The Sun Will Come Out….Tomorrow….

Or so the song goes. The forecast for today is a warm 65 degrees and beautiful sunshine. It’s a much welcomed change in comparison to the past few weeks. I’ve decided that God is giving us a break to catch our breath and warm up a bit because I’m sure, the cold weather has not completely packed those bags to leave us this year. Rather random thought this morning. Somehow I am tying all that weather “stuff” to our lives right now, to our world right now. God reminds us, periodically, that he is still in control and that there is always HOPE for a warmer day.
I’m saddened beyond belief at the tragedy in Haiti. It’s hard to watch on the endless hours of news coverage and yet, I feel compelled to take part in their pain. I find myself praying as I watch and listen to the horrors that our brothers and sisters are enduring. And then…then…I see, or rather, God shows me, the good, the loving, the caring outpouring of love from around this so-called horrible world. It’s HOPE that I see! It’s God still working in the hearts of His people. We’re not a lost cause – we still have the ability to reach out and touch those that need it. The Sun is shining to remind us today that God is here – every…step…of…the…way.
The economic downturn over the last few years has finally trickled down to our little, sleepy town – and to our church. Some very tough decisions have been made to reflect the new “bottom-line”. It’s going to take a lot of bright sunshine today and in the days to come to remind us that God IS working and we must all remember our HOPE for another day. I pray this morning for understanding, hope, and peace with the new normal in our lives. Dear God, I know You have a plan and I know that You are faithful. The precious warmth of the sun today will remind me of Your love and the hope You give us every day – every minute. Hold us close, dear Father…we need you.

And what were you doing?

What were you doing the summer of 2003? I’ve looked back at pictures of my youngest child who was 2 at the time. My oldest was going to high school…we went to the beach…lots of swimming…family time…Auburn beat Alabama, Space Shuttle Columbia exploded, record high gas prices $1.72.
While we were enjoying our lives here in a free nation, many, many Americans were far away serving in a war that seems to go on without end. Last week, Chad’s uncle and a fellow Marine came to dinner after spending the day in the woods hunting. Somehow, the dinner conversation turned to their time, in 2003, serving as active Marines. Between the two men, they served our country for 40+ years. Most recently, they both had been to Afghanistan and Iraq. We listened for about 2 hours as both men relived their time with other men they call brothers. We listened as they replayed unbelievable conditions, and unbelievable camaraderie in the worst of situations. They were both very clear that they were honored to have served their country and that given their youth …they’d do it again. I don’t understand or can I relate to their patriotic spirit. I almost wish I could but…not really. It’s horrible what our young men and women are going through to keep us safe and to try and change thousands of years of unrest in countries that really don’t want us there! Yes, selfish and very American like…I think they should all come home.
Before Christmas, a very dear friend of ours was deployed to Afghanistan. It is only now that I’ve taken an active interest in our war effort. I hate the idea that he’s away from his wife and children. It actually makes me mad that he had to miss Christmas with his family. His wife had to decorate, shop, read Christmas stories…all by herself – as did all of the families of our military heroes. Now, the day to day meals together, school projects, hugs, laughter, EVERYTHING – they miss! And you know…they are all steadfast that this is something that he has to do – it’s his job….it’s important that we have servants/heroes to look out for those that can’t. He has an attitude to beat the band. I can see him smiling as he sends out emails that “life is good”. I’m proud to know this American family! Their attitude is one that I could and should learn from….but I still want all of our heroes HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

It’s a new year!

Here we go! Starting another year, again. As I’ve gotten older, the new year means less to me than each “new” day. I no longer have the excitement and anticipation of some unprecedented change to my life when January 1st rolls around. I have that same option to start anew every day that the good Lord allows me to wake and put my feet on the floor. If we’d only take that option and run with it – ~sigh~

What I do love about January 1st is that by this time, I’ve spent a lot of quality time with my ever busy family. From the week of Christmas until school starts back, we’re home together for the most part. It’s very simply – nice. We’ve enjoyed the glorious celebration of Jesus’ birth. We’ve eaten together, cooked goodies, caught up on some reading, watch family favorite movies, found time to play board games, slept late – at least 7:00am! It’s been wonderful but alas, we must get back to the grind…

Why is it a grind? We make the decisions to do every single thing that we do! We choose to run in one hundred different directions – all.the.time! Maybe that’s why we appreciate the breaks and holidays so much? Oh well, tomorrow will be the last day of the holiday season for us. We’ll all be counting the days until Spring Break and wishing for another day….

