A Day Worth Celebrating- Mom is 82

We celebrated my mom's 82nd birthday today.  There were lots of smiles, hugs, kisses, flowers, balloons and cards.  She has had a rough March with sickness, but she is much better and was able to spend her birthday with all of us and we were able to bring her joy today.  She loved seeing her sweetie pie (Dad), her older sister, her grandsons, and Tom and I.  She loved speaking to her younger sister and niece on the phone too.  My aunt is so thoughtful to call them on Mom's birthday on her cell phone, so they could talk together.  

Every day is a gift.  Every celebration worth rejoicing in.  Every word of love spoken worth listening to and appreciating....  We take nothing for granted these days.  And God's gifts to us are abundant as we looked around the rooms today where we gathered and saw the love in each one's face, voice, and arms holding us.

Philip read his card to Grandmom.

Joseph showing Mom one of her birthday presents~ a family photo

She loves her boys!

Then Dad arrived....  His love for her keeps him going and keeps him smiling.  EVERYTHING changes for the better when he walks into the room to see her or when she enters any room where he may be.

That smile begins.... and it never stops.

The love of my parents, even to this day, makes feel so incredibly blessed.

Mom and Dad got to be with us big kids too.

The iPad 3 is quite remarkable to Dad

 How long could she gaze at them?  A very long time.....

Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream can give you the chills, but just being with family and knowing how special they make you feel is better than a warm blanket.  The two combined for Mom is heaven! 

 My Aunt loves her great nephews and they love her bunches too!!

Sisters.....I was so touched by these two today.  My aunt drove a long way to be able to come celebrate with us.  Thank you Willie Mae!  We loved seeing you.  Mom meant it with all her heart when she said,  "Thank you for coming all this way."

And we do not forget at all the love of another sister of theirs, Jenny and her daughter Barbara as well who spoke to Mom on the phone and wished her well and a happy birthday.  We missed them today, but Florida is a long way.... and  Mom knows they love her and she is so blessed by their voices and being able to just talk with them on her birthday.  Thanks you all for making Mom smile today!!  If we are apart we are still together at heart! 

That's a lot of love today...... and I'm so blessed to be able to tell my moma one more time, "  Happy Birthday and  I love you, you know."

Our First Day of Spring

The first day of spring was beautiful today.  A Carolina spring.....I love spring here.  I truly do.  We decided to go to Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens in Belmont, North Carolina to celebrate today.  What was even better was that Mike was able to join us, as he was working on that side of Gaston County today.  It worked out so well.  What a huge surprise when we arrived and found the Cherry trees in full bloom flanking each side of the entrance to Daniel Stowe.  Tulips and Daffodils were everywhere.  There were three of us with cameras taking pictures.  The boys really do enjoy photography.  I'm so happy about that.  They certainly have to stop for me all the time to take photos.  Today I had to stop occasionally for them to snap pictures.  Bring me to a garden any day and you'll see one happy person.  Being in nature and surrounded by flowers is one of my very favorite things to do.  Since the flowers will change so often, we are going to go back more frequently to take advantage of our membership to the gardens.  
Daniel Stowe Gardens is truly a little piece of heaven. I love this place!

Thank you Lord God for such a lovely day!

Elizabeth's Yellowbell

My Grandmother Elizabeth's Yellowbell shared with my Mom, then shared with me...  It has started blooming.   I love living in the South, where this bush is at every turn, in almost every neighborhood, and just about everywhere you go.  When I see Yellowbell (Forsythia) in March, I think of my Grandmother Elizabeth.  She was only in my life seven short years, but in that small amount of time, one thing I knew well about her:  she loved flowers and she was very thoughtful.

It's nice to share plants. It's something our family has always done.  You separate and divide plants and you have more than you need, so you either plant the leftovers somewhere else in your yard, or you give them to a neighbor, family member or friend.  Something about sharing plants spreads joy.  It's a gift that keeps giving year after year.  Some of the most thoughtful gifts I've ever received are the treasures of plants which have come from someone else, which I in turn have planted in my yard and continue to enjoy.  I've been able to share some plants as well with friends and neighbors and it's kind of nice to know, that a piece of your yard which is a happy memory is being tucked away in someone else's flowerbed.  Grandmother would love to know I had part of her bush in my yard.  She would LOVE that.  She did such a nice thing when I was a small child, cutting and sharing Yellowbell branches with Mom.  And Mom planted them as a hedge in our yard.  Then Mom cut some for me and came to my house with Dad. She knew how much I wanted a bush of my own. He and she dug a hole in the ground and in the branches went!  Next thing I know, I've got a Yellowbell bush of my own.... Part Mom's.... Part Grandmother's... and part mine.  That gift has brought a bright spot to our yard for over a decade.  It needs some t.l.c. this year, and that it will receive, but right now I'm just enjoying its yellow blossoms and smiling. 

 

Thanks Grandmother... 
I have enjoyed your gift more than you know.
Love,
Judith

Bradford Pear Blossoms

One of the things I look forward to every year is the blooming of our Bradford Pear tree.  This tree was a tiny thing when we first moved into our house 17 winters ago.  It has grown into this huge tree that we enjoy so much every season.  Between the orange-red leaves in the fall and the fluffy white blossoms in March,  I don't know which  I enjoy more.  The blossoms don't last as long as the color change in late November.  So when the blossoms come, I have to be quick with my camera.  Within a week they are gone.  

A little gift of heaven for a week.

I just love this time of year!  Spring is practically here!