Easter

Jennie

Aunt Lucile & Jennie

Papa (Herbert Thaxton, 82), Jennie Marie Watts (Herbert's granddaughter, 4), & 

Aunt Lucile (Vera Lucile Thaxton Cannon, Herbert's sister, 97)

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Another Year

Lesa (2 1/2 years old) & Herby (5 years old) - December 1962

I have a friend that recently lost her brother. She asked me if the pain ever gets better or goes away.

No - I can honestly say that it does not go away. Ever.

It does get easier to carry around but it never goes away.

It's always there hiding in the shadows of your heart.

It becomes a part of who you are.

She wanted know if the holidays and anniversaries were hard. The first ones were pretty hard but the worst days are everyday ordinary days.

The everyday ordinary days........ The days when I am reminded of my brother and I didn't expect it.

The days when I see the back of someones head that looks like my brother and my breath catches in my chest because just for a moment - I think it is him.

The days when I see a good friend of his that misses him just about as much as I do and I can see the pain and longing in their eyes. I can hear the catch in their voice as they speak of him.

The days when I see a truck from the company where he worked and think for just a moment - is it him?

Those are the days that hurt the most.

The everyday ordinary days that take a little detour through my heart when I least expect it. That's it. When I least expect. The everyday ordinary days.

Every time this happens - the next thing I know - I am thinking about thinking. This is a link to the post that wrote last year about my brother.

I still love you & miss you Herby!

Lesa

Sunday Reflections

It was a beautiful day today. The high was in the low 50's and the sun peeped out several times. Neil & I rode over to my favorite place to take pictures - Chapel Hill Church and then on to Clarksville for a little shopping. I think I could take hundreds of pictures there and still not be satisfied! It has to be one of the most peaceful places I have ever been to in my life. It was windy today so we didn't stay very long. I want to go back this summer, pack a lunch, a good book, and sit under one of the trees until my heart is content.

Two year old lambs in Christmas plays do not
usually follow the rest of the flock.....

Jennie is growing up so fast. She talks all the time and has the "2" stubbornness down pat! If she doesn't want to do something - you may as well forget it! She has an independent little mind all her own. We kept her Friday night and took her out to eat with us. As I was putting her in the car seat, I said, "Jennie, I love you so much!" and I gave her a kiss on her forehead. She said, "I love you Sissy!". Well - I have to tell you - my heart felt like it tumbled out of my chest and bounced across the parking lot and just kept on rolling! It was the first time she told me that she loved me! Then she looked up front at Neil, and said, "I love you Neil!". He sat there for a few minutes with silly grin on his face. She is so precious. She loves so easily. I feel so sorry for the first guy that breaks her heart. There will be a line of people ready to break his neck......
Lesa

Wordless Wednesday

I know - she is going to want to
shoot me by the time she is 15.

This reminds me of the post I did last year about
Step Ins.

Lesa

The Wonder of Christmas

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Random Ramblings

My blog has been neglected once again! Life is just going on and my blog is sitting here in Blogland unattended! Facebook has been biggest downfall as far keeping up with my blog.

I have been painting ornaments for Christmas. This is like therapy for me and Lord knows I need all the therapy I can get these days! Each year I paint ornaments and sell them. I start taking custom orders in September. Every year I come up with a different design or theme.
This year it is snowmen/snow people.

Christmas 2009 Ornaments

Please keep my family in your prayers. We are dealing with my mother who has Alzheimer's. My Dad has his hands full a lot of the time. It seems like in the past 2 weeks she has gone down hill so fast. The doctor is working with a different combination of medications and she is to see a neurologist in 2 weeks. She is having problems with knowing who my father is a lot of the time. It has been so painful for all of us to watch this horrible disease come in and steal away Mom's mind. It's as if it has come like a thief in the night robbing our mother of her memory. She is so sad and afraid most of the time. It's like she is stuck between knowing what is happening and being totally lost. There is no happy middle in her mind right now.

Lesa

Knock Knock! Guess who is back?

No – I have not totally fallen off the face of the earth. I’m just clinging to the edge!

School started here on August 6. That’s all I can say.

Work – home – work – home – and back to work. That’s all I have done for over a month.

