5/19/11



Today we went to the goodwill. After we went to the goodwill, I was so impressed with Jedidiah's behavior that I decided that he deserved a smoothie because that just sounded really good.  It has been such a warm and beautiful day, that I couldn't think of a better ending. We had such a delightful time in the smoothie shop. He re-arranged all the tables and chairs to his liking while he waited for his mama to make up her mind about flavors and free supplements. When he was done with that he ran out the door, reminding me to not be so indecisive. Life is too short and apparently too dangerous to hesitate about life altering decisions as such. Anyway, I finally decided on the 5 fruit smoothie so I didn't leave any fruit choice out, and in the end decided not to get a free protein supplement. We finally sat down at a chair and enjoyed some mamma-Jedidiah time. Jedidiah sat in my lap and had a free sample while I drank my smoothie. As I was drinking my smoothie I began to glance at a toddler cookbook I found laying on the table. When I looked back at Jed I realized that I don't think I have ever seen him so happy ever as he was sitting there drinking his own "little people" sized smoothie AND eating the cup that came with it. He had so much fun and was so worn that he fell asleep on the way home with his face covered in raspberry juice and he is currently sleeping on the couch, which he has never done before. I am delighted to have a few moments to sit and write without being interrupted. It was a good, simple day.

(Oh, just for the record, the smoothie above was a smoothie from Miami, from a smoothie shop that I believe is much superior to to the smoothie shop I went to today, but I felt I needed a photo of a smoothie to go with this story.)

Family

My cousin, Sarah posted these photographs on her Facebook page and entitled the album "Family makes us stronger."  I have looked at them over and over and because I think the realitity is that family is often what God uses to makes us stronger and sometimes you just go through things where you need to get stronger.  Even if you don't have a good family you probably know why one is important and meaningful.   I have so little photos of my family when I was younger that its ridiculous, and even though I would a thousand times over prefer to hold the photos in my hands and look at them that way for now this is what I have of my cousins and I am glad of it. 

Cousin Hanna and Cherie conspiring against Sarah on our yearly camping trips.

Me and Sarah or her sister Hannah or Sister Lyla, except probably not the sister Lyla because she is far to young to have been born when this photo was taken.  All the girls look so much alike in their younger years its hard to tell them apart.

My cousins: Sarah, Hannah and my little Sister Cherie on a  camping trip at our yearly camp spot in Blue Springs, Florida. Oh and my wonderful friend Jessica who came with us that year.  If anyone goes to Florida please visit Blue Springs near Orlando,  Go swimming,  your life will be changed forever by this amazing spring.  And when you get there, remember that I had a lot of good memories there, some of which involve Alligators.

My little sister, Cherie and our cousin, Sarah.  We are suspecting that Cherie crossed Sarah out of this picture.  Don't be deceived by that sweet little smile.......

My cousin Hannah.  I just love about any photo that has someone this genuinely happy in it.

I had aunties coming out of my ears as I grew up.  I was probably somewhat grown up at the time of this picture. This is my cousin Louie, the brother I never had, his mother, and one of my many other aunts, who all love to wear button down shirts and visors.  I am thankful that I have access to at least one photo of my cousin.   This was taken at Matheson Hammock in Miami, the only place our family ever seemed to "get together."  I don't know what life would be like without this place. 

This is not necessarily a love squeeze.

Dear Louie, thank you for being my cousin.  Not that you had anything to do with it, but you were more than a cousin to me but more like a little brother.  In Sarah's words, this is how we will always remember you, HAPPY!

    

To my cousin

Dear Louie,

Thank you for the Joy you gave me in my life. I still remember and have all the drawings we made together. I still have the cassette tape-recording of the silly talk show we made up. I still think of you when I remember running around in Grandpa and Grandma's house, in waist high grass, stopping every now and then to grab a slice of American Cheese out of the fridge. Thank you for being the little brother that I never had.

Its hard in the news when I read your name, because I can't believe they are referring to you as a man.  They are all mistaken, you are a boy, just a little boy with missing two front teeth. You are three years old and I am trying to teach you how to walk, because I didn't realize that you could already walk.  You are laughing with that big bubbly laugh, running around in the yard in the sunshine with no shoes on.

I don't know what happened to you, or what drove you to this madness, as years passed by and we grew further and further apart. I can only guess. The news suggests that you are a crazy person,  But we know the truth.  You are a son, you are a cousin, a brother, to people who raised you and nurtured you.  We know  you carried many sorrows and burdens of this world on your shoulders. You were someone who mattered and that people love.   If you only know the tears that are shed because we love you so much, and wished this is not how life had to be!  We will all miss you terribly.

Love,
JoAnna