Cousins, playmates and life long friends.....

There have been times during the last 5 years that I have regretted making the decision against having more children because Little Man would benefit in so many ways by having a sibling.  I have four older brothers and my husband has a younger brother.  Each of us have fond memories of things like long summer days playing together, Christmas' around the tree, birthdays, family vacations, etc., so much that I am afraid my little guy will never have the opportunity to have a bond as a strong as those we share with our siblings.  Thankfully though, he has the opportunity to have something almost as close, cousins.  My husbands younger brother has 4 children, 3 of which are very close to our little guy's age.  There are the twins, who are 7 months older and their younger brother who is 2 years younger than Little Man.  While he loves all of them so much, one of the twins he lovingly he refers to as 'my girl'.....  She and my little guy are similar in so many ways, like two peas in a pod.  

Normally Little Man would fight to the death to be the leader.  As an only child he naturally assumes that role, of course, he's not actually leading anyone.....except for me and his daddy....by the nose!  *rolling eyes*

But with one of the twins, he doesn't mind to take a backseat probably because she doesn't mind taking a backseat either.  Odd, he would fight her sister until someone went down before he would relinquish control to something like the 4 wheeler or the Gator!  Don't get me wrong he loves each of them just in different ways I think. 



Thankfully in the absence of a sibling, I am happy that he has his cousins.  My prayer is that as they grow they will watch over each other, love each other, lean on each other and become as close as though they were his brothers and sisters. 

Obstacles

If you are like me you have obstacles (mostly small) in every area of life, how we deal with them ultimately separates the men from the ladies (pardon the expression) but I have been dealing with one lately that I believe may put me in the proverbial nut house before it's all said and done.  What is it you ask?.....the lack of high speed internet service!  Yes folks, although it's the 21st century, there are still those of us who do have access in our homes....so frustrating.

I feel like there is a highly creative person just screaming to get out but she has no digital avenue in which to release herself!  Imagine how annoying it is to live 12 miles from a major interstate and have a broadband signal a mere 2 miles away.  Ever been reaching for something that is just inches from your grasp but no matter how hard you try you just can't seem to take hold....yea, that's me.  Cable internet is not offered in my area and satellite internet service.....well, have you seen those prices!  I would be smarter buying my own satellite than paying those monthly fees!  While others are blogging away posting lovely pictures of their families and daily events in their lives, I am drumming my fingers on the desk waiting for my blog to load.  So much to share with so little means to share, *sigh*.

If anyone in blogger-land can offer some advice to this conundrum, please feel free to share.  My inner creative self needs an outlet!

Once upon a time.....

........there was girl that lived next door to my family. Her name was Amy and she had a sister, Rachael that came to be one of my best friends. As we grew up, Amy became a friend and the girlfriend of one of my brothers. Because our houses were just a few feet from each other and the fact that she and my brother were inseparable, we saw each other almost every day. I grew to love her just as I did her family. Throughout my late teens and early twenties, there aren’t too many memories I recall that she was not a part of in some way. With Amy dating my brother, I had the sister that I had always wanted within reach. She was beautiful, charming, vibrant, and full of life and had a very quick wit.

All too quickly my dream of her as my SIL came to an end. She and my brother broke up and he joined the Air Force shortly thereafter. Amy’s heart was broken. We had so many conversations after their relationship ended some that I still remember like they happened just yesterday.
A few years later, Amy married and moved to a neighboring city. Our lives began to take different paths and we grew apart. Circumstances would dictate that I would see Amy less and less as the years passed.

Sadly, last December, at the age of 42, Amy entered into eternity to meet her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. My heart is still heavy even as I write this today. On one hand, I am overjoyed that one day we will sit together on the shores of that great city and talk like we did so many times before but on the other hand, I am saddened by all the missed opportunities to tell her how much I loved her when she was just a few miles down the road.

Amy would have celebrated her 43rd birthday in July and with its passing I am reminded again that I will have to wait until God calls me home to see her again. What a sweet reunion that will be…….

Reminiscing

After reading a post by my niece on her blog recently, I was reminded of so many things that I miss from my own childhood.  

Running through trails that had been raked through the leaves on a crisp fall day.

Climbing trees and playing on rocks in the woods across the road from our house.

Riding my bike with the kids down the street on old country roads.

Mom's Fried Chicken, (it's still the best I have ever had).

Mom's Chicken n' Dumplings (these too, are the best I have ever had).

Sunday dinner gathered around the table with family while enjoying either one of the two dishes listed above!

Waking up to hear mom singing old southern gospel hymns on Saturday morning while cleaning. *In the summer, this was always accompanied by open windows and the smell of fresh cut grass.

Listening to Ann Murray's 'You Light Up My Life' at night when I was little and couldn't sleep. 

Our Friday night trips to the grocery store and Long John Silver's with Mom.

Visiting dad at work for dinner as a teenager.  *He worked 2nd shift.

Sitting in the bathroom with mom at night watching her 'roll' her hair while we talked.

Watching mom sew.

Climbing the trees and making mud pies in the front yard of my grandparents old farmhouse with my cousins.

Watching Papaw whittle on the front porch while it rained.

