When Randy and I went to Alaska two years ago, he took the above picture of me. When we first talked of going on a cruise, I pictured myself doing just that. We were in Glacier Bay. It was cold. I am wearing my coat, gloves, a blanket, and if you look closely there is a cup of hot chocolate next to me. I had several cups a day. I would lay back and just watch the scenery go by. It was like looking at a painting or a jig saw puzzle. I really felt at peace.
Reality check....I am back at work. I have 30 students. I am on my feet all day and wearing shoes(comfortable shoes, but still shoes). The first couple of week are exhausting. I come home and collapse every day. There are evenings that I imagine myself back on that boat with my cup of hot chocolate.
Good news....a fifth 5th grade teacher was hired today. I will only have 24 students on Monday. We have not had enough books for the current number of students so it has been a week of trying to make a routine out of no routine. Also, we were 99% sure we were getting the new teacher, so we did not want to move too far ahead. The extra books arrived today, so Monday we will hit them hard. The next obstacle is stopping all the chattering these 5th graders want to do.
Still I know there will be days when I wish I were back on the Coral Princess floating my cares away.
When I was pregnant with my oldest child, Jacob, I embroidered blocks and made a quilt. It took most of the pregnancy. I really just slept and sewed through that pregnancy. As I was making that quilt I told myself that one day that baby would give the quilt to its baby. The circle of life has turned and that baby will have a baby girl in October. Yesterday, I went to the shower and brought the precious quilt. Jacob seemed to be very pleased when he realized it was his. I brought him home from the hospital in that quilt. Jacob's quilt. I worked many hours on it. Close up of one of the blocks Two years later, I was expecting another child. With a two year old to take care of, I just did not have the time to make as elaborate of a quilt for the new baby. We did not know what the baby was going to be. A friend had given my some Pooh curtains and bedding. I used some of the curtains to make a small little quilt for baby number 2. It ended up being smaller than I planned and was used as a tummy quilt most of the time. Sorry Sarah! Baby number 3, Daniel was a summer baby(July). Not only did I not have enough time to make a nicer quilt, the thought of a quilt seem so hot. I made him a seersucker receiving blanket. I did take him from the hospital in that blanket, and he looked quite cute in it! Ten years ago my sister was pregnant with my niece, Skylar. We were all excited about the coming little girl. I decided to make her a quilt. Well, I was working and chauffeuring children night and day. I had good intentions, but just did not finish the quilt top. I was very close. Randy's daughter Jade, had Morgan a month later so I thought I would finish it for her... I did not. I just have had it stored away. I took it out the other day and realized that only the border needs finishing before attaching he back and quilting it. I am not sure if Sarah's new baby(we found out today it is a girl) will get this quilt or if I will make her a more specific one. The clock is ticking on that decision. Close up of the unfinished quilt When we found out Sarah was pregnant with Liam, I went to work on a quilt. I began cross stitching within weeks. I worked all through the fall and winter on that thing. I can remember watching American Idol and stitching. I also remember Sarah calling and saying,"what are you doing?" and I would say "nothing". I surprised her with the quilt just a couple of weeks before Liam was born. She has it hung on his bedroom wall.
I like doing handwork like that. It is soothing in a way.
My Aunt Edna died this pass weekend. She was 78, and had been sick for a while. She is my Daddy's brother Weldon's wife. Uncle Weldon died 3 years ago. Monday was the wake. Like most wakes(ones I go to anyway) it was full of laughter, hugs, talk of memories, and seeing friends and relatives you have not seen in a while and probably will not see until the next death. That is sad, but true. The funeral was today. I smiled through most of the funeral. I must explain myself at this point.
Most of my mom and dad's family are Pentecostal. I was raised going to Sunday School at a Pentecostal Church. I was even dedicated in that church. That means that as a baby I was "given" to the Lord. I never was baptized in that church, but my early childhood, teenage years, and young adulthood was spent in Sunday school at that church. My basic biblical knowledge was learned in classes taught by the sweetest Pentecostal ladies and men you could imagine. Randy and I attended a Pentecostal church in Lake Charles sometimes when we dated and when we lived there the first year of our marriage. His family is also full of many Pentecostals. In fact I was sitting in a Pentecostal church when I decided to name my first child Jacob. The lesson was on Jacob and Esau. I was trying to decide between Jacob and Jared.
