The Best Thanksgiving in 27 Years!

The "grown up" table

This Thanksgiving ranks as the best on in the last 27 years. Why was it so special you ask? Well, that's easy enough to answer.

You see, for the first time since 1982 both of my brothers, my mom and I were all together to celebrate this day of Thanksgiving. This hasn't occurred since I was 11 years old. So you can imagine what a special treat it was to have our whole family together.

My oldest brother left for the U.S. Air Force in August 1982. This past June he retired and decided to move he and his family back "home." He bought the house right next to my mom's. She was elated. We were happy that he was going to be a visible part of our family again.

Now it's not like we never saw him for those 27 years, we did. He came "home" for my wedding, for a Christmas or two and for a couple of weeks almost every summer. But, never for Thanksgiving.

My mom was especially happy to have all of her children at "home" at once. She, my two sisters-in-law and myself shared the cooking duty which made my mom even more happy. We had such a great time gathered around my mom's dining room table. We had much to be thankful for. We're all looking forward to many more years of holidays shared.

The "cousin table"

{They had never shared a T'giving dinner before}

You can click on each picture to enlarge them if you'd like. Pictured in the top picture starting on the left and going around the table is: me, Darrin, Lisa (sis-in-law), Rodney (middle child seeking attention), Jim (trying to hide), Dawn (sis-in-law), mom and step dad.

Chuck E. Cheese & Bowling

To celebrate the boys surviving the dreaded first day of school, we took them to Chuck E. Cheese... which we do every year. Darrin had as much fun as they did. It didn't take the three of them very long to go through 100 tokens!

I told them to act like they liked each other

Ready for some F-U-N!!

He's really my third child

Then, a few days later, we had family fun night and Garrett brought a friend with him. We ate at Applebee's {yummy} and then headed to the bowling alley. The kids bowled two games. Garrett won the first game and then Lindsey won the other. Payton came in a close third both times. He still has a little trouble getting the ball "all the way down there" to the pins.

Garrett & Lindsey sizing up the competition (Payton)

So serious

Back in VA

I'm happy to report that my Mamaw is doing better. She was moved out of CCU Tuesday. She did have surgery on Monday and came through great. The doctor's placed a filter in one of her veins to stop and break up a blood clot that is in her leg. Hopefully she will be going home real soon.

We came back to VA Tuesday evening. We brought a little something with us too... my three year old niece, Erin. She's staying with us until Sunday. We're having such a great time with her. It's definitely a new experience having another girl in the house. We plan to spoil her rotten and then send her home. (tee hee hee) She just loves her Uncle "Arrin" (she forgets to say the "D" for Darrin. She calls me Aunt "Shame." Isn't that precious?

Tonight is back to school night. The boys get to meet their new teachers tonight and see if they got the one they wanted. It's unbelievable that the summer is already over. I'm not even a kid, but that was F-A-S-T! Garrett will be in the fifth grade and Payton is in the second already. I have no idea how that happened so fast.

Welcome Home, Jim!

(Jim is on the left)

My brother, Master Sergeant James L. Cook, has retired from the US Air Force after 26 years of service. To welcome him (and his family) home, our "home" church had a dinner after church this past Sunday in his honor. My mom is so excited to have them moving back "home." She even managed to talk him into buying the house right beside of her!

(L to R front): Boots (mom), Lucille (Mamaw), me, Dawn (sis-in-law), Lisa (sis-in-law), Trish (step mom). Back: Gayle (step dad), Darrin (hubby), Jim (brother), Rodney (brother) & Donnie (dad).......... one big dysfunctional family. :)

You can see more pictures from Sunday on flickr.

SURPRISE and happy 85th birthday, Mamaw!

On Nov. 10th, 2007 my family and I (along with 75 close friends) celebrated my Mamaw's 85th birthday. The party had been planned for weeks, the weather was perfect and all the guests were there........all we needed was Mamaw! My aunt, cousin and his fiance were to get Mamaw to the church for her very first surprise birthday party. In all the planning, I failed to realize that there was a Veteran's Day parade on the very day and at the very time of the party. So, they were slightly late, but it all turned out great in the end. They got her there by telling her Vernon (my cousin) and his fiance wanted to tour the church to get ideas for their wedding this spring and that they wanted her to join them. She reluctantly agreed, thank goodness!

She was genuinely shocked, surprised and touched by the number of people that came out to help her celebrate her big day. I made sure she was treated like royalty and even gave her a pink feather boa and crown. She was truly humbled and just kept repeating "I don't deserve this, I don't deserve this." She, of all people, most certainly did.

