A Month in the life of

On October 13th, my brother, Stan, died.  I miss him; I miss just knowing he is there.  Three weeks later, November 5th,  Bo got married.  I love that he is so happy.   The next week Grady was in the hospital for a few days with internal bleeding. I was scared of what they would find.  They found nothing.   My month reads like these sentences, all up and down.

Today, November 13th,  in church was the first time I took a moment to sit and think about life and what had been happening in our lives.  I feel blessed that I have such a good family.  I feel blessed that I am married to such a good man.  I feel blessed that the people in our lives are good people.

I will miss Stan, but know he is near. I will celebrate Bo's and Amanda's families. I will love my husband everyday.  I will thank God for my blessings. I will thank God for helping me get over the rough spots.  God has been my rock my entire life, but it is a month like this that reminds me what that really means.

Family

My brother, Stan, passed away today.  It is a sad day.  There seems to be some confusion over family, it is alright, there is confusion over family all the time.  Stan lived his life his way, brought up his children his way, and died his way.  But there is one thing that Stan couldn't do and that was change his family roots, even if he wanted to.  We are all from family, does not matter if it is small or great, it is family.  Our family tree has branches all over the place, if it were growing in my front yard it would probably look fairly bushy in most parts and Grady's family tree would overlap and share 2 roots.  There is a lot to think about when family is concerned, but it is clear, that family can't be changed or altered once it IS.

Spaghetti for Supper

It was sat down for supper
She didn't know it at all
the fork let it slip
the spoon let it fall
the next thing she knew
she was tied in a bow
who knew red food
could wrap you right up
Spaghetti for supper
what fun, what fun!

The Wedding

We just returned from a trip to Schulenburg.  Our niece was getting married and we wouldn't have missed it for the world.  I, of course, over planned without thinking about distances and time and family time.  The wedding was at a Catholic Church that took our breath away.  It was old and beautiful, the kind of church you pass on an almost deserted FM and wonder what it looks like inside and who attends it.  The ceremony was beautiful, couple were striking, the church  full, the priest young and kept the ceremony relaxed and yet formal.  After the ceremony the party began, I mean reception of course.  But it was a great party as only the John Sample family can do with a  boat load of Czech friends and new family!  Open bar, lots of food, kids playing, band tuning up, grooms cake, brides cake, young people everywhere.  We had a wonderful visit with John and Gail.  It had been so long since we had seen them.  The cake cutting took place, toasts to Janessa and Andy, plates of food, plates of cake, and then the dancing.  I loved sitting outside listening to the band, watching the dancing, and remembering good times of the past.  I remembered when Grady and I first got married, I remembered listening to the band, having the best feeling in the world, knowing I had found my life's partner and realizing how much our love has grown over our 30+ years getting better and better.  I hope Janessa and Andy live their life to the fullest, growing closer each year.

Denbigh, sorry we missed your album debut party.  I know it was wonderful.  Next time we head out in that direction, we will stop by.

Paisley, Where Are Your Shoes

Paisley, where are your shoes?
I dunno
Paisley, where did you leave them?
I dunno
Grammy saw them,
going for a walk
walking down the street
they were looking for your feet
they went down the road,
out by the swing
on past the turtle sittin in the spring
then they went back home and hid in the shade
hoping those feet would come this away
Paisley, are those your shoes?
I dunno
Paisley, do they fit your toes?
I dunno

Kids

Jasmine, my 7 year old granddaughter, is so serious at times.  I asked her yesterday while watching a news story about the whales in California and why they were there, what she thought.  She said she thought they came to California so people could see them and promise to protect them.

In another conversation regarding the death of the classroom turtle, in trying to console her, I said, "maybe God needed a turtle in heaven and he chose theirs."  Her immediate reply was "No, he would have taken the entire body."

What do you believe in?

I believe in tomorrow, therefore I believe in Christ.

A Good Read

A Trick of the Light, by Louise Penny was a better than good read.  Her books always give me something to think about, they are more than mystery novels, but well thought out.   Some examples:

"Mistaking the created for the creator"

"Peter the rock, Peter the apostle, Peter the saint,  (said of Peter) "O, ye of little faith.""

