There was an ice storm in January 1973. I remember this because Dr. Walter Bourland called me and told me not to step foot outside my door. Good advice considering I was 9 months pregnant. The storm came and went, but still no baby. I use the generic term "baby" becuase in those days doctor's didn't order sonograms to determine the sex of the child. (Gee, Katey, that makes you sound old!) I also remember - and this is rich if you know anything about Katey's life today - that on January 11th (my due date) I went to an evening women's event at Parkway Baptist Church. (Katey has been going to Parkway for 16 years and is Children/Education Minister.) Someone at the event asked me when I was due and when I said, "Today!" they wanted to know why I wasn't parked at the hospital.
But it would be another 8 days before Terry & I made that trek and 9 before she would be born. On January 19th at my regular doctor visit Dr. Bourland said as I walked out the door, "I'll see you tonight." Too naive to panic, I went home, washed my hair, took a bath and waited...and waited...and waited. Terry came home from work and we went about our normal routine. Of course, by this time I was having contractions, but it didn't seem so bad; and besides, Terry wanted to watch Johnny Carson. As The Tonight Show was going off we were headed to the car because these mild sensations were a lot closer together.
Let me apologize publicly to that nurse - the one that I back-handed when she tried to put a needle in me. Too bad she was between the bed and the wall because that made her a fairly easy target. Yes, she got her revenge; the needle went in. And I was out like a light and remember nothing about the birth of our first daughter at 4:16am on January 20, 1973.
But I remember a lot that's happened since. She's a grown woman now with children of her own. What a joy and a blessing she has been and is. I love you, Kitty-Kat.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Friends & Memories
The Backstory...
In early 2009 God put an old friend on my mind; someone I hadn't seen or talked to in years. The throughts were so strong that I called Debbie (Rankin) Herring and asked if she had heard from Bethellen (Lowe). A few weeks later Debbie called me and said that out of the blue she had heard from Bethellen. We connected on Facebook and it was great. In September that same year another school friend's mom died. Several of us talked and made plans to go to the funeral. We went to the funeral and a reunion broke out. Judy (Dye) Harrison's mom, who had died, would have loved it!!
There were six of us who ran around together all through school and I wanted us to get together. We made plans for Oct 17th and along with those already mentioned Susan (Shumpert) Schlicht and Sharyn (Johnston) Knight all came to my house to spend most of the day. We stayed in touch, some of us more than others, by email and facebook and the occasional phone call but we didn't get together again until October 2010.
In 2010 we met at Riley's in Nettleton for lunch and several hours of visiting. Judy Harrison didn't get to come, but Peggy (Weeks) Burnside did. We decided then to meet again in January 2011.
Happening Now...
Through email, facebook and phone calls, we let others know we were gathering at Riley's again on January 15th. We weren't sure who would show up and I was pleasantly surprised at the number of folks who came. Thirteen of us gathered and shared some great memories and a lot of laughter. We realized that several of our friends have passed away; we would miss them. And we decided that it was important enough that we needed to gather again. Maybe in April there will be even more people there, adding to the shared memories of wonderful years of growing up in a small town.
To me, personally, it has been a true blessing from God to reconnect with Bethellen. For one thing, she has been gracious in picking me up for all these events. But more, it is such a joy to see who she has become in the LORD. There was a definite purpose that God put her on my heart in early 2009. We may not know the full reason until we step into glory, but for now her friendship has added tremendously to my life.
Our class will turn 60 this year. I'm sure that all of us begin to deal with this season of our lives, we will need each other from time to time. Reconnecting through regular meetings will strengthen bonds; we'll be more aware of needs in others' lives. It's hard to put into words how much I love these folks - the ones I know well and the ones I don't know so well. What a blessing this has been in my life. God is good all the time!!
Present: Buddy Coggin, Mem Riley, Jimmy Bryan, Bill Farrar, Shelia Morgan Sudduth & husband, Peggy Weeks Burnside, Sherry Hipps Ashley, Debbie Rankin Herring & grandson, Sharyn Johnston Knight, Susan Shumpert Schlicht, Bethellen Lowe Nicholson and LaRue Gregory Peters
In early 2009 God put an old friend on my mind; someone I hadn't seen or talked to in years. The throughts were so strong that I called Debbie (Rankin) Herring and asked if she had heard from Bethellen (Lowe). A few weeks later Debbie called me and said that out of the blue she had heard from Bethellen. We connected on Facebook and it was great. In September that same year another school friend's mom died. Several of us talked and made plans to go to the funeral. We went to the funeral and a reunion broke out. Judy (Dye) Harrison's mom, who had died, would have loved it!!
