Dance Fever

The girls performed this weekend at two events. One night at a friends church and Sunday morning at our church for Family and Friends Day service.

To Shondra and Elden

Thank you so much for including my family in the planning of your wedding. Sharing in your life together, and for allowing us to be a part of your special day. To your parents....thank you for allowing your children to become "our children" even for such a short time. We wish Shondra and Elden a long, happy, blessed union. Remember to keep God first and foremost in your life. Pray together and you will stay together. Always take time out for yourselves ( even when the babies come along). Set aside time to "date" at least once a week. At least once a year go away somewhere together....just you two. Elden keep holding her hand, and kissing her...just because. Shondra allow Elden to be the head of your home. Don't just bring 50% to the union, but each of you remember to bring a 100%. If you ever need to talk...we are here. If you ever need to cry....we are here. We are not just friends of the family, you two have become a part of our family. Our children have not just gained new friends, they have gained a brother and sister. We love you and look forward to seeing all that God has in store for you. As you know he knew from the very beginning that this moment would come.....even before you were formed in you mother's wombs. If you allow him to lead and guide your pathway...you will be the better for it.

Today Is Your Day

My Hubby the Officiant

The beaming Groom

Groomsmen
Bridesmaids
The Happy Couple

Camp Brown

The poor groom...hope he makes it through the weekend.

The bride knee deep in flowers and fish.

Yes folks, he rises to live another day ( well, to at least help with the fish). I actually feel sorry for our groom...he has to contend with a house full of women on a mission (lol).

And then there is me. Of course Nicki captured this lovely pose at 11:30 pm! Off to Wedding central again today. Stay tuned for more interesting updates. So far I have been lured into two pet stores (and you all know how much fun for me that was), been threatened with having to hold a bag with a fish in it...and held hostage by a bazillion flowers (praying for a sinus free weekend) !

Quisha's Godparents

Spent the weekend with Quisha's Godparents. Pam and Ricky celebrated 3 years as Pastor and First Lady at their church. Of course if you look at the bottom photo you will see that they are really just a couple of crazy folks ( Q's words, not mine...LOL). Hey, she handpicked them.

Before and After

I have always been of the belief that when you have children ( especially girls ) you should never look as if you are cared for better then they are. So for many years I not only did my own hair , but that of my girls ( not to mention the fact that at $40.00 per head it was to expensive for our budget). Well now that they are adults and can provide for their own pampering ( there has even been occasions when they have provided pampering towards me as a gift )...I decided to breakdown and place myself in the hands of a professional ( of course it took my hair breaking off to finally convince me to go ). So you see the final results above. Honestly it has been so long since I had my hair done that I didn't know how to act. There is something to be said for having someone else wash and condition your hair. At one point I almost fell asleep in the chair. So as much as I love scrapbooking I now see the importance of sacrificing "some" of my scrap budget towards a hair appointment at least once a month!

Precious Treasures

By now many of you know the story of my friend Kelli and her three beautiful angels. This past spring while visiting Kelli in GA she asked me to take responsibility for a very special treasure. Many years ago Kelli started buying porcelain dolls for her daughter Mary Elizabeth. If I am not mistaken some even before her birth. After Mary Elizabeth was born Kelli still purchased dolls for her. When the family moved into their new home a few years ago the dolls remained in storage. In part because Kelli had nowhere to put them , but also in part because of the girls and especially with Michala moving around ( remind me one day to tell you the story about flying from the diningroom chandelier ).

Anyway, when Kelli took me aside she explained all of this to me and then basically said she would like to give the collection to a good home....my home. I must say I was speechless at the the time and did not know what to say. I told Kelli I would sleep on it and give her an answer in the morning before we left for Alabama. Actually I knew what I really wanted to do was say no, in part because I had just recently put away my own collection from my formal livingroom and had turned the space into a scraproom. I felt at the time that I could not take on such a big responsibility. I also knew that this would be a great sacrifice to Kelli ( I could see it in her face, and I worried that one day she would regret turning them over to me ). That night I sent up a special prayer to God to please tell me what would be the best way to turn down her kind offer in a way that would not cause stress or discord in this friendship we had formed over the years. That night God spoke to me and said not to turn down the offer, but to except the gift as it was given.

