Goodbye 2010

It's true.
 Life really is like a roll of toilet paper.
The closer you get to the end,
The faster it goes....

It just seems like yesterday I was training myself to write 2010
and now it's time to write 2011.

This has been one of the most interesting years of my life.
After a year without a job, Ted headed to North Dakota
for 6 months.  There we met wonderful folks, enjoyed peaceful places, and bought a house.  But before we ever moved in, he moved on to a job in Louisiana.

Here, we've enjoyed our favorite foods and warm weather,
while North Dakota folks are trudging through one of their worst winters ever. 

In 2010 I have been to Guatemala, New Mexico, North Dakota, Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Louisiana.  I have always wanted to travel and see other places.  But the thing about living vs.vacationing, is that you get to know people, customs, and history of that place.  It's a different perspective than just passing through. 

This year, I've been privileged to go on a mission trip to Guatemala, a girlfriend trip to an Albuquerque conference,  and many wonderful places with my husband.  I have loved visiting different churches and Bible Studies.  I was a facilitator for a study in North Dakota, and a substitute Sunday School teacher in a Nazarene Church.  And I won fourth place in a chili cook-off in Alexander, ND!

This year is my last year in this decade, as I turn 60 in 2011.  I'm beginning to feel older - the body is just tired more often.  But it is still the best year of my life.  I pray the next 30 years are more of the same - only better.

Thank you, Jesus.

Goodbye 2010!

Hello 2011!

Christmas Day

‘Twas the day of Christmas, when all through the house

Nothing was stirring except a finger on a mouse

The stockings filled by Santa with care   

Were strewn on the floor here and there

The children, fresh out of their beds,

Had  electronic visions dancing in their heads.

And Mom with an I-Pad, and Dad with a Nook

Were settled in their chairs, having a closer look.

V-Reader, games for the DS and the Wii

Were just all too much for Papa and Me.

We both silently remembered simpler  times,

When stockings were filled with candy and dimes.

But the spirit of Christmas filled us with love

And  thanks for the family to the Father above.

Being together makes all else seem small

Merry Christmas to family, Merry Christmas to all.

Christmas Eve in Texas

Ted was greeted at the airport in Midland, Texas

 by a couple of excited grand kids. 

Here's one of the nativity scenes at Holly's house.

How precious that children see the importance of worshipping Jesus.

They've all been placed close around the baby.

And Hannah gave me a box of chocolates. 

As she presented them, she told me not to be surprised,

because she took a little taste of each one. 

She just couldn't remember which was best!

I'm still laughing!

Glory to God in the Highest!

Grandson, Harrison and I watched an older movie last night, "The Never Ending Story", and some of the lines in the movie are stuck in my head.  I think there is a significance there.....

In the movie, the fantasy world of Fantasia is being destroyed by a force called the "Nothing", a void of darkness that consumes everything.  The creatures of Fantasia gathered to plead help from the Childlike Empress, and a warrior was summoned from the Plains People. 

The child warrior went through all kinds of perilous situations with the wolf-like enemy in close pursuit.  The warrior child lost his horse in the Swamps of Sadness, but managed to keep his focus and not be swallowed up by the swamp.

When the warrior child boldly faced the enemy, the creator of the Nothingness,  he was told that "People who have no hope are easy to control".

In the end, the child reading the book became part of the story and was asked, "Why don't you do what you dream?".  Then the Empress Child said to him, "Call my name.  Call my name.  CALL MY NAME.", so that the world could be restored to its former glory.

During this season of pseudo celebration of Jesus birth, may we do more than just acknowledge the baby in the manger.  May we keep our focus on the upward call of Him who saves us. May we not give in to the Swamps of Sadness.  May we CALL HIS NAME with passion.  May our hope increase - Christ in us, the HOPE OF GLORY!  And may we be the warrior children of God that keep the nothingness from destroying our world.

Glory to God in the Highest! 

My Cup Runneth Over

7 a.m.  Coffee in hand, and the house is quiet.  Everyone is snuggled under covers oblivious to the orange/pink sun blazing in the east over Midland.  I'm sitting in the school room - the floor glistens with glitter and confetti paper of left over art projects.   My heart is overflowing with thankfulness for this family He has given me and the choices they have made.  Holly home schools two days a week, substitute teaches at their school on Mondays and Wednesdays, executive directs a household, manages our mother/daughter partnership, supports her husband, and loves her parents.  Tommy is a hard working, energetic, dad pressured to make the best life possible for his family.  And he does a fine job.  Many years ago, he was Ted's choice for a husband for Holly - I'm glad they thought so, too. 

This morning as I talked to Ted, working back in Louisiana, his heart was full of longing for them.  He commented on his loneliness for us all and his remorse for our inadequacies as parents when Holly was growing up. For the times she has carried us in our craziness in her adult years, he wondered,  "What can we do for her?".

