Welcome the Christmas Season

As we leave November and head into December, let's not forget that Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus.  All the other Christmas stuff is nice but please remember the real reason for the season.  I put up a very small Christmas tree this year but I did make sure to get a nativity ornament on it.  Remind your children and grandchildren often of what Christmas is really about!  And please say, "Merry Christmas!"

So Proud of Sarah

We are so proud of one of our "adopted" granddaughters, Sarah Cory.  Tonight Sarah received the Greater DFW Area FCA Female Athlete of the Year award at their banquet held at Texas Christian University.  What an honor and I can't think of anyone more deserving!  We love you Sarah.

Update!

Thank you to all who are remembering me in your prayers.  I do feel a little better today.

My Personal Rant

If you know me, you probably know I have a number of health issues, most of them incurable.  I was born with a messed up body that is full of auto-immune diseases.  Most of the time I handle them well and I live a rather normal life.  In fact many people who see me on a regular basis have been shocked the few times I have been hospitalized facing death, saying they had no idea I had health issues.  And that is good, I like it that way.

So what is my rant?  My very favorite time of the year is Thanksgiving through Christmas.  And I simply cannot understand why that is always the time of year I have a flare of at least one of these irritating diseases.  I started being extremely tired the week before Thanksgiving.  I spent all of last week sick and based on the way I feel this morning, this week is not looking much better.  So okay God, okay body, it is time to see some improvement here.  I have things I need to do but more importantly I have things I want to do.  And it is hard to do anything when you are too tired to put one foot in front of the other, your body aches from head to toe and you drop everything because your finger joints are so sore and swollen.  Having a bad digestive system, parts of it removed, doesn't help either!  All I want is to feel good.  Is that too much to ask?  Evidently it is.

Okay, I have ranted.  At least I feel better emotionally now!

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Thanksgiving Day always reminds me of my childhood and growing up next door to my maternal grandparents.  All the Hawkins family gathered and grandma and grandpa's for Thanksgiving and I so looked forward to seeing all the aunts, uncles, and cousins.  It was the only day of the year the whole family was together.  From the time I was small, I got to help with the preparations.  All the aunts brought side dishes and desserts but mom always helped grandma with the turkey, dressing, etc.  I can still remember how exciting it was to stand in the kitchen, on a chair when I was very young, tearing up stale bread for the dressing. 

Those experiences served me well later in life.  When I married and went to the Air Force with Steve, I was the only wife in our group who knew how to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner.  Dad, having spent several holidays overseas in WWII, would always send me $25.00 to buy food to cook a Thanksgiving dinner for our group of friends.  Yes, in the 1960s $25.00 bought a lot of food at the base exchange.  I will always be thankful that dad had the insight to know how much that meant when away from home at holiday time.

Today I live close to all my children and see them often so Thanksgiving is not a big holiday for us.  Cindy's inlaws run a ministry to the homeless in Dallas.  They are usually serving food there or in Oklahoma with his other relatives.  Christy goes to her inlaws but Dustin  usually prefers staying with us.  Chad and his family will be back with us this year.  For a couple of years they went to his brother-in-law's when he was stationed at Ft. Hood.  Now that he and his family have been transferred to Ft. Rucker in Alabama, Chad and family will be at our house.  Chad is frying a turkey in his turkey fryer so I don't have to deal with the turkey.  Thank you Chad!

One of the things I am thankful for is all my Thanksgiving Days in Southern Indiana, the good memories of Thanksgiving Days with military friends, and Thanksgiving Days in my "old age" with whoever is around.

May God bless all our Family and Friends with a Blessed Thanksgiving Day.

Cindy's Family

Yesterday I posted that I am thankful for my family.  Today I am following up with a picture of Cindy and her family.

Rodney, Lauren, Lindsay, and Cindy somewhere in Spain this past summer.

I think this was taken in Madrid, but I am not sure.

Thankful

Since this is Thanksgiving week I would like to start it by saying I am thankful for my children and grandchildren.  Love you Cindy, Rodney, Christy, Bruce, Chad and Mary.  Also love you Dustin, Lauren, Lindsay, Steffinee, Carlos, Isabell, and Samantha.

