Thankful Thursday

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US!

How can you love someone crazy fresh who drives you absolutely insane? I'm not sure but I do and, well, for that I'm grateful... I love you Michael - to the moon and back.

..."and the greatest of these is love"...

One of Those Days

I miss my friend today... and nothing else seems to matter. I'm not going to fight the tears anymore this morning. I'm just going to try and get through the day. Nothing's happened to make me think of Deb - no "event", no particular issues in my life recently. But she is so close to my heart today and I'm - just - sad.

Sadie and I walked down to the edge of the property this morning. The pathway from my house to Deb's has grown over with grass now, you can barely make it out. Maybe that's what started my heart aching, huh...

A Favorite Thing

Cindy at My Romantic Home has invited us to participate in a weekend event entitled "Our Favorite Things". The idea is to share one of our favorite things that we have in our homes but it could not be a person... Here is mine...

...enough said...

"A Final Farewell"

Randy Pausch
The Last Lecture

After countless attempts to insert the video itself here, I've given up. Instead, simply go here to learn about this very bright, funny, courageous, insightful man. Randy Pausch lost his battle this morning to Pancreatic Cancer. And if you haven't read his book, The Last Lecture, please take some time to pick it up this weekend - you'll be glad you did and you'll finish it well before it's time to return to work Monday morning.

Some people have such charm, such charisma, such a great outlook on life, are the type of people you just want to be around - I wish I'd met this man in person... maybe he'll take time to chat with me when our paths cross in eternity... My heart goes out to his wife, children and family. No matter how much they talked and prepared themselves for this day, hearts are broken.

But Randy Pausch's wit and spirit will forever surround Carnegie Mellon for he touched too many students' lives and made too great an impact on everyone he met for it not to...

Thankful Thursday

"Virtue" : General moral excellence. Boy, that's a lot to strive for. I better get started...

1) I'm thankful for my safe and productive travels to and throughout Alabama last week;
2) I'm thankful for the three Christian women that were put in front of me during those travels last week;
3) I'm thankful for taking the risk and tasting (eating) the gulf shrimp at the "Cajun Steamer" - YUMMO!!!!;
4) I'm thankful for being able to be home this entire week;
5) I'm thankful that there's a good chance I'll be home all next week (not much choice, hubby is off to Wilmington for a week for a conference so I have to be home with the critters);
6) I'm thankful that my daughter and son-in-law are considering North Carolina as a new place to live (although I will be supportive of whatever decision they make...I've learned that the hard way!);
7) I'm thankful that my outside kitty "Big G" was on the porch for breakfast this morning (I haven't seen him in over a week - but he is my biggest "explorer");
8) I'm thankful that my dad is feeling better;
9) I'm thankful that David MacEwen (he owns the farm where I board my horse) is resting comfortably at home after suffering a heart attack;
10) I'm thankful that I'll be able to pick up my car this afternoon - OH SO THANKFUL!!!
11) I'm thankful for the rain we've had this week;
12) I'm thankful to Benjamin & Samuel for cutting our grass (field) this week;
13) I'm thankful I didn't get called up for jury duty this week (one down, 5 to go...)

I'll turn off my appreciation faucet here and save some for next Thursday. Have a beautiful day, everyone, and take a few minutes to step outside, get some fresh air and consider all the good in your own lives...

Neighbors

I bet you think you know what a good neighbor is... I thought I did, too, when I lived in Northern Virginia - 12 miles from Washington, DC...in the same neighborhood, on the exact same street I grew up on.

I had no idea what a good neighbor was until I moved to the country. When I tell you I live in the country, take my word for it. I am 10 miles from a grocery store of sub-standard quality. No fast food/pizza/Chinese delivery is available to us. We don't have cable and the only "high speed" Internet service offered is a satellite, which is debateable and less than dependable at best. And now that I think about it, I'm not real sure we have a "911" system (note to self - ask the hubby about this one). What I do have is awesome neighbors.

I haven't just come to this realization, I've known it since the weekend of July 4, 2002. That's the weekend the pump went out on our well (oh yeah, we don't have "city water" either. Everyone out here has their own well). And that's when I first met the Kecks. I won't go into detail about how our relationship grew just know that it did and that I know if ever I needed ANYTHING I could simply walk through the woods and down my neighbor's drive.

You know, when I lived in Springfield in a sprawling, very well-established neighborhood I didn't even know my neighbors' names. And many of the backyards were equipped with 6 foot high fences so you didn't even have to associate with your neighbors. The houses are so close that in the summer time when your windows are open you can hear everyone talking on the patios outside. But back then, I didn't know any better. I accepted this "neighborly way of living" and I didn't even know I was cramped. I'm wiser now.

It's been a test of patience this week here in the country. My car's been in the shop since Sunday night, the lawn tractor went to the doctor yesterday afternoon and the "farm truck" is at the top of the drive waiting patiently for the starter to be replaced. We don't have a big "spread" here in Bear Creek but going from a 1/4 acre lot in a neighborhood on the outskirts of Washington, DC to 6 acres in the middle of North Carolina did and does present its challenges.

Thank God for good neighbors...

"Hand-Me-Downs"

As I've gotten older and "matured", I've become a little frustrated with realizing I've had to wait this long to learn true appreciation for certain things. Why is that? Why does it sometimes take 1/2 a lifetime to learn what a treasure your grandmother's china is or how much love and effort your great grandmother put into making the quilt by hand that hangs on the wall? I suppose I shouldn't dwell on it but rather be grateful that I DO finally "get it". And at this point in my life, I "get it" loud and clear and now even dream of when some valued treasured may be sent my way!



During our recent visit back to Mike's hometown, we had the pleasure of spending some time with his Aunt Wilma. Besides being priceless to us herself, Aunt Wilma's house is a treasure filled with family heirlooms and pieces of family history - oh, if Mike's grandfather's rocking chair could talk... To our surprise, Aunt Wilma had decided to hand down a few precious "things" to Mike and me.


First, here's Mike's Uncle Rawleigh's Underwood typewriter that he used in high school. Isn't it wonderful?! And it works! Even the return arm works. I knew we were going to be given this little beauty and I couldn't get to Kentucky fast enough to pick it up! I'd love to read the history papers Uncle Rawleigh typed up on this...or maybe even the love letters he created and sent to Aunt Wilma... We've cleared off a spot on the table that sits under the window in our office - the perfect place in my opinion. I see it everyday and daydream about the stories that may have been pecked out so thoughtfully...

What we weren't expecting were the Homer Laughlin serving bowl (on the left) and the beautiful, almost dainty cake plate on the right. These will both be put to good use. I am not a believer of putting things up for display only. They were meant to be used and so they will be. Also in this photo in the right corner is a tiny pink glass "hen on a nest" mini salt cellar. Mike and I found this in a little junk shop in downtown Flemingsburg. I wish now I'd have gotten at least four. Maybe they'll be there the next time we go back.

As a result of my recent epiphany, I'm trying to instill in my grown daughter the importance and value in items that loved ones pass on to us. Not monetary value but sentimental value. I don't want Brandi to have to wait half her lifetime to learn this lesson. I want her to treasure the pieces of jewelry her great grandmother has given to her and for her to always know the love that was part of the gift giving. And maybe she can even conjure up a picture in her mind of how her great grandmother might have looked in her party dress while wearing that strand of pearls or that sparkling diamond ring... the memories are almost more valuable than the gift itself...

And so I say...thank you, Aunt Wilma, for sharing a piece of your history, your life with Mike and me and, more importantly, for helping to make our house a home. We will treasure these "hand-me-downs", use them and care for them lovingly and smile warmly when we think of where they came from...