Hallelujah and Praise God! What a wonderful Gift we have & reflecting time in our hearts as we celebrated the birth of our Lord and Savior on Christmas Day. And now we come to the year-end close with shouts of “Happy New Year!”. 

For the first time in some years we will bring in the New Year right from our own living area. We are missing our PCB time. 

Holiday celebrations are usually spent with family and/or friends. Travel is fun whether just a short drive down the road or the 9 hour drive to Carolina. The anticipation of seeing ones makes it all the more special 

This year, at least for us, is different. We made decisions together about the way we did life. We have continued to practice safe measures since our President declared a National Emergency & our Governor declared a State Emergency back in March against the Coronavirus Pandemic. It has been a long, long year. 

I did do something once, and my husband wasn’t too pleased with me. We are still married! 

For loved ones and friends, our hearts broke with you as you or one of your family members were affected by the virus. We grieved at the loss of family & friends during this pandemic. We promise to continue our prayers for you. 

As we close out this year of being stressed with mandates of social practices such as “stay-at-home”, “mask up”, 6-ft apart, etc and of virus uncertainty, we have vaccines being shipped around the world for controlling and even shutting down this pandemic. We pray.

Our God is a loving God. He is our strength.

He is in and thru this pandemic.

Hold on to Him. God is faithful.

May we also be faithful this 2021 year.

#pandemicrecapblogpost...3/19/20

#Godhasthis

#faithandtrust

~ Merry Christmas ~

and a 

HAPPY NEW YEAR

*****************************

Our Skype Day with F2

We opened our gifts first...

outdoor solar yard lights for me

and a Lowe's gift card for Glenn.

kids waiting anxiously for dad

to open their gift bag from us

a bag of bakery goods

a magnet from the kids 

to their parents

Hannah loves tin butter cookies.

She also got a "foot spa pack".

I just didn't have my camera ready.

Garrett opens a gift...

his UNC Yeti and UNC wallet

Garrett's UNC sports chair

Hannah's KitchenAid Mixer

(the bowl is in the sink as they

have already made a red velvet cake.)

three dozen "red" golf balls

a pillow made by me for the pups

to give to their parents

...and some spending money.

Although we were unable to be 

with them at their home,  

we enjoyed Christmas gift opening 

and visiting via Skype.

And then we had lunch.

*****************************

Our Family Christmas Memory

"Operation Heal Our Patriots"

christmas tree lights shine

in a darkened room

and splay a guide across the floor

and bring a reflecting of another night

when a lone light shone

to guide and announce

a most treasured sight

the babe in a manger

Jesus

Merry Christmas Eve

A Savior Born

ROUND TWO: right eye cataract extraction

Monday's appt w/Sugg was good. Left eye healing as expected.

We left and traveled to Dothan Surgery Center.

Praying for this procedure to be 

just as smooth as was the left eye.

~ HOME ~

...relaxing in comfy clothes on the couch

All went well with the surgery.

When I was able to take the patch off my eye,

I experienced blurring & double vision...

which is common at times.

Although common, it is quite a play for the mind.

As we were preparing to eat that night, I placed

my glass on the counter & began to pour my drink.

With a laugh & a "Oh, darn!" I was pouring my drink

into the glass...which wasn't there...

into the "double vision" glass.

LOL...the mood changed.

This morning my vision was 

exactly where I wanted it to be.

My appointment with the doctor was good.

Both eyes were healing as expected.

By the first of next week I should be

with a vision of 20-20...and

not needing to wear glasses of any kind.

Yay!

GARRETT GETS A HAIRCUT

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

...still has my heart

 1:15 PM…

then a call to reschedule to 11:30AM…
YES, let’s do this.
 
*************
 
Friday I began a series of eye drops
in my left eye in preparation
 of cataract surgery.

 
This morning we drove to Dothan Surgery Center
 for the procedure. I was seated for
approximately 30 minutes when I heard my name called.
Glenn was not allowed to sit in the facility with me.
 
With the call of my name & a brief check of the armband,
the nurse escorted me to my assigned area
where I put on the official gown and suction type socks,
 
Prompt, professional service from medical staff
carried out their assigned duties as they prepared me
for cataract extraction of the left eye.
 
It’s over! A quick procedure and very short recovery
(go ahead and get dressed),
and we drove home.

