A LOVE STORY THAT CROSSES ALL BOUNDARIES.

Over the Christmas holidays, I was fortunate to meet a 

new friend. As we get older it becomes harder to find a 

true friend right away who you know would do almost 

anything for you. After Christmas, we had lunch together

and he told me one of the most beautiful love stories.

I am writing with his permission but leaving names out.

He is a widower, having lost his wife two years ago.

He tells the story of how lost and depressed he was at the

beginning of the loss. Yet as time went on, he found his days

getting a little easier, until a birthday or an anniversary came along.

After over a year he ran into another old friend who also had

become a widower as a young woman with children.

By this time she was remarried and he had a very

important question to ask her.

"When does the feeling like you are cheating on your spouse go away?"

This seemed to have been weighing on his heart as

he was trying to move on.

She shared some very good advice, the biggest part

of it was this, she pointed to the wedding ring he still wore

and said, "... and you need to pick up your wedding ring,

take it off, kiss it and put it away."

He listened to all her advice and told her how he felt about

it all and said, "But I am not going to stop wearing my wedding ring."

A few days later, working at his homestead, he was bit

by ants on that hand that caused his ring finger to swell quite a bit.

He took the wedding ring off so that it would not get stuck with

every intention to put it back on once his bites healed

He speaks of a few times trying to put the sacred ring back on and

the finger remained too swollen to get the ring on.

He took this as a sign from his wife, kind of telling him,

giving him permission to move on.

He remembered another word of advice his friend had given him

"Your wife, she would not want you to be alone as you age,

to waste the years you have left alone."

As the ring continued not to fit, these thoughts crossed his 

mind and heart. So, after days, he took his friends advice,

kissed the ring

and as he put it in his jewelry box he spoke

to his dear wife, "This must be your sign that its time to move on"

He never wore it again and the guilt feeling he felt when 

speaking to his friend seemed to be gone.

What a beautiful story of marriage, selflessness and a wife

helping her husband overcome his grief.

I often say, Sometimes The Big Man does for us, what we don't

have to courage to do for ourselves. this beautiful story is one

of those examples. 

Thank you friend for sharing such a special story and allowing me

to share it here for others to read, experience.

Sometimes you make a difference when you are not even aware.

Yesterday was a day with the besties and Lindsey, a bestie baby.

We had a great long and leisurely lunch at Grady V in Thibodaux.

Many may have complained with our wait of 3 hours

but we had a lot to catch up on.

Yet this is not my blog....

I had to go to Best Buy to return something.

Since I was close to Houma I decided to return there.

I am at Customer service explaining I didn't have

a receipt when the beautiful black girl 

was staring at me.

"I know you, you were MY school nurse"

The way she said MY was like even though I have 1200 

children under my care, she felt like I was hers.

Ashley her name says and I look in her face for the

little one and I do think I remember her but she remembers lots.

"Nurse Lilly, I used to love going to your office. I have

outgrown my asthma"

I am more surprised of how this young girl has become

a beautiful adult, who has come so far from that little girl.

I asked if she did have a sister, she says excitedly. "Yes"

She goes on to say her sister now lives in Idaho and

the grandmother she lived with has now passed.

I asked her how did she know it was me.

"Your voice and your face, I will never forget you because

no matter what, you were always kind and you had

those special peppermints you gave us."

I am just tickled about how much she remembers,

"I wish I could go back there, I loved it there at TES"

It makes my heart happy to see her all grown up, with 

a job, looking healthy and a beautiful young woman.

She was one of those children I worried about,

raised by a grandmother who basically took care of herself

and her sister. The fact that I made some type of difference

in her life and left her with good memories proves

one of a statement I use often,

"It takes a Village to raise a child"

IT'S A NEW YEAR, TIME FOR A NEW WORD...

HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2019!

Every year I try and pick a word as "my word"

for the year. Because I am a big Intagramer,

I like using hash tag, 

#365daysof..... and whatever my word is.

I don't post everyday but I try not to miss many days.

Last year my word was gratefulness.

Looking back on my posts of 2019,

I am pleased with those that I did post.

Being a journaler as well, I am trying to write something

daily. So, you may be wondering, 

"What is the word?"

APPRECIATION

Because there are so many things to be appreciative of.

I am not so much a New Years Resolution person,

I do think of things that I would like to change for the better.

I won't bore you with those but they are positive changes.

Hopefully I get past the first week that most resolutions make 

in the new year.

Pick yourself a word, let yourself focus on that word

and maybe write down something each day on that word.

Just a little challenge on this day 3rd of 2019! 

A day in my book....

I've been painting, painting, painting....

Like a lot, as I am so very blessed that since

I began with the first Home portrait painted

for Rhett, I have been non stop with orders

for portraits of homes.

