Catching Up

Jay did arrive home late Thursday night (almost 3 weeks ago) from Turkey. The children and I had hatched a plan to surprise him at the airport. Although no surprise to anyone these days—his flight was delayed. Willie and Ruby still adapt well to changed plans so they gracefully moved into their nighttime routines. I was also grateful for the extra couple of hours to get everything done for my upcoming beach trip with the girls the next morning. Once Jay got home, we had 2 wonderful hours of catching up and visiting about his trip. Jay keeps a detailed journal of his travels so we have the Turkey journal now if anyone decides to visit Turkey. The next morning I stuck around long enough to see the kids jump for joy to see daddy with all the hugs and kisses and Turkish souvenirs. Willie got a Turkey soccer jersey and pearl chess/checkers set. Ruby got a crystal tea set and finger cymbals and Mommy got a kilem (handmade rug) for our den. I've included a picture loving on daddy his first morning home.

By 7:30, I gave my hugs and kisses and headed to the beach to meet my college girlfriends. This is our 12th annual Memorial Day trip. I’ve included a picture of all the girls- Natalie, Gray, Mary Lewis, Wendy, Haley and me. Of course, each of these girls is unique and beautiful in their own way. We all discussed once again how fortunate we feel to have these kinds of friends. They all have a deep abiding faith, beautiful families, and strong confidence. Our discussions did make me realize that I have several groups of friends with deep faith and I’m realizing that this blessing is really amazing! I've also included a picture of the girls (Nat, Gray, Steph, Wen, Haley, & ML)

After the beach, I spent a couple of nights at home and we headed to Starkville to check on Jay’s granddad (Gaggy). Gaggy turned 93 this weekend. We had a wonderful celebration and felt very good about the visit that we had. Gaggy’s health has started declining and hospice is now coming to help care for him. We had a good visit and Jay especially had some good quality time with him. Of course, entertaining the children in the presence of Gaggy and other tired caretakers wasn't really an suitable option. So the kids and I schemed up a day trip to visit Jessica's gang. Mason and Willie as same age plus Nana & Papa brought over Reagan for a big day of swimming, sand box and riding toys. Uncle Jack and Aunt Julia arrived by the end of the day and we closed with grilled burgers before heading back to Starkville. I tell Jay that night that I feel so at peace when I'm on their hill in Hickory. I'm surrounded with folks who love me just as I am and it's just plain good old country living. I am convinced that I could live in the country again.

One funny story while we were in Mississippi. Willie was headed out to play some basketball. His elastic was twisted on his shorts....
Me: Willie let me fix your shorts.
Me: Willie, where's you underwear?
Willie: Mom, no one in my conference wears underwear.

This week was Encore camp for Willie.....they are doing a travel theme where they imaginatively travel to each continent. He's singing about the Amazon and the Nile a good bit and they learned how to play croquet.

This week for start of basketball camp for Jay. He really doesn't enjoy camp month (June) much but I like the fact we eat at the school most every night with him so no cooking. Willie will go to Jr. Bison camp again this year so that week will be fun.

Ruby is talking alot now some of which is understandable.

Today, I headed to Birmingham for a quick trip. My freshmen roommate got married. Cathy is a very special friend and one of the best disciples of Christ I know. I wrote about her recently in a stewardship article I wrote for the church bulletin on "stewardship of the gospel" which I've included below. She deserves all the joy of the world as Mrs. Jeff Carver. I was thankful to be there. Plus Natalie and I met each other there and enjoyed the ceremony and reception together.

Stewardship of the Gospel
My freshman roommate, Cathy, has purposefully and prayerfully carried the Gospel to Mexico, Uganda, Ghana and Greece among other places. She has been characterized as intense and is focused every day (even the ordinary days) where and how God will use her that day. When I think of someone who is a good steward of the Gospel, I automatically think of Cathy.
Ironically, every time Cathy shares her testimony she tells about me—her freshman roommate. Really? Why? She tells me that those first weeks of our freshman year she saw Christ in me in how I smiled and how I truly loved my friends. I wish I could take credit for having something to do with that. I wish I could say I had intended to lead Cathy to her very real and genuine walk with the Lord. I did not have that intention.
My experience with Cathy has taught me we often don’t know how we will be carrying the Gospel. But, we can carry the Gospel in very simple ways. We can carry the Gospel everyday in our smiles, attitudes, and relationships. God will do the rest.

Hopefully, things will slow down and I will not be posting 3 weeks at time again.

