You never know what the other feller's toting....

Spoken like a true upstanding American. It was grandpa's little way of helping me remember to be nice to others because we never know what the other persons carrying, what problems they have or what hard times they have been through in this life. Sometimes I get a little a caught up in the world, my world, and lose sight of the things that are really important. Yesterday I came flying down our road at usual speed and our neighbor and her two kids were outside of their fence and she was mad clear through because I was going so fast. On my way back out she flagged me down and attempted to rail me for going so fast. I was surprised at the calm that over came me as I listened to her small little rant. I say small because she ain't got nothing on the family I came from, what can I say, they taught me well! She went into how her babies were gonna get ran over and it would ruin my life....on and on. Instead of reminding her that she didn't own the road and that I could go as fast as I wanted to down it, I just let her rant. Then I was reminded in my head of that saying grandpa always uses and just told her calmly that if she would keep her babies in her fenced in yard, I would slow down and maybe together we could keep her babies safe. Why I said that I don't know. I was filled with an inner peace and slowly reminded that she too was a daughter of my Heavenly Father and that I needed to treat her that way. That is not my nature by the way. Some would testify that I would argue with a stop sign, and it's probably true! The look on her face was one of dismay which turned to wonder and then gratitude. You could tell she was ready for a good argument and I surprised her I guess. This is not the first time she has flagged down someone in my family, she got Arminda a few weeks ago. But I was glad that she jumped off her high horse just about as fast as she had jumped up on it. It has been said that we should speak softly and carry a big stick. I think we should tread lightly and know how to holler when the need arises, but not until then. Some people just don't understand anything but plain language. Yesterday I was in a funk to say the least. Spent most of the morning throwing myself a nice little pity party and then a dear friend of mine said, "A diamond in the rough is still a diamond." She was talking about someone else of course but I was able to see the wisdom in that. We are all diamonds in the rough, but diamonds none the less. If we could slow down long enough to see the road the other fellows been traveling we may just decide that we don't need to put him in his place, cause he's already standing in one that we don't want to be in. The same is true when we are the ones being told where to go and how to get there. People don't always act they way they should and we need to know that we don't either. In a Madea movie her sister tells her, "Madea, God gone get them one day and God can get them better than you can." That is so true. As long as we are doing what we are supposed to be and turning the other cheek, then Heavenly Father will take care of those that don't treat us kindly. Our job is to be the light. To become the influence that He would have us be. I know that I ain't perfect but I do cherish those moments when I feel like I did good. I can look back on yesterday with that peace that can't come from anywhere but within. It felt like being on mission again. I was, even if just for a moment, what my Heavenly Father wanted me to be. Small triumph I know, but a triumph it was. She didn't know that I had had a rough day or that I was stressed out over some stuff I have going on right. So instead of letting it get all blown out of proportion it turned into a roadside agreement. Big sticks are good when you are dealing with mangy dogs, but a kind word and a comprise can accomplish so much more with our fellow men. Some would say that I've quit preaching and done gone to medellin, guess its true. I was taught that pretty is as pretty does, and I hope we take those opportunities everyday to be beautiful, the way our Heavenly Father made us, no matter how ugly the other person is.

