Saturday, October 26, 2013

Bouncy Seat

Saw one of the cutest most humorous little sights around a couple of hours ago.  My great niece Mallie Belle who is one, jumping in some sort of bouncy seat.  Probably one of those things that maybe you have to see yourself to understand just how cute it was.

I tried to take a video but she would stop and cheese it up when I pulled my phone out.  Hmmmm....could that mean she is used to having a lot of pics taken?  Sweet lil Mallie Belle....



Side note:  Pretty certain I hit a pole cat tonight. Didn't see it but the evidence sure enough has followed me home from Jessie's.

A Long Line

Tonight was an especially hard night for many in our community and a special family.  One of my closest friend's stepson was killed in a car wreck Thursday night.  Tonight was receiving of friends and funeral.  He was only 21.

A long line.  What a showing of respect in our area.  During times like this I often wonder what funerals are like in other places.  Other than the South.  Deep bonds of family and friendship run around here.  I'm sure other places too.  Maybe death is mourned the same "here" and "there".  Here you don't even have to know the person who passed away.  But respect of someone you love and care for who did know the one who died?  That makes you go to the receiving of friends.  To show you're thinking of them in one of the worst points of their lives.  Wonder if it's that's so "there"......

Heartbreaking.  So heartbreaking looking around while in line.  Looking up to the end of the line where my friend and her husband, the boy's daddy, stood along with the mom.   Looking at them I was teary eyed before I was half way there.  Their faces were tired.  Tight at times.  Tight from exhaustion of tears but I feel also tight from smiling through the tears.  Pretending to be strong while everything falls apart around them.

Three little girls.  Tiny little girls.  Little girls who have lost their brother.  There is nothing that can be said about that.  No words......just sorrow for their little hearts.

Boys.  I see lots of boys.  They are probably 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and so forth.  But boys none-the-less.  Their faces were....I don't even know the word I'm searching.....sullen?  That isn't quite right.  Sad.  Maybe just sad.  And a little frightened.  Frightened of the unknown, frightened about not knowing what to do or how to react or what to say.  Most have never been in this place in life before.

At funerals you hear so many different expressions.  You hear a lot of "too young" or "so young".  People who know our family still say my brother who died in 1979 was "too young" at age 27.  My mother died when she was 56.  Those who knew her say she was "so young".  My dad was 80 when he died.  His death was the most recent but I really don't remember what people said his dying.  Maybe they were just very saddened about his passing.  Or maybe people just don't know what to say when an old person dies.  I don't know.  All I know that watching a family struggle with loss, no matter what the age of the person who died.........sucks.




got milk?

Driving the back roads near our house there is a surprise around one corner. On the silo of one of our neighbors dairy are lights which spell out "got milk?".

The road with the silos is seldom traveled.  Which makes the sight of the sign even more special.  It's just out in the middle of nowhere so it seems as if it's meant just for you.  I'm always disappointed when driving that back road if the sign isn't glowing.  Tonight I wasn't disappointed.




Flashback

Flashback 2012
My first and only thus far breast cancer walk/fundraiser.
"Making Strides for Breast Cancer"
(I think that was the name?)



Amber, Bridget, Me and Linda
I got some prizes for being a survivor.  Who
knew there were perks?  Well, there were at
times.  Like when I was bald and went
through the drive thru at Krystals.  I got
all the ketchup and salt I wanted. No questions.

Bridget came up with "Stridin' for Marna"
For our shirts

Some of the walking. I could NOT keep
up with Amber and Bridget.  Esp Amber.
She finished a mile ahead of us.  At one
point I did try to speed up.  Problem?
They sped up too! 

Farmer Charlie!!! (Who is that anyway?)

Bridget, Me and Amber

Amber and Bridget signing us in.

Loved the face painting!


Work. Everyone working at the courthouse
has been so supportive of me.  They all
bought shirts for the fundraiser.  Some
even walked.