Love these!

A simple blog this morning, a few pictures I love.

 I follow many blogs, it's one of my favorite things,

to see other blogs as well as DIY projects.

If it were not for HOBL who does not like old antiques,

(unless its our rainbow that he has fixed for 27 years)

I would live in an old, beaten down home but with

the luxeries of a new one, such as a bathroom

rather than an outhouse.

I find these first two pictures on one of those blogs.

Makes me want to get rid of all my modern furniture

and get antigues.

Because I love old books, I love the messy way she has

the books stacked above.

Below, I do think I will ask HOBL to build me shelving in

my scrap closet like this and I scrap the fronts like this.

I am swooning over that look!

 IT is actually so very pretty that I think I would remove the closet doors to have

this look! OOHHHH the ideas going through my head!

BElow, it is where my Pillsbury dough boys now reside.

On top of my small window about my porch door.

I had only glass bottles there before but once I found out

that these little gems, marked 1971, that I paid half a dollar for,

were worth 30 dollars, they became part of my life.

 Bean and I have a few things in common, well maybe a lot.

She loves everything miniature and she also likes

making toys out of what others would believe to be trash.

These are some of her favorite things to play with.

The little house she and I made out of a candy box.

When I saw the slope of the top of the box, 

I just knew it had to be scrapped. Most often

it is where Minnie and MIckey live, sometimes 

it is the home of three little mice.

 Then there is the white dishwasher cleaner that

Aunt Nan C made into a bird cage.

Her owls live there. See the little doll in the 

bed, we call it our homemade "worry dolls".

We make dozens of them out of pipe cleaners,

wooden round beads and DMC floss.

Each has a name, each is very important to our play.

The little beds? 

Well nothing but a few coffee filters and Kleenex.

Oh the fun we have making "junk".

 Last, but not least, two pictures from Joe's crab shack

where we ate a few nights ago.

The weather was so cool that night and low humidity 

which allowed us to eat outside and Bean could play in

the sand pits and play area.

We all took turns playing with her

and the picture of her and her Mommy just beautiful.

Simple blog today, 

a few of my favorite things.

 A smorgasbord of lilbit of my world.

Those were the days

Up late tonight, so many thoughts going through my head.

Such as where exactly is my Mommy and the very soul

I once knew. I think back to this past weekend,

sharing my life's testimony to a class of 22 tenth graders.

As I speak, the words each time just a little bit different,

I wonder, when will this become old,

that it will no longer interest teens or adults?

It was the first time I have spoken about HOBL's slip with

drugs after breaking his back, the second time

I share gypsy baby being gay.

Two new chapters in this book I call

LILBIT OF MY WORLD

I recall a few weekends ago when C came

hangout and we talked of things we would have done 

differently if we were to redo our lives.

She admits,

"Have more kids"

I am surprised by her answer but more so,

I am surprised of my own.

"Not me"

This night I am up and wonder if I was honest.

In some ways, I am so very glad to be done with all the 

work that comes with raising children and yet,

It is the one thing I believe I have done really well,

being a Momma.

You know how there are things that are very important

yet you forget them but there may be one little bitty

moment,  insignificant to your life that you recall over and over.

Tonight I am remembering a night when Baby Boy was

very young. I was tired, had brought him to the zoo,

just he and I. Once home, he was so very cranky,

I, so very tired and he just would not sleep that night.

Finally after a long battle, he fell asleep in my bed,

with me,  He was maybe two and as much as I 

loved that little face my thought was,

"Only 18 more years until I am done"

What I would give to go back to that time,

to relive the days of mothering.

Now my babies are grown, both make me very proud,

both make me feel as though I did a pretty good job in

the roll of Mother.

 The roll was to was to show them love

but give them wings. It is what I shared with the class on 

Saturday, My job in this world, the one the Big Man gave

me was to love His children no matter what so that is what I did 

and continue to do even today,

 (BB and gypsy baby, circa 2007)

 (poodle skirt day for gypsy, Catholic Community shirt for BB)

 (Arkansas hunting trip, a stuffer bore????)

 (Audobon Zoo many moons ago)

 (Silly gypsy but so cute, always cute)

 (the day we took gypsy home, our lives never to be same)

(Baby boy 2 months old with his DEE DA)

I love them, unconditionally.

