The Big Wedding

For those wanting to catch up on the BIG family news-

Check it out-

http://www.wpcva.com/articles/2007/02/13/altavista/news/news12.txt

I Love My Job

I just thought that I would tell everyone that I love my job. I don’t like getting up, but I like my job. I don’t even mind the drive, because I get to listen to Rick and Bubba. Once I get to work, I like my job. I like my co-workers, I love the kids, I love the “new and improved” building, and I especially love the library. I have always liked my job (well, after year one), but in the past few years, especially since moving to my position as librarian, I love my job. Today I dealt with over 100 eighth graders working on projects. The questions never end. If I heard “Mrs. Courington” once, I heard it several hundred times- but, I still love my job. I love helping with research- I think working in a research library would be cool- but I could never leave my sweet middle school children. I have a job where no two days are ever the same. Some days are smooth, other rough- but, I love my job. How about you- do you love your job????

Girl-Boy- Girl or Boy??????

As most of you know, we are going to be blessed, Lord willing, with another grandchild. They just keep getting better as they come along. We hope and pray that all goes well with this pregnancy for Kim and the baby. Levi was an uneventful pregnancy, certainly compared to Addi. I don’t like to think about any part of that, except the beautiful outcome.
We are excited about the possibilities for this little one. I know his/her parents will do a great job raising them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
I am thinking GIRL- just to break the cycle of girl-boy-boy. Kim thinks boy because I went girl-boy-boy. Josh has a girl, so we will see where their pattern goes! Of course Paul is from boy-girl-girl. His older sister has 1 boy, and the younger has girl-boy. My sister has girl-girl-girl, and my brother has girl-boy-boy. I am from girl-boy-girl, and David is from boy-boy. Charles and Genie are from such a tribe that I could not start to analyze that crew. So what do you think? Girl or boy? Of course healthy is all that matters, but it is fun to speculate!

Lectureship Week!

Tomorrow I will be going to the annual Freed Hardeman Lectures with David. The first full week in February is a week that I look forward to for several reasons (other than being off work). I love being around so many Christians. I love to hear the lectures. They are almost always enjoyable. I, for some strange reason, love to attend the Mission Forum. I enjoy hearing the missionaries tell about their work. There are so many good men willing to go to places that I can’t and won’t go to- I am thankful for them. I love seeing old friends, some from college days. I enjoy seeing how everyone has aged, and yet I have remained untouched by age (of course I am looking at them through bifocals!). I love being at Freed Hardeman University. A piece of my heart still lives on campus. There is just something about being there that makes me feel like I am in my 20’s all again. I love how familiar it feels, even after these 30 years since I graduated. I love the memories- walking hand in hand with David across the campus. While things have changed to some degree, many things remain the same. I love seeing all the young people that are students. I think of their parents, and the sacrifices many are making to provide them with a Christian education. This year will be a little different for me. For the past 9 years we have had one (or two) of our children at Freed. Lectureship week always meant getting to see them as students, with their friends, going to class, attending chapel with them- all things that I did at the same place. I will miss looking for one of them to come into chapel and to share the snug little seat beside me. I hope that one day I will get to sit with Addi, Levi, and Hannah in chapel at a Christian university. I want to be there to share that moment with them, just as I did with their parents. Hey- I will only be 66 or so when Addi starts college! I think I can make that. Pray for us as we travel.

