Eighteen

Eighteen years. Wow – what a journey. So glad to be on it. . .

Is it wrong to think of your child’s birthday as your birthday too?

I am thinking it is appropriate. I have not felt it this strongly before – but this 18^th celebration of life has struck that cord.

A beautiful melody is being played. A sentimental tune ending in an upbeat strumming of what is to come.

Eighteen

Society and tradition have deemed it a passage to the next phase of life. While that is skewed in today’s setting, some rites of passage remain. Some new responsibilities present themselves. New opportunities.

I suppose you could say, when looking back, each year a been a new opportunity for me too. Each year I have grown because of him. I have learned, loved, yelled, pondered. But each experience has not only had an impact on who he is and who he will become, but God has used him to continue to make me who I am, molding me, chiseling away parts that were not suppose to be there or were too rough. Building up muscle where I was too soft. Seeing a bigger picture. Experiencing frustrations, disappointments, confusion and most of all joy and a love beyond human understanding.

So happy birthday to Demolition D (and happy birthday to me too...)

Homecoming Concert

One child back at home, one to go (The Man will be home from Athens tonight).



Demolition D arrived back home with the rest of the choir yesterday. Tradition is to have a homecoming concert, and that continued.



They did a great job!



Between songs, the upcoming seniors and just graduated students provided stories from the trip. The Music Leader is a brave soul! Highschool kids and an open mike! They did a good job, only a few red faces, but nothing bad or racy, just delivered in a fun way.



I am re-posting a picture, the one of St. Paul's Chapel. I did not realize this last week, and am glad that one of the kids shared about this . . .

St. Paul's Chapel was known for over 200 years as the Chapel that George Washington first prayed at after being elected President in 1789. The pew and the chair that Washington worshiped in and prayed from are still preserved and displayed.

But, St. Paul's has a newer distinction - September 11, 2001, it was a building that was in the midst of all the wreckage as the towers fell. It remained unharmed and was a refuge to the many firemen, policemen and volunteers serving the area during the time following 9/11.

When the above picture was first twittered I liked the calm of the blue and the setting. I had no idea I was looking at a sanctuary that was a spiritual refuge during such a difficult time for our country.

Back to the concert. As I said, the kids did a great job, even with being exhausted and tired voices. I tried to video some of the songs with my camera, not great quality and not much room on the card, but I had to share a snippet of one of the songs.

At the end, the choir members left the choir loft, and with the leaders, circled the audience, held hands and closed singing the song Total Praise . . .

Lord, I will lift mine eyes to the hills

Knowing my strenght comes from you

Your peace You give me in time of the storm

You are the source of my strenght

The strength of my life

I will lift my hands in total praise to You.

It was so very touching and so good to have them back home!

Wordless Wednesday - Then and Now

Then . . .

July 2005

Now

January 3, 2009

Deer, And Turkey And Pecan Pie, Oh My!

Excitement is setting in.

Thanksgiving use to be just a ho!hum! kinda holiday.

Then I met Will.

Back in the mid 90’s, Sister-In-Law (A) and Brother-In-Law (Pappie) bought what had been at one time a commercial hunting plantation. This wonderful land of field and wood and pond has become affectionately called “The Farm.”

There is a lodge. It has a fireplace with a mill stone hearth, a room with a pool table. Plenty of space for gathering and eating. There are two rooms for those staying overnight. There are two little “motels” – a quadplex, if you will, of rustic rooms, each with their own bath. Deer feet hang on the wall as jacket holders, and antlers as hat holders. There is skeet shooting and hunting for those hunters in the group. There are two ponds for those who wish to fish and plenty of walking area for those who are just getting away.

Will and Traveler and Ocho were invited that first Thanksgiving after the Farm was purchased, to come out and stay. The Farm is only about 25 miles out of town, but it is far enough away from stores, you pack what you need before heading out. It is as if you are much further away from home than you really are.

So until 2001, just A, Pappie and their crew, Will and his, would travel out to the Farm. Then Will and I started dating, the boys and I were invited out that first Thanksgiving, 2001. The three of us had a cozy room and had a great time with the crowd that gathered on Thanksgiving Day.

And again another tradition began.

We have spent Thanksgiving out there since. We head out on Wednesday evening, loaded with chili or hamburgers and then all the grub for the rest of the week. It is a laid back break from the hectic everyday pace. There is a phone, but you don’t think about. There is satellite (gotta watch the parade and the great Christmas movies that start), but there is no internet (I will survive!). Unless you are a hunter, whose day then begins before the sun comes up, you sleep as late as you want and stay in your P.J.’s.