Hands

Aren’t hands interesting? Yes…hands, as in the fingers are attached – hands. To me, hands tell a story. Much like an antique, hands have been so many places and done so many things…they tell a story. Let me be clear, I’m not particularly interested in the perfectly manicured hand but rather just the normal Joe kind of hands. A couple of weeks ago, I began to take a specific interest in my children’s hands.

My babies had the precious and tiny pudgy, perfect little hands. Adam had plump little hands and long fingers but the girls had matching pudgy hands and fingers. Over the years, not sure when, the pudge goes away and the child-like hands develop…still small but that tiny pudge is gone. And then, the hands of an adult emerge. My children are at all different stages of hand-development and this is what prompted this post.
Kee still has the absolutely precious hands of a toddler. Those sweet little hands still look so child-like and innocent. No need for fancy nails or rings. Still happy to play in the mud and make mudpies. Squishy and plump – eat’em up!
Bess has beautiful hands. She’s progressed through those baby years and has elegant hands and fingers. While still childlike, her hands have thinned and her fingers are becomming long and slender. She’s only just started playing the piano but already, I enjoy watching her play. Very graceful.
Rie has the hands of a young lady. Thankfully, she has the great nails of Chad’s side of the family – not mine! Her sweet hands are no longer pudgy and her fingers have grown to the long and slender fingers of a lady. Her hands have short stories to tell even now – her time playing soccer, the countless hours flipping in the gym, playing the flute, dances, and movies…she’s on her way.
And Adam…all grown up now. Pudgy, squishy gone. His hands have started the novel of life. His hands are bigger than Keegan’s face and very helpful around the house. With the extra large veins, his hands look strong and able – much like his dad’s.

What will their hands do in this world? How many times will they reach out to help someone? How many tears will they wipe away? What great food will they bring to their lips? How many babies will they hold? What luggage will they carry to faraway places? What happiness they’ll feel waving a shaker at a ballgame! Will they find apples and oranges to pull from a tree? Will live Christmas trees poke their hands while decorating at Christmas?

Hands do tell a story – think about your life and the adventures you’ve had and will have in the future and how your hands weave that tale.

Christmas 2009 in pictures

The busiest time of the year!

From mid November until January, we strap in, hold on, and ride out the craziness. From day-to-day the hustle and bustle do not seem all that overwhelming but when I look back at the blog to see that over a month has passed since I last wrote….well, we’ve been busy.

Thanksgiving was, as always, a wonderful time spent with family. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. It’s simple. It’s completely family oriented and there is no “extra” fluff needed. Just enjoy one another and give thanks. We spent our time visiting and watching the children play. Even though a couple of the children are getting older, and “cooler”, they still dress up like Pilgrims and Indians for the day. The kids choose whether they want to be an Indian or Pilgrim on Thanksgiving Day each year and imagine what it must have been like so long ago. My two youngest were old enough this year to do a little research before the holiday. We found that actually, Thanksgiving food today and that of the first attendees, is very different. We decided that while we wanted to learn all we could about the original time of thanks, we’d like to keep Coco’s table of yummy food just as it has always been.

For the first time in many years, I ventured out on Black Friday. Our oldest daughter decided it was time to start a shopping tradition of heading out early (but not too early) to meet the crowds. We waited until about 7:30 and the crowds weren’t terrible. I think the craziness may have subsided by then? I may not mind this tradition so much if next year will be as easy as this year was – we’ll see.

After a season that started with a parade (which we skipped to stay home and make hot chocolate), holiday parties, another Jingle for Tots race, a church Christmas play, traveling to see family, more holiday parties, gift exchanges, holiday baking, Christmas mints, final exams, decorating, shopping…we have another fabulous Christmas to remember. As busy and crazy as it always is, Christmas memories are always to be cherised. The kids are changing so much and their reactions to the holidays change too. The older children are insistent that we keep to traditions that I never knew they appreciated. The younger girls are still simply in wonder at all of the excitement taking in every morsel of the holiday.

Today, the Christmas decorations are back in the boxes and my house is back in order. I love the decorating and everything about Christmas, albeit too busy. However, on Christmas Day, I struggle with the need to clean it all up and put it away. By Christmas Day, the clutter has been about my house for almost a month and that…is…enough. I read that it’s important to relish the family time on Christmas Day without the need to “clean”. So, for the last two years, I’ve trudged through the wrapping paper, bows, and twisty ties that hold every toy permanently to their boxes on “the day”. We played new board games off and on all day. We had precious friends come to dinner. We took little cat naps. Basically, we reveled in the time together in the glorious mess of Christmas morning at a home of four children and two adults. I’m getting better with this…my head only popped off a time or two. Actually, it was a splendid day. Thank you Lord for sharing the celebration of the birth of your Son with us.