The Saga of the Unwanted Library Shelves

I haven’t had much to write about lately, so I thought I would share the saga of the shelves. As most of you know, I am in a wonderful new library facility. I have EVERYTHING I need, and almost everything I could WANT! Now has is that for an inner-city school? My book collection is probably my only weak link- and I have just spent a hunk of federal money to update that, so in a few months those thousands of dollars of new books will grace the shelves (although not the shelves referred to in this blog). Who would have thought that the most talked about, debated over, discussed, and touched item would be an empty book shelve. Let me try to give you guys some background- I have 6 sets of floor shelves- too many for the size of the library, and too many for the collection size. When I first began to unpack, it was obvious that I not only had too many shelves, but that they had been placed on the floor willy-nilly (no set amount of space between them). Let me preface this by saying, that even empty, my piano-moving self could not move these shelves. Then I also realized that the shelves were not placed up to handicap code- too close does not give access for wheelchairs. Okay- I thought I would contact the director of Media Services, my dear friend, Sadie. Sadie, who is quite a mover and shaker, came, looked, and also realized that the shelves needed to go. That is where the fun began. I cannot begin to relate all the fun it has been trying to get these shelves out of here. The Paris Peace Talks were certainly less complicated. There have been at least 15 groups of people come and look at the shelves, scratch their heads, and say something like- “We will see what we can do”. Since it has been over 3 months, I had pretty much decided to live with the shelves, until the handicap issue becomes a problem (we do not, at the present time, have any students or faculty in wheelchairs- but we have in the past, and I am certain that we will in the future). While the shelves are bare- they do serve as a prop for book displays- but I really would like for someone to adopt them. This week, 2 men, who gave the appearance of being the founding fathers of 2 men and a truck (they were pretty old guys) showed up to move the shelves. I was so happy. As they began to make preparation to move the shelves, I asked where they were moving them? They looked at one another, and then looked at me, and the younger of the two (about 65) said- “We were going to put them out in the hall.” Now keep in mind- these shelves weigh a ton and are about 10 feet long! I said, “No way. They have to go somewhere besides here,” to which I received a blank stare. So, the 2 men scratched their heads once again, and disappeared. I wonder how many more people will come to check on my shelves this year? I think I will start keeping count.

Three Simple Words

The other night, after I had gone to bed, the telephone rang. David was in the living room watching television, and I was half-watching the television in the bedroom. I muted my television to hear David answer the telephone. I can always tell by the tone of his voice whether or not the call signals a problem, a simple conversation, or some church issue. Once I determine that no one is injured, bleeding, or dead, I usually hit the mute button and continue my television watching (just so you will know I do not eaves drop!). I soon realized that it was Daniel calling to ask his Dad about a dishwasher problem. I started to drift back off to sleep when I heard the 3 words that Kim, Josh, or Daniel say to us in every conversation, or the 3 that David or I say- “I love you”. I know they are simple words- but they mean so much. I am so proud of my children. I am proud that they tell us they love us, and I know they mean it. Useless words are just that- useless. Now I have Addi and Levi to say, “I love you”, and soon Hannah will follow. I could not be more blessed. David always tells me he loves me, and I never tire of hearing it. Have you told someone you love them, today?

Does anyone else see the irony in this picture?

Daniel and Mandi bought David and me tickets to the Jim Brickman concert last night for our Christmas and birthday gifts. Mandi had a reflux flair up, so Josh went in her place. The concert was wonderful, and I truly enjoyed it, as did David, Daniel and Josh. I could not help but to note the $22.00 mixed drinks that were in so many people's hands. It was a rather upper crust crowd to some extent. The irony- Brickman was playing O Holy Night, Silent Night, and other traditional religious Christmas songs. A glass of alcohol in one hand, and O Holy Night in the heart. Something seems amiss with the picture.

Happy Anniversary, David

Today marks our 30th wedding anniversary. Time has a way of moving by, and it seems unreal that we have been married 30 years. The day we married was headlined as the “Coldest Day of the Century”- but my heart and my feelings for my sweet husband were certainly warm. No, things have not always been perfect, and yes, we have had moments when we did not see eye to eye, but, in reality, it has been a truly wonderful and exciting time. I awoke to a wonderful card this morning- one not created by Hallmark, but by David. I did not get poetry, but I did get wonderful sentiments that I knew were from his heart. When I told people at work that today was my anniversary, most asked, “How long?” When I replied, “30 years” the reaction by many was- “To the same man!” How sad that this world does not think you can remain loyal and true to just one person for a lifetime. I hope that God grants us many more years to enjoy one another. I love you, David.

