After Christmas Party at Jeff & Tonya's

For more years than I can remember, a small group of friends who sang together in the group Alafia and the East Hillsborough Community Mass Choir have been getting together each Christmas for a small dinner party and an after-dinner sing-a-long. This year it didn't work out for us to get together before Christmas, so we got together the Friday after Christmas at Jeff & Tonya's house.

The food was amazing as always. We had grilled steaks, April's artichoke dip, Lisa's potato salad, Tonya's oatmeal cookies, Carla's eggplant casserole, and more delicacies than I can remember. But the highlight of the meal was Jeff's unending supply of lobster tails. Needless to say, we stuffed ourselves that night.

Todd, T.R., and Jeff

Tonya and Tootie, Mandy's new puppy

The Girls: Tonya, Carla, April & Lisa

John joins the girls in the kitchen.

Our singing this year was less than spectacular. For one, we missed Shellie and her strong soprano, and of course we were way out of practice on most of our songs from the past. Under extreme pressure from the girls, I sang "Light of a Million Mornings." But the highlight of the evening was Tonya singing our perennial favorite "Breath of Heaven." I love Amy Grant's version of the song, but I believe the song was written for Tonya. It fits her voice so perfectly and we are always moved emotionally each time we hear it, even when Tonya turns her back on us!

Tonya sings with her back to us.

Here's a clip of Tonya's rendition of "Breath of Heaven." Tonya don't kill me!

Christmas Morning 2007

To me, the best part of Christmas is Jesus.

The second best part of Christmas is Nathan. He has been my best gift for six years now, and watching him open his presents and give his personally selected gifts to us was almost more than I could contain. Last year we were amazed at how he hand-picked our gifts from Santa's Workshop at school. I had no idea a 5-year old could select such individually appropriate gifts. He gave me a tiger figurine for my desk at school, the home of the Tomlin Tigers. This year DeeDee took him to the dollar store and let him pick out his gifts for us. My gift was a hugging teddy bear. I keep it at school attached to one of Nathan's pictures for the times I need a hug from Bubby.

I think this was the best Christmas morning so far. Carla made a breakfast casserole, the coffee was perking, and then Nathan started handing out gifts and opening presents of his own. He was so excited and so grateful for his presents. We got hugs and kisses for every gift he opened. I hope we are not spoiling him, but he's the only one we have to spend our money on right now. Hint! Hint!

You know you are truly blessed when your family asks for your Christmas list and you can't think of one thing you need. Okay, at least any affordable thing you need. If I wrote a Christmas list it would go like this:

1. a new roof
2. my house tented and fumigated
3. new ball joints on my car
4. new carpet
5. new blinds

and most of all . . .

6. an iPhone!

No one in my family wanted to spend that big, so I settled for some DVDs and a nice cash gift from Mama and Daddy that has already been put in iPhone savings.

Here are a few snapshots from our wonderful Christmas morning . . . .

Carla & Todd

Nathan gives his daddy golf balls.

"It rhymes with Winnie the Pooh."

It IS Winnie the Pooh!

Nathan gives Uncle Howie a huggable teddy bear and a hug.

DeeDee gets a digital camera.

Mommy opens her scented candle.

A bit of drama induced by a Nintendo DS Mario Kart game from Uncle Howie.

Pokémon chapter books

Pokémon drawing books

After we finished opening presents, Nathan volunteered (can you believe it?) to do the sign language performance he gave at his school program in Jamaica. The song was "Living Word" by Fred Hammond. This anointed song, plus Nathan's sign language brought us to tears. We are such cry-babies!

Bread of Life, sent down from Glory,
Many things You were on Earth,
A Holy King, a carpenter,
You are the Living Word

Bread of Heaven, sent down from Glory
Many things You were on Earth,
A Holy King, a carpenter,
You are the Living Word

Awesome Ruler, Gentle Redeemer,
God With Us, the Living Truth,
And what a Friend we have in You,
You are the Living Word

Jesus, Jesus, that's what we call You,
Manger born, but on a tree,
You died to save humanity
You are the Living Word

And now a first for Nathan's Uncle. Not a YouTube link, but my own uploaded video. I give you my nephew, Nathan . . . .

