was standing in front of Independence Hall looking at the building where the Declaration of Independence was signed I was amazed. This building has been restored several times, changing the appearance of the building. In 1950 it was restored back to its 1776 appearance. The liberty bell does not rest in the bell tower of the building now. It has a place of honor in a pretty garden across the street where you can visit it, make pictures and walk around. This bell cracked the very first time that it was rung so it was sent back to have another layer of copper on it. That extra copper made it sound terrible so they had to recast it again. The bell was rung to announce all sorts of important events but, of course, the most important event was to announce the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. As I rode around the city of Philadelphia I really got a serious dose of history and it does make a difference in how I view this holiday today.
Yesterday I shopped at WalMart and the young woman that checked me out was commenting on my Flag Pin that I had on my dress. She said "I have never been out of this country but I am told that if you ever leave for any length of time you will realize how lucky we are". I told her that I had been out of the country and, even though I was wined and dined and had a wonderful time visiting, I also came home glad that I am an American with all of the advantages and freedoms that exist for us. I think that we must do everything possible to protect freedom of religion. Sometimes I think we take the "freedom of speech" thing too far and expect to be able to say or do anything that we want even if it is morally wrong and hurtful to some. However, I'm glad that we have all of the freedoms. Our responsibility is to never abuse our freedoms.
Today has dawned a bit cloudy and reported to rain later in the day. Hopefully, all of the people that are having parties will not be disappointed. At 5:30PM today I will go to Kim and Brad's house to be joined by some members of my family, some friends, and Brad's mother and daddy. I am looking forward to being with all of them for the traditional meal and then sitting on the deck watching fireworks that we can see from that vantage point. When we stand in our circle and hold hands and offer a prayer I will not fail to offer up a prayer of thanks to a God that is good - all the time.
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY TO ALL WHO TAKES TIME TO READ THIS BLOG.
LOVE TO YOU AND YOURS
On my recent trip that I have told you about, we spent part of one day in Philadelphia. The history of that place is not only in evidence with the buildings and the landscape, it is in the air. When I was standing in front of Independence Hall looking at the building where the Declaration of Independence was signed I was amazed. This building has been restored several times, changing the appearance of the building. In 1950 it was restored back to its 1776 appearance. The liberty bell does not rest in the bell tower of the building now. It has a place of honor in a pretty garden across the street where you can visit it, make pictures and walk around. This bell cracked the very first time that it was rung so it was sent back to have another layer of copper on it. That extra copper made it sound terrible so they had to recast it again. The bell was rung to announce all sorts of important events but, of course, the most important event was to announce the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. As I rode around the city of Philadelphia I really got a serious dose of history and it does make a difference in how I view this holiday today.
Yesterday I shopped at WalMart and the young woman that checked me out was commenting on my Flag Pin that I had on my dress. She said "I have never been out of this country but I am told that if you ever leave for any length of time you will realize how lucky we are". I told her that I had been out of the country and, even though I was wined and dined and had a wonderful time visiting, I also came home glad that I am an American with all of the advantages and freedoms that exist for us. I think that we must do everything possible to protect freedom of religion. Sometimes I think we take the "freedom of speech" thing too far and expect to be able to say or do anything that we want even if it is morally wrong and hurtful to some. However, I'm glad that we have all of the freedoms. Our responsibility is to never abuse our freedoms.
Today has dawned a bit cloudy and reported to rain later in the day. Hopefully, all of the people that are having parties will not be disappointed. At 5:30PM today I will go to Kim and Brad's house to be joined by some members of my family, some friends, and Brad's mother and daddy. I am looking forward to being with all of them for the traditional meal and then sitting on the deck watching fireworks that we can see from that vantage point. When we stand in our circle and hold hands and offer a prayer I will not fail to offer up a prayer of thanks to a God that is good - all the time.
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY TO ALL WHO TAKES TIME TO READ THIS BLOG.
LOVE TO YOU AND YOURS
Friday, June 24, 2011
LONG OVERDUE POST ABOUT TRIP
Well, good morning. Here I am to finally tell you about my wonderful vacation trip that I had from June 11th - 17th. The reason for my tardiness in reporting is that I came home so thoroughly exhausted and felt so bad I just could not bring myself to sit at this computer and write. To be able to tell you about this "trip of a lifetime" I wanted to feel well so that I could convey to you the wonderful experiences that I had on this excursion.
Forty Three people boarded a luxury bus on Saturday morning at 8:00AM. Everyone was full of conversation, laughter and anticipation for what we knew was going to be a great week. My roommate was my friend, Sara. Also on board this bus were some of my really good friends and former traveling companions, Kay Hudson, Betsy Smith and Susie Williams. My long-time friends, Billy and Peggy Jones, were also on board. So you see, I was surrounded by really good friends. As soon as the bus was a safe distance from the Shrine Temple meat/cheese balls were passed around along with whatever you desired from the fully stocked bar. From that point on we were snacking on cookies, candies, peanuts and other goodies. Our travel the first day took us to Virginia and the beautiful mountains and rolling meadows of that beautiful state. We spent the first night at a Holiday Inn in Roanoke. After a restful night and a good breakfast we boarded our bus for another day of travel, eating, card playing, napping and made our way to New Jersey. Our dinner was prepared for us at Applebee's Restaurant in Edison, New Jersey where we dined on sirloin steak, pasta dishes, fish or chicken. After this meal we made our way to Carteret, New Jersy to the Radisson Hotel for another good night of rest and relaxation. After that long bus ride it was just complete Heaven to take a long leisurely bath and stretch out on a comfortable bed. After breakfast on Monday morning we made our way with great anticipation to New York City. A young, energetic, most knowledgeable tour guide came on board our bus and we toured the entire city of Manhattan, stopping for lunch at Rockefeller Center and an hour of browsing that area. After lunch we boarded our bus and went to Ground Zero where we observed the ruins from the 5th floor of a building nearby. It was so emotional to stand there and see what was left of the two magnificent towers and remember that day on 9/11. From that point we drove through all of the rest of the island - China Town, Little Italy, Harlem and the Battery for a view of the Statue of Liberty. We ended our tour with a lovely private dinner at Ginger's Restaurant on the 5th Floor of the Double Tree Hotel where a room was prepared with china, crystal, silver and a sumptuous buffet dinner. After dinner we drove to our destination hotel in Atlantic City - The Tropicana Casino Resort Hotel. Sara and I were directed to a room on the 46th Floor that had a view of the ocean and most wonderful queen sized beds and other beautiful furnishings.
Tuesday, after a breakfast buffet at the Fiesta Room of the hotel, we drove to Philadelphia where we were met with another young, knowledgeable tour guide for a tour of everything historical. She gave us dates, times, people's names and places where everything that makes up the history of our country took place. The bus stopped at the steps where in the movie "Rocky" he ran up all of those steps to prove he was ready for a career in boxing. Some people ran up the steps but I just stood at the bottom quite content to make a picture. After a luncheon of sandwiches and cokes at a food court I visited the Liberty Bell and made some more pictures. We left Philly and drove back to the Tropicana for a nice dinner at the Fiesta Room Buffet. The food there was quite good and so many choices for our pleasure.
Wednesday was a Free Day to do anything we desired. Sara and I took our time with getting up and dressing and having a good breakfast and then we went to the Board Walk. All of my life I have heard of the Board Walk in Atlantic City and here I was, actually seeing the shops the people, the ocean and the beach. What a wonderful experience. After making some purchases and walking as much as we wanted we went back to our room for a game of Scrabble and a nap before dinner at the hotel. In our Tour Package we were given $30.00 for playing the slot machines so we made our way into the casino and had a fun time winning, losing, winning again and then cashing out. I came away with $30.40 which I thought was splendid.
On Thursday morning we were told to have our luggage ready for pick up so after breakfast we finished packing and set our bags by the door and made our way down to the bus. When I say "made our way" I am telling you that every time we tried to go anywhere in this massive building we seemed to get lost and would wander forever until we finally would see something familiar and would be able to go where we wanted to be. It got to be a real joke among everybody that we seemed to go around in circles to get to a final destination. After boarding the bus we departed for Baltimore, MD where we parked the bus at the Inner Harbor and had some hours of shopping, lunching and just sitting and watching the beautiful ships that were coming in and out of Chesapeake Bay. When this excursion was over we boarded the bus and drove to Lexington, Virginia. We were so tired when we got there that rest was welcome and sleep came quickly.
Friday morning found us having breakfast at the hotel, boarding the bus for a long, tiring day of card playing, snacking, drinking, talking, napping and longing to see Nashville and getting off of the bus. We stopped at a Subway Sandwich shop for lunch and decided not to stop again until we were home. We arrived back at the Shrine Temple at 5:00PM and there stood Kim waiting for Sara and me. What a welcome sight.
I have no words left in my vocabulary to tell you what an amazing experience this entire trip was for me. Yes, riding a bus as much as I did made me very tired but to go through the states of Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and see the beautiful countryside was a delight that I will carry in my mind forever. I came home with so many memories of sights that I saw, things that I heard, friendships that I made among the travellers, and I feel so privileged to have been able to make this trip at this time in my life. I have made many trips to New York and on this tour I just rode by all of the places that meant so much to me - the Metropolitan Museum, the Guggenheim Museum, FAO Swartz, the Empire State Bldg., the Plaza Hotel - so many others that are too many to name. I had made the statement that I would never get to see New York City again in my lifetime but I did and I am happy that I could ride by and not have to walk to all of those places.
