17 YEARS

Seventeen years ago today we laid our dad to rest. It was a very cold, rainy, dreary day. It was a relief and also an extreamly sad day. Dad had been sick with cancer for two years (diagnosed). We think he had cancer for about 5 years but dealt with the pain until he couldn't take it any more and went to a doctor. He acturally thought he had ruptured a disc in his back. It turned out to be multiple myeloma (a cancer of the plasma of the blood - very rare in the white population 17 years ago).
Dad was in the hospital the last 5 weeks of his life. I was driving a special ed school bus and going to college back then. Mom called me as I finished my morning route and told me she and dad were at the doctors office if I wanted to come to spend a little time with them. I had not seen Dad for about 3-4 weeks. I was shocked when I saw him. Dad had always been a robust man. He was tall, nice looking and a very proud man. Now he was in a wheelchair, thin and pale. When Dr. Hankins came in, he asked me to step out of the room. Dad requested I stay, that bothered me a little. The doctor told Dad that he needed to be admitted to the hospital, that his pain could no longer be controled on an out-patient basis. Dad said he didn't want that, but the doc insisted and left the room for Mom and Dad to discuss this. I was standing closest to Dad and he laid his head on my chest hugged me and cried. This really got to me as Dad very rarely showed any type of emotion (except frustration or anger at times - toward us). He did have a great sense of humor and laughed a lot, just not often with us. Anyway, my relationship changed that day. Mom and I convienced Dad that he needed to be in the hospital. He knew if he went into the hospital that he would never come out alive (he was right). I think Mom later regretted talking him into going in, she wished she had taken him home to die but I think she made the right decision.
I called my boss and got a substitute to dive my bus and stayed with Mom. Dad didn't have many good days after that. I remember one day Dad was hungry but couldn't think of a thing he wanted to eat (been there). I told him I would make anything he wanted and get it to him. He said he would really like one of Mom's banana cakes with caramel icing. I had Mom's recipe so told him I would make the cake. I did but it was so light that when I put the icing on it began to split (we call that a cake quake) and just kept falling apart. I got so upset because I was making this for my dad who was dying and I wanted it to be perfect. I had put it on a tupperware cake plate with the top. By the time we got to the hospital, it was all to pieces inside the cake carrier, so I turned it upside down into the lid. Rex was in the room when I got back. He and Dad took spoons and dug into the cake and laughed about the "Banana Sludge Cake" I had made. They laughed so hard tears were streaming. but they ate half the cake. Mom told me later that Dad had laughed so much about that cake that it was one of the few days that he had very little pain.
A few days after that on Sunday, October 29th just before noon, he passed away with the darling of his life sitting by his bed holding his hand (my youngest Teri). He was buried at the Piney Grove Cemetary in North Al. on October 30th. Altho it has been 17 years, there are days that the pain is as fresh as if it were yesterday. I guess that comes from being the only girl and finding a relationship with someone I loved dearly very late in life and not having it long before he was gone. I always tried to be with Mom, if I could, around this time of the year because I knew how very much she missed him (she never got over that emptiness). Now I deal with it by myself. Some times its just another day and I think about it at the end of the day as a passing thought and then there are times like today that the pain of his passing hits me like a ton of bricks.
Mom told me once that it would be like this. She experienced the same emotions about her dad. She said it was harder when her mom died. She was right. It has been much harded to deal with the emotions since she passed. The only bright spot in this whole thing is I will see them again one day - THANK THE LORD!!!

Hope your weekend was relaxing and refreshing. Mine certainly was. We had two very renewing services were we worship yesterday. Saturday we had our fall festival and had a blast, after we got there. We had promised to take a couple of horses for the kids to ride. I drove Mike to the pastures and it took about 30-40 minutes to round up his horse Shadow. He finally caught him and then he walked him back to the barn lot while I drove the truck back. He got Shadow settled and loaded on the trailer. He then caught my horse, Dot, without any problems. Those started when he attempted to trailer her. She would walk up to the trailer and then absolutely refused to get in. We finally abandoned that and took one horse. There were two others there but one more would have been so nice. We rode about 300-400 children and that equates to about what 8-10 miles walked. I know my feet were killing be when we finally finished but it was a great time. According to those who registered we had about 400 but there were quite a few that came through without registering (the kids received glow in the dark bracelets when they registered). At any rate we had a great turnout and loads of fun.

We have a group of older Christians were we worship who meet once a month. They call themselves the JOY CLUB. I was asked to meet with them last month to sing for them. I had a great time. I joined them yesterday for an outing. I had the best time. Not only am I the youngest in the group (and that makes me feel really great) but I laugh a lot when with them. The next meeting will be for their Thanksgiving get together. I am really looking forward to this.

