Pat and I got up and going about 7am. It was nice to not have to move rooms this morning!
Pat wanted me to take her back to the good sale at Jo-Ann's (LOL!), so I did. She got a pack of cardstock and one of the Nana's Kids paper stacks.
Next was the cemetery. The flowers I had left there in February were still there! I removed those and put new ones there. It affects me deeply to visit here. I miss him. I know I can talk to him anytime, but I feel more close to him in this place.
After another morning stop at Chick-fil-A (I do love those Minis!!), we headed on back to the scrapbook store. We cropped (other than a quick lunch) until about 3:30. I got six pages done over the last two days... the last one I worked on today was of the elephants at Busch Gardens, and I'm real happy with how it turned out.
We found a Hobby Lobby and did more shopping. They didn't have much on sale, but they had a good clearance rack this time around. I got several Cuttlebug dies. My sister got her a rolling tote for her scrapbook supplies, along with several embellishments. I tell you, I have created a monster! She is a scrapping machine! It is really too bad we don't live closer... she kept saying she'd love for us to be able to scrapbook together once a week. And that would be great... IF she would just quit bragging about how many pages she has finished! LOL
We went back to the motel and rested for a couple of hours. Then we met Missi, Jon, Brittany, and her BFF, Britteny, for dinner. (Brandon was out of town with his father.) It was great to see them. I really, really like Jon... he's so funny! Brittany is just a teenager... she had wanted to go to the scrapbook store, but she never called me to pick her up. I guess she changed her mind and wanted to do her own thing. Just typical kid stuff. We took a bunch of pictures, and she seemed to enjoy that. She even let me get a picture of her new braces! I think we all had a great evening - I know I did!
Like last night, my sister is sound asleep with the light on and the TV on! I guess I'll sign off and get ready for bed myself. I have a long day tomorrow - I'm going to drive all the way home.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Trip to Jacksonville - Days 1, 2, and 3
August 12: Last night I began to get a little nervous about my trip... I've never spent this much alone time with my sister! How would it go? We are actually going to be sharing a motel room! Will we get along? Will we get on each others' nerves? I mean, I think everything is going to be fine, based on our phone conversations and Facebook chats, but you never know!
I had lots to do before leaving... pack, give the cats their fluids and meds, clean out litter boxes, get gas, pick up prescriptions, etc... Busy, busy morning. But I actually got away earlier than I had feared and was on the road out of Covington by 12:00 Noon.
It is about a 4 1/2 hour drive to my sister's house in Waycross... mostly all back roads. The only interstate is 5 miles on I-75 in Macon and 50 miles on I-16. Many times I had no cell phone reception. I was officially in the country! Tracy had gone down earlier in the day to pick up a refrigerator we bought from my sister and brother-in-law and was already on his way back home with it... so we met for a FEW minutes in McRae. After that stop, I didn't think I would ever get there! I thought they had moved Waycross! But I did make it to their house about 4:30.
They have a beautiful home and made me feel soooo welcome. My sister cooked supper (yummy) (oh the black-eyed peas were to die for!!) and breakfast the next morning! Pat and I rode over to see her son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter. My great-niece is almost two and totally precious!!
August 13: We got up and going and left for Jacksonville about 9AM. We made a stop in Folkston, GA... gathering information about our father. Interesting tidbits there. We tried to visit the scrapbook store Callahan, FL, but it didn't opoen until 11 and we had too many stops to make to hang around. Maybe another time. Then we went to Fernandina Beach to pick up something re: Pat's family... and that's where the 'interesting' things started happening to us. Pat wanted to get a copy of her grandfather's death certificate. The Health Department doesn't have them anymore so we had to go to another location downtown. There the lady seemed totally put out that the death certificate was from 1990!! She said "1990?!! It'll take me a while since I have to dig back that far!" And wait we did. When she finally brought it out and handed it to Pat, she made it clear she was irritated about having to do her job: "Well, here you go." With a tone. And an attitude. And that was it.