We had a wonderful time of fellowship. Many people stood up to express their public appreciation of her (including me) by retelling stories and by expressing their love for her.

After the party (and the clean up) the immediate family all followed her to her house for more visiting. We munched on the party left overs and just had a wonderful time catching up with each other.

As my gift to her, I made her a scrapbook. I included things from the early 1920's in it....advertisements, hit songs & movies, cost of living information, etc. I filled the second half of the book with photos of her, her and Papaw through the years, her two children, six grandchildren and all the great-grandchildren. Since she needed absolutely nothing, that was the only thing I could think of to give her that she didn't already have. Although one friend of hers did manage to also give her something she will always need.......toilet paper! She got quite a kick out of that.

If you'd like to see more pictures from the party, go here.

P.S. -- Little did we know that just five days later she would be rushed to the ER in an ambulance with an abnormal heart rhythm and extremely low blood pressure. After almost a week in the hospital she has thankfully recovered. Her doctor has changed her medications and hopefully this will not happen again.

Forget Mayberry

A few weeks ago I posted about our impending move to Mt. Airy. Well, last week Darrin received another job offer. He has been waiting for this job off for months. It's the one company that he has wanted to work for since Heilig Meyers went out of business in 2001. It's taken a long time and relentless effort on his part but he has finally succeeded! We are now going to be moving to Roanoke, Va. He accepted a management position with Dick's Sporting Goods. He could not possibly be any more excited. As a matter of fact, we're all excited. This move will place us just three hours from "home" in Oceana, WV and only two hours from his parents in Mt. Airy, NC. He has to take a two week class in Virginia Beach, VA before he can begin work. He should hear from them this week as to when to report for class.

He resigned from his position at Belk in Mt. Airy last Thursday and came home. I didn't tell the boys he was coming. He surprised them and walked into the living room at about 8:30 that night. They were so happy. Tater Tot started crying and wouldn't let go of him. Until he leaves for his class we're sprucing up the house. We've removed wallpaper, painted, packed some things up to de-clutter, etc. We've changed our minds and want to put the house on the market as soon as we get it ready. We don't want to be five hours away from him any longer than we have to be.

The boys are really excited about daddy working at Dick's too. They've already told Darrin what all they want from there for Christmas. They have also come to terms with moving and leaving their friends. Tater Tot asked, "Do they have hurricanes in Roanoke?" "Do they have floods?" "Do they have robbers?" I answered "no" to each of his questions. He then replied, "Good we'll be safe there!" They've even been helping tear off the wallpaper and pack.

Thank you so much to those of you have remembered us in your prayers. They have definitely been answered. As always, God has worked things out in His time.

Yeah....we got to see daddy!

The boys and I went to Mt. Airy Saturday evening and surprised Darrin. It had only been five days since we had seen him but it seemed like twice...no three times longer! I think he was just as happy to see us. The night before we left (before I had decided to go) Tater Tot said, "Mama, when can I see my daddy?" Boy, did that tug at my heart strings! Of course it didn't take long for me to then decide that he could see his daddy the next day. The boys just talked non-stop to Darrin. They filled him in on all of the happenings of the past five days. At dinner Tater asked his dad, "Guess how old I am now daddy?" Darrin replied, "well I remember how old you are Tater." Tater then said, "Oh, I was afraid you might have forgot." I guess five days to a seven year old seems like so much longer. Darrin was off on Sunday so we spent the whole day with him. How fast it flew by too. We left around 6:00 pm Sunday night and hated to leave then. On the way home Payton was in the back watching a movie and I could hear him sniffling. I looked back at him and his little eyes were clinched really tight and he was trying not to make a sound as he was crying. I asked him what was wrong and he told me it was a "sad movie." (which I knew it wasn't) I asked him if he wanted to call daddy and after crying a little harder he whimpered "yes." I can't wait until we're all back together and life is back to "normal." We all get too comfortable in our daily lives and take even the smallest things for granted.....like enjoying everyday family life.

We're off to Mayberry.....well some of us are!

Darrin left this evening for Mt. Airy, NC. He accepted the management job with Belk. He starts tomorrow. We're so thankful that his parents live just ten minutes away in Pilot Mountain, NC. He will be staying with them until the boys and I join him sometime after the first of the year. There is no way we could have the house ready to put on the market before then. We have a few minor things to do (paint, etc.) before we put it up for sale. Then, we've even contemplated waiting until the end of the school year and moving up there in June. That way the boys wouldn't have to transfer to a new school mid-year. But, that' s long time for us to be separated from daddy! We miss him already and he's only been gone a few hours.

