A Love Story

Happy 38th Anniversary

A LOVE STORY

January 27th 1973 

I married my college sweetheart, best friend, the person who makes me laugh, father of my 3 children, PaPaw to our 5 Grandchildren and all around Great Guy!

 

Future Weather Forecaster

I know, it's a little belated but last week was one of those weeks where I had to "Get the Ox out of the Ditch".  That is an old Biblical reference for those not familiar, which means there are times when you "just gotta do what you gotta do".

The Love Story

We were sophomores in college who planned to get married in May of 1973 once school was out for the summer.  But as young love goes, we went apartment hunting with our best friends to be, found an adjacent VACANT apartment and thought, "Wouldn't it be great to live here and not have to wait till May to get married?"  To the heart palpitations of our parents, we made the rash and immature decision to get married at our Campus Christian Center with ONE WEEK to prepare and a $300 budget!!  That was 38 years ago and as CRAZY a decision as it was, God in His infinite wisdom AND sense of humor has kept us together through thick and thin, better and for worse, Richer and for Poorer(mostly poorer) sickness and in health, and till Death Do Us Part!!

Birthday Dinner Party 2009

How did we meet, you ask???  

WE can thank the old fashioned PAY PHONE!!  Both of us were on campus of MARSHALL UNIVERSITY (the University featured in the Football Movie, WE ARE MARSHALL) for freshman orientation.  Mr. H. aka...#1 Husband, Mr. Football, Mr. Haney from Green Acres, walked over to a group of us girls one evening asking to borrow a DIME to call his girlfriend back in Alabama!  A DIME???  PAY PHONE???  Boy, does that date us or what???

Let me tell you, Mr. Football was one Cutie Patootie!  In todays' vernacular, he would have been described as a "hottie", " "hunk", etc...I started digging furiously in my purse for a dime so I could be the one to give him the coveted DIME!!  All the time, thinking to myself, "That Alabama Girlfriend is going to be long gone if I have anything to do with it".  I WON!  I gave him the dime, found out he was on the football team and right then and there set my sights on Mr. Football and never looked back.

WELL...THAT was 39 1/2 yrs., 3 children, 5 Grandchildren, a 600 mile move back to Alabama, and lots of laughter, tears, and Love later!!

BTW...

Have any of you seen or heard of the 2006 Movie, WE ARE MARSHALL???

Believe it or not, the movie is about MY HUSBAND and his 1971 Young Thundering Herd football team!  IN Nov. 1970, a plane crash into the side of a West Virginia Mountain on a rainy foggy night, killed all 75 passengers...all 75 members of the Marshall University Football team, boosters, Coaches, Pilot, & Flight attendants.  The decision to continue the football program and the recruiting all over the nation to replenish and ENTIRE football team with 17/18 yr. old young men is the heart of the story.  The movie stars Matthew McConaughey, Matthew Fox, & January Jones.  It is a GREAT and TRUE story that makes a Great Family Movie Night!! 
#1 Husband and I are in many of the crowd scenes although you can't see us.  Only the two of us can see where we are but it was sooooo much fun being part of the movie production, filming, and subsequent Premier Night!!

Well...That is our Love Story, for better or for worse but mostly BETTER!!

We're still in love in 2011 and hope we have many more years together!

What is YOUR LOVE STORY???

Blessings

Gmama Jane

UFO #1

January Projects
UFO #1

Teacher Quilt for Grandson's 2nd Grade Teacher 

P.S  Ryan is in 3rd Grade!

Mrs. Appel...your quilt is on it's way and should be completed By Valentine's Day!

I may be just a "little" behind but since Mrs. Appel is a friend, she has been very patient.  Last year, I was a Guest Reader for Ryan's 2nd grade class.  I read a book about a little girl's Grandmother moving from her home to a retirement community.  To ease her Grandmother's loneliness, the Granddaughter and Mother made a quilt from the Grandmother's & other family member's old clothes.  The discussion with the children was priceless when they began to tell stories of being homesick or stories about their own Grandparents.  Their little hearts are so tender and empathetic at the age of 8-9 yrs. old.

Each child's hand-print was traced and cut out along with the Teacher's and Principal's hand-prints.

The Frog print handprint belongs to my Grandson due to his obsession with frogs.

