My love for children

Often I am asked sometimes by my own family:

"How can you do all that stuff with kids?"

Some ask me why I do it.

For some it is hard to understand.

For me it is just because I completely love kids.

I cannot pass a child without touching their head

or hugging and kissing them if I know them.

Heck one day I was eating out with baby boy, baby girl,

and Kd and a child passed and I completely lost my

train of thought to stop and talk to that child.

A child I did not even know.

There is something about being around a child

and seeing the world through their eyes that I find

so amazing.

I have this gift of being able to relate to all children

no matter what their ages, of speaking to them

in a language that they can understand.

This is most definitely a gift and one I get to use

daily in my job. I can go from holding a sick 4 year old

until their parent gets there to giving tough-love

to an 11 year old who is bullying.

I do believe I have had many life experiences so that

I can share these experiences with children so

they can feel like I get them and I do share

personal stories with them.

As for my great nieces and nephews

my heart swells when I just think of them.

It doesn't matter if it is those that I see and spend

time with often or those that I talk of but don't

get to see that much. My heart swells just the same.

I see potential in each child, even those who seem

simply lost to the world.

There are those days like on Thursday when

my job finds me burned out with the fact that

5th grade girls would prefer talking to me about

periods and lice rather than speak to their own Mom's.

Telling me that their Mom's don't believe them, that

their Mom's aren't around for them to ask those

important questions. Yes, I am glad I am there to

help children yet I feel with my heart for those

who do not have a good relationship with their parents.

There is not a day that goes by that I don't smile

or laugh by something a child does, whether it be my family

or my school family yet there are also many days

that I am sorry for children.

Do not know if I would want the responsibility

of raising children in this world of today.

I see the future in all children.

So whenever I call and ask for your child,

don't thank me. You see I do it for my own

selfish reasons, I love spending time with children.

Being able to send them home when I am done

is an added bonus :^)

guess who's going to the superbowl?

Yes, that is right Rebecca and Mikie are heading to the Superbowl!

I want to be jealous but really, this boy has been following the Saints

with season tickets probably since he was the age of his own son.

So I expect lots of pictures so we can at least feel like we

were at least part of the excitement.

FRIDAY, FRIDAY, LALALAALALALALALLALLA

Fridays make me happy, happy!

Not much to enlighten you guys on so I'll just leave you

with pictures to enjoy.

Mumsie and Scott shaking a leg at Rod-n-Kd wedding

Rod-Kd "Sealing the deal"

Hunk and Mikie sealing their deal...

Lillian Therese Collins, I must say I was cute!

Baby boy-n-girl

Baby boy, Ali, and Dempsey.

That boy loves his pups

Baby girl looking stunning

Hunk-o-burning love

participating in a skit at Renaissance festival

Baby boy-n-girl in Arkansas

Aunt Lil, Cas, and baby girl on Cas' visit to Louisiana.

Have a wonderful Friday.

Bad weather and cold this afternoon.

Get your PJ's ready.

Me? Scrap weekend...

S&H stamps

I am reading a book right now that brought back memories

of old S&H green stamps.

Oh what those wonderful stamps brought to a little girl

being raised in the 60-70 era.

I remember Daddy licking or wetting these green treasures

with a wet towel and placing them in the little paper books.

I never really got involved in that part of the savings

but on the occasion that one of the big sisters picked

up Mumsie and I to go and redeem these green nuggets,

well I was there. I loved the green stamp store as we called it.

There were glass cases full of toys and household things

that could be bought with these stamps.

On the ride there I would dream of what type of toys

might I find there. It was not every time that I

benefited from the savings. Sometimes

Mumsie and Dad saved for something they really needed.

I would stand there in anticipation, waiting for Mumsie

to say, " I have 10 books left Lilly, pick you something."

I can't remember not one thing I was able to purchase

with green stamps. It wasn't about the prize, it

was about the whole trip, the probability that maybe

I would go home with something.

Oh how I loved the S&H green stamp store.

Anniversary date

Today is 4 years since our Robert Acosta died

of spinal meningitis.

For my followers who do not know,

Rob was one of Roddie's childhood friends,

the son of Marty and Jeri Acosta.

