Patches

When I was a little girl my family lived down the road from an elderly lady that became very dear to every one of us. Her name was Hazel and we saw her regularly, just as if she were family. We kept our milk cow in Hazel's pasture for a time and Mom would drive up to Hazel's bright and early each morning and go into Hazel's barn to milk the cow. She'd usually drag us kids along and we went willingly for we loved Hazel! Hazel always treated us so special and each of us even took turns spending the night at Hazel's house. It was like a slumber party there and always a special occasion. I remember most all the times Hazel would treat me to hot tea and would cook me whatever I wanted for breakfast. My sister Regina always got sardines at Hazel's house. She always kept our favorite things on hand for when we came to visit. She was like another grandma to us. We used to sew with Hazel too.

Hazel gave my brother Davy, my sister Regina and I each a dog made of patchwork material. I remember Davy named his dog "Rex," but I can't remember the names of either of the other 2.




Just before Christmas this year Regina sent me a package at a time when I was pretty down about some things. She'd found a smaller version of the pups that Hazel had made for us and she sent it to me with this note and a special memory from our childhood attached. Here's the note she sent:

PATCHWORK PUP

Patch (pach) n. a piece of material used to mend a hole, rent, etc.; a covering for a wound.

I found this "pup" at a thrift store and thought of you--wondering if you still had yours from Hazel. Mine of course was lost in the fire a few years ago. I knew I must get it for you to go along with your other. Then I thought ...(yes it hurt--the thinking)...and longer...and deeper...(ouch--people do this on purpose???)...and thought of a better idea. You had said something a while back about remembering past good times of growing up and how that helped you because apparently you had been focusing on the bad or difficult times. So...

Reflecting on the past can be a time of healing and since the definition of patch can be a covering for a wound, I came up with a plan for "Patchwork Pup."

Any time one of us is going through a difficult time, depression, a loss, or anyting "broken" or "wounded" we are to send "Patchwork Pup" along with a special memory of the past to the other for a time of laughter and healing. It doesn't necessarily have to be about a time with Hazel...I just picked that memory because that is where our patchwork dogs originated. You can pin it, tie it, etc. Get creative.

Hope 'He' can make you smile! :0)

Love ya

Sis.

I am posting this today because it is time to record a memory for Regina and send this pup back to her. Regina's house burned today, just a few short years after her family suffered the loss of their first home and all its contents in another house fire. The first time the wood burning stove malfunctioned. This time the fire is believed to be electrical. They live in an area of Missouri that was hard hit with an ice storm this week and their power has been off and on the past 2 days.

I am heart broken for my sister and for her husband Greg, my nephew Brandon and my niece Danielle. I wish I was closer so I could at least hold her hand through this horrible time. My mom told me tonight to not dare try to come home that with the storm she didn't want to worry about us on the roads. So, I sit in Texas wishing even with the storm that I were in Missouri with my family and holding on to my sister. All my sister asks is for prayers for them, prayers for guidance and what to do now. I am ever thankful that even through devastating times my family seeks God's guidance and direction.

I have not yet written my special memory for Regina to send with "Patches," but I'm thinking of sending a memory of fun times in the snow and ice. I'm thinking she needs some good memories of fun winter times to get her through what remains to be a very hard winter ahead for her.

May God bless you, Regina, and hold you close to Him.

"Not Me Monday!"

Ok, here goes my first attempt at a "Not Me Monday" post in which I admit to all the craziness that is my life while at the same time denying it all. I will try to take part in "Not Me Monday" each week and inform you of all the insanity of the previous week! To take part in all the goofy fun head over to McMamma's blog to get started.







I did not recently purchase a new hard drive for my computer because mine is failing and I did not decide to attempt to install it myself to save some money because that would have led to an even greater malfunction! I then did not have to take it to the shop anyway and leave it overnight because that surely would have led to withdrawals until Friday!



Saturday while Marty was out fishing with his brother and step dad I did not spend the day cleaning and organizing my office. I also did not notice that I'd left my box of organized beads and sequins opened in the floor and I did not think to myself that I should close the lid to keep from spilling all the contents. Later that evening I of course did not step right onto the box spilling every single teeny tiny bead and sequin ALL OVER the floor because even I am not that klutzy! And I definitely did not just scoop them all up and put them all in a box to be sorted later because that would just be lazy and I am NOT lazy!



I did not spend Sunday afternoon sitting around with family hearing all the fish tales from the guys' fishing trip. As they discussed the rough seas they endured 90 miles offshore they did not bring up the subject of the bathroom on board the charter boat. I did not laugh hard at the thought of anyone needing to pee when the boat was being tossed about in 10-15 foot swells and I of course did not voice that thought and no one else laughed either and Mike and Marty most definitely did not elaborate on the subject! Sunday night at a church fellowship dinner this same conversation did not get repeated...I mean really! Who would discuss peeing at church? Not me and not our friends! NOPE!

