Thankfully Blessed ~

 we are so blessed

to have such loves

and to be loved

our children grew fast

and the grandbabies even quicker

truly, where does time go

we are so proud of the adults

they are becoming

and the parents they are

the grands?

very proud of those young ones

that are already moving into

the teen years

our hearts runneth over

with thanksgiving and deep love

Pieces of my heart ~

and here are some of my blessings this Spring ~

our youngest grandchild turned three this Spring

and i'm  not sure just when he grew up

too quickly that's for sure

loves his daddy & mommy, lucy, and tractors!

our youngest daughter with her family at Easter

one loves to swim, one loves basketball, and

miss priss loves her ballet and gymnastics

(and 'her boys')

our oldest with her youngest in Memphis, i think,

traveling with her soccer team. this sweet princess loves her

soccer and her gymnastics and i love watching

her intertwine ballet with gymnastics to music ~

{we have another son in law and grandson {smile font}but

no photos of them yet. traveling with baseball or outside!

I am a thankful for our babies, their men and the gifts of

grandchildren. He is always near. Always with us.

And that's a promise from a God that cannot lie ~

Bits & Pieces

Life can be complicated. Easy. Hard. Complex and, yet, there's always someone or something that causes me to smile. It's usually then that I remember the One that formed me also set the stars in the sky and knows me better than I know myself. We all have our hurts, pain, and memories we'd love to forget. But along with those are the tender, precious, beloved memories we pray not to ever let slip from our minds. This past year has brought many emotions, along with finding more about life, God, and the sifting of friends I've known for decades and some I've only met the last few years. Each special in a season of my life. Some have gone on. Some have stayed. Some have backed off for one reason or another. It's Life. And it's expected.

He never backs off. We do, but He doesn't. He's always there, waiting for us to call upon Him to praise Him, need Him, or just want to rest within His love. I am a very thankful child of a very loving King. His Spirit teaches me and helps me understand so that forgiveness comes easy. Life is good, as long as I'm closely aligned with Him. Aaaaannnddd, He knows just how much I love

SNOW! It snows very little where we live. (Did I say 'very'?) We see more ice. Maybe it will snow this year?! Probably NOT. So, with that, here some photos of past snows, sweet babies and memories from the heart ~

Our home, January 2008

Snow! On Christmas Day!

Oh, sweet 'laina. Barely three years old.

My princess.

A trip to Gatlinburg in February 2009. Snow, snow, snow!

The smile is genuine.

And at The Park in March '09!

I was in heaven. Beautiful.

Back in the 'burg, Fall 2010, looking for snow and finding it.

And blessed with another baby girl ~

ElleBelle was headed toward her second birthday here with her Daddy.

We moved to the Coast in 2011, so there was sand.

Not snow. But we got some Winter loving.

They got snow and so did Gulf Shores! What excitement!

The beaches were covered with snow and ice.

It was also the first time I learned that hearing pinetree limbs cracking

and falling off the trees was NOT fun! It meant clean up.

 We were blessed with a new grandson.
Sweet Owen celebrated his first birthday that Spring.
Snow and a first birthday within months of each other.

Another decade for me this year

and the hopes that it WILL snow before 2016.

It does NOT look like it'll happen, but one can hope!

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Have an awesome week, snow or no snow!!

Our Winter Babies ~

2014 got off to a grand start with our Christmas celebration that we do in January. We've done this for 10+ years now and still enjoy it. The babies get too play with each other and the girls get to catch up and the guys cook and watch sports. John and I take delight in the laughter and memories hang around long after they've packed up and driven home. It's the highlight of our January. We love these munchkins dearly and their parents even more ~ Hurry back! We miss you already {heart font!}

Back to School ~

As soon as I saw this photo, my answer was, "No." Then I realized they weren't talking about grandmothers. And grandfathers. Pa's. And Nan's. I'm sure there are mommies like me that enjoyed having our daughters at home. Being a teacher at the local school was even better. I got to see more of them. But oh, I worried those first few weeks of a new school year. Were they nervous? Did they have everything they needed? Would a teacher be impatient with them or would anyone try to bully them.

