MORNING--NOON--EVENING--NIGHT!

MORNING---What a great way to begin "my" day!

6:50 am wake-up.....because it is Saturday!

Serve one another humbly in love, (Galatians 5:13)

Be ye kind one to another, (Ephesians 4:32)

Set your minds on things above. (Colossians 3:2)

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Today my day will also start soon after with some of BB's yummy blueberry lemon poundcake with a candle in the middle.Hmmm! YUMMY! I could lick off the glaze after I blow out "my" candle! 

Calls. Cards. Texts. Emails, Gifts. 

Noontime lunch w/ hubby @ small place with outside patio and yummy spaghetti! (my fave) followed by more of BB's cake!! I did "share" a bit!

Some call it supper, others say dinner! I call it dessert on the porch with cake!!! I shared a bit with hubby and with grandson, Owen. He knew what was in store. After all she is "his" BB!

Nighttime. Lights out.....so no-one sees me taking a last serving of "my" cake!

Sunrise to sunset it was a glorious September 13!

BIRTHDAYS @ BEACH

Celebrating with a cousin is always more fun!

Gogo is almost 4!!!! Jack just turned 5!!!!!

A headband made by sister, Lucy under Aunt Molly's tutelage!

A headband Yay---water guns.....

...and Donut Chalk!

What a glorious mess!

For Uncle Corey to clean up.

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers. (Proverbs 17:6)

So grateful to "see my children's children!" (Psalm 128:6)

My grandchildren are always in my heart, on my mind and in my prayers!

CELEBRATIONS!

Many days are for celebration....birthdays that end in 0 being one!

Aubrey planned months ago to honor his Gayle, with family, friends, food, fun and lots of stories and laughter. 

Did I mention carrot cake with an icing I could have eaten by the spoonfuls.

"Let's Celebrate and be glad today." as God's Word says in Psalm 118:24, CEV.

  

We did just that! We celebrated with a side of singing served to sweet Gayle, our honoree!

WATCH OUT WORLD!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JACK! JUNE 14, 2023

No longer "baby Jack" though diapers are sometimes necessary.

I pray from Proverbs 14 for him, asking the Lord to shield the "buts" of that chapter from Jack's life. May he grow to know,

Whoever fears the LORD has a a secure fortress, 

and for their children it will be a refuge. (Proverbs 14:26)

Jack is 5!

Watch out world....this little guy wanted a chocolate birthday cake with monster trucks and venomous snakes!

Jack is ready to make his mark!

              He's already made a big one in my heart!

BLESSINGS IN THE NIGHT!

Surreptitiously they came. In the dark of night!

Four furtive friends..3 sneaky kids & 1 driver/mama.

But the ears of the victim were alert to the sounds of singing!

Their pursuit was foiled.

CAUGHT in the act of blessing with balloons and handmade cards!

SURPRISE! 

WAIT A MINUTE.....

.......Which side was more surprised? The Blessers or the Bless-ee?

Does it matter? 

Blessings abounded in both directions with kisses and hugs all around as laughter and dancing were mixed in. (Ecclesiastes 3:4)

WHAT A QUIVER!

Celebrating birthdays of two of our grandchildren this week reminded me of the verses from Psalm 127:3a & 5a, Behold, children are a gift of the LORD,....How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. In our family all of our children have suffered loss in childbearing and yet the Lord has continued to bless them in unexpected ways with more "arrows" for their quiver.

Just his week as grandson # 4 turned 12 on 6/12, today grandchild # 8 celebrated his 1st birthday.

As each of our children's families have been blessed, so have we----as we now await surprise # 9 grandchild and only the 2nd girl in the quiver. 

Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children. (Proverbs 17:6) We celebrate the fulness of each of those quivers, even if its with blueberry pancakes instead of birthday cake! Tomorrow's "Jam Session" party for toddlers with drums will get to "eat cake."

O HAPPY DAZE......

From Easter & two birthdays to Flat Stanley fun, Mother's Day & 2 pre-birthdays it's been a Kodak worthy family journey.

Daze from frolicking days with family is always worth it!

CHOOSE: TO CELEBRATE...

I chose to celebrate dear friend Ashley Bryan's life via "Ma Bell," as today is his 94th birthday! We always try to chat on my birthday or his and either bless my heart immensely! Ashley is one of my "Hebrews 10:24 friends"---as he "stirs me up"with his encouragement "to love and good works."

This morning was no different even though we shared grief in the loss of his "Soos." 

