Dearest Isabella, Part 3

Mildred Callaway: When I was growing up, the Callaways lived next door to us on Monroe Street in Amarillo. Mildred’s daughter, Becky, was my best friend as I grew up. I was at their house ALOT. They had three boys and I was always jealous that Becky had brothers. I dreamed one night that we bought their house and wrote the brothers into the contract and got them along with the house. (One time I remember telling Mary Lou, see below, that Mother and Daddy were adopting a child---complete wishful thinking also know as a lie. I also told Mary Lou that they were building an expressway from Amarillo to San Angelo. Mary Lou must have been a GOOD listener with a straight face—back to Mildred) Mildred was so much fun. At night their family would have Bible stories and a devotional. Burl always prayed with great vigor for a LONG time. They had wonderful purple Wisteria hanging off latticework on their backyard porch. They had a huge brick barbeque grill in the backyard and a really big plastic swimming pool that you could stand up in. I remember lots of good times at their house. I ate a lot of meals with the Callaways and I loved all the fun at the table mostly lead by Mildred.

Iris Wherry: Iris was another of my mom and dad’s best friends. She was married to Gerald and Gerald used to date a woman named Violet but he married Iris. I always thought that was the best story. Gerald was the best man at my Mother and Dad’s wedding on Easter Sunday of 1941. My Mother and Daddy and Iris and Gerald played lots of bridge together. She loved pretty dishes and I loved to eat at her house. Her table was set with a one -of –a- kind glass at each plate. I loved how colorful it was at her house. She was way ahead of Baskin & Robbins Ice Cream. She would take vanilla ice cream and mix in coffee, or orange juice or grape juice to make a swirl. I couldn’t wait to see what she had made. She gave me a party when I got married and I remember how pretty everything looked.

Marylou McGregor: Mary Lou was, and still is, one of Grandma Beryldine’s very best friends. Mary Lou and I still talk to this day. She and her husband Joe played a lot of bridge with your great grandparents as well. She sewed beautifully and made your Mom the cutest little yellow print dress when she was born. I’ll show you the picture of your mom in the dress someday. She wrote me a note and told me how having a little girl was wonderful---that she would bring me so much joy and break my heart at the same time. I e-mailed Mary Lou when your Mom had you. Such a wonderfully caring lady! She calls or e-mails me often to check on Grandma Beryldine’s condition and I appreciate it so much. Her daughter, Shirley, lives in Houston and we talk often. I am photographing Mary Lou’s grandson, Ben, next week for his senior picture. I love that I have that connection to Mary Lou!

TO BE CONTINUED

Dearest Isabella, Part 2

Hays Williams: One of my Mother’s (Your great-grandmother, known to our family as “Grandma Beryldine”) co-workers at the church. Hays and Mother were such good friends. She always acted happy to see me when I would run in and out of the church office. Even later in her life when she would write Mother, she called her “Dear Friend” and longed to see her. She passed away a year or so ago and I can’t bear to tell Grandma Beryldine that she is gone. I value their example of lifelong friendship.

Bessie Hart: Another one of Mother’s good friends and co-workers at the church. She always made me lots of custom designed doll clothes. I remember my mother taking time to go visit her, even when she moved to the Juliette Fowler Home in Dallas. I am beginning to see a pattern of very giving people.

Rella Nugent: One of my Sunday School teachers. She was so sweet and I think my love of scripture and felt boards for storytelling came from her. She was another one that made me feel loved every time I saw her. I am beginning to figure out that they loved my mom and therefore they loved me. She became blind or almost blind at some point but I don’t ever remember hearing her complain whenever I saw her.

Iris Prescott: My babysitter when my Grandmother wasn’t keeping me, which was rare. She had a hair coming out of her chin that always seemed to be there. But out of her mouth came wonderful Bible stories any time I was with her. I can remember sitting on the floor listening to them any time I was with her. We also found empty locust shells and made locust parades. I have not thought of this until your Uncle Curt told me about Jack and Sarah finding locust shells the other night. The best memories pop up out of nowhere.

