2018 Joy Journal

January 8 Second Sunday Supper was joyous last night. Andrew seemed relaxed and started off sitting by Barry and talking about pickups and I heard him say, "I'm not sure I made the right decision," in son-asking-father tone. And then John came in and the three of them discussed the comparative pluses and minuses of various makes and models of pickups.  Kim went straight to pet Mama Cat.  When I said that Tori and Josh were still good friends, still good to each other, had just decided that they didn't have the kind of fire that takes you through all of life's troubles, I ended up looking at Kim, who was nodding as in how important that is, and I remember her saying about meeting John, "It isn't like I didn't know right when I met him that he was the one." Chris said, "I wish all of my relationships were that mature," and Andrew, in big brother love, "So do we." Chris said, loving back, "I know y'all do!" J...

January 17, 2018 Got this screenshot in a text from Kennedy, with a follow up text, "I got selected!" She'd been telling us about this. The art department at her college was contacted about a competition of designs created using a 3D printer to be given as takeaways for the VIP guests at Pensacon. The woman who was to make the selection did not show up on the appointed day, and Kennedy thought the whole thing was a wash, and then she got this email.   I replied about how excited I was, and she said, "I ran around looking for you guys but just couldn't wait for you to know!!! I'll be back for my hugs later. ...I"m already trying to get extra tickets if y'all are interested. I love y'all so much!" When I told her that I couldn't believe I wasn't there for that and thanked her for letting us know so that we could share in the excitement, she said, "No worries! I"ll be this excited all day!"  ~ Bri...

March 2, 2018 We had a nice visit at Waffle House this morning, over breakfast at 5:40 in the morning. He said, "I wonder if we'll have a house built there by this time next year, and I wonder how many miles we will have put on the RV by this time next year." Then he smiled a big smile and said, "It makes me happy just thinking about it!"  Bella ran out to see me this morning and I got to have a visit with Angela. She had a minute to tell me (without any names) about a patient yesterday that caused a ruckus --- nose bleed and didn't want to go to the hospital. She said they don't see active nosebleeds in the office because they can go so wrong so fast.  Beverly and I finally got to have a decent phone visit last night. She called while we were at Benja's and I said, "But I'm kind of desperate to hear your voice," and she said "Same." So, I called her back when we got home, and took my evening walk around the yard and ta...

March 2, 2018 And thinking about that just makes me so happy Turns out, there was a special reason that Brandon was having lunch with us --- he and Morgan are having a baby!!!  They were already at the restaurant when we got there. When the waitress handed us our menus, she said they had some lunch specials on the back of the menu, if we wanted to look there. Each of our menus had a large picture of a sonogram, a baby, and words about a baby coming. I thought someone in the restaurant was having a baby, and then I saw the words on the sonogram... "Morgan Brown."  It was just such a wonderfully happy moment and time. I cried off and on through the rest of lunch. When Barry and I talked about it later he said, "It was all I could do to not cry. " When I told him that I had cried, he said in a tone that let me know how hard it had been to hold it back, "I had a trickle or two I had to deal with."  Just kept showing up in my thoughts all da...

March 14 2018 Bella came out with Angela yesterday and then stayed with me for a while. Ange mentioned that Bella liked soft places so I put a pillow on the floor her. She came out with Ange again this morning, and after she'd had her treat and Angela had left for work, just settled in on her pillow.  I got to see Shawn yesterday. He said he was sorry he didn't have any news to tell me, but there wasn't really much to talk about. I had been working in the 2016 Joy Journal and so did have some fun things to talk to him about.  I just got a text from Valerie! She is going to call me tomorrow. :-)  Saw Andrew a little bit on Facebook. He liked my comment about Talk Like a Pirate Day.  Just quick blown kisses exchange with Beverly. Got to see Angela this morning. She's expecting a busy day, since they're on call.  Kennedy may be over today to borrow one of my cameras to help take pictures at a friend's wedding.  Talked to Beth for a little bit....

April 2, 2018 We had a good weekend.  I got a Chat message from Shawn last night --- he said he'd had an amazing day with his dad.  Saturday night we took Angela and Tori and Kennedy down to see the property and they were excited and then we went to dinner at the Pelican Reef and they laughed and laughed. Kennedy has applied to participate in a 3 semester program that gives her the opportunity to completely design an exhibition.  Sunday afternoon we took Beth and Rodney and Linda down to see it. Beth said she wanted to just sit her chair in the sun and read a book. Rodney said that if Beth would just go ahead and win the lottery, he wouldn't have to work in Houston anymore.  Morgan and Brandon's gender reveal was Saturday afternoon, and it was a sweet time visiting with family. Amber was there and we got to sit and talk for quite a while. Annette and Brittany and Skyler were there, and so were Angela and Tori and Kennedy.  Zak brought his pups out S...

J June 18, 2018 My computer isn't broken and my hotspot is working.  Angela and Kennedy stayed after supper last night and helped me clean up. Ange is hoping to go test drive a car today.  Sent JA, Rodney, and Brandon Father's Day texts and heard back from them.  Texted with Tori a little bit. She said she's feeling a little bit better but slept a lot this weekend. When we saw Jaden at the Waffle House Saturday morning, he recognized me and leaned towards me when I made the kissy face sound. Evan and Chelsea and Jaden were here for Second Sunday Supper and Jaden had a big time running through the house.  Chris, Shawn, Erin and Wylder were here. Shawn is giving really big hugs these days.  John and Noah were here. Noah went outside to play soccer. ;-) Faith drove Michael and Daniel here. I think that was the first time she's done that. Faith has graduated, so Michael led us in the blessing. I told him to give the "Hurray punch" and "I...