Sometimes You Just Need Chicken Pie

My friend, Sally, is a good cook.  She cooks like I do.....often by the seat of her pants!  Actually what cooks like us often do is assess the contents of the refrigerator and the pantry to see what kind of meal we can concoct with the items on hand.....some that need to be used before they go bad or some that are just usual staples in the house.  In my case, it is often that I feel too lazy to run out to the store and buy this ingredient or that ingredient.  If you don't cook with a recipe other than what's in your head, you won't know that you are missing any ingredients!  This method works for me most nights.

Last night was one of these nights.  I have had a rough couple of weeks.  I have been busy, overwhelmed, and worst of all.....sick.  Last night was the first night I felt like I might want to get out of my easy chair and cook.  I had thawed out some chicken that morning not knowing what would become of it, and I had put some green beans on to cook.  You know, what my family calls the Southern style of green beans (as opposed to crunchy green beans).  These are the green beans you season and cook slowly all day long.  You continually have to add water, or otherwise the green beans soak up the water and stick to the bottom of the pan.  Anyone who has ever done this before can attest to the fact that it is not only a really horrible smell that lingers for a long time, but it often ruins your pan.....or you have to soak the pan for 3 days and then scrub the bottom until your fingers feel like they are going to fall off.  So, in order to cook Southern style green beans, you have to have time and you have to know you are going to be home most of the day.  Since I wasn't feeling well and I knew I wouldn't be going out, this seemed like a perfect day for some Southern green beans.
I looked at that thawed chicken and I remembered I had some of those wonderful Pillsbury roll out pie crusts in the refrigerator, so I set about making chicken pie.  Nothing could be much better than chicken pie and Southern green beans!  Comfort food.

As I was cooking this meal, I had to smile as I thought about Sally and how similar we are in certain ways.  Cooking and food being one of them.  I was visiting Shelby one time and it was a warm spring evening.  Sally and I were sitting in her kitchen talking.  She had made a chicken pie earlier.  It was cooling on top of the stove.  She looked at me as we conversed, and out of the blue asked if I wanted to eat some chicken pie.  Well, who could resist an offer like that?  We decided it would best be enjoyed on her front porch in the rocking chairs.  It was dusk and it was quiet and peaceful on that front porch.  We rocked.  We ate.  I told Sally how delicious the chicken pie was and we continued to rock, eat, talk a little here and there.  After a pause, Sally just said to me, "you know, sometimes you just need chicken pie."  I didn't laugh or comment, just nodded and said "uh-huh," in agreement.  It didn't need discussion.  I knew exactly what she meant by that comment.
Now, whenever I make chicken pie, or even THINK about making it, I think to myself, sometimes you just NEED chicken pie.

There is so much more in that comment that the actual eating of chicken pie.  Sometimes certain things, people, music, places, etc. are just something that you need.  You don't always know why you need it, but you know when that feeling comes over you, you will find a lot of peace and comfort in giving in to the need.

When I am home alone, sometimes I just need to open the sliding door and turn off all noise.  I love the sound of silence that is only penetrated by the chirping of a bird outside.  Silence in that moment is needed and appreciated.  It is hard to find moments of quiet.  I never needed them so much as I do lately.  I even find myself driving down the road and realizing the radio is off.  That used to be unheard of!  I am a music lover, and more often than not, my radio is on.  But sometimes you just need quiet.

Sometimes I just need to be outside.  I don't necessarily need to be doing anything, but I just want to be outside.  I spend a lot of time on my lanai.  I realized one evening it had been dark for quite some time as I sat out there alone.  I was reading on my iPad while Jim was inside watching TV.  The iPad has a back light, so I was able to read without any problems.  It was almost shocking when I looked up and realized how really dark it was.  Sometimes you just need fresh air.

Sometimes I really need to be with my daughter.  One on one.  I don't always have a reason or a plan but I know I just need that.  Our bond is unmistakable and it is very enjoyable.  I often say I need to have a Madeline fix.  There is some sort of special joy I find in those moments when we are together.  It's not only a mother/daughter thing, I think it's that we really like and enjoy one another.  We are never at a loss for things to talk about.....superficially or with a lot of thought-provoking.  We also can make our own fun.  If there is no plan, no where to go, we are happy to sit and chill and talk or play cards.  Life is easy with Madeline.  She and I are both complex people, yet our relationship seems so easy.  Sometimes you just need Madeline time.

Sometimes I need to pet my cat.  I mean really pet him.  I love it when he jumps up on the arm of my chair. I always know that means he WANTS to be petted.  He will sit there and I rub him and watch the fur fly around the room.  I always have to vacuum my dark carpet after these petting times.  But just the sheer pleasure both Leo and I seem to attain from these petting moments are priceless.  Sometimes you just need a cat in your lap.

Sometimes I just need to go to the beach.  I feel fortunate that I can jump in my car and be at one of several beautiful beaches in just a few minutes.  My favorite beach of late is Honeymoon Island.  It is so lovely.  It is a state park and is totally unspoiled.  The whole island is natural with no man-made anything in sight....with the exception of 2 snack bar/bathhouses and a couple of paved parking lots.  I love to go to the very end of Honeymoon Island.  Although it is rocky and not as much of a wide, pretty white sand beach as Clearwater Beach, it is breathtakingly beautiful.  You are in the Gulf of Mexico and you can see across to Clearwater Beach and all of the sights are just a reminder of God's splendor.  I see at least one dolphin every time I go. I love to watch all the water birds.  Of course, the sound of gulls just speaks 'beach.'  My favorites are the tiny little sandpipers.  I love to watch them at work and at play.  There are usually paddleboarders, sailboats and fishing boats going by in the water.  This has a great entertainment value for me.  I love to walk the unspoiled, rocky beach and search for shells.  That is one of my favorite past times.  I do this for hours until my neck is stiff and sore from looking down.  The pain is worth it because I always come home with lots of treasures.  My seashell collection is pretty unbelievable...but that is another whole blog!  I love going to Honeymoon Island because it is quiet and calm and not crowded.  Sometimes you just need nothing more than the peace you find in the sound of the surf.

Sometimes I just need to float in my pool.  I use my pool for exercise and my reward after my workout is some floating time, as I like to call it.  I get my pink float and stretch out and just go around the pool wherever the breeze might take me.  I was telling Jim the other night that it has become my daily prayer time.  I thought he might think I was crazy, but he actually seemed to understand.  It is calm, quiet and peaceful on my float.  I shut my eyes and I always start my prayers with the thankfulness of the moment and that I am able to enjoy it living in such a lovely area.  I never take that for granted.  From there, I just go into whatever things I need to turn over to God that day.  It really is quite therapeutic.  I don't think God minds that I am floating around in my pool for my quiet time of reflection, prayer and meditation.  Sometimes the only stress reliever you need for the day is to float.