November 22, 2009

You are ten years old today my sweet girl! How quickly ten years have gone by.

Ten years ago, we spent the night before you were born in the hospital. I was actually scheduled to have you on November 29th but in complete Bessie spirit, you were anxious to get here. With two older siblings at home, everything was ready, including your name. We had all decided to call you Morgan. Rie and Adam had been talking to Morgan, making pictures for Morgan. We even had a Christmas ornament with your name, Morgan, painted on it. There was just something about that name… I just wasn’t settled with it.

The nurses came in to take me to surgery (you were a C-section baby) and I asked them to stop for a minute. I told dad that I wasn’t ok with naming you Morgan. “What? Now…right now, you want to change the name?” was dad’s response. Yep – I had another name for you…. Sara Elizabeth. Isn’t that the most beautiful name? We would call you Sara Beth – and lots of other little nicknames, some that have stuck….some not – SaBe, for instance (daddy and Natalie).

You came in to the world without incident. Pretty quickly you decided to give everyone a scare with your breathing. Daddy went with you to keep an eye on everything and I came by the nursery shortly after. You were the special baby in the nursery with this big, clear, oxygen helmet. The doctors assured me that this little stunt wasn’t all that uncommon for C-Section babies. But…it didn’t matter – I was most upset and wanted to hold you! No worries, they said. And…sure enough, you were with me in a couple of hours. We hauled around an I.V. the entire time we were in the hospital but we didn’t mind – you were doing great.

Adam and Anne-Marie came to visit and held you, fed you…and Rie tried to change your diaper. You had a head full of “black” hair. Funny, you’re the only one that had any hair and it was black – and has been blond ever since.
We went home from the hospital on Thanksgiving day. What an incredible Thanksgiving! We had a very special blessing in 1999. Coco came from Birmingham with all the yummy “Coco” food we had missed at her house. The day was perfect!

A memory for this morning from when you were 16 months old….and very, very verbal – Daddy brought you to the hospital to see Keegan. You came in to the room with your beautiful blond curls bouncing. Daddy had dressed you in blue-jean short overalls. “Hi, mommy!” you said. Then climbed up on my bed and looked over in to Keegan’s bassinet and said, “What’s that?” At some point after going home with Keegan, we were having a particularly loud day where Keegan was crying and crying. Remember, you were 16 months old. You said, “please, mommy – put her up”. Oh Bessie!

Since then, my sweet girl….you have been a light in our lives each and every day. From when you were very small right up to last night when you went to bed; you make us laugh with your silliness; we scratch our heads and ponder your rationale thinking; we watch you dance and wonder where that talent came from; your voice makes me cry; your determination is noteworthing; the love you have for our Lord is precious. This 10th year will be filled with more Bessie excitement, love, and adventure.

We love you. Happy Birthday my Bessie girl!

Mommy

A Shared Memory

I’ve known my husband and his family for almost 24 years. Throughout all of this time, I’ve heard story after story from them about a glorious childhood memory – their time at Camp Helen in Panama City, Florida. Without ever seeing this place, it sounded like a treasured piece of their family history. So often our memories grow in to “better than life” thoughts where nothing in real time can come close. It’s easy to hear, even now, the excitement when they remember the time they spent as a family at this camp.
It would seem to be a taboo of sorts for me to “retell” their stories. I do want to note in this journal I call my blog that Chad and I stopped at Camp Helen this past weekend. The state of Florida purchased the land for a state park and is working on restoring some of the property to it’s original camp.

We walked the grounds and I listenened as he shared. I was able to add real visuals to the many, many stories I’ve heard for so long. Funny…just being on the grounds, Chad remembered things I think he had forgotten about. I know I heard tales I’ve never heard before. We walked on the porch of the “big house” and peered in the windows of the little cabins. We walked the sandy beach trail down to the water and stood where the basketball and shuffle board courts were at one time. Now covered with brush and weeds, no doubt it was an incredible place at one time.

Based on the literature we picked up at the park office, there are big plans for Camp Helen. It looks like there will eventually again be a place to stay. Of course, it will never compare for those that spent so much time there previously.