 

Well, until this Friday…..when we begin 

the same process for the right eye. 

***********

~ my grandfurs ~

 

So Glenn comes through the back door last night and says, “Come, you gotta see this.” 

We love an interesting sunset.

a pillow made

 pecans packed from cracked nuts

 a sign painted

knife block painted

a garden flag

 For the past few days we have had low, low temps in the mornings. As you will see in the following pictures, several of my yard shrubs and/or plants got "bit". It has been some time since my shrubs looked so pitiful.

I uncovered what we had bunched and covered for temp protection so they could get some fresh air & sunshine. They all looked pretty good. We will leave them bunched as we will cover them back up on Monday for another round of more low, low temps.

~ Happy Thanksgiving ~

 

Our beautiful daughter-in-law is

is celebrating her birthday today.

She is a joy to our family, and

we love her.

She & I both celebrate birthdays

in the month of November, and

this year she is half my age.

 

 It is Tuesday, November 17, 2020. 

Is your azalea blooming?

...later in the evening

It was a beautiful day for a birthday...

MY BIRTHDAY!

 Hubs & I raked the front yard for the pine straw. Our flower beds are well bedded-down with straw so we took this extra over to F2’s house for his front yard flower beds. We love helping F2, and we got to see the grand-furs. They were so excited to see us. Glenn took them into the back yard as G & I talked a bit. 

Lazing around reading on the patio was enjoyable. My phone alerted me to text messages of “Happy Birthday!” from friends. As I read the messages, it was so heartwarming to remember special times with the senders. Throughout the week many friends wished me a special day with witty cards. 

FGGIII

Special visits  treated me with…

my favorite...carrot cake

cheesy chicken rice casserole...yum!

beautiful scarf & cross/pearl bookmark

Our way to celebrate birthdays, for us, has always been a low-key affair…dinner & a movie. This birthday was no exception. We ate Papa John’s pizza and enjoyed my birthday chocolate chip pie cookie gift from Papa John’s. Oh my!!! 

Birthdays are just another day. I am so grateful for each day.  

PS…G took me to Lowes, and we purchased 30 stones for me to use around the patio. I am so excited!

 

An early morning walk in the backyard where the cool dew touches your feet and leftover summer plant blooms greet you, a sigh of loving wonder is interrupted by a skein of geese heading to their morning gathering over at the lake. You turn your head upward as they honk and to watch the V-formation and just…..smile.

an evening sky filled with the beauty of God

 

Our grand-furs spent several nights with us when their parents went to PCB. They were such good kids, and really livened up our house. We had such a good time.

Their personalities are totally opposite. Jealous are both of them yet you can tell how protective they are of each other. Angel, the female black & white, was adopted on May 7, 2019. Romeo, the male jet black, was adopted October 30, 2019. Their bond has been amazing to watch.

 

Westgate Softball Complex

Dothan, Alabama

From softball playing to umpire officiating hubs was a part of this sport and this complex. He spent lots of week nights and weekends playing City League and tournament games. 

Hubs played and even began officiating a little. He enjoyed his time at the ballpark. Then, he made the choice to only officiate games. Hubs officiated league, district, state & national games. 

Dothan Softball. When you begin talking about the sport that was so popular years ago, you will hear three names...Tom Brightwell, Ray Sizemore & Johnny Middlebrooks.

Rhonda Kirk called Glenn last Tuesday and asked if he could meet her @ Westgate at 6PM. He did, and several other umpires were there as well. It was a surprise of sorts! 

From Row: Susan Summers, Eunice Knight, (xxx)

Back Row:  Dennis Cole, Larry Stinson, Allen Cole, Danny Carr,

Glenn, Jeff (xxx), Michael Gilley & Jimmy Young

These guys were honored with a marker for their Dothan Softball Umpire Association and in recognition for making Westgate Softball Complex GREAT!

Hubs & I went today to really take a look together. I am so proud of hubs and the contribution to the sport that was a large part of our life. Our son enjoyed going to the games too. I love this picture of G & his dad.

...and I love this Umpire!

Memories.....

Garrett & Bill Lisenby

Bill Coker...ASA Ump & Griller

First National Tournament

Invited to Officiate Team USA Practice Game

Glenn & Tami Morris