Trip to the old home place - for Tim's mom

Carol and Joan
Joan and her grandparents' graves
Laurel, me, and James
Joan in front of the old house where Auntie Bert and Uncle Gene lived.
The gate to where the old house used to be where George Benson (Joan's uncle) grew up.
The sign "Crestview" at the farm
The old church building

We left early Friday morning last week and flew out to Oklahoma to see Tim's mom's old home place where she grew up. It was really neat. At first I was not certain I wanted to go and didn't understand why she wanted to go, but after we got there it was abundantly clear. She pointed out a tree that her dad had planted and we looked through the house her Auntie Bert and Uncle Gene had lived in. She pointed out other special places in the area. We went to the grave yard where her grandparents and great grandparents were buried. It was really neat and touching. We also looked at the old church building where Joan and her family had gone to church.

Then we left and went to Lubbock to see Joan's sister, Pat. We had a nice visit with her and on Saturday, we went to Shervport to eat dinner with Carol and Charley and James and Laurel. It was a really neat trip.

Christian the Lion - the full story (in HQ)

I am so grateful for all of my friends - new and old as the saying goes, one is silver and other gold!

Family Reunion

Singing and loving it! Aunt Ruth, Mike Williams, Uncle Tom, Billy Williams
Singing some more! Terry Williams, Mike Williams, and their sister, Cindy.
This is just as we arrived at the reunion. Mike Williams who worked so hard to put it all together, me, Aunt Ruth and Uncle Tom, my mom's youngest brother.

We had a great time yesterday at the Williams Family Reunion. My mom's mom was a Williams. We got to see people I haven't seen in years (or some since Mama's funeral. As always we had a wonderful time of fellowship and singing! We used to do this every summer at Ma and Pa Horis's house in the country and we'd have literally trailers loaded with food and then we'd sing til we couldn't sing anymore. It was a wonderful day!

More Nigel Photos

Chicago and Toronto

We had a great time in the Windy City seeing Wicked. I think even Vivian enjoyed the show. She and Tim about walked my legs off but we had fun.
Then we went to Toronto. We landed at the Toronto City Island Airport that is in Lake Ontario and then we had to take a ferry across to the mainland to meet Laura. We went to eat with Laura, John, and Nigel that night at a neat little Italian restaurant down the street from their apartment. They live in a neat part of the city called the Junction. All the light poles have little trains on them. It reminds me a lot of the Cooper-Young district in Memphis. Vivian, Tim and I spent the next day riding on the double decker bus touring the city and seeing lots of historical sights then John, Laura and Nigel came to our hotel and we ate at a restaurant down the street from there. The food wasn't so great but the company was wonderful. The next day, we went to Gilbraltar Point Island. It had a neat light house and lots of other neat things to do. That night Laura and John went out for dinner and let us babysit Nigel. That was so fun! Vivian gave him a bath in the sink. He really liked playing in the water and she also introduced him to a pacifier which he really seemed to take to. I had fun just holding him and kissing him. I was singing to him when he was being fussy and all of a sudden, he just "koncked" out. Then I just held him the rest of the night...that is what grandmothers are suppose to do isn't it?

Here are a couple of more photos of Nigel. We are leaving on Friday and going to Chicago for the weekend to see Wicked (we're taking Vivian with us - she's dreading having to go see Wicked, but she's excited about seeing Nigel!) We tried to get Diana to go but she has to babysit her house and getting it built. She says it is coming along nicely. I might have to run down there tomorrow to see it! Then we are going to Toronto to see Nigel and Laura and John and their new apartment. I can't wait to see my babies (all three of them) and get new photos and see how Nigel has changed!

A few more photos of sweet little Nigel. Looks like he's puckering up for a kiss in the last one, doesn't it?

Nigel

This are not the best photos of Nigel that I've taken, but they are the only ones that I could find after I put them on my computer....too bad Tim isn't here. I guess I'm lucky to just get these on here at all. Nigel is so precious. He just eats and sleeps and hardly cries at all. Laura is a good little mom and John is a good little dad. They have let me hold him some and cuddle with him. Every time I think he's smiling and get the camera set up, he's not smiling any more! But I am loving to get to cuddle with him! We went showing today for several things they needed including a bassinet so maybe Laura and John will get a better night's sleep tonight. I'll put up more photos when I get home and have Tim to show me how to pic the exact ones I want.

Welcome to our world!

Welcome to our world Nigel Timothy Hacker-Wright! He was born on May 30, weighing in at 6lbs, 15oz. He is precious according to his mommy and I'm sure his grandmother will agree when she sees him. Both Mom and Nigel are doing well. She ended up having to have a c-section - no surprise to me, she's so little and will be in the hospital until Monday. I'm leaving next Tuesday to go to Canada to be with Laura and John and Nigel for about 5 days. I can hardly wait! They just live too far away...looks like I'm going to be wracking up air miles to Canada! My only regret is that my mom and Papa Mutt didn't live to see this precious little bundle.