I then took Pat to eat lunch at Firehouse Subs. She had never been there, and thank goodness she really liked it. I think I like it because the subs are warm. I don't care for cold sandwiches.
Anyway, we then went on down to Jacksonville. Our first stop was the Vital Statistics to pick up more birth and/or death certificates. Well, almost all of the people working there seemed to have attitude. But after about 45 minutes, we finally got all we needed. We then headed downtown to the office to get marriage/divorce records. That was another 45 minute wait! And after paying $15 to get the records the same day (as opposed to $5, but a 2-3 week wait) and more attitude, it wasn't even what we wanted!
So off we went to find the courthouse! Thank goodness for a GPS! "Samantha" as I call her, has saved me more than once, and she came through this time, too! We found the Clerk of Court's office and finally, got a really nice lady who was very patient while pulling those huge, heavy deed books for us. We made several copies here... and while not exactly what we were looking for, it gave us more than what we had. By this time, it's almost 5pm and we're exhausted! So it's off to the motel... in rush hour traffic. But we made it.
We were supposed to have dinner with our cousin, Ronnie, but his mother was put in the hospital and he needed to be there. So Pat and I found a hole-in-the-wall Mexican Restaurant right up the street and ate our fill of some yummy chips, salsa, quesadilla, and carne asada!! We went back to the motel and zonked out!
August 14: I didn't sleep very well... I never do on the first night in a strange place. I was hot most of the night and finally got up about 4:30am and turned the air on down to 68. It finally got bearable in the room. (Luckily, Pat is as hot-natured as I am!) But then about 6:30 am... barking! Yes, there was a dog on our floor - and it was only a couple of rooms away! And it barked non-stop. I got up and called the front desk. They said they would call that room. And the dog did get quiet for a short while, and then started again. Non-stop. We figured the owner had gone out and left it alone. Poor thing! We called the front desk again. There was no going back to sleep, so we started getting ready. When Pat went down to get coffee, she stopped at the front desk to talk to them about it. It seems that the dog's owner checked in on Tuesday and had been leaving the dog alone every day. The motel had been fielding complaints all week and giving away free nights right and left! They had been trying to get in touch with the dog's owner but he was not answering nor returning their calls. The guy has been sneaking in at night, taking a shower in the mornings and then sneaking back out, leaving the dog alone in the room! The motel has been checking on the dog, but can't take it out of the room.
Anyway, the motel moved us to a new room on the next floor and gave us tonight free! We appreciated that at least! And we cannot hear the poor puppy anymore.
We left the motel and drove to Orange Park (about 10 minutes away). We ate breakfast at Chick-fil-A - love those Chicken Minis!!! - and went to TJ Maxx and Jo-Ann's. Jo-Ann's was an ETC and was having a GREAT sale - 40% off just about every last thing for scrapbooking. We racked up! We were going to the cemetery for me to put some flower's on our nephew's grave, but Navy Captain Scott Speicher, the first soldier killed in the Gulf War, was being buried there today! So we had to put that off until tomorrow.
We went to Pictures In Time and did a little shopping, but their tables were covered up with boxes, and there was no room for us to scrapbook there. We went to Scrap 'n Stuff - also in Orange Park - and cropped there until almost 4pm. We went out about 2 to get some lunch. We decided to just grab something at McDonald's and take it back to the store. Well, this McDonald's is one of the old-timey looking ones - with the arches stretching along both sides of the building. Pat wanted pictures of it. While I waited on our food in the the drive thru, she got out and went to take some pictures with her camera. Almost immediately, an employee came out of the restaurant and asked Pat what she was taking pictures of. Pat told her she was taking pictures of the golden arches! The employee asked her why. Pat said, "To scrapbook!" And the employee told Pat that she understood, but that there were people in the restaurant having to duck and cover their faces because they thought she was taking pictures of them!!! Unbelievable!! Are they on the run? Having lunch with someone they shouldn't??? Who knows! Just another example of the crazy stuff that has happened to us on this trip.
