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Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Welcome Lil Ruthie

Lil Ruthie
The Four Sisters Farm Family presents the newest arrival...another princess...she is the thirteenth grandblessing for Pop and I on this earth and we are feeling incredibly blessed. 

We often refer to the girls in our family as "ladybugs" (regardless of their age) and the symbol of the ladybug has special meaning for us concerning our newest little ladybug.

I have always thought ladybugs were cute and fun and girly.  I shared my affinity for ladybugs with the Four Sisters.  They had a variety of ladybug wardrobe items that were handed down through the years and these pictures are of Lil Ruthie's mommy (Farm Chick at Heart) when she was little.

Farm Chick has loved babies practically since she was a baby.  She let me give you a little background about this lil ladybug. I remember (and have photo proof) that when the youngest of the Four Sisters arrived, I could hardly get a picture of the girls with Farm Chick looking at the camera because she could hardly take her eyes off her new baby sister.  She just adored her and all babies. Her goal in life was to be a wife and mommy.

Fast foward to her early years of marriage when she and EJ were wanting to start their family.  They tried for some time without success before they were able to conceive and I remember a season that Farm Chick felt that God had given her the ladybug as a symbol of hope for future children.  She (and we) saw ladybugs EVERYWHERE during that season and were encouraged. 

It was a difficult and emotional time for Farm Chick and EJ, but God used that time to prepare their hearts for the family He would eventually bless them with...to date, with the arrival of Lil Ruthie, they have three biological children and one adopted and their home is busy and joyous.

Now that each of the Four Sisters has a daughter I can share something. I have always hoped that my daughters would have at least one daughter to bring them the joy I have felt as the mother of daughters.  From the time of their births, I have reveled in their girliness and in what we females share.  My joy has multiplied many times over since then as I have been privileged to watch them each become mothers.  It is a privilege to share in each birth and in the early days of each grandbaby.  Not all sons-in-law welcome their wife's mothers into their homes after the birth of their children.  Cooking, cleaning, laundry, and childcare is a joy when it involves intermittent  baby snuggling and precious visits with my post-partum daughters.  This season of babies (three since the beginning of this year) has been hectic and has slowed down the renovation at the farmhouse but has been full of  love, laughter, and joy.

Count me one blessed Grammy.  The Four Sisters Farm Family has been rejoicing as we have celebrated our new arrivals.  Our refrain has been, "Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!"

Monday, March 26, 2012

My Little Sister Turns Fifty

A few years ago, it was MY turn to turn 50 but this year, she gets her turn.  She is my sister - my only blood sister - the one I shared a room with growing up - the one I fussed at and about - the one I was mean to - the one who loves me unconditionally anyway.  She is kind and thoughtful, caring and careful. There is no one else I know quite like her.  We share memories that no one else does since we shared everything since the time she was born...sometimes with me being willing and sometimes not. Ha! She has always stood beside me even when I didn't deserve it.

On the day of her birthday, I called her.  My life had been busy with the Four Sisters Farm renovations and two new grandbabies, so I hadn't even sent her a card yet. 

I waited until the day's end to call - thinking she was probably out to dinner or perhaps at a fun celebration.  Instead, the day had been all too uneventful...no party (hubby was out of town for work)...no special dinner (grown son had something scheduled, grown daughter lives out of state)...she did have a special lunch date with her daughter-in-law.  The gals at work hadn't done anything either.  Bummer day.  So I began thinking...I need to come up with something really fun to commemorate her 50th.  So here goes...

  1. Easter Bonnets
  2. Big Blue Eyes
  3. Chatty Cathy
  4. Mrs. Beasley
  5. Cats - Especially black ones
  6. Chasing (and catching) a bunny
  7. Play Houses
  8. Bald Babies
  9. Pink Furniture
  10. Sharing a bedroom
  11. Kids Incorporated Football
  12. Black Labradors
  13. Swing Sets
  14. Little Girl Cheerleaders
  15. Glamour Shots
  16. Jewelry
  17. Ceramics
  18. Fasting
  19. Goodwill Store Dressing Rooms
  20. JC Penneys with our children (Meg not so happy)
  21. Shopping Carts in Parking Lots
  22. Not Enough Seatbelts for all the Kids
  23. Las Vegas
  24. The Grand Canyon
  25. Recovering from my third daughter's birth
  26. Cubby Holes
  27. Loud Bump Noises from Upstairs
  28. Saxophones
  29. Etch-A-Sketch
  30. Spirograph
  31. Aunt Mary and Red Hots after Swimming
  32. Brush Rollers
  33. PB and Js After School
  34. Nice People
  35. Grammy's Nail Polish
  36. Exploring Uncle Clif and Aunt Ginny's Attic
  37. Mud Pies
  38. Dandelion Stem Chains
  39. Kids with Broken Arms
  40. Kids with Broken Legs
  41. Ponchos
  42. Swim Towels - the wearable kind :-)
  43. pending Time with Cousins
  44. The Dime Store
  45. Tap Dance
  46. Bike Rides to the City Park and Pool
  47. Ft. Supply, Oklahoma
  48. Mean Big Sisters
  49. Sweet Little Sisters
  50. Childhood Memories shared with my only Sister


So...here's to you, little sister.  Happy 50th!  I love you.

A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost. ~Marion C. Garretty