In Memory of Lila Mae

Many people have touched my life through the years, but Bill and Lila Mae Hand have to rank very close to the top. When David and I moved to Maytown to begin our work with the congregation there, we were the ripe old age of 23. Looking back, we were so young. Bill, who was one of the elders, and Lila Mae, took us into their lives just as if though we belonged to them. There was never a time that we called on them, that they were not there. Bill always had the right tool that David needed to borrow, and Lila Mae always had eggs and sugar. But our relationship was truly more than tools, eggs, and sugar- they were our support system. As our children arrived, all 3, there was never a birthday or Christmas that there was not a gift from the Hands. I think Lila Mae must have bought more Christmas presents than the Queen of England. She never forgot anyone. She always told others that they had "raised us", and I guess they did.
This morning when I received the call that she had passed, my heart was so sad. I cried like I have not cried in a long time. Although Lila Mae's health had been poor the past years, her spirit remained optimistic. She was such an encouragement. Her Christian light was so bright- at home, at church, and in the neighborhood. I have taken a lot of kidding because I always insist that when we prepare food for a funeral, that we prepare as if though an army was coming- I had good training. Lila Mae would not have dared to fix a small bowl of anything- everything she did was big-big bowls and big love. So, while my heart is sad, I am so thankful that her suffering is over. I am thankful that one day I will see her and Bill again. I am thankful that they loved David, me, and our children. As I helped Billy pack up the hospital room, I opened her cosmetic bag and there amidst the Vitamin E Oil, the Raleigh Salve, and her lipsticks, was a picture of Addi, Levi, and Hannah. She loved them, too, and I am sad that they will never know her. I am certain that if Heaven has a kitchen, that there is a new "Head Cook". I think I smell the cinnamon rolls, even now. Lila Mae, I love you.

URLY GURD

My beautiful,wonderful, and intelligent granddaughter, Addi, turned 4 today. There are no words that could be penned that would tell anyone how much she means to me. She makes my life, “Urly Gurd” as she would say- translated- “Really Good”. I know that eventually all of her words will be correctly spoken, but I am not really all that eager for that day to come. She can say “Youses” so sweet- as in- “Will youses turn on some tartoons in youses room?” Gramps is no longer “Namps” and I am no longer “Anna”, but Granna. Addison Rae Kelsey- I love you!
Granna

What are you thankful for this year?

We are fast approaching the holiday season, with Thanksgiving right around the corner. Many of my blogging buddies have already posted their Thanksgiving entry, so I guess it is time. I thought about a top 10 list, but I have far more to be thankful for than I could list in 10 entries. I thought about doing a “Thanksgiving Tag”- and I might add that at the end of this entry. So, I am going to make a feeble attempt at sharing some of the things for which I am most thankful.
I am thankful that God loves me, and that Jesus died for me. Without the love and the sacrifice, I am certain my “Thankful” list would not be very long. I am also thankful for the church at Sylvan Springs and for each member. Without my church family, I would not be whole.
I am thankful for the most wonderful husband in the whole world. He loves me and I love him. We complete one another.
I am thankful for the 3 best kids in the world. I can’t say they are perfect, but I can say they are “perfect” to me. I am also thankful for my son-in-law and my daughters-in-law. If I had been given a magic wand to choose a mate for my children, I could not have done better. I am also thankful for the parents that raised them. They did a great job.
I am thankful for the 3 most beautiful grandchildren in the world. My heart just melts when I see them. Sometimes I just have to sit and stare at them, and think about their potential. I hope God allows me to see them grow up.
I am thankful for my family, my sister and my brother and their families. I am thankful that we live in peace with one another, and that I know they are there for me. I am thankful for my nieces (and husbands) and nephews, and I am proud of them.
I am thankful for my in-laws, for their goodness to me for the past 30 years.
I am thankful for my job(s). I truly am fortunate. I actually don’t dread going to work!
I am thankful for my home, for my health, for my cupboards being full, for my closet being too full, for my car having gas, my where do you end this list?
Now, I am tagging you- if you are reading this- tell me what you are thankful for.

Delinquent Blogger

Almost a whole month without a post. I have many excuses, none of which I will try to use at this point. Sadly, I don't really have much to blog about today. I have spent the last month getting the media center organized. We have come from the dark ages to a land of milk and honey. Everything is nice- now not as nice as some I am certain, but for this little lot of inner city Birmingham- NICE. So nice, in fact, that thieves could not resist breaking in to our new school on this past weekend. They wiped out only 1 classroom- of course it was the teacher who had all of my equipment checked out. I lost an LCD projector and our ELMO projector. That in itself was multiple thousands of dollars. The school system seldom replaces anything stolen, you are basically just out of luck.
Life is good. The grands are growing and making life happy. We are working to adjust to our new "child" (MaMa Courington), and PaPa seems to be making it well, all things considered. While the arrangement might not be what we would all like it to be, we are going to make the best of the situation. We are thankful for Cherry Hill as they truly seem to take good care of our PaPa. A few weeks ago we made a Sunday visit. Kim, Paul, Addi, and Levi went with us. As we came through the door Levi yelled to PaPa- "You found me!" Levi also uses this in the mornings when Kim gets him out of bed- it's not that he is lost, it's just his way of saying, "I am glad to see you." Levi truly loves his PaPa. I am sad that he can't know the real man, but he loves him for what he is at this moment, not expecting anything more. We must all learn from him.

