Weekend:

Saturday:
I slept late Saturday which I love to do but for some reason been waking up early for the past couple months.  I spent the day doing odd cleaning jobs around the house and basically just being lazy.
Dwayne had a lot of errands to do with moving a tractor, feeding cows, etc.

Lizzy came over and spent the afternoon with me.  We watched Teen Mom 2, not that I haven't seen it already....... but she is good company and we like to watch it together.
I made a huge pot of vegetable soup for supper with grilled cheese.  Not sure how much Lizzy ate as her mouth seemed to be talking all through supper.  Imagine, Lizzy talking?  You've got to be kidding!!  She does talk alot, though.

Dwayne got the Christmas decorations down and Lizzy set up the skating rink and village in the bay window.  Not sure what happened to me and Dwayne, we didn't get much accomplished.

Sunday:
After church, I ran into Rolla to do my grocery shopping.  When I got home, Chad, Todd and Dustin were there.  I heated the soup up and made grilled cheese once again. Hard to believe it was the 2nd of December and we ate lunch on the front porch.  It was so nice out yesterday.

Dwayne and the boys left for the Emge Place and I spent the afternoon setting Christmas decorations out.  Dwayne set the tree up and put the lights on when he got home.  That was the extent of it.  Hopefully, we will finish up tonight.  So different than when the kids were home.  It was so exciting, everyone doing something at once but we got it all done in one afternoon.   I so miss those days.

After a relaxing evening of watching a Christmas movie, we went to be by 9:30.

I am grateful for family and that I live close to them so we can have visitors (nieces/nephews) just drop in.

Coincidence/Fate?

Most people think I'm a little different for posting on tombstones and memories associated with

the person.  Especially for the shoe in the picture below.  I will explain that story later but what I find so spiritual today is that I have been going to post this for quite some time but never felt I had the right words or if I should even post it.  I had thought about it back in August on Michael's birthday, but somehow didn't feel I should.  Today, I had some extra time at work and thought, I am going to post about Michael Pickering today.  I went to the school website to obtain his obituary and was so suprised to see that today is the anniversary date of his death.  I knew it was in November but did not remember the actual day.

 

