"Happy Mother's Day"

As I sit here right now the sun is shining beautifully, but it is just a wee bit cool outside and "I LOVE IT"!!!!!!!     Oh yes I do!!!!!     The rainy weather makes me hurt so bad, but the hot weather makes me glisten!!!!    hahahaha     I heard on a movie one time a few years ago a wonderful saying and I haven't forgotten it.     The setting was the "Gone with the Wind" type of movie, not that particular movie though, just another one similar.    A southern belle was sitting in the upstairs window fanning herself and a maid came in to wait on her.     The maid said something about being hot and sweating.  The southern belle looked at her, with sweat rolling from her brow, and said in her best southern drawl, "ladies glisten, gentlemen perspire and horses sweat!"    I cackled out screaming and laughing, and said that's it, I always knew I was horse!!!!     Let me tell ya, it's hard to be a lady when you're sweating like a horse!!!   hahahaha     I have to admit that I do love the creature comforts of today.    I think we have the capacity to make do in what ever situation we happen to find ourselves.    I just always hope and pray that where ever I find myself that they have excellent air conditioning!!!!    hahaha  

I went shopping for a new pair of Crocs on Thursday and met a new crafting friend while she was helping me look at some tops.   I was over the top excited.    I had on a "tree of life" necklace that I had made a few weeks ago.     I was dining with a wonderful Sister in Christ and she has a "tree of life" necklace and I was admiring it and mentioned it to her and she told me, "Make one", you can do that.     I told her it made my head hurt just thinking about trying to figure it out.    Well, I went home and watched a few Y T videos and seen how to do, and lo and behold, I did it.    Everyone loves it.    So when my new friend and I was talking, she mentioned my necklace and I told her it was the very first one that I had made, she was really thrilled about it.    That sparked a conversation and we chatted for a few minutes and I left knowing that I had wonderful new friend.     I can't wait to get together with her and chat some more.     We will make it happen.  

This is my "tree of life" necklace.     I am very happy that I made it and I hope to be able to make some and get it to the point that it's not such a struggle.    It is kinda crude, but it is still an attention grabber.    So, I am very thankful that God helped me to get this done.    Had it not been for my friends insistence that I could make one, I would never have attempted it.

So, here it is Sunday night and I just got home from  a weekend visit with my Mom.    I got to spend Mother's Day with her and I am truly blessed to still have my mother and get to spend a few days with her every now and again.      It was such an awesome visit.    I got to see ALL of my brothers and that means more to me than words can express.    We was looking at old pictures and one of my brothers had posted a couple of pics on face book so I decided I would share some of them here.    We'll call them "then and now".      It is always fun to take a few trips down memory lane and see how the years added up.   gggg   We are all truly blessed by God beyond measure that He has let us have each other as long as we have.    We'll go from black and white to color, or from the "old days" to the new days and somewhere in between.    

Ok, so this is the "old days'!!!     Hahaha     I just love it!!!!      This was an Easter Sunday and we was ready to go to church.    I was about 10 years old in this pic.    Lots of sun frowns.   hahahaha      Daddy was taking the picture.    At Father's Day, my brother plans to post the one where daddy was in the picture and mommy was taking the picture.     I wish you could see mom's and mine outfits real well.    She made all of our clothes for many years and a lot of the time our outfits was very similar and I always thought that was so neat.          

Ok, this one was at Christmas several years ago.    All 8 of us are in this one.   My husband was the photographer and we all loved this picture.     I went to Mom's a couple of weeks ago and she had found this picture in a frame and had it setting out and I took a picture of the picture, that's why there is a glare on it.     I was about 25 years old in this picture.     We was all slim and trim and young looking.   hahahaha     I had all this long hair with a spiral perm in it and LOVED it!!!!!     hahahaha    We were rock stars, or so we thought!!!!     Someone said, "A picture that only a mother could love", and my mother said, "Yes, and I do love it!!!"    And she does love her family.  

25 to 30 years later, this morning, as a matter of fact, here we are.    Mother's Day 2016.    We all got together at Arby's and had breakfast this morning.     It was wonderful time!!!!!    The waitress was in awe that we all was there.    Still a family that only a mother could love, and my mother does love her family!!!     I really wish this picture wasn't as dark in the back as it is.    I really tried to lighten it up in my software, but it's still pretty dark in the back.

At nine o'clock, we all parted ways and some went on home and some went to church.     Mom and I went to her church and it is always good to go to church with her.    She got a beautiful big pot of flowers for having the most children.    She held up all the fingers and thumb on one hand and the thumb on the other hand to represent the head count of her children.    I reached over and grabbed the thumb on her hand and said, "this one represents me, "I'm thumb-body!"   hahahaha

It was a blessed day!!!!    A day I thank God for!!!!     I hope and pray that everyone of y'all got to spend time with your mother today.     I hope and pray that you made good memories today.    I pray that you have good and great memories in your memory banks to reflect on if she is no longer with you.    I pray that you all have had a "Happy Mother's Day"!!!!    I am so thankful and grateful to God for my day today and I hope and pray that y'all are too.

Ladybug, it was such an awesome time this weekend and I look forward to many more with you!!  Sweetpea loves you!!!

As I leave you tonight, I hope and pray that y'all have had a wonderful praiseworthy day and that you have a rest filled night.    And I hope you have taken the time to thank God for your mother.     Remember, God loves you and so do I!!!      Until next time, love and big hugs, Patty