Granna's Brag Book

Following Addi’s game on Tuesday night, I made the comment to David on the way home that I though Addi loved playing softball more than any of the other girls in the whole league. I told him I guessed I was just prejudice, and maybe everyone else did not see it that way, but she was just having such a great time. She has even patented a little dance when she gets on base that I heard one of the coachs refer to as “The Addi Dance”. If grins are any indication of happiness, she has had one on all season. She has had so many people come to see her play, probably more than any of the other girls in the league. She developed a Miss America wave that she would wave at the stands as she went to bat. Everyone soon fell under her influence and would look for that wave. We worried that she might have a hard time learning to hit the ball at her age- wrong. I don't know what her batting average was, but I will say this much- it was higher than some of the girls that made All-Stars. Next year if her fielding catches up to her batting, she will probably be an All-Star. She was, even if she is my grandchild, a definite crowd favorite. Well, last night proved me right. Addi received the award for Most Outstanding Player in the Sweeties League, 2007. All of the coaches voted on this award. The commissioner gave this special 2 or 3 minute speech (little did we know that Addi was about to receive the award) about all of the wonderful attributes that the winner of the award had- then they called Addi’s name and a little red-headed girl came running in from the outfield, grinning from ear to ear, to the applause of everyone in the crowd. I teared up. She was so cute, having not a clue as to what she was receiving, but loving every second of getting a medal. I hate that Paul missed it- who would have guessed that one of the very few 4 year olds in the whole league would win this honor. After the ceremony she proudly showed her medallion, telling everyone that it was very special. Am I proud- you bet! If she never wins another medal, ribbon, trophy, or award, last night was a crowning moment for her Granna. What fun it is to have grandchildren!

New Blog Name

Okay- I am faced with a dilemma. My blog has had the perfect “rhyming” name- “Addi, Levi, and Hannah’s Granna.” With the arrival of baby Lila (or at least we THINK baby Lila), I am perplexed with what my new blog title should be. I have had the kids in chronological order, but I am tinkering with Addi, Levi, Lila, and Hannah’s Granna. The Hannah and Granna just have such a good sound. What do you think?

Granna, he usted to know my name….

Sunday was Mothers Day and I had the joy of spending time with my children. Daniel called, but he was preaching so I did not see him. We had celebrated earlier with a wonderful meal that Daniel cooked. I love my kids, and they were very kind to me on this special day. I had a moment of thought about my own mother and I could not even start to write about how wonderful she was, or how much I still miss her after these almost 9 years.
After lunch, David, Kim, Addi, MaMa, and myself made a trip to the nursing home to see PaPa. It was after lunch and PaPa was sitting in the TV room sound asleep. We shook, and called his name, but PaPa was out of it. Addi got in front of him and started yelling,
”PaPa, PaPa!” Finally David helped him get on his feet and he looked down at Addi and for a brief second, there was a smile. Addi asked Kim, “Why doesn’t PaPa know my name?”
I took Addi for a walk to the front hall to see the bird atrium. As we were walking Addi asked- “Why do these old people like me?” That was a simple answer- you are cute and they don’t see many kids. Then she said, in her absolute sweetest voice ever, “Granna, he usted to know my name.” This, of course, was in reference to her PaPa Courington. Yes, he “usted” to know all of our names, but now that is no longer the case. Sometimes he smiles like he recognizes that we might be somewhat familiar, but hardly ever a name. Addi does not understand Alzheimer’s , nor do I. It is a sad disease. It is a cruel disease. It is indeed, the long goodbye. So, we have to remember when PaPa did remember our names, and hold on to those memories. It is hard to watch someone that you love turn into someone that does not know you. But, he has no control over this disease, for if he did he would argue it down and overcome it! We love you, PaPa, and we know that your heart knows us even if your mind does not.

Let me tell you about my children.....

