That's the answer.  I didn't...

• take snow pictures
• clean house
• make good use of my time
• do all the things I promised myself I would do if I "just had even ONE day at home!"

So, what did get checked off the "to-do" list?

• referee sibling fights
• knit and crochet
• eat, drink, sleep
• paperwork, phone calls, etc...
• attempt one snow angel (not my greatest idea)
• play a few games with the kids
• fish Jerry's cell phone out of the washer (after all cycles were finished, of course) *sigh*

Perhaps, if I had taken pics, they would have consisted of...

• mugs of hot cocoa with little marshmallows
• game boxes of:  Apples to Apples, UNO, Battle Ship, etc...
• teenage boys fighting over petty things
• the bowl of rice containing Jerry's cell phone
• the dip in the snow that should have been an angel, but looked more like a meteor crater

There you have it folks.  Not glorious, no Norman Rockwell, just the facts.  I actually LOVE snow days.  I LOVE the snow.  I am considered weird in that way.  My number one goal on snow days is to make great memories for the boys.  I'm not sure I accomplished that one this time. 

So, what did your snow days look like? 

Thanks to my sister Kristy, I have a new do!

Cord came in, so let the posting begin! 

This post will probably be BORING, so if you want to just skip it, I understand. 

Pa News:  He's doing okay, especially for his age and health.  I took him to the doctor for another steroid shot to tide him over til his next spinal injection in January.  Man, he is tough!  He's also a little on the stubborn side.  Pa is about 5'5" and 165 lbs.  The doctor told him that he needed to lose a few pounds (like 8 lbs), and that he needed to cut out all sugar to help him do that.  HA!  Yeah, right before Christmas.  The man is almost 88 years old, so what do you think he will do?  Well, as he put it, "If he thinks I'm not gonna eat no Christmas candy......"  LOL! 

Eric News:  Did I ever mention that he is a Gideon?  Yes, one of those guys that give away free Bibles.  Anyway, they've asked him to serve as the Chaplain for next year.  It's a 3 year term.  So, we can just add that to the list.  He's enjoying being President of the Kiwanis club here.  AND Since the manager of the store in Harrison decided to WALK OFF THE JOB, Eric is now driving up there to help run that store once a week.  Can you say "BUSY"? 

The Boys:  They're doing okay.  It's like a rollar coaster raising them.  These teenage years are challenging.  Well, you all know that anyway.  Semester tests this week.  Need I say more? 

The rest of the story:  The van decided to breakdown Monday night.  The washing machine decided to follow suit and breakdown today (Wednesday).  Wonder when I will follow suit?    

[Doesn't really help that today would've been Moma's birthday.  Ugh.] 

Well, I don't want to end on a sad note.  Hugs to you all!  Hope you all are having a wonderful week.   

 

A real update.....in a few days.

Lots of things going on.  Pa stuff, family stuff, work stuff, etc....

Cord to laptop broke.  Ordered a new one.  Hope it gets here before this thing dies completely.

So, if I'm not on here for a few more days.....or a week....you know that I'm still waiting for the cord.

In the meantime, here are a few hugs, hearts, and prayers for you all.

(((((Hug)))))  <3 

Pa's best friend (Kenneth Hubbard) has been sick off and on for a while. I took him often to visit, and they always had a grand time. It was fun just listening to them banter back and forth. Lots of wisdom, memories, laughs, etc...it was priceless. The last visit was in the hospital. When we came in the room, he just lit up, like always. He said something that stuck in my mind, and I asked Pa about it as we were leaving that day. He said, "I hate for this to happen at the holidays. I just hate it for the kids." I asked Pa what that was all about, and Pa thought that he was just confused as to the time of year. It stuck with me because (even though he was getting better and expected to go home the next day) I felt that he knew he was going to pass away close to a holiday. Some people just know. Sadly, he did pass away the day before Thanksgiving. The service was scheduled over the weekend. I couldn't take Pa because I was having the other side of the family here for the Thanksgiving dinner. Thank the Lord for the sweet neighbor lady who took him for me. They left early and took a little more history tour. She was gracious enough to also take pics to share with me. Enjoy!

This is called the Browntown Schoolhouse. It's a miracle that any of these buildings are standing!

This is the house where Pa and Granny (whom he was married to for 52 years) first lived when they were first married. It was built in the early 30's by his Dad.

Here's a view of the back side.

The neat story behind this: Pa and Granny moved in here with Pa's family. Pa's Dad had built another house up the hollow from this one on Calf Creek, so about a week later, that's where the rest of the family moved to after Pa and Granny moved into this one. About 2 years after they were married, Pa and Granny got a little place closer to Bear Creek, and the rest of the family ended up moving back into this house.

I guess there really is just no place like home.

 

 In Dongola, just North of Marshall, there is a little farm of about 65 acres.  This little farm used to belong to my Pa and Granny. 

On this property lies 2 Civil War graves.  I'm sure there are more, but these two are the only documented and marked ones on the property.

The men are actually in one grave together, because their wives had to bury them by themselves....by hand....and in a hurry.  The headstones themselves were placed by the Government in the 60's, I think.  There is a document detailing the battle and the burial, but it's at Pa's house. 

Dongola Cemetery is also where most of Granny's family is buried, and now Granny, Mom, and Norman are there, too.  It's where (if the Lord tarries), Pa will be (next to Granny). 

The following pics are difficult for me, because the thought of not having Pa here is too much for my heart to bear. We talk everyday, and there aren't words to explain what he means to me.  Anyway, here's Dongola:

Pa planted those maple trees himself.  They came from that little farm.

By the way, I didn't take these pictures.  I just couldn't.  A friend and neighbor of Pa's took the photos.

I know Pa still misses Granny.  After 52 years together, you can understand why.

Pa went to school in a one-room school house called Burr Oak. Can you believe that building is still standing?

This building is the original wood and chimney. The only change was the tin roof.

This is one of the original desks, just painted over. Yes, that is a tree growing into the window.

Pa leaving his mark, hahahaha! Yes, that is the original chalk board. The theatre seats were added later, when they used the building for a church. There you have it! Pa (a.k.a. Leroy McInturff) began school at age 10 in 1933, completed the 8th grade in a short amount of time, then went to CCC camps before entering the Navy. He doesn't believe he's smart, but I believe he has a lot more wisdom than many scholars I have met. Just sayin'.

Norman Winston Chamberlain III
(July 3, 1929 - November 5, 2010)

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   How much fun my Pa can be?

 

Oh yeah!  87 years young and so much fun!

Today, too much going on to hardly think straight.  Just wanted to stop by here and say, "Hey!  I'm still here!"