Overly Emotional

It must be the long days I'm working leading up to the September 15th deadline at work (or my terrible sleep lately from worrying about work projects--or oversleeping and getting to work late), but I have been an emotional basket-case today.

The waterworks started when I watched this video that I saw on my Facebook page.  This little man reminds me so much of Grandaddy and his sweet relationship with my Grams.  Even looking at him reminds me of Grandaddy--except Grandaddy doesn't have near that much hair.  He always said he didn't have much hair as a result of playing "beauty shop" with me when I was little.

I thought I was finished crying when my phone notified me that I had been tagged in a picture from Instagram.  One of our sweet sitters, Betsy, posted the sweetest three pictures of Grandaddy with her 6-7 month old son.  Grandaddy's face was lit up in the pictures and they made my heart so happy.  Most of the time I feel like Grandaddy is just existing in this life until he is reunited with Grams, but these pictures were proof to me that he can still find joy even though his body is feeble and his mind is confused.  **I can't figure out how to save the picture from Instagram to put here, but feel free to friend me on there if you want to see it!**

Seeing him with Owen makes me think back to when I was little and saw Grams and Grandaddy at least six days a week.  Grandaddy worked until I was in middle school, so when he came home for lunch or at the end of the day, he would open the back door and whistle.  His whistle was very distinctive and no one has ever been able to replicate it.  Sadly, he doesn't remember it now.  As long as I heard his whistle, I would come running for my hug from Grandaddy. 

Grandaddy made sure I got to play while I was at their house.  I had a play set, a swing hanging from the pecan tree in the backyard, a slide he handmade for me and, best of all, he restored Mom and Beth's fort for me.  They couldn't have a tree house, so they got a two story fort when they were little.  I remember playing drive-through from the second story with Grandaddy.  For some reason, I threw the pretend food down to him instead of him "driving through" to get it.  I don't know why I thought that was the thing to do?!  We also gave Grams a fit when he let me help him re-shingle the fort.  Helping basically consisted of sitting up there with him while he did the work, but Grams was absolutely certain something bad would happen to one or both of us.  I wasn't worried--there was no reason to be afraid of anything as silly as falling off the roof when Grandaddy was there to protect you!

I wish we could do all the good times all over again...my memories will always linger on...

Now I'm going to start crying again!  I think it must be pretty obvious to anyone who knows me how much I love my precious Grandaddy and what an amazing influence he has been on my life.

Birthday Recap

Even though today is my actual birthday, the festivities began last weekend. 

Saturday, I had a hair appointment first thing. I was a week overdue to have my hair done and I was seriously starting to go crazy. After my appointment, Mom and I went to a few stores looking for birthday presents. I ended up with a monogram door hanger and a pair of earrings. 

We ran a few more errands before going to Ford City to eat at Stanfield's. Surprisingly, it wasn't crowded and we were headed back to Florence in just over an hour. We visited with Grandaddy, Mother's sister and her older daughter before heading home for cake. Mom put two candles on my cake and I joked that they might be trick candles. I don't think Mom intended it to work out this way, but they were trick candles and I blew them out four times before finally dunking them in water!

Sunday, I went to early church with my parents before choir practice and 11 o'clock church. My sweet choir friends sang Happy Birthday to me before we went upstairs to the Sanctuary. After church, my friend Becky, her sister, Teresa, and I went to lunch after church. As I said on Facebook, if the three of us had enough time together, I think we could solve all of the world's problems--or at least catch up on everything worth knowing in Florence!

Today, my sweet work friends definitely made sure I had a good day. My friend (and work mentor), Melissa, picked me up on her way to work so I wouldn't have to drive myself. My other close friend at work, Sandy, brought donuts for our department and even brought a special one for me! (I might or might not have eaten my cinnamon sugar donut and then a chocolate one several hours later!) We had a baby shower during lunch, so these sweet girls took me to Chuy's tonight to celebrate. I'm so lucky to have both of them in my life and I'd be lost without either of them!

Another friend from work made an interesting discovery lately. The Publix she shops at had pieces of the Toomer's Corner trees on sale. When she mentioned it, I thought that it had to be fake. This morning, she came in with a gift for me--my very own piece of the actual Toomer's Corner trees--certificate of authenticity enclosed! How funny that pieces of the tree would end up at a Publix in Goodlettsville, Tennessee!!

Mom and Dad weren't able to come see me today as we originally planned. I have to admit that I was quite upset when I found out about this. I have spent every birthday with Mom and only missed one with Dad until today. There just wasn't a way to make it work this year.  We talked several times today and I know they both would have been here if it was at all possible. They sent a beautiful arrangement of flowers to my office which certainly brightened up this gloomy, drizzly day. 

I'm at home next to Emma now. It's been  a full day of celebrations interrupted by a little bit of work here and there. I've had many birthday wishes on Facebook and sweet texts from dear friends. 26 doesn't feel any different than 25 so far, but it's been a great reminder of all the special people that make my life so much fun!

10 Years Ago...

...I was nervously awaiting taking my driver's test the next morning.  The weather forecasters were predicting rain and it was also the first day of my Junior year of High School.  I practiced with Dad in the days leading up to my birthday, but, being the last in my class to turn 16, I'd heard plenty of horror stories about the awful people at the State Trooper's station and was basically petrified of them.

Roses from my Aunt, Beth

On the morning of the test, it was raining.  Mom and I were there an hour early to be at the first of the line, but they would not let me take the test until the rain stopped and the roads were completely dry.  Shortly before lunch, I finally managed to take my test.  I have no idea what the tester said at the end, but the sentence ended with "pass", so I was happy.  I dropped Mom off at her school and drove to Bradshaw and checked in just in time for the first half of French III and lunch.

I was a baby!!

After school, I picked up Mom and her friends took me to Trowbridge's for an Oh My Gosh--a brownie with ice cream, whipped cream, caramel sauce and cherries on top.  It's a plate full of sinful deliciousness that's best shared with 4 or 5 people.  I think I'd go in to a diabetic coma if I ate an entire serving by myself!

Apparently, I didn't smile with teeth back then.

 Ten years ago, the biggest thing in my life was getting my Driver's License.  Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined myself living the life I do now.