Holidays!

What a week of celebration! I managed to get past the sickness enough to salvage the holiday. We shopped until we could barely shop anymore, wrapped until after midnight, had a little eggnog, and settled into bed for a restful Christmas Eve slumber.
The children awakened us pretty early on Christmas morning, but not before sunrise and we opened each gift one at a time so that we could relish and enjoy not only our gift, but each other's gifts as well. We all had a very happy time and played merrily afterward with our new treasures.
It was time to put on the turkey if we were to have it for lunch! I tried a new brand of turkey breast this year, which went from the freezer to the oven, in a cooking bag. It had a thermometer that popped out when it was done and a packet of gravy which only had to be heated and cooked. It was so simple. No basting, no fuss and it was so tender, juicy, and tasty! Everyone raved about it so that I almost felt ashamed to tell them how simple it was! We added to that my mother's dressing, greenbean casserole, lima beans, sweet potato casserole and cranberry sauce and we had a veritable Christmas feast!
We spent several hours afterward watching Mama and Daddy open their gifts from my sister, Pat and chatting with them. Then we went home for a nice long nap.
My sister, JJ came to visit me later that night and we made a full day of Christmas until the wee hours of the next morning! But it was such fun to spend time with her. We so rarely get to spend any time together like that. When we can just sit and talk and laugh and cry and have 'sister' time together. It was one of my favorite Christmas gifts this year.
We just spent four days in Huntsville at Exposure Youth Camp. That is always a blast. I will blog about that and post pictures later. It has rendered me tired and ready for a little rest to prepare for the New Year's festivities that are quickly approaching.
I think I will try to get in a little shut-eye before dinner!

I Am Humbled

To all my blogger friends,

So many of you ladies have been through so many trials and devastating events that I cannot imagine. Some of you are living through them even now. The pain you have experienced is beyond my ability to comprehend and yet, you are still here. You are sharing with us your stories, your hearts, your sorrows, your joys, your lessons, your very selves.
That is a most precious gift. I am truly touched by the words you write. I am inspired, empowered, strengthened, comforted, and moved by your life experiences. I admire you so very much.
That you can maintain a strong faith through your trials is amazing. What a model of wisdom and strength you are.
You give me a gift with every post. A gift that time cannot take away, nor diminish.

Sometimes you make me laugh until my sides ache, sometimes you make me weep because my heart aches, but whether it is a funny, a tragedy, or a word of wisdom, it is precious to me.
I thank you for every word you publish, every thought you share.
You add so much to my life in a way that you may never know.
So, to all of you who give of yourselves to all of us, may your holidays be everything you want them to be and may the coming year bring you much joy and happiness.

And to all of you who read what I write, I am truly humbled that you find my world interesting enough to visit. Thank you for caring to know me and my thoughts, however strange they may be at times.

Merry Christmas to everyone and may the new year bring us much about which to blog!

Christmas Magic?

I don't know if it was Joy's letter to Santa, or changing my Blog page to pink, but whatever it was, it worked!

I awoke this morning feeling a little better but that is typical of morning so I didn't hold out much hope that it would last through the day. However, as the day wore on, I felt better and better.

I puttered around a little bit and still felt good.

I put on a roast for dinner and still felt good.

Took a shower (only the second I have had in a week! yikes!) and felt even better!

Put on some Christmas Karaoke and the girls and I sang while dinner cooked.

I laughed (it had been so long) and joked and danced and played and it is wonderful!

I feel like me, again.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus and I have found my Christmas spirit! The Grinch finally left the premises and all is well in the world.

Now I am racing against time trying to get everything done by Christmas morning, but that will be fun! I am just to glad to be back and feeling normal once again.

In The Pink

If I make my Blog pink, will it put me "In the Pink"? I am getting back my sense of humor, even if it is bad! ha, ha!

Letter to Santa

I have borrowed a letter from a bloggy friend who has been experiencing the same challenges this Christmas as I have. Her words could have come straight from my heart, almost as if she had been reading my journal. Santa, pardon the duplicity, but our letters would have looked the same, with the exception of a maid along with the personal chef. (smile)

/Dear Santa,

When you stop by our house on Christmas Eve you don't have a to leave us a single thing. However if you'd be so kind as to take every bit of sickness out of our home and leave us all bright eyed and bushy tailed for the rest of the Christmas break that would be awesome. That's all I want.

However, if you insist on leaving a gift, I wouldn't mind a personal chef. And maybe peace on earth, while you're handing out miracles.

We left you cookies, but I wouldn't eat them if I were you. Awful lot of coughing and sniffling went on during the baking process.