Since these pictures, I have now finished the zigzag stitch around each handprint (which was only my second attempt by machine to do applique.)  I used Heat n Bond and the Zig Zag stitch.  I did OK but was scared to death every stitch of the way.  By Block 19 I had the process down.

I like the way the sunlight came through my sewing room window when I took the picture below.

MUG RUG  (Belated Christmas Gift)

MUG RUG  made from Moda's "Maison something something"...my mind has drawn a blank and I don't want to walk upstairs to look it up.  I Love these colors!!

I plan on making a set of placemats with this fabric line to keep for myself!

Below is a picture of the Block of the Month Quilt I joined sponsored by a local Quilt Store.  We could choose to go a different color direction so I chose these Civil War Document fabrics...a First for me!

I do not claim any photographic abilities...that gene went to my middle daughter..so forgive the quality of my pictures, especially when trying to show you the beautiful Civil War fabric I just bought from "The Fat Quarter Shop"

I love to see my UPS man drive up my driveway when I am expecting fabric orders!!

I'm going to use this CWar fabric in making the blocks of the above quilt and then I'll figure out my sashing and binding when I put the finished blocks up on "ye Ol design Wall"

WITH THAT SAID...

Considering that I begin Weight Watchers next week, I thought I would share a chuckle with you! 

I feel this way when I see the Hot Sign lit up at the Krispy Kreme Store and my car involuntarily makes a turn and goes right into that KK Drive-Thru

Blessings

Gmama jane

HOPE

HOPE

 Indulge me today while I tell you about my Sweet Baby James

and the Blessing he has been to our entire family

Meet James Patrick  age 3

Born 2 months premature

 Diagnosis:

Cerebral Palsy

Prognosis:

HOPE...FUL

MY WORD for 2011 had to find me...I couldn't settle on a word and in the meantime I pondered for days about the WORD I would choose that best represented my sentiments for 2011.  I  began to ponder on my favorite verse from Jeremiah 29:11 NIV which says:

"For I know the Plans I have for you",

declares the Lord.

"Plans to prosper you, and Not to Harm YOU,

Plans to Give YOU a HOPE and a FUTURE."

THEN...

Having gone through spinal surgery, spinal rhizotomy, with James back in June at St. Louis Children's Hospital

combined with the HOPES & Dreams I have for all FIVE of my Grandchildren...

18 months First time sitting upright independently!!  He's hanging on to that bucket for dear life!

 HOPE FOUND ME.

Perhaps some or even just ONE fo you have or know of a young child with Cerebral Palsy.  I encourage you to GOOGLE this surgery and St. Louis Children's Hospital, Dr. Parks. (if I knew how to make a link, I would do it right here, but I don't, so bear with me).  It offers life changing HOPE for children with CP.  MY daughter was not told of this surgery by any of the many medical doctors treating James.  She happened upon a story on NBC about SDR surgery and Dr. Parks at SLCH.  Well, immediately she began almost a year long process of research, decisions, Dr. visits, and a consultation in St. Louis to determine IF James was even a candidate for SDR surgery.  In March of 2010, Dr. Parks, gave his medical opinion that James was an excellent candidate and surgery was scheduled for June 10, 2010.  

Children from all over the world come to St. Louis to have SDR surgery and we met so many wonderful parents of children with all different medical diagnosis and prognosis.  The Ronald McDonald ROOM INSIDE the hospital was like a home away from home with computers, large eat in kitchen, living room with huge couches, recliners, Big screen TV, free laundry room and fully stocked bathrooms.  I now make sure I put my change in those little collection boxes in every McDonald's restaurant because not only did we use the RMcDRoom but my daughter & James also stayed 3 weeks in a RMcD House in Birmingham for a Post Surgery Physical Therapy Camp back in August. I can't say enough WONDERFUL things about them!!

The Journey to Independent Walking will be Long.  But with surgery and intensive therapy, Dr. Parks believes that James will either walk independently at best or with canes at the worst.  Our HOPE for James is a VERTICAL LIFE!!

