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I just posted a great giveaway on the holiday blog…Do not miss it.
Go here now and leave a comment and you will have two chances.
Plus there are new pictures of another home we decorated.
And now for your laugh of the day…Amanda found Jack like this today.
His RESPONSE was HE JUST WANTED TO BE RUDOLPH.
I hope I can stay awake long enough to type this. FOUR more days to get in the ORNAMENT GIVEAWAY.
So comment again and you will get another chance.
We have just finished up a marathon few days in another town…
As in you would not believe all we did in 48 hours. Just Terri and I travel.
We had the weekend all mapped out….Get a little rest and sleep in on Sat and leave in time to get to the first house around lunch.
This happens to be the sweetest gal, a girl my sons age and someone we love spending time with.
We had already planned our slumber party.
Tree decorating, wine and LSU football. She threw in some great EATS. I will even share two new recipes with you that were the BEST. (next post)
We were almost to her house and I called her only to find out her 2 year old had burned her leg on the stove and she was gone to get a script filled.
(her husband was 10 hours away), but is a doctor and knew what Sage needed.
We arrive at her house, start unpacking ornament boxes, trees, garland, ready to go full speed.
I pulled open a black trash bag with a tree in it AND things changed.
Out jumped a Mouse/Rat! It did not matter to us what you called it.
It hit the floor running and sounded like it weighed 50 pounds. (probably weighed 3)
I had no idea that mice were Amberly’s greatest phobia….mine would be snakes, but none of us were interested in seeing the MOUSE and I do not mean MICKEY.
You will have to just imagine this….This is a HUGE GORGEOUS house….
I ran in the laundry room and jumped on the washer, Terri ran outside and was standing on the car in the garage and Amberly holding Sage jumped on the kitchen counter (bruising her ankle) all of us screaming. It was a reality show at its best. NOW WHAT?
We had no clue where it went. Her pest control man just had a message machine.
We then called 1_800 Terminex and they said call back Monday….that would not work.
We had the broom, flashlights, alternating between laughing and feeling like crying….
There was no way I was sticking my hand down in my stuff because it had all been in open containers and the “creature could be in one of the boxes”!
Amberly could not get to her
phone so I finally came out of the laundry room and rescued her phone…while Terri was going door to door in this very prestigious neighborhood trying to find a man to help us.
Amberly called everyone she knew..no one home. Terri found one man home and he said he could not help us as he had an abscess tooth. Remember that excuse if someone ever wants you to help catch a RAT! At this point we still thought it was.
Finally she decided to call her husbands partner and see if he could get him to come help us.
Ran him down and he agreed…By this time we are 3 hours late getting started on the decorating. Terri and I decided to start on the tree by standing on the stairs where we could at least have a good view if the “rat” was near us…
All of a sudden we hear this scream and heard Amberly say “He is running straight for me”!
Now we knew he was at least in the master bedroom and headed either for the closets or the bathroom….
So one of us stood guard to make sure it did not try to exit before her friend arrived…
In the meantime her dogs got out…It was getting funnier by the minute. Our hero arrives, gets on his hands and knees and crawls all over the area we think it is in…NOTHING….Looks like Hampton Inn hear we come.
If the animal was not caught we were not sleeping there.
At this point we are starving and looking for the WINE.
Getting more behind by the minute…FINALLY, I hear “HE FOUND IT”!
Guess where ….in the toilet paper holder in the master bathroom…and it was not huge…but it was a MOUSE.
So the ordeal was over and we proceeded to the wine and decorating and it was a LONG LATE night. LSU got a win….and we were mouse free!
We finished the next day and then headed to the next house. Came home yesterday tired beyond words…
But we did it and at our age that it a BIG DEAL. This is Amberly and Sage.
So that’s our story of the weekend….Tree decorating really is full of funny stories.
Ok, get your comments in and have an extra chance to win the ornaments..
