Spoil Me Rotten-Taylor

This past weekend we took Taylor on his Spoil-me-Rotten weekend for his 4th birthday. His 4th birthday was in March - so we are really late on his special weekend. Sorry Taylor!
Poppy and I love one-on-one time with each of our grandchildren - they are so much fun!
Each of our grandchildren are equally special and each of them have very different personalities, likes and dislikes.
This weekend was Taylor's time to choose the activitites!
On his agenda were visits to the Titanic museum, riding the Duck boats and Silver Dollar City. Although it isn't even Thanksgiving yet - SDC had all of their Christmas lights up and on - it is a beautiful sight. We even got to see the Christmas light parade.
We got to see the "REAL" Santa twice this weekend. Once at Bass Pro Shop and also during the Christmas light parade. Amazingly enough - it was the same Santa both places!
When Santa asked Taylor if he had been good or bad - there was a pause, and then Taylor very matter-of-factly answered, "well Santa, I have been a little bit bad and a little bit good." I thought Santa was going to crack up! He thanked Taylor for being honest and told him that if he would be really good for the rest of the year - then he thought he would be able to bring Taylor the weapons he wants. Yep - Taylor only wants weapons for Christmas! He is so funny!
Taylor - you are smart, sweet, handsome and have a very kind and tender heart. Poppy and I love you very much and enjoy every minute that we spend together.
Following are a few pictures from our very special weekend!

Don't look in this hole!!!

All packed up and heading home!

November 18th

Every year on November 18th - I stop for a moment to just reflect on the woman that God blessed me with as Mother/Mom - Blanche Edith Knowles Crane.
She left this world on November 18, 1994 - hard to believe, that today, - it has been 14 years!.
I miss you Mom.
I was a "late in life" baby for my parents - SURPRISE! I am #5 - the last of the Crane clan. I learned when I was older that my Mom freaked out the entire time she was pregnant with me because: she was OLD, already had 4 kids that she sometimes couldn't feed and really wasn't up for starting again with an infant. All REALLY good reasons to freak out!
I am actually named after her friend, Charolette, (that is where the funny spelling came from) who helped my Mom "cope" and get through the whole pregnancy thing and come to terms with the reality of ANOTHER BABY AT HER AGE!
I couldn't really appreciate any of this until I arrived at my current age and realized that at this point - my mom was dealing with a child - a little girl that was very opinionated, definitely had a mind of her own, was very busy and didn't take answers like "no" and "I don't know" - very well. YIKES - I am thankful that there weren't alternatives in the 1950's! Aw - she wouldn't have done that. ;-)
My mom taught first grade for 40+ years. That's a long time. She loved it - she loved the children and she was really good at it. In addition she ran a household, June Cleaver style, made all of my clothes so that I could have what everyone else had, cooked real meals every evening and even made all of our bread and stuff each week. A true wonder-woman.
Many of my friends had my mom as thier 1st grade teacher - everyone loved her! Even as an adult, I became friends with someone that had my mom for first grade in Oklahoma, before I was even born! He thought my mom was the greatest - he still remembered her by name and talked about what a huge impact that very loving kind woman had on his life.
My mom was "spent" most of the time - understandably so. As a result, my older sister Caryol, took on the roll as my mommy. Caryol did everything for me that a mother should do for a child - well, as much as she could. Caryol got married when I was 6 years old - there went my mommy.
As a result, my mom and I had a very strained relationship - we loved each other - but both of us resented the other for very different reasons.
For all of the good and the bad - we don't get to pick our parents - we get the ones that God gives us - the ones that He knows will be the right ones for us. Everything in life happens for a reason - every hand that we are dealt helps to make us the people that we become.
For this I am very thankful, that Blanche Edith Knowles Crane was my mom! She truly was a remarkable woman - I'll tell you more about her in another blog entry.

These are just a few of the things in my life that came from my mother:

• I know and love the Lord
• I was a stay-at-home mom
• I tried with all my being to insure my children knew I loved them unconditionally
• Beauty is not a pretty face but a pretty heart
• Always try to see the best in people (even though sometimes I don't see it right away)
• Everyone deserves a 2nd, 3rd, 4th..... chance
• Be thankful and appreciate the material things you have
• I got her love for sewing and for making beautiful things
• Be content in times of lean and in times of plenty
• One can face adversity and know that you will be ok
• I am thankful for my health and don't take it for granted
• I LOVE shoes - so did my mom. ;-)
• I know that if a lady does not have on her lipstick & a pair of ear-bob's, she may as well be naked!
• Pretty is as pretty does.
• When leaving the house - one should always "smile and be pleasant"
• Treat all people equally because "folks are folks"

I know that no matter what your relationship was like with your mother - when she is gone - you will miss her. You WILL wish that you could tell her that you love her - and wrap your arms around her, just one more time.

