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Artist (the last 3 are napping again)

Momma’s Masterpiece on the stove

Soup for 8 or 20 on a snowy day (or anyday)

6 pounds beef bones (with meat and fat) from Mr. Peter’s Farm

5 onions

Watercolors

lots of celery stalks

left over carrots from dipping

new paper and brushes

big dog(to show you how to lay down and do nothing, easily)

public radio

tobasco or Frank’s Hot Sauce (just whatever is left in opened bottle)

Box Wine (not the bottled stuff)

Quiet (tired kids from the snow)

Garlic (we like lots it covers any mistakes)

Potatos (don’t bother peeling, Yukon Gold are our Favorites)

Boil bones all morning, while the children play in the snow, call a parentyou haven’t talked to lately (in this case my father, Jerry Jr.) Talk at length while laughing at yourself.

bring the kids in….

Pour Wine (it is now after noon and after all it is a snow day)

Put some in the soup

Enjoy opera on the radio (yummy)

Get out new water colors, fresh paper, and call the kids in
Again

Throw children in the shower (all the girls in one, fun)

Sort laundry with high hopes, hang up long distance call….

Chop all veggies, seperate the meat and bones throw bones in a new pan with fresh water (more broth for another day)

This is an important step, try to find a knife or pot or bowl someone handed down to you (in this case my husband’s daddy who he graciously shared with me for 13 years), think of them, remind yourself the way their kitchen smelled, the way their food tasted and how they changed your life….remember that they held that knife (or pan, or apron) near them. They are a part of who you are today….enjoy, smile, grieve, do what you need to do.Think of sittting at the table with them and breaking bread with them and remind yourself of the memories you will make with this pot of soup.

Put all chopped things of any liking in pan with meatt and yummy broth, including but not limited to the things listed above….

Watch the children, smile. Enjoy how you made the soup and more importantly how the soup makes you.

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Little Miss Birthday herself

Much of the cast that plays in Sarah’s life, she has quite a collection of souls from 14-11, from Catholic, Church of Christ, and Baptist…all the way to Public Highschool to Private Ed, to our homeschool

Sarah’s homemade Cheesecake (that each girl dressed with individual toppings and the strawberry cake(thanks Holts) and her cousin and long time soul sister (rara kate)

When we weren’t looking the baby who never slept, cried for 2 years, and nursed like a maniac grew up. Sarah is 12. When I was twelve, I was experienced, I had seen so much of the world and life, and pain. Sarah is sweet, she has seen some life and some pain and loss, but she has innocence. Sweet innocence, she is pure and untarnished. No one has hurt her on purpose and she loves life and the world in it. For the last 12 years I have had the opportunity to experience so much life with her, the way life should be. Watching her dance with her daddy, have over nights with friends, laugh hard, cry hard, have tiffs with friends and help pray her family back to strong….Sarah has watched God move and not missed him in the small moments. We gave her some moments this year. She has gone to Florida, we watched her excel more than ever in school, she has devoted more of her days and thoughts to
the service of her Lord Jesus. Sarah has helped hug DJ who adores RARA and who can sometimes only be comforted by her. Sarah has found her voice and is no longer afraid to tell us what she needs and wants, we prayed that she would do this. Sarah has shared hurts and found healing from a season of brokenness in our family and the loss of her daddy’s parents, her Granny and PaPa. She along with the rest of this family bore fruit, that only a season of rain in your life can bear and helped us celebrate that season in dizzying celebration almost everyday in some way this year. Sarah is a young lady. Sarah will make quite a woman. Sarah has stolen my heart and this year helped me see and learn what that little girl needs…both her and me. Thank you sarah.