 Sheez. It's not easy being a parent.

Well then, just wait until you have grandbabies. It's even tougher. I wanted to call every day just to see if the day went well. Did they get in the car happy or wishing they didn't have to go tomorrow? After the first weekend, were there tears because it was Monday and that meant going back to school again? The prayers of this Nan were many and fervent. From the length of their Pa's prayers, his heart was right there where mine was. We were also praying for the mommies, so they wouldn't have worry or stress.

This is the third week for our MS babies and the second week for our AL babies. So far, so good. Although I'm not sure they'd share anything negative anyway. They'd deal with it in the infinite patience they have, they'd pray about it, and then turn it over to God. Nan needs to do that. I need to begin now.

Or, maybe, wait until I see them for myself {Wink font}.

Back to School 2013-2014

They're ready to learn, laugh, and make this world a better place. 

I'm so in love and so very very proud!

Favorites From Last Week

The week began with Brandon's fishing trip ending and him returning home to three babies that celebrated with a trip to a favorite ice cream parlor and a wife very glad to have him safely home. I love this shot. He looks happy and there's a fish! 

Heath and our newest grandbaby, Owen. Need I say how thrilled the whole family is to have a new baby to spoil! Owen is growing so quickly, as they do, and his parents are fascinated. (He has his mommy's blue eyes {heart font} .) 

He loves to be swaddled, and listen to the vacuum cleaner. Seems to calm him. I think it makes him feel Mommy is near!

Brandon & Jenny's son, Ian, was baptized yesterday. Family and friends gathered to witness this precious moment. He was so happy. Our heart memories this past week still warm my heart today. We are a very blessed family. Thank you, Lord.

May His Kingdom Grow~

Week's Favorites

Happy Mother's Day to our amazing, and dearly loved, daughters. They are raising God-loving, respectful, adored and loving children. John and I are so proud and thrilled their dreams have come true. 

Stacey, Leslie, and Jenny at Leslie's baby shower.

This is Marley, Leslie and Heath's fur baby. Leslie went to check on Owen, as feeding time was approaching, and Marley had nestled down under his crib. We've all loved and spoiled Marley for years. Now she's taken over her role with Owen. Melted my heart.

Jenny posted this photo this week, saying, "Noah wanted his picture taken in our flowerbed". I think he just wanted the two women he loves the most with him. Again, heart melt.

Elle's Mother's Day note to her mommy via her beloved teacher at First Pres. Dayschool. I know it brought sweet tears to Jenny's eyes, for it did to mine.

And Jenny's oldest Ian, at the Mother's Day Brunch. Cannot believe that he will be going into another grade in a few months. We are so in love with our six babies and their mommies. And daddies!!

And to all my fellow retired teachers and those still in the classroom, Happy Teacher's Week. You deserve far more than you're paid, for this is a job you do for the love of children. I was blessed beyond measure the 20 years I spent in my second grade classroom. You will be, as well, even when the moments are tough and you don't think you can attend one more faculty meeting or inservice day. Hang in there. And God bless you for your chosen profession.

Really Missing Them ~

Sometimes I miss them so much it hurts. Days become months and I realize, I need to see them! To hold them close! To smell their hair and breathe in their familiar scent! To hug them tight, and sing 'Nan Loves'. Because they are beautiful creations of those in my heart.

Our Easter Babies

It was a beautiful weekend for Easter.

A mite cool, but sunshiny smiles.

I am so in love with our family.

The men that lovingly married our daughters are men of our hearts. We could not have asked of God any better than the ones He chose Himself. And the grandbabies?! Well, if you're a grandmother or a grandfather yourself, you know there aren't words to express the love in our hearts when they run to us with that look that's just reserved for us. To watch them grow brings a tightening to the heartstrings but what a blessing. This year we were given another gift to love and spoil. Owen Heath Taylor joined our family and again, we've lost another piece of our heart. We are all thrilled that he and Leslie came through birth just fine and are settling in at home with daddy Heath. John and I are so very thankful for these sweet blessings. 

