Not everyone is suited for small town life. I should know. I have spent more than 1/2 my life in a small town. I love it. It was a great place to grow up, a great place to raise my children, and now a great place to "do nothing". But, I was especially reminded of all the differences in my life vs. "city" folk this weekend. My town celebrated it's annual "whingding", festival, brawl, whatever you choose to call it this weekend. Complete with carnival, food booths, Main Street parade (traffic stops for 4 hours ), craft show, I don't really arrange my schedule around it but I do like to spend a little time down at the park on the Saturday of the event to visit with OLD friends, eat some great food, and people watch. AMAZING the strangers that turn up when the park lights turn on! There were more people out there than are populated in the entire town. There is a group of people that work year round to make this event happen and dedicate themselves to it totally! I don't believe in a lot of things that go on out there and I don't financially or physically make it happen but it has been going on for decades now and my little opinion doesn't matter! So, I just look for the fun part. You know I can make fun out of anything!


Small town people are definitely a different kind of people. You have to have a different mindset then city people. And it's not all bad. It is rather of "a what's good for you is not necessarily good for me" type of mindset. I've mentioned before that my children are all in cities now. I have found that people are not usually patient in the city. No offense to my city friends. People honk at you in the city and it doesn't usually mean "HEY GIRLFRIEND!" The traffic in the city drives me NUTS. Literally. Why? Because, I honestly used to leave my house for work 10 minutes before work and never stop unless the chickens were out on Gasly Street. I was there even then before the school bell. The only time I was late was when there was a train and then all the buses and half the school children were waiting too. And waving at me out the back of the bus window. If I am not at the post office to check my mail they usually call to check on me. If I forget my checkbook at the grocery they let me run home and get it. ( I know this to be true ) It takes forever to go to "town" because you have to stop and visit with everyone. I could go on and on.


Our town is being surrounded by progress on the west side. It has for years now. But, it seems to slowly creep up to a certain distance and stop. That's ok with me. Now I just don't have to drive hours to the city like I used for anything that wasn't classified as a necessity. It's about 20 minutes to a little progressiveness known as Wal**m*art. . We still only have one grocery store here though and it's family owned. Who needs a super store? Yes, everyone knows EVERYONE'S business. Sometimes it is very A.N.N.O.Y.I.N.G. But just let something bad happen to you. Or let a tragedy strike. And people swarm to help. And they are genuine. Everyone knows everyone. And if someone gets a new car? OMG everyone knows. It might even make the weekly paper. There was a headline in one of the columns this week about someone's medical test being NOT cancerous. You gotta love it.


We have what is honestly known as the best bbq around, a railroad hub, a major river, a Christmas tree farm, one fast food place, a state park, a little "modern" airport landing strip ( for those that want out quick ), a historical district, ONE main street and stop light, the friendliest people in the world, right now movie stars galore filming, 2 family doctors, you got the idea? But then we have these to look forward to every spring.









The two main species of Texas bluebonnets are found growing naturally only in Texas and no where else in the world.

GOD BLESSED TEXAS yall......for sure!




JOYS AND BLESSINGS TODAY:

Worshipping the LORD
Being with family
My mom feeling better
My children/grandchildren being healthy and safe
Wisdom.....not my own
Answered prayer
Precious friends
Mexican food and church pot lucks
Laughing
Hearing baby talk
Naps

Years before I ever even dreamed of retirement I always used to envy this happy fellow who had retired years before. He always said, "Everyday is Saturday when you are retired." I couldn't even imagine. But, it is true. Retirement may not last forever for me but while it does I can guarantee that everyday will be Saturday.

Joys today:

Clean sheets
Laundry folded and put up
Parents over for dinner
Slept late
Cleaned minimal just to say I did it

WORDLESS

WEDNESDAY.

To this I say, "DUH!"

This house was GQ Easter Day. Neena's babies were decked out in the finest Easter duds! Aren't they just A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E. I love these children with every breath of my being. Are they beautiful or what? Reid looks like he was ready to preach or lead singing!






Princess Avery had a wonderful Easter egg hunt until a bully stole her egg and broke her heart. It was a good thing Neena wasn't there. Neena does not like BULLIES. Her daddy was close by to protect her though. Isn't she beautiful?

Tiny Princess Jaxon had a wonderful Easter in a field of eggs and chocolate bunnies.






To love is to make one's heart a swinging door.
My heart will always be a swinging door and my porch light always on for these children who I love with all my heart.

If this wasn't so funny and true.........it would be sad. I honestly think sometimes that Candid Camera follows me around. Sorry this is long. But, just typing it made me feel ALOT better!