Here are some pictures of James and why he INSPIRES HOPE...HOPE not only will he walk but HOPE James will be a successful adult with Faith, Empathy, Courage, Determination, Perseverance, and Sense of Humor.  You will see these characteristics displayed in the following pictures:

 Water Therapy has made a HUGE Improvement

Learning to Feed Himself is messy business just like for any child

James is a PUPPY for Halloween!  He insisted it was PUPPY not DOG

Cousin Scott is trying to "help" James with his new walker

Auntie LaLa (aka.Anna Laura, my youngest daughter) ADORES James and likes to have him spend the night with her whenever his Mommie will let him!

James all dressed up for his first day of Pre-School, T-Th

School has brought a HUGE helping of HOPE in social skills!

Doesn't he just look like the cutest little man you've ever seen?!

A Special Bike made exclusively for James.  He was on a Year long waiting list and it came at just the right time.  God is So Good!!  Look at that smile!!

HOPE

James was so excited to meet another person in a wheelchair like him!  This was one of the ParaOlympic Athletes and he was so sweet to James

 James is "propped"  up by Frosty on Christmas Day

Gran Sarah reading to Scott & James.  My sister is like another Grandmother!

 

Christmas 2007-James' 1st Christmas BEFORE we knew about the CP diagnosis.

Great Grandmother, "MaMaw" and all her "Greats"  I LOVE this picture and we are lucky to still be making this picture every year

Christmas 2010-James 3 yrs. old

The Vintage ABC Quilt I made before James was born.  I've got to make him a Big Boy Quilt ASAP.

I need to have made all 5 Grandchildren a quilt before I make a second.  I have 2 more to go.

HOPE

2011

Blessings

Gmama Jane

SNOWSTOCK 2011

Snow is simply not common fare here in the Deep South even though we live in an area that has the best chance for flurries or a dusting every now and then but nothing like what we received this week!  10-12 inches on our farm!  You will have to bear with me for the next few days while I share my snow pictures and adventures because we simply don't get this kind of winter weather and when we do it's a BIG HAIRY DEAL!!  

 HOME
Be it ever so humble, there's NO place like HOME

Yesterday was spent sledding, snowman making, snowball fights, and snowcream!  Of course, I must admit to a little "red neck" sledding when my BIL brought over his Polaris Ranger for pulling the sled.  The roads were just so slushy and not packed down with ice enough to provide premium sledding conditions.  

My son and oldest grandson, RYAN...a little "red neck" sledding southern style!!

"CLAY_ANGEL"
His feet were cold and he was getting ready to go inside

*EMMA GRACE ANGEL* 

SCOTT  2 yrs. old, He didn't know quite what to think?!

PaPaw & Matthew giving Mama Jenda a little push down the hill!

 Daddy Matthew & Clay take a turn!

 Now that everyone had taken a turn sledding, feet were cold, mittens were wet, and legs were tired from tromping though 8-10 inches of snow 

SO....let's go make SnowCream!!

Now let's see, what goes in next, Grandmama???

Clay is getting serious with his stirring!!

Taste Testers!

The story behind the snow cream goes something like this...their Daddy Matthew had a fancy ice cream maker and all the premium ingredients to make snow cream.  The Children wanted to take a peep at what he was doing and he sort of "shooed' them out of his way so... I gave them the "left-overs", a basic recipe, and told them to have at it!  

 

Would you believe THEIR SNOW CREAM tasted the BEST!!!  I loved watching and listening to the snowcream making business..the taste tests, the turn taking (yeah right?), the decision to add or not to add more vanilla, more evaporated milk, MORE SUGAR, etc...

Emma Grace declared, "THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!"

and so I end with the wise words of a 5 yr. old Princess...words that bubbled up from a heart full of LOVE, FAMILY, & LOTS OF SUGAR

THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE

 

Blessings

Gmama Jane

NEW LOOK

Madame Samm Rescues Struggling Blogger

from

Boring Blogdome

 

It is not often that you get rewarded for being BAD!!  However...my OLD  BLOG DESIGN was SOOOOOO BAD, that an APB (all points bulletin) was issued and the cavalry came to my rescue in the form of MADAME SAMM!!!!!!!!!

(Insert SQUEALS of DELIGHT!!) 

 How can I ever thank you enough Samm for this beautiful new design that just screams Grandmamas Stories??!!  And PINK???  How did you know???  I know, I know, you say it "channels" you but I say you have ESP or a spy camera.  

Anyone who knows me knows my love of PINK.

