Thursday, September 26, 2013

Ninety years of mama.....

Saturday, September 14, 2013 was mama's 90th birthday.   What a wonderful day for her as all of her six children and five of their spouses were able to be with her and she was indeed in her glory!  
We are in birth order L to R, oldest to youngest.


Mama has had a long life and for most of her life she has been really busy!  Growing up as one of seven children couldn't have been easy, but she fiercely loved all of her brothers and sisters.

Born on what she calls "The Lower Farm", she was the fifth of the seven.  You may remember this picture that she recently received from a cousin.  

In fact, looking back through old posts I notice that I've said these same things many times but I guess if you want, you can just drag yourself through it again as I reminisce!

Mama with her parents George Washington and Palestine Anderson.


As you can imagine, money wasn't plentiful in a household where there were seven children and my grandmother always had a job or two and cooked for the fish camp where my grandfather worked.  Grandma also made most of the clothes for her children.  Mama never learned to sew but her sister did and often made our dresses, especially at Easter.

I'm not sure what this event was, but wasn't mama 
beautiful? 
 
Even though times were hard, mama and her sisters had a good time.  They danced at the USO when they could on the weekends and on top of The Dixie Sherman Hotel.

Mama apparently worked in a dime store downtown when she met my daddy.  According to her, when he walked out of that store he told his friend that he had just met the girl he would marry.  And by golly, he was right!
Mama, by then, worked at the local paper mill and saved for months to buy the fur collar on her wedding suit.....it was hot the day they married, a typical Florida end of October hot, but mama was wearing that fur no matter what and she did as they married in what was then St. Andrew's Baptist Church with two witnesses, her sister and daddy's friend.  
They're friends pooled their gas coupons so that mama and daddy could have a honeymoon.


Their honeymoon turned out to be something of a disaster an adventure.  Upon arriving at Wakulla Springs, much to their horror they discovered the hotel kitchen had burned and the hotel was closed to the public.  They ended up at daddy's brother's home in Georgia.  Doesn't that sound romantic?  Yea, mama thought so too!
Mama always had a thing for fur, but of course never enough money to buy one.......that is until she started putting aside the same amount of money that daddy spent buying cigarettes.  She saved and saved until she had enough money to buy a g.e.n.u.i.n.e. fur stole.....and she was oh, so proud of that fur.  It hangs in her closet today and I promise you that no matter how hot it is when she dies, we are burying mama in that fur stole! 

And then......the kids started coming!  Mama with my oldest brother.

Birthday party for my older sister.  The boy on the right rolling his eyes is a cousin who was absolutely thrilled to go to a girl cousin's birthday party! 


Seriously, just one big happy family!  This is when there were just five of us kids.  We had an appointment to have a family picture made but there was a long line and my daddy wasn't the most patient man, so he had someone come to our house to take photos....I'm not sure why everyone 
looks so happy here!
  


Mama was always happiest at the beach!  Here she is at a little cottage she and daddy rented one summer long ago
With her sister at the beach......mama did love those little stickers!  This is where I learned that laughter is the best medicine!

Mama.....well.......she's just mama.....always there for her children and anyone else who needed her.  Her home was shelter to many over the years, always making room for one more although not so much after the kids started multiplying!  

 I don't remember mama ever sitting down with us or playing games with us.....she was probably too busy trying to keep us fed!  She absolutely did not gossip which could be very irritating at times being as we were always the last to know things.  Mama could and still can keep a secret and if you ask her what her secrets are she will quickly reply "if I told you, it wouldn't be a secret anymore!"  
And so, we missed out on lots of family stuff that was none of our business anyway information.

On her birthday,  this was my facebook status...

She taught us to love the Lord....

Love our husbands first and our children second....
Oh, my goodness.....she loved my daddy as much as I've ever seen a woman love a man.  

That it is not only o.k........but absolutely necessary to laugh in the most difficult of circumstances! 

She still has that incredible sense of humor.

That sense of humor has served us all well.

So mama's 90 now........

She is truly a Proverbs 31 woman and her children rise up and called her blessed!

























Friday, September 13, 2013

Gorgeous sunset and other thoughts


So here we are again, Friday.......time for Friday Fragments.  Thanks to Mrs. 4444 for hosting Friday Fragments each week.  If you have some thoughts remaining in your brain after a long week, go on over and join in the fun!






We had a little stress reliever retreat last weekend.....the sunset was gorgeous and the beach is looking good.  The water was a little grassy, but the gulf at it's worst is still wonderful!  I have included a few pictures......just pretend you're there and you will relax right away!  Promise!



His smile just makes me happy!  



God's creation in all it's glory...



 Living on the Gulf Coast is truly a blessing and I'm thankful to call this home.

*****


We were saddened by the sudden death of our church friend who was diagnosed with Leukemia and just a few days later apparently had a brain bleed and died at age 49, leaving 8 precious children.  We know Tom is with Jesus in glory and is truly home.  As one of his friends said...."We do not grieve as those who have no hope, but we do grieve!"  

*****

Heard around here....

Me.....Superhero, what do you think some of my good qualities are?

Superhero.......why do you ask questions like that?

Me.....You can't think of any?????  Well, here let me list a few.  
I mean, really how many wives list their good qualities for their husbands so they don't have to remember them?????  

*****

A few nights ago, the Superhero took me up to our property to relax see if I could draw all the mosquitos away from him.  He was just going on about how he would like to someday live there and farm.  I stopped him at that point and informed him that when we got married I knew he was a workaholic and that was o.k......I knew he was a hunter and that was o.k., I knew he loved to fish and THAT was o.k......  BUT, I did not know he wanted to be a farmer and I'm just not sure that is o.k.  In his usual Superhero-ish way, he assured me I would be a great farmwife.  HA!
If anyone hears that I've been milking cows, please just have me put away!

*****

As it is every year, 9/11 was a day for sober reflection......thinking of those who lost loved ones and how our country changed in a frightening way.  I pray that as a country, we begin to diligently seek the face of God and ask His forgiveness and that He bring our nation back to Himself.  And so I leave you with this scripture to think about.....

My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors.

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!
Psalm 31: 15 & 24


Have a good weekend all!











Friday, September 6, 2013

Surprise! It's Friday!



There isn't much in this old brain of mine, but I will try to find a few fragments because it's time for Friday Fragments.....brought to us by Mrs. 4444 at Half Past Kissing Time.




If you have some left overs in your brain, go on over and link up with Mrs. 4444.


*****





I should never, never, never be turned loose with the lawn mower!!  Yea...it's bad!  I mean the actual grass looks good.....really, really good....it's just that I kind of chopped up some Asian Jasmine and maybe a few society garlic thingies!  Poor Superhero had to complete salvage retrim a couple of places.  Sigh.



*****



Warning!  Not a good idea to sneak up behind me when I'm deep in thought walking before the sun comes up..... Poor guy will probably never be the same.  I screamed and jumped three feet in the air while the poor guy had a heart attack as the Superhero sighed because he knows that I startle easily but he simply doesn't understand.  


*****

Today would have been my dear Aunt Bernice's 98th birthday.  She was such a huge influence on my life and the lives of all my siblings.  We all loved her so and miss her every day.  She was so innocent in all her ways and her laugh was infectious!  

Mama and Aunt Bernice on Aunt Bernice's 90th birthday


I included this picture of Aunt Bernice with the Superhero because she always......I mean every time I talked to her.....told me how handsome he was.....

She did once tell an off color joke and it was so strange coming from her that I laughed for days.....yes, I'm repeating it here so don't let your kids read this.....

Aunt Bernice......"two women met on the street and one asked the other how her husband was doing......she replied well, he has dick do.....the first woman gasped and said what is that???  The second woman replied calmly.......his stomach sticks out farther than his dick do!"  OK......coming from my aunt this was simply hilarious!

I actually thought this could be a brand new business venture.....I was gonna call it the Triple D.......Dick Do Duds.....clothing for the bigger man in your life.  

*****

OK....I honestly don't call him the Superhero for no reason.  He loves me just as I am, he prays for me daily and even though he really doesn't understand my feelings, he tries to help with them when he can.....he called a couple of days ago and said he had made reservations for us to spend a couple of days here.....


That's right, our favorite relaxation destination!  I really must run now and finish getting ready!

*****
So I leave you with this.....
There have been some sad things happening lately in our own little world and in the world in general......I was driving by a local church and this scripture was on their sign...

But I will sing of your strength,
I will sing aloud of your steadfast 
love in the morning.  
For You have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.
Psalm 59:16

So while I get ready I am going to sing Great is Thy Faithfulness right out loud.