The heart.....

A heart is an intricate item. Medically it consists of chambers, valves, arteries and an intricate system of veins that keeps the body alive. Hearts can contain genetic problems that can cause congenital heart defects. But emotionally, a heart can hold our memories. Our feelings. Our love. And our pain. 

A heart can melt. It can give you that warm fuzzy feeling that just makes you speechless beyond words and fills you with immense joy and brings happy tears to your eyes. That is what happened when I held my first grandchild, Garret. I will never forget that feeling as long as I live. My heart just melted away when I got him in my arms. I didn't want to put him down.

But a heart can crack a little and cause you a bittersweet joy. I got home around 11:00 last night and stopped and got my mail. And there, in that simple white envelope with a gold seal was something I had been waiting for but dreading at the same time. Because I knew when I opened that envelope and read of the upcoming graduation of my precious grandbaby that a little piece of heart was going to break.  And sure enough, as soon as I opened it and saw this, the tears started flowing.

Oh how proud I am of him. Words just can't express what a fine young man he has turned into. If I am feeling like this, I can't imagine what his Mom and Dad must be feeling. Even though I don't get to see him much since he got older, he will always be that little guy that loved to come to Mamaw's house and that loved to go places and do things with me. He's only going about 3 or 4 hours away, but the fact that he is going away remains the same. I wish him well and know that he will be successful in the journey he has planned.

Congratulations, Garret. We are all so proud of you and love you with all our heart.

Without a list....

I am the List Queen. I have lists for everything....or at least I used to. I'm not sure what happened this past month, but my life has become a haphazard array of things to do that are not getting done and are not be planned for properly. EEK this is not me!

My mind is reeling about the multitude of things I need to do over the next month. 

Today, I am going to go get Mom's Mother's Day present and get it mailed out to her. 

I have to stay late at work tonight to decorate for a baby shower for one of the girls in our office. I am in charge of the decorations and paper products. It's a pot luck day with food coming in on all shifts. But since I don't come in until 2:00 tomorrow, I need to decorate and set up the paper products tonight for the earlier shifts tomorrow. 

Next thing I want to be working on is some of the awesome patriotic home decor things I have seen on Pinterest. I like to have patriotic decor up before Memorial Day and keep it through July 4th. I need to get busy. 

Speaking of Memorial Day, isn't this a beautiful rose for a veteran. I love this.

Then right after Memorial Day, I have to get ready for VBS. I will be doing the crafts for the Pre-K grades. Three classes, ranging with attendance between 15-25 per class will pass through our craft room. I need to decide on how to decorate for VBS and how I want to set up the room. It's a galactic theme so there will be a lot of stars involved. I'm trying to figure out what to do to incorporate these metal star shapes into the decor. Can you buy a glow in the dark spray paint? Does anybody know? One night we are doing something with glow stick necklaces and when the lights go out it would be need to have things that glow.

Some of the crafts need some prep work done so that little hands can complete the rest of the task. So I have to set aside a day to get with my helpers so we can do the prep work. One thing I want to prep is to glue the magnets on these clothespins. Years of Children's Church experience has taught me that despite what Oriental Trading may think, peel off magnet strips DO NOT stay on clothespins.

But before I can start all this other stuff for the next few weeks planning, I need to get through this week. I'm having my annual yard sale with my friend Sherrie on Thursday and Friday this week. Which means right now my house looks like a war zone. I have boxes stacked everywhere. Tables folded up leaning against the wall to take to her house. I want to make one last run through the cabinets to see if there is anything I missed that I want to get rid of that I never use. 

Now do you see why I need a list??? Does anybody want to trade places with me for the next 4-6 weeks? Maybe this is the To Do list I need.

It's a Southern Thing....

Before I start my blog today, I want to wish a happy birthday to my baby brother, Andy. He's turning 51 today. He's the only one of the four of us to tie me with how many grandbabies he has. 

Happy birthday Andy. I love you. 

Saturday's Search

Was online this morning searching for interesting things. I usually let Pinterest just show me recommendations and that finds me cool ideas. I love the baskets under this table. I have a table similar to this and think I will get some big baskets for under it. Since it is in my dining room, I may use one of the baskets for storing my tablecloths and the other for storing my aprons.

Oh my gosh this is too cute. Very simple. Going to start looking for cheap pillows at yard sales and then recover them with fabric with these ornaments and other appliques.

Oh goodness. Why have I never seen these vintage mugs before? They are Fire King and are Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes. I'm in love.

I would like to do this. This is too cute.

Another cute applique for a pillow. 

I love making yo-yo's and finding things to do with them. I need to get some striped fabric to make some of these.

Call me crazy, but I am wanting to get me a metal lunch box and thermos. But I really don't want it to be kiddie looking. Well, look what I found on line for $14.95. I may just have to order one.

I love the way the thermos has the hook to hold it in place. 

Well, those were some finds and some ideas that Pinterest thought would interest me....as usual they were right.

Friday Foto Friends

I really should have titled this Friday Foto Friends & Falls because I have some beautiful pics of some falls to share today. My daughter and her husband went with his brothers and some friends on a motorcycle ride this past weekend. She kindly agreed to let me post her photos today.

They took the ride through North Carolina. Dry falls, Bridal Veil falls and Cullasaja Falls. I don't know which one was which falls but there was some beautiful scenery. 

This one you could actually drive behind and under it. 

The rest of these pictures is definitely proof that a picture is worth a thousand words. 

Absolutely breathtaking.

Some cute signs.

I love wooden signs. Here are some from the Moon Pie General Store that I just loved. 

This little door was so cute and it is only about 12-15" tall.

This was actually a thin wooden bookmark, not a sign.

One of my favorites.

Also one of my favorites.

This one wasn't an inspirational one, but it was so funny I had to share.

Have a great Thursday.