Happy Birthday Mary

I won’t tell her age but today, April 27th, is my sister Mary’s birthday. I was born in 1951 and she is my older sister, but that is all I can say. Okay she graduated in the 60’s.

She didn’t want to celebrate her birthday, but her friends all reminded her that my mom is a great cook and makes wonderful cakes. So she changed her mind and will have a small celebration.

I thought about what to get her for a gift and found some vintage hand embroidered cotton napkins and a matching table cloth. Cute, but I felt I needed to do something more--more personal, something fun, something she wouldn’t expect. Mary loves the 50’s music so I decided to make a little art piece to celebrate poodle skirts, 50’s music, family, and her love of gardening. Framed and ready to send, I will put this little framed art piece in the mail on Monday as a belated gift.

Until then…Happy Birthday Mary

An Act of True Friendship

Everyone talks about friendship and love. We say call me if you need something. I'm always here for you. A lot of the time we know no one will actually ask and if they did we might have to examine what we would really be willing to do for someone else.

The picture is two young women both sophomores in high school, one named Michelle on the right and her friend Chelsey on the left. Chelsey is undergoing cancer treatment and her friends wanted to show her how much the care and love her so they also shaved their heads so she wouldn't feel so alone or different. Chelsey didn't ask her friends to shave their heads; her friends did this because they are real friends. Of the thirty kids who shaved their heads, only three were girls.

This isn't just another one of those internet stories you read about and then check out on snopes.com to see if it's really real, Michelle and Chelsey are Ferndale High students. I know Michelle and her parents and told them what an incredible act of love and support Michelle has shown.

Art Linkletter always said kids say and do the most amazing things and it's true because they act from their hearts.

Please remember Chelsey in your prayers as she undergoes eight months of cancer treatment and her friends who will need to be mentally strong to support her in the bad days and rough times.

Christmas again

My younger son Michael flew to California to get a used car after his was totaled in an accident. It was a quick turnaround but he did have time to see his brother Jim. Jim and his girlfriend Heather had a hard time getting their Christmas presents boxed and mailed and several didn’t make it into the mail system. Michael hand delivered the goodies and it was like Christmas allover again. We have DVD’s of the sopranos to watch and speaking of watches Larry has a new one on his wrist. There were two beautiful candle holders with bears on one and horses on the other that will be just perfect as we switch rooms around in the house and have a new lodge/western dinning room where the sunroom was.

We were standing outside admiring Michael’s new car with the trunk open while this gift unwrapping was going on. I was told to close my eyes for the last gift. I couldn’t imagine what it was. I love surprises and secretly want to know what they are, but don’t tell me or it would ruin the surprise. The drum roll please…a saddle. How cool was this, a real full size saddle with stirrups. This was one of Heather’s old saddles and she was giving it to me. This is a gift that I will always treasure as one of my most prized possessions.

Now I need a saddle rack so I have been searching for plans to build one. I’ve got an old canteen I can hang off the saddle horn and maybe I can find some chaps. I have buffalo horns that Larry bought for me a couple of years ago and bobbed wire made into a wreath.

When my kids were little it seemed that one present always got misplaced and not found until several hours after all the other presents had been opened. It was always a great joy for that child to have one more gift when they thought everything had already been opened.

Well maybe this should be a regular Christmas tradition. To get a gift after all the tissue and colorful papers have been discarded and the boxes put away.

My heart can’t find enough words to say thank you for all the gifts and thoughts behind the gifts. These were gifts given in thoughtfulness and love and with glee.