Being grateful and showing it on paper

I was going through pictures in my bedside table on Friday night.  Going through some of my favorite photos, favorite momentos that I saved of the girls when they were born -- their hat, their arm bracelets while in the hospital.  My favorite articles I read from Dear Ann Landers when I was a teenager.  My teenager photos. 

At this time, I had finally found the picture I had been looking for for years of my grandpa holding Katie when she was still a little wee one. His dog Buddy was looking at Katie, studying her. 

I did come upon four pieces of papers.  Seeing my grandpa's handwriting on them brought tears ... I miss him.  His two year anniversary date of passing away on Thankgiving is coming up. 

I had forgotten about these papers until that night.  Years ago (like 8-9 years) I had made all these papers with everyone's name on the top of their paper.  Everyone in the family had to go around and write something they were grateful for or loved about that person. 

All I could think was "what a great activity this was..."  What a great way to share things in ways that we may not have normally said to each other.  Plus here .. I have it in writing.  :)  (Love Miss Katie's handwriting and spelling?!)

So if you need a "Grateful" project -- try this activity. 

it's the little things you say that matters

This morning I was sitting down at the table with Maddie eating breakfast. 

I simply said "how's life?"

She said "fine."

It brought me back to my high school years when my dad and I were the ones in the family up super early for work and school.  High school at that time started at 7:25 in the morning for me, and dad had a long drive to work.  Every morning when I would sleepily walk into the kitchen, my dad is sitting down at the table reading the paper and eating cereal.  I pour myself a bowl of Grape Nuts and I sit down next to him.  No words being spoken, he hands me the Life section of the Kansas City Star.

After a few minutes, he says "how's life?"

I always answered "good"  and then go back to reading the paper and eating my cereal. 

 I don't talk in the morning.

I could count on that conversation every single day for years -- they were two little words, but they sure meant a lot to me.  The words "how's life" to me said "How's it going?  I love you!  Is there anything you want to share with me?  Anything you need to tell me? I'm here for you!"  My dad didn't say all those words, but just a simple "how's life?"

I was thinking this morning after driving home from my exercise class... the little things that I say to my girls.  Will they remember years from now, how every morning since they started school I always said "Do your best!  Make good choices!  and remember I love you!!" as they walked out the door to school?  Or will they remember "pick up your mess!"  "your bathroom is a disaster!" "tell your sister you're sorry!" or "unload the dishwasher!" and some of those other horrible things that moms might say when we lose our temper?

Will they remember that before bed we would have a conversation that alternates between them & I that starts with:

Good Night!

Sleep Tight!

Don't let the bedbugs bite!

If they do you bite them back!

I Love You!

Sweet Dreams!

My mom used to always say that to me when I was a little girl.

It humors me when I read "my mom/dad/grandma/grandpa always said .... ______" and it would be some ridiculous sounding phrase like "the early bird catches the worm" or "keep a nickel between your knees" that makes you really think about what they said and try to figure it out.  I can't recall if my grandparents ever had a saying that would puzzle me.   Sure I remember my grandma saying "do you need to warsh your clothes?" instead of "wash."  I would always answer "I don't warsh my clothes .. I WASH them".  I sure was a smart aleck.  Or even saying "afAghan" instead of "afghan".  That drives me nuts.  I say it "afghan" ... Mike says "afaghan" 

My mom always sang "You are my Sunshine" to my girls when they were little.  I asked them the other day "what was the song Grandma used to sing to you?" ... and they started singing it.   

Then they were clueless when I asked them if there was anything I used to say, sing or do that they remember from when they were little.  Nothing. Nada.  But they remember Grandma's songs!  She had a lot of silly songs... "How much is that doggy in the window" was another favorite of theirs early in their life b/c they barked like dogs.

That being said ... it IS the little things that you say that matters the most. 

I talked to my dad a few days ago.  Guess what I asked him? 

"How's life?"

when I was young....

I've been trying to find pictures of me when I was 14 year old.... because I wanted to compare exactly how much Katie & I are told we look alike.  I don't believe them. 

So I went to digging in my pictures.  I can't find all my pictures though .....

I did scan these pictures!  Brings back memories.... wonderful fun memories!

unfortunately in this picture, I don't remember anything at all.  However, it's a picture of my grandma Polly holding me as a baby.  We are in Big Sandy, Texas -- which ironically happens to be right down the road from where our cabin in!  Look at all those pine trees!

I think this is the only picture that I have on me in which I am 14 .... I met this girl Angela when I was a young girl.  She is hearing impaired just like I am, and we were pen pals for all of our childhood and teenage life. 

The date on the back of this picture says 1992 -- so I would be about a junior or senior in high school here.  My dad's company gave him tickets to the Paula Abdul concert, as well as backstage passes!  If you think she is very short.. you are right.  What you can't see is that she is also standing on her tippy toes as well!  This was my very first concert ever.  It was a great one as well -- we had third row seats too!  One memory of this concert is a drunk guy standing behind me w/ his 10th glass of beer .... dancing and splashing beer on my head.  Remember how I wear hearing aids?  Oh yeah... dad came to my rescue and told the guy off.  End of drunk guy spilling beer on my head.  The only time I've EVER smelled like beer....

This is my senior picture.  There is another picture that the photographer took, and I saw it on the screen briefly, but it was the last picture in his roll of film, and for some reason ... it no longer exists.  BOO!  Anyways, my aunt Lenee did my makeup and hair.  I really should have taken up trimming my eyebrows.  Yikes!

This is a picture that my friend Chris took of me when I was 19 or 20.  He is a photographer, and at the time he was majoring in photography and had some new backdrops.  So, late one night I posed for him (with my clothes on of course....  however the shirt is his b/c it went w/ the backdrop better than what I had).  I believe the leather jacket was his as well.....  but everything else is all me!

I've decided this is quite fun!  Stay tuned to more pictures of a young me w/ memories!!  It's a great idea to get them in a blog in case... we ever lose those pictures lying around!