**** Well it is now 5 PM so you can see I did not get this posted last night….a little boy came down the hall with bed head and was just needing his Grammy to hold him…
Its almost 3 AM and the day is winding down. Trees everywhere, more ornaments than my house can hold, ideas running rampant in my head, scheduling problems that always happen, looking for energy boosters, Band-Aids on several fingers, stuck a piece of wire in my thumb and that has been so sore today, nails need filled in, white as a sheet (meaning I need to spray tan), my shop looks like a tornado went through it and we are only into the third week of decorating.
Plus this is the week that my head elf and I travel and work on houses in another town.
Stacks of paperwork (which I hate the most) are piled up, the house is less than clean, I have not changed out our closets from summer to fall (that means I wear pretty much the same thing everyday)! That’s my life right now…
How I would love a night to read blogs.
Instead tonight Parker and Jack spent the night and I let everything GO and just hung out with them.
It makes my “to do” list longer for tomorrow, but it was sure great fun tonight. No pictures…Neither was interested in pictures.
Parker and I had a long talk about bullying and what it meant and who did it.
His school had addressed it several times and he shared with me what he had learned. I was so impressed that he got it…Bullying is not cool!
Jack and I watched the same movie twice. Only a grandmother would do that. When the credits rolled the first time, he laughed and said “Let’s watch it again”, and we did.
We do have some pictures and some new ideas and I plan to post on the holiday blog Thurs.…maybe some ideas you can use….that’s on my list.
Since I have so many ornaments right now, it will be a good time to give away a basket of ornaments. I have some neat cross ornaments that I will include in it. All you have to do is leave a comment and this blog and the holiday blog (so I will know there are still readers over there)!
Also tell me if you would like to share some of your holiday traditions and do a guest post on A Baby Changes Everything.
I know if you are like me you feel like your problems are HUGE!!!!
Here are two blogger friends that desperately need prayer.
Paige and I only know each other through blogging, but I feel like I know her so well. Her husband has pancreatic cancer. It’s a vicious battle…He had to be admitted to the hospital this afternoon. My heart hurts for her.
I don’t know this lady but all I can say is she is superhuman….Praying for Tripp and a word of encouragement would probably make her day.
If you want to read a fun blog read about this family Hope in a Boys World. She is an excellent writer and the neatest family.
If you want to think, read my friend Amy at Snoodlings…she makes me think…This is a gal I know and love.
If you want to hear a real story teller, do not miss this special lady at Cow Patty Surprise.
Ok, that’s enough reading for you…Leave a comment and get in on the ornament giveaway…
Post it on your blog and then let me know and I will have a special drawing just for you for another ornament group. I love to give ornaments away.
Check the holiday blog and you will see some neat ideas….Give me about a day…to get them up.
I am doing the 30 days of Thankfulness of November on Facebook, so will try and include my list on the blog too.
Day 1 For Hope in a Dark World
Day 2 For My Family
Have a good week!!!!!
I am not sure if this post comes out of the fact that this is the anniversary week of 9-11, or a conversation I had with Amanda yesterday, or if it’s just a question I ask myself quite often. I guess I really want your thoughts.
Let me preface it by saying I watch a LOT of news, read far too much, and love people’s stories.
9-11 left deep marks on me. I knew no one personally, but today feel like I know so many.
I bought every book I could get my hands on, read every story, sat in a trance for a week as they dug for the dead…
I can still remember sitting on the couch, what I had on, holding Parker as a baby, as the second plane hit.
I don’t think I dressed for a week. America as I had known it, would not be the same America for Parker and my little’s to come.
So that’s part of my somber feelings this week, but another is that I know so many hurting people.
Deep hurts, fears, scares, grief, overwhelming stress that seems insurmountable. I have been there.
Yesterday I was telling Amanda about a little girl that had an asthma attack on Sunday, coded and was eventually flown here to LSU hospital and is now on a vent.
Just a normal day, an asthma attack and now a critically ill child. She is the granddaughter of an old friend of mine.
Amanda hates for me to tell her stories about sick kids. Not because she does not care, she just does not want to hear stories about sick kids..EVER.