He took all of his work/dress clothes, his 10+ pairs of dress shoes, his 50+ ties, etc. Our closet now looks so terribly empty! His drawer in the bathroom vanity...empty! His shelf in the shower.....empty! I hate that!! I don't want them to be empty. I know this is a necessity and when looking at the big picture it makes sense, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Plus, this home that we've lived in for the past 3 1/2 years no longer seems like "home.

Payton missed him tonight when it was his bedtime. It has always been daddy that carried him to bed and tucked him in. I, with my bad back, can't possibly do it. I offered to walk him to bed but that just wasn't the same he said. How heartbreaking. Tonight while getting ready for bed, he told me he wants to go to school tomorrow, come home and move "up with daddy."

We plan to go up and see him every other weekend or so, but to a child, that's a long time. It will be a good day when we all join daddy in Mayberry.

And we're off.......

The boys do not have school this Friday or Monday due to "teacher work days." So, today after school, we're heading north.....to Lynchburg, VA. Darrin has a second interview with D*ck's Sporting Goods. If he gets this job we would be moving to Roanoke, VA. That would actually be ideal for us. We would then be about half way between his parents and mine. Plus, we love the area. However, for the moment he has accepted the job with Belk in Mt. Airy, NC. He is scheduled to start this Monday. That's actually our second choice, but he had to let them know something so he told them "yes." Of course if D*ck's offers him that job, we're there! We're going to take advantage of our trip and see from friends and family along the way. My dad lives in Claytor Lake, VA; Darrin's brother is in Christiansburg, VA; my half-brother works at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA; and we have friends in Pulaski, VA. So, we'll be busy. Then we'll swing by Darrin's parents for a night. Saturday we're going to close out the trip by visiting Carowinds Amusement Park just outside of Charlotte, NC. Then we'll head back home. We appreciate your prayers and will let you know the final verdict as soon as we know it.

A New Life Adventure

Take me home country roads.....

The reality of life has taken over much of my time these days. Hubby and I decided about a month ago that there is no sense in us living so far from family. So, to change that, he resigned from his job and has been looking for another closer to "home" in southern West Virginia. After all, it's next to impossible to look for a job while you have one. Current employers aren't too fond of someone taking time off to go to out-of-state interviews after all. He's interviewed for positions in Oak Hill, WV; Salem, VA; Christiansburg, VA and a few others. Now we're just waiting to hear back. The employers don't seem to be in nearly the hurry we're in! Go figure. Anyway, if you could, just keep us in your prayers. Pray that God will open a door for us that will get us closer to family....it's time. We've been away for way to long.

Picture from "West Virginia: ..." a West Virginia Travel Page by Stephen-KarenConn.

Going Home for Homecoming

Me, Darrin and the boys were lucky enough to be able to go "home" to WV this past weekend. The church I grew up in, Toneda Baptist Church, was celebrating it's 98th Homecoming. We had the best time. We saw people we hadn't seen in years. We heard a wonderful sermon courtey of Dr. Rev. Tim Brown. He grew up in Toneda as well and is now the Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Clovis in California. (A l-o-n-g way from WV, huh?) The singing was also superb and brought tears to my eyes. My Papaw was in my thoughts of course. It just wasn't the same without him there. But, he's celebrating a much sweeter homecoming in heaven I know. Of course the food was outstanding as well. Those Baptist ladies sure do know how to cook! The best part, however, was the fellowship. Darrin and I saw friends we hadn't seen in years. It's truly amazing how fast times is passing us by. Anway, here are a few pictures I wanted to share:

My dad, me, mom and brother

Tater Tot & Bubby posing for mom

Darrin & I with Pastor Tim

You can see more pictures on flickr and a few more on my MySpace page.

A Sunday Evening at the Park.....the baseball park

Darrin's parents and brother are down visiting so we took them to see a baseball game last night. It was absolutely perfect weather. It's been in the 100's here and really too hot to enjoy a baseball game even at night. But, last night was great. Perfect baseball weather. The Drive ended up losingn 5 to 2, but it was still a great family night out. Since it was the last night game of the season, they had a spectacular fireworks show right after the game. I never get tired of fireworks! The boys also made a card to send to the troops while we were there.