For my birthday I get this text from my gypsy baby,

you know, the one that looks so much like me

but has so much more courage than I ever did,

I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU, AND

HOW AMAZING OF NOT ONLY A MOTHER AND FRIEND YOU ARE,

BUT JUST PERSON IN GENERAL. YOU ARE THE MOST

LOVING, SUPPORTIVE PERSON I HAVE EVER MET AND

I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MUCH IT MEANS TO ME

THAT YOU ALWAYS HAVE MY BACK.

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOMMA

There is something about the word, "momma" 

that has always and still does melt my heart.

Such an endearing word, earned by a woman who

has done the very best job she could.

An imperfect human who has a perfect love for

two little children who call me

MOMMA

left to tell

I have just finished reading the true account 

of this most amazing woman, Imaculee Ilibagiza.

I first heard about it a few weeks ago when my TES friends

came to visit. It was the summer reading for EDWhite

and Mel spoke of how her son read it all in one night and

how inspired by the book.

A small world as Patricia also spoke of how her best friend

worked for Immaculee and she was soon to hear her 

speak in Lafayette. What an amazing story, what

an amazing woman. 

It still floors me that in today's world there is such

a thing as genocide, killing because of the faith you

practice.

To watch your whole family be killed 

and live in a bathroom with other women for

three months to find forgiveness for the killers

is something phenomenal.

I wonder, if I had lived the same life

would I forgive? It's the way the Big Man

would want us to forgive and yet, how hard

that is, the murders of your whole family.

Patricia was in her presence yesterday,

hearing her speak and was able to get me a signed copy 

of her book I just read on Ipad.

In March she will be in Thibodaux and I plan

on making her most awesome testimony to 

a life that we, here in the USA, can't even 

imagine still happens in our world.

A must read!

A must see as she will be in Thibodaux in March

St. Genevieve church.

How do besties know???

How do your best friends even since high school 

remain so intuned to you even after so many years and

living many miles apart?

I have two of the most dear besties in the world,

would not trade them for anything.

We never get enough time together. never.

We are all so busy with our own lives and families,

Ann with her nieces and nephews,

Laurie still having a teenager in the house.

Yet, we all seem to know just what the other needs at 

the right times.

I have had some rough days.

When my pain becomes too much for me,

I miss my Mommy and Daddy more.

A few days ago, was having a really rough one.

Just thinking about my Mommy and how it still

is so hard to believe that I will not ever see her again in this world.

Even find myself wondering about heaven, hell and all that 

is in between. I worry about why is it taking me so long

to accept the loss of my Mommy. 

Then I get this from my bestie, Laurie:

And it sums up all for me, all in one little spot.

The whys of why I still miss her so much.

The comfort that I get from having besties can't

be explained. 

Thanks again, dear Laurie, I received it right when I got it.

Love you so big!

The year we turn 50

Myself, the besties, the whole class of 1981 have turned 50 this year.

One of the youngest of our class, Jade passed away a few years ago.
(Jade is the 5th from the left, bottom row.)

Although we were not as close when we got to high school,

as youngsters we were very close.

Yesterday was Jade's birthday and her besties,

decided to have her birthday party.

A true testament to what besties mean to each other.

 They began the party right where her body rests,

at the mausoleum.

They ended the night with supper and a birthday cake

at Sharon's home.

Such a touching gesture to the "baby of their group"

she was the youngest and often joked with them

that they were always going to be older than her.

An honorable birthday for very true and honorable friends.

One of the bestsies posted,

"Jade was the glue that held us together and she still is"

I am so fortunate that my besties still are here on Earth

and that we can still spend time with each other.

However, if we were not, I hope we would remain

just as close as we were in life.

RIP dear, Jade and Kuddo's to all your besties.

You all are something special!

THE BUTLER

Finally, finally, a movie I have been waiting for.

I went to Houma Palace to watch it as I wanted

to see if with my besties. We met there and

Ms. Geri and the bestie babies were also there.

Like sometimes happens, the hype surrounding the movie

left me just a tad disappointed but putting that aside,

the story was beautiful. It is a known fact how much

I love Oprah, and in this movie, she demands attention.