The Maddox's 

The Green's 

And, The Taylor's.

With our newest family member.

(Marley has been very receptive {smile font}. 

John and I stayed with Miss Marley until Owen came home. It was cute the way Heath and Leslie introduced Marley to her brother and invited him into her home. I'm not sure how long Leslie has had Marley but I know it's in the double digit years. We hated leaving but have been blessed with almost daily photos of this precious gift from God. He seems to be changing daily, but then, they all do that, don't they? I look at our daughters and wonder where time went. Just this past Easter, they were playing in the front yard with my grandmother's hats and acting like they were "old ladies". That photo still makes me smile. 

Of course I had to get some rocking time in!

Happy Easter, Dear Ones ~

He arose.

What beautiful words.

Celebrate His ascension

tomorrow and everyday.

Here are some of my favorite posts from Easter's past:

Yes, Grandmommies Brag

Family & Friends

And Some More Easter!

Elle Elizabeth Maddox

March Winds Bring Easter

It's Easter!

And this year, we have Owen Heath!! What a beautiful gift from God during this Holy week. Leslie and Owen are home and doing fine. We are blessed.

It's Almost Easter

Our youngest daughter and her family will be celebrating Easter tomorrow with the congregation where her father in law ministers. It's a sweet country locale and the members are all kin on someones side of the family. They get so excited when the little ones 'come home' to hide the eggs and eat 'dinner on the grounds'.  The photos taken there have become a precious time I look forward to each year. Others will be traveling this weekend to celebrate with various members of their family. I pray you all arrive safely and enjoy your time worshiping  with loved ones & taking delight in watching the little ones hunt eggs. 

Birthday Flashback ~

I thought it would be fun to have a Birthday Flashback. It really is true, that one feels ten years younger on the inside than the mirror shows on the outside. Life is fleeting, and I savour each and every day. With three dearly loved daughters, and three men sent from God to marry them, they've given us six precious and adorable grandbabies, with number six to be born in just a matter of weeks. God is so good and I fall at His feet with love and adoration. So here you go, Birthday Flashback to 2009!

Let's Be Serious, Then I'll Be Funny

I have to tell you, our Congress and this President scare me. I would love to find grounds to impeach him and start over with, or maybe without, a Congress. We have compromised so much already on gun control. We need to feel safe. Schools need to be secure. The last several weeks all I've heard are hearings on gun control. What about funding education - hey, that's a new one! NOT! - and put security guards in schools. Restructure fronts doors to be security conscious. There's much that can be done to make a school and it's grounds more secure, but for that you need money. And guess what doesn't get much money in too many states in the Union? Education. Our children. We actually spend more money on the prisoners in the state of Alabama than we do on our school age children. That is sad. That is uncalled for. Guns aren't the problem. People are the problem. Secure a property and it deters unwanted intruders. That's my soapbox for tonight.

When I saw this, I knew it was me. I love to laugh. At anything. And when you go to someplace like a beach, a football game, Wally World, there are people. And there's always something to laugh at or about with people or animals. I love AFV!!! Those dummies! And yes, I laugh at me. In fact, I laugh the hardest then.

We have wonderful plans for the weekend. A baby shower for our newest grandchild! We shall finally celebrate Christmas with our daughters and their families! (We had the flu yuck and Jenny's family had ear infections etc, so we postponed) Having a shower on the same day makes for a fun-filled day. We'll finish it off at a favorite Mexican restaurant, the grands will get a whole day to play with each other (praying the weather lasts) and I'm hoping someone remembers to take lots of photos! I was made fun of not too many years ago for always having a camera handy. Now I forget {sniff font}. Here's hoping Stacey and Jenny have theirs! I pray you have a great, laughter filled weekend, yourself!