sometimes it is the little things

I was thinking about our local Christmas parade this morning and how as a child and honestly I still love all the balloons stuffed animals and cool all around stuff you can buy there

It's like at the fair-  a trip each year wouldn't have been complete without a special trinket or at least a candy Apple!

So many of my fondest childhood memories are of such times and things-

Whether it was our weekly trip to the grocery store where mama let me spend all my pennies in the glorious dittle machines or the regular stops at our quaint five and dime store to pick out that perfect teeny tiny baby doll- it was a moment of magic- a breathless sample of childhood

So as you travel with your precious children through this soon to be a frosted recollection of heartbeats-- just remember sometimes it is the little "things" they will remember and smile

"let them eat cake"...or not

Well amazing-- I am blogging again before the next az challenge- my life is a little troubled lately- nothing really that big in the scheme of life- but today I choose to write about something else


A couple of days ago- Frank and Robyn went to Wal-Mart- I stayed home with Miller (remember Robyn's baby) Frank calls me from the store- wanting to know if I wanted a cake that was marked down-

They had a red velvet and a Boston cream cake- which one- they were both under $3 so I said hey go ahead and get both- we can freeze one

Now as you might recall- I have some problems with my blood sugars- so probably should have passed on both- but was looking forward to a piece later that evening

Just before bed I ask if anyone wants a piece of those cakes and which one did Robyn put into the freezer

She doesn't remember- doesn't want any and Frank didn't either- so I decide it's too much trouble for just me- so off to bed- no cake

Next day Robyn and I are loading up Miller and all his paraphernalia in the car for a quick trip- Robyn screams like there's a huge spider or something

I rush to see what is wrong-- "the cakes- I left them in the car all night!"-- oh man I thought- we thought of lying to Frank and saying we discovered they had mold

Robyn instead confessed and Frank said it was his fault too- as they had both brought in the groceries

Oh well maybe God was once again saving me from myself!

the trip to the Zoo

Today as we mark the end of this journey- however small- it has been a journey of sorts- I end with a day- One of those days you don't see as it's happening- how many times you will look back on it

It was close to the end of the school year- my class was taking a trip to the D.C. national zoo-

The weather was perfect
I dressed that morning very carefully- making sure mama curled my medium brown shoulder length hair just to my liking

When I got on the huge tour bus- there was my classmate neighbor and best friend - she was wearing the exact same dress- we were thrilled!

I don't know if our mothers had secretly planned this or not- it was a khaki style dress sleeveless and had pockets on the top part- it was a dress that could be worn today

I remember the excitement of it all- the best part was my friend was also my trip partner- so of course we got to sit together the whole way there and back- and her mom who was like another mom to me too- was one of the chaperones!

We stopped at "Stuckey's" - I had only been there a couple of times- it was a place you could get gas- eat and buy endless trinkets and souvenirs- I can't recall what I purchased there but it may have been a pecan log

On the bus ride home another friend shared her brownies her grandmother had made and sent for the trip- they were so delicious- more like a cake brownie

As you can tell this day is indelibly etched in my memory as one of the best childhood days - even though I don't remember one poor animal we saw that spring day--for most of our treasured times are more about the journey

Yesterday

Catch a glimpse of it in the mirror of life
too quick sometimes to grab

Maybe in a scent a sideways look
that memory you just can't bring

Those days were here minutes ago you would bet your last dollar you just saw them

Even the lonely scenes the aching ones
they're all muffled together in one long yesterday

the Xs and os of it

My sister in law Joy always finishes a card -fb post or message with xoxo-

Believe it or not I was quite up in age before I realized what those two little letters meant- and being honest- I still get confused as to which one is the kiss or hug

It's quaint how some people sign their cards or other written communication to one another

My sister Ruth most always has a side note- it usually contains a bible passage- it's like "Queenie" My grandmother used to do

I have these friends and the woman sends cards frequently- we can't help but guess each time- whose name will be signed-as she randomly does not include her husband's with her's-

Then there's my dad- whenever he would send my mother a birthday card or anniversary card- if he signed it at all- he would sign- Robert Weaver-

the Whoopie cushions

A couple of years ago I found a bunch of "whoopie cushions" on clearance for 50 cents I think-- we were having a family get together that week so I picked enough up for the grandchildren-

Now I don't particularly find them amusing but I had a pretty good hunch the kids small and big ones might

They had such fun with those things - that I found myself laughing with abandonment as they plopped down on them

As a child you would not find a whoopie cushion in our house- I didn't think for a long time I was suppose to have gas- certainly not anything that could make that whoopie cushion noise

You see I never heard my mother pass gas or as she would say- "expel gas"-- and we better not refer to it in any other way either!

I didn't even know the f word- the other f word until I was grown

And as far as my daddy went- I had never heard him either- although I reasoned that he did- cause whenever we smelled something bad my mother would say "I reckon it's your daddy"

To this day if I am ever around my brother - especially in a church setting - he will turn to me with the straightest face and whisper to me - "did you expel gas"

Victory in Jesus

A few years ago my father's short term memory was failing- One of the things he had to give up doing was teaching his Sunday school class- I can't say how long dad had been teaching that class but a great number of years-

The class was passed to my husband Frank- now if you may have read some of my very early posts- you might recall how Frank has worn a lot of hats at church- much like my dad- but I suspect his favorite is teaching-

I tend to see people and situations like stories or maybe a documentary- this class is full of rich material for a bestselling novel

It consists of my sweet Dad of course--then there is a nice man that started coming with his dad- who happened to be the oldest man in the church- sadly he passed away not too long ago- I'm so happy the son still attends-

Then there is a guitarist- an artist- and a former school principal with such an amazing voice-- Dr.W is also the co teacher-- and there's one man that has the sweetest face and disposition-- he reminds me of the neighbor in the first Home Alone

There are two fellows that keep things going- one greets everyone each Sunday morning with a smile and a bulletin
The other one is the vice chairman of the deacon board and he greets everyone too

One of the class members is a pastor- not our official church pastor- but a former missionary- now he and his dear wife could have their own separate story-

Back to the artist- this man is very intriguing- I have to share his name- "Virgil"- now could there be another name with more southern charm- and he is just like his name implies

Since Frank has been teaching he has the class start with a hymn or two
"Victory in Jesus" has become their mantra
Recently our choir director asked them to sing it in the worship service

And something else sweet- they keep a basket full of candy for all to enjoy-

*I know it touched Frank yesterday as this was the last hymn sung at his cousin Larry's celebration of life service