Sometimes I just need to paint or to work on a craft.  My head is always spinning with ideas.  I know I could never live long enough to produce all the things that are floating around up there in my noggin!  There comes a time when I have to push the rest of my life's responsibilities to the side for a brief time and just embrace myself in some sort of artistic and creative project.  There is nothing that feels better to me than to be creating something.  I find it relaxing and rewarding.  The worst part of it is that time flies.  I often look at the clock in amazement while I am doing some of my arts and crafts.  I simply get lost in the moments and the time doesn't really matter.  Sometimes you just need creative moments.

Sometimes I need to doing something out of the routine with my husband.  As most people who have been married for 38 years, life can become 'comfortable.'  We love our daily moments on the lanai right before dinner time.  I don't think I will ever tire of that.  I need that time with Jim.  Sometimes we talk incessantly and sometimes we just sit and enjoy the sounds of nature together.  Jim mentioned last night that it was obviously summer.  We heard the cicadas and we were remembering how loud they can get in the evening.  Sometimes we sit out there and act like orchestra conductors as we mimic the sounds they make...the crescendos often sound just like an orchestra.  In addition to our routine nightly musings outside, sometimes we just need to break out of the mold.  On occasion we skip church on Sunday morning and go early to Honeymoon Island or Fred Howard Park.  Jim likes to fish and I sit in a beach chair and read.  We are each doing our own thing which is totally different, yet we are together.  I look up and watch him in the water fishing and I know he is in his 'happy place.'  He catches a fish and turns around to get my attention to show me.  Last time we went I had a big heron just standing by my chair.  I got up to get my phone so that I could take a picture and the guy just decided to jump up in my chair.  I just stood behind the chair and watched him for a while.  I couldn't wait for Jim to turn around and see it, which he did.  Sometimes you just need moments together but doing your own thing in your marriage.

Sometimes I need to plan a family gathering.  I need the hustle bustle of planning, grocery shopping, getting ready and all the noise as we all get together and talk at one time and laugh a lot.  Often my needs are quiet times, but those excited and noisy times are needed equally.  One of my favorite of these times is Thanksgiving.  The Yeltons come from Shelby and I have all my family over and sometimes other guests and it is a wonderful day.  I love everything from getting up and walking the Turkey Trot to watching the Macy's parade, cooking half the day, setting the table, asking the blessing, eating too much, telling stories and washing a mound of dishes!  It is a time of Thanksgiving, the happy noise of family together in celebration.  Sometimes you just need a little bit of chaos in your life!

I think often our urges and needs are not so much explainable.  That is why I 'got it' when Sally said what she did about the chicken pie.  I don't think we were necessarily hungry.  The need wasn't to satisfy that.  It was to satisfy something much deeper in our souls.  I think we were subconsciously realizing the comfort of home, lazy times, friendship, and shared memories and likes/dislikes.  I feel that sharing a chicken pie, rocking in our chairs and having some unspoken 'conversations,' was a much needed moment of relaxation and a testament to friendship and to home and family.  Sometimes you just need chicken pie.

Although chicken pie can't satisfy all of our needs, it might be a good place to start.
And memories are made of this.

Sometimes you just need chicken pie.

You Can't Go Home Again

After a whirlwind weekend in Shelby for Porter's Baccalaureate and Graduation from Gaston Day School, I realized that there is truth in Thomas Wolfe's words that you can't go home again.  I guess those words were so fresh in my mind because the keynote speaker at the graduation was Wiley Cash.  Wiley is a Gaston Day alumnus and he is now a critically acclaimed author.  Like me, he loves books and reading and he made reference to these words of Thomas Wolfe in his speech.  Wiley mentioned that leaving for college and coming back to visit home and your school is like coming home again.  I agree with his point, but I think the passage of time definitely changes things.

We passed Shelby High School and all things familiar on our way out of town to head to the airport to return home to Florida.  I said out loud without realizing it "you can't go home again."  Jim asked me what I said and I then realized I had spoken aloud.  I had a weird feeling driving out of town.  And that feeling was that I HAD NO feeling.  I think it was the first time I left Shelby with that notion.  It was weird and a bit sad.  Normally when I leave, I have this sense of nostalgia and a bit of a sense of loss.  I always feel a bit of yearning for my hometown, but not this time.

This is not to say that my memories and my love for Shelby won't always remain.  It just made me realize that when I say HOME, it is not Shelby.  It is Clearwater, FL.  Home is definitely where your heart is.  My children and their spouses are in Florida.  My Mom lives 2 miles from me now.  I have more friends than ever before and am very involved in life in Clearwater.  Then it hit me.  I have lived here 20 years.  I have actually lived in Clearwater longer than I have lived anywhere.  I basically left Shelby at 18 to go off to college.  From there, Jim and I got married and lived in Raleigh for 10 years.  We did move back to Shelby, but we only stayed about 6 years.  Living there as a married woman with children was a totally different experience than living there from birth to age 20.  From there, we came to Clearwater.  20 years is certainly a long enough time to make a life.  When I say I am going HOME, I am going to Clearwater.  My hometown, however, is Shelby, NC.  I have written much in the past about growing up in Shelby.  My memories are fonder than anyone could imagine.  I had a blessed and happy life all the years I lived there.

One of the things that always made Shelby so special was you knew when you went to a restaurant, the grocery store, or uptown shopping, you needed to add a little extra time to your plan because you would be sure to run into to someone you knew who just wants to 'catch up on things.'  This also meant, you couldn't get away with running out to do something 'real quick' and expect not to be seen....and certainly not to be quick!
I guess one of my first ah-ha moments of not being able to go home again was when Jim and I went into Pleasant City Grill after Porter's graduation.  It was just the two of us at that time and we sat and enjoyed our food and as I looked around, I saw not one familiar face.  We had a birds eye view of the front door, and I didn't see anyone I thought I recognized coming or going.  We sat there for a pretty long time and this never changed.  Considering Pleasant City Grill is one of the most popular spots in town, this seemed especially odd.  This is when I realized it might be my hometown, but not my home town.

As we had brunch at Ken and Mary's with two ladies that I have known for years, the comfort of being with long time friends had not changed.  Eating at a restaurant that I didn't know existed and again, not seeing anyone I knew with the exception of the 2 faces across the table from me made me feel like an outsider.  I also realized as they were talking about this person or that house or whatever, some of it was totally like Greek to me and some of it seemed more like a glimmer of recollection in the fog.  I couldn't put people together with their homes, jobs, etc.  I have been too far removed.

Riding past what was Porter Brothers always used to spark something in me.  However, this time it really didn't.  It no longer said Porter Brothers proudly across the front of the brick building.  It was a name of something I didn't know anything about.  And next door to it was a sign that said For Lease....on Shelby Fish Camp!  That was a restaurant that has been in existence since the beginning of time, it seems!  When Jim worked in Shelby for a while, they were one of his biggest customers.
Everything changes and nothing stays the same.

