THE PARTY'S OVER :( !!!

The Party's Over...The Day is Done...The Lights have Gone Out...The Fat Lady has Sung!! But, oh my, WHAT a party it has been! Forty days full of fun, food, friends and family...I could not have asked for anything more!

Yesterday I had so many phone calls, texts and visits wishing me a Happy Birthday! The first voice I heard was from my oh so precious niece Macey...who was at work being a runner @ a law firm in Oxford.

For the day of culmination, my Mommy and Daddy came up and took me to Up the Creek for lunch. The food was great, but being with them was even greater! I always come away feeling encouraged and so loved!!!

And last night Lee took me to PF Changs and ...SURPRISE!!!...waiting for us was Robert and Beverly, John and Ginger, and Cherie (Woody was being the atheletic director and homework nazi!). Then we went back to John and Ginger's to here all about "What she said..."! (That one's for you, John!)

I can't tell you how much these past 40 days have meant to me...I will remember them forever...each and every one! I am surrounded by the most loving, giving people who encourage me and love me...no matter what! So many times, I just sit back and wonder why my sweet Lord would bless me so much? That truly is a mystery to me! You, my friend are a blessing and I do hope that you know that!

TODAY'S THE DAY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RAMONA BABY!!


40's not such a bad age, especially when you turn 41.

We love you bunches

All your Rankin, Hinds, Madison & Lincoln County Friends

And a few others thrown in there for good measure

May your day today be just delightful

Brittany and Her Crew!

Saturday for lunch I had a very special treat! Brittany and her crew brought me Chick-fil-A for lunch! The water was a little too chilly to go swimming, so the girls just put their feet in:) And Aden and I "argued" whether it was MY birthday or ADEN'S birthday!!! He is soooo funny! I think he just wanted my presents!

Sunday I heard one of the most precious voices that I know! It was my Aunt Bob from Richmond, VA. She has to be one of the most positive, encouraging, uplifting people on this earth! While I was "growing up", Aunt Bob, Uncle Jerry, Lori and Russell were on the mission field...mostly in Indonesia and Thailand. They were there for 4 years and back in the States for one year. Even though my time with them was limited, I have always felt such a strong bond! And I believe it's true that when you are a strong believer in Christ, there is a bond that is so strong and can never be broken.

On that same note, in our small group last night Marty Mays said something that is oh, so true. He said that someone gave him the advise, "When you are searching for your wife, look for someone who loves the Lord MORE than she loves you, because she's not always going to like YOU!!!" So, to all of you singles, take heed to that advise:)!

Drawing to a Close!

Thursday morning I was greeted with a homemade breakfast from my dear friends Beverly & Laura...yuuuuummm! We sat on the back porch and chatted for a while, trying to solve the world's problems...If ONLY they would listen to us:)

Prep JV football played Hillcrest Thursday night and the highlight of the game for this family...Sam recovered a fumble!!!! He was so excited and we were too! We won 43-0. The varsity game vs Hillcrest was also going to be a blow-out, so I decided to go to Tri County to see the boys and girls that I taught Geometry last spring. It was so good to see them, Rod Delaney, Coach Goolsby and all the other Rebels! I got there in time to get pics with some of them before the game started.

Right before I left for my trek to Flora, I got a phone call from my cousin Melissa. She is SUCH a hoot! We grew up together and she turned 40 last month. I joke with her about being older then me:) Her mom says when we were little she would take my toys and bite me! I don't remember any of that!!! I remember us always wanting to spend the night with each other, playing football with our guy cousins and riding our 3-wheelers EVERYWHERE! (They hadn't come out with 4-wheelers, yet!) And now Melissa is planning her eldest child's wedding! How can that be?! It just seems crazy how fast time flies...makes me want to make more of my days!

Flowers, Coffee & Cookie Cake!!!

"It's Fall Plantin' Time!" And I'm ready! My husband's sweet sister came over Monday with pansies and ginger lilies...does she know me well, or what?! This cooler weather has motivated me to jump outside and get some things done. And Lee's present to me is to have Weston Blaha to work in the yard for as long as I want! What a guy!!!

Monday night I met my precious friend Susan Green for coffee @ Borders! We both got the Maple/White Chocolate Latte and shared a Chocolate Chunk cookie...um um good! We were the last to leave...we're such "party animals"!

Tuesday Karyn and Anthony brought me a Cookie Cake that Karyn had decorated herself!!! This might be her next vocation:) It was awesome! And I finally was able to get a pic of Karyn!