When the information came out many months ago telling about this trip I knew that it was something that I wanted to do. My children helped it become a reality. Some of my friends helped it to become a reality. I rearranged many activities to leave me free to go, but I know that it was in God's plan for me to go and see the things that I experienced while I am still able to do it. I have thanked Him many times for working it out for me and it makes me understand even more that God is good - all the time.
Forty Three people boarded a luxury bus on Saturday morning at 8:00AM. Everyone was full of conversation, laughter and anticipation for what we knew was going to be a great week. My roommate was my friend, Sara. Also on board this bus were some of my really good friends and former traveling companions, Kay Hudson, Betsy Smith and Susie Williams. My long-time friends, Billy and Peggy Jones, were also on board. So you see, I was surrounded by really good friends. As soon as the bus was a safe distance from the Shrine Temple meat/cheese balls were passed around along with whatever you desired from the fully stocked bar. From that point on we were snacking on cookies, candies, peanuts and other goodies. Our travel the first day took us to Virginia and the beautiful mountains and rolling meadows of that beautiful state. We spent the first night at a Holiday Inn in Roanoke. After a restful night and a good breakfast we boarded our bus for another day of travel, eating, card playing, napping and made our way to New Jersey. Our dinner was prepared for us at Applebee's Restaurant in Edison, New Jersey where we dined on sirloin steak, pasta dishes, fish or chicken. After this meal we made our way to Carteret, New Jersy to the Radisson Hotel for another good night of rest and relaxation. After that long bus ride it was just complete Heaven to take a long leisurely bath and stretch out on a comfortable bed. After breakfast on Monday morning we made our way with great anticipation to New York City. A young, energetic, most knowledgeable tour guide came on board our bus and we toured the entire city of Manhattan, stopping for lunch at Rockefeller Center and an hour of browsing that area. After lunch we boarded our bus and went to Ground Zero where we observed the ruins from the 5th floor of a building nearby. It was so emotional to stand there and see what was left of the two magnificent towers and remember that day on 9/11. From that point we drove through all of the rest of the island - China Town, Little Italy, Harlem and the Battery for a view of the Statue of Liberty. We ended our tour with a lovely private dinner at Ginger's Restaurant on the 5th Floor of the Double Tree Hotel where a room was prepared with china, crystal, silver and a sumptuous buffet dinner. After dinner we drove to our destination hotel in Atlantic City - The Tropicana Casino Resort Hotel. Sara and I were directed to a room on the 46th Floor that had a view of the ocean and most wonderful queen sized beds and other beautiful furnishings.
Tuesday, after a breakfast buffet at the Fiesta Room of the hotel, we drove to Philadelphia where we were met with another young, knowledgeable tour guide for a tour of everything historical. She gave us dates, times, people's names and places where everything that makes up the history of our country took place. The bus stopped at the steps where in the movie "Rocky" he ran up all of those steps to prove he was ready for a career in boxing. Some people ran up the steps but I just stood at the bottom quite content to make a picture. After a luncheon of sandwiches and cokes at a food court I visited the Liberty Bell and made some more pictures. We left Philly and drove back to the Tropicana for a nice dinner at the Fiesta Room Buffet. The food there was quite good and so many choices for our pleasure.
Wednesday was a Free Day to do anything we desired. Sara and I took our time with getting up and dressing and having a good breakfast and then we went to the Board Walk. All of my life I have heard of the Board Walk in Atlantic City and here I was, actually seeing the shops the people, the ocean and the beach. What a wonderful experience. After making some purchases and walking as much as we wanted we went back to our room for a game of Scrabble and a nap before dinner at the hotel. In our Tour Package we were given $30.00 for playing the slot machines so we made our way into the casino and had a fun time winning, losing, winning again and then cashing out. I came away with $30.40 which I thought was splendid.
On Thursday morning we were told to have our luggage ready for pick up so after breakfast we finished packing and set our bags by the door and made our way down to the bus. When I say "made our way" I am telling you that every time we tried to go anywhere in this massive building we seemed to get lost and would wander forever until we finally would see something familiar and would be able to go where we wanted to be. It got to be a real joke among everybody that we seemed to go around in circles to get to a final destination. After boarding the bus we departed for Baltimore, MD where we parked the bus at the Inner Harbor and had some hours of shopping, lunching and just sitting and watching the beautiful ships that were coming in and out of Chesapeake Bay. When this excursion was over we boarded the bus and drove to Lexington, Virginia. We were so tired when we got there that rest was welcome and sleep came quickly.
Friday morning found us having breakfast at the hotel, boarding the bus for a long, tiring day of card playing, snacking, drinking, talking, napping and longing to see Nashville and getting off of the bus. We stopped at a Subway Sandwich shop for lunch and decided not to stop again until we were home. We arrived back at the Shrine Temple at 5:00PM and there stood Kim waiting for Sara and me. What a welcome sight.
I have no words left in my vocabulary to tell you what an amazing experience this entire trip was for me. Yes, riding a bus as much as I did made me very tired but to go through the states of Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and see the beautiful countryside was a delight that I will carry in my mind forever. I came home with so many memories of sights that I saw, things that I heard, friendships that I made among the travellers, and I feel so privileged to have been able to make this trip at this time in my life. I have made many trips to New York and on this tour I just rode by all of the places that meant so much to me - the Metropolitan Museum, the Guggenheim Museum, FAO Swartz, the Empire State Bldg., the Plaza Hotel - so many others that are too many to name. I had made the statement that I would never get to see New York City again in my lifetime but I did and I am happy that I could ride by and not have to walk to all of those places.
When the information came out many months ago telling about this trip I knew that it was something that I wanted to do. My children helped it become a reality. Some of my friends helped it to become a reality. I rearranged many activities to leave me free to go, but I know that it was in God's plan for me to go and see the things that I experienced while I am still able to do it. I have thanked Him many times for working it out for me and it makes me understand even more that God is good - all the time.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
SUMMER HAS ARRIVED IN ALL IT'S GLORY
Today is the first day of June. We are entering the second half of the year already. So many things have happened in the first half it just makes me wonder what is yet to come? I'm sure that it will be pleasurable and happy some of the time, unhappy and unexpected sadness some of the time because such is life. As the song goes "I didn't promise you a rose garden" but we do have lots of roses and, fortunately, few thorns among them.
One of my "roses" happened this past Sunday. The day had been designated as Adoption Sunday at First Baptist Church in Hendersonville. This day, that is held every year, is a day that the church pauses and honors those people who have adopted children, are adopted themselves or contemplating adoption, etc. Nita and Ray were invited to speak to the church on the subject of integrating an international adoption into the family. They did a remarkable job in a short time of telling how much it meant to have Patrick Ray and Nicholas Drew Maddux in their family. We watched a film of Drew announcing that he and Tara had decided to adopt the boys from Uganda and the film followed their journey to the orphanage and meeting the boys and then going back and bringing them home. This whole procedure took over a year but Drew and Tara, with fierce determination and validation from God, pursued all of the mountains of paperwork and being delayed with a date and everything until the day came that they were approved, a date given and the trips (2 of them) made to bring the boys back and introduce them into our family. As Ray said in his part of the speech "our family looks different now but it is a family" and that is true. It is hard to remember when Patrick and Nicholas were not running around screaming and playing with the other children when we have family parties. I was so proud of Nita and Ray as they spoke from the pulpit and I was proud of Drew and Tara as they stood up to show the boys. Now, our next adventure is when Emily and Jackson go to Haiti to bring back Jode and Valencia, two little girls that they are adopting and bringing to be a part of our family. The commitment and obedience to God's calling for my grandchildren is just overwhelming to me. As my mother would say if she was here "I glory in their spunk".
As I mentioned earlier, it is June now and we just stepped from winter right into summer. It is hot and sultry and not good to spend time outside. Yesterday as I ran some errands I realized that the summer sun and fun I used to think was so great is not so great now. Poor Houston has to get up early in order to get to go walking because we have to beat the heat. We love walking the track beside my apartment and following the trail over a creek and into the park. He saw two ducks in the creek yesterday and it was a tug of war between him and me to keep him from chasing right into the water after them. By the way, I won!!!
Next week - on the 11th day of June - I am going on a trip. I will spend next week getting ready but this week has been too filled with other things. I am looking forward to the trip because I haven't had such an excursion in quite a few years. My friend, Sara, will be my roommate and we will visit Baltimore Harbor, Philadelphia, New York City, and Atlantic City. All of this will be done on a big luxurious bus so there won't be too much walking. Of course it will be a fast-paced trip and I will come home tired but happy that I did get to see these places, especially New York, some of which I have never visited. I will have lots to Blog about when I return. Without Kim to make my pictures for me I don't know what pics I will have to put on the blog. She is my photographer for all events.
I have found me a new author that I am really enjoying reading. You know that I am an avid reader and the fact that I had no book to read over the week-end and the library was closed was not a good thing. I am really loving Dorothea Benton Frank's books. They are all written about Charleston and the surrounding islands which was her home. She makes everything seem so real. Pawleys Island, Isle of Palms, Shems Creek I have read and now Bulls Island kept me awake until almost midnight last night. Maybe someday I will be privileged to visit this area and see all of the places for myself. That would be a real gift and who knows - I might just get to do that. God does give me such splendid gifts and that might just be one of them because God is good - all the time.