Susie/Susan Valdina, an Isleford resident, Ashley's precious friend and his "tech" connector with the digital world, died 2 months ago after 18 month struggle with pancreatic cancer. There are not enough words to tell all she meant to the Cranberry Isles folks, especially Ashley. Often, she was the go between for us as she handled both slug mail (as Isleford post mistress, and emails on his behalf. She made sure I received a birthday hug and e-mail blessings from him on my birthday last year.
As our chat continued we shared much good news.

One of the biggies was the stage performances of his "Dancing Granny" in Alliance Theatre in Atlanta.

To see and hear this amazing video, click here alliancetheatre.org/granny.
It will be inspirational to all!!
Of course, it truly warms my heart as I have the original "album" (remember those?) signed by Ashley to me,

Ashley was thrilled that we are going to the High Museum in Atlanta Ashley Bryan's  current exhibit, which is causing quite a "stir" in Atlanta. (All the MARTA buses have signs depicting the exhibit, "Painter and Poet: Wonderful World of Ashley Bryan") Above link also has a 6 minute video of Ashley.
Friends from North Carolina are going with us at the end of the month and I am so-o-o-o excited!

Ashley and I both choose to celebrate life each day God gives us, and today we chose to hope to see each other next year on his 95th---as hubby and I plan to go to his island!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ASHLEY BRYAN!!

Dear, dear friend, Ashley Bryan, is 93 today!!

We have been friends for 25+ years---a friendship that continues to inspire and bless me!!

A birthday kiss for Ashley as hubby and I went to "his island" 3 years ago for his 90th birthday!

Today's morning "birthday call" to him ended up, as always, being a blessing to me---a real cause for celebration, as he celebrates life daily better than anyone I know.

As I was sharing that his birthday card might miss today's "mailboat," but that is was on the way, he said to me, "Dotsy, we always keep in touch even without letters or phone calls.....because you are always in my heart."

Happy Birthday, Ashley---you are always in my heart as well!

DOUBLE DIGIT

Double-digit birthdays are biggies. Hallmark knows this and takes full advantage.

But the first double digit seems the BEST---a real milestone! 

For Caleb it was an extended celebration of sorts---from party with friends earlier in the month to a celebration with extended family days before---a pogo stick was even delivered to the door and a family dinner at Texas Land and Cattle on the “real” day!

Happy 10^th Birthday to our football playing fisherman CDL!
Cabela's awaits you with open arms anxious to help you spend your birthday "bucks."

"Gaie-TEA

This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24, NASB)

"Good news, John Parker has a birthday!
Good news, John Parker has a birthday!!
Good news, John Parker has a birthday----He's 6 years old today!!!"

We all sang around the kitchen table at breakfast this morning. It is indeed good news when the day is blessed with family gathered, scripture read, prayers given and a grandson honored on "his" day. 

Lots of cuppas of gaie-TEA to be shared these next few days as we, grandparents, celebrate moments one-on-one with our son and his number 4 son. 

A cuppa gaiety with a baseball cookie because John Parker doesn't like cake, as he is quick to remind us!

There's even celebratory gaiety with a stinky fish, especially when it's caught at Pickwick on Pop's dock.

CELEBRATE LIFE!

8/25/12 Following my morning meditation, in Job 12:7-12, I “dressed” to go help friend, Peggy, who was hosting a birthday luncheon for “Miss Louise” and a bevy of her friends. Celebrating life. Many years of life.

Miss Louise and hostess, Peggy, who has honored her with birthday luncheons since 2006.

Job’s words flooded my mind because I knew the Lord had blessed her with this length of years. Truly, “in His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” (Job 12:10) Few people ever realize that many years on earth. Shouldn't we be celebrating each breath with gratitude?

Miss Louise not only celebrates age in years but her mind, still very sharp, allows those of us around her to celebrate too, as she shares a wealth of wisdom and stories. What fun to listen as she reminisced about the “ last” time she was at Mackinac Island and the governor's wedding was taking place there. Though not “officially” at the wedding, island guests were able to view it on a large screen in the lobby of The Grand, where she was staying. She concluded her view was probably better than those of the guests in attendance. She also recalled all the geraniums and the “tea” available each day.

Job 12:12 provides today’s questions. “Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?” It certainly has for “Miss Louise.”

So here’s a “cuppa” to "Miss Louise" on her 101^st Birthday! What a privilege to serve her during this year's celebration!