School Is Out!

Summer 2011 begins!  Grandad and I split up to attend three of our nine graduation/honors day/end of school year programs this year, but we have glowing reports that each of our nine had a brilliant finish!

Ford – Baseball still his game, Ford continues to be an excellent student at Woodward Academy finishing with a 3.93 GPA and is moving up to the 11^th grade next year.

Morgan – Gave a short speech at her 6^th grade graduation from The Children’s School:

“I always knew looking back on my tears would bring me laughter, but I never knew looking back on my laughter would make me cry.” Cat Stevens once said.  If I cry for how long I have laughed here, I would be crying for a long time. Hi. My name is Morgan Croft and I have been at this school for nine years. I have had a great time here, at TCS and I want to thank everyone who made it possible. First, thank you mom, dad and my grandparents for your support and love. I also want to thank all of my wonderful teachers, especially my Pre-Primary teachers, Debbie, Sarah, and Kelly, my first grade teachers, Wilma and Peg, my fourth grade teachers Megan  and Anna, and of course my sixth grade teachers, Naimah, Julia, Paul, and Ricky. I will never forget to thank my friends, who made me laugh and who have helped me get through the days that were too long I have had many laughs at TCS and I hope to have lots more at my next school, Woodward Academy.
…and needless to say Morgan is moving on, with honors, to the 7^th grade class at Woodward Academy.

Emily –  On Honor’s Day at Wesleyan, Emily received an award in Art for, "Courageous Growth".  (I have seen this in her many times when we work on an art project together or when she presents me with beautiful hand-made cards or a painting!).    She has the boldness of an artist.  Emily also had a very strong academic finished to her year.    Seventh grade, here she comes!!

Andrew – was given three awards at the end of the year Honor's Day:  1.) Bible (given by his teacher, the headmaster) for consistent effort and achievement.  2.) English, for excellence  3. The Iron Wolf award given to those who participated in 3 sports and /or theater presentations during the school year.  Andrew was a swimmer/actor.  He begins HIGH SCHOOL next year in the 9^th grade!

Joe – finished the sixth with all A’s and is moving on to the 7^th grade next year at St. Martin's.  Really remarkable because he did it while being successful in football, basketball, and on two baseball teams, all the school year long!.  I think he got in some golf  and deep sea fishing with his dad as well.)

Issy -  This future teacher is also a straight A student and keeps up with a social calendar the Queen of England would be impressed by!  She has been a cheerleader and a soccer player.  Issy is moving onward and upwards to the 5th grade.

Keegan - will not finish up his school this year until June 9th but he expects to make the honor roll for the third time completing a very successful year!  Another full time ball player, Keegan pitched a no-hit game and is a league-leading batter. Keegan will enter the 7th grade in the fall.

Aidan – still has a few more days of school to go, but in Greek costume, he will present the story of King Midas at his school’s open house.  (Oh how I would love to be in the room for that!)  In addition to being his team's leading batter, Aidan has taken up running track, completing 60 laps in 75 minutes… such perseverance!   He will be graduating to the 4^th grade when school starts up again.

William – has had an exceptional growth year, not only has he been placed in all TAG classes throughout the year, he is a delight and will no doubt catch up with all the rest of his cousins very soon!  I would be remiss not to mention that this 7 year old also picks up his toys, without being told to, when he comes to Mimi’s house!

With much pride I congratulate this super bunch of hard working, fabulous children.  You have made us all very proud by your effort to give your best.

Have a great summer!  Can’t wait until we are all together at Grayton!

Sing me to Heaven

If I could give but one lasting gift, in this life, it would be that of a close family, one that eats, plays and prays together, as well as supports each other in time of grief or need...

Upon returning from Italy ( blog soon to follow) I  washed, repacked and rushed to Tennessee so as not to miss an extended family gathering to fellowship, eat and sing, in support, joy and love of one another.  For me it was also a way to sing my Aunt Dot to heaven.

In response to aching silence, memory summons half-heard voices

and my soul finds primal eloquence, and wraps me in song.

