"ALL MY CHILDREN"

Good evening! Glad you could join me for a few minutes on my front porch. Sorry I didn't take the time to sit a spell yesterday. You know how it is. Time just gets away and the day is gone. But I am taking a few minutes today to visit and chat.

I consider myself 'low maintenance'. I don't require a lot to make me happy or satisfy me. One of the things that always bring me joy, contentment and a smile to my face is spending time with my family. Talking to them, reading their blogs, looking at pictures and thinking of memories we have made. Hence, why I have so many pictures of my family in my house! Another thing that I really enjoy is being outside. It can be just sitting on my 'front porch' looking at the beautiful sky, trees, flowers and creatures God has made for us to enjoy. Put these two together-my family and my 'front porch' and life is pretty good! I just had one of the best Christmases I think I ever had. We had all 18 of us-four children, spouses and grandbabies here on the front porch. There were times of 'madness, mayhem, confusion and foolishness' (to quote Clean House) and a bump here and there...a running over commode here and there..some pouting by a little lady to be unnamed, a little scratching and fighting and some banting back and forth..BUT a happy, joy filled holiday. So a lot of the talking on my front porch will be about my family. My husband and I feel they are our heritage, our legacy, our finest contribution to society. They are all pretty special. One or two of them will try to get me to say I have a favorite...and I confess once and for all I do! It's all four of them. I see myself in each of them at times-some of the good qualities and other times I get a glimpse of things I don't like about myself in them. Does this make me love them any less.? No. I see wonderful gifts and talents and unique blessings in each of them. I see a plan God has for each of them and it is exciting to step back and see it unfold.

When I was a young girl I remember scraping enough money together to buy a book from the Scholastic Book Club offered at the elementary school I attended. It must have been about 25 cents. I remember getting that book when the order came in and was so proud of it! I loved the new paperback book smell. I don't recall the name of the book or even the author-wish I did. I mention this book because I am so often reminded of that book when I think of my children. The book was about a couple who fell in love, married and moved to a farm and began their family. The young man worked hard, was successful and through the years made the little farm into a success. He built his little bride a wonderful little home. This young bride wanted to be an author-but just never found the time. She also wanted to paint. She would do a little painting -but never seemed to be able to really put on canvas the painting she had in her heart. She wanted to be a teacher-but that never could happen with children being born and a farm to run. She had an interest in nursing-wanted to help the hurting. She never did get to actually pursue these interests in her own life. However, as the story was written, through the years, each one of her four children not only pursued these interests but became successful in each of these areas. A daugher became a teacher, a son became an famous author, another son a doctor and another daughter an artist. This story of love and real success has stuck with me for years now. I see this story as also being my story. Through the years I can see my children accomplishing so many things I would have liked to do myself. Am I jealous or bitter? No, it gives me great pleasure-just like the woman in the story-to see each of my children grow and thrive. Well, the sun is setting, time to go inside and sit by the fire a little. Come back and visit tomorrow. Until then, goodbye and so long!