Party Weekend

We had a cookout here Saturday night for the music ministry. Special thanks to Ken Cox and Eric Channey for patting out the burgers. I cannot stand to put my hands in hamburger meat! After we ate, we all went upstairs and listened to the newest CD they are getting ready to do. It sounds great so you are all going to have to come to Sycamore View so you can get one for free when you turn in your visitors card.





We had a fish fry at the Inman's on Sunday night for the Pepperdine group. It was lots of fun. The food was good and the company even better. The kids had a great time playing outside and fishing in their pond. This is Brenda South making great hushpuppies and Crista cooking fish and chicken fingers for the kids. Also Fadea is in the pink pants with the pony tail and Candice Goff id there with Brenda. Sorry I don't have more close up face photos....but I never had the camera in my hand! That's Hannah Newsome fishing in the pond. The photo with the children playing in the wagon is so great. They are have a great time. The two little blonde girls in the wagon are Carlyle and Kaycee. I've got them talking Tim into buying me a big diamond ring like their mothers have. They are so funny. They call him the "purple man" or "pink man" or whatever color shirt he has on and every time they see him, they tell him that he needs to buy me a big diamond or either a swimming pool. They are cousins and they are so cute!

Oklahoma

This was the weather we enjoyed in Oklahoma when we went for Tim's aunt's funeral. This was actually a toronado....we were just too close to it to see the funnel...we were hiding under an overpass...Tim did a great job with the service and we enjoyed getting to visit with his mom and dad and cousins a little while. It was not nearly as difficult on me as I had feared it would be. God is good!

Great Week at Pepperdine!

Can you believe that this is Allen Gillespie....he used to be little Allen who threw temper tantrums and got up and walked off if no one was looking! What a handsome young man he has become! He introduced our group one night.
The Pepperdine campus was beautiful and we took photos of these deer right on campus!
This is precious little Corbin....I'm still not real good at getting these photos in the order I want them in this blog!
We had a great week at Pepperdine! The Sycamore Praise Team and Lynn Anderson did a great job of presenting the Psalms. The Psalms of Lament night was a real tear jerker, but wonderful never the less as were all their presentations. We got to see lots of old friends and it was so good to see them. This photo has Tim and me with Curt and Nedra Sparks, our former preacher. It was so good to see them and get to visit with them. Curt's presentation and the Overland Park Praise team were both great, too!
We also got to see Allen and Sara Gillespie and Brett and April and Corbin Emmerson. Allen and April grew up next door to us. Allen now works in Development at Pepperdine and Brett and April are missionaries in Togo. They just happened to be home on furlow. It was wonderful to see them and I got to play "granny" to Corbin a little while one night during the main session. He was a little fussy so I got to take him out side and let Bret and April both stay inside and listen. I loved doing that....getting ready for Nigel's entrance into the world!

HiDef BGT Charlie Green sings Summer Wind

This kid can really sing! He reminds me of a young Tony Garcia!

What a Great Day!

We had a great day of worship today! Ronnie and Jennifer Parker came to church with us today to eat lunch with Jim Woodruff who is filling in until our new preacher, Josh Ross, comes in June. We had a wonderful time reliving old memories and making new ones. I'm really sorry we forgot the camera to take a photo!

Tonight, the praise team, who is going to Pepperdine lectures sang the songs from the CD, The Psalms Project. Most of the songs are taken directly from the Psalms - many word for word and they are wonderful. Lynn Anderson will be speaking on the Psalms and the Sycamore Praise Team will be singing with him (or as Jim Woodruff calls them, the Kipettes).

I am continuing to get better as I stay "lazy" and rest and allow my emotions and brain to heal. Tim is having fun telling me I am just lazy but he knows better...he sees the results of my trying to do to much in one day! It was a great day, but now it's time for bed! Love you all!

It's been a pretty good week

Last weekend, Tim and I went to see Miss Predigrew lives for a day. It was a little different but interesting. On Saturday, I went to Corinth to see Diana. We spend several hours going through boxes of burned up jewelry looking for diamonds and other stones - we found none...of course everything was black so who could tell what we were looking at anyway and a lot of it was melted together! We found little pieces of chain that we could rub the soot of off and tell what they used to be, but they aren't good to anybody now. There were some tearful moments finding some of Mama's jewelry (all of it costume but you know how as she grew older she liked to wear a ring on nearly every finger and a pin at her neck and sometimes a necklace, too) and there were some tears mixed with laughter for the same reasons!
Today I'm going to a Scream Free Parenting Seminar. I might like to get certified to teach it one day.
Yesterday I did a talk on mental health to the Youth Leadership Bartlett group. I guess they got something out of it. They acted interested and asked lots of questions.
Hope you all are having a good weekend!