Well - work and Facebook. Am I the only one that is addicted to Facebook? And FARKLE? Where has FARLKLE been all of my life?? I could sit and play it for hours. I even dozed off playing the other night while sitting up in my chair! FARKLE is like Yahtzee but the game is shorter and you play against your friends. I'm not to sure about how the chips work - I just enjoy playing the game - over and over again until I fall out of my chair!

I’m hoping to post a few things within the next week. I have new recipes I have tried lately that I can’t wait to share.I’ve also started on a few Christmas crafts. I know – Christmas is months away. I have to get started now to get everything finished that I plan to make.

Most important of all – our Jennie is getting to be such a big girl! Here are a few pictures from her birthday party on Saturday. I can’t believe that it has been two years since I first fell head over heals in love with this little sweetheart!

Thanks to everyone for emailing to check on me! I enjoyed hearing from you!

Lesa

Wordless Wednesday!

Wordless Wednesday

Organizing My Stuff

I was off from work last week and decided to organize my craft stuff. I threw away lots of junk and boxed up some stuff to give away.

Jennie "helped" me Monday and Tuesday. She is really into putting things in the trash can. She is also into pulling things out of the trash can too!

My biggest problem has always been how to store my Stampin Up ink pads. I've tossed around the idea of building a shelf for quite awhile. Yesterday, I finally mapped out what I thought about making. I went to Lowe's and started thinking about what I would need. Last night, I started measuring and cutting. I finished it today and sprayed it with a light coat of white paint.

It's not exactly what I had in mind but it will work for now.
It doesn't look professional by any means but that's OK.
It only cost me $23 and a smashed finger.

Next - I have to work on my paper storage.
I may have to build another room on to the house.....

Lesa

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Birthday Mary Helen!

This is a picture of the barn that Mary Helen would see on the way to Granny and Papa's house when she was growing up. She knew when she saw this barn that they were almost there! That was many years ago when it was a long trip from Pembroke to Pee Dee. (I'm not sure if she rode in a horse and buggy or not!) It now only takes 20 minutes. I will not tell how old she is today. Let's just say that she is older than me (and dirt) and that is old.... I love her dearly.

Guess who is coming to see you today?
Love Ya!

Lesa

Wordless Wednesday

Friday Fave Five

It's time for Friday Fave Five! I have been slacking in this area - I've been slacking in a lot areas lately but I had rather not think about that now! Be sure to check out all of the Friday Fave Five entries over at Suzanne's - Living to Tell the Story.

1. Crop Duster – Monday afternoon I kept hearing an airplane buzzing around the house and flying low. Then it dawned on me – it’s a crop dusting plane! I love watching planes fly low and swoop down! I ran out the front door with my camera in my hand so fast that I tripped over my feet at the bottom of the steps and hit my knee on the sidewalk and slipped in the muddy grass on one side. I got up and took off running again with my camera ready to take pictures and video. Thanks goodness I didn't drop my camera! After taking several shots, I realized that two of my neighbors were watching me instead of the plane. With mud all down one side of my body, I very gracefully walked back into the house as if nothing ever happened. They probably sat at the supper table that night laughing about the short chunky neighbor lady, with the white legs and skinned up knee, falling over herself in the yard like she had never seen a plane before. I bet I looked like the guy on “Fantasy Island” yelling – “De plane! De plane!” At least I provided a little free entertainment! Meanwhile – my knee still hurts but I got some good shots of the plane!

2. Jennie – This is Jennie on her rocking horse last Sunday before she had her fit of “Drama”! (See previous post!) The necklace that she is wearing was her grandmother's when she was a baby. I love her little bare feet!

3. Iris – This is my favorite color of iris that are in bloom now. A dear friend gave me these many years ago. They really are more a chocolate brown color. We used to call them "Flags" and I thought they were only purple and yellow when we were growing up. I know a lady that has over 200 different colors. She can tell you the names of each color and she is 92 years old! I do good to remember my own name some days!

4. My Mama – This is a picture of Mom and Jennie that I took last Sunday. Mom’s memory is slowly being robbed by Alzheimer’s. For now, she knows all of us and for that blessing I am grateful!

5. Philippians 4:6-7 – These verses have been in my heart all week.

⁶Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

⁷And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Lesa

Wordless Wednesday

Maybe a few words to explain -

This is Jennie on Sunday afternoon when she did not want to have her picture taken one more time. She had been cute and smiled for way too long!

Lesa