love – Page 25 – Praying for Eyebrowz

Do You Remember?

What is your very earliest memory?

Mine is an image of my mother carrying me early in the morning to my babysitter’s house. I wasn’t very old, perhaps not yet two, so I have a feeling that my memory is a conglomeration of many mornings of being carried; the repetition, as well as the feelings of warmth and love, firmly embedding the experience in my mind.

Studly’s earliest memory is of his mother trying to help him get over a case of the croup with a concoction of honey and whisky. He doesn’t recall how old he was, but he’s certain he wasn’t school age yet. I wonder, was it his mother’s love or the whisky that made the experience memorable? At any rate, he hasn’t had croup in years.

It isn’t surprising that for each of us our mothers play such an important role in our earliest memories. I would imagine that is most often the case, with memories of fathers coming in a close second. I could do some research, but who has the time for that? Unless, YOU could help me! Yes, YOU!

What is your earliest memory? (Notice how I made my first sentence work as my last sentence, as well?)

Will she remember this epic Christmas of 2014?

Peace, People!

Timberrrrr! Again

I fell this morning.
On my way to fetch
Clean water for the cats
I spilt a few drops, slipped,
Went splat!

The slow-mo footage did not
Play this time.
The fall was fast and furious
Like a Hollywood film,
Only less sexy.

Water puddled ’round me
Subjugating me to its wishes.
Literally, I had fallen and
Could not get up.
Somewhat feebly I called “help!”

The cats scattered, ostensibly
For first aid.
I sat cataloging my injuries
Thanking God that I
Still bounce a bit.

I scooted on my derrière
Until I reached the rug.
Managed to grasp the
Counter and pull myself
Up. Slowly.

Surrounded by water
No towels in reach
I moved inch by inch
Using the rug as my
Conveyance.

Now my elbow hurts
Like a son of a gun
From clipping the counter
On my way down
Down, down.

Somehow I managed to
Ping pong between the
Kitchen island and the
Cabinets, bruising both
Hips symmetrically.

My lower back, my
Ass and shoulders
Protest the insults
Heaped upon them
Once again.

And Studly, when he returned
Could not resist
Lecturing me on my
Lack of awareness.
Asshat.

Beautiful Dream(er)

I awakened this morning from such a beautiful dream. It was one of those lovely, happy, super realistic visions that crosses the dream boundary. In it my mom and I were sitting at the kitchen table discussing our plans for the day. I told her I thought I’d go shopping and asked if she wanted to tag along.

“Just let me get dressed!” she said.

Then I woke up, looking forward to a day of shopping with Mom. 😢 I went shopping anyway and pretended she was right there helping me make decisions.

January: Note to Self

Don’t give me excuses
For losing resolutions
Wimpy, downtrodden
Promises to self.

Instead, hold my fingers
To the flame
Keep me accountable
For once.

Steady, steady girl
You can do this
Take one last long
Look at yesterday.

Gone like every other
Past minute, past hour
Filled with chances
Some gained, some lost.

What now? Only some
Promises are worthy
Of keeping for
Any length of time:

Love more, worry less
Share everything
Care for everyone.
Nothing else even matters.

Peace, People.

No Rest

I woke up this morning

In a mess of confusion

No rest for the wicked

The righteous can wait.

Dreams I’ve been dreaming

Don’t stop when I’m waking,

I only know sweetness

When I’m not feeling pain.

And I swear

There is hope

Sweet, sweet love

All around me.

The evidence abounds

In the kindness we do.

So why the confusion?

Why all the great worry?

Sweet salvation awaits

Just step out in the rain.

Merry Christmas

With all of my
Heart
From my
Head to my
Toes
I wish you a
Christmas
Filled with
Joy,
Peace, and
Love.

Joy in the
Moment,
Peace in our
Time,
Love for all
Beings,
These wishes are
Mine.

May God bless you
And keep you
And yours
Safe and warm
All through this
Day and the
Year yet to
Come.

Merry Christmas
With love,
From Nana (Leslie) and Studly (David)

A Stocking for Mom

My beautiful daughter and I were visiting on the phone earlier this week about our impending family Christmas rendezvous in Nashville🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄.

