Welcome, Baby!

Thad is here! What a sweet little boy! I pulled out an old photo of Jennifer at the same age and he looks just like her! I kept saying that he did...I don't think anyone believed me, but when we all looked at the photo, there was no denying it. There is nothing like rocking a brand new baby. I could just sit and rock him all day!
I spent 2 weeks up in Nashville helping out and had a wonderful,

tho exhausting, time. We had a couple of chances to sneak in a few fun activities...tea with Jen and Kate, Farmer's Market and The Factory with Nathan and Kate, Franklin with Jen and Pen, Library storytime with the girls...Nathan cooked us a special Valentine's Dinner and brought home designer cupcakes and roses for Jen...we all made handmade Valentines for each other which I will always treasure...it snowed twice...and the day we left for home it was in the 70's! I was able to help Jennifer take down the Christmas decorations, unpack some boxes, organize, clean house, do laundry and help with the girls...

We had our share of sickness - the girls got URI and ear infections, Thad's circumcision got infected, I got bronchitis and Nathan got sick. Only Jennifer remained germ-free! So, we had several doctor's visits.

Watercoloring, coloring, playdoughing after breakfast. Then make-up and nails. How Kate does LOVE her lipstick! She's a girly girl! I watched Jen's old home videos with Kate and then later with Jen and Nathan. It shed so much light on Kate's personality! Kate and I watched the Wizard of Oz. What a special time - I will always keep that memory close to my heart!

I got to see where Kate takes ballet...her school...and we also had a fun afternoon at the BEST TJ Maxx/Homegoods I have ever been in!

N, J and I had some very good conversations...and I will always treasure those two weeks. I learned a lot about each one of them as well as myself...it was a good visit and I look forward to many, many more.

We drove back to Jax...all 6 of us in the Volvo...it took 14 hours - what a ride!! While here Thad slept in a drawer from Jennifer's childhood dresser. Did she ever imagine, as a teen, that one day her baby would sleep in her pajama drawer?!

They were here 2 days...and when they rolled out of the drive for Tampa, I cried all afternoon. I miss them desperately. I love them so much. Can't wait to visit again...

White Christmas!

I have been dreaming of a white Christmas for 59 years. This year in Nashville, my dream finally came true! It was perfect.

It started snowing Christmas Eve and continued into the next couple of days. It was enough for Kate to make a snow angel...and a tiny snowman...for me to feel it hit my face...to hear it crunch under my feet...to see it flurrying all around me.

At first it came down wet, later it came fast and sideways, then swirling all around...sometimes, tiny flakes...other times, big, fat plops of it...It coated the trees and the roofs of the houses, the streets. It made
everything look clean and pure.

I was reminded of one of my favorite songs written by one of my favorites, Stephanie Boosahda...

"Somewhere It's Snowing:"

I once read in a poem
That when snow covers the earth
That it hides the world’s scars
And gives nature new birth

And they say when a
Man turns from sin to the Lord
That forgiveness like snow
Cover him evermore

And somewhere it’s snowing
See the soft drifting down
As snowflakes surrender
To the hardening ground

Like the good grace of Jesus
That now covers our sin
In the kingdom of heaven
It’s snowing again

And its told that the angels
Lift their hearts and rejoice
When one traveler turns homeward
On his way to the Lord

If somewhere someone’s turning
And he’s giving his all
Then God’s grace
Like the snow
Is beginning to fall

Hope and a future

What a wonderful day I had today with my dear husband. We ran errands, shopped, exchanged, tried out exercise equipment (looking to purchase an elliptical), went to church downtown, had a wonderful lunch at the European Street Grill...spent all day together and had such a sweet time.

Now he's outside grilling porkchops while the sweet potatoes bake in here.

Tom is a wonderful husband and a wonderful man. I love him so much!

Thank you God for your promise to me years ago: "I know the plans I have for you...plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." You kept your promise. When I thought my life was in ashes...you had a plan. The future you had planned for me was filled with hope and Your goodness. I love You so much, too, dear God.

Brunch with Santa

What a fun day today. John Edward, Kristin and their kids Hayden and Ella plus Madelaine, Tom and I went across the street to the club for "Brunch with Santa." It was an amazing spread...breakfast foods, carving station, chicken, veal marsala, shrimp, salads...breads...and the most incredible desserts...a trifle and raspberry cheesecake that were out of this world! Hayden and Ella visited with Santa and Kristin got some good photos.
Then we came back home and exchanged gifts. It was a cold, dreary day outside...but a happy, warm day inside these walls.
Merry Christmas!

Gone too long...

I just rediscovered my blog and it's still here! It's been almost 3 years since I last blogged...so one of my my New Year's Resolutions is to blog in 2011.

A lot has happened in the past 3 years!

I started a business in Tampa, Such Nice Things...then, I was an assistant manager at Brighton...I met a wonderful man named Tom and we got married...I moved to Jacksonville...Jennifer had Penelope, now 20 months old...is expecting a baby boy in February...they just moved to Nashville...I resurrected Such Nice Things up here in Orange Park and it is now a space in an antique mini-mall...

That is just the Reader's Digest version...so I can blog on from this point.

Life is good.

I hope anyone reading this feels the same.

Have a Very Merry and Meaningful Christmas...and a Happy, Healthy New Year.