There will be a time in your life when you will have to fight for something that you desire, want , need, love, or have taken for granted. You will have to go that extra mile or that extra hurdle to give back to someone that has hurt you so deeply.  Love isn't free. Love doesn't come in a bouquet of flowers , in a candy jar, and it isn't wrapped in a pretty package.  It isn't something that is granted to you because you deserve it. Love is something you fight for  because you want the other person staring back at you to be happy, to feel needed, to feel loved, to feel wanted, to feel proud again. I have always said that " If i can't have a person's whole heart, I'd rather have nothing at all."But, there will be a time in your life as well that you will only get a tiny piece of the person you love so much because somehow along the way that person grew tired of giving . You can only do one  thing . Love. You can love like there is no tomorrow. You can smile like today is your last day on earth. You can embrace all that you have and take it all in. LOVE. All you can do is love. What would life be without LOVE? 

Sandy......1-22-15 

                                         Easter Memories

     Most people have the memory of Waking up on Easter morning to find a big Easter basket filled with chocolate, peeps, and heavenly hash eggs. I on the other hand have memories that I will never get to relive with the people I love and miss. I remember piling up with my cousins  in my grandpa's truck , riding thru the cane field to where his childhood farm( house) once was,  and stopping along the way  to cut chadrons or thistles . I can still smell the red dirt, the smell of wild flowers, and see the purple martins flying in the sky. Sometimes we would stop to pick buckets full of blackberries and then dump them in a number 2 tub. Our Easter clothes would now be the color of red dirt, and later they would be the color of blackberries. 
     The Easter fun continued at home as we would clean the chadrons or thistles so we could make a salad with vinegar, salt, and pepper. The blackberries were cleaned with water , some mashed and others kept whole. Mom  and grandma would then later make blackberry dumplings. 
     I wish I could be that little girl again. The little girl with the red-dirt-stained dress eager to find a giant bush of blackberries. I wish I could relive the moment of riding in the truck with grandpa. The memory of him still lingers in my mind. I can still see him wearing his flannel shirt, the window rolled down, and his arm resting on the door of the truck. I don't know who was more excited, grandpa or us?  How wonderful life was on Easter Sunday so long ago. 

One of the hardest things we have to do in life is saying goodbye to the ones we love. We are never ready to let go. It is in that final moment of death that we realize we aren't in control, and there is something bigger and better out there somewhere. Where is heaven? Is it all around us? Is it  in that big vast, blue sky that stretches far beyond our imagination? Is it a gateway thru our hearts and minds? We are never fully prepared for the emotions when a loved one dies. We often tell ourselves that we have a memory or a picture tucked away in our minds or stored on a shelf for safe keeping. For some people, that may be enough, but for others, there is always that empty void that lingers . Then there is faith. Yes, faith!!! It is that very same strong belief that keeps so many people together and keeps so many people feeling alive inside. I hope that you have faith in something! What would life be like without faith, hope, or love? I have faith that I'll be reunited with family members one day, but remember to cherish the ones you have . Tell the people who  you love that you love them on a  daily basis!  

      Doors open........To some it is a place of hope, to many it is a place of good news,  to others it is life's final journey.... the place where people  get the message to start saying their final goodbye's, or their first time hello's. The people that  I meet have more compassion for life in one single minute than any of us will have in the next 100 years. It is a place where strangers become friends, and friends become your lifeline.
      On a regular day, life's challenge would be to awake for work, get thru the morning traffic, have a stress free day, and make it home in time for dinner, etc.......but, instead the biggest challenge is to get out of bed and have enough energy to walk to the bathroom. Will today be a nausea free day? Will today be the day that I say goodbye?
      Doors close........To some, the sky looks blue , the birds are flying high, the wind is blowing thru their hair, and the day is going to be a wonderful day, life has given them an awesome deck of cards. To others, the sky is dark, the sun is hiding behind the clouds, the birds feel the need to be set free, and life has not been on their side today. Will their be another day?
      Remeber to hold your loved one's close, remember to tell them how special they are, and last but not least ......enjoy life and don't take the simple things for granted......

Sandy

Those tender moments

I love sitting back, enjoying the very quiet and precious moments in time, the very moment when she decides to cuddle and be that little baby again. She's growing so fast, yet not further apart! She's so dear to my heart!!!!!!!! Enjoy the tender moments and make them last................time is flying fast !

Enjoy the moment

Enjoy the moment and make it last. Sometimes we have to just sit back, relax, take deep breaths, enjoy the company, and take in all of the scenery. Life isn't always about climbing to the top, but getting half way there, sitting down, and enjoying the view . 

Running hand-in-hand

Remember that where ever life takes you, you once ran together hand-in-hand, laughing and smiling, pulling each other thru many obstacles. Remember where you came from, the special bond you all have, and the love you have for one another. You are each unique in your own little way . Don't forget to look back every now and then to see if one of you needs a little help along the way. Life is not always a golden paved road, but sometimes a very rocky mountain.  

chocolate

The yummy sweet taste of bitter sweet chocolate melting in your mouth. The sticky leftovers on your hands and mouth on a hot summers day. Look at this picture, can I say more? How wonderful it must feel to not care that there is brown chocolate surrounding these cute lips! 

