A Journey of Joy for Sandy.com

Sometimes.........it's harder than I want it to be.

Sometimes......the beauty of the morning stops me in my tracks.

Sometimes......my heart breaks.

Sometimes........I can see clearly.

Sometimes.......I cannot find my way.

Sometimes.......I wish.

Always.......I love. Always......I care. Always......I am just me!

Here's to the Journey!

Sharing the love.......

I walked this morning at 4:30 and again reveled in the beauty of the new day beginning. Clouds covered the stars, yet occasionally the moon would shine brightly through, grabbing my attention. And so I stopped to gaze at the sky, and to marvel at the beauty. And to comment aloud at how beautiful the new day is.

And the beauty continues! Rollin helped me make the beginnings of homemade chocolate ice cream to share with Granny Great. It has to chill overnight - but sometime early tomorrow afternoon, we will all sit in the kitchen, surrounded by love - eating the best ice cream - EVER!

Life is good with good ice cream to share!

Here's to the Journey!

Time Well Spent.

Granny Great reading a bedtime story to our grandson. Life is good!

Here's to the Journey!

A wonderful day with family. Telling old stories, remembering good times, and looking forward to even more.

Life is Good!

Here's to the Journey!

Learning Joy

My mother-in-law is coming tonight to spend a week with Jim and I. We all have never done this before, and it is with a little trepidation that I await her arrival. But I know, there is Joy in being with family, and there is Joy in spending time with the woman who loved the man that is my husband long before I ever met him.

I know I will learn more Joy this week. My wish is that Sarah will see the Joy that is our love together!

Here's to the Journey!

Evening Time

Jim and I took a walk this week around the lake where we use to live. As we were rounding the eastern side I looked up to catch this beautiful sunset that took our breaths away. We both stopped and enjoyed the beauty of the day ending and again marveled at how quickly the earth is moving for the sun to fade out of sight so fast.

Now, I have just completed my early morning walk. This morning as I stopped and looked at the stars (I just can't help myself - I love to gaze at the sky) I said out loud - This is so beautiful. Thank you for this beauty!

Life is good - Whether it's the beginning of the day, the end of the day, or high noon, I am surrounded by an unfathomable beauty!

Here's to the Journey!

Happy Birthday Jim!!!!!

Today is Jim's "real" birthday, although we started celebrating last Sunday while Jenn was still here, we are finally wrapping up the day. All of our wonderful and beautiful friends have sent cards, email and called Jim today, and he has had the most fabulous day.

I stand in amazement of this man whom I met when he was 22 years old. Today he is 60 and I feel like the years have swooshed by faster than I can comprehend. I feel blessed to have spent all these years with him, making our Journey together. Many times traveling the road less traveled, but always traveling together.

Liz and her boys joined us for a wonderful birthday dinner followed by cherry pie. We are now headed down to meet friends at Su Casa for a night of Karaoke and one more chance to sing Happy Birthday. (not me - someone else - Hopefully!) A few margaritas, a few cold beers, and we will continue this Journey of Souls that we intended from the beginning.

Happy Birthday Jim! I love you will all my heart!

Here's to our Journey!

This man knows me......

Jenn left for NYC early this morning. And, because Jim knows that I have had a lump in my throat all day, he brought me yellow and white roses this evening to elicit a smile. He succeeded, of course. And now I sit here thinking about how much I love my family.

Joy is loving someone so much that leaving feels unbearable.

Joy is someone loving me so much they try to make it bearable.

Here's to the Journey!

My Family!

Today we had a birthday celebration to remember. We celebrated Jim's B-day with everyone at our house! Life is so very good with our family together!!!!

Birthday Table.

Here's to the Journey!

Life is always good with family!

We had a full day of family time today. Liz joined us after breakfast and we spent the day together at the Collierville Square, lunch at our house and then nap time for the youngest ones, followed by swim time at Lifetime fitness.

I adore having Jenn, Liz, Tucker, Rollin and Fynneus with us. And tomorrow, we will be celebrating Jim's birthday a few days early and Thadeus will be joining us too. Life is always good with family.

Here's to the Journey!

Family Night!

Tonight Liz, Tucker, Rollin and Fynneus joined Jenn and Jim and I for pizza and family game night. We all polished off two large pizzas and quickly prepared for a fun game of charades. Everyone is such "great actors" and we all had belly laughs before the night was over.