The kind of friend who basically lived at your home

or Rod living at his.

The kind of friend that you jokingly told you

would deduct him on your income tax.

It has been a loss not to have Rob with us.

Yet I must comment on the fact that

because of Robert's death,

this year as a school nurse, we were mandated

to make sure all 11 year old students had been

immunized with a meningitis vaccine.

This was largely due to the hard work of

Marty and especially Jeri who went out there

after their only child's death to change the law

and make this vaccine mandatory instead of a choice.

It was just not enough for them to loose their child

to this dreaded disease without making his death

a cause. If you knew Robert, we was always looking

for a cause. His parents made his life, his death their cause.

Usually around the time of Robert's birthday and

the anniversary of his death I dream of him.

In my dreams he usually gives me some clue as to something

he wants me to do for his parents.

This is the first time I do not dream of him.

I choose to believe that is because he is on to

bigger and better things.

It's because his parents have done all the hard work

in his honor and now he says,

"Your work is done. Rest, enjoy your life and

I will see you when your return here,

to the place some call heaven and that I now call home."

I FOUGHT FACEBOOK AND FACEBOOK WON

Yes, I now have a facebook account.

Had one for a few days last year when the kids told me

they thought I was too old for that.

Since then, everywhere I went, everyone and their momma

shoot even some of the grandmomma's had facebook.

So I went ahead and reopened my account.

I have to admit, I am enjoying having a way to

see how family members who live far away,

old neighbors and highs chool friends are doing these days.

I love the pictures of their lives.

I don't see myself becoming a Facebook addict

Heck, sometimes I can't even want to see a computer.

It stops me from creating and playing.

However usually every morning at about 5:00 am

you can find me on this piece of technology.

So look me up on facebook and surely will see

you there soon.

OH WHEN THE SAINTS...

History has been made and all of us

may not have slept much last night.

The newscaster, Rob I do believe is still

drunk this morning and screaming

"SHUTTER DOWN"

Saying that the state of Louisiana must

shut down on Superbowl Sunday.

Yes our Saints are going to Superbowl!

We were at Roddie and Kd last evening for

the game and I do believe I lost it when

I stood up on their brand new couch

and was screaming and jumping up and down

and the only thing that made that okay was

the fact that Kd was also.

I could say that maybe we were outplayed

and that Maybe Brett Favre deserved to win

the game but this morning I believe

that what this was was an awesome play-off game

where two deserving teams played their hearts out.

It is what a Championship game should be.

Yes, most of us would have been happier with

knowing much earlier that we had won the game

much sooner with a blow-out but now that

I know the end result, it was the most entertaining

game I have been involved in.

What an awesome way to end the game with this

young kicker to be the hero.

Listening to him speak of yesterday did make

me want to cry.

He spoke of not being able to sleep the night before

and found himself up at 2:15 am calling his Daddy.

He told his Daddy he felt as though he would find

himself in this position and he would win the game.

He said the first thing he did was call his Daddy.

Now you know this touches ol' Aunt Lil's heart.

Thanks Roddie and Kd for having us over

and thanks for the wonderful company of your parents

and Frankie and Crystal.

Each time I think of this historical event being made

it will be with memories of you guys!

Zachary is a star in Scott

I knew the bayou was small but Scott must not be much bigger

than Golden Meadow.

Zachary was born on 01/10/10

(isn't that an awesome birthday to grow up with)

yet he was the very first baby to be born in Scott.

Peter sent us this awesome article of all

this cute family received with this honor.

I told Em and Andre' they won't have to cook for a while!

Em and I had a long text conversation last Saturday

as I was getting better from my hospital stint

and she like all of us who hold our babies in our

arms for the first time is in awe of this little creature.

She, like the rest of us, is now very conscious of

the world around her and as I told her while she was

pregnant she will never look at the world the same again.

I must say however that this little boy we call

Zachary David Broussard

is one lucky little boy.

You see, little Zac, I have known your momma

since the first day she was born.

She is a perfectionist with the biggest heart

I have ever known.

She will stress over every decision she ever makes

for you here on out.