Here he is! He's my other half, or should I say, my other whole! He's the one who finishes my sentences, puts me in my place, accepts my faults and weaknesses, loves me for who I am, helps me to invent , reminds me where I'm going , asks me what are my dreams , and last but not least spoils me on a daily basis ! He's the one who always has a smile on his face, takes everything in stride, makes sure everyone around  feels complete, and reassures us everyday that each day will be fine! We love you dad !!!!!!!!!!!

My Little Southern Bell

My little girl is turning into a little Southern Bell and doesn't mind wearing the pretty dresses and pretty shoes. Yet, she still knows how to get her feet full of mud and her hair tangled in knots. Instead of running after her, I run with her . Instead of telling her no, I tell her yes you can :) She's all about sucking the bone marrow out of life before it sucks her up first. She's all about having fun when others are not. She's in her own little world, in her own place in time , a time we'd all like to be in just for a moment. She kisses and hugs with kindness , yet at the same time, she will let you know what's on her mind :) She loves the rain, and loves playing in the rain, but what kid does not? I hope as she grows , she won't mind the mud, the rain, and a couple of knots in her hair. I hope she continues to suck the bone marrow out of life, but gives in return . I hope my little Southern Bell  is happy in everything she will do in life. Love you Ady.

Your Best Buddy,

Mommy

Goodbye feels a little more like hello

     Imagining life without someone is hard , then it happens......" The Final Goodbye"  :(  In one blink of an eye, goodbye's are said, eyes close, and one last breath is taken. In that very moment we forget about who we are , where we are, and where we are going. Why does it have to hurt? Why does the pain have to last so long? Why can't we see that precious face again? As humans, we want every single moment to be perfect. If we could capture that perfect moment and freeze it  forever in time . If we could hold the person we love , ...."ALWAYS ".  If we could just see them smile one last time, so we could smile back in return. If we could say  "I love you so much" and hear it in return one more time :)  " If" is such a big word isn't  it?
     Now, the table is turned. Our loved one has said goodbye, eyes close, one last breath is taken. He or she is pain free, the soul is full, full of the  love that has been gathered all throughout life, full of moments and memories, full of pretty faces and smiles .  Now, life seems so much easier. Goodbye feels a little more like hello.

sandy

Summertime

The last school dismissal bell of the season rings and you can hear the hustle and bustle of little feet running for their bus, and every now and then you can hear "goodbye's" and "see you over the summer" ! The buses depart while the little ones are waving goodbye and have a grin from ear to ear across their tiny little faces :) Some children will go on many adventures and vacations, while others will enjoy the comfort of their own home, and last but not least, others will have to suffer thru the heat b/c the only source of A/C was in their classroom :( , and the only food for the day was the free-meal plan at school. I'd like to think that most children's summers were like mine which included long summer days of riding bikes, playing hide-n-seek, swimming at the local swimming club, swim team, swim competition, camping, picking black berries, going to a fun sleep over at a friend's house , swimming in the lake, or just hanging out ! Enjoy the summer with your kids, and thank God every day for the little things in life that makes each summer day a little sweeter :) Instead of bitching about the heat and the entergy bill, remember that you have a nice pool to cool off in, and  an A/C to keep you cool at night! Instead of bitching about the leftovers, remember that you still have the money to buy food for your kids! Life can be so simple ..............just sit back and remember your summers when you were a kid, and introduce your child into that simple life again :)

Sitting on the throne

The door is locked and here comes one knock and a little voice , "mommy get off the toilet I need to get something"! Here comes another voice screaming, " mom, can you bring me to the store"! Here comes another voice,  "mom, I want chocolate milk" !!! The easiest thing in my life was once to sit on the throne , but now has turned into a challenging daily activity! Not only is it challenging, but you gotta love it when the 7 year old answers the phone and tells the other person on the line that "mom is on the toilet" !  Yes, person on the other end of the line, I am on the throne and I really don't feel like talking to you or the little monsters trying to beat the door down for chocolate milk or other necessities! Mommy wants to be queen of the throne just for one minute !!!!! Last but not least, when I think that the banging on the door, the screaming for chocolate milk, the announcement of mom sitting on the throne to the unknown caller, and the need to go to the store is quite bad, I'm simply told by my seven year old that my "poop stinks"! Well, I hate to tell you little fellow, " yours does too" ! So, next time you are sitting on the throne , just remember that you are not alone! lol!

crawfish bisque

Today I learned how to make a cajun delicacy, or should I say the cajun rolls royce! Mom showed me how to make crawfish bisque, and if any of you know what I am talking about and have tasted it before, you know that your taste buds will think they have entered heaven !!!! Friday night I saved and cleaned the heads from our crawfish boil and today we set off on a long 4 hour journey to make something so delicious! For those of you who love to eat bisque, you'd appreciate it so much more if you spent the time to prepare and cook it! After four hours of grinding, seasoning, stuffing, frying, then cooking, my mouth landed in heaven and my sinuses were cleared from the cayenne pepper! Mom, thank you! Oh, and God........thank you for all the little cajun people who put this recipe together !