There are many more, but I didn't mark them all.  

Penny is a Canadian writer and I love the town many of her stories are set in, 3 Pines.  She has a sense of humor about her stories, her setting, and her characters, life in general, but still takes it all seriously. 

Reading Again!

If you are reading a book, you are creating the imagery in your mind.  If you are watching a movie you are watching what someone else imagined.  Which is why the book was usually better than the movie.

Jasmine's Homework Poem

Sandwich sad

Sandwich glad

Somebody help this sandwich

Sandwich flat

Sandwich sat

Somebody help this sandwich

Sandwich jam

Sandwich swam

If please somebody help this sandwich

Sandwich mask

Its a task to save this sandwich

Sandwich tick

Sandwich lick

I need a sandwich for my picnic

She had to use "several" of her spelling words.  She used:  sandwich, sad, glad, flat, jam, if, mask, picnic

She is a total poet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

School Starts

What a week and our children are grown!  Grady is taking Jasmine, Larkin, and Daegan and picking up and I am doing homework with Larkin and Daegan.  We had a good laugh this week because most of the non-Irish teachers do not know how to pronounce Daegans name, so they have settled on calling him Parrish.  What a hoot!  I saw on the weather page that Saturday and Sunday it is expected to be 110 here.  I am going to get cool whip and popsicles for the kids in celebration of the heat.
I got my car out of the garage Monday and it got hit on Tuesday.  I've called the adjuster who promised to get back to me in 20 minutes yesterday and I am still waiting.  The girl who hit me was nice to stop and report it.  It's nice to know there are people who are still willing to do the right thing.  God Bless you all today.  Say a prayer for Stan.

Vacation in Del Rio

Grady, Amanda and Michael, Jasmine and Paisley and I spent four days in Del Rio at the nicest house.  First time we went without Bo, but life got in the way.  He and Janet were busy with work and school.  Next year for sure.  Let's get the fish question out of the way right now, NO.  But the house was so nice, the views so nice, the pool so nice we couldn't of had a better time.  I'll post pictures later on, when I have time to figure out how to do that.

I Live For/I would die for

Have you ever heard someone say, "I live for ______ (fill in the blank).  I was thinking about this last night and the other adage, "I would die for _______ (fill in the blank).  I wondered if one answered the first would they also be on the second.  Just a thought, I'm still thinking.  I know it isn't a serious question, but it could be.  I used to live for a cigarette, but I would die for some chocolate.  Then I would live for work, but would die for a day off.  Not literally of course, but if it were literal what would it be?

Incredible Pizza

• It is a hard to believe the place.
• So so pizza, but lots of it
• Loud, unbelievably loud
• not to costly
• KIDS LOVED IT
• As we neared the house and I was thinking of feet up and a nap, kids asked-when can we swim, now or do we have to wait?
• I have no desire to ride bumper cars, go karts, or bowl.  But I love my kids

A Ghost Story by Jasmine Tenery Age 7 barely

Once upon a time there was a very scary ghost.  He lived in a castle with a dragon.  He was so scary, and this is his story.  One day the ghost saw a person in his castle.  Like almost all castles they have a dungeon.  So he took the dragon into the dungeon and never let him out.  That is how ghost make more ghosts.  In fact it is cool to be a ghost because if you are trying to fly in mid air, well you only can fly when you are a ghost.

I finished Down River today, and will have to think about it.  It was a good mystery, but sad, and sometimes mean.  It was one of those books you really wanted to end well for everyone, but as life is, someone had to die.  The surprise was who did die.  The lie is a senseless one and one that led from hope to despair.  We see people like that in our lives.  People who are doing so well, are successful, as we define successful, but whose lives are built on a house of cards.  And when the house falls, people look back and don't see the weakness of the past, but the waste of the future.

Now I have a place to comment or just ramble on about things in general.  Feel free to add your own comments, I don't take things to seriously and I can change my mind on a dime.  Since I retired, I am not that serious about many things I thought were life and death.   For the most part, I think we are all living our lives the best way we know how.