Last of the Veterans Tribute Pictures

This is the last of the pictures from the Veterans Tribute last Monday at Grapevine High School.

Probably the oldest veteran at the tribute, this is a 94-year-old WWI veteran.  He sure doesn't look or act 94!

Steve at the breakfast.

 

Steve visiting with another Air Force Veteran on our way out of the Memorial Garden.

 

The POW-MIA Memorial Garden tribute.

 

One tired veteran making his way out of the building at the end of the festivities.  I wanted to get his picture on the red carpet.  Yes, I know it looks orange here but it really was red.

Garden Sculpture

This is just one of the beautiful tributes in the memory garden at Grapevine High School.  I think it is beautiful.  Click on the bottom picture to read the plaque.

A Son's Tribute

This past Monday at the GHS Veterans Tribute we met Mr. Richard D. Simms.  Mr. Simms is a very interesting man and his story is a good one.  I told him I would take his picture and put it on the internet with his story.  Mr. Simms is not a veteran but he participates in veterans activities in the area in honor of his dad who died on a ship when Richard was a little boy.

Steve and Mr. Simms sitting next to one of our Student Council guides.  This is one of the two notebooks Mr. Simms has made honoring his dad.  The student council guides are looking at the other one.

When the ship was bombed, Mr. Simms dad died while saving the lives of others.  The jacket he is wearing in these pictures is from one of the men his dad saved.  He said that when he got the jacket he called the gentleman and asked why he would send the jacket to him.  The man's answer was a simple, honest one; "Your dad saved my life.  I want you to have this jacket."  So this is about three good men, Mr. Richard Simms, Richard's father, and the original owner of the jacket.

This magazine article is the story of Mr. Black, the man who gave Mr. Simms his jacket.  This is a picture of the ship and the incident that cost the elder Mr. Simms his life.

Mr. Richard Simms, a man dedicated to the memory of his father.

 

Mr. Simms holding the page of him and his father, both in their Navy Dress.

 

He said his mother never wanted to talk about the events that changed their world.  But several years later, she gave him all the things she had kept.  One of my favorite things I saw in the books was a letter he had written to his dad.  It was printed in childish letters and he had drawn pictures of airplanes across the top (the USS Franklin was an aircraft carrier).  There were also letters from his dad that were printed neatly so he could read them.  He is a touching tribute to a dad taken from him too soon.

 

I can't remember for sure but I believe he told me he was 8 when his dad died.  He plays the banjo at the D/FW airport USO club for active duty personnel who come through the airport on their trips to and from the war zones. You just know his dad would be so proud of the man he became and his dedication to veterans and their causes.

 

Mr. Richard D. Simms it was a pleasure meeting you!

Lindsay and the 2012 GCISD All-District Band Concert

It is so nice to live across the street from Grapevine High School.  Wednesday night I was able to go see Lindsay perform the the middle school All-District Band.  This band is made up of the best from the 4 middle schools in our school district.  Today was their only time to practice together and they did a great job tonight.  I was not able to get any good pictures of her from my location but here is one when they were not playing.  When they were playing, the first two girls horns blocked my view of Lindsay.

HAPPPY 20TH DUSTIN!

Happy Birthday to our oldest grandchild!  How can it be that our little guy has turned 20?  We love you Dustin and we are so proud of you!

Birthday Lunch With Dustin and Christy

Since Christy has to work long hours tomorrow on Dustin's birthday we had a birthday lunch with her and Dustin today.  He picked his favorite place, Cane's chicken.  I took him a white white chocolate bundtlet and a candle.  Forgot to take matches so here he is pretending to blow out the candle.

SOME OF THE WREATHS IN THE GHS MEMORY GARDEN, VETERANS DAY 2012

These pictures were taken Monday during the Veterans Tribute at Grapevine High School.  Dustin did a lot of work here in this garden when he was a GHS student and always told me how nice it was and that I needed to see it.  He was right.  It is very nice and I am glad I finally saw it.  There is a tribute to the American service people who served in every conflict/war around the world.  I am a poor photographer and this is a poor presentation of such a beautiful and tranquil spot on a high school campus.  This posting is some of the many wreaths that were in the Memory Garden.

