I wanted to blow kisses all day today

My sister-in-law's mother has Alzheimer's. She is in a nursing home. Please read about Frances'
latest visit.

Friends, Fun, and Funerals

On Monday, Clare and I drove to Shreveport to the funeral of the grandmother of our friend, Zach. We decided on Sunday to go. I was at her house at 6:30 am armed with 'the Garmin' and the address of the funeral home. Shreveport is a 3 1/2 hour drive from here.

Clare is such a blessing to me. She always sees the bright and funny side of every situation. Even after being with her for 12 hours on Monday, I still had things I wanted to talk to her about. The day flew by.

We didn't know Zach's grandmother and she died suddenly so the family was stunned by her death. I am sorry I didn't know her. The stories we heard at the funeral made us laugh til we cried. One story was about a time Pat, the grandmother, had taken her two sons to visit her friend, who also had two children. As the adults visited on that fall day, they exhorted their children to stay out of the pond. Soon the mother's saw their children playing in the pond and they were covered with mud. Pat spoke first and said" Well , should we hose them off or just hold their heads under until they quit struggling " We all laughed!

Lots of family members shared about how Pat had helped them and encouraged them.

After we left the funeral we met Clare's parents at Don's Seafood for lunch. It was good food and still more laughing.

We made it back to Little Rock at 6pm.

Some times growing up is hard on the Mamas

We are just home from moving John into his apartment for the fall semester of classes. I am worn out. Not from the moving but from letting him go....again.

We had a wonderful summer.
Our vacation was a blast.
John was here for me when my friend, Lynda, lost her 20 year old, to a stroke. I cried for two days and John was very gentle with me.
He was very helpful around the house, thanks in part to Marisa.
He was content to hand his paycheck over to me to help pay for his tuition this fall.
We shared lots of laughs.

When all my children are not home there is an emptiness even if we have a house full.

I know they need to leave so they can grow up and be what God has designed for them to be.

But it still hurts.

I realize that my friend, Lynda, will not have all her children with her until she gets to heaven and we plan -Lord willing to all be together for the AUBURN/ms state game.

but I am sad tonight but it is a good sad. I am thankful that we have such a good time together that I wish we all still at home.

Mamas, hug those babies. They grow up too fast. And Babies, let them.

Good Night John, Sleep Sweet

I am glad I am not called to be a swimmer

We are listening to some amazing sermons from Tim Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian in New York at our College and Career Group. Here is the site if you want to check out the sermons plus lots of other stuff they have.

Last Tuesday we listened to the one on Absolutes from Galatians 2:4-16

The sermon point on Freedom really spoke to me. Several thoughts on it are: Freedom comes from truth, discipline gives more freedom, and freedom is the presence of the right restrictions in accord with the truth of who I am.

A fish has freedom in water. If we get the fish out of the captivity of the water- it dies.

That made me think of Michael Phelps. In the interviews I've seen with his mama, she said that she kept looking for some way to direct her son and all his energy and his ADHD ness. What freedom he has found in the water doing what he was made to do.

What freedom we have when we do what we are meant to do
Love Jesus
Serve Jesus
Know Jesus

It looks different on all of us and I am thankful that it does. How boring would it be if we all served or loved Jesus in the same way.

Who has your birth year?

On April 7, I turned 50. Today is Madonna's 50th birthday and there is a big article in the USA today about all those that will or have turned 50 this year.
Prince
Michael Jackson
Alec Baldwin
Ice-T
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Jamie Lee Curtis
Sharon Stone
Ellen deGeneres
Holly Hunter
Patricia Heaton
Andie Macdowell
Michelle Pfeiffer
Drew Carey
Kevin Bacon
Belinda Carlisle
Jeff Foxworthy
Andrea Bocelli
Tim Robbins
Alan Jackson
Viggo Mortensen

I was left off the list for some reason.

I am in some interesting company

Can you say PINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Marisa is painting her room PINK. John is helping her. They just lack the trim. It is a fun color. She starts to class on Monday and she wants to have it done by then.

bathroom phase lll

There is now plywood down in the bathroom.