A church van and 5 private vehicles left the 'ville Friday around noon to take 24 of our youth to participate in the Central Texas Leadership Training Conference. Ages 3rd grade through High School. They had been preparing for months for Bible Bowl, song leading, art displays, puppet shows, Bible readings, and on and on. They had worked so hard and were hoping to come back with lots of fun memories and gold medals! We have some talented kids in our group and they all did great and we did come home with lots of awards. So many of our adults, not me, had worked with these kids for months. I take NO credit for the talent there. I went as a chaperone and to help herd kids. Which I used to be quite good at. Maybe half of our group of participants were our "van kids". I love our van ministry and we have some kids that I think we are really making an impact on and then we have some that.....oh well, that is a whole different post. And I need an attitude adjustment on that one. Anyway. These kids had NEVER been out of our little town much less to a hotel. Much less to a very nice hotel. Or eaten in restaurants. They, once again, taught me a lesson in blessings. Taking things for granted. And paying it forward. And just plain old compassion. OUR 10 rooms that we had reserved in January were not ready when we arrived at 3. Hundreds of other churches were all showing up too and they all seemed to be getting in their rooms fine. We "bunked" down in the lobby with all our suitcases and kids and waited. And waited. At 5:30 we were all getting restless and hungry. We called pizza delivery and just sat on the floor and had dinner in a pile ...waiting. At 6:30 our rooms still weren't ready. WHAT???????? Yes, we were all checking with managers, etc. and trying to be Christian about this little clerical error but HELLOOOOOO we have children that are fixing to demolish this hotel. We can only hold them still for a while! Then the first of the crisises.......someone's stomach hurt. And she looked flush. Dizzy. Nauseated. And she felt warmish with fever. And we were all in the lobby waiting. We finally convinced the hotel to give us at least one room so we could put the "sick" one somewhere by a restroom and she could lie down. And we waited some more. Slowly, one little group at a time would get a room. Then at 9:30 ( PM !!!!!!! ) the last group got some type of room with fold out cots and chairs. Yes, they refunded us that room at least. This was the HILTON guys. A very nice upscale hotel. The conference is conveniently located in huge conference center of the hotel. But, the service left alot to be desired......Anyway. Notice I said crisis # 1.

After we had finally gotton our own personal groups to go to our rooms Friday night I had trouble settling my 3 "adopted for the next 24 hours" teenagers down. They were amazed by all the things that were in the room. The coffee pot.......the hair dryer in the bathroom....the big tv.....the fancy furniture......and on and on. Thank goodness a good movie was on and we finally settled down in our beds to watch it. And at about 11 or so I finally heard the sounds of sleeping kids.......So, I felt safe to fall asleep too. Sometime in the wee hours of the morning around 5:30 AM, we were awakened to what I can only compare to the horn of the angel beckoning the end of the world. We all four sat straight up in bed and I was as confused as they were ! The most HORRIBLE siren and recorded message was blasting out of box over my side of the bed telling us ......." This is an EMERGENCY ALERT. This is NOT a test. Please immediately evacuate your room and move to the nearest stairwell on your floor. Do not attempt to use the elevators. REPEAT THIS IS AN EMERGENCY SITUATION...." and the siren wailed and screamed and honked. And the voice kept on and on....... And we scuffled around our room like the 4 stooges wondering what to do next. I used my best girl scout face and tried to control the screaming sobs in the room ......... I grabbed my purse, my phone and the room key. The girls grabbed their sheets/pillows since we were in our jammies. We were the first ones out in the hall. Slowly, people started emerging from their rooms with confused looks, sleepy looks, and comments like, "Is this real?" We all started heading down the stairs. And down. And down. Did I mention that we were on the SEVENTEENTH 17th FLOOR??????? And I was herding 3 hysterical country girls who had never been to the city and they thought they were going to die. We made it down. Trust me I had my doubts at about floor 10 that I was going to make it myself! And by the way it was a false alarm ( thankfully ) . A faulty circuit or something. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. Needless to say, no one went back to sleep after that. It was like the marathon and I didn't even get to train for. So, my little jog down the stairwell resulted in this...........and not just me either. By noon the next day all the adults were limping! OK. I just realized that it is NOT my shins that hurt but my calves. I always get them mixed up! Shins front...calves back fatty part. Thank goodness for the fatty part. So.........

But.........my sweet daughter in love brought me the last 2 seasons of Gilmore to watch so that I can finish my GG addiction. Since she is a coach she is accustomed to leg injuries of this type, she has ordered me to the couch for the next few days with a list of exercises and orders to watch the movies and rest my legs. So, being a compliant patient and mother I said, "OKEY DOKEY!"

But, seriously. I think God is going to help me find another way to minister besides this. Or else I am going to have to have some SERIOUS lessons in PATIENCE. SERIOUS.

HE IS RISEN.

Hallelujah.

OKAY.....so maybe I'm delirious from the fever of this crazy virus I've had for a week. Maybe I've had too much tylenol or too much sleep. But, this cracked me up. Believe me. I needed a laugh.

