A Ladies Day.....

Today I celebrated two ladies who played an important role in my life.

This morning I hurried through our morning routine and then prepared a soup and salad lunch of

Butternut Squash Soup (Trader Joe's) and Basil Pesto Salad and Suddenly Ranch Pasta Salad....

along with Dilly Bits, Tex Mex Smoked Gouda Cheese spread, crackers and ice tea. And Pumpkin Spice Cookies!

Meet my friend, Melba!

She and I met when we were both homeschooling,

I was teaching Amber and Benjamin and she was homeschooling her granddaughter.

Melba now lives in Oklahoma but some of her family remains in Texas so she was here to visit over Thanksgiving. We have such good memories of our adventures together!!!

I loved homeschooling and it served my two youngest children well.

Amber started college at 15 and graduated at 20 years of age with a 4 year degree from Texas State.

I call that a success! Melba made a huge difference in the life of her granddaughter - despite the fact that during that time she battled and won her fight with breast cancer along the way.

What a gift it is to spend precious time with treasured friends.

After our lunch, Melba went on to visit an old friend of hers here in Irving with whom she has been friends with for years and years. 

Life does not always turn out as we expect.

It didn't for Melba's friend.

And it didn't for my friend, Reaoma.

She and her husband, Doug, were my neighbors for 17 years.

Amber and Ben loved Doug like a father.

We spent a week in August every year after they moved to East Texas to their log cabin home.

Doug took them fishing, taught them how to shoot, let them ride his horses. He was amazing.

Reaoma was a big part of our life. We all love her.

Doug passed away in April 2012 just as Amber was going into the hospital where she would stay for 2 months until the quads were born.

Not long after that, Reaoma began to have vision and other problems and her daughter, Pam, moved her back to Irving where she lives in an assisted living place.

Pam spent Thanksgiving Day with her mother. Alone. Just the two of them.

This is from her Facebook post.....

I had Thanksgiving with my mom today, just me and her. First time in 52 years it was just me and her, we had pizza, because that was what she wanted. It is really sad to me that her other children can't even show up for a short visit or give her a call. This is my reality now, and sometimes it really sucks. So if you have family members that can't get out and about anymore, don't forget about them.

I have thought about this....and I admit to letting the hustle and the bustle of life crowd out what is important. So this afternoon I bought a chocolate milk shake and visited Reaoma.

She is as dear and sweet as she has always been.

We laughed together and visited and then just sat comfortably as old friends do.

We reminisced about all the Thanksgiving Days that she and Doug hosted with Pam here in Irving.

They invited everyone and if you were alone on Thanksgiving, there was a place you were welcome.

Many times we were there. Even if we had Thanksgiving Dinner at our our house - as in the first year Louis Dean and I were married - we arranged it so we could go see Doug and Reaoma. 

I came home and Louis Dean and I spent some time cleaning out the other side of the storage building. Louis Dean is older than Reaoma. Life does not always turn out as we expect.

I am so grateful that, at 80 years of age, Louis Dean is so active and healthy.

Life can change in the blink of an eye.

All we have is the present. Here and now. Don't waste the moment. Savor and treasure it so there will be no regrets later.

We meant to go to the ranch this afternoon.

Dean sent me a message that they had a lot of rain and it was MUDDY.

We opted to wait until tomorrow - hoping it will dry out.

Louis Dean is allergic to mud!

If we don't go - the scene is set for Christmas decorating!

I hung colored lights in the gazebo tonight and one stocking on the rocking chair.

I am celebrating each and every day as much as possible for as long as I can.

Who knows what the future holds?

It's not always what we think it will be....

And THIS is what my friend, Reaoma, is doing!

Let it be so with me......