She will never make a decision without weighing all the odds

and doing what she, in her heart, feels like is the

best decision for you. She will consult with your daddy

on those decisions whether it be for a simple decision

such as what brand diaper to wear or

when to discipline you. She will never pass

on any of her motherly duties to anyone else without

much thought on how this will affect you.

She and your Daddy will surround you with all the

good things in the world and try and shield you from

all the harshness out there.

She will surround you with people who love you

and want the best for you always.

WHAT A LUCKY, LUCKY, LUCKY BOY YOU ARE

THE JOE GRIFFIN

Veronica, last week told us the story of how Edison Chouest was

naming one of their boats after our own Uncle Joe Griffin.

This is a big deal. One because rarely do these boat companies

name their boats by any other name than family and two

for the very reason as to why Uncle Joe died so young.

Uncle Joe was married to my Aunt MaeMae who is my

Daddy's sister. They had a good life until one day he found

himself making a crew change for Edison Chouest.

He was involved in an auto accident that he walked out of only

to tell paramedics he was fine and to help the people in the other car.

He soon collapsed and died on the scene from what they have always

believed were internal injuries that were not apparent

until he had lost enough internal blood to cause him death.

My Aunt MaeMae was left with 6 children to raise on her own.

The oldest, Joelynn was in high school, the youngest, Russ

was I believe 18 months old.

Now to speak of this awesome aunt, MaeMae.

This woman raised not only these 6 children alone but also

helped raise every grandchild who came after.

She has always been one of the strongest women I know.

She never remarried and always made her children priority.

She ran a trophy shop from her home so she could provide

for her brood. I do not remember her complaining or crying

not one time.

Edison Chouest and his company through all these years

have always took care of my Aunt and all my first cousins.

Whatever they needed Edison Chouest and their company

provided. Even 34 some-odd years later, they still

remember my Uncle Joe and his family.

We were all so touched to think that this amazing company

has named one of their boats the

JOE GRIFFIN

Enjoy the pictures of the event.

Thanks to Uncle Darwin and Aunt Jerry who were so kind

to bring Mumsie with them when none of us Collins could

miss work to take her there.

Mumsie called last night and went on and on about

how much she enjoyed this outing and talked

of old memories as if it were yesterday.

Aunt MaeMae holding pictures of Uncle Joe

The JOE GRIFFIN

Joey and Russ the two youngest Griffin's

Aunt MaeMae, Aunt TaTa. Shana is the one on the right.

Shana is the youngest daughter of Uncle Joe and Aunt MaeMae

Enjoy your Friday and get ready for the Saints.

THE DREAM REMAINS A DREAM

Ronnie came home from the airport, Jesi picked him up

and they met me at the house.

Both of us are disappointed to say that we

will not be purchasing the awesome house on

the bayouside. Not because it wasn't worth it

or that everything that has been done to this home

was done in an awesome way.

Not because this bayouside home will be a wonderful place

for someone to call home.

When Ron weighed the fact that although

this house is move in condition there is upkeep

that would have to be done like painting and such

and that this one that we own outright is maintenance

free for me. We also had to weigh the fact that my

health is not the best all the time and he works

thousands of miles away and that if something went

wrong on an older home, he would worry that I would

not be able to do those things that need to be done.

I made myself a promise that no matter how much

I fell in love with the home that Ron would

have to make the final decision and I would

go with whatever he thought was best for us.

Yes, I love this home but when he made his points

in regards to our age and future I do agree that we

have made the best decision for us.

Yet we are still both just a little disappointed.

Julie and Shane, thank you so much for allowing

us to be in your home so much for the last two weeks.

For holding out for us for two weeks when you

could have been showing it to others.

You guys will have no trouble selling this place you call your home.

It was awesome getting to know you guys.

To any of my blog followers,

if you are interested in looking at this home

let me know and I will give you their contact information.

So the dream continues.

HERE COMES THE SUN...

Funny that when returning to my school after

going to the doctor with C and Ted I see the sun shining.

It is exactly how my spirits are feeling...

HERE COMES THE SUN

Wonderful news for C with the surgeon today.

He does not feel like this problem in the gallbladder

is cancer, he relieved us by saying gallbladder cancer

is very rare and when seen it does not look like this.

He said it is not connected to the liver.

