How old is she?

I just finished reading The Help this week.  Super book & at the recommendation of my SIL, I watched the movie trailer online.  Jackie watched with me & started asking about it.  As I gave her a rundown of the book/movie, she says, "That's just like the book I'm reading, Dear America:  The Diary of Dawnie Rae Johnson" and she proceeds to tell me stories about Dawnie being the only African American child in the town white school in Virginia in the 1950s.  It amazes me that she not only enjoys reading these books, she also retains the information & can retell specifics in the book.  We had a 20 minute conversation sharing stories about the books we're both reading & I keep thinking to myself that this child will start 3rd grade in just a few weeks.  I once taught 3rd grade in Highland Park, MI.  When we had Black History Month & started talking about segregation, my children didn't believe me that I was white.  "You ain't white Ms. Whelah!  You just light skinned."  Unfortunately, most of them were not at the reading level as my 3rd grader either.  (I had kids who were promoted to 3rd grade just because the teachers didn't want to deal with the parents anymore...understandable--to a point-- when you have had to get a restraining order against some of them!) 

Again, my little red head continues to amaze me--what an adult conversation we had this morning.  If I'd allowed her to have her own cup of coffee, I would've felt like we were old friends chatting at the cafe!  I know she's dreading school starting again, but I can't wait to watch her continue to grow & learn.  I just love it!

My Girl Did It!

Today is the day we've been waiting on for a long time.  Jackie's hair was finally long enough to donate to Locks Of Love.  

First the ponytail...

Next, the "ugly" cut...

Drying the hair--14 inches!









*******************************DRUM ROLL********************************

Do you recognize this girl?  Sweet Jackie Sue!

While we were waiting for Jackie to get her hair cut, Josie decided to get hers cut for school also.  This little one can rock a short hair cut!  I love it!!

Side view

From the back

2 Beautiful Girls

Oh yeah, Jamison wanted to be part of the picture fun too!

So proud of my girl!  She's still having a hard time getting used to it & will probably wake up tomorrow not knowing who that sweet girl with the short hair is in the mirror, but it's all been worth it!  

Blessings

This morning I attended a funeral for a 7 yr old little boy who lost his 3 year battle with brain cancer.  I don't know what was harder to witness--his mom telling stories about him & letting him know she'll see him again someday or his little brother clinging to his grandfather crying.

We didn't know this little boy well.  He's the great nephew of our very dear neighbors & we've been with them in thoughts & prayer since the day he found out he had a brain tumor at just 4 years old.  Our girls have prayed for him every night & even walked for him in the Relay for Life at their school.  We've cooked meals for their family with the endless hospital visits & surgeries and attended fundraisers. When I got the call that he had passed peacefully on Saturday morning, I wasn't sure how to tell the girls.  This morning when they asked where Daddy & I were going, I told them a funeral.  They asked whose & I told them H.  Josie didn't know how to react.  Jackie sat crying silently for a few minutes before she said anything.  I told them both that he is in no more pain & he's in Heaven.  We talked about how we have to keep praying for his little brother as he has lost his best friend & continue to raise money for cancer research so no more children have to have so much pain.  I was fixing the girls' breakfast then when I saw Josie get up from the table & grab her piggy bank.  She took a box they'd gotten from school to save change for cancer research & completely emptied her bank into the box.  Jackie followed her lead & did the same.  They didn't really say anything--they just did it & brought the box to me and said "Feel how heavy this is Mommy.  It's full of money to fight cancer."  Now, if you know my girls--especially Josie Mae--they're not heartless little people, but they certainly have a "thing" for their money.  This was a big deal & I could not be more proud.

My heart is heavy for this beautiful family who lost their precious little boy this week.  I cannot seem to wrap my head around the purpose or the meaning of this lost life.  But the service this morning was a complete celebration of the 7 years this amazing soul was here to bless so many lives.  H had the strength of an army of men, a smile like sunshine & a heart of gold.  His mom, S, said to live each day as it comes & live it to the fullest, just as H did.  And I don't think there's any better advice.  While I know that little man is going to be terribly missed, I feel blessed that there's one more angel on my side in Heaven.

Hug those you love just a little bit tighter & a little bit longer tonight.  Rest In Peace, H.D.S.  

Eating Toothpaste for Dessert?

It's amazing to me how close you can live to someone and still let months & months go between visits.  This happened recently with our dear friends, the Hoffmanns.  It seems that Michelle & I SOMEHOW let the months between October 2009 & March 2011 go by without seeing each other...and we live 20 minutes apart.  When this news was made public knowledge, our mutual friend Heather H. instructed us to get together at least 2 more times between March & September of this year--her orders!  I'm proud to say that we had our families together for dinner in April, Michelle & I had a dinner/concert date in May & just last week we had our families together again for dinner TWO NIGHTS IN A ROW!  And we had a ball.  BUT...there was this thing with dessert...

Dinner night #1 we were meeting at their house & my job was to bring dessert.  I wanted to do something summer-y and kid friendly so I went looking through my recipes.  When I picked out the Grasshopper Ice Cream Cake, it said to use mint chip ice cream in it, BUT other flavors could be substituted. My first thought was YUM, mint chip ice cream!  But I asked Joey if he thought any of the kids would not like the mint ice cream and he said "Are you kidding?  Who doesn't like mint chip ice cream?!?!"  Mint chip it is!

We arrive.  Kids scramble to the back to play together like they're siblings, we eat this incredible German inspired dinner that Dennis has slaved over all evening, everyone's having cold drinks, laughing, telling stories & I go to get dessert.  Oreo crust--yum!  Cool whip icing--yum!  Chocolate shaving toppings--yum!  Mint chip ice cream--FAIL!  Dennis says "Why would I eat something that tastes like my toothpaste for dessert?"  and proceeds to give me a rather hard time about my dessert choice for the evening.  And I'm feeling really terrible because his dinner was fantastic & this was my ONLY job!

So, as we leave & we've come to the unanimous decision to get together again the next night, I promise a knock-your-socks-off dessert just for Dennis.

Banana Split Pie

Now, I assure you that I asked Michelle if Dennis LIKED banana splits before I made this dessert.  When I asked him the night before what his favorite dessert was, his response was "It really depends on what I had for dinner..."  Really Dennis?  Really?  Joey grilled burgers, so what's more appropriate for a good ol' American grilled burger than a banana split, right?  

When I started to dish out the pie, Dennis said "You know, pecans make my throat itchy...I hope you didn't use any nuts..." At first Michelle did agree with him.  Then she said he was just being a pain.  I honestly don't know if she was just being nice & kicking him under the table because of the tears welling in my eyes or because he was truly just giving me a really hard time.  I do know he ate a piece.  Then took the left overs home with him...maybe the dog got dessert?  Who knows.  But I know the rest of us enjoyed it.  And I like to believe it was better than having toothpaste for dessert. 

Jamison & Jackie enjoyed every last bite!

Later we were entertained by the kids with some after dinner tunes.

And a little bit of silliness...

Let's just say we're pretty sure Ms. Heather H. is proud that we went above & beyond the orders of getting together.  And I'm sure glad we did!