Check out the give away

Charla J. is giving a t-shirt away & I'm posting her blog for you to check it out.

Monday's Musings

Last Thursday night, Kristen, my oldest daughter, called on her way to an Austin wedding for Sat. night, via downtown "uptown" Dallas to connect with her friend, Sara. her wedding buddy. When she found out I was planning on going to Decatur Sat. for my cousin Rhine reunion, she said, "Go with me, Momma, tonight!" I told her I couldn't do that, I had to work!!! She said, "Yes, you can!", and in two minutes I had completely changed plans, and said, "Yes, I can!". Ten minutes later, while she called Royce to get permission, I was showering & packing! Royce convinced Kristen to come home, spend the night & leave early Friday morning. Twenty minutes later & I was in supper mode & was preparing manicotti for supper! We did leave Friday morning early & met my niece, Geri, in Flower Mound for a Jason's Deli lunch. I dropped Kristen off in "uptown-downtown" Dallas & beat it through to Justin, Tx to see brother #3, Jerry, whom I missed at his home. Through Rhome, I picked up 2 bacon cheeseburgers for brother #2, Ronny, & went to his house in Paradise to spend the night. Sat. morning, I headed to the nursing-rehab in Decatur, where brother #1, Charles, is rehabilitating after a month long stay in Denton hospital. He is in leukemia remission & has shingles & Ramsay Hunt syndrome, and depression. He's lost 60 pounds, so PLEASE lift up prayers for his recovery. His name is Charles Rhine, he's 69 and the sweetest person you could ever hope to meet!!!! My #2 brother's daughter, Ronda, chose to ride shotgun with her eccentric aunt & we boogied on to the over 50's Rhine cousin reunion. But she says it was delightfully fun & all the hugging, laughter and trying to figure out who belonged with who was a good exhausting exercise!!! The food was great, too. We left at 3 pm & caught an 83 year young friend of my mom & dad's. He is always great for a laugh & smile. We left him so he could toodle to Ft. Worth to meet his daughter's family for supper. Remember, I said he was 83. Ronda's a little concerned with all the 80 year old people driving around at night. We went to meet Ronny at Sweetie Pie's for a rib eye. It, Sweetie Pie's, is on the court house square in Decatur & is fantastic eating!!!! I took Ronda home, and went back to check on Charles, hit Walmart, and headed back to Ronny's to watch highlights of Kentucky Derby & news about the Cowboy's Rookies having "fallout" on their heads. Next morning, (oh yea, Brother Ronny fixed me my favorite breakfast every morning, bacon, eggs, and toast) I ran by the home of a 96 year young friend of my mommy & daddy's before I went to church in Decatur to hear Royce's nephew, Heath Marion, preach at his church, Cornerstone Baptist in Decatur. At 11:45, Kristen was dropped off at the church by her friend & we ate McDonald's with Heath & family. She & I rolled into Wheeler at 6:15. She napped, and crawled into bed at her house in Amarillo at 11:30 and hopefully peaceful sleeping for her. I got to do the "mommy duty" and nurse KJ and her cough through last night. So I'm really wondering how I'm typing away tonight at 10:20!!! I JUST LOVE TO BLOG!!!! & THANKS to Charla and Amanda for teaching me new ideas about how to blog!!!!! This was my weekend & my Monday Musings!!! Tomorrow, stay tuned for my Tuesday Titus 2 #2. It will be about my awesome baby sister, Joy!!!! Yep, there are 6 of us in my family. My Tuesday Titus 2 #1 was about my wonderful sainted MOMMY who raised us all with daddy & little help & mostly without daddy & little help. (They divorced after 26 years & she just couldn't jeopardize her safety or ours!) Now, answer my ?, was this TOO much to blog at one time????? and where are the answers to my ????'s what are your favorite flowers & I don't remember what else --you'll have to go back & find my blog asking ????. Love, The Merry Marion

What have learned from another woman this week? (or ever)