  The lovely "young woman" posing as Grandmama is wearing her hair like I used to wear my hair many times when it was long (and much younger!)  She's writing about her family which is SOOOO ME!!  The phrase below the circle is my new Motto so to speak and I just love it too!!  I love it all!!!!!!!!

Psst.....

This will be my second time writing this post because "something" happened and it wouldn't post.  Then when I went back to it, more than half had not been saved.  

HMM? 

 Maybe that little red message that said error had occurred when saving meant something???

Am I pitiful or what??

I'm sure the first post was much better than this one but I'm so anxious to get a new post up PRAISING MY NEW BLOG DESIGN, that this one will just have to do.

I'm still in shock....I came in from a wild morning of sledding with the Grandpeeps in our 10 inch snow!!!  

This much snow is rather historic and the kids were going nuts when the PHONE RINGS!!

RRRRRRRRRRRRR....RRRRRRRRRRRRRR...CLICK  OH NO< I pushed the wrong button and disconnected the caller from some strange number.

RRRRR.........RRRRRRRRRRRR......HELLO???

"Hello, Jane, This is Madame Samm."  Stop right there, did she say Madame Samm?????

Well, the lovely voice on the other end of the line proceeds to tell me that she wants me to open my email and take a peek.  I'm sure I must have done that but I don't remember...I'm still in shock at this moment.

I open up this link that reveals the design you are looking at right now.  Do I like it, she asks????  DO I LIKE IT????  DO FISH LIKE WATER???  DO FRIES LIKE KETCHUP???

NO, I don't like it, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!!!!

A couple more phone calls, some technical talk, and my family quietens down...AND I finally catch my breath long enough to really LOOK at my new design and realize just how DEAD ON, Madame Samm was in depicting ME in the NEW Blog Design!

PINK...WRITING...GRANDMAMA...SIMPLICITY...OH,

I'M IN LOVE

So folks, that's it...that's the story behind my new Blog Design.  The moral of this story?  If you put up a Blog that's REALLY REALLY BAD and IF you have Quilting Blogger Friends, they WILL have an INTERVENTION for you!

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU 

Madame Samm

A SPECIAL Thank YOu gift will be winging it's way to your Doorstep

*wink* * wink*

Blessings

Gmama Jane

New Look..ALMOST

NEW LOOK...ALMOST

Would you just look at this MESS???  I got as far as changing the "middle" of my new blog design but I obviously did something wrong and can't get the sidebars to "stick" or stay or whatever you call it.  The sidebars are supposed to be a nice bright red and they actually show up for TWO SECONDS when you first sign on!  

I feel like I did when I cut my own bangs back in 6th grade 

and then had to go to school the next day looking like Helen Keller cut my hair....no disrespect to Helen Keller cuz she's one of my Heroes but let's face it; she would have had trouble cutting a straight line...right?...

and then again...

maybe not??

All the computer directions tell me how EASY PEASY they are but I'm here to tell you from someone who doesn't have a degree in computer science the INSTRUCTIONS ARE NOT EASY PEASY if you don't know what you're doing!!!!!

I look at the wonderful Madame Samm's blog designs from the blogs, Sew We Quilt at Stash Manicure and Sew I Quilt...

I look at her expertise in creating new looks for other bloggers and it all looks so wonderful...and EASY??????

My own daughter changes her blog with the seasons or even her moods.  

BUT NOT ME!!!  

I have to be stuck with the same boring design and no hope of changing my "look" without an APB being sent out to friends & family.

Why do I have to be so inept at this stuff? I want to be able to change my own blog without having to inconvenience a 3rd world country in order to do it!

I've printed out the instructions so I can have the actual picture in front of me while I click & drag! 

Yes, those "instructions" MUST from

be from

the DEAD SEA SCROLLS

Other than placing an emergency call to the Geek Squad I don't know what I can do? Is there hope for me?  Any suggestions out there from my blogging friends with beautiful blog designs?  I'm having a severe case of BLOG ENVY!!!

So I'm going to leave this blog alone, calling it a night and go upstairs to my sewing cave for some major QUILT THERAPY. 

from Eat Cake Graphics

 GREAT IDEA!  I do believe there is one more piece of Fresh Apple cake in the kitchen before I retreat to my cave

Blessings

GMAMA
JANE