A Year Ago...A Special Guest...

One year ago in January "us girls" had a special surprise birthday for our long time friend Linda....who had lived away for almost ten years...then moved back to Texas. She was very surprised....as her husband Rich (his idea!) and her Mother and Father from Brenham kept the secret making their way to our area to treat them to a special restaurant...hahaha...when they came to pick us up...the whole old gang of friends were hiding in the house....I thought she was going to end up on the floor she was so surprised....it was a special day laughing and remembering how we had all met and how we had helped with each one's kids growing up....etc. The reason I am posting this is to honor her as a friend and to HONOR her Father, J.F. and Mother, Bonnie and her family...but mainly because her Father went home to be with the Lord a few weeks ago. No matter how many years our parents live it is always hard to lose them....we've had them around so long....and we are comforted by their unconditional love and presence....at least that is true for Linda and Rich and their family. We will miss J.F. and how his eyes lit up when he was with his family....he and Bonnie...he was a sweet Father and husband and friend to my Father....Happy Birthday Linda(coming up soon), on a sadder note....but I just wanted to share what a special DAD you had and what a special friend you and Rich are...both! We will remember your Dad with fondness....and pray for comfort for your Mom and the family who loved him so much.

TREASURES FROM MY MOTHER...

I've been weeding out and going through old china that I had collected for years....and in a box of my Mother's stuff, I found these "Bird Nests"...in some plastic ice cream containers......obviously cherished and prized by her.....I don't know how I missed them.....but it is like a little visit from her....the eggs were mine and I added them for these pictures....feel free to use these photos if you like for art work.....she LOVED birds and she would watch a pair of Cardinals move their babies from the nest ....even if it took all afternoon! I know because I sat with her on one of those occasions....and now finding these "Nests" makes me so grateful for that afternoon with her....just before she had her stroke. She was partially paralyzed for thirteen years and couldn't walk or talk....but she would ...Oooo and Ahhh ...and make precious sounds...kind of like baby talk while smiling big....winking...and squeezing your hand! You always knew what she was saying! She loved people...especially children. Everyone in all the stores knew her! They would run over to her wheel chair as she made her way over to them....and there were lots of hugs....always. She was so much fun....Once when riding with me to go to my tenth year high school reunion....we kept seeing all these vegetables all over the highway!! She insisted we stop and retrieve as many as possible.....she said, "They are perfectly good....and not a bruise on them!" We kept stopping for more on this almost deserted highway, occasionally seeing an eighteen wheeler.....and a few coyotes.......we began to laugh and laugh at the sight of....US! She said, "I can just see the headlines in the paper...."TWO 'CUTE' TOMATOES....RUN OVER BY AN EIGHTEEN WHEELER WHILE PICKING UP VEGETABLES.................on the highway!" We were cute BACK THEN.......in those days. She was loved and cherished by our whole family....especially loved by my Dad in his special way....buying her diamonds and caring for her those thirteen years in a wheelchair.....always making sure she had her nails painted and taking her weekly to have her hair done......he (Pappa) was a regular at the local beauty shop......he would sweep up for the gals when they were cutting hair......not too bad for a retired Colonel!....however he was a farm boy....and I was proud of that more.....proud of both of them....they were loved and are so missed. Nelda, thank you for painting those wonderful bird nests....and bringing back memories of a loved and cherished Mother....and her bird nests! (We LOVED Dad too!) Check her (Nelda's) blog for the paintings!...and my friend PJ'S too!!