Love you Mom.

The Warrior is ONLY a child

Have you missed me?

I haven't had time to put my thoughts down into words lately. We have been in the middle of another sales contest at work. You know what that means - I can't stand to lose so I've been going full blast! I have been putting all - well a lot - of my energy into that.

I have had lots of thoughts though - nothing earth shattering for the masses - but things that make me reflect and think and be thankful and remember. You know - old people stuff. ;-)

One of the blogs I have found and chosen to follow is a young couple with a new baby boy that is critically ill.

Anyway - Laine and Rich and Leighton have touched my heart in a big way. They are living in the middle of what could be the biggest battle of their lives. Their 2 1/2 month old son has never left the hospital since his birth - his parents have only held him in their arms 2 times - everyday they watch other babies/children that have the same heart problem that their firstborn has, get sicker and weaker and some of them go home to be with Jesus. As one reads this young couple's journal - one can feel their emotional pain and fear - hear their frustration - listen as they beg for prayers - watch them cling to hope - they are crying out for someone to make their baby whole and well. They are doing all they know to do - If they could heal him themselves - they already would have! It's one of those situations in life where we have NO choice but to trust God and lean on Him.

It's one of those times in life that we just have to lay it all at the feet of Jesus. I mean really lay it down - like Abraham had to lay his only son on the alter - the whole time not knowing if God would provide another sacrifice or if he would have to kill his only son. I mean really lay it down - and trust God and His plan for us.

Whoa...... that's big!

I love Mercy and Grace and God's goodness! It is abundant and it abounds! But sometimes life is hard - and He is there for us during those times too.

This story is not in anyway comparable to what Laine and Rich are facing - but it is one (trust me - in life you will have many opportunities to experience laying it all down)of this mother's experience of laying one of my children at the feet of Jesus - lifting him into the Father's arms. Giving up complete control - because I didn't have any control anyway - but I knew that God loved my child, Aaron, even more than me - and He was truly the only one that could protect Aaron and keep him safe. I knew that God loved my child even more then I loved him. That kind of love is totally unimaginable because a mother's love is so HUGE and strong. But - it's true - God's love is even bigger.

In 2003 when the US first invaded Iraq - my youngest son was a Marine - deployed to that area - and I knew that he would be one of the first troops to go in. I knew that he was going into hostile territory - unknown territory and the only thing I knew for certain was that there would be "enemies" that wanted to kill him. If you recall-the reporters embedded with our troops did a GREAT job of sending video and pictures of the day-to-day happenings in Iraq. I saw the bombs exploding everywhere - the guns being fired-the daily reports of troops dying and the live battles. About 4 days into the invasion-I got a letter from Aaron that let me know that he was going into Iraq (he went on the night he had written the letter) and he told me that he loved me and said "good-bye", just in case he didn't come home. Needless to say - I was an emotional mess. I could follow his unit via the news - and I knew that Aaron was in the thick of the battle - fighting for his life.

As I was praying one day - I heard that still quiet voice of God on the inside of me say - "give Aaron to me." I tried to ignore it-I mean - I was his MOTHER-I couldn't just let him go! If I didn't pray 24/7 - and stay constantly before God on Aaron's behalf - who would??? Anyway - I had already given all 3 of my sons to God. One of my favorite verses of scripture is "For these sons we have prayed, and God has granted our petition. Therefore they are given to Him, and as long as they live, they are given to Him." I had cross-stitched that scripture and framed it - it hung on the wall in the middle of their pictures! Yep - in my mind I had ALREADY given my sons to God!

That still quiet voice wouldn't go away - I remember one morning just screaming to God - "OK!" "If you want me to trust You-if You are going to MAKE me give this to You - then I will!" I did this intially because I was angry and scared! Angry because I couldn't be there to protect my child, angry because Aaron was 'there' and I couldn't bring him home to safety. Scared because I knew that laying him at the feet of Jesus meant I agreed to totally trust the Father with my precious son and totally trust Him no matter what the outcome.
I got on my knees and spoke the words - and with my heart and through many tears - laid my son at the feet of Jesus. I knew that God had a plan for my life and for Aaron's - and it was God's plan - so it was good and perfect. I had to come to terms with the outcome - what if God's perfect plan didn't include Aaron coming home? It was hard.
In my anger and fear - God was able to minister to me - once I let go and gave Aaron to Him. The peace of God enveloped me that day - and I was able to rest in Him. Who better to give control to than the Maker of Heaven and Earth!

Next I heard that still quiet voice say to me "quit watching the battle." What? I thought I had to watch and see what was going on. But - I did it - I turned off the TV and quit reading the newspapers - I didn't need to SEE the fight.