Next on my schedule is to get back to work. Never thought I would look forward to getting back into that grind but I am. I have felt at a loss quite a bit while recuperating. I learned yesterday that I will continue to heal for the next 9-10 months. I thought I would be WELL at the end of these three months. I will try to keep it in mind that I am not completely well and continue to behave. Those who know me well, know that that has been the hardest part of recuperating for me. It is really hard for me to do exactly what I am told to do, especially when I think there are things that need to be done and noon else is doing them. In my defense, I have been almost 100% at behaving myself.

We have a fall festival at the church building tomorrow and we will participating. We will be taking two of our horses for the kids to ride. We have not worked one before, although we have taken the children to them for the past three years and have had a great time. Mike and I are both looking forward to working this one.

Hope you all have a great weekend. Will be back Monday.

Finding a treasure

Our camping trip didn't go as well as I had planned but then most planned times turn out differently. I need another trip to recoup from this one. We did have a good time roaming different shops with the children. Hannah got a coonskin cap that she thinks is a stuffed animal. She will wear it at times and is adorable in it. Haley chose practical things like t-shirts and earrings.
While roaming in an antique shop, I found a Hoosier (I think that is how you spell it) cabinet. They were used in the 1800's as the kitchen cabinets. They included a flour sifter, metal bread drawer, chopping board and storage. I have been looking for one since we moved into the farm house. When we first moved there, we had very little storage. Since then, we refinished the kitchen adding cabinets. I have seen these cabinets over the years but they had either been painted with Dutch symbols or poor condition. This one was in very good condition. We bought it and now I must find a place to put it. My house is beginning to look like an antique shop in itself.
I find as I get older that I am becoming more and more like Mom. She enjoyed collecting antiques (furniture , dishes and unique pieces). The difference is, I actually use most of what I have collected. It is an investment, at least that is what Mom taught me. At any rate, I really enjoy exploring antique shops and finding unusual things (whether I can afford them or not) and Mike enjoys exploring with me. I remember the fun times Mom and Dad had doing this same thing. Maybe some time in the future, our grandchildren will remember the fun we had looking for that special item.

I will be gone for the next few days. We are taking the grandgirls and their parents camping in the "fountains" as Hannah calls the mountains. Will be back Monday. Have a great rest of the week and weekend.

Learning a new language

I am learning a new language. Not a foreign language, it is Native American. If you were to ask Greg, he would tell you that I don't even know English very well (and Josh would probably agree with him). I found a CD by the name of Walela. The group is a trio composed of Rita Coolidge (anyone from the 60's or 70's should well remember her voice - the prettiest of the era), along with Pricisilla Coolidge and Laura Satterfield. All three are of Cherokee descent and have a beautiful harmony. One of the songs on the CD is Amazing Grace sung in Cherokee. It captivated me, so I started learning the words (they were typed out in the folder that came with the CD). It was a little difficult to understand a few of the words and Mike who is half Cherokee (but doesn't speak the language) didn't know the words either.

I went on line and found a place to order the instructions to learn to speak, read and write the Cherokee language. I have already taught Haley and Hannah a song in Cherokee ( a very simple song the women would sing to greet the new day). The language has a musical quality to it and I think it will not be as hard to learn to speak as it will be to learn how to write.

I have always been interested in the Native American culture, language and stories just about all my life. This interest was rekindled when I met Mike. Then last summer while we were camping in Tennessee, we visited my dad's brother. Tom informed me that he and dad were 1/4 Cherokee on my grandmother's side (that would make me an 1/8th). I had been told many years ago by Mom's brother that we had Creek and Choctaw blood in us on that side of the family. He even registered his girls as Native Americans.

Anyway, after hearing the song on the CD, I decided that time was a wastin'. Mike, the girls and I are going to learn the language, so we will have someone to practice with and also so we can talk to each other and no one else will know what we are saying. Ok Greg, I know there are times now when I speak that no one knows what I am saying, but all of you sure are entertained.

The Cherokee do not have a word for goodbye, they say "Let's meet again." So, "do da DA go hv? i". This is just the sounds for the letters in the Cherokee Syllabary. It is impossible to type the actual symbols for these sounds. I could write them but not on a computer as there are no symbols that correspond. Bet you think you know how to say them but you would be suprised.