25 Random Things

My computer's in the shop but I found something I can blog anyway. Erica and Lavonne have both posted 25 Random Things memes on their blogs. The idea is to post 25 random things your readers may not already know about you. I can think of several...the question is do I want to SHARE them with the world???? Here goes (and when you're through, head over to your blog and do the same with information about yourself and leave me a comment letting me know you did so I can come check it out).




1). Growing up I always chewed my fingernails. One day my senior year I decided I was going to have long nails for prom, and I stopped. I was determined! (Now if only I could be as determined about organizing that office....)



2). When I was little I wanted more than anything else to be able to take ballet like my cousin Carmen. Being one of 5 kids in a single income household, activities like that just weren't in the cards.





3). I grew up in the country and as such there were always farm animals around: pigs, chickens, cows, etc. I never cared much for all the animals. I thought they smelled and was afraid of the bulls and the hogs too when they got really big. Our milk cow even chased me around the barn once and I was carrying a board at the time. My grandma loved to tell everyone that story because rather than turn around and scare the cow away with the board I threw it in the air and ran!



4). I sold boxes of seeds to all my neighbors when I was a preteen to earn enough points for my first camera. It was a "MagicCube" camera and I still have it.



5). There is such and age difference between my youngest siblings and the other 3 of us that it was like 2 separate families sometimes. The older 3 of us are each a year apart and I'm the middle of those 3...and was always the smallest of the 3. Davy and Regina used to lock me in the tiny closet under the stairs sometimes and leave me there until Mom found me to let me out. It felt like I was in there so long, but I'm sure it wasn't as long as it seemed. I had to be sneaky in getting even for they were faster, bigger and meaner than I was! ha ha Once I convinced Regina to trust me and led her down the driveway with a box over her head. I told her to run 30 steps in a straight line before she stopped....knowing she didn't have 30 steps before she'd run into and embankment on the side of the driveway. I took off running for the house as soon as she began running her 30 steps. I'm still dreading when she gets even for that one!



6). My younger cousin Willie tried to beat me up once when we were little (he's about 3 years YOUNGER than I am, but he was MEAN as a kid). My sister Regina, who's a year younger than I am, had to rescue me. Of course she loved that and told everyone for a long time about having to rescue her older sister. Now Willie is one of the nicest adult men I know.



7). In 4th grade my friend Rusty gave me the nickname "Gravy Face." I always hated it and that name followed me from then through high school. Last year Rusty and I got in touch again and remain friends, despite the nickname I've yet to get even with him over!




8). Because of the age difference between me and my youngest siblings I babysat them a lot. There are 12 years between Levi and me, and 14 years between Lacey and me. As a teenager I always looked younger than I was but people STILL asked me if Lacey was mine when I'd be out and about with her! I was always horrified that someone would think that!



9). I have lived in 6 states (and I'm NOT a military brat!): Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, Arizona, Wyoming and Texas.



10). Regina and I were the only girls on Mom's side of the family who lived near West Plains so grew up with all boys to play with at family functions. I loved playing with my dolls and girlie things, but when the boys were around Regina and I could always be found out and about with all of them: fishing grandpa's ponds, catching tadpoles in the creek, climbing trees, and building forts with brush.


11). When the weather was nice Davy, Regina and I could be found almost every day after school in the field playing softball with our cousins Jason, Travis and Jay or at their house across the field, playing basketball.....or fighting!



12). Although my siblings and I always fought with each other, if anyone else came up against us we could always count on each other for help/support.


13). I grew up in a house with 7 people...and ONE bathroom! When in high school, relatives moved in temporarily and we had 12 people under one roof.....and one bathroom. Regina and I would get up at 5 am to have time to curl our hair every morning!



14). Davy, Regina and I walked to church on Sundays if we wanted to attend. It was about a 1.5 mile walk I think.



15). My first job was cleaning the church I attended as a child. My sister and I were teenagers and shared the job. We split $5 per week to clean a very small church.



16). I HATE snakes and worms and don't like fishing. But I never let on to my cousins how much I hated those things when we were all fishing in Grandpa's ponds.



17). I hated my 6th grade teacher.



18). I was always planning to be a math or art teacher...and changed my mind 6 months before I graduated high school.


19). I used to resent how my sister felt about her church family....until we found our own church family and understood.



20). I like "muscle cars."


21). One of my favorite colors is now green....which was one of my least favorite colors as a child.


22). I had never ice skated until this past summer when we went with friends.



23). My mom was the one to fix things around the house and did most of the construction on her home. I did not inherit this from her, but my sister Regina did. Dad worked very hard, but was not as capable around the house as Mom was.


24). I hate green beans, broccoli, and milk.



25). Although I don't get them often, I think pedicures are my favorite way to pamper myself.



Ok now it's your turn to go reveal random things about yourself! Have fun!

Be Patient...

I'm still blogging...just having computer issues. Keep checking back.

I've Been Tagged

Erica has tagged me on her blog. In turn I have to post the 4th photo from the 4th folder in my computer and tag other bloggers to do the same.

Here's my photo:








Now to pass on the fun, I'm tagging Lisa, Thien, Dan, Sherri K, Mrs. Hays, and Scott Bulger.



Go visit them and see what they post.