Well, at least until 11 or 11:30. Only on Thanksgiving Day. That is when the rest of the family, Mother In Laws, cousins, friends etc. start showing up. The covered dishes come in and are laid in buffet style. I love it, because I take this holiday off from cooking – there is always to much food, I opt for paper goods! There is always a fried Turkey, roasted turkey and ham.

Oh but there is also.

Hashbrown Casserole

Dressing

Mac and Cheese

Pineapple Casserole

Some Salads.

And

DESSERT!


After lunch, Pappie will bring out the wagon, hooked to a jeep and take those who would like, for a ride around the property.

You know, I cannot remember ever a yucky Thanksgiving Day at the Farm. I remember cold, but never rainy. Never unbearable. Always beautiful.

Can you see the deer?

This is my niece holding her nephew . . .

. . . three years ago!

Today he is three!

And a smart one at that! Going by a gas station a few months ago, his Pappy mentioned the price of gas going up, from the back seat, the little one says, "but not for my daddy, he uses diesel." Another day they were driving down the road they spotted a tractor (he loves tractors!), they made sure he sees it, he asks "is it made in China?" His other grandma was reading where toys were made before purchasing - and he remembered! I wish I could think of the different things he says that amaze me. Of course it is just a reminder of how smart my boys were at that age too! Really! I can't leave mine out of the smart category, even though they challenge that in their teen years . . . sometimes . . . ok, a lot.

But I digress. I have been through these great years with my cuties, BUT, watching him, not being in the middle of the parenting, is really fun! And it is amazing how fast it goes by even when it is not your own.

Don't touch the fig leaf

I am driving the Man to scouts the other evening, going along, listening to the radio, when out of the blue, man says"that is just not right" and shakes his head.

Me: What's not?

Man: Those statues back there. I don't see why people would buy them.

(we had just passed a cool garden center with lots of neat garden art)

Me: Well, to decorate their gardens, you know, add some art.

Man: Yeah, but that one was a naked guy with only a towel in front of him. It's just not right.

Me: {{grin}} The statue of David doesn't even have a twel or a fig leaf and it is a work of art . . .

Man: Yeah, but that is ok.

Me: How so?

Man: Because if it is Jesus or someone from the Bible, it is ok to show their junk . Otherwise, they need to cover their junk!

I know God must have a sense of humor, how could you not when kids come out with the most innocent but out there comments.

Hmmm, junk huh?

Photo Phun Phriday

I love this picture(s) of a time gone by . . . 1941, I believe, the Georgia Military Academy.

The fellow on the left is my husband's father, Teddy. Teddy's father was a Navy Officer and was on tour much of the time. Thus my husband's father was enrolled in the Georgia Military Academy boarding school, what would later became the Woodward Academy. He graduated from high school and headed straight to college to graduate as an Engineer.

I never got to meet him, he passed away more than a decade before Will and I met.

It sounds as if he was your typical man raised in the 40's and 50's - hard working, probably away from home more than he could have been, but actively pursuing the American Dream kind of guy. He was a planner, a little of a risk taker, and jack of all trades . . .

With the economic crisis we, as a country, are encountering, my husband has enjoyed telling of a time when his dad did what he had to do during a financially rough spell - his dad took a second job. The second job? Delivering Port-o-lets. Will remembers being on the school bus and looking out the window and seeing his dad coming down the street, coming along in the family station wagon with a trailer and the facility on its way to be delivered.

It was viewed upon with pride. I love the story. So many today believe they are entitled to the best jobs . . .best pay. . . owning their own home, no matter what. This is a glimpse into a time when reality was, you did what you did, and you were proud and thankful for the opportunity.

I see the stories of him in his children - in my sister in laws, in my husband and in my mother in law. I see in this family, that I married into, faith, courage, INTELLIGENCE, fiestiness, and determination that was passed to them by both their mom and dad. I see in my mother in law a woman who raised her kids, and now still lives a full life. She loved her husband and he loved her and helped to make the life she lives now possible.

I hate that I did not get to know him first hand . . .but his presence is still "present" in the stories they tell.

The C Man - correction - A Man

Today was a good day - good and busy! But I got to start my day off with breakfast with C Man, my youngest (12). On Tuesdays, Demolition D attends a prayers breakfast with church, so every couple weeks C Man and I go to breakfast too.

Krystals has become the happening place. We enjoy the quick breakfast before school . . .

I haven't shared much about C Man yet. As I said, he is my youngest. He is the youngest of all step siblings too, here and at his dad's house. I am waiting to see how spoiled he becomes!

He has always been the in the moment child. The ham who enjoys to have fun.

He is my skateboarder . . .

He is my fisherman . . . .

Okay, he is NOT my fashion sensed child - nope, the clothes do not match . . .what not to wear! HA

He is a boyscout . . .