Brickey Bearden: She was a fiery red head with a great laugh. She was another of my Sunday School teachers and she always scared me just a little. She was earthy and bold and there was something that I liked about her. She was always at church helping someone. She even adopted two young Vietnamese children at a time when adopting children of a different nationality was rare.



TO BE CONTINUED

Dearest Isabella

  I gotta  warn you: This is going to be pretty long.  In fact, I think that I will break it up into several installments posted over the next couple of weeks. That way it won’t require such an investment of your time. Thanks for indulging me and reading!  I hope you will find it was definitely worth your time.

Dearest Isabella,

I flew to Dallas on the Tuesday morning that you were 10 days old to help your Mom and to get to know you. I was sooo excited to hold you for the first time because when I saw you in the hospital the day that you were born no one was allowed to hold you in the NICU where you spent the first couple of days. That first Tuesday getting to hold and kiss you and just look in your beautiful face was FANTASTIC!

Unfortunately, your Mom was not feeling very peppy so I thought that my timing in coming was pretty good. How true that proved to be! By 9:00 that night, your Mom had passed out and your Dad had called 911.  Your Mom and Dad left in an ambulance and your Mom wound up having to spend the night and most of the next day in the hospital.  Of course, your Dad went to the hospital and stayed with your Mom so, guess who had a brand new baby to care for all on her own!?

One of your Mom and Dad’s neighbors came over and helped me figure out all of the bottles that I would need to feed you that night. One of your Mom’s best friends since childhood, Sarah, came over to lend a little moral support. I sent Sarah home around 1:00 am and the rest of the night, I proceeded to hold/rock/feed and listen to you to see if you were breathing, Isabella.  I prayed some specific scriptures over you.  One was "The Lord is my Protector and Defender."  As I held you and stared at your beautiful face I couldn’t help but ponder all the people that would come into your life, which lead me to remember all the amazing women that had been in my life.  I wished for you some one like these women (They are in no particular order of importance, except for the last few):

Connie Stark:  My church choir teacher.  I always thought she was beautiful and boy could she lead the pack of unruly church kids in some wonderful songs to sing in the sanctuary.  I can’t sing “Fairest Lord Jesus” without thinking of how Connie tapped her foot on the floor to keep time and made us watch her as she directed us with flamboyant style.  She could also lead us in the best fun songs ever.  I still sing “Do your Ears Hang Low” and “The Grand Old Duke of York” while I am photographing kids or playing with your cousins, Jack and Sarah.

Dixie Dice:  Dixie was my kind of woman!  Another foot tapper, she was my tap dance teacher and owned Dixie Dice School of Dance.  Her married name was Dixie Watson but she went by her maiden name (Go Dixie—way back in the 50’s!).  She would fly to New York, go to Broadway plays and then lock herself in a hotel room and write our dance recital.  I can still see her now as she pulled her skirt above her knees and taught us shuffle ball changes until we got it right.  I can still see my Mom in the waiting room with all the other moms sewing sequins on our costumes.  Thank goodness that your Mom didn’t know about Dixie because I would have failed sequin sewing.  I have vivid memories of wild tap music and sparkly costumes. I can still remember the smell of the greenroom at her studio!  Jane, her daughter, taught us ballet but it was that wild tap dancing taught by Dixie that made my heart sing.  A love of Broadway musicals was deeply instilled at a very young age.

 

TO BE CONTINUED

Isabella Rose

Isabella Rose McGee entered this world on Sunday, June 21, 2009 at 12:14 a.m.  Happy first Father’s Day, Sam!

