Too precious!

I'm doing a little last-minute packing (what's new for this perfectionist/procrastinator?!?) for my little trip tomorrow, and I just had to show what I found in my purse...

A sweet little fairy must have added that to my wallet! One...she was thinking way ahead! Two...she is sooo thoughtful! Three...she could have been thinking about herself, but she's thinking of me...that's so precious that it's made me cry!

I just can't believe I've been blessed with such a wonderful daughter! With three!

I'll never understand why God has blessed me with such a wonderful, little family! A husband that serves our family by working diligently in/outside of the home, three precious angels who still think that I'm the most beautiful woman on the face of the earth (Bless their hearts!), a loyal puppy who adores me, two parents that I adore (and that I think are the two most beautiful people on the face of the earth (Bless MY heart! Just kidding, Meems and P-Daddy!), a wonderful sister who can only know things like a sister can, wonderful aunts who are like additional mothers, amazing friends....I can go on...yes, I've been sappy this week!

Anyway, Angel Wings, I love you with all of my heart, and I know that I have such a special bond with you that I never want to live without! You are the sweetest thing in the entire world!

Spending the day at Antiques Roadshow!

OH, what a fun day we had at the Antiques Roadshow! From now on, whenever I'll think of the show, I'll think of how much fun we had and just how well organized they are!

Craig and I got up at the crack of dawn, drove over to our friend's home to get our tickets (that Dan and Paula so graciously gave to us! THANK YOU!) and drove to the convention center to begin looking for a parking spot! Well, we pulled into the parking garage that wasn't full yet, parked, got our things out, and walked right in! It was as easy as that!

We never really had the opportunity to even sit down in the camping chairs that I brought for the two of us! The area was so well organized that when we walked inside, they glanced at our tickets and put us in the 8:00 row, which was the earliest time-slot. We realized that our tickets must have been specially marked since they were given to our friend by one of the producers, for everyone else's tickets were marked for a specific time (8:00, 9:00, 10:00,...), and everyone was placed in the appropriate roped-off line...which all moved rather quickly! It was so much fun to watch what everyone else had brought, how they had wrapped it to protect it, and how they were delivering it (wagon, wheelbarrow, rolling chair, etc.)! Then once we got to the top of that line, we were told to shut off all cell phones and to put away all cameras as we were escorted into another area. All of the action...as well as the appraisers... are inside an inner circle, so each person is personally escorted to the particular line which is right on the outside of the "inner circle." So for example, one is escorted to the 'rugs & textiles' line (or a line for toys, metal works, clocks, books & manuscripts, etc.), and then one waits until it is their turn to step inside the "inner circle" where the appraisers are, and they literally spend less than 2 minutes with each person per item. So the entire process happened quite quickly, and there was never an opportunity to set our things down and/or relax, for again...each line moved rather quickly!

It was so well-organized that they spun us in, and they spun us out!

And before we knew it, we knew exactly what we were 'worth'! My great-grandmother's wedding purse was appraised at $50 due to its worn condition; yet I did learn something new...I have always been told that the fabric that has always been with the purse was the lining of the purse; however, it is actually the hat band that my great-grandfather wore at their wedding....so that information makes my item priceless!

And Eric's Shakespearean book that I took for him wasn't even valued....

[Cue Debbie Downer's "Wa Wa Waaaa!"]

Urghhh...the appraiser told us that Shakespeare's books are published second-only to the Bible; so simply because of supply and demand, Shakespearean books aren't as valuable as people often think that they are! And the fact that this book once belonged to Massachusetts's attorney general in the mid 1800's wasn't important at all. I just hated coming home to tell Eric this! Oh, well, something new was learned!

And Craig's great-grandmother's crewel handiwork was valued at $450-$600! Of course, it's also priceless to her and her family!

So let me ask...what would you have taken?!?

So after we finished, we set up our chairs and enjoyed some people-watching, but the temperature was so low in that huge arena that we just couldn't stay seated for too long. We could only stand the cold for about an hour or so; then we walked around some more and entered Craig into a 'video-diary-confession' (that's only what I jokingly call it!); she went into a 'room' and stated her name, city, and a brief description about what she had brought to the show. She did an excellent job, and it was so much fun watching her and seeing and hearing the joy in her face and voice. Hopefully, they'll place her video on the TV show (to be aired in Spring 2009) or on their website...wouldn't that be great?!?

Later that evening, Eric and I and the girls had a very special dinner with two very lovely people! If they aren't perfect for one another, then knock me over now! The evening was such a sweet, sweet time! It has been sooo amazing to watch God's hand in both of their lives! And we can't wait to see Him continue to reveal His plan to them both!

"Today on Antiques Roadshow, we'll have...!"

Life here is so busy, yet God still gives us those little surprises! Well, I think this is a huge one...today, I'm off to the Antiques Roadshow! I can't believe it, but late last night, our friend Dan called and offered us two tickets to the show, which is here in town! He said that his wife remembered my saying how much I would have liked to have been able to go, and I don't even remember speaking to her about it! (Urghh...that thyroid of mine! Man, am I glad that Paula can remember things!) But the Lord (and Paula!) knew how much I wanted to get a sneak-peak inside!

Well, Dan was given these tickets by an old friend of his from high-school, which is now one of the Antique Roadshow's producers! And Dan said that his only motive was just being able to catch up with his friend, and he did that last night at a special party, so he gave us his tickets!
Eric really wanted to go, but he has a lot of work to do today from home, so he EVER-SO-SWEETLY has offered to stay at home with the girls (oooh, I'm praying that they'll stay busy and quiet so he can get his work done!), and I'm taking Miss Craig with me...she's one of my 'bestest' friends, who is 85, and Antiques Roadshow is just about all she talks about (even when the show isn't in town!), so I called and offered to take her...I thought she was go to have a heart attack from her shock and excitement! The only thing....she wants to get there before the doors open! Aghhh!

