MY FAMILY KNOWS ME!

What a family week this has been.  Church at Crossgates is always a great way to begin.  Singing to the Lord with 75 to 100 or your closest Christian friends and choir members is such a moving way to begin the week and the Holy Spirit really showed up this past Sunday.   Even though my mother went to be with the Lord many years ago, my mother-in-law is just about like my mother and we spent a nice day with her.  Everybody brought a dish for lunch with folks eating in the dining room, living room, den and back porch.   Yum, yum!!!

Isn't Mamaw a precious little lady?  87 years young.  Her thumbs are so green, she could make a pencil grow. 

Johnny and our three girls were spot on with the Mother's Day gifts for me this year.  It was almost like they all got together and decided on a theme - gardening Nonnie.  I got cut flowers in a cute little antique jar type vase, an old fashioned hydrangea (love, love them!!!), a garden smoker from Germany, and stepping stones with Baker and Sidney's hand prints in them.  I spent all day Monday getting the hydrangea planted and mulched so I could place the stepping stones.  Then to bed at 8:15.  The shovel really did me in. 

This picture does not show how cute those little hands are, but trust me, precious!

Is that the cutest little garden smoker you ever saw?  Even the mouse he is holding is cute.


SISTER TIME

Tuesday and the sore back and achy muscles were all better, well mostly.  Anyway, cleaning had to get cranked up because my sister was coming.  Haven't seen her in almost a year and she would be here in a few hours.  She and my favorite brother-in-law (don't tell my other one) were driving in from Florida on their way to Oregon - remember we drove up there last year.  They will be in an RV - a big one - and we were in a small SUV and tent.  Anyway, I was excited.  When we get together we are like two silly, teenage girls, all giggly and talking on top of one another non-stop.  The fav BIL and Johnny just look at us and smirk at each other.  They know how it will be until they drive off again. 

You would have to hear my sister talk sometimes to understand this next little story, but I will try to give it to you straight up.  On their way into Mississippi, Sis called and asked if I could find a place where" they could adopt a donkey.

"What did you say??  A donkey??"

Following much laughter on both ends of the phone, it was established that she wanted to adopt a dougy.  That would be a doggy to us plain old southerners.  She is married to a yankee and they live in Florida.  Her accent is all messed up on certain words.  Doggy being one of them.

Wednesday we did something we had never done before, we went to the Pelahatchie Animal Rescue League and rescued the most adorable, lovable "dougy" for my sister.  Their canine companion of 14 years, Rocky, passed away earlier this year and the one that was left behind, Bella, just could not stand being left alone without her faithful companion.  So another doggy friend was introduced.  Much to everyone's amazement the intro was an instant success and the "donkey" adoption was complete. 

We shall not speak of all the hoops we jumped through during the day to make it all happen.  The problem - making the deal in one day, were from out of state, were traveling across the country and would have homes in both corners of these United States.  It was hard and took all day emailing, phoning, and faxing information and then driving to the edge-of-never.  All I can say is that they were very thorough, professional, and wonderful to work with.  The kennels were exceptionally clean and all the animals looked very healthy and well tended to.  If you ever get a chance to make a donation, please do.  If you can give a pet a home, this would be a good place to look for one.   Pelahatchie, of all places.

The beautiful black, part-Lab new family member will be called Maggie - named for Magnolia since she was acquired in Mississippi, the Magnolia State.  She is so loving and well behaved even as the entire family just clattered and carried on all at the same time.  Maggie had never been anywhere except the shelter from the day she was born.   Everything was new to her, even going up and down steps.

Amber is petting Maggie and Bella is watching the kids play. 

All of us.

Maggie's tail never quit wagging.  I think she understoods just what a lucky "donkey" she is.

Maybe you should go get you one.