The Fun Part

I had so much fun last night. (Don’t tell anyone.)

Know what I did? Broke a bunch of eggs. 🙂 If I left it there, would you think I was egging houses and TPing yards? I hate to disappoint you, but I wasn’t.

I helped cook the Wednesday night dinner at church and it was FUN! Hot, but fun. 🙂 Cooking that meal isn’t something I normally do, because there are usually a bunch of members there to help out.

But this time, there weren’t. Sister Deb told me several of the usual workers were gone on the mission trip to Joplin, so (naturally) I volunteered. “I can help.”

The menu? Pancakes, scrambled egg casserole with cheese and ham, and oven fried potatoes. But that wasn’t the fun part.

Missing Barbara

This is such a Small Town World.

I have an effervescent red-headed friend named Barbara Smith. I met Barbara right after I moved to T-Town with my cousin many years ago.

One day after a hard day at school, we walked across the parking lot going to our little one bedroom apartment and coming toward us was a woman with bright red hair and a friendly smile.

She introduced herself and said she was from that Small Town World to the North.  I never was very good at the don’t-speak-to-strangers thing Mama tried to teach me. Barbara and I hit it right off. 🙂

Turned out, Barbara was a friend I just hadn’t met.

She was so good to me. And smart. And more than happy to share her knowledge about a world where I was new and untried. And glad to help.

One night, my cousin and I had only one key to our apartment. (For some reason, we’d lost one.) Anyway, we both had dates and since she planned to get in about 9:00 and I usually got in about 11:00 or midnight, I let her take the key.

When I got back, the door was locked so I knocked–several times. Long story short, I was locked out. (My cousin slept so soundly, she put that statue of the sleeping angel to shame.)

I had a choice of sleeping on the sidewalk or turning to Barbara. Guess which one I chose. LOL.

I knocked on Barbara’s sliding glass door, and without a word of complaint, she got out of bed and unlocked her door. She was more than happy to to loan me a couch to sleep on that night.

Now here’s another STW thing–I met and married G-Man, and being from the same Small Town World, Barbara not only knew and liked him (I said she was smart!) her brother had gone to school with him. Not only in Hominy but also in college.

Several years later, G-Man’s brother married Barbara’s niece. I was so glad! And thrilled because it meant we’d get to stay in contact with her.

I loved knowing Barbara. We never lived together or had daily contact, but she was always a friend.

For a long time, we even had the same hairdresser and stayed in touch through her. 🙂

Now Barbara is in Jesus’s arms, heart to heart with Him. I’ll miss her bright and friendly smile and the look in her eyes that always said, “I like you.”

“I know where the bodies are buried . . . and I’m not saying a word.”

Party Pics by Cynthia

Sister Cindy sent me the pictures she took at the Graduates’ party. As you’ll see, she’s a much better photographer than I am. Next get-together, I’m going to follow her around and learn how she does it.

Imagine, not one scowl! 🙂

She could open a business and call it Party Pics by Cynthia. 🙂

These young women (Laura and Ashley–aka Kentucky Woman) are also recent graduates–a teacher and a PA. I love being part of a brilliant family. (That way I can pretend I have some smarts, too.)

  This little guy and his mom are a joy to be with. He keeps everyone laughing, no matter what he does in his diaper. (Then discusses it like the president of the board.)

We nearly always have a couple of non-related friends at our parties.

Aren’t they cute??? (Did Nurse Cindy say,Stick out your tongue?)

Noel knows the Principal principle–at least for middle school.

Office Boss and his mama.

SIL Julie in deep discussion with Andrew.

The long and short of it. Great-granddaddy and Andrew. (Faith has a new phone.)

What are they watching? I. Don’t. Know. (Wish I did.)

A Grad Dad. (The other dad got away.)

Grad party day was also Elsie’s birthday. We sang. 🙂

#5 and #1 of Cindy’s kiddos. Aren’t they adorable?

There you go–almost as if you were at the party, too. Wish you had been. 🙂

The Graduate(s)

A few days ago, I mentioned some of our family’s celebrations. What I didn’t mention is that we also celebrate high shool graduations. And this year, we had two graduate. (With all the kids in this family, that happens a lot.)

These two guys are this year’s crop. I think they’re wearing their game faces, since they’ll both be going to Oklahoma Baptist University to play football on scholarship!!! (Woohoo, Bisons!)

We had another celeb at the party. In the very near future, this partier will be a bride! (I can hardly wait!!!)

(Wait. I MIGHT need to go shopping.)

FLAGS ON THE HILL

Yesterday evening, G-Man and I went to visit his parents’ graves. (His dad was in Patton’s 3rd during WWII.) They’re on the far north side, and driving out I happened to notice, clear across the cemetery on the south side, a beautiful sight. Naturally, I snapped a picture.

I took a few more out the window when my man said, “What are you doing?”

“Taking pictures of those flags over there.”

So we took a detour to see the flags on the hill.

I don’t know about you, but the sight of all that red, white and blue bunting standing out in the breeze stirs my blood.