Gratitude......

The 47 days of Lent are over.  Good Friday has passed and we have celebrated our Risen Lord on Easter Sunday.

I am grateful...for a church that is full of attention to all of the amazing rituals of the days from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday.

I immersed myself this season with everything that I could to prepare for the greatest feast day in Christianity and I arrived on Easter Sunday so grateful and so blessed by a prayerful and meaningful 47 days.

We were blessed throughout the season with Vespers, Stations of the Cross, Living Stations of the Cross preformed by the school children, Masses, and Holy Week Liturgy.

Each different remembrance or celebration reflected a different part of our faith that has been practiced by the church for over 2000 years.  It is liturgical, historical, significant, and touching when you immerse yourself in it's meaning.

I am blessed and I am grateful that I have been able to find such peace in a place that seemed so out of my reach for so long.  

This is my family and this is my faith.

What I took for granted as part of what was given to me at birth without my choosing it....

is now something I do choose.  

The church is my home and like my other home it is comfortable and I am welcome and I am thankful.

Spring Has Finally Sprung............

Bring on the blooming tress and daffodils. 

 I am totally ready for spring.  Yes, being snowed in was nice.  Lots accomplished and very peaceful but it is time to throw open the windows and let some fresh air in!!!

I am by nature of birth an outdoor person.  Being in the garden with a flat of begonias just makes me happy.  

 And my grandchildren...yep, they are outdoor kids too and they are ready to swim.  The pool water is a frigid 75 degrees but any day with sunshine calls for swimwear and splashing their feet in the water.

So while mommy was away enjoying some much earned vacation time, we just lived by our own rules....Gramma type rules!!!

 Not sure what was happening here but it was something that sisters share...and watching them enjoy each other makes me smile!

What is more fun than a batch of onions and a big mound of dirt?

Ask Finley...she will tell you...not much!

Messy hair and dirty faces means you have had a great day.....

 And finally a trip to the park to feed the ducks...and Finley.

 While Brooklynn took care of the ducks, Finley took care of herself.  

What a fun couple of days!

No rules, no bedtime, and plenty of Oreos.

That is the way life should be at Gramma's house.

Just Nostalgic!........

I hurried home on Wednesday night just in time to catch Diane Sawyer's 50th Anniversary tribute to the "Sound of Music".

Whomever does not just love this movie and has not watched it at least 50 times in 50 years is simply just not American! The best thing.....I have watched it, my children and I have watched it, and now I am sharing that same joy with my grandchildren.  Oh how they love it.  Brooklynn is sure that Gretel is the role she is born to play in a remake of the move!

Every bit of the "Sound of Music" is a moment to remember.  In watching Diane Sawyer's tribute we forget that 50 years ago our movie making skills were not what they are today.  Filming in the mountains was an arduous task.  Helicopters with men hanging out the windows were what was required to film the beautiful mountain scenes.  Crew and actors were transported up the hills by mule drawn carts.  Somehow knowing all of this just make the scenes even more spectacular.  

And the lessons that were so cleverly thrown in to leave us all looking at life in a more optimistic way cannot be missed each time I sit through it again.

Yes, when God closes a door somewhere, He does open a window if we are just looking for it.

My FAVORITE song of the whole movie...Edelweiss.  

Something about the voice of Christopher Plummer as he opens up to song for the first time since the death of his wife brings me to tears over and over again.  

And Maria, can you even imagine Doris Day filling this role.  Yes, I am a Doris fan (in the proper place) but ONLY Julie andrews could give to this move the moments that have captured us for a half a century.

I was 16 when I first saw this movie.  I was drawn in every bit as much then as I am now.  I could sing every song on the sound track.  While my friends were belting out Beach Boy tunes, I was secretly singing "Climb Every Mountain" in the confines of my room....and I sounded nothing like Julie Andrews.

Now the sound track is on my iPhone...because where else do we store all our treasured songs and pictures....and in my car I can sing Do Re Mi as well as Julie Andrews in my own mind.