Me, on the other hand wants to know every detail, ask everyone I know to pray, send 100 cards, and try to connect with that person.
I have no idea why some stories grip me more than others.
I do know that I have had two critically sick grandchildren, I have had a pregnant teenage daughter, I have had a son that years ago went through a horrible divorce, I have had a husband that was not expected to live through the night, and I lost both my parents within 3 months.
I remember every person that said they were praying, or called or in some way said “ I care”!
Here is the place I can get lost.
How do you balance saying “I care” and “I will pray” and then not think about them night and day and pile burdens on top of burdens?
I get that prayer is the best gift you can give someone, but I want to physically do something.
This was just last week…I was thinking how I could get the addresses of all the families of the Navy Seals killed and send them a note. I don’t know how I can but I thought about it for several days.
A long time ago I was in this seemingly cycle of always thinking about who I had forgotten to encourage.
That’s where the card thing comes in for me…Every night and I mean every night…I sit down with cards, addresses and stamps and ask God to bring to mind everyone that needs an encouraging word…at least the ones I am suppose to encourage…
In 15 minutes I sign all those cards and put them in a place that Jack picks them up and puts them in the mailbox as he goes out to get the paper in the morning. It's as natural as brushing my teeth.
If Jack is not home, you will find me at 2 AM at the mailbox to make sure the cards are there.
Please don’t take this as a star in my crown…It is the only way I can go to sleep.
I will not tell you how many times I have said to someone that I would be praying and promptly forgot that need as quickly as the words slipped out of my mouth.
I was watching the news this morning and they were interviewing 9-11 families ten years later. I thought “I know them”…
I know their stories..I have followed their families..
I don’t want their loved one to ever just be a number. It was a normal go to work day for their loved ones..
Probably half of them had dinner plans and in an instant, life was over.
Orphans were everywhere.
I won’t even go near how I feel about the firefighters and rescue workers.
Hero is not a strong enough word.
By the time you have gotten this far you are probably convinced I am a nut.
So here’s what I need from you …
How do you become someone with skin to the hurting, the dying, the suffering people in your circle? (Please don’t suggest taking a meal…I cook NONE)Ha
Also, tell me where you were when the planes hit that horrible September day.
One a lighter note…since that was a tad heavy but just been on my mind all day…
Pinterest…(Remember I have an addictive personality)
I HAVE 423 BOARDS
(full boards) I know a bit over the top..but it’s going to help us in tree decorating this year, plus I have had a blast doing it. You are welcome to repin anything. You can find me at Teresa Powell.
Neiman Marcus has nothing on me in the catalog department.
I have a challenge for you which really stems from Mike’s post.
Find one 9-11 family or one military family, or one rescue worker and say thank you…through a card, a meal, a phone call..however you do it.
In our area that’s really easy now as our fireman are fighting fires day and night…and they are tired.
This is my 300th post on Grammy Girlfriend in 2 and a half years…and I think 125 on the holiday blog…
I will never be an everyday blogger..But I must celebrate the 300 posts since I thought I would only write one.
Leave a comment, leave as many comments as you want…and Sunday night I will draw for a great care package…I am not even going to tell you what will be in it..I have stuff coming from market everyday, so it will just be a menagerie of good stuff. Thank you for being my blog buddy.
******I am going to leave Mike's post up in honor of 9-11 for a few more days.
I don't want anyone to miss this post. This is from my great friend that is a Marine.
I have had it on A Baby Changes Everything blog, but wanted to repost it here, as I have had so many emails regarding it.
Feel free to share it with anyone…
Now a word from a wise man in a time when our country has some major problems..
Thoughts for the day
Last week my dad and I played golf on the course here on base. The great thing about this game is you never know who you'll be paired with.
We drew a single player that morning. I introduced myself to him as he pulled up in his cart. He likewise introduced himself as Aaron.
His voice was, well, Elmer Fudd-ish. "BwootifuI day to pway gwawf." I knew he was a fellow Marine without having to ask.