Last Nıght ın Turkey

Tonıght we are back ın Istanbul. We fly out tomorrow mornıng for home. I have had a great tıme but at thıs poınt I am the horse who can see the barn.

Yesterday we flew to Ismır & took a short drıve to Ephesus. We had a guıded tour of the ancıent cıty & I felt ıncredıbly moved as I walked the same steps that Paul once walked on hıs vısıts there. We also saw the tomb of St. John the Apostle. We saw the places talked about ın Acts 19 & took tıme to stop & read the scrıptures.

Our hotel was rıght on the Aegean & last nıght we vısıted the cıty of Kusadası. It was far more relaxıng than Istanbul, a cıty of 18 mıllıon or so. Tonıght I am lookıng forward to a Turkısh bath & hopefully a good nıghts sleep. Cannot waıt to gıve the kıds & Steph the souvenırs I bought them.

More from Istanbul

Have had a wonderful trip so far. Our team dıd not play that well & we we`re upset ın the fırst round of the tournament, but the Sportsfest was pretty awesome. Our guys got to meet kıds from all over the world & get to know them.

Last nıght I got hooked ınto chaperonıng our guys at the farewell party for the games whıch ended up beıng at an upscale nıghtclub rıght on the Bosphorous. I was very out of place & had to stay up way too late but they got to say goodbye to all the frıends they had met. I made them promıse that none of the pıctures they took would end up on Facebook.

We have done a ton of sightseeing all over the city. Today we saw a 15th century fortress & tonight we are goıng to a Hamam, a traditional Turkish bath. I could use ıt, along wıth the massage that comes wıth ıt. Tomorrow we fly to Ephesus for a tour of the ruıns there. Lookıng forward to that & am goıng to reread Acts 19 tonıght.

The Buggy and insightful thoughts from Willie

Gran (Jay's dad) is a gifted carpenter. He enjoys building children's toys especially. We have trains, planes, boats, horses, push toys that Gran has made us. At Christmas, Gran built Ruby a baby carriage which, as you can see, is literally how we are using it now. These toys are so special and we try hard to take care of them.....I'm not sure that the "buggy" as we call it was designed to cart Ruby but it has been a lifesaver this week. Willie pushes Ruby around the house while I get myself dressed or go to the bathroom. Ruby is "hard to guard" so I have to call on Willie to take her for rides when I get desperate.

To close the night......Willie told me today that "love never gives up, and he (Willie) loves the whole world." "Do you think that makes God happy?"

I do, Willie, I do.

Lots to report from the Weekend

This morning in Sunday School, we were studying about the Holy Spirit and how the Spirit gives us the courage/strength to tell what God has done for us. I don't have a one-time significant transformation story but I have blessing after blessing to share about. Some of the blessings I've been thinking about today....

1) Jay. Yes, we have been talking to Jay about 5 minutes a day while he's in Instanbul. We do miss him terribly and I'm physically tired without him here. I am amazed at how much of a load he carries because I haven't been this tired in a while. Mostly, though, I just miss having him to share all the fun and happy times we've been blessed with.

2) Family. In Sunday School, I thought about my journey and Jay's journey. I know we both start our stories with our families. Many of our blessings are solely because of how our parents and their parents made godly decisions. Our children have 3 great grandparents living. My grandma Nina is in the nursing home in Lawrence County. She's generally not coherent but she seems to be happy in her thoughts about folks from long ago. Jay's grandfather (Gaggy) is approaching 93 next week. He has not been feeling well. (We're praying for you, Gaggy.) We should refer to Frances (Gaggy's wife) as great-Frances. Not only because she is Willie & Ruby's great grandmother but because she is literally GREAT! Frances, thank you for loving Gaggy and us the way you do.

2) The Village. We truly have been blessed with a village here in Nashville to help us raise our children. When you are not geographically close to your family, you develop an extended family because it requires one. One of the girls in our "village" is Ann. I just love Ann and I've jokingly asked her to move in with us on more than one occasion. (It wouldn't be a joke if I had a guest suite.) She is one of 5 sisters. Her parents had a graduation party tonight. I had no business going over there with my kids. I mean I was invited but I knew it would be hard and we wouldn't know hardly anyone. But I dressed myself and the children (and drove over. I accomplished my mission of letting her parents know what an absolutely wonderful job I think they have done with their 5 daughters. Ann is only one of many in our village. Willie ran around like a wild Indian and ate 6 or 7 marshmallows intended for the fondu.....as far I as know...he kept his paws out of the chocolate. The picture to the right is Willie giggling with Ann as he stuffs another marshmallow in his trap.