My level of excitement is over the moon!!! In less than a week Studly and I will have our two kids, our in-loves, and our five grand babies all in one house to celebrate the holidays.

Because we are all traveling by car from our respective homes, luggage space is at a premium, so we’ve all agreed to buy gifts only for the kids. Of course I have bought stocking stuffers for the grown ups–and have told everyone to BYOS (bring your own stocking).

No one demands that stocking stuffers be bought, but you see, my Mom was the Queen of Stockings. Anyone who spent the night under her roof on Christmas Eve awoke to find a beautiful stocking filled to overflowing with carefully shopped for goodies–things that one would never think to buy for oneself, but that immediately became something one had always wanted.

My grandmother (Nannie Grace) was so enamored of the whole stocking thing that she engineered being at Mom and Dad’s house for Christmas Eve many Christmases in a row.

I’ve tried to continue Mom’s tradition; although, she left some awfully big stockings to fill. My son-in-love thinks I do a pretty good job of it, though, since he’s pretty sure whatever I buy for my daughter’s stocking will trump anything he buys for her. Hey, it’s not a competition….

What I really wish is that I could give a stocking to my Mom. I’m not certain that anyone ever created one for her. And that makes me incredibly sad. So, I’m going to get a little sentimental and “fill” a stocking for my Mom:

Pictures of her grandchildren
She’d be so very proud of the
Amazing people they’ve become
And the lives they’ve made.

Photos and audio of her great grands
She never had the chance to know
These precious reminders that
Life and love carry on.

Love letters from her children
We’d each have much to say
Things we left unspoken;
We always thought we had more time.

Other things I’d place inside:
Licorice jelly beans
Crossword puzzles
A cellphone (she’d be amazed!)

My never ending gratitude,
For teaching me and mine
The importance of filling
Stockings for those we love.

Miss you and love you Mom.

Below is my very first stocking along with the Santa Claus Mom bought when I was five.

And if a stocking-less traveler spends the night in our home on Christmas Eve, we’ve got him/her covered:

Peace, people!

A Family Was Born

December 20, 2014, marks the 4th Anniversary of the birth of the Stephen and Ashley Houzenga family, the day when Stephen formally adopted Garrett and McKayla and forever changed all of our lives for the better. We love Stephen like a son for many reasons–the way he cares for and respects our daughter and the love he has for our grandchildren top the list.

Happy Family Day to Stephen, Ashley, Garrett, and McKayla. (And to Harper who joined the fray some time later)!

Anniversary

Mom and Dad married on this date,
I’m not sure of the year.
1958 or 59? Maybe ’60?
I wasn’t very old when Daddy said he did
and my mom said she would
and the three of us became a family,
A trio bonded
By vows and a ring.

Happily ever after was in their hearts,
and they did their best to make it so.
I remember fights and make ups.
Tears and kisses.
Two people
who weren’t sure they were
worthy of being loved,
trying desperately to love.

My brothers connected us
Gave Daddy his boys
And me, my co-conspirators
My victims, too.
Sometimes
Jealously overshadowed love
But love won out
Over and over again.

The Serpent Between Us

I’m not sure where this one came from. For some reason I had a vision of Adam and Eve discussing their peculiar predicament, but it made me think about all relationships. A successful one incorporates a lot of giving and taking. Of course, one should be careful when taking what has been forbidden, eh?

The Serpent Between Us

Oh, Eve,
Said Adam,
Laying a firm hand
On her shoulder,
What have you
Done now, my love?

Adam,
She replied,
I fell into
A lust for
Knowing and
Shadowy desire
When offered
Much more
Than a
Plump
Red
Apple
By the
Serpent sliding
Soullessly into the
Arbor.

Eve,
What will become of us?
Asked Adam,
Looking longingly at
The proffered fruit
Perched in his
Lover’s small hand.

I suppose
Said Eve,
After Adam took
His deep bite,
We will
Look for fruit
Together,
Out there
Past the boundaries
Of our
Paradise.

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