One of my "roses" happened this past Sunday. The day had been designated as Adoption Sunday at First Baptist Church in Hendersonville. This day, that is held every year, is a day that the church pauses and honors those people who have adopted children, are adopted themselves or contemplating adoption, etc. Nita and Ray were invited to speak to the church on the subject of integrating an international adoption into the family. They did a remarkable job in a short time of telling how much it meant to have Patrick Ray and Nicholas Drew Maddux in their family. We watched a film of Drew announcing that he and Tara had decided to adopt the boys from Uganda and the film followed their journey to the orphanage and meeting the boys and then going back and bringing them home. This whole procedure took over a year but Drew and Tara, with fierce determination and validation from God, pursued all of the mountains of paperwork and being delayed with a date and everything until the day came that they were approved, a date given and the trips (2 of them) made to bring the boys back and introduce them into our family. As Ray said in his part of the speech "our family looks different now but it is a family" and that is true. It is hard to remember when Patrick and Nicholas were not running around screaming and playing with the other children when we have family parties. I was so proud of Nita and Ray as they spoke from the pulpit and I was proud of Drew and Tara as they stood up to show the boys. Now, our next adventure is when Emily and Jackson go to Haiti to bring back Jode and Valencia, two little girls that they are adopting and bringing to be a part of our family. The commitment and obedience to God's calling for my grandchildren is just overwhelming to me. As my mother would say if she was here "I glory in their spunk".
As I mentioned earlier, it is June now and we just stepped from winter right into summer. It is hot and sultry and not good to spend time outside. Yesterday as I ran some errands I realized that the summer sun and fun I used to think was so great is not so great now. Poor Houston has to get up early in order to get to go walking because we have to beat the heat. We love walking the track beside my apartment and following the trail over a creek and into the park. He saw two ducks in the creek yesterday and it was a tug of war between him and me to keep him from chasing right into the water after them. By the way, I won!!!
Next week - on the 11th day of June - I am going on a trip. I will spend next week getting ready but this week has been too filled with other things. I am looking forward to the trip because I haven't had such an excursion in quite a few years. My friend, Sara, will be my roommate and we will visit Baltimore Harbor, Philadelphia, New York City, and Atlantic City. All of this will be done on a big luxurious bus so there won't be too much walking. Of course it will be a fast-paced trip and I will come home tired but happy that I did get to see these places, especially New York, some of which I have never visited. I will have lots to Blog about when I return. Without Kim to make my pictures for me I don't know what pics I will have to put on the blog. She is my photographer for all events.
I have found me a new author that I am really enjoying reading. You know that I am an avid reader and the fact that I had no book to read over the week-end and the library was closed was not a good thing. I am really loving Dorothea Benton Frank's books. They are all written about Charleston and the surrounding islands which was her home. She makes everything seem so real. Pawleys Island, Isle of Palms, Shems Creek I have read and now Bulls Island kept me awake until almost midnight last night. Maybe someday I will be privileged to visit this area and see all of the places for myself. That would be a real gift and who knows - I might just get to do that. God does give me such splendid gifts and that might just be one of them because God is good - all the time.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
ENDINGS AND BEGINNINGS
Today I am going to write about endings and beginnings. I am an Oprah fan and have been glued to my TV at 4:0o PM each afternoon since she announced her retirement from daytime television. Yesterday, was the end of her show as we know it. I was delighted at the dignified, professional way that she ended 25 years of interviewing and teaching (as she called it) about life and how to live it without letting it get you down and making you feel like a failure. Sometimes in my life I have felt like a failure. I did not know how to be a wife when I married. I did not know how to be a mother when I had my first child or, for that matter, any of them. Each day was a learning experience for me. Some days I passed the test and some days I failed. Be that as it may, the days of raising children came to an end and the new beginning was the grandchildren and now the great-grandchildren. One thing that Oprah taught me along this line is that you never quit learning and you can always help someone else that is beginning where I have ended.
Well, on the subject of TV endings and beginnings - I was a fanatical watcher of Dancing With the Stars. My choice came in second but I had a soft spot in my heart for the man that won and I am happy that the show ended on a happy note. I hope that the people that participated on that show learned a lot and as their part ended they went on to a new beginning with wherever their life takes them. The same thing is true of American Idol which was another TV show I became quite enamored with. I loved the young man that won and I was so happy to see him with the title of American Idol last night as the show ended. His life will be changed from now on and his new beginning will include lots of singing, recording, entertaining and, hopefully, making lots of money.
I was invited by my daughter, Corinne, to accompany her to Dyersburg, TN to my granddaughter's home to attend the Kindergarten Graduation of my great-grandson, Connor Cline Pigg. We arrived there and had a nice visit, a delicious supper and then left in a flurry of gathering up the other two boys and their shoes and things and hopping in the car for the ride to the school where Connor attends, Christ Classical Academy. The program was delightful. The children in caps and gowns marched in to the playing of Pomp and Circumstance and each one had something to say - a Bible verse or telling their favorite part of Kindergarten. They sang their class song which was Trust and Obey and that, I thought, was so special. Each child walked across the stage to receive their diploma, pause for a picture with their teacher and then another picture as they moved the gold tassel to the other side of their cap. Connor did everything that he had been prompted to do with much seriousness and determination. Oh my goodness, what a beautiful, special, precious child he is. After he, with great patience, allowed his picture to be taken many times we went home where my granddaughter, Leslie, had prepared a beautiful celebration table of balloons, pictures, cookies and cup cakes with Connor's school colors and the initials of the school. She also had made little roll up sandwiches to look like a diploma plus strawberries stuffed with a cream cheese filling and topped to look like a mortar board. Connor graciously received his gifts and expressed his appreciation and the party was over. He had ended his life as a little boy student and will begin in the fall to be a part of the real school world as he grows up very fast, completing each grade. I do hope that I am able to celebrate his graduation party when he ends his schooling before beginning his higher education life. You see when one door closes another one truly opens.
There will always be endings and there will always be beginnings because this is the plan that God has set in motion from the time of our birth. Sometimes we have to search for our new beginnings because we did not plan the endings but we will always find our way because we know that God is good - all the time.
Monday, May 9, 2011
MY MOTHER'S DAY WAS PERFECT
It is unbelievable that I am sitting here writing on this blog so soon after the "random thoughts" blog, but as I mentioned in that blog yesterday was Mother's Day. I just can't let that occasion go by without talking about My Mother's Day. My day began with telephone calls from each daughter - some in the car on the way to church, some just having breakfast, others doing their regular Sunday morning chores but the point is that they each took time to pick up the phone, dial my number and greet me with "Happy Mother's Day". Now, can you think of a better way to start a day? Neither can I. My order of day was coffee, toast with Houston, get dressed for church and as the weather was warm and predicted to be warmer I had a couple of decisions to make. I drove to Madison Church of Christ and drove around the parking area twice hoping that I could find a "Senior Citizens" spot (yes, one advantage of getting old) but to no avail so I parked and walked into the building and on to my Sunday School Class. I have never studied Revelation before - never wanted to - scared of it - not interested, etc. but Nila Sherrill has given me a whole new perspective on the book and I am loving the study. Worship Service was good. Phil, the preacher does a good job every week. I wish that we would sing a few songs from the "old days" but that seems to be beyond our Praise/Worship Minister so I have given up on that subject. After church I enjoyed lunch with Jacque, Wayne and Jeffrey and then came back to Hendersonville. Houston and I took a long walk and I realized that it is fast becoming Summer. He and I was glad to get back inside to the air conditioning and a drink of cold water. Next comes the purpose for this blog - MY MOTHER'S DAY CELEBRATION. Corinne and Mark picked me up and we drove to Anchor High Marina. Corinne bought two balloons that were heralding the purpose of our dinner - Happy Mother's Day they announced. We were given the best table at the restaurant - inside the building but by open windows right by the lake. One by one the girls and their husbands arrived and Patrick, Mikka and Joesea with Kim. We numbered 13 at this table. I was given gifts of money from each family because I am going to take a wonderful trip in June and money for travel extras is not in my budget. Well, let me tell you this, they were so generous that I am embarrassed. I plan to eat the best dinners on the trip and I want to buy me one really significant treasure souvenir while I am in New York City or Philadelphia or Atlantic City which are the main cities on the agenda. I had said many times that it made me sad to think I would never see New York City again because travel to that place is too demanding and my stamina is not up to it now, but this time I will be seated on a sight-seeing bus and get to view all of the places that I have visited in the past in the easiest manner possible. Of course, I won't get to walk the majestic halls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, or the Guggenheim Museum or see the fantastic merchandise in FAO Schwartz, or Tiffany's but I will ride by and remember. My trip will be enhanced a thousand times because of the generosity of my family. I announced that I would like to make a speech shortly before we adjourned but I didn't do it. Why did I choke? Well, that is exactly what I did do - choke!! I could feel my throat tightening and my eyes filling and I could feel the tears coming to the surface. To end this perfect day with a bunch of words of gratitude accompanied with tears would have been a travesty. So, I just said thank you and let it go at that. I am pretty sure that each one of those beautiful people looking right at me knew what I meant, knew what I thought, knew that I loved them beyond belief and knew that I prayed each day for their health, their safety and their happiness. I give their lives to God with my prayers because I know He has a plan for each of them and I know that plan will be good. Why do I know this? Because God is good - all the time.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Random Thoughts This Saturday Morning
The grass is green and shiny with dew, the trees are leafed out with tender green leaves, the sky is a vivid blue with little puffs of white and the sun that has decided to get up is shining in my window. It is very quiet here at my apartment. Isabella (the 2 year old across the hall) is obviously still asleep because by this time she has usually had two or three of her "terrible twos" episodes. No dogs are barking - not even Houston who has had his bites of toast and now gone back to sleep for another nap. So you see, with all of this quiet solitude it provides me with time to reflect and think about life in general.