Riding through town the trees seemed denser, the buildings smaller.  The hills weren't as steep and the curves not as curvy.  (I will admit, however, that Tickle Bee Hill still gives me a thrill to this day!)  The Courthouse is now the Earl Scruggs Center, which is awesome, but it's not THE Courthouse.  The drive to Riverbend seemed shorter yet the drive to Gastonia seemed an eternity.   The tea seemed sweeter and the livermush not the same tasty delicacy as I recalled.  I no longer had anyone to visit at Sterling House and I don't know the pastor at Central United Methodist Church any more.

Going in to Mom's house and seeing it completely empty was a reminder that a house is not a home.  The people in the house make it a home.  I didn't even feel sad seeing the empty house.  Mom is in Clearwater now and the table where we used to sit for hours and drink coffee is now a game table in Madeline and Eric's townhouse.  It still gets used for joyous purposes, just not in the same place.  Sitting around that table with Madeline and Eric and my new little grand kitty, Leia, now makes me feel a sense of home.

This was the first trip I have made back to Shelby since my cousin, Ellen, moved away.  I will be anxious to hear how she feels over time about going home again.  She has lived in Shelby most of her life.  This move to Kentucky was a major change for her.
It is the first time I visited when I didn't get to spend time with Sally or Carol or Kathy.  It was the first time we didn't make the rounds of our favorite eateries like Tast-T-Tee Burgers or Shelby Cafe. We used to say when we visited that we would just eat our way through town.
Of course, Bob and Porter are still in Shelby, but even this felt different.  We were so busy with graduation affairs, we drove to Gastonia both days and attended Baccalaureate and then Graduation with fun parties following each event.  We didn't go anywhere with Bob and Porter IN Shelby.   I guess the whole vibe of the trip just felt different.

I was reading about Thomas Wolfe and how he came to entitle his book You Can't Go Home Again. Wolfe was having a conversation with Ella Winter, a writer, and one of her comments to him was "Don't you know you can't go home again."  Wolfe then asked her for permission to use the phrase as the title of his book.  I suppose she had possibly experienced some of the same feelings I had on my latest trip 'home.'  Wolfe writes in You Can't Go Home Again:  "I have to see a thing a thousand times before I see it once."  I had seen all these things in Shelby a thousand times, but perhaps I was just now seeing them for that once.                

Shelby will be forever in my heart, forever in my mind.
And memories are made of this.              

Old Friends, Barbara and Gloria
(brunch at Ken and Mary's)

Porter with his Aunt Mary at GDS Baccalaureate

Cleveland County Courthouse
(now the Earl Scruggs Center)

After the Wedding

I had mentioned in my last blog that time seemed to be measured as Until the Wedding and After the Wedding.  It is hard to believe that we are now in the After the Wedding time zone.  A 10 year courtship, an extremely long engagement, months and months of planning, and now the Wedding Week has come and gone.  While we were sitting at the reception my nephew, Porter, said to me:  "I feel your longest blog ever coming!"  He may be right.  I do have a lot swimming around in my head right now.

The wedding week was filled with appointments, beauty treatments, deliveries, phone calls, check writing, trips to the airport, last minute notes, preparing for a Bridesmaid Brunch, making final decisions on shoes, undergarments, hair clips, purses, and jewelry.  It was also filled with anticipation, joy, surprises, sleeplessness, emotion, prayers, and laughter.  I think the wedding week was everything I had thought it might be....and more.

Madeline has some amazing friends.  They flew in from Maryland, LA, Philadelphia, Oregon, Rhode Island, Mississippi, South Carolina, Knoxville, Texas, New York and D.C.  They drove from Gainesville, Tampa, Gulf Breeze, St. Augustine, Jacksonville, St. Petersburg, Orlando, and Ellenton.    Some of her bridesmaids came early (and even surprised her) so that they could help out, have fun and offer moral support.  I know that they had a wonderful time reminiscing and getting reacquainted.  There were lots of tears of joy mixed in with the ever-present smiles and laughter.

I guess the official kick-off was the Bridesmaid Brunch that we had at my house.  I, too, have amazing friends and a couple of them came to help me with the brunch.  They were great at getting the food out and cleaning up, allowing me time to socialize and just be the hostess.  It's wonderful when you have friends that you can comfortably ask, "hey, would you come over to my house and wash dishes?"  (Thanks Liz and Anita!)
The brunch was a success and there were several highlights in addition to the food and beverages.  I had read about an old Victorian tradition of cake charms.  It was incorporated specifically for bridal luncheons and gatherings.  None of the people in attendance at the brunch had heard of this, so it was particularly fun.  Since Madeline had a bit of a seaside theme to her wedding, I chose charms that were fitting for this.  Each charm has a specific meaning, so I not only had to choose the object that I wanted, but also the meaning that went with it.  I wanted to keep them sort of generic since you don't know who will choose which charm.  We had one married gal in the bunch, one about to be married, a couple single girls and a couple girls with boyfriends.
I took the charms to Chef Nelson, this amazing baker who was doing the wedding cake.  He said he hadn't made a charm cake in many years, but he was excited to do it for me.  He is the kind of guy that gets very enthusiastic and he sort of tells you what you want rather than vice versa (with the exception of the wedding cake, which we knew exactly and had a picture and everything!)  I trust this man, so I gave him a copy of the invitation for the brunch, the charms with ribbons attached and the go ahead to 'do his thing!'  The result was an amazing 2 tiered cake the exact color of invitation with some simple hydrangea icing flowers and of course the charms and ribbons.  It was a hit....not only beautiful, but delicious.

I gave everyone a gift bag of goodies, but Madeline and her bridesmaid got an additional gift.  They were hand painted, personalized tumblers with lids and straws.  There was a note attached that said "No spilling on the dress while getting ready."  They used them the rest of the weekend.

Madeline gave her bridesmaids their long awaited gifts.  She was anxious to give them to the girls.  She first gave them each a handkerchief that had embroidered on it:  No Ugly Crying.  They were adorable and so appropriate.  I was afraid Megan might wear hers out before the big day!
Madeline's special gift to each of her bridesmaids was a handmade scrapbook made just for them! The bridesmaids loved them and spent quite some time looking at theirs and each other's.  I know they appreciated all the time and effort Madeline put into them for months.
Trina brought a cute poem to the brunch and read it to Madeline.  She had Alicia help her pull things out of the bag as she said the word.  The poem was filled with words that correlated with a cleaning supply....such as All, Resolve, etc.  It was really cute and it made me laugh extra hard because Madeline had told me just a few days before that she had gone to Wal-Mart and spent $133.00 on cleaning supplies for their new townhouse!  So not only was it a cute game, it was also very practical.

Of course, Thursday night was a bachelorette party that I didn't attend.  The girls all took care of all the details.  They stayed at the hotel which is what Madeline wanted to do.  After a nice dinner at City Fish, they went back to the hotel and played games, hung out, and had a good old-fashioned sleepover!