Special Needs Children and Adults

Remember that special needs children is celebrated March 22-26th. I'm sure one of you may know a special needs child, or a special needs adult. So Many people are blinded by their " so called perfect" lifestyles that they don't stop to think about someone else's life. Imagine a life with a child who is in need of being fed thru a feeding tube, being suctioned thru a tracheostomy , having diapers changed at least 8 times a day, being dependent on you 24/7, needing constant medical attention, needing constant medication therapy, and last but not least needing endless love! Some children or adults may be verbal or nonverbal, and some may even walk and "appear normal" and go throughout life being called "the slow, retarded, or even stupid one" ! Lets Remember to take those words out of our vocabulary and be a little nicer and have empathy! Sometimes I think that these children are our "reminders" and blessings from GOD, letting us know that life is not perfect! These children or adults are so innocent, always have a smile on their face, and never have to know the evil in this world ! Remember, they count on us to keep it that way! So, next time you see someone and want to say the Retarded, slow, or stupid word..........Think to yourself, how can I make this person's world a little happier or safer! God Bless Everyone!

Inevitable

The strong man that you know, the woman that holds her head high, the fast one who you can always count on to win the race, the brother who you thought you'd see again , or the mother who smiled always and accepted you for who you are, the father who taught you how to "slow dance", the friend who always held your hand when you were afraid, and the child who looks up at you, smiles, and says "I love you so much"......These are the times when we think we are in control, and these moments are our lives,and the people we share every moment with are "ours"! We are only borrowing one another for a while and taking a little piece at a time and we are giving something back in return. Stop and think.........are we really in control? The rest is Inevitable!

My heart aches for my childhood friend. Yes, I said "childhood friend" , because that's what we'll always be in our hearts and minds. Not only has she lost a father, but a friend, a confidant, a grandpa to her kids, and last but not least, a hero. Goodbye's are always hard, and some harder than others. Today's the kind of day that we'd like to rewind and press pause for a while and leave it stuck in time where the good memories are.......yes, I said "good memories". We ask ourselves "why"? The strange thing is that at the very end of that question there is another question that just can't be answered. Just remember, at the end of the day when it seems that life has swallowed you whole, and all of those questions can't be answered that there was once a man who was filled with life, a man who stood strong and embraced his family with love, a man that will always be remembered as a father, a wonderful grandpa, a wonderful husband , and a friend to many. RIP...................love always.

Final Hours

It's funny how we sometimes learn more from someone in death rather than when he or she is alive. It's strange how people wait to say good things about someone in his or her final hour, or when laid to rest. Stories are told over and over to celebrate that person's life and get stretched more often than not. Sometimes we find that the person we loved and have known for years has struggled with life , but always had a smile on his or her face. Sometimes , we find that he or she has lived life to the fullest, and has paid it forward many more times than we ever will .I've seen many people die being a nurse, and have held many hands in those final hours. It's in those final hours that the true person comes out and speaks from the heart, instead of the way we are trained to speak and act. It's in those final hours that we see ourselves for who we are, where we've been and last but not least, what we have become! Look around you.......do you know your brothers, sisters, friends, mom, dad, husband, kids? Dig a little deeper, and don't learn who they are in their final hours! Learn who they all are today while you still have them here.......

Merry Christmas

Four years ago we lost a very special person at Christmas time and buried him on New Years Eve Day. For some, Christmas is a joyous occasion, and for others, it's the memory of a love one who's passed! I don't think he'd like us to sit around and mope, or to feel sorry for ourselves.To me, and to the rest of the family, Christmas is a time to gather with family and celebrate life to the fullest! It's a time to remember that Christ was born on Christmas day! I'd like to think that Paw-paw(as the kids called him) is in a better place, or what some of us would like to call our Heaven. He liked nothing more than to gather with family, cook Cajun meals, and to drink lots of homemade wine. Now, I'm in charge of drinking the wine Papaw, but I don't know how much of a great cook I am compared to you! So, when you gather with family and friends for Christmas, or if you are alone, don't forget to look around you and take a little bit of everything in. Remember to take in all of the wonderful smell of the food, the Christmas tree, the burning of a fire or candles, the scent of perfume or cologne, the sound of some one's laugh, the feeling of some one's hug, or the just presence of someone sitting in the room. Cherish the moments with loved ones, not only for the holidays, but in everyday life! Life is a gift! Merry Christmas papaw , and I hope your heaven is filled with lots of Cajun food and homemade wine...........I know mine is!

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