So sorry.

Yours truly ,

Chaotic Joy/

Joy, if you read this, may your Christmas be happy and healthy and God bless us, everyone!

Where Are You Christmas Spirit?

Alright now, time is running short! If I must be sick anymore, it will just have to be after the holidays are over. I must draw from the depths of my innermost self, find the strength I know is there, pull myself up by the boot straps and get on with the holiday festivities.

That was my mantra yesterday as I went shopping with the kiddies and wrapped packages, etc. I will just ignore the crud, medicate myself appropriately and it will go away long enough to be happy and get through the holiday festivities of Sunday without a hitch! Sunday's agenda was to be as follows: worship, Heartsill Christmas in Greenville, church again at 3 pm, caroling and a party afterward for the carolers...a full day of fun! I took my medicine and went to bed in order to be able to wake up ready to hit the ground running. About 2:30, Gracie comes to my bedroom crying. Her ear is hurting really badly. I didn't count on this! I can muddle through, but I can't make my children buck up and keep going at all cost, when they are sick! Yikes! So, I gave her Ibuprophen and put a moist heat on her ear which didn't help very much. So we tried the old tried-and-true blowdryer in the ear trick and it seemed to help. About 5:00, she asked to take a shower and in the middle of that, she vomitted. After she got out of the shower we applied more blowdryer heat to her ear and by then, the pain meds had kicked in and she fell asleep. That was around 6:30.

Needless to say, we missed worship. Michael is going to take her to PriMed to see the doctor and hopefully we will make it to 3pm church and the other two can go carolling and to the after party so their day will be somewhat normal.

I am still looking for my Christmas spirit and am determined to find it before the 25th. I have caught a glimpse of it here and there, so I think it can't elude me much longer! Maybe I need to talk to Santa.....hmmmm.....

It Just Doesn't Feel Like Christmas

I don't know why, but this year has been so "off" for me. Nothing has seemed right.

First, all the plans we had for all the big parties for the parents didn't come to fruition until the very last one, summer was eaten up with hospitals and nursing care, but I thought by now things would feel normal.

Thanksgiving was not the same as usual. I don't know what is going on. Maybe it is my attitude, maybe its hormonal, maybe its the weather, maybe its that my children all know about Santa, whatever it is...it stinks and it is really putting a damper on my festivities.

It is less than a week before the "big" day and I have yet to purchase one gift for my children. I have a couple under the tree for my boyfriend and one for me, but none for the little ones. We have been sick for a while and that has taken up time, but this is more than that. There is a whole different feeling to the season and I don't like it!

I have got to find my Christmas spirit...I know it has to be around here somewhere!

recipeassistant

She Who Must Be Obeyed

She Who Must Be Obeyed

A Tribute to a Long Life, Well-Lived

My niece took this picture of Millie and I think it is just too beautiful. How poignant that she is looking toward the sky with her hands clasped and such a sweet smile on her face. This photo brings me much peace. Kristi, I hope you don't mind that I put it on my blogpage, but I can look at it often here and it gives me comfort. A tribute to a long life, well-lived.

A Precious Friend, A Dear Aunt

This morning about 6 am, my mother phoned to tell me that my Aunt Bill had died in her sleep during the night. Her name was Mildred Ruby Conway Durden and she was 96 years old. She was born on February 25 to Lloyd Colvin and Lena Idell Daniel Conway.

She was married to a pharmacist and she always called him Durden although that was his last name. She was widowed at a relatively young age with a young daughter to raise. She owned a clothing store in Montgomery with her sister for many years then retired to Fort Deposit where she lived until she broke a hip a few years before her death.

She was active and spunky all her life. She never let anyone run over her and she took care of her business like a pro. She was smart, strong, and tough when necessary, but she had a heart of gold.

She was kind, loving, generous, good-hearted, and funny. She was a domino champ...no one could beat her! She was a world traveler, but she loved "home".

She was easy to talk with despite the difference in our ages. She loved her family and we loved her. I had planned to see her tonight when we sang at the nursing home...I had a Christmas card for her room. I will surely miss her powerful presence in my world. She was a force to be reckoned with!

Now, of the original ten siblings in my father's family, there are only four left with us. We hate so badly to tell them goodbye, but that is because we selfishly want to keep them with us. They are in a better place now. We will see them again.

Aunt Bill was ready to go. She was not afraid of death. I can't imagine her being afraid of anything. She goes with our love and a little piece of our hearts, but we get to keep a little piece of hers with us in the exchange. It will have to do for now.