MAPS

I know there is a somewhat negative connotation to church programs. At New Hope there is a program for kids called MAPS (stands for Music Arts Programs). It is for kids K5 to 6th grade. It was so big 2 years ago (over 400 kids from area elementary schools), it was divided into 2 programs twice a year. There are 5 elementary schools in the Pell City area therefore, 2 schools attend one of the sessions and 3 the other. This has become so popular with the kids that we are already pushing at the seams even dividing the schools. Many kids who have never been taught about Jesus are attending this. One child had made a comment to one of the teachers that his parents do not believe in God but that he really liked being at MAPS. "A little child will lead them."

The kids are divided into grades. They are taught keyboard, guitar, sign language, have arts and are fed. We have tutors that help the kids with their homework. After Maps is over the kids either go home or stay for the Kids for Christ Bible study. We have had parents come to Christ through the kids coming to the MAPS program.

I have had the priviledge of working in this program for the past three years. The first year I worked as the nurse, taking care of the stomachaches, bruises, occasional blister from guitar playing. Last year I tutored the kids and worked in the kitchen. This year, I am getting to learn a little myself. I am helping with the praise songs at the end of the program. It is so much fun teaching these kids the songs and the sign language used with most of them. It feels good to see their shinning little faces and especially to have them ask questions about Jesus.

I know that programs generally don't work but this one is having an effect on the children in the Pell City area and only God knows how far reaching this will be because of that.

I know Greg will find this totally pathetic but I am rather proud of myself. While in California for Josh and Heather's wedding, I purchased a MP3 player (just because my brothers had them - actually they have ipods). Mike downloaded a CD on to it when we got home. I haven't done much but listen to that CD and the radio stations. I decided to download some CD's onto it. So this afternoon I proceeded to attempt this. Now keep in mind, this is done with a computer. After spending about 3 and a half hours, I finally figured out how to do this. I successfully downloaded 10 CD's to my MP3. I was so excited. The catch, I didn't think they had downloaded so, I did it again from the files off the computer. It then took me an hour and a half to delete the second copies of the CD's. But, lets keep in mind that this whole process is a great accomplishment for me. So, I guess there is hope for me yet (at least where computers are concerned).

Taking time to smell the Roses

I started this day with all kinds of plans. Not many of them got accomplished. I did get my bills paid, the checkbook balanced. I had to make a trip to Trussville (about 50 some odd miles - one way from the house) to take my embroidery machine in for cleaning and to find out why it is making a loud grating noise. This just started this past week. I need to get it fixed so I can complete the bibs I'm working on for Teri. I learned while in the store, I don't have a clue how to use my machine. I am now signed up to take classes from the owner of the store. Probably the reason the machine started acting up. Although, I have done what I thought was some pretty good embroidered pieces and given them as gifts. Maybe with the classes the pieces I do henceforth will be first class.
All this took about two and a half hours in Trussville. I decided to go by and pick up Hannah to eat some lunch. She was so excited. By the time I got to her house it was almost time to pick Haley up from school. So we played in the playground at Haley's school while waiting for her day to end. While playing we found a catapillar which Memama "rescued" for Hannah. She has been adorable talking to the "catlapillilar". When Haley got out of school, we went to Barbies (Arby's) to get something to eat. Then we went to kids castle (a playground in Pell City for kids). Hannah played while Haley and I did homework. There is a mist machine for when kids get hot. I had told Hannah she could not get in the mist. In about 5 minutes she came back to where were sitting and was soaking wet. When asked why she had disobeyed me she said'Memama, I just got so sweaty I had too." She hadn't been anywhere but the mister.
We then took a mile walk around the park while the gilrs did cartwheels and summersaults. I laughed till I hurt at those two. I then took them home.
I didn't get a thing done that I had planned to get done today, but you know what I had more fun and accomplished more for a lasting relationship than anything else I could have spent my day doing. I took the time to smell the roses with my girls.

Demon Possession

I have always believed in demon possession, maybe not the way Hollywood portrays it. If asked, and sometimes without being asked, my brothers (and my children, and most definately Mike) would say I have been demon possessed many times in my 50+ years. Until recently, I have not ever believed that THINGS can be possessed. I now believe.

Friday I was searching the web for the ladybug design for the baby bibs to embroider. I found them on a website calle ANNTheGran. It had some wonderful designs that can be downloaded free. I found three designs and downloaded them. I wanted to send them to Teri for her to chose which one she wanted to use on the bibs. I attemped to open the saved file but the computer wouldn't let me. I needed a CD in a drive. I found the CD requested, put it in the appropriate drive and followed the instructions. I spent 2 hours attempting to reopen these files. The more I tried the more frustrated I became. I finally decided to just close the computer down until Mike - the computer genius- got home. The computer wouldn't let me close it out. It wouldn't let me exit anything. Finally, I just reached down and turned the whole thing off. Don't know or at this moment care if anything was affected by that move.