When we left the scrapbook store at 4pm, it stormed hard. We went to another store and shopped for a bit and then came back to the motel. It was storming so badly, we sat in the car for about 30 minutes.
Ronnie couldn't meet us for dinner again tonight, so we went up the street to St. John's Seafood and had sone shrimp. They were good!
As I type this, my sister is sound asleep (and has been for about an hour and a half) and I'm ready for bed myself.
Good night.
I had lots to do before leaving... pack, give the cats their fluids and meds, clean out litter boxes, get gas, pick up prescriptions, etc... Busy, busy morning. But I actually got away earlier than I had feared and was on the road out of Covington by 12:00 Noon.
It is about a 4 1/2 hour drive to my sister's house in Waycross... mostly all back roads. The only interstate is 5 miles on I-75 in Macon and 50 miles on I-16. Many times I had no cell phone reception. I was officially in the country! Tracy had gone down earlier in the day to pick up a refrigerator we bought from my sister and brother-in-law and was already on his way back home with it... so we met for a FEW minutes in McRae. After that stop, I didn't think I would ever get there! I thought they had moved Waycross! But I did make it to their house about 4:30.
They have a beautiful home and made me feel soooo welcome. My sister cooked supper (yummy) (oh the black-eyed peas were to die for!!) and breakfast the next morning! Pat and I rode over to see her son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter. My great-niece is almost two and totally precious!!
August 13: We got up and going and left for Jacksonville about 9AM. We made a stop in Folkston, GA... gathering information about our father. Interesting tidbits there. We tried to visit the scrapbook store Callahan, FL, but it didn't opoen until 11 and we had too many stops to make to hang around. Maybe another time. Then we went to Fernandina Beach to pick up something re: Pat's family... and that's where the 'interesting' things started happening to us. Pat wanted to get a copy of her grandfather's death certificate. The Health Department doesn't have them anymore so we had to go to another location downtown. There the lady seemed totally put out that the death certificate was from 1990!! She said "1990?!! It'll take me a while since I have to dig back that far!" And wait we did. When she finally brought it out and handed it to Pat, she made it clear she was irritated about having to do her job: "Well, here you go." With a tone. And an attitude. And that was it.
I then took Pat to eat lunch at Firehouse Subs. She had never been there, and thank goodness she really liked it. I think I like it because the subs are warm. I don't care for cold sandwiches.
Anyway, we then went on down to Jacksonville. Our first stop was the Vital Statistics to pick up more birth and/or death certificates. Well, almost all of the people working there seemed to have attitude. But after about 45 minutes, we finally got all we needed. We then headed downtown to the office to get marriage/divorce records. That was another 45 minute wait! And after paying $15 to get the records the same day (as opposed to $5, but a 2-3 week wait) and more attitude, it wasn't even what we wanted!
So off we went to find the courthouse! Thank goodness for a GPS! "Samantha" as I call her, has saved me more than once, and she came through this time, too! We found the Clerk of Court's office and finally, got a really nice lady who was very patient while pulling those huge, heavy deed books for us. We made several copies here... and while not exactly what we were looking for, it gave us more than what we had. By this time, it's almost 5pm and we're exhausted! So it's off to the motel... in rush hour traffic. But we made it.
We were supposed to have dinner with our cousin, Ronnie, but his mother was put in the hospital and he needed to be there. So Pat and I found a hole-in-the-wall Mexican Restaurant right up the street and ate our fill of some yummy chips, salsa, quesadilla, and carne asada!! We went back to the motel and zonked out!