Thanksgiving – Dixie Style

I received the following from my sister. It was written by my actress niece, Leslie. Leslie now resides in California- which to tell you truthfully, we all find a bit unusual and exotic for our never venture far from their roots family. My sister and I often comment on how our mother would find great joy and delight in the fact that her couch now resides in Pasadena. Anyway, with the holidays not too far away, please enjoy-

Thanksgiving – Dixie Style

When I was asked to write a blog about my favorite Thanksgiving memory, I was flooded with so many, I had a hard time choosing what to write about. When I was younger, Thanksgiving was a time to hang out with my family and eat great food. I really didn’t think much about the holiday beyond that. I left my hometown of Birmingham, Alabama five years ago to pursue an acting career in Los Angeles, and Thanksgiving certainly carries a lot more weight for me now than it did then. No matter what, I go home for Thanksgiving every year. Now, instead of it being about hanging out with my family, it is about reconnecting with my family. While I used to enjoy eating great food, I now savor aromas and tastes I can only get when I make that 2,000 mile trek home. So many things I used to take for granted about that time of year in the South I don’t anymore: hearing the crunch of leaves underneath my feet, feeling the bristle of wind whip my hair around, watching those long red sunsets through the crisp air. Those are just the moments by myself. After spending the better part of the year alone in my little Los Angelian apartment, it is great to be surrounded by my family: loud, boisterous, welcoming, loving, and always ready to have a good time. In addition to eating all the great food (I’ll get to that in a minute), we spend the evening playing Balderdash and other competitive games like it’s the Olympics, draw names for who we will buy gifts for at Christmas and catch up on what’s going on in everyone’s life. The food, ah, the food. Like any Southern family, we have enough food to feed a small nation. It all tastes good, and it is all bad for you. My very favorite dish is my aunt’s peanut butter pie. When I tell people this, they say, “Oh yeah, I’ve had peanut butter pie” to which I quickly reply, “Oh no you haven’t!” How do I know this? I HAVEN’T SEEN THEM AT ANY OF MY THANKSGIVINGS! My aunt makes the best peanut butter pie ever. I’ve always associated peanut butter pie with Thanksgiving, and now that I travel cross-country to eat it, she makes two for good measure. It may sound silly, but knowing I will get that peanut butter pie the fourth Thursday of every November brings warmth and security to my life. I may not know how successful my acting career will be, but hey, on Thanksgiving I get peanut butter pie. I may be separated from my family for the vast majority of the year, but end of November, I get peanut butter pie. If nobody appreciates my talents and sacrifices, I STILL get peanut butter pie. I have friends who moved to LA from other parts of the country like myself, and many of them talk about how they can’t go home because of the cost of air fare, time off of work, blah, blah, blah. I simply reply, “Well, I have a date in Alabama with a peanut butter pie.” I can’t remember who it was who said the simple things in life bring us the greatest pleasure, but I couldn’t agree more. As you can see, the pie isn’t difficult to make, but I think it is the love instead of the ingredients that make it so great!

From my Aunt Susan:

Ingredients:

8 ounces Cream Cheese
1 cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
16 ounces Cool Whip
1 pre-made graham cracker pie crust

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and cool whip until well blended. Pour into the pre-made pie crust. Refrigerate.

For a more peanut butter taste, use 2/3 cup of creamy peanut butter.

Leslie McGuirk
Pasadena, CA

My Poor Baby

No matter how old your children are, they are still your babies. Kim, my oldest (soon to be 28), has been having bad back problems the past week. Her problem seems to have started when she tried to pick up her PaPa, who had fallen. She thought she had pulled a muscle, but at the time she was able to go on. Two weeks later it seems to have caught up with her big time. She has been to the doctor, plus a trip to the emergency room. She is having an MRI this morning, as the doctor seems to think there could be a disc problem as opposed to a pulled muscle. She has been in big time pain (I understand back pain, having had a few spells myself) and Paul has taken off at least 3 days of work to be with her as she can't lift Levi into or out of the bed (not even taking into account having to run behind his busy self all day). Keep my baby in your prayers. Kim is one of the joys of my life and I can't stand to see her hurt. You know, if I could bare her pain, I would. I guess you call that "Motherhood".

Elder Humor

I have been accused of causing some of you to cry lately, so I thought I would try to make you laugh (myself included). Enjoy the senior humor- I am certain there will be more to come!

GROW OLD ALONG WITH ME: Two elderly ladies had been friends for many decades. Over the years they had shared all kinds of activities and adventures. Lately, their activities had been limited to meeting a few times a week to play cards. One day they were playing cards when one looked at the other and said, 'Now don't get mad at me.....I know we've been friends for a long time.....but I just can't think of your name! I've thought and thought, but I can't remember it. Please tell me what your name is." Her friend glared at her. For at least three minutes she just stared and glared at her. Finally she said, "How soon do you need to know?"

HYMNS FOR THE OVER 50 CROWD
1. Precious Lord, Take My Hand, and Help Me Up
2. It is Well with My Soul, But My Knees Hurt
3. Nobody Knows the Trouble I Have Seeing
4. Just a Slower Walk with Thee
5. Count your Many Birthdays, Name Them One by One
6. Go Tell It on the Mountain, But Speak Up
7. Give Me the Old Timers' Religion
8. Blessed Insurance
9. Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah, I've Forgotten Where I Parked

There's No Place Like Home

It has been an emotional week at the Courington home. Our beloved father, father-in-law, and PaPa has been in the hospital. He fell last Thursday (nothing broken), and thankfully the hospital admitted him because he could not stand on his own, and probably because they sensed that PaPa could not go home with the situation as it was. Around the clock sitters are no longer enough to counter the ravages of Alzheimers. What a sad disease. Growing old, gracefully, does not happen to everyone. I know several individuals that were so intelligent, who have been reduced to the lowest levels by this disease.
Sadly, PaPa must now be moved to a nursing home. We think that we have located a home (Cherry Hill) that seems to be an excellent facility. It is close to us, and such a nice place. Of course as Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz, "There's no place like home". PaPa no longer knows where home is- when he is at home, he wants to go home. Home is somewhere in his mind that we can't get him to anymore. Home is where his Mother and Daddy were. I have always known that PaPa loved his parents, but since he has been so bad mentally, I have stated several times that he must have loved his parents tremendously. He was so sad at the times we told him they were dead, until we started saying, "They are alright". My dear mother stated that if you had to be in a nursing home, it was better if you were not mentally coherent. So, for that, I guess we are thankful. So, keep us all in your prayers as we are all in for a period of adjustment. Life never stays the same, changes come and go, and we must adapt.

A Step Back in Time

Yesterday I went with Addi to soccer practice. I actually was going to have to take her, but in the end Kim ended up getting to go (long story), so I just tagged along. None of my kids ever played soccer, but they all played softball/baseball, and the boys played football. During the softball/baseball years, which certainly spanned over a decade, we spent many hours on the bleachers. We used to joke about putting up a mailbox at the complex. Addi is playing soccer at the same complex. The soccer fields are where the old practice fields used to be. As I was sitting there, I could not help but to think back- where has time gone? My little softball player is now the mommy handing out team snacks (boy I handed out a lot of those!). I think cheering Addi on is going to make me feel young again- not that I feel old. Kim's MaMa and PaPa Courington used to love to come to her games; now, sadly, PaPa can't remember those days, or even yesterday. You know, we all need to "savor the moment" because we have no clue what the next second, minute, hour, or day will bring. So, for those of you who have life, breath, and soundness of mind- thank God for the day and enjoy it!

My New Abode

Only those who have had the honor of visiting the "old" Wilkerson Middle School, can truly appreciate the above photo of "my" new media center. There is also a computer lab on the other side of the room. I can't wait!

Days You Never Forget

Today is the anniversary of one of those days you will never forget. I started to think about other days that I would never forget and this is my short list:
1. The day I became a Christian
2. My wedding day
3. The days my children were born
4. The birthdates of Addi, Levi, and Hannah
5. My children's wedding dates
6. The days that my parents died
Also, I have to include these dates:
1. The day that President Kennedy was assassinated (who alive at that point in time does not remember where they were or how they found out that the President had been killed?)
2. September 11, 2001 (another date ingrained in the minds of those old enough to know and understand)
What dates are forever ingrained in your memory?

How Popular is Your Surname?

Nobody in the whole United States can spell the name "COURINGTON" unless they are familiar with it. Could it be because out of 50,000 of the most common surnames in the US, that COURINGTON is like number 47,000 and something. Check this link out and you will find out where your name ranks.
http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2001/thesweetestsound/popularityindex.html