The next morning I got up and when the opportunity came up I told Kelli I would be honored to be the keeper of her daughter's treasures. I had made up in my mind that I would not take them all ( she had actually handed me a very large container full of dolls ), instead Nicki and I picked out one to represent each of the girls and one to represent Kelli. Then Nicki chose one for herself and for Quisha who was not with us on this visit. I also picked out one for my Aunt who first got me started collecting dolls ( weeks later Kelli and my Aunt would talk on the phone together, so touched was my Aunt by her kind gesture). I told Kelli that she should keep the remaining dolls and give them to volunteers who have come in from time to time to help with the girls. I also made her promise me that she would keep the one doll that was not porcelain , but that was an angel. Marlee Anne even chose a doll to keep.

When I left that day I knew my family had been given a very precious treasure...and believe me it was not the box of beautiful porcelain dolls that sat in my car. Kelli, these pictures are for you. Mary Elizabeth's dolls now sit at my family table ( one day they along with my own dolls will have a room of their own...but in the meantime I can look at them each day when I leave out of the door, or when I am in my scraproom I can peep at them across the hall). The littlest angel has a special place in my room between my two favorite dolls ( notice the colors ? Sorry she doesn't have blond hair, but you get the picture). Thank you Kelli for the most valuable gift anyone could ever give....the gift of friendship. Love you my friend...........Cyndi

College Time

The Girls are back in school! Nicki started her junior year and Quisha who is a senior graduates in December. Now to get TJ back in school and get Marc back into classes. Of course that means quiet time around here. Not always a good thing! Its great for a few hours but after while I am ready for someone , anyone to make some noise and carry a conversation with me.

Cousins (Homecoming 07)

Just a few highlights from the weekend.

Happy Birthday Uncle Moses

My Uncle Moses celebrated his 95th birthday this weekend. What a blessing. It was a day filled with love and laughter and a chance to hang with family and friends that you don't always get to see except maybe once a year. Marc remarked on our way home the next evening that my family is something else. That we always have something going on. I knew that what he really meant was that he loved being part of such a large family.

Cece Winan

Cece Winan was at our local Walmart for a book signing. I didn't get to personally meet her (long story), but we got close enough to take lots of pictures (thanks Nicki).

I AM NOT A WELL WOMAN

Especially not a 4:30 in the morning!

Only Nicki could fit between the bleachers!

The girls learning to salsa (and gospelcise) !

Quisha nearly down for the count.

One last time.


Me...chilling while the girls danced away. There were so many things to do last night. The speaker Bishop Rosie O'Neal was awesome, funny and real. We had a great dinner, snacks ( that I had no business eating), and some of the other activities included.......a pajama fashion show, facials, massages, games, music, talent competition, movies, and trivia games. There was even a dance off. So funny. I had a great view from my spot on the bleachers. At one point I was in another area of the church having a facial when I heard singing. I realized it was my girls and I was missing out. Their was even a "Church" lady who provided some great comic relief. Who says you can't have fun in God's house?

Teresa

For the last three years I have attended a lock-in at my friends church. She is one of the many ladies who puts on the annual event. To know Teresa is to love Teresa ( well, sometimes ). She has a way of getting me into things I never thought I would do. But if I was ever in trouble she would be one of the first people I would call. We have been known to talk to each other on the phone for hours. I don't get to spend as much time with her as I use to, and most of the time at the event she is walking around so much that she doesn't even get a chance to enjoy herself. This year was a bit different and at one point I looked up and saw her beaming. Now granted it was around 3:30 am....but it was still good to see my friend....relax, relate and release.