Life Lessons. Heaven.

After watching "Chasing Mavericks" last night I started thinking about life lessons.  The boy learning from his mentor.  His mentor learning from his student.  

My brother Gary died in 1979 when I was 7, nearly 8, in a jeep accident.  I was worried Gary had suffered and being so small questioned what happens after death. My momma and I had a lot of talks, about Heaven and God.  Talks a momma has with a child, a little girl.  

One day I asked momma what she thought Gary did in Heaven all day.  We talked about how he loved to fish and go jeep riding in the mountains.  Momma told me not to worry about Gary.  God had made Gary perfect and he was waiting for us all.    

When I was small I didn't like to read and liked studying even less.  Momma and I were talking about what we were going to do once we got to Heaven.  I told her that I wanted God to have a movie ready for me about the Bible.  That way I could watch the movie and not have to read the Bible stories.  Momma said "Oh no!  Not me.  I want to walk everywhere and see everything."  When momma died in 1990 I told Chris that I knew what she was doing.  She was walking, visiting, and seeing everything, everywhere.  

The past couple of years momma's talks about God and Heaven have seen me through some trying times.  Times where I learned that sitting and watching a movie are not the things I'd want to do anymore when the time rolls around.  Walking, visiting, and seeing everything, everywhere is more like it.  That and worshiping a God who has blessed me in so many rich and wonderful ways though I'm deserving of none.  One of the best of those blessing, a momma who took time in deep sorrow over the loss of a precious son to still my fears and offer comfort over loss.




Early 1970's - My brother Gary & friends
 They loved going 4-wheeling when it snowed

 



Early 1970's-Chris and I almost fell
into one of these one time with my Toyota
4 wheel drive truck in 1991





Early 1970's - My brother Gary and his friends.
Can you say stuck?





Early 1970's-sometimes they'd have 20 jeeps



Early 1970's. Gary and his friends
had so much fun!

Poem-There Once Was a Woman....

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she only had three hairs on her head. “Well”, she said, “I think I’ll braid my hair today.” So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. “Hmmm”, she said, “I think I’ll part my hair down the 

middle today.” So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. “Well”, she said, “Today I’m going to wear my hair in a pony tail.” So she did, and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn’t a single hair on her head. “YAY!” she exclaimed. “I don’t have to fix my hair today!”

Anonymous

Chris and I in Miami.  December 2010.

Last radiation treatment when we came home from the cruise.  First time in public with no scarf. 

 I wasn't going to wear that yucky thing in the Bahamas! 

Arrow

Caught the last 15 minutes of the new show "Arrow". The main guy and his dad were stranded in the sea on a floating raft. The man told his son that there wasn't enough room for them all to survive and then killed himself. I asked Chris, "Would you jump off a raft in shark infested waters off the coast of Africa to save me from certain death?" Chris, "Sure".

Here Comes the Boom

We watched "Here Comes the Boom" at the movies today.  It was cute and fun.  But one I should have waited to rent at home.  I'm pretty picky about movies.

Africa

Our lights flashed on a buck in a field tonight. Chris turned around and put the car lights toward it. Another deer was about twenty feet from the first. They started walking toward each other but stopped quick. A very aggravated skunk was between them! I told Chris that this is what Africa would be like. Chris said "I'm not going to Africa. It's like 24 hours in a plane and we could crash and die." I said "Oh, who do you know that has crashed and died on a plane ride to Africa?" Chris replied "us".

"Chasing Mavericks"

Chris and I watched "Chasing Mavericks" this weekend at the movies.  I really enjoyed the movie immensely.  The relationships of characters were very complex.  This was much more than a surfer dude movie.  Deep lessons of life are learned as is the strength of one young man and the ability of an older man to open himself into a position of mentoring as a type of father. Highly recommend watching!

Fear vs Panic

"Fear and panic are two separate emotions. Fear's healthy. Panic's deadly." 

-"Chasing Mavericks"

"The Descendants"

Chris was watching George Clooney run down the street in the movie "The Descendants". Chris said "He isn't very athletic is he?" I said "he isn't as bad as me, I mean, I'm more athletic than that, right?" Chris said "Yeah, um, yup, um.... no."

Lynette's Birthday at Dollywood

Great afternoon at Dollywood with my sister Lynette, niece Jessie and great niece and nephew Mallie Belle and Jack. Dollywood is one of Lynette's favorite places so it was nice to be there on a gorgeous fall day for her birthday.