Happy 50th

Sound of Music!!!

A Number Of Things.....

Well, the snow seems to be a thing of the past....thank heavens but we are still being besieged by abundant rain requiring us to remain inside and search for new and creative ways to fill the time.  For me that is not hard...coffee, a good book, my sewing machine and I can disappear for hours.  My mom did a great job of teaching me how to entertain myself.  It has served me well since retirement.

Thank you mom!!!!

With two little girls housebound on a very rainy day we have had to get creative...with "a number of things'....a title stolen from a good friends shop!

The girls are crafters....no problem with that as long as I remember to keep all the essential elements on hand!  You would be surprised how many miles you can get out of a bag of $2.99 pompoms.  I love them.  Today it was a clown face.  What I have found is that Brooklynn carefully follows the directions.  Finley is a free spirit.  She always has her own interpretation of the instructions  and her unique perspective makes hers a form of more modern art.  

Had a little break time with homemade blueberry pancakes and scones just to rest the busy fingers and Gramma's brain!

When the pom pom fun was over and all cleaned up we were on to a challenging game of 

WAR!!!!!  

 It took Brooklynn about five minutes to figure out what card was the highest in each pile and she had her cards scooped to her side in an instant. 

An intense session of creating Mr. McGregors garden with acrylic paints keep us busy for an hour.  Finley is the most amazing little three year old.  She has concentration far beyond mine!

Finished product and on to play dough....

To create a strawberry sundae......which was really hard not to eat.

A play day with this many activities calls for high levels of sugar for this Gramma....

or at least a reprieve outside in the sun!

And AGAIN!!!.............

Second verse...same as the first.  Well, actually a whole lot prettier this time around.  

I do not know why we are being blessed by this abundant deep freeze with spring only days away but actually it has been nice to stay inside and avoid buying groceries and filing up my car with gas.  I am a home body by choice and this suits me well.

 This snowfall was the good kind...the "Do you want to build a snowman" kind.

That is exactly what was happening in my neighborhood when I finally got myself out of bed this morning.  I have a legitimate excuse.  I was up late last night watching it snow.  It was so pretty coming down and covering the roofs of all the houses.  Undisturbed and fluffy.  Sounds a bit strange but being able to sit and look out of the window until well past midnight is the beauty of retirement.

It was peaceful and pretty and it reminded me of the days stuck in the house in Illinois.  

Age must be making me nostalgic so I seriously better move on.......

Sara was once again off work so she and Harley headed out to run in the snow.  There is something about a dog and snow.  Animals were everywhere...most up to their undercarriage in white powder.  Fun times over and all that came in was a mess.  I have wet footprints, leaves, and mud everywhere.  Most of that is from my husband who has no idea you should remove your shoes at the door.

I am actually hoping this is the end and when we spring forward this weekend, we spring forward into the kind of days where you can open your windows and let the musty winter out.

I am ready for some sunshine.

Frozen........

 Yes, we are and we have been.  I am about ready to "Let It Go"!

It is time for Anna to pack up her secret powers and take her fascination with all things ice back to the Disney Studio.  We went from a week of 70 degree highs to a week of nothing but Thundersleet and snow and it is time for the sun to return.

 I admit to a fascination with snow.  It is that beautiful peace when everything is covered with white and seems so clean and peaceful.  It makes you take time to slow down and be content with what is inside the four walls of your house. Being homebound with a pile of book and Netflix is fun...for a day or two.  I am simply the best at entertaining myself.  BUT...there comes a time when enough is enough and I am there!

 The snow in this lawn chair is a gentle reminder that there are still hints of Christmas that have not been put up.  I have procrastinated until the snow flakes on the pillow finally seem totally appropriate. Too cold to go out and get it now! 

 Our resident Big Ugly dog is in snow heaven....licking up the white powder wherever he can find it.

It takes a village to get him in the house and then he just stands at the door looking woefully outside waiting to indulge himself in the snow again!

