The $10 Dog

Photo Credit:  PW

The $10 Dog 

To be honest, this all probably started with me believing in another lifetime that you couldn't really train the aggression out of a pit bull.  

Then over the years, one at a time, I came in contact with the breed repeatedly and I began to wonder if maybe it really wasn't bred into them at all?  That the stories I'd heard and the aggressive ones I'd seen were the ones where aggression had actually been Trained into them? 

Then my oldest daughter ends up getting one.  He is Giant, energetic, and convinced he's a lap dog.  My 12 year old daughter spent a few weekends there and she was Convinced that she needed one.  I finally gave in and agreed to go to the pound "just to look".  I took my 2nd daughter - C. (I have 5 girls LOL ) with us because she's a dog groomer and can spot dog aggression and temperament a LOT easier than I can.  

We get there, and there's SO many dogs.  This shelter is a kill shelter.  The city runs it and sponsors most of the adoption fees.  Full price adoptions are $75.  I noticed many of the dogs had $10 tags on their kennel.  Curious, but I was too oblivious to how things truly worked to really understand I kept looking for THE dog.  

We had taken a couple outside but none of them were a good match for us.  My older daughter kept telling my little one to look at a specific $10 dog.  They called her Marley Dawn.  She has almost black circles around her eyes that look menacing.  She is anything but menacing. While we waited for someone to break her out of her kennel for us, I continued to walk around.  I came back around the corner and there was my daughter just camped out on the floor in front of her door. 

We got her outside and she broke away from us to go to the end of the play area and do her business.... for a long time.  Then she tentatively came to meet us.  Within about 24 seconds she rolled right on top of my younger daughter's feet and rolled over for belly rubs.  Occasionally she would jump up to wag her tail ... which ended up wagging her entire back end ... and then again ... assume the position for more belly rubs.  

Both of my daughters were convinced she was the one.  I Wanted her to be the one, but I'm still a little bit skeptical.  Is this too good to be true?  

After spending a couple hours there what I Did know was ... They were a kill shelter.  The $10 tag on their kennel meant they only had a few days left... Okay fine ... my "just to look" turned into me paying $10 before we left that night.  She had to stay so they could spay her.  That would take 5 days to accomplish.  Her new Mama thought surely she'd never survive the 5 days.  

So We went back ... daily.  We fed her treats, we put a stopwatch to how long it took her to destroy a normal tennis ball (about 2 minutes).  Every day when we left, P would give her a special treat from PetSmart (an alligator, or hedgehog tough chew) so she would have something to do while we were gone.  

Finally the day came where we could bring her home.  She bonded with my daughter immediately.  I made her sleep in the crate at first because of her incision.  P decided to sleep on the floor with her hand in the crate so she wouldn't be scared.  After watching her play with us I finally decided to take the chance and let them sleep in bed together.  Inseparable since that day. 

She is great and So gentle with my little Porkie Sheldon (Pomeranian/Yorkie)!  She takes a treat so gentle it's amazing.  Remember those long times at the end of the play yard relieving herself when we took her out?   She never had a mess in her kennel.  Never.  She also has never had an accident in my home. 

That's not to say she doesn't make a mess ... Some poor stuffed animal meets a torturous end almost daily... Except the pink dragon.  She Loves that pink Dragon.  

They said she was 11 mos old when we got her so we have a little puppy energy to deal with, but this is the most trying time with any breed!  

She's literally the Best dog I've ever had on a leash and she is So eager to please it really takes just a couple times of reward/discipline (mostly reward) to teach her house etiquette. 

During this time, Most of us are home because of COVID-19.  You've said it, you know you have.  You Just Don't Have Time to train a new dog.  Well Right now you have all the time in the world.  Every Time I think of the $10 tags it's like a punch in the gut. I know what must be happening there and it's killing me.  Most shelters have modified their procedures, but you can still meet and adopt a dog.  You may not be able to enter the building, you might have to do Everything outside with masks or gloves or whatever, but What Could You Do With a $10 Best Friend?  Save a Life today, Use this time to adopt a dog, walk them every day and get yourself out of the house! 

You Won't Be Sorry!  

Photo Credit:  PW

Can We Talk Valentine's Day? 

Let's start by reading the definition of Valentine's Day from Wikipedia.  

Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine,^[2] is celebrated annually on February 14. Originating as a Western Christian feast day honoring one or two early saints named Valentinus, Valentine's Day is recognized as a significant cultural, religious, and commercial celebration of romance and romantic love in many regions around the world.

