• A post from my daughter’s heart…

    Each of my children has the gift of writing.   Sometimes with a bit of humor mixed in with the serious.  I wanted to share my daughter’s wonderful post about turning 45 on the 4th of December.  Although it just seems like yesterday to me…

     

    Turning 45 today….here’s what I’ve learned so far

    For what it’s worth.

    –  Move.  Move. Move.  The older you get the easier it is to begin to live a sedentary life.  Don’t.  Move.  Walk, run, do something.  Because the older you get, the harder it is to shed those pounds.  Tis’ true….unfortunately.

    –  It’s never to late to start something new.  Take up a hobby – like farming.  So what, if people think you’re crazy and are doomed to fail.  What do they know?  They are young and naive. You’re old and wise.  Like Yoda.  Except without the wrinkles.  Okay, maybe some wrinkles.  Well, lots of wrinkles…ugh, now I’m depressed.  Next one….

    –  Skinny jeans.  Don’t go there.  Ever.  Just leave those bad boys on the shelves.  Trust me.  Weren’t made for a 45 year old.  If you do, you’ll look like your going through a mid-life crisis, all squished into those things.  Just back away.

    –  It is completely normal and quite expected for you, the parent, to freak out regarding your teenager.  Totally normal.  It means that you are a loving and caring parent.  You are not the only one whose raised teenagers.

    –  Pray.  Spend a lot of time on your knees.  This goes with the previous one.  Because you are going to need all the help you can get.

    –  Embarrass your children.  Sing Christmas carols LOUD while you shop with them.  Do a mo-town dance while waiting to check out.  It’s a perk, really.  Count it as paybacks for all those late night feedings and changing of diapers.

    –  Never wear hoodies into a bathroom stall.  (see yesterday’s post).  I don’t want to talk about it.

    –  In the eyes of your teenager, you know nothing.  They think you’re more like spongebob than like Yoda.  I hear that turns around sometime later, but I’m still waiting for that one.

    –  Start your marriage with someone you are crazy about and every so often, remember why you are crazy about him.  Laugh. A lot. And yes, sometimes relinquish control of the remote….I said sometimes. It makes for a great marriage.

    –  Be happy.  With who you are, right now.  With your kids.  With life.  There are no do-overs.  You get only one shot at this.  Make the most of it.

    –  Last one.  45 is not old.  Not even close.  I may be over half way done, but watch out….because I’m just getting started.

     

    The featured image above is one of my favorites…here she is a freshman in college a few years ago!  

    Although time seems to me more like ths pic below of her on her inchworm.  Where did the time go?!  

    The bold link above will take you to her delightful blog.  I’m sure she would love to have you as a follower!

     

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    On her beloved “inchworm”…

     

     

  • Sunday morning reflections…

    It’s was 56 degrees in Iowa this morning with bright sunshine and clear blue skies…reminding me that my favorite season is quickly approaching.  I’m under the weather this morning after several nights of much less than adequate sleep, so I will put the praise music on and enjoy a time of worship here in my porch rocking chair.

    Yesterday afternoon, my friend and downstairs neighbor Susan and I ventured out in the beautiful weather for a few hours.  The goal wasn’t necessarily to purchase anything – although I did find a tiered stacking rack for the spices in my pantry and a couple of Autumn dish towels.  The goal was just to enjoy the afternoon.  Apparently, everyone else in West Des Moines had the same idea!

    We ended up eating a late mid-afternoon meal at one of my favorite places – Famous Dave’s.  Memphis Barbecue was featured on the menu as well as Georgia Pulled Pork (which I had).  Having grown up in Memphis, I wondered how Dave knew so much about Southern barbecue.  Click the link and read his story!  Believe me, if Famous Dave’s were in Memphis, they would give Corky’s and the Rendezvous a run for their money!  Everything I’ve eaten there is delicious.

    To be honest though, barbecue always makes me homesick for the South, since it’s a Southern “comfort food”.  In the featured photo above, I am having Corky’s barbecue at Penny’s house the Friday night after Thanksgiving in Memphis in 2012 with my niece Sharon and her husband Tommy.  I miss them and can’t wait to see them on October 1st when I fly into Memphis!

  • The sixth day of August 2014…

    Another day in August…another milestone.  Joy and sadness.  Laughter and tears.  This was originally posted in Sweet Journey Home on August 6, 2013.  What can I say?  I don’t think I can say it any better.  I look forward to seeing my family in the South the first two weeks of October.  My niece Cindy makes everyone’s heart sing and laugh!  Here she is in the pic below with her two wonderful children.  Happy Birthday, Cindy!  I love you!

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    The Sixth Day of August…

    There are some days in life that are just bittersweet…today is one of those days.

    On a sweet note, today is Cindy’s birthday.  She is my sister Gerry’s firstborn.  Cindy is beautiful with a heart of gold…just like her late Mom.  She has an ever ready smile and a wonderful sense of humor.  We are always laughing when we’re all together.  An amazing pianist and wonderful teacher, she must bless the hearts of the students at the college where she teaches.  No doubt, she blesses the hearts of our entire family…just as she blesses mine.  Happy Birthday, Cindy!  I love you.  Wish I could be there to celebrate with all of you!  But I will see you in October!

    Love this photo from about 1957.  Cindy was almost 5 and I was 12.  (Guessing at the year and ages here.)

    Apparently, I’d propped her up in the car window!  I was a really good baby sitter!

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    Sadly, today also marks the tenth anniversary of my beautiful sister Dot’s death.  She fought a courageous battle against AML (Acute Myloid Leukemia) but Heaven needed her.  She had such strength and optimism.  She believed in FAMILY more than anyone I have ever known.  Dot remembered special days with a card, a note or a call.  She organized family reunions and made sure that we all got together.  She had a gift for staying in touch.  Dot had the burden/privilege of being the oldest…maybe that comes with the territory.  As I shared in the previous post, searching for our family roots was Dot’s inspiration and I will honor her by finishing it.  She would like that.

    How I would love to answer the phone and hear her quip one more time, “Hello!  What’s going on besides the rent?” with that smile in her voice.  I miss her every single day…but I will see her in Heaven.

     I love this picture of my sister when she was about 21 years old. 

    Dot21

     

     

     

     

  • All too soon…

    Life moves along at such a remarkable speed.  You turn around one day and your little girl is grown.  She falls in love, gets married and in a few years becomes a mother.  In turn, this bestows upon you the most incredible role of your life:  Grandmother!

    After that, life continues to move even faster!  See the precious toddler in the photo above?  The adorable one walking next to her big brother?  She’s turning thirteen today.  A teenager!  Even as a tiny toddler, she was a runner.  Now, she can run faster than her Mom and Dad and almost as fast as her brother.  She is also a swimmer and swims on a competition team for the school.

    Now that I have my automobile, she loves that I drive her to school and we have talks on the way.  I think she was worried that I would get lost on my way back home the first time that I took her to school for she said “did you find your way back home okay, Grandmom?”

    Tonight, we celebrated with cake and ice cream and she opened her presents.  One of my presents to her was actually one of “my treasures”.  My mother was born in 1904 and, about 1920, was given a solid gold bar pin with her initials on it in a beautiful scroll.  I placed this special pin in a small heart shaped leaded glass dish.  I thought it was time to give it to my granddaughter…since my mother and my granddaughter share the same initials.  (She is the only grandchild with those initials.)  She was very pleased and I think will treasure it and take care of it for many decades to come.

    Happy Birthday, Sweet Girl!

    Why do they have to grow up all too soon?