The next day I had my very first facial bright and early in the morning.  It was fantastic and now I am afraid I have been spoiled and will want to continue this luxury.  After my morning of pampering, Jim and I picked Bob and Porter up at the hotel and went with them to lunch at Rumba's.  It was nice because we knew we wouldn't get any alone time with them the rest of the weekend.  We had a great lunch and some interesting conversation.

That afternoon we went to the church for the rehearsal.  The pastor of the student ministry was the officiant.  Madeline and Eric had that as number one on their list when they got engaged.  They were determined to have him marry them.  He saw their romance grow, falter, endure long distance, and mature into 2 people very much in love and ready to share their lives together.  Besides being an amazing pastor, speaker, counselor and friend, Tim is very funny.  He made the rehearsal light and carefree and entirely enjoyable.  Madeline carried her garish practice bouquet made from the ribbons and paper from her bridal shower.  Grace did a great job of putting it together.  It was funny.....it was so big and gaudy.  The sight of it really suited Madeline.  We got a kick out of this.

After the rehearsal, we sat in the pews of the church and Eric's Mom gave a tearfully endearing talk about her journey as Eric's mother.  She said she had always prayed for the right girl to come along and steal his heart away.  I think we all agreed that Madeline and Eric are the answer to 2 mother's prayers.  Trina had put together an amazing slide show set to a song called "A Mother's Prayer."  There were photos of Eric and Madeline throughout their lives.  It was lovely and I heard a lot of sniffling in the church.
We left the church and went to Bon Appetit for a wonderful rehearsal dinner.  God ordered up an amazing Florida sunset.  Our view over the water, complete with playful dolphins, was spectacular.  The food was good, the conversation stimulating, and the toasts to the bride and groom funny and heartfelt.  Madeline was the calmest bride ever in history and the only tears I saw her shed were when Porter toasted her at this dinner.  I know how much I love my cousins, and I am so happy that Madeline and Porter have that wonderful 'cousin bond' as well.

Wedding Day is here!  The day started with me giving Madeline one of Eric's white shirts to wear while getting ready.  Grace had this idea and contacted Eric.  He brought me the shirt.  It was a nice touch to have Madeline feel close to Eric before the big moment.

A bunch of young women (and a few old ones....ha ha!) all swarmed into Shear Perfections Salon for a morning of beauty.  The beauticians were amazing.  Every one's hair and make-up looked fantastic and we had a great time doing it.  Our photographer also came and hopefully got some great shots.  Each bridesmaid had a different hairstyle and each was unique and beautiful.  I don't think there could have been a prettier bridal party!

We went to the church to get ready and had a lot of good behind-the scenes-shots from the photographer.  Marley was a creative and fun person to have around.  I learned that of all the wedding vendors, I think she worked the hardest.  For 9+ hours she was on ladders, on the floor, carrying equipment, testing light, fixing a train and a bustle, adjusting boutonnieres, and was just amazing with her creative eye.  I can hardly wait to see the end product!

 

The wedding was magical.  My husband has mentioned every day since that he will never shake the look on Eric's face when he first saw Madeline.  It was really special.  Jimmy said to me at the reception that he hadn't thought much about the wedding until he saw Eric at that moment.  Jimmy admitted to getting teary eyed himself.  He said to me:  "he really loves her, doesn't he?"  To which I said yes and also told him I only wish he could find love like that someday.  Someone once said that to love and be loved is the greatest existence on earth.  It is hard to argue with that sentiment.

The reception was fun, although it went by much too quickly.  I was pleased to see my vision come to life.  The Dunedin Golf Club staff gets kudos for transforming the place.  I was happy with everything from the pianist I hired to play the white baby grand piano at the entrance to the cake in the far corner.  The flowers, table setting, food, DJ, photos, the sparkler send-off....everything went by without a hitch.  Madeline and Eric's first dance was so cute and I loved seeing all my friends  and several of our relatives all gathered in one place to share with us such a special celebration.

The newlyweds are now back from a fantastic honeymoon in Jamaica.  They are back to work full swing and they have finally gotten to actually 'live' in their town home that they have been fixing up for the past month. I know they will live happily ever after.

And now it is After the Wedding.  My to-do list for this time frame seems to have grown longer than the one before the wedding.  I am so anxious to tackle it!  I am going to re-do Madeline's room.  I plan to sort of recreate my room from my childhood.  I have the twin beds that were my first ever beds after my crib.  I brought them from Mom's when she moved here.  I am going to paint the walls the palest pink ever and I am going to re-carpet the room with a mauve carpet.  I am excited to get started on that project.
I am going to clean out a lot of drawers and closets and will finally have extra space.  I will have Madeline's whole room and her entire closet.  I will also have closet space in the guest room closet where she had been storing a lot of her things she moved from Philadelphia.
Jim and I are going to finally clean out the garage and possibly be able to fit my car back in there.  It has been 2 years since I have had my car in the garage!  We are going to hopefully be able to get rid of the storage unit that we have had for several months.
I have been itching to paint again, and my list of arts and crafts has grown so long I won't know where to begin.
I have another long list of books that I have been wanting to read.
I am anxious to get back into cooking every day and making all sorts of good, healthy foods.  We have been so busy and on the go that my daily cooking routine has not been what it used to be.
I hope to have more time to go to lunch, movies and shopping with my friends.  I haven't done those things nearly enough lately.
I want to plan a trip to Shelby to visit friends, cousins, and mainly to attend Porter's graduation!
I want to plan to do some entertaining.....summer time cookouts, family birthday parties, and pool parties.
I told Madeline I will probably be thinner, tanner, and healthier after the wedding since I will have more "me" time to go to the beach and the gym.
I have some small home improvement projects to tackle and Jim and I have some large ones we are saving for....like re-doing our pool and lanai.  That is where we spend so much of our time.  It will be nice to transform and upgrade that area.
A couple of years ago I took apart all of my photo albums and decided to file all of my photos in photo boxes.  I put it on the back burner and never finished.  Now that it is after the wedding, I can tackle that huge project.
I want to learn origami with my daughter-in-law.  She wants to learn it, so since I enjoy spending craft days with her, I am willing to learn a new craft!
I want to have all my VHS tapes transferred to DVDs before I lose them.  I need to take time to go through them and take them to the camera store to have them done.
I want to learn how to operate my Nikon camera better.  I need to take time to read the manual and practice with the settings.
I want to have painting days with Pat.  We can sit on her deck and over look the water while we paint. I not only love the painting, but I love our conversations about everything from butterflies to family dynamics. There is nothing more special than to spend time with a good friend like this.
I have a pile of mending that needs to be done and I want to re-vamp my entire wardrobe.  I know Anita is my shopper friend, so I will be calling her to go with me to TJ Maxx, Marshall's and Steinmart!
I need to update my address book and organize my art supplies.  I would like to start soon on my Christmas crafts so I am not scrambling in November and December to get them done.
I have a stack of things that I have frames for that need framing and then once they are framed, I need to find homes for them.
The recipes that I started going through, throwing out and organizing are all just sitting in a drawer.  I never finished.  Now that it's after the wedding, I may be able to do that.
I started Madeline's recipe book To My Daughter and gave it to her for Christmas.  I asked her to give it back to me so that I can continue with it.  There are still a lot of blank pages just awaiting some yummy recipes!
I have a list of about a dozen blogs that are in my head that need to be put into writing.
I need to finish the scrapbooks I have started and I need to start the ones I have planned.
I want to visit Mom more and maybe take time to go for short walks with her, get her to go shopping or out for an occasional lunch.
I want to put my husband back on the top of my list.  He has taken a bit of a backseat to the wedding, but he has done so graciously and happily.  He knows that I will come around.  I think he is excited to have me back and he has a list of things he wants to do as well.  I hope we can sneak off for a little weekend trip one of these days, or at least have time to explore this wonderful county that we call home.

