You blink.......

............ and your babies are all grown up. Look at that little guy. Why I was bending down to put my arm around him. What a little sweetie. He's not all grown up now, no, he has a ways to go yet, but tonight, that fifteen-year-old teenager picked me up and carried me across the room, just because he could, I guess. Yeesh, where did the time go? It hasn't been long since my little man was coming up and measuring to see if he was as tall as me yet. And of course, before that, he was this little guy, so tiny. He's always been such a sweet, considerate little boy, and he is still a sweet young man. The other night, I put some chicken on to cook, and he got so excited, he ran to the convenience store and bought drinks, his treat! Poor thing, I guess I should cook more..... I guess I'd better stop and enjoy more, because the past fifteen years has gone so quickly, it won't be a breath and he'll be bringing some pretty little girl home, telling me they're getting married. Oh, my goodness, time flies as you're getting old.................

Family pictures

Aren't they beautiful? This is where I come from. These are my mother's sisters, my precious aunts. Look at those beautiful smiles. I don't know about you, but I can just see the love radiating from each and every one of them. Maybe I'm a little biased. Good. Every one of these ladies has poured a whole lotta love into me. I remember Aunt Mandy bringing her guitar and singing songs with us, spending every summer with Aunt Julie, dress-up day with Aunt Ruthie, church with Aunt Harriann, and dance lessons with Aunt Rosie. What a wonderful way to grow up. What wonderful people to grow up with.

Aunt Julie is not in this one, but my Uncle David and his wife, Aunt Pat, are. They're great. The last time the boys and I visited with Uncle David and Aunt Pat, they sent the boys home with a great big bag of candy bars. Now that's how you make friends with a kid. Heck, that's how you make friends with me. Who doesn't love chocolate? That's how Uncle David wooed us as kids, too. I remember him giving us two quarters and saying "Now, go to the store, and get me a candy bar, and then eat it for me, okay?" Oh, we loved it when Uncle David came by. He and Dad would sit out on the car and drink beer.


I look at these pictures, and I feel such love. I have a great family. I come from wonderful stock, Christian women, strong women. Steel magnolias. If you could've know my Grandmother..... she was such a beautiful Christian woman. I'm so proud to be from this family, and blessed.
I can't wait to visit.