Christmas Eve at April & John's House

Yes, I know I haven't posted in over a month. Things happen, but I'm back now. Forgive me!

We spent Christmas Eve at April & John's house. John fried turkeys, baked hams, and barbecued ribs. The ladies provided the sides and desserts. Love those mustard greens and pecan pie!

Gayle, Mark, Todd, Daddy, Carla, and part of April

Uncle Layne, Aunt Sharon, and Mama

April's daughter, Layna

Carla & Nathan

After Christmas Eve dinner, we gathered in the living room and sang carols. Thanks John & April for bringing us all together at your house.

You can read more about the evening on Carla's blog here.

And Aubrey Was Her Name . . .

And Aubrey was her name,
A not so very ordinary girl or name . . .

Three weeks to the day after I said goodbye to my little buddy, Taylor, I had to send his lifelong companion and my sweet girl, Aubrey, back to her Creator.

Aubrey came to live with me on October 27, 1990. Everyone who knew her would agree that I could not have found a sweeter angel to share my life. She, too, will be greatly missed.

How 'bout that baby girl?

I have been a dachshund-lover all my life, but Aubrey was my first longhair. Her mother, Suki's Pretty Girl, was a show dog and the most stunningly beautiful doxie I had ever seen. My little pick of the litter was a red sable like her mother, so I named her Blount's Auburn Girl and called her Aubrey for short.

Aubrey had a strong mothering instinct, and although he was always afraid of them, Taylor fathered 9 of Aubrey's 14 puppies from three litters.

A U B R E Y
August 27, 1990 - November 30, 2007

Goodbye, Aub'ey!

I love you, sweet angel . . .

How I miss the girl
And I'd go a million times around the world just to say
She had been mine for a day . . .

Lyrics excerpted from Aubrey by David Gates and recorded by Bread
© Kipahulu Music, ASCAP

A Lovely Mess

This is what happens when you let a candle burn too long, but I thought it created an amazing paradox, a lovely mess. I watched as the wax poured like a waterfall and then cooled like lava into an exquisite tabletop design. Hey Rhoda, how's that for a decorating tip?

Thanksgiving 2007

I didn't go to the mountains for Thanksgiving this year. For some reason, I just didn't feel up to the drive. Last year, although I had invitations, I spent Thanksgiving alone at the cabin. I bought a rotisserie chicken and a pumpkin pie, whipped up some Stovetop Stuffing, slid The Waltons Thanksgiving in the DVD player, and had a great time all by myself.

Yesterday, my Thanksgiving morning started out with a phone call from Carla and Nathan. They were headed out the door to spend the day with missionary friends in Christiana, Jamaica. We're all looking forward to the Hoods coming home for Christmas.

This year, Mama, Daddy, and I spent Thanksgiving with the Hills. Heather and Tim, JerriLynn, Joslyn, and Javin Rodriguez were there, too. When we arrived, Uncle Olan, Doyle, and Tim were watching the game on the widescreen plasma. For those of you who know me well . . . I still don't get it.

Thanks to Mama, Uncle Olan, and Aunt Mary Lou, Thanksgiving dinner was a feast as usual, complete with a baked turkey, a fried turkey, dressing, chicken & dumplings, broccoli casserole, squash casserole, eggplant casserole, mustard greens, rutabagas, ambrosia, pecan pie, and pumpkin cake. I would have enjoyed Todd's baked ham and Holli's or Lisa's potato salad, but since I didn't cook a thing, I can't complain.

It was great to see Doyle and catch up again. After dinner, Heather was wading through the sale papers planning her Black Friday itinerary with Uncle Olan and Aunt Mary Lou. Uncle Olan likes to shop as much as any woman I know. I glanced through some of the sale papers, too, but I found nothing that would make me subject myself to that madness.

I hope all my readers had a special Thanksgiving wherever you are, and that you are as thankful for the blessings in your life as I am for mine.

Mr. Blount's Classroom Goes Online

Just a note for my readers to check out my newest blog, Mr. Blount's Classroom. It's something I've been trying to work out since school started, and I finally got it up and running. It probably won't interest most of you, but I'm sure inquiring minds like April will want to have regular updates on what's happening at school. This site will be kept positive and informative. Sorry, no politics here! You can find that at Eyes Wide Open.