When I walk into Walmart, there is an Entire section dedicated to Valentine's Day.  Almost as big as it was for Christmas!!  Literally, several rows for Valentine's Day ..... for kids.  I get it!  We love our curtain crawlers very much.  We don't want them to be embarrassed by a "stupid" Valentine Box and they can only have the Coolest Valentine Cards to give out!  How many kids are in their class?  I must go to Pinterest and see how I can turn this roll of Smarties into a beautiful butterfly or dragon that will magically poof into real life and fly around the room or my child will be humiliated!  Don't lie - we have All fallen prey to the unreachable expectations of Pinterest. 

Read the Wikipedia definition of Valentin's Day again!  "celebration of romance and romantic love".   How many of us have spent so much energy on making sure little Karen isn't embarrassed and has a positive Valentine's experience that we fail to even THINK of romantic love?  The man who was once proclaimed as the love of your life, brushed aside for the latest "keeping up with the Jones schemes" all in the names of our kids. 

 If you DO find anything in the Valentine section for your "significant other" it's likely a  representation of sex not necessarily love and intimacy..... meaning, I saw a friend post about how was she supposed to explain the furry handcuffs and dog collar attached to a lacy piece of lingerie in the Valentine section?!   I'm not saying sex isn't great - I personally love it!  I don't believe it has any place (for items related to it) being sold next to children's items.  Also, I'm not sure Focusing solely on sex is the meaning behind "romantic love" on this day.  There's much to be said for Respect, addressing the little things (like maybe his favorite meal or dessert) Before his physical need are taken care of.  But if it has to be scheduled and  carried out like a robot - we have bigger problems!

I am guilty.  I wanted so much to be a success as a mom that I really didn't give much thought to my man in several cases.  I would convince myself that he loved the kids as much as I did and he understood.  He did... he loved the kids ... he wanted them to be happy and have positive experiences as much as I did.  He never probably set out in marriage and young love thinking "Wow I can't wait to have kids so we can ignore our love for each other and give them every ounce of money, energy, and ambition we have.  I can't wait to watch my wife pour all of her creativity into them and have little to nothing left for me!"

I'm not attacking moms here.  I am one five times over I'm guilty of all that above ..... times FIVE.  My man has been neglected.  Twenty some odd years down the road when I decided to Really focus on him and give him a "My Man Centered Valentine's Day" I want overboard ... I went all out in the outgoing energy of my personality.  He all but ran away from me.  Lets face it - he had lived 25(ish) years watching Valentine's Day be all about the kids and the nothing about him.  His grab-n-go bouquet from Walmart embarrassed him because no one told him that the rules had changed!  It was a disastrous Lucille Ball Valentine's Day and one that we'd probably both like to erase from history.  It resulted in crushed expectations and feelings of rejection for an entire year.  Like my personality is  ... Go Big or Go Home .... it was a huge shock to him or what he'd been used to for decades.  

This is my little lesson for younger married couples.  Your kid will be fine with a blow-pop sucker taped to Valentine Cards.  Yes, annoying little Karen will have the Pinterest Smartie Butterflies and most likely everyone will remember them, but give your kids the gift that will REALLY make them content, happy, and proud.  Give the holiday to your man.  Make their life experience one of seeing the marriage put before them.  Give your man what the holiday was created for.  

You have 11 days to prepare ... Go! 

Blessing's y'all -- We need 'em every day! 

I Can Be SOOOO Quiet!

Raising children can be difficult in the best of ways. I chose total chaos on purpose, for very specific reasons. Somehow those reasons got lost when the chaos got out of control, but I know I always wanted a full supper table with lots of noise, chatter and laughter. That meant filling every seat. My oldest (of 5 girls) was the typical first born child. Rule follower - people pleaser - seeker of attention. Because of these traits, she learned to tell a good story early on. She was a “hand talker”, she would wave her little hands for all their might as she was telling a story. She was a real cutie, dark blonde Very curly hair, dark brown eyes, and a giggle that most people couldn’t resist.

I remember one particularly trying day we were driving home from “pay-day” grocery shopping with my two oldest (ages 4 & 2) and I was pregnant with my 3rd. Weary from the constant “Look Mama’s” and me yelling at my typical ornery 2nd child to stop running off, making faces at other customers, crossing her eyes when she talked to me, putting things in the cart I hadn’t budgeted for, etc., I really needed quiet on the ride home. Like…. There are not enough words to describe How Much I NEEDED quiet on the ride home. The first few minutes we had the typical bickering and talking, but then the little one fell asleep because her behavior even wore herself out sometimes!

