Maybe It's just me

I have read that sometimes you can see a person's soul in a black and white photo. 

I don't know, maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm looking to hard. . .  Maybe I just know him that well. 

But you know what? I think I can see his soul here.  

I see a young man that works hard and puts everything he has into most things he does. I see beauty and kindness and just a little bit of his wild side.  .  . All in this photo.

Maybe it's just me. But, that's what I see. 

ABC Wednesday

Black and White Wednesday

A Lesson in Friendship

It seems strange to me I'm just getting around to posting again after letting another two weeks go by.  Things are settling down around here but, I guess sometimes things like these just take a while. 

So the short story today is: I heart faces is holding another photo contest. The theme for this contest is Friendship.  As we all know, friendship comes in all sizes, shapes and colors. You just never know where you'll find it. 

 When I think of friendship, I can't help but think of Tommy. He's the hippy on the right. The man with the bandanna around his head, holding the red cup.  Tommy is my brother George's friend.  He has been around for. . . well. . .I guess, forever. The other guy in this photo, holding the yellow cup, is my brother George's son. . .Little, Bigger George, as I loving call him. 

 The  one thing I always think of when I see Tommy is how genuine he is. What you see is what you get: a true, loyal friend. 

 I will never forget the action Tommy took when our father died. He cut his hair, shaved, bought himself a suit, arrived at the mortuary early, before any of us got there and waited outside for his friend George.  

Tommy told me that night. . . when I saw him standing there waiting: "I don't want anyone of you walking in there alone tonight. Your father was better to me then my own father and I will always be grateful for that."  In his kindness, Tommy offered to walk in with me because, Mark had gone to be with my mother. I told Tommy I would be okay, I had my kids with me and then I remember Tommy saying; "I'm just going to wait right here for George. . . so I don't miss him and he doesn't have to walk in alone. " and my heart filled with love that night. . . and I'll never forget the lesson in friendship a man named Tommy taught me without even trying the night of October 2, 2009.   

~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

52 weeks of happiness

My 3 Boybarians

Communal Global

Yadda Yadda Yadda

Have you ever had a week. . . or two. . . that you just wanted to yadda yadda yadda over?  Those weeks that the hours and days just seem to run into each other because the stress of that time seemed to be more then you can handle.  

You know those days, we all have them. 

Those times when life seems to be going well and then suddenly, "yadda yadda yadda" your heart skips a beat, you hold your breath for days, time stops and the hours run into each other until someone says, "With a few changes and yadda yadda yadda things will be okay."

That was my week last week. 

 I felt so over whelmed and tired I wanted to "yadda yadda yadda" over it all. . . just to get through. 

So here's what happened; the doctor said Mark must have had a little virus maybe a month or so ago.  Then silently that little virus turned into something we never knew could happen. We didn't even notice any of it at first. Suddenly Mark ended up in the hospital for what seemed like weeks. . . but, it was only a couple of days. 

And yadda, yadda, yadda he will be fine and most importantly, the beat goes on.  

~Thank God~

A Photo Prop & a Fifth Birthday

The photo challenge over at I Heart Faces this week is using props in your photos. With this I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to catch up a little bit on all things blogging and I thought I could use this picture of Liz and her giant sized teddy bear. 

 Honestly, since I came home from Massachusetts and my uncles funeral last week it has been nothing but go, go, go.  I will be telling you all about our trip soon. The real reason I came to talk to you today is ~ hold on to your hat now:                

I have a confession to make.  

Her Birthday was July 7th. 

11 DAYS ago and I haven't posted about it yet. Can you believe that?  What a bad blogging mommy I am. Honestly, I have been so swamped with things going on around here since I came home, I just haven't had a chance to put a birthday post up. I left Mark with four kids, a business to run and lots and lots of laundry to do. While I was gone one of the things that happened last week was Stevie Wonder bought himself a new toy. You know how he loves to build and tinker. This time he bought  a dremel. With this new toy, he  cut his finger badly again this summer.  It really does take two of us to keep an eye on things  and so when one of us is gone and then we come back home the punishment is. . .more work to do. 

Blogging had to be the last thing on the list. 

Even though her 5th birthday was July, 7th. . .11 days ago. . . I just couldn't get to a post about it.  


I will have you know, according to her, the birthday went off just grand and The Best Nana ever bought the best present ever.      AND  now, she's 5 and 11 days.  and I think. . .

Blogging and posting is not the most important thing. 

Right??? 

Uhhh??? Hello??? 

 HELLO??? 

I also figured, What the heck! I would play along with the ladies from Communal Global  and Sweet Shot Tuesday. 

Uncle Joe

Our Father's Brother,   Joseph J. Finnell Jr , has died today.