This morning I was talking to my sis Rhonda when I got a beep...I didn't recognize the number, so I told Rhonda I would call her back. I answered and it was my long, lost roomie and great friend Lisa Hodgson from BrookHAVEN!!! What a surprise to hear that sweet voice! I loved catching up with her and hearing about her family. Lisa has always been someone that I admire. She has a true and strong faith. She has been tested many times and seems to always come through stronger. She has goals and she keeps her priorities straight...she has 5 kids AND she homeschools! What a woman!

Today marks one week until "The BIG Day"!

What a weekend! Friday was my friend Denise Thommason's birthday & when I went to her house to wish her a "Happy Birthday", she told me it was her day to wish ME a "Happy Birthday"! She had asked Lee if she & her crew could come over, wake me up & bring me breakfast...the only thing was, it would be @ 6:15AM!!!, so, we're going to get together maybe for lunch one day this week!

Friday night was Homecoming at Prep. I knew the football game wasn't going to be very interesting, so I went to Mike & Karyn Thornhill's instead. It's such a relaxed atmosphere & we always have so much fun with them!

Saturday Sam was in a soccer tournament at the Rez. We won one & tied one. Then, the highlight of my weekend...we went to Mark & Linda Stucky's Saturday night! You see, Mark came home Friday after a 3 month stint in Iraq. I'm so glad he's home!!! And I am so proud of him for going! He's one of my heros:) And, Linda, the blurriness of the picture is b/c my battery was low...it was not the photographer! While I was at the Stucky's, I got a text from my sweet friend Angie Campbell saying she had a "happy" for me & she was going to leave it in my mailbox! I came home to find a gift certificate to BOPs!!! My favorite...what a treat! I can't wait to go get me some of that Amazing Grace! (Grace-a favor that I did not earn, nor do I derserve!!!)

Sunday Chip was "firing on all cylinders"! We are in a series called "Me and My Big Mouth". The main scripture reference is from James. I love James! I guess after going throught the Marriage & Family Therapy program @ RTS, I've seen how crutial words are...what we say, how we say it, to whom we say them, & on and on! Someone told me a long time ago that when you are about to talk about someone, you need to ask yourself, "If the person you are talking about were standing there, would you say what you are about to say?" I really try to keep that in mind. And, before you say something, is that going to put someone in a brighter light or are you tearing down their character? As Christians, we really do need to be different! We need to lift each other up & not pick each other apart...that's what enemys are for:)

After lunch, my boys & I settled in to watch the Saints...WOW they looked so good! I did get my Sunday nap in & woke up to see my handsome nephew Rich Man. He & Rhonda were coming in from a soccer tourney in Birmingham & stopped in for Richard to bring me some goodies! That Lava cake was AWESOME! Sorry, Bev, it was an individual size...NOT for sharing!

Sunday night Lee & I went to Keys and Tara's for small group. We started a study on Fireproofing Your Marriage...based on the movie that's out. Kim & Eric were our leaders and since Kim studies the brain and Eric is an ER doc, they really had some interesting points and slides for us on the actual physical differences in the male/female brains! Now Lee thinks he's going to be able to get by with not listening to me...NOT! JK...Lee ALWAYS gives me his undivided attention:)

Basketball, CHAR, Football

I started this week off "right" ! Christy Henderson took me to breakfast @ Primos...we had some yummy grits & bacon. It was sooo good just to sit & chat with her...our lives are so busy that it rarely gets to happen. I always leave her feeling encouraged...she just has that gift:)

Wednesday was "60s Day" at Prep (Betsy in my mom's vintage orange & white jumpsuit!). I went thinking I was eating lunch with my CoCo, but when I turned the corner, all of my basketball coaching buddies were waiting for me with balloons, a banner & smiles. How's that for feeling pretty special?! We all visited, ate lunch...& cake! Even the spouses came! It's almost time for "round ball" to start up...it's gonna be fun!!!

Thursday I got up EARLY, b/c Beverly said so:) Laura, Ginger, Beverly & I met and went to the Canton Flea Market. MY was there a crowd. We kept saying, "Don't these people know we're in an economic crisis?!" Not that day...I think there was a record number of people! It was really fun & we saw lots of cool stuff...only purchasing a "few" things:) Ginger & I left Bev and Laura around lunch time, so we really don't know what all they ended up with!

Then it was off to CHAR to have lunch with my sweet sister Robyn & her awesome husband Shannon. They came up from BrookHAVEN to take me out & visit. The food was great and it was so good to have some one on one time with them! I really do have an unbelievably wonderful family:)

Then, we just couldn't end the day without some football!!! Lee & I went to East Rankin to see the JV play. We won 20-0, picked up Golden China for dinner & rushed home to do some homework!

My Sweet Shumaker Boys!!!