The hair cut said that. As men often do to each other, we usually--and immediately--ask each other what the other does, fairly--or unfairly--sizing up and evaluating each other based on our chosen professions.
As if our profession in any way defines who we really are. So I avoided the familiar question, "What do you do?"
Having previously worked in surgery for almost ten years, I'd seen enough tracheotomies to know the scar at the bottom of his neck had been one done in a hurry and not with an instrument really sharp enough to do the job.
Amateurish even.
After playing the first hole it was obvious the speech impediment was physical tongue-tying, vice the type often seen with partially deaf individuals or those born with one. Clearly he had no hand-eye coordination issues besides not being able to putt better than I could, thankfully.
Sober golf players tend to not visit a whole lot except on the tee box. We were all focused on the task at hand.
Marines typically size each other up by asking what units they are in, where they've deployed to, battles fought in, etc.
It took us until at least the back nine to get to all that. We had been in some of the same places at the same time. He pulled up his shirt to show me his entry wound just below the left rib cage, and the typical midline incision scar that accompanies such gunshot wounds. That one was courtesy of the invasion of Iraq. A few years later he'd join the Marine Corps’ first Special Operations Battalion and deploy to Afghanistan twice.
That trip to Afghanistan in 2009 would account for the tracheotomy scar. He was crossing open terrain when he got shot in the face by a sniper.
Fortunately, it impacted him in the left jaw bone.
Unfortunately, the fragmentation of the bullet pulverized his tongue and internal carotid artery. After being shot, Aaron sprinted 400 yards to the corpsman’s location so he could render first aid to him.
The corpsman performed a hasty tracheotomy on him so he could adequately breathe until he got medevac’d.
Aaron will medically retire sometime in the next year with a 100% disability. He’s married but no kids yet. He married before his first trip to Afghanistan. “She stuck around after I got shot. Guess I married the right one.” Indeed.
He works private security details from time to time, gouging them for hundreds of dollars a day for VIPs because he’s got a special ops background and is no stranger to a gun fight.
In his time off he’s taken up golf. Aaron’s not sure what the future holds. But right now he’s just trying his best to enjoy life. “Twice was enough.” Getting shot and nearly dying that is.
Another wounded warrior story which, outside of family and a few close friends (and occasional golf partner), no one will ever know.
I thought the same thing a few weeks ago when I was awakened in the dark hours of a Saturday with a text notification from CNN that 22 SEALs had been killed in a helicopter crash. I looked at my watch and started doing the mental math: That got reported at least six hours after the fact.24 hours to gather remains. 48-72 hours to get them out of country and to Dover AFB.
Next of kin will be notified by the end of the day, if not first thing Sunday morning. They try to do death notifications all at once. The logistics of that would be a nightmare. 3-5 days for remains identification and funerals the week following. I know this process all too well.
22 SEALs dead. One or two is acceptable—militarily speaking of course.
It’s the risk we accept. But not 20 at a time. These guys don’t grow on trees.
Who were they?
Where were they from?
What were their stories?
They’re certainly not the sum of their medals. Only through the tears of those who knew them can even we get a glimpse.
And it’s hard not to stereotype about what type of people they were. After all, probably 20% of active forces could be special ops. Less than 10% will apply. 5% will make the screening cut and they’ll cull that down to less than 1% by the end of training. Why?
Because of all the missions that can fail, theirs can’t. Athletes they may have been, but that’s not what makes them great or heroic.
If it was, every star athlete out of college would be recruited for special ops. It’s their heart and mind that make them great.
They were everyday people from anywhere towns asked to do astonishing missions under extraordinary circumstances so everyday people from anywhere towns can live their ordinary lives.
I doubt many standing in football stadiums the past two weeks(or the coming months), watching the NFL circus unfold into the regular season, gave any thought to the security of this nation; that a couple ordinary guys from Shreveport, LA put a bullet hole through a terrorist’s head half-way around the world so Americans wouldn’t have to worry about a bomb disrupting the regular season. We Americans are fickle.
