Never Alone

                          I hope that your Christmas was a wonderful one and you are still enjoying some holiday time before the new year .Ours has been wonderful , lots of friends and family dropping by , our kids were with us all day , and our granddog Seven ! It was more than a heart could take , we were richly blessed . My husband got his cowboy boots , Lu got her pretty Simon Pearce dishes , Sonny got pipe tobacco and some bar acoutrements ..... I got a plein air paint box , paints and an awesome pair of earrings from Lu . All in all it was a wonderful time . It can be a lonely , sad time for many , these days when so many families are together and are advertised on tv everywhere . You start to feel left out , especially when you are all alone . I wish if you know someone like that , that you would reach out and invite them over for a cup of coffee , or drop by some cookies to them . Remember them in a small way , it will mean big things to them . I was afraid that my family would feel alone ,especially after family problems , we had to say goodbye to some toxic family members ...... would we feel lonely , unloved ? It was quite the opposite , our tribe grew larger with friends and others , our cup overfloweth with God's goodness and love , we were not forgotten , we were not          unloved  , it was quite sweet . I want for you the best that life has to offer , that the new year brings many blessings from our  Holy Father . Much love , Suz                   P.S. Please keep our cousin Steve in your prayers , he is in the hospital with heart problems xxxooo

Finding Friends

                         We have new friends .... and they are our cousins ! I had no idea that we had family in town and we were so blessed to discover them a few weeks ago . Janna and Logan are newly married and an adorable couple that we met up with for supper at their nest .A wonderful meal was served , thank you Janna , and a ball game for FSU was lost , sorry Logan ,but it was good to find family so close. Thanks again guys !
                           I am so glad for a day to myself , Sunday School was taught , worship and praise was had and now I am enjoying a quiet , rainy day at home . I may not make it off the couch ! What do you like to do on days like this , I'd love to know . Thank you all for the sweet comments on my last posting , it was a hard week for me , but God is good and I am in his hands . So ...... have a great week and keep your eyes lifted upwards . xxxooo Suz

10. a wonderful breeze
11. another cup of coffee
12. to see my sweet brother Allen
13. a day off
14. little children
15. Jesus on the cross , for us
16. the color pink

this is my continueing list of gratitude while I am reading " One Thousand Gifts "

Shades of blue and pink

                                  I rarely get a little down these days , but today I feel a little blue . I have been cleaning out my late mother's house to get ready for some renters . I had no idea it would hit me this way , but there it is . Taking out the last of  her house was a sad in a way for my daughter and I , we were so close to mama . Her yard once was full of beautiful flowers and trees , fragrant and colorful they were always uplifting . We would sit in the carport and swing and talk about all kinds of things . The swing is still there , I may leave it . The renters are a young mother with small children . I like the thought of youngsters laughing and playing there again , mama would be smiling down on that one ! So , because of my blues I want to post pictures of pink , because that is my happy color and it always works . God bless your day , xxoo Suz

Are you sure I'm not 29 ?

                                                                 I still can't believe my baby is turning 29 in a few short weeks. I still feel 29 myself , though the Olay Regenerist products that line my vanity are an indication of otherwise !  When I was 24 , I packed her , myself and our few belongings and moved away from Tennessee and back to Florida . How did I get so brave and strong to do the things I needed to do ? I guess survival is the strongest instinct , you just do what you have to do . My then 2 year old was, and is, the most precious thing to me .We found our dear B along the way and got married , and now Lu is a happily married lady herself. I wish my Mom could see her now . Just like Mom , Lu is outspoken , very southern , loves a great shoe , is all wrapped up in leopard skin , and loves her family . One day she and her hubby will also pack up their belongings , their little dog Seven , and will venture out into the big ole world . Until then ,we will laugh , drink a little wine together , and break bread together every Thursday nite . God bless you and yours , Suz

Deut . 1: 31  "  The Lord your God carried you , as a man carries his son , in all the way you went until you came to this place ."

daughters and mothers

 I am so proud of this darling lady , she is an amazing person . I think you should know that she cooks like a fiend and cares about the enviornment , can't keep her hands off of sweet babies , can down a guiness in no time flat , is married to her split - apart aka soul mate , loves a Christmas stocking more than the law should allow and always leads when she dances ...... she is wonderful !

