Grandma Shirley

It has certainly been a tough year with regard to grandparents at our house.  Just as I am gearing up for our semi-beach vacation, I find out we are about to have to head to freezing temperatures, rain and snow in order to say goodbye to my grandmother.

Grandma Shirley passed away Saturday night.  She was not in very good health, but her passing was certainly sudden.  So quick that it didn't seem real for quite a while and maybe if I'm honest, I still haven't wholly realized it.

My mom's family lives in Illinois, for the most part, so growing up I had a long-distance relationship with that side of the family.  Since Jarrod and I have lived in Arkansas for the last two years, and are actually about 5 or 6 hours closer than we've ever been before, we've been back twice now to visit my grandparents.  I am so thankful for those visits. 

My grandma was a character, and to know her was to love her.  I have said before that my grandparents remind me of Marie and Frank Barone from Everybody Loves Raymond.  They could bicker like nothing else, and my grandma would not hesitate for a moment to tell you what she thought of something.  But she raised four children of her own, cared just as much for two sons my grandpa had from a prior relationship and she took immense pride in how large their family had grown with all of us grandkids and great-grandkids. 

I've learned a lot about my grandma since becoming an adult.  I've learned that she was an incredibly loyal person.  She would do anything for a family member, and she only wanted to see each of us happy and successful.  She may have told us how the cow ate the cabbage, but she did it out of love for each of us.

How deeply she loved is evidenced by her marriage to my grandpa.  She and my grandpa would have been married for 60 years this November.  To be with a person for that long is mind-blowing to me at this point in my life. 

She told me at the rehearsal dinner for my wedding that marriage was really hard.  She said it was work every day.  I think she and my grandpa could bicker with each other because they both knew that neither of them was going anywhere.  I'm thankful for her example and for her love.

 My grandparents when they were young and starting a life together.

My grandparents 10 years ago at their 50th wedding anniversary.



Thankful Tuesday

Things I'm thankful for today include (but are certainly not limited to):

* New experiences with our boy, like a Harding basketball game.  Collin said it was "too yowd", but he got over it pretty quick!

* Presidents Day and Henderson County for making it a holiday this year!  It was super rainy and dreary here, but I got to drop Collin at daycare and spend the day being incredibly productive.  Like shopping for our upcoming vacay :)


Collin Henry, ready for family pictures at the beach!

* For funny debates with a 2 year old.  This morning he was playing with a toy dinosaur while I got ready and pretending to bite me with it.  I asked him, "Who has scarier teeth - a dinosaur or a shark?"  The reponse that one question elicited was to die for.  He began a 3 minute long speech about how sharks have scarier teeth and can eat a dinosaur.  Duh, mom.

* For rainy days followed by sunshiney days.

* For dear friends receiving answers to prayers - the hope and joy an engagement brings to life.

* For the band Young Oceans.  If you don't know them, you should. 



Breaking Up is Hard To Do

In case you want to know what I've been doing on this lovely day before Valentine's Day, I'm about to tell you.

I have been breaking up with photographers all day.  Yep.  So awkward.

Our family is taking a trip to Charleston in about a month with my in-laws, and I decided it would be the perfect opportunity to have those family photos taken that we're always talking about.  I'm also super excited about this trip.   Read: I took the bull-by-the-horns and reached out to several photographers in the Charleston area. 

I realize photography is an art-form and therefore very personal to those who do it for a living.  I have also learned over the past few years that not every photographer is the same, and while you do get what you paid for, sometimes people are deluded when it comes to what's reasonable.

I corresponded/spoke with 5 photographers.  One was simply not available during our vacation (although she took her sweet time letting me know this), but her prices and her work were really great.  The rest communicated with me in a really timely manner, but two were simply too expensive and two were basically tied in terms of style and cost.  It came down to me choosing the lady who happened to be a little less expensive and had also been communicating the most with me.  I really like her work, and I already feel so comfortable with her because of all of our correspondence.

So what happens once you choose someone?  Well, since I had been communicating with all of them and first and foremost just needed to know if they were available for the timeframe in which I needed them, I felt obligated to email them all back and let them know I had chosen to go with another photographer.  Thank you very much for the info, but we've decided to go with someone else.  I realize people need to work, and I thought it would be rude for me to keep them thinking they might have a possible job lined up with me.

Like I said before, one wasn't available and I chose one, so that left three I had to break up with.  Two handled it very well.  They were mature about it.  They knew we weren't meant to be.

One did not.  Oddly enough I had an inkling she wouldn't go so easily.  She's that girl in the back of the limo on The Bachelor who has barely met the guy and is already heartbroken he didn't want to marry her.

So maybe that was a little harsh, but here's the thing...  When someone asks, "Would you mind letting me know why you didn't choose me so I can market better", just run.  Pretend you didn't get that email.  Say your husband made an appointment with another photographer without talking to you.  Whatever you do, don't dare tell them the truth!

So yes, on this day before Valentine's Day, as a woman who has been married for over five years, I'm wishing I could have used It's not you, it's me or  We just want different things or God told me to.

Silliness

My boy is just plain silly.  He never ceases to amaze me with the bright, witty things he says!  His newest thing has been to tell me in the mornings this week, "I TOLD you!"  Usually this comes after I tell him to stop doing something.  So for instance, I told him this morning not to hit the wall with his toys, and he comes back at me with a very stern, "I TOLD you" and a finger pointed in my direction.  I can't help but crack up.  I will just laugh and say, "No.  I TOLD YOU, we don't hit the wall!"  Then he starts giggling and repeats it all over again.  I don't think we really use that phrase around here ("Collin, I told you to stop doing that", etc.), so I don't know where it came from!

Last Friday, we skipped our coffee date and went to visit a small business here in town that is having a contest to find local children to be in their ad campaigns.  I entered Collin's picture in the contest, and everyone who entered got to come by and pick out a little prize.  Well, my child picked out the Disney princess coloring set.  He was super excited about it too!

Sunday night we went to a Super Bowl party with our Community Group and had a blast.  Collin loved it because his friend, Amelia, has really good toys.  At one point, Amelia brought some hairclips over to Jarrod, and Jarrod took it upon his self to put them in her hair.  ALL of them.

Of course, who couldn't stand to be left out?  Collin!

Silly boy, to the max.