There were six of us who ran around together all through school and I wanted us to get together. We made plans for Oct 17th and along with those already mentioned Susan (Shumpert) Schlicht and Sharyn (Johnston) Knight all came to my house to spend most of the day. We stayed in touch, some of us more than others, by email and facebook and the occasional phone call but we didn't get together again until October 2010.
In 2010 we met at Riley's in Nettleton for lunch and several hours of visiting. Judy Harrison didn't get to come, but Peggy (Weeks) Burnside did. We decided then to meet again in January 2011.
Happening Now...
Through email, facebook and phone calls, we let others know we were gathering at Riley's again on January 15th. We weren't sure who would show up and I was pleasantly surprised at the number of folks who came. Thirteen of us gathered and shared some great memories and a lot of laughter. We realized that several of our friends have passed away; we would miss them. And we decided that it was important enough that we needed to gather again. Maybe in April there will be even more people there, adding to the shared memories of wonderful years of growing up in a small town.
To me, personally, it has been a true blessing from God to reconnect with Bethellen. For one thing, she has been gracious in picking me up for all these events. But more, it is such a joy to see who she has become in the LORD. There was a definite purpose that God put her on my heart in early 2009. We may not know the full reason until we step into glory, but for now her friendship has added tremendously to my life.
Our class will turn 60 this year. I'm sure that all of us begin to deal with this season of our lives, we will need each other from time to time. Reconnecting through regular meetings will strengthen bonds; we'll be more aware of needs in others' lives. It's hard to put into words how much I love these folks - the ones I know well and the ones I don't know so well. What a blessing this has been in my life. God is good all the time!!
Present: Buddy Coggin, Mem Riley, Jimmy Bryan, Bill Farrar, Shelia Morgan Sudduth & husband, Peggy Weeks Burnside, Sherry Hipps Ashley, Debbie Rankin Herring & grandson, Sharyn Johnston Knight, Susan Shumpert Schlicht, Bethellen Lowe Nicholson and LaRue Gregory Peters
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Call Me Weird
There's a huge snow out there and it's beautiful. I'm off work for two days because of the weather, which I have no control over. So why am I miserable? Lots of people would be jumping for joy if they didn't have to go to work. Yet I'm anxious. Yesterday wasn't too bad. I studied my Sunday school lesson and caught up on some computer work that I had put off. We had pinto beans, mashed potatoes and cornbread for lunch and that was good. And I watched too much TV.
Maybe that's the problem. The non-stop coverage of the tragedy in Arizona can wear on the spirit. It's not that I don't feel for all concerned; it's just that a surfeit of bad news isn't a good antidote for cabin fever.
And I blame my parents for my heightened sense of guilt when I don't go to work...even if I can't go to work. Don't get me wrong - my parents are/were great. (Daddy G has gone home, but Mama G is still around to make sure I do what's right.) But surely they didn't have to instill such a sense of responsibility. Yeah, I guess they did, and it stands me in good stead most of the time. I'm just feeling.......miserable.
Are you tired of my whining? I am. So, I'm going to put the clothes in the dryer, fix some lunch, turn off the TV and go vote (later). Sounds good to me.
Maybe that's the problem. The non-stop coverage of the tragedy in Arizona can wear on the spirit. It's not that I don't feel for all concerned; it's just that a surfeit of bad news isn't a good antidote for cabin fever.
And I blame my parents for my heightened sense of guilt when I don't go to work...even if I can't go to work. Don't get me wrong - my parents are/were great. (Daddy G has gone home, but Mama G is still around to make sure I do what's right.) But surely they didn't have to instill such a sense of responsibility. Yeah, I guess they did, and it stands me in good stead most of the time. I'm just feeling.......miserable.
Are you tired of my whining? I am. So, I'm going to put the clothes in the dryer, fix some lunch, turn off the TV and go vote (later). Sounds good to me.
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