I'm taking my great-great grandmother's wedding purse and an old Shakespearean book of Eric's! I'll post the details and the rest of the story, when I get a chance! (I sure hope that my things DON'T get me on TV!)

Whew! I think they flew the coop!

For a month or so, we've been battling territory over our back porch/storage area which has had a Carolina wren (or two...it's very difficult to tell the difference in a male/female wren) telling us that it was her territory...uh, I don't think so!

Of course, there are things out there that we need daily...my front porch broom, the girls' pencil sharpener, some of Eric's tools, lots of gardening, and lots of other things that we need on a daily basis, but for now this area has been off-limits for us...unless we want to go up against the wrath of this little lady!

Then one day this week she was gone...gone to get some food for her five, little, cute, fuzzy biddies that she had left behind...who were all hopping up and down on the window sills awaiting their momma and daddy to bring them back something to eat! Aghh...now that would total SEVEN birds! And that chirping is really a precious sound, but they are so loud!

We have enjoyed watching them flitting around, sitting atop one another, and even getting the strength to fly up to the next window pane...but now they can't live there forever! So we've tried to figure out what the best thing to do would be. Each day, we'd say, "That's it...today's their last day!" Then the next day, we'd feel badly and say it again! Then yesterday we decided we'd firmly give them "one more day" in the home that they've grown to love...then that's it...they're outta here!

So this morning, we awoke to find that they're gone! Woohoo! I do hope that they've moved on to greener pastures...and not just on a daily field trip!

I can completely understand why they would want to live in our "territory," for we provide our avian friends food, water, but not shelter! And at this time of year there is a tree that we hate that they love...a mulberry tree that is producing and dropping tons of mulberries! We just have to laugh about it to keep from cryin'...the berries are everywhere, and if we're not dodging them to keep from stepping on them, then we're dodging them to keep from being hit when they're falling. The birds love them, of course! And it is music to my ears to hear them singin' away! So for now, our everyday visitors of wrens, sparrows, finches, chickadees, doves, blue jays, cardinals, woodpeckers and flickers are more than satisfied, for our home is evidently their home as well! As long as they stay outside where they belong...the more the merrier!

Firetrucks and Beach Balls! In that order!

Friday afternoon, the girls and I ran our errands...perhaps too many, for it was a hot day, and half of the cold things that we bought were sure to melt on the way home! After just running into Wally World "for a second," we ran into a friend of ours in the parking lot...I tell you that parking lot was so hot! It was so hot that I just couldn't stand there and visit...couldn't leave the car running with the girls in it...couldn't leave the girls in the car without the A/C running...what's a gal to do! The heat coming up off of the black pavement was torture enough!

So with very poor manners, I shouted to LeighAnn..."Gotta run...popsicles are melting...run by our house, have a popsicle, and we'll talk there!" Yes, very poor manners...but sometimes the best visits are impromptu visits! So LeighAnn and her girls ran by since their daddy and brother were out of town. And wow...I really recommend to anyone to have friends drop by when you're trying to get the groceries out of a hot car and into your cool house! What a treat!

Having too much fun just hanging out talking, we talked them into staying for supper, and Eric set up the DVD projector for the girls to watch a movie while we just sat there eating popcorn and still chatting! As the evening grew longer and the movie ended, they packed up and started to head home. As we were outside saying our goodbyes, we could hear nothing but sirens going up the street. Jokingly, I said, "Let me know if it's something Gladys Kravitz needs to know about!" Before I knew it, she was back in my driveway, saying, "Quickly, get in the car!" She drove me up the street to see our little local grocery store on fire! Yes, it's a small town, and this was huge! I called Eric, who then came with the girls in our car! After just a few minutes, the crowds began to grow just as quickly as the fire grew...situated right next to our gas station. Everyone was standing in awe...mind you that it's almost midnight...and people were standing there taking videos and photos with their cell phones held high in the air as if we were standing there at a concert.

Photo by Jonathan Payne

As the intensity of the heat grew, I stood there shielding my face, looking at the blazing fire with all of the other onlookers. It was becoming more and more obvious that this was a gas-leak that had exploded. And as I stood there, I had to think of those watching the Twin Towers on 9/11. If they had known that they had a couple of extra minutes, would they have been standing there with their children...uh, no! So I took LeighAnn's kids and mine back home. And after she left with her crew, Macy and I sat on the front porch talking to my mom, sister and brother-in-law, neighbors, etc. while Eric went back up there. Yes, it was 'something to write [call] home about'! Again, remember it was now getting close to 1AM...and people were walking up and down the road as if it was their usual 4:00 neighborhood stroll! So after Eric came home, Macy and I drove back up there...but first we drove by and picked up Kendall...it wasn't the first time she and I have run around the mountain in our jammies, and I'm sure it won't be the last! We went back up there to hang with the crowd that was starting to die down as the firemen were beginning to get the blazes under control. We parked our car and sat there watching, giving our own commentary...there's never a dull moment with Kendall's comedic commentary and my laughter. We made a memory...I'm sure that Macy won't forget that evening...ever...sitting on a grassy knoll at two in the morning with Mama and Miss Kendall, watching history being made. Our town is small, and nothing ever changes...which is what I love the most! But this evening, the entire mountain changed before our eyes.

The next morning we awoke and quickly donned our bathing attire (some more or less than others!), for it was Carter-Man's first birthday! And a yummy cookout and pool party were definitely in order!


Happy Birthday, Carter!