Here we go again

Here we go again

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Such a Good Time!

We waved goodbye to our kids this morning, tears running down my face, and an ache in my heart. But we had such a good time while they were here! And I am so very thankful they got to come to Florida and spend the better part of a week with us in this beautiful place, with beautiful weather.

Saturday morning, just about seven o'clock, the Dodge Durango came into sight as I was standing in the middle of our lot watching for them. I know my smile was as wide as it's ever been, seeing that blessed sight! My son, Justin, and his family were here!!! Let the fun begin!

The whole family was pooped, driving straight through from Ohio, well, all but about two hours for a quick nap, so Papa and I took charge of the kids, who had napped pretty well, and sent Dad and Mom for a bit of well deserved sleep. Grandbabies!!! We needed a grandbaby fix really bad!

And we spent the whole day hugging and kissing Riley and Maggie as much as they would let us. We took them to the pool and watched them "swim" and soak up the sunshine and laugh and as much fun as we've had there with others in our time here, it was the most fun we had ever had there.

During their time with us here, we went to the Shell Factory, which the kids actually loved more than I thought they would. We went to Fort Myers Beach, which was crowded due to Spring Break.  We went to Sanibel Island and gathered shells, we went to the beach shops and bought silly souvenirs, We went out to eat, went for walks, laughed, talked, well, we just had a wonderful time together. And I miss them so much already!

I wish our two other kids and our three other grandkids could come too. I miss them more than words can say. And I know they would love this place, and we could show them a good time too. However, I am truly thankful for the blessings I have, and I just want everyone to know it.

The Lord already does, and now you do too!

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Daddy Would Be So Happy

My Dad, Dock Kilpatrick, came from a very large family. He was one of nine children. They have all gone to meet their Maker, and I miss them very much. Of course, especially my Dad, but I really loved my Aunts and Uncles, especially those that I was blessed to get to know.

Dad was the 8th of  nine kids, and there were great gaps in the ages of those 9 kids. Also, there were two that died, tragically, as very young children. It was a different time, and things that might have been considered common, easy to cure illnesses now, back then, claimed many young lives. So was the case of at least one of his siblings, who died from an appendix that burst. Another one, well, they never did know exactly what caused his death. Very sad, indeed.

My Dad's family, the Kilpatrick's, were from Alabama. As a young man, Dad moved to Akron, Ohio to work in the rubber factories. His oldest brother, my Uncle Ralph, and his youngest brother, Uncle Joe, also moved to Akron. This was good for me as a kid, because I got to know them and be close with their kids, my cousins. But, that left my Aunts, Louise, Gladys, (we called her Aunt "Pete", and I don't know why), and Aunt Reba, all living far, far away from us. We went to visit them on vacations, but when you only see someone once, maybe twice a year, for a few days at a time, you never really get to know them like you do someone you see frequently. Still, we were family oriented, so we tried to stay in touch with each other.

I have to tell you, I have lots of cousins, and I mean lots! They are all really good people, Christians, and we are scattered all over this great big country. Unfortunately, that means that once our parents were gone, we gradually lost touch with each other.

Enter Facebook! (Yep, I'm going to sing it's praises once again.) One day I received a "friend request" from a gal that I wasn't, at first, sure who she was. The name rang a bell, however, I had to dust off some part of my memory banks to fill in the blanks. She is my cousin's daughter! My first cousin, once removed! Woohoo! I immediately accepted her friend request, gladly, and started looking at her friend list. There were many relatives I haven't seen, or talked to in many, many years. I sent friend requests to all of them I thought would have a clue who I was. Slowly, but surely, I became "friends" with all of these "long lost relatives"!

It has been so nice to reconnect with them. One cousin had moved from Nashville, Tennessee, to Alabama, and we didn't know that before Facebook. My mom had tried to find her, but was at a deadend, until I found her on Facebook. We exchanged phone numbers, and my Mom got to talk to her one evening before I came back to Florida. I really enjoyed watching my Moms face as she "caught up" with her niece.

Another cousin lives in Sebring, Florida, and we started "talking" on Facebook. Now that Dennis and I are in Florida for the winter, we decided we should try to see each other while I'm here. Guess what? We are having a "family reunion" this weekend in Sebring, Florida! My "Aunt Pete's" kids are cousins I never got to spend much time with growing up because they had moved to Florida, and when we visited Dad's family, we usually went to Alabama because his parents lived there. I remember one year, 1964, we went to Florida and spent some time with them, and we had so much fun, but other than a few family gatherings in the years since then, I haven't had the pleasure of seeing most of  them since 1964... That's a loooong time ago!