This has been a week of ups and downs, laughs and frowns, happiness and sadness - many emotions. My week started with the news that one of my friends had lost her 47 year old daughter to death. Her daughter, Monica, like my daughter, Kim, had followed each others progress through the head/neck cancer malady, even sharing the same radiation oncologist and chemo oncologist and surgery doctors at Vanderbilt. Both daughters were pronounced "cancer free" and both were still suffering the ravages of radiation and chemo to their bodies. Monica, however, had a stroke and has been battling that for a couple of months. Saturday she took a nap and woke up in Heaven. Good for Monica - Sad for her mother, Joanna, and for the rest of us that knew and loved her. After arranging food for the family at the funeral home and being a member of the audience at the funeral I moved on to the rest of my week's activities. My volunteer work at Vanco Manor Nursing Home is such a rewarding activity. I go into the rooms that are assigned to me and take away the dead flowers from the previous week, wash out the bud vase that has a Madison Church of Christ tag around the vase, fill it with fresh colorful flowers and if the patient wants to talk, I talk. If the patient wants to be left alone I quietly leave. If the patient wants to cry I put my arm around her and we pray. Sometimes we tell each other a joke or an incident that we deem to be very funny. This takes two hours of my day once a week and if they, the patients, enjoy it as much as I then it is a great way to spend a Monday morning.
I went back to my eye doctor and after the most thorough examination through every kind of weird looking machine you can imagine he pronounced my eye surgery to be successful. All scars that were on my eye are gone and the surface is smooth as can be. I do not have to go back to him for a year. The macular degeneration is the same and that is a good thing (the no change part not the disease). I have to wear dark glasses when in the sunlight or even the glare of a cloudy day. My regular glasses that I use for reading may need to be changed but that is for another doctor to decide. Anyway the door is closed for now on eyesight problems!!!! A praise that all went so well, I say.
My committee that is planning a 60th Anniversary Class Reunion met this week. We really didn't have a lot of business to conduct but we all brought a sack lunch, discussed our plans for the event, visited with each other as we ate our sandwiches and parted with plans to meet next month and "really get down to work". These people are so dear to me. Some of the members of this committee were people I went to elementary school, junior high school and graduated with in 1951. Isn't it wonderful to have friends that you have loved for 60 years? I find that this condition does not exist for a lot of my friends or even for my children. We were a different breed of children in the "good old days" I guess. Another praise for good friends.
Speaking of school, East High in particular, I went to East last night as a guest at the Dinner to Honor the Graduating Seniors. My friend, Rip Ryman (President of Alumni Association) and I sat for several minutes prior to the event and talked to the principal, Steve Ball. He is such a fascinating man and has made such a difference in the school since he came from Chattanooga to work at East Literature Magnet School. He told us that the school will be dropping the Literature word from it's name and become East High Magnet School. This is to reflect that it is a true magnet school, admissions governed by a lottery drawing (they have a long waiting list) and their programs are hard and extensive. The graduation rate is 99 percent and 90 percent of the graduates go to college. I met the Salutatorian who boasted a Vanderbilt shirt and has a scholarship to the university where she will study pre-med. My role at this dinner was to speak to the graduates about the scholarship program and to present a certificate to the Scholarship Recipient who happened to be the Valedictorian of the 2011 graduating class. She is a delightful young woman who will go far in this world. The whole evening was a grand experience to be invited to walk the hall and sit in the place that I spent so much of a happy childhood while looking at a totally different environment from what it was at that time. I consider this school, the programs, the teachers and most especially the dedicated principal to be a praise also.
So you see this whole blog has been just as the title implies - random thoughts. No real theme, no real purpose, just things I'm thinking and sharing with whomever takes the time to read this blog. I need to say to some of you that have written me encouraging me write a book that I started a book years ago and just don't seem to be able to be consistent. Maybe one day I will do with the book like I do with this blog - sit down and just start writing and not know when to quit. I do know that now is the time to quit this session and say to all of you that tomorrow is Mother's Day. I love the way that my children honor me, not just on Mother's Day but every day. I am the most blessed of all women. On Mother's Day, however, I give so much thought to my mother whom I miss every day since she died on May 13, 1988. Nobody loves you like your mother except God. They both love unconditionally and that gives me great comfort and allows me to say to you that God is good - all the time.
This has been a week of ups and downs, laughs and frowns, happiness and sadness - many emotions. My week started with the news that one of my friends had lost her 47 year old daughter to death. Her daughter, Monica, like my daughter, Kim, had followed each others progress through the head/neck cancer malady, even sharing the same radiation oncologist and chemo oncologist and surgery doctors at Vanderbilt. Both daughters were pronounced "cancer free" and both were still suffering the ravages of radiation and chemo to their bodies. Monica, however, had a stroke and has been battling that for a couple of months. Saturday she took a nap and woke up in Heaven. Good for Monica - Sad for her mother, Joanna, and for the rest of us that knew and loved her. After arranging food for the family at the funeral home and being a member of the audience at the funeral I moved on to the rest of my week's activities. My volunteer work at Vanco Manor Nursing Home is such a rewarding activity. I go into the rooms that are assigned to me and take away the dead flowers from the previous week, wash out the bud vase that has a Madison Church of Christ tag around the vase, fill it with fresh colorful flowers and if the patient wants to talk, I talk. If the patient wants to be left alone I quietly leave. If the patient wants to cry I put my arm around her and we pray. Sometimes we tell each other a joke or an incident that we deem to be very funny. This takes two hours of my day once a week and if they, the patients, enjoy it as much as I then it is a great way to spend a Monday morning.
I went back to my eye doctor and after the most thorough examination through every kind of weird looking machine you can imagine he pronounced my eye surgery to be successful. All scars that were on my eye are gone and the surface is smooth as can be. I do not have to go back to him for a year. The macular degeneration is the same and that is a good thing (the no change part not the disease). I have to wear dark glasses when in the sunlight or even the glare of a cloudy day. My regular glasses that I use for reading may need to be changed but that is for another doctor to decide. Anyway the door is closed for now on eyesight problems!!!! A praise that all went so well, I say.
My committee that is planning a 60th Anniversary Class Reunion met this week. We really didn't have a lot of business to conduct but we all brought a sack lunch, discussed our plans for the event, visited with each other as we ate our sandwiches and parted with plans to meet next month and "really get down to work". These people are so dear to me. Some of the members of this committee were people I went to elementary school, junior high school and graduated with in 1951. Isn't it wonderful to have friends that you have loved for 60 years? I find that this condition does not exist for a lot of my friends or even for my children. We were a different breed of children in the "good old days" I guess. Another praise for good friends.
Speaking of school, East High in particular, I went to East last night as a guest at the Dinner to Honor the Graduating Seniors. My friend, Rip Ryman (President of Alumni Association) and I sat for several minutes prior to the event and talked to the principal, Steve Ball. He is such a fascinating man and has made such a difference in the school since he came from Chattanooga to work at East Literature Magnet School. He told us that the school will be dropping the Literature word from it's name and become East High Magnet School. This is to reflect that it is a true magnet school, admissions governed by a lottery drawing (they have a long waiting list) and their programs are hard and extensive. The graduation rate is 99 percent and 90 percent of the graduates go to college. I met the Salutatorian who boasted a Vanderbilt shirt and has a scholarship to the university where she will study pre-med. My role at this dinner was to speak to the graduates about the scholarship program and to present a certificate to the Scholarship Recipient who happened to be the Valedictorian of the 2011 graduating class. She is a delightful young woman who will go far in this world. The whole evening was a grand experience to be invited to walk the hall and sit in the place that I spent so much of a happy childhood while looking at a totally different environment from what it was at that time. I consider this school, the programs, the teachers and most especially the dedicated principal to be a praise also.