I know that the battle is all around Laine and Rich - and they can't turn it off. I know that it would be hard for them not to watch. But I am praying that somehow they will be able to lay it all at the feet of Jesus and then just look up - look up to the Father who is holding Leighton in the palm of His hand. When people around them are losing the battle - just look up - don't look at the fight - and know that God is in control and that He has a plan and He loves them and their precious baby.

I know that God's peace can break through to them - that peace that passes all understanding and comprehension. I pray that it envelopes them.

The words to the song 'The Warrior is a Child' always ministers to me. I know that because we belong to HIM - we are strong - fighters - warriors - we are protected by our Father - we wear His armor - but deep inside - in our hearts - we are just a child. We look really strong - but in reality - we are nothing without Him - and it's ok to run to Him.

I am so incredibly thankful that I have my heavenly Father to run to - to pick me up when I fall down - to make me strong when I am weak - to love me.

I pray that Laine and Rich are running to Him and know Him in all of His glory and goodness -

I'm signing out for now -

Bless you my friends - remember to pray for this sweet family,

Char

"The Warrior is a Child' - words and music by Twila Paris

Lately I've been winning battles left and right
But even winners can get wounded in the fight
People say that I'm amazing
Strong beyond my years
But they don't see inside of me
I'm hiding all the tears

They don't know that I go running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and cry for just a while
'Cause deep inside this armor
The warrior is a child

Unafraid because His armor is the best
But even soldiers need a quiet place to rest
People say that I'm amazing
Never face retreat
But they don't see the enemies
That lay me at His feet

They don't know that I go running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and and cry for just a while
'Cause deep inside this armor
the warrior is a child

They don't know that I go running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and look up for a smile
'Cause deep inside this armor
Deep inside this armor
Deep inside this armor
The Warrior is a Child

Woooo Pig!

Saturday the Razorbacks played Tulsa - and I got to go!
I won 2 tickets (top sales for the week) - the seats were in the MSI skybox!
John was stuck at work again - that month-end junk - so he missed all of the fun!
My very good friend Carolyn, went with me - we had a GREAT time!
Carolyn and I got there early and didn't have anyone to tailgate with - so - we crashed the P&G tailgate party! I know - but what can you say???
I guess getting older makes one more courageous or just bolder and unashamed!
Carolyn had been before with her daughter Payton, who works for P&G and I had heard Audrey and Aaron (Audrey works for them) talk about going to the P&G tailgate party. We knew that the food would be good and the drinks would flow!
It was just as we anticipated! No one knew we didn't belong and we had a GREAT time. We met some very nice people and NOT one of them asked what we did at P&G. We think we might tailgate there another time. ;-)
Just before the game started we made our way across the street to our seats with the spectacular view!
The food and drinks flowed in the skybox too - we got a little tipsy - ate too much -and laughed until we cried.

It is always an experience going into crowds with Carolyn - for there among the masses - are always many people that recognize her from her television days and feel the need to stop and introduce themselves. Carolyn, being the gracious one that she is, always takes time to shake their hand and make their day. She is always very polite and introduces me. It's my temporary moment of "fame" - as I am looked upon as someone of "worth" by these fans because I am accompanying Arkansas's Television goddess, Carolyn Long!

We always laugh about that - because we have been friends since we were 15 years old! Oh baby - if only they knew!!!!!! ;-)

Just kidding - I love my dear friend - and she is precious and wonderful - but not for the reasons these captivated fans think.

div>By the way - my beloved RAZORBACKS won! That always makes attending the game even more fun!

I made a video!

When I downloaded my camera today - I discovered that I took some video with my new very cool camera. I didn't even know I was using the video feature. Quite honestly - I didn't even know it had a video feature!
I am so technically challenged!
The video turned out pretty good - considering the circumstances.
If you turn on the sound - you will hear me discussing my lack of technical ability with Taylor! I was trying to take pictures and couldn't get it to work!
I'm glad I didn't vocalize any "ugly" words - because I was definitely THINKING less than nice words. ;-)

A Dinosaur & A Princess/Fairy/Ballerina

Taylor and Emma Grace invited Nene and Poppy to "Trunk or Treat" with them on Halloween evening. Too bad for Poppy - he got stuck at work due to month-end reports. He missed all of the fun!
Taylor was the scariest dinosaur I have ever seen! And - he had a VERY big growl!!!!
Emma Grace was beautiful - not sure if she was a princess or a fairy or a ballerina - whichever - she was precious!
I had the honor of taking Taylor around to play all of the games and "trick or treat" at each of the cars parked on their church parking lot!
Here are a few pictures of the evening. Just look at those little faces....

I LOVE being a Nene!