I was encouraged, it was looking like I might get at least 15 minutes of peace if I could get my oldest to quit that blasted talking!!

Me: Shana, Mama needs you to be quiet for a while. I’m really tired and I have a headache and I’m just going to turn the radio down and be quiet while we drive home.

Her: Okay Mama! (pause of 12 seconds) Mama did you see dat swing set? It is blue and white! I know my colors Mama. Is I’m so smart right Mama?

Me: Yes hon, now remember we are going to be quiet.

Her: Okay Mama I can do dat! (pause of approx 7 seconds) GASP (with hands straight up in the air.) Mama! I don’t think we remembered to feed Katie before we left! Is she’s really hungry you think Mama right? We HAVE to FEED her when we’s get home Right Mama?!

Me: Shana, I mean it. Right now I think my ears are going to start bleeding they hurt so bad because I need it to be super quiet so I don’t cry from hurting ears okay?

Her: Okay Mama I can do dat! My teacher says I am SOO SO SO good at being quiet. (cutest chubby waving little hands) Teacher says that when we play the quiet game I am the bestest at dat game! We all sit in our chairs and we be so so so quiet dat even mouses couldn’t hear us if they came in the room. But dat doesn’t happen because we don’t have mouses in the church right Mama? DOOO WE have mouses in the church? Anyway, I will be So So quiet you will think I’m asweep. Commie (sister Carly) is asweep Mama so (now she’s whispering) yous needs to be super quiet right Mama? I think I even got a pwize for being the bestest at being quiet at church de odder day!

ANNNNNNNND we had already pulled into town and were seconds away from home. I really was on the verge of tears that day from the stress and chaos and weariness of being pregnant. Neither one of them had really obeyed anything I asked of them that day. But watching her tell me how Quiet of a kid she Could be in the rear-view mirror, watching her wave her little hands in her car seat to emphasize parts of her story I melted a little. I felt a little bit of compassion for her plight. She was a people pleaser, attention seeker, and rule follower. She usually had to talk herself through whatever was coming up to be sure she understood the task at hand. She was encouraging me that she loved me and was concerned about my “bleeding ears” and was just letting me know in her own way that because she loved me she was going to do her bestest job at what I had asked. That also meant that she Could. Not. Stop. Talking. Because she was processing her assignment.

It was another way of knowing that parenthood was there to smooth the rough edges of selfishness. It was the, letting me know that while she Wasn’t obeying me, she really wasn’t disobeying, she was just getting herself talked up, and mentally process the moment so she could shine. Unfortunately, we only had 25 minutes in the car and that just wasn’t enough time.

I contemplated driving to Texas to grocery shop from that time on so that I would be sure to get SOME peace and quiet on the way home. I contemplated Benadryl … lots of it, but decided against it. - pshhhhhh don’t act like you didn’t ever consider it! I also contemplated getting a babysitter so I could grocery shop in peace, but 1) we were too financially tight for that, and 2) I really believed that if I didn’t take them with me grocery shopping every time, yes - ALL of them, they wouldn’t ever learn self-control, impulse-control, how to be told no gracefully, and how to say Thank You to the gentlemen holding the door for this very frazzled looking Mama.


I did however, have two very firm words for my oldest upon crossing the threshold at our house.

Nap. Time!

Mama, you will be exhausted. You will be ready to cry, or your body will be fighting everything you need to do to get that day done. Your children will be Who they are. I’m just encouraging you to see that sometimes when they aren’t obeying, it’s not blatant disobedience.

There Are Really Awful Days ... With Really Touching Moments

There are really hard days … with really touching moments. 

*Stock image from Google 

When my Dad was in the hospital battling  Leukemia, everything was hard. Looking into his eyes, and sensing he was not quite present in the moment, as if his spirit were half somewhere else was really hard to stomach.  I never thought I viewed him as my Hero, but I sure did view him as my strength, my wisdom, my laughter. Here he was in a hospital gown, crying most of his awake time because of a brain tumor that had developed and was pushing on the part of the brain that controlled emotions. On one particular visit to see him we asked ‘Dad why are you crying?’ 

He seemed to come back to our present moment and said “I just wonder if I’ve done right by you guys.  Did I give you enough wisdom? Did I tell you how important God is?’ and he trailed off in soft tears.  

