Phone Call from Will

About 8:30 last night my phone rang. I didn't look to see who it was, but was quite pleasntly surprised to hear Will's voice on the other end. He was giggling and laughing and was in the best mood. We talked about all sorts of things. He wanted to know what we were going to do this weekend, and when the girls would be at the house. He said he was spending both Friday and Saturday nights at the house. And said he would be happy to sleep on the couch so Jeremy and Tara could have his bed.

He talked about recording The Blues Brothers movie. He's bringing it to the house to watch. We'll probably do that tonight. He wasn't sure if Tara would let Riley and Maddie watch it, since it has a few 'cuss' words in it. I told him we would have to ask.

After we hung up, I just sat and thought about how happy he sounded. I know he's glad to be home from his dad's house. He really loves his dad, but I think he missed his mom too. He brought back a picture of his great great grandfather on his dad's side of the family. It's a grainy photo of him in his WWI attire. It's amazing how much Will's dad looks like his ancestors. It actually looks like Richard dressed up as a dough boy.

Ivan, Memaw Bakes and the Mule

Once upon a time there was a Memaw, a little boy and a mule. Sounds like this is going somewhere cool, huh?

Actually the mule is a Kawasaki thing you use around the house or on a farm. It is gas powered, and is quite a lot of fun to ride around on. It is sorta like a gas powered golf cart. Ivan is a good driver. He sits, strapped in, and turns the steering wheel while the adult operates the gas and brake.

We checked on the real mules. They are Bud and Red, and made sure they had water. We drove out to the paper box and retrieved the newspaper, and generally just drove around the yard, which is 5 acres.

While I was there, Ivan called me Memaw if we were together, but if he was in a different room, he called me Memaw Bakes.

We spent time in the clubhouse his daddy built, and in the pool in the back yard. It's one of those 4' blue pools with the air ring on top. He especially likes to jump off the ladder.

Ivan is growing quite a personality. He likes for you to see that he is about to do something he shouldn't and see if you are going to stop him. Then he gets tickles. He was very good most of the time, but he has absolutely no patience, especially for a tired old memaw who has to stop and rest occasionally.

Will is finally home.

My 9 year old grandson has been visiting with his dad in Mississippi, and his granny in Illinois. He was gone a total of 8 weeks, with a week somewhere in the middle at home.

Needless to say, I've missed him a lot. Will is a very sweet young man. He says please, and thank you and is very considerate. He loves everyone, especially his younger cousins. I had been to NW Arkansas to stay with my youngest grandson this past weekend. When I came back, he was home. I went by to see him. He let me hug and kiss him all I wanted to, and says he's coming to spend the night with me Friday night.

He and his mother went school supply shopping Saturday. He has a backpack crammed, jammed full of stuff that he will take to open house later this month.

One thing he brought back with him from his Granny's house is a picture of his great great grandfather on his dad's side of the family. He is dressed in his WWI attire and if you didn't know better, you'd say it was Will's dad, Richard. It is amazing how much Richard looks like his great grandfather.

Why I Decided to Build a Blog

I decided to build a blog so I could remember the things I may someday want to tell my children or grandchildren. One of my favorite sayings is: 'A mind is a terrible thing to lose', and that just about sums it up for me. I try not to ever pass along information about someone or something, because there's a really good chance that I can't remember it correctly. I've decided in my old age(57) that there are plenty enough people who can repeat the latest talk without my help. And I don't have to apologize for things I haven't said. Believe me, I've done my share of that.

You may be wondering where the Memaw Bakes comes from. My son and daughter-in-law read to my 2 year old grandson each night before he goes to bed. One book in particular that he likes has a page that says, 'I like to go to Memaw's house' and you turn the page and a lady in an apron is opening the oven where a pie is pictured and says, 'because Memaw Bakes'. After they read this to him a few times, he began calling me Memaw Bakes. --As long as he calle me something, I'm fine with that.--

Talked to My Girls

I can only go so long without hearing the little voices of my grandchildren. I talked to Ivan on Saturday and heard all about his new fish named Nemo(what else?). He went to a Nemo themed birthday party, and each child was given a fish to take home. I know there were a lot of happy mom's that day. His dad said he was relly excited when he brought it in.

