The story of the Christmas Card

 Now that most of my Christmas cards have been

received I can tell the story of how this beautiful photograph

came to be.

Each year, around October I begin to think of my card.

What will I do, will it be a funny or a serious.

Each year, it seems that one comes naturally and all those

that I tried to stage just didn't work.

Hence the card of 2013.

I began to think of what to do.

I thought of doing It's a Wonderful life and borrowing

the bunny suit for Bean to wear and the leg lamp

also thought of posing Bean for the picture but just was not sure.

Then came the picture I used that still makes me want to cry

with all its beauty. The story behind it will allow you to 

appreciate the photo more.

One night when Bean's mom was working nights

she came over to sleep at Mumsie's.

During that day I had bought her the cutest Sophia the first

pajama and decided to buy the Tiara and earrings.

She loved it and rushed through her bath so she 

could wear her new things. Insisted I call her Sophia.

I went in to take my bath and left her fully dressed on my

bed playing with the Ipad. I rushed through my bath as

I could hear that she was out of the bed.

When I got out of the bathroom she was sitting on

my wooden box where my Mommy's statue of

Virgin Mary and baby Jesus now reside.

I asked her what she was doing and she

answered simply, 

"Talking to Baby Jesus and Mommee"

so glad I had my phone as I snapped this most beautiful picture.

After, when viewing the picture I realized there was

a plug in behind her and was going to have to try

and recreate the moment but to me, nothing would be

as beautiful as this one moment I captured.

I photo shopped many times to remove that plug and

if you look good behind Bean's right ear, you can see it.

No photo, no reenactment could be more beautiful than 

that one precious moment between Bean and my Mommy.

reflection on yesterday

I sit in my cozy home in Plaquemine,

awaiting the waking of my Bean who is asleep with

baby boy who just came in from work yesterday.

I sit here with my pups and I contemplate my day 

of yesterday. My Mommy's 93rd birthday, the first without her.

I realized that in my 50 years, this is the very first of her

birthdays, one of many, I have never been with my Mommy 

on this day. I could have been sad, I could have moped 

and stayed home, all of this would have been acceptable.

Acceptable to all except the birthday girl.

She would not be happy if she knew we were sad

on her very favorite day of the year, her birthday.

So instead, I woke up early and began making 

many dozens of her favorite cookie, almond cookies,

the recipe given to me by my pal, Stacy, was her

favorite since the first time I made them.

TEdi girl was having a gastroscopy and she requested

chicken and rice soup {which I happened to have in freezer)

and her favorite cookies, the same as Mommie.

I baked and packaged for her and then continued

to make 12 dozen more. 

My first stop, Thibodaux regional where my dear Tedi-girl

had completed her tests and was getting ready to leave.

Only had time to take a quick instagram picture and they were off.

I texted my pal Celeste to meet me at the Manor

where I had coffee with her, her hubby and Mr. Bill.

Each year Mommy lived there I made these cookies for 

the staff. They were so surprised and gracious to accept the

cookies again this year. Walking in to the manor immediately made

me feel happy, loved, like being amongst family.

Many of the employees shared that on this day they

all remembered my Mommy. Because it was her birthday

but also because the craft was building their annual

gingerbread houses and that was always her favorite.

She always proudly displayed her holiday gingerbread house.

I brought a personal dozen of cookies to our "Sista" in the

kitchen as well as Ms. Anita who not only washed my Mommy's 

clothes but did many extra things that we are not even aware of.

I brought cookies to Mr. Bill Pitre and his daughter, Celeste.

I also brought some for Celeste to bring to my pal, Kim

and our cousin, Chris who was also my Mommy's godchild.

I stopped at Duroscher Vet who has always been so

very kind and there for us through every challenge with our

babies, our pups. A Plate of cookies with a "love letter"

went to them. My next stop was the one I was really lookiing

forward to, on to Wendy's house to rock sweet Ella K.

I was not prepared. I was not prepared to see just how 

petite she is. Her features are just perfect but like a baby doll.

She is a calm baby, wide eyed, taking in my face.

I am not one to say a newborn baby is pretty or beautiful 

if it is not. I may say precious but not beautiful.

Yet, when seeing Ella K. I have to share

that I have to admit, aside from Bean she is the most

beautiful new born I have seen in a long while.

God I love her! I know she and I will be bonded for life.

As I held her I was able to visit with her family, a family

that I feel a part of. Ruffin and Wendy, the new grandparents,

Linsey and Adam, the new parents and even

my dear Devin, who is the Perrin.