~AzK~

True Love

Growing up the way I did, I started noticing the differences in my life compared to those of my friends. I would hear my friends say, "Daddy got so mad because mama spent his money." I never heard that growing up. Or, "daddy won't go because mama won't let him." The thing that scared me the most was when one of the girls in my school class said, "Well if daddy won't let me, I will just tell mama and do it when I go over to her house this weekend." My parents have always lived in the same house-together. With their children-together, and you could bet the farm that if you told one, the other would find out. As a kid I hated that! I wanted to be able to get an answer from one parent and it be final. That didn't happen till I was a senior in high school. The usual answer is, "It is okay with me but you need to ask your daddy." Which was like the kiss of death for anything! But I did get to do a lot of the things I wanted growing up. We didn't take 3 week long vacations to Europe, but if we got a 3 day weekend we always went tent camping. Some of my favorite memories growing up are from times we were just sitting around a campfire talking to each other and eating biscuits out of my cardboard oven that amazed daddy. We didn't drive new cars but we had good ones. The car I got when I was 16 was mama's hand me down. I still drive it, 310,100 miles later. She even has a name, we call her Bonnie and that is how we refer to her all the time. Even grandpa will tell me to take care of Bonnie. We went fishing off the banks of the river, we got to see the monster truck show when it came to Tallahassee, and we attended church together every Sunday. We have a tradition of decorating the Christmas tree together and us kids slept in the same bed on Christmas Eve night. We were just always together, loving, laughing, fighting, playing, and even eating. We still eat dinner around the table together. That is how dedicated my parents were. I am so blessed with good parents who were united in decision making and everything else. My parents have a joint checking account. They both do house work, yard work and take care of the kids. They both came to softball games, band concerts, beta club induction, football banquets, cheerleader tryouts, graduations, and any and everything in between. My sister is 17 years old, junior in high school and Wednesday daddy went to her softball practice after work, watched them the whole time, picked her up and took her to church, which at most is 200 yards away. She is perfectly capable of crossing a field to get to the church but daddy was there. There have been many times in my life that my parents were there and I didn't even realize how blessed I really was. But the thing I probably love the most is the small things that they do for each other. Not the dozen roses that cost you an arm and a leg, but the everyday little sweet things. On Elijah's birthday Daddy left Mama a pack of her favorite PEEPS on the steering wheel of her car. His little way of telling her how grateful he was for the sacrifice she made 25 years earlier in having my brother, which was not an easy task and only got harder as we grew older. He washes the dishes when he is home and cooks more than mama most of the time. But mama has had her fair share of shining moments too. What other woman would buy her husband a boat for Father's Day, or ANOTHER gun to add to the arsenal he already has? Which he loved but the cordial cherries around Christmas really stole his heart. She always does his computer work for him and makes sure he knows how much money is in their account. She kisses him hello and good bye every time they part company. She loves for him to be in the woods as much if not more than he does, not because she wants him gone but because she wants him to be happy and she knows that is one of the places he finds joy. She has hemmed every single pair of pants the man owns, and never once did she complain when he was Bishop about him having to go early or stay late or go in the middle of the night to sick peoples homes. She just prayed for him to be safe and sent him out the door. For my parents it's not about fancy clothes or jewelry, houses, cars, or keeping up with the Jones. It is about all the small things. The little tiny things that are hard to see on a day to day basis. Flowers for no reason, a text to let her know that he was thinking about her, new dining room chairs without being asked, supper on the table, all the things that go unmentioned but noticed. That is how I want it one day. The poor man that marries me! He has some pretty big shoes to fill. They are the best example. They are not perfect but the love they share almost is, as well as their children! *wink*wink* Because of their example those are things that I want when I finally settle down and get married. A dozen roses that someone else arranges and delivers is nice but a hand full of ditch flowers waiting in a mason jar on the counter when I get home says, "not only do I love you but I am willing to do something to show you that." A "good morning" text is better than any Shakespeare and letting me have the first drive in your truck wins my heart. Saying yes ma'am to my mama and working on stuff with daddy means more to me than any Olympic gold metal. Loving my kids and treating them like I was treated growing up will pretty much make me yours for eternity! To quote the Lady Antebellum song American Honey, "She grew up on a side of the road/ Where the church bells ring and strong love grows /She grew up good/She grew up slow/Like American honey. Having parents like mine is the richest of all blessings, and how sweet it is, like our Tupelo Honey!

