MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY, NEAR AND FAR.
2012 has been a year of Happenings.  Jim retired in March which has enabled us to take some trips, work on projects at home that we have been putting off.  My son got married to a beautiful girl in September and we love her.  I live in NC and they live in NV.  We went out for 3 weeks and since I don't fly, we drove.  You see so much more of the beautiful country this way.  My son has a daughter who will be 12 on Valentines Day and she is a Pitcher on a Fast Pitch Soft Ball Team and loves it.  She does great.  My daughter, who lives in NC and works in HR has a little boy who is 6 .  He was  2 pound preemie when he was born.  He is now in Kindergarten and doing great.  Jim's daughter's oldest was married this year and the two youngest girls are 10 and 13.  We took them to see the Christmas Lights in McAdenville, NC last week.  This little town has been a big 'thing to see' for the past 56 years.  They decorate the entire town, every house, every tree.  It is truly amazing.  My prayers for the new year is good health and happiness for all our children and grandchildren, and for Jim and me as well.  We are looking forward to a trip to the NC Outer Banks in late Spring to do some resting, relaxing, fishing and of course eating fresh seafood.  I pray for our great Nation because right now, we need God more than we ever have.  Family will be at my house for Christmas.  Lots of great food, fun and opening gifts.  Then, on December 26th, this tree is coming down and the decor will be put away.  I'm already thinking Spring.

My New Daughter

I have a new daughter-in-law.  Her name is Mary Liu Collins.  She is beautiful inside and out.  They live in Nevada.  We just returned home from a 3 week visit in Nevada to meet her and her son Andy.  What a blessing to have her in our family.  She taught English at the University before coming to Nevada.  She has a wonderful sense of humor, is so much fun to be around, very polite and family oriented.  They are both very happy and we are as well.  My son finished his MBA last year and I am very proud of him.  He is a great dad to his daughter Elora, who is almost 12.  She loves Fast Pitch Softball and is a pitcher on a Tournament Team.  She is also very creative, loves crafts, nail polish and shoes.  She is a lot like her Grammy! *smile*

My Friend Tracy

My friend and cousin, Tracy Glatz and her family came to NC to visit and do some researching while on vacation.  Tracy and I spent the day researching in Mitchell County, NC and visiting a few cemeteries.  She is as addicted to Family Researching as I am.  I have known her about 10 years, before she had her two pretty little girls, right after she was first married.  This is the first time we ever met and it was so great.  We both descend from the Grindstaff Family, a very large family that came from Germany in the 1700's.  I was accepted into the DAR in 2009 on this family line.  I was so excited to finally meet Tracy and her family.

If we keep expanding our family tree, doubling the number of grandparents with each generation, in 38 generations we have approximately 256 billion grandparents – a number that exceeds more than all the humans who ever inhabited the earth.  We exist on a tiny branch of the one human tree.

IT IS MAY, 2012

It is May and every year at this time I am thinking, no more cold weather. We had an early Spring and some of our little new leaves got bit, especially the Azaleas. I have been busy planting flowers, putting down mulch and pea gravel, planting the vegetable gardens (well, helping hubby). BUT!!! I am also spending a lot of time each day with my Genealogy. I hope to do 3 Family History Books this year. One on my husband's family, a Vol II on my mother's family and a Vol II on my dad's family. What a wonderful hobby this is. When I first started doing genealogy in 1978, there were only a handful of us out there. We had no internet, no computers and the only way to research was what I call, 'Leg Work'. You went to the library, courthouses, cemeteries. You corresponded with others. You subscribed to Genealogy magazines and placed queries. Now we have Ancestry.com, Rootsweb, Genealogy.com, Family Search.org and many others. Find A Grave.com is a great source of info as well. I have found all kind of new cousins thanks to Facebook too!

Spring

I am so glad it is finally Spring. I am enjoying the warm and sunny days. We have the garden ready to start planting. In fact we have a few things out now. We are both home now so are getting a lot of things done around the house and yard. I am thankful for each day. A new day is a gift.

HAVE A BEAUTIFUL AND BLESSED EASTER

Jesus Loves Me; Easter Tells Me So

Jesus loves me, this I know;
The Easter story tells me so.
He died for me to bear my sin;
He opened heaven to let me in.

Yes, Jesus loves me;
Yes Jesus loves me;
Yes Jesus loves me;
Easter tells me so.

Jesus loved me when He died,
Loved me enough to be crucified.
But His death didn't last very long,
Because His power is so strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me;
Yes Jesus loves me;
Yes Jesus loves me;
Easter tells me so.

When I die, I'll rise up, too.
We'll all be in heaven, me and you.
We'll see Jesus face to face.
Up in heaven, that happy place.

Yes, Jesus loves me;
Yes Jesus loves me;
Yes Jesus loves me;
Easter tells me so.

The Easter story brings much joy
To us all, each girl and boy.
Jesus is my Savior now;
Heaven and earth to Him must bow.

Yes, Jesus loves me;
Yes Jesus loves me;
Yes Jesus loves me;
Easter tells me so.
By Joanna Fuchs

Happy St. Patricks Day

MY DADDY ALWAYS SAID WE WERE PART SCOTCH IRISH. WE MUST BE BECAUSE I LOVE SHAMROCKS (HAVE A BEAUTIFUL ONE WITH WHITE FLOWERS) AND I LOVE THIS SWEET HOLIDAY. I am continuing to work on my genealogy, trying to do two books this year and help others with theirs. Also, looking to Spring. So ready for warm days.

HAPPY VALENTINES

How Do I Love Thee?
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Happy Birthday to my Son, Don

January 31st is my son's birthday. 41 years ago, on this very day, he was born. It was a cold, cold day. I remember being in the delivery room and the windows were fogged up, due it being so warm inside and cold outside. He was my first baby. I learned about babies from him. He taught me about life, maturity, patience and love. He depended on me. He scheduled my days and nights. I had never changed a diaper in my life until I changed his. I loved him with all my heart and soul. I can't believe it has been this many years ago because it seems like yesterday. It seems like yesterday that he cried after me, brought me little flowers from the yard, that he drew an outline of his little hand on a paper plate for me for Mother's Day. I am thankful that God chose me to be his mother and I am thankful that God chose him to be my son. I love you Donnie, with all my heart. Happy Birthday. Mom