He offered her a few options:

He can take it out next week

or as Ted suggested,

she can wait two months, rescan and then if any changes

remove the gallbladder or if it weighs on her mind too much

he can remove it then.

Even worst case scenerio if this were a rare type of cancer

nothing would change the treatment by waiting 2 months.

He was completely optimistic that this finding has

nothing to do with the way she is feeling.

She and Ted have opted for the waiting 2 months and

going on their skiing trip in 2 weeks.

Thankin the Big Man right now...

Sorry Mikie

Nonk Jay with his three little sister in laws

Audobon Zoo, have always loved this picture...

Ange' and NeeNee being good sisters...

Jesi's first lost tooth and a new hairdo...

Hugh John and Ellie Pie on the streets of downtown Thibodaux

Ronnie teaching his favorite daughter in law the mechanics of a gun...

Ron and Baby boy on the morning of Jesi's high school graduation.

They are standing on her bed while she is trying to sleep,

Rod is wearing her prom dress, Ron her graduation gown.

Gotta love these boys...

My Abby at little Abby's birthday party...

KD on one of our family excursions, you know the ones

that always play out better in my head than in real life.

This was at an antique shop we dragged the boys to...

Taken by my friend, Teela who took Jesi's graduation pictures...

Jesi and Kira messing around at Peltier Park...

Aunt LeeLee...

Cutie-patootie C...

One of Dad's awesome photographs.

Mom thinks it was because of the new car.

Love this picture...

Roddie was always so smart, reading at 13 months...

Mikie and I had a long talk last night.

He put in a request for an entertaining, funny blog

this morning. Enough of gloom and doom

he said he needed something happy today.

Yet after receiving more devastating news

yesterday about a dear friend of mine,

well I just have nothing entertaining today.

Sorry Mikie, so this one is open to you guys.

Come on share with me a funny or entertaining

uplifting story you have.

Make Aunt Lil smile today...

However I will leave you with these pictures

in hopes that at least one sparks an old memory,

a smile to your face,

Smiles and laughter are the cure for lots!

Fear of the unknown

We all have experienced the fear of the unknown.

It can drive you crazy until you get the news.

Whether it be good news or bad news,

it can be handled once you know the truth.

Our family has always been one that can

handle even more than the ordinary,

as soon as we know what we are facing.

Funny, when I hear of others having breast cancer

I may cry out of empathy for them

yet when our own sister was diagnosed with

her second bout of breast cancer I don't know

if I shed one tear.

Why? Because it is the way our family rolls.

We can handle anything once we know what we

have to do.

I hope Celena is not offended by the fact that

I must speak of her this morning. To speak of

her personal life I'm not sure I should do but

to speak of nothing, to not ask for prayers on her

behalf would just not be me.

I won't go into big detail right now in hopes that

maybe C will share with us once she is ready, once she

knows just what she is facing.

The fact is we really don't know what she is facing yet.

I will just say this,

she hasn't been feeling well lately and she has

had some tests that have turned out not so good.

She and her little family as well as her extended family

are caught right now in the

FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN

part of this medical thing.

She will be seeing a surgeon tomorrow and a probable

second opinion on Friday at Ocshner's

She will definitely need surgery to remove

her gallbladder but there is some suspicion

that this will be a little more complicated than

removing her gallbladder. There is a suspicious

lump there.

So please pray for our sister as she faces whatever

is in her future here.

Prayers can do wonders, it unblocked my colon.

Hopefully we will have good news soon

and I also hope that C will keep us all posted

on this blog.

Please be kind and give them time to absorb

all this information when she gets it.

I promise we will keep all of you posted.

Celebrating MLK

Monday night is Bingo night however this Monday Bingo

was cancelled because of MLK birthday celebration.

Well, this just didn't make sense to C,

I mean shouldn't we have Bingo to celebrate MLK?

So C decided that we would have our own MLK birthday...

at the manor with all who could attend.

We had sandwiches, dip, king cake, soft drinks...

We invited "Sista" who showed up for a minute to mess

with us...

We were going to play UNO but as usual just spent our time

talking, catching up, laughing...

...Rosie was late (what Rosie was late?!) but came in

with a bang sporting her WHO DAT spirit...