Until the wedding to after the wedding.  It has been a long time and an amazing journey.  But just as Madeline and Eric are anxious to get on with their lives as a married couple, I am anxious to get on with my life after the wedding.  Who knows.....maybe there will be grandchildren on the horizon.  Then my time measurement will change yet again.
The ebb and flow of all of the moments, great and small, keep us aware, on our toes, feeling, and anticipating the subsequent chapters of our lives.

And memories are made of this.

CHEERS!

Dreams Can Become Reality

As I sit here, up way too late, finishing several projects for Madeline's upcoming wedding, a flood of thoughts, ideas, and emotions wash over me.
Months of planning, a long engagement and a 10 year courtship makes me know that everyone is ready.....physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I have learned a lot from planning a wedding.  I have learned that time is measured differently.  Everything in your life is measured in only two ways:  'until the wedding' and 'after the wedding!'
I have learned that it doesn't matter that you can't get into any of your bedrooms.  You are simply happy to have the space.  Right now we have a wedding craft room, a wedding gift room and a wedding supply room.  I am not kidding!  I haven't had uncluttered bedrooms in months.
I have learned that no matter how accurate and organized you think you are....you aren't.
I was wondering why the napkins I ordered hadn't arrived.  I called the company.  They couldn't find my order.  So, I went online to the website where I had placed the order, and guess what?  The order was still in my shopping cart.  I never clicked 'submit order.'
I have learned that you have to not only hire vendors, you have to keep after them because it is harder to get service after the sale.
I have also learned that planning a wedding causes excitement.  It is fun to see other people get caught up in your excitement and joy.
I have learned that while wedding planning, the notepads and sticky notes that are ever present and utilized in my life are getting a workout!
I have learned that not everyone knows the art of sending back RSVP cards in a timely manner.  I have also learned that this is a good time to practice that art of not sweating the small stuff.
I have found that most things wedding either make you smile or tear up.
I have learned that seeing your daughter twirl around in her wedding dress is truly a moment ever etched upon your brain.
I have learned that creativity and artistic endeavors rise to the surface with inexplicable speed.
I have learned that watching your husband and future son-in-law practice dancing with their daughter/future wife are moments that will never be forgotten.
I have learned that the beauty of flowers and a decorated cake, invitations and party favors are extraordinary and should never be taken for granted.
I have learned the power of music is something that is momentous and so moving in certain moments.
I have learned that appointments for beauty and vanity are really not so vain.  Rather they are a testament to the honorees that you really do care and want to look your best on their special day.  Those photographs will last forever, so why not go the extra mile to look good in them?  After all, memories are made of this.
I have learned that you can't put a price tag on what normally would seem extravagant when you know it is making a lasting and impactful memory that can never be taken away or forgotten.
I have learned that even stressful planning and difference of opinions don't matter with families.  It can actually bring them together because they know they are working for a mutual outcome for the ones they love most.
I have learned that a Christian foundation is not to be taken lightly.  It is truly the essence of what is pure and real and signifies love to the fullest.
I have learned that the trite saying of 'you haven't lost a daughter, you have gained a son' is truer than can be imagined.  I love my future son-in-law more than he will ever know.  Any man who can love my daughter as much as I know he does gets a little boost up on that ladder of respect and acceptance.
I have learned that buying stationery and stamps and props and craft supplies and place cards and computer ink and envelopes and invitations and vases from thrift stores and candles and sparklers can create a feeling of not only creativity but a bonding and a comraderie that discussing, creating and brainstorming can do.
I have learned that having a daughter and sharing these moments with her are priceless and unforgettable.

Several months ago I had a very vivid wedding dream.  I didn't realize then that it would be the first of many wedding dreams. I remember the dream because is was so bizzare in so many ways, yet if I analyzed it, I could understand (maybe) how my subconscious could conjure up such nonsense!

It has been awhile, but I told this dream to a few people, so the repeating of it helped me remember.  It went something like this:
It was Madeline's wedding day.  She was dressed in her long white wedding dress, yet her bridesmaids had short, sleezy red dresses!  They were totally NOT what Madeline would have picked....nor what any of them would have chosen to wear.
It was time for the photographer to take pictures. Madeline has always been a bit of a free spirit and I know she has some fun and crazy shots she wants from the photographer.  Well, in my dream, Madeline was running towards me up a huge hill, hidden from view until she reached the top.  (Remember, we live in Florida....we don't have big hills!)  When she got to the top of the hill I noticed she had her wedding dress on, but she had a red vest over it and she was barefoot!  She was running as fast as she could and did one of her dancer jumps in the air.  She landed on the ground and rolled down the hill getting covered with grass stains and dirt.  It was utterly ridiculous! Her bridesmaids were not helping the situation either!  I can't remember exactly what it was they were doing, but I remember it was totally unhelpful and totally annoying.
In my dream I remember that we got through this photo session and walked into the reception.  It was a huge and echo-y room. There were no decorations.  There was a tile floor and everyone was literally lined up around the walls.  No one was talking or dancing or eating or having fun.  There were no tables and no chairs.  There was also no food and the DJ hadn't shown up.  I think it was at that moment that I woke up in a panic!

Granted, that was a dream.  I know that will never happen.  Madeline and I have confronted every single detail and we are both very organized and determined.  I have booked a DJ, florist, caterer, baker, valet, limo, pianist, cellist, a different pianist, hotel rooms, a minister, a photographer, a videographer, and have enlisted many friends for certain jobs and duties.  I know in my heart of hearts that this wedding will be perfect and magical.

The reason this wedding will be full of magic is not because we have attended to all the details and the planning, it is because it is the union of Madeline and Eric.  They have had a courtship that has grown and blossomed and matured to a level that makes me tear up and burst with pride.  I know that they will be happy forever and that we will never have to worry about them.  They have always made wise choices and they are both driven and motivated.  They share the same ideals, the same morals and they are starting their marriage with a love of God in the very center of their union.

