I LOVE YOU SO MUCH IT HURTS ME

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH IT HURTS ME

Written by Floyd Tillman
(As recorded by Patsy Cline 8/24/61)

I love you so much, it hurts me
Darlin, that's why I'm so blue
I'm so afraid to go to bed at night
Afraid of losing you

I love you so much, it hurts me
And there's nothing I can do
I want to hold you my dear, forever and ever
I love you so much, it hurts me so


I love you so much, it hurts me
And there's nothing I can do
I want to hold you my dear, forever and ever
I love you so much, it hurts me so.

Some of you "old-timers" will remember this song. I am using it for this post, but it doesn’t apply in some ways.

It seems the singer (song-writer) doesn’t have much self-confidence. Afraid to go to bed at night? Afraid of losing you? Maybe when I was a teenager I felt that way, but now, if I’m going to lose sleep afraid of someone leaving me, I realize that person shouldn’t be a priority anyway.

As one gets older, and eternity is more on her mind, she realizes she won’t have those she loves much longer......or they won’t have her as the case may be. Then, the next verse is applicable. I want to hold you my dear forever and ever.

Neither of those thoughts are what this post is about though. Here goes:

Have you ever loved to the point of hurting? I have many, many shortcomings, but the ability to love is not one of them. I love just about everyone and everything. Of course there are those individuals whom I love more than others. There are even individuals close to me that I have different type loves for. And, I know there are people, even within my own family, who love me more than others.....and that’s okay and normal.

I don’t hold grudges.....sometimes I recall hurts and disappointments, but do not hold grudges. I think I’m quick to forgive. Ask my children, I am about the last one to give up on someone. There are those who were once in the family that others have given up on and yet I hold on to some hope......not that they will return to the family, as this would be impossible, but that they will change. I want the best, now and for eternity, for all concerned.

I don’t know where this comes from, but like to credit it to God and trying to please Him. One side of my family was not this way. Most everyone of them held grudges long after the fact. To my knowledge, they all found it within their hearts to let those old festering sores heal before they died. I remember as a child that I knew that wasn’t right and didn’t want to be that way.

Sometimes though loving till it hurts......really hurts! There are times I think of my family and friends with so much love in my heart that I feel it will burst. When I feel this way I also feel inferior as I feel no one, literally no one, ever has or ever will love me like that. No matter how much I’m assured of someone’s love I know in my heart they could never love me as I do them. That might be lack of self-confidence but in my mind it is reality.

When my phone rings, or I get a text, it is rare that I don’t answer right away. If it is impossible at the moment, I always return the call within a very short time. In my mind this is not only courteous but shows my love for that person. It shows they are important. It shows I care about them and what they have to say. Not so, with some. I have called or texted those who tell me how much they love me and get their answering machine. Then, it might be days or longer before my call is returned. I question, "How important I am to that person when this happens." I know I talk too much......way too much.... and figure that is one reason they do not want to return my calls. I’ve told some that one day there is going to be a death in the family and the person will be buried before the one called returns my call. Just kidding of course, but I won’t leave a message on an answering machine telling of the death of a close family member.

Now all you arm chair Psychologists, Psychiatrists and Counselors go to work. I am a case in progress. Whatever you tell me, I will keep on loving and caring, and from time to time calling even if I don’t get a call back!

The other day I was thinking of all those whom I love so deeply that it hurts and tried to call a couple only to get the answering machine. Then, woe unto me.......I wondered if I was actually worthy of love.......and guess what......God had placed reminders of love all around me!

 

I found a heart waiting for me in my toast. Was God reminding me of His unconditional love for me?

 

 

Each morning as I eat breakfast on the deck I am reminded of hearts that are broken.  If we come to God with our broken and contrite hearts He will heal them.

 

Psalm 73:21-26

When my heart was grieved

and my spirit embittered,

I was senseless and ignorant;

I was a brute beast before you.