He loves the outdoors and staying busy . . .always moving (his teachers are not fond of this, but I admire this in him very much)

Other than the morphing that seems to happen in middle school . . . and among siblings, well with brothers . . . he is one of the sweetest, affectionate cuddly kids I know.

The other evening, as I passed by his door, I noticed a flash of light. I realized while he was suppose to be in bed, going to sleep, he was still up and moving. As I stepped up to his door, slightly aggravated and wondering whether to go in raise cain or just let him suffer being tired the next day, this is what I saw . . .

C Man sitting on his bed with a headband flashlight around his head and turned on. As I watched him, still with aggravation, I glanced down to see what he was looking at in the dark . . .

There on his bed, open in front of him was his Bible. I melted. How can you be aggravated with a 12 year reading his Bible by flashlight?!?

I went in and asked what he was reading about and he shared the story he was reading. He then went on telling me that the Youth Pastor at Church had told the group about a time when he was on the fence (spiritually), and how he was "low" (C Man heard low, but it was "cold") and that when he started reading his Bible everyday and praying daily that he got off the fence and was "high" (hot) . . . so C had started reading his Bible too so he could be "high."

This is the green grass, the delights of a mother's heart

You Get A Line, I'll Get A Pole

Demolition D headed off to Athens this weekend with his step mom and her mother for the Georgia-Alabama football game. He actually likes Auburn, but he had a great time anyway – especially since Georgia lost! We think he needs to go to the Auburn/Georgia game and see if his presence might have the same luck!

So after a busy morning, Saturday, at work and finishing a few household chores, we took . . . formally known as Stitch (a nickname given at Scouts, that I really do not like! -I will come up with a new one) out to my SIL/BIL's farm to do a little fishing.

I was a gorgeous afternoon!

Will caught the first fish – a small brim

Followed by Dude (trying that name on, maybe Bud will be better) catching the first bass . . . .

The release

And then this happened . . . .

Will caught another bass caught! (it was jumping out of the water as they reeled it in!)

And then another was caught (I lost track of who) . . .

Say Ahhhhhhhh . . . .

Pretty gnarly

We threw them back in ~ since we went more the enjoyment of being outside on such a lovely day. . .

A chance to enjoy time with each other and enjoy crickets chirping and the dragonflies buzzing

The birds singing and purple martins fishing too!

Hard, to see, but the black spot are the birds getting bugs off the water

And then the sunset . . .

the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea . . .

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Psalms 8:8-9

The Love Of Family

Check out Club Candid Carrie, Phriday Photo Phinish Phiesta

So here is my part of "phiesta"

I love this picture. It is of my husband and his oldest sister in the mid 70's. Their family had loaded up two cars and headed to Mexico for vacation. He thinks he is maybe 12 in the picture and she is 18 and newly married.


They have always been close. This shot of her, either admiring his new bolero, or helping him with it, is a sweet picture.

Things that make you . . . SMILE

Today has already been a day offering so many blogging thoughts, but there is no way to put them all down on paper, well, actually on screen!

In just the first couple hours of today life has given many smiles - just simple things, really.

I could not help but get tickled at the Norwegian Base Jumper on the Today Show that was not familiar with what adjectives you can or cannot use on live TV. So when asked his reaction to flying into the rock wall, his response was something to the effect about realizing he was going to hit the wall and thinking “Holy s*&t” (those not in the Eastern Time Zone will get the edited version). The reactions from the behind the scenes folk and Matt Laurer were a hoot!

I wonder if the fellow realizes what he did?

Have you ever seen a South Georgia Sheep Dog? There are not many – their coats are too thick and the temps too hot. Not to mention flea control in that much hair. But I saw a lady walking one this morning, and I had to chuckle. His body was shaved and his head was not. Bless his heart (yes, as I said I am in the South – bless (fill in the blank) heart is as much a part of lives as grits and sweet tea) he was absolutely comical. I actually had my camera with me, but I don’t believe his owner would have appreciated my wishing to take a picture.

But the best chuckle I had this morning also tickled my heart.

Demolition Derby D actually dressed for Tacky Day at school!

When he was baby he was happy and all smiles – even though very independent, not what you would call a cuddly baby. But happy!

See:

You have to know this: he inherited, from me, this bone that makes you extremely embarrassed in some situations, mainly ones that would draw attention (no, there really is not a bone). As he became older, this surfaced more. He takes it several steps further than me though. He has it so bad he is actually uptight and bordering boring at times! In Middle School he would not participate in any of the activities like this. But not today . . .Today he came downstairs to head to school for Tacky Day:

Ok, so the picture being taken did not make him happy. Oops!

