Happy Birthday Jesus!

Hello all! I pray that your Christmas was as wonderful as ours! Blessings abound!!! We all gathered Sunday at Glenda's house here in Austin, all 22 of us. The only ones missing were Ollie's daughter, Neely, her husband, Carl, and our twin granddaughters, Livi and Madi. They had come the prior weekend and celebrated a little early with us.

Bless Mom's heart; any time she and Dad go anywhere, she helps him get shaved and dressed and then has to get herself ready. They both were dressed to the nines and walked in the door all smiles! Mom and Dad were decked out in their Christmas-sy red sweaters. Not to mention that Dad had on his Stetson hat when they arrived! He hadn't worn that in a long time! He also had on his western dress-pants and one of his prized belt buckles that he'd won when he was team roping! Jennifer's husband, David, and their son, Bradley, are team ropers, so Dad dons that belt pretty proudly ! Mom was glowing with beauty and Dad was his handsome self! They both looked great!!! As soon as I get everyone to email their pictures, I will post some!

As soon as Mom and Dad arrived and got kisses and hugs from everyone, we congregated in the dining room, said our prayer together as a family and ate.

Dear Lord in Heaven, help us all to remember that it is the birth of Your Son Jesus Christ that we are celebrating today.

We Sing praise to You for the loving unity of this family. We hold dear in our hearts our loved ones in Heaven and on Earth who are not with us today.

Bless those who are not able to be with their families, those who are alone and lonely, those who do not have enough to eat or a warm, safe place to call home.

We are so grateful to You for all our many blessings, our homes, our health, and our ability to work and support our families. Thank You for this food that was so lovingly prepared for this celebration.

Bless us oh Lord, and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ, our Lord. Amen

Shortly after eating we gathered in the living room. Several years ago we started the tradition of singing Christmas carols together before giving out gifts. Austin told everyone the reason we celebrate Christmas is because it's Jesus' birthday. We asked him why we got gifts instead of Jesus and he replied without hesitation, "Because it's Christmas!" Okay, that was a pretty good answer for a 5 year old! I'm just proud that he knows the reason for the season!! I need to video him telling the story! It's precious!

Handing out gifts takes us a while. Jean, Glenda, Danny and I take turns handing out the presents for each of the great-nieces and nephews. We hand them out one by one and watch each child open their present. That way the child knows whom it's from and we all get to see their joy in opening it! Like I said, the who process takes us a while, but we feel like it's worth it!

Other than during the prayer and opening of gifts, Christmas Day is very casual and without agenda. We visit a lot, laugh a lot, play a lot and eat a lot! How could we be any more blessed than that?!

I decided that Christmas is a lot like a wedding...you plan for it for months and it's over in a matter of minutes. However, the more I thought about that, the more I disagreed with it. In my heart I believe that most of us keep the meaning of Christmas in our hearts all year long! It is our challenge to spread joy and cheer to others all year! Most importantly, we should be spreading God's word throughout the year!

I still find it hard to believe we are saying good-bye to 2011! I've been told all my life that, the older you get, the faster time flies! I am finding that to be so true!!! From our family to yours, may your New Year's celebration be happy and safe! I pray for peace, health and happiness for all of you!

"I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn't fragile like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid."

John 14:27

All is well!

Hello all! I was at Mom and Dad's last Wednesday and this past Tuesday. Dad is back to "normal" since his stint in the hospital and Mom is back to her routine! Dead is back on his coumadin and aspirin, which gives us some comfort. We all held our breaths when he had to get off his blood thinners when he was in the hospital. Praise God that he didn't have any negative results from his short break off those meds.

Last week on Wednesday, Mom and Dad were both tired because Dad had been up off and on during the night. This week, they were much more rested and were in great spirits! I had made a green chile verde chicken tortilla casserole that Dad and Mom both really enjoyed! I strive to find new and different things to cook for them that I think they will like. Dad's tastes have changed a lot since his stroke, and he doesn't mind showing it when there's something he doesn't like! It makes me feel so good when he oo's and ah's over something I fix for them!

Danny's daughter Nicole had posted a picture of her daughter Mia's dance class on facebook, so I showed that to Mom and Dad. They really got a kick out of it...Mia's a little character and full of personality!! We then sat at Dad's computer and watched a slide show of all the pictures he has saved. Often he pointed to particular people and made sounds. His biggest reaction was when the picture came up of him and Uncle Roy headed out in the fishing boat. That was the last time they got to go out and have one on one time together. It is a precious memory to Dad.

Jean went out there today and rode along with them to Dad's blood test (the doctors monitor his blood thinners monthly), lunch at the Chinese restaurant, Wal-Mart, etc. It wasn't the best weather to be out in, but it was still good for them to get out of the house! I'll bet Jean drove!!! Mom is still a good driver, but she and Jean have a friendly power struggle when it comes to who does the driving!

All of our family is preparing for our get-together at Glenda's house on Christmas Day! We love being together and having heavenly chaos! I don't know if I will get to post before then, so I pray that you and all your loved ones have a very safe, healthy and merry Christmas!

Luke 2:13-14
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those whom He is pleased."

Hallelujah!!

It truly was a Happy Thanksgiving!

Our family had so much to be thankful on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2011 (as we do every single day, of course!).

I explained to the doctor on Wednesday that, if at all possible, it was vitally important to have Mom and Dad present when our family gathers. There is no measure of the love and respect we all share, and it starts with the two of them! When I told him that, it was obvious that he understood and respected our wishes. He followed through with his commitment to see Dad at the beginning of his rounds Thursday morning and discharged him in time to have lunch with our family! That, in itself, was amazing! We've been so impressed with this hospital and its staff! The paperwork for the discharge was completed, Mom was packed and a wheelchair was already in the room when Danny and Lisa got there around 10:30. Mom and Dad followed Danny and Lisa and arrived at Jean and Jimmie's house about 11:45! Everyone was overjoyed in greeting them!

Mom and Dad were all smiles and their spirits were high! Dad still looked a little pale, but he did lose a lot of blood during this ordeal. It will take his body a little while to recuperate. We snacked until about 1:30,awaiting Whitney and Austin arrival. Austin had been with his Daddy for a few days until then. We gathered in the kitchen, said our family prayer and dug in to delicious turkey and dressing, so loving prepared by Jean and LaRose, and all the other wonderful foods that the rest of us added to the feast.

We were so fortunate to have a gorgeous day and most of us spent a good portion of it sitting out on the porch and visiting. Once Dad had a full stomach, he took a great nap and then joined us on the porch also!

It was a very laid-back day, full of love and thankfulness and togetherness! Mom and Dad headed home about 4:30. Dad was looking forward to getting in his recliner! Mom told me later that he let out a great big "Ah" when he sat in it! He slept until about 11:00 Friday morning too! There's nothing quite like being in your own bed!

We're all letting them have a nice, quiet weekend, but are checking on them often. Mom had plenty of food in the freezer that only had to be thawed and heated, so she won't have to do any major cooking and they won't have to go out unless that's what they choose to do. I'll bet they won't want to leave the house for a few days! Can't say that I blame them!!

It is with grateful heart that I know you will continue to keep Mom and Dad in your prayers. Know that you are also in mine!

Oh Lord, You are the only source of health and healing, the spirit of calm and the central peace of this universe. Grant to Mildred and Harvey Smith health and strength and peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

In sickness and in health...unconditional love!