August 14: I didn't sleep very well... I never do on the first night in a strange place. I was hot most of the night and finally got up about 4:30am and turned the air on down to 68. It finally got bearable in the room. (Luckily, Pat is as hot-natured as I am!) But then about 6:30 am... barking! Yes, there was a dog on our floor - and it was only a couple of rooms away! And it barked non-stop. I got up and called the front desk. They said they would call that room. And the dog did get quiet for a short while, and then started again. Non-stop. We figured the owner had gone out and left it alone. Poor thing! We called the front desk again. There was no going back to sleep, so we started getting ready. When Pat went down to get coffee, she stopped at the front desk to talk to them about it. It seems that the dog's owner checked in on Tuesday and had been leaving the dog alone every day. The motel had been fielding complaints all week and giving away free nights right and left! They had been trying to get in touch with the dog's owner but he was not answering nor returning their calls. The guy has been sneaking in at night, taking a shower in the mornings and then sneaking back out, leaving the dog alone in the room! The motel has been checking on the dog, but can't take it out of the room.
Anyway, the motel moved us to a new room on the next floor and gave us tonight free! We appreciated that at least! And we cannot hear the poor puppy anymore.
We left the motel and drove to Orange Park (about 10 minutes away). We ate breakfast at Chick-fil-A - love those Chicken Minis!!! - and went to TJ Maxx and Jo-Ann's. Jo-Ann's was an ETC and was having a GREAT sale - 40% off just about every last thing for scrapbooking. We racked up! We were going to the cemetery for me to put some flower's on our nephew's grave, but Navy Captain Scott Speicher, the first soldier killed in the Gulf War, was being buried there today! So we had to put that off until tomorrow.
We went to Pictures In Time and did a little shopping, but their tables were covered up with boxes, and there was no room for us to scrapbook there. We went to Scrap 'n Stuff - also in Orange Park - and cropped there until almost 4pm. We went out about 2 to get some lunch. We decided to just grab something at McDonald's and take it back to the store. Well, this McDonald's is one of the old-timey looking ones - with the arches stretching along both sides of the building. Pat wanted pictures of it. While I waited on our food in the the drive thru, she got out and went to take some pictures with her camera. Almost immediately, an employee came out of the restaurant and asked Pat what she was taking pictures of. Pat told her she was taking pictures of the golden arches! The employee asked her why. Pat said, "To scrapbook!" And the employee told Pat that she understood, but that there were people in the restaurant having to duck and cover their faces because they thought she was taking pictures of them!!! Unbelievable!! Are they on the run? Having lunch with someone they shouldn't??? Who knows! Just another example of the crazy stuff that has happened to us on this trip.
When we left the scrapbook store at 4pm, it stormed hard. We went to another store and shopped for a bit and then came back to the motel. It was storming so badly, we sat in the car for about 30 minutes.
Ronnie couldn't meet us for dinner again tonight, so we went up the street to St. John's Seafood and had sone shrimp. They were good!
As I type this, my sister is sound asleep (and has been for about an hour and a half) and I'm ready for bed myself.
Good night.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
July 2009 Roundup of Memories
What books did I read this month? Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (book club); Digging to America by Anne Tyler; In the Company of Cheerful Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith (audio book)
Magazines? Guidepost
What movies did I see this month? Kung Fu Panda, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (at the theater), Mr. Brooks, National Treasure, Clueless, Failure to Launch (again), The Holiday (again), Bonnie & Clyde: The True Story (1992 version), The Italian Job (again), Hancock, Transporter 3, Mutiny on the Bounty (Clark Gable), The Proposal (at the theater)
TV Shows? Burn Notice, Leverage, 24, CMT Insider, America's Most Wanted, Saving Grace, The Cleaner, The Bill Engvall Show, Saving Grace, Lie to Me, 30 Days, Chelsea Lately, I Survived, The Soup
What special days did I celebrate and how? Another one for my birthday - w/Donna Joseph
What illness or health concerns did I have this month? Retaining fluids in my legs - blood work done and put on a diuretic. High blood sugar - lowered through diet.