I love my Shumaker boys. What a surprise when I opened my door yesterday...it was Jordan, home from Starkville (Go Dawgs!), bearing gifts of flowers and candy! And to even top that, he came in for a visit! Josh came over last night to study for a math test and brought the most beautiful Faberge candle holder, which I know he picked out himself! I have seen Jordan and Josh grow from cute little 7th graders into very handsome young men! I've enjoyed following their successes from drama plays to plays on the football field...and did I say that I just love these two guys?!

This past weekend when I was getting a taste of the Grove, I got "busted" by my Bulldog family! While sitting in the Grove, my phone rang and it was my sweet sis-n-law Linda who was shocked to hear where she had found me! She and Charles had a "happy" for me and wanted to come by to see me. I am so glad she didn't hold being in Rebel Country against me b/c my "happy" was my favorite cake...Caramel from Newks! They came by Sunday night and visited. It's been so hard sharin' that cake:)

Also on Sunday another sweet Bulldog sis-n-law called me. Gloria and Steve wanted to take me to lunch...she said, "Of ALL places...!" Again, being so forgiving, they didn't hold it against me and when I got home, I had another "happy" waiting for me! Isn't my family great?!!!!!

My Inauguration to "The Grove"!

Casting off firm objections from my son and husband, I left Saturday morning for a day in The Grove! I just couldn't pass up this opportunity to see my May May (Macey)! Rhonda drove us and we had a car full... Betsy, Annie Leech, Cameron Burgess & Rachel Crim joined us. After we heard all about what went on the night before (JA Homecoming, Prep game... which we won handedly. And that's my friend Coco & daughter TayTay @ the game in the above pic), the conversations faded as the girls all fell asleep!

As we entered Oxford, you could tell it was Game Day...and not only that, it was Homecoming!!! Rhonda & I walked around a little and then ended up @ their tent. It still boggles my mind the number of tents... THOUSANDS!!!

The Grove was very interesting! My initial response, which I texted to my bro-n-laws who were not in attendance was, "OH my Gosh! This is like the Canton Flea Market, just add alcohol and lots of cleavage!" I'll have to say, there's nothing quite like it! It was almost like "Jackson moves to Oxford" for the day! There were so many Jacksonians there and everyone was so so nice to me...I didn't know that my sister had sent a "memo" earlier in the week telling everyone it would be my first time to visit and to be kind!

Rhonda and I did venture to the game...we wanted to see our precious friend Paige Noble who was in the Homecoming Court. As we walked in the stadium, waiting to walk down to the field were the maids! So we got to see and talk with Paige...that's her in the turquiose dress above. She's so sweet!!!

Then it was back to the Grove. After the game everyone came back to their tents to eat and digest the game. It was amazing to me the number of people there! And it was so good to get to see & meet some of Macey's friends. I took a few pics!

We then went back to Macey's apartment, made a Wal-mart trip with her & waited for BB to come in. Nobody told the neighbors it was time to go to bed! The last group to come in was a "tad" vocal! And it was 4:11...we know because it woke us up...again:)

Sunday morning we all got up and went to church @ Christ Pres., ordered Newk's salads for lunch & then it was off to the Chi-O house to watch a skit they have been working on for Rush. It was great, but did you see what they've done to my sweet-sweet Macey? She's a "Jackson 5"! All that hair! But boy can she dance!!!

We said our "good-byes" & headed home. Sunday night I curled up on the couch when I got home & Sam said, "The Grove wore you out, Mama. I TOLD you not to go!"

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb..."

These past few days have been full of kind words...too kind!...from precious friends & family.
Monday I got to spend a couple of hours with my sis Rhonda...that was great! Then my sweet bro-n-law Mark took time out of his very busy day to reminisce about when he was first introduced to our family...I think I was 12! My has he seen some changes...for the good, I hope!

Tuesday I heard from Michelle Lofton Mangold who I grew up with and have always considered my sister! She is such a precious friend...you know the ones that, no matter how long it is between seeing or talking with them, you just pick right back up...a bond that is never broken:)

Wednesday, Michelle's mom "Miss Martha" called and started my day off with a smile! Mr. Fleet, Mrs. Martha, Michelle and Mike have always, and will always have a big chunk and special place in my heart! They have loved me through every season of my life...no matter what! Now, that is the true meaning of friendship.

Thursday on my way to see Sam and the Prep JV football team play at Parklane, I got a message for my "brother" Mike. Just to hear his voice makes me smile! He says we're going to get together soon...I sure hope so!

These conversations have caused me to reflect on scripture and how important kind words and actions can be to someone...always holding to truth, never wavering on that...but truth and love...always kind. These are the two scriptures that I want to share with you...

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs 16:24
"An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up." Proverbs 12:25