Attention not just as a talk show host but a serious actress.

The support she gives to the main actor, "the butler" 

was great. As the movie ends, having gone through the 

many presidents the butler served, I look around the

packed theater and realize that the very best part of

the movie has happened right there in the theater.

We have finally come to a place in our world where

all denominations can sit together, in union,

watching this movie.

White, black, red, purple, color does not matter

and for that I am proud of the facts that are true in this movie.

Thanks to the "freedom riders" who are portrayed in the movie

having been the butler's son, for the freedom we all

live now.

The best waiter

(Blog per phone forgive any errors)

I do believe I am the best waiter. 

Not as in the kind of career gypsy baby has

But the kind that sits and waits, and waits, and waits...

A flight delay for some would ruin a day especially

For someone like poor HOBL who has been flying all night.

I love waiting in airports. 

Perfect place to people watch. 

I wonder about others waiting. 

I sometimes strike a conversation

With others waiting. 

Today as I sit, a young girl cannot sit. 

She is anxious and I can tell just by her manner

She is waiting for her lover. 

Maybe hubby, may be boyfriend but

Definite her lover.

I know when she spots him. 

I can see in my periphial vision

While reading my book, her smile. 

She is beaming and when they finally make contact

She hugs his neck, gives a short hop and 

Wraps her legs around his waist. 

He is not at all sorry nor embarrassed

By her show of affection. 

It brings me back to a time when HOBL 

And I first started living together

And he would come home after weeks away. 

Watching this couple has made my day. 

I giggle to myself as I wonder what HOBL 

Would do if I jumped on him today as I witnessed

This 100 pound beauty do.

I laugh silently thinking

At our age it would be comical.

Second people watching scenerio is 

A young boy probably about BeAns age 

Waiting for his grandpa.  

Makes me kind of wish I had asked ibean could

Come. She likes waiting too. 

When he sees his "paw" he

Runs pass the allotted gate.

No one stops him as its one

Of those moments you just don't

Interfere with. 

Another long hug and many kisses. 

I ask his age and his mother says

"Two tomorrow"

I place a 5 dollar bill in his hand. 

I tell him to buy him a toy at Walmart. 

He thanks me with a big smile. 

HOBL, when you ask where my

Money goes" 

Well this is where it sometimes randomly goes.

Good thing I had change because he 

Would have scored a 20. 

I still visit the manor.

I have to, I can't stay away.

My mom not only took her last breath there

but I made many friends over the last 6 years.

One of those people is MR. BILL PITRE.

What a great friend he was to Mom and all of us.

His daughter, Celeste and I graduated together back in 1981

so we have rekindled an old friendship.

Two weeks ago, as I planned my next visit to the Manor,

I texted with Celeste and we met there for a visit and coffee.

Celeste is always ready for a gathering, I love that about her.

As we visited together, along with Celeste's sweet hubby,

Mr. Bill begins to tell us stories of miracles in his life.

Most of his stories are just that, miracles.

How I wish I had asked Mommy more stories of her life,

wish I had written them down as Celeste has done.

Here are his words, Mr. Bill, written by Celeste:

Constant's Miracle

On November 18, 1929, Josephine and Alces Pitre became the parents of baby boy.  They named him Constant Antoine Pitre after his paternal grandfather.  The birth was not easy.  The midwife had a hard time delivering him.  His coloring was not right for days and his forehead had been rubbed raw from the fingers of the midwife trying to help open the birth canal.   His size was confirmed by the family store scale which showed 11 pounds.

Constant nicknamed "Bill" grew normally but at the age of 2 a family member questioned if Josephine thought he might be having trouble seeing. He was brought to a doctor and given his first pair of glasses.  Most children would have been annoyed by this addition to their face but  Constant never tried to take them off.

The doctor advised Josephine to never have surgery on his eyes so for years she faithfully prayed to St. Lucy, the patron saint of the blind and those with eye troubles, to help him learn enough in school to be able to get a job and support a family. She prayed for 65 years to St. Lucy.