Let me tell you about my children……

Okay, I told you about my grandchildren on the last post, so today I will write about my children. I have 6 children- Kim, Paul, Josh, Katie, Daniel and Mandi. I only gave birth to 3 of them- Kim, Josh and Daniel. The other 3 are children by adoption- through marriage.
I will start with Kim. What can I say about the best daughter a mom could have? Could I say that I adore her? I do. She is just the best. She is a great wife and mother. She has my heart- as do her brothers. I would be lost without her, to say the least. I look forward to her calls and to hearing about her life. I am proud of the woman that she has become. She certainly has given us a lot of joy in the past 28 years. And then she found a young man that has to be the best in the world. Paul is part of our family, and I count him as my own. He has to be in the top ten of Dads in the world. He is such a hard worker and a good provider. He is shaping lives at school and at church. I am thrilled that in this whole wide world, Kim found Paul. I don’t know how God works in everything, but I do feel he had his hand in Kim and Paul’s meeting and marrying.
My middle child, Josh, is certainly special. I can’t imagine having a son any better. Josh has also brought an incredible amount of joy to our family. His excitement about life is contagious. I don’t know where he inherited his love of the outdoors, perhaps from my Indian heritage? Josh has always been such a hard worker and today he continues to rise early, work late, work extra jobs, and go the extra mile. He is such a fine Christian man. His prayers are so meaningful and sincere. He has taken to fatherhood, and Hannah adores him. His turkey calls are her greatest delight and I am certain that in time she will be in the woods with her dad. Josh added Katie to our family, and what a blessing. Katie belongs with us, I know. She has such a wonderful attitude about things. Katie is a great mom. She watches after Hannah so carefully. I have always been a little paranoid about certain things, and I can see the Katie is not going to make me nervous. I know that Hannah will not be allowed to walk through the parking lot without a hand to hold! Katie is a great daughter and I thank God for her.
My baby, Daniel- where to begin??? We kid a lot about Daniel, but what we would have missed if we had stopped short of #3! Daniel kept life interesting for us when he was younger. He was such a smart little kid (and still is), and now we are proud of where he is today. I know he is still finding his niche in life, but I think he is on the right track. Daniel has excelled in everything that he has tackled. Daniel’s love for God and for the church makes me the proudest. I know he is going to do great things for the Kingdom. He is my baby, and I love him dearly. My dear Mandi is my newest child. She is Daniel’s heart, and it thrills me to see what a great match they are. Mandi, like Paul and Katie, is a special member of this family. Being an only child, Mandi inherited a lot when she got this bunch. Mandi always has a good story to tell and she is interesting to talk with. Mandi loves Daniel, and I thank her for that. Mandi cares for people of all ages, from the youngest to the oldest. I feel that we have had her all of her life.
Okay, so now I have told you about my children. They are special, aren’t they?

