HE CALLED ME POPPY

He's not quite 2...his 2nd birthday is late February

Just the other day, out of the clear blue sky, as plain as day, he called me

POPPY

many many years ago, before Grace ever even considered children, I had a dream that she had a little boy who called me
POPPY

but before that....

there were two precious little girls who call me POPPY...one is 9 and one is 3

and another young lady that came into my life when her daddy married my Grace--she calls me POPPY too

what a lesson in life and prayer and wishes and dreams and answers and plans and timing

now another one who will call me POPPY in a couple of years

MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS FRIENDS

I hope the things you whisper in Santa's ear

and dream sweet dreams of

and speak to God about when you are on your knees

happen

and I hope you can know what I knew that day...when

out of the clear blue sky

~*~

as plain as day

~*~

he called me

~*~

POPPY

THE DRESS THE TREE THE SEASON

each year I decorate my main tree and am always filled with affection when I hang this ornament of my mother.  I think she's 5 here and I am also amazed at how many of her grandchildren look just like her

December 10 she will turn 82

does it amaze you when you can see the exact same face in a 5 year old as you can in an 80 year old?

December 4 we baptized our 4th grandchild in Lubbock Texas

he was the fourth one to wear this heirloom gown

even though it is very feminine, our children decided long ago that their children would all wear it

good job for the dads of sons who went along with that tradition

Betty Beatrice was the 1st 9 years ago December 7

Polk Street Methodist Church in Amarillo

she was still able to wear it on this day

today she is so tall and skinny, it might still fit her

next came sweet Perrilyn Hazel on December 13, 2013

Polk Street Methodist Church in Amarillo

Henry August December  15, 2014

He might have to overcome this photo in his senior slideshow presentation

and when he's president the country will all say...

awwwwwwww

Coach Been never missed a beat when his Everett Gruver donned the dress

December 16, 2016

First United Methodist Church Lubbock Texas

Tradition

there is a lot to be said for it

I so hope you and your family are hanging on to all the fun and wonderful things you have always done that make your family unique and special

and I hope your season if filled with blessings overflowing!

THE HOLY MOUNTAIN

Somebody I love is having another birthday and I am in the process of making him a new crown!

If I lived anywhere in the world and could choose anywhere in the world to go for a long weekend celebration...in other words if I lived in Paris, I would want to spend my time in New Mexico

S.E.R.I.O.U.S.L.Y.

This weekend we have chosen a little hide-a-way that is tucked into the trees in Taos

It is called the El Monte Sagrado which means

THE HOLY MOUNTAIN

cocktails with friends we will meet up with

spa....say yes please!

soulful spaces

indoor outdoor places

and a picnic somewhere between Taos and Chimayo

to rub our hands in the holy dirt and take in the view of those aspen leaves changing

on

THE HIGH ROAD TO CHIMAYO

to celebrate the life of this little boy who I adore!

CLOUD OF WITNESSES

sometimes...

I take the Word of God literally

I love the suggestion when it says in Psalms 139

that when God knit you in total seclusion...in those very private moments..it was just you and Him

and you had a few days or weeks before anyone even had an inkling that you existed...

and it was during this time

He was counting the numbers of hair on your head and writing down the days of your life in His book and was taking note of all the things you were going to think do and say

before you thought did and said them

WOW

WOW!WOW!

and what about in Hebrews 12 where it says you are cheered on by a huge cloud of witnesses

I like to imagine all those loved ones in heaven who already saw you before we did

having a chat...knowing the exact moment of your birth is about to be here

and they are chuckling, looking down below and maybe even saying

PUSH MOM PUSH

but that book also illustrates that in that cloud are men of faith

Abraham, Jacob, Moses

and Everett and Joe Gruver and Beatrice and Grace and Charles

and just outside your door is another cloud

love love love

waiting waiting waiting

push mom push

and then that miracle happens

the miracle of life that really happened 9 months ago

when it was just you and God making plans

to change the world by giving you your very own sphere of influence and the gifts

with which to influence that sphere with

a miracle that happens every day all day all over the world in every kingdom of

plant bird animal and man

a miracle that will change the world

**it might seem like this post is about a new baby...and in many ways it is

but

really

it

is

about

YOU

GAME CHANGERS

Do you remember that Sunday School teacher, at the very beginning of class on Sunday morning,

who would seat you in a circle in the small wooden chairs, and ask the question...

"does anyone have a joy they would like to share this morning?"

Wow...I had no idea...

she was such a sage

and then to remember the answers....the voices of little children...I can still hear them like they were yesterday....

1.  my mom is making fried chicken for lunch...it smelled so good

2.  I got new socks with lace on the edge

3.  my grandmother came to spend the night with me

wow....I had no idea...

those sweet innocent incredibly powerful little words were

changers of the game

be a game changer

SANTORINI BLUE

When I was a little girl and would travel to Amarillo to visit my grandparents

we would pass by all the Route 66 Motels.

Amarillo is just about halfway..in fact Adrian, Texas is the very exact halfway mark between Chicago and LA on this famous and historic route

I was so inspired by each and every hotel, and still am...they are so quaint and one of a kind and capture a very romantic moment in time

Little did I know how much those little hotels impressed upon my design taste, especially the swimming pools.  The pools were all small, with fancy umbrellas and crisp blue water

LOVE

I am living my 8 year old dream of having a pool in my backyard and this summer's project has been an outdoor kitchen area

The first thing I did, as I almost always do...is let color inspire me

I loved Santorini...that blue is the prettiest color I have ever seen!

pinterest

I love the pots, the water, the stone, the vibe

the next thing I love are the fancy umbrellas

I purchased this paper parasol at Pier 1 and it is long gone in the Texas Panhandle breezes

I will always be on a search for another

last summer we added a pergola to the pool house and a privacy fence between our neighbor and us

we also purchased a large fountain

everyone matches!!

Miss Betty

Mr. PV and Cute Carpenter Man are working around this 100 year old elm tree

did I really go for orange umbrellas this year?  Sometimes I like when we have hail storms that tear up umbrella fabric

moving this brick patio was a very big and very hot project...we moved it under the covered kitchen area and replaced it here with gravel

concrete counter tops and this will be an Argentine grill

because my man likes to cook outside!  He likes to catch fire to meat!

I wanted to cover the face of the cinderblock with tile

similar to this...but this is not in this summer's budget

so I began looking on Pinterest for ideas to paint/stamp/stencil and found lots of very cool ideas

we seriously had a cold front on this day that dropped our temperatures to the low 80s

perfect for Pandora, paint, and some rum drink that starts with a P...oh yes...

Pineapple Rum...with an umbrella!

after I completed the "tile" and after I ordered stencils from 3 different ebay stores and after I took the question to Instagram...I think I might like the "tile" just the plain way that it is

and guess what...I spent about $8 on the whole project

next summer....

pinterest

pinterest

all those plans for next summer, next Christmas, next birthday, next year, next time

well....that's what makes time go by so darn fast

look back on the past with fondness, look forward to tomorrow

but cherish the time you are living in right now

and as for me....I just might go grab a room at the