~AzK~

The Hen Party

If you know anything about me, you know how attached I am to family. We are a large family and we are a close knit bunch as you have probably noticed in some of my other posts. One of my favorite things about my family is the relationship we have as women. Yeah, so we are all related but more than that we are all friends. Last night we had the usual "hen party" over at Aunt Randy's house. We all showed up around eight o'clock and she was still slinging honey with her crew. Most people would have come back or found something else to do, but we are not most people. We told her would see her inside and were happy to welcome her home when they finally called it quits for the day. Mehgan was cutting hair, Hattie and Jarah were our entertainment (poor Kristina was the supervisor and needless to say those two don't really take to the "no" word.) along with some new fascination Hali has found on the internet. Aunt Katrina, the ever sounding positive voice, mama with camera in hand, even if it wasn't her camera or her granddaughter, Miranda and her demon chocolate chip and icing cookie goodness, and a wonderfully splendid lack of the male species. Now that's what I call a party! Elijah and Kale were floating in and out but that was okay, they are usually pretty well behaved, or at least smart enough to know when they are out numbered! Aunt Katrina got some highlights done along with Miranda and Hali. All of us got the needed trim and talk! The TV was not the main attraction and neither were the day to day issues of laundry, cooking, cleaning and everything that goes into the home, kids, and family. We all sat around and talked about everything from politics to photography, cakes to "grease monkey's" (the baked hamburgers and french fries). We hashed out good colors for fall and bad people no matter what the season. Men, mainly for me since I am the only single one, and babies, because we seem to be over run with them. Now we don't know everything but you would never hear one of us admit it. We have strong, still, firm beliefs and we stick to them. When life gets tough we lace that deadly combination with hope, love, and peace that only the gospel and good family can bring. Uncle Jamie knows that if there is a wedding coming up or a bridal shower to be held that he won't be getting much sleep, now he goes to bed but he don't expect too much cause he has been around long enough to know! The dress code for these spectacular hen parties is a thing to behold. Hali showed up in mixed matched scrubs (the one girl who has never been a nurse!) Aunt Randy of course had the moo-moo on and Mama and Aunt Katrina were just pure jealous of that! I was wearing a pair of sweats from the mission and a t-shirt from Sonny's. Kale graced us with a streak through the house, towel only, because we were washing out hair color in the bathtub and he needed get a shower. The only one available was Aunt Randy's, he had to walk right down through the middle of the kitchen where we had all gathered up, so we had to do a few cat calls and throw a few dollar bills just to bring out that oh so cute blush that endears him to us all. Hattie and Jarah were the cutest ones there until they decided to help Aunt Miranda wash the color out of her hair and got soaking wet playing in the water. But hey, there are few things cuter than a baby running around crazy in just a diaper! I will have to say Miranda was rather stylish in her attire but she had just come from church with the young women! But what I love the most is that no one even cared! We didn't even notice. I guess when you have been through the stuff we have been through you don't take notice so much of the feathers of the bird, only the heart inside. Even though grandma wasn't there we would always refer to her and she was on the phone with us most of the time! When she wasn't we would add in a "well grandma would say...." and her love and guidance was still felt. We hate to see Mehgan go at the end of this week, we just love having her down and getting kisses from the Hattie baby but you can rest assured that there will be many more meetings of the hen's as we look after the crew, invited or not. The thing about my family is that whether you like it or not they will tell you how they feel about things, you can still do what you want but you will know where they stand. Most of time I count myself lucky to stand where they stand, walk where they have walked and love like they have taught me by example. Most days we run around like chickens with our heads cut off, especially during the honey flow, but ever now and again we get to gather our little chicks in under our wings and protect, encourage, and uplift them, teach them that they really can fly if they want to. If they don't listen, then a little pecking has been known to happen! But the best part is at the end of the day, we let our feathers down, roost in our favorite chairs in the kitchen and cluck about the things that are important to us, our favorite subject of all. FAMILY. Bitties, chicks and Roosters included!

~AzK~

Mad Skills...or just plain mad?

One of two things, I have some mad skills on this blog thing or I am just plain mad! I used to make so much fun of my daddy. When I was young daddy would tell me to give him my calculator so he could get up with mama. I knew what he was talking about but I still had to tease him just a bit. When Elijah went on his mission daddy learned the painstaking (we were the ones in pain) task of emailing. He emailed every week. When I was in the field he wrote me a paragraph a week. I loved them so much because I knew they had been typed one finger at a time. So needless to say I fancy myself quite computer savvy. Then I decided to start my very own blog. Somehow with all of my years in school this "setting up my blog" adventure has really stumped me. It took me two and half days to get the background how I wanted it and then came the posting. I looked forever for the button to upload pictures, which is as plain as day now that I know where it is. But I will have to say that my biggest accomplishment thus far is that I have somehow managed to become my own follower. Yep, with all my genius, I am actually following myself! How in the world does that happen? And the best part is I cant figure out how to take myself off! I am so used to knowing how to help daddy learn and do on the computer that my pride really suffered a hit. But these things happen. Although I haven't noticed anyone being their own follower, I have decided that it could always be worse. If by chance you see me sit down beside myself just know I am good like that!

