Dwayne's Birthday:

Dwayne and I both turned the double fives this year.

We always celebrate Dwayne's birthday with lasagna and delicious cake.

I think if I fixed anything different he would be pretty disappointed.

Annual delicious cake, Dwayne's favorite.

When I was younger and even just a few years ago I didn't really appreciate time as I do this year.  Momma's health has been so precarious this year that earlier this summer I was beginning to doubt her ever being able to go anywhere again.

In July she had two hospital stays of having fluid drained due to congestive heart failure.  She was then able to get up and walk around some and just looked so much better.  She was released from the hospital on Saturday evening, July 28th.

That Sunday I asked if her and Dad would like to come down for supper Tuesday night for Dwayne's birthday and to visit the kids.  I cannot believe the joy I felt at having my Mom and Dad be able to get out and come down for supper.  I think each one of us felt the specialness of the visit.

Joyfulness!!

Thankfulness!!

I know we all felt the message as Momma said the blessing before the meal.  What a great evening.

As a lyric to a song goes, "There will be times like this, you're gonna miss it, they'll be times like this........."  It may not go exactly as that but that's the part I pick up on.  Yes, there will be times I'm going to miss this, but I am so thankful I have times like these as cherished memories.