As for me...I am down to the last movie I can find on Netflix that looks like it is worth my time and then I am simply going to be forced to get out of my pajamas and take a shower and hope for some sun.....

Calgon take me away!!!!

Thundersleet.......

Sometimes I wonder how long it takes the weather team to come up with the clever verbiage they use for upcoming weather patterns.  Last year the go to word was Polar Vortex.  This year we are coining a new term for what is happening...THUNDERSLEET!  After a perfect high of 70 degrees on Saturday, we braved falling temperatures and TV screens full of school closings for Monday because of the approaching wave of Thundersleet.  

So, I hunkered down, watched the Academy Awards....no movie in the group have I even seen...and Lady Gaga is just bizarre.....and went to bed waiting on the arrival of whatever was coming.  

At 9 am this morning this is what was on the ground.

This is what was on the cars.....

And this measly sheet of nothingness is what caused everything to come to a scratching halt around the metroplex.  Really? 

Having worked for the school district, I know that everyone appreciates a snow day.  Love knowing you don't have to set the alarm and you can sit with a book or catch up with everything on yoru DVR. The downside...a makeup day on Good Friday when you would much rather be working in the yard.

And I know I am in a neighborhood where parents are planning carpools to get their kids to the movies because the novelty of being home has worn off and there is nothing at all to do.  

Snowdays seriously stink!

My family?  Jimmy started a crockpot meal with the groceries we loaded up with yesterday like we would be facing Armageddon.  Then he and Sara headed to the movies too because they are just not as good at being content at home as I am.  

I have a stack of books to read and sewing that is piled up everywhere I can complete...or I can take advantage of the peace and quiet and take a nap.  That is my kind of snow day!

Fat Tuesday and Other Things......

 Yes, it is Fat Tuesday and for some reason it snuck up on me this year.  Maybe since I still have a Christmas candy jar setting out on the counter I am not thinking spring and Easter at this moment!

But, it is here... Fat Tuesday....the last big hurrah before Ash Wednesday and Lent begins.  Having spent a year of my life in New Orleans, I do distinctly remember the REAL celebration of this day.  I was that person screaming for more plastic beads as all of the drunks on the street knocked me off the curb.  All in the spirit of the day I am sure.  

I have really given thought to Lent this year and read profusely as how to best address the next 47 days before Easter.  Diet Cokes are always my go to sacrifice but this year I have better ideas.  If the goal of making changes in your life during Lent is to come out a better person on Easter Sunday then giving up my every other day Diet Coke which I only drink half of anyway is not going to accomplish much.  So my agenda is lengthy but doable and it makes me smile to think of what is ahead.

 I did decide to attack an In-n-Out burger on this merry day just because!  It was really a good idea because in all honesty if all of the world had the type of attitude of this stores employees it would be a much happier planet.  The sheer cheerfulness of the girl that handed me my burger just made my day.  It made me want to go out and be nice to everyone else...which is a great resolution for Lent.

 What did not make me smile...gas up to $1.82 a gallon.  Last week I paid $1.65 so that is a 17 cent hike.  I know I should still rejoice in the price of gas but filling my tank for $25 has been a cause for joy for months now!  I hope this is the last price hike for awhile!

Last but not least, as a way of celebrating this day, I also made a trip to one of my favorite stores.....ROSS!  No pride here.  I can dig through the racks with the best of them and on Tuesday it is even more exciting because seniors get an additional 10% off.  I will drag out my ID with pride if it means a discount!  My exceptional find.....these bar stools for $36 each!  Did I need them, maybe not. But, my other ones were about 20 years old and had been restained and repainted several times.  I thought I owed it to myself to update so I did and wow do I love them!

What a great day it has been.  Sunshine, bargains, happy people and the anticipation of the next 47 days of personal improvement.  

Happy Fat Tuesday to me!!!

Oh Finley!!!!........

