Remembering My Brother

Herby Thaxton

December 8, 1957 – January 22, 2006

This is the picture that my Dad did

not want us to use at the funeral home.

Susan and I insisted.

This picture is my brother enjoying his life to the fullest.

It’s who he was – enjoying his “refreshment”!

Three years ago today, I said goodbye to my only brother, Herby. It seems like only yesterday that my sister and I held his hands as he left this world for a much better place. His body was ready to go. At 48 years old, he was not. He loved life. His life choices may not have been the best but he lived his life to the fullest.

He was three years older than me and was the typical older brother. His main goal in life while we were growing up was to irritate my sister Susan and I in any possible way. There was never a dull moment when he was around. He could cheat at any game and never get caught. The only give away to his winning schemes was his smirky grin. When we played cards one time, he had a matching deck under the table so he could pull out the cards that he needed to win. He even had extra Monopoly pieces to place around the board when you looked away. I learned very early to never look away especially when I had something really good to eat!

He was the master mind of many devious plots when we were growing up.

One time, Dad brought home an old parachute from the army base where he worked. Herby and my cousin Mike, decided to attach the parachute to the cat (Felix - very appropriately named) and throw him off the roof of the house to see if the cat would fly in the air with the parachute. Mom was in the bedroom as the cat passed by the window. Luckily, the cat landed on his feet in the middle of the mound of parachute. They didn’t mean to hurt him they said. They were just testing the parachute. Next thing I knew, the parachute was tied to the back their dirt bikes while they rode down the gravel road. Oh - the fun we had entertaining ourselves!

I’ll never forget the time he hid under Susan’s bed one night waiting for her to get in. She was probably five or six at the time. Being eleven years older, he barely fit under her bed. He waited until she turned out the light and got snuggled down in her bed for night. As she laid there he held up her talking Bozo the Clown doll beside the bed making him dance like a puppet. “That’s a rootin’ tootin’ trick!” Bozo said as he pulled his string. Susan screamed while running in mid air out the door of her bedroom. I don’t remember if Mom ever really fussed him – I’m sure if she did - it probably went in one ear and out the other!

Before he passed away, Susan and I spent many nights with him in the emergency room. His mind would ramble in so many directions while we tried to keep him in the bed and off the light fixtures. One night he kept asking the same question over and over again for hours.

“Did you ever think about thinking?” he kept asking.

“Hey Susan! Did you ever think about thinking?”

“Hey Lesa! Lesa! Did you ever think about thinking?”

We would keep answering over and over again. Yes. No. Maybe. Hum.

Just when we thought he had dozed off, he would come back around and ask again.

“Did you ever think about thinking?”

Today I can answer that question.

Yes.

I have thought about thinking.

I have thought about you each Christmas, birthday, and many days in between.

I have thought about how much you would love Jennie.

I have thought about how much Susan and I love you and miss you.

Yes. I have thought about thinking.

Love,

Lesa

Wordless Wednesday - "Hints of Spring"

New Leadership in Our Nation

“When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.”

"My Hope is Built on Nothing Less"
by Edward Mote, 1797-1874

I thought of this song today as the new president took his oath of office and said the words, “So help me God”.

To be found in Him and standing on solid rock is all we can hope for when all is said and done.

I may not support everything our new president stands for but when a man takes an oath and says “So help me God”, I don’t want to be the one standing on sinking sand and trying to support him. We all need to have our feet firmly grounded on what this nation was built on so many years ago.

Faith.

Hope.

Trust in God.

Unity.

The least we can do is stand on the Solid Rock and pray that God will help him.

Lesa

Happy Birthday Elvis!

Wordless Wednesday

Step Ins

My Mom and Dad gave of each us money for Christmas. It was a very simple solution for them. My Mom has Alzheimer’s and doesn’t do very well shopping or buying things for others at this point. She was so funny asking us several times Christmas Eve if we got our cards with the money from her and Dad. (She had just handed us the cards 20 minutes before she asked the first time.) She told us that they put their money together this year since they didn’t know what to get any us for Christmas. She stated this as if they each had two separate incomes, extra jobs on the side, and took up a collection between the two of them! My parents have been retired for many years now and have had the same bank account for a long time. When Mom asked several times if we got our cards with money, one of us would say we did and how much we really appreciated it. Somebody even said it was their favorite shade of green! After she had asked a few more times, I finally spoke up and said that I was going to buy some new underwear with my money.