Bad news; Good news

It seems there is never a dull moment with the Smith family lately. As I told you in my last posting, Danny went to stay with Mom and Dad Sunday and I headed home. Just before I left, Mom called Danny and me into their bathroom and showed us that Dad had passed a good bit of blood. She was obviously concerned, but we all decided not to panic but keep a close eye on him. Around 1:10 a.m. Dad woke Mom up and had another "episode" with blood in the toilet (hope this is not too much information!). Mom tried to get Dad to let her call 911 then, but he vehemently refused. The bad news...Monday morning Dad woke with blood in the bed and then conceded to allow Mom to call an ambulance. It was such a blessing that Danny was there to comfort Mom and be an extra set of hands in getting Dad cleaned up and giving Mom time to get dressed. Danny and Mom followed the ambulance to Burnet's Seton Hospital. As soon as I heard that they were taking him to the hospital, I got dressed and drove to Burnet. Dad was in one of the ER rooms when I arrived. The Burnet Hospital does not have a gastroenterologist on staff, so they had to transfer Dad to Seton Williamson in Round Rock. They could not take him to an Austin Seton because they have to transfer to the nearest facility in the Seton family. Danny followed the ambulance to Round Rock and got Dad admitted and Mom and I went back to Marble Falls in my car.

Mom was scheduled at 2:00 for her follow-up appointment with her eye surgeon in Marble Falls. Gratefully, her eye was healing remarkably well and the doctor told her to go back to her normal activities and just finish out the 3 different drops she was using in her eye. Mom was giddy that she didn't have to be worry about stooping and bending any more! She'll need a new prescription for her glasses in about a month, but that's about it! She was so relieved to have that behind her! As soon as we left the eye doctor's office, we went back to their house, packed a suitcase for her, and she followed me in her car to the Round Rock Seton Hospital. I didn't think she would need her car, but I knew there was no point in arguing with her about it!!

We arrived at RR Seton about 5:00. Dad was settled in a room and was already hooked up to IV fluids. That night we were visited by an Internal Medicine specialist. He had already discontinued Dad's Coumadin and Aspirin (both are blood thinners) and ordered Dad to receive plasma so that the effects of the Coumadin would move out of his bloodstream quicker. In doing so, hopefully slowing down and, better yet, stopping the bleeding. At this point, Dad had not eaten since Sunday evening about 6:00. The doctor felt badly, but told Dad that he still could not have anything to eat or drink, but that he could have ice chips. That did not appease my Daddy one bit, but he didn't complain too loudly. But, oh those looks he gave us and the doctor!

Danny headed home about 4:00. Glenda came to see Dad and Mom as soon as she finished work. We are now familiar with the gathering of the troops! I would like to interject that I am self-employed, while Jean works part-time and Glenda and Danny work full-time. So, I am more available to help with Mom and Dad than the rest. Since we has all been at the hospital, Jean decided to wait until Tuesday to visit. She was also in the midst of getting ready for our whole family to converge at her house for Thanksgiving Day! Around 8:00, I decided to head for home. I had no doubt that Mom would want to spend the night at the hospital. There was no sense in trying to talk her out of it, and I really didn't even try. She would not sleep well anywhere else and she is happiest being with him. Dad did make a futile attempt to get her to go home with me, but she wouldn't consider it.

They had an okay night, sleeping a couple of hours at a time as the nurses checked Dad's vital signs and started the plasma. He received two rounds of plasma during the night. By Tuesday morning the bleeding had stopped, praise God. I arrived early so that I could hear what the doctor had to say when he made his morning rounds. Mom has just gotten up and I witnessed the intimacy of her loving care of Dad. Before she did anything for herself, she got a warm wash cloth and ever so gently and lovingly washed and then dried Dad's face, hands and feet. It wasn't a chore to Mom...it was as if it was a privilege. I believe, to her, it was. I cannot describe how priceless it was to see this. The doctor came in mid-morning and was pleased that the bleeding had stopped and said that the gastroenterologist was going to do a colonoscopy on Wednesday to see if they could determine the origin of the bleeding. He did at least allow Dad to have clear liquids until it was time to do the colonoscopy prep.
Around noon, Mom and I left to get some lunch and, when we got back, Jean and Danny were both there! By mid-afternoon, we all left so that Mom and Dad would both nap. Also, we didn't need to be there while Dad did his prep.

The prep kept Mom, Dad and the nurses busy until about midnight. Needless to say, they didn't have a good nice's rest Tuesday night either. On Wednesday, since no one could tell us what time they would do the test, I arrived at the hospital at 7:45 because I was hoping ask the doctor some questions prior to the test. I also wanted to be sure someone was with Mom while Dad had the colonoscopy and then hear what the doctor had to say afterwards. It's a good thing I got there early because they came to get Dad right at 8:00! Mom hadn't been up but a few minutes when the nurse alerted her that they were on their way up to get Daddy! Bless her heart, she dressed in record time!

The staff in the GI department did a great job of explaining the procedure to us. First they did an endoscopy (placed a probe down Dad's throat and looked at his stomach to check for bleeding ulcers). Then, they did the colonoscopy. The test took about 40 minutes. The doctor found no lesions in Dad's stomach, but did find one polyp in his colon that he believed was the origin of the bleeding. He said that, every time a stool passed by the polyp (sorry, again, too much information?!), that it would get irritated and bleed. It happened for a long enough period of time that it finally bled a lot. He biopsied the polyp and clipped it off. That darn polyp won't cause any more trouble...that's the good news!!! It will take 3-5 days to get back the results of the biopsy. Once he got back to his hospital room, Dad received one last unit of plasma and the doctor signed orders allowing him to have a soft diet. As soon as Dad was totally awake from the sedation, we ordered just about one of each item on the soft foods menu! The doctors also gave Dad the good news that, as long as his blood count stays good, he would be discharged tomorrow! That means that our family will be blessed to have both him and Mom at our Thanksgiving Day family prayer and meal! I made a plea to the doctor to come in early tomorrow and get the discharge papers done so that Mom and Dad would be ready to leave the hospital by 10:30. He said Dad would be the first patient he checked when he started rounds in the morning! HOORAY!!!

Mom and I had a late lunch and I decided to leave the hospital around 4:00 so they could have a nice, quiet evening. I'm betting that they go to bed pretty early tonight! Since Mom is not familiar with the area around Seton Williamson, Danny and Lisa are going to go by there in the morning so that Mom and Dad can follow them to Jean and Jimmies for our family's gathering. I can well imagine that they will eat lunch with all of us, visit a little while and head home to their comfy chairs! Their bed is sure going to feel good to them tomorrow night also! I won't go back out there until one day next week. I think they'll relish having the house to themselves and for their lives to get back to "normal"!

We have already had so many blessings for which to sing praises to God, and now, we have even more! Mom's eye is healing beautifully and Dad is back to status quo!

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah! He has blessed us in the Messiah with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm... (AMEN!!!)
Ephesians 1:3

From our family to yours,
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

There's No Place Like Home!

"I didn't grow up in this house. In fact, my parents have only lived here about 5 years. Then, why is it that, wherever my parents live feels like home?! Sure, I have my own home, and it feels like home, my home, But, when I spend the night at my parents' house, I feel all safe and warm, like home?! I love this. I love being in the house with my Mom and Dad! I am a big Momma's baby, and I'm proud of it!! That part of me will never grow up! I'm okay with that!!"