So you see this whole blog has been just as the title implies - random thoughts. No real theme, no real purpose, just things I'm thinking and sharing with whomever takes the time to read this blog. I need to say to some of you that have written me encouraging me write a book that I started a book years ago and just don't seem to be able to be consistent. Maybe one day I will do with the book like I do with this blog - sit down and just start writing and not know when to quit. I do know that now is the time to quit this session and say to all of you that tomorrow is Mother's Day. I love the way that my children honor me, not just on Mother's Day but every day. I am the most blessed of all women. On Mother's Day, however, I give so much thought to my mother whom I miss every day since she died on May 13, 1988. Nobody loves you like your mother except God. They both love unconditionally and that gives me great comfort and allows me to say to you that God is good - all the time.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
FINALLY TELLING YOU ABOUT OUR EASTER
Good morning. Yes, it is raining and dark and gloomy and one of those days that makes you say "I believe I will lie here another hour and then get up". However, Houston does not share my laziness and he is ready for his toast. It was called to my attention by my sweet sister-in-law, Rosemary (is Rosemary one word or two? I have never decided) that I omitted a blog about Easter. I apologize to each of you that enjoy my family stories and will tell you that our Easter this year was "different". By that I mean that we did not have the entire family, nor the big yard for egg hunting and game playing that we had for the last 20 years at Freda Villa. The Maddux family went to Jackson, MS to have Easter with Chris, Ashley and the children. They had a wonderful time and Chris made the week-end fun filled and happy for all of them. The rest of us went to our respective churches for Easter Services and then met at Kim's house for our celebration. Each family came dressed in their Easter Finery and kept dressed in it until all the pictures had been made. (The men and children love this part). Then, and only then, were the children allowed to put on their play clothes. Kim had decorated her home so beautifully and also had tables set up on the deck covered with green and orchid colored cloths. She used those two colors in the plates, cups, napkins and serving dishes. The day, which had been predicted to rain was warm, semi-cloudy but enough sun peeking through those clouds to make for a happy scene. Everyone enjoyed being on the deck and watching a big barge go up the river. The children were fascinated. After a feast of delicious food prepared by all of us we adjourned to the front yard for the "Big Hunt". The children had been patiently playing ball in the back yard, safely out of sight of Corinne and Cassie (the egg hiders) and when they were called to the front yard with their cute baskets they were told to sit down for instructions. Big groans went up from those five little people because they wanted to get on with the hunt. When they were turned loose they screamed, laughed, knocked each other over as they would dive for the same egg and we loved the sight of those happy children running in all directions. Then came the time to count the eggs - who had the most, who had the golden egg and how much money or candy get they collect from their eggs. Of course there were tears because "he got more than me" or "I found that egg and she took it away from me" and, well, you know all the wails and gripes that accompany a group of cousins in competition. After the hunt and the games, and the prizes had been awarded everybody began to gather up their dishes, their clothes, their tired, sleepy children and just as everybody left the rain that we had worried about came in abundance. What a wonderful day. We had started the day with a celebration of the risen Savior with hymns, prayers and praise and then spent the rest of the day celebrating with our family and friends with laughter, good food, fun and so much love. Just makes you know with all your heart that God is good - all the time.Sunday, April 17, 2011
ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Today is such a big anniversary in my life that I just felt I had to record it - not just for the ones reading this blog, but for my own self. One year ago today, April 17th, I moved from Freda Villa to this apartment at Aventura at Indian Lake in Hendersonville. I know that I have made many references in past blogs about this event but today it really hit me. What is it about One Year Anniversaries that brings such big thoughts to one's mind? I remember when Billy died all of the girls called me to speak about "One Year Ago Today". When different things in my life have occurred that "One Year Ago Today" always seemed to be a big deal. Well, to just make a point I will say that a good decision was made a year ago. I have no regrets. In fact I have nothing but good things to say about living here. I know that I have made remarks about "no neighbors", "nobody speaks", etc. but just to tell you the truth I suppose that one year does make a difference because just today I saw my neighbor in the Loft Building next to me (his name is Clay) and he told me that he and his wife, Amber, keep an eye on me when I am walking Houston or when I go in and out with my car. He is a huge guy with big tattoos all up and down his arm and he rides his motorcycle with loud noises but he really touched my heart with his message because I had no idea he cared enough to give me a thought - much less to say that he "watched out for me". Don't you think that is grand? I feel that, even though we don't sit and chat and have coffee like the Freda Villa bunch, I do, indeed, have a neighbor. Anyway, my life is so much simpler here. My freedom is so much greater. Yes, my expenses are more it seems but somehow I seem to make it okay. Houston and I have a good, quiet, solid life and I am doing well. Last week on Saturday, April 9th, I went to the loveliest birthday party for my friend, Peggy Bomar, who turned 80 years of age. Believe me when I tell you that she does not look 80 nor does she think like some 80 year old women do, nor does she act like an 80 year old. She is fun and happy and cheerful and we love to talk about our days at East High when she and I were cheerleaders and she played basketball. Our lives took entirely different paths after school and it is so much fun now that she has married an East High Alum and lives right here in the apartments and we see each other often. The party was attended by many old friends and one of them was a friend of my daughter, Kim. In fact her name is Kim also. She is such an interesting, intelligent, beautiful woman now practicing in the medical profession. Who would have ever thought that this fun-loving teenager that rode around cruising Shoneys with my Kim would turn out to be such a fascinating and delightful woman? I am so proud of her, and my Kim, and it just "made my day" to get to visit with her. Peggy and I have spent quite a bit of time reminiscing over that great party. Last night I went to First Baptist Church in Hendersonville to the Easter Musical Program and Drama. I have been to almost all of their productions through the years at Easter and Christmas but I have never witnessed such a powerful and emotional program as this one. It was titled Mercy Seat and the bottom line was that all of us, at some time in our lives (many times for me) have been allowed to receive God's mercy for all of the inappropriate things that we do daily. It is our privilege to sit in the Mercy Seat that none of us actually deserve but as I have told you so many times in this blog God is good - all the time.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Good morning everyone,
I have my list made for things I need at the grocery. I have my prescriptions in my pocket book for getting my medicine. I should be on my way to running errands. However, as I was preparing green beans for cooking and doing things to straighten up my house, I had so many random thoughts going through my mind that there is no way I can refuse to write them down.
First and foremost - the storm last night was really a "raging demon" in my estimation. The wind was ferocious, the lightning so bright, the thunder deafening and to top it all off no electricity for TV or reading or anything to get your mind off of what was going on outside. I do believe that God had intentions for that. I do believe that He wanted me to sit still and listen and know that He is in control. If that is what He had in mind - believe me it worked. During all of this I realized that daughters are just the best thing that happens to mothers. I have four of them and each one is so precious to me. First of all Ray called - not a daughter but a wonderful son-in-law - and told me that he and Nita were going to Corinne's house in Gallatin where there was electricity and TV for the Big Basketball Game. I agreed to go. Then I began to think about leaving and decided that I would stay here. Nita called to say they were on their way to get me and it might be some time because of traffic conditions being so bad. I told her that I wasn't going. She thought I should and that I was making a mistake to stay here but being an understanding daughter of my old-age personality, she didn't argue and they left for what they thought would be a simple drive to Gallatin. Wrong on that account!!! Then Tracey called and even though they had no electricity she wanted to come and get me and we would just "hang out" at her house. I thanked her but declined. Kim was so upset over the no electricity thing that she gave me the ultimatum that if I didn't have electricity by 7:00 she was coming after me and Houston. I told her that I had been invited to be rescued by her sisters and I had no intention of leaving here. Thankfully, the lights came on at 6:45PM. The point I am making here is that all of my daughters were right there with offers of help and their offering was not obligatory but with love. Could I ask for more than that? I told Barbara about it and she told me that of her four sons she had not received a phone call. Difference between daughters and sons? I'll say!!! Each time I had a baby and Billy would want a boy so badly and we would be given a baby girl I know now that it was God's plan that we hear about and realize as we get older.
Kim put the pictures on this blog of the wedding for your enjoyment. I can tell you that I was so happy at that wedding. Patrick is such a special man to me. He spent so much time at our house while he was growing up that he is almost like my own son. He always came by on Banquet nights to let me see him and his date, he never forgot a Mother's Day or Birthday - either a card or a phone call. We have spent our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day times together. Of course, all of this will change now and I wouldn't have it any other way. I will love Mikka as a granddaughter and I adore Joesea as a great-granddaughter. I suppose that you noticed Patrick's shoes that he wore - tennis shoes!!! What do you thing Billy Cline, the men's shoe expert of the shoe business, would say to that? Wow, I'm glad I didn't have to hear it. Patrick is wearing Billy's wedding ring and I am delighted that he still has his PaPa close to him. They were real buddies and the love that they shared is unequaled. Yes, the wedding is over and now we, as a family of many people and many personalities, will move on to other things. Whatever that may be remains to be seen but I'm sure that it will be wonderful. God has always provided strength and love to us when we needed it the most. It is such a comfort to know that God is good - all the time.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
FAMILY - A WONDERFUL WORD
When I was a little girl one of the events that I actually despised with a passion was the trip to Columbia to see my grandfather. Six adults and I would get into an automobile with my uncle driving and away we would go. I had to sit in somebody's lap and I hated that. It would be so hot in the summer and with the windows down and the wind blowing it was just horrible. However, we would eventually get there and we would eat a big meal and then the grown ups would sit on the porch and talk and talk and talk. My cousins and I would wander around the place scaring the poor chickens to death and wanting so badly to go down the "bluff" to the Duck River but we were warned that we would be spanked if we did, and I guess that we were afraid of the river also so we didn't go down there. That is - all except Miller and Ronald and they would strip off their clothes and swim for hours. After all of the grown ups had exhausted their conversations and the food was consumed we would pile into that car and drive back. When I would protest and cry and beg not to go my mother would very calmly say "that is family and you must remember that being a part of a family is most important and don't you ever forget who you are and what your family means to you. They will be there when nobody else will". I have never forgotten those words and I believe it more now than I ever did before.