The funeral today was very Pentecostal, complete with old time gospel music, people praying out loud, clapping, and shouting. It had been so long since I was around that. It brought back memories of wonderful people, relatives and non relatives. First of all some grandchildren sang a song. In fact 3 grand daughters sang, 1 played the piano and sang, and a great grand son played the drums on the number. They all have rich, full Pentecostal voices that are you can tell are use to singing, shouting, and praying regularly. I did not inherit any of this musical talent!
Then some ladies of the church sang a song that they said Aunt Edna had requested..."Good Bye World Good Bye". It was rocking! Note to my family: When I leave this world, send me out at one point to a song like that. It was truly a home-going service. I think Aunt Edna's spirit was there clapping and singing with everyone else. The preacher asked everyone to grab a hymnal and sing , "Heaven's Jubilee". I did not have my glasses, so I could not see the words but when they got to the chorus I remembered the words from my childhood. Maybe that was part of the reason for my smiling. It is also a thumping, southern gospel song.
I have been thinking of all my Pentecostal relatives and two great aunts came to mind...Daddy's Aunt Ethel and Aunt Carmel. They would try to out do each other at church. If one stood up to testify, then the other soon followed with a louder and longer testimony. If one spoke in tongues, the other soon followed. I witnessed this many times. My aunt was saying last night that Aunt Ethel, Aunt Carmel, and my grandma use to try to out do each other at funerals. They would faint and fall out. Aunt Billie Faye told me she finally told my grandma that if she did that again, she would not help her up off the floor. She said she never did it again!
I really believe the Spirit was in that Pentecostal church today. I told my cousins that I really enjoyed the service, and felt like I had been to church. God is alive. He dwells everywhere, especially where so many gather with one purpose. I know some will argue that it is wrong to be so loud in a house of worship, but I think God smiled today. I think Jesus smiled today. I think Aunt Edna, my grandparents, and all those sweet Pentecostal Sunday school teachers who fed me cookies and bible verses smiled today. I know I smiled today with pure joy.
I dug through some photos I had scanned(we have hundreds
of slides I am scanning) looking for a picture of Aunt Edna.
The best I could come up with is the one above. It was taken
at my grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary. My mom is
the one in the navy blue suit. Aunt Edna is the one whose
face is partially hidden by my mom. That is Uncle Weldon
next to her. My grandparents sit in the chairs. My aunts
and uncles and my dad are behind them. I think the
little ones are various great grand children. I chose this picture
for it shows my Pentecostal aunts. There are 11 adults in this
picture, 6 have since passed on.
I found this picture of my grandpa and I. Was I young or what?
I found the lyrics to the two songs I mentioned above. I pasted them below. Go to Youtube and find them. Be sure and pick one that is southern gospel with a banging piano and thumping drums.
Good Bye World Good Bye
I've told all my troubles goodbye,
Goodbye to each tear and each sigh.
This world where I roam cannot be my home,
I'm bound for that home in the sky.
I walk and I talk with my Lord,
I feast every day on His word,
Heaven is near and I can't stay here
Goodbye world, goodbye.
I won't have the blues anymore
When I step across to that shore.
And I'll never pine for I'll leave behind
My heartaches and cares ever more.
A day maybe two then goodbye,
Goodbye to each sorrow and sigh.
Heaven is near and I can't stay here,
Goodbye world, goodbye.
Now don't you weep for me when I'm gone
For I won't have to leave here alone.
And when I hear that last trumpet sound
My feet won't stay on the ground.
I'm gonna rise with a shout, gonna fly,
Gonna rise with my Lord in the sky.
Heaven is near and I can't stay here,
Goodbye world, goodbye
Some glad morning we shall see, Jesus in the air
Coming after you and me, joy is ours to share
What rejoicing there will be, when the saints shall rise Headed for that jubilee, yonder in the skies Chorus Oh what singing, oh what shouting
On that happy morning when we all shall rise
Oh what glory, Hallelujah When we meet our blessed Savior in the skies
Seems that now I almost see, all the sainted dead
Rising for that jubilee, that is just ahead
In the twinkling of an eye, changed with them to be All the living saints to fly, to that jubilee.
Chorus Oh what singing, oh what shouting
On that happy morning when we all shall rise
Please excuse the long post. I just had so many memories stirred today.