Tucker is spending the night with us because he wants to carve his name in the tree fort that is in our back yard. Jenn is downstairs reading him a bed time story, and I am feeling so blessed to have this loving family all gathered here in Tennessee right now.

Life is so good!

Here's to the Journey!

Friends.....

Today a wonderful friend joined me for lunch at my house. I made my artisan bread and a delicious summer salad. We topped it off with some of that home made chocolate ice cream and double chocolate milano cookies. Combined with two solid hours of not stop chatting before she had to make her way back to work. As we hugged goodbye, my heart was singing with the Joy of this wonderful friendship we have cultivated here in Tennessee.

Joy is having friends to share the ride!

Here's to the Journey!

Celebrating Number 7!

Tucker will be seven years old tomorrow, and we started the celebration early at our house tonight. The above Razor rider spins like a roller coaster and everyone had a blast on it tonight. Tucker was thrilled and his appreciation spilled from him with every ride he took.

And yes - that is homemade chocolate ice cream on Fynn's face. Joy is not missing family birthdays and having Jenn here with us too. Joy is fun in the streets of Tennessee!

Here's to the Journey!

Family Time at the Race Track

We all had dinner together tonight and then drove to North Memphis to the Shelby BMX race track to watch Tucker and Rollin practice for Saturday's race.

It feels so good to have all our family gathered with us right now. And while we know that Jenn will soon be leaving for New York again, we are savoring every moment with her. The bonus is having Liz and Thadeus and their family here with us too. Life is so good. And being with family is so very precious.

Here's to the Journey!

Warm Tennessee Breezes

My early morning walk today was filled with the most wonderful breeze. The wind has continued to blow through our town all day long. I love looking outside and seeing the trees swaying. I love more to stand in the wind. Clothes flapping, hair in disarray, and the biggest grin possible. Joy! Pure and simple Joy!

Here's to the Journey!

Time with Jenn....

Jim and Jenn spent most of the day together and I am grateful that they enjoy each other's company and grateful for the wonderful father Jim is to our daughters.

They brought home a Cuisinart Ice Cream maker. And right this minute we have "simple vanilla" ice cream churning in the kitchen. Time with Jenn - lively conversation, sharing books, candle light dinners and home made ice cream.

This is Joy!

Here's to the Journey!

Joy is the Ride!

Today I received a gift in the mail from a dear Florida friend. A beautiful key ring engraved with the words: The Joy of the Journey is in the ride. A friend who has taught me much, although she may not know it, and who has astounded me with her kindness. Thank you Tanya!

As I reviewed my blogs for the past week, a paper hat from my grandson, my time visiting with Jenn, my awareness of cultivating friendships, and the awesome morning glory that calls me by name, I realized how very blessed I am on this Journey of Joy. And I am so very grateful for the ride which had taken me to so many places, to so many people, and to this beautiful moment in time. Now each time I grab my keys I will be reminded (and I must be reminded) that Joy is in the ride!

Here's to the Journey!

Morning Glories!

After months of neglect, I began my early morning walks a few weeks ago. I wake at 4:30 am and walk until it is time to wake Jim for his day. I love the silence of the early morning. No traffic, no people, only beautiful sky and almost complete silence. I have started to carry pen and paper in my pocket so that any inspiration will not be forgotten, but mostly I just walk and gaze at the stars. Today I stopped to breathe in the beauty of this beautiful sky above me. This beautiful sky that calls to me each morning to come stand in the quiet Morning Glory!

Here's to the Journey!

Cultivating Friendships!

Definition of Cultivate: (from my 1958 American Collection Encyclopedic Dictionary) To seek to promote or foster friendship.

Today I was talking to Jenn and used the word "cultivate". I told her I really need to look up the definition because I want to understand the word. I ran upstairs to my office and sure enough, cultivation is about friendships. Cultivating a friendship is an art. Jim and I have made many friends during our time together. Joy is the cultivating of those beautiful friendships that make life so interesting!

Here's to the Journey!

Time with our daughter........

Priceless!!!!

Here's to the Journey!

I love being a Mom!

A day with Jenn! Life is Good!

Here's to the Journey!

From New York to Memphis!

Jim and I are going to the airport tonight to pick up Jenn. She is flying in from New York to spend several days with us and I can hardly wait to hug and kiss her!!!!!! I absolutely adore spending time with our daughters, and I am looking forward to long and lively conversations with her.