What fun things did I do with friends and/or family? Tracy and I went to Myrtle Beach; cropping with Christy and Carolyn every Wednesday; Lunch and movie with Donna Joseph; visited Fernbank Science Center with my mom
What new foods, recipes, or restaurants did I try this month? Sticky Fingers (ribs) in Myrtle Beach - great baked beans and corn meal muffins!!; Rico's World Market in Buford - excellent Shrimp Po'Boy!
What special or unusual purchases did I make? We bought a down comforter with a duvet cover - it's pretty comfy! Bought several magnets and T-shirts while in Myrtle Beach. Got some more Sizzix alphabets and other dies.
What were this month's disappointments? The condo we stayed in at Myrtle Beach; the probability that I will not get my $200 deposit back from the condo where we stayed in Washington DC
What were my accomplishments this month? Getting through the busy weeks!
Magazines? Guidepost
What movies did I see this month? Kung Fu Panda, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (at the theater), Mr. Brooks, National Treasure, Clueless, Failure to Launch (again), The Holiday (again), Bonnie & Clyde: The True Story (1992 version), The Italian Job (again), Hancock, Transporter 3, Mutiny on the Bounty (Clark Gable), The Proposal (at the theater)
TV Shows? Burn Notice, Leverage, 24, CMT Insider, America's Most Wanted, Saving Grace, The Cleaner, The Bill Engvall Show, Saving Grace, Lie to Me, 30 Days, Chelsea Lately, I Survived, The Soup
What special days did I celebrate and how? Another one for my birthday - w/Donna Joseph
What illness or health concerns did I have this month? Retaining fluids in my legs - blood work done and put on a diuretic. High blood sugar - lowered through diet.
What fun things did I do with friends and/or family? Tracy and I went to Myrtle Beach; cropping with Christy and Carolyn every Wednesday; Lunch and movie with Donna Joseph; visited Fernbank Science Center with my mom
What new foods, recipes, or restaurants did I try this month? Sticky Fingers (ribs) in Myrtle Beach - great baked beans and corn meal muffins!!; Rico's World Market in Buford - excellent Shrimp Po'Boy!
What special or unusual purchases did I make? We bought a down comforter with a duvet cover - it's pretty comfy! Bought several magnets and T-shirts while in Myrtle Beach. Got some more Sizzix alphabets and other dies.
What were this month's disappointments? The condo we stayed in at Myrtle Beach; the probability that I will not get my $200 deposit back from the condo where we stayed in Washington DC
What were my accomplishments this month? Getting through the busy weeks!
Monday, July 13, 2009
June 2009 Roundup of Memories
What books did I read this month? "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou (book club)
Magazines? Guideposts, Real Simple Travel
What movies did I see this month? The Blue Dahlia (Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake) (1946); Rain Man; Arsenic and Old Lace (Cary Grant); A Few Good Men; Juno
TV Shows? Ghost Whisperer, CSI, The Mentalist, Bones, Desperate Housewives, Lie to Me, America's Most Wanted, Dateline: Taylor Swift, NBS Special: Day in the Life of the Obama White House, 24, CMT Insider, Dateline on ID, Law & Order: CI
What special days did I celebrate and how? My birthday! Lunch with Stacey; Lunch at Varisty and visit to IKEA with Donna B; cropping with Christy and Carolyn with a cake; lunch with Lisa; visit from Mom with cookie cake; dinner with Tracy.
What illness or health concerns did I have this month? None! Just the usual allergy and IBS stuff.
What fun things did I do with friends and/or family? Lunch with Yvette; Went with Mom to pick out her new kitty cats; my birthday and all it entailed; cropping with Christy and Carolyn every week; visiting my cousin, Wesley, in Kite.
What new foods, recipes, or restaurants did I try this month? None that I can think of. Tracy was working on a big project and was gone a lot so I didn't cook much.
What special or unusual purchases did I make? We bought a car! A 2008 Mercury Mariner. More Sizzix (including several alphabets!), a table for my laptop; a desk chair for Tracy (which Patches is using WAY more than he does!)