Constant wore glasses most of his life. He went from single lenses to bifocals to eventually trifocals lenses.  His nose is scarred from the weight of his heavy glasses.  He lived with constant headaches. He woke up with a headache and went to bed with a headache.  This constant pain made learning and reading difficult.   There were times when Earline, his future wife, would come from Golden Meadow to Cut Off to go to the dances at the Lee Brothers dance hall and Constant would already be in bed because of his headaches.  She had to go without him.

Constant graduated from Cut Off High School in 1948.  He worked in the family store and married Earline Terrebonne Pitre on January 21, 1951.  Eleven days after their marriage Constant was drafted into the army for service in the Korean War.

He left for basic training and Earline stayed behind and lived with his family helping out in the store.

When he was transferred to Georgia, Earline went to join him.  Because of his poor sight he stayed behind and trained the new recruits while his company went overseas.  None of them returned.

After his 2 years of service he returned home on the eve of the birth of their first child.  They settled in Cut Off and raised 5 children.  Constant worked as a clerk and janitor for a clinic and pharmacy in Cut Off.

In  July 1988, Constant suffered a glaucoma attack and lost the sight in his right eye. The doctors had to make an incision to relieve the pressure in his eye. The eye collapsed and his pupil would not close.  He still suffered with headaches.

On the warm summer morning of  July 12,1995, Constant sat out on the swing in his backyard reciting a rosary.  The sweat on his forehead prompted him to remove his glasses.  While praying he opened his eyes and could see a butterfly fluttering on a nearby branch.  Then he looked farther and saw his daughter's house in the distance.  He then realized that his glasses were in his hand!  He was so filled with emotion that his neighbor could see from her window that he was upset.  She asked him what was wrong. He told her that he could see!!!

He went inside and told his wife, grabbed his keys and drove to Sacred Heart Church to give thanks to God and St. Lucy.  His headaches miraculously went away too.

He is so thankful that his mother lived to see him without glasses and able to see.

Doctor's explained the regained sight as "Second Sight" stating that the cataracts in his eyes had actually enhanced his sight.  Constant gives all of the glory to prayer to St. Lucy.  He finally enjoys reading books on the lives of saints or religious stories.  He can even read the fine print on his prescription directives.

Constant is 83 years old and now lives in St. Joseph Manor in Thibodaux . He loves to share his miracle with people to give others hope and strengthen their faith.


by Celeste Pitre Molaison

I will never forget Mr. Bill and his stories.

The compassion he showed to all of us on the day Mommy died

will also never be forgotten.

The morning of her death, while the funeral home was

there to take Mommy's body away from the Manor for the last time,

I looked down the hall and saw Mr. Bill coming down the hall 

with his walker. The minute we made eye contact, he knew Mommy 

was gone from us. His place slowed and he began

to shake his head and cry.

I walked down the hall to meet him and cried on his shoulder.

He hugged me with one hand as he steadied himself with the other 

on his walker. For those few seconds, as he embraced me, I felt

the love of a Father. I hoped that our dear Mommy was being held

in the same way by the Father we all share,

Jesus Christ, himself.

I will forever be grateful to Mr. Bill for those few seconds

and for his continued friendship.

Love you Mr. Bill hope to hear more stories soon!

THE HOUSE IS QUIET

 I try really hard to have the nieces and nephews over for

 the summer to make memories and quality time with them.

They keep growing and I know it is only a matter of time

before I will take the backseat to their teenage plans.

Like my dear Tedi-girl.

Wants to spend time with her Nannie but is so busy with her little life.

The summer began with two of the boys,

Hugh first then Owen.

Over the last three weeks I have filled my home with girls, girls, girls.

Sometimes I have to double them up with another girl but

this summer they wanted time alone with me.

Yes, I know, a lucky old lady.

(I am 50. can call me old)

Malaina started the marathon. 

Mee loves to scrap and craft, like she would spend every waking

up moment with me in my scrap room.

The fact that this year, as she learned how to sew,

she made us matching shirts for our days together.

We have officially made them our craft shirts,

to be worn when we are together scrapping.

 I am always sad when one of my little visitors leave so this

summer, having them back to back helped the lonliness.

 The object of Auntie Lil visits?

Lots of laughs... lots of laughs.....

no matter what it takes, they will last, it is the priority of the time.

Second visitor? My dear, sweet, always to be my friend, Bailey.

B was one of my first school nurse assignments.