My grandmothers always got me new underwear for Christmas when I was little. Nanny, my grandmother on my mother’s side of the family, always gave me cotton “panties”. They were so soft and comfy. Sometimes they would be in soft pastel colors. I loved wearing pink panties! Granny, my grandmother on my father’s side of the family, was a whole different story in the pantie department. She always got me the silky feeling, itchy kind. She called them “step-ins”. I remember her telling me that nice little girls only wore white step-ins. Not pink or lavender – just white. Apparently I had a problem with showing my panties when ever I wore dresses. Granny gave me step-ins with lace on the rear end in case my dress came up. I guess it was OK to show your step-ins if they were silky and had ruffles on them.

I had this discussion with Mom on Christmas Eve after I mentioned buying new underwear with my money. My mother actually remembered Granny putting the itchy things on me every time I went to visit. She said that I would start scratching as soon as they touched my behind. Maybe that’s why Granny put the ruffled ones on me. In case I started scratching with a dress on.

I’m sure if Granny was still living she would also tell me that nice girls don’t discuss their step-ins in public.

Lesa

Family Christmas

We had a great Christmas! Christmas Eve we went to my sister’s house with my parents, Jennie, Carly, and my family. We opened gifts and ate way too much!

When I started this blog, I decided not to use some of our real names. Why? I don't know. I get confused enough with real names, I don't know why I thought I could remember to use fake ones....

So - here are the cast of characters in my family and a few pictures from Christmas Eve. (Sometimes we are real characters too!)

My Niece Jennie, My Sister Susan, My Mom Rosie, My Dad Herbert, Me, and My Son Justyn

Justyn, Me, and Neil

I look like I'm smashed in the middle and I'm really not that short....

Carly, Jennie, and Susan

Alan, Jennie, and Susan

Justyn always gets new boxers for Christmas.
Jennie looks like she is saying
"It's just new underwear. What's the big deal?"
At 16 months, we are sure Jennie is already using sarcasm.....

Carly got a Whoopie cushion in her stocking and decided to try it out.


Jennie didn’t like it at all.

Protect me Justyn!
Notice the grip she has on his sweater!

Jennie was really into opening presents and ripping paper.

It really doesn’t matter what is inside – as long as she can rip a lot of paper and pitch it behind her!

No matter what happens with the economy - there is always lots of love to go around!

I hope you and your family had a very Merry Christmas!

Lesa

Merry Christmas from My Family to Yours!

Wordless Wednesday

**Special Note - One of the guys at work said that she must be reading a fiction book! Ha!

I'll make him think fiction...........

Game Night - Free Entertainment!

What happened to the days of getting together with family and friends to play games or cards? I think in the hustle and bustle of life, we have lost a valuable activity. I remember when I was growing up, we would have card games on Friday or Saturday night at our house or we would go to our neighbor’s house. Our social outings for the week were going to church on Sundays, Wednesday night prayer meeting, and going to someone’s house to play games.

On Thanksgiving Day after we scarfed down (is scarfed a word?) a huge meal, we decided to play cards instead of lying around on the couch, dozing off to sleep, and holding our bellies all afternoon.

We played Texas Rummy. Each round you have different requirements for laying down your cards. It’s very easy to play. It’s a twist on regular rummy using 2 decks of cards. I’m not sure where or how it got the name of Texas Rummy. Maybe somebody from Texas came to Kentucky and taught a friend how to play this game. I don’t know. Maybe if Diane came and taught me how to knit, I could call it Arkansas Knitting! Just a thought…..

We enjoyed talking, laughing, and just being together. The best part – it was free! For several years in the past, we have gone to the movie after we eat Thanksgiving dinner. With the economy like it is, we all need more free things to do as a family. What better way to save money than to pull up a couple of chairs, get out some cards or games, and enjoy what you have!

My son, who is 27, lives with us and we never take time to stop and just talk. We eat in passing, leave notes for each other, and get ready for work each morning in three different shifts at my house. My sister and brother-in-law are the same way. We all have meetings during the week and barely have time to call each other before we fall into bed exhausted at night.

My sister and I have made a promise that we will commit to at least two or three nights a month to play games and just enjoy being together as a family. She already has Friday night planned for us. I’m bringing the Rook cards, Dominoes, Dr. Pepper and a cheese ball. My brother-in-law wanted know if this called for a fresh batch of Chex Mix?….. What more do you need for a fun night? Not much!

I’m already looking forward to our free entertainment on Friday night and it’s only Monday! I’m so easily entertained…….

Lesa