~AzK~

It's all about the genes and we ain't talking denim honey!

Today at lunch mama said that she felt her heart attack coming on which got quite the response out of Chantel, who looked at mama and said, "What are you talking about?" and mama promptly replied, "Its all in the genes." Chantel had a confused look on her face and I said, in an effort to clear things up a bit "It's all about the genes honey and we ain't talking denim." After we had a good chuckle about that mama went on to tell her how medical problems were hereditary which lead to gene pools and we had our usual gripe about there being very few blond hair, blue eyed, good looking boys left and some comments were made about me being adopted but she said I looked too much like our bunch for that to be true. This whole conversation left me thinking about the things we say everyday that makes our language uniquely ours. Our family says some of the craziest stuff. And if truth be told, (which rarely is around here, we live with a bunch of avid fishers and hunters!) everybody has their own language. I walked into work after lunch and my co-worker Jonn was walking down the hall with a sour look on his face. I asked him what was wrong and he said, "Well I was just tired, but now I tired and full as a tick." I must have heard that a million times growing up. And there are so many more, for example from Uncle Jamie "That girl is crazy as a run over dog" or "You better be careful he's as crazy as a sprayed roach." The list could go for miles! "She's was moviing like a cat on a hot tin roof," or "He is as happy as a dead pig in the sunshine." Being southerners I think we have all heard these and many more throughout our lives. But in true Musgrove fashion those little quips of culture we use everyday weren't enough. Thus, Arminda and Aunt Katrina have started their very own language. The story is told of those two walking around the garden center at Wal-Mart trying to help Kaleb pick out plants for the new place they just finished building. So of course they are looking and picking up, reading info about the different plants and searching for just the right one. Well one unfortunate plant was left in the aisle where unsuspecting Aunt Katrina was trying to walk. She had a run in with the plant and she won! The poor plant wound up getting stepped on an kicked at the same time. This just appalled Arminda and she told Aunt Katrina that she was just a "plantabusanationer". Yes, she did! She just made up a word she thought was appropriate and every single one of us knew exactly what she was talking about! Daddy mixes up the letters of words intentionally. A good example of that would be, "That shickled the tit out of me!" or "that was fang dunny". My all time favorite that we said as kids was, "I am gonna slottybam you!" We've taken our fair share from the movies, like Medea's "Hellur", and her "call the po-po ho". And then there is the whole "Don't be so ugly" phrase that gets used on us heathens all the time. It is probably my favorite. The ugly in that sentence has nothing to do with physical beauty. We are a right good lookin' bunch if I do say so myself, but we aren't always pretty. It means be nice and kind, pretty in word and deed as well as appearance. Sometimes the most gorgeous girl you've ever seen is just plain ugly! And as grandpa would say, "I know she can't help it but she could stay home." To which grandma adds, "Bless her little heart." Some of us are just "bass ackwards" but wouldn't know hateful if it run over us, although it has tried! Sometimes we let it win and thus the "don't be ugly" makes its second appearance. My favorite language that my crew uses has no words. I have been told as much with a hug from my daddy as he could have ever put into words. A look from mama with her pursed lips has stopped be faster in my tracks than any jake brake on a semi. That pat on the shoulder from Aunt Katrina, that she learned from Granddaddy James, can heal those unreachable pains. Seeing Aunt Randy coming flying sideways "up in here amongst us" when you are alone and facing trouble makes you step a little higher and dare somebody to try you. Kinda makes me wanna holler "charge" without her ever even speaking a word. Grandpa's whistle means he's home and so are you. Uncle Jamie's laugh says that there is a little goodness left in the world. Uncle Monroe can raise those eyebrows and ask 100 questions without so much as a whisper. Randall's wink lets me know that my secrets are in the safest place. A shake of Grandma Kennedy's head and we all knew we were in trouble. Arminda's rolling her eyes tells all AGAIN for the 100th time that she ain't impressed. Trey throwing them hands up means he's done all he can. Daddy pulling his pants up with his wrist means somebody is gonna get a good talking to and the pitter patter of small feet on the more than 6 little ones that we have running around sounds like love to me. Hali's hands holding yours says that you got a friend in her. Mehgan's hands in my hair says that the miles don't matter and that time makes everything better. The whistle you hear in the woods when you are lost is one of the most welcoming things is the world. We all have our own ways, culture, and language. As grandpa would say, "nod your head, you know what I'm talk about"!