The economy goes to hell and we’re worried about standard of living in our retirement years. Meanwhile the Constitution gets shredded, weakened or re-legislated with no one reading the contents of a bill. The normalcy bias is killing Americans—“Things can’t really be this bad. It’ll get better.”
But it doesn’t. So nothing gets done. It’s a state of unbelief. And it’s paralyzing.
We need a battlefield lesson. When trapped in a cross-fire you move or get killed. Stay put and you die. SEALs know this lesson.
They’re dying so we can enjoy the ideals of freedom printed on a piece of parchment signed in the year of our Lord, 1787—the Constitution.
I’d challenge you to do a couple of things. 1) Get to know your warriors and their families.
Not all military life is glorious or affordable. They’ve been given a tough assignment, by us. They aren’t nameless, faceless anybodies without families.
They bleed and sometimes die. Not always of their own decision.
Read a book about a battle, recent or back to our nation’s birth.
Understand what they go through and what we’ve asked them and their families to sacrifice. If you live in an area where there is a military base, seek their friendship. If not, stop by the local recruiting station—the most thankless job in the military—and thank them. 2) Get involved.
Don’t let your freedoms be destroyed by incompetence or pride. Both get you killed on the battlefield. Both will get your freedoms taken.
There’s no interest like self-interest.
If you care about something, engage your Congressman.
If you don’t, no one else will and they’ll make dangerous assumptions about your lack of assertion. 3)
Live like today actually counts for eternity. Be quick to apologize when you are wrong and take less than your share of the credit when it comes to glory.
There’s a Marine helicopter squadron whose motto is, “Give a @hit.” Great motto. Act like you care. Think. Decide. Act… Love. Eat. Pray…and thank God you weren’t born in Libya.
Our country has been blessed with much. So much is required of us to maintain what was handed to us.
Statistics show that those who inherit large sums of money are prone to squander it quickly because they have no idea the sacrifice with which it was obtained.
Please don’t do that to your freedoms handed to you by the lives of so many. We threw tea in a harbor once because of tyranny. What will you do to keep tyranny, disguised as law, at bay?
Just remember, a couple of boys from Shreveport, and other places, continue to hook and jab with an enemy to keep you sleeping peacefully in your tempurpedic at night. So that when you awaken, you have the moral strength and intestinal fortitude to fight peacefully to keep your rights, and the peace of mind to enjoy them.
I love you Mike McClendon and thank god that 20 years ago God allowed our paths to cross and then connect…You are one of my heroes.
Be sure you read to the end…a giveaway and a surprise post you.do.not.want.to.miss !
How different our world would be if every child was told that over and over.
If every adult believed those words, it would change history. It is the new mantra in our house with the “little’s”, not that they did not know it, but we are going to verbalize it daily.
I find myself saying it to myself. I know in my life that was not something affirmed to me and that in part controls my thinking even today.
Maybe because I was affected by the lack of affirmation, I feel stronger about the words than they really are. To me they are life changing.
I loved the movie and I see a lot of movies…The message moves me and that’s not something I can say about many movies today. Enough about that…Go see it.
Monday Happys!!!!!
(Monday is my least favorite day of the week)
1) Football season is underway…that makes me a happy camper..though no Brett may push me over the edge
2) We had a great family dinner Saturday night at a wonderful new restaurant…compliments of Micah and Amanda…all four little's.
I did not take one picture…(for which the older boys were so thankful for)
3) Micah (my son-in-law) called me Saturday and these were his words…" Grammy, make a list of any things you need done around the house and list them in priority.
Next Saturday I am bringing my nephew over and we are going to trim your big tree and anything else you need done”! Smile…"Micah is kind, he is smart and he is important”
4)Greg won a fabulous trip for he and Dana….Atlantis….November..
5) Some dear friends that have been out of work for way too long…had to move in with teenage daughters to their parents.
They have had one let down after another over the last 18 months…THEY GOT A NEW JOB…from Texas to Utah…but a new start…Thank you God.
6) We are taking a 3 day, ALL of the Family, trip to Dallas for the LSU game, Labor Day weekend.