Yesterday, however, I took a break from that.

Yep, shut it down for a whole day.

Why you may ask (or not lol)?

Because I was asked to keep my great niece, Lillian

(yes, my namesake) as she was off for the holidays

but her parents, both teachers had one more day.

She came all dressed up as we were going to make

mass with Bean at her school, to end this year.

A beautiful mass.

Then once the three grand girls were finished their school parties,

their Mom brought them to the cottage along

with an extra who is almost like another grand girl for me,

Bean's best friend, Mia.

A cottage FULL of estrogen!

I had bought all we needed for an art project

because estrogen induced little girls love, love, love art.

We made candy cane reindeer's!

I had all set up at the dining table along with snacks.

I showed them one and they went to town 

decorating their candy canes.

They wanted me to make a you tube video and I did.

It didn't last long but we did decorate quite a few reindeer!

There are a few things I am quite proud of when

the grand girls plus friends, nieces visit...

The television is rarely turned on and aside from

me taping a you tube video, no one asked

for a phone, and iPad, a computer.

Instead they retreated to the play room to play 

with all the things this Mumsie keeps there for 

their entertainment.

From the age of 3 to 9, all got along and played.

A beautiful day had us outside and not to be outdone

by a bunch of little girls, I suggested a game of

MOTHER MAY I.

You remember that game.....

My grand girls know how to play as we play it often.

We had to explain the rules to a few.

Then we got into our game.

For whatever reason, these little girls

only wanted to see Mumsie do ballerina twirls

as it is all the "Mothers" ever asked me to do.

"Why am I only getting ballerina twirls?"

the answer?

"Because its funny to watch and you are too old for cartwheels"

Phahahahahahha

There is something about when the girls visit Mumsie....

Mumsie plays too, no matter what it is we playing.

Mia, during the course of the day, made a statement

"I can call you Mumsie too?" 

Of course, as she has only called me that for the

last few years. It makes me proud of how most of

the grand girl's friends call me Mumsie.

And the TV and the electronics remained unimportant.

The day flew by as we played games, did art in the studio,

played Wizard of Oz and Barbies, babies and school.

It is a true statement when the last of the grand girls were

picked up this Mumsie was pooped with a big smile and

an even bigger heart. I straightened up the cottage and

made my way to bed with a book in hand

but my thoughts were on this day.

I am proud of all the Cottage means not only to me

but to a bunch of little girls, who love spending time

here. I like to believe it's not just the Cottage that they love

but the owner, the Mumsie that lives here as well.

I know these times are a passing, that sooner than

I want to admit, the time will come where I will not

be the place they want to be on their first day of Christmas 

holiday. But for now, a tired Mumsie was 

a happy and loved Woman!

Cami-girl gets a car....

....AND YOU GET A CAR, AND YOU....

No it's not an Oprah moment,

but my second to youngest god child, Cami

finally received her wheels!

It took her a little longer as most of her friends,

one, she had to do a few things to get her life in order,

then she had to get her license and a job,

Now while waiting to join the National Guard,

she had to save enough money...

This is where her Nannie came into play.

Let me take you back almost 20 years ago....

Cameron Tamplain is not only my godchild, she is also 

my great niece, born to my nephew and his teen girlfriend.

My nephew was so not ready to be a Daddy and her Mom

did the best she could at the time, loving her was one thing

she did well. My sis, Rosie, being her Gammy helped where

she could and I was the best Nannie I could be as I was 

also still raising my own rugrats.

But I did one thing that stands out to me, in her life.

I did not know what her future would hold and

I knew all holidays as a young child she would have

what she needed. So I opened her up a savings account.

Every birthday, every Christmas, every Holiday,

I would put the money I would have put into a gift

she would forget about, into this account.

It did not seem like much but by the time she was

16/17 there was 2,000 dollars.

At that time I was going through a divorce and had

to stop adding to it so I cashed it in and just waited.

Waited for her to finish growing up,

waiting for her mom and her Daddy,

who have now grown to be two fine parents after

their own growing up and her Dad sobering up, starting

a sweet little family as well as her Mom.

So time passed, I reminded her Dad about the money

that he had totally forgot about.

I explained that when he thought she was ready to be

responsible with the money I had it ready for her.

This week he and I spoke and she had found a car

in Mississippi. 

Then she and her Gammy drove to my house to get the

gifts I have given her over 16 years,

enough cash to buy her first car!

It was a wonderful day and I am honored that

i was able to give her her first car.

It may not be much, but it is hers, paid in full

and she seems not affected at all that her Nannie

gave very few gifts as a child.

