Dents......

I've been forming this blog in my mind since about the first of January. Now I know the ending, so I'm ready to post it.....

So far 2009 has been full of DENTS for me:

Around the first of the year I found a mysterious DENT in my car...


...I don't know how my car got this dent, I just know it appeared out of nowhere one day. Everyone knows how much I love my little green car. This first DENT made me very sad, but I didn't realize it was going to be a trend.....


Shortly after my very sad CAR DENT, I got a DENT in my wall!!! Now, I know EXACTLY how I got this dent. Try mixing a very quick 30-pound dog being chased by a large lumbering 110-pound dog whose spacial judgment has yet to be developed......

This is where Nash's knee took the corner too close, but don't worry, he wasn't injured. He didn't miss a step!! Shortly after this DENT there was a caveat of NO MORE RUNNING IN THE HOUSE!!!!!


My next "dent" was a DENT in my BRAIN which came from a mind-numbing 1222-mile, 19-hour drive across the country with above mentioned LARGE LUMBERING PUPPY and my nearly perfect granddaughter (who has a phenominal internal clock that directs her to begin non-stop screaming precisely 2 hours before arrival at our destination!!!).......


......but we made it unscathed to Texas!


What I thought would be my LAST DENT for January came on the 26th. It was a great big DENT on my HEART when I had to wave goodbye to my girls in Abilene. That was a very hard thing for me to do.....



.....I miss them both terribly. I hope we can get together again real soon. I don't want Maddy to forget who her Grandmom is!!!!


Now this was originally to be the end of my post, but alas, there is another DENT....

A GREAT BIG DENT left by a young woman taken away from us all too early. I know time heals all wounds....

My CAR DENT will be fixed soon.

The sheetrock man will be here next Thursday to fix the WALL DENT.

I can fix the BRAIN DENT by not driving half-way across the country again (unless my girls need a co-pilot again, of course).

My HEART DENT will be healed as soon as I get the chance to get my eager hands on Maddy again (and you too, Katie;)).....

BUT..... It will be a long, long time before the GREAT BIG DENT left by Kathleen will be healed. I keep thinking of her singing so beautifully at Katie's wedding and I found this photo of her and Mary at the reception...


KATHLEEN, you will be greatly missed!!


Love to all....


Come home soon, Bryan!!

**S*U*R*P*R*I*S*E***

This blog's been taken over by Maddy Williams........so everybody listen up!!!!

Today is my mommy's birthday, so be sure to wish her a happy one. So far I've only had one "birth" day and I don't really remember it. It was loud and bright and cold and I don't think I liked it much, but my grandmom tells me that birthdays are a cause for great celebration and I will learn how great they are when my NEXT one comes around.

Anyway, my mom's 25 today. I can't imagine being THAT old!!!! But I think she looks pretty good for an old chick!!

Grandmom says she's working on a blog that will post in the next couple of days, so stay tuned. But in the mean time, be sure to wish my mommy a HAPPY 25TH BIRTHDAY!!!!!

Happy New Year One and All!!

I hope everyone is having a very Happy New Year so far. I know we are, here in South Carolina!!

We are so thrilled to have Katie and Maddy here with us, but I remember why God gives babies to young folks. They have more energy for them!! We are thoroughly enjoying each gurgle and smile we are blessed with from Maddy. She is changing every single day, and we are in awe every day with the miracle of a growing baby.

Also this weekend Bill and Debbie came up for a visit. The main reason for their visit was so Bill could help Steve get a start on our new deck (with central fire pit!) in the back yard. They did a great job and completed all of the framing of the deck. That was more than Steve expected to get done in a single weekend, especially with only the two of them working!! Now, Steve will install the decking boards at his leisure. The only criteria for completion is that we can use the deck next spring when the weather gets nice. I know he'll be through in plenty of time. The quote of the weekend was at the end of the project, when Bill proclaimed the job to be.......

"Not bad for a couple of fat white guys who don't do that for a living!!"

Here are a few pictures of the project I took while the guys were working:





And this is what I did while Steve and Bill toiled away in the yard:



What a GREAT way to start a new year!!! I hope to have many, many more moments like this. Life truly is GRAND!!!!!

Love to all......