Joy is time with my daughters!

Here's to the Journey!

A Plaid Hat For Nanna!

Rollin made this "Plaid Hat" for me at art class on Friday. Here he is posing with Tucker and Fynneus. The little fingers at the top of the page belong to Liz holding the hat in place.

Joy is Plaid from you beloved grandson!

Here's to the Journey!

This is Love!

Jim is downstairs tucking our 3 grandsons, Tucker, Rollin, and Fynneus in bed. We just got home from an evening of fishing, tennis and playing at the playground. And me, being the avid reader and writer that I am, carried a book, paper and pen with me, but there was no time to read and so I put my book and paper away and headed to the Playground with Fynn. As we were walking, I noticed that I still had my pen attached to my tee shirt, but no paper to write on. I told Fynn that I didn't have any paper if I need to write something, and this little daring, who loves me so much, told me I could write on his arm if I needed to and I could draw a baseball too.

Feeling the love! Never a day without a line - even if I have to write on my grandson's arm!

Here's to the Journey!

Nulla dies sine linea!

Never a day without a line!

Our internet was out last night, and as I was getting ready for bed I kept thinking I didn't write, I didn't write. So I decided I would do some reading instead and I came across the Latin phrase "Nulla dies sine linea". Then and there I decide this is my new credo. Everyday - a line across the page. I may not fill the page, but Never a day without a line!

Joy is writing!

Here's to the Journey!

I Feel You In the Wind.........

We had a load of "red" sand delivered today and Jim and I spent the evening trying to haul it all to the back yard. We are getting ready to lay pavers for a beautiful patio, but are needing lots of sand to level the yard.

It was over 100 degrees today, and I asked for just a little wind and maybe a light dusting of rain just to cool things down a little. The wind picked up about 5:30 pm and blew firmly against my body. I stood in the driveway, holding my shovel, and thanking my Angels for this gift. We rarely have windy days in the summer time in Memphis. Sprinkles soon followed, and then the skies open up and poured buckets and barrels of water down on us. We quit with only half (3 tons) of the sand transported to the back yard. And yet I feel very satisfied. As if a wish was granted. That breeze was so much a beautiful feeling. Thank you Kenneth!

Here's to the Journey!

A Friend is a Friend, is a Friend!

Jim is a member of the MSFF (MidSouth Fly Fishers) Club. Tonight was their monthly meeting and I agreed to join him. I have attended a few fish outings, but not their monthly dinner meeting. We sat down at a table and was joined by 6 others. The couple to Jim's left introduced themselves, (Dianne and Bill) we talked about the upcoming MSFF kayak trip we are going to in Mountain Home, Arkansas, and then I mentioned that we had moved here last fall from Florida. Dianne immediately asked where we were from in Florida, and surprisingly they use to live in Fort Pierce too, years ago.

And for an evening I felt a common thread to some one here in Tennessee. This meeting sparked lively conversation ( my grandsons, her grandchildren) the places we lived, the places we thought we would live, the trips to New York, the change that becoming grandparents has had on our lives, the fun of being married for so many years (36 for me 42 for Dianne). For an evening we were familiar with each others lives. We shared the Joy of times past, but with great satisfaction to be here with our families.

I don't know if or when I might see Dianne again, but for an evening I had a really, really good friend!

Here's to the Journey!

Picture This!

Marietta Old Vine Red served in my antique wine glasses.

Homemade Artisan pizza crust covered with extra virgin olive oil.

Topped with sauteed sweet vidalia onions and fresh minced garlic.

Covered with fresh sliced garden tomato.

Smothered with fresh mozzarella slices.

Completed with julienne strips of fresh basil.

Bake at 475 for 20 minutes and serve with Love!

Picture Jim and I Joyed!

Here's to the Journey!

Books, Books and More Books!

It is very hot in Tennessee this time of year, so we are spending still more time driving around and exploring the area. I discovered another used book store in Germantown which is just east of Memphis. It wasn't open today but I am making plans to go there this week, and I hope to take my oldest grandson, Tucker. I want to take him to used book stores just to touch books that others have read, to feel the energy of these words (all found in the dictionary) put together in this special order, and to browse shelves filled with every book imaginable, and some not so imaginable. And then I want to take him to Starbucks so we can discuss together just how good life is!

Joy is the awesome magic and power of books!

Here's to the Journey!