Random holiday photos!

Christmas Crop at Church

Terry, Me and Debbie
"The Girls"
Me, Terry, Debbie, Paula and Judy

George Bailey

My tree and mantel all sparkling.

I don't know why, but I love this picture

Kalen doing the secret Santa gifts at the Christmas crop.

Kalen is Debbie's daughter.

Inez and a moving Sydney handing out gifts

Catching up

My friend, Judy, told me today that I was very behind in my posting. She said she guessed I was too busy with FaceBook to post to my blog. I have been enjoying using FaceBook but then there are several of family members and friends who have not joined the FaceBook crowd, so I still like blogging with them.

If you read my blog because of an email that is sent when I post something new, you may be missing one of my favorite parts of my blog, - the music. If you go directly to the blog site, you should be able to hear it. I have learned how to use Playlist. It is another amazing part of technology that I love!

I had a very nice and quiet Christmas. Here are some snipets of what has been going on since my last post.

I reconnected with my friend Lisa. She and I worked together before either of us had children. We worked with children - wild children, so it is a miracle that we actually some of our own. It has been almost 25 years since I last saw her. I found her on FaceBook. It felt like we had just seen each other last month. I really enjoyed our friendship. We will be getting together again next month.

Some of Joe's family came over the day after Christmas and we had a fun time. We ate and then played a little game I made up since we were not exchanging gifts. It was fun and I think I will do it again next year.

My Mamou was supposed to spend Christmas with my sister Betty in Arkansas, but you her "stomach was just not right" and she could not go. She came over Christmas day and had lunch with us. She loves to use her stomach as an excuse to not do something she does not want to do. I think my sister and niece and nephew were disappointed she did not come.

My lifelong friends came over after New Years for a girls lunch. Judy does not like being referred to as "the girls" but it does not bother me. I made Chicken and Rice and tableside guacomole. It was very good, if I do say so myself. We were always together: Terry, Paula, Judy, me and my sister Betty. Judy's sister, Debbie, did not always "hang out" with us kids when we were younger. But, she tolerates us pretty well now and she is one of "the girls".

I know two people who lost their mother over the holiday. One is my brother-in-law. How difficult it must be to loose a loved one at Christmas. Two new angels will sing in heaven's Christmas choir!

One of my co-workers, who is several years younger than I am, suffered a stroke at work the week after shutdown and was hospitalized for two weeks. She does not seem to have any mobility issues but her vision has been affected. She had just gotten married a few months ago and was so happy. Her life was going great. It reminds me to never take for granted your health and life. She apparently had some uncontrolled blood pressure issues. Never stop taking your blood pressure medicine.

My very brave friend Cindy, who I also found on FaceBook, is battling breast cancer. I spoke of her in an earlier posting. She is taking her chemotherapy treatments at MD Anderson. She lives in Houston. She never complains and is very thankful for God's blessings with her care. Please pray for strength for Cindy as she goes through this difficult fight. By the way, the lump she found in her breast was thought to be "nothing" by her GYN and the surgeon he sent her to see. The surgeon wanted to remove it just to be safe, and it turned out to be a very aggresive cancer.

Joe's daughter, Lynn, who is somewhat of a "wanderer" has left for a trip to Spain and North Africa. She will return in August. Lynn will be 30 this year, but loves to travel and see the world. She is part of team who goes into remote areas and works with groups of people who most of the world would never see. I don't know if I could do that,On her last adventure to an island off the coast of Indonesia, she slept on the floor of small huts and used a hole in the ground for the toilet and ate pretty much only rice for about 6 weeks. She will possibly start natureopathic medical school in the fall.

My Katie and Drew moved to Seattle. They drove a moving truck and towed Katie's car behind. Their dog Finn rode in the middle of the front seat with them. It was a great adventure. They drove west to California and then north along the coast. He has started a 6 months internship with an Architecture firm and Katie is working in a vet clinic. What an exciting time in their young lives.