DH and I have noticed him coming out of his shell over the last 6 months or so and is seeming to enjoy life more and smiling and now venturing further out. It is something to watch someone start to figure out who they might be and to push themselves in ways they may not have before.

It really does the heart good!

It is beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth. Psalms 48:2

Demolition Derby D

My adventures with Demolition Derby D continue. It amazes me how many details with driving that we, adults, handle out of reflex or habit. As DDD continues to learn to drive, I see all the BIG/little details that we were taught, not even realizing all the details we have learned. Now I am having to pick apart driving to be sure he knows and understands what to do and why.

I also see why there are so many advocates pushing to change the driving age to 17 or 18. Don’t get me wrong- Pleeeease don’t change it too soon!?!

This process reminds me so much of the toddler stages (except he argues and fights more now). For example, the struggle and desire to walk but the lack of coordination that has to be built. Or the big, chunky, colorful blocks we try to get them to fit in the puzzle slot. Yup, that is a 15 year old learning to drive. Uncoordinated, and not everything seeming to connect quite yet.

Changing lanes fits this category. He looks in the mirror, check; over his shoulder, check; ahead, too long, ummm . . .ok over his shoulder again, check; then he, somewhat with a jerk, changes lanes. Ahhh and I grin . . . as the gentleman my child pulled in front of us passes on the right and gives a very ugly stare down. Note to self: make sure he remembers being told not to pull in front of another car no matter how many times you look over should.

Diagonal parking spaces are a breeze, naturally and he feels quite accomplished when he gets to park in one of these spots. Bring on the pull in parking spots and that is a different bird. Judging distances and figuring out how to line up the vehicle between the lines is much more of a challenge.

This child of mine that just knew he was an experienced driver before ever getting behind the wheel, “how hard can it be mom, driving is simple!” Now, “can I go, can I go now” and “driving after dark really is different – can we go another way, this way makes me nervous.” I am glad he had sense enough to say he was uncomfortable. And we still have red light issues ~ he actually tried to make a left hand turn at the same red light as before. Ok, this time when I yelled at him to stop, was less fear and more aggrivation.

Is that another gray hair?!? Hmmmm maybe that is another area to add to my list of what I need to learn - whisper stop and smile as I say it . . . yeah, I can do that!

I wonder what other adventures my children will take me on that will show me how much I HAVE learned? I wonder if some of the areas in life that I struggle with now, will one day be handled smoothly without flaw and out of reflex or without thought because the right way has become so much a part of me and who I am?

So what adventures have your kids taken you on that have shown you how you have moved through life and learned, or, like me, not (yep bad drivers still challenge the gracefulness I desire to exhibit)?

The Gathering

"The Gathering" was for my step-daughter's 21st Birthday.

One thing to note about blended families, by the time all sides and Grandparents have all taken their turn, Birthdays and Christmas celbrations could have gone on for a week or two, which, especially for birthdays, is great! Why should it be limited to one day?!? Life should be celebrated!


But I have to say I was ready to get this gathering over . . . it was the last after a busy summer of "gatherings"


. . . two weeks ago for my now 15 year old.


. . . three weeks before that for my now 12 year old


. . . one week before that - at the beach with a smaller crowd for dear hubbies b-day


. . . four weeks before that for my 18 year old step son (it was smaller and at a restaurant but
still planning)


. . . three weeks before that it was stepson's graduation - Our side and all his mom's side came to
our haciendi for lunch afterwards


. . . three weeks before that my MIL
. . . three weeks before that my Mom


With the close of Saturday evening's celebration, we have a break until Christmas and then it picks up again next April.

A friend at church makes these wonderful 7 or 13 or 15 - whichever you request - layer cakes. My MIL had a coupon for one so that was the birthday cake- it was great!

and from the other side . . .

This was actually preceded by real food - Pastor Ryan's (Pioneer Woman) Roasted Roma Tomatoes, Watermelon Fruit Bowl, Mashed Potatoes, Addictive Cream of Broccoli Soup { these are listed first since they are meatless and my stepdaughter is a vegetarian} and then Fried Chicken and a Rotisserie Chicken

She enjoyed seeing everyone again in one spot. She has been in Amsterdam for the last 8 month - studying abroad and visiting her boyfriend who lives there. She left yesterday for her last year of her undergraduate degree - Theatre. As here license plate says - she is a drama queen, not a shy bone in her body (somehow I was left with the shy bone - well, maybe not shy but easily embarrassed - that bone was not removed)

She took over singing Happy Birthday to herslelf in Dutch - here it is:

Now it is time for a new week. Everyone will now be back into their regular routines and schedules . . . and we begin to countdown to College Graduation . . . . 8 months 2 weeks . . .