Titus 2 Tuesday is a post about a woman I admire and have learned from. My FIRST Titus 2 Tuesday is about my own sweet, mommy who has been in heaven "rocking all the babies" since 1991! Mother was a saint in my eyes. She raised 6 of us, ranging in age from 22 to birth, having had Joy when she was 41 years young. (I followed in her footsteps with my #3 daughter, KJ, having her when I was 41!) She raised the 6 of us basically on her own as a single mom! How she was able to do alone, what Royce & I have trouble doing together, with 1/2 as many children and NO boys, is more than I can comprehend, except that she followed what she taught to me & my siblings: keep God 1st. Mom taught me to tithe my earnings. Mom taught me how to smile, even in the worst of situations. Mom taught me manners. Mom taught me TOUGH love, as well as HOW to be tough! Mom taught me to laugh. Mom taught me to love, especially the unlovable. Mom took me to church, no matter what, and I learned to enjoy it & the blessings my God and Jesus pours out to me! Mom taught me independence, even though she managed to give me all of my heart's desire on a shoestring budget! She showed me unconditional love and how to give unconditionally. I remember more of Mother leading by example than actually telling me the words. Mom was ALWAYS there for me! I talk to her since she's been in Heaven, so that I feel she is still around to guide me, and know she will be one of the first ones I see when I get to heaven. She'll scoot right over and share a rocking chair for me to "rock the babies" in Heaven. Mother having taught me about Christiandom??, (word???) and about Heaven, I do not fear anything on earth because I know I have an eternal home with God, Jesus and all the Saints when I die. Mother also taught me bravery! She battled lung cancer for the last 14 months of her life, and NEVER was anything but positive about recovering from the "monster". She had me totally buffaloed, and I took her to Hospice to get better, not understanding about the world of cancer, because it was my very first bout with the deadly disease! Once her brain was allowed to rest from morphine, her body FINALLY gave in & she died one of the bravest, dignified deaths I have ever witnessed: brave and dignified like she lived her life. Yes, my mother was a Godly, Titus 2 Woman, whom I loved and admired DEARLY! Momma is where I got my silver, gray hair. I always said if my hair could be as beautiful as hers, I would gladly wear it as a crowning glory, & I constantly encourage EVERYONE else, especially Becky Hardcastle, to "go GREY"!!!! Mother, I LOVE YOU DEARLY, and appreciate all the MANY lessons you showed and taught me. Love, your daughter, Claudia

Tuesday with TAKS!!!

KJ is taking her math TAKS test; I am praying for her & for my students. It's a COLD Tuesday morning. I bought more flowers for the garden yesterday & about froze planting most of them last night after supper. What are your favorite garden flowers. The Cora Vinca in any color is a favorite of mine because it is HARDY!!! I happen to have a JET BLACK gardening thumb, but I just WON'T give up planting. IF I had a nickel for every plant & bermuda grass plug I've planted, and every weed I've pulled (I find weed pulling EXTREMELY theraputic!!!), I could very likely pay off our trillion $$$ national debt. NO, I'm not kidding!!! I'm loving the moisture, but ready for the warmth to come back! I haven't yet dawned my Cuddle Duds since March, but I have been in long sleeves. We are honoring our volunteer fire dept & emergency teams tonight with a silent auction, meal, and bball game between the faculty, that would be me, and the seniors. I can't shoot, but I can get out there & defend with the best of them. Looking forward to the bruises!!! Come Friday, it'll be my turn to ride the bike while I let Kaylee J drive to school because she helped me get to work on time during April. Whatever it takes. So do tell me, what are your favorite garden flowers. Love the spring, MERRY MARION

Rainy Sunday

Praise the Lord for the rain!!!! It's Sunday afternoon & I've dwindled the afternoon away blogging, reading blogs, checking other sites, and working on getting videos on my blogsite. What is ya'lls favorite thing about blogging?, the writing, the sharing, the ideas of others, the comraderie, the color?? I gave Mr. Royce a burr haircut on the top of his bald head. Listen for the scream when KJ sees him. Ha ha I think he looks kinda cute & he's satisfied because he doesn't have long hair sticking up on top of his head after the wind blows!!! If I CAN, I'll try to get him to let me take his pic!

Another Late Night

Posting again late at night, cas I don't get to the computer until about 9pm. Check the email, play a few games & then start trying to learn something new in the blogging world. For a slowpoke like me, that takes a few hours. Thus the late hour. I keep posting in hopes I'll garner some comments from the outside world. I feel so alone!!!! Speak to me, bloggers, plz! Claudia

Late at Night

Go to bed, Claudia!!! Everything & everyone tells me that! So why do I fight it so??? Not quite sure! Want to get things, more things done! I've been working in the yard, planting new seeds, trimming the trees, dead lilac leaves from the freeze, and cutting hedges. Didn't ever get to Kristen's quilt today or yesterday because of working outside & watching tv. Shame! Royce mowed the lawn Sat., and I've been watering. Looks so much better. Royce tells me he will get me some more Cora Vinca for MOM's day. No rose bushes! I love them, but somehow I CANNOT make them grow. I'd LOVE a snowball bush. I would like just a nickel for every plant I've killed - I'd be a thousandaire, probably. Well, I am going to beddy-bye. Write later. C