A new position may be opening up for me at work. It will be a developmental position and I could get some "on the job" training. I am very blessed to have a job that I love. There are so many people out of work, I am very thankful to have a job. Joe looks everyday for a new job. I can tell somedays he is down, but he just keeps on looking.

OK, this was sort of depressing post. I apologize. I will also post some random photos in another email from over the last couple of months.

Oh, one more thing: My baby boy turns 22 on Friday. He is the brown sugar on my sweet potato casserole, he is tartar sauce on my fish, he is the bubbles in my gum, he is the shooting star in my galaxy. OK, I guess I should apologize once again for completely gushing. Happy birthday, best bud!!

Smooches to all.

More Thanksgiving photos

Playing Shanghi
You can play this one and this one!

Joy does not look happy with her hand.

Betty and Joy

Kim's baby Granite

Kim and Jeremy

Lizzie

Joe, Joe and Don

Tara, Inez and Kim

Aunt Mary Jo, Megan, Cassie and Joy

Joe and Aunt Mary Jo

Betty and Jeremy

Happy Birthday Betty!

Betty, Inez and Joy

We had a wonderful week of visiting with family and great food. I have really enjoyed my four day weekend. It is back to work tomorrow!

Wonderful holiday visit

Katie serving dessert and Jamey getting in the picture.

After our Thanksgiving meal, we played Pictionary Man.

The original Pictionary is more fun!

Everyone listens to the instructions.

Roger likes to make up his own rules!

Jamey and his Grannie

Cousin pic: Jamey, Katie, Cousin Kim and Cousin Jeremy

George sitting pretty in the fall leaves.George and Finn sitting together so I can take their picture.

Katie and her baby Finn.

Finn is asking George if he can have the squeeky ball!

Finn is posing pretty for his Gram.

We had a wonderful visit with Katie, Jamey and Finn. They got in late on Wednesday evening. We lazed around on Thursday morning and enjoyed a great meal and game playing at Lizzie's house on Thursday. We opted to go non-traditional for our Thanksgiving meal. I am not a great lover of Turkey and Dressing. We had Honey-baked Ham, sweet potatoe casserole, spinach and cheese casserole and some delicious salads. Lizzie made some the best deviled eggs. For dessert, Mother made pecan pie and chocolate pie and Lizzie made Banana Pudding. It was all so delicious.

We slept late on Friday and had Frescos for lunch. We love Frescos. We did a little shopping. We had Red Lobster for supper. Joe got out all his gift cards from previous Christmas gifts and he had one for Red Lobster. I had some for Frescos. It was a great time to use them.

Katie and Jamey left our house at about 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. I enjoyed their visit so much. George was completely worn out after Finn left. George is an old man and had trouble keeping up with young Finn. George was looking for everyone today. I could tell he was a little lonely.

Then Saturday night, Joe and I went to a Casting Crowns Christmas concert. Avalon, Michael English, Natalie Grant and Denver and the Mile High Orchestra performed too. It was a wonderful concert.

Now, I have to put away my fall decorations and drag out all the Christmas one. I am having trouble getting motivated for that! It is only November 30, so I don't have to get in a big hurry. But it is a lot of work! I think we will be having Christmas at our house this year with Joe's family. That will help me be a little more motivated.

Hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful.

Cindy's mams

I had my annual mammogram today. I dreaded going, I hated having it done. It hurt like the devil. I left thinking maybe I would skip it next year and only do every other year. Or maybe I would take pain killers before I went. How is it in this modern world they have not created a test that is less painful? I believe if men had to have an annual testicle-gram which required them to place their gems on a tray and stand there while they were squeezed to popping point, that there would be a nation wide movement to eliminate the pain of the testicle-gram and a search for a better way.

When I got home tonight I had an email from my friend Cindy. I found Cindy on Facebook about a month ago. She looks just like she always did. Cindy and I were seminary wives at the same time and then we were Chaplain wives together. Our kids played together. We shared so much of our alone time together when our husbands were deployed. Cindy could do anything, cook anything, repair anything, take anything apart and put back together better than it was before. Cindy and I have both gone through divorces from our Chaplain spouses. I had lost contact with Cindy about 10 years ago.

