Thanksgiving

Had an unusual Thanksgiving this year. As it turned out, I had my cake and ate it, too.

It started with meeting a friend from childhood and his wife for lunch, in Shreveport on my way to Monroe. I had such a good time visiting them, then continued my journey to West Monroe. The yard at my parents home looked great and a sweaty dad greeting me at the door told me who was responsible for it. We watched an old movie with Paul Newman playing Billy the Kid. Never knew he made that movie. The next morning was spent getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner, to be done and cleaned up by the time the Saints game came on. Mission accomplished!!! Debbie and Ralph joined us in eating, but left in time to see the game at home. (I think maybe he throws things at the tv or something, ha!)

Well the game begins with a bang!!! My dad is calm and collected, laying on the couch watching the game. Not realizing it at first, I was scaring my mom as I yelled or jumped for joy or frustration. I attempted to tone it down, not sure I was successful. Towards the end of the game, my niece and her family dropped by to visit, so I wasn't the only loud one then. ha!

The next morning.... NO!!! not at 3a.m. At 11a.m. my mom and I checked out the Stage store (Beall's). I should get them for false advertisement. They displayed cute shirts looking fitted (somewhat). When we saw them, they were huge!! I don't need to look bigger!!!! Moving on... dropped by the grocery store before picking up a pizza from Johnny's Pizza. Came home, devoured it and got on the road back to Conroe with the remaining pizza in my possession. Consumed today.

I drove straight to Mark's, joining all to eat out. It was quite interesting and fun. We actually got a table fitting all 10 of us. (Wayne was working) Beka had bought this book that day giving everyone's personality. Funny, how it described us pretty accurate. We even read what Phoenix would be like when he grew up. Italian food was great, but huge amount, so I boxed mine up for the hubby to eat at work. Visited with the kids and grandkids a bit at Mark and Lisa's, then took Wayne his food out at work. Hot bath next, then play catchup on fb and emails.

Mid-morning, I dropped by Mark's again to visit with kiddos. Matthew and Ashleigh and kids stayed with Mark, this trip. Maybe 'cause I wasn't at my house, but I'm betting it's b/c Maya loves playing with Alex and for the most part they play very well together.

Before heading back to Austin, they came up to visit with Wayne as he was awake to eat lunch and then back to sleep. Maya loves to swing in the front yard, so I pushed her til my arms were about to drop off. She wanted me to swing and go under her. I don't do "under", so got Matthew out to do that trick. She also needed to watch one Caillou and one Angelina Ballerina. Phoenix is obsessed with Wayne. It's really precious to watch. The other grandkids have always favored me (I think b/c I play with them),but Phoenix has made his decision and he's sticking to it. It's cute. Today, he even favored Wayne over his parents. Crazy!! b/c one of them has ta tas. ha! Phoenix finally gave Wayne permission to go back to bed, and Mary Ann and I headed over to Margarita's, with the Austin bound group, to eat lunch as they headed home. I fed Phoenix as they ate lunch. So, they headed back to Austin. Maya knows it's 2 Chipmunk movies to get home. She never tires of the Chipmunks!!I hope Phoenix slept the WHOLE way, as he hates riding in the dark and lets you know he clearly does not like it!

I think that officially ends the Thanksgiving break, although there is still Sunday to go. Tomorrow should be uneventful, unless I feel the sudden urge to speak out again! Yes, I'm up to sing again!!! With a mike!!!! I think I'll be ok, I think I learned my lesson last Sunday.

This was probably boring, but I'm labeling it for my own benefit. I want to remember these good times.

Embarrassing Times

Ok, so I realize that some of my blogs are sad, mainly because that seems to be when I need to express myself. Maybe to ease the pain. Well this blog is about a couple of funny times.

The first one is on me. I was up for Worship Team, yesterday. So there I am, standing there after our opening song, listening to our pastor give his greeting, and telling us he would like us to express what we were especially thankful for this year. (it being Thanksgiving week) He was giving us a minute to think. At least this is what I thought he said. Listening to the silence, already feeling gratitude for having a friend like Kathy Fuller for 30 years, I said (while standing up on stage) "I'm thankful for a 30 yr. friendship with Kathy Fuller." Well 1st of all, I started to speak just as the pastor was about to say something else, but he looked back at me and said "yes, Libby?" And I said my piece, and he said thank you or something like that, and continued with his thought. Well, OBVIOUSLY, that wasn't the time he had for us to speak out, b/c he directed us to greet one another and dismissed children for Sonshine Kids. And 2nd, I should know better than speaking out, it seems it's always wrong wording or timing.

During meet and greet, I went down to him to apologize for speaking out, and explaining I must have heard him wrong. OBVIOUSLY!!! He set me at ease and said that's ok and that was for later. (I think) Really wished I could have disappeared, but the morning had just begun. Not only did I speak at the wrong time, I REALLY must have heard wrong, b/c it never happened.

Thru the whole service,there was never a time for such as I thought.

WELL WHAT DID I NOT HEAR, THAT OTHERS HEARD???? Because no one else spoke up, and I thought no one was going to say anything, so I thought I would get it started.

It was a good laugh for Mary Ann and me as I told her that night. I'm sure she's pretty glad she doesn't go to church with me. I can just hear her cracking up right there in the service with her loud laugh!! She can't help it, it just comes out. Then I would have surely melted where I stood!!

