Monday, September 29, 2008

Someone close to me told me...........


"........ the most important thing in living is love. All the things so many people think are important are not so important. By loving you leave a memory that will hold up long after we pass on. With love as our goal, we love those around us and the simple things in life come alive. Living this type of life will insure a legacy that will carry on for many years after we are gone."


April 3, 2008



Three year old Matthew opening Grammie's birthday gift.....


New picture of six year old Ashylnn

Summer posted this cute picture of Ashlynn on her blog,
so I "snagged" it to share the photo with all of you.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Sounds like rain.......



A few weeks into spring I noticed two little baby squirrels running around my backyard playing in the Pecan trees and drinking from the dish I had set out for the many beautiful birds who eat from my bird feeders. I thought they were so cute and enjoyed watching them play....I even didn't mind them occasionally eating from the bird feeders....after all they were babies and needed to eat too!! Well, it's autumn now and those two baby squirrels have grown up and are still playing in the yard, but I no longer think of them being cute!! They are not eating from the bird feeders any longer........no, they have found something they like soooo much better. My pecans!! Those two little squirrels have brought their sisters and brothers with them to my backyard to dine in my trees and they have almost completely stripped my trees of every pecan. When you are in the backyard you can hear the bits and pieces of pecans (whole ones too!) fall from the trees. It sounds like it is raining when all six of the squirrels are dining!! Bits of pecans fall on the bricks below and the toxic shells are staining as they fall......purple splotches everywhere!! Sometimes those stupid squirrels drop untouched pecans to the ground......which rather makes me mad. Such a waste of good pecans.....at least they could eat the whole nut! I have tried everything to get rid of them....throwing rocks, throwing fallen pecans, and even attempted to spray them with a hose. The squirrels just 'laugh' at me and continue to dine! I no longer think them cute.....they are destructive little beasts and I am buying a pellet gun for next year!! It's too late to save the pecan crop for this year, but next year............I am making squirrel soup!!!

Thursday, September 18, 2008


Love all those emails which are forwarded on to me by all of you. Some of them make me "laugh out loud".........case in point this one from my friend Billy here in Texas:

White Lie Cake

Have you ever told a white lie? You are going to love this, especially all of those who bake for church events. Alice Grayson was to bake a cake for the Baptist Church Ladies' Group in Tuscaloosa, but forgot to do it until the last minute. She remembered the morning of the bake sale and after rummaging through cabinets, found an angel food cake mix and quickly made it while drying her hair, dressing, and helping her son pack for Scout camp. When Alice took the cake from the oven, the center had dropped flat and the cake was horribly disfigured. She thought, "Oh dear, there is not time to bake another cake." This cake was important to Alice because she did so want to fit in at her new church and in her new community of friends. So, being inventive, she looked around the house for something to build up the center of the cake. Alice found it in the bathroom - a roll of toilet paper. She plunked it in and covered it with icing. Not only did the finished product look beautiful, it looked perfect. Before she left the house to drop the cake by the church and head for work, Alice woke her daughter Amanda and gave her some money and specific instructions to be at the bake sale the moment it opened at 9:30 and to buy the cake and bring it home. when Amanda arrived at the sale, she found the attractive, perfect cake had already been sold. She grabbed her cell phone and called her Mom. Alice was horrified - she was beside herself. Everyone would know! What would they think? She would be ostracized, talked about, and ridiculed! All night Alice lay awake in bed thinking about people pointing fingers at her and talking abut her behind her back. The next day, Alice promised herself she would try not to think about the cake and would attend the fancy luncheon/bridal shouwer at the home of a fellow church member and try to have a good time. Alice did not want to attend because the hostess was a snob who more than once had looked down her nose at Alice because she was a single parent and not from the founding families of Tuscaloosa but, having already RSVP'd, she couldn't think of a believable excuse to stay home. The meal was elegant, the company was definitely upper crust old South and to Alices's horror......the cake in question was presented for dessert!! Alice felt the blood drain from her body when she saw the cake. She started out of her chair to tell the hostess all about it, but before she could get to her feet, the Mayor's wife said, "What a beautiful cake!" Alice still stunned, sat back in her chair when she heard the hostess (who was a prominent church member) say, "Thank you, I baked it myself."

Alice smiled and thought to herself...."GOD IS GOOD."

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Who is the artist??



My father, Gilbert L. Heller
November 26, 1942

Cancer Angel......

My girlfriend, Donna, in California sent me an email this week with this beautiful little angel scattering red rose petals onto the water. The picture is beautiful by itself, however, the email itself is way more powerful and close to home......the email says "In memory of anyone you know that has been struck down by cancer or is still living with it."


This past week our family received news that Gary's cancer has spread to his liver. He will continue chemo and go back to doing acupuncture and Chinese medicine as well. He has a powerful will to live and does all he can to take care of himself. His next doctor's visit will be in two months to see whether or not the chemo he is doing right now will help. I ask for your prayers for not only him, but for our children. Although the news of this past week has knocked the wind out of all of us.....we know we have our Savior to comfort us and to remind us He is here and we need not be afraid as He loves us and gives us hope.

Cancer is so limited.
It cannot cripple love.
It cannot shatter hope.
I cannot corrode faith.
It cannot destroy peace.
It cannot kill friendship.
It cannot suppress memories.
It cannot silence courage.
It cannot invade the soul.
It cannot steal eternal life.
It cannot conquer the spirit.

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray for the cure of Cancer. Amen