A Visit to Ali in Austin

Hi Everyone!! I hope all of you are having a great Saturday!!
Yesterday I drove to Austin to visit my daughter, Ali. She is a musician living in Austin, working hard as a server while she pursues her dream. She teaches guitar and drum lessons while gigging with her band and performing as a solo artist. She writes all her own music. Check out www.myspace.com/tellanova to hear some of her fabulous tunes!!

Ali is moving out of her apartment to a better location. She found a darling little house built in the 1940s that is only a few blocks from UT. Check out her new digs.

 

Here are a few sights from Austin.

The Lion and The Gazelle

About five years ago, while at an antique auction, I bid on a "box lot" of old pictures. The hope here is to get a lot of great stuff for a small price!!  In the box, I found a framed African proverb. It seemed to me that God intended the proverb to be a personal message. I came home and hung the framed proverb on the wall above my desk. It states:

Every morning a gazelle gets up knowing it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be eaten.
And every morning a lion gets up knowing it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death.
So whether you are a gazelle or a lion, every morning when you get up you'd better be running!

Every day I have more to do than I can possibly get done. It has been this way for twenty-five or more years. Taking care of a family of twenty-two children is something that requires the effort of everyone in our family. Everyone has a job; we all have each other's back, taking care of each other. Some days are better than others. I admit that some days I've slacked off.  This proverb, however, reminds me that God has given me something important to do. In order for me to accomplish the job he has given me, I have to remain focused just as the lion and gazelle are focused. I have to keep my eye on the prize, so that when I go home to Heaven, He will say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

When I was a young mom, birthing and adopting children, I often became overwhelmed with all the tasks I had to do. As I've gotten older, I've learned to prioritize my life better and not worry about getting everything done. I don't have to be Supermom! I just have to get up every morning, listen to what God wants me to do that day, and proceed to do my best.......calmly and with purpose.

I've also learned that I can't control everything that is going to happen to my family or me. When I was a young woman, I innocently thought if I did everything I could to give my children a great life, they would never have any problems......I would be perfect.....my husband would be perfect....my children would be perfect....our family would be perfect.......nothing bad would ever happen to us.......  I know it's a simple notion, but I really thought I could control events just by being a good mom. Oh well,........I learned that bad stuff indeed does happen to good people, not Other people, but Us people, people in My family......and I learned that God is faithful through it all. We are all still here, changed, but somehow better.

God has imparted to me that like the lion or the gazelle, I must get up every morning and do my best with my day.....every day. Things are going to happen that are beyond my control, but He will take care of those things and give me the strength I need when it is needed.

Lily the Wonder Dog

                                                        Lily the Wonder Dog

This is our family dog, Lily. A Terrier mix, Lily came into our yard as a stray. We estimate she was approximately one-year-old. She is now approximately twelve years old. We love Lily. She's a valued member of our family.

When Lily was a young dog, she would chase birds that were flying low to the ground. We started to call her the Wonder Dog because she could actually catch a bird in mid flight.

Lily is an extremely protective dog.  Even in her advanced years, she still possesses an indominable spirit that would protect us unto death.

Three years ago, Lily damaged a disk in her neck. She had expensive surgery which saved her life.

Now she spends most of her day curled up on the family room floor or on my sons Seth's or Ryan's beds.
We all dote on her. She has a good life.

I've just started this blog. I'd be interested in reading comments about reader's pets. Why are they special to you or your family? Do you have a great pet story to share?

Coming Home

I grew up in the Anglican church.  Before immigrating to America from Wales, my grandparents and their ancestors before them all attended the Church of England. My mother, brothers, dad, and I were in church most Sundays. My brothers and I were in the youth group, we went to Vacation Bible School every summer, my mother was a member of the Alter Guild, my brothers were Acolytes, my father was a frequent usher and Sunday school teacher...........you get the picture!  Then, when I met my husband and the love of my life, Timothy, it seemed divine that he was raised in the Anglican faith as well. We were married in a small Anglican church in Ruidoso, New Mexico. Then, we had children. Our first four children were baptized as infants in the Anglican church......Then, several experiences led us away from the Anglican church and to a Nondenominational church. We then had a quiver and more of children and raised them in the Nondenominational church. Recently, through another chain of events, we have come home to our Anglican roots. I couldn't be happier or more at peace with any decision I have ever made.

Today, my son Zachary and I had the rare experience of being the only ones from our family in church. Zachary was born in the Philippines. Until he came to be in our family at age nine, he was raised in a Roman Catholic orphanage by nuns. Zachary is thrilled with our decision to return to the Anglican church. Being alone with him this morning, I realized that he, too, is coming home. He could hardly wait to get to church.....he was up and ready long before me........he made it clear to me last night that he wanted to be in church today. I'm sure he thinks he's in a Roman Catholic Church. I 'm saying what I "think" he is thinking because Zach is deaf and  unable to speak due to athetoid cerebral palsy. Our communication is sufficient, but limited. Zachary is a model of etiquette. He crosses himself at the appropriate time and kneels at the proper times, and I may add, not the lazy sort of kneeling with one's knees on the kneeling board and one's bottom on the pew. Zach kneels upright for minutes upon minutes at a time.....pretty good for someone with a severe physical handicap. Zachary is totally serious about worshiping God and praying to Him. It is such a blessing to pray alongside him.