We walked back and forth in those hospital halls.  My daughter Jessica was about 18 months old with chubby cheeks and a giant smile that lit up everyone who saw her, including my Dad.  I’ll never forget - crossing a glass enclosed walk-way above a street, Jessica stopped to look at the cars passing below. We were there for 2 days and each time we passed through, there was her chubby little hand print perfectly planted on the glass. It was such a contrast of joy and life and promise compared to what waited for us in Dad’s room that it caught me and spoke to me each time I saw it.  I tried to take a picture of it but it didn’t show up.  

I was newly pregnant with Paige when we received the news that there was nothing more the Drs. could do for Dad and sent him home on hospice to die.  I wanted to be there so much. I wanted to soak up every moment possible that I could hear his breath, see his Heinz 57 eyes, and take care of him. He told me no.  He said “My spirit might be leaving but God has already given permission for this family to go on through the spirit he is sending through you. If you’re here you might get so upset you could miscarry and I want to protect that baby.”  

And just like that he was gone.  

What an awful time, with such beautiful moments. Tiny hand prints, the promised cry of a new baby, a Loved one gone on, who wanted to protect his newest grand baby.  The hard days can take your breath away. The loss of a job, a loved one, or a marriage, financial tragedies, and many days in between can all leave you feeling like life just knocked the wind out of you.  Look for the hand prints, listen for the new cries of hope. They are there quietly waiting to breathe strength back into you when you need it most. 

Busy Mom - Full Schedule

Recently I had a request for a blog post.  How wonderful!  ... Except I have no answer for this request!

"Someday you should do a post about how you stayed organized and on top of things for all of those softball practices and places you had to be!?"

Right!!!  (insert the music from Jeopardy) .... A week or so  (or three) later I'm still trying to think about whether I was ever "organized".  I mean - we survived didn't we?  All my kids had at least acceptable grades??  They were able to function well even with lots of activities right?!?  We actually ate around the supper table more often than we ate out because I'm a nut about family time around the table. And yet all I can think of is how often we were in the big ol' middle of chaos!  Controlled Chaos I like to call it.  I was in control but JUST barely!

So - I'm going to list maybe the top 5 things that made me successful in this venture of raising 4 athletic very busy girls needing to be at practices and games all while dragging a much smaller little sister to every event!  Of course this is a parody of how the "Pinterest Mom" would have done things, but Hey!  I'm the Poster Girl for the Pinterest Fail ... Maybe even the Queen!!

From least to greatest ...

5.  The ability to tune out the chaos of the house.  You have to be able to move the clothes from the washer to the dryer - to the couch.  You have to be able to walk past them for several days in a row while grabbing things from the pile each morning!  You eventually wear everything off of the couch and wa-la!  The living room is (semi) clean again!!  Sort of.  You can't sweat a messy house.  I just got to where I told everyone -- "It will probably always look like this - but you're always welcome"  I'm looking forward to seeing if I can do a better job of this now that there's just one little at home.  We shall see.

4.  Multi-tasking is a must!  I can't tell you how many times I would be at a softball game/practice and I knew exactly where all of my kids were while changing a diaper, answering a phone call from my mom, purchase a drink at the concession stand, and stop everything to Ring My Cowbell!!  When the girls hit a home run or made an amazing play I have this same cowbell that I've carried for years.  It's been shaken - dropped - beat on the bleachers or dugout, and maybe the back stop.  Success deserves recognition! Mama's gonna bring it!

3.  A comfortable vehicle!  This box on wheels will keep you warm - cool - dry - and carry everything precious and valuable to you.  We have changed clothes, eaten, taken naps,  laughed, cried, celebrated victories, and bemoaned losses in our vehicle.  It always contains - extra Ketsup, plastic silverware, straws, antibacterial lotion, and wipes in the cubby between the two front seats! In the glove box you would find a cosmetic case with Advil, Tylenol,  bobby pins, hair ties, maxi pads, tampons, fingernail clippers, safety pins, fingernail file, Chapstick, Tiger Balm, and Rolaids (this is for Mom!)

 And if you don't understand this picture then I probably can't explain it well.  It's universal for - I didn't know what uniform we were wearing until 4am this morning and we only had time to wash it - not dry it!!

2.  The Memory of an Elephant! Or a really great day - planner ... whatever works for you!  But seriously - keeping all of the practices and games and performances and birthday parties should have handed me a degree in Event Planning!

Speaking of elephants - this was me more times than not after putting the kids in bed and trying to get a bath!


