Christmas Parade in Irving!

Today was the day I had planned to go to the Christmas Parade in Dallas. However, it was not easy getting everyone out the door early enough to get parking and good seats. Consequently, the parking lot where I usually park was full and I was directed to a parking garage and told I could watch the parade from up there. I debated after seeing the people hanging out of the garage and said, NO WAY!!! I turned around and began looking for an alternative. I couldn't find one so we began to head on home. I knew there was going to be a parade in Irving so all was not lost.

I decided to pay a "surprise" visit to Charlotte. Mary and I went to make a Dunkin Donut run then went to her house where there was some wonderful coffee waiting for us. My crazy sister had her back door wide open enjoying the nice fresh air. It was a little cool but "hey" she was happy.

I enjoyed my coffee and of course some sister time. We headed back home a little later than I intended. We stopped by the house for a potty break and then went on to the parade. The grandchildren really enjoyed the parade but really loved collecting candy.

I am looking forward to the Walk-thru Nativity next weekend when my family will get together to enjoy each others company and to enjoy celebrating a little bit of the holiday together.

It is feeling more and more like Christmas. I love this time of year!!!

Reflections

Well here we are at Christmas time again. Before we begin this new season I want to say a few things about our Thanksgiving holiday. We had been planning to go to Albert's this Thanksgiving and well, things just didn't work out. Instead, we had our Thanksgiving at home.

We hung around the house and the kids got to sleep in. They had a friend over for a visit a couple of times and we learned how to hook up the playstation. The children enjoyed playing their racing games and then we moved on to Rock Band. We had two singers, two guitar players and a drummer. I enjoyed hearing Jacob and Josiah's rendition of MISSISSIPPI QUEEN. I was able to get a little Christmas shopping in.

MaryEllen came to stay for a few days. We were able to have some time to go out and to play a game of dominoes with her "special friend" Quentin. We were able to see Matthew, Edna, Abigail and Adan. That was nice. The grandchildren were able to spend a little time with their mother. Michael and Becky weren't able to make it but they will be here for Christmas. Mark had to work during Thanksgiving so he was not able to make it home. However, he will be home for Christmas too.

Thanksgiving was not the big splash we had last year but it was a very enjoyable time nonetheless. The boys voted for pumpkin pie and the girls wanted chocolate cake. We had both. MaryEllen's request was for yellow squash and sweet potatoes. How could I refuse? We also had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy and mixed vegetables. I used a tablecloth and my good dishes. The girls were able to carry them to the table and help place them. They were oohing and aahing. I had to serve them their dessert on pretty plates also. We played Sorry, and Jacob beat me. He was very pleased with himself.

I am very thankful for many things. I have a nice, snug, warm home. I get to care for and have an imprint on the lives of my grandchildren. My husband and I were able to spend some time together. I had Mary and Matthew at home to visit with. I am healthy. I have been given a clean bill of health this year with no recurring cancer or developing cells. I am now in the home free zone. I have a wonderful family. I have four great sisters and a half sister I am getting to know more and three wonderful brothers. I have a father who is in great health and fun to be around. He is married to a wonderful lady who loves us and treats us kindly and is very supportive and loving to my dad. I am thankful for John's family. He has a great dad who has been there for us especially in the early years. John's brother Ricky who has faithfully visited even though it is rarely returned and Laura, John's sister. I wish she would come and visit sometime. Cough, cough!

I am thankful for my bible and for being able to read it. I am thankful that I live in a country that I have the freedom to go to church and worship God without fear of retribution. Thank You, Lord, for my blessings! Help me to learn to not take things for granted.

Memories of Grandma Ramsey

During the holidays I seem to become sentimental, and or nostalgic so please allow me the priviledge to walk down memory lane. Lately, we've been having conversations about names and why people name their children as they do. I am speaking about family names, primarily.

I'd like to tell you about my grandmother. Everyone called her Grandma Ramsey or Ruby. Those were the names I knew her by. I know people will find this surprising, but I do have a big mouth that has been known to say things before I think. Mmmmm, imagine that! Allow me to share a bittersweet memory about my grandmother.