I came home late, after dark but Mommy would be proud.

Instead of staying home and moping about just how lonesome I was.

I made my day productive and full. Full of those I love, full

of people who not only are friends but who are also 

my family now. As i drove home, knowing baby boy and Bean

would be there, I thought a lot of Mommy and how

she is loving her first birthday away from us in a place 

we have yet to understand and know, a place we call Heaven.

I stop for Popeye's on my way home, it was Mommy's favorite also.

I pulled up into my garage excited because BB's truck is there.

As I enter the long hall from my garage that also houses the

door to BB and Kd's bedroom I hear the words that

always make my heart swell.

Bean saying...... "Mumsie"

Oh Jesus I am hooked to this little girl.

I stop in to visit a minute with her and her Daddy.

"Look, My daddy is here!"

She tells me many things in the process of 5 minutes.

I tell her I will be waiting to cuddle with her when we wake up.

One of the best things of the day is one that caught me off guard

mostly because HOBL is not one to bring up things of the heart.

Not one to acknowledge uncomfortable situations.

As I have said before, it has been a challenging year for us.

I did not expect him to call so late as he knows I go to bed

early most nights. He shares of a going away party his 

friends gave him at work as he is moving to a new place

after Christmas to start his new job.

Then he says words that touch my heart.

It is these small things that make me love him, those things

that he rarely does because it makes him uncomfortable.

He says he has to go, can't talk long but wanted

to call on my Mommy's birthday.

He asks, "Was it a rough one?"

I share that it was but I kept it busy with the 

things I did for others. 

It touched me, touched my heart because

I know those types of things are hard for him and yet

it is those types of things that make me feel loved,

that has me believing we are a team.

in the morning and I am waiting....

Waiting anxiously for her to awaken.

The one who calls me Mumsie.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY

Running late as baking cookies and have to be in Thib.

for 1..... with the cookies...

yeah, procrastination.

Enjoy these pictures on the day of my 

Mommy's 93rd birthday.

In no specific order....

love to all. 

.

WELCOME TO OUR WORLD SWEET ELLA K.

 Sweet Ella K. entered our world a tad bit early.
Thankfully, she is healthy and beautiful and oh so loved.
Tomorrow I will head to Thibodaux to do me some Ella K. rocking.
Now for the story of Little Ella K.
ONCE UPON A TIME TWO FRIENDS MET.
THEY MET TEACHING RELIGION AT ST. JOSEPH
IN THIBODAUX. I WAS ONE OF THOSE GALS AND
THE OTHER, MY DEAR FRIEND WENDY.
THE YEAR WENDY BECAME MY HELPER,
I TAUGHT HER SON, DEVIN IN HIS 10TH GRADE YEAR
FOR CONFIRMATION. WHAT A BOY HE WAS.
FUNNY, WISE AND SUCH A GOOD SON.
SO GOOD THAT WE JOKED WITH HE AND
GYPSY BABY ABOUT THEM GETTING MARRIED 
SO WE COULD BE FAMILY.
WELL, I GUESS THEY HAD OTHER PLANS AS
GYPSY BABY HAS SET ON MEG AND DEVIN,
WELL, DEVIN IS STILL FINDING HIMSELF.

