Throw-back Thursday Stories: Week 2 - Giggle Skating

Once upon a time, I had a little boy who wanted some roller skates. As luck would have it, I found some at a consignment sale and brought them home for him to try out. The skates were the kind that you put on over regular shoes. He immediately wanted to put them on and go outside to skate.

I suggested that we try them out inside on the carpet first, so we got him strapped up and he maneuvered around the house, but it wasn't an authentic skating experience. I got the idea that we should go over to Grandma and Grandpa's house and let them see him skate for the first time. We got in the car and drove the two miles to GM and GP's house and asked them to come outside in their driveway.

Daniel got out of the car with his skates on and tried to walk/skate. It was quickly apparent that he needed some help, so we took turns helping him to stay upright on the skates. It got to be a futile exercise in balancing, though, and soon we were all giggling and enjoying the silly antics of Daniel trying to skate.

I think Daniel tried skating indoors at a roller rink at least once or twice when he was older, but this funny first attempt will always be a happy memory!

(I'm linking up with The Mom Creative for her series called "Throwback Thursday Stories: The story behind the photos.")

Easter 2014

The reason we celebrate! He is risen, indeed!

 We had a fun Easter weekend, even though it was packed full of activities:  Good Friday service, choir rehearsal, various parties/get-togethers with friends, family dinner/egg hunt, Easter services and a drive back to Knoxville. Whew!

It was fun to have this guy home for a little while!

We had our family dinner on Saturday night.

Grandma had treats for her grands!

These sweeties hunted eggs.

 Erica and Mary Lane are so fun to do things like this for and with! Erica was definitely the "hunter and gatherer," while Mary Lane would stop to see what was inside the eggs she found. I think they were both pleased with what they got and had fun in the process!

She's reading and loves to look at photo books!

Had to catch this one for a pic!

Sweet Sisters!

Beautiful family!

Cousins!

 

The sunset on the way home from Knoxville

Throw-back Thursday Stories: Week 1 - Happy 50th, Mustang!

Toddler Me and my dad in our Mustang

On the radio yesterday morning, I heard the factoid that the Ford Mustang is turning 50 this week. On further investigation, I read on this blog that fifty years ago this week, Ford debuted the first-ever Mustang at the New York World's Fair.

What is extra interesting for our family's history is that my parents were married in February 1964 and lived on Long Island, very close to where the World's Fair was held in Queens. And, the first car that my parents bought as a married couple was a 1965 Ford Mustang!

My granddaddy, Gwyn Blevins, was a Ford salesman at Plaza Ford in Bel Air, Maryland, so for years, our family drove Ford cars. I don't have real memories of my own of that Mustang, but family stories that I've been told detail me being placed in my car seat in the console in the middle of the bucket seats in the front between my parents (yep, and I lived to tell about it).

And as the story goes, my first taste of ice cream happened while sitting in that Mustang. My mom let me try a lick of her vanilla soft-serve cone and then pulled it back to eat herself. I decided that I liked that ice cream stuff, so I reached my little baby hand over and put my fingerprints right down in that cone! I think they had to get me my own cone after that!

I’m joining The Mom Creative, who is starting a new series today called Throwback Thursday Stories, the story behind the photos.

Redbuds

From the looks of things, it is Redbud Week in Nashville this week. Have you noticed the purple blooming branches poking out among other trees along the side of the road and in neighborhood yards?

Yesterday I had another frustrating time getting my car repaired, so I wasn't in the best of moods as I was driving back to work. But the sun was shining and the sky was blue and all along the interstate, the pretty redbud trees were in bloom. I decided that I was going to choose to be thankful for the redbud trees and try to let go of my anger and frustration about the car repair.

I think it worked, at least for a little while. And I continued to try to refocus my thoughts as I drove home after work from thinking about my worries and anxieties of life (we all have them) to thinking about God's beautiful creation and how he gifts us with so much color dotted all over our landscape as Winter turns into Spring. He is my Redeemer and He makes all things new (Rev. 21:5)!

As I drove to Bible study in the evening, I was listening to our church CD and repeated the song, "I Will Glory in My Redeemer" several times, letting the truth of the lyrics wash over me:

I will glory in my Redeemer
Whose priceless blood has ransomed me
Mine was the sin that drove the bitter nails
And hung Him on that judgment tree
I will glory in my Redeemer
Who crushed the power of sin and death
My only Savior before the holy Judge
The Lamb who is my righteousness
The Lamb who is my righteousness

 I will glory in my Redeemer
My life He bought, my love He owns
I have no longings for another
I’m satisfied in Him alone
I will glory in my Redeemer
His faithfulness my standing place
Though foes are mighty and rush upon me
My feet are firm, held by His grace
My feet are firm, held by His grace

I will glory in my Redeemer
Who carries me on eagles’ wings
He crowns my life with lovingkindness
His triumph song I’ll ever sing
I will glory in my Redeemer
Who waits for me at gates of gold
And when He calls me, it will be paradise
His face forever to behold
His face forever to behold
Credits: Words and music by Steve & Vikki Cook © 2000 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP) 

Friday Favorite: Tulips!

Ahh, Spring! Earlier this week as I was driving along Old Hickory Boulevard, I noticed some beautiful tulips in bloom:  the first ones I'd seen this season. I wasn't able to stop right then, but the next morning, I worked my schedule and my route to work so I could go back by those tulips and get some pictures. You know, taking time to stop to photograph the tulips.

Tulips have been my favorite flower ever since I was in first grade and we studied about Holland in Social Studies. I hope to find some other colors of my favorite flower to photograph in the next few days!