I posted this on my facebook page last night. I was laying on the couch at Mom and Dad's and was so contented. Our cousin, Ollie Siegeler, responded to my post, "Sandi, it isn't the house , it is mom and dad that make a house HOME. Enjoy it while u can because life is short and after they are gone, u will always miss the security parents give." I agree with her 100%!! I intend to continue spending as much time with them as I can!

Mom is doing great! She is even behaving herself and asking for help with lifting things or reaching for things that would require her to stoop or bend! That's a stretch for her, but she's doing well with it! No doubt, she is ready to have things back to normal and have the house to herself and Dad! They are so wonderful together and love to live their lives according to their own rules! I absolutely do not fault them for that! After all, when you spend 65.5 years together, you do get into your own routine and like to do things your way!!

Jean left Mom and Dad's Saturday and Glenda was there until about 4:30. I had arrived at 3:30 and spent the night. Danny came today, Sunday, about noon, and we all went into Marble falls and had lunch at the Ricer City Grill. It's one of Mom and Dad's favorite restaurants.

Dad didn't have a very restful night, so we went straight home after lunch and he went immediately into nap-mode! In fact, I think everyone but me went into nap-mode! I loaded up and headed home!

Mom goes back to the eye doctor tomorrow in Marble Falls for a follow-up. I am certain that she is healing well and the doctor will tell her to keep doing her drops and taking it easy for a few more days. I will, however, report back to you with the official news!

Thank you, sweet Lord, for my parents, my siblings, our loving family and our extended family and friends! We do need each other in so many ways! Erma Bombeck said, "The family... We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together."
It seems so simple to me...no mystery whatsoever...the common thread that binds our family together is our faith in God and our respect and love for each other. Amen!

Mom and I arrived at the doctor's office Thursday right at 11:30 for her first surgery follow-up. The technician had Mom do an eye-chart test and she did very well. The doctor came in and checked Mom's lens and it was intact. So, all is well! Mom and I left the doctor's office and had lunch at one of the places we used to go when I was a kid - The Frisco on Burnet Rd. The food was great and we even splurged and split a piece of their "famous"chocolate icebox pie! We went from there back to Mom and Dad's house. It was so priceless...when we got home, Jerry had wheeled Dad out to the garage before Mom had even gotten out of the car! Dad was grinning so big and was so, so happy to have Mom back home! Once we all got in the house, Dad kept looking at Mom so lovingly! She asked him if he missed her and he shook his head real big! She told me she thought he had been worried about her and, again, he shook his head real big! It was so sweet!

From that moment on, any time Mom tried to get out of her chair, Dad would say, "Ah, ah" at her because he didn't want her to do anything but relax! We were pretty persistent about keeping her in her chair and she did have a nice nap!

Jean came to Mom and Dad's Thursday evening in time to serve us home-made chicken and dumplings for an early supper! They were the perfect comfort food for Mom. and Jean, Dad and I enjoyed them also! That night we watched television and found a program that absolutely had the four of us cracking up laughing! It was so much fun!

Jean and I helped get Dad ready for bed, brushed his teeth and helped to lift his legs to get him in bed. We had cackled laughing the whole time because Mom absolutely could not keep from telling us how to do everything. She started it by getting tickled at herself, and it ended up with all four us laughing so hard our stomachs were hurting! It was such a great night together!

We all had a quiet night. Mom woke up this morning feeling well rested and in no pain or discomfort whatsoever! She said her vision was clear and she could see very well out of her new lens! She was such a good sport and headed from the bed to her chair in the living room! Dad got up earlier than usual, so we all had breakfast together! Jerry came at 10:00 and shaved Dad and helped with a few things around the house. Mom had been wanting to rearrange her living room a little bit, so Jean, Jerry and I told her to take advantage of us while we were all there! We also turned her mattress and put on her new dust ruffle. It felt so good to be able to do those things for her and see her pleasure in the results! Jean and I teamed up and cooked them pork chops, macaroni and cheese, green beans and biscuits and gravy for lunch! Dad's eyes lit up when he came to the table! I haven't seen him eat like that in a while!! Granted, it wasn't the healthiest meal we could have cooked, but we decided this week was about comfort foods!!!

I left about 2:00 and Jean is staying until tomorrow morning when Glenda will arrive and take over. I'll go back and spend Saturday night and then Danny is coming Sunday at noon and will stay with them until Monday morning. We arranged for Jerry to come Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings to shave Dad and do housekeeping chores for Mom. Whitney is scheduled to spend Monday night, Glenda on Tuesday night and Ollie and I on Wednesday night. Ollie will shave Dad Thanksgiving morning and, after breakfast, we'll all head to Jean and Jimmie's house for our traditional blessing of Thanksgiving with our whole family!

Mom's next eye doctor's appointment is Monday at 2:00. I will post afterwards and give you an updated report!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Love, Sandi

Medical Miracles!

Good morning! Mom and I had a very early start to our day. We left their house at 4:35 and headed to Austin's Bailey Square Surgical Center. We arrived at 5:45, and they had requested we check in at 6:00...perfect! The light traffic and blinking signals aided our trip in! Once we checked in, they did all the usual stuff, went over her medical history, had her sign all the "don't sue us" paperwork, had her change into the attractive paper clothing and non-slip socks, checked her vital signs, put numbing and dilating drops in her eye and wheeled her back at 7:35. Prior to the surgery, Mom's only complaint was when the nurse asked when was the last time she had eaten or had anything to drink! Mom couldn't eat after 10 p.m., so she smilingly complained about being hungry! I promised her that we'd go eat breakfast immediately after they dismissed her!

She was out of surgery and back to the little cubicle at 8:05!! She returned with the cataract in her left eye removed and a brand new lens in place! Amazing!!! Before the surgery, in the operating room, the nurse anesthetist noticed that Mom's teeth were chattering. She asked Mom if she was cold and Mom replied, "No. I'm nervous!" So, they gave Mom a little happy juice, the equivalent of half a margarita! That did the trick! Mom said there was no pain, but she could simply feel the pressure of the doctor working on her eye. She was also experiencing some burning in the eye, which is perfectly normal.

As soon as she was dressed, the doctor peeked back in and moved her follow-up visit from 1 p.m. to 11:30! That pleased Mom because she could get home sooner! The nurse wheeled Mom downstairs and we headed straight for migas at Waterloo Ice House! Mom's first experience with migas was a really good one!!! She ate every morsel!!!

Like I said, she's napping now...sleeping off her margarita!!! It's a little after 11:00, so I'd better go wake her and get her to the doctor's office. I'll report back once I get her home and settled!

Thank you for your prayers! Her surgery went so well because our precious Lord was there holding her hand and guiding the doctor! Sing praise to Him! Amen!

Dont' say the "m" word!

Just so you know, Mom and Dad are NOT talking about the "m" word (move) for a while, and maybe never! They are so happy to have that subject off their minds! Truthfully, for now, we are too! Sure, it would be great for them to be closer to all of us, but they aren't ready to leave their place, and they may never be. They have so much pride in knowing that they cleared that property and built their beautiful home! You may not know that Dad was their own General Contractor! He takes a lot of pride in that!

I spent the day with Mom and Dad Monday, Jean and Jimmie went Tuesday, Danny picked Dad up Friday and took him to the deer lease and Saturday they came to town for birthday lunch for Glenda at her house! They had plenty of family-time this week! On Monday I took lunch and served them chicken/sausage gumbo, Jean took them pot roast with veggie, the boys fixed steaks for Dad Friday night and we had home-made bean soup Saturday! Hopefully Mom didn't have to do much cooking this week! We girls have decided to take food often to help relieve Mom of that burden! So far, they seem to have enjoyed it!