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME (first pet, current car): Goldie Durango
2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME (fave ice cream flavor, favorite type of shoe): Mint Flip
3. YOUR NATIVE AMERICAN NAME (favorite color, favorite animal): Red Pup
4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME (middle name, city where you were born): Lynn Worth
5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 of your first name):
DOTGE
6. SUPERHERO NAME (2nd favorite color, favorite drink): Green Coffee
7. NASCAR NAME (the first names of your grandfathers :) Ruben Oran
8. STRIPPER NAME ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy):
Amber Grape
9. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Newton New York
10. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower): Fall Geranium
11. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now): Peach Capri
12. HIPPIE NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Nada Jasmine

Thanks for those that are asking.

I have spent the week in bed with some type of virus. Not the flu.

Just the general crud. I can attest that

I am sick of being sick as I

know so many of you are.

My Neena headed to Abilene early in the week anticipating to snuggle and play outside with me! And the snow started to fall. Big beautiful flakes. Big blowing winds. And thunder? I didn't know it thundered when it snowed. The cold day and snow here stuck on the yard keeping us in and watching from the big glass door.





Then we ate a BIG yummy breakfast and I played in the highchair by the picture window and watched some MORE snow while Neena washed dishes. Petey and Tex, the family guard dogs, were romping and running through the snow drifts and flakes like they were crazy. It made us laugh! It was also very tasty and I ate every bite. I really made a big mess. Neena tried to feed me as fast as you can!


So, then we decided to play in the bathtub to clean me up! I wanted to show Neena how I can stretch and eat my toes. I think I am going to be a ballerina like my cousin Macy. Cousin Avery can do this too and we are going to practice, practice! During playtime with all my toys was so much fun. Neena never says no. She says "WHATEVER YOU WANT DARLING." And then I snuggled warm under my towel.



Then I got to watch a little TV. The Backyardigans is my favorite show and keeps me still the whole show. Neena likes it too and we sing. Then I got out all my favorite toys to play with. I even found my Daddy's hat! Neena thinks I am so funny!






Then we played a little dress up. It is fun to play that with Neena.










We were so tired that I felt my big brown eyes get very heavy. Pretty soon Neena said, "It's nappy time" for pretty princesses. So, I found my favorite fingers and it wasn't long before I was sound asleep. But, that's ok because when I wake up, we are going to do it all again.

Several weeks ago I decided to tackle a project that I had been putting off. Like a really long time. Like long before most of you that read this blog were born. I decided to totally, as in take everything out, clean my closet. The last straw was when I found the dress I fondly called my "going away dress" from my wedding day. Although it is/was totally back in style it was/ is totally not my size anymore.



I wish I had a before picture. But, I never would have posted it even if I had. It would have been way too embarassing. Few, very few people have had the guts to open that door. Me included. Once a month or so, I did what I called "straightened it up". This basically entailed hanging up things off the floor or if it was too bad just making it all a couple of loads of wash.



It took me all day to unearth stuff from the depths of my closet. I was in amazement how it all got in there. I had already decided that I would NOT even think about putting stuff back in there that I was not absolutely sure that was:



a: still within my size range



b: was made within this decade



c: true to my generation ( whatever that means)



I started stuffing "trash bags" for Goodwill. If I paused to think about something it made it harder to put in the bag. So, I didn't pause very often. By nightfall, I had the entire room filled with trash bags. And a pretty empty closet as compared to the morning view.





I will admit though that the colorful collage that used to be my closet now seems to have a theme going on over on the skirt / dress side. A five or so foot pole with 1 1/2 feet of drab. Actually rather depressing. What is up with all that black and brown? I have colorful tops but nothing to wear them with! Several times a week I wish I would have looked in those trashbags a little closer. Or maybe it is time for a day spent thrift shopping! I love a good thrift shop.



Purses. Shoes. Shirts. Skirts. Totes. Capris. I am a self professed and confessed shop a holic. I love love love love new clothes. And stuff. I remember when I worked I used to like to see how long I could go without wearing the same thing. I love to mix and match outfits and create new looks. But, I didn't work anymore and this just seemed to be a good time to clean it out. And start anew. With a different type of wardrobe. Now before I buy something it has to fit a couple of rules. And a couple of places on my body!



No matter what a slob I can be I always get total satisfaction and pride out of having a clean closet. Even if I am the only one that sees.

Last spring I spruced up my outdoor deck with the help of my son. We painted and stained and cleaned! It was well loved and used all summer and fall for barbeques, swimming, and just plain being lazy. Over the winter months it fell to the dustballs and spider webs and the collection of blown in leaves. Alot of the plants need snipping and repotting, and some of them just didn't survive. I have been trying to clean and ready this space to MOVE out here. I have some cool "party"lights to hang and then when I know that Texas won't have that one last infamous FREEZE I'll start dragging in plants! The weather is getting warm enough and the mornings are great out here with a cup of coffee. Wontcha come over and have a cup with me?