Darrin's dad and brother, Tater, Darrin and Bubby

The boys getting ready to make a card for the troops in Iraq

Bubby and his Nana

A shot of the field

The mini Green Monster

A Sunday Downtown

The boys with mouse #1

My three boys on the trolley

We spend the day downtown today. We're so fortunate to have such a great downtown! We try to take advantage of it as much as we possibly can too. We started off by eating at one of our favorite places, Sticky Fingers. Then we began out journey to find the "Mice on Main." It start with a bronze statue of a little mouse with the book "Goodnight Moon." They, by following clues, you have to find eight others that are scattered around downtown. Let me tell you, it's no small feat either. Then, we took a nice relaxing ride on the downtown trolley which is always fun. After that, we headed on over to the Children's Garden. It's the cutest little kid's park nestled underneath an overpass about a block off of Main Street. What an excellent use of that space I think. It's full of fun things for kids to enjoy. And, it serves as a great shelter when a thunderstorm rolls in! After waiting quite a while for the storm to pass, we decided to make a run back to Main Street and hoped to catch the trolley back to our car which was about six blocks away. Sure enough, the trolley arrived just as we rounded the corner to Main Street. Thank goodness too. We were all soaked. It was a fun day anyway and we plan to go back down one day soon to finish the fun. You can see lots more pictures from our downtown adventure on flickr.

We're back home!

The boys and I made it home yesterday evening around 7:00. A wonderful thunderstorm greeted us about 20 miles east and ushered us all the way back into town. They were so happy to see their daddy and Bo & Chasie. Tater Tot just walked around looking at everything like he'd been away for years instead of 2 1/2 weeks. We had a nice family dinner at Cracker Barrel and then came home and crashed in front of the TV to watch "Supernanny." Darrin had golfed in a golf tournament all day and we had driven 6+ hours, so we were all pretty tired. It's great to be back home, in my own bed, with my family again! I have lots of unpacking to do so for a few pictures from our trip go to flickr. I'll post more about the trip later.

Remembering my Grandfather

James Otis Cook
October 10, 1920 - May 23, 2005

Two years. How can that seem like an eternity? It feels like ages ago that I received my last hug from Papaw. It was Mother's Day weekend of 2005 when I would last feel his soft, gentle embrace. The last time I would hear him tell Darrin "you take care of my girl." The last time he would occupy "his" chair of honor at the dining room table. The last time we would all be together with him at the same time. I knew, deep down, when we left that Sunday that it would be the last time I saw Papaw alive. He had found out about his cancer only one year before. He had retired only six months before. His health declined rapidly. We all knew, but didn't talk about, the inevitable that was sure to come. But, there was no preparing myself. The call came at noon that day in May two years ago. I answered as always with a cheerful "hello." As soon as my cousin, Toni, uttered my name.....I knew why she had called. I could hear the despair in her voice. "He's gone." "You need to come home," she said. He had left us just a couple of hours before. He wasn't in a hospital hooked up to machines, suffering when he passed. He was at home with his wife of 50+ years. I'm so thankful for that. I just hung up the phone, held my face in my hands and cried. From that second on I knew my life would never be the same. A huge part of my heart died that day also. It still aches for him. That is the selfish part of me. The part that wanted him to stay here with us forever. The part that still needs his love, guidance and humor to this day. The logical side of me knew that he was no longer suffering. His lungs could now take a long, deep breath. He was now in the company of his parents and sister who had gone on before. He was finally residing in the mansion God had waiting for him in heaven.

I have visited his grave twice in these past two years. The first was the day after he was buried. I cried and took a few flowers to dry as a keepsake. The second time was to see his marker after it was placed. Seeing his name written in gold on that long piece of bronze was more than I could take. I haven't been back since. I prefer to remember him as the man he was, not as a man entombed in the earth. I could go on and on about my Papaw. I could tell you how he was the one man in my life that was a constant. How he was more like a father than a grandfather. How he led me to Christ one Sunday morning when I was twelve. How he shared every major milestone in my life...high school and college graduations, marriage, child birth, etc. He was the greatest man I have ever known. I continue to miss him terribly. However, I know that by the grace of God I will see him again. And, as Brad Paisley sings, "When I get where I'm going...I'm going to walk with my granddad....he'll match me step for step.....I'll tell him I've missed him every minute since he left.....then I'll hug his neck."


I've written several poems about my Papaw. If you'd like, you're invited to read them.