Last night we had one of those "Family" times. Patrick married Mikka at Madison Church of Christ and it took the whole family to put on the affair. Kim stressed and worried over the arrangements for months and then the big night came. Nita assisted Talisa (a family friend) in decorating the chapel and the reception room, Corinne directed the wedding - making sure that everybody knew exactly what to do and when to do it. Jacque served the punch, Nita cut and served the wedding cake, Tracey cut and served the groom's cake (shaped like a guitar), Samantha who is like a member of the family, came with sandwiches and drinks and fixed Mikka's hair, Kim's hair, Joesea's hair and my hair. After it was all over and the bride and groom left for a dinner and night at the Opryland Hotel (gift from his aunts) all of the family kicked off their shoes and worked for hours cleaning up the reception area, packing up all of the things and leaving the church ready for Sunday services. You have heard it said that "it takes a village" well, it takes a family to put on a beautiful, sweet, fun wedding and that is what we had last night. It was such a happy time and memories were made never to be forgotten.
Today was another Family Day - Anni Grace Routh, Emily and Jackson's daughter, was baptized at Long Hollow Baptist Church. As you might suspect, she had twenty two family members attending this most important day in her life. Somebody said "when one of you does something all the rest come along" and that is so true. There you have that word "family" again. We support each other in every endeavor. I hope and pray that the legacy of family will go on forever.
It is always so good to be with loved ones. At the wedding my sweet sister-in-law, Rose Mary, and her husband Ron, drove from Georgia to attend. Since there was so many pictures to be made and so many people to speak with none of us were able to sit down and visit with Rose Mary and Ron and today that has been the subject of conversation, how much we all regret that we didn't get to spend time with these delightful, loving people. We went to Georgia when their son married and it was one of the best week-ends of my life. Maybe we can make another trip to their lovely home and get caught up on Family Talk. That is one of the problems you encounter at an event like a wedding - just not enough time to visit and enjoy all of the guests that attend. I really don't know how to conquer this malady because there are just so many things that are required of family members. Maybe someone wiser than I will come up with a solution.
When God created Heaven and Earth and put Adam and Eve in the garden He made the first family. It was totally His idea that we should live in this manner and I totally agree. Billy and I married, had children who married and had children, and so on and I am so proud when I look at these people and know that they are my family. We laugh, cry, love and support each other in everything that comes along. God gave me this incredible family because as I have told you many times God is good - all the time.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
TIME
Today I am thinking about TIME - time to get up; time to go to bed; what time do I need to be there? What time will it be over? time is precious and not to be wasted (my mother's advice) and that is true. I guess what I am getting at is "how time flies" and where does the time go? I really don't think that I am using the time that I have left here on earth to the best advantage, and yet I really don't know what to cut out or what to add or exactly how to manage my time in the best way. All of these thoughts came rushing into my mind yesterday as I pulled out a huge box of pictures that I had stuck in the closet when I moved. Now, if you are a scrap booking person you know that you use the pictures in your book that tell the story of the event and you discard the rest. The word "discard" is not in my vocabulary. I don't discard anything and my girls will attest to that due to the things that they discarded during my move from the house to the apartment. I am now sitting in a room that has pictures in little piles all over the floor, the desk, and everywhere else. These stacks of pictures tell stories to me of times that are past - Courtney's childhood, Patrick graduating from kindergarten, Tracey graduating from U. T. Martin, my mother opening the last stack of presents that she ever received on her last Mother's Day and on and on. I have a suspicion that in a little while I will put every one of the pictures back in the box and slide it back in the closet and one of these days my girls will have the task of discarding. Don't you think that is a splendid idea? Poor daughters of mine!!!!
Today, will no doubt be a day of random thoughts on several issues since I haven't written in so long. I am beginning to be so excited over the upcoming event that is Patrick and Mikka's wedding on the 26th of this month. For the past two Sunday afternoons I have gone to parties in their honor and it has been such fun to see the old friends and family that have come to show their love for these two special people. The outpouring of lovely gifts has just been astounding. All of the arrangements for the wedding have been made and now it is just a matter of waiting for the big day to see it all come together. With the talent of the people in charge I know that it will be a sweet and loving day for all of us to remember. It will be a good time to remember. There goes that word "time" again. As a post script to this paragraph I will admit that I have been praying for a long time that the Lord would grant me enough time on earth to see my precious grandson find just the right woman for him to love, cherish and marry. It will be a happy day for me in two weeks!
Other tasks that have been absorbing my time are working on the Scholarship Committee for the East High Alumni Association. Each year we give scholarships to direct descendants of East High graduates that qualify and this year I have received 37 applications. At this point in the selection procedure I don't know how many awards we will be able to give nor how much money each will be until we see the amount of money that we have in our funds account. Last year we gave 15 awards at $2,00o.00 each. I am happy to say that my Courtney qualified and was given the award to go to her account at U. T. Knoxville. We have some outstanding students that have applied. I can't tell you how many 4.0 grade point averages we have and all of the outstanding extra curricular activities and honors students have these days. It sure beats my history of high school and I really didn't do too bad myself. Another task that is requiring my energy and time is my High School Reunion - 60th Reunion - I can hardly absorb the thought that I have been out of school for 60 years. I have made arrangements with the hotel and we will be having this event on August 13th. Wonder how many of my old friends will be able to come? So many of them have passed on and some are ill but I bet we still have a good crowd of my peers that will come and have a great time. I have titled the reunion "The Last Fling", thinking it will probably be the last time to plan such an event but you just never know - Time will tell!
Speaking of time (which I have done repeatedly in this epistle) I need to close this up and go to church. It is time for me to go and worship because I need to be reminded and to say to myself and others that God is good - all the time.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
SNOW AND ICE AND SPRING FLOWERS
The temperature is 9 degrees. The ground is covered with a white blanket that is sparkling like diamonds in the sunshine. The TV is full of stories of traffic problems, abandoned cars, people that can't get to their jobs, schools are closed and all snow days are used up which means they will have to keep schools open longer than the usual closing time. Poor Tracey is suffering with trying to staff a complete Daycare/Enrichment Center as well as having a School Age Room open to accommodate the children of Dollar General employees that must be at work. Dollar General is a very large company that is getting much larger each week. Corinne told me last night that they are opening 22 new stores this week-end and will open 10 new stores next week-end. Her job involves all of the activities that surround opening a new store and those activities are legion - balloons, food, music, gift cards and lots of bargains - all of which has to be coordinated and come together at a certain time to make for a successful event. She was on the road two hours and twenty minutes in the snow and ice last night trying to get home and because of her dutires that must be completed on time I'm sure she had to contend with the situation this morning. All of this makes me so very glad that I can stay inside my warm, comfortable apartment and, like Houston, just enjoy looking out of each window at the lovely white world.
I have just described the conditions outside but let me tell you what greeted me as I walked into my living room this morning. Amid all of the Winter atmosphere I could smell the sweet smell of Spring! My pot of hyacinths had bloomed overnight. Sitting there on my counter was three purple flowers giving off the most wonderful aroma that only a hyacinth can emit. My cousin, Juanita, loved this flower most of all and so did Aunt Ree. Nita always sent Aunt Ree a pot of hyacinths each February. After the blooms faded I would plant the bulbs and the next Spring their little heads would pop up for us to enjoy once more. I do hope that the people that are now living in my house will enjoy these flowers as much as Aunt Ree and I did. Aunt Ree would quote the following poem for me and I will pass it on to you:
Hyacinths to feed thy soul
If of thy mortal goods thou art bereft
And from thy slender store two loaves
alone to thee are left
Sell one and with thy dole
Buy Hyacinths to feed thy soul
I will leave you with the thought that so much joy can be derived from watching Finches feed from a feeder while the ground is covered with snow, and flowers blooming on a day such as this, and my children are safe at work after a slippery, cold commute and I am blessed to be able to enjoy it all as I eat my soup, read my book, play with my dog, and realize again that God is good - all the time (even in the terrible rush hour ice and snow traffic).
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
THOUGHTS ON A DREARY WINTER DAY
Today is the first day of February, 2011. Where did January go? Sounds like the musings of an old woman doesn't it? Well, if the shoe fits, etc. No kidding, when I turned my calendar over to the new month I had to think to myself that only a few days ago I was stressing over Christmas and all of the activities that surround the holidays. Now, we are a whole month into the new year and I can't, for the life of me, find anything that I have accomplished that is worthy. I have excused my inactivity by saying "snow just confines me to my home", or "it is just too cold for me to be outside". Those reasons, while they may contain some validation, are not good enough to excuse plain old laziness. So, with that thought in mind I intend to "pick myself up, dust myself off, and get back in the race", as the song says.