In addition to helping with food, I encouraged Mom to schedule a housekeeper to come twice a month and to have Jerry come two to three days a week rather than just a few hours here and there. Remarkably she agreed to both! I think that his her concession to being able to stay there rather than move! She is also recognizing that she needs the help.

Mom is having a cataract on her left eye removed this Thursday morning. I am going to spend the night with her Wednesday and drive her into Austin early Thursday morning for the surgery. She has to be there at 6 a.m.! I'll take her to my house after the surgery because she has a follow-up visit the same day at 1 p.m. After the follow-up visit, I will take her home and Jean will take over and stay with her Thursday night and during most of the day on Friday. Danny will be there Friday night and Saturday and Glenda has Saturday night and Sunday! From what I hear and read, she may not need anyone after that, but we'll work out a schedule for the week of Thanksgiving if so! It's the least we can do! Even though several friends of hers have told her about how easy their cataract surgery was, Mom is still a little apprehensive about the surgery, so please keep her in your prayers.

On Saturday Mom, Dad, Ollie, Clint, Austin and I gathered at Glenda's for her birthday. Mollie was playing soccer and the rest of the gang had other obligations. Mom and Dad drove in about 1:00 and we had a late lunch around 2:00. Glenda had played soccer that morning, so we got a little later start. It worked out well since Mom didn't have to get up earlier than usual or have to rush. After a nice lunch we all were drawn outdoors by the beautiful weather. We tossed around Austin's little football and played "Monster in the Middle!" We even got Mom involved! She's such a good sport and got some good chuckles out of it! Dad "supervised"! During the midst of our game, Austin decided to take a time-out and go give his Papaw some hugs! It was so sweet! Dad ate it up! Everyone headed home about 4:00 because Glenda had another soccer game at 5:00. The team she and Mollie play on was in an all-day tournament and they won it! It amazes me that Glenda who is OLDER THAN I, can run and play soccer like she does! It makes me, her YOUNGER sister, look pretty out of shape!!! I bought new running shoes Friday, so I plan on remedying that situation!!!

Thanksgiving will be spent at Jean and Jimmie's house again this year. That is our family's tradition since Mom's last knee surgery, which was about 6 or 7 years ago, I think! It seems like we've been doing it forever! Jean and Jimmie's sister, La Rose, spend Wednesday together preparing the turkey and making the dressing. The rest of us girls make the appetizers, the side dishes and the desserts. It works out great! Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It's a low-stress, good food, happy family kind of holiday!! I pray that yours will be just as wonderful! I am thankful to be part of a loving, respectful Christian family and extended family, which includes all of you! I also pray that you will have safe travels and a blessed day with your loved ones! I will leave you today with a Thanksgiving prayer that our family will say together...

Dear Lord, Our Father in Heaven, we give thanks for the pleasure and privilege
of gathering together on this Thanksgiving day. We give thanks for the freedom to enjoy our lives, and for the men and women of the military services who protect our freedom. Thank you, Lord, for all of the blessings that You so generously shower upon us. We give thanks for this food prepared by loving hands. As we partake of this food, we pray for health and strength to live as examples of Your love. This we ask in Jesus' holy name.
Amen.

Not quite ready!

Well...Mom and Dad came to town Wednesday and looked at 2 garden homes and a house in my neighborhood. The house was about as perfect as they could get, if they were certain they wanted to make this move. That's the big "IF". Mom and Dad love their home and their property so much that this decision is being put on hold for a while. They are still considering putting their place on the market and then moving, but they are not certain that's what they want to do either. We kids are being 100% supportive and telling them that we want them to do exactly what makes them happy. Truthfully, they vacillate almost on a daily basis, but we are patient and do what they ask when they ask. I cannot imagine having to make this decision. It's heart wrenching to know how much they want to stay in their home. It would be easier if Mom would accept help in the form of a caretaker for Dad, a housekeeper, etc. They do allow Jerry to come one to two times per week, so we are grateful for that. Again, they are getting supportive input from their kids and that's enough for now! We're not saying much, just listening to their wants, needs and desires and doing everything in our power to be sure they are happy and well taken care of!

Thank you for all your prayers and your loving support! God bless you all!

Lord, throughout our lives you partnered with our parents in loving and caring for us. Now they are in their golden years and I ask that you partner with us in giving them the same tender loving care. Give us the strength to be fully present for our parents and lovingly tend to their needs. Amen.

Is It Time For a Change?

Decisions, decisions! Mom and Dad are facing one of the toughest decisions of their lives. I am sharing this with you, but respectfully request no input because they have enough from their 4 kids!!! Dad is concerned, as we all are, about Mom having the weight of taking care of their property on her shoulders. They are vacillating about putting their place on the market and moving to Austin, or staying where they are and remaining status quo. We all want what's "best" for them, but are on the fence as to what that is! They love it out in the country and they love their home. After all, Mom and Dad designed it to their specifications and Dad was the general contractor. Their blood, sweat and tears are in that place. I was going to say that their heart and soul are in that place, but I don't believe that to be true. Yes, they love it, but their heart and soul are in their togetherness! In May they will have been married 66 years...there in-lies their heart and soul!

I took them yesterday to see two garden homes and one house in my neighborhood in North Austin. That is the area they think they would like to be if they move. The garden homes were in a gated community on Anderson Mill Rd, about 7 minutes from Ollie and me, and the house is about a block south of Anderson Mill Rd, about 5 minutes from us. Dad liked the largest of the garden homes and Mom loved the house! The garden home is 1512 sq. ft. and is a very nice home in a well-maintained community - but it means downsizing a LOT. The home is 2345 sq ft, much more space for Mom's antiques and much less confining. Coincidentally, or a God-thing, which-ever way you choose to look at it, the house was built to accommodate a wheelchair-bound person! It has a very roomy kitchen and ample living space. The shower was built for a person to wheel right in! Not that we are encouraging Dad to use his wheelchair, but he could roll right in! Mom also loved the back yard! She walked out and immediately said, "Oh, I could piddle around out here!"

Much of the family was together last night at my house for grandson Austin's 5th birthday. That gave Mom and Dad the opportunity to talk to each of us kids about moving. We all want them to make the decision of what makes them the happiest. Obviously, they don't WANT to move, but they both realize they need to be closer to their kids and, most importantly, that Mom needs to have her load lightened. Their decision changes from one conversation to the next, so we know it's a very, very tough one. When they left last night, they were still undecided. But, as I already said, it needs to be their decision with as little input as possible. I am not sure that all four of us kids are really on the same page, so we don't want to add to their confusion or make this more difficult for them.

I will ask that you pray with me while they make this decision. Lord God, King of Heaven and Earth,Mildred and Harvey Smith are facing a difficult decision in their lives. Inspire them to make the right decision, no matter what it may be. We are all relying on Your grace for divine help. Help us, their children, to know when to give them our input and when to keep our mouths shut! Help them to make a joint decision so there is no regret. If the decision is made for them to move to Austin, please give them peace. We ask this in Your holy name. Amen.

I will be surprised if I don't get a call from Mom today with a decision, one way or another. I will keep all of you posted.

Meanwhile, we were blessed to have so many of our family members together last night to celebrate Austin's birthday! Our house was full of laughter and love, not to mention a huge pile of gifts! Kids do really have too much stuff, but don't we all?! Fortunately we look as forward to seeing each other as we do to the gifts! It's a good balance! It's hard to believe that we are in November and headed toward the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons! Every single one of us, from the oldest in our clan to the youngest, looks forward to being together, praying together and appreciating each other.
God is great!