7) Parker is SO HAPPY in Middle School. Small brag…forgive me..There are 600 in his grade and he was chosen one of 32 to skip 6th grade Math and go to the advanced class…"He is kind, he is smart and he is important” and he is my heart.
Now for your laugh of the day…This is Mad Jack…after I told him he could not do something…Can’t you just read his mind…
Remember to check out MilandDil Designs….she has lots of new things…
Also I passed several number markers on my blog in post and followers…so I want to celebrate you..
Leave a comment on this post and you will go in a drawing for one of the famous card boxes….
I will draw on Sunday..
Now for the BEST PART of this POST…
Go to the holiday blog and Mike (my wonderful Marine friend)
is guest posting…All comments on that post will go in the drawing too..
When he writes, I listen.
He is kind, he is smart and he is important.
Have a great week!
My heart hurts for all those Mothers out there that are trying to pull their families back together after a week of devastation. Where would you even start?
I just found this on a blog and thought it was EXCELLENT.
Social Media to the rescue.
It is so hard to know what and how to respond in a tragedy.
Grasping For Objectivity
in My Subjective Life
….love that title, gives some great suggestions.
I am busy making Mother’s Day baskets and that famous CARD BOX is the favorite gift again this year. Some mothers request it year after year.
I am going to give away a
CARD BOX!
Parker will draw on Mother’s Day.
All you have to do is tell me that you went to ONE blog of someone touched by the tornadoes and encouraged them.
If you tell me you visited multiple ones, then I will enter you that many times. You can read my previous post for just a few of the blogs I found. It will not be hard to find them. Feel free to leave names of other blogs in the comments. I would love to visit them.
Sunday I will post about a very special Mom.
There are so many incredible Moms in the blog world. I started to list some and realized I would leave someone out. One that is especially dear to my heart right now is Paige at Paige's Petals. She inspires me daily as she walks through a very hard place.
Being a Mom has been the greatest honor of my life. It is a job I have failed miserably at many times. It’s a job I get a redo on regularly. I laughed at a comment someone left essentially saying they felt like we had perfect relationships. If I have ever given that impression…
x that out.
We argue, get our feelings hurt, get in each others business, give our opinion when no one asked and all the other things you can think of on a regular basis. But as the song says “We ARE FAMILY” and as Woody’s favorite song says, “You’ve Got a Friend in ME”
We have each others back, no matter what, and that’s the way it should be. We are a soft and safe place to land. I really would pick my adult kids as my friends and that’s a good place to be.
This is a year that I have needed them more than ever. This week marks seven months since their Dad (and my husband) had a stroke. Today he is out in the back yard playing “golf” with Woody. Earlier today he was out delivering baskets, going to the grocery store, picking up the kids from school. Five months ago we had no idea if he would recover 100%. He has and I cannot tell you how much of that is because of the love and encouragement of his kids and “the littles”!
Happy Mother’s Day to all My Blog Friends. You make my Life Richer!
I know it must drive you crazy when I change font colors so often…It’s just me. Sorry
REMEMBER THERE IS A GIVEAWAY SO COMMENT AWAY.
I just posted a GREAT READ on my other BLOG. It will not be for everyone but it will make you think.
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY I WROTE MY FIRST POST.
My world changed. My reason to begin with was to document our little family unit as we did life together. NEVER did I IMAGINE that I WOULD MEET SUCH AMAZING WOMEN, READ STORIES and POSTS and then had to read them again , know NAMES of YOUR family members AND have even gotten to meet some of you face to face. INCREDIBLE…
I love that this BLOG is MINE.
MY THOUGHTS, MY WORDS, my hopes and dreams ….AND above all
my LITTLES…
I love the written word (off on one of my many rabbit trails….but if you happened to see the TODAY show today …Jenna Bush H interviewing her grandparents and sharing their love letters…Politics aside, you had to be moved. I am so glad that I did not miss it.
I HAVE LEARNED A LOT IN THE PAST TWO YEARS
ON THE “how to” SIDE, I still know next to nothing!