I had the most delightful outing Sunday night. Nicholas Maddux, who is Drew and Tara's son that they adopted from Uganda, had his third birthday. His mom's family and his dad's family all arrived for a lovely dinner prepared by Tara and Nita. After the meal Nicholas was seated at the head of the table in his booster chair and a decorated cake was placed before him. His big brown eyes took in every facet of that cake - especially the three candles, the Dora the Explorer and other little figurines. He did not touch the cake - just looked and smiled. After much coaching from the family he managed to extinguish the three candles and put his finger into the sweet, colorful icing. I fed him some cake and ice cream and he loved every bite. I thought, as he was eating and playing with the little Dora, he has the most wonderful future ahead of him because of the love and concern that Tara and Drew have for him and his brother, Patrick. He opened all of his gifts, hugging each one to his body and smiling broadly. He spoke a quiet "thank you" to each person as he opened their gift and when he was presented with a bright red motorcycle with a light and key and noise he was overjoyed and he rode all over the house many times. It was my first time to spend any time with these children other than the Christmas Party where the entire family was present so I truly relished this evening with the boys. When Drew and Tara announced that they were going to adopt these two children from an orphanage in Uganda I was puzzled as to why they would do that, given the fact that they already have three lovely girls. After seeing the amazing job that they have done with these two children that came to another country, a big family, new foods to taste, new clothes to wear, new beds for sleeping, a schedule to live with, and consistent discipline in order to be able to fit into the schedules of the rest of the family I am so proud of my grandchildren and the love and compassion that they have shown to two orphans who would have never had any of the advantages that lie ahead for these boys. I really do glory in their spunk. I would never have been able to handle such a monumental task. They, on the other hand, would just smile and say that they are simply following the Lord's example of love and they know that He will help them as they go through the days, weeks, months, and years of rearing these children in the love and admonition of the Lord. They have no fear. They have no uncertainty that God will provide what they need because they truly believe that God is good - all the time.
These two new great-grandchildren give me a total of 15 and when Patrick and Mikka marry in March, bringing Josea into my life as a great-granddaughter, I will have 16. Last night as I thought about this and thought about Billy I just had to smile and wonder what he would say about all of these people that are his offspring. I remember when he said that he called each child and their spouse and each grandchild by name when he prayed. He would have a long prayer time these days wouldn't he? I'm sure that he would have not minded and would have loved every child that those names represent. It is sad that he didn't live to experience the wonder and delight of all of the great-grandchildren because that is just what they are - Wonder and Delight with a lot of noise and chaos thrown in for good measure.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
JUANITA
This evening, as I sit here at my computer, I am immersed in unbelievable sadness and grief. I was notified this afternoon that my cousin, Juanita Russell McClanahan, has passed away at the Jackson Park Christian Home. She had been a patient there for three years. She had Alzheimer's disease and had not been able to speak or walk for a long time. Nita and I visited her on Tuesday. She was sleeping when we arrived and her daughter, Patti, tried in vain to get her to respond to our presence. However, after the nurses came to turn her and attend to her needs she was more alert and I knelt by her bed to talk to her. She looked at me and did her little "jabber" talk and I would love to think that she understood who I was and what I was saying. The same goes for Nita when she talked to her. We left that day thinking that she probably would not live long but we intended to go back for another visit which will never take place.
For many years Juanita has not been herself. That horrible disease takes away a person's dignity, personality and no matter how intelligent or talented someone may be nothing is apparent other than frustration and anger with an occasional return to loveliness. However, I have spent this entire afternoon going back beyond all of that to the days of my childhood, my youth, and my young adult life. She was such a huge part of that time of my life. In fact, I think I can say without reservation that she was the greatest influence in my life. As a child she took care of me, she took me to the library and taught me to read, she took me on trips, she bought me beautiful clothes and accessories, she loved my children and was so delighted that my first born daughter was named for her. She taught me to love art and gave me entry into the "art community" where I was exposed to people of every persuasion. Visiting art galleries was a rare and enjoyable experience for me as I was introduced to all of the masters at an early age. As much as I loved rock and roll music I learned that Bach, Brahms and Chopin were wonderful and to be enjoyed in their own right. When she married Jack McClanahan we shared a duplex on Greerland Drive and it was so much fun to "play house" with my big sister. We would cook together and talk for hours. As she moved into the role of wife, mother to her two children - John and Patti - and lived in one part of town and I, with my family, lived in another part of town our visits were few and far between but we stayed connected nevertheless. In later life we were able to spend more time together and she was a help when I was caring for Aunt Ree in my home.
I could go on and on and write many stories of things we did, our trips to New York, our beach trips to Daytona and our many afternoons sitting on her porch just talking about life in general but I will just say that my life will have a big empty spot without Juanita and I will think of so many things that I would like to tell her and ask for her advice but she has gone on to be with her husband, her brother and her mother. She will be able to talk again and, boy did she love to talk, and maybe she will paint some more paintings and chisel some more marble into interesting sculptures. I would like to think so anyway. I will miss her and I will always love her and my life is richer for having had her in it. Wasn't God good to let me have her for 77 years? He is good - all the time.
Good night, Sis!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIMBERLY CLINE PIGUE
Today is Kim's Birthday. Just saying her name makes me smile. If I had a week and space in this computer I could tell you just what she means to me and also tell you some really good stories about her. However, with limited space and time I will just condense it all into the statement that she is now, and has always been, a blessing to my life. She was born on a Saturday night in the midst of a party that I was having and I think that she has been partying from that night until now. Even though she is in pain from her health issues and has been through the rigors and horrors of cancer she does not complain and she goes way beyond her limitations to take care of me, her son, her husband and anybody else that needs her. For many years she took care of all of my many needs - physical, financial, things that needed to be fixed or taken care of at my house or with my car or just anything that she thought would help me to be less stressed. Even as competent as she is she still seeks my advice and ideas on many aspects of her life. This pleases me greatly. She and I share a Mother/Daughter Day during Christmas where we follow the same traditions starting with breakfast at the same place each year and then shopping for our gifts. We do a lot of laughing and joking and go home with all of our shopping completed and very tired but happy and ready to continue the holidays. We share the love of Scrapbooking and when we get busy and get to work we can put out a "knock-out" book that is the envy of every person that enjoys the craft. We also have another day during the year - actually two days - when we take her mink coat to storage and then pick it up. We make it a day of lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, going to Tiffany's as if we were going to buy a beautiful necklace or something (the security men in the black suits really do watch us closely) and usually a visit to the Green Hills Kennel to visit Patti McClanahan. I told her the last time that we were like Audry Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's when she had $10.00 and asked what they had for that amount of money. I doubt either one of us had $10.00 but we had fun anyway. I have many stories about Kim - some that would be good to write and some that she would rather I didn't - but the big story is that Kim is the most unusual woman that I have ever met and I am so blessed that God gave her to me to love for 52 years. Once again I have complete evidence that God is good - all the time.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIM AND I HOPE YOU HAVE MANY MORE AND I AM HERE TO CELEBRATE WITH YOU.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
JUST RAMBLING THOUGHTS IN THE SNOW
As the words of an old song from the Broadway Play, Oklahoma, goes "Oh What a Beautiful Morning, Oh, what a beautiful day. I have a beautiful feeling, everything's going my way". Well, I don't know about the "everything's going my way" part but it is a beautiful morning. My eyes could hardly take in the scene at 7:00am when I looked out to snow heavily coming from the sky and covering the ground that just last night had been melting away. The jogging track that is just yards from my apartment and had been black when I went to bed was now totally white with no human or dog tracks in evidence. I think this new blanket of white in Hendersonville is a complete surprise to all of us. Nita reported that Ray was on his way to the dentist and said that it was very slick on the road. Tracey reported that she had made it to her work and was lacking quite a few teachers and her extra room that she opens when the schools are closed was full with a waiting list. She will need a vacation when all of this "winter wonderland" is over. As I said my prayers last night I thanked the Lord that I had this lovely, warm, apartment in which to live and a refrigerator and pantry full of food and there was nothing I needed nor anyplace that I had to go and I was privileged to stay in and be comfortable with the company of Houston. He loves the snow and when we walked yesterday he just had to walk through the deepest piles of snow he could find until his body became very cold and he just practically galloped back to the door to come in. I took him straight to the bathtub to a warm bath and he stood so still and enjoyed the bath to its fullest. After a bath and a treat he got into the chair beside me and wiggled under my warm throw and slept for two hours as I read my book and napped. See how blessed I am these days? I never cease to thank God for all that He has done for me and continues to do for me every day.
It seems as though snow causes everything to change - schools are closed, meetings are cancelled, no shoppers in Target yesterday except for Nita, a couple of women and myself. No problem finding a parking place anywhere that we went. I had to cancel an eye doctor's appointment and a luncheon this week. Hopefully, we will be able to celebrate Kim's birthday on Saturday with a brunch at Mimi's Cafe here in Hendersonville. Looking at TV and seeing the hardships that the snow and ice storms are causing in New York, Boston and all around the northeast as well as the west it makes you think that maybe God would like for all of us to stop or slow down for a while and reflect on His handy work and our lives. Are we all living too fast? Are we spending too much time on the unimportant and neglecting the really important things in life? I know that when I was a young wife and mother trying to juggle all of the items in my schedule I missed a lot of life that I should have enjoyed. Thinking back on my time in that small house bursting at the seams with four girls, my husband, friends, family, etc there just never was enough time. Time is one thing that does fly by and the next thing you know you are at Act 3 of your life (at least I am) and I, for one, am trying to take advantage of my time in a good way. As the saying goes "you can't go home again" and I know that the past is the past and can't be changed but I can embrace every day as a new page to be written carefully, intelligently, and with lots of humor and joy. It just takes a new mindset to "let go and let God" and that comes with the knowledge that God is good - all the time.