My Dad was such a family man, I mean he really loved his family, all of them. He spoke of them often, even when kept apart geographically, they were all close in his heart. He would be so happy that we have made this connection now, and I hope he's looking down on us smiling about it. He'll be with us in spirit. He, and my Mom, taught me and my sisters that God and Family are the most important things in life, and to cherish both. I do. And the older I get, the more I do.

So, once again I'm singing the praises of Facebook. It helped me find the best friends I could ever imagine having, and now it's brought family back into my life.

Thanks Mark Zuckerberg!!!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Four Letter Words

Why do intelligent, educated people feel the need to use "four letter words"? I personally find them to be not only offensive because they strike me as vulgar, but I wonder of those that use them, are they incapable of using more creative words to describe their feelings?

I can remember a time when men would use what we called "cuss" words, however, they rarely used them in mixed company, and even if "social websites" had existed, they would never have used them knowing everyone on earth would see them and know that's how they expressed themselves. They would have been ashamed! That's something the vast majority of people don't seem to be these days about anything. Ashamed... And now, it's not just the men, it's the women too! (We won't/can't call them ladies anymore, can we?)

When my sons were growing up, I remember telling them to not do things just because their peers did, and that included using "bad" words. I always told them to use something completely creative and see who they could confuse. There are so many words in the dictionary, why stop at words that only have four letters?!

What brought this to mind, you ask? I was just on Facebook, and a friend of mine, a former co-worker, a female, posted such a disgusting word, that I am now forced to block any future posts of hers. I in no way want to be associated with someone that uses language that turns my ears and cheeks bright red! And I also don't want anyone else to think I use, or approve of using language like that.

I am certainly not claiming to be perfect, I'm far from it. However, my parents raised me to act like, and strive to be, a lady, and I think of the example I set when I choose not to use foul language when something goes wrong. And, really, if I as a Christian, am trying to live as God wants me to, as He commanded me to, would I talk like a trash mouth? Always speak as though He were standing right there beside you, because, actually, He is!

There, I feel better now.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

"Friends are the family we choose for ourselves." (Edna Buchanan)

Approximately three years ago, I was introduced to the wonder of Facebook, and my life has been changed for the better every day since.

That sounds rather silly, doesn't it? To say ones life has been completely changed by a website dedicated to socialization, gossip, and boasting of ones achievements, seems so ridiculous, however, for me, it truly has.

I'm not the most technologically saavy person around, but for someone that never even sat down in front of a computer until 1997, I find myself on my laptop every single day, even if just for a few brief minutes, checking emails, and status updates on my Facebook account. I take it with me everywhere!

I remember the day I was introduced to Facebook, (heretofore to be called FB), quite clearly. My daughter in law, Jamie, called me and told me to check out this great website. She said you sign up, put some personal information on this "page" and begin accepting "friends". She said, "you just have to try it!". So, I did. For the first couple of days, the only "friends" I had were a few family members. Disappointing. I talked to them all the time. What's the big deal? Then, as if by magic, all of a sudden, people I hadn't seen or talked to in many, many years began sending me "friend requests"! Now this is more like it!

And, today, I'm happy to say, I have some of the best friends anyone could ever hope to have. True friends. Rare treasures of life type of friends. And I was fortunate enough to spend last evening with four of those treasures.

These lovely ladies are girls I graduated with from Green High School back in 1972. We were not friends, per say, in high school. We were acquaintences, knew who each other was back then, but none of us, that I remember, ever even had a real conversation during our school days together. That seems like such a shame now that I've gotten to know them so well. Now when we get the chance to spend time together, we talk all over each other, each having so much to say. We laugh together, pray together, cry together, and hold each other up, as true friends do.

All of us have had our share of heartaches and physical aches of late, and I'm telling you, those things are so much more bearable when you have a good friend, or six, to share them with. And knowing someone truly loves you, cares about you, and you, them, is one of the biggest blessings life has to offer.

So, if someone makes derrogatory remarks about FB, just remember this. I found some rare treasures on this social website, treasures I call my best friends. Friends I hope to share the rest of my life with, and theirs with me. Friends I love so very much.

And to think I owe all of this to FB, well, isn't that just amazing?!