She was three when we became a part of each others  lives.

At that time, she was a very sickly little girl.

Had continuous tube feedings in a little back pack

a colostomy bag and was just needing lots of nursing care.

(written with she and her mommy's permission)

This summer I am in awe of just how self sufficient she is.

She now can attend the private school her twin brother attends

because she can now take care of all her medical needs without the

assistance of a nurse. I am so proud of her.

Our time spent together meant a little time in the scrap room

but we also did movies and lots of playing with Bean.

She just could not get enough of Bean.

When she was not with us, her constant question was when

were we going to see her again.

When it is time to bring her back to her mommy I wanted to cry.

She is growing up so fast, has outlived every doctors prediction,

just like I have. She and I talk about this often, how our childhoods

have been so similar because we were both sick kiddies 

while trying to learn.

I can't be sad for very long as on the same day I go to pick up my

dear, sweet Nee Nee.

She is my youngest god child and that makes me realize that 

all my godchildren are growing up.

She is in double digits and reminded me more than once

that she is almost a teenager.

I explain to her she is a "tween"

those years between being a child and a teenager.

She likes this title and uses it often now.

What is time spent with Nee like?

Fun. she demands nothing from me and is thankful for anything

I can give her. It has been a hard year for her yet she seems

happier than any other summer. She is proud that she has passed

her Leap test and moving on to the middle school.

However, she is also very worried about this.

I pamper this one. Nothing makes me  happier than spending

my money on all these kiddies who visit but especially on Nee.

What she wants is what many children take for granted.

She wants to be "girl pampered" which is exactly what we do.

She loves quiet time, watching movies, and is not demanding at all.

I treat her to a professional haircut at JC Penny.

There the beautician is so helpful, takes time to give her a free

deep conditioning, a lesson on how to fix her hair,

gives us pointers on a few things that we did not know.

I bring her to the Lush store and we allow the sales girl to 

explain all the wonderful smelling bath bombs, lotions, 

body scrubs. OOOhhhh I think we spent about hour there

and came home with a few wonderful things.

You see, I promise Nee a spa night.

No better place to buy spa things than lush.

Again, her appreciativeness of anything bought for her

just makes you happy. No amount of money spent on this child

goes unoticed by her.

I fill my big bath tub with water and Lush bath bombs,

I turn on the jets, show her how to use all the things I bought for her.

I am so impressed with just how beautiful her finger nails are.

She used to be a biter, like me bu tnow they are gorgeous!

I cannot wait to give her a mani/pedicure when she gets out.

She smells so darn good!

I do foot massages and pedicure.

I do hand massages and manicures and she is soooo proud of

just how beautiful she looks and feels.

Yep, money well spent.

I spend lots of time showing her how to style her hair

and I fix her a pretty little box filled with all her new things.

A mini straighten iron she can use on her own,

her nail polishes, scrubs, etc.

So proud to have all her own things and she is just a "Tween"

 Summer is ending, I know this when all the girls speak of the

beginning of school. It is nee I worry the most about.

I return her home via her granny and I hear that she had a great first day

of school. I pray nothing but good days are ahead of her as she

deserves to be treated with love and respect for where she is in her life.

If someone takes the time to get to know this child,

they will realize she has such wonderful qualities.

Then there is this, this, this, THIS....

I just cannot get enough of this sweet Bean.

Because her Daddy works away 14 days at a time and

her Mommy just took on a full time position on night shift,

myself and her MawMaw take turns caring for this sweet baby

at night. I love night times as well as waking up to her.

I try to explain to a friend this week, who does not have grandchildren yet

what it is to be a Mumsie.

It is hard to explain. As when I was a Mommy, many of the times

I sat and played with them, although I did it, I was bored many times.

They didn't know it, but I was.

My mind was always on what i should be doing,

the clothes that needed to be washed, meals to be cooked...

With Bean I can put all of this aside and really love playing with her.

I will get all the little bitty toys we love to play with and play for hours

without once thinking what I should be doing or how long

we have been playing. 

Summer is done, kiddies back in school,

hoping good memories live in all these sweet girls hearts as

I know it does in mine.

MY BABY BOY, BEAN'S DADDY, KD'S HUSBAND

 Today is my baby boy's 28th birthday.

