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My dream home is a very simple 1,000-foot house that sits on a hill where I can enjoy both the sunrise and the sunset. Of course, as Dave and I often joke, we may simply be living in a van, down by the river, under the bridge.
Yep, I love yellow flowers. They're always a source of sunshine and joy, but in October they are a reminder of goodbyes. My older brother, David, died of chronic lymphoid leukemia in October of 2008. He was 47 years old. In the weeks leading up to his death, our family took turns staying with him while his wife worked. He was so very tired and slept a lot. I will always remember him telling me while we sat in the October sunshine on his back patio that he was ready to go home. Such simple yet deep words. I don't remember my response, I only remember how deeply they pierced my heart and made real the fact that I had to say my goodbyes. I know I told him I loved him, but I remember few other words. On my drives to and from his home, I remember the miles and miles of clear blue skies and yellow wildflowers. Now they remind me of goodbyes and our bright reunion when I go home too.
The moon took me on an adventure tonight. My hair appointment lasted a lot longer than I anticipated, so the sun had set before I took a picture for the day. Lucky for me, the moon was a willing subject. As I looked at the picture, I began to wonder where all the Apollo missions landed and whether or not there was a map of the moon that would show all of the lunar missions. Well, to answer your question, there is--Google Moon. There have been a lot of space exploration stories in the news lately, including the death of the first man to walk and plant an American flag on the moon, Neil Armstrong. I had also recently read that some of the flags were still visible from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera. I caught myself saying, "Neato!" which reminded me of an old boss I had when we were at New Orleans Seminary, Dr. Cecil Threadgill. Cecil was a kind, jovial man, who overwhelmed me at first with his weird quirkiness. When someone would ask him how he was, he would answer, "Finer than a frogs hair split four ways." With his flat top haircut and eccentricity, I shamefully admit that he wasn't as endearing to me when I was 20 years old as he is now that I'm 50. But through it all, I found him to be an overwhelmingly kind and compassionate man. I loved him. Dr. Threadgill had quite an interesting history. He joined the Marines when he was 17 years old and fought at Iwo Jima. You know, the same place where the famous photo by Joe Rosenthal was taken of the raising of the American flag in February of 1945. Yes, Cecil was there! After serving his country, he returned home and began pastoring churches. At some point, he joined the U.S. Navy as a chaplain, where he ministered on board the USS New Orleans. He was the Recovery Chaplain for the Apollo 14 Lunar Mission. He gave the prayer for the recovery. I actually have a copy of the prayer, together with Cecil's autograph, tucked away somewhere in my files. Through the years, I lost touch with Dr. Threadgill, often Googling his name and finding nothing. But today, when I searched for him, I found that he had died in August of 2007. I read his obituary and openly wept. I wish I could have stayed in touch with him. The obituary said that he was born in Mount Vernon, Alabama. I didn't know that! I actually drive through Mount Vernon every day on my way to and from work. And, yes, even in his obituary, he was quoted as saying, "Finer than a frog's hair split four ways." Wow! Or as Cecil would say, "Neato!" Dr. Cecil Threadgill - June 1925 to August 2007
I'm doing the happy dance!! I received two wonderful gifts this week--my AHSAA pass for 2012-2013 and the 2012 FNF Alabama magazine. The pass is my open door to all high school sporting events in the state of Alabama, including playoffs and championships. It gets me on the sideline and in the press box (and gets Dave there too). The magazine gives a preview of the upcoming Alabama high school football season and guess what, four of my photos were published in it this year! One of my photos even made the table of contents page. Yippee! Of course, you have to look really hard under the photographer listing to see my tiny name--the only woman I might add--but it's there! Dave gets excited about college football and I get excited about high school football. These are little reminders of how blessed we are.