They started out as giddy high-schoolers.  They weren't old enough to drive yet so their dates were to the movies driven by a parent or a sibling, or times at the Lighthouse at church, school functions, hanging out at friends' houses or at their respective homes.  They went on mission trips together, proms, Homecoming dances, and family dinners.  They graduated high school and followed their dreams and ambitions. Unfortunately, that put them hundreds of miles apart.  Through 5 years of a long distance relationship and the ups and downs that go with it, they got engaged.  Even now, less than 3 weeks from their wedding day, they are each living in their parents' homes.  They are going to be so ready to live together in their own townhouse that they have already rented and practically finished decorating.  Their first night of sleeping in their new place will be the night that they get back from their honeymoon.  I know 2 people who will find that to be so magical and so special.  They have waited a long time and have paid their dues.  They deserve nothing less than the best.

Even though my silly dream won't come true (hopefully), my dream of seeing my daughter loved, fulfilled and happy is about to come true.  I can't wait to see what God has in store for my baby girl and the love of her life.

Their memories are just beginning.......

Daddy's Desk

On this cloudy Saturday I thought it would be a good day to clean off my desk, set up my new 2014 calendars, and begin putting away the Christmas decorations.  I did a lot of that, but now that I am tired of it and ready to do something else, I was thinking about my Daddy's desk and decided  to write a quick blog about it.

My husband loves to call me Joe Porter.  I guess he is right in so many ways.  I just smile now when he says it.  One of those moments was a recent Sunday sitting in church.  During the middle of the sermon that I was intently listening to (really), I reached down, got my purse off the floor, fumbled around for a piece of paper and a pen and at that moment Jim leaned over and whispered in my ear "Joe Porter."  I just smiled at him because I knew exactly what he meant and why he said that.  My daddy was forever fumbling around with his belongings and he was forever making notes.  I cannot deny that I am so much that very way.  However, something the pastor said sparked something in my mind that had to be written down.  I don't trust my memory for anything.

Daddy's desk at Porter Brothers was such a special place for me.  I loved it when he let me sit at his desk and go through his things.  There were rules, of course, and I never bothered his paperwork.  I just loved to organize his paper clips, rubber bands, scissors and other desk accessories.  I hate to think how many times throughout the years that I have organized mine or someone else's desk!  When I work at my desk either at home or at a job, I know exactly where everything is and even though it might seem like a lot of stuff or jumbled to some, it is shear organization in my mind!  Jim calls our home the house of "stuff."  I do like stuff, but I also like neatness and organization.

Daddy's desk at Porter Brothers had a wooden sign on the front of it with his name:  Joseph M. Porter.  It sat there so proudly and I felt like it made him seem so important.  Of course, he was important, but the sign on his desk wasn't there to tout his place in the business, it was just there as most everyone in the building had a name sign on their desk.  Hanging over my daddy's desk was an oil portrait of his father.  I have had that portrait along with my dad's portrait hanging in my home for years.  I have recently taken them down as I bought a new piece of furniture and the portraits wouldn't fit over it.  I still have them and will hang them somewhere again someday.  Or maybe one of my children would like to have them.  I remember so many times someone coming into my home and asking who those two distinguished gentlemen were.  I was always to proud to say "my dad and my granddad."
I never knew my grandfather because he passed away long before he was born.  All I know of him is what I have been told or what I have read.  I know that in 7th grade we had to take Cleveland County History.  I was always excited to look at page 82 (I think), and read about my grandfather who owned the general store in Belwood!

Daddy's desk always had a certain feel and a certain smell.  I loved sitting in his rolling chair and swinging around to the built in bookshelves and cabinets behind his desk.  I would look at all the books and notebooks and open the cabinets to see all the  business 'stuff' and I would imagine what my Daddy did all day.

I always loved the adding machine.  Oh to add a whole bunch of numbers and listen to them click off and watch that adding machine tape grow out from the top of the machine.  I never did too much of that because Daddy didn't want me wasting the adding machine tape!  But he did let me do it every time.  I guess he saw the thrill that it gave me, so it was worth wasting just a little bit of a roll of adding machine tape.
I also loved to take a pad of paper and open the middle drawer with the now neatly organized pens and pencils and write notes and scribble and doodle.  Hence my nickname, Doodler!

Daddy's desk at home after he retired from Porter Brothers is now back in my bedroom.  Jim was using it for work but he has managed to slowly move into the breakfast room to do his work.  The days of laptops makes that possible for him.  I don't mind.  Now that we don't have a houseful of kids, being in that room is probably more enjoyable for Jim.  I don't like to sit back in our bedroom.  It is too far removed from all the 'action!'
I have been cleaning up this desk and getting it organized.  I use it sometimes, but I still love my little built-in desk in the kitchen.  I guess being out in the middle of the house is just the place to be!  However, I am going to move more and more stuff back to the desk we have in the bedroom because it is such a big, nice desk and it was my Dad's.  I want to use it.  I will really be in my glory since I'll have two desks to organize and sit at to do my various note writing and bill paying.

When Daddy got that desk it was a horror getting it up the stairs and into the room he was using for his office.  The desk is extremely large and heavy.  Unfortunately, he didn't get to use that office long.  He retired in August and died the following April. I remember going up there after he passed away and once I was able to get through his stuff without breaking down, I did enjoy seeing all the snippets of his life in that desk.
Daddy had legal pads filled with notes.  He had things listed like:  buy stamps, call Gus and Elaine, write Martha, pick up dry cleaning, buy birthday card for Mama, etc.  To this day, I have a legal pad front and center on my desk with pages and pages of notes like that.  Jim teased me once about adding things on my list like:  go grocery shopping or visit Mom.  I laughed and took the teasing....because he was right!  Those things were on my list.  If it isn't on the list, it probably isn't happening!
I still have a briefcase full of stuff that I took from Daddy's desk.  It is up on the top shelf of my closet.  I have looked through it a couple of times and slowly I have thrown away some things, but I know I won't be able to throw everything away.  I have to hold on to some things that were so personally Daddy.

I definitely am my Daddy's daughter, but I don't mind.  I learned the most important things in life from my Daddy.  He loved his family, Jesus and his friends.  He kept up with people's birthdays and anniversaries.  He wrote notes to people and surprised people with newspaper clippings, gifts, and jokes.  He received recipes in the mail from a friend he had who loved to cook and he always wrote him back thanking him for sending the recipes.  He never forgot to pay his bills, make his church pledge or go to a board meeting.  His friends knew he was thinking of them because he sent them cards, notes, or gave them a phone call.  He was never without a starched shirt or toothpaste, because he had on his list to pick up his dry-cleaning or go to the drugstore and buy toothpaste.

I miss my Daddy so much, even after all this time.  Some days I just feel like I'm going to burst because I want to talk to him.  I want to ask him about his father.  I want to show him my paintings.  I want him to see my children who are all grown up now.  I want him to walk down the aisle with my Mom at Madeline's wedding.  I want to ask his advice about some investments.  I want to show him my lemon tree and my new bird feeder.  I want him to know that Mom is okay.  That I am okay.
I have to trust the greatest thing he ever taught me and that is that HE is okay.  He walks with Jesus and he probably does, in some way, know all these things about me.  I hope he gets a chuckle when he hears about my fumbling, note-taking and that my organizational skills model his to a T.  I hope he knows that I wear the nickname he gave me many years ago proudly......Doodler is okay and is eternally grateful for all the things that were and are Joseph Mills Porter.