We love you, Millie.

Favorite Classic From the 1970's

DESIDERATA
-- written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s --

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,

and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,

be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly;

and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant;

they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons;

they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,

you may become vain or bitter,

for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;

it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,

for the world is full of trickery.

But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;

many persons strive for high ideals,

and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.

Neither be cynical about love,

for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,

it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,

gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.

But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars;

you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you,

no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,

whatever you conceive Him to be.

And whatever your labors and aspirations,

in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Notice-Pity Party Officially Ended

OK. So I have strep.

I have antibiotics that will knock it out pretty quickly and for that, I am thankful.

My children have been the best helpers and nurses. They regularly check on me and take care of my every need. They have even been doing their chores while I am sick. For that, I am truly thankful.

My husband has been attentive even while he is facing a deadline, busy working so hard to finish this project. I am so thankful for him.

My sisters have called to make sure I am doing alright and have taken my share of the cooking for tomorrow. I couldn't be more thankful for that.

My friends have emailed, commented on my blog, and phoned to see what they could do to make things better for me at this difficult time. Wow, I am so thankful that I am so loved by so many.

As a mom, I fear that the world will stop turning on its axis and everything will fall apart if I lie in my bed recooperating. I am thankful for everyone who is picking up the slack for me while I recover, so that my world doesn't come crashing in and I can rest and not feel guilty about taking care of me.

I am a very blessed woman. My illness has reminded me how very fortunate I am. My Pity Party is over.

All the people listed above who have blessed my life are just a drop in the bucket of the many blessings the Lord has poured out on me, but they are some of the best.

Thanksgiving is upon me and I can't remember a year that I have felt as thankful as I do today.

Exodus 33:14

The Lord replied, " My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

Shortest Blog In History!

I have finally started showing signs of having contracted Grace's strep. It is Thanksgiving. I am sick, I am in pain, and I am crying. There just couldn't be a better time...well, maybe Christmas you might think. Our family HAS Christmas at Thanksgiving, so it IS Christmas for me. I am feeling mighty low.......

When I was a girl back in the day, I used to run home from school to watch my favorite soap opera called, Dark Shadows. It featured a vampire named Barnabas Collins, his brother who was a werewolf named Quentin Collins (I had a major crush on him), Barnabas' love interest, Angelique whom he eventually married, etc...They lived in a dark castle and interacted with society on some level in this small town and lived in relative peace with the town folks. I don't remember a great deal of detail, but I rushed home, pulled a couple of chairs together, draped a sheet over them and crawled underneath in order to be able to "peek" out when it got too thrilling and intense for me.

My daughter Callie is experiencing the same passion, but I must say she is handling it with more grace and maturity than I did. She has devoured the four novels by Stephanie Meyer...Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. Now she anxiously awaits the debut of the fifth novel.

I took her to see Twilight, the movie, yesterday.

There were no sheet coccoons to which she could withdraw and there were none needed. She watched avidly as the whole story of Edward Cullen and Bella developed on the big screen in the movie theater.

She gazed with rapt attention as the story unfolded, her hands pressed tightly together, sometimes with clinched fists, sometimes in prayer form, and a few times placed gently against her lips as the two main characters met and fell in love, on screen, before our very eyes. She knew every twist of the movie before it happened, she could manuever each turn with ease because she knows the characters so well.

It was a story of sweet love, nearly impossible love, that was forbidden by both humans and vampires alike and yet, it was undeniable for Edward and Bella. The appreciation we humans have for one who is supposed to be evil and trying so hard to be good and do the right thing is powerful.

I wouldn't be surprised if my little Bella has her own torch for Edward. Not unlike the torch I carried for Quentin Collins all those years ago. Although I enjoyed the movie, watching her was as much fun for me. It brought with it memories of another starry-eyed young girl in love with a handsome hero from long ago.

Thankful For My Heroes!

I am forever awed by people who voluntarily join the Armed Forces. I admire their courage and sense of duty. I just conversed with a young man who enlisted and will be heading to Iraq soon. He asked me to pray for him and his young wife while he is away. I am awestuck by our conversation.

I must admit, I am a wimp. I don't think I could be a soldier and I am not crazy about the idea of any of my children being one, either. I love my country. I am a patriot. And if one of my children decides to sign up, I will not attempt to stand in their way, but I am selfish, I guess. I want my freedom, I just don't want it to cost me anything. Especially, not my children. I am married to a disabled vet, but he did his time before we wed, so I did not "pay" our dues with him. I just reap the benefits.