I guess I need to catch you up on my job search. I had several really good interviews last week. I was soooooo nervous that I even broke out in hives on the way to my first interview. It was with one of America's top personal injury firms. Yikes! I made Dave stop by the Dollar General on the way down so I could get some Benedryl and cream. I thought I would forget how to interview, but I nailed it. Hooray! The hives disappeared in time for my second interview and were kept at bay for all the rest. Whoop! Whoop! I had a couple offers to consider over the weekend and a few other good leads and bites from other firms. I tossed and turned many nights, but when I finally made my choice, God gave me peace and I slept great. I'm going to a "boutique" law firm just a block from where I previously worked. I already feel welcomed and look forward to beginning my new job on Wednesday. Thank you for all of your prayers and encouraging words. You've been a source of joy during a very dark time. God bless you all.
Monday again--what to do, what to do. Cleaning day! Yay! I have to admit that my house hasn't had a good cleaning since Matt started college. We had a wonderful cleaning lady who kept the house in great shape, but when Matt left for school, we couldn't afford the additional expenditure. Well, today I tackled the baseboards, ceiling fans, and blinds. The bathroom even got extra deep scrubbing. I forgot how cathartic cleaning is. Ha! I'm task oriented and love starting and finishing a project. It was a great day. I've ALWAYS said that if I weren't a paralegal, I would be a cleaning lady. Perhaps I need to start looking for some clients. :) Now for an update on my job search. I sent out several resumes before going on vacation and got two nibbles and one rejection. BUT! The rejection letter was very gracious, calling my resume impressive and saying there was no question that I was well qualified. It was a great way to start off the week. "Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
I know I've been behind in my posting, but today was pretty much one of my all time worst days. Late in the afternoon the office manager came into my office and said that they had crunched the numbers and could no longer keep me. They didn't have enough work for me and I was being laid off. Laid off. Terminated. I've never been terminated. I've been working since I was 18 years old and have never had a problem finding and keeping a job. I was taken aback and speechless. I had worked for this firm almost 27 years. She helped me pack my belonging into 4 boxes and carried them to my car. There were no goodbyes. I can't explain how lost and alone I felt. Truly shocked and saddened. I'm working through it and promise I'll catch up on my postings, so be patient. But don't worry. I know God is in control and I know He will provide. He always does. In the meantime, I'm remembering the Apostle Paul's words, "I have learned to be content in all circumstances." Things could be so much worse. I have my family, I have my health, I have my friends, and I have a church and community that love me. I covet your prayers during this transition.
Blah, blah, blah ... It seems that I keep taking the same photos over and over again, year after year ... humpf. This is the time of year when I wish I had a more exciting life–maybe a job with new faces, travel that took me to exotic places, or maybe even children (or grandchildren) with new adventures. But, alas, I don’t.
Today our family attended the graduation of my niece, Sarah, from Gulf Shores High School. It was bitter sweet in that her father, my brother, David, was not there to see her take the next step in her life. He passed away a few years ago from leukemia. I see so much of him in her. He would have been so proud. She was the light of his life and could do no wrong in his eyes. She felt the same way about him. I remember taking Matt on a fishing trip with him and Sarah (and my brother was a serious fisherman). Sarah was small and decided to simply feed the worms to the fish by hand, dropping them one by one into the water. Now had it been anyone else, David would have been put out, but not with Sarah. He simply looked at me and smiled and said, "Isn't she cute?" In the same way, she adored him. When she was still small, she escaped from their home and decided to go on an adventure around the neighborhood. The family was frantic and finally found her. Soon after, I asked her about her adventure and she told me how she was accosted by a snarling pink bear with big white teeth and how her father came to her rescue and saved her. She had such a great imagination and her daddy was her hero. Congratulations Sarah! Now go make your mom and dad proud.
My dream home is a very simple 1,000-foot house that sits on a hill where I can enjoy both the sunrise and the sunset. Of course, as Dave and I often joke, we may simply be living in a van, down by the river, under the bridge.
My dream home is a very simple 1,000-foot house that sits on a hill where I can enjoy both the sunrise and the sunset. Of course, as Dave and I often joke, we may simply be living in a van, down by the river, under the bridge.
My dream home is a very simple 1,000-foot house that sits on a hill where I can enjoy both the sunrise and the sunset. Of course, as Dave and I often joke, we may simply be living in a van, down by the river, under the bridge.
See photo in original gallery.
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