Twenty eight years ago today,

on a Sunday to be exact this child became my best

reason for living.

Except for the few years I lost him to drugs,

he has been a pleasant child to raise.

 He holds many different titles these days,

Son and brother, husband and daddy.

The one title that he no longer wears is grandson to 

this Mommee. he adored as she did him.

Happy birthday my dear, first child!

 The very best thing I have ever done, the one thing

I know I excelled at, was being a Mommy.

You made it easy, very easy.

I watched you play, watched you sleep and I have watched 

you grow into the fine young man you are.

 Kd is lucky, so are you.

To have found a wife like kd out of all the girls out there

must have been like looking for a needle in a haystack

and yet, you did it, you found her.

One of my very favorite things to do is to watch you 

be a daddy to Bean.

She adores you, cries for you, cuts up with you,

it is obvious how much she loves you and your company.

When I watch you two dance or sing together,

practice duck hunting it is comic relief to me.

Sometimes,

I think of how close we came to loosing you to the life 

of drugs. that having Kd as your wife, Bean as your baby girl

may not have happened and I could cry.

I know you will always have my back. In those times

that I have been sad, both you and gypsy have come through for me.

In areas such as comfort, where Daddy struggles with how to help,

you and gypsy know exactly what to do to get me back on the right track.

Whether it be to lay with me, let me cry on y'all shoulders,

or help me to see things for what they are,

I am comforted.

The best thing I have ever done, the best thing Daddy and I have

ever done, is having you two.

I watch you when you are fathering Bean and it melts me.

Somewhere along the course of you life,

you saw what it was to be a daddy and you came through

to be one of the best daddy's I know.

That little girl adores you as little girls should.

There are no better gifts you can ever get better than

the two girls you call your family.

Happy birthday my dear, wonderful child.

You make me proud every day!

Love now and always,

Momma

RAINBOWS COME IN MANY FORMS

(heads up, a long one)

Yes, it was my birthday...

the big 5-0

Many want diamonds for their big birthdays,

some want vacations, me? what do I want?

A RAINBOW!

In the form of a vacuum cleaner.

Let my go back 27 years, right after Baby boy's first birthday.

We had just gone through a demonstration of one a few weeks before

and although I fell in love and wanted it desperately,

it was not financially in the cards.

However, at one year old, BB got a bad case of

croup and was in the hospital, ICU until he became stable.

HOBL at the time was a smoker and he felt so bad

for the fact that maybe his smoking made BB sick

that he called and ordered the rainbow.

It is still the one we use now. It has broken a few times

but each time I think maybe I will get a new one,

HOBL fixes it. To say we have gotten our money's worth is

an understatement. This time HOBL goes to Alaska and

that darn rainbow breaks again! I convince him that although

I still want him to fix this one for upstairs, it is time for a new one.

He gives me all his arguments that he can fix that one,

that they are too expensive... blah blah blah...

Finally I send him an email explaining that the time has come

for a new one, that if you divide 28 years by the 2,000 dollars

a new one may cost, that is less than 50 cents a day.

He finally gives in but after much study, we agree on 

no more than 2100 dollars.

He wants to order online,

I want to go to Gray... where I have always bought

our parts, where the couple who owns it has always been

friendly and helpful. Where I have always promised if ever

I would buy a new one, it would be from them.

I walk in yesterday, so excited. Of course, they know me.

"The time has come, I am ready to buy a new Rainbow"

I am hoping for a brand spanking new one.

The price??? 3,100 dollars.

My heart sinks as I explain HOBL and I have agreed to spend

not more than 2,000 dollars and how I drove there because

I had promised my business. In there is a little old man

getting a demonstration on a second hand vacuum that he is 

about to purchase. That one is well under my budget and even

though my heart is sad, I realize a second hand one is probably 

what I am going to get. They work me some prices,

if I trade in my old one, they will take 1,000 off a new one

placing it right at my budget. I don't want to give away my old one.

I know it sounds ridiculous to be attached to a silly vacuum but I am.

I want HOBL to fix it and place it upstairs.

They knock off 600 dollars without any trade and will

give me the "no state tax" that went on last weekend.

Still the price is more than HOBL and I agreed on.

