Seems We Just Got Started

                                                                MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Come Sunday my house will be filled with two of the sweetest little boys' laughters and cries. Everything I have down low will go up high. There will be bottles to fill and poo poo diapers to change. I think this year they will be more interested  in the wrapping paper than the gifts. Our Christmases past we will always remember as we pick up the pieces and move forward. Sammy and I often talked about how proud of our girls and their picks for husbands. He said I know we have spoiled them and they are a lot of "up-keep" (ha!), but God picked the best for them. Of course, my only concern was grandchildren. I wanted grandchildren 'cause I didn't wanna be in diapers the same time the were. I'm proud to say I go...

What a terrible weekend and Christmas is not on my mind. I know all our hearts are heavy and it got me to thinking about when I was a first grade teachers assistant at IES (Iuka Elementary School). Back in1990, a friend of mine told me she was gonna go to take a test and see about being a teacher's assistant. Jokingly, I said I'd come a long, no pressure 'cause I really wasn't looking for a job. I don't know what got into me 'cause Lord knows I sure didn't like taking test.  Must have been the company of my friend, Pam. Mr. Evans and I must have gotten the results of the test about the same time because the next thing I knew I gotta call from him. Mr. Evans: I want you to come to my office. I wanted  talk to you  about a job. Me: Oh Mr. Evans, I really wasn't looking for a job. I took that test just for the fun of it and no one in my family knows I took that test. Mr. Evans: I want you to come on anyway and you can think it over after our talk. By t...

My grandmother (Mama Helen) had three children, eight grandchildren, fifteen great grandchildren and twelve great great grandchildren. Growing up when it was just eight of us kids we went on a few vacations together. Oh we went on a few with the great grands too but back in the day it was just us eight, our parents and sometimes two or three grandmothers (which I will write about some day). As time has gone by our families have grown. We found it hard for us all to get together on Christmas so we celebrate Christmas in July at the lake.We have so much fun. It started out at our cabin then we moved it to my uncle and aunt's cabin ( Linda and Bobby Dexter).  They have a big deck so most of the action takes place outside.We put up a Christmas tree with lights and wear Santa hat for pictures. Everyone brings some sort of food and we play dirty Santa. Now when you play "Dirty Santa" with this bunch you better watch out. For years we have had a "surprise gift" and m...

I'm sure most families have their own traditions and my family has (had) a few. When I was growing up and as long as I can remember, our neighbors, Cecil and Christine Johnson, were always at our house on Christmas morning. Ms.Christine would make homemade biscuits. She could make the best biscuits and tea cakes in the summer time. That's one of my favorite memories when I was younger. When we moved back to Iuka, the tradition has been for Mama (Maw Maw/Beebs), Daddy (Paw Paw/Jack) and Keith to come to our house. They came before the kids got out of bed on Christmas morning to watch them see what Santa brought. When the kids were a lot younger, it seemed like we had just gotten in the bed and then it was time to get up. It was our own fault because we had to wait until all the kids were asleep before we could put together anything. Most of the time our bunch was too excited to go to sleep early. Apparently we had never heard of putting stuff together a few days before, but w...

When I was in the fourth grade I decided I wanted a piano for Christmas. My daddy kinda liked that idea. You see, when he was younger his mama wanted him to play even though they didn't have a piano. He even had a few piano lessons, but he had to drop out. My grandmother (Mama Helen) had saved a little money so he could have lessons, but after a few lessons, the teacher sent a note home with him to give to his mama. He thought the teacher was really gonna brag on him, and he was all smiles till Mama Helen read the note. It said   he was wasting my time and your hard earned money; don't send him back. Daddy told me one time that he really wanted to learn to play, but his teacher always had refreshments.  He had rather eat than learn to play. Anyway, for Christmas that year I got a piano, and Daddy ordered us some music 'cause we was gonna big one day. Till this day we still can't play but we are BIG! I took lessons for a year or two but nothing stuck. I still have that p...

Oh my goodness when I was way way younger I couldn't wait till after Thanksgiving 'cause that meant the Sears and Roebuck and J. C. Penny Christmas catalog came in the mail. I would look for hours and make my mark on what all I needed. Sometimes it would be several marks on each page, then I'd go to bed and dream of all this stuff I would be gettin'. Of course as it got closer to Christmas, I'd have to write a letter to Santa and Mama and Daddy would tell me to narrow it down to two or three things. You know that took a lot of thought, two or three things!!! I remember kids at school would add at the end of their list...and lots of surprises too! Well their was my answer, I'd list my most important two or three things and then throw in.... lots of surprises, too! I just knew some how Santa would know those other things I desperately needed would be my, "lots of surprises" and I'd get it all. What I didn't know was my parents read my letters bef...