REFLECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS

Christmas Day has come and gone. We survived. We knew that with the joy of the celebration would also come pain--joy at the addition of our precious Carson to the family, but pain at the loss of our sweet cousin and nephew, Ross, this past year. Through it all, though, we still know that we've been blessed. God has never forsaken us. He has taken our hearts and our hands and gently walked us through the darkness and into the promise of brighter days.

Today we reflect on the past year and look forward to the one that will arrive in just a few hours. Because we have experienced much, we will face the future with a renewed understanding. With God's help, we will learn from our experiences and use them to face the challenges that this year will surely bring. Although we know that the resolutions we make will not be easy to keep, we'll make them anyway because, after all, our intentions are good and our desire is great.

So without further ado, I make the following resolutions:

• to be grateful no matter what my circumstances, trusting that God is in control and that only He knows the plans He has for me
• to let past hurts remain just that
• to embrace my experiences and try to make each of them "learning" experiences
• to forgive and to know that forgiving doesn't have to mean forgetting, but that it DOES mean letting go
• to accept my shortcomings and not be afraid to ask for help
• to seek an opportunity each day to help another individual, no matter how big or small the deed
• to let those I love know how very much they are loved and how grateful I am to have them in my life
• to remember that each day is a gift and that the choices I make each of those days will be the legacy I leave.

"I think in terms of the day's resolutions, not the year's" - Henry Moore

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
MAY YOU BE BLESSED IN ITS COMING AS WELL AS ITS STAY.

Merry Christmas Eve!

The stockings are hung......The gifts are wrapped......I just love pretty presents! It doesn't matter the contents of the package; I just love for them to be pretty! I try my best to have all the gifts wrapped and under the tree no later than the day before Christmas because I so enjoy just "looking" at them. That may sound crazy, but isn't a tree surrounded by gifts purchased with love a beautiful sight? Every gift under the tree (or in our case around the tree) has been carefully selected for its recipient with much love and care. Of course, these days everything gets wrapped, no matter how big or small, and this year, it appears that the biggest presents are for the smallest member of the family--ha, no surprise there! No more unwrapped gifts from Santa around the family tree, although Santa did tell me that there are still a few to be added, today... ;)

There's no question that everyone's very favorite gift this year arrived on June 10 in a tiny package named Carson James Clark. He didn't arrive with a bow on his head or a "TO: / FROM:" card attached, but he was--and is--indeed a gift! He is the child we prayed for and the assurance of God's faithfulness. It's hard to believe that he's already six months old and getting his two front teeth for Christmas--that is, his two TOP teeth; he cut the two bottom ones at four months! He is such a joy to each and every one of us; how very blessed we are!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, Y'ALL!

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving has arrived--a time to reflect and give thanks for the blessings this past year has brought to our family. Of course, the most obvious one is pictured above...our precious little Carson. Our lives have all been brightened by this little ray of sunshine! He has melted our hearts and given each of us pause to remember God's grace and faithfulness in a sometimes dreary world.

While I would certainly put Carson at the top of my "2010 Blessings" list, I would also add:

• My wonderful husband, David, who has shared my life, loved me unconditionally, and tolerated my moods for the past 35+ years
• My children Taylor, Blair, Jon, and Jeff who have given me more joy than I could possibly ever describe and who are endless sources of pride for me
• My beautiful daughter-in-love, Portia, who is EXACTLY who we prayed for our son to find (we just didn't know her name!)
• My sweet, Cathleen, who came into our family when the Lord called her precious mother home
• My brothers and their wives who have loved me simply because we're family and sometimes when I wasn't particularly lovable
• David's sisters and my brother-in-law who have become my best friends and who love me without reservation
• Countless friends and relatives who have supported me and encouraged me when the road of life has taken unexpected turns
• Jonathon's return to UGA, his beautiful spirit, and his continued recovery.

With the blessings, of course, has come heartache. It saddens me during the holidays that neither my parents nor David's are here with us. Although they are all celebrating with our heavenly Father, I still miss them terribly. This past year, however, brought a grief to this family unlike any we have ever experienced: Our precious nephew, Ross, left us to live on higher ground. His departure from this earth came suddenly and left us all with a hole in our heart that is slowly healing, although like most deep wounds will leave a scar forever. He was a beautiful spirit, a loving young man and a devoted friend, and is dearly missed by those who knew him and loved him. Saying goodbye to a loved one is never easy, but when that loved one has not yet reached the prime of life, I think the parting is that much harder......we are just never ready. We are a resilient bunch, though; we have learned through hard times to lean on each other and to trust in our God. Through His love and sovereign grace, we are strengthened and given the courage to face all that challenges us, knowing that He will never forsake us and that when our life's journey threatens to overwhelm us, he will gently guide us through the darkness.

Our Father who is in Heaven
We lift our hearts to you
In praise and adoration for
All we are in You

Our paths have not been easy
We’ve faced our share of grief
We’ve said goodbye to loved ones
Whose journey here was brief

For those who’ve gone before us
We ask you, Lord, today
To let them know that ‘though they’re missed
The love we have inside our hearts will never go away

And ‘though we do not understand
We trust in Your full grace
That one day when we leave this earth
We’ll see them face to face

But until then, we pledge this day
To live and laugh and love
And not forget the blessings
We’ve received from You above.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-24-2010

Monday Morning Moment

No big update at the moment; just couldn't resist sharing this precious little bundle of cuteness! This little monkey puts a smile on my face just thinking about him! What a blessing he is to our family. We thank God every day for this sweet boy and for the joy he brings to each of us. GOD IS GOOD.

Happy Monday....will try to bring things up to speed soon! We've been busy, busy, busy!

A House Divided Still Equals Family

"Grandchildren are the dots that connect the lines from
generation to generation." ~Lois Wyse

Three Generations of Clarks

Carson attended his first tailgate party in Athens on Saturday, and judging from the outcome of the game, I'd say he was a good luck charm! (Of course, we think he's full of charm anyway!) His Aunt Blair, our Tennessee Volunteer, flew in from New York for the weekend, and although the game didn't have the outcome she would have liked, I think that she'd still give the visit a big "W" in her family visits album. She does love that little Bulldog! The highlight of the day for David and me was that we got to babysit for the little man during the game! We all attended the tailgate and then David and I drove Carson back to his house to watch the game. He's obviously a serious fan already.The highlight of the weekend, however, was to have all my children together. What mother doesn't love that??? At this point in the day, Carson had had just about all the fun he could take for one tailgate party!Aren't they a good-looking group? This was obviously pre-game, but the wonderful thing about them is that no matter who got bragging rights after the game, they are first and foremost Family........something always worth bragging about! Children are truly a gift from the Lord. I love you all so much and thank Him daily for the gift that you are!

"Other things may change us, but
we start and end with family." ~ Anthony Brandt

Jeremiah 1: 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;"

Where Were You?

"Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day?" ~ Alan Jackson

I would be horribly remiss to not pause for a moment and pay tribute to the significance of this date in history, for on this particular date, my life and the lives of every American changed. We lost a bit of our "innocence" I believe. I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard the news of the terrorist attacks. I was teaching a high school computer class in a classroom that had no television reception, so I really had no idea what had occurred until class ended and my co-workers greeted me with the news: "Two planes have just hit the twin towers in New York City!" I, like so many others, couldn't even grasp the enormity of the situation.........what????

Of course, I had to "carry on" for the sake of my students when all I wanted to do was gather my family close to me and not let go. Our oldest son had just started his first post-college job; our daughter had just begun her freshman year of college; and our twin sons had just begun their junior year in high school. My boys were at least in the area (and living with us), but our only girl was almost 200 miles away! As soon as possible, I contacted each of them to make sure they were okay, but was frantic that we couldn't all be together. Our daughter called her dad and asked, "Daddy, are we going to war?" (and like a good dad, he reassured her that everything would be okay). Later, however, she wanted to hop in the car in the middle of the night and drive home, and as hard as it was to say it, we had to tell her to stay put--that she was probably safer where she was than driving home in the middle of the night. Ah, what a scary time!!!!

And here we are..........nine years later. Our lives have changed enormously, though we still remember. We will never forget. As Alan Jackson's song also says,

"but I know Jesus and I talk to God
and I remember this from when I was young
Faith, Hope and Love are some good things He gave us
and the greatest is Love."

Nine years later.........Taylor, our oldest, is married to his "true companion" and they are raising our first grandchild; Blair, our daughter, is following her dreams and her heart in New York City--and surprisingly, we sleep well at night; Jeff, one of our twins, has completed college and is living on his own and enjoying the life he is making for himself; and Jon, our other twin, is alive (a blessing we remember every day) and continuing on the road set before him over five years ago. In some ways, I admit, the journey that began for this family on March 12, 2005, has taken a stronger hold in our personal lives than the one that began for our nation on September 11, 2001. We still reflect on our own "Where were you?" on that fateful Saturday in our lives, and we live with the constant reminder of God's faithfulness and love in seeing Jon continue to seek God's will in his life. We KNOW we are blessed.

We recognize that the world in which we live has changed. We understand through our faith that what man intended for evil on 9/11, God has used for good. Yes, there is still evil in the world; yes, there are still families suffering from the tremendous losses of that horrific September day (and for those families, I'm sure we all share a piece of their heartache); and yes, there is a new sense of awareness that what happened then could happen again. BUT, I pray that for each of us, we have learned that no matter where our life's journey has taken us since that horrible day in September, 2001, we are stronger than we ever thought possible. We are called to encourage each other and to support each other at all times. My family has travelled a road that at times felt very lonely, but at no time were we alone. Even in our darkest hours, we never doubted that the God we serve would provide us with just what we needed WHEN we needed it. We firmly believe that because of Him, we have been surrounded by family and friends (and even strangers) who love us but who, more importantly, love the Lord and seek daily to do His will. Should another 9/11/01 threaten this nation, or another 3/12/05 threaten this family, we will be secure in knowing that our Lord will see us through whatever this life brings.

"But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." ~ Joshua 24:15

Persistence

Just a little reminder today--

"Persistence -Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race. No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave." ~Calvin D. Coolidge

We are so proud of you, Jonathon.

He's BAAAAAACK!

Yesterday, Jonathon returned to UGA for the fall semester. Although to most, this might seem to be a rather insignificant feat--to us, it's monumental.

For a variety of reasons, I chose to not share all that transpired last fall when he returned to campus, but suffice it to say that the fall of 2009 was fraught with frustrations, disappointments, and surrender. Jonathon began classes in his major in the fall of 2009 and quickly became overwhelmed with the demands of the curriculum. As he shared with the Dean of Student Services, he simply "shutdown" as opposed to having a "meltdown". As a result, he ultimately came home in late October and remained at home during this past spring semester. After seeking advice from his therapist and getting an order from his doctor, as well as gaining approval from his vocational/rehabilitation counselor (and upon Jonathon's intense desire to return to class), we determined that the best (and most sensible) course of action would be for him to return ONLY if he limited his enrollment to two classes. Therefore, he is enrolled in two classes this fall--one meeting on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and the other meeting on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We are hopeful that this schedule will afford him the best possible outcome.

As he begins this fall semester, we have several specific prayer requests:
1. that his funding be enough to cover his expenses
2. that he utilize any and all resources and support services available to him
3. that he is confident of his abilities
4. that he achieves success in his classes
5. that, above all else, God shows him the way to achieve his goals and that Jonathon remains diligent in his faith.

Please join us in asking the Lord for a successful return to campus for Jonathon! And..........GO DAWGS!!!!

The Real Thing

Couldn't resist posting this one from Carson's first formal photo shoot. Since my dad was a Coca-Cola retiree, this picture immediately became a favorite of mine. I'm betting Carson's great-grandfather would have loved it, too!

July 4, 2010

Two of my favorite guys in the whole world celebrating the 4th of July--decked out in their red, white, and blue! (Okay, one's in red and white; the other's in blue and white. It works.) God Bless America. God Bless us!

One CJC and I'm a GrandMary!

"Grandchildren are the crown of the aged" ~ Proverbs 17:6

On Thursday, June 10, 2010, at 3:37 p.m., our lives again changed forever. With the birth of our first grandchild, Carson James Clark, we immediately began a new chapter in our lives, and witnessed the beginning of the next generation of Clarks. Wow! That's a pretty big statement about such a tiny person!

Carson arrived a bit early (at 36 weeks) but still weighed in at a healthy 7 lbs. 10 oz. He was 20 1/2 inches long and, of course, is the most beautiful baby ever! (Don't all grandparents think that?--I am actually right, however! Haha!) See for yourself! Any arguments? I didn't think so!

Of course, the arrival of Carson also made Taylor and Portia parents, Blair an aunt, and Jeff and Jon uncles (or as Blair teasingly quipped, "Juncles"!) Realizing how close we came to not having Jonathon here to share in this miracle makes me appreciate anew the grace and mercy of our God. The expression on Jonathon's face says more than I could ever say here........THIS is a picture that I will never forget! How blessed we are!

Sweet Carson--"Through you, I see the future. Through me, you'll see the past."

Our New Yard Man

No, you're not seeing things...that really is Jonathon on the lawnmower. Who'd have thought? He might not be able (YET as he says) to drive; there's nothing keeping him from pitching in a little with the yard work! I think that deserves a big thumbs-up!

The Proof is in the Resurrection

For most of us, Sunday represents the beginning of a week but the conclusion of a weekend. For Christians, Easter Sunday represents the very foundation of our faith. The birth of our Savior on Christmas marks the beginning of a life prophesied in scripture which would conclude not in death but in resurrection, also prophesied. Without the fulfillment of that prophecy, there would be no Christianity. Easter IS Christianity! As our pastor puts it, "Christmas is the promise; Easter is the proof!"

In concluding our weekend/starting our week, we attended church service and shared lunch with the family. After lunch, I asked the group to pack what we have come to call our "Grady Bags", the care bags that we deliver to the ICU waiting areas at Grady and that we have now made into an Easter tradition. Each bag was filled with cookies, crackers, trail mix, Easter candy, a card game, a notepad and pen, gum, hand sanitizer, bottled water, and a toothbrush and toothpaste. We topped each bag off with a note letting the recipients know a little about Jonathon's story and telling them that they will be in our prayers. It's funny really; I never know exactly how many bags to take, so it's a bit of a guessing game to determine. I remember the first year we took them (2006), we carefully planned and decided that eight bags would be enough (based on the number of family groups we typically encountered in the ICU waiting room when Jon was there). The eight bags were enough, but we left wishing we had taken a few more to share with some of the larger groups. Each year we have increased the number that we take, and each year we leave thinking that we could have easily shared even more. We always seem to have enough (thank God) but it is such a joy to share them, we find ourselves wanting to do more. This year we took 18 bags, and for the first time ever, we were left with one bag after giving them to each family group and giving more than one to larger families. As we left the hospital, we stopped at the Information Desk and shared the final bag with the worker there. Her smile and appreciation made the decision so right! I'm not sure if she was a volunteer or a paid employee, but the fact remains that she was not with her family on Easter Sunday--something that I hope I never have to experience. The families that we met were also so sweet and appreciative; each of them sharing their story and genuinely touched to be remembered. What they couldn't know was that the greatest appreciation was ours. We are so grateful to the medical staff and to our family, friends, and even strangers for the support that they gave us during those darkest days as well as the days that followed, this is simply our way of saying, "Thank You".

One of the other highlights of my day (and by far not the least) was the pure joy I experienced as my sweet daughter-in-law let me feel our little grandson move. As we ate lunch, she said that he was moving and asked if I'd like to feel him (ha, yes!). I gently placed my hand on her expanding tummy and felt the sweetest little nudge. It was almost as if he were saying, "Hi GrandMary! Guess what? I'll be there soon!" PURE, UNMEASURABLE JOY! I'm wiping away tears just writing about it! It was simply amazing......God is so good!

As I prepare to begin another week, I am counting the blessings that we've already seen and anticipating the miracles yet to come! I am so ready!!!

A Word from Jon......

After sharing with me the significance for him of today, Jon wrote the following:

Well, after five years I figured it was about time I actually posted something to the site!

I have so much to be thankful for. I do not remember much of anything that had happened in the month of March 2005; my first memories after my aneurysm weren’t until a month later at the Shepherd Center. Initially, I wasn’t confused about being paralyzed on my left side and needing a wheelchair in order to get around. Somehow I felt that’s how my life was, but didn’t know how long it had been that way. My family visited me daily, so I somehow felt like they were living there too, but in different rooms. In my bedroom, there was a large yellow banner across the wall that read, “www.prayersforjon.com” on it. I didn’t know why people needed to be praying for me, other than my release from Shepherd in order to go home.

I didn’t begin to question why I was at Shepherd until frustrations began to build on why I had to go through daily rounds of therapy. When someone on staff told me the reason I was at Shepherd was from a stroke, my mind refused to believe it. After coming home from Shepherd, , I began to accept the possibility of that reason through the extraordinary difficulties I experienced in the simplest tasks, such as dressing myself and getting into a car. When I finally came to terms with the truth of what had happened, God has done amazing things in my life! Almost eight months after my aneurysm, He “woke” my left leg up by allowing me to move it while being dressed in the hospital bed that was in the temporary bedroom of my home. And three months later, God gave me the ability to surprise my dad with a “thumbs up” from my left hand.

How amazing the first steps I took with a walker were, and how emotional was I when I saw my physical therapist say to my mom, “Jon’s gonna walk again!” I thank our Lord every day for the strength he continues to give me and for the independence I continue to gain from all the physical assistance I used to require from both my parents and medical personnel. I am also very excited to see myself typing this post at my personal computer with both hands, which is a skill I am certain will be very helpful in allowing me to play guitar and write songs for the first time in over five years.

Thank you all for your continued prayers over my family and me, and may God bless and keep you.

Philippians 1:3 “I thank my God every time I remember you.”

In His Precious Love,
Jon

Has It Really Been FIVE Years?

It's 8:25 in the morning and I am sitting exactly where I was five years ago at about this time when the phone rang. The news we heard in that one phone call changed our lives forever. We were told that Jon had collapsed at a retreat where he was chaperoning a group of students from our church, and that 911 had been called. As we quickly and frighteningly shared Jon's medical history (which was virtually non-existent since he had always been so healthy) with the doctor on the retreat as well as the EMTs, we scrambled to figure out what to do. As soon as we learned that the decision had been made to LifeFlight Jon to Grady, the nearest Level 1 trauma center, we drove there to meet him. We spent the next four weeks at Grady, practically living in the ICU waiting area. For those who have followed Jon's story, I won't go into the details as you have all so compassionately shared your hearts and support with us over these past five years. For those who don't know the history, it is recorded in the Forums section at http://www.prayersforjon.com/, a site created within just a few days after Jon's collapse. As Jon's journey began, we posted news of his progress and setbacks for our faithful friends, family, and often strangers to keep them informed of his status.

A year after the aneurysm, we celebrated in a big way with a cake and guests to commemorate the One-Year mark. That particular post is here. It is both humbling and amazing to realize just how far Jon has come! I remember when the doctors told us that recovery from such devastating neurological damage could take YEARS and thinking, "Years? What does that even mean??" Months, I understood........but YEARS? I just didn't get it, but here we are........years later (five to be exact) and the recovery continues. Jon is walking with minimal assistance and no longer uses his wheelchair at all; he is able to totally care for himself; he has been able to return to college; he is--for he most part--totally independent in his personal life. Are there things he CAN'T do? Yes, there are. He can't drive, but he will quickly add a "yet" when talking about his inability to drive. He has very limited left-side peripheral vision, but he can see! What he cannot do or has not recovered, he more than makes up for with what he CAN do and HAS recovered! God has been so faithful to His promises! He has given Jon hope AND a future!

I often reflect on the scripture in Lamentations that Jeff brought to us and that we claimed during the early days of Jon's journey: "I called on your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea: 'Do not close your ears to my cry for relief.' You came near when I called you, and you said, "Do not fear." God indeed has come near and when the fear threatens, He speaks to me, reminding me of all that He has already done and of His promise to each of us--that He will never leave us or forsake us, and that in Him ALL things are possible!

Happy Anniversary, Jonathon; you've come a long way, baby! God has been gracious.

LATE APRIL 2005

NOVEMBER 2009

Packing and Planning

We've been busy packing tonight for a little NYC weekend getaway and let me just say it now, we are beyond excited! We began making plans before Christmas and when we both realized that we had next Monday off for President's Day, this seemed like the perfect time to go. Of course, the decision was made easier with the fact that tomorrow is our daughter's birthday--something we wouldn't have been able to celebrate with her without making a trip to the Big Apple. We aren't exactly thrilled at the forecast of 12-18 inches of snow in NYC tomorrow, but hopefully by Thursday when we leave Atlanta, we will be able to arrive there safely. We have tickets to see "Wicked" on Friday night so needlesss to say, we are pumped about that. We also have plans to visit the Empire State Building (amazing that we haven't ever done that) as well as the Metropolitan Museum of Art. On Saturday night, we will meet some of our daughter's friends at a little birthday soiree in the East Village. It's so wonderful that our children are now old enough to view us as suitable guests at their parties! (To think of all the fun we've missed over the years! Or maybe it's all the fun THEY'VE missed?) At any rate, we're excited. Sunday, of course, is Valentine's Day, and the plan is for our two favorite guys to prepare dinner for my daughter and me. Who knows? Maybe the next top chef will be right in the East Village of New York!

Coupled with the excitement of our trip is that next Monday we should learn the gender of our grandbaby! It's crazy to me that halfway through the pregnancy you can learn whether to "think pink" or "do blue". I know this--no matter what the sex of the baby is, it will be one well-loved baby! Of course, determining the gender depends largely on how cooperative the little munchkin is during the sonogram. Guess we'll have to wait and see......Stay tuned on that one!

Now for a little random enjoyment: http://tinyurl.com/ygn8akb . Get ready for Wednesday! Happy Birthday, B!

An Attitude of Gratitude

I recently began a Bible study called, "Lord, Change My Attitude", a study that I'm thinking could teach us all something. I mean, how many times a day do we complain about things.......and I'm talking about little things as well as big ones. We complain about the weather; we complain about our bodies; we complain about our hair; we complain about our jobs; we complain about our busyness; we complain about having nothing to do; we complain about our ________; you get the idea. We seem to be complainers by nature, but what if we all started turning our complaints into gratitude? What if we took the time to turn our thoughts to thankfulness everytime we opened our mouths to complain about something? So instead of complaining about the weather, we would be thankful for God's provision; instead of complaining that we're too busy, we would be thankful that we have our health and the ability to BE busy! We could all be such happier people if we made a concerted effort to turn our negative thoughts into opportunities to praise God. (I admit, it's not easy.....I've struggled since we started the study a couple of weeks ago, but I'm prayerful that God will continue to touch my heart in such a way that I will learn to turn my complaints into praises.)

One of our recent assignments was to write a poem, verse, or prayer thanking God for all of the little things we often overlook in our daily lives. Since I like to write rhyming verses, I wrote the following:

1/18/2010

For the dawning of a new day
And for the setting sun
I lift my voice in praise to you
For Lord, you are the one

Who showers me with blessings
Though I don’t always see
How all of my life’s journey
Was created just for me

I thank you for my family
Those near and far-away
And for the friends I’ve made through You
To make it through each day

For things I often overlook—
My home, my health, my all
I thank you for your patience;
Help me always hear your call

I thank you even for the strife,
Because of it I’ve grown
And learned that even in the dark
You always find your own.

Yes, perhaps of all the lessons I've learned in the past few years, it's that even when we feel overcome by the darkness, God is always there waiting to bring us into the light. Oh Lord, please always give me an attitude of gratitude!

You Say It's Your Birthday? It's My Birthday, Too!

So today's my birthday......double nickels, as my brother called it. I was born in 1955, and today I turned 55--seems like there should be some sort of special name for a birthday like that. Whatever it may be called, it's amazing to me how grateful I am to get to celebrate another one. I AM, after all, growing older and definitely showing signs of it, but I am so blessed to just GET to grow older. More about that in another post perhaps.........I have much to say on the subject.

My day started out like most of my birthdays from recent years--I got a beautiful card from my wonderful hubby, the kind that is so unbelievably sweet that it brings tears to my eyes. How blessed I am to be married to that man. At work, I arrived to a gift bag on my desk with a bottle of chardonnay tucked inside and a card about "not being old if you can still bend over and touch your toes". Surprise! I actually CAN still do that, although I don't think that excludes me from the "growing old" club. I just happen to still be pretty flexible...for an old broad, that is. Throughout the day, my friends and family called, brought me cards, and popped in to my office for a chat. The highlight of my workday, however, was being serenaded by no fewer than eight different groups, from co-workers to students, the students all being under the age of six and more precious than I can begin to describe. One by one, several of the kindergarten classes came into my office and proudly sang "Happy Birthday" to me--there is absolutely nothing sweeter than the sound of little voices joined in song. One class even came bearing gifts: each student in the class proudly gave me a paper clip upon entering my office--too cute! This class, in particular, then sang to me, ending each "Happy Birthday to you" with a resounding "cha cha cha" complete with a little booty shaking! I wanted to squeeze each one of them. So adorable.

I came home to a fabulous home-cooked meal, prepared by our favorite girl from Savannah--the one I call my "daughter from another mother". What a lovely surprise! She even baked a red velvet cake from scratch! I didn't know people even did that anymore! Isn't that what Betty Crocker is for? Nevertheless, it was all delish! I felt so pampered watching someone else do the cooking! And now it's after 10:00 and everyone has gone to bed except me. Man, and I thought I was the old one! Haha! Guess I'm not so old after all......although at double nickels, I sometimes don't feel worth a dime! (Ha!)

Cheers to a New Year

and another chance

to get it right.