What were this month's disappointments? None!
What were my accomplishments this month? Not having a car payment!
Magazines? Guideposts, Real Simple Travel
What movies did I see this month? The Blue Dahlia (Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake) (1946); Rain Man; Arsenic and Old Lace (Cary Grant); A Few Good Men; Juno
TV Shows? Ghost Whisperer, CSI, The Mentalist, Bones, Desperate Housewives, Lie to Me, America's Most Wanted, Dateline: Taylor Swift, NBS Special: Day in the Life of the Obama White House, 24, CMT Insider, Dateline on ID, Law & Order: CI
What special days did I celebrate and how? My birthday! Lunch with Stacey; Lunch at Varisty and visit to IKEA with Donna B; cropping with Christy and Carolyn with a cake; lunch with Lisa; visit from Mom with cookie cake; dinner with Tracy.
What illness or health concerns did I have this month? None! Just the usual allergy and IBS stuff.
What fun things did I do with friends and/or family? Lunch with Yvette; Went with Mom to pick out her new kitty cats; my birthday and all it entailed; cropping with Christy and Carolyn every week; visiting my cousin, Wesley, in Kite.
What new foods, recipes, or restaurants did I try this month? None that I can think of. Tracy was working on a big project and was gone a lot so I didn't cook much.
What special or unusual purchases did I make? We bought a car! A 2008 Mercury Mariner. More Sizzix (including several alphabets!), a table for my laptop; a desk chair for Tracy (which Patches is using WAY more than he does!)
What were this month's disappointments? None!
What were my accomplishments this month? Not having a car payment!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Better late than never - my birthday
I'm way behind on posting to my blog. I seem to do several posts in one day and then nothing for a month! So I'm just now sharing some thoughts on my birthday last month.
As always, I talk up my birthday so much that my friends have no choice but remember it! But I do love my birthday. So many do not understand why... but I'm sure it goes back to my childhood... like so many things. My father must have hated Christmas cause he was always in a foul mood that time of year. He ruined many of them, so now I'm not crazy about Christmas myself. Over the years, my issue has become that Christmas is so commercialized now... they have the Christmas stuff out before Halloween! It's this big push to buy the "just right" gift for everyone on your list. The very people who tell you that "Jesus is the reason for the season" are also the ones who are rushing from store to store trying to find that perfect gift. There is no extra politeness at Christmas time... people are too hurried, too rushed, too pressured to get way too much done in a month's time.
Anyway, with that said... Daddy didn't like Christmas, but his birthday and Father's Day were all about him, so he was good with that. And his birthday was 3 days after mine, and Father's Day was right around then, too, so he was always in a pretty good mood that time of year. When I was a child, we were usually on vacation at Lake Lure, North Carolina, on my birthday. But my mom always had me a cake and presents in that motel room. My birthday was never glossed over or forgotten in the busy-ness of vacation.
So thus... I have fonder memories of my birthday. Plus as I've said many times, your birthday is your own special day... it should be celebrated. On the day you came into this world, for someone, be it your mother, your father, your grandmother, your adoptive parents, or your sibling, it was the best day of their life. Now THAT's something to celebrate!
For many, it's just a reminder that they are getting older. Well, I'm not thrilled about aging either, but it is what it is. There's no stopping it. There's no changing it. All the diet and exercise in the world is not going to make us live for 150 years. Part of the human experience is aging and dying. Can't change it so I might as well make the best of it. Thus, I have happy birthdays!! :)
This year was really great. With joining Facebook, I was able to hear from so many people I wouldn't have heard from otherwise. I had lunches with friends, crops with friends, dinner with my husband, a visit from my mom, cards and calls from so many people, plus more I'm probably not remembering to mention here. I even had one friend who kept me going on text messaging, trying to figure out who she was for about 2 hours!! LOL
But I wanted to share the most ironic moment of my day...