Michael Pickering Michael Pickering, 16, Meta, died Nov. 30, 1999, at University of Missouri-Columbia Hospital and Clinics, from injuries sustained in a truck accident. He was born Aug. 17, 1983, a son of Robert and Traci Bullock Pickering. His father survives in Meta. His mother and stepfather, Traci and David Teeter, survive in Ravenna, Mich. A sophomore at Maries County R-1 High School, he was active in the Future Farmers of America. He was a member of First Baptist Church, Vienna. Other survivors include: one brother, Tommy Pickering, Meta; two sisters, Rachael Pickering, Meta, and Olivia Teeter, Ravenna; two stepbrothers, David Teeter and Joshua Teeter, both of Ravenna; paternal grandmother, Joyce Pickering, Lincoln, England; and maternal grandmother and step grandfather, Ernie and Lois Gallant, Deer Park, Texas. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at First Baptist Church. The Rev. Cameron Moles will officiate. Burial will be in Stokes Cemetery, Meta. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. today and from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, both at the church. Memorials are suggested to the Stokes Cemetery Care Fund, or a charity of the donor's choice. Arrangements are under the direction of Birmingham-Martin Funeral Home, Vienna.     Michael was Todd's good friend, Tommy Pickering's brother.  Todd spent alot of time at Tommy's throughout school and went on dog show trips with Tommy, Michael and Tommy's Mom.  Just good people, good friends. Sadly, Michael was killed in a truck accident just a few miles from our house.  Such a sad and shocking time in these people's young lives.  I had drove into Rolla the day after and I saw a shoe right on the edge of the road.  I picked it up and brought it home with me.  It was Michael's shoe.  Dwayne and April were very upset with me for doing this and Dwayne wanted me to throw it away.  I couldn't, it was a link to Tommy's brother.  I kept it hid in a trash bag in my closet.  April wouldn't go anywhere near my closet for years.  Todd didn't think it was right either, but he didn't say much.  I told Tommy about a year later that I had Michael's shoe.  Wasn't sure what he would think of that, but he got a funny look on his face and said he would like to have it.  Time went on and Tommy didn't come by for it and I didn't want to just take it to him.  Then I got an idea to somehow fix it into a "shoe planter" and give to Tommy.  My family thought I was absolutely nuts!  My sister, Katie is good at crafts and I knew she would help me come up with something.  A few years ago, I reluctantly gave up the shoe from it's safe keeping and gave it to Kate to fix for me.  Kate then started having a rough time in her life, a divorce and many life changing events.  I was so afraid she had lost the shoe through all of the happenings.  In August of 2011, I asked Kate is she still had the shoe, thankfully, she did.  I had made a copy of Michael's picture out of an old Year Book and copied the obituary.  Kate laminated these together, made a ribbon out of camouflage and fixed the planter for me.  It turned out so good.  I brought it to my work and called Tommy and told him what I had done with the shoe and we were going to meet in Vienna one day for him to pick it up.  I hid it under my desk at work for a couple weeks.  I figured the cleaning lady thought I was a little crazy. I was going shopping with April one weekend last fall and I brought the shoe with me.  I thought I would drop it off at Tommy's on my way home.  We did not take my vehicle shopping and April totally avoided my truck when I was loading up my shopping bags before going home. I started to get a little nervous, thinking maybe I had made a mistake in doing this.  I couldn't remember exactly where Tommy lived but I saw an older white Ford truck in his dad's driveway so I pulled in there.  Right after that Tommy's dad, Robert pulled in.  I was so nervous.  I told him what I had done and hoped that I wasn't offending him by coming by.  He got tears in his eyes and said, no one ever talks about Michael anymore.  He said there is not a day that goes by I don't think of him.  He asked if he could see the shoe.  I took him over to the truck and he picked up the shoe and looked at it.  He said, you don't know how special this is to me, thank you.  Whew!  I was afraid I had made a huge etiquette error, etc. I told him Todd was keeping the area dedicated to Michael on Hwy E where the accident happened cleaned and we put flowers there.  Our neighbor, Steve Snodgrass had put up a wooden cross there in honor of Michael.  He said to tell Todd thanks for doing that.  (I really don't think the family has ever been able to go over to the actual accident site)  He then asked me if I had been over to the cemetery to see Michael's tombstone.  I told him no and he said you need to go over before you go home.  His eyes were all lit up as he talked about it.  He said Michael loved animals so we have animals engraved on it and a deer statue by the stone.  Hey, it's not just me that thinks a tombstone/grave site tells of a person's life and history.  He thanked me once again and told me how to get to Tommy's. I then went on over to Tommy's.  Tommy was glad to see me but I think seeing Michael's shoe was too overwhelming for him.  I felt really bad for him and thought I had made a big mistake in coming over.  I think it just brought back so many memories for him.  He then gave me a hug and said thank you, it meant alot to him.  We talked for a few minutes (along with me trying to squeeze in a hug from his daughter, Kenadi).  I told him his Dad wanted me to go see Michael's grave site before I went home.  His face then lit up and he said, that's where Michael's shoe belongs, is with him.  We visited a little and then he asked if I would mind taking the shoe over and placing it on Michael's grave as that was fitting it should be with him.  I still feel kind of bad for Tommy though.  I think the thought of picking up Michael's shoe was just too much for him.  I, in no way meant to offend Tommy.  I so hope and pray he was okay with it.                                         In Memory of Michael Pickering,                                        August 17, 1983 - November 30, 1999 I can't imagine the pain and suffering the Pickering family has endured.  But they don't want people to forget Michael.  If you have a memory you want to share of Michael, they would be glad to hear it. I am grateful my intentions were greeted as what they were meant to be.  A memory of Michael and the only article of his they were able to obtain after the accident.  Family, don't take them for granted, enjoy and cherish each minute every day.