3) True Friends. In the last 24 hours alone---the Coggin's rescued us last night when were getting sad without Daddy, the Kirk's went to lunch with us today and my neighbor Nancy kept the children so I could lose myself in Target for an hour.

The blessings are endless and I thank God for each of them.

Happy 33 - Steven

One last post for the evening- Happy 33rd Birthday to my brother, Steven! Steven is my younger brother (& only sibling) by 2 years and there is no way I can describe our relationship to someone who doesn't know us as siblings. I guess we're typical siblings b/c we absolutely drive each other crazy if we're in the same room very long. But, if one of us needs each other.....there's no doubt the love is deep. I'm really very proud of Steven and his beautiful family. Honestly, I can't believe he found someone like Charity and then they have my precious nephew Reagan and he's doing so well in life. As Steven loves to remind me...."C Students rule the world and A students work for them." (Steven truly believes I wasted alot of time in my life studying.)

I don't really have any updated pictues of Steven to post, but he looks alot like me just out of shape and about 10 years older (remember, he's actually younger). If you want to know what he looked like as a kid, just look at one of Willie Walton's pictures. Willie reminds me so much of Steven as a child that I sometimes accidentally call Willie "Steven" and we're talking almost 29 years ago that Steven would have been 4. Willie just looks, acts & sounds alot like Steven....I think God is still laughing on that one for sure.

If you want to know what Steven will look like when he is older, just find a picture of Willie Wallace. (LOL)

Happy Birthday and I love you (which Steven rarely utters to me but I know it's true.)

Being a coach's wife (& remembering/recording a milestone)

This afternoon my friend Tasha brought her kids over for a playdate. We had pizza delivered and enjoyed the chaos of our children. Our sons are about 7 months apart and our daughters are about 4 months apart. Tasha and I met through some coaching friends and she's a truly a God-send. So while I guess we met through our husbands, they really barely know each other since they have alternating seasons. Derek coaches baseball at Vandy which reminds me that God does know what he is doing.

While I always say I feel like I was called to be a coach's wife, I could not have been a baseball coach's wife . (Dear God, those games are long, in multiples and I'm totally freaked out by foul balls.) Anyway, being married to a college coach is not for everyone and it can be tough sometimes. I truly eat it up though. I love the players, games, and the process. I guess that's the key....understanding and appreciating the process. Quite frankly, I think I'm pretty good at the role and I'm not easily impressed---but let me tell you about Tasha.

Tasha rarely complains (if ever). She understands the process of recruiting, strategizing, winning, losing and career building....Lastly, this girl is independent yet recognizes when she needs help and is really not scared to tackle anything solo. In fact, Teague (her son) has really been wanting Willie to spend the night. Tasha called today with the invitation since Derek and Jay were out of town.

Whoa! Are we already there? With Jay on his extended trip, I could use the break I guess so I asked Willie in advance if he wanted to spend the night with Teague. He lit up and said, "I would LOVE that." He didn't hesitate or even bat an eye before eagerly accepting the invitation. I tried to make sure he understood I wouldn't be there at bedtime etc. which honestly seemed to not phase him one iota.

I struggled to remember the first time I spent the night with a friend (not Grandma) and how old I was. I had to be at least in first grade. Best I could remember was a spend the night party where sleeping bags were required. Everyone seemed to have a sleeping bag except me. Daddy took me to Otasco in Brandon and got me the only sleeping bag they had on the bottom shelf--Benji (the dog). Do you remember that one daddy?

Anyway, I conjured up these memories trying to remember if I was as independent as Willie at the age of 4. He honestly amazes me sometimes. He did put his favorite stuffed animals ("puppy," "yellow bear," and "wee Willie winkie") which he refers to as his "pals" in his bag but other than that...we hugged, kissed & fived (our ritual) for him to say "I see you all the time" and he headed out the door.

Of course, he has his pals with him and I'm pretty sure he has his 66 brothers with him too. If you don't know, Willie has 66 brothers. They are all named which Jay has all of their names written down in Willie's quote book. We have learned about these brothers over the course of time.....and, on occasion, you'll hear Willie actually talking to them. By the way, Jay, Willie's brother Rand has died while you are in Istanbul.

It's awfully quiet around here now that Ruby is snoozing and I thank my fellow coach's wife for being so courageous for having my son to spend the night but mostly for being so strong year round.