Car Chat

Today is NDs 7th Birthday, yesterday my sister brought him a gift card, and it immediately started to burn a hole in his little pocket. Senior left for school, and I took the boys to the store so ND could make a purchase, after an hour of going between the aisles, And me explaining to him that he only has $20.00 to spend,  he finally choose yet more Legos. ...  at least it is something constructive.

Anyways, the entire fiasco was wearing NW out. Now that he will be a big third grader he thinks he is an automatic adult. So, we are driving home. And he says to me:

NW: "Mom" ?
ME:  "yes"..
NW:  "tomorrow, can you give me one of those little pills you take to help you deal with me and ND, you know the ones that make you happy, when we are driving you crazy ?
ME: "What" ? 
NW: " I need something to help me deal with him, he is getting on my nerves, and driving me batty. he wore me out shopping and I need something to calm me down"
ME:  Shakes my head, keeping eyes on the road... " those are mommy's special pills, if I give them all to you, what will I do when you both are driving me bat crazy" ?
NW :  " maybe you should just soak in a hot tub of water, and have one of your special Icee's" ( frozen margarita)
ME:  "oh geez! " 


-JUGM

Has it really been a week?

Well, I guess it has just been about a week since I last posted something. Like all of us, life came in and kept me busy.

Saturday we said goodbye to our dear friend who passed away a couple of weeks ago. His wife had a beautiful beach themed memorial. He was an avid fisherman, and loved being on the water, so his ashes will rest inside an "Eternal Reef Ball"  off shore.

Had lots and lots of rain. the ground is so mushy that it is leaving footprints.  This week is also back to school for our local kids. I have been shopping for the boys, getting all the supplies that are needed.  Why do they always grow over summer?  It has only been about 11 weeks, and now hardly any shorts could fit NW anymore.
Luckily we had a tax free weekend, and another this coming weekend in Georgia. Got some good deals, and even better deal at Gander Mtn. on Shoes. 
My little sprouts are no longer sprouts, they are full fledged bean poles and growing fast.

Sunday, during a dry spell, we managed to make it out to the beach for a couple of hours. We like to go late in the afternoon when it is not so crowded or hot. The tide was making its slow approach in, and Senior and I watched as the boys dug with a shovel and built what looked like a sand castle.

My brother is moving back to the East coast, this time Syracuse for 2-3 months, but he is trying to get down closer, he is a nurse anesthetist and does contracts with hospitals.  The awesome part is We get to keep his Land Rover Defender for those 2-3 months..  : )   

We finally sold my Subaru, It is nice to be out of a car payment, and watching our savings grow. Speaking of money, we now have three neighbors who have packed up and walked away from their homes, One family was because the husband passed, another family was to move in with more family and try to help them out, then the third was "just because'...   I can understand the first two...but not the "because we wanted to"  the funny thing is they left lights on, to make it look like people still live there.  Senior and I just shake our heads....

Breezes has picked up this afternoon, and clouds have increased.  I am off here to work in my little garden-unless mother nature has other plans.  But first, someone just spilled tropical punch kool aid on his white tee-shirt and my white dinning room chairs...  must go now.   : )

-JUGM

Night Time

The nocturnal world comes to life as the sun is setting. Bats play around the trees, mother spider spins a new work of art, fireflies dance across the back pasture and tree crickets chirp a night time tune.

We have it on good authority that coyotes are in the area of the Country Estate. As we lit the fire , Senior prepared himself....

On the side of the  car port, Miss Charlotte spun her nightly web. Dont say spiders arent smart, she knows to place it in front of the flood light that attracts insects. 

Off in the distance we are watching a show by mother nature. Lightening dances across the sky to the east. A light breeze has picked up and the night with all its sounds and glory are in full swing. 

- JUGM

Guess Who's Coming To Dinner...

We are at the Country Estate this weekend. Moo-Moo and my Brother in Law are driving down for dinner.  I have never had the chance to cook for Moo-Moo  so , I am throwing down with a Lasagna.  She tried cooking Italian  before and it was not pretty - when a 5 year old complains about Spaghetti you know its bad!
I am going over the top today. I got up early and to the store for every thing I would need for
my most incredible lasagna and salad dinner.

We hope to have fun with our bows as well. Mine only has a 35# draw on it. Moo-Moo said she would try it.

I promise, more to come on tonight's events later. And just for Rob I will try to snap a pic.

- JUGM

PS:  Thanks again for all the prayers and loving comments this past week on our dear friends passing.... day by day things are getting better.

PSS:  posted this from my phone..forgive any grammer issues or miss-spellings.

Prayers Please...

