Springtime in Alabama

I love this time of year, and as I watch the spring flowers "show off" I can't help but to reflect on how much my folks loved flowers. Mother was in one of the first classes taught in our area for Master Gardner and my dad dearly loved winter pansies. Each year we plant pansies in honor of my dad in the flower beds and in hanging baskets.


Almost three years ago now we transplanted day lilies, irises, azaleas, camelias, and mondo grass at our house that originated from the garden my folks raised. We put Mother in the golf cart and she gave very specific instructions as to how each plant should be planted. Comments from my, at the time, 95 year old mother ranged from "don't plant it too deep" to "save the dirt!" Mother would share her plants with anybody that asked, but heaven help the person that dug up too much dirt with her plants.


The flowering plum tree came with the house and is blooming early this year due to the unseasonably warm weather we had in February. It was never a favorite of Mothers as she thought it was pretty useless since the fruit is not edible.


Andy rooted these rose bushes using clipping from Mother's yard, and we moved them from our first house here in Alabama to our retirement house. I get a real kick out of seeing our children take clipping from bushes to start another plant.

Everytime I pass by the blackberry and blueberry bushes I am reminded of some special little boys that had a good time picking berries last summer. Looking forward to a do-over already.

I will never forget a comment the Queen made one day while we were transplanting some flowers here at the house. We had finished for the day and she looked at what we had done and said "looks like this yard has some Margarent in it now!" While I will never be the gardner that the Queen was I do love the idea that our yard brings us fonds memories of two very special people.

Grandbabies Rock!!!

Just in case I have not already stated this obvious fact, GRANDBABIES ROCK!!!!!



Ron and I are 56 years old and this is the only face



that could possibly make us do this.



For the record the picture and video of me coming down this slide is locked away in a safe as Ron has dared me to erase it!



To anyone with grandbabies over the age of two...we now get it!

Musing on Russia and Egypt

I have been humbled this week by the world events we have all watched unfold via CNN and other social media. Bad things happen all the time, but this week I was rocked to my core by the fact that we have often walked the floors where so many were killed and injured in one of Moscow's busiest airports. I well remember my first flight into Domodedovo and how crowded the arrivals area would always be. This airport was always busy, and my heart certainly goes out to the families of those who died and were injured in Russia this week.

This is a picture of Andy and Ashley arriving in Moscow at Sheremetyevo airport for a holiday visit. Airport arrivals should be a time of joy and reunions not tragedy and sorrow. Shortly, after the bomb in Moscow rumblings began in Cairo, and now we have the general population calling for a new President. Russia and Egypt will always hold a special place in our hearts and please allow me to share some photos of Egypt and it's people.




We first met Mahmoud in the early 1990s during our time in Egypt. Mahmoud started his little flower shop in a corner kiosk, and now operates a beautiful flower shop on Road 9 in Maddi, Egypt.
This is Mansour...a very talented artist that created portraits of our children that we cherish to this day.

This is the owner of the local jewerly shop that many expats visit during their time in Cairo. Habib redesigned my wedding band to mark our 15th year anniversary and almost 20 years later I am still enjoying my ring.
The camel bone man, jewerly man and t-shirt guy...all special people to us as they remind us of calmer days in a beautiful country.




We had been gone from Cairo for almost 12 years by the time we returned in 2009 and all these vendors welcomed us back with open arms and we met some new Egyptians that I am holding close in my thoughts and prayers this week

We bought a Christmas stocking from this lady and she very graciously stiched our grandson's name on it for us as we waited.
Even in the factories, the workers were welcoming to us and smiled for our photos.

Obviously tourism is huge for Egypt, and this weeks events will make a significant impact on people like our escort for our day in the desert

Poverty certainly exists in Egypt and I can only imagine how long this young woman had worked cooking bread on this particular day.

In addition to these Egyptians, there are also several expat families living in Cairo at this time that we hold close to our hearts, and pray for their safety during this uncertain time in a country that we love.

Rest assured I have no idea the political stands these people take and I certainly have no political cause in this post other then to try to show a few faces of people that this week has greatly impacted. Please join us in praying for the people of Russia and Egypt - local and expats alike during the upcoming days.