I'm at the Varsity with my friend, Donna B., on June 16th. (Isn't that a great place to eat your birthday lunch??!!) Anyway, I get a phone call from Brittany. (Very sweet, right? for her to remember my day!) This is how I remember the conversation:
"Happy Birthday, Aunt Lizzie!"
"Thank you, Baby!"
Some idle chatter here.
Then...
"I miss you so much, Aunt Lizzie!" (And I'm thinking... 'Then why don't you bring your butt to Georgia this summer???!!!!!')
Then I told her:
"I told Uncle Tracy that with the money we're saving from you guys not coming up this summer, he should take me to the beach!"
And she said... (Are you ready for this?!)
"You should come down here to the beach and see me!"
Oh, yes she did. Like only a teenager can do. Luckily, I can laugh at it!
And let me just add... Tracy and I are going to Myrtle Beach next week... NOT Florida!! LOL
Thank you, Lord, for the wonderful friend and family who made my 42nd birthday so GREAT!!
As always, I talk up my birthday so much that my friends have no choice but remember it! But I do love my birthday. So many do not understand why... but I'm sure it goes back to my childhood... like so many things. My father must have hated Christmas cause he was always in a foul mood that time of year. He ruined many of them, so now I'm not crazy about Christmas myself. Over the years, my issue has become that Christmas is so commercialized now... they have the Christmas stuff out before Halloween! It's this big push to buy the "just right" gift for everyone on your list. The very people who tell you that "Jesus is the reason for the season" are also the ones who are rushing from store to store trying to find that perfect gift. There is no extra politeness at Christmas time... people are too hurried, too rushed, too pressured to get way too much done in a month's time.
Anyway, with that said... Daddy didn't like Christmas, but his birthday and Father's Day were all about him, so he was good with that. And his birthday was 3 days after mine, and Father's Day was right around then, too, so he was always in a pretty good mood that time of year. When I was a child, we were usually on vacation at Lake Lure, North Carolina, on my birthday. But my mom always had me a cake and presents in that motel room. My birthday was never glossed over or forgotten in the busy-ness of vacation.
So thus... I have fonder memories of my birthday. Plus as I've said many times, your birthday is your own special day... it should be celebrated. On the day you came into this world, for someone, be it your mother, your father, your grandmother, your adoptive parents, or your sibling, it was the best day of their life. Now THAT's something to celebrate!
For many, it's just a reminder that they are getting older. Well, I'm not thrilled about aging either, but it is what it is. There's no stopping it. There's no changing it. All the diet and exercise in the world is not going to make us live for 150 years. Part of the human experience is aging and dying. Can't change it so I might as well make the best of it. Thus, I have happy birthdays!! :)
This year was really great. With joining Facebook, I was able to hear from so many people I wouldn't have heard from otherwise. I had lunches with friends, crops with friends, dinner with my husband, a visit from my mom, cards and calls from so many people, plus more I'm probably not remembering to mention here. I even had one friend who kept me going on text messaging, trying to figure out who she was for about 2 hours!! LOL
But I wanted to share the most ironic moment of my day...
I'm at the Varsity with my friend, Donna B., on June 16th. (Isn't that a great place to eat your birthday lunch??!!) Anyway, I get a phone call from Brittany. (Very sweet, right? for her to remember my day!) This is how I remember the conversation:
"Happy Birthday, Aunt Lizzie!"
"Thank you, Baby!"
Some idle chatter here.
Then...
"I miss you so much, Aunt Lizzie!" (And I'm thinking... 'Then why don't you bring your butt to Georgia this summer???!!!!!')
Then I told her:
"I told Uncle Tracy that with the money we're saving from you guys not coming up this summer, he should take me to the beach!"
And she said... (Are you ready for this?!)
"You should come down here to the beach and see me!"
Oh, yes she did. Like only a teenager can do. Luckily, I can laugh at it!