Batting Zero this week...

It's a good thing I got to go see Mom and Dad twice last week because I didn't get to see them at all this week :( I had a little stomach bug that reared it's ugly head Monday. Until this afternoon, I was still feeling a little under the weather and didn't want to take the slightest chance on taking it to them. Jean went Monday and Glenda thinks she is going tomorrow, so they certainly don't feel neglected! Praise God for loving siblings!

Lord, thank You for my husband, my siblings and their spouses! Please continue to shine Your light upon them, on our loving parents and on our whole family! We are so grateful to You for the example of love, respect and togetherness that our parents have taught us! Please help us to continue serving them in harmony, and help us to guide them in making the best decisions for their future. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen!

Two visits this week!

Any time we get to spend with Austin, as well as our little twin granddaughters, Livi and Madi. is very special. This week, Austin's Mommy let us have him a little extra time because she had an important paper due at school on Thursday. So, we picked him up on Wednesday after school, took him to school on Thursday and then picked him up at 3:00 to take him to his favorite place...the DEER CAMP!!! For an almost-5-year old little boy like Austin, there just isn't a better place! He absolutely loves to go walking in the woods, driving around looking for deer, pigs and other animals, and going down to the river to play in the mud! As you know, due to the drought, the Colorado River is very low right now. In fact, Austin and I walked and waded from one side of the river to the other, and it never got up to my knees! Pretty sad as far as the lack of water goes, but the perfect place for us to play! We spent at least an hour digging in the sand, picking up shells and rocks, following turkey tracks and splashing around in the water! It was an overcast day and a little breezy, so the day just couldn't have been more perfect! By the time we were ready to go back to the cabin, Austin was down to his skivvies! I helped him put on his rubber boots but wanted to carry him up the hill to the truck so that he didn't get itchy on his little legs from the weeds. I wish Ollie, who was standing by the truck watching us, had his video camera on...but he didn't. Anyway, as I tried to pick Austin up, I slipped and fell splat in the mud! Austin and I roared in laughter! I righted myself, washed the mud off Austin and tried to pick him up again. For the second time I slipped and fell into the mud! I though Austin and I were going to pee our pants we were laughing so much! And there stood Ollie just shaking his head at us!!! Needless to say, I have spend a good part of this day doing laundry, but I can't help but chuckle as I load the washer with muddy clothes!!! This is the stuff memories are made of!

We had a wonderful time and, as always, it went way too quickly! We took the long way home from Spicewood and went by Mom and Dad's house so that they could see Austin! We let them know we were coming, but we didn't tell them we had Austin with us! They were elated to see him! We stopped and got their mail for them and Austin had a ball walking in and announcing, "Mail call!" Dad let out a big "Ah" and laughed when Austin walked in the door! Of course, Mom also made a big fuss over him! There's nothing like big hugs, kisses and happy smiles from Mamaw and Papaw!!! We stayed about an hour and a half and headed back home so Austin could have his nap in the car. Grandpa wanted one too, but I didn't comply! It's rare that I don't drive so Ollie can nap, but Austin and I had been up part of Thursday night, so I was too tired to drive!

As I mentioned in my previous post, Jean and Glenda saw Mom and Dad twice this week, and Danny and Lisa drove out and had Sunday dinner with them! They were in great spirits accordingly!!!

Mom is scheduled to have the cataract on her left eye removed on Monday, November 21. I plan to spent Sunday night with her, take her to the surgery and then stay at least until Wednesday morning to make sure she follows the doctor's orders and behaves herself! I am so excited for her to have this done and have been trying to get her to schedule the surgery for a while! The cataract makes her eye sensitive to light and makes her vision in that eye fuzzy. Since she still loves to be able to drive, it is vital to get it done!

Mom also has been diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy in her hands and feet. It is getting increasingly difficult and painful for her to do things like open jars or lids and hold the telephone for any length of time. She has seen a doctor for this and was prescribed a pain killer. Mom is very sensitive to pain killers and has chosen not to take the medication. Glenda has researched acupuncture for this and has found that it is very beneficial if treatment is received on a regular basis. I spoke to Mom today and asked her to call Monday and make an appointment with the acupuncturist in Marble Falls that treated Dad for a while. Mom sounded very excited that acupuncture would help, so I think she will call. I hope so. I nearly cried as I told her that we seem to focus so much on Dad while she is in pain and not taking care of herself. She is simply wearing herself out.

That is why we are talking to Mom and Dad about moving closer to us kids. I would love it if they would move to my area so I could help more and so all of us could see them much more often. Mom and Dad love their home and their property, after all, they designed it to be perfect for them! But , it is such a worry for Mom to have to see to all the maintenance, cleaning, etc. She worries about tending the yard and the lack of water in the summer and about the pipes freezing in the winter. She just has too much on her plate. We are starting to look at the options of garden homes in Georgetown, Round Rock and Austin, as well as at homes in my neighborhood. At this point, we are gathering information, but I feel it is something that will have to happen pretty soon. Dad isn't happy about it, but he understands it is what's best for him and Mom. I truly believe that, once they are moved and settled, he will love seeing all of his kids and grand kids more often and that he will be relieved for Mom to have less to deal with.

Please pray with me for Mom and Dad, for their health and well being and for us to help them make the right decision about moving. Also. please continue to pray for rain...Lord, give us, we pray, a plentiful rainfall, and graciously pour out on the parched earth moisture from the heavenly vaults; through Christ our Lord.

May we be united, as family and friends, in prayerfully singing of God's wondrous and generous blessings! Amen!

Home from Warrenton!

Howdy to all my friends and family! Ollie and I got home Sunday from our lengthy show in Warrenton TX. It was a highly successful show, for which we are grateful to God!

One of the first things we did was to go to see Mom and Dad on Monday. We had borrowed their flat-bed trailer, so we returned it and took Mom out to eat lunch. Dad had slept late and eaten something so he could take his morning meds, so he didn't want to go. We brought him back something nice to have for dinner later! Danny and Lisa had been there Sunday and had a great visit with them. Glenda and Jean had seen them Friday, left one of their cars there, taken an overnight trip and saw them again Saturday to get the car! Mom and Dad were in great spirits, especially since they had seen all their kids in the last few days!

Now that the weather is cooler, Mom is sending Dad on his scooter to get the mail! I love her insistence on getting him out of the living room and out into some fresh air! Praise God that the temperatures are lower! There was just no way Dad could get out when it was 100 degrees! A little cooler weather has put a bit of a bounce in all our steps! After way too many days of over-100 degree temperatures, the 80's are so welcomed! It's so depressing to drive in central Texas and see miles and miles of parched land, dry tanks/ponds, and dying trees. Please join me in praying for plentiful rain! "... it is the LORD who makes the storm clouds. He gives showers of rain to men, and plants of the field to everyone." -- Zechariah 10:1

Our guys are gearing up for deer season which opens here the first Saturday in November. That is exciting to me because Danny and Ollie make a point to invite Dad to the lease for dinner and poker. The once-a-month poker night still is in effect, but they get Dad out there more during deer season. Danny and Ollie and even making preparations for Dad to be able to spend the night out there. All the men on the lease really enjoy Dad and I know he loves it out there and loves cutting up woth all the guys.