Thanks

Many thanks for the kind comments posted on Facebook and my blog regarding the Queen's passing. We had the service yesterday and shared a few tears and giggles over the life of a woman that had lived 98 years. Mother has lived during 7 wars, 17 presidents, the Great Depression, and gone from horse and buggy days to space exploration. I learned that in the year she was born the average life expectancy was 38 years. My kids heard that their grandmother was a Sunday School teacher, Master Gardner, accomplished artists and crafter, teacher of art at the Women's prison, and a professional business woman with her own business. Her pastor of many years spoke of Mother's love for the Lord and the contributions she had made to the church. It was summed up that Mother was met at Heaven's Gate with a Golden day lily and was already digging in Heaven's flower gardens. We will certainly miss her but rejoice in the fact that she is now healthy and strong again. She fought a hard battle the last few months but is reaping the rewards now. Love you Queen!

Tonight after a 20 month struggle against the effects of a stroke, Mother passed away at the age of 98. Several years ago I nicknamed her "Queen" and the name was soon taken up by the staff, where she has lived for the last 17 months, as they addressed Mother. I have been really touched the last few weeks as it became obvious that she would soon be leaving us by how kind the staff was to her. Several members of the staff have said on more then one occassion that she was a favorite. She never complained nor was she demanding to the staff, and somehow had managed to find contentment in where she was at that stage of life. That is not to say that she never asked to go home because she did on more then one occassion, but she always had a smile when anyone would speak to her.

A sweet memory of the Queen I have of a really sad time is last night I walked around the corner of the bed to check her and she actually said "Boo!" I was shocked and sat down beside her and asked "Did you just boo me?" and she smiled. Her CNA came in the room moments later to check on us and asked how she was, and when I told her she just booed me Mother gave me the biggest grin. A true priceless moment!

My Mom and Dad have both left us now, and while my heart is heavy tonight at Mother's passing I praise God that she is no longer suffering and is now walking in Heaven and smelling the flowers with those that have gone ahead. I can hear her now going "ohh eee look at the beautiful flowers!" Just hope she is not driving as she is admiring the flowers!!!

Below are a few favorite pictures of the Queen and Pop!




50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration



The end of a long night!



50 years together must have been ok!?!



All dressed up and ready to party!




Cooking together in Trinidad for the boys of St. Dominic's


Enroute to Maracas Beach in Trinidad



First tourist stop during their visit to Trinidad


This has always been one of my favorite pictures of my Mom and Dad. It was the first morning in Trinidad and they were up and drinking coffee by 5 AM. Would love to know what he was saying to her! Wonder what the Queen's first morning in Heaven is like?

Time Flys When You Are Having Fun Part Two

The day after our Moscow reunion we headed towards Texas to spend some time with Wyatt while his folks were away on business.

Like all good grandparents we dropped mom and dad off at the airport and headed straight to Chuck E Cheese.

Saturday morning we set off for the Children's Museum in San Antonino where Wyatt seemed to believe he was about four years old!

Sunday morning was a shopping trip to the outlet stores, and in the afternoon we headed towards Round Rock, Texas to meet Susan and Artem for dinner. Let's just say that I hope Wyatt grows up and has Artem's manners!

Such sweet boys!
Monday we set off for Sea World and had a blast! They had the neatest sprinkler area and of course I had to follow Wyatt in.

There was really no need as the little guy never turned around once to see if I was near by. Ron had duty on the playground and once again our little man was off and running. It was a great day!

Tuesday afternoon we went to the local pool where we quickly discovered Wyatt had no fear of the water. The pool is not a "do-over" for us!

Wednesday we stayed in the area and just enjoyed watching Wyatt explore. Lots of play time, trips to Burger King/McDonalds, shopping and enjoying seeing life through the eyes of an eighteen month old toddler that kept us on our toes. Sweet memories that we recalled on the 840 mile car trip home!

If you could not tell, Ron and I are totally Gobsmacked over our little guy and really enjoyed our time in Texas!

A quick stop at home to cut the grass and attend a wedding and we were off again to move Ashley from Nashville to Kingsport Tennessee. Wonder when Ron ever had time to work!!!

Time Flies When You Are Having Fun Part One!

In the cold, rainy days of winter Ron and I had an idea to host a mini Moscow Adoptive Family Reunion here at our home in Alabama. After all we were kinda centrally located between several families and there is nothing we enjoy more then hosting events here at our home. So, during the first weekend of June we hosted what I hope will become an annual event, and that it will grow to include more of the wonderful families we met while in Moscow. These are the true faces of Russian adoption and it was a pleasure to have these families in our home.



You would be hard pressed to find four little boys that could be any sweeter then these little guys.




They all got along so well and we were hopelessly in love with all of them before the weekend ended.


The first weekend in June worked well this year so pencil it in for 2011 for the second annual Moscow Adoptive Family Reunion "Do-Over!" Hopefully, the fish will be biting again!



Thanks Susan for the wonderful pictures!