And let me just add... Tracy and I are going to Myrtle Beach next week... NOT Florida!! LOL
Thank you, Lord, for the wonderful friend and family who made my 42nd birthday so GREAT!!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
"They year they outgrew me"
Sunday night I got the call I've been preparing myself for the last two years. I knew it was coming. It was inevitable. It's human nature, a rite of passage, as predictable as the tide going in and out.
And yet... I wasn't ready.
Missi called on Sunday night with the news that the kids weren't coming up to visit this year. They didn't want to hurt my feelings, so Brittany was avoiding making a decision (which means it's made - she just didn't want to tell me) and Brandon... Well, I have to give him credit. He made me proud... at the same time he said the words I had been dreading. Once Missi assured him I wasn't upset or hurt, he got on the phone to tell me himself that he had a job this summer and "probably" (the word used to try to let me down easy, I'm sure) wouldn't be coming up this summer.
Now, to be fair to Brittany, she wasn't home... so maybe she would have told me, too.
My friend told me tonight that when this happened to her she called it "the year they outgrew her." I think that's appropriate. They are teenagers now... they have their friends. At that age, that IS the most important thing... the most important people in their lives.
My head knew this was coming. My heart was never going to be ready.
I am afraid I won't see them much... and I didn't see them enough as it was. That week-10 days each summer was my one chance to get a glimpse into their lives and who they were at that point. The rest of the year, they compete in track, they graduate from elementary school, they have birthday parties, Thanksgiving meals, Christmas mornings, and scores of other events that I'm never part of. We made our memories each July. And they were great memories.
Oh, I know I can go to Florida to see them. And I know I will. But they will still be busy with their friends and lives, and won't have much time for their old Grand Aunt when she's there.
So I am left with the hope and prayer that one day... about 10-15 years from now maybe, that from the foundation we have laid over the last 6 years' worth of summers, we will be close, and I will be invited to the big events of their lives at that time... weddings, births, holidays.
Brittany and Brandon...
“You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So… get on your way!” - Dr. Suess, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
2005
2008
And yet... I wasn't ready.
Missi called on Sunday night with the news that the kids weren't coming up to visit this year. They didn't want to hurt my feelings, so Brittany was avoiding making a decision (which means it's made - she just didn't want to tell me) and Brandon... Well, I have to give him credit. He made me proud... at the same time he said the words I had been dreading. Once Missi assured him I wasn't upset or hurt, he got on the phone to tell me himself that he had a job this summer and "probably" (the word used to try to let me down easy, I'm sure) wouldn't be coming up this summer.
Now, to be fair to Brittany, she wasn't home... so maybe she would have told me, too.
My friend told me tonight that when this happened to her she called it "the year they outgrew her." I think that's appropriate. They are teenagers now... they have their friends. At that age, that IS the most important thing... the most important people in their lives.
My head knew this was coming. My heart was never going to be ready.
I am afraid I won't see them much... and I didn't see them enough as it was. That week-10 days each summer was my one chance to get a glimpse into their lives and who they were at that point. The rest of the year, they compete in track, they graduate from elementary school, they have birthday parties, Thanksgiving meals, Christmas mornings, and scores of other events that I'm never part of. We made our memories each July. And they were great memories.
Oh, I know I can go to Florida to see them. And I know I will. But they will still be busy with their friends and lives, and won't have much time for their old Grand Aunt when she's there.
So I am left with the hope and prayer that one day... about 10-15 years from now maybe, that from the foundation we have laid over the last 6 years' worth of summers, we will be close, and I will be invited to the big events of their lives at that time... weddings, births, holidays.
Brittany and Brandon...
“You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So… get on your way!” - Dr. Suess, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
2005
2008
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Some June layouts
Various pictures the kids and I have taken in the car... they are in the car a lot when they are with me and they get bored. It's fun to take pictures.
Christmas lights in Grovetown, Georgia this past Christmas. First outing for my mom after my father died.
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