~AzK~

Who needs the Legend of Wooley's Swamp when you got the Bradwell fence?

We don't need no Charlie Daniels band and their legend of Wooley's swamp cause we've got the old Bradwell fence and a swamp of our own. Just an old beat up road side fence on the Bradwell Unit, right outside Blue Creek on the Tallahassee side. It has been falling down all of my life and half of my mama's! It has been every color from John Deere green to Midnight Blue. Zebra striped, red white and blue, the superman logo has even had a few days of glory, come to think of it, anything you can imagine and some things you can't, have been painted onto that rickety old fence. But paint goes away, it gets covered up and loses it shine. The other things this old fence represents to me and mine will not be tarnished by the tides of time or eroded by the wind and rain. The Hope, Pride, Love, Character, Endurance, Peace, Comfort, Tradition, Kindness, Unity, Bonds, Memories, Laughs, Cries, and Excitement that goes into this fence are not subject to worldly woes. My family started this tradition of painting a "welcome home" message to our returning missionaries when my daddy, Tracy Spikes, returned home from his mission in Scotland in 1981. Ever since that time this has become a thing of legend usually only seen on the movie screen or heard in an old country song. We usually paint "welcome home" and the person's name, something unique to them, and then sign our names in spray paint all around it. The Geiger boys also got a bit of the glory way back in the day, as they too have come home from honorably served missions. In more recent years with our resident artist, Aunt Katrina, we have been able to get a little more creative, Randall's had the John Deere logo on it, Kaleb's the Superman sign and Ellis was written where there should have been an "S", Elijah's had the Browning Buck Head symbol in his Garnet and Gold Alma Mater colors, and I being the only female to make the fence so far had lime green on the sides, with a huge Zebra print back ground, and welcome home Azie written in bright red, just my style! Last night we began the ending of one more coming home, me, and started all over in our well wishes for one more of the Lord's soldiers to hang up his coat, take off that name tag and begin again, a new, changed, even better than before, son of God. As we painted that Dark Hunter green over the Zebra stripes a peaceful feeling surrounded my heart and I was filled with joy. My sweet love, Elder Kale Holcomb, is coming home from his mission tomorrow. We are doing his fence camouflage with "Welcome Home" in Blaze Orange. The crew came out in force, even Trey, Mr. Lovely himself, came and did more than his share of painting. With all the little ones around we got to thinking who the next one would be, and it kinda broke my heart as we realized that it would be Kole. He is only 5! But that means that Kale's legacy will get to live along time on that fence, as a beacon of all things wonderful. Let's hope the thing will stay up that long! Daddy had to repair it to make it stand up for my sign. And you can bet your last dollar that if need be we will just build our very own for Kole man! We ain't above it! We have has so many good experiences wrapped up in the painting of the signs. When Elijah come home, Kole was just a little thing and he warmed our cheeks while we worked in the middle of December. Without fail we get the cars honking on the way by and well wishers stopping in to ask for official return dates of the ones coming home. We even got the State Trooper yesterday asking us what we were up to, which I found hilarious considering it was Kale's sign we were painting! 4 Little ones helped paint yesterday and it was a blast. They all had on their sunglasses and slung paint like the pros! All over us and each other but that is all part of it. We wouldn't have it any other way! Tonight we finish this master piece and will lay our brushes down for a few more years but that will be about all we put down. The hope that old rotten fence breeds is untouchable. Forever it will be in our hearts as we send them all around the world to serve our Father in Heaven. We've been from California to Hawaii, Canada to Equador, Scotland to the Philippines and about 10 places in between. And every single time we came home with honor. That folks, is not only a legend, it is the stuff hearts are made of. It's what we do. It's why we are so proud to be the family that we are.....it don't get much better than that. We love hard and we play hard. We fight for what's ours and what's right. We take the good with the bad, the happy with the sad because we are a family and that's the way we roll. I guess you could say that old beat up tin is worth millions to us. It is our small way of saying, "Come on home, you did good and we will be here waiting on you no matter when you come home, or where you've been". Contrary to popular belief we ain't even no where near close to being perfect. We got our own share of sins as does any bunch as big as mine. But I know who's got my back when the chips are down. I don't even turn around to look. Call it what you want, it is just a old beat up sign but to me it's more welcoming than the Vegas lights to a show girl. It's home. And that really is all that matters. So thank you CDB for the legend of Wooley's swamp but I got a legend that would curl your hair right here in my own backyard. Tomorrow another man comes home where a boy left, another leader comes home where a lost soul once wondered, another hero joins the ranks who did well, and will do right till the very end. Welcome home Elder Holcomb, I am so proud of you, and if you don't believe me, just go look at the fence. Nuf said!

