Goodbye, Gram!

Kat, Burrito and Gram, 2003

 My last, living grandmother passed away early this morning after years of suffering the effects of Alzheimer's disease.  Gram knew Christ as her personal savior so we rejoice in knowing where she is today!

Gram has not been able to attend her church for about ten years now.  Since then, the church has had a few new pastors - none of which know Gram or her life. Because of that, my Dad asked all of us grandkids to tell a few things that will give the pastor a good feel of who she was to us. 

So, here are a few of the memories that immediately came to my mind...

She always made me believe I was pretty - backed by the fact that she liked to have my portrait made. And, she called me Princess - from as early as I can remember right up through as long as she knew me.

She was a nurse. I always thought it was cool that my grandma worked in our family doctor's office and was there when I went for appointments. Didn't everyone's grandma do that and give them pretzel sticks before they left???

She was always agreeable to a sleepover for all five of us grandkids – all of us at once! She was usually the one to ask us, but I also don't ever remember her saying "no" if we asked.

She never cared what we did in the basement - from roller skating, to laying on our tummies to slide into our "secret clubhouse" under the basement stairs, to playing dress up with the clothes (including nurses uniforms) stored down there. She didn't fuss at us when we would swing around the poles - even though it made a horrible noise for anyone upstairs to hear.  (Okay, so maybe she would fuss after hours of that noise.)

She always had money ready for us to walk to the icecream stand for icecream cones.

She loved dogs - I can't ever remember a time that she didn't have one. Cocker Spaniels, in particular.

She loved to tell stories about growing up in Alabama and her family. Even though we suspect some of the stories might possibly have been ever so slightly exaggerated. But just slightly, of course.

She loved gospel music and singing. She sang in church in her growing up years.  I think she regretted the surgery that messed up her singing voice.

We always spent Christmas Eve at her house and even though she wasn't a baker, she always had a huge tray of Christmas cookies that she'd purchased from a local bakery - I always thought that was so "fancy."

During a sleepover with all five of us grandkids, she'd ask if we wanted to go out to eat. Of course, we'd say "yes!" - and then she'd have Grandad take us to McDonald's or Wendy's with instructions to bring something back for her. In hindsight - that was one smart cookie to get us all out of her house like that! Ha!

I don't ever remember Grandma telling us "no" when we asked for anything, including money. Probably to her detriment.

Grandma loved greeting cards - the bigger, fancier and sappier the better. To this day, I can't see a card that says, "What is a Grandmother" or "What is a Granddaughter" or "What is a [fill in the blank]" without thinking of her with a chuckle.

She liked to get her nails done and always wore bright polish. I never recall her wearing pastel colors - always a red or coral - dark mauves were about as neutral as it got. As a little girl, those colors always seemed to be slightly "scandalous" for a grandmother to wear. Maybe it's through her that I came by my love of a good, regular manicure!

I was quite an older child before I realized that Gram's red hair was not her natural color. Before I understood "color from a bottle," it worried me that my hair would turn that color, too, because she once told me, "I wasn't born with this hair color" which translated to me that it had just spontaneously changed one day!

Fond memories!

Me and Gram, Summer 2005

Me, Dad and Gram, Christmas 2005

"And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life." (I John 5:11-12)

Urgent Prayer Request...

Joanne is an incredible woman... and needs and incredible miracle.  Please join me in praying for a complete healing and for comfort for her family during this time.



Click on the picture of Joanne to visit her blog for updates on her condition.

Just stopping by with a few obervations...

Oh, yes… we’re into the end-of-the-semester-preparing-for-Christmas-don’t-forget-the-next-event days. So, I’m just dropping into this blog o’mine to share a few observations I’ve made over the last few days.