She weighed 7 pounds 4 ounces and was 20 inches long.  My friend, Judy, thinks she might have been pointing her toes in order to slip into some nice fancy shoes. I had hoped that she would come on Father’s Day in order for Sam to always be reminded about the greatest gift a Dad could ever ask for….a precious baby.  When Kristen was born 30 years ago, Gary brought her yellow roses.  For every special occasion since then, he has continued the tradition.  The last time he gave her yellow roses was the night of the rehearsal dinner.  I think that he thought his job was complete.  However, about two weeks before Izzy arrived, I dreamed that Gary brought the baby yellow roses.  Was it a girl?  Was God giving us a heads up?  You know he is a master at details and I can’t help but wonder if he was chuckling, as he knew how much pleasure it would bring Gary to restart the tradition.  So, when Izzy was born Gary brought her a single yellow, all they had down in the hospital florist shop on a Sunday morning.   He even talked them into taking it out of an arrangement.  When Kristen, Sam and Isabella left the hospital for home on Wednesday, he had a florist arrange a brand new dozen yellow roses for Izzy’s arrival at her new home.  I can’t help but wonder about all the special occasions that will “require” that little love language between a father and a daughter and now a grandfather (or Coach, as he is called) and a granddaughter.  

I have been reading a book by an author whose first book I first read thirty years ago when I had young children.   Prudence Macintosh is the author and her first book was about the trials and tribulations, but mostly joys, of raising three young boys. Her later book that I am now reading is about watching her boys launch into adulthood while also telling her aging parents goodbye.  Prudence was very close to her dad and grew up at his knees as the editor of a small town newspaper.  When her dad was at the very end of his life, he asked her the question, “Do you know why I want to live forever?”  She guessed so that he could wear that Brooks Brothers’ suit that wasn’t worn out yet or to go to the Master’s Golf Tournament again.  His answer was beautiful…….”So I could love you forever.”  Well, Isabella Rose McGee, I can assure you that Coach and Cici will love you forever.  It will be an imperfect love unlike the love of our Heavenly Father, but it will be steadfast and unwavering.  You can always come to us as you are and we will love, listen and help in any way we can.  I hope we have dozens and dozens of yellow roses occasions ahead.

JOYS AHEAD.

Cindy    Cici   Cease

Final Countdown

This is the week that we have all been waiting for……Kristen, my daughter, well, I guess that would be our daughter, and Sam are expecting their first child and the due date is Friday, June 12th. The doc says that she will probably go another week past June 12----so June 19th. We are ready to drive to see our third grandbaby when we get the word that he or she is ready to enter this world. I can’t help but have Psalm 139 go around and around in my mind…..Psalm 139:13-14
 "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

God has been busy at work from the very instant that baby McGee was conceived. He has created a unique and beautiful person and we will get to watch as that life is presented to us in a few days and be a part of the miracle. What’s the song? ”I Stand Amazed!” Well, I stand amazed that within a few days, our family will have a third grandbaby and another little somebody to love! Here are the last of the maternity pictures before we welcome him/her into the world. There really are joys ahead!

Lili is Dos

Lilli’s two year old birthday party was Saturday.  I started my business photographing children’s birthday parties 29 or so years ago.  I’ve come full circle and man was it fun.  They are such a pleasant family and there were so many great details that Joan, the grandmother and Jenni, the aunt had made to make the birthday special.  It was a tutu party and there were tutus and boas for all ages.  We did the invitations and I couldn’t stand to not see the final result.  Enjoy the fun of Lilli turning two.

Today I was made an honorary member of the Thurmond family. Jeannie has three grown girls and they are adorable. The grandmother, Jeannie, the great grandmother, MeMaw, Shelley and her two children, Bonnie and her two children and Tracy were here for a BIG “girl members of the family” session (As my granddaughter, Sarah, would say, “Dirls only!”). Oh wait, boy children were allowed to participate. Jeannie and all her girls. And a few grandsons. They were so much fun to be with and were so much fun with each other. Being an only child, I am very envious of all that fun. SOOO they made me an honorary member of their family. Take a look at all the fun of five adults and four children ----two two year-olds and two two month-olds. MeMaw is one good looking great grandmother!