CELEBRATION!

Celebrating Ann Martin's 1st birthday in heaven! 

A time to remember our true friend who would have been 94 today!

She loved breakfast at Perkins so we met there to pray and remember.

Trips together. Meals together. Swimming together. Singing old hymns together. Laughs together. 

• Awakening to Shirley's buttery biscuits at Blackberry, riding in the golf cart w/ her doggie Abbey, treated to Judy's crepes w/ fresh fruit & real whipped cream, rocking in the chairs with Farmer John at the Barn, campfire s'mores, 4th of July lunching on the grounds & listening to Luke Bryan's Spring Break live concert from our lawn chairs. 
• Her top level cooking from Etheline's coconut cake, her Brad's, birthday pumpkin roll and her roasted red pepper soup. Who takes time to roast peppers anymore? Lunching with her sweet Marika when she was in town.....from Napa Cafe to good ole Elmo's.
• Swimming together at the Q for years, sometimes at the office and once even breaking in to Rawl and Julie's for a dip.....by scaling the gate!
• When she had trouble speaking we could hum a familiar old hymn and she would start singing.. In the Garden, Old Rugged Cross, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus and Jesus Love Me.
• Many laughs included Mike & Larry being her boyfriends. Others are censored (per request by friends) but often dealt with food and weight and back to food....while interspersed with bodily function jokes.

Ann was a friend who gave wise counsel; Her life as a friend is clearly reflected in these verses.

A true friend sticks by you like family. (Proverbs 18:24)

Sweet friendships refresh the soul and awaken our hearts with joy! (Proverbs 27:9)

Thanks for the memories, sweet, Ann; You certainly refreshed my heart with joy even during my darkest of days!

SURPRISE!

What a surprise!

Story to follow.............thanks to Jamie S. reminder that I had yet to tell the story,

When I first met these two sisters they were in junior high (not called middle school in those days).

I came to know them because I worked with their mom, Lilly, in 1967 at the Memphis State Pre-School/Kindergarten. I don't think it was called Children's School at that point. She took me right under her wing as did her husband, Fred. I spent a lot of time at their house on Quince. They shared their church home, First Evan, with me in later years and shared money with me by signing for  my first $50 loan to buy a mattress for my new apartment. After approving my prospective husband, Lilly and Fred showered us with a "couples" wedding shower.....and shared their daughters, Melody and Rachel, to be rice girls at our 1969 wedding.......driving all the way to Kentucky to be there for us. After telling us about Deep Creek in Bryson City, NC, they shared their inner tubes so we shouldn't have to pay for them. We used them for years as that "frugal" tubing vacation was the favorite of our children thru the years---even winning out over Disney. So far it's been a loved trip of 8 of our 9 grands. # 9 gets to go this year. 

We worked together each fall for years at the Orgill show slapping together sandwiches and laughing over Mr. Pacho Rabbane and other shared adventures.

Both daughters became nurses and made their parents proud.We've kept up with these girls ever since. Most recently we shared Melody's 65th birthday, "pulled off without a hitch by sister Rachel. What an accomplishment that was! What a fun surprise with Mexican food, Melody's favorite, and lots of quilting stories, reminiscing & laughter!!

How very special is this family to me and hubby too.

 It's no surprise to anyone who knew the  Laughlins that they showed Christ to us in every way. 

We'll be forever grateful! 

CHOOSE LAUGHTER

Sometimes we just have to laugh at ourselves.

More often than NOT, it seems, my dearest friends and family have a "feast of laughter" (Ecclesiastes 10:19) at my expense. They even give me endearing gifts to remind me.

So.....I choose to laugh at those as well!

BLESSINGS UPON BLESSINGS!

It's Thanksgiving and so much to be thankful for---sweet fellowship in the household of faith & shared times with family and friends. 

Blessings---a real mixed bag----shared with family, friends & faith friends!

So I had to share a Blessing Mix recipe from sweet friend Ellen.

BLESSING MIX

Bugles--Shaped like a cornucopia, Horn of Plenty, a symbol of our nation's abundance.

Pretzels--Arms folded in prayer, a freedom sought by those who founded our country.
Candy Corn--The sacrifices of the Pilgrims' first winter. Food was so scarce that settlers survived onjust a few kernels of corn a day.
Nuts or seeds--Promise of a future harvest, one we will reap only if seeds are planted and tended with diligence.
Dried fruits--Harvest gifts from our bountiful land.
M&Ms--Memories of those who came before us to lead us into a blessed future.
Hershey's Kiss--The love of family and friends that sweetens our lives.

Click here for---Recommended Recipe Amounts for those "exact" cooks.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL! (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Heart of a Friend

Ah-h-h friendship---the best bouquet of all.
Character traits of good friends are highlighted in scripture.
"A friend loves at all times"----even when I don't make sense or repeat myself, she listens. (Proverbs 17:17)
"Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person"---she's one of the the calmest gals I know. (Proverbs 22:24)
"Walk with the wise and become wise"---accepting a job at Houston High was a wise decision because I walked the halls there with Drenda. (Proverbs 13:20)
The flowers are still there. 1456 is still on the mail box.

But......the heart of the home now resides in Kansas City and she took a bit of my heart with her.

Tradition, Tradition.....TRADITION!! (x30)

Most families have many holiday traditions. Our longest lasting holiday tradition began Christmas Eve 30 years ago.

We gave an unusual gift to 3 of our couple friends and their children. Not pricey monetarily but for us......relationally priceless! 

Early Christmas Eve morning, 1986, we went to each home and loaded up the entire family in our "new" tan Ford Econoline 150 van. 8 adults and 10 children, a few over the passenger vehicle limit. Seatbelts other than the captain's seats, not even an option.

The "Girls" 1986

Our gift to each was the 99¢ breakfast special at Bryant's. (still at the corner of Summer Ave. & Graham) Plus, each child was given 4 quarters to play the pin ball machines. 

What fun! What a crowd. And so it continued----tho for a few years, Bryant's closed on Christmas Eve so we met at Perkins (2-3x) and Uncle Lou's (1). From tacky sweaters to denim and more subdued colors, along with dark hair and big hair to white hair and no hair---we've continued. "Life's too short to eat low-fat food----so eat at Bryant's" on Christmas Eve.

The "Girls" 1994

Over the years the crowds increased as grands were added to the mix. Today's total would be 48---too many for the small ""counter service" type breakfast.

Original 18 and cousin Betsy

Liles 1st Bryant's with a "grand" 2002---note Life's Too short to eat low-fat Eat at Bryant's sign upper left

But nowadays many of the original "kids" can't make it "home" (AL, IL, MS, NY, NC,  TX) on Christmas Eve....needing to work, be in their own homes for Santa or preaching Christmas Eve services. 

Last year all the Liles were to be together in Colorado so hubby and I weren't even there but daughter Molly and her family were our "remnant" and had breakfast and a picture with Carrie, owner and sometimes cook, before hightailing it to Colorado.

This year the tradition marked our 30th anniversary---with 3 of the original kids and their families (7 young ones) in attendance! 3 of original kids holding "sign" to be "photo-shopped" in to pic.

Merry Christmas Eve---a great tradition!!

Gift From the Heart

12 day reminder from a friend---literally bound in Scripture. 

Called to be light and salt by the One "who is Light" and Love. Thanks to my dear friend for that "lovely" reminder---all 12 of them.