Lucille Ball, tennis shoes and anniversaries

On of my favorite movies is Yours, Mine and Ours with Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda. I love it for many reasons. One is that I saw it in the movie theater with my mama when I was a little girl. It was just me and my mama! What a fun memory!

Another reason is the story itself- He has 10 children and she has 8. Both their spouses die and they are left to raise their children alone. They have a baby together and they strive to make their family work.

My favorite scene is near the end when Henry Fonda is taking Lucille Ball to the hospital to have their baby. As this is happening one of the older daughters is being pressured to sleep with her boyfriend and she really doesn't want to but he keeps saying that if she loves him she will. All this is brought to the attention of Henry and Lucille as they are leaving for the hospital. Henry Fonda tells the girl to look at her mother, see what she looks like right now. "This is love," he says "Love is not getting in bed with a man but getting up everyday with him and doing all the mundane things of everyday life" I just love that!

I thought about this recently when I was on a business trip with Carl. Because of my back, I go to physical therapy about three times a week when I am home. One thing my pt recommended that I limit doing myself is putting on my tennis shoes or any non slip-on shoe. Before Carl's meetings each morning, dressed in his suit, ever so gently, he put my tennis shoes on me. Here he was ready to go and fight the lions and tigers and bears for me but first he took the time to do what he could for me to keep me from pain. What love!

Go rent the movie if you haven't seen it, you will enjoy it too. And do some mundane things today for those you love, they will know it.

32 years ago today Carl and I got married. It seems like yesterday. God sure blessed me with a great guy.

Do you love the state of Alabama?

I love being from the state of Alabama. I follow the al.com on Twitter and came across this article. I added several of these books to my TBR list. 10 Favorite Novels by Alabama authors

Do you feel like Tinkerbell today???

I have been trying to read a chapter in the book of Proverbs every day. Trying is the key word here.

I had the best time reading chapter 21. I was struck with verse 3 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

What does 'doing' righteousness and justice mean???

I asked Carl and he said that it meant doing what is right and loving it when right things are done. Cool.

Later in chapter 21 verse 21 says Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness and honor. Ok, so now I not only need to do what is right I need to pursue doing what is right and now let's add kindness in there too! Wow! I liked that.

I so can do this- how soon I forgot Proverbs 16:18 which I commonly refered to to my children as Mr Pride and Mr Fall!

I somewhat pictured myself as a Biblical Tinkerbell flying through life sprinkling rightness and kindness everywhere I go.

And then I left the house...

First stop was the library, they had two books for me to pick up. They must have had two books for all of Little Rock to pick up. I have never seen so many vehicles there. With my back situation I can only walk or stand for about 15 or 20 minutes so I have to have life situations planned out that I can do. There are two handicapped parking places at my library. Both were filled. I drove around abit and one came open. I pulled up just close enough to let the other person out but make my intention known that I wanted that spot. The big ole honking truck that was parked there pulled out and before I could get my foot off the brake and onto the gas a car came out of nowhere and got the spot. I was stunned! And my first thought was to block them in, no maybe key their car----Hellooo, where was the Biblical Tinkerbell??? She was no where to be found.

I parked as close as I could, walked in, didn't look at any other books, checked mine out and then got back to my van. I made it just fine. Next stop, Kroger

I need to add here that Robert is with me and we are headed down to eat lunch with Marisa.

Back to Kroger... Heading for a handicap parking spot that was empty and a BIG SUV comes up the lane the WRONG WAY and turns on a dime and gets the handicap spot. What in the world!?! Robert says "I have never seen anything like that before" I told him I was ready to key their car too! Then I heard the fluttering of the Tinkerbell wings- wow, now I am 2 for 2. We found another spot, went in to Kroger, got our stuff and headed off.

We got to the restaurant to meet Marisa with no parking issues. Over lunch I told Marisa and Robert about my quiet time and what I had learned and then what had happened so far in my day. Robert with great alarm said " Is stuff that this going to happen to you all day? You need to go home!" I just laughed.

We did come home. I, with a greater understanding that we are to be spreading rightness and kindness all around but not in my power but only in His power because when I do it and you don't respond the way I think you should, well, things don't go well.

But I liked the old season

I am usually the first one up in the mornings. I put my clothes on, wash my face and come downstairs. Sometimes Kaitlin will be up before me. One morning in May I got up and this is what Kaitlin was wearing as she was checking her facebook and email.

I am very proud of all of my children but I also know that with each college graduation the Real World becomes reality for them and I'll be honest, I don't like it. I want to be able to travel with all my children, anytime I want. I want to have all my children near me, anytime I want. I want to share things with my children, anytime I want. I know mothers need to give their children wings and roots. I am not liking the wings right now. It's times like these that I miss my mother the most. She gave me wings and roots, with seemingly, the greatest of ease. I do believe now that she just kept her stuff upper lip and launched me, her baby, into the Real World. She so enjoyed every place I have lived with this gypsy husband of mine. She told me that often.