Help is needed in the technical department.
One thing I have learned is we all have the same hurts, same dreams, same battles….we are all so much more alike than different. For some reason that is comforting to me.
Stay with me…the winners of the books are coming…Parker is Mr. Math and getting the winners now..
Today was not exactly the normal Valentines date. When you have been married 38 years, the day you celebrate is flexible.
I did wake up to flowers and a gift certificate for a long massage..I also got a sick little man dropped off that has been in my lap all day. He has fever, his belly hurts (his words), has a good little cough and feels totally YUK!
This is his sad face and this is how he has looked all day…yes I let him put stickers on the pillows.
Amanda had her first of two BIG tests tonight so we knew she had to study…and we know how to hold a sick boy….
A few snapshots from Greg's birthday..
Sweet Grayson…..and
Amanda and the Two Little's
Amanda and Jack
THE WINNERS OF Ree Drummonds love story…..and it’s a real love story ARE
Michelle at Joyful Journey
Tales From My Empty Nest
Nezzy at Cow Patty Surprise
Congratulations….now for my
2 YEAR Blog Anniversary Gift….(all comments all week will go into the drawing) FOR A $100 CARD BOX..
If you have been a reader for anytime you know what this is…If not you can follow the link and read about it.
If you are here, I am so glad that our paths have crossed in life.
(I needed to post Happy Birthday to Greg today so all comments on this post will also qualify you for Ree Drummonds book…I may even have THREE….you will need to read the above post to get all the details)
THIS BOOK IS THE BEST LOVE STORY EVER TOTALLY a GREAT VALENTINE WIN
now for my annual love letter to my boy(he writes me one too)
happy Birthday Greg,
It seems like yesterday that you were born. funny how I cannot remember yesterday, but I can remember my nurse that February night, what she looked like and what she had on. I guess Those important Days and all their details Never leave you. I remember the over the top Excitement of having a BOY. I had always prayed I would have one of each. God answered that prayer. I also ask for the boy to be First, so he could take care of his sister. How true that would be many years later at such an important time in her life. There was a January day in 1999 that I saw you become the essence of Son, Brother and Uncle ALL in one day. Never had I been so PROUD of you.
I know this has been one of the hardest years of your Life. I think I already knew that, but you confirmed it to me in an email you wrote me recently by saying those exact words. Almost losing Dad, seeing him have to suffer to regain so much, seeing him helpless in some situations was enough to say it was the Hardest YEAR. Add to that some other problems, some I know and some I may not know…the best part is that I know you…(remember I have known you the longest) and you will get through this. This has been a Year when we have all learned who our real friends are. Its been a year you were able to reconnect with lots of old friends from dad’s earlier coaching days. we have been through Hard years before. And when at the time it seemed there was no way out, God made a way. I am trusting him to do that again for YOU. I know you are carrying a load. I know you are still worried about Dad. I know our record time trip to DALLAS on OCT 2, as we raced to Baylor, praying to find Dad alive, still Haunts you. I saw it in your face then and I still see it. Losing your Dad means different things to different people, but I know what it means to you. So along with your birthday, we have Dads recovery to CELEBRATE. You notice I am not mentioning your age as it would give a good hint at mine…so lets just stick to the story that I had you when I was 10. Since you are a Dad, you will understand it when I say I want to hurt people that hurt my BOY. I have had a running list all year and the same name appears on it over and over…
I am so proud of the husband you are. Dana IS BY FAR the best thing that EVER happened to you and please do not EVER FORGET IT. She is super LOW maintenance as opposed to me being HIGH MAINTENANCE. Low is easier. Never forget that. On the hard days, start your day counting your blessings….You have a GORGEOUS wife that loves you for just who you are….no changes required. That rarely happens….You have TWO wonderful healthy sons that adore you…..two nephews that think UNC is SO COOL, a sister that likes you on most days…..but will never forget THE relationship you had with Parker in his early years. I pray this will be the best year of your life…
I love you,
Mom
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