...And we had surprise company when Mone's old beau, C.J. France

came in with his sweet wife to celebrate with us...

If pure spirit could win a game for the Saints

then the Saints are bound to win this weekend.

Good times by all.

Good times, good times

Thanks C for the idea and planning!

Back on track

After a small delay with building this road and such

I am back on track.

Took it easy yesterday but was able to make it

to church and cook lunch.

Today no school thanks to ol' MLK!

Up at my usual time of 5 am and going back to

the gym today. It is good to feel well again

but it is like having to start all over again and I was

on a roll. Thanks to all of you who sent well-wishes

and prayers. This week Ron and I will make a

life-changing decision as we decide if we

will purchase this new home.

I could go for a change of scenery to

go with my road paving project...

THE PEOPLE OF HAITI

I have put off blogging about the Haiti earthquake.

One because I wasn't feeling well and this whole thing was

making me feel worse and two, because what can be said?

Should I talk about my questions to God?

Should I talk about how tragic each and every personal story is?

Should I talk about our TES french teachers who have

been on pins and needles awaiting news of their loved ones?

This morning I will type with no plans.

I will type what comes to my head in hopes that I can grasp

inside myself what I am feeling.

All of us sometime in our lives have been faced with some

type of horrible happenings that was hard to get through.

We as a community know what total destruction is.

We have seen the floods of Juan, the devastation of Katrina,

the crumbling of our own twin towers.

We know and understand what Haiti is going through,

but only to a point.

You see because even through all of this, we had family

to help us, we had hospitals to go to, we had churches

and groups to pray together. Even though people

were stranded for days after Katrina, we knew once they

were rescued there would be food, shelter, hospitals,

doctors and everything they needed to build back up.

It would be slow but there was hope for these who

lived in one of the richest countries we call home, USA.

What I feel for one of the most poorest places in the

world is something that is hard to put in words.

I cannot imagine surviving this to find my child

dying with no hospital or medical care to bring them to.

To just hold them not knowing what is wrong praying

they either die soon without suffering too much or

wake up and get better over a few days.

There are no places for them to go.

They are laid out in fields waiting for food, water.

When food and water does arrive the trucks sometimes

have to pull away still full because of the mass crowds fighting

for the necessities for life. They are afraid and

this makes them act like animals, they are in survival mode

and they are doing what they feel they must do to live.

Yet in most of the pictures and telecasts, there is

calmness, stillness, resigned fear as this

destruction settles into their minds.

Our people still argue with our governments

our public officials for what is done post-destruction.

We had FEMA trailers, free food, yet we still wanted more.

These people sit and wait for trailers that are not coming

for food and water that will probably be dropped to them

via helicopter as they hold their loved once and pray for

death or life.... Some don't even know what a higher power

or prayer is, they have been too poor to be taught these things.

I cannot even begin to explain what this has made me feel inside.

I don't want to watch yet I am drawn to the channels that

tell the stories of the people of Haiti.

As we go about our Sunday morning, our day

and we celebrate the winning of the Saints

think of one thing you will do for the people of Haiti.

As for me, this morning at church I will be making

my monetary donation to the Catholic Haiti fund.

Nothing I do will be enough in my eyes but

doing nothing is just not an option for me.

you can have fun in a hospital

Much family company last night here at Thibodaux Regional.

Baby boy left this message on the board in my hospital room.

I took off the picture but left the writing.

It has been the laugh of the night shift here.

Thanks to Kd's iphone she got pictures...

I had much company last night my great family

The sista's minus one, Mumsie, Baby girl, Baby boy,

Kd and Chase were all her to make the time go

faster. Sista's brought me surprises, color book and colors,

gum puzzle book.

The best was the company and having baby girl sleeping

aside me "just in case"

Poor Ronnie in Alaska has called many times.

Thankfully I had good news to tell him

looks like the kink in my bowel is almost completely

opened and there is quite a bit of inflammation

causing some discomfort but oh so much better!

The plan from Dr. Guidry is to recheck my xray this morning

and if it still looks good will feed me and see what

the belly does with that. If all goes well I should be

able to go home soon.

Thanks to all who have wished me well and prayed

and to even those who helped me laugh even

if it hurted.

I cannot say just how lucky I am.