Mom is doing okay. She is suffering with peripheral neuropathy that is affecting her feet and one of her hands. Her feet feel tingly and sometimes numb and one of her hands has lost most of its strength and aches off and on. I intend on finding a doctor in Austin who specializes in peripheral neuropathy and see if he/she can help her. One of Mom's relatives also has this and is in a wheel chair because it has dramatically affected her feet. Mom is very concerned, of course, as all of us are. Bless her heart, she focuses so much on Daddy that she doesn't often take time out to take care of her needs. Now that the Warrenton show is over, I can get focused on her!

Good news! Jerry, the wonderful man who was helping Mom out at the house, has decided to continue working with her and Dad! He took off a little bit of time to take care of some personal issues, thendecided that he really loved working in the healthcare industry and went back to work for the home healthcare company that Mom hired early-on! YAY! Mom had tried a woman caretaker after Jerry left and was totally dissatisfied. I knew that Mom wasn't going to ever be happy with another woman working in her home. We all breathed a huge sigh of relief when Jerry came back! Jerry is a compassionate, hard-working man whom Mom trusts with the care of Dad, as well as her home and her laundry! That's HUGE!!! Another blessing from our sweet Lord!

I have to run...I will leave you, for now, with this passage from 2 Corinthians 1:3-4...

Praised be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation! He comforts us in all our afflictions and thus enables us to comfort those who are in trouble, with the same consolation we have received from Him.

Amen!

Here I am!!!

I don't know where time goes theses days, but, wherever it goes, it's doing it way too quickly!!!

Mom and Dad are well. They, like all of us, are staying indoors as much as possible to avoid the heat! Mom walks down to the road for the newspaper and tends to her plants outside in the mornings before Dad gets up, and then they spend the rest of the day in the house. Often, they go out for lunch or dinner and they don't miss Mass on the weekends!

Their helper, Jerry, has decided to retire. That's good for him, but not so great for Mom and Dad. They really liked him and he was a great help for Mom. She trusted him with some of her laundry and house keeping chores, which was a huge step for her. He took great care of Dad and Mom didn't have to worry a bit when she would leave Dad in Jerry's care. That's life I guess...subject to change! Winston Churchill said that there is nothing wrong with change, as long as it's in the right direction! We'll just haveMom in seeking more help and making sure that she is happy with the results. It is sadly true that good help is hard to find!

Danny and Lisa spent last Saturday at Mom and Dad's. I know Dad loves his girls, but there's no one quite like that son, you know! Danny is such a wonderful, Godly man and I am so proud to be his sister! He is an elder in the Lutheran Church in Elgin that he and Lisa have attended for many years. He is a reflection of a respectable father. "What was silent in the father speaks in the son, and often I found in the son the unveiled secret of the father." ~Friedrich Nietzsche
The previous Saturday, Glenda visited with Dad and fixed lunch for him while Mom attended a bridal shower for one of the daughters of dear Church friends. Of course, Jean is still visiting on a regular basis also. We all are so blessed to have each other! Glenda tells all her kids' friends to be sure, when they have kids, to have more than one because they will need each other, especially when their parents are older! We didn't think of that...Jean and Jimmie have one daughter, Glenda has 2 kids, I have one, Ollie has one, and Danny has one!! The great part, for our kids, is that they were raised close in proximity and close in heart, so they are like siblings to each other. At least we did that right...all with the loving example of our parents!

I'm hoping to visit with Mom and Dad tomorrow, as long as they don't have other plans. I am going to call Mom as soon as I post this. Mom and Dad love to listen to our stories of mine and Ollie's "treasure hunting" for our antiques business. I am sure that I have told you that Ollie is a bookseller and specializes in old and out of print or specialty signed books about Texas, as well as old Texas maps, documents, slave documents and old photography. My part of our business is selling things that are old Texas pieces...furniture and oddities. So Ollie and I are always "on the hunt." It amazes Dad what we find and loves to hear all the details of our travels and of the purchase to us selling it! We are often borrowing their flat-bed trailer to haul our finds! Last week we followed some leads to Hebbronville and Burnet Texas, and found good things at both places! We are preparing for our big upcoming sale in Warrenton that will be held September 22 through October 1. Come see us! We are in a building called Cole's at the intersection of Hwy 237 and FM 954. In Cole's, our aisles are named, and we are on "Waco Dr."

For now, I will leave you with this passage from Isaiah 41:10...

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Amen!!!

HAPPY #87 DADDY!!!

On July 29, 1924, my Dad was born to Mabel and Sewell Smith in Elgin Texas! He was their first child, and he was born on Mabel's 17th birthday! I am so proud to say that he is my father! God blessed our family with him! His life's accomplishments are too numerous to list!
Thank you God for Harvey Smith!!

Upcoming Birthday!

Howdy everyone! While I think about it and am at my computer, Dad's 87th birthday is Friday, July 29th! If you'd like to send him a card, his address is...
6850 CR 120
Marble Falls TX 78654-7914

I spent part of the day with Mom on Thursday. She came to Austin for a couple of doctor's appointments. I like to go with her when I can so I can ask questions on her behalf. She likes that! All is well with Mom...I think she is healthier than I am!!! She is an amazing Godly woman!

"Surprise" Visit!!!

My long-time friend Cindy who lives in Reno NV is in Austin visiting her kids, grandkids and me this week! She and I drove out to see Mom and Dad Tuesday. I had talked to Mom on Monday and told her we were coming, but she forgot!! Cindy and I arrived about 10:30, as I had told Mom we would, and, when we knocked and went in, she had the most surprised look on her face! She laughed and said that she had forgotten all about us coming and that she had only been up 30 minutes or so! She was just about to head out the door to walk down to get the newspaper and then work in the yard and Dad was still in bed asleep!!! We laughed and told her no worries, I had brought the paper up, so we would just go help her work in the yard and let Dad wake when he was ready. Mom mainly wanted to clean and change the water in the bird bath and water some shrubs and trees. As you can imagine, Cindy and I mostly watched because Mom likes to do things herself! That's fine...I am thrilled that she can! I am so like my Mom in that I would much rather be out working in the yard rather than in the house!! I am blessed that Idid inherit a bit of her green thumb, but Mom can put a stick in the ground and it will grow and probably bloom!!! The drought is really hurting her crepe myrtles and shrubs, just like most of us. What's we do to deserve this?!!! Pray for rain!!!

The newspaper should have been my clue that Mom had forgotten we were coming! Mom always gets up, gets dressed and walks down to get the paper so it's waiting on the table when Dad gets up. It was still down at the road when Cindy and I turned in to go through the gate. It just didn't occur to me why it was still down there!! I guess I wouldn't make a very good detective!!!

Dad was awake and sitting at the table reading the newspaper when we got back in the house from watering the yard and such. He couldn't believe it when the three of us walked in the door! He pointed at us and then at Mom with a quizzical look on his face and then he got a big laugh when Mom told him she forgot we were coming! He was so happy to see Cindy! It had been quite some time since they last saw her.

Once again, we assured Mom not to stress or rush. She and Dad ate a kolache and then she took him to get him shaved and dressed. Around noon we all went "up on the hill" to Russo's for lunch. Dad loves their steaks and Mom loves their East Meets West salad! Russo's has a wonderful atmosphere and their view is spectacular. It's owned by a couple who lived across the street from them when they lived in Meadowlakes in Marble Falls. So, it does feel "homey" when we dine there, and, the food is great!

After lunch we all took a drive through Dad and Leslie Stephen's last land development, Stone Mountain, which is just down the road from Mom and Dad's place. Dad is so proud to show it off. Talk about spectacular views...from many of the lots you can see all the way to Lake Marble Falls and further! There are quite a few homes built in the subdivision, and they are lovely! Dad always enjoys that trip! Just FYI, there are still lots available!!!