Good Movies

Tim and I went to see 21 yesterday and Leatherheads today. They were both good movies. Not too much chick flicks nor too much violence and shot-em-up kind of movies. Leatherheads did have a little more foul language but neither had the F word. I'd recommend either. I'm enjoying my resting time and I haven't had a headache yesterday or today. HOORAY!

Doctor Reports

OK, folks, it's official...I'm crazy...no, not really....the neurologist said I have something called Post Traumatic Headache Syndrome. Yes, it is real. Google it and read about it if you want. In short, people who have migraines and get a lick on the head like I got tend to have migraines more frequently and severely for 3-6 months after the head trauma and I have had a headache nearly everyday since then. He suggested that I take off 3-6 months and do nothing to allow my brian time to heal.

The psychologist told me to take at least 3 months to heal emotionally so that's what I'm going to do. Keith, the clinic director has been kind enough to find someone to take my cases for me (except for one that I want to keep) and at the end of 3 months, we will reevaluate the situation. Dr. Clement wants to see me weekly for a few weeks. I have to go back to Dr. Landy (the neurologist) in May for a recheck. We'll see what happens from here!

Easter

Easter in Searcy was wonderful as usual, but we did miss the James clan (but we didn't feel sorry for them...Mike and Beth are in Florence, Italy). Vivian and I stayed at their house anyway and we got to see Jon. All my friends in Searcy told me to go to the neurologist and get my head checked out...they all say I'm not the same as I was before the crack in my head...I really don't know if it's the crack in my head or all the other stuff I've been through in the last few months but I am going to see the neurologist tomorrow and the psychologist on Thursday so we'll see what they can come up with...I dropped my class today so that's one less thing on my plate....I might decide by the next time it's offered to take it again but right now, my brain needs a rest!

Supervision

Today is the first day since Sunday that I had to get out of bed early in the morning....had to get up to go to supervision. Tim is in Colorado skiing with Joe, Cathy, his sister, and Noah, his nephew. I love sleeping until I wake up without an alarm! It's been a great week!

Time to Remember Happy Times

This is a photo of Mama at Christmas a couple of years ago. She loved that dress with the snowmen on it. She was really happy when she was with her family and a photo of Mama and Bill. Her funeral was a week ago today. She really looked beautiful and peaceful in death. Her service was a real celebration of her life and I know it went long- probably too long for some but we children loved every minute of it. Tim lead the singing, Mama did love to sing. Several people asked him afterwards if it was a requirement to be able to sing to be a member of the Church of Christ. The singing was beautiful. She would have loved it. Of course, that's how we grew up...we never had a family gathering that didn't end in a singing. Mama and all her brothers and sisters could sing.
Paul Sparks talked about Mama's involvement in the Indianola church. He even said that if she had been a man, he would have made her an elder. The preacher from Corinth spoke also and then came the best part. People from the audience were invited to get up and say anything they wanted to say about her. My cousin, Joy, said she was Mama's favorite; however, there was some discussion about that later. Actually, I think she made every grandchild and niece and nephew feel special and worked hard not to show favorites to any of them. Mama made every child that came through the doors of our house feel special. And lots of kids did come through the doors of our house. Cousins from the city spent weeks with us in the summer (we spend weeks with them in the city, too), kids from church spent every Sunday afternoon with us. One of Robin's friends told a story at the funeral about shooting a hole in the ceiling with Robin's new shotgun...mama and daddy were so relieved that no one was hurt they didn't even get in trouble...Dale said that was the day he learned that Tracy Skelton (my dad) could be a tenor instead of a bass!
When we were talking to the preacher about our remembrances of her, Diana told him that she taught us to be good submissive wives, but it didn't take on me! We did also talk about how Mama had a revolving door at her house and so do Tim and I. She fed every visiting preacher whether they were Church of Christ preachers or from the Church of God down the road and we often kept their families at our house during the gospel meetings. Tim and I have guys from Harding grad school at our house quite often for short courses or over night during the semester when they drive in for one class a week. She set a great example of hospitality to us all!
Joy pointed out several sayings that Mama regularly said especially this one, " You scream, I scream, We all scream for ice cream!" We all quoted it with her just like Mama quoted scriptures in church with the preacher (not that it is in any way a scripture)...but is it any wonder that I love ice cream?
Thanks to all of you who came to show your love and support especially to our out of town friends and to all who have sent cards, e-mails and notes! It is such a blessing to have friends like you!