 

This wreath stands in front of this year's contribution to the garden.  It stands in front of the pomegranate tree planted in honor of those who have served and are serving in Afghanistan.  This particular tree is indigenous to Afghanistan but does well in Texas.  The permanent marker to go with it will be dedicated next year when a GHS graduate currently serving there is expected to be home to dedicate it.

 

 

Congratulations to teacher Deanna Showalter and her science students for such an outstanding place.

Lauren Singing The Air Force Song for Papaw and the Other Veterans

I took this picture of Lauren yesterday as the choir sang The Air Force Song during the Veterans Tribute at GHS.  It melted this grandma's heart to see and hear Lauren singing as papaw was standing with the other Air Force Vets.

Steve Visiting With an F-111 Pilot

Excellent program this morning at Grapevine High School Honoring Veterans.  This is a picture of Steve with the guest speaker Mr. Doug Baron.  Mr. Baron was also stationed at Nellis AFB and flew the F-111s, the same plane Steve was a crew chief for.  So glad Steve went, he really did enjoy it and the conversations with other veterans seemed to be really good for him.  This picture was taken at the breakfast in the school library.  They went all out with a catered breakfast of fresh fruit, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, crossiants, coffee, juices, and bottled water.  Thank you to all our veterans.

Our Baylor Bears

Our Baylor Bears are in Waco this weekend.  The older one is enjoying some of her favorite foods from her college days while the younger one is busy on campus.  Have a great day, girls.

 

Our Baylor Bears, Lauren and Cindy. However this is a picture from Barcelona last August.

Mary at TMS Last Weekend

Lovin' that access to the pits.  First time to watch a race from pit wall.

Hard to Believe

Hard to believe the little guy in this picture will be 20-years-old a week from today!  Now that makes grandma feel old!

Christy and Dustin

 

Chad and Mary With NASCAR Driver Denny Hamlin

They worked so hard last weekend at the TMS!!!

Chad at Texas Motor Speedway with Ryan Newman

As I have already mentioned on this blog, Chad and Mary (with their guard unit) worked with the fire department at last weekend's TMS races.  Here is a couple pictures of Chad with driver Ryan Newman.

APEX Concert With Lauren

Tonight I had the pleasure of going with Lauren to the APEX Arts League Annual Choral Festival.  This "Celebration of Singing" featured 5 local high school choirs plus the Texas Christian University (TCU) top choir.  Of all 5 high school choirs, GHS received the most applause and audience appreciation.  They were almost as good as the TCC choir.  GHS sang "Walking on the Green Grass" and "Fairest Lord Jesus."  I tried to get video but obviously didn't know what I was doing.  I did get a picture before the program and one of her during the performance.

King of Racing Richard Petty

Chad and Mary are working with the fire department (with their guard unit) at the Texas Motor Speedway this weekend for the NASCAR races.  Yesterday they watched the race from pit row.  Chad said they had no sooner walked into the pit area when Richard Petty came over to shake their hands and greet them.  I think it says something about a person of Richard Petty's stature that he would see someone in uniform and immediately go out of his way to step us, shake hands and greet them.  I am not a racing fan and know little about Richard Petty other than who he is but I am glad he is the kind of American to make such a gesture!

 

This picture is a year and a half old.  Just wanted to show them in their uniforms.

Dustin at Graceland

This is a picture of this month's birthday boy at Graceland.  A trip to Graceland was his birthday present from Aunt Cindy a couple years ago.  He is a big Elvis fan.

November Already!

I can't believe it is already November.  And along with November comes another startling statistic for us.  Our oldest grandchild will be 20-years-old two weeks from today.  How can it be that we have a grandchild who isn't even a teenager anymore?  It will take me the entire two weeks to adjust to that thought!

 

Back in the day!  Myself and Dustin in the Smokey Mountains July 2001.  That was a great trip with Cindy and family, Christy, Dustin, and myself.  I loved taking pictures of my grandchildren in some of the same spots I had pictures of me as a child and had taken pictures of my children when they were young.  Time sure flies when you're having fun!