Yet I am always with you;

you hold me by my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,

and afterward you will take me into glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you?

And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart

and my portion forever.

 

 

 

On the deck and in the flower beds, God places hearts.  I like to use this as a reminder to keep my mind and heart of Him every hour of every day and to remember what He has done for Me!  I know I am considered worthy in His sight for He allowed His Son to shed His blood to save Me!

 

2 Thessalonians 1:5-6

All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.

 

 

Even with our torn and tattered lives God loves us.  When our hearts were as ragged as could be He made them whole by the blood of Christ.

 





 

Romans 5:6-11

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

 

 

A Bump in the Road....Maybe

Many of you know that we have decided on another adventure in our lives.  We are planning to move to Huntsville, Alabama in order to be closer to more family.  This move is not a fly-by-night decision as we have thought, discussed and prayed for quite awhile about it.  There are many reasons we would like to stay right here until the end.  Some of them being:

 

1.  We have been accustomed to being anywhere from a few minutes to a little over an hour from our youngest son, Frank since 1986.  He lives about 45 minutes from us at present.

2.  He was married last December to a lovely lady who we are getting closer and closer to and love as our own.  Just as this relationship is growing we hate to leave her.

3.  Frank's two boys have always had Granddad and Grandma close by and we have a relationship with them that distance will not sever, though we love being close enough to see them often.  At the moment 22 year old, Jordan is in Columbus, Ohio  which is about one and a half to two hours away.  Landen, on the other hand, will be closer when we move to Huntsville as he is attending Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee.

 

Jordan, Becky, Frank and Landen Wright

December 21, 2013



 

4.  We love our house and it is the "old homestead" to most of the grandchildren.  However, it is just that.....a house!  Wherever we live will be home to all of our family.

5.  Our Church Family is near and dear to us.  We have grown to love them more than most of them can comprehend.  It will be hard leaving them.  Doyal has preached here.....sometimes sharing the pulpit, but in recent years preaching each Sunday.....since 1989 or 1990.  We have both taught Bible classes as long.  I love my children and will certainly hate to leave them.

 

Some of my Bible class students with our adopted daughter, Margie.

April 2014 right after her lung surgery.

 



6.  We enjoy living in Lawrenceburg and especially enjoy the distinct seasons.

 

My Bible class children in our back yard.

There are other reasons we hate to leave but here are a few reasons we have decided to make the move at this time.

 

1.  We are getting a bit older (84 and 79 respectively.)

2.  In Huntsville there are 33 family members living less than 10 miles. By the time we get there there could be 7 more making it 42 counting the two of us.

3.  IF we ever need assistance it won't be left up to just one family member to take care of us......there will be several who will be willing to share the burden.

 

Just a few of the family members in Huntsville.

 



4.  We know lots of people in Huntsville already and will not have to be concerned about finding new friends...although I know we will find some.

 

Our oldest (the one we've had the longest) friend in Huntsville, Nancy Cantrell.

 

 

Two of my newest friends in the area, Pat Blair and Mary Ann Wallace



We were planning to rent either a small house or apartment until Claudia talked us into moving in with her.  So, now we're making plans to re-arrange her life! She has three bedrooms at the present time.  When we get there she will have hers, we'll have the one she has been calling ours since she bought the house and the three of us will share the other as a study/guest room.  Our first order of business will be a large storage shed which we'll have installed before our arrival.  Then, the next thing will be a large screened-in back porch as extra living space.  Later if we think we need/want it, we will build in the garage for another living area.  When all of her 15 grandchildren come these old folks might decide we need to lock ourselves in another room.  (Just joking....we love all of them!)





 

Doyal busy at work with the drawings for the new screened-in porch.

 

Claudia came up last week end to help start packing and moving.  You should have seen that girl go!  She had her little Nissan hatchback packed like I've never seen a car packed before.  A few more trips like that and we might not have to rent a truck!  I really don't think she will be able to fit our couch or bed in there though.  Ha.