Enjoy the snow. Enjoy the leisure time that you may have during this time. Read a good book. Make a pot of chili or soup. Raise the blinds to the ceiling and let the beautiful scenery permeate your entire atmosphere. It won't be long before you will be saying "sure is hot today, must be 100 degrees in the shade".
Monday, January 3, 2011
WELCOME TO THE NEW YEAR - 2011
Here it is January 3, 2011 and this is my first post on this Blog. I have tried many times to sit down and write and nothing came. Have you ever had that experience? It is most unusual for me because writing has always come easy for me and my mind is usually running rampant when I start writing on this site. Maybe I am just tired from Christmas and all of the festivities. Actually, I know I am tired. I had a wonderful holiday season and everything went just perfect and my daughters and my friends went that extra mile to insure me a good time. Nonetheless, a lot of going, doing, eating, cleaning, shopping, staying up later than usual, etc. at my age adds up to the sum of TIRED. Today I tackled my office - papers, papers, papers on my desk and on my table. Receipts, notes, cards, pictures, you name it and it was all there cluttering up the entire room. I went through every single thing and what needed to be saved went in the file, what needed to be destroyed went into the garbage and the rest of the mess I dealt with one way or another. Now, I look around and I'm thinking that I probably got rid of something that I will need. Danny Wiseman, my son-in-law, told me when I was packing to move that if I hadn't used something in six months put it in the dumpster. I believe that his philosophy is good and I am trying not to accumulate the clutter that I had at the house before I moved. My decorations were beautiful here in the apartment. The girls came the Sunday after Thanksgiving and went through all of my storage boxes and put up a beautiful tree - smaller than the ones I used in the past but pretty. They did other decorating and my apartment was cheerful, pretty and very festive. This past Sunday they came and took it all down, packed it away, and put the boxes back in the storage closet. Now, it looks pretty but it also looks drab and not nearly so colorful. Funny how Thanksgiving comes and the holidays begin and before you can blink your eyes its all over. Maybe it doesn't go so fast for people younger than I but at my age I can tell you, without reservation, that each day starts and ends in just minutes. Looking at my calendar from last year as I made my notes on my 2011 calendar I was amazed at how quickly 2010 went by and all the things that happened during the year.
Our Cline Christmas Party this year, on the 23rd of December, was held at Nita's house and attended by 39 people. That number is just my descendants!!! Can you believe that Billy and I had 4 daughters and now we have grown to that number? I was excited to meet my two new great-grandchildren, Patrick Ray and Nicholas Drew Maddux. They are beautiful children. Of course they were overwhelmed with all of the people that were packed into that house but they were well behaved and seemed to be very happy to be there. Last year I, with Kim's help, compiled a book of poetry for the great grandchildren. This year I gave each family a book of Twas the Night Before Christmas recorded with my voice. They seemed to be very appreciative of the gift. I told them that when I was no longer here to read the story to them at Christmas they would have the book and could pretend that I was there. Needless to say, my girls do not like my saying things like that but my mortality at my age is becoming quite real to me. That is not a bad thing. In fact, it is a good thing. Christmas at Kim's house on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day was so much fun. The biggie this year (besides the two new children) is that Patrick and Mikka became engaged on Christmas afternoon. He gave her a ring, she said yes, and they are making plans for a March wedding. I am so happy. I have prayed for Patrick to find a good woman for a wife and he has found one who meets all of the criteria. Also, in addition to Mikka we get her 5 year old daughter, Joesea, who is just so very precious and has such a darling personality. My New Year's Eve this year was probably the quietest that I have had in my adult life. Billy and I always had a big group of friends that we went out with to eat, dance and ring in the new year. This year Paul and I went to Woody's Steak House, had a delicious meal, came home and watched a little TV and he left and I was in bed with my dog, Houston, at 10:00PM. I did wake up, watch the ball drop at midnight, heard some fireworks outside my window and went right back to sleep. Times change don't they? I always called Aunt Ree at midnight and she would answer the phone with a cheery Happy New Year. I have called her from nightclubs, restaurants, people's houses, you name it and when that clock struck 12:00 I was dialing her number. I guess I will always miss her and my mother. Holidays bring out the nostalgia in everybody I'm told.
I started out with a blank calendar, with the exception of some appointments and birthdays, and was thinking that I don't have any commitments this week or next when suddenly after today I find that I have a luncheon with Courtney and Bobbie Wiseman tomorrow, and something that I must do every day the rest of the week - even Saturday when I have an East High Board Meeting. Looks like 2011 is going to be another year of going places, seeing friends, enjoying my family and I am ready to embrace the year with all of the excitement and happiness that I can have. God was so good to me in 2010 that I just know that He has good things in store for me in 2011. I know that because God is good - all the time.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY THAT IS READING THIS BLOG AND I PRAY THAT 2011 WILL BE A HAPPY AND HEALTHY YEAR FOR ALL AND THAT WE WILL HAVE PEACE AND LOVE.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR
It has been quite some time since I have written on this blog and I really can't explain why, but as usual my intentions are good but other things seem to capture my time.
December has been a month of parties for me. Starting with the 6th of December when I went to my Monday Morning Bible Study Party. There were thirty women that went to a home in Greenbrier and had a wonderful luncheon and played "Dirty Santa". The cheering and jeering that went on over that game was hilarious. There always seems to be one particular present that everybody wants and once it has been "stolen" twice it is frozen and can no longer be taken away by anybody. This year it was a big, framed picture of Santa Claus and I have to admit, I really wanted that picture. I did not get it but I did get a perfectly beautiful tea pot, with cream pitcher and sugar bowl all on a pretty tray. The 9th of December was the East High Reunion Committee party. We had the party at the Alumni House and Barbara Lutz and Peggy Bomar did an outstanding job of decorating and making the house look "homey" and comfortable. Everybody brought a dish and, if I say so myself, that bunch are the best cooks in the world. Again, that "Dirty Santa" game was played and we had a good time stealing each other's gifts. The next day, the 10th, I accompanied Paul to his Sunday School Party at First Baptist Church in Hendersonville. I have gone to this party with him for the past few years and I believe that this one surpassed them all. The dinner was delicious, the entertainment quite wonderful and the people at our table were all happy and friendly and very accepting of me even though I am Church of Christ among hundreds of Baptists. When you came into this Blog site today, you saw the pictures of our family Cookie Swap that was held at Kim's house on the 11th of December. We missed some of our family that was not there and we only had four little ones to decorate cookies but we had Courtney and her friend, Shelby, that joined into the decorating and made for a lot of fun. Kim's house is decorated so beautifully and her luncheon was so very good, plus all of the delightful cookies that we sampled. It was a very happy day for the "Cline Girls" and others. On Sunday we woke up to a very cold day and lots of snow flurries with predictions of snow during the day. I went to church with Corinne and Mark and breakfast at Cracker Barrel which was quite a treat for me. In the afternoon Tracey and I went to an event that I look forward to every year and that is the Mother/Daughter Brunch with all of her close friends and their mothers from her years at Goodpasture Christian School. While we were at the party the snow began to fall and the ground became white and everybody began to gather their belongings and go home. Tracey and I came home in a real snow storm and, I admit, I was a bit nervous but Tracey is a very good driver and she has a good car so we made it fine. However, I was very glad to get home and determined not to get out again until the snow was gone. Today I did get my car out and ran a few errands with no incidents. Tomorrow is my Mother/Daughter Day with Kim. We always start out with a spiced mocha to drink, breakfast at I-Hop and shopping at Rivergate. Of course, you might know, they are predicting rain and sleet for the afternoon. I guess we will just see what happens and decide if we want to go or wait. I will finish my Christmas shopping if we go so, needless to say, I do hope that we get to go. So you see, I have had a very busy December. Some of my family and friends scoff at my party schedule but I guess I am enough like Aunt Ree that I do love parties and I hate to miss one. The next event will be the Board of Director's at East Alumni next Tuesday night and the big - and I do mean BIG - Cline Family Christmas Party on the 23rd at Nita's house. There will be 40 people there and that is just my girls and their families. Isn't that just wonderful? To be surrounded by the people that I love the most and watch the great grandchildren (15 of them) dressed in their Christmas outfits so pretty and so energetic. The greatest part of the evening will be when the entire family sings The Twelve Days of Christmas. Whoever gets to sing "Five Golden Rings" will garner the most laughter. The highlight of the evening is when the children tell the story of the birth of Jesus from the book of Luke. They have it memorized and it is so precious to see them standing there in front of the fireplace telling the story. We are a family of traditions and I do hope that one day when I am only with them in spirit they will sing a little louder and laugh a little harder, eat just as heartily and all of the women will bake cookies, make spiced tea and fudge candy.
Well, I have caught you up-to-date and when I go back and read all that I have written I am wondering just where I mustered up the energy to go to all of these functions and still have enough energy and desire to shop, cook, wrap gifts and, of course, decide which Christmas Sweater or outfit to wear next. Isn't it just the most wonderful of times? Through all the hustle and bustle of these days I love to sit in my living room and look at my Nativity Scene that I bought many years ago and think about that baby being born in a manger over 2,000 years ago and I thank my Lord that he gave that baby to save us and that the life we live here on earth is just a minute compared to the life we will live one day because of that birth. It just gives me one more reason to say that God is good - all the time.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND I WISH FOR YOU A WONDERFUL 2011.
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