Now let's backtrack to last year at the "Walk Thru Bethlehem" at our church. Kathy, Mary Ann and I went thru it, without a hitch....UNTIL...we got to the manger scene. There was a point in time, we were to lay our gift down on the steps of the manger. (gifts..little stars, were given to us at some point in our walk) The group we were in had about 10-15 people in it. we took turns laying the gift down for the Baby Jesus. When it came time for us 3.. Mary Ann and I laid ours down, then Kathy.

First, I'd like to warn you for what happened next, b/c WE did not get a warning. And let me also say, this could have EASILY happened to me. Now Kathy would not want me to tell this to a big group of people but I think she'd be ok with the few people who read my blog. And she can't be embarrassed anymore, right? It's been a year since this happened, and I burst out laughing just thinking about it.

Have you ever been in a situation where you got very tickled about something, and just can't quit laughing?? The harder you try to quit, the worse it gets. And then you also are laughing at each other being tickled. Now you can't say I didn't warn you and probably it won't be funny to you. I guess you just had to be there. Ok here goes:

Kathy bent over to lay her gift on the step, and passed gas as she did. We don't know who all heard it, but the expression on her face told it all. Mary Ann was doing a little snicker, and thank God she didn't let the loud cackle out. Wonder how she did that?? Kathy came back to her place, snickering. I asked Mary Ann what they were laughing about and she told me. Well, it was all I could do to not cackle out. This started a marathon of laughter from all 3 of us. Wouldn't have been so bad, but the timing again was wrong. This was the ending of the walk where they get serious about presenting the gospel and praying. I don't know about Kathy, but I was wetting my pants, from laughing so hard. The leaders were probably put out with us, but we had no control. We kept trying to stop, but it just didn't happen. They finally opened the double doors and we bypassed the refreshments and went straight to the restroom, finally getting some composure, but not much. Just enough to stay dry.

I know it was wrong, but hey, Kathy made me do it!!! That's one thing I loved about Kathy, she was real, not judgmental and yes, she was human!! That night certainly proved it in many ways.

I will miss my friend this holiday season, and will cackle out when thinking of this night. I don't think I should go to the "Walk Thru Bethlehem" this year. Do you?? Yeah, better not.

Labeling as only I can see it!

Thanksgiving Tug!! No it's Settled

As I write this, Mary Ann is watching a football game on tv that I have no interest in at all, but she's scaring the crap out of me, yelling and screaming all sorts of things. I won't repeat, not sure how to spell them.

Ok, all my family will be in town for Thanksgiving, except one---me. I'm going to spend it with my parents. Don't like the idea of them being by themselves on Thanksgiving. Although, it doesn't seem to bother them in the least. Last time, they were here, Maya was a tiny baby, 4 years ago. I think that's the last trip they took.

The tug is... my son-- Matthew, Ashleigh and their 2 kiddos will be here. Now, if I can entice them to stay thru Saturday, I may can have my turkey and kiddos too. It's just that, I have many times to look forward to spend time with my grandchildren. My parents are 83 and 86. My time is limited with them. Surely my kids will understand. Wayne will be working nights anyway, and hopefully the kids will take a plate out to him.

I'm excited to watch the Saints play Thanksgiving Day with my dad. Last time, I watched with him, they lost. (right before Christmas)

So I will make broccoli rice casserole, enough to send to Mark and Lisa's and to take to my parents. So ok, it's settled and it's labeled as such.

A Good Day

Today, started off great. Wayne and I woke up at 8 and it felt good to have such a good night's sleep. I got ready, went to a memorial service Odyssey Hospice was hosting for the patients who had passed in the last year, at Forest Park Funeral home. I met Roy, Karla, Kayli, Tiffany and Sherri there. Bill and Sharon Preston was also there to honor Shelly, their daughter.

It was started off with prayer and a soloist sing Amazing Grace. Then a story was told about a set of twins talking in the womb at conception. (I'll try and get that story and post it, it was too good to wing it) A month before, they had asked for a picture of our loved one. With that they played a beautiful song while a dvd was played of our loved ones. Next came the calling out the names of our loved ones. When our loved one was called, family and friends were to stand up and remain standing til all had been called. We all read scriptures from Psalm. At some point someone else read a poem about letting go.

To end the service a bagpiper entered the chapel playing as he was walking up the aisle up to the front and then back down the aisle with all of us filing out behind him. The musician was wonderful at his talent, but I must say, I already hear with one ear. It was extremely loud and shrill.

He led us outside where he stopped playing, to gather around to watch them release 10 - 15 white doves. This was by far the icing on the cake. I had never seen this done before. Just as they told us.... after being released, some lagging behind, they grouped back together in the air, forming a V, circling the area a few times performing like the "Blue Angels". We were told they were getting their bearing so as to fly back home. They likened it to us letting our loved ones go to return home to our Lord and Savior. It was something to watch as we peeked thru the trees watching their graceful show. Thank you God, for giving me the visual.

Afterwards, we went back inside for refreshments and to visit with the hospice members. I had grown to really love one of the nurses tending to Kathy while she was in the hospice house. I could tell she really loved what she was doing. I was able to visit with her and discuss becoming a volunteer for them in some way.

I gotta tell ya, though.....Seeing the picture of Kathy on the screen, knowing it was taken just a month before she died, STILL sends me in a spin. It happened so fast, we knew we were losing her, we didn't know it would be so fast. I still find myself about to call her or expecting to attend some function with her. We always went together.

It was a good day, and I'm labeling as I see it.