Summer days seemed to last forever, holidays were spent surrounded by family and the word 'stress' seemed like something from a foreign language.  Each time I see my parents, my brothers, their wives, my nieces and nephews I have memories that make me happy and sad all at the same time.  Happy because of the fun we have had and the experiences we have shared but sad because life now moves at lightning speed and the hours we spend together are now fewer and further between.  Lives are hectic, schedules are crazy, work is stressful and the days seem to get shorter and shorter with each passing one. Thankfully I have not only the memories of my childhood to look back on but also the opportunity to make more memories with the people I love the most!

Wild About Smiles

I know it's impossible to believe it when a mother says that her child enjoys going to the dentist but this is absolutely the truth with Little Man.  Each trip to the doctor (even when he's sick) is filled with eager anticipation leading up to the visit and the most well-behaved child as he sits proudly on the examining table.  Trust me, doctors (and mom and dad too) are astonished at how well he responds to every request. 

The visit for his first teeth cleaning was no exception.  Of course, it helped that the pediatric dentist's office was decorated in a jungle motif, complete with a large tree that the kids could climb inside, PS2 and XBox video games and a variety of Disney movies playing on flat screen televisions in the lobby!  Wow, where were these dentists when I was getting teeth pulled in preparation for braces?!  I digress, anywho....back to the my original tale!  Did I mention I was impressed with how grown up he seemed.  The hygenist called his name and he marched proudly back to the room, hopped up on the chair and opened his mouth as wide as possible.  Yep, that made both me and the hygenist laugh.  In an effort to calm the average child, she began explaining the instruments she would use to clean Little Man's teeth.  But suddenly as she was explaining, he turned and laid back in the chair, mid-explaining.  Well, alrighty then!  He should have said 'let's get this show on the road' because that was exactly what I seemed like! So, the hygenist set to work and in less than 40 minutes we were in and on our way out with a treasure, sticker and sparkly toothpaste and brand new Cars toothbrush!  Although the dentist probably tells every mom and child this, I can't sign off without mentioning that the little lady that helped Little Man's pearly whites sparkle said she had NEVER had such a great 'first time' patient!  Was I a proud mom or what?  I'll let you be the judge.  Until next time....

Memory Lane Revisited

Recently I had the good fortune of spending a few days with two of my best friends, Mary and Rachael, to celebrate their 40th birthdays.  Yes, they are a year older than me and, much to their chagrin,  I take every opportunity to remind them that I am the youngest! 

We decided on a meeting place that was convenient for the three of us, Lake Oconee GA, and booked a house on the lake complete with a hot tub!  Mary traveled from her home in Jacksonville, FL and Rachael and I traveled from our homes in Athens, TN.  We had three days to lounge on the patio, soak in the hot tub, sleep late, eat (way too much) and do what we do best, play Rummy.  Being with them again brought back a flood of memories beginning with how we met and all the things we have been through together.   

I met Rachael when my family moved next door to her's in 1981.  Rachael was 11 yrs old and I was 10.  I can remember the day as if it was just yesterday, I was on the back patio bouncing a basketball against the wall and Rachael's mother, seeing me all alone and pitiful, sent Rachael over to talk to me.  Rachael says it was more by force than choice but neither of us regret that meeting.  That day marked the beginning of a friendship that will soon celebrate it's 30th anniversary.  So much has happened over the years and even though, Rachael went on spend her high school years at boarding school in both Fletcher, NC and Calhoun, GA we looked forward to holidays, breaks and summers together.  It's amazing the trouble two people can dream up in a just a few short days together at at time!  Rachael and I lived together more than 5 years prior to my move to Atlanta in July of 2000.  Each of us now have the good fortune of living in Athens and both work in Cleveland so we can get together far easier than we are able to see Mary.  Thus, why we enjoy these rare opportunities to spend a few days together!

Mary and I met under much different circumstances, at Camp Fairview in the summer of 1985 when she was 15 yrs old and I was 14.  My family had recently joined Fairview Baptist Church and my dad, was to spend the day working on some remodeling projects at the church camp.  Upon arrival, I entered the camp kitchen and Mary was standing at the sink washing the lunchtime dishes with her sister, Kim.  Just as with Rachael, I remember that day so vividly.  We became friends shortly after meeting although, Mary told me later that she initially thought she wouldn't like me at all!  Over the years, we worked in that same camp kitchen for the next 3 summers, attended Fairview Christian Academy and Cleveland State Community College together, worked together, lived together and vacationed together before her move back to her childhood home in FL in 1999.  Our friendship has sustained more than 25 years, funny considering our initial sizeup of each other wasn't the most positive! 

There is so much I could say about all that we have shared but there is not enough room on this blog nor enough hours in this day.  We have laughed, cried, argued and done things that we never would have done if it meant we had to do it alone.  God knit our lives together so many years ago and although our relationships with each other have changed over the years, these girls are as close to my heart as they were the day we met so many years ago. 

Until next time.......

Let's Play Ball!

Little Man is finally old enough to join in the great American past time, baseball.....t-ball in his case.  At the ripe old age of 4, he is one of the more 'mature' players on the team.   With his daddy at his side as the Assistant Coach,, he is poised and serious as he steps up to the mound....wait....rewind....that's someone's else's child.  He looks most forward to.... 

.....playing in the dirt.  But, I must remember that he is a boy before he is a baseball player.  Since hubby is participating as an Asst Coach, this is a great opportunity for dad and son to do something together.

Who knows, we may be raising the next major league baseball great.  After all, even Cal Ripken must have enjoyed playing in the dirt before he became a baseball phenom!