In my defense, I always salute the flag during the National Anthem (even when many adults and children alike do not take the time to stop their activities to do so), I weep when I hear of the death of another American troop on foreign soil(even though I don't know them), I am elated when some of our soldiers get to come home(again, even though I don't know them), I always thank soldiers in uniform for their service(their gracious reply, "Just doing my job, ma'am, but your welcome...and thanks"is typical ), and I preach patriotism...spout it wherever I go. So I am not that bad, am I?

What I do know is how thankful I am that there are people who love peace enough to fight for it. I appreciate those people who put their lives on the line to protect my country. I am grateful to the men and women who dedicate themselves to preserving my freedom. Those people who live, breathe, walk, talk, leave their families and all they love, to go to strange, dangerous places and do a job that is often thankless and certainly doesn't pay well, just so that I don't have to deal with bombs exploding in my America. Because of them, there is not a war going on in my country and I am relatively safe from harm. Because they put themselves in harm's way and stand between.

I attribute my freedom to speak my mind, write my feelings, go where I want, when I want, do what I want, in large part, to them. They are such an integral part of what makes me free. They are the backbone of our country and I salute them today, for all they do, all they have done, and all they will do, to make and keep our country great.

Our Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard are made up of men and women who love America enough to stand up and be counted. They have the courage to face the hardships of a soldier's life. They endure a life of difficulties because of their sense of duty. There is no draft and even in time of war, they still come. Ready to go defend freedom and destroy terrorism wherever they find it. They understand the meaning of "the greater good".

They are the best of the best in my book. They deserve our gratitude. They have earned our respect. They need our support. They don't seem to need our thanks, but they appreciate it. They make me all the more proud to be an American. They are my heroes!

May God bless our troops and God bless us all.

I Was Afraid of This

This is growing in my baby's throat!

Well, the doctor confirmed my suspicion. Grace has strep. She was somewhat improved on Thursday morning then began to spiral downward Thursday evening. Her fever spiked at last check before medication was administered at 101.5, which is not too high, but it was not going in the direction I wanted. It was obvious she was not significantly improving. Our doctor worked her in. Bless his heart. He was trying to leave the office early to take his family to the Alabama football game and then camping for the weekend. God bless him for not leaving us to deal with this all weekend! OR, visit a Doc-in-the-Box then have to pay again to see our doctor the next week to follow up.
He is even prepared, if needed, to call in prescriptions for any subsequent family members who may succumb to the nasty, dreaded, streptococcal bacterial throat invasion. As he offers this so generously, I am thinking of all the mama-loving I did before I suspected this was strep.

Hmmmm....all those kisses, all the times I tasted the food or drink to see that it would be OK for her taste, all the hot oatmeal bites that I put the spoon directly from her mouth, into the oatmeal, blew it, touched it to my lips to be sure it was not going to burn her mouth, then back into the bowl....Oh-My-Goodness! The times that she fell asleep sitting with me in the recliner as she breathed directly into my face...Oh, dear!

Spanish Horchata-Ole'

My son is taking Spanish this year and is struggling to say the least. Tomorrow he is to bring in a recipe and a dish of some kind that is of Spanish origin. We chose Horchata, a drink made with rice and milk.

He doesn't know his way around a kitchen very well and I think it is important at his age that he do his own projects. With this recipe, he didn't have to cook anything, it is easily served, and easily transported. He began by soaking long grain rice for half an hour in water then drained it, reserving the water. He then used the food processor to make a paste of the rice, added some cinnamon, then added that back to the water to soak for two hours. Then he must drain the liquid from the rice with a sieve, add milk, sweetened condensed milk, mix well and then into the frig overnight. He will serve this over ice tomorrow in class. The original recipe called for a little rum in the mix, but to avoid being arrested for serving alcohol to minors, we opted out of that ingredient.(smile)

All of this effort will get him two daily grades, turning in the recipe counts as one, serving the finished product counts as the other.

I hope his turns out well, he could REALLY use two REALLY good grades in Spanish! But if nothing else, he has learned to make a new drink that we hope is going to taste good and has to be somewhat healthy for you, he has learned the ins and outs of a food processor, and knows a little more about kitchen duty. It is all bueno!

Adios! Buenos noches, amigos!

Addendum to the Previous Post

Callie has informed me that she, too, likes the Christmas music, so here is my official printed retraction about the torment of Callie. I apologize for any misrepresentation.
It seems only the male gender of the house will be tortured this season. (smile)

I Am Excited About....

XM!!!

I have difficulty listening to radio anymore, because I have been spoiled with commercial free XM! I have my husband, the Gadget Man, to thank for that.

