Oakley's gather to celebrate....

Geraldine's eldest son, Wendell, has a birthday and all the family gather with wishes a plenty. Sixty-two years added to his life's history:

devoted siblings

A lovely wife

sisters and brother in-law

and bunches of nieces and nephews!

With all this goodness we would be remiss not to give special recognition to mothers, Carol and Geraldine and the sweet spirit of Johnny, filling the house through those he left behind.

My children and I enjoyed being part of this celebration of love.

Happy Birthday Wendell!

Sister, Polly and I had a great day out, visiting our brother in Nashville,
taking a car load of boxes that she had taken after the 2010 Great Flood,
home to wash and clean and repack for him until he had once again gotten
settled in his new space. I feel absolutely fantastic tonight after visiting
his new home and realized what he and his sons had been able to savage
and clean up for the new home. Certainly the book worm that he is, he can
never replace his papers and books that he loved so much, but it is simply
amazing what was saved from his lovely "toys", statues, birds, flowers,
figurines, plates and untouchables. It looked like home to me. Both my
brother and his son, Steve, have been awesome through this whole thing
with the flood. When they were rescued by boat in chest high water, one of
the "rescuers" was out of the boat and said, "hop in". His reply, "I couldn't
have hopped in 70 years ago" So he, the rescuer, on the ground made a
stirrup out of his hands and pushed him in. My grandson, Josh, was able
rescue and restore more than 100,000 names of his genealogy and get it
from the water logged computer and into his very own new computer
with all the trimmings. Thanks to everyone who helped make this an
awesome adjustment, all who rescued "things", cleaned "things" and
return "things" at the appropriate time. To the Kopp's, who loaded and
hauled several days, provided a large garage to store, and to the teen
age son for giving up his basement living quarters for several weeks
for them to enjoy. Thanks to the Booth's who hauled furniture, cleaned
and cleaned some more, to help return some of his favorite pieces to
once again look like the wood that it was. I had to see for myself and
I liked what I saw.

My Own Room - - -My Own Elevator !

Today one of my three favorite sons-in-law, Louis had yet another B-Day
He did it his way, doing his favorite thing, mowing !
While building their house he realized there was no sleeping room
for mother-in-law and changed some room, previously meant
for a media or something like that and put me a bedroom
downstairs, also promising an elevator if it became
necessary for me to reside there permanently.
You saw it here first, my own elevator !
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DARLING LOUIS
I love you much.
Nana

Yet another Anniversary

Another year of sweet bliss for daughter and
her sweetheart. I thank God for you both.

Only girl for 42 years

There she is a few years ago!
Second flag girl on the right!

So much excitement over the week-end about the
birth of the second Willard girl, after eight boys that I forgot
about the birthday of the first girl, granddaughter Leigh.
Happy days, Leigh enjoy your days off and enjoy
the lake. You are loved.

A STAR IS BORN

Welcome to our world, Adalyn !
You will have the best and most protective father
any little girl could have.
And hopefully you will be as beautiful
as your lovely mother.
We have looked forward to this day with
many loving thoughts for almost
nine months.
We love you already.
We are Patton

A ROYAL CELEBRATION

THE QUEEN'S FLOWERS

THE QUEEN'S DINNER

THE QUEEN'S DAUGHTERS

THE QUEEN'S SON AND WIFE

With heartfelt emotion, trying to keep tears from spilling over I observed once again, what I have been privileged to observe for three quarters of a century plus eight years.Down through those years I have always felt the driving force of these wonderful children.They keep me going, they keep me happy, because of that wealth of tenderness that they store in my heart,
it makes my life so sweet and bearable. This day was made so sweet with the
presence of my three children, my beautiful daughter-in-law, one of my grand's
Rob, and my soul-mate and sister-in-law, Geraldine.
Just can't wait for 84.

Grandson, Rob

Leonard's beautiful sister. Gerry

Cooks and Cleaners Thanks!

The greatest gift, a Kindle, I read 78 pages last night!
I loved it, my wonderful children.
You're like a ray of sunshine that gives life a warm touch --
And that's the special reason why you are loved so very much - -
My birthday was filled with delight and pleasant surprises
from morning to night - - -
What a Royal celebration !

A Sneaky Post to make a Birthday Wish!

The wish from your children is that we will celebrate many,

many more of your birthdays with you,

because with each year you are even more precious to us.

Happy Birthday, Dear Mother

With much love,

(^Betty^) Merry, Judy and Hugh

The House in Patton Hollow

the House in Patton Hollow * from Croft on Vimeo.

(click flower shape lower right to watch full screen.)

SOME DAYS YOU JUST NEED YOUR MOTHER

I had a need for someone to love me
To teach me of life, and Heaven above me.
Someone to comfort, encourage, protect me
To laugh with and tease me and gently direct me.

Now that she's gone and I'm turning gray too
All the more evident is my need for you
You were always there to share in my joy
Whether with my girls, or my little boy
And you were there too when my eyes filled with tears
Showing your great wisdom and calming my fears.

I thank you today for your tender touch
For your prayers and your love that meant so much
For in this big world there will never be another
Who magnifies Jesus to me more than my Dear Mother

I AM EXPECTING !!
My eleventh great-grandchild.
Along with that eleven I have been given an
awesome opportunity to call five more my
Greats, too.
Adalyn will be the third little girl and we are all
waiting patiently for her arrival.
This afternoon a few of Tonya's friends gave her
a shower to which I was invited,
along with about eighteen other ladies.
How wonderful it is to have such excitement at this
time of my life.
Matthew and Tonya are going to make such
perfect parents to Adalyn.
The nursery waits patiently for someone
to lay this little bundle in that new beautiful bed.
Her closet is filled with little clothes, and
the mother and dad couldn't be happier.
May God continue to bless the three of you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, My Beloved

1945 dash 2005

These were our years, every one wonderful.
Even the declining years.

PAPA
I remember when you walked
In autumn
Across the mountains,
Alongside the streams that seep
Out of the rocks where one hill cleaves
To another,
Your silver hair tangled in the clouds you
Were bigger than mountains.

Even then, muffled by our shuffles through
The painted autumn ruffles on the ground
The sound of your blood was
A hammer
Welding wings
On the anvil of your soul
I do not mean that you were old
Or you were dying then
But that your spirit knew of
Flying then long before your feet ever
Left the ground.

I hope I paid enough respect
To your trains in the basement.
I think I was properly awed by the careful details of
Your creation
But perhaps I should have
Paid more attention
To the ways you made
Electricity
Because your spark is still keeping the lamps lit
In our hearts.

Once you drove me to the farm in your truck
And even though it was just the two of us
You let me sit in those funny little -girl sized seats in the back
But eventually I had to crawl forward to investigate
The emergency candy in the glove compartment.
I ate it
With grave seriousness
Then we sang along to radio songs
{Though neither of us knew the words so we both made up
baselines: bum-bum, bum-bum,bum-bum..}

I'll miss you throned under the gilded tree
With your Queen
Surrounded by mountains
Of gifts like
Father Christmas
But like Father Christmas
Omniscient you are ever-present and benevolent
And I believe in you.

Thank you for your presents,

by

Kate Croft

(granddaughter)