NOW WENDY, SHE HAD THIS YOUNGER CHILD,
LINSEY, OH OUR LINSEY.
THE APPLE OF HER DADDY RUFFIN'S EYE.
A LITTLE "SPITFIRE" SHE WAS WHEN I FIRST MET HER.
REMEMBER I KNEW HER BROTHER FIRST
AND WHEN I MET LINS, I OFTEN THOUGHT
SHE WAS A TOUGH LIL CHARACTER.
I ALSO THOUGHT THAT IF I WERE HER AGE,
I WOULD NOT WANT TO BE HER ENEMY.
HOWEVER, THE NEXT YEAR, I WAS BLESSED
TO BE ABLE TO TEACH LINSEY IN HER 10TH GRADE
RELIGION YEAR. WENDY AND I MADE AN AGREEMENT
THAT I WOULD TEACH ANOTHER YEAR IF SHE WOULD
CONTINUE TO BE MY ASSISTANT.
THROUGH THAT YEAR, NOT ONLY DID LINSEY
DO A LOT OF GROWING UP BUT I SAW A 
PART OF LINSEY THAT SHE DID NOT WANT MANY
TO SEE, HER VULNERABILITY.
 UNDER THAT TOUGH PERSONA THAT KEPT
HER FROM BEING HURT WAS THIS SWEET,
SENSITIVE, CARING YOUNG LADY.
WE BECAME CLOSE, VERY CLOSE.
WE SPOKE OF MANY THINGS AND WHEN
HER MOMMY FOUND THAT SHE WAS AT A LOSS
FOR WORDS TO SPEAK TO LINSEY, LINS AND I
ALWAYS FOUND A WAY TO DISCUSS THE PROBLEMS.
THEN LINSEY MET ADAM. SHE HAD HAD BOYFRIENDS 
BEFORE BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT
WITH THIS RELATIONSHIP.
HER PARENTS THOUGHT SHE WAS TOO YOUNG,
SO DID I. ALL OF US THOUGHT HE MAY NOT
BE ENOUGH FOR OUR LINSEY.
YET, WHO WAS I TO TELL THIS GIRL WHO 
BELIEVED SHE WAS IN LOVE THAT SHE WAS TOO YOUNG.
I HAD MET HOBL AT HER AGE AND HERE WE WERE
MANY YEARS LATER STILL TOGETHER.
SHE AND ADAM, THEY HAD A FEW BUMPS IN THE ROAD
AND WHEN HE DECIDED TO JOIN THE MILITARY,
WENDY AND I HONESTLY THOUGHT THE RELATIONSHIP
WOULD NOT SURVIVE. THEIR AGE AND DISTANCE
SEEMED THAT IT WOULD WORK AGAINST 
A RELATIONSHIP.
YET, WE WERE WRONG. SO, SO WRONG.
INSTEAD OF GROWING APART, THEY GREW CLOSER
AND BECAME ENGAGED. LINSEY, STILL
IN HIGHSCHOOL, ENGAGED.
YOU SEE, THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT LINSEY
I HAVE FAILED TO SAY, AND THAT IS
IF LINSEY PUTS SOMETHING IN HER HEAD,
IF SHE SETS HER SIGHTS ON A FUTURE THERE IS 
NOTHING, AND I MEAN NOTHING THAT WILL
STOP THIS GIRL. SHE SET HER SIGHTS ON
BECOMING ADAM'S WIFE, BECOMING MRS. RAFFERY.
AS ADAM WENT ON TO LAS VEGAS, HE WAITED
FOR LINSEY TO GRADUATE AND THEN THESE 
TWO JUST DID NOT WANT TO BE APART.
ALTHOUGH WE MAY HAVE THOUGHT SHE WAS TOO
YOUNG TO MARRY,  HER PARENTS SUPPORTED HER WISHES
AND TRAVELED WITH HER TO LAS VEGAS
TO MARRY AND BE WITH THE MAN SHE LOVED.

THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT YOUNG LOVE
ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN 
A STRANGE AND DISTANT PLACE
WITH NO FAMILY CLOSE TO THEM.
THEY GROW UP TOGETHER, THEY BECOME EACH
OTHERS BEST FRIEND, COMMITTED TO NOT ONLY
TO THE MARRIAGE BUT TO BEING PARTNERS.
NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE THOUGHT,
THESE TWO GREW IN LOVE, GREW CLOSER THAN
THEY MAY HAVE HAD THEY BEEN HERE WITH FAMILY.
THEY MADE THEIR LIVES AS A COUPLE ADVENTUROUS
BUT BOTH KNEW AS SOON AS ADAMS ENLISTMENT
WAS OVER, THEY WERE COMING HOME.