 

Sweet, wonderful, hard working Claudia Beth

 

 

We've been hard at work today going through file cabinets, reorganizing and pitching things.



So now for the bump in the road.  Yesterday we had a follow-up appointment with our doctor after having blood drawn last week.  I was pretty good except that he says I'm pre-diabetic which I have been for awhile.  On the other hand, healthy-as-a-horse Doyal, still had low red and white blood count and also platelets.  All three were a little bit up  from the test in April though.  Dr. Eiler thinks his problem is Myelodysplasia.  He also thinks the rash all over his body is caused from that as well.  Of course he can't be sure unless he does further testing. For the time being Doyal has decided to do nothing.  This will not keep us from moving.....it just makes me want to get to Huntsville sooner to be nearer more family. 

 

Today we started walking again and I have given up Cokes.  (Sad). I plan to start cooking better meals as well.  These are some of the things Dr. Eiler suggested.....not cooking better meals because I didn't volunteer to tell him how I cooked.

 

It is beautiful walking on the levee and watching the traffic up and down the Ohio River less than 3 miles from our house.

I solicit your prayers for Doyal's health and for us as we prepare another chapter in our lives!

 

 

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:........." 

 Ecclesiastes 3:1 and following.



Prayer continues

I'd like to share a few more things concerning prayer.  Some you might find a bit humorous, some trivial and some quite serious.

 

I suppose somewhere along the line we taught our children the need, joy and value of prayer.  I remember when Claudia and Allen were quite small, Pre-Paula, we had them kneel beside their beds and pray.  At first it was the bedtime prayer:  "Now I lay me down to sleep."  Soon we graduated to praying for the things for which we were thankful and things we requested of God.  I tried to have them not get into the habit of just a rote prayer, but to think of different things for which to be thankful, or for different needs. 

 

Here we are with our children in 1963 during their formative years.

 

It seems this must have taken effect even down to the 5th child.  Frank certainly believed his mother's prayers had clout with God.  From a very early age he would ask me to pray that he do well on a test and things like that.  Many times when he was older, junior high and high school, he would call from the school phone and remind me to pray that he make a good grade on a test he was about to take.  I always told him the same......I would be praying he would recall everything he studied for the test.  I didn't want him to think he didn't have to do his part and fail to study!

 

 

Frank as a Senior in High School.  He was still asking for prayers on his tests, as well as other things.  Needless to say, he graduated with honors both from High School, College and with his Masters!

 

 

One day he proved to me how much he believed in the power of prayer.  He was an excellent basketball (as well as football) player and seemed to live and breath each sport during the season.

 

 

Here is Frank as 7th grade quarterback talking over a play with his coach.

 

One morning when he was still in grade school he requested that I pray for him to be 6'4" and black!  I wondered why in the world such a request.  He explained that the very best basketball players were tall and black.  He also said that he had observed the Lord answered prayers just a little less than was asked ( I have NO idea where he got that notion) and he really wanted to be at least 6'3".  I had some explaining to do!  I've never known, at least in my lifetime, God to change a person's color, and in our family, I had never known anyone to reach 6'  on either side (we have a couple over that now; one being Frank's youngest son.) He was never stretched past his present height of 5'9" and the blackest he's ever been is when he got a good sun tan (which he has now after spending two months in Florida.)

 

 



 

Here is Frank as a little fellow in his Miami Dolphin uniform (He's still a fan) and as an adult, the darkest he's been in a long time.

 

I shared in my last post about the chess tournament, the deer and the snow.  Now, I'd like to tell you about our daughter, Claudia's, prayers.  She is one of the most powerful prayer warriors I know.  If I have a need I usually go to her first, though I request prayers from all of my children and a few of my friends who I know to believe in the power of prayer. 