I am giving myself a pep talk here. Real World for my children is a very good thing for them and me too. A new phase for all involved. I don't like it but I am playing the 'glad game'. It is a good thing. I will so cherish the times when we can all be together, traveling, sharing and being near each other.

I am so thankful that God has allowed me the privilege of being in the lives of my children. I will embrace this new season. I will be looking for all the wonderful things about this new season in all our lives.

Ever forward, but slowly

For all my reading friends

Have you found good reads? It is a wonderful web site that helps you record what books you have read, want to read, and are reading. You also get a wonderful newsletter with lots of great book suggestions.

If you sign up, add me as your friend so I can share what all you are reading too!

Things I am thankful for

1- Coins to roll

2- beautiful gifts from Marisa. She made in her ceramics class, mine is the tea pot and Kaitlin's is the purple button holder.
3-Table Decorations that Super Sandy fixed and I love them
4-AUBURN football and Uncle Ted. We got this picture from a friend of Uncle Ted's. We gave it to Andrew for his birthday. Andrew said that he had been looking to buy this picture. It is great to give a gift that someone really wants.
5- Andrew Peterson has a new book out. Can't wait to start it.
6- Zappos.com. I love this company and their return policy. I order shoes and try them on and keep what I like and send back what I don't.
7-Memories of my Mama. Mama loved this plant, she called it hens and chickens. I got this pot at Kroger. I plan to transplant it to several smaller pots.
8- Gifts from friends. BriG got this for me on her senior trip. I was so touched.
9- Tomato sandwiches. I got this from a truck that had a sign that said- M R Good Tomatoes. They were very good. This means summer to me.
10-A new cookbook. I saw on a website that if you like the Pioneer Woman's cookbook that you would like Southern Plate. I agree. I do love it. I made the chocolate pound cake and it was so good! I plan to try the chocolate gravy next. She has lots of fun stories mixed in with the recipes.
11-Library Books. I get to order them online and then just pick them up when they call me. I plan to blog soon about several good ones.I am very thankful for you too!

Put Nutter Butters on the grocery list, please

Who doesn't love Nutter Butters?

My Friend, DonnaB, loves them and so do I. I thought of her when I saw this recipe. We usually make brownies by putting down half the batter and then adding candy bars of some kind-got that idea from Carl's sister, Marian- then putting the rest of batter down. Now we shall try Nutter Butters instead of candy bars. Sounds yum to me.

What are your customs?

The only way that one really must read the Bible? Regularly…. Like Jesus did it, by habit: “He stood up to read as was his custom” (Lk. 4:26). I love the emphasis that was put on this verse. I need this custom. Here is a wonderful blog post by Ann Voskamp.

A wonderful habit

June 6th, D-Day

Today is D-Day. I will commemorate it by watching the movie The Longest Day. My daddy went over on D-Day 4 or 5. Carl's daddy was a medic on D-Day. Here is an interesting reading for June 6th.

Do you take dares??

A Dare I plan to take today. How about you???

I am recovering from The Spelling Bee. It went 20 rounds last night.

Birthdays and Anniversaries

June 1st- hard to believe.

May - The big birthday month in our immediate family- Taylor- 13th, Andrew-17th, Marisa-17th, and Kaitlin 22nd.

May- The Kentucky Derby and The Indy 500. Growing up, my dad made us watch The Kentucky Derby and made us stand while they played My Old Kentucky Home- a tradition I have followed with my children. My mama didn't follow any racing but she loved the Indy 500. The year I was born A J Foyt was a rookie- she told me that often, maybe that info will come in handy if I am ever on Jeopardy! There was an exciting finish this year.

May- Many years ago I had to put a 'one hot dog a month' limit on Kaitlin. She ate more hot dogs in this past month of May...well, I guess I can't say than ever before, but let's just say, she ate a lot!!!!

June- We are five months into this year. I have some summer resolutions. I have never done this before so we shall see. 1- Be more faithful to Physical Therapy, 2- finish 3 scrapbooks, 3- Pray faithfully for summer Bible Study and VBS, 4- Send several cards to family and friends, 5- have 3 families over to visit, 6- clean off my desk- this may take the rest of the year. Summer generally flies by so I am hoping if I set out some goals that I will be able to redeem the time.

June- Another family wedding this month- always a good time

June- the month with the most family wedding anniversaries for a total of 107 years of marriage, Alex and Esther, Ted and Tina, Raymond and Renee, John and Elaine, Carl and Ellen and soon to be Robert and Kery.

June- The National Spelling Bee is on today on ESPN3.com and tomorrow at 9:00 AM on ESPN and then tomorrow night at 7:30 on ESPN

June- I love college baseball. The College World Series is June 18-28/29. Love to hear that ping from the bat.