Let Me Tell You About My Grandchildren

I used to see a car tag that read- “Let Me Tell You About My Grandchildren”. I haven’t seen them around as much as I used to in times past, but on occasion I still see one. I never understood being a grandparent until a little over 4 years ago. In reality, I thought most grandparents had flipped a cog or something. I had an aunt, whom I dearly loved, and she would carry a framed 8X10 photo of her granddaughter in her purse. I thought that was a bit much- but I do understand it more than I used to! I truly adore my grandchildren. Addi, Levi, and Hannah have brought such joy to our lives. I am certain that baby Lila or baby Carter will do the same. Yesterday Addi came home with us after church. Her greatest joy at my house is to watch Dish TV and to see cartoons that are not on PBS. She crawls up on our bed and becomes a literal couch potato for hours. Yesterday David and I both got in the bed with her (we took a Sunday afternoon nap) and I think it made her year. She just smiled from ear to ear at both of us being on either side of her. We got hugs and kisses and “I love you Gramps” and “I love you Granna” until we were about hugged out. Addi is at that age where she asks LOTS of questions. Last night on the way to Jason’s Deli to eat after church, these are some of the questions we were asked:
What is the devil’s last name?
Was the devil ever 4 years old?
Was the devil always bad?
She also thinks that God only made one little girl with “whed, tuly, hair”- interpreted- “red, curly, hair”. She thinks he made kids with red hair, and he made kids with curly hair, but not red, curly hair.” So last night when we got to Jason’s we noticed a little girl with red hair that had a little curl in it (after I looked I discovered the curl was minimum to say the least, but a little on the ends). As we discovered, she was sitting with people that we knew, so we introduced Addi to the little girl. We are going to look for some pictures of red, curly headed kids so that she will know that she is not the only one.
Levi is busy being busy. He is full of hugs and always acts as if though you have been out of the country, even if he has just seen you. He runs with outstretched arms, and pats you on your back. He is talking like a 5 year old. He is very smart, perhaps too smart. He loves his family, and seems to especially love “Henna” as he calls Hannah. He is very sweet with her. Levi has a lot of energy, and his saving grace is that he is a great sleeper! He does not sit still too much, although he likes to watch cartoons.
Hannah is growing daily. Her smile just brightens a room. She is very smart and has an excellent memory (like Addi). She does not forget anything that you are trying to hide from her. She has such a pretty skin tone and is going to be very blonde, it seems. I think she might be an Indian blonde- darker skin and light hair. Her mommy and daddy are taking very good care of her. She pulled up yesterday for the first time, and is also saying “Da Da”. She laughs hysterically at her Daddy’s turkey call and at her cousin’s antics. She is a joy to all around.
Now, have I told you about my Grandchildren, lately?

Being Sequestered

I have had 2 MRI's and during both I thought I was surely going to die. The feeling of confinement was just too great. As I read about the jury for the Winkler trial, I thought- I don't believe I could stand this! I would feel like I was the one in jail, while the criminal is out walking the street. Can you imagine how the nights and weekends will be for these people. Unless you like to sleep- a lot- then some of these people might just flip a gasket. No TV, no telephone, no newspaper, no contact with the outside world. I know these things are necessary, to some degree, but come on- could they not play a video game???? I guess I would catch up on my reading- surely they can do that. Listed below are the rules for the jury. Also, if you will link to my prior post, you can see the jury break-down. This is all too sad.

9PM The jurors, chosen from McNairy County, were sequestered. Their lodging, food and transportation is provided. The Judge ordered them not to watch tv, read the newspaper or get on-line. He told them not to discuss the case and expect to work long days so they can get through the case as quickly as possible. The were also given a Juror Information Sheet, here's what's on it.
Juror Information Sheet
Prepare to stay no less than two weeks.
Provided in each room will be: Iron, coffee pot & hair dryer
All meals will be provided to you
If you have special dietary needs, please let us know.
WHAT TO BRING:
Clothes (enough for two weeks)
Toiletries
Snacks (Snacks will be provided, bring only something specific wanted)
Cigarettes
Money
Games, CardsMedication (enough for two weeks)
YOUR LUGGAGE AND BAGS WILL BE SEARCHED
WHAT *NOT* TO BRING:
CELL PHONESRadio
TV
Videos
Video Games
Computers
Alcohol
Beepers>Jewelry (anything of personal or monetary value should be brought at your own risk.)
Reading material that in any way pertains to the subject matter of this trial. Court officers will review all reading material.
Reminder: You may be away from home for at least two weeks. Arrange for mail pickup and pay any bills during this period.
(end juror information sheet)

The Trial Begins

Only if you have lived on a desert island, would you not know about the murder of Matthew Winkler and the trial of his wife, Mary. It is all so sad. While I was not privy to what went on in the Winkler home, I can hardly believe it included physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. Regardless, Matthew is dead, three beautiful children are now parentless, and parents have suffered such a tragic loss. I can already tell from some of the hype that the defense will try to include brainwashing. I am sad that the Church of Christ name is going to be voiced negatively over and over again. I truly believe that Mary Winkler is troubled- obviously more troubled than anyone knew, even those close to her. I can imagine that the financial situation that she had put the family in had probably caused Matthew to be critical, and perhaps she regarded that as emotional abuse- If I wiped out our bank account (what little there is) and gave it to someone in Nigeria, I believe that David might be a little upset with me, as well.
Please pray for all involved. I saw those three precious little girls this weekend, and they do not deserve this. Their lives have been forever changed through no fault of their own. The grandparents lost a son they loved, and have know been left to raise young children- something I know that they are doing willingly, but how hard it must be. I found a link for live updates of the trial-
http://community.myfoxmemphis.com/blogs/MaryWinklerTrial