 

Claudia has been through a lot of struggles in her life and I know there must have been times she probably wanted to just give up, but she didn't.  Through it all I've rarely seen her without a smile on her face and a song in her heart......in fact if you ever visit her don't be surprised to hear singing as she sings all the time! And.....she prays about everything. She prays for marriages, divorces, babies, friends, family and people she rarely knows.  And, she thanks God for answered prayers as well as those He hasn't answered as requested.  She knows God has other plans.  She doesn't worry about jobs or houses as she knows God will supply the things she needs.  And He always has!

 

Last year she was able to buy her first house as a single lady. The kitchen appliances, minus the fridge were included in the house.  She really wanted a French door refrigerator but only had a certain amount to spend on it.  She had looked and looked but found nothing she could afford.  She was about to give up and was on her way home when she decided to stop by one more store and check there.  She pulled into the parking lot at Home Depot, turned off the engine and prayed,  "Lord, if you want me to have a French door refrigerator let me find a white one in the 'scratch & dent' area to match the other appliances and for X amount of $'s or less." (I can't remember the amount).  She walked in, back to 'scratch & dent' and there it was; a white, French door, with tiny scratch on the side toward the back and just a few $'s more than she asked!  Now, maybe you think the Lord had nothing to do with this.  That's okay. But. I chose to believe He provided just what she wanted.....no more, no less.

 

 

 

 

Just a few days ago Claudia needed (wanted) some old wood for a project she had in mind.  Two of her grandchildren were with her and she told them what she wanted and told them they should all pray if it was God's will that they find some weathered wood beside the road ready for the garbage truck.  Later, on the way home, she asked God to provide the wood in order to show the children the power of prayer.  And, there it was....just what she wanted right beside the road just waiting to be picked up.  And here's the results of that prayer....by the way....the two 15 year old grandchildren give God the credit!

 

 

Weathered wood hanger over the TV, an answer to prayer.

 

 

A true prayer warrior!  And sometimes the Lord blesses us with little things and smiles.

The weekend of her 60th birthday celebration we, along with our best friends, Nancy Cantrell (mine) and Nannette Cantrell Lyon (Claudia's) stopped at Cracker Barrel and Claudia found this lying among the merchandise.

 

The effective prayer of a righteous man (woman) can accomplish much. James 5:15

 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

Prayer

I have so many thoughts swimming around in my head.  Some are "post worthy" and some probably don't amount to a hill of beans.  I didn't plan to post except once a week or less as I'm sure people would get tired of numerous posts, However, I just can't get this out of my head and feel I just have to share.  I pray you will find it beneficial.

From the time I was very young I was a very prayerful person.  I prayed about everything, large and small.  I want to share a couple of things that were obtained through prayer.....or at least I feel they were.

Back in 1966 when we were coming back to the States by ship.....21 days of sailing if I remember correctly......Doyal entered a chess tournament.  He was a pretty good chess player back in the day but for the final match his opponent was very good as well.  So, being the good wife that I am, I prayed for him to win the tournament.  And, of course he did!  I was excited to tell him that I prayed for his win. He thanked me but cautioned,  "We shouldn't be bothering the Lord with trivial things like chess tournaments."  From then on I was more cautious about my prayers.  I weighed whether I should bother the Lord or not.  Once Doyal realized the effect his statement had on my prayer life he apologized and encouraged me to get back on my schedule of praying about even the smallest of things.  He still encourages me, as I will admit that I don't go to the Lord with the faith of a little child as I once did.

 

 

I don't think this was the ship that we returned home on.   It is one of the old P & O liners that traveled the Oceans back in the day though.

 

The next example I want to share with you is quite interesting.  We had one of the native Islanders visiting with us from September until early December in 1966.  Fiapati was born in the Ellis Islands and later moved to The Fiji Islands.  Of course he had never seen snow.  It was fresh on my mind not to bother the Lord with little things, but I thought and thought that it would be so neat if Fiapati could experience snow since he never had, nor probably never would.  I also wished and wished, but didn't actually ask God for it.  Then it happened!  The earliest Snowfall (1 inch or greater): 4.0 inches - November 2, 1966 recorded in Huntsville!