I kept the kids last night while Holly and Tommy went to the ZZ Top Concert (just because they could).  They were precious (the children, not ZZ).  Harrison (soon to be 11) is a thoughtful loving child who always has a hug and kiss for his Nana (and of course Mimi when she is here from Guatemala) - I take all I can get in case it stops in the teen years.  He must have told me 10 times how glad he is to have me home.  Hannah is not as demonstrative, but sometimes follows big brothers lead. She'll be six the 29th and is all about school, projects, and sounding out words.  She did tell me that she likes me better than Papa, but that will all change when he gets here and makes her belly laugh with his monkey sounds, etc. He's also a better snuggle.  Hannah went to bed with a pile of books.  Harrison went to bed with one, and probably finished it before he snoozed. 

I hear noises downstairs and need to end this conversation with....myself (?) and you (if anybody actually reads this crazy blog) . 

My cup of blessings runs over.  Thank you, Lord.

Good Fitting Jeans

One of the biggest challenges of my life has been finding jeans that fit.  One time I decided to just go ahead and spend the big bucks on name brand jeans, but they sagged and slipped after a few hours just like the cheap ones.  So then, I decided to just buy my jeans from thrift stores.  That way I could just take them back if they didn't work.  So I would buy $3 jeans, wash them, and try them on then donate them back if they didn't fit.  I also put my initials on the inside pockets so I wouldn't buy them twice. 

The one time I didn't wash the "new" pair 

 (I was out of town without a change of clothes),

I stuck my hand in the pocket and found -

are you ready for this?

  .....a condom - not in it's wrapper. Uuuuuugh.

Back to my jeans saga - I finally found the perfect fitting pair that doesn't sag, or droop, or stretch.  They were $7 at Salvation Army -

NYDJ - Not Your Daughters Jeans. 

 Love 'em.   Love 'em. 

 I have worn them and washed them until they are almost white. 

This past week-end, I saw an ad that they were on sale so I bit the bullet and bought two new pair.  Today I was looking at the tag and was pleased to see that they were made in the USA.   Then I saw a big patch stuck to the inside front of the jeans. 

I peeled it off and this is what it said:

"NYDJ cannot be held responsible for any positive consequence that may arise due to your fabulous appearance when wearing our jeans."

How did they know?!  (Ha!)

Back in Texas

I stepped off Southwest Airlines 11 days ago and have spent every minute until today with at least some of my sweet family.  Wow!  It's  been a whirlwind.  I was greeted at the Midland airport by hugs and kisses and hugs and hugs and hugs - even from Hannah, who doesn't always like me.  We've had a wonderful time. 

Here we are avoiding bedtime by playing with Nana's new phone and taking our own portraits:

We Celebrated Holly's Birthday with brunch at

Wall Street Grill in Midland. 

The buffet includes fruit and salad with the

 scrumptious cinnamon rolls.

But, how can my child be the same age I think I should still be???

On our way to my house in Snyder, we drove over to

Wellman, Texas for a look at the

Extreme Home Makeover home. 

 We tried to volunteer,

but they had more than enough unskilled help. 

It airs in January. 

(Harrison, Holly, Hannah, & Yvonne)

The next day in Snyder, Holly and I set up the new booth in the Antique/Crafts Mall in Snyder. 

 Here are some of the soy wood wick candles Holly has been pouring into vintage containers:

Cotton Fields in West Texas are ripe for the harvest..

Looks like a good year for the farmers.

Neighbor and talented photographer, Carol, (http://www.carolmccowenphotography.blogspot.com/),

gave the kids a hands on tour of her family's cotton field:

Hannah climbed the tree

(Harrison hid in the leaves)

and had a tea party...

in the dress Granny made for Nana...

...a loooooong time ago!

Hannah stayed with me until we left for our place at San Angelo's Dove Creek

 to meet the rest of the family for Thanksgiving.

The view from the hammock

hanging on the banks of

Dove Creek

was beautiful - a warm, clear, perfect day on the creek.

Thanksgiving Day when we each told what we were thankful for,

our answers were all sincerely "family". 

We were so glad to be together.

The day after the turkey feast, we were without water and  electricity for about an hour.  Then a plumber was called to fix the clogged upstairs plumbing.  While the plumber was still there, the bathtub water cascaded down through the kitchen ceiling.  In this picture, the plumber is working and Holly is mopping. (note the t-shrit)



We had our own Extreme Home Makeover!

We've survived too much food, lots of love and a few old house challenges.

Holly & Kids are back to school.

Tommy & Ted are back to work.

And I am home alone

with mundane chores that can't be done from afar,

And God is Still Good.