Happy 100th Birthday, Daddy

If my father were still alive, he would be 100 years old today. I lost my Daddy when I was 18. He has been gone since 1973- almost 34 years ago. Loosing a parent is never easy, but I really felt cheated that I lost my Daddy when I was so young. I wish my husband, my children, my grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, could have known Pat Melton. He was a unique individual. He was quiet, and very smart. He could fix anything. He loved us- a lot. He was a good provider, and he cared for our Mother. While not a man of many words, when Daddy said something, it was usually something worth hearing. Daddy was a hard worker- spending many years as a coal miner. Daddy was very sick from the time I was 14. He had a lung removed the year I was in eighth grade, followed by radiation, and other procedures. For a short time, we thought he might overcome the cancer, and then it came back in his throat. I don’t guess any sickness is a good one, but this was a particularly ugly way to die. I graduated from high school at the end of May in 1973. Daddy was in his last days at that time. He would ask me every week how many more days until graduation- I did not realize that he was using that as a goal to live to- I know now that he felt that seeing me finish high school would mean that he was not leaving a child behind. I understand that mentality now that I have had my own children. There comes a point when you feel that they are no longer your dependents and your role changes. Daddy died on June 29th at the age of 66. Today, 66 seems almost “middle-aged”, and too young to die. But, then again, we don’t choose our time, our place, or our method, do we? I feel sorry for people that do not have good parents- I had 2, and I am thankful they loved, provided and cared for me and Patsy and Charles. Thank you Pat Melton, for loving me.

Cheating at the Nursing Home!

As a teacher, we are trained to look for signs of cheating. I will admit that cheating is no longer what it used to be. With the new technology, students have so many ways of cheating. I read an article the other day from a high school teacher. He now has to have a different test for each of his sections of classes (I think he was a math teacher) because the kids are making pictures of the test on their cell phones and sending it to their friends in other sections. Technology has certainly changed cheating. But, that is not what my Blog is about today- I am going to tell you a story about cheating in the nursing home, of all places.
The other day I took MaMa to visit PaPa at the nursing home. He was SOUND asleep, and I could not even get him to wake up. I left MaMa sitting on the sofa in the T.V. room with PaPa and I walked across and sat in the dining area. The physical therapist came in (I believe that was her position) to visit one of the other residents. This gentleman is almost stooped over double, and he shuffles in baby steps when he walks. Anyway, the therapist gave the man a piece of wood that had nuts and bolts in holes. She told him that she wanted to see how many of the bolts he could remove from the piece of wood. She then left him, telling him that she would be back in a few minutes. The little old man waited until she had cleared the doorway, got up, shuffled across the floor to an elderly lady in a wheelchair, handed her the board, waited until she had removed the bolts, and then took it and shuffled back to his chair, smiling all the way. Do you think I was going to tell on him???? No way- I actually thought that he was pretty smart for an Alzheimer’s patient! Nursing home humor, you got to have it to survive.