 My blog might be silent for a few days while we try to come to grips with the devasting loss of yet another good friend, some one who was bigger then life, had a smile that could brighten up any dark room. He was not just a friend. He was our family. If I had a little brother it would have probably been him. The sting is far reaching right now. And it hurts us like hell......  I personally have now cried almost 24 hours straight- that is how bad it hurts.

Our "brother" lost his battle with the horrible cancer monster. He fought it hard..but in the end it took him. Prayers please for his devoted wife who was by him at home when he passed, Prayers for his 6 year old son and 2 year old son that will hardly have any memory of their father. Only pictures and stories.Prayers for his friends who are feeling the pain. He was so much to so many people. But we know he is in a better place I know we are not suppose to question God, and his will. But this one has no understanding to Senior and I.
Why are real life monsters allowed to live, and all the good ones get taken?  He loved every one, and did nothing to no one. I just can't find any justification in it right now.

I know that he is up there looking down on us, smiling that million dollar smile. He is a bright new star in the sky- He will be with us in every thing we do... 

 And if the Georgia Bulldogs win a National Championship in Football this year, we will know why. If A player suddendly trips for no reason...then we know who did it.  He was one of the biggest fans they had, so much so that on July 4th the head coach of the team ; Mark Richt took time and called him, said a prayer with him and read bible verses with him over the phone.

RIP BIG GUY....

-JUGM

The Little Graves....

When you enter the cemetery and look off to the right on the other side of a duck pond, there is an area with graves in close proximity to each other.

We visited my father in laws plot. Said our words of sentiment, and then decided to explore some other parts of the cemetery. The kids and I were intrigued by the bunched up graves, Senior came with us, but then went on his own expedition.

 

As I expected the tiny graves were for kids. Sadness rushed over me. I immediatly thought about their parents. How ever do you fill the void of losing a child?

Some were well maintained by grieving parents or siblings. Others were long forgotten.  The copper head stones long oxidized and blue/green. The dates ranged from the late 50s to the present. How they died is not relevant, weather it was illness or some sort of tragedy. What is relevant is that they lived, and left this world long before they should have.

The boys went through and read them. NW became very reverent, and wondered if they were angels now ND inquired about heaven and what the "kid Angels" as he called them, look like.

 I put my arm around both and silently Thanked God for healthy, inquiring children.

We found one particular marker that was a small heart. It sat off from the others. Tree roots were grown around it, the little boys name was Michael, and he died in 1962. had he lived he would be my sisters age. No one had been to visit Michael in probably decades. His parents probably deceased.

 NW bent down and cleaned dirt from off it. On better inspection we saw little angels adorning it, and hearts. NW stared at it for what seemed like an eternity, I asked what he was thinking, and he told me the little boy did not grow up, and it made him sad that no one put flowers on it. He asked if at any time we could. I smiled at his thoughtfulness and said "Sure".  

 

I soak in every minute with my boys, when they fight, laugh, play, or snuggle with me. I take it all in.

 I make sure they know mommy and Daddy love them. I always kiss them good night and we say our prayers. And Again, I Thank God for them.

 

-JUGM

 

 

For The Love of The Game

The boys  last week went through two days of baseball camp with a  Double A Minor league team, that calls this area home.
About 100 kids  showed up, to take instruction from future major league players. All the kids were star struck. We go to the teams games quite often, the boys have autographs, and for them to  be able  to stand on that field, and play ball with their hero's was nothing short of being awesome.

I sat in the stands with the other parents, and took the entire two days in. And thought about those over paid, demanding players in the Major league. Those that seem it is a job  more then a game.
Do they remember when they loved playing? Before the million dollar contracts and all the perks that being successful comes with.
 Do they remember when they were little and the neighborhood kids would get together on the street or in someones yard, perhaps a back lot somewhere and just play the game? Laughing and arguing all at the same time about who was "Out" and who wasn't?

 The last day of camp was scrimmage games. The minor leaguers were pitching to the kids. and playing the role of umpires. They were mentoring these kids and helping them learn baseball fundamentals. NW was actually starting to hit the ball. He hit it so well that on one occasion he drilled the Teams Managers son on the cheek. The child went crying to the trainers and his daddy, and NW happily went trotting off to first base.
The kids were having Fun, The coaches were having fun, The minor league players-those stars of tomorrow were having fun. They were there to pass on their knowledge of baseball, because once a long time ago when they were in Little League some one did that for them.

They were there for the Love of the Game.

-JUGM

PS: That last night of camp. The kids were all invited back to enjoy the regular season game of the minor league team. The kids were brought out on to the field and recognized in front of the crowd.