Sunday, October 31, 2010

Happy Halloween

To
My 4 beautiful little GOBLINS
MeMe and Pops love you

Halloween

I am guessing
2003

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

CRIMSON RUNS DEEP

I have TIVO in my bedroom
about three days ago
I was catching up on some recorded shows
as I was doing
the always fun
catching up on ironing
one of the shows that I had recorded
was
CSI NY

Skip back in time to
January
Pasadena, California
John and I
sitting in the stands at the
Rose Bowl
Alabama
playing for
the
2009 National Championship
Courtney Cox
an Alabama Alum
comes into the stands
with
the cast of
Cougar Town
along with a few
of her
Friends co stars
most of them were
wearing
Alabama Jerseys

Now
back to
October in
Sweet Home Alabama
and my TIVO
as I am ironing and watching CSI NY
a scene comes on where
the character played by Sela Ward
another ALABAMA alum
is asked what she does when she throws
a penny in a fountain
She replies
I wish for my children to be happy and safe
and for
ALABAMA to win another
BCS CHAMPIONSHIP
I did a double take and rewound
and yes there it was
ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE runs deep and long and far

#14

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

DAVID


Linda and Michele
As I read this quote in
Mary Beth Chapman's
book
Choosing to SEE
I thought of both of you
I know you live this

May this be your experience; may you feel that the Hand
which inflicts the wound supplies the balm, and that He who
has emptied your heart has filled the void with Himself
James Hudson Taylor

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Bittersweet Memories

Moody Building
University of Alabama

Last week, I took Abby to her guitar lesson. She takes from a student at the Moody Music Building on the campus of Alabama. Emma and JB3 were with us. As we pulled into the parking lot across the street we saw the Million Dollar Band practicing.....and so began the flood of memories. But, herding three children across a busy street quickly sent the memories to the back of my mind. We went inside, left Abby with her instructor, and went back outside.


Emma and JB3 wanted to go to the back of the Moody Building to wait on Abby. As we walked outside I noticed several groups practicing their instruments. I walked to the middle of the pretty small park-like spot and found a place to sit. Emma and John Brady immediately began playing, as only children that age can, with whatever they could find to make into a game. It was a wonderfully pleasant afternoon. I love to be on Alabama's campus when it isn't a ballgame day. It is so beautiful, so many huge old trees and the atmosphere just soothes my soul. I would love to live on the edge of the campus in one of those tiny, timeless old homes......my dream! I sat there just enjoying the opportunity of being with my grandchildren, being on the campus I love and reveling in the great weather with the sounds of music floating in the air.


Then came the rush of memories. Just right past where one young man was practicing was where Cathy and I had set up a picnic. Let's go back in time.......Josh was a graduate assistant with the Alabama football team and Anna was a Crimsonette. The first year Anna tried out for Crimsonette we were inexperienced. When a lunch break was called, we hurried to the closest fast food restaurant, Arby's, along with every other person and had a long wait for food that just filled you up and then sat in your stomach. Anna became a member of the Crimsonettes that year but you have to try out again every year. So, the next year Cathy and I discussed how to handle lunch. We decided on a picnic. We did it up good. It was basically a Crimsonette tryout tailgate party. Cathy made the most wonderful chicken salad, I did fruit and we had many other things. We got under a tree behind the Moody building and ate and then Anna would lay down on a blanket and chill. It was so much easier than the rush to a fast food restaurant and so much fun too! Anna was a Crimsonette every year and Josh was on the football field. What a wonderful time we had.


Fast Forward to October 2010
Anna is a lawyer and married and Josh is a college football coach
and
Cathy has been gone for 4 years and 9 months
I though Cathy and I would grow old talking about these memories
I try to keep the memories pushed back
life goes on
But
that day as I sat there
I could picture us all over in that corner
Me, John, Cathy and Steve
laughing
a little scared
wanting the anticipation to be over
but
enjoying every minute of it

Grief and memories sneak up on you
time helps
I didn't cry
in fact
I smiled
what would life be without memories

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Our Alabama Homecoming Tradition

I love being on campus with my Grand kids
We ended up a little closer to town this year
where it wasn't as crowded

It is fun sitting around and talking to people you know
and people you don't know but share your love of Alabama
My Favorite Alabama Fans
Emma, Abby Claire and JB3

Tyrone Prothro
I love this guy
I can still see that great
behind the back of his opponent catch
and
I can still see the play that ended his career


Josh was a Graduate Assistant
when this happened
I remember being at Auburn for the
Iron Bowl
John and I got to go stand outside the
locker room door after the game
Prothro
walked by us
on crutches
John turned to him
and said
with a thumbs up
NEXT YEAR SON
as we all know
next year never came for him


Leigh Ann
one of our youth group girls
from church
Love this girl!