There are no second hand ones left at this moment so I give them

my name and number to call if another comes in.

I am sad, it is evident. The friendly owners say that if money

is the issue they can finance the little bit left.

I explain it is not a money issue. Thankfully because HOBL

is the big saver, money is not a problem. It is just out of

respect for him that I will not go over budget we agreed on

without speaking to him.

We just don't do that.

The little old man buying the second hand rainbow has taken all this in.

He is teary eyed as he finally speaks up.

"Tell your husband to get you the new one. My wife wanted 

one like you, a brand new one. I put it off because I though it

was not needed, to expensive. She died last week. Now I buy the second hand

one because it is all I need now that she is gone, but

I sure wish I had bought her that shiny new one."

I am speechless... me, speechless? Yep it happens some time.

We all are quiet. I give my sympathy but leave without the vacuum.

I get in the car thinking of this poor little man.

Even after in the car I turn around once deciding I am just

going to trade in my old one for the thousand dollars off.

I turn towards home again because I can't let the old one go

and I also can't go over what we budgeted without speaking to HOBL.

I want to cry, I am 50 years old and I am crying over a ridiculous 

material possession. But the sadness is more about the little old man

than wanting the vacuum. Within a few minutes of turning around

for the second time a call comes through from my dear friend,

the owner of the rainbow store, David.

"Listen, Ms. Lilly, I couldn't say it in front of my other customers

but my wife and I have decided without a trade in they will give me

the thousand dollars off as well as no tax at all.

the total price? $2, 197!

I am turning around right now... and I do....

I get there and hug them both! 

I am not in to delayed gratification, they have made my birthday!

I know that they are still making a good profit but they explain 

that after I left the little old man, before leaving with his second hand 

rainbow goes on about his dear wife and how he wishes he could

go back and buy her what she wanted.

The decision was made and they throw in a rainmate room air freshner machine

for my birthday.

Such an awesome story and again,

it could be called a coincidence but I will call it a God gift.

NO WORDS, no words....

I am going to try, really hard to put some words together here

to explain what yesterday meant to me.

It is going to be hard but I am going to try to give it justice.

When my Mommy was sick, we talked about a lot.

Some I shared with many, some I kept personal between us.

I have always been one not afraid to talk about the "deep stuff"

so it should be no surprise that Mommy and I talked about

death, we talked about life. I asked her is she could change

anything about her wonderful life what would it be?

She shared that even though she and Daddy spent some time

with family and friends, she would have done more of that.

She would have visited more rather than just talking about it.

She would have slept over at people's homes, kept in touch

with those she cared for.

I have said before here, I made her a promise that I would do just that.

I have always tried really hard to be important in the lives of 

the children in our family and to close friends and besties.

I promised Mommy that I would do more of that.

Yesterday, a few of my many friends made the trip to Plaquemine

to visit me, to see the house but mostly to visit with me.

The fact that they all had to go to work tomorrow 

had me feel very special.

Patricia, Amanda, Mel....

and then the kiddies,

Elisse, Emily, Cameron, Taylor and last but not least,

My dear, sweet, Nee Nee, who is here spending time with her Nannie

made for a beautiful and emotional day for me.

We did some old fashioned, "Make the VEy Yay"

( Cajun french slang for talking)

We caught up on all the happenings in our life

as well as heart talks. We spoke of relationships of teens,

of next school year, of the happenings of our other TES families,

I was able to share my heart about the loss of my Mommy...

the changes in my life since moving to Plaquemine.

They let me brag and go on and on about my sweet Bean

and never looked bored.

just such a touching day for me.

We then all went to Guidry's here in town to 

have a wonderful, long and relaxed lunch.

It was perfect, ending with a piece of bread pudding with

a candle in it, the famous Happy Birthday song

and I , of course, sang along.

From there we all separated with many hugs and kisses,

promises of more visits many "I love you"

I wanted to cry because I was just so filled with happiness.

I held it together and we all drove away.

Sweet Nee and I then went to movies.

When I returned home I realized that not only had they

brought me a most beautiful flowering plant but a card.

I had overlooked the card with love notes and signed by each of them.

More than that, the words of the card, just got me.

