10 November 2016

I Feel Better When I'm Dancing


Miss Muffet had her first dance recital this past Summer.  I wasn't about to miss watching this little girl dance her heart out. And that's what she did.  She had so much fun; no stage fright for her! She relished in the moment.

Before the performance comes a lot of practice!

And, when big sister is trying to practice, little brother has to join in

Miss Muffet is the tiniest one on the stage.  She is in the middle of the front row of the group that comes out of the flats from house right (or stage left).



Miss Muffet and her friends. By the way, I loved yellow outfit for the Singing in the Rain number; it was so 1960's Gene Kelly meets Nancy Sinatra.


 
 Dancers and their spoils

 
 Is this not the most beautiful family?


 
 Mimi and her Miss Muffet


Although the recital was the catalyst that got me out of Midland, there were so many other precious moments that I brought home with me.

Getting to spend time with grandchildren is the best.  So many moments that make you proud, laugh, and so many times you just want to squeeze them to death.  I'm so grateful to have had those moments for a short time. 



Miss Snaggletooth
 

 You'll be there one day Buddy!




 Toot Toot!!



 Vrooooom!


 MM made the perfect apple pie for her dad



 Making the perfect vent holes



 Awww, a girl and her dog.



 Cheese!


Is she mimicking Mimi wearing her reading glasses?



 Captain America



 Calm down....it's root beer.



How do you like my new outfit?



Now that I am back home in West Texas I miss them so.

09 November 2016

It's Hard To Say Goodbye


It's hard to let go of things. A drastic change in your life lends to drastic measures. I've had a big lesson in having to make decisions on what to let go of and what to hold on to. I know I shouldn't be so materialistic and admitting to myself that I am was the hardest hurdle to get over.


A year ago, Lovey and I made the decision to move to Midland and become caregivers to my father-in-law. Along with that decision came the decision to sell the house as well as most of our possessions and just start over once we retired 100%.



Why do we love things so much?  Is there really anything wrong with loving our things? Things were put here for us to enjoy, weren't they?



 

 


 


Whatever the real answer, this was something we wanted to do more than needed to do. So, we did it.  Once the house sold we brought in an Estate Sale company to organize, price and sell, sell, sell. 


 
Lovey reiterated that if something was sentimental, go ahead and keep it. Therein lies the problem because I am sentimental about most of my things. Yet, he's so willing to let go of things that have been such a big part of his life.  Broke my heart to see Lovey let go of some of his childhood memories.

Goodbye house. Hello packing and selling most of my possessions.
 

It was hard.  We loved this house. We loved the neighborhood.  A good friend of ours listed the house and it was sold within 2 weeks.  It absolutely killed me to think this house was not going to belong to us any more.  Especially since we worked for 5 years to find just the right location and get it built.

Getting to know the new owners and realizing they were a family that was passionate about making this their home made the medicine easier to swallow. They really love it and we also received a sweet letter from one of the daughters about what it would mean to her and her family if they could live in this house.

 





Saying goodbye to possessions was not nearly as sad as saying goodbye to a neighborhood, all of the dear neighbors and friendships that were nurtured. 



And oh, my goodness, it was so sad to leave our church home and church family.

So many doors closed and a whole world of unknown opened up before us.