 

 

Fiapati Elisara in Fiji 1967.

 

The children and I coaxed Fiapati outside and pelted him with snowballs.  He joined in and we had a good snowball fight until it got too cold for that Islander's thin blood.  He stayed inside quite a bit of the time until the snow melted, but he did get to experience something most Islands only dream of.

 

 

We only have slides of Fiapati in the snow.  Here are Claudia age 12 and Frank age 3 with their first ever snow man.  The snow was beginning to melt when this was taken.

 

A few days later I asked Doyal,  "Do you think God answers prayers that we just think about and wish for but do not actually ask for."  He knew right away what I had done and asked,  "Did you pray for that snow?"

And the final story for today.  We moved to North Dakota in 1970 when our oldest son, Allen was almost 14 years old.  Deer hunting is BIG up there and Allen soon began to want to hunt.  Doyal hunted some when he was younger, but never was interested after we married.  You know good daddies, they will move mountains for their children.  So, within a few years Doyal and Allen looked forward to deer season.  I can't remember for sure, but I think it was the last year Allen was at home that the following happened.  They had been out a couple of time and had no luck. The last day of the season they went out for one final time.  I had to take some of the other children to Grand Forks, about 60 miles away, to the orthodontist that day and on the way there and back I prayed they would get a deer.  I requested that if they both could not get one, to at least let Allen get one.  We arrived home to find Mother standing out back.  She almost shouted,  "Guess what happened today?"  She had a smile on her face so I knew it was nothing bad.  I parked, walked around the garage and there was Allen with HIS deer.  I confessed to Doyal that I had prayed for that and how I prayed.  He grinned and replied,  "Next time ask for me one too."

 

 

Allen's senior picture.  The picture we have of him with his deer is a slide.

 

Now, don't get me wrong.  I have always prayed for important things like sickness, travels etc. and have thanked God for answers to those prayers as well as many other things, but I've been more careful about the little things.  Starting now I am going back to talking to Him about everything, both small and large.  And, the next post will definitely be of interest if any of this has.

I know some would disagree with me about my views of prayer and that's okay.  I love you just the same!

 

"And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive."

Matthew 21:22

 

 

   

I'm Back!!!

I haven't posted anything on my blog since January 4 and I've certainly missed it.  Many (well.....perhaps three or four) have asked why and when.  I have a lot of "whys."  Actually there are too many to go into detail.  I'll sum it up by saying this:  Computer problems that wiped out everything, two different Google accounts that confused me, turning 79 and realizing my brain is fast fading (it doesn't understand technology as it once did.....hey, wait!  It never did understand technology, so scratch that excuse), had to have major help getting back on my account.....(Thanks to my favorite Dyer grandson who spent a "few" hours, I'm back up and running).  And further, we were on a two month long trip and I did very little on the computer, came home and spent three weeks pretty much in bed.  Now I'm feeling 95% and ready to get back in the swing of things so maybe I'll post more often for the many who are begging me to post.  Oh well, as I said the three of four and begging is a stretch also, it just makes me feel better and as I have said before, "It's ALL About ME!"  Is that really what I said.....Nope the statement was, "It's NOT All About Me."  So, first of all:

THANKS JOSH!

 

What would I do without my tech-smart grandson!

 

 

Next, and briefly if that is possible:  We are planning to get back to our Alabama roots within the next year.  We have been married 61 years, 3 month and 24 days as of tonight at 6 pm CST and have lived in this house 25 years, 3 months and 28 days.  Because of these years, and the fact that we are both "savers," we have a LOT of stuff.  Much of it is of no interest to anyone except us so we are trying our best to work on at least one room each week and get it cleaned, sorted and packed.  We're having success with many of the rooms but now are working on the study.  Wow!  This IS work because we tend to read every paper, bulletin, sermon, etc. etc. before we let them go to the land of no return....the shredder!