1.  A Really Cute Man To Share In The Chaos! 

Yah yah for all of you "I Am Woman Hear Me Roar" types - I guess I could have survived alone, I'm just saying - I'm so glad I didn't have to! This picture was actually taken  AT a softball game where he met me in the parking lot to help get the "baby" and the lawn chairs and the cooler and the cowbell -sunscreen - umbrella - bag of toys - iPad - sunflower seeds - extra softball socks - sports bra - money (crap where did my purse go)  - and sunglasses up to the field before the game started because sometimes my kid was lead-off and if I ever missed an At-Bat ... It turned out to be a home run several times and you just can't live with the guilt of THAT!! 

He loves that I could remember everyone's schedule and things they needed so he would say "just tell me what you need from me" and together we would get it done. 

This picture was taken at the All-State games the summer of 2015 as we watched our second daughter (daughter #4) play at the All-State games. 

So that's it -- there was no secret weapon, no list or product to buy. There was a lot of prayer - a lot of teamwork and a lot of controlled chaos.  Seems like there should be more to it than that but there was just life! 

Note to self - never agree to write a blog that puts you as the example trying to give ideas ever again!!! Whew!!

Blessings for today ya'all, we need 'em every day! 

Heather 

Women's Lib Pshhhhh

P.S. A woman's place is wherever she can be a Woman in every sense - including being polite. 

Ladies - Ladies

For decades women were held back - not allowed the right to own land - not allowed the right to vote, or even hold certain positions in the work force. THAT was oppression. 

My Grandma told me a story about the first time Grandpa sent her to town to purchase her own car -- WHOA!!  

Luella Ruth Bush was not like me - she knew how to control her tongue, she would maybe give you a "WELL! I don't much like YOU!" Look but I don't remember her ever cutting down someone with her tongue in public. It took me a while to learn that virtue.  

As the story goes, she traveled all over one town, looked everything over and made her decision. Upon talking with the company owners they told her "When you're sure what you want, bring Johnny back to town with you and we will make a deal." 

Where I grew up everyone knows everyone - and all of these families are Good people. Also, to be fair, at that time, it was highly possible that the owner was only concerned about Grandpa being very upset with them if they did this without hearing from him first instead of thinking she wasn't capable.  Regardless, yes - it's nice that we have moved beyond that. 

By-the-way, my Grandma got her tail feathers all fanned out and drove herself to a different town and BOUGHT herself a car!  But she was always pleasant to the first company until the day she died. 

Now that you're half-way through this post I should warn you this is my "rant". I am so ashamed of my gender every time I happen upon the situation of a man holding the door open for a woman and he is met with a glare, or she pulls up short and either refuses to walk through, or most awful, gives him a tongue lashing  like you've never heard. 

This is NOT women's lib - please excuse me because I really don't use curse words very often, because I choose to use my vocabulary words to express myself.  However in this situation?! This is not women's lib - this is nothing more than you being a bitch. 

You will probably not meet any woman more confident and more capable of opening a door for herself than my girls and myself. But when a man holds a door open for me he will always get a smile, eye contact, and a thank you. Why? Because he is Not being Chauvinistic - he is committing an act of kindness!  He doesn't have to leave his group to wait for me but he does, and when all of my girls are together I have seen young men blush by the time all 5 of my girls pass before me and EACH of them says "thank you!" Each with their own expression.  When I get there and he begins to be uncomfortable I will follow up with "thank you for knowing how to be nice to a lady ... Even if it is 6 of us at once!" Usually I get a grin and nervous chuckle and he is relieved to run off to his buddies. Adult men are usually confident enough to grin widely and throw a sarcastic quip my way. 

Was I disrespected? Belittled? Made fun of? NO! What just happened was that I know there are Mama's out there doing their job and teaching their young men to commit acts of kindness and put others before themselves because all lives are valuable and reaching out with acts of kindness are just plain basic good manners!   On the flip side of that each of my girls will say thank you and not assume her sister's thank you is enough because he committed 6 acts of kindness and he deserves 6 acknowledgements for it. My Mom taught me kindness and my girls have learned it as well. 