Cindy told me last week that she had found a lump in her breast. The doctor did not think it was anything to worry about but sent her to see a specialist who said he would remove the lump and send it to pathology while she was still out. It turns out that the "not anything to worry about" lump was an aggressive cancer, Ductile Cell Carcinoma In Situ or DCSI. They removed Cindy's right breast and will do tests to make sure it is not anywhere else in her body. She will do both Chemo and Radiation treatments. In 6 to 9 months she will have her other breast removed.

Cindy found love again and remarried last year. She is only 49 years old. Her children are in their twenties. This is the part of her life where she should be relaxing and enjoying life. Cindy found the lump while doing a self breast exam. The pain of a mammogram is insignificant compared to the agony of a masectomy. Yes, I will be going back next November.

Have you had your mammogram this year?

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Of polo shirts, button factories and passing on the first try

Jeremy reading toast!

Cousins Katie and Jeremy

Cousins Brent, Jeremy and Tara

Cousin clan: Greg, Brent, Jamey and Jeremy

Cousins Kim and Jeremy

I have a nephew, Jeremy, that is the light of our family. He is my oldest sister's son. He is patriarc of the cousin clan when they all gather. My kids and my sister's kids always looked forward to a great adventure with their cousin Jeremy. He never failed to live up to that adventure. I was so excited the day he was born. In the hospital nursery, Jeremy was the baby with the biggest bum. He had hip dysplasia and had to wear four diapers! My sister Betty and I took turns getting up with him the first few nights he was home. We were teenagers and did not know anything about taking care of babies, but we knew we loved this adorable boy.

When my nephew graduated from kindergarten, they sang this cute song about Joe, who worked in a button factory. I gave him a little white polo shirt for graduation. He looked so preppy and cute. Years later when he graduated from college, I gave him a white polo shirt, but this time he did not sing! He was still adorable. Last week he took his state boards for his counselor license and passed! He passed on the first try!! I am so proud of him. He is now an Intern and will do his 2000 hours of supervised counseling and then he will be fully certified. Jeremy has a heart to help others. He truly cares about people and wants to help them. The people we turn our heads and pretend not to see, Jeremy reaches out to and offers hope. How rare that is in today's world? The world is better place because Jeremy is out there among the masses.

A couple of weeks ago at my celebration party, he read a very moving toast to me. I just love that man. We are so blessed to have him our family. Polo shirts to you, booger!

Sweetest Little Monkey

Jordan looking at George
Grammy and Jordan

Can you do a raspberry?

You run and I will tackle you!

Jordan giving George a sweet pat.

Belly bubbles

Papa's eyes

Giggling boys!

Grammy is trying to lure Jordan to her with the pumpkin ball.

Jennifer and her sweet monkey boy!

Dan, Jordan and Abbie

Abbie in her witches costume. This is the sweetest little doggie.

Jordan and Abbie

Jordan came over for a visit on Halloween. He had the cutest monkey suit on. It had padding in the belly and he was all chubby and looked so adorable. We went Trick or Treating at a couple of houses on our block. The across the street neighbor's house looked very scarey but he told us to go to the door. Their Rotweiler came out and smelled and kissed Jordan all over and Jordan did not even flinch. Jordan has a Mastif, Great Dane and a sweet little weinnie dog at his house.

Jordan warmed up to us and played with us and had a great time. We were armed with bribes just in case. We had a little Halloween bag ready with a couple of things in it. He is finally out of the "I only want Daddy to hold me" phase. He would go into the kitchen and look at his reflection in the dishwasher and dance up and down. Jennifer says he does it at home in the fireplace cover. It was sooo funny.

Jennifer took these great pictures. She is a great photographer.

Hope your Halloween was fun. I am officially looking forward to Thanksgiving and having Katie, Drew, Finn and Jamey, and Betty, Tara and Josh may be coming from Arkansas and Kim from Atlanta too! It will be a great time.