Christmas Memories

Well, it is all over! Yep, the decorations are put away, the gifts are being used, and a semi-routine is back in place. We went to Chase and Laura's with my parents, Mamoo and Taylor for the holiday. We stuffed ourselves with Mexican night on Christmas Eve (our version of Christmas Eve on the 23rd) and then with a traditional meal on Christmas Day (our version of Christmas Day on the 24th). That is a story I will let Laura explain. Anyway, we had a great time watching the kids get all excited about their gifts.

One of the highlights of the holiday season was a meal I prepared for my Mom and Dad to celebrate their 60th Wedding Anniversary. They were married on Christmas Day 1949, and I didn't want the milestone to get lost in the chaos of opening presents, etc. So I had them come to my house on the Saturday evening before we went to Tupelo, along with their friends Billy and Marie and their next door neighbors and ministers, Hugh and Dixie. One of the highlights of the evening was a video I made, with the help of Laura, showing pictures of their life together the past sixty-years. I have included it here, and if you have a few minutes, you can watch the progression of their time of marriage.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Ha Ha Ha . . .

One of my friends elfed us last week. I heard from Laura that William thinks it is the funniest thing he has seen in awhile. Enjoy! Go to:

www.elfyourself.jibjab.com/store/show_video_overview/pACH8gekaDC9cgni/qzQx16GW5a

A Recommendation

Yesterday after lunch I started to wrap a book I picked up for Chase for Christmas and ended up reading the entire book. The title is Refined by Fire. The story is a collaborative written by Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Brian Birdwell and his wife Mel. Birdwell was employed in the Pentagon the day it was bombed on 9/11. The story is a double whammy that details his recovery from being burned over 60% of his body and the role that his and his wife's faith played in them making it through the ordeal.

I finished the book at 9:30 the same evening. I laughed, cried, was stunned, cried, prayed, and cried some more. I whole heartedly recommend this book to anyone who respects our military, who believes our country is the greatest country in the world, and most importantly, believes God interacts in our daily lives and gives us whatever it takes to get us through hard times.

I heard about the book when I saw Birdwell on television several weeks ago. I was so impressed with his military knowledge and his humility. The ministry that developed from his ordeal is Face the Fire Ministries, Inc. To learn more about it, go to http://www.facethefire.org/ .

You Listen While I Pat My Foot

I think I have made the point over the past two years that I am a retired English instructor. I taught 11th grade students and then community college students for 22 years. As a Comp I teacher, I have read all kinds of essays: some made me so proud of what my students had learned; some made me despair over what many of my students had not learned; some made me laugh; some made me cry; some made me want to dump them in the trash. However, through all those years of teaching, I also felt I owed my students some life lessons. One in particular was many doors could be open because of impeccable manners, grooming, speech, personality, education. You get the picture.

Today my daughter sent me an email with the comment, "something you would like." After living with me for 22 years, shes knows me well. If I was still teaching, I would play this at the end of each class and hope at least one student would have the epiphany of what an education is all about. It is definitely more than "book learnin."

Take time to listen to this. If you have heard it before, listen again.

I know . . .

We went to Tupelo for a very active week-end! Along with all the hyper-activity from Halloween and treat-or-treating, we also witnessed the baptism of Henson #3, Reed. Here are a few bits of wisdom with which I came home:

1. . . . it is impossible to get three kids 4 and under to look in the same direction at the same time for a photo opt.

2. . . . the Henson boys all have large heads! It is already hard to find a hat to fit William's head, you need only look at Wes to see he has some growing to do to fit to his, and Reed is following right along. I have heard the head size referred to as Henson Head. No matter. They are beautiful!

3. . . . all things Mississippi State reign in the Henson house (with a Florida gator thrown in here and there), even at Halloween. #1 still holds true.

4. . . . great grandaddies really are great.

5. . . . we always take advantage of a family photo opt. Ahh, #1 is not true this time.

6. . . . boys love their vehicles at any age.

7. . . . the innocence of Halloween can bring back fond memories as we get older.

8. . . . grandmothers will do anything, for the most part, that grandsons want them to do.

9. . . . parents who see to the spiritual realm of their child's life are giving the truest kind of love.

10. . . . Lance and I are blessed to have such a wonderful family. Yep, #1 still holds true.

11. . . . it doesn't get better than this. Oh, and #1 again holds true.

12. . . . the fact that great grandparents are able to attend family events is special.

13. . . . one of the grandmothers can sew beautifully (and it is not I).

14. . . . when you are little, participating in your brother's baptism is not a big deal, especially when you can bury your brother under pillows. Heck, they won't even look at the camera!! Forget #1.

58 Years Ago Today . . .

Not too bad for a 58 year old grandaddy! Happy Birthday, Lance!

A Little More Kakki Time

Reed is growing like a weed and a cute weed at that!

Since Reed has arrived, I can hardly stand it if I have to be away from the boys for more than a two week period. This could get rough for Laura and Chase, but at this point I think they are more than happy to have the extra helping hands. Laura, Chase and William went to see the bulldogs play, and we kept Wes and Reed.

Getting a little Poppa time