The hardest time I ever had was while on an anniversary trip with my husband to Washington D.C. We hopped on a city bus that was packed. In front of me was a couple seated. He had on his Navy hat from WW II and time had taken its toll on his body. He was about 130 lbs and shaky with age. He took one look at me and rose to his feet and offered me his seat, I began to protest but looked in his eyes and he had picked Me to sacrifice for, not just today but for his entire life. I swallowed the lump in my throat and with tears in my eyes and a smile on my face I thanked him, and sat beside his beautiful wife who was smiling with pride.  My husband stood behind him to steady him and reach out to grab him when the bus jerked back and forth in travel. It was the hardest thing for me to ever do was to sit there and watch his struggle.  I looked around that bus at all of the able bodied young adults who pretended not to see his struggle because THEY didn't want to commit the same act of kindness, and my tears of gratitude turned to tears of sadness. 

We can spout all of the self-righteous women's lib rhetoric we want to ladies, but we helped to cause this atmosphere. With all of our insistence of equal rights, and acting out upon that impulsively with more emotion that thought, we have fostered and even taught by our actions to this next generation that we do not respect acts of kindness. 

We are better than this ladies!! We should know how to say thank you when someone treats us well! Shame on us if we don't - and woe to our country if we don't pass it on!

Purpose to make a difference and be grateful for acts of kindness and do not berate gentlemen for being Kind! All you're doing is showing folks you are unable to be kind in return. 

Have a fantastic day and be kind to one another! 

Blessings for today ya'll - we need it every day! 

Heather 

Saying goodbye to a loved one

January 18, 2016

We  took this trip to South Dakota because my Grandmother is 97. Even if I make it there more often than usual, our visits are numbered. Her body is thin and, in her words, just tired of working.

The weather was unusually cold even for South Dakota. Everyone just wanted to stay stuck indoors. I visited her with my whole family on the first day.  My youngest daughter is named after her. When I called to tell Grandmother that Piper would bear the name Lucile, she gasped and said "Well! She will be the ONLY one ever named after me!!" And she was thrilled.  That bit of news shocked me because all of my siblings and cousins love her and hold her as precious as I do.  But when I heard that I was SO very glad we had decided to make Lucile be one of Piper's 2 middle names. 

Years before I had asked Grandmother to write me a quick story of her life.  A while later I received 21 handwritten pages of her life! 21 ... It was and is the most awesome gift I could have ever gotten.  

On our last day in SD I left everyone at home and ran up to Agar to see her again.  When she saw me she said (one of those phrases that just makes her Grandmother), " Well, HEATHER!! Bless your heart!"  It was exactly what my heart wanted to hear. We had a good visit. She showed me her bruises and evidence that her body just can't circulate blood like it used to. We talked about the health of her children, who, because she eloped with the love of her life at 15 or 16, are all experiencing 'old age health issues' themselves.  

"Heather, no one should ever have to watch their children get OLD.  What could the Lord have left for me to do before I go home? But I get up every day and thank him for the opportunity of each day, pray for all my children and grandkids, and wonder when I will see him face to face." 

It was what I wanted and yet it was awful. This battle tested spiritual warrior was sharing her soul. We continued as long as I could stay. 

When I got up to say goodbye, she grabbed her walker and stood up to hug me. We hugged like we had 1000 times before, but then she grabbed my wrist with strength that made all of her talk about being so old be questionable and tears filled her eyes. She grabbed my other wrist, and then laid her forehead on mine.  "There's a few things I want to tell you young lady, starting with how precious you are to me." 

This was it. She was telling me goodbye.

I may never be able to repeat to anyone the things she said. As it is right now I'm sitting beside a total stranger on this flight home crying non-stop just writing this. (Poor guy) He is Twice my size and yet I guarantee He is scared of Me right now LOL. 

If I am honored enough to see her again.... Well first of all, she will be ticked she is still here LOL  But I don't expect to see her again. Sometimes after a well fought life, people just know when time has very few sands left to fall through the hour glass.  But if I didn't have the assurance of heaven this would be torture. However, I do, and so does she. 

It's been decades since I've seen her jump and skip and giggle with excitement, but it's fixin to happen again soon. I can feel it. She will bounce from my dad to her husband, and all off the other family who has gone on before her. She will hold the face of her baby girl who was still born, and hug her little brother who drowned at 3 and then she will see Him. Christ, the One most important to her and fall at his feet. 

Someday, when I get there she will be so happy to welcome me. 

Piper Lucile - Martha Lucile  ... And me 

**Update .... ANNND Now she's 101.5 and still such a blessing!  I guess on this day she just really knew I might need to hear some of the things she said to me in those "wrist grabbing" moments.  Still love her so much.  Still my hero, mentor, and spiritual guide .... and she would be whether we were family or not!