Cindy and I left around 3:30 to get back to town for my grandson Austin's T-ball practice! We were picking him up from "school" and taking him, and you never know what to expect with traffic, so we left about 3:30. I always leave with my heart warmed from all the love my parents show us! "The love of a family is life's greatest blessing." I believe that wholeheartedly. Dad always hugs me tightly and then looks directly at me smiling to say "I love you," then Mom and I wave and say "I love you" as I drive away. That's always one of the highlights of my existence. My heart is warmed, I let out a big sigh, smile and drive away thanking God for them.

Thank you Lord for my wonderful parents. They are faithful examples of Your love and teachings through their devotion to each other, their family and their friends. Keep them safe in Your loving care and be merciful to them. Amen.

Poor mistreated Dad!

Yesterday was my birthday! One of the most important things I wanted to do was to spend time with Mom and Dad! After all, they're the reason I'm here!!! I believe it is very important to be grateful!!! Ollie and I went to Mom and Dad's house to pick them up and go out to lunch. My sister Jean surprised me and joined us! After lunch we all went back to the house and while the men napped, we girls drug out the old pictures from our childhood and did some reminiscing! We laughed at some, especially the hairdo's, and were sentimental over others. What I love about doing that is the stories that we share. Inevitably I hear a story that I hadn't heard before. We are so blessed to have those pictures to spur our memories. It makes me so sad for the people who have suffered loss of those things through floods, hurricanes and fires. I know we are not meant to put so much value on material things, but it's hard not to. The great part is that most of those memories are kept in our hearts!

Another important thing I like to is to call my Aunt Mary and wish her a happy birthday the day before mine! I have always felt a special connection to her because of our close birthdays! She sounded great and we had a wonderful phone-visit!

As I mentioned in a previous post, most of the family was together at Glenda's for Father's Day. What I didn't know was that Dad used his cane, and some assistance from Mom and Danny, and climbed the stairs so he could see the 2nd story of Glenda's new home! Now that's pretty impressive! Dad is still making progress, maybe not on a daily basis, but it is happening!!!

Mom told us a cute story yesterday! She said one day recently she had fussed at Dad about something. A bit later she was doing something back in their bedroom and, using his cane, he came walking in singing the words to this song..."I've been cheated, been mistreated, when will I be loved?!" She said they shared a great big laugh over that! She was amazed because she could actually tell what he was singing!!! When Dad sings, like when he sang "Happy Birthday" to me, you can tell what he's singing! Way back when Dad was in Reliant, the speech therapist told us that you use a different part of your brain to sing than to talk. After Mom told us about him singing to her, I said it would be great if he could just sing to us to communicate!! Sadly, it's not that easy! Dad wanted so badly to tell us something at lunch yesterday, but we just couldn't figure out what it was. I cannot imagine how frustrating that must be for him. It makes me admire his fortitude that much more! Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Patience and fortitude conquer all things." My Dad has conquered so much more than any of us thought possible. The greatest of those was not to let the stroke conquer him!. All through the grace of God!

Glenda hosted me, Ollie, Whitney, Austin, Lisa, Danny and friends, Dennis, Linda and Stuart to her house last night for a wonderful birthday dinner! The greatest gifts I received yesterday were the sparkling-eyed smile, hug and laughing "Ah" that I got from my Dad when I walked in the door, the warm, loving, healing hug I got from my Momma, and the love that I received from Ollie, my kids, grandkids and all my family and friends! "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy and peace." Galatians 5:22 ~ I am so truly blessed with all of those things and so much more! Amen!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY GUYS!

I know, I know! I am so remiss in blogging!!! Sorry! Someone please tell me where the time goes!!!

I have a funny/not so funny story to tell you on Ollie and myself! Every year, for many, many years, Ollie's Mom's family has held their family reunion on the first Sunday in June. After Ollie's sweet Mom passed away, they stopped having the reunion for about 8 years. Then, fortunately, they decided it was important and started having it again. It just so happens that my Dad's side of the family has been gathering on the first Saturday of June and the Goertz side of the family, my maternal grandmother's family, holds their reunion on the first Sunday of June (as they have for all of my life without fail). Since Ollie's family resumed their reunion on the first Sunday of June as well, he and I have alternated reunions each year. This year was our turn to go to St Louis and miss my family's reunions. So, we booked our flights, our hotel room, our rental car and bought tickets to two Cardinal's games. We were set. Here's the catch...Ollie got the email with all the info about the reunion, but he didn't notice the date. Yep, it was moved from the first Sunday, June 5th, to the second Sunday, June 12th!!! Fortunately, I said something on my facebook about planning on going to a couple of ballgames while we were in St Louis and Olile's cousin Al started putting 2 + 2 together! He immediately sent Ollie and email and said that something was screwy because he knew that the Cardinals were on the road the weekend of the reunion!! This was the night before we were scheduled to leave, mind you! Well, l ong story shortened, we decided to go ahead and take a little vacation and go on to St Louis so we didn't lose the money on our airline tickets and our Cardinal tickets! Ollie flew to St Louis this past Saturday evening and spent one night so he could actually attend the reunion!!! He got ribbed quite a bit by his relatives!!! Fortunately he can handle it!!!

The great part is that he and I had a fantastic time while we were there! We bicycled around Forest Park, drove around the area of Washington and New Haven MO where his Grandma and Grandpa Anderson were raised (we think), we went to two Cardinals' games, both of which they won, got to see Albert Pujols hit a total of 3 home runs, Lance Berkman 1 home run, and spent Sunday in Mark Twain's home town of Hannibal MO! All in all it it worked out fine! Poor Ollie was so upset that he didn't catch the date change, but as someone said, "Everything happens for a reason!" We just said "oh well..." and rolled with the flow!!!

The reunion for Grandma Pauly's side of the family met at my sister and brother-in-law, Jean and Jimmie's ranch on Saturday June 4th. There was a smaller turn-out than in the past few years, but there had been a wedding in the family just the weekend prior, so I guess some of the relatives felt like they'd seen their kinfolk enough!!! Mom and Dad thoroughly enjoyed those that were able to go!

Mom's Goertz Reunion (Grandma Grohman's side of the family) was held on Sunday, the 5th in Rockne, Mom's home town. That reunion is usually huge, and it didn't fall short this year! However, last year Grandma's bunch had the most attendees, but this year there were only 37 of our group. On average there are about 250 to 300 people that attend! And that's not nearly all of us! It's pretty awesome to look out over the crowd and know that you're kin to at least half of them! I like to think about my Great-Grandma and Grandpa Goertz looking down from Heaven and witnessing what they started! Yes, pretty amazing!!! I think about that, too, when all my immediate family gathers for Christmas or some other major event in the Smith family. I often go to Mom and Dad and say, "Isn't it amazing that the two of you started all of this?!" Dad usually lets out a big laugh! I'm not quite sure what that means!!!

Ollie and I went out to Mom and Dad's yesterday. I was so tickled when she asked us to come in the truck because she had a few honey-do's for Ollie! She wanted him to load up and haul her recyclables to their local recycling center, change her A/C filter and check her TexTag account. I highly complimented her on letting go of those things! It wasn't much, but it isn't like her to ask for help! She then told me that Leslie had been over the previous day and she had a list of honey-do's for him also!! Way to go Mom! Delegate those duties!!! Ollie and I picked up barbeque from Peete's Mesquite for lunch. Mom and Dad love their pork ribs and Ollie, who is quite the connoisseur of grilled foods, also thought they were excellent! Dad also loves their cabbage slaw! He let out a huge "Ah" when he lifted the lid of the to-go container!!! I love hearing that sound!!!

