Happy New Year to All

It's been a wild 2010...up's and down's as life has been kind one minute and mean the next. But through it all I have been blessed with 2 beautiful grandkids. They have made my life so much fuller and happier. Even on my worst day they can get me to smile and feel so loved. When I look at their pictures I see how much they have grown and how much I enjoy watching them grow.
Whether it's a picture of Ryder looking for pumpkins on a fall day...

or a quiet moment with my granddaughter, Maddy at the pool...I see my mom in Maddy's eyes....such beautiful eyes she has. Hi Mom...I know your in there somewhere.

My grandkids have made 2010 a good year...let's hope 2011 will be even better.

So from Pawpaw and his beatiful granddaughter and handsome grandson we want to wish everyone a Happy New Year and may 2011 be better for all of us..especially our children and our grandkids.

And Maddy would like to wish everyone to smile a little more and love one another a little more too. Who can refuse those beautiful eyes...come on people do it for Maddy. Call your old friend you haven't talked to in awhile, or that relative you been meaning to call but have put off....let's make 2011 the year to improve the world and make life a little more better for all of us.

HAPPY NEW YEAR from Pawpaw and may God watch over each and everyone of you and your families. I hope you will come back next year and visit with me again.

HAPPY "1st" BIRTHDAY MADDY

Well, the big day has finally arrived...my granddaughter has turned the corner and is headed to toddlerhood. My little Maddy is "1" today and just as beautiful as she was the day she was born, but then I'm her Pawpaw so I might be a little prejudicious.

She is that beautiful angel who came into my life just a year ago. I have been able to watch her grow from a little bundle of love into a pre-toddler and soon a full scale toddler, always on the go.She seems to be a very vocal little girl....talking, humming and singing all the time. Soon she will be trying out for "American Idol" and I will spend all night calling in and voting for her, because she deserves to win everything she tries out for. But I'm her Pawpaw and I might be a little prejudicious about whatever she does."HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADDY", I Love You and wish your day be very special for you. As special as you are to me. Now go eat some cake and smear it all over the place...like a good little girl should do on her birthday. And tell them "Pawpaw said I could".

Maddy's Guardian Angel from Heaven.

Maddy's never seen my Mom, she passed away before she was born. But just like Bettyboop, Mom is watching over her from the sky each and everyday. From Heaven "Memaw" is guarding over you. When I look into Maddy's eyes I see a little bit of Mom that makes me feel her presense is near. I am a proud "Pawpaw", just like Mom was a proud "Memaw" to Matt, Maddy's daddy. So life goes on in our grandchildren, We hope and pray that their lives will be better than ours.

And with the love that Maddy has, she has a great foundation to grow on. She is a very loved little girl.

You can see the love in her parents eyes, in the way they take care of her and in the way she makes them feel.

You've come along way little girl, and have a lot ahead of you. Each day you change, each day you grow more and more into that woman you will be someday. Into that adult that hopefully will change this world we live in and make it a better place. You already have made some changes just by being born, you have a lot more to do.

But I know you become whatever you dream of becoming. Great things lay ahead of you and the world will be waiting to see what you do. I Love You Maddy and will always have a hug waiting for you, that's what a "Pawpaw" does.

An Angel Gets Ready For Her 1st Birthday

Well, the days are ticking down to Maddy's first birtday. How a year has passed already is beyond me, but she has grown so much in just a year. I remember when Matt and Jordan showed us this picture, our first look at an angel.

Matt and Jordan have had their hands full, but have down an excellent job in being there for Maddy. I am so proud of them as parents and know that Maddy is being loved everyday.

She has really changed from that first day I saw her at the hospital, the first time I held her, the first time she spent the night with us.
I get lost in her little eyes, she lifts my spirits when I need them lifted and makes me smile everytime I see her.

So Maddy your Pawpaw can't wait to see you. To look into those blue eyes and see what a angel looks like. Soon we will be wishing you a happy birthday and looking back at what a wonderful year you have had and how you have touched so many people and filled their lives with love.
I can't wait to see you, because a Pawpaw needs his granddaughter's hugs, to give butterfly kisses with and watch grow each and every step of the way. I Love You Maddy and will be counting the minutes til I see you and wish you a Happy Birthday in person. To help you celebrate a year of growth, of love and of dreams that have come true.

Tornados, Heavy Rains and Pawpaw's Storm Shelter

Well, let's see I came over for something....oh yeah, a cup of sugar and a large tarp....my trailer has a little hole in it.
We had a little storm run through our county and over a some people's homes. Luckily no one was hurt in this trailer. The poor guy was trapped under the tree, but managed to get out.

And speaking of luck, I was able to use my storm shelter that Nana gave me when we first got married. It's gotten smaller, or I've gotten bigger...but I was able to weather the storm. I know it tilts a little, but I'm grateful I had it. Just don't know why the dogs stare at me when I get in it.

Now, the storm was a windy one for sure, gust up to almost 100 miles a hour. They said the 2 tornados were EF-1's....guess that means "Extra Fierce One's". All I know is that it looked bad from the storm shelter I was in.

The TV news had it coming right to our house, but lucky for us it went north. Not lucky for the people it went to. Trees came down, houses caught fire, lots of messes to clean up.

The last time I saw a Tornado was when I was 16 year old and my folks and I were headed to my Mom's family in Missouri...Kansas City. Pop was asleep in the front seat, Mom was out in the back and there I was listening to the radio and driving along when they said a Tornado was sighted near some town. I didn't know it was just ahead of us. I had to wake Pop, scared him to death, I just wanted someone to see the funnel out the car's side window....wild looking thing for sure. We pulled up under a bridge and watched as it went over us. Mom woke up when it started to whistle....about scared her to death too....and she was from these parts.

So we survived the "Tornado's of Summer 2010" and luckily no one was killed. Just alot of property damage and a bunch of downed trees.

Thanks for checking on us and letting me tell ya about the wild storm we had. I guess I should go outside and check around my storm shelter and make sure everything is ok. You never know when another storm might be heading our way...I'm just glad that Nana got me this thing to stay in...just don't know why the dogs always stare at me in it....and they have funny looking smiles on their faces.

Must be jealousy, because I got such a nice place to stay in when Nana tells me to go get in my shelter...she calls it a french word I think..."dawghowce"...catchy ain't it. I call it "Pawpaw's Palace"....just enough room for me and my wisdom.

Thanks again for checking in on Pawpaw and I hope you'll come back and visit again. And remember guys, for safety purposes it's good to get a "dawghowce" to stay in like Pawpaw.