And memories will continue to be made of this.

Not Really Gone

My dad is gone for eight months.

I miss him every day;

But I find solace thinking this--

If he were here, he'd say:

I've left and yet I'm with you still;

Your mirror doesn't lie.

But better, look inside yourself;

Your heart will verify.

I taught you how to cope with life,

The good and bad to face.

I shared the love a father has

That nothing can replace.

Remember, I still live in you;

Don't cry because I know

The best of me goes on each day,

As my grandchildren grow.

~Kathleen Y. Bergeron

The above poem was on my refrigerator when I came home one day in 1988.  My mom came in and put it there.  It has been on my refrigerator ever since.  It is now yellowed with age, but I love it so much.  I love that my mom did that for me.  She knew what a rough time I was having and these words really spoke to me.

The Next Chapter: Thankfulness

As I sat in church on Sunday and listened to Pastor Chuck, I realized that life really is all about being thankful.  The scriptures tell us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Jesus Christ."
Wow.  Give thanks in all circumstances.

As we are approaching Thanksgiving and nearing the end of yet another year, I realize that thankfulness is really what has fueled me throughout this year.  I have had some trials and tribulations and I am thankful that I have been able to sustain and/or enjoy whatever has come my way this year.
It is easy to become complacent about all the things, people and events in our lives that should make us count our blessings, but it hit me hard today as I watched the news and saw all the devastation caused by the typhoon in The Phillippines.  The numbers they were throwing out were staggering and almost incomprehensible.  Numbers like over 10,000 feared dead, 5,000 homes destroyed, sustained winds of 195 miles per hour, 660,000 people displaced.  And I am sure that the pictures shown on the news and in the paper, although haunting, do not come close to showing the real devastation this has caused.
But I don't want to dwell on this disaster or anything like that.  I want to dwell on gratitude and this time of Thanksgiving.

I have written in my blogs several times about Thanksgivings past.  It is one of my favorite holidays.  It is such a reflective time for me....perhaps more than any other time during the year.

I have a small black and white clipping on my refrigerator that I cut out of our church bulletin several years ago.  It is a drawing of the back of a man, arms outstretched and it says:  "Oh God, I give thanks to you forever."  I cut it out because I love the simplicity of the drawing and the power in those few words.  I look at it often as a reminder.  I think sometimes we could each use a nudge here and there as a reminder.
I saw something that was posted by a friend on Facebook that said something to the affect that we need to be grateful for what we do have rather than regretful for what we don't have.  When I read things like this I think to myself that it really is a simple concept.  It isn't difficult to grasp.
I also read a quote by an unknown author that says "Blessed are those that can give without remembering and receive without forgetting."  That is something I believe and love so much.  Those who give of their time, their services, their prayers and their resources and don't have to let it be known or keep track or weigh the odds are true stewards of men and of God.

Another quote that I love that sort of goes with my ever-constant preaching about finding your own joy is this:  "The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it."  ~Richard Bach
How amazing is that?  If we enjoy our moments then it will lead to a lifetime of happiness.