 

Our baby daughter, Sharon, and her husband spent two nights with us on their way back from northern Ohio where they went to be with John's mother who is quite ill.  During the time they were here our grandson, Jordan was here for a night.  Sharon and Jordan, with my supervision, got our bedroom closet cleaned out and organized and after Jordan left Sharon got a hard-to-reach kitchen cabinet emptied and put the few things back in that we just can't live without. This was a huge help!

 

 

Sharon and Jordan at the airport when we took Jordan for his trip to Florida to spend time with Frank and Becky.

 

 

I won't bore you with anything else on this post.  Will leave you with the following words from one of my favorite songs:



 

 

"This world is not my home, I'm just a passing thru. 

My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue; 

The angels beckon me from heaven's open door,

And I can't feel at home in this world anymore."

Oh my, my, my! I just realize I’m beginning to get old. I began pondering over the fact this morning and here is what I observed:

You know you’re getting old when your "baby" is over 50.

You know you’re getting old when your oldest grandchild is over 40.

You know you are getting old when 5 of your 31 great-grandchildren are in High School.

You know you are getting old when you are expecting your 32^nd and 33^rd great-grandchildren soon.

You know you are getting old when bones creak at odd times during the night and day.

You know you are getting old when you inquire about your high school class mates to learn they are dead.

You know you are getting old when you rarely have to shave your legs but should shave your face everyday.....or at least have it waxed OFTEN.

You know you are getting old when waitresses call your husband "honey" and neither you nor he mind at all.

You know you are getting old when suddenly you begin to sing/hum/whistle regardless of where you are and you aren’t embarrassed.....you just continue and even louder.

You know you are getting old when noises escape your body unexpected......and it doesn’t embarrass you nearly as much as it did when your mother did it.

You know you are getting old when you go into a room and have to stand there for quite awhile to remember why you’re there in the first place.

You know you are getting older when you have to leave that room and retrace your steps to try and remember even if it was important or not.

You know you are getting old when you give your husband instructions of how to dress/redress you before help comes if you get deathly sick or die during the night.

You know you are getting old when you have to think about how old you really are because your mind doesn’t admit you are that age.

You know you are getting old when you think more about death and dying and are actually looking forward to it.

You know you are getting old when you can’t deep-clean a room without stopping awhile....sometimes in my case it’s days.

You know you are getting old when you can look back and remember many "new" inventions and when they were invented.

You know you are getting old when you think your 16 year old car might be the last car you will ever own, because it will last as long as you do.

You know you are getting old when you get a back rub and moan and groan because it feels so good.

You know you are getting old when you decide to pass your treasurers down to the children so you can enjoy watching them enjoy your treasured items.

You know you are getting old when you roll over in bed to find your "father-in-law" next to you and realize he’s been dead for years.

AND You know you are getting old when you spring out of bed because of the shock of the above, rush to the bathroom, look in the mirror and see your own mother staring back at you!

MY ACCIDENT

I didn’t plan to write in my blog until after Christmas and then I had my accident! Thought I’d share it with my dedicated readers. I know you will be interested. It happened yesterday as I was wrapping presents to get to Denver so Frankie and his girls would receive them in time to start opening their 12-Days-of-Christmas which begins in our family on the 14th. I looked and looked and looked for a 5" X 7" envelope that I needed to put one of Frankie’s presents in. I couldn’t find one anywhere in the house and then had one of my bright ideas! I found some junk mail we had just received. Like the good re-cycler that I am, I began working on my envelope. I opened it, shredded the junk inside and began reassembling it. That’s when the accident happened! As I was gently removing the flaps on the side so I could turn the envelope inside out I slit my thumb! Have you ever had one of those paper cuts! They hurt like the dickens....right?

 

Oh my!  You can't even see my boo-boo.  How sad!

 

So, I began whining about that “awful” injury until I remembered my new motto; “It’s not all about me!”