~AzK~

This is the newest one to add to the collection! Welcome home Kale!

Here you can see a few of the names on the side of my sign. I hadn't even made it to the house yet in this picture but nothing says home to me like neon green, zebra print, and black blue creek mud.

One more of the print! Aunt Katrina really out did herself this time!

It only takes 18 months....

The question is often asked , "how long does it take to fall in love?" not the here one day gone the next, new, exciting, everything is all good kind of love, I am talking about the even when there is no electricity, pumping your own well water, working in the typhoon rains, come Hell or high water (and sometimes we got both) , stick it through to the very end, makes you want to be better and help others feel better, no going back kind of love and I have a little theory about that......Yesterday I was able to reconnect with one of the Elders that was in the M.T.C. going to the Philippines at the same time I was. He was about 3 Weeks later than me and my district. They were an amazing, very obedient district and I became very close with all of them. In the conversation we had yesterday via Facebook, he couldn't believe how rural the areas were where I was assigned so he asked that I post more of my pictures. I have been home 6 months come Thursday and I still haven't even really unpacked! I know it is shameful but sometimes I just don't want good things end! Daddy made me a built in book shelf for Christmas and I promptly filled it to overflowing with the stuff from the mission. I told all my friends that once I get it painted I am having a huge party and we are all gonna chill and enjoy the splendor....that was 4 months ago. The truth is I will have to put my stuff away and finally house all of my books in that space and that means packing up the best 18 months of my life and putting it under my bed......I don't want to let go. I don't want that wonderful part of my life to come to an end. I told Beckstead, excuse me Kendall, yesterday that I kinda get sad when I look at them and that is why more of them aren't up on my Facebook. But if I had been really honest I would have just said that the pictures are so lame compared to the memories that I really don't enjoy them like I thought I would. Don't get me wrong, they spark other memories that I had tucked away or remind me of details but I feel like that is such a miserable illustration of all the things I was blessed to be able to experience. To see that light bulb finally click in a persons eye and to see them embrace the pure love of Christ is, at very least, life changing. But to be able to be the one who experiences that Christlike, pure, untouched love for a nation, a culture, an area, a lifestyle, a people, or more specifically a person and their family is to know God's choicest blessings. I was changed more than I changed others. I was influenced more than I influenced others and I felt more than I helped others feel of individual worth and the love that My Father in Heaven has more for little ole me. Kendall was one of those that helped me learn, along with Alex, Randy, Tonu, Pita, Michael, Sione, Darius, Dallin, Mum and Dad, Jacob, Kris, Tyler, Jet, Derek, Jared, Dexter, Amy, Rachel, Taryn, Erika, Michelle, Meripa, Mary Ann, Mary Rose, Kala, Ayen, Mercy, Ida, Patricia, and the list could go on for miles. How dearly I love these, God's choicest of children, and how fortunate I was to be able to grow with them. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder but I believe that shared experiences make hearts grow together. One purpose, one faith, one path, one trial after another, one more memory. I have never been so grateful that we can take them, our very own history, with us when we meet Him again. Serving my Heavenly Father and His children is the single best thing I have done in my life so far. Don't get me wrong, I hope that eternal marriage and raising children in the gospel will bring this kind of eternal improvement as well, but to date I can only speak of things I have experienced. But I have also realized, thanks to my friends Kendall and Sione that good things do end but better things come. Good things do end but that doesn't mean that we have to forget them or that those relationships we make here end, that is the beauty of the gospel. The eternal perspective. So the question remains, "how long does it take to fall in love?" and my only answer is......just 18 months.