Like I said, it’s not my place to share these memories. I hope that these stories are penned by those that were blessed with time at Camp Helen. Our children and grandchildren would love to hear about a time gone by that without a doubt, will not come again.

http://www.floridastateparks.org/camphelen/docs/brochure.pdf

Little Triathletes

What a memorable weekend! Our two youngest were in a triathlon in Panama City, Florida. We traveled about five hours on Friday night to spend an absolutely glorious weekend on the white sands of Destin, Florida. As a side note, the commercials don’t lie…the beaches of the Gulf are pristine and the water was crystal clear. Just a recap of our fun weekend:
Chad and I were up and out very early Saturday morning to venture down the road a bit further. The Gulf Coast Ironman was to start at 7:00am. Neither of us have ever seen the beginning of an event, of this magnitude, start in the Gulf. There were 4,400 people standing on the beach in wetsuits and swim camps. Funny when I think back – it was quite the spectacle. The gun sounded and the entire mass/blobs started moving in to the water. I have never seen anything like this. A visual: schools of fish floundering around on the top of the water”. Seriously – arms flopping around and little heads in red and white swim camps – for the one mile loop. Awesome and super exciting….not to say I’d ever even consider competing but I would like to watch again. Now Chad was quite pumped and I imagine he’ll start contemplating when he might join this school of fish.
Later, we enjoyed an afternoon on the beach with the girls. The temp was around 75; water was clear (although, not warm); skies were the indigo blue that I love so much. While the girls made drip sand castles and sand pools, we napped. Yep – actually took a nap on the beach. Perfect.
The weekend was even better because we had a great friend and her son with us. After our afternoon at the beach, Chad worked with the triathletes on transition practice. The little amount of time they spent practicing calmed nerves and made a difference at the race.
The rest of the day was relaxed – very much out of the norm for me. We went to dinner and spent a little time shopping.
Race Day:
Up and out by 6:30. Race to begin at 8:00. We packed up and headed out for the 45 minute trek to the race. Because we arrived early, the kids were able to claim preemo spots in transition. After considerable time meticuously placing towel, helmet, socks, shoes, water bottle, race belt, protein bar, bucket, etc, we checked in and took some time to scout out the course. Thankfully, the pool swim was in a heated pool. The age division dictated that the kids swim 100 yards, bike 3 miles, and run 1/2 mile. The only concern we really had was about the swim. We haven’t trained as much as we could/should have and so, were hoping to just get through it.
The booming voice from the bullhorn called the athletes to the pool deck where they were instructed to line up by age groups. How cute…little people (I mean really little – 4 year olds were there.) in tiny bathing suits, with tiny little swim caps. This is around the time that butterflys found our youngest’s tummy. Little tears filled her eyes as she motioned that she was scared. Being her first triathlon, we understood. As she said later, “I found a friend that was scared like me – so – I was ok.” It was only this past summer that we actually ventured to say that she could “kinda swim”. When it was her turn to get in to the water, she did it – slowly and with much caution. Off she went and looked great until……it was time to breathe. Every time she needed to breathe, she found the rope. By the end of the 100 yards, the rope was her best friend. Bless her little heart. She came out of the water smiling and said, “NOW, let’s go!” And GO she did! She had an awesome race and is excited about the prospect of another triathlon.
Then…it was the veteran’s turn. She was all smiles, all week, and all during the race. As her group lined up, she was happy and excited to have returned again this year to the Kids Triathlon. She was much more at ease knowing the pool and the bike and run course. As her time came to enter the water, she plopped in and took off! Her strokes looked wonderful. As with little sister, breathing is a challenge. We call her “Turtle” while in the water. Every time she breathes, that head pops up and this surprised look on her face is so funny. It’s like “Whew – whew….I need some air!” She finished her swim still smiling and breezed through transition (thanks, daddy). On to the bike she went. Ok – so she needs a new bike. She’s too big for the purple, people eater, not to mention the rust that covers the wheels… We (daddy and I) put off the bike purchase because birthday and Christmas is just around the corner. No matter, it didn’t seem to slow her down. She took off and came back in strong after three miles and again, had no trouble in transition. She ditched the helmet and blasted out of there! The run started with a little surprise Gatorade. She’s not a big fan of Gatorade and thought she was grabbing a cup of water. Ick! The 1/2 mile took no time at all to complete and in a blink she was crossing the Finish Line and picking up her medallion.
Our friend’s son also enjoyed his first triathlon and finished strong as well. He reminds us so much of our oldest. There are no strangers to him – everyone is a friend and worthy of a word or two. It’s like anything else, the first time is so geniune, surprising, and exciting. He and our youngest loved it all.

Great weekend and an uneventful ride home. The girls are looking for the next triathlon.

Caramel Apples

I want to make homemade caramel apples. I don’t particularly like to eat these messy treats but I think my children would like to try them. We bought a bag of apples today. It’s odd that my children asked why I would buy a whole bag of apples? They don’t remember a bag of apples in the house – we buy individual apples. We spend time in the produce section painstakingly picking out apples, pears, tomatoes, etc. So…today when I grabbed up a 5lb bag, they were perplexed. Funny – the things that children find interesting.

Anyway – we’re going to check in to making homemade caramel. Sounds yummy.