At my sister and brother-in-law's lovely home, everyone brought their favorite covered dish, added it to a warming drawer packed with fried chicken and a marble counter top covered with delectable desserts.  Then as the numbers grew, so did the fun; we hugged and kissed, caught up with each other's journeys, and we each caught the hands of the newest member as she happily showed off her new footsteps.  Suddenly my heart leaped  I when I heard the music began to play and slowly, along with the laughter, Jesus became the  center of our praise.

I looked around that room, seeing my childhood flash before of my eyes:  my uncle sitting at the piano singing in familiar cord, several of my precious Aunts who showed me by example what a woman should be, my mother, brother and sister who remain forever part of me, cousins staying true to family traditions and the newer generation that finds something comforting about what is now the, "old ways".

If  you would comfort me, sing me a lullaby,

If you would win my heart, sing me a love song.

If you would mourn me and bring me to God,

sing me a requiem, sing me to Heaven.

I laughed, I remembered, I was touched...and I ate too much!  Oh, rejoice families!  Make every effort to keep strong the ties that bind.  Then you too, from time to time, can also be sung to heaven (bathed in love) right here on earth.

Thank you, Tennessee family for singing your hearts outs and letting me join you once more by making my joyful noise!  Softly I sang for Jesus and Aunt Dot.

Dedicated to "Uncle", who for a lifetime, has played our music and has given us a song for every occasion.

  Thank you, thank you...

Respectfully...Dot

May 10, 2011

I am sitting in the middle of a grassy field, on a farm, in Tuscany, Italy. It should be a wonderful place to be, except for today I walked out to this field, away from my Terr and his family, with whom we are traveling, to try and comfort my heavy heart so that I might go on with my day.


You see, sometime in the middle of my night, being Monday morning for my Tennessee family, my beloved Aunt Dot died. Oh, she was 85 years old ( just celebrated her birthday with a glorious party on May 3rd), she was a good woman, always positive and happy, she had great kids who took special care of her, she got so much enjoyment from books, the Braves and a TV show called, "Murder She Wrote", she played music, loved Jesus... and she loved me too.

Oh, how terribly sad I feel.

She took me in as a baby because my sister, Betty, was already taken and she had none of her own, yet. I will never forget the creative treasure hunts, the grasshopper song she taught me to play on the piano and the telling of her stories.  (She always told the story about me, as a little girl saying, "I don't know where is'em?")

Aunt Dot gave me scriptures over the years that I have marked in my bible with her name. More recently she promised to pray with me, each night for my Kate's safety. I counted on it and I know for sure that she did.

She will be buried on Thursday and I am wandering around Italy, away from those who loved her.  Oh, I am fully aware that she is happy to be in heaven but I also know that she would want us to support Susan and John, their spouses and her grandchildren. My comfort is; as, I knew her heart, she knew mine...and she knew, for sure, that I loved her. I'll be home soon.

Good bye, Aunt Dot, (or should I say arrivederci, Zia Dot) look out for me too, will you?

Merry

Mother's Day 2011

I love being a MOTHER....

I am so grateful to have daughters that are wonderful MOTHERS...

...and I am blessed to have the extraordinary women, that God chose for me, to be my MOTHER.

Being the mother to my two, having the gift of Terr's three and then the unexpected blessing of our one; has truly been the most important,

hard and wonderful thing I've ever done and continue to do.

If I do nothing else in this lifetime...

this alone has been such a joy and honor to me.

To my mother, I salute you because I understand a mother's heart and I know you have it and passed it along to me .
I hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day, knowing that your children are well pleased.

Hugs and love to the special mothers in my life,
Merry/Mom/Mimi

Remembering Daddy

I am grateful for the day you were born. As long as I live so will you. Happy Birthday, Daddy.

Footloose

I understand Footloose had a really good run at the Wesleyan School this past week end.  For those of you who missed it, check out this clip; shot during a rehearsal before Grandad and I had to leave for Colorado Springs.

Andrew (the first black hatted cowboy on the left) was recruited from the eighth grade to be in the high school musical.  He did a terrific job!  I think we have a real singer/dancer in the family.