~AzK~

Just a cup of brown sugar, or so I thought.

Well yesterday was Sunday and considering I spent all of 7 whole minutes at my house during daylight hours on Saturday I was looking forward to my day of rest.



At church the testimonies were awesome and we somehow managed to muddle through my Sunday School lesson. Then in Relief Aunt Randy gave a great lesson, per her usual spirit filled fashion. I drove the lovely family home and fell asleep before I ever even changed clothes. Finally crashing for a few hours can put you in the mood for some pretty random things and my crave of the day was chocolate chip cookies. When I finally got up around 3:00pm Binky (Jarah) and Kristina had made their way over to the house for a visit. I love that little one so much. Daddy cooked us a splendid supper while Jarah and I washed the dishes. We ate together, enjoying each others company and the lazy Sunday afternoon. Kristina and Mama were working on something for her couch, still not really sure what, and I decided on chocolate chip cookies. Kristina makes the best chocolate chip cookies. I can cook real food and I am actually pretty good at it but the other stuff, you know that actually goes IN the oven, is all Kristina and Arminda. She agreed to cook them for if I would gather all the ingredients. So after much turmoil, I got everything together for her and discovered that we were short about 1/4 cup brown sugar. So what is a girl to do on a Sunday, no shopping and half the world asleep? Yep, I called grandma. She always has everything a girl could ask for! I went for brown sugar and came away with everything from sound laundry advice to exactly who to marry and when, not to mention our detour into the old southern slave trade and the attached family history on the subject. After spending all day with her and grandpa in Tifton at the square dance exhibition on Saturday I thought she had told me everything I needed to hear, for a few days anyway, but I was wrong. What started as a quick 7:00 pm run for a cup of brown sugar ended as a 9:00 pm heart to heart with one of my favorite women in the world and the subsequent 10:00 batch of hot, soft chocolate chip cookies. I cant decide which I enjoyed better. I still sit here munching on cookies and thinking over the things that sweet woman shared with me, a sometimes lost little girl that she cares for so much I can feel it even thousands of miles away. Sometimes we may think that our grandparents are old, and they are, or crazy, and mine are, but all of the time I know how much I am loved and where I can go for a cup of brown sugar and anything else I need, those that I go looking for and those that I find along the way. I hope you all have someone to go to for your sugar needs, if you don't I now have a five pound bag, so come see me and I promise you will go home with a whole lot more!



~AzK~

A New Beginning

Today is the start of a new adventure for me. I have after much contemplation decided to start my very own blog. For some time I have put this off because of my irrational fear that I won't be as witty or prfound as most of my dear friends but then again I've decided that those I call dear, would probably read it anyway. Most of the time I have a pretty hectic life but then again, which of us doesn't? In an effort to keep in touch and be more aware of everyone else's dates with destiny, be it trials or triumphs, I am setting a goal to update this at least twice a week. So for all of you who know what you get yourself into when I tag along, get ready for some more adventures, for those of you who are new to me and the way I roll, hope you enjoy it and stick around for a lot more love, hope, laughter, bonding, trials, triumphs, puddles on rainy days, and smiles on those fullof sunshine, lemonade on the front porch swing in short for EVERYTHING, ...........A all the way to Z!