Happy Anniversary, My Love!

I love you dearly...

Keep Moving...

It is very quiet in my house today.  I have kept myself moving, working, avoiding.  Started out with an hour walk, watered plants, hauled out trash.. and trash... and trash, paid bills, did laundry, straightened house, put things all back in place... so quiet, so perfect, so sad... without Little Man's face to light up every time he sees you... without those soft, slobbery kisses... without that joyous, beautiful laugh. 

We did have some good times last week though...

Little Man and Pop Pop took to the seas in the Speed Racer.

Watching for fish and splashing around...

We tried on our cowboy gear for the upcoming party...

Noni stole kisses and kisses and kisses...

We watched birds and squirrels!

We chased bubbles...

Went to LM's first art show...

To see Miss Patrice's entry, Selfless!  It was beautiful!

We admired the old houses as we took our walk...

We waved our flags...

And, played some ball...

We decorated...

And, decorated...

Little Man learned about cooking on the smoker...

And baking cakes and getting ready for company!

Most of all we laughed and smiled and loved so much!  Noni misses you Little Man.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming to stay with us for awhile!  We love you so big!

Tiny Sneak Peak...

Noni has been having soooooo much fun!  Little Man is here!!

He has been indulging his Mom and his Noni trying on the winter Elfin hat!

And giving us a tiny sneak peek into his Cowboy persona.  Gotta love it!  More to come!

The Red Dragonfly

I've been waiting and watching.... Knowing one day he would be here...

Glowing crimson... hovering, darting, swooping...

Almost magical... amazing, intricate, delicate, entrancing...

Yes, the Red Dragonfly was visiting today.  Thank you, Heavenly Father for the beauty you send to me.

Little Man's First Hair Cut

Little Man made it to Longview today.  He had a very special appointment.

He had waited and waited until he could get back to Grandlady Kathy for his first haircut.

And, he was such a good Little Man.

We think he likes to look good. 

All finished!

We love our Kathy.  She gave Uncle Zack his first haircut, too. And MANY, many haircuts, to his Mom.  Not to mention Noni's hair for 31 years!  Oh, my!  Don't know what we could possibly do without her!

The Pops and Pop Pop were looking on... along with Jerry, his Mom and Dad... and me.

This is a before shot... He was soooo tired, but he rallied and was a real trooper.  Noni is so glad he made back to Texas for his first haircut... and, that we could share in this moment.

Love you, Little Man!!

XOXOXO

Succulent Love...

After "rescuing" this little succulent, I have become fascinated with the beauty of these plants...

I'll have to get more photos later.  When I took my camera out this morning, it just kept fogging over... from the cool house to the humid warmth of the morning.  I will be sharing more about these little guys later.  The big sedum in the back came from my Mom.  She has tons of them and they always look so perfect... rounded, soft green balls of beauty.  I split the one she gave me into three pots.  I hope they live.  =/

I hope they get enough sunlight at the Bungalow... but, they were LIVING on a shaded shelf with no water at Home Depot... so, this has to be a slight improvement over that!  Now, for me not to over water them... that's the next challenge.

Mr. Flamingo can keep an eye on them over his shoulder.  Have a great day ya'll!

Three Days, 2583+ Miles, and an Elfin Hat

A week ago, I was on my second day of a 2583+ mile trip.  I flew from here to Dallas, to Chicago, to Charleston, WV where my dear friend, Troy, picked me up from the airport to head back to his Mom's in Shady Springs.  She had been in the hospital for a month and he needed to bring her to Texas, so that he could care for her until she is strong enough to stay on her own again.

I worked on this little elfin hat while on the plane and the ride home. The self-striping sock yarn is very fun.  It is exciting to see what design will be worked as you go.

The pattern had little corkscrew fringes on the peak, but I thought it needed to be less frilly for a boy so I made a little braid to top it off.  I can't wait to see it on Little Man... though he won't need a hat for quite awhile in this kind of heat!

My dear, sweet daughter drove two and a half hours and back just so I could have this precious hug while I was passing through West Virginia.  Oh, how I loved this time.  These two are priceless treasures. 

(Photo by Amanda)

The Clara Dress

Recently, I saw this precious little dress on French Press Knits blog.  I followed the link straight to the place to order one for myself.  Do I have a little granddaughter to knit for?  No.  But, I ordered it and it arrived just a few days later... pattern and tiny, soft alpaca and wool yarn.

It is so dainty and a teensy bit elegant.

I think I'm starting a hope chest... again... =)  Hint.  Hint.  Hint. 

Booted Up!

Two weeks ago, I found these boots at Academy and was soooooo excited!  I LOVE colorful rain boots.  I kept wishing for it to rain so that I could wear them (legitimately...lol); and, we really needed the rain.

Has it EVER rained!!  Wow!  Evan had to find another route home today... part of the road was flooded.  I have had to save five fish that had gone over the edge of the pond!  Poor babies.  And, my plants... they are all so battered.  I hope they recover before Little Man's birthday party.  We have one roof leaking.  Still all in all, I am so grateful for the rain... and, for being home and not still traveling in these storms.  I hope everyone is safe and dry.

Thrown Aside...

Sometimes, in cleaning up after people... I come across things that have been discarded... given up on... as no longer useful or beautiful or desirable...

These little lovelies were trashed... succulents barely hanging on... not really planted... just laying on a pile of dirt... rocks strewn about... little planter upside down... I gathered them all back together.  Now, they are loved and appreciated again... I am grateful for a God who will do that for us when needed... gather us up, show us love, put us back on the road to growing again.

In a Flash...

We attended my niece's high school graduation this past weekend.  She was so excited, so proud, so full of hope and anticipation.

Graduation feels like such a milestone at that age... something that has been so very long in coming.  And, indeed, it has taken up the majority of your lifetime, at that point.

These photos were taken in the span of less than thirty minutes.  The lily opened so quickly to face the day, you could almost see it moving.

At times, the thirty plus years since my own graduation seem to have passed this quickly, too.  At other times... it seems a lifetime.