So, this morning, Zach and I worshipped together. We have both come home to stay. I'll be worshipping in the Anglican church until I go home to Heaven. When taking communion, I sense the presence of my parents there with me. I know my brothers are somewhere in an Anglican church saying the same prayers I'm saying. It brings me so much peace.

Good Times at Ivy's Graduation

Our baby girl, Ivy, graduated yesterday. Not only did she graduate, but she was valedictorian of her class. In the fall she'll head off to the University of Texas in Austin......"Hook em Horns". I was was happy that I did not cry too much!  This was probably because I have been crying for a year now......I'm all cried out. I lost it a little when the class video was showing. Those of you who graduated from large high schools may not know what this is. All the graduates are showcased in a video of about ten picures from their childhood usually set to the music of their favorite song. Of course, while the pictures of a much younger Ivy was playing out on the screen, scenes from her childhood were playing out in my brain!!

Almost all of our family turned out for the special occasion. When a family is as big as ours, sometimes it's just too difficult for everyone to come.....but, those who couldn't make it were certainly there in spirit!! We all sat together in the auditorium....I reserved twenty-five seats!!

Afterward, there was a lovely reception in the rotunda of the school. We all gathered around Ivy's table displaying items from her life that most depict who Ivy is as a person. The focal point of Ivy's "celebration" table was a huge multi picture frame displaying pictures of Ivy with her family. Family is tremendously important to Ivy. Ivy loves her family and we all love her.......afterall, she's our baby sister and daughter, being the youngest girl in the family!

I literally took an enire photo album of the event. I've posted a sampling......Enjoy!

What is Gingerbread Town?

What is Gingerbread Town? I daresay most people in Waxahachie, Texas, know what is meant when Waxahachie is referred to as a Gingerbread Town. Waxahachie has an abundance of Victorian homes decorated with the gingerbread trim that was especially popular in the 1830s to the 1840s. Waxahachie is known all over Texas as the Gingerbread Town or Gingerbread City. We celebrate Gingerbread Trail , a three day festival of crafts, food, home tours, and antiquing, every June; Christmas on the Square in December in conjunction with  Bethlehem Revisited; many businesses are referred to with the word gingerbread sneaking into the title somewhere; a Gingerbread Man is the "unofficial" mascot of the town. Gingerbread is literally everywhere!!!!!

Gingerbread trim is the North American interpretation of  Europe's Gothic Revival architectural style, only in wood. You will find this lacy cut out trim in the form of brackets, decor under eaves, in braced arches, in frieze boards, and just about anywhere on the outside of the Victorian homes to make them fancy. 

 Waxahachie is famous for its many streets lined with Victorian home after Victorian home decorated in gingerbread trim. These homes have been standing since the early to mid 19th century. The Waxahachie Historical Society works tirelessly to preserve these buildings by placing them on the state historical register and restoring them to their former glory.

People who live in Waxahachie are justifiably proud of their town. For myself, a trip into town is a visit to the past.......there's just nothing like it. If one visits Waxahachie during one of its many festivals he might see people milling around the town square in Victorian clothes, ladies and gentlement taking a lesiurely ride in a white horse drawn carriage, classic cars from a Model T to a 1960's Mustang driving about. Visitors and residents alike love to spend the afternoon shopping for antiques, having lunch at the Dove's Nest or the haunted Catfish Plantation, and then staying overnight at the famous Rogers Hotel or one of the many Victorian bed and breakfasts.

So, the next time you hear a place referred to as a Gingerbread town or city, it might bring to mind beautiful Victorian houses ornately decorated with Gingerbread trim.........or, if you want to take a nostalgic trip back to a simpler time, you could just come visit us in Waxahachie, Texas. You definitely will not be disappointed!!

Happy Birthday Sweet Ryan Boy!!!!!!

Meet our Ryan!!! Ryan turned 27 today. In my opinion, Ryan is the heart of our family. Ryan is eveything that is good and right with the world. He loves the Texas Rangers, Lost, American Idol, the Dallas Stars and Mavericks, and Miley Cyrus......not necessarily in that order. If I'm upset about something, Ryan will cry in sympathy for me......he also cries at sad movies. He has the most genuine smile of anyone.... Everyone in our family considers themselves the most lucky person in the world to have Ryan as a brother and son.

.Ryan came to his forever home  when he was six months old. He was our first adoption...........Ryan has Down Syndrome.