He was busy eating a tomato when I called, so he didn't talk long. I'm going to see him Friday and stay until Sunday. His mom and dad are going to a Cardinal's baseball game Saturday night, so it will just be Ivan and me. He's a great little boy, and I can't wait to see him.

I spoke to Riley and Maddie today at lunch. Maddie always sings to me when I talk to her. She likes 'You are My Sunshine' and 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame'. Ivan taught us that one. The sunshine song was taught to the girls by their MeMe. Riley told me about the movie she watched this morning. Chicken Little says 'the sky is falling'. She assured me it didn't though. They will be home August 11th for a few days. That means I have to get the rest of the junk from my utility room out of the kitchen. My utility room looks great, but my kitchen is a wreck.

Touring the New Church Building

On July 23rd, we got to tour our new church building. It is totally awesome. The most exciting thing about the whole process to me is that I'm part of a new congregation and have met so many wonderful Christian people, and have gotten to know quite a few of them personally.

I participate in the ladies class on Sunday morning and Wednesday night. I help in the nursery when it is my scheduled turn. I am a member of a life group and go to different homes on a monthly basis, and I eat lunch once a month with a group of ladies who have lost their spouses either from death or divorce. Actually, I think I'm the only one that is divorced. I'm also the youngest one in the group and the only one who has to go back to work after we eat(yuk). But what a group of ladies!!! Jay Gwin is the deacon who is shepherding us in this work, and we all enjoy it so. Sometimes we have special guests. David has eaten with us a few times, and usually one of the elders or a deacon will come. It helps us to find out what is going on at the church. You know us Church of Christ folks. The women don't go to the men's meetings and are not scriptually allowed to hold office of elder or deacon, so unless someone tells those of us with no husband what is going on, we can be in the dark. So these good men keep us abreast of what is happening that we should or might just like to know about.

The interior design has been done by Lori Nichols. She has done a great job. We have lots of classrooms, a wonderful place to have fellowship and most of all a beautiful new place to lift up praises and worship our Lord.

I am so happy and excited to be a part of this congregation!

My Girls are gone - sometime.

My youngest daughter and her family have moved 2 hours away. I was used to seeing the two girls, 3 and 2 almost every day and doing things with them like going to church together, out to eat and just playing. I also babysat whenever they wanted me to.

I'm used to living by myself, but having them near was a great convenience. Now they live far enough away that I can't see them any time I want to, but they do get to come home quite often.

In fact, their dad is out of town for the week, so they are staying with me right now. They've been really busy visiting other grandparents also, but I've gotten to have them with me the last two nights. We take turns sleeping together. They are both good bedpartners, but three is too many in any bed.

The youngest has been called Maddie Bug since she was born, but this week she informed her mother she is not Maddie Bug, she is Maddie Ewese(Elise). But she lets me call her sunshine.

I visited with my grandson in NW Ar for the July 4th holiday. I started to church with him on Sunday morning, and he asked if it was far far away. I told him it was a little way, but not far far. He told me that his MeMaw JuJu lived far far away. I asked him if I lived far far away, and he said no, that I live upstairs.(This is where I stay when I visit, because I live in the same town as MeMaw JuJu.

Family Reunion

We had a family reunion Sunday afternoon. People began gathering in from Virginia, Nebraska and locally. We expected some cousins from Texas and California, but one of the Texas cousins had been put in the hospital with continuing heart problems, and died only a few days before time to come in. We usually also have a cousin from Louisanna, but he didn't make it this year. A cousin from Missouri wasn't able to be with us either.

We are all getting older and there are beginning to be fewer of us each year. There were 20 of us originally from 6 brothers and sisters. All the brothers and sisters are gone, and we've lost 4 of the cousins. I think our parents would all be proud of the effort we make to see each other and to keep in touch. Hopefully, they are in heaven having their own reunion looking down at us.

Many of these cousins I didn't grow up with. They had begun to scatter when I was a small child. If my counting is correct, I'm the 4th youngest of us.

As time has passed, we have all raised our families. A few we never hear from, but have in the last several years gotten re-acquainted with many.

We came together Sunday afternoon at a local restaurant, ate, visited and took pictures. After a few hours of togetherness, we went our separate ways and planned to have another meal together next year.