CHURCH WITH GRANDADDY

As a child, Sunday's entailed going to church and then to Magranny and Grandaddy's to eat Sunday lunch. I was a picky child. Magranny spoiled me. Guess what she made for me every Sunday? Boiled chicken and peas of some sort. I love both, even to this day. I would gladly give the chocolate pudding she made for each of us grand kids aside for another helping of her peas.

After lunch, the cousins would play in the yard, while the men would retire to the den and the ladies would wear aprons and clean the kitchen. My grandmother made the dresses Kelli and I wore to church. She would find a pattern, measure us, and we'd have new dresses in no time. As a teenager, she patiently tried to teach me to sew a button. I still can't.

In church, I remember proudly watching my grandparents sing in the choir. I thought that was something else. As a young adult, they continued that tradition and stayed diligently devoted to their church. Brother Bobby, who was the preacher at the time, said he thought of Grandaddy as his brother. Those words were spoken at Magranny's funeral.

Grandaddy is humble. He wont be thrilled to see that I've written a blog about him, but he is a hero of mine. He always has been and always will be. If I try to think of how I should live my life, his example always, always comes to mind.

I decided to surprise him at church this past Sunday. As I waited for him to get out of Sunday School, I started asking around about where he sat. I went to familiar faces and asked, "Where is Grandaddy? Where does he sit?" Everyone knew and EVERYONE had something magnificent to say about him. I met new people and heard more of the same. I can't be any prouder of a grand-daughter than I am. I love telling people that he's my grandfather and I love hearing how he has touched so many lives.

During church, I kept thinking about how he would like to have Magranny sitting to his left. I miss her too and I wish she was here. That's selfish, because I know she is running the streets of gold right now. Her service to those who needed it couldn't be fully explained. She was simply amazing.

After church, we had a meal at Wendy's. Wendy's was a favorite hangout for my grandparents. I'm just not sure I could have been any happier sitting across from him for that meal. I know that Magranny was smiling down on us.

SOUL SUCKERS

Hi! No excuses as to why I haven't posted since.....well....yeah. Let's just move along to 2012, shall we?

Today is the first day of the year. New beginnings. I saw this quote on someone's Facebook page. I like it. "We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day." Edith Lovejoy Pierce

A fresh start. A rebirth. A clean slate. Resolutions. While I'm not a fan of resolutions, I do enjoy the thought process that goes into them. One life on Earth. One chance. That's it. That is a huge deal. Huge.

As a nurse, I hear regrets of patient's as they lie near death. I also hear triumphs and successes. They are equally painful to me. However, some patient's choose to discuss funny memories. There is nothing more heart warming than walking into a room of a very sick patient and hearing them laugh. Their laughter is better than any medicine or treatment I could provide. Period.

I would like to continue to find the humor in life for 2012. I would like to focus on the positive and not be such an absolute pessimist. (I'm a bad one.) I would like to do away with "soul suckers" as I call them. People who choose to focus on bringing others down instead of looking at themselves in the mirror. Judgemental people. They are the worst. I had a couple of people severely judge me in 2011. Severely.

At a time, when my life could not have been any harder, I was judged by other imperfect humans. I've cried many tears over it. As I look back, I shouldn't have cried. They were wasted on something unimportant. I wanted to call them out for their many faults. But, then, wouldn't I have also been labeled judgemental? Yes, of course. I challenge all of us to view these type of people as those who need help, more than even we do. I also challenge all of us not to judge. It's hard. But, let's try.

I would like to find the good in people, no matter what. I would like to judge a book by its contents and not its cover. Most of all, I would like to keep laughing.

Humor. It keeps the spirit alive. Finding out the things that really mattter, and letting go of the petty things. Important. Surrounding yourself with people who bring out the best in you. Important. It is quite unimportant, to me, at the age of 37 to care, even a little bit, about what "soul suckers" feel is "right". It is a HUGE waste of my time.

On my deathbed, I do not want to discuss what he thought or she thought or what he said or what she said. I want to laugh about funny, meaningful memories. I have amazing friends that I have chosen to surround myself with. I have an amazing family. What more could a person need?

Happy New Year! Here's to many laughs in the year 2012!!!

WILD GIRL

Well, I showed my wild side today and got a second hole put in my ear. I know, I know. It's hard to believe. I am usually so sweet and innocent. Sarcasm aside, my Daddy will think this is a tragedy. He barely let my sister and I get one piercing when we were kids, and he will not be happy about this little addition. The thing is, we just aren't going to tell him. Maybe he will notice, maybe he wont.

I wasn't worried about the pain so much, as I was the sterilization process. I wanted to know how the instruments were cleaned, how my ear would be cleaned, etc. I had a LOT of questions. Imagine that.

After I was sure, I would not contract typhoid fever, I sat in the chair. Back up, I did have a small MI after I was told how much I would have to pay for the earrings. "Because they are sterile." Um, you got some peroxide or some alcohol and we can use these $12 ones. Ok, ok, here's your money. "But, the piercing process is free with the purchase of the earrings." Trust me darlin', there is nothing free happening in this transaction.

Where was I? Oh yeah, in the chair. She didn't give a girl a warning, which is probably a smart thing. Punch, punch. Ow, ow. All done. No sucker, no sticker, nothing.

Oh well, I still feel like a big girl now.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Hello! Long time, no write to. I am indeed alive and well. I hope you are too.

I have recently joined a gym. I’ve been dying to get back into a spin class. I’m really enjoying it. I had a new instructor Thursday night.

This particular instructor likes to take popular songs, such as “You Shook Me All Night Long” and somehow increase the speed of the song 10 fold. When you’re dripping sweat from every pore in your body, it really just kind of makes you want to jump off your bike and tackle her! And she makes up her own words, and belts them out. It’s just annoying. For example, “…knocking me out with those spinning thighs.” It’s really hard to glare while sweat is filling your eyeballs though.

Another thing she does is shake her finger at you and say, “no, no, no” if you try to adjust your resistance downward. I’ve never been one to appreciate someone pointing their finger at me, much less shaking it at me.

She shook her finger Thursday night, and I thought, “That is it! I’m gonna hurt you!” Right after that, I threw up a little bit in my mouth and said, “Never mind. Continue your butt kicking.” Twenty minutes later, the girl beside me started dry heaving. I was trying to yell over the music, “ARE YOU GOING TO THROW UP?!?!” See, I was pinned between her and the wall and I would have been trapped. She started shaking her head that she was NOT going to throw up and she pushed through. Phew.

I’m looking forward to continuing the class and encountering the adventures to come. Just pray that I don’t throw up or pass out. Or fall, while I’m trying to get off the bike.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

A REAL LIFE LESSON

If you've been burning a candle long enough that it has about a half cup of melted wax in it, do not put your face too close when you blow it out. If you do, your face and hair will be covered in hot wax. Fact.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY