Chicken Surprise

Tonight for supper we ate grilled chicken. Tess wanted to display her
superior knowledge of poultry, so she asked a question,
“Do you know why they call it chicken?" She answered it too.
"Because, it is made of chicken.”

“You are right, Tess.” I commented.

This statement of the obvious was not so obvious to Amelia.
She was about to take a bite of her grilled chicken and stopped. She
looked at Tess and then at me. “This is a chicken?”

I nodded. Her eyes got larger.

“A REAL chicken?”

I nodded again. She looked at the chicken leg that she was still holding
in mid-air.

“A Boak-Boak (chicken sound) chicken?”

“Yes, Amelia, that used to be a live chicken.” I said.

She took a bite, shrugged her shoulders, and took another bite.

“Which part is this—THE BRAIN?”

She continued eating as I explained that it was the leg. Apparently,
she has no particular attachments to live chickens.

Sun Kisses

When I walked out of the hospital this morning, I was met by
crisp autumn air and bright sunshine. I love fall. It was weather
fit for pumpkin picking, leaf raking, and bonfire making.
As I drove home, I let the windows down in the van.
That cool, clean air swirled about, tousseled my hair, and
caressed my skin.  I took long, deep breaths.
"It is all so perfect, God", I complimented my Maker.

He said, "Good morning, dear one."

I thanked Him again as I neared home for the beautiful land
surrounding the subdivision where we live. There are lots of
trees-mature, gorgeous trees. The sun beams reached through those
trees to kiss the earth beneath. A fog clouded the distance.
It was such a lovely sight. I stopped in the middle of the road
to drink it in. I also took a picture to share it with you.

Good morning, dear ones. Have a blessed day.

Love,

Anna

Dying For Pink Hair

While brushing and fixing Amelia’s hair this morning, she commented,
“Momma, everyone has yellow hair….or brown hair…..or white
(her papa’s) hair.”

“Yes, Amelia,” I replied, “There are lots of different hair colors. Hair
can be black or red too.”

“Yeah, Momma, like PINK hair!” Amelia exclaimed.

I explained further. “There is pink hair but it isn’t natural. People have
to dye it to make it pink.”

Amelia answered, “Well, when I die, I’m gonna have pink hair. God’s
gonna say, ‘Your hair is so pretty, Amelia!”

Kristen

A lot of my writing happens when I wake up with something on my mind
and feel the need to go put it on paper. This morning I woke up with
my friend, Kristen, on my mind. I was dreaming a really weird dream
in which I was trying to get to her wedding. (A wedding to a man she
is already married to, even before I met her.) I kept getting lost or
sidetracked by someone or something. (I would go
into further detail but it was a dream and the details kept changing.)
I woke crying.The emotions of the dream were so real. I felt as if I had
let her down. She needed me to be there and I wasn’t.


I remember the moment I met Kristen so clearly. I was sitting in the
UNA library with the rest of the incoming BSN class of May, 2005.
It was a class to orient us to the library and man were we going to
need it! The presentation had not started and I was sitting there staring
straight ahead and praying that the tears that filled
my eyes would not spill over. I was 23 years old and too old to be
crying at school. I felt so overwhelmed. The instructors were laying
it on thick about how hard the program was. I was married with two
very small children, commuting to UNA from Corinth every day.
They had already mentioned that they didn’t care about that.
I didn’t know anyone there.

So, I was in the throes of feeling sorry for myself, when I looked
over to my left. A beautiful blonde girl was coming toward me.
Out of all the empty chairs, she walked up to one next to me, and
in a soft voice asked, “Is anyone sitting here?”

I was still trying not to cry, so I just shook my head instead of
speaking and tried to smile. I was a grown-up. I would have to
talk to people I do not know to make friends. I think I said
something about the class and asked her for her
name--Kristen from Baldwyn--I like the name Kristen. I saw
her wedding ring set. She was married too. We didn’t talk much.
The class started. I got over my tears for the 4th time that day and
settled in to learning the ins and outs of the library
computer system.

When the class was over, we had a break. I walked with Kristen
over to the Nursing building. We both were unable to buy a
Fundamentals book that day because the bookstore was out.
One of the instructors let us borrow hers. Kristen
and I did our first homework assignment over the same book.
We traded phone numbers just in case either of us needed one
another to ask questions.

That was all I remember about the first day, but that was the
beginning. We became fast friends. Fortunately, we were assigned
to the same clinical group, so we spent a good deal more time together.
There is a picture somewhere of our first day at the hospital in those
awful uniforms. I think she has it. She let me talk incessantly.
She laughed at my jokes. She was great to be silly with when we
were under all that pressure. We sat by each other in every class
and would squeeze in friend time during the breaks.

She and her husband, Tony, had an apartment there in Florence.
Whenever I needed something, they were there. When I had a flat
tire downtown, I called Kristen and she called Tony. I remember
sitting on the pavement watching him change it. I think that might
have been the first time I met him. They would let me come and stay in
their spare room when we had an early clinical. When I was too
poor to eat out they let me keep my bologna and cheese in their
refrigerator.

Kristen was more than my school friend. When someone at home
asked who Kristen was, I told them, “She’s my best friend.” She was
one of the few people in the world and the only one at school that knew
my marriage was hanging by a thread. She knew how broke I was.
She let me cry on her shoulder when I didn’t know how I was
going to make it through the next day, much less the next 2 years.

Their apartment was a safe haven for me. I could go there and feel
at home anytime. Tony and Kristen went home to Baldwyn most every
weekend. When God did a miracle in my home and Eric began to woo
me again, Tony and Kristen let us stay in their apartment in Florence for
the weekend because we couldn’t afford a hotel.

After I told Eric, I called Kristen when I found out I was pregnant
with Amelia. I was glad for another baby but I questioned God's timing.
I wasn’t sure of the dates and I didn’t know if I would be done with
nursing school. We were broke and living with my granny in her three
bedroom house. I was anxious about telling our families because they
were already helping us so much. Kristen knew all that and understood.

Over and over, she was there when I needed her. I know it was
probably difficult for her to be my friend at times but she bore it without
complaint or hard feeling. When life got easier she was there to share
my joy. After a year at UNA, Kristen and Tony left and went back home.
I know that she sometimes wonders why she even went to school in
Florence. I don’t know all of the reasons but I know one
thing—GOD KNEW I NEEDED HER. He allowed her to come there
so I could meet her and be her friend.

We are both nurses now, even after all of those days wondering if
we would ever make it. She delivers babies at the Women’s Center in
Tupelo. She is now the mother of 3 beautiful children. I got to be there
for the birth of all of them. We don’t get to talk to each other as much
as I would like. We hardly ever get to see one another either.
But a friendship like ours is a forever one. I just wanted to let you know
how much she means to me, and that I would never miss her wedding
if I could help it. I will be there if she needs me.

Hurling Hank

We have to pleasure of keeping my nephew, Henry, on most Tuesday
and Thursday afternoons. Henry is 5 months old. The children love
him so much. They beg to get to hold him. On one occasion recently,
it was Ty's turn to hold Henry. He had him on his lap in the floor.
Henry was smiling as Ty talked to him.

All of the sudden, Ty shouts, "Mom, Henry just spit on me!"

I got up quickly to get Henry's burp cloth. "It will be okay, Ty," I
assured him.

The girls started laughing and saying, "Eeewww. Henry spit up on Ty!"

"Momma, why does his spit look like that?" Ty asked as he gave Henry
to me.

I wiped Ty's arm off. "Because it has some food in it."

"Momma! That's not spit! That's PUKE! AAHHH!" He ran to the bathroom
to wash his arm.

This is Tess with Henry. He had just "puked" on me a few minutes before.

In the Waiting

Dear friends,


I asked God for something about a year ago. He didn't say yes. He didn't say no. He said, "Wait."
Yesterday He asked me to wait some more. I have been reading Satisfy My Thirsty Soul by Linda Dillow.
(I highly recommend it to anyone.) There is a chapter in it about waiting. At the end of the chapter, this poem is printed. Mrs. Dillow says she does not know who wrote it. It really spoke to me and I wanted you to read it.

Waiting

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried.

Quietly, patiently, lovingly God replied.

I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate.

And the Master so gently said, "Child, you must wait!"

"Wait? You say, wait!" my indignant reply.

"Lord, I need answers. I need to know why!

Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?

By FAITH I have asked, and am claiming your Word

.

"My future and all to which I can relate

Hangs in the balance, and you tell me to WAIT?

I'm needing a yes, a go-ahead sign,

Or even a no to which I can resign.

"And Lord, you promised that if we believe

We need but to ask, and we shall receive.

And Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry.

I am weary of asking! I need a reply!"

Then quietly, softly, I learned my fate

As my Master replied once again, "You must wait."

So, I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut

And grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting...for what?"

He seemed then to kneel and His eyes wept with mine.

And he tenderly said,"I could give you a sign.

I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.

I could raise the dead, and cause mountains to run.

"All you seek, I could give, and pleased you would be.

You could have what you want---but, you wouldn't know ME.

You'd not know the depth of my love for each saint;

You'd not know the power that I give to the faint;

"You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair;

You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there;

You'd not know the joy of resting in me

When darkness and silence were all you could see.

"You'd never experience that fullness of love

As the peace of my Spirit descends like a dove;

You'd know that I give and save...(for a start).

But you'd not know the depth of the beat of my heart.

"The glow of my comfort late into the night.

The faith that I give when you walk without sight,

The depth that's beyond getting just what you asked

Of an infinite God, who makes what you have LAST.

"You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee,

What it means that 'My grace is sufficient for thee.'

Yes, your dreams for your loved ones overnight would come true.

But, oh, the loss! if I lost what I'm doing in you!

"So be silent, my child, and in time you will see

THAT THE GREATEST OF GIFTS IS TO GET TO KNOW ME.

 And though oft may my answers seem terribly late,

My wisest of answers is still but to WAIT."

"But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord,

 I say, "You are my God,

 My times are in Your hand."

Psalm 31:14-15

I trust you, Lord. I'll wait.

Love,

Anna

Tribute to Chief

A few years ago, our family pet, Chief, came to us. A friend of mine, who lives in Iuka called me and asked me if we wanted a dog. Rudy, my friend, said that someone had dropped a dog off at his house. They already had a couple and needed to find him a home. He said that he was a mix but that he looked like a golden retriever. Eric and I talked it over and decided it was time for a pet. We drove to meet Rudy and the dog at Tishomingo County High School. The kids liked the dog from the beginning and were really excited. We named him Chief because we picked him up where the Braves play.


Chief was a very skittish dog. He jumped at loud noises and did not let just anyone pet him. He had a problem with jumping on all of us. He loved to be petted and would not stop jumping on you until you gave him your full attention. That was not a very good thing when you are wearing…..say…. a white pantsuit. He did grow out of it though and became a very companionable dog.

He always came to say goodbye when we left home and came to greet us when we came back. He loved leftovers. He knew how to open the back fence with his nose and get out whenever we wanted him to stay inside of it. He had a couple of best friend dogs from across the road that he liked to hang out with. He never met a squirrel he didn’t want to chase. He trotted along with the children when they went biking. He liked to play soccer with Amelia. Tess loved to brush his golden coat. He liked to play chase with Ty. He always sat by my lawn chair at my feet when I read outside. He loved to lay right under the hammock so that the occupant brushed his coat as they swung to and fro.

Sadly, he met an untimely death yesterday. He was beloved by many. He will be sorely missed.