Devotion

Nathan...
and the band, taking a break from practice.
(photos courtesy of my husband)

Blossoming...

"Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit."
Kahlil Gibran

Dining & Dancing

John and Nicole in her room at UT...the twinkle lights add to the cozy atmosphere. We took Nicole to dinner and enjoyed visiting and laughing with her. We even talked her into going ballroom dancing with us, for a little while. Good memories!

Our Tulip Tree

"Love proves itself by deeds, so how am I to show my love? Great deeds are forbidden me. The only way I can prove my love is by scattering flowers and these flowers are every little sacrifice, every glance and word, and the doing of the least actions for love."
St. Therese de Lisieux

Generous Hearts

I ran into a friend today and she asked how my life was going. I shared a bit...we spent some time talking, crying and rejoicing together. My friend asked if I owned an IPOD, as she uses hers to listen to encouraging talks and sermons. I said I didn't have one. We parted. A couple of hours later she calls to see if I could meet with her for a few minutes. We meet and she hands me two IPODS saying, "One is for you and the other for your husband." In less than 2 hours she had purchased the IPODS and downloaded a study on Daniel because she hoped the study would encourage us. I was speechless for a few seconds. Then I started crying and said, "Jill this is too much. You are so generous. How did you do this so quickly?" She said, "Susan I was so happy and excited to do this for you...please be blessed."

I am blessed beyond measure by all the generous hearts in my life. So many of you have given monetarily, emotionally, physically and in so many ways to me and mine. Thank you for your generosity. You inspire me!

"The rose is fairest when 'tis budding new,
And hope is brightest when it dawns from fears."
Sir Walter Scott

"Victor Frankl's Man's Search For Meaning is one of the great books of our time. Typically, if a book has one passage, one idea with the power to change a person's life, that alone justifies reading it, rereading it, and finding room for it on one's shelves. This book has several such passages."
Harold Kushner

"I swear I will not dishonor
my soul with hatred,
but offer myself humbly
as a guardian of nature,
as a healer of misery,
as a messenger of wonder,
as an architect of peace."
School Prayer by Dianne Ackerman

Randomness

Nothing better than contemplating life from this vantage point. I remember doing the same thing when I was Christy's age.
We had a bumper crop of pecans this year....the squirrels are happy!
The lyrics to this song pretty much say it all for me.

"The reason birds can fly and we can't is simply that they have perfect faith, for to have faith is to have wings." -- Sir James Matthew Barrie

"Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up."
Robert Frost

Salsa Verde

12 fresh jalapenos, seeded and diced
1/2 large onion, diced and sauteed in oil till light brown
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
Blend jalapenos, garlic and 2 tbsp. water until creamy. Add to onions and stir. Salt to taste. Cool salsa. Serve with chips and fritos. ENJOY!

"If there is a sin against life, it consists perhaps not so much in despairing of life as in hoping for another life and in eluding the implacable grandeur of this life."
Albert Camus

Happy Birthday Nicole!

You have brought us twenty years of joy!!! Thank you for being you.

Cheers...

to Yank, Melanie, Me and John!

I Spy...

a handsome guy!

“Playing chess is like looking out over a limitless ocean;
playing checkers is like looking into a bottomless well.”
Dr. Marian Tinsley

"Reflect upon your present blessings - of which every man has many - not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some."
Charles Dickens

Angel Spots

I think there is a book out about how those little spots in your photos are really angels or something like that...sounds a lot better than dirty spots on the camera lens. lol