• Homecoming
• Remember the Laughter
• God's Angel
• Father's Day
• Hold Me Up Lord
• The Mighty Oak
• Thank You
  

I have also penned several posts about this special man:

• Green Bananas
• A Trip "Home"
• A Box of Memories
• It's the Little Things
• Happy Birthday in Heaven, Papaw
  
  
  
  

Gearing up for a big weekend

Our first born is getting ready to turn 10 years old in a few day. That is hard to believe. To celebrate we're having a house full! Darrin's parents and grandmother arrived this evening. His brother will join us Friday. Then, my mom and step-dad will complete the company on Saturday morning. Bubby has invited a few of his friends to go to Monkey Joe's for 1 1/2 hours of play. Then we'll all return to our house for cake and ice cream. He's so very excited to have everyone here for his special. I had a huge list of things to get done on Monday to get ready. Want to know how many of them I actually got to? None. Tater Tot woke up at 6:00 a.m. complaining of a sore throat. He quickly got worse so a trip to the pediatrician was in order. The diagnosis? A double ear infection. He was in terrible pain. I was having to alternate Motrin and Tylenol every three hours to control the pain. Of course the doctor prescribed antibiotics and gave us some samples of ear numbing drops. It was a rough day...but he's feeling fine now. So, Monday's list was carried over to yesterday. Luckily it was hubby's day off so he could help me since I was in a time crunch now. We got 95% of the house cleaning done. I finished up this morning and made it to the grocery store before they all arrived. I made mini-meatloaves for supper and now we're all settled in to watch American Idol. It's going to be a hectic but truly enjoyable week. Stay tuned for more details about the party.

I'm blessed with the best in-laws!

There have been quite a few things in my life that haven't gone as planned. Things that I had absolutely no control over that adversely affected me. However, there is one thing that went perfectly right! The Lord saw fit to give me the best in-laws ever. They have been a part of my life for 16 years now. They truly are a set of second parents. Actually, my father-in-law is more like a father. He is an absolute blessing. Just before writing this post I called to ask my m-i-l a quick question. She wasn't home so he and I chatted for 30 minutes. Yes, 30 minutes. How many of you have done that with your f-i-l lately? This past Valentine's day I even received a card just from him. The front of it said, To my Daughter. And yes, it made me cry. If you have an amazing f-i-l like mine, be thankful...and let him know you are thankful. If you don't, pray...God still works miracles.

Happy Birthday Uncle Barbe! (a.k.a. Grandpa)

Maxine, Barbe & me

Today my Uncle/Grandpa Barbe turns 82 years young! This is one very special man in my life. God originally gave him to me as a great uncle, he is my Papaw's brother. However, he & his lovely bride of many years (he'll tell me exactly how many years, days and hours after he reads this) have just recently agreed to adopt me as their grand-daughter. A girl, no matter her age, always needs a grandpa. And, since my Papaw passed away in May 2005, he is the perfect substitute.

If you could only meet this kind, gentle, extremely organized man. He is truly amazing. He's such a joy to converse with. We had the opportunity to stop by his N.C. home this summer while we were on vacation. Oh, the stories he can tell! His memory is as sharp as a tack. I would love the opportunity to just sit and listen to him for days...all the while committing every word he utters to memory. See his pipe? Well, that's his trademark. It smells so delicious. Since I was a wee tiny girl, the smell of any pipe has always carried with it memories of him. You'll hardly ever see him without it really.
Look at him here...wasn't he handsome? He was a Yoeman in the U.S. Navy a few years back. He couldn't have been better suited for a job. A Yoeman keeps records for the entire ship. This would truly be his calling. He still keeps records of his records. He has kept a journal every single day since his daughter, Susan, was born in 1960. Can you imagine? How fun would it be to have the ability to relive any day for the past 47 years? Want to know what he was doing on April 22, 1978....give him a second and he can tell you.
Oh, and what about this picture? Yep, that's the exact same uniform that he wore when he was active duty. I don't think he's gained an ounce since he was 18 years old. Doesn't he look dapper? Now you see why Aunt/Grandma Maxine snatched him up! By the way, that's a really interesting story he shared with me during our visit.

Maxine, Barbe & Susan (their daughter)

The truly amazing thing is how much he looks like my Papaw! I never really saw it before (and you won't either in his picture), until the day of my Papaw's funeral. As I walked into the church for the service, Uncle Barbe was in the foyer to greet me. Instantly it hit me, the resemblance was amazing. He is exactly what Papaw looked like after his illness had taken away some of his weight. He gave me the biggest hug and I didn't want to let go. He was the closest thing I had left to a Papaw. Since then I've just felt this extra special bond with him. I only wish we lived closer so we could visit more often. His frequent emails are always encouraging, but his hugs are a lot warmer.

Even though the majority of you will never have the opportunity to meet this noble man, will you say a little blessing for him anyway on his special day? He's a blessing to all those who know him and he deserves the best birthday ever. So, Happy Birthday