THE HOLIDAYS

Today is November 30, 2011. I can hardly believe that the year will be over in another month! I don't know where the time goes! I absolutely love the Christmas season! I love everything about it: The music, the hustle and bustle, the gifts, getting together with family and friends, the many Christmas programs and festivities, and of course the food!. Chrsitmas is all of this, plus the time to remember the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. How thankful I am for this perfect gift to humanity. I am grateful for his mission and the gospel he brought to the earth to guide us. I am grateful for his comforting spirit through the Holy Ghost which has helped me through many trials in this life. I am especially grateful for my family and friends, who have been there for me whenever I needed them. I have a wonderful life. . . . .I have a wonderful family. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone! May the new year bring peace, love and happiness to you and your family.

Anniversary Celebration

We just got back from Flagstaff, AZ. We were there over the Labor Day weekend. The weather was perfect. . . . a cool 82 degrees. We had a really sweet corner room at Little America. It had a sliding door to the North and one to the East. Each door opened to a balcony surrounded by Pine and Aspen trees. It was a really great view to see each day! There was a slight breeze which was cool and refreshing. I hated to have to come back down to the valley and to reality, but the escape, even though short, was sooo worth it! We celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary (Clarence and I). We had dinner at Black Bart's where they sang "Happy Anniversary" to us and we shared a really good cherry cobbler with ice cream. We had good conversation and laughed a lot. One of the things I cherish most about Clarence is that we enjoy just being with one another and we laugh a lot! Sweet memories to last a lifetime.

My Brother

September 2, 2011, my brother W.C., passed away. He was only 56 years old but he had been ill for quite some time. With that being sad, it is still a difficult thing to deal with. It is indeed a sad day for my family. I have 5 brothers, and he is #2 in the line up. I was 8 years old when he was born and I remember it like it was yesterday. I so wanted a brother, I think more for my Dad than for me because he really wanted a son. W.C. was the first of 4 sons that he would have with my mother, Adrian. I haven't seen him since my mother passed away in April 1998, but we emailed and chatted on Facebook. The last conversation I had with him, he had sent me a picture of his grown up son, Taylor. I told him that he was as handsome as his father. You know, "like father, like son." He said to me, 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree," does is Sis? I said that is for sure. Now I will never be able to chat with him like that again. I feel so empty. He loved Donna so much. She was his love, his friend, and his wife. She has taken care of him and been there for him from the beginning. I love Donna for the good person she is and was to my brother. W.C. also loved Taylor, his only son. Taylor was the center of his life. He loved him more than life itself. I am going to miss my brother. I love you W.C. I hope you will help look after us now that you are on the other side. Until we meet again, I will always and forever be. . . . .your sis

It's Beginning to Look Like Fall! Really??

Today is September 1, 2011. You would think the weather would be a bit cooler here in the Valley of the Sun than the 112 degrees it actually is. . . . but no.. . . . .it is hot! I have checked other areas around the country and it is unusally hot everywhere! I wonder why that is? When I was a little girl growing up in Waycross, Georgia, we always looked forward to September. School started, the weather got much cooler than it had been and it was the beginning of a wonderful Fall season. This is our 4 seasons here in the valley: We get Spring (usually warm to hot), Summer ( hot, hotter, and hottest), Fall, hotter to really warm, and Winter (warm to cool). Once in a while our winter can actually get cold, but we don't have too many really cold days. As I grow older, I just see hot, hotter, and hottest. I think I was meant to live on a beach somewhere. . . . .lots of sand. . . .cool ocean breeze. . . .nice water. . . .and the warmth of the sun which actually feels good! Well, one can dream. . . . can't they?

Anniversary

Wow! Clarence and I celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary on August 30th. I sometimes have a difficult time believing we have known each other for 5 years now, and have been married 4 years. On the other hand, it seems like we have always been together. Figure that out. Time just keeps marching on. I am not sure how many other couples out there can say this. . . . .but we have never had an argument. Not in all the time we have known each other! We are so much alike, it is sometimes scary. We have the same birthday so that is scary enough, but we enjoy so many of the same things and just enjoy being with one another. I can't imagine my life without him now, he has become so much a part of me. He is my best friend and I can tell him anything. We are going to Flagstaff to celebrate our anniversary for a couple of reasons: 1) Get out of this Valley Heat 2) It is where we had our honeymoon and holds special memories for us that we enjoy talking and laughing about. I love that we laugh a lot. I truly love this man. Happy Anniversary Baby!

My legacy

A Couple of weeks ago My son, James, and his lovely wife, Heidi, and sweet, precious Atticus came to see Nana in "hot" Arizona!  We had a wonderful visit.  It was so much fun having my kids together and watching the little cousins playing together.  It was a special "family together forever" time.  We had a family picture taken and I had a picture taken of each of the families that were present.  3 of the 5 kids were here and it is memory I shall treasure forever.  There is nothing like "family" moments.  Our families are truly our greatest treasure in this life.   I love you guys!!!