Tuesday Treasures!

Sister Luann called this morning and we made a plan to go Goodwill Hunting and have lunch. Goodwilling is always more fun when you go with someone!

We hit up two thrift stores - and I tend to call just about all of them 'Goodwills' - when we stopped for lunch before visiting the third and last one out on Rock Island Road.

Applebee's was our choice and it was really good.

Isn't she cute?? I love this pic of her!

Our server's name was Lulu.....we like that name!

We ended up ordering the same thing - soup and salad!

We lingered long over lunch and after and Lulu was so kind to us, bringing Luann a 'tea to go' - and then refilling it before we left!

Most of the time when we visit, it is rather light hearted and fun, and today was no exception.

Except we had about an hour's worth of 'deep conversation.' And I was the one who did the talking for that hour. You see, I am about to meet three new siblings and am now in the same situation that Luann was in some years ago. That was what started our conversation but then I shared with my sister a brief synopsis of what my book is about. A memoir and not a biograpghy. The book is based on my personal memories of Mother. And the last chapter will be when she died.....and now with an epilogue celebrating the fact that I discovered who my father was by way of finding three other precious siblings.

So 'Mother' is the thread that runs through the book. Luann is well aware that Mother was not there for her or her sister, Shari, nor was she there for the four of us who grew up together after the year of 1957, but, what I shared today was the times Mother was there for me in some crucial periods of my life after I was an adult.

I think it helps if we can understand that no one is all good or all bad. We are, every one of us, a combination of both, and we can grow in grace because of Christ, as he takes the 'bad' things that happen to us and work them out for our good. Everything we go through makes us who we will untimately become. And I am not the person today that I was back in the years when life was so difficult for me. I'm pretty sure it's the same with nearly everyone.

I shared with my sister what my life was like as an adult all the up to the year I turned 50. 

That's when God truly began to change my life and helped me to see - and to believe - I have choices. Mother helped me in so many ways and she was there for me then as she had never been before.

I can tell - and I am telling - my story by way of my memoir, without crying.

Indeed, when I recounted to her the very worse day of my entire life, I didn't cry.

I can't even bring that pain back to my mind now. I remember it.....but I no longer feel it.

And I am praying my sister can do the same thing someday.

I am confident that day will come.

And these are my Tuesday Treasures!

I bought loads of good books for my younger grands. Used books are a fraction of the cost of new ones and they read exactly the same! One book I bought today - Julie's Wolf Pack by Jean Craighead George - I will start reading tonight. We read Julie of the Wolves back in our homeschooling days and I can't wait to read this one. Some of these books I have read before and the others I will read before giving them to the kids just to make sure they are appropriate. 

I also found some books for me and one to give Sister Nita.

The clothes do not look like much from the photos but I can't wait to wear some of them.

Brenda gave me several nice things yesterday! Like a pair of super nice white pants with a classy top and today I bought a black cap with bling to go with it. Plus an elegant black top to pair with the white pants and a brand new black/white long scarf/shawl.

I'm beginning to put together outfits for my trip to Kansas City!

In line at one of the thrift store, the young people behind me were talking about Kansas City. 

Apparently they are down here for a conference of some sort and I enjoyed hearing them chat about things back home. I kind of wanted to tell them that I would be travelling there soon.

I had just enough time to tell my sister goodbye, unload all my treasures and take my traditional photos of everything and then it was time to head to Dallas to watch Harrison's soccer game.

Yesterday was 93 degrees!

Today was chilly!!!

Kailey feels it is her solemn duty to take my phone and get photos for me....

and she took lots of them and I really appreciate that!

This was a good one - but there was one even better.

Can you see Harrison behind that blue ball?

Talk about an action photo!!!

On our way home tonight, Louis Dean said he had not eaten anything since the two mini bagels with cream cheese that I had fixed for him this morning. Except for one cherry turnover.

He decided he was hungry for Long John Silver's Fish.....so I drove to where we thought there was one ....but it's gone. So then we decided to make do with Arby's. But that was take out only. SO....we drove back down Beltline to The Catch and they were still open. Most places close at 9:00 since Covid.

We're not sure why since that makes no sense. 

Anyway, he was one happy man!!!

We are home and I am not going to stay up late!

Louis Dean is all caught up on his sleep and I'm thinking it's time to get caught up on mine......

so with that I bid you all.......