I waited a few minutes and rebooted the computer. I wanted to email Teri to tell her what I had found, even if I never get to use them. I was at the close of my email to her when the screen on the computer went gray then white and told me my email had been sent (I hadn't pressed the send button). My brother, husband and computer smart children tell me it is something I am doing, not the computer. I beg to differ with them. The computers in my home are most definately possessed.

P.S. I don't know why the spell check will NOT function. The demon of uneducated has it blocked.

Nesting

It appears the time is growing closer to when we will be getting Maddie from China. Teri has begun to "nest". Mike and I will be spending all day tomorrow staining the furniture in the baby's room. This includes the baby bed, chest of drawers, toy box, changing station and I think another piece of furniture. Actually, we are looking forward to helping Teri and Josh do this. They live on the southern side of Birmingham so we don't see them as much as we see Tara and her family (who live just 30 minutes away). I am very confident that will change when Maddie gets here.

I, like my Mom, am a packrat. I had kept a box of clothes that Tara and Teri had worn when they were babies. A couple of years ago, the girls went through this box and picked out clothes they wanted their children to wear. A few months ago Teri gave me a sack of clothes to get ready for Maddie. A dress my dad, her most favorite person in the world, had bought for her to wear home from the hospital was in the sack. Except for the fact all the seams have rotted, it is in pretty good condition. I am in the process of sewing the seams back. It is really important to Teri that I get this dress ready for Maddie. The other clothes were in better condition, with the exception of a few stains that I managed to get out, and a few hems that needed to be redone. My main challange was a crocheted jacket I had done over 30 years ago. It was the first thing I had ever made, and it was a granny square pattern ( I hate granny square patterns). I spent all day yesterday sewing seams that had come unraveled but at 10:30 last night I completed the job. Don't know if Maddie will ever wear it, but it is ready for her, and done with a lot of love for her and her Mom.

I don't know if it is tradition or just something this adoption agency has prospective parents do but Teri and Josh are taking gifts to give to the orphanage where Maddie will be from. Gifts for the guides, and others. Teri gave me 6 blankets to embroider (I have a machine) . She decided she wanted a smiley face in red, white and blue with Alabama the beautiful in a semi circle around it. I must say they turned out very nice. There are 8 families in the group with which Teri and Josh will be going. She wanted to do something special for them so we found some bibs that can be embroided and in a few minutes I will be searching the web for the design she wants on them - a ladybug (the symbol of good luck in China) and in a semi-circle "The newest member of the ----------family". So I have my work cut out for me today.

Needless to say, we are all getting excited. Teri has her first shower Nov. 4th and I can hardly wait. Keep them and us in your prayers. Please pray that the Chinese government will not cause any more delays and we will have Maddie by the end of the year. Thanks in advance for you prayers.
C

I

Infamous honeymoon story

As promised, here is the infamous honeymoon story. I had always wanted to see the northeast in the fall. Had heard stories of how beautiful the fall colors are in October. So, Mike and I had already planned to camp on our honeymoon and planned our trip to Vermont via Niagara Falls. We took back roads through the states heading north. Saw some beautiful country especially in Pennsylvania. Also saw very interesting homes (John Adams and John Quincy Adams homes in Pa. Quaint towns and Ammish settlements. Very interesting trip.

On the back roads in Pa. on a late afternoon, about 5 miles outside of a small town, our car decided to quit on us. Mike wanted us to hike back into town. I decided to stay with the car as we had all our camping equipment on the top and I was concerned it would not be there if left unattended. He headed back into town, found a garage about to close. The owner graciously offered to stay open and assisted in getting us towed back to his shop. He and his wife invited us to stay with them for the night. He was a very interesting man and his son was a stock car driver (this helped to break the ice when he found out we lived close to Talladega - Pell City at that time). We got the car fixed and headed back on the road.

Things went well until we got into up state New York. The plan was to cross the border at Niagara, New York and go up the Canadian border and cross back into the states in Vermont. The night before getting to Niagara, we camped in a very primitive campground (no facilities at all). It was raining when we set up camp so we got drenched. The next day we were going to cross the border, look for a campground and clean up. Now keep in mind we were driving a black jeep, loaded to the hilt with camping equipment, suitcases, ice chest, etc. Mike at that time had hair almost to his waist, mine was also pretty long. We had not showered for over 24 hours.