 

 

It wasn’t long till I was able to focus on those less fortunate. The first that came to mind was our Claudia. Last Friday afternoon she was doing one of the things she loves.....not climbing on her kitchen bar, mind you......but decorating! She was on that counter for a short while. And then she fell! She landed on the couch in the sitting room side of the kitchen, hit her ear on the side of the coffee table while her leg stayed in place on the couch. Well, “stayed in place” is stretching it......it twisted and broke the tibia near the knee (or something like that....you’ll have to get the true and full story from her.) I do know that she has had x-rays and recently a CAT scan (waiting on the results). She is wearing a brace that keeps the leg immobilized at this point. The next thing will be another visit to an orthopaedic surgeon. We are praying she won’t have to have surgery and I am asking for your prayers for her as well.

 

My sweet "baby" and the first brace.  She smiles no matter the situation!

 

 

And I was whining about a paper cut!

 

 

We’ve had pretty bad weather here the last few days and there have been quite a few accidents in our television viewing area. We are snow/iced in for the time being. Plenty of food and the heat it working great.....too great right now for me....I’m warm! Frank’s fiancee, Becky lives in Georgetown, Kentucky which is almost 2 hours away. She came to Cincinnati after work Thursday and she and Frank had a lovely evening celebrating her birthday. She was so excited about all the thoughtful gifts Frank gave her. Someone taught that guy well! Then yesterday she and Frank braved the elements and got their marriage license. It’s a good thing as they will be married 2 weeks from tonight. Schools were closed all over yesterday because of ice and snow and things were getting worse when they left Cincinnati to go to Georgetown. Why would they decide to make the trip in not so great weather, you ask. I’ll tell you. Her baby was celebrating her 19th birthday the next day (today.) What mother worth her salt would miss her child’s birthday if is was possible to be there. They left in plenty of time to arrive before dark with Frank leading the way in his car and Becky following. About 10 miles from Georgetown Frank went over a hill and lost sight of Becky for about 2 minutes. The next think was a call telling him she had rolled her car! Imagine his fright as he quickly made his way back to find his sweetheart not only alive, but without a scratch! We’ve played the “what could have been” ever since. I was doing decently fine until during one of our conversations we were saying we could have lost her and Doyal said, “And, they just got their marriage license today.” I had my cry then!

 

Becky's car after rolling and landing on the driver's side.

 

 

 

And I was whining about a paper cut!

 

 

Becky has become a celebrity over this. A Lexington TV station came to the scene and interviewed her and there was also a write up about the accident. Both mentioned the fact that she had celebrated her birthday the day before and their upcoming wedding. She said they left out her joke. She joked to the camera crew when they came up to her and was ready to tape, "Oh gosh I must look a wreck. No pun intended." Today when she and Frank were doing a little Christmas shopping at Wal-Mart she said Santa Clause recognized her from being on the evening news. Here I am 78 years old and Santa has never recognized me! I sure don’t want to be in a wreck for him to recognize me though! Thinking of all of this and what could have been still makes me shake!

 

 

A couple of smaller issues within the family that are a worse that a paper cut.....one of our pregnant granddaughters had a tummy bug this week end. I’m praying that has left their house by now! Those things are no fun at any time and especially when a mommy-to-be is the recepient. Today we heard from our Oklahoma family. They experienced a pretty heavy earthquake. It didn’t do any damage that I know of, but could have been worse.

 

 

From now on I am going to try to remember even better.......

 

 

“It’s not all about me!”

Sunday afternoon @ 3:35.  Happy to report that everyone is doing fine....well as fine as one can expect.  Becky said she isn't in nearly as much pain as yesterday.  Claudia was not in much pain when I talked with her earlier in the day.  Frank posted three videos on Facebook of three different news interviews.  I copied them to my Facebook page but do not know how to put them on this post.  If you are a Facebook member I think you will enjoy them.  Such a romantic news cast over a potentially serious accident.