A Season of Joy

For years my Atlanta grandchildren pack up their children and make their annual pilgrimage to Mufreesboro, the day after Thanksgiving, to help jump start my Christmas Season. How can one help rejoicing when such an event occurs. They go down to the basement, haul up the enormous 12 foot tree, boxes upon boxes of ornaments and mantle decoration then joyously began to work. Mike, Mary, their children Joe and Isabelle, Kim, Tom and their children, Andrew, Emily and William, work tirelessly to give me back a glimpse of Christmas past.

We work until hungry and then we're off to share a meal together. What a joy, what a pleasure...my first gift of Christmas each year. How can I not carry on when given this kind of love. Love that is filled with replacements; when something happens and some can't make it, others fill in. I am blessed. I am blessed. I am blessed with the greatest gift of all...LOVE!

When the children are gone, it is once again very quiet, and I am alone with the familiar sights of Christmas at 600 N. Church. I feel comfort, gratitude for years gone by and grateful that I will again celebrate the birth of my Savior with those whom I love.

Now it's my turn! I will enjoy the wrapping and the
memories and the promise of Christmas!
Thank you to all who make this such a special time. I am looking forward to, once again, having the house filled with those I love. Merry, Merry Christmas!

Gwen

GREAT WAS HIS FAITHFULNESS

My Beloved
5/4/24 - 12/8/05

Five/four/twenty four, means nothing-
Twelve/eight/zero five, also means nothing,
but Oh! Lord! his dash! The years he gave us between life and death.
To us that was everything.

We continue to pull from his dash, every day.

Proverbs 20:29

Go on ...look

The Sailors

There is little doubt why we have a sailor in our
family and would have had a marine but for an accident

Old Friends

Friends are indeed a rare piece of gold for which I am so grateful. I pray for you to be one and to have many. Happy Thanksgiving to all my family and friends. gp

Happy Birthday, Margie

Tomorrow will be my lovely sister, Margie's birthday.

I am happy to know that her son is home from Oxford,

England and she will get to celebrate her birthday and

also Thanksgiving with both her sons and families this

year. Have a wonderful day tomorrow, Margie and know

that I love you.

Daddy 1902 - - - - -1976

1902 - 1976

My wonderful Dad would have been 107 years old today

had he still been with us.

No one was ever loved more and no ever did more for

his fellowman than Dad.

He is pictured here with his "Miss Macon" whom he

loved and adored.

Bless my mind tonight Lord, as I have some exciting

thinking to do, and I know that all finite creativity springs

from the Infinite Creator.

Bless me and my sibblings tonight as we remember

Dad

ARMISTICE DAY

I for two reasons celebrate

The lovely great Armistice date.

We heard the news - A peaceful sign

Sixteenth birthday of that boy of mine.

Each year the glad Armistice Day

Comes first - then we lay the tray.

We think of all the boys that gave

Their lives - and did their country save.

And then we think of those that's here

Who also served without a fear

We fall right back then at our own

We must not leave our boy alone.

For on each grand Armistice Day

Our boy, he has a glad birthday

We raise our eyes to God in prayer

For Mothers of the war graves there.

And always think of what may come

An awful war may claim our own.

Ethel Mai George

The Poet Ethel Mai George was the mother of my

father. This poem was found amoung

hundreds she had written down during her

lifetime, leaving us amazed at her

talent.

Remembering Betty

Flower Girl 1955

At last the pain in me subsides
and lets the joy in me abide,
as I can now celebrate the life,
not death, of my little drummer.

5/2/46 -10/30/02

Reunion of Patton/Chastain Cousins

The Chastain/Patton cousins recently gathered in South Pittsburg, Tennessee for a long over due reunion. Cracker Barrel generously gave us a private room to break bread together and for three hours to reminisce and reconnect over coffee.

Our coordinators.

Nine first cousins (some by marriage), five children of those cousins and one adorable baby representing the next generation, participated in the joyous occasion.

All agreed that our time shared was wonderful and we would meet again in the Spring. Oh, how Leonard would have enjoyed this day!

The adventures of my Grandson and Navy man, Kirill

The collage above is from the Tiger Cruise http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMcx3RQEOLo last year, showing Petty Officer Kirill's return from 6 months on the USS RR. His parents and brother met the ship in Hawaii and returned to San Diego with him, on board the ship. There, Elana (Kirill's bride) was joyfully waiting to greet them. Again this year he will be returning from another 6 months tour at the end of October. The family will not meet them in Hawaii, but this time in San Francisco where they will sight see and take in a concert while waiting his return.

Top picture in collage Kirill is standing by the plane he takes care of, in the bottom one his

pilot has ask him to make picture of him in his plane, #303.

The ship was in Thailand several days before returning to Hawaii. Below are some of Kirill's experiences there during his spare time.

And of course, everyone has time for a little play with his civilian friends...

Which one is the sailor?

Kind of makes one want to join the Navy!

FLOYD FAMILY REUNION

The Floyd Family Reunion

We Floyd's are looking forward to our annual reunion

which takes place the third week-end in October.

We will be seeing our extended families from many

states this year at that wonderful little

Commerce Cumberland Presbyterian Church in

Commerce, where our ancestors originated

We look forward to seeing our cousin from Detroit

who has turned 100 since last October.

Katheryn is always our biggest cheerleader.

If you are a Floyd, related to the Floyd's, or

would like to become a Floyd please

meet us at the church at ten o'clock

October 17 - 18, 2009

And Mama makes four

Hugh has a new toy. A camera that e-mails him when a leaf
falls, a mosquito flys by of the bears head toward his jeep.