Chad:

That's my boy!!

 

Love my oldest, that's for sure.  But he has been having a difficult time lately.  Can't find a job with this economy, getting behind on bills, etc.  It worries me to no end.  But at the end of the day, I think that all that is really important is he is alive and well.  It's not that he doesn't try, he does and sometimes he just doesn't make the best choices and honestly, life has dealt him a few curves along the way.  If something is going to happen, it will be Chaddy.  (like a horse falling head over and landing on top of him, breaking his collar bone, shoulder-but luckily did not break his neck.  The accident he was in last Spring that very easily could have left him for dead.  If you saw the truck you would know God was with him in that accident and spared his life.)

I wish to reach out to each of you to pray for Chad.  He had a really good interview yesterday for a promising job, but there were seven more interviews just yesterday, not considering the rest of the week.  He would be so good at this job and it is doing what he loves.

 

My Chad has the biggest heart.  He reaches out to everyone.  He has opened his home to more than one person that didn't have anywhere to stay.  One person had a little boy that Chad has came to love as his own.  He still sees Desmon at least once a week and sometimes Des spends the weekend there.

Just yesterday when all the buzz was about what you would do if you won the lottery.  Chad said, "The first thing I would buy is a truck for Todd."  A truck for his brother?  That's the first think you thought of?  Man, is that unselfish or what?!  I am so proud of Chad and his love for people.

 

Please pray for my Chaddo to see better days to come in the future.  Thank you.

 

I am grateful for our firstborn son God has blessed us with.

Love you, Chaddy Boy!!

Sunday:

I went to church and then once again went visiting.
I visited with my good friend, Pat from childhood.  Pat is such an amazing person.  She came home from Vegas a few years ago to take care of her Mom.  The first few years were more of a live-in companion and helping out.  That changed in the past year as Maxine has had several more health issues and then a broken hip last Spring.  She also has a feeding tube due to another health problem.  Pat is so patient with her Mom and sees to her every need.  The days are getting harder on her but she doesn't complain, she just says, "That's my mom."  Not many people would be able to devote such loving care on a daily basis with the grace Pat has shown.  I admire her very much.
Added to this stress, a couple weeks ago, she found her brother, Randy dead.  Randy had been staying also recently to help with the lifting of Maxine.  What a blow to the family and I know much harder on Pat than she lets on.  Randy had been in poor health and almost two years ago wasn't expected to live, but many prayers and a long stay in the hospital he recovered.  He had another bout this past Spring and came through once again.  Those times were expected if he should die but this came about totally by surprise.
Think of my friend, Pat in your prayers.  She's for sure following the Bible's rules of caring for your parent with grace and dignity.  But she is getting tired, she doesn't want to admit it but she is getting worn out.  I also worry about her after this all over, such dedicated care and constantly being with her Mom and then the ending.  She will certainly feel such a loss of her mother but also a total change in her life.

That afternoon, I put a roast on for supper.  Chad and Todd came up and we had the best visit.  They stayed for four hours or more.  They had been helping Dwayne cut wood all day and as soon as Dwayne pulled in with a load, both boys were up and out the back door to help him split it.  Good boys, or I guess I should now say good men.  They aren't my little boys anymore, but in my heart they always will be.  And there is not a time that I see Chad I don't get a big hug and Todd is getting better and hugs me by each time he comes over.

I am grateful for my family and our good friends and neighbors, the Workman's and pray for them for all they've gone through.

Columbia Shopping Trip:

April was going to buy a computer at Best Buy and I suggested Dwayne and Mike come along with us.  She's like, huh, why?  I should have listened to her.
I thought it would be kind of fun to have them go with us and eat out.  Well, I was wrong!

We first went to Texas Roadhouse for lunch and it was very good and the guys had a good time.  Best Buy was right by their parking lot so they thought we would go there next.  No, why would we do that, if we bought the computer and needed software, someone could steal it out of the car while we were at the mall.

