good to have known you 2010

Wow, 2010, you packed a punch, but with every blow there was a come back, and for that I say THANKS! You were a good year, because hard is good on God's barometer, and it is only His barometer that counts.

 Thank you for the good times too, the laughs, and tears of joy, the learning, the stretching, the healing. It was during this year that we welcomed two new members, and with that our family grew in more ways than numbers! 

Forgiveness was the word you chose for us, not for others sakes, but for ours. It was this year that I learned that FORGIVENESS is a gift to ones self, and really has very little to do with anyone else, that it can come without the admitting, or the asking, or even the deserving! It was this year that I had to relearn that friends are not always who they seem, and to share sparingly, and trust slowly. Being transparent does not come without a price, and is not always a wise investment. 

That being said, new friends have abounded for us all in this the 2010th year, and for that too we are eternally grateful. It is this year too, that we learned that more is sometimes less, and less is often better, that chickens grow incredibly fast, some puppies pick their own homes, root canals are really bad no matter what they say, and conscious sedation is for me, truly conscious. 

Gardens, puppies, children, and love all grew. Trophies, sports letters, college A's, scholarships and theater tickets were all awarded for good performance.

Refrigerators, relationships, transmissions, and cracked fillings were all repaired. Cell phones, computers, sunglasses and bathroom tiles were all replaced, and magazine subscriptions, distemper vaccines, and drivers licenses were all renewed.

Repaired, replaced, renewed......that was the theme.

Good to have known you 2010, you will not be forgotten!

How was your 2010?

Merry Christmas
From all of us, to all of you


For unto us is born this day,
 in the city of David,
 a Savior, 
who is Christ the Lord!

A small town parade that proclaimed Jesus

Night time Christmas parades are new to us, but when some new friends asked us to join them we gladly obliged. It was fun to see our small town folks NOT be politically correct.

The high school bands were so fun to see and hear.

and the old cars were very fine.

I would love to know what it took to get these men to dress up this??

My favorite float!

Night time Christmas parades are the best!

cloche party

Although I am fashionably late, I really wanted to join the fun over at A stroll thru life, and join the cloche party!

I really love cloches, and have in just the last few years tried to collect a few.

Here's a tiny one, at just about 5 inches tall. I simply hung a nativity ornament on the hook inside.

This is my largest, and most favorite,at about two feet. My family gave it to me for Mothers day this year.

I have centered on a candle stick, an antique tiny creche that I found recently, with holly and magnolia greenery as well as some mercury bulbs, to add some sparkle.

This next one I found at TJ Max, for just $16.oo, love it! I just added a small tea cup with a bright red glass bulb on top.

Next is holding my prize angel. My oldest sister gave me this angel when I was very young, just a child I believe. And I have cherished it always. I love that it is singled out this year in a place of honor.

This one isn't technically a cloche, but I like it. Here it is just holding some pretty Florida oranges on some Christmas greenery.

If you weren't aware of cloches before, you will begin to see them everywhere now that you are. 
Join the party, or just stop in for a short visit to see lots of cloches HERE.

November, where did you go?

So, seriously, was Thanksgiving really a week ago? Can someone answer a simple question for me? Why is it, that when we are children, without a care or trouble in the world does Christmas seem to take so very stinking long to arrive, yet when we get older, and are overwhelmed with all that life throws our way, and can't possibly see the forest for the trees, or conceive of a world where all is ready by Christmas, Does November run into December like a rogue freight train, and the countdown seems to count by 3's?

Haven was my big helper in the kitchen this year, baking both the pumpkin and pecan pies for me Thanksgiving morning. And my ovens are not harvest yellow, although they do appear so, don't they?

Everyone looks like they have already slipped into their turkey induced comas here, but I think we were all so very hungry (including the the photographer) that we didn't look up to smile. Everything was delicious, and all were thankful, so I guess Thanksgiving was a colossal success!

And our initials are not P A, one of our A's had a run in with Chief the naughty power jumping dog!

And yes, if you must ask, that IS a turkey leg on ElizaJane's plate, and yes we did let her have that on purpose, and no she did not eat it all, in fact she only had two small bites because she was to full of mashed potatoes, but no it did not go to waste, and yes it did irritate her brothers that we indulged in such foolishness, and no we didn't care, and yes she was happy.

This little preciousness slept through our meal, but awoke with a big smile, and a sunny disposition, on our very dreary overcast day.

The girls enjoyed a movie together, so fun to see them all snuggled down eating pop corn.