I have a problem!  And which one would that be you ask?  It would be the one that says that I NEVER know where my car keys are or where my phone is.  They are lost continually but on a normal day I say a quick prayer in my hysteria and they suddenly appear.  So Wednesday as I got ready to teach a class at church I looked and no keys anywhere.  As I am ALWAYS running late, I grabbed the spare and headed out of the house with my usual request to God..."you know I am always in a rush, please let my car keys show up somewhere when I get home".

Upon arriving home I scoured the house, the garage, drawers, cabinets, under everything, around everything and they were simply nowhere.  Again Thursday repeat the whole process and pray madly for my keys to be found.  And again on Friday with promises to God to give the money to church if I could just have my keys back.  St. Vincent de Paul needs the money much worse than Reliable Chevrolet.  NO KEYS!

I give up.  I have to have a spare set because the ones I use are always lost...so I headed to the dealership and bought a new key and transmitter...$173.00 plus $40 to have the transmitter set.  YIKES and oh dang!!!!

Off to the service center to have the transmitter set but they were running behind so it would be an hour until they got to me.  Have to pick up the grandkids so I will just have to come back...dang again!

Picked up the little "specials" and what do you know.  There in Finley's car seat were my keys.  She was so proud of herself and I was SOOOOO happy that the dealership did not have time to set the transmitter.  I cannot return the key but I did return $133.00 worth of the purchase and with a smile on my face wrote a check to church.  A promise is a promise!!!  And my keys are back where they belong and Finley's reward was bubble gum ice cream from Braums!!!

Groundhog Day.....

We are a few days past Groundhog Day but if the tradition is to believed we are in for another six weeks of winter.  Personally the winter part does not bother me but I would love to see another six weeks of rain!

So what does all of this have to do with the following thoughts?

I read on one of my favorite blogs that in the movie 

Groundhog Day, Bill Murray has to repeat one day of his life over and over.  The writer questioned what day we would repeat if we could.  

I know most of us would go to our wedding day or the birth of our children and this post is not to downplay any of those amazing events.  When you work as hard for babies as we did, then yes their arrival was at the top of the list.

For me it was pretty easy to pick the day, or actually weekend I would repeat.  For some reason Matt has been on my mind a lot lately.  I have seen a lot of families in the past few weeks dealing with death.  I do not know if it our age or what but the reality that there is an end to our time here has been in my face more than usual.  I miss my son, I miss him every single day though I do not talk about it much.  I wonder what his family would be like and what he would be doing.  

It was easy to go back to one of my favorite times we ever spent together.  It was simple, nothing fancy.  For some reason that I cannot even remember I flew into Annapolis to spend the weekend with Matt.  It was shortly before his graduation and it was beautiful weather and a beautiful time. From the moment Matt picked me up at the airport until I left it was perfect..  

We hung out at the "One Way" with all of the other guys that lived at the off campus FRAT HOUSE.  

For whatever reason it was three days of time we talked, laughed and just enjoyed being together.  Those times are so few.  

 One of his favorite parts of our visit was showing off his new used boat.  All that know me know that I was less than enthusiastic about a purchase he made before he even received his diploma, but that was so like Matt.  He was always in a hurry to experience everything.  In God's plan that was the way it should have been because he was not given the time the rest of us have.  

It was a happy time for him and that might have been the reason the whole weekend seemed so relaxed.  

 I am not at all sure how this event fit into our activities but I got to see Matt with the friends he loved so much in an environment that had helped mold him into the man he was becoming.  The pictures to me are priceless as they remind me of the moments we shared that will never be repeated.  I was sad to go that Sunday.  I knew in my heart that Matt was leaving the Academy soon and pursuing the career of his dreams.  We might never again have those special moments that we were able to share that weekend.

Picking this time to repeat was easy.  I do go back there in my mind often.  I know it is crazy but it was special.  I knew when we hugged goodbye at the airport that our time together meant as much to him as it did to me and those are the times that come around so rarely.  Oh how I wish I had a Groundhog Day, just one time to repeat that weekend.