I then did tear up and let some of my overflowing love out:

HAPPY IS A WORD THAT COMES TO MIND

WHEN THINKING OF YOU.

HAPPY BECAUSE THAT'S THE KIND 

OF POSITIVE AND CHEERFUL PERSON

EVERYONE SEES IN YOU.

HAPPY BECAUSE OF THE WAY YOU MAKE

OTHER PEOPLE FEEL.

HAPPY BECAUSE OF THE SMILES YOU INSPIRE. ALWAYS.

HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF HAPPY TODAY

AND IF ANYONE KNOWS HOW IT'S YOU.

I try so hard to make others feel special in my life.

Sometimes it gets hard and I don't think I am doing a very good

job of it. This card reminds me that to some, I am doing it.

Again, thanks to you all...

Now hoping from a visit from the besties soon!

 "My Mel"

 Elisse, taytay, amanda

 my sweet Nee

 C, Patricia, Emily

 Amanda and her love, Taylor (tay-tay)

 Patricia and her baby girl, Emily

 Some are embarrassed having birthday wishes in an establishment....

not me!

Sweet, Tay Tay.... such a cutie!!!!

Oh our Mommee

I am going through the last of Mommee's things.

All that is left is her personal cards and letters, pictures

that she has accumulated over the 92 years she lived.

It is the hardest as it has me looking into her life,

those things that were important to her.

I don't think she ever threw away one card,

one picture colored by a grandchild, one love note.

I am scanning all her old pictures to put on a disc for

each sibling and giving the originals to the rightful owner.

When I saw this picture of Mickey Mouse at first,

I couldn't find out which child in our family was in 

the many children. I looked better and there, I see,

our Mommee, in there with all the children copping a kiss

on Mickey's cheek while he signs someones autograph book.

It makes me laugh and makes me cry at the same time.

See, this was our old Mommee, the one before dementia.

It is in these pictures, those times that I realize just how much

I am like her. Part of me will just not grow up.

I would be the one pushing my way through all the children

to kiss Mickey.

I am going to frame this one as it represents so much of 

our Mommee's personality.

She definitely made us laugh and smile just as I did yesterday.

A new child is born...

The Alessi family, the Vizier family,

they are all on cloud nine right now.

Their baby Finn is here!

A beautiful name for a wonderful child,

FINN PAUL ALESSI

What can I say to this newly born child?

I can tell him, he is a very lucky little boy that

God has chosen these two for his parents.

They come from a "good crop"

parents who have taught them so much about 

marriage, family, commitment.

They are so much in love, a team before and now

bonded by a little baby boy named FINN.

I see this beautiful new Mommy and can remember

the day her own Mommy had her.

So hard to see all those little girls growing up, getting married,

having babies. Leah and the Pitre girls have always followed

each other while growing up so it is fitting that they all married

and now all having babies within 6 months of each other.

It is how it should be, the way God intended it to be.

No matter what is wrong in the world, when

looking into the eyes of a newborn child,

all is right.

On the other hand, never before will the bad things in the world

alarm new parents as much as it will now.

This future of the world now means something to them because

it is now their little boys world, his future.

I can remember before having BB, I never thought of pollution.

Once he was born I remember wanting to recycle, never to throw

another thing out of my car window.

I worried about  the world I was going to leave them in.

OH My! What a new baby does to your life.

 To hear Pat, Leah's mother for the short

conversation this morning before the phone went out,

has me so excited for what is to come in her life.

To hear her in awe of her own baby girl as she delivered

her first grandchild swells my heart.

Leah, I know just how much you are in love with this baby,

I also can tell you that in the next few days and weeks to come,

you will miss the bond the two of you had together, 

him swimming around inside of you, where he could hear your

heart beat and all was perfect in his world.

You will miss having him all to yourself and yet,

will be so thankful, so relieved that he is here, healthy

and now you can share with the world all you already know

about this sweet child of yours.

To become a parent is to now wear your heart on your sleeve.

How can I explain to all just what this life will be like now?

Fact is, there are no words, none in the English language to 

express what has just happened to these two families.

I am sure even if I looked on every Rosetta Stone there still

would be no language that can speak the love of one little bitty

sweet new born baby boy.

Congrats to all!!!!!

Love you all!