Thank You November,

 got to go,

 December is passing me by.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all

So very thankful for you!

sweet baby deer

Today my boyfriend (husband) invited me to lunch. After feeding the kids, finishing their read aloud, swiping on some very berry Merle Norman lip potion, and running through my snarls with a horse hair brush, I dashed out the door with kisses all around. Sometimes getting out the door is the hardest part of getting out the door. Down our long winding driveway I raced, past the mailbox, through the piles of dry crusty leaves accumulating at the end of our road, down the small lane, past the scary dog, the neighbors that are never home, and the neighbors that are always in their driveway, small wave, slow stop to turn out onto the long country road that leads to town, a few yards of nothing but landscape.......and then, I spied her. 

A sweet baby deer had been hit, left alone in the middle of the pavement. I slowed just to observe, not sure why. Quickly my first thoughts went to the mother, and I scanned the perimeter hoping to catch a glimpse of a momma deer close by, nothing. As I passed the small pile of brown spotted softness, to my horror I saw her side move. My brown eyes darted to hers, and she glanced up. Poor baby, she was suffering alone. There was a small wet stain on the asphalt by her mouth, but no blood, no sign of the collision that must have taken place to land her here, alone on the street, dying. All I could think to do was to call Michael, he would know what to do, my white knight would have the answers. His voice reassured me, He said he was on his way. I know my man enough to know that he would think saving a baby deer was silly, but he knows me enough to know that i couldn't bear to not help. He didn't hesitate, he didn't give even a hint that he thought I was silly, he didn't act as if he didn't have time, or that he was late for lunch, and hungry, he just said, "I'll be right there". Quickly I pulled over, and pushed my flashers on. I had to do something, I couldn't drive on, I couldn't leave her alone. Slowly I approached her, and knelt down at her side. I touched her soft fuzz of a coat, and stroked her side. Flashes of my little ElizaJane appeared in my minds eye, oh how my precious little animal lover would adore a baby deer to nurse, and care for. Visions of a frolicking fawn in our yard flooded my thoughts, as I pondered vet bills, and what to do next. Save the deer, I thought, I must, what were my choices, leave her to die, I couldn't stand the thought of leaving her alone. 

Next I called my Kartwright," there is a fawn" I choked," in the road,  I want to save her, will you bring a blanket?" Again, not a "Oh Mom, it's just a deer", or "how are you gonna do that?", or a any hint of my silliness for caring so for a random wounded deer, but just again, "I'll be right there". 

Meanwhile a big shiny red F150 pulled up, and out stepp a broad shouldered man with a navy fleece, and khaki painters pants. As he approached I dared to think that perhaps he would help me move her out of the road. 

"You hit er?" he bellowed. 

"No" I stammered, "I just came upon her". 

"Wayell" he drawled "Ifn you jus leaver here, sheel ventully die", he suggested. Well, that sure is rocket surgery my redneck friend, I thought to myself, Ya think???? You mean, you don't think if I leave her here heaving on the road like this, she might just jump up, and live forever? 

"Illa git er afterin she dies and move er outta the road ifin ya want" he offers. Oh my, how gentlemanly of you I imagined, as he made his way back to his shiny vehicle, and i waited alone again for the two men in my life that would not make me feel stupid for standing in the middle of a long country thoroughfare comforting a dieing deer! 

Glad that the f150 had removed itself from my sweet deers presence, I soon spied my son's car cresting the hill. He pulled over, and quilt in hand approached the baby deer and myself. 

"ummmmm, It's dead Momma" he said softly, as if perhaps she had been all along. 

"I know" I stammered, "she just died".

Kartwright moved the spotted bundle far from the road into the soft grass, and quietly drove away. I too returned to my van, and turned back to town. Michael approached, and I told him the news. He sounded genuinely sorry that she had died before we could help her. His voice did not reveal relief, or frustration that he had made the trip, we made our plans for where to meet for our lunch and separately drove on to town.

As I drove the familiar route, big salty bitter tears rolled down my cheeks. Life is so very fragile I lamented, and I cried for a momma deer that no longer had her baby, and for myself that no longer had mine, and for all the mommas that have lost theirs. I wept for us all, and was reminded once again how very fleeting this life here on earth is, and how we must cherish it, but even more, we must make the most of it.

So, I wiped away the streaks of mascara that ran down each cheek, and had lunch with my best friend, my sweet husband, and we talked, and planned, and dreamed, and solved all the worlds problems in just an hour over a bean salad and corn chips. And as always we gazed into each others eyes, and just knew we would do it all over again if given the chance, and even wished we could. 

Thankful today for

a dead baby deer that reminded me to live,

the men in my life that run to my rescue,

lunch with my BFF,

big salty bitter tears,

Thanksgiving eve,

What are you thankful for today?