• We’re receiving very few Christmas cards this year. So, I’m wondering… Is no one sending cards this year? Or, have we been marked off everyone’s list???
• We scaled back on the Christmas décor this year. Bud thinks it’s great and says we should scale back even more next year. My opinion? Big mistake. Huge mistake. It won’t happen again.
• My kids are having a hard time coming up with ideas of things they’d like to receive as Christmas gifts. I think Burrito summed it up pretty well when he said, “I think that might be a sign that we’re spoiled.” Hmmm… maybe? (Probably.)
• Speaking of Burrito, he’s halfway through his senior year. He’s been accepted to three universities so far and we’re waiting to hear from one more. We’re very proud of him! Nothing more to say about that lest the tears flow.
• Kat is halfway through her freshman year of high school. Is it just my imagination or is the transition to high school harder for girls than boys?
• You know how the police will tell you that there’s no such thing as ticket quotas… particularly at the end of a month? Well, I’ve been making my own observations of the situation over the last few months. My conclusion? I’m not buying that story. (And, no… I haven’t received a ticket.)
• Blogs are being neglected. And, it’s not just the season – it’s another trend I’ve notice over the last several months. You know who you are! (Of course, those bloggers probably aren’t reading my blog anymore either.) And yes, I realize this point is like the pot calling the kettle black.
• It doesn’t feel like December yet. It’s hard to feel Christmassy when the daily temperatures have been in the mid-60s to mid-70s lately. I still made Bud turn on the gas to our fireplace and we’ve used it on a few cooler evenings. I love it! Bud on the other hand, suggested I just burn a few $20s instead.
• This post is making Bud seem very cynical. He’s really not.
• Speaking of Christmas cards… mine are finished but I haven’t mailed them yet. Just in case you were thinking you’d been marked off my list.
• We scaled way back on Christmas gift-giving this year. It feels good. It feels right.
• I’m still in my jammies and need to leave the house in 20 minutes. Guess I’d better get moving.

What observations have you made lately?

Confessions: I need your opinion!

Well, hello! Yes, I do know it's been awhile since I've blogged.

What have I been up to during my blogging absence? Well, two things... One, Kat's freshman year. Two, Burrito's senior year. Enough said? I thought so.

Here's the problem. I really need a hair cut. And color. However, my stylist up and moved to a new town that is just a little too inconvenient of a distance to travel. So, during a ladies' Bible study luncheon yesterday, the topic of stylists came up in conversation.  I tried to make a mental note of the name of the salons that were mentioned by ladies who had cuts and styles that I liked.

You caught the key phrase in that last sentence, right?  Mental note. (Stop laughing!)

Not one to let a little thing like poor short term memory stop me, I just Googled the phrase "hair salons" with the name of my town.  I was certain the recommended salons would be obvious once I saw them. 

What popped up on my computer? The usual chain salons, of course, as well as all the ones named after their owners. The others? Well, they are the ones that scare me. And I promise you I did not make these up!

Milk and Honey Salon (Not sure if this is a Biblical reference or an indication of organic products.)

Trashy Roots Salon and Spa (The hair or the pedigree?)

Mecca Hair Salon (Will I need to convert first?)

All Cranial Needs (Think they can help with my memory issues?)

Too Hotties Hair Cuts (And humble, too!)

Island Salon and Spa (What island? We're pretty well land-locked in central Texas.)

Ooohweez Hair Salon (Ooohweez! Not what I want to hear after a hair cut.)

Smart Style Family Hair Salon (Better than dumb style, right?)

Sexy Scissors (Based on the address indicated, I'm not quite sure that a hair cut is all you'll get for the price of admission at this salon.)

Blondies (What?! No brunettes allowed?)

Klassy Kuts (The k's say it all.)

So, which one should I try?

Monday Musings (Except it's really Tuesday.)

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine (God's) power to demolish strongholds (things that trap us). We demolish arguments and every pretension (lies, false claims of ownership) that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

I Corinthians 10:3-5

 

Powerful. And I'm clinging to it.

Signs of the Season...

There's this:

Oh, yes! *Starbucks* Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back! I received an email from them yesterday announcing the return of the pumpkin latte as well as their new Toffee Mocha Latte.  Naturally, I had to stop on my way home this morning to try one. Just to make sure they were as good as I remember.  I think they are but I might have to try another one or twenty just to make sure.

It's definitely the season for this:

The first day of school - one senior and one freshman! Don't worry - that's not a gang symbol they are flashing.  The name of their high school starts with the letter "R" - so the school spirit symbol is a combination of the American Sign Language symbols for "I love you" and the letter "R." 

Then there's the sounds of the season:

Drums beating... my center tenor playing his way through the fall of his senior year.

Wondering why Burrito has a buzz cut?

That's because the back of his head has his drumline logo shaved into it.  All the tenors decided to do this as a team bonding experience.  One mom was not as thrilled about it as I was.  (Did I mention it was my idea? Definitely earned me "cool mom" points.)  Hey, if that's the worst thing he does during his senior year, we're in good shape!

There's cheerleaders cheering.

Did I mention she was selected as captain of the Freshman squad? Oh, yes, she is! 

Now, if we could just convince this Texas weather that it's truly time for Autumn.

I still do...

I, Dawn, take you Bud, to be my wedded husband. To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, 'till death do us part. And hereto I pledge you my faithfulness.

Happy 20th Anniversary, Bud - I love you more today than I could have ever imagined twenty years ago. XO