This is me on the other hand , I drive like my grandma , I tend to dress a little older than I should , I love chocolate more than the law should allow , I am married to my split apart aka soul mate , I am cautious in traffic , and I too love little babies . We are what we are and love is the strongest bond . God made each of us fearfully and wonderfully and that is so cool . Have a blessed weekend !
xxoo Suz

tradition

                                                                   Looking at this picture should make me want to lose 50 pounds but what I see when I ponder this is how fortunate I have been in this life .As I prepare a meal for my new in laws and bride and groom I am filled with so much nostalgia . This is the kitchen that I grew up in , where I lost my sweet mother and brother soon after . This is where I let Lulu and my husband make the biggest mess ever baking Christmas cookies and they were so funny and happy . This is where I have had graduation parties , for me and later my Lulu , this is home . It is more than a place to lay my head , it is my nest . I hope as my chick leaves the nest she will have learned to love home and more importantly , the people who abide in it . God has been gracious and loving to me and mine , I praise his holy name . xxoo Suz

feelin' groovy

                                                  I love this picture of Lulu , this is a woman who knows her mind and has since she was knee high to a grasshopper . She is audacious , mindful , optimstic , loves the gilmore girls ( as does her mama ) and just completely herself . I love it ! Though it doesn't come without some hard times , try just being yourself and see what the world has to say about it . But I say  Bravo , to a person that I call my friend and my daughter , but  most important ...... a groovy lady .

one of my peeps

                                         I hope everyone had a great Easter . After an early Sunrise service , my family gathered around for a great dinner and visiting . I look forward to these holidays , the time spent with my family is very important to me . They are my tribe and I need face time with each of them . The older and wiser I get the more I know that belonging to a group of people who care,  falls in the same catagory as food, water and shelter, and having a faith . I am particulary fond of these folks , they make me smile ! Have a great day . xxoo Susanne

on a summers day

                  
                     I love this picture of my brothers and I at Mexico Beach years ago. The brother on the right , Daniel , passed away year ago today . He was a warm, funny, loving person and he is missed by everyone who knew him . Life is precious and fleeting and you have to relish every moment, good and bad, because ...that is life . I keep this picture of brothers flying kites on a beautiful summer day where I can see it daily to remind me of the sweet things in life. Hope your day is sweet and blessed and don't forget to tell your family that  you love them . xxxooo Susanne

it runs in the family

                                    " A good home must be made, not bought "  Joyce Maynard


                                 I spent a wonderful weekend with my 91 year old grandmother. She is an incredible lady and I am still learning from her everytime I am with her . She grew up in a different time, very genteel, mannered..... and the pace was much slower . She knows the art of conversation and uses darling phrases like  "over yonder  " and " my word , you don't say " .... just darling . I inherited her love of home and yard and her sense of color is outstanding . At Easter , out comes her Ukranian eggs and others from her trips around the world, Spring arrangements pop up overnite,  In October Fall pumpkins and scarecrows show up ... I love that she celebrates every season so wonderfully . Her name is Mary Caroline , so named because her mother was from South Carolina and her beloved father from North Carolina ....... and I want to be just like her when I grow up . Till next time xxxooo Susanne

family night

                                         I love that my almost 28 year old daughter LuLu comes over almost every Tuesday night for our family night. Sometimes its just pizza and beer, sometimes its a vegetarian surprise , but most of the time it is just being together and being grateful we have each other.... and a glass of wine. We started the tradition when my mom passed away in 2008, the realization that life is indeed short and fleeting and we needed more face time with each other. Life is busy, Lu is an energetic whirlwind, my darling husband and I need oxygen after she leaves , I don't know how she does it but she is definitely plugged in ! Take time to stop and gaze at your children's faces and don't forget to thank God for them. Have a blessed day.xxxooo Susanne