Chick flicks

I LOVE MOVIES!  

Here are a few of my favorite chick-flick movies, in no particular order.



Chris calls me Diane Keaton because
I love turtlenecks.



Not a Kelly Preston fan but love
this movie. No one plays a
better ball player
 than Kevin Costner.

So cute!  

Co-Stars made this movie great!

Love the dress on the cover!

My favorite Kate Hudson movie. 
Matt M is pretty great too!

Why do I like her movies so much?
The good ones are good....
the bad ones are, well, bad.

Love hockey!
So of course love this movie.

The models in "Head over Heels"
 are so funny!

This movie is why
I have the "Diesel" dog.

Cute. Enjoyed.

A silly teen movie. But I liked it.

Crude. 
LOVE Gerard Butler though.

One of my favorite
all time movies!!!!

Probably wouldn't have liked
this movie if Emma Stone
wasn't in it.

Reese's best movie.

Who couldn't love "Serendipity"? 
Cool name and Kate B and John C are in it.

Who would've thought this
two actors would make a
good movie together?
But they did.

Love, love, love! 
Could I please have Ashley Judd's
clothing and hairstylist? 
Just for a month.
I'd be happy with that.

Not her best but the baby vomit
is so funny.  And the actress,
 can't remember her name,
which plays the sister-in-law.
Love her.

Watching right now. Love!

Old Family Photos

Photos of my Momma and Daddy and their families. I have a rich heritage older than my years.  Being a oops baby, a late in lifer, has attributed to this.  My parents lived through horrible hard times in America and my Daddy was a WWII Naval Vet.  So proud to have been able to call them Mom and Dad.

From Daddy's Naval Ship WWII-photo I've always felt is all
encompassing of WWII in the Pacific.

Daddy WWII - always wondered how Janie got her name?

Daddy-downtown Madisonville-I think...

WWII Pacific-from Daddy's ship

WWII Pacific-from Daddy's ship

China WWII-I've always wondered where this was and who the kids were

My Daddy's daddy and his brother

China WWII-always have loved this photo

WWII Pacific-from Daddy's ship

WWII-Daddy. He looks so lil

WWII Pacific-from Daddy's ship

US Naval China-WWII

Great Granddad-sheep herding far from TN in Idaho

Daddy's dad and others

Momma-church

Daddy at Decoration at Hopewell graveyard-Decoration Day
one of my favorite days of the year!  We always got a new dress
and visited with friends and relatives all day.

Daddy

Momma on right and her friends. I love this pic. 

Momma

Daddy and my sister. My fav photo of Daddy-love his expression.

Momma

Momma

Some of Momma's brothers and sisters

Momma's momma and daddy and some of her brothers and sisters. I think
this was the three or four room house they lived in for a number of years??
But not sure. Wish I knew more of their history.  I loved listening when I
was small.

Momma back upper left and her brother O'Neil beside her.

Momma-she was always so graceful

Momma 49-50 school year-maybe she was 8th grade or
freshman here....I think? Look at those pin curls!!

Daddy and friend after a car wreck

Daddy third from left

Momma and her little brothers

Daddy with some of Momma's family in their cotton field

Daddy with some of Momma's family in their cotton field

My brother being held up by two of Momma's brothers.

My brother Gary

My brother and sister Sharon

Daddy, Gary, Sharon, and Momma

One of my favorites!  Love the car seat my sister Lynette is in! Oh My!

My FAVORITE photo of all time...and of course
favorite of momma and daddy

Second favorite photo of all time.  Utterly beautiful
in my eyes.  Momma was a soph in HS. Her expression
is in many ways unlike the Mom I knew.

Momma with sis on pony and sister on ground.  Brother holding horse? Look
at those bare feet around the pony!  OUCH if there had been a mis-step!!!

Not an old family photo. This is me and Daddy at my 1995 college graduation from TN Wesleyan College. Wish
Momma had been there to see.....Education was so important to them.  Back in their days it wasn't possible.  HS wasn't possible for many.  I think Daddy had to quit in the 8th grade to help support family. Oh I wish Momma was
here to fill in the gaps of the history she passed on to me so long ago.....I love history and I love that my family played  in the time of history they did. A very historical and important time in American.