My home system is quite sensitive, so when someone driving past my house is changing their XM channel, consequently, so does mine.

I awoke to a sports channel this morning and as I was resetting my regular station, going through the line-up of channels, I spot Holiday! What? Was that Holiday? Yes, it is! Holiday!

You must understand, I have been dubbed, "Little Miss Merry Christmas" because of my love of the holidays. Not to mention, my family celebrates Christmas together at Thanksgiving, so it is perfect timing to put me in the proper festive spirit of the season.

I was overjoyed! Jubilant! This means from now until New Year's Day I will be able to listen to my beloved Christmas music 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! I am ecstatic! Gracie is too. She is a girl after her mom's own heart.

So it begins. The ecstacy of Laura and Gracie...the torment of Callie, Micah, and most especially, the Gadget Man!

"It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas....fa,la,la,la,la,...la,la,la,la!"

It is Just This Middle Part That I Hate!

The Good Shepherd cares for His sheep.

Today began as any other, with the exception of being the day for school photos. I had to help the girls with their coifs, so they would be beautiful for posterity's sake.

Michael and I had our morning coffee, Lee arrived to start the work day and off they went to get parts for a job. When they arrived at the office of our largest supplier, Michael was informed that he no longer had distributor privileges. No letter of notice, no email, no phone call, just waited until he showed up to buy parts and notified him of the change at that time. Shoddy way to run a business.

What this means for us. Micagra will still be able to service the systems this company sells but the parts will cost us more, which will in turn cost the customer more. It will also mean, and this is the big one, that we will no longer be able to use their system to upgrade existing systems in the facilities. Ouch! That is where our biggest income lies.

We knew this was on the horizon. It had happened to other small businesses that do what we do. We just didn't know when the axe would fall. Well, today is the day.

This will mean a major shift in our business. We had already begun working with another product in anticipation of this event. Now we must shift into high gear with that. It will involve investments into equipment and parts from the new company and a large building where Michael and Lee can produce the previously pre-fab equipment and parts they once were able to purchase. It will take more time to make them and thus take away from time in the field. Another ouch.

There is nothing they cannot make themselves and it is only a kink, but it comes at a time when we were on the verge of investing in our new home and the uncertainty of the political/financial times are weighing heavily on us.

Dilema, confusion, questions. All parts of that bigger issue uncertainty.

We will pray for guidance. We will talk about our options, think about it, talk some more, pray, think, talk...it will all work out in the end, of that I am sure. It is just this middle part that I hate. God has always watched over us and taken care of us and I am sure He will now. That part I do not doubt. The uncertainty of the "getting to that point" is excruciating with decisions to be made, the rights and wrongs of it all, the"what ifs" to consider, the "what to do and how to do it" stuff.

Recently, I filled out a "Get to know you better" email. One question was what do you like least about yourself and my answer was my indecisiveness and how excruciating it is for me to make important, major decisions. It makes me wonder if God is stretching me and growing me. Maybe it is an exercise in trust. Since I know Jeremiah 29:11 says,"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." and I believe that. And Romans 8:28 reads, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

I guess now is the time to put my faith into action. In my Sunday school class, we were talking about Noah and how he had such faith to trust what God said when the whole world, more than likely ridiculed him for doing so for about 120 years! As a trust exercise, I had my children stand in front of me with their arms outstretched and fall back into my arms, promising them I would not let them fall. It took a couple of times for each of them to finally relax and fall back, without stepping back, and trust me to catch them. How ironic. Or coincidental? Or maybe just God preparing me to do the same with him. I didn't understand why they were so hesitant to fall back when they knew I was there to catch them. Hmmmm.....I am learning that it is scarier than it looked.

A Little Taste of History

I had the honor of driving Miss Gracie and three of her 4th grade classmates to Fort Toulouse/Fort Jackson for a field trip yesterday. Although the rain dampened the ground it did not hamper our good time.

We saw re-enactors dressed as Native Americans, French soldiers, Colonial American soldiers, and men and women who would have just lived and worked in the 1700's and 1800's. They showed us how life was lived in those days and boy, do we have a better appreciation for modern society!

When the rain began, we found a spot to shelter and keep dry. It was under the canopy of the musicians who played a violin, fiddle, fife, drum, and hammered dulcimer. Being products of an interactive, technological culture, I thought the children would tire of listening to the music and singing, as we waited for the rain to subside. Instead, they asked if the musicians knew any Christmas music and when the music began, the children began to sing along! They made quite an impression on the re-enactors and I must admit, I was pretty impressed myself!