My given name is MaryEllen. Just plain ole MaryEllen. Nothing fancy, classy, unusual or exotic. I remember as a child wishing I had a name like Melody, Melissa, Kathryn, Candace. Nope, I received MaryEllen for my handle. Just like the MaryEllen on the Walton's. Old-fashioned, Yuck!

One day I was speaking to my grandmother. I don't remember what we were talking about. I just remember the outcome-I hurt my grandmother's feelings. I told my grandmother emphatically, I do not like my name. She said, "you don't like your name?" I said, "No!" She said, "My name is MaryEllen." I was quiet, stunned. What, I never knew that. I felt like two cents. I loved my grandmother and would never hurt her. If only I knew I never would have said anything.

Over time, I began to learn some things about this grandmother and the kind of person she was. I am glad my mother named me for her and that is why I named my daughter after her. If my daughter and I could become a fraction of the woman with a servant's heart that she was. Wow! I would love to be remembered as a person who did for others.

Grandma was a single mother raising two children in the Bronx. She later moved to Massachusetts. She worked for the Milton Bradley company in the sweatshop making crayons. We are all familiar with those crayons, Crayolas. She did not make a lot of money but was very frugal. She would save money all year and during the summer come for a visit and take us kids shopping for school shoes and some clothes. She would take us to the five and dime store for an ice cream sundae or a hamburger. I would be so excited. This was a treat because our family could not afford to eat out.

When her mother's husband died, her mother moved in with her and she took care of her mother until her mother passed away. Anytime one of her brothers needed anything she would help them out. If they needed money she gave it to them. She gave her burial plot to one of her brothers after he passed, paid for surgery for several different people, paid for the burial services of her father-in-law, and other family members through the years. She helped her son and his family. This lady was not a Susie Homemaker. She was not the storybook grandmother like our father's mother. I am sure she would have been a great one if she had been given the opportunity. She always had to work and provide a living for herself, her children and later for her mother.

I wish I could have told her about MaryEllen before she passed away. I wish I would have told her how sorry I was for the thoughtless thing I said. Most of all, I wish I could tell her how very proud I am to carry on her name because of the person I found her to be. Many of the things I found out about her were through records, paperwork she kept after she passed away. I am truly blessed to have been named for her and hope my daughter realizes the legacy as she matures through life.

Thank you for reading my ramblings. I hope this blesses you. It was fun for me to put some of these thoughts down. Grandma was a Proverbs 31 lady without realizing it. She was saved so I know I will see her again one day.

Mighty To Save by Laura Story

Back to Blogging!

I've finally made the plunge and will be blogging again. I know some of you have given up on me ever posting anything again. My schedule made it difficult for awhile but I want to try to get back on track with my blogging again. It was, for me, a "catharsis". I enjoyed thinking things through while writing-it made things seem more clear. I hope you will enjoy this "author's" musings as much as I enjoyed the sharing of my thoughts and heart.

Well, school is back in session in Irving as it is in many towns across the country. I intended on taking the "typical" first day of school pictures. However, my grandsons took off before I was able to take their pictures. Alaina, on the other hand, dutifully stood, while I shot a couple of poses. I walked her to her classroom and took a couple of pictures. I did post one on my Facebook page. These pictures were nothing to brag about so I intend to catch my victims at a more opportune moment. HaHa!!!! Jacob and Josiah are in the fourth grade. They really like their teachers. Alaina is in the first grade this year and I think she is going to thrive in her class.

Our daughter, MaryEllen has moved into her dorm room at Dallas Baptist University. Her first day of class was on Monday, August 23. She is loving her life as a college student. I think she especially loves her independence. Surprise, surprise, right! Mary began her new job on campus today. I am so happy for her. She has been looking forward to this new time. They want her to work during the summer and throughout her college career. Her roommate is an international student from Vietnam. She is looking forward to developing a friendship with her and of course, learning a little Vietnamese.

As you can imagine, especially if you are a parent, it is pretty quiet in the house during the day. I think I can live with this! There have been quite a few changes in my life over the past few years. Change is good but it can take some time to adjust your thoughts and attitudes toward those changes. I will talk about some of these changes at a different time. For now I'd like to leave you with my favorite Bible verse. It is found in Jeremiah 29:11. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." I'm wondering............