So if you have a little child you love,

be the one that instead of giving those toys they

won't play with by the end of the day, clothing

that they will either not like or will outgrow so quickly,

think of opening them a savings account so that

when they become "ready" you can have a hand

in their first car, house, etc.

I have never regretted this decision and if anything,

was honored that the smile on her face

when those keys were handed to her,

well, I played a small part in it!

I love you Cami-girl!

Thanksgivings and days of past

As I type this my oldest sister, 24 years my senior,

Lies in an ICU where after a few very scary days, is

Finally stable. Still very sick but we are so thankful 

She is still with us. It’s so common to say,

“I am thankful for her life” yet I am. As she tells me today

“Remember Lil how we always used to sit on the 

Cabinet at the big house”

And  I realize she is talking about our family home.

I had forgotten how just like her generation,

We all sat on the red and white kitchen cabinets too.

My mind and heart is flooded with those old memories

again. When Mom and Dad were both alive and it was

not questioned where we would spend our Thanksgivings.
It was always at the big house with all the family in tow. 

Then after Dad passed, I with my young family,

It was Thanksgiving at Veronica’s  And the next generation

Stayed longer to play board games and many of them

Followed me home after for a few nights of sleep overs. 

“I was there, Lilly, I was in the big house and we were all

There and I felt like I was falling off the counter

But mostly I was falling from all of y’all”

And I realize We are at yet another realm of our lives  

My children are grown with their own lives,

Minta, who used to be my sidekick, stands on the side
Of her mothers bed. Life, ever changing.
I awaken this morning to coffee already made and
A turkey prepared and put in the roaster by
The boo before he leaves for call week at 3 am.
I am thankful for this new normal.
A new Thanksgiving, a good one and different all the same.
I realize as I stood at my
Sisters bedside this morning that another era
Is approaching us. The first the Boo has without his own Mom,
The era where I know years will cause me to say goodbye to so
Many I love. Today it makes sense
When my Mom used to say
“Growing old is not all it’s cracked up to be while so many around you
Die”
And so what do I tell my dear oldest sister as she explains
“I knew if I fell off that counter I was gone from y’all”
I say
“ you know, it’s said Heaven can be whatever we want it to be
And for you, maybe your Heaven will
Be all of us together again in that big house on Dursette street
With all those we love, all the generations”
She contemplates this and finally shakes her head yes.
And I tell her with tears
“But not yet Taunt Mone”
She again shakes her head yes.
Today I am thankful for it all and for her
And for all the changes in my
55 years of living and for this Thanksgiving, and all those past
And all to come.
But mostly I’m thankful for all this World still has to offer me
And that when my time comes,
“I get to make my own Heaven and what a heaven it will be!”
( typed this on my phone so forgive any typo"s!)

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE IS NOT ONE SIDED....

How many times have I spoken of 

"wearing my rose colored glasses"?

More than I dozen I am sure and for whatever 

reason my world is nicer like that.

I have been so busy and can, I think, call myself 

an artist as from the day I painted a painting of 

one of my friends home I have been non-stop in painting

homes. No complaints, honestly, just find myself painting

morning until night.

Wednesday, however I took the morning to attend the

grandgirls Thanksgiving mass where I witnessed the smallest

of good deeds that melted my heart and found me

wiping away a few tears.

Cathy, the grand girls other grandmother (KD's Mom)

struggles with Parkinson's disease.

Cold weather makes it harder for her yet she wanted

to make mass so I scooped her up and we headed 

to St. John mass. Only the Bean is old enough for mass

as the other two rug rats cry when we leave.

Bean is always so conscious of making sure she spreads

her love between her two grandmothers.

I know she is just 7 but she understands, somehow,

that we both adore her.

When it was time for communion, although she will not

make her first communion until Spring, she likes

walking up, hands crossed over her chest, and get

a blessing. She held my hand up and Maw Maw was

in the back. It was a hard day for Maw Maw,

having to use her cane but she made the trek up there.

As I received my host and Bean her blessing,

I continued on but Bean stopped.

It took me a moment to realized what she was doing.

When I did my hear filled with pride for this child.

She let go my hand stopped, right there in front of

the whole congregation while her Maw Maw 

received communion.

Then I realized exactly what her plan, where her actions

were going....

She was waiting for her Maw Maw to help her back to her

seat. Oh, BE STILL ME HEART!

As Maw Maw Cathy walked away from the altar,

cane in hand, Bean held her other hand and walked

slowly with her down the aisle and all the way back

to our pew, made sure she was seated, then took her

place between her two grandmothers.

I bowed my head in prayer to cover my eyes 

that were wet. I don't know what Cathy and I did

to be grandparents to three sweet children but,

in the season of Thanksgiving, I am so very thankful

that our oldest grand girl is filled with the gift

of kindness and giving.

(written with Cathy's permission)