I never mean to leave out when any of my siblings go visit Mom and Dad. I find it hard enough time remembering what I did, much-less what they've done! Jean, Glenda and Danny each do spend quality time with Mom and Dad and I want to give them lots of credit for that! I am so incredibly blessed to have such a special family. I am so grateful and praise God for that! "One generation shall praise Thy works to another, and shall declare Thy mighty acts." Psalm 145:4

Dad's spirit and perseverance remains strong and Mom remains diligent in her loving care for him. I think this passage from Nephi sums up some of my feelings..."Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard." Nephi puts his trust in the Lord, as do my parents. I am honored to be a witness of their faithful service to the Lord.

Ollie and I are headed to Coppell tomorrow to spend 4 days taking care of our twin 2-1/2 year old granddaughters, Livi and Madi, while their Mommy (Neely) and Daddy (Carl) go to Mexico for Carl's brother's wedding! It should be "interesting" because they have never been away from their Mommy for more than one night!! I have a box-full of little girly 'prises to use as distractions any time I feel a melt-down coming on!!! They'll go to their "school" on Friday and Monday to keep in their usual routine. I think we can keep them busy enough on Saturday and Sunday without any problems. My only "fear" is bed-time, when tired and they're so used to Mommy putting them to bed. Say a little prayer for us!!!

Since we will be in Coppell until Monday night, we'll have to celebrate Father's Day with Daddy another day next week! He gave us his blessing on that! All of you great dads will be in my Sunday prayers! "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:48

I hope and pray that you and your families are having a happy, healthy and safe summer! My love to all of you! Pray for rain! Amen!

Beautiful Sunday!

Ollie and I went to Marble Falls yesterday and met up with Mom and Dad after Church for lunch. Dad now uses a cane with a base and 4 rubber feet, rather than using his walker!!! Mom said that he "told" her that he wanted one and she shopped but couldn't find one. When she told him she was unable to find on, he "told" her that he knew where they could find one. They got in the car and he directed her to a local pharmacy. Sure enough, they had just what he wanted! For the first time since his stroke, Dad walked up to communion during Mass at Church yesterday!!! He must have felt so proud! He also walked into the restaurant and back to the car using the cane! Again, while we were back at the house, Dad walked around the house, rather than using his wheelchair! Hooray for progress!!! "Faith in one's progress brings contentment."

Mom looked beautiful, as always, in her Sunday best! She and Dad were in exceptionally happy moods Sunday! Mom has scheduled Jerry to come more often and she has hired a housekeeper to help her with cleaning around the house. This week she is only having her clean the bathrooms. That's what works for Mom, so we are happy that she is doing it her way! I think having this type of help is helping Mom to have more rest, hence the brighter mood! Having help for Mom makes Dad happier also!

When we got home from lunch, we all picked our spot and took naps! I don't think I've had that restful a nap in a long time! There's just something about being at my parents home that gives me peace! Pulitzer Prize winning journalist John Ed Pearce said, "Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and a place you grow old wanting to get back to." Amen!

Happy 65th Anniversary - May 5, 2011

It is such an honor to share with you that Mom and Dad celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on Thursday, May 5th! For a change of scenery, we talked them into coming to Austin and having lunch at Papasita's (Mom's choice)! Danny, Lisa, Glenda, Clint, Ollie and I all celebrated with them. Jean and Jimmie were getting things ready to host over 60 members of Mom's family for Mother's Day, so they didn't get to join us.

Mom and Dad came to our house and Ollie and I drove them to the restaurant. In the car I asked Mom and Dad some details of their wedding. They were married on a Sunday in the priest's office at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Rockne. Since Dad was not a Catholic at the time, they were not allowed to marry in the Church itself. Either before or after the wedding ceremony, they attended Mass. The reception was held out in the front yard of Grandma and Grandpa Grohman's house outside Rockne. Mom said all her aunts participated in providing the meal. Luella Goertz, Mom's cousin and best friend, and Leroy Grohman served as their Maid of Honor and Best Man. They couldn't afford to take a honeymoon and they both went back to work Monday morning! Talk about a reality check!!! In later years, when I was about 13, they went to Hawaii and called it their 2nd honeymoon, even though they never actually took a first one! If you ask me, they have been on a honeymoon since 1946!!! They will certainly tell you that they have had their differences, but I truly never saw the fight or disagree with each other. Mom was in the era of wives not questioning their husband. I think she amended that to not questioning him in front of us kids!!! She isn't one for not expressing her opinion, but she is very tactful about it!! I will add that Mom always taught us to respect Dad as the head of our household! His word was law! He would tell us, "This is NOT a democracy! This is a dictatorship and I am the dictator!" He ruled with a loving heart and hand too!

Anyway, back to our lunch celebration, the wonderful staff at Papasita's brought out a delicious chocolate-lava cake with a candle at the end of the meal, announced to the restaurant full of people that they were celebrating their 65th Anniversary and sang to Mom and Dad! The candle was one of those that re-lit itself, and Mom and Dad both got a big kick out of that! As you can see in the picture (sorry for the poor quality), they were beaming with happiness!

At many weddings this is read. It meant so much when I read it today... this epitomizes Mom and Dad's marriage. What a fine example they set for us! Again, I am honored to be their daughter! God bless Mildred and Harvey Smith!

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (New International Version, ©2011)

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Happy Birthday Mildred!

On Tuesday, May 3, 2011, Mom celebrated her 85th birthday! Ollie, Danny, Jean and I went to Marble Falls and took her and Dad out to dinner! Glenda was very disappointed that she couldn't join us, but she was incredibly busy at work and could not get away. Mom chose for us all to go to the new Chinese food restaurant in town called Koy. It was excellent and I highly recommend it! Our great server brought Mom a piece of cheesecake with a candle on it and we all sand "Happy Birthday" to her, including Dad! Mom said he had already sung to her that morning, with her coaching him! It's amazing, but he can sing the words better than speaking them! It's because he uses a different part of his brain for that! It's not perfect by any means, but you can tell what he's singing! He can do it if someone else sings it with him! It's very special to be the one being sung to!!!

Mom was delighted to have some of us there! She kept saying over and over that she just couldn't believe that she was 85 years old! I just pray I'm in her great shape when I'm 85!!! As I have said before many times, she is an amazing Godly woman! Here's what Proverbs has to say about a good woman like our Mom...

• A good woman is proud. She respects herself and others. She is aware of who she is. She neither seeks definition from the person she is with, nor does she expect them to read her mind. She is quite capable of articulating her needs.

• A good woman is hopeful. She is strong enough to make all her dreams come true. She knows love, therefore she gives love. She recognizes that her love has great value and must be reciprocated. If her love is taken for granted, it soon disappears.

• A good woman has a dash of inspiration and a dabble of endurance. She knows that she will at times have to inspire others to reach the potential God gave them.

• A good woman knows her past, understands her present and forces toward the future.

• A good woman knows God. She knows that with God the world is her playground, but without God she will just be played with.

• A good woman does not live in fear of the future because of her past. Instead, she understands that her life experiences are merely lessons meant to bring her closer to self-knowledge and unconditional self-love.

~~ The Christian Bible Book of Proverbs

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