Love, Love, Love
the band






Oh my, those
Fraternity Boys!!!!

Never get tired of seeing this!

Monday, October 18, 2010

Making Friends

Who knew that all it would take
to make friends
would be a
bucket of
Cotton CandyLawson made friends with daughters
of his Mother's friends
at Berry's Homecoming game
Lawson and Danni Kate Naramore


Lawson, Danni Kate
and
Haven Magouirk



Sunday, October 17, 2010

The many faces of a 3 year old

Lawson and I went to watch
Berry's Homecoming Parade

Many of the floats tossed
candy to the kids
Lawson had a Dollar General
sack that was in our car
and collected the candy thrown to him
Oh, Yes
He was one
happy camper

Lawson is wearing one of
Uncle Josh's
practice jerseys
from the 90's

When I asked Lawson
to look at the camera
so I could make his picture
This is what I got
and
I can't even blame the candy
he hadn't eaten any of it
I guess it was just the thought of
the sugar high
that was in his future!




So....I gave up on getting that
cute smile and big brown eyes picture!

Saturday, October 16, 2010

A Little Walk

A couple of weeks ago

Lawson and I went with Pops to

check on a gas well


He was most interested in a small grasshopper

that he found








Helping Pop




Lawson wanted to go walking

so

even though I had just had surgery

I thought a little walk would be okay


Lawson pointed out this tree to me

and said that it was

a Gingerbread House

A 3 year old imagination

at work


God's beautiful creation



Lawson

walking faster

than his MeMe


Thursday, October 7, 2010

Abby's PTO Program

Abby Claire
singing Halloween songs
which included "The Addams Family"
Abby thought it was funny that
both her grandmothers knew the words to this song!
Abby also helped lead the Pledge of Allegiance
because she is a class represenative
You Go Girl!


JB1 and JB3
proudly watching Abby


Wednesday, October 6, 2010

I Love Fall

I love Fall
I love that little chill in the air
I love that it makes you want to stand still and take a deep breath
I love football
I love the pumpkin patch
I love walking on the
Quad at Alabama
Today
I can't find a dislike
Sure
we have to
close the pool
rake leaves
get the pine straw off the roof
blow the sidewalks and driveway often
and
be a little uncomfortably chilly
in the morning when we first get up
But
I still love Fall!

This tree is beautiful every year

See....the one leaf that has changed color

My oak leaf hydrangea begged for water all summer


This tree in the back yard went from

Green to brown and skipped the pretty colors

Friday, October 1, 2010

Surgery

Glad I didn't have time to think about it!
The Monday after we spent the weekend in Florence
I had a doctor's appointment

I have been limping for about a year
and
it had gradually gotten really bad
my friends were asking
what was wrong
I had many thoughts about this
some silly and some scary

I decided to go to a chiropractor
to see if he could help
I went for 2 1/2 weeks
until
he told me I needed to go see a
orthopedic doctor
So, John wanted me to go see
the doctor that had operated on him
and his Mother
so
we went
that Monday afternoon to see Dr Bramlett
They did an xray of my hip and leg
before I saw the doctor

Dr Bramlett walked in
looked at me
and said
"hurts to walk, doesn't it"
well, he knew what was wrong
showed me on the xray
and said
you need surgery
NOW
so that Wednesday
I had my hip and leg operated on
at Brookwood Hospital

We got home to Berry that
night at 8:00

The first few days were painful
since then it has mostly been sore
and I am not sleeping because I
can't sleep on my side

I went back to the doctor Thursday
and
he said I was doing great
Even with still healing
and
all the bruising still on my leg
it feels better to walk already
Thank God
for
modern medicine!The gorgeous socks they give you
at the hospital
and
let you keep as a souvenir

Get Well cards
that Emma and Abby
made for me





Lawson came to visit me
and try to make me feel better
I had to cut out his face
because
to see his face
would mean that
you could see my face
and
it wasn't looking too good at this point