Growing up my Father and Uncle Joe were very close. . . like brothers should be. But, they were more then that. These two were best friends. 

 The loyalty of their relationship for both men lasted a life time.  

 As the two grew older and distance separated them the love the brothers had for each other  reached 1000 miles and grew in their children.  Even though my brothers, sisters and I didn't know Uncle Joe very well the stories of their childhood together lived on in our father. Our father loved and admired his brother. We delighted in hearing the stories of years gone past of the two friends growing up in the city of Boston; selling papers at a very young age,  jumping on street cars for a free ride, dreaming on the deck of a yacht they could only sneak on and just simply running amok.                        

  I can only think as Uncle Joe's daughter said ~  "The brothers are together again." 

It is with a heavy heart we say, Rest in Peace Uncle Joe. We all have a great love for you. 

If I posted in May

I can't believe it's almost the middle of June July 4rd ~ Independence day and I'm just now getting around to finishing this post I wanted to put up from May.  There was so much I wanted to tell you about. Sure you know about the big party and the blast from the past, but, really there was so much more. 

For weeks I had planned this post in my mind but I never really took the time to get to it done.

              Now I wonder. . .  Is it to late? 

I mean it's July for crying out loud. It's Independence day. I should be putting up pictures of fireworks. I would if I had one decent shot from the night. But, I don't. So now here I am thinking, should I go backwards and just post what I had planned or what?  I am behind on this thing. I do enjoy posting very much. 

AND I think. . .

If I posted in May one of the things I most definitely would have put on would be this picture. It's of Matthew going to the prom with good friends. I also would have told you how bad I  felt about missing the whole getting ready for prom,  dress up and posing for picture thing.  

I would have told you I missed the before prom "thing" because I was in N.C. at David's confirmation.  I am sure I would have reminded everyone that David is Mark's sister's son. I'm just like that. . . I really don't like to leave people hanging and keep them wondering ab... 

Then I would have said Mark was David's Confirmation sponsor and the serves was quite lovely. I really was happy we were there. 

I would have told you not to worry to much about me missing the festivities for Matthew because I didn't  actually miss seeing him in his Tux.   When I asked Matthew to put the tux on for me the day before he quickly obliged.  He's a good son and ~ we all know ~ he loves his momma.  

I would have told you how I happily adjusted the vest and took pictures of my very handsome son that day. 

I remember thinking ~  I really wish I could be a the meeting place with all the other moms for the picture fun. You know to make sure everything went off okay and just to make sure my little boy would be alright with those people and that girl.   

 Who is very lovely by the way. I really do like her very much.  

 ~  This is "my baby" we are talking about.  My Little boy. . . He's only 6ft. 2 inches in height and you know something could happen to him. 

~  and then the it occurred to me ~ 

 

 If Mark and I couldn't be there on this very important night. . . then who would be the next best person to send.  

Who did I know with experience in this kind of thing? This person had to be someone that could go undercover and check things out without being to pushy or maybe  this person could be just pushy enough but could get away with it.    You know the type.  But, who???

The Best Nana Ever! That's who. . .

She did a superb job! and all went well with the night.  The kids had a great time. 

One thing I know I would have liked to post in May would have been this picture. It’s a picture of Brian and Father Theo at Brian’s First Communion. I would have mentioned how happy and excited Brian was to finally receive the Body of Christ.

I also would have mentioned all this took place the same day as the big party. I would have mentioned how the whole day was a world wind of changing clothes, getting ready and celebrations for us all. I would have mentioned this very important fact about Brian on this post. . .if I posted in May. But, you know what? I totally forgot.

I totally forgot to even post this picture.

I even forgot my camera that morning and last night after I hit post on this post, I went to bed. Then it hit me, I remembered I completely forgot about Brian’s First Communion.

As the family reporter it’s my duty to remember these things.  Don’t you think?

I even forgot my three older kids served for this very important Mass. I would like to think I would have told you all about IF I remembered my camera that morning. I was lucky my sister had remembered hers. I mean after all. This is her kid. We were lucky one of us was thinking that morning. 

The next thing I would have told you about. . .If I posted in May ...was about Kathryn running with the Girls on the Run group. I would have told you how awesome the whole Girls on the Run  organization is and how happy I was we got involved with this club. Kathryn and her new friends trained for months together. The finial test was "the Swamp Rabbit 5k". The girls, their moms and everyone else in the state ran this thing.  It was so wonderful. We had a great time.  I tell you there will be more of these for her.  

My last post for May probably would have mentioned the Peterson family moved; we said goodbye to our Stephanie,  baby Aubrey and Steph's husband Brian.  If I posted this picture I think I would have wanted to say something like ~ WOW! They're a good looking family. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

And just because It's not May, it's is July 4,  Independence Day. . . and most importantly to him,  it's this guys birthday I have to say. . . 