GOODNIGHT LITTLE DRUMER

These grandparents were happy on

Christmas,1946 to have a grandson and

a granddaughter to share this Christmas with.

Today this granddaughter is pictured on the

right with her husband just before she

left us and went to her heavenly home.

This grandson on the left with

his family. He has grown taller.
Happy Memories

Goodnight Little Drumer

COUNT THE PENNIES AGAIN

MR. WATERTOWN

Today is my precious brother's birthday. How many?

Long ago the Lord blessed our family with a baby boy.

What fun after those girls ! He soon became the apple

of every one's eye, including Miss Grace Hill, my 2nd

grade teacher, who lived in the other side of the "duplex"

that we lived in. She fell so in love with this little baby.

This birth became a longtime friendship - fellowship,

between this baby boy and the community he was to

serve for many years and in many capacities as the

years rolled by. This longtime fellowship that returned

his best self, reflected like a two-way mirror, the joy

others got from just having him around. This was

received proudly by his family. Thank you for your love

of our family and thank you for the gift of perseverance

that keeps old friendships new. This is why there was a

bridge named "The Edsel Cordell Floyd Bridge" This is

why he is continued to be called on for history of this

little town, that is why Miss Grace Hill loved this baby

and why she wanted Cordell put in his name, that is

why he has been called, "Mr. Watertown" down through

the years.

That is why I adore him.

Sister

Sister and Dorothy Dean

I am thinking about Miss Macon today.

Picture made in Detroit, Mi. 1929.

Gwen, age 2 and Dot age 3

Miss Macon , age 24

Birthday Wishes to JUJU 9/1/09

BMJH

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JUDY, JUDY, JUDY

I Choose Memories

It is easier to make memories than to unmake them.

It is easier to remember than to forget.

Indeed, it is quite impossible to be sure we have forgotten ~ ~

anything.

And since memory remains, we would do well to look at what

we choose to make our memories.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

What fun she had with her Dad in that wonderful

snow, sleigh and Sonny Boy

THE MOTHER IN THIS HOUSE

For such as you, I do believe,

Spirits their softest carpets weave,

And spread them out with gracious hand

Wherever you walk, wherever you stand.

For such as you, of scent and dew

Spirits their rarest nectar brew,

And where you sit and where you sup

Pour beauty's elixir in your cup.

For all day long, like other folk,

You bear the burden, wear the yoke,

And yet when I look in your eyes at eve

You are lovelier than ever, I do believe.

~ Hagedorn

Louis counted the pennies today.

Happy, Happy Birthday to Louis

I know you have had a great day and I wish
for you another great year. Enjoy mowing and stay
forever young. I love you.
Nanamom

Gray Gardens

I can barely wait for TEA

64 years with LOP 2005

While Dad has gone to "Rest High Upon that Mountain"
I am being looked after by our children.
And waiting for the day we are reunited.

On July 15th 1945 Leonard and I took our walk down the
aisle to become one. We honored this commitment
for the next sixty and a half years when he
left me for the first time and
made his final journey into the presence of his Lord.
The above picture was made a month
and half before our wedding, We were visiting my
Grandmother in Auburn Ky. shortly after WW II .

About 25 years later at a
rehearsal dinner I sat up
on the back porch.

Fifty year anniversary.

After 59 years of our sweet marriage,

2005

It was a great life until the last moment.

1945 ~ 2005

This Side of Heaven

The mountains have claimed yet another member of our family. First Merry and Terrence bought “Northcroft”, then Judy and Louis, “The Falls”, and now Hugh and Natali have been bitten by the bug. Something about those mountains that draw on the memory of their youth and make them buy a second home.

High in the Smoky Mountains, Hugh and Natali have purchased a welcoming retreat that they have named, “Heavenside”. They have shored up its walls, weeded the yard, put up a new sign and placed, in the corner, a bed for Murphy. They are ready to enjoy!






Can't wait to come visit! gp

THEY TENDED US WELL

Pause with me as I play again in the dusty

lanes of childhood at grandpa's house.

Remember these bigger than life companions

who helped us bridge home and away, child-

hood and maturity. In their footsteps, we

made the journey. Thank you for such a

heritage and a day on which to express

our gratitude. We salute you this day.
Richard, William, Herman and Leonard
Below and bottom left the precious

father of my children.

My father, I also salute

for the Christian heritage

he gave me. Seen with

part of his wonderful

family.

.Happy Fathers Day to my

son and sons-in-law.

Please click on small pix

to enlarge.

THE 13th ~ The Queen's Eighty-Second

The Queen has a birthday, I'm so glad

we will see how many she has had

as we count the pennies we are told

she's

1~2~3~4~5~6~7~8~9~10~11~12~13~14~15~

16~17~18~19~20~21~22~23~24~25~26~

27~28~29~30~31~32~33~34~35~36~37~38~

39~40~41~42~43~44~45~46~47~48~49~50~

51~52~53~54~55~56~57~58~59~60~61~62~

63~64~65~66~67~68~69~70~71~72~73~74~

75~76~77~78~79~80~81~82~

My goodness I am out of pennies, and I

am so proud of every year.

No one could have a better life.

I look forward to tomorrow, the trip

to Atlanta, Kate's dinner,

Terr's soft shoe dance and song,

and seeing my grandchildren I have not

seen since Thanksgiving.