April drives across the street to the mall and Mike is, we're really not going here, are we?  I thought he was just joking and giving us a hard time.  Then when we get to the mall, Dwayne and Mike are both like, we don't do malls.  Well, we told you we were going here when we invited you.  As we were walking toward the mall, Mike stops and says, I'm not going in, I've never been here before.  I still thought he was joking.  Then he says, seriously, are we really going in?  I turned to him and said,
"Mike you just went from being my favorite son-in-law to my least favorite in the blink of an eye".  I think it might have upset him at first but April reassured him he could be either one as he is the only one.  I was just joking with him but maybe a little serious.

We get in the mall and just kind of stand around.  Then I said, April, let's just ditch them.  So we did!  We just went off shopping and left them to do whatever.  But we really didn't shop much, we felt rushed.  We went back to where we left them and didn't see them around.  I called Dwayne and they were just leaving Sears heading back to where we started from.  At least they found tools to look at and Dwayne bought needed tools of chalk line and some other small item, but he was happy.

We left and then stopped at Wal-Marts for a few groceries.  They did pretty good in there, but I did buy them some beer to drink on the way home so we woudn't hear them whine.

April still needed to buy a gift for a Christmas party and we couldn't find anything at the mall.  When we got to Jeff City, we pulled into Target.  The guys stayed in the car.  We did get some good shopping in, not very long, but enjoyable.

It was decided that would be the last trip ever shopping with Dwayne and Mike.  This was decided by all four of us!!  lol

I really thought it would be a nice change of pace and time together.  I think from now on, April and I will just make our monthly shopping trips and enjoy our time of just the two of us to the fullest.

I am grateful for family and most grateful Dwayne and Mike won't be shopping with us anymore.

Happy 55!!

                                                                                 Susan

My friend, Susan turned 55 today.  I'm from April to November older than her.
We get to be the same age half the year, although I get there first.

We've been friends since we married best friends.  We've been there for each other
through the good times and bad.  If I need her, she would be there in a heartbeat.
(As you can see above at April's Wedding Shower doing the games.  Susan hates
being the center of attention and getting up in front of people, but she did it!!)

We've raised our kids together, built our houses together and now semi-enjoying
our older years.  lol

I am grateful to have known Susan and having her as my friend.  Happy Birthday!

Friday:

Carrie, Ryan, Ellie

Avery & Evan

For the past few years, Dwayne and I have been going over to Mike and Susan's to visit while their kids are home for Thanksgiving.  We just missed seeing Kelsey this year.  She had left about an hour before we got there.
We watched Carrie grow up right before our eyes and now the same is happening with her kids.  The age old saying, "where does the time go"?
Avery, the oldest is more laid back.  But he talks alot!  Which seems strange for a Southard grandchild as most of the Southards are pretty quiet.  Avery seemed more interested in our visit this time as he has gotten used to the us coming over.
Evan, the second is quite the child.  Mischievous and full of fun and merriment.  He always calls Dwayne the cowboy as he has his hat on all the time.  He didn't know him at April's wedding without his hat.  Luckily, at the reception he found the cowboy as Dwayne had his hat on then.  There is never a dull moment around Evan. 
Ellie, the third and also the little girl Carrie had always wanted.  I tease her that she followed my footsteps in birth order.  Ellie is a little doll!!   I can see both Avery and Evan in her expressions.  She loves her Granddaddy (as they call Mike).  She can be fun loving and a little of a dare devil around her brothers but then turn right around and be the little girly girl.

We always enjoy our visits with the Kansas City grand kids as we refer to them.  As we leave, the boys say bye cowboy and your cowgirl.  lol

I am grateful for Mike and Susan as friends and their girls who we've spent numerous weekends, river trips, etc. with as they were growing up.  And I am especially grateful for the addition of their grand babies, we enjoy them so much.