Happy Birthday Brian!!!!!! 

The Hoverath  July 4th Baby.

http://my3boybarians.com/

A Simple Life

Dear Mr. President,

I realize you are quite a busy man and may not have time for a letter such as this. I consider myself a simple girl, so I will get right to the point.

The high cost of fuel has put quite a strain on the palace budget. With the sky rocketing prices of: gas, food, grain and education our little family  has meet up with hard times.

 

It is with great sadness that I must say . . . we are considering selling the family carriage. If you wouldn’t mind focusing more on the economy, Charming and I would consider it a personal favorer.

With Love and affection forever yours,

Cinderella 

A Ton of Whimsy

 The assignment over at I Heart Faces is A Touch of Whimsy

Okay, so maybe I went over board on the "touch of" whimsy today.  

But, doesn't this photo just scream whimsical to you? You can't help but laugh and feel good as , soon to be, 9 year old Brian joyfully jumps into the pool in such an energetic and whimsical way.  

I Heart Faces &  A Ton of Whimsy

In The Studio of our Lives

 On this Fabulous Friday we are redefining the finer things in life while we embrace every moment in the Studio of our Lives. . .

  ~ as we discover when you put the letters O and  Y  together ~ 

they make this wonderful sound "OY"

As in:  Boy and Toy

Before you know it,  you have added two more words to the growing list of things you can read. . . and write.  

And much to our Joy and Delight our world opens up to endless possibilities.


Playing along with: 


In The Studio, The Finer Things in Life and 

. . .In A Box

You know what they say: With age comes wisdom. . . 

and then again, they say: Great things come in small packages. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

I guess you could say both of these statements are very true. 

Just last night my mom and I were talking about my dad. Mary Elizabeth was there and she noticed just how very  sad  " the best Nana ever" was getting while the best Nana talked about her beloved husband. 

In a very wise and mature voice Lizzy said: " Nana, you don't have to miss Grandpa. He lives in your heart."    

~ "See, I'll show you."~ 

Because our wisest and littlest one didn't know how to draw a heart, Elizabeth asked "the best Nana ever" to draw a heart for her. 

So Nana drew the heart and Liz goes on to say in her wisest voice. . .

"See, just like this Nana." "He's little, tiny." "In your heart." and Liz drew a little, tiny man. . . in Nana's heart. 

Liz then says. . ."Oh! but, In a box." 

and then she lovingly drew a box around her grandpa. . . in Nana's heart.  

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

You see, the last time Mary Elizabeth saw her grandpa it was at his funeral. She had just turned three years old.  She knows her grandpa has died and has gone to heaven "to be with the Saints and Angles".  We tell her this all the time. 

What she can't figure out is  ~ why in the world he has gone to this place called heaven. . . and. . .Why?. . .  In a box of all things.  

and the house broke out into laughter and the Best Nana Ever said. . . 

"Boy! Would Grandpa love that." 


Playing along with:  



Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

Busy Bees & A Birthday

Remember this? The suite not the kid.

 The kid is Stephen, my 16 year old gentle giant. He stands at 6' 5" and has a heart filled with gold.  I always say, Stephen needs a big body to hold that big heart of his. He is just a super kid. 

Enough about Stephen ~ I want to talk about the Bees:

Sunday it was time to see what the bees were up to all winter long; to see what T.V. shows they have been watching, to see what they had done with the place they call home. You know, just to see what's been up. 

And maybe just maybe to ask them nicely if . . . gee, I don't know. . . If they have any honey to spare?

So that's what we did Sunday. . .We checked on the bees. 

And just because I am so very brave, I went with Stephen when he went "a knocking".

I stood a heroic 25 feet away and used the zoom on my camera to take pictures of Stephen us checking on the bees. 

 Because I am such an awesome mother and I would do anything for my son ~ I gently put the camera down. I backed up another ten feet while Stephen walked towards me to get the camera so HE WE could take close up pictures. 

 Now, can't you see just where his gentle heart comes from? 

Speaking of me. . . Today is June 21 ~ The first day of summer and most importantly the beginning of my birthday week. 

Just so you know: It has become my person policy to accept Birthday wishes, card, letters, gifts all week long. 

Linking up with: Communal Global & Sweet Shot Tuesday 

Boy! Oh! Boy!

Over at I Heart Faces today the challenge is to take a picture with boys in it. 

AND 

BOY! Oh! BOY! Do we have boys in this family.  

So let's hear it for the boys as my brothers kid slides down the railing into the pool. 

Just because it's fun.