We got to the border and there was a HUGE sign stating that all firearms, liqueur, ect. needed to be declared. We didn't have any booze, but we did have a handgun (and unknown to me there were 3 in the jeep - one of them was mine). I asked Mike if he was going to say anything to them about the gun. He said no because we would be camping in some pretty rough country over the next few days. The lady at the border crossing was nice. As we started to pull off, she stopped us and asked if we would pull over at the patrol building. We did and about 4 patrolmen came out and around the car. We were asked to step out, they searched the car and found the 3 handguns. We had been asked to step into the building while they searched. I noticed a picture of Queen Elizabeth on the wall and said to Mike, "Look, they have a picture of the Queen of England." The border patrol very high and mighty said, "She is the Queen of Canada." Before I could stop myself I said, "I wonder if she knows she is not the Queen of England any more?" That did not go over too well.

We were taken to the police station in Niagara, Canada and finger printed and booked on charges of possession of illegal weapons and attempting to smuggle weapons into Canada. There was a very nice and understanding Sgt. on duty that night. We spoke to him and after paying bail we left the station and walked back to the border (about 2 miles). When we got there we found it was going to take $1500 to get the jeep out of hock to the border patrol. We had just spent out last cent getting out of jail. We walked back across the border into New York and found a phone on a street corner. By now it was getting dark and raining and about 36 degrees. I called our youngest daughter who at the time worked for a multi-millionaire. I asked her to call her boss (who was also a friend) and asked to borrow the money we needed to get out of there. We had the money in the bank but, keep in mind this was a weekend and no way to get to that money. She said she would see what she could do and call me back. I told her I would call her as it didn't appear to be very safe where we were. We had to walk about 5 miles before we found a store open that had a Western Union. I called Teri back and she said, "Muz wants you to call her." I could have died, I said, "You called my mother?" I called Mom who got a big charge out of all of this, but she did send us the money to get the jeep out of hock and finish our trip. We walked back to Canada, paid for the jeep, found a motel to stay for the night. The border patrol had dumped our clothes out into the back of the jeep and then soaked them with the water in the ice chest.

We left Canada the next morning. We are fugitives because we didn't show up for court Monday morning. This was done on the unspoken advice of the Sgt. We never did get the guns back. I wanted to come home after that but Mike insisted we complete our trip to Vermont. We did go to Stowe, Vermont (where the Von Trapp home is -the Sound of Music family for those who don't know). The night we got to Stowe, the tie rod on the car broke. Some kind soul found us stranded on the side of the road and towed us to the local garage.

Mom told me that my life with Mike would be an adventure and she was glad she was just the Mother-in-law. She was right it has most definitely been an adventure (some I wish I had not experienced and some I wouldn't have missed for anything ). But, that's life in and of itself, is it not?

I told Mike my two new favorite songs were: Weekend in Canada and Smuggler's Blues.

Camping

Our maiden trip was wonderful. We went to Desoto State Park in Ft. Payne, Al. (the home of the country group Alabama). It was a beautiful campground in the State Park, with waterfalls, hiking trails, cabins, chalets, and much more. It was a relaxing weekend, although I wasn't too sure it was going to be when we got there. We got a later start from home than Mike wanted (but we had to go to the kids pep rally Friday afternoon). We got to the state park after sundown. We were driving around looking for a site to use ( they don't have assigned sites). The first sites we came to had an angle to get the camper into them. To complicate matters a little more, most of the sites had ditches on the sides of the road which made maneuvering the camper into the sites tricky. We found a promising site but there was a very inconsiderate person behind us who was right against our bumper. When we found a site, he was so close we couldn't even consider attempting to park the camper. We finally pulled to the side and let this guy go around us. He then preceded to drive a few yards and took 45 minutes attempting to back into a site then pulled away looking for another place. I was hungry, tired and beginning to get testy by this time. Needless to say, Mike decided to attempt the same site the other guy had finally given up. Not only did we NOT get the camper into the site, Mike managed to get the front of the truck into one of the ditches and bent the strut on the front tire. All of a sudden he turns and looks at me and says "I don't have any control to the steering." Talk about ready to kill someone. The long and short of this is, we finally found a site and a helpful fellow camper who helped guide Mike into it. We had a very relaxing rest of the weekend. Spent time with God and each other. It was a great renewing weekend.

A side note: I know my right from my left but I have a problem giving directions. If I give directions to someone with me, I tell them to look at my hands and the direction they are pointing, not what my mouth is saying. The hands are always right, what comes out of my mouth is generally always backwards. As we were driving home, I noticed Mike was having a little problem with the truck. I asked him if he was having to battle the truck a little. He said only when he made a right turn. A little later, I noticed he had problems with a left turn, when asked, he said "I meant your right".