I sometimes think I want to just list things that I am thankful for as easily and simply as they pop in my head.  The list is in no particular order with no preferences and no measure for which blessing is more important or relevant.
I am thankful for my cat, Leo.  He makes me smile and he entertains the entire family.  He loves unconditionally and he came to me at a time in my life when I thought my life was truly going to crumble around me.
I am thankful for my husband.  He has stuck with me through thick and thin, and I can honestly say he is my best pal.  We share everything and although we are quite different with our interests and with our way of thinking sometimes, it doesn't seem to hinder our relationship in the least.
I am thankful to be planning a wedding right now.  Although it is a lot of work and a big expense, planning an event that signifies something so joyful makes the work and expense pale in comparison.  I am thankful that I have these moments to share with my daughter and the the whole process has been enjoyable and bonding for both of us.
I am thankful to be scheduling flights for my son and daughter-in-law to come visit for Christmas.  The visits are much too few and far between.  The older I get, the more I miss seeing Joseph.  Sometimes he seems so far removed, yet as soon as he arrives we love to talk, have fun, and catch up.  It's like the time and distance suddenly fades away.
I am thankful for Jimmy.  He always was the 'loveable' kid in the family.  I know that little thumb-sucking boy is still there inside a man's body.  I love that he has two little kittens named Tiger and Rory that he is responsible for.  It is cute to see a grown man love and nurture two little creatures.
I am thankful for my Mom, as she is the cornerstone of our family.  She may be growing older and more wrinkled, but her wisdom and her experience....her kindness and her generosity.....those are the things that will live on forever.  I am so thankful that God made it possible for her to move to Florida so seemingly effortlessly.  She is a trooper.
I am thankful for my friends as I have always believed that one cannot sustain without friendships.  My friends are there to support me and help me through the rough times, but they are also there to share in the good times.  Sometimes they are just there.  They are there for something as simple as a time to go out to lunch or to share a few laughs.  I definitely was placed in the path of some wonderful women when I moved to Florida.
I am thankful for my church.  The hour I spend there on Sunday morning fuels me for the rest of the week.  It is somehow inexplainable, but the feeling I have is overwhelming.  Of course, the church is more for me than just an hour on Sunday, but that hour is truly the best hour of my week.
I am thankful for my home and my pool and my lovely things.  I am not a materialistic person, but I love my things as they represent my life and make my home my safe haven.  Dorothy was right when she said, "there's no place like home."  My desire is to travel, see the world, learn about new cultures, help people in other places, and all those things, but truly, if I never get to leave here again I won't complain.  Home is where I really love being the most.
I am thankful for all my relatives that have left this earth.  They touched my life and made me who I am today.  It is a weird feeling to have so few relatives left, but I know that one day I will join them along with my Aunt Madeline in that 'glorious reunion' she used to talk about.
I am thankful for the artistic streak that is in me.  I love to be creative and I love to make things.  I know that sometimes it seems silly, but I often fear that I won't live long enough to make and do and create all the things I have swimming around in my brain.  I like that I have this passion, though, as it keeps me focused (or rather scattered most of the time!) and always thinking forward.  I am never bored nor am I ever wondering what I'm going to do with my time.  Rather, I wonder when I can find enough time to do all these things that I love to do.
I am thankful that I enjoy cooking and entertaining and being 'Suzy Homemaker.'  I have always loved all things like this ever since I was a young girl.  I am thankful for Elaine Gregory for starting my true love of cooking and sewing and for her knowledge and patience to teach me.
I am thankful to live in this country.  In this state.  In this town.  In this community.  I truly believe there is no other place I can imagine being that would be more satisfying to me.  I guess that is good.  It is nice to feel contentment over restlessness.
I am thankful for the ocean, the sand, the sea creatures and seashells.  All of those things bring a smile to my face and joy to my life.  My friend Sally Hillyer has a plaque on her wall that I have copied and quoted many times and it says:  There is a sense of forever in the sound of the surf.  
Amen.
I am thankful for my in-laws.  There are countless jokes made about in-laws, but mine are truly great.  Whenever I am with Jim's brothers and sisters, distance knows no boundaries.  I am the lone Southerner of the bunch and I have sustained years and years of teasing, but I have also learned to love hard rolls, pork roll, the Jersey shore, and a room full of people who talk over one another and (seemingly) don't listen to one another.  These are the same people who make a big deal out of holidays and weddings and keeping up with each other, no matter how much time has elapsed between visits.  Coming from a small family, this crazy crew makes me smile and makes me enjoy the true meaning of 'opposites attract.'
I am thankful for my nephew as he is the link I have to my only sibling.  I miss her so much, but I see her in every smile that Porter makes and in his every sarcastic comment and in his brilliant writing.  I know that he is the true apple of her eye, and for that, I thank God every night.  He completed her and knowing that I can rest a little easier.
I am thankful for sunsets on a clear night and a good summer afternoon Tampa Bay lightning storm.  I am thankful for my little lemon tree and my birdfeeders.  Sometimes I really feel like a dork....I get so excited to watch the birds on my feeders.
I am thankful for good restaurants and yummy home-cooked meals.  I am equally thankful for Chick-Fil-A when I need my craving satisfied and I am thankful for a good ole pimento cheese sandwich.  I am thankful for a tomato sandwich and barbecued ribs when I visit Sally and David in Shelby.  Oh and homegrown corn and okra!
I am thankful for Carol and her sweet cat, Cooper.  I am thankful that Carol turned me on to Brooke and Darin Aldridge.  There is nothing like a lovingly married couple singing some amazing bluegrass and gospel.  I will never tire of the CDs that Carol sends me.
I am thankful for my old high school friends and the memories that we share.  I am thankful for Elon College and the experiences I had there......number one being finding the love of my life.  I am also thankful for my BA in English and grateful that my parents gave me the opportunity to further my education.
I am thankful that my parents allowed me to make my own choices.  I know sometimes they were biting their tongues, but it is amazing how once I made a choice I generally had one of those 'ah-ha' moments that hey, my parents were right after all.
I am thankful that I had parents who took me to church and instilled all the right values in me.  I love that I had such a wonderfully happy childhood.
I am thankful for laughter and silliness.  Sometimes I still feel like a little kid when I can get so excited at the silliest things.  I am thankful that my daughter and I share that.  It is joy in its rawest form.
I am thankful for music, dance and theater.  I love the performing arts and I thank my daddy for introducing me to Broadway.
I am thankful for my art teachers along the way and for all the artists past and present who enrich and beautify the world with their talents.
I am thankful for books.  Literature, poetry, essays, documentaries, romance novels and of course the greatest book ever written educate, enlighten, entertain and inform me.  I am thankful for the teachers who taught me to read.  I love that I have always had a book by my bedside since I first learned to read.  I have learned so much from books.  I have also just spent some amazing down time lost in a book.  I pray that literacy improves in our world because reading can change lives.
I am thankful for photography.  I hope one day when I die people can look through my pictures and realize that they don't need to be sad.  My pictures show a life lived fully.  They document so many wonderful times and all one needs to do is look through my photos to see that.
I am thankful for all the beautiful colors in the world.  I know that there are people who are color blind and they miss so much of that.  I truly love color.
I am thankful for the memories I have.  God made an amazing instrument when he made human brains.  A song, a smell, a sight, a flower....all these things can conjure up so many memories.  I will never eat a ham sandwich with a dill pickle without thinking of my friend, Terri.  I will never hear the song "Desert Rose" without seeing my daughter dance.  I will never smell Georgio perfume without thinking of my late friend, Janet.  I will never taste Sungroves orange swirl ice cream without thinking of Porter.  I will never view a driveway basketball court without picturing Jimmy shooting baskets.  I will never hear a Pearl Jam song without thinking of Joseph.  I will never hear the word 'pal' without thinking of my husband.
I am thankful for a good glass of red wine, finding a perfect scallop shell on the beach, or winning a game of Words with Friends against Anita.
I am thankful that my husband and I have been bowling every Wednesday night with our friends and on the same team with Dick and Anita for 10 years.  I am also thankful that they don't care that I haven't improved in all those years!
I am thankful that my daddy loved having me ride in the golf cart with him.  I am thankful that Sally and David open their home to me whenever I come to Shelby and that I am so comfortable there.  I am thankful for my Mom's friends like The Shafers, The Newmans, Gene LeGrand, Nancy Morgan, Edith White and so many more that I could never attempt to mention them all.  I think the thankfulness lies in that she has had so many good friends throughout her life.  I have always heard that to have a good friend, you must be one.  I guess this means Mom has been a good friend.
I am thankful for the doctors who are so educated and dedicated to their profession.  They are our healers and our comforters.  I have some amazing doctors to whom I am always grateful.
I am thankful for technology.  I know it gets a bad rap sometimes as people say it is spinning out of control.  There is some truth to that, but I am thankful for what wonderful things it provides and that I know the right way to get the most out of it.
I am thankful for people who still send 'snail mail.'  I don't think the thrill of receiving a card or letter delivered by the mailman will ever cease for me.
I am thankful for my pajamas, flip flops and comfortable shoes.  I have had foot surgeries and struggle with shoes, so finding something that fits and feels good is a real joy for me.
I am thankful for music.  I think if I had to live without music I would really be sad.  I love all kinds of music and I am thankful that God has gifted so many with the ability to sing, compose, and play instruments.  It would be a sad world without music.
I am thankful for games.  I love to play games.  Solitary games are great for my mind and other games are great for my social life.  I just love games.  Cards.  Crosswords.  Trivia.  Board games.  Acting games.  You name it.
I am thankful for theater.  I am so blessed to have been a part of the performing world.  I probably wasn't that great of an actress, director, teacher, singer, dancer, set painter, prop mistress or costumer, but I truly loved every moment spent doing anything theater related.

As I am writing this, I realize how truly significant my first statement is.  Life really IS all about being thankful.  I could probably sit here for hours on end just typing in all the things I am thankful for.

Amen and amen.



I love this poem simply entitled "Be Thankful."

Be thankful that you don't already have eveything you desire,

If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful that you don't know something

For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.

During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations

Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

 Be thankful for each new challenge

Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes

They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary 

Because it means you've made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are

also thankful for the setbacks.

GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles

and they can become your blessings.

~author unknown

Finding ways to be thankful and to see blessings through your troubles isn't always easy.  

But memories can be made of this.
And on to the next chapter......

On my counter right now for Thanksgiving

On my refrigerator as an ever-present reminder
(from Madeline)