 THE TRAVELING BETWEEN VEGAS AND LOUISIANA BECAME
TOO MUCH FOR WENDY AND RUFFIN'S BABY GIRL.
SHE WANTED HOME AND SO DID ADAM.
HE HAD LOST HIS MOTHER DURING THESE YEARS
AND WANTED HIS FAMILY AS MUCH AS LINSEY DID.
THEN, JUST MONTHS BEFORE DUE TO COME HOME
THIS YOUNG COUPLE HAD TO GO THROUGH THE 
TRAGEDY OF THE LOSS OF A CHILD TOGETHER ALONE.
A MISCARRIAGE ON THE DAY LINSEY THOUGHT
SHE WAS GOING TO TELL HER PARENTS THEY
WOULD BE GRANDPARENTS.
I KNOW MY LINSEY WANTED HER MOMMY.
YOU SEE, IN BECOMING A WIFE, IN BEING AWAY
FROM THOSE SHE LOVED THE MOST, UPON
MATURING, SHE BECAME A SOFT, LOVING YOUNG WOMAN
WHO UNDERSTOOD WHAT SHE HAD LOST
WHEN SHE SAID GOODBYE TO THAT PREGNANCY.
NOW, MORE THAN EVER, BOTH SHE AND ADAM
WANTED HOME. JUST BEFORE LEAVING LAS VEGAS
FOR GOOD, JUST BEFORE ADAM WAS TO BEGIN
HIS LIFE AS A CIVILIAN ONCE AGAIN,
THEY FOUND THAT THEY WERE EXPECTING THEIR 
SECOND CHILD. NO STOPPING THEM NOW,
THEY WERE COMING HOME, COMING BACK TO 
LOUISIANA WHERE THOSE WHO LOVE THEM THE MOST
WERE. YES, THEY WERE LEAVING BEHIND SOME
WONDERFUL FRIENDS WHO BECAME THEIR FAMILY,
IT COULD NOT GIVE THEM WHAT THEY NEEDED.
 AND SO ELLA K. CAME TO BE.
ELLA KATHERINE, MIDDLE NAME AFTER
THE GRANDMOTHER WHO ADAM CALLED MOMMA.
THE GRANDMOTHER WHO PROBABLY HAS HELD
HER IN HEAVEN BEFORE CHOOSING THIS BABY
FOR HER SON AND HIS WIFE.
ELLA K. MAY NOT BE RAISED WITH THIS GRANDMOTHER
BUT HER HEART WILL KNOW HER.
NOW A NEW GENERATION BEGINS WITH ELLA K.
MY TALE MAY END HERE BUT SWEET ELLA K.
LEGACY IS ONLY BEGINNING.

 I tried to explain in word to Wendy what was about to happen to her.
She, like me, thought she knew the love she would feel.
She now knows it is different and there are no
words in the English language to explain the love
a grandmother has for her grandchildren.
Now she understands, now "Mimi" gets it.
Ruffin has got to be on cloud nine, another sweet little girl
to love. A gentleman, he will be the best grandpa.

... And Adam, already wrapped, already so in love
with his little sweet girl. He must think of his own Mother
as he rocks his baby. He now knows how much she loved him.
A child does not understand the love their parents have for them
until they hold their own precious child in their arms.
I told Linsey, do not forget how much you love Adam right now.
It will get you both through some of the roughest times of your life.
Daddy's need to know that nothing is more attractive,
more sexy to their wives than watching them with their child,
the child that their love created.

Then, my dear, sweet linsey. My little girl, who I have seen grown
from a tough teenager
 a who now writes some of the most beautiful "love letters"
cause she says I taught her that. To never send a card or book without
adding a love letter. Geeze, Lins, you melt me little girl.
I see this loving paragraph, written to the montage of pictures and i melt.
She is an instant Mommy. Ella K. is one lucky gal to have a Mother like Linsey.
She too, now understands how much her parents loved her and how
things they did while she was growing up that she thought were
ridiculous, now all make sense.
A momma tiger she will be, word of warning,
don't mess with the Raffery cub. lol

Last, but never, never, least....

Devin, Perrin to Ella K. 

Life has been complicated for Dev.

So, of course, my dear friend Wendy and I 

are both choked up by his beautiful smile as he holds

his godchild in his arms.

A little princess to call him Perrin, a little mind who 

will look to him throughout her life as a role model.

She will love him, see him for his humor, his intelligence,

adore him unconditionally.

Funny that a 6 pound bundle of love can change the

lives of so many.

I, cannot wait to smell and rock our dear,

Ella K., she will call me 

Aunt Mumsie and I will call her...

ELLA K.

SUCCESSFUL RETREAT

Yesterday consisted of a very successful retreat.

It was filled with many activities that our teens actually

participated in. Rosaryville is a beautiful place, full

of walking paths, beautiful life size statues.

The facilitator, Stephanie was phenomenal.

You can tell she has much experience with teens 

because she not only knows how to get them involved

but how to discipline with respect.

Part of the retreat had us take one of those personality tests.

It is amazing how, from just a few questions being answered,

much can be said about yourself. My findings were that

I was "blue" out of the four colors that may have been chosen.

Wow! This test, nailed me to a T!

Very insightful not only to find out where you stand

but how those we interact with stand and how

knowing this can help those same interactions.

This was one of the many activities we participated in.

I can't wait to have friends and family take the same test.

Later, I will post the questions as well as the different categories.

The day was long but fun, interesting and I loved

spending the day with my group of confirmation candidates.

A very insightful day that has me with many thoughts,

many things I need to work on personally.

If you ever are given the opportunity to retreat and/or

visit Rosaryville in Pontchatoula, don't skip it.

You will not be disappointed nor leave without a 

new-found sense of faith.