The Wedding of the Century

Okay, I know my multitudes of readers are anxiously awaiting my post on the wedding of the year- or should I say CENTURY??? Anyway, the wedding was- let me say, an event. The funny thing to me is that it was treated just like the wedding of two twenty-five year olds- all the traditions were in place (except I don’t think there was a garter- or at least I hope there wasn’t!). Aunt Marie would not allow Paul to see her on the wedding day. Aunt Marie was giddy- and Paul, well, Paul was in love. We all liked Paul. He is a very nice man. His family seemed to be very nice, as well. They certainly turned out to support him. Many of his relatives drove in from New York, as well as some of his co-workers. The church was packed- at least 200 in attendance. I was drafted to be a “bridesmaid” because someone got sick. It was an experience. I proudly walked the aisle, something I haven’t done in decades. The photographer told every one to smile, while he was taking pictures- that he wanted to see teeth- of course I could not resist and blurted out- “You mean dentures?” The reception was lovely, with a delicious cake. It is just too hard to tell the whole story on a blog- it would take something like a book, I think. Oh yes, Paul took Aunt Marie 4-wheeler riding on Wednesday before the wedding. She said they went all up and down the trails at his son’s house. I asked if she wore a helmet- she said, “No, but I needed one!”

Big Black Dog Syndrome

At the first of October, when I moved back into this building, I changed my route to work. I had been going through Bush Hills to get to the Lincoln building, but now that we are back at Wilkerson, I get off on the Arkadelphia Road exit. The first morning that I came back, when I pulled up to the light at the exit, sitting to my left side on the grassy medium, was this really cute, big, black dog. He (it looks like a "He") had curly hair, almost like dread locks, and huge eyes- I said, and yes, I said this out loud in the car by myself- "You better find you somewhere else to go little doggie, because if you stay in this place, you will be dead by afternoon." That was 5 months ago- guess what, "Arky", as I refer to him, is still happily living on the green grass at the Arkadelphia Road exit. I can hardly believe it when he is there every morning. He has stolen my heart, along with the hearts of many kind people. He is fed every morning by at least a dozen or more kind people (and, yes, I add to that on occasion). When I pull up to the light I take inventory on his food. Some mornings he has bacon, egg, and cheese biscuits from McDonald's, some mornings he has traditional dog food, lovingly placed in a pan. One Monday he had the left-overs from a wedding, or funeral- not certain as there was no cake. Needless to say, Arky has gained about 25 pounds since I have been watching him. I am not certain if he would come to you or not- and I have discussed "rescuing" him, but his fate at my house would certainly not include biscuits and gravy from McDonald's. People that take the Arkadelphia route to work have learned to watch for cars pulling over to feed Arky. You know, I guess TEARS would come get him, but his little doggie life would not be as happy. I fear that one morning I will pull up and Arky will be gone, or worse yet, dead in the road. Watching him has been one of the highlights of my drive to work. So, if you are ever bored, take a trip to the Arkadelphia Road exit and check on Arky. He will make you smile.

P.S.- The title of the post came while I was searching for a picture of a big black dog (I could not find one that had hair like Arky). Did you know that big, black dogs are the least likely to be adopted from a shelter- interesting.

Happy Birthday, Patsy and Welcome Baby Maddox

Tomorrow is my sister's birthday. I won't tell you how old she is, but she was born in 1942. She is almost 12 years older than me. My sister married at the old age of 18, meaning that I can't even remember life at home with my sister. All that aside, I can't imagine life without my sister. I guess the reason I am saying this is because this week we found out that Brian and Tina Maddox are going to have a baby! Needless to say, this was a surprise to all of us. Tina has kept the "secret" for 17 weeks, due to the fact that she has had some on again and off again problems. The doctor seems to think everything has settled- so we get to enjoy a brief for us, but long for Tina pregnancy. How does this tie in with Patsy? Well, Brian and Tina have 1 child, 13 year old Sydney. Baby Maddox and Syd are going to be separated by about 14 years. Will they be close?-well, Syd will find great joy in baby, and then Syd is going to do all of the grown-up stuff, and baby will probably be a nuisance. Then Syd will grow up, and baby will grow up, and they will develop a bond that only siblings can know or understand. They may not share some of the things that children born closer together share, but that is okay. They will have a different relationship, one not formed in the sand box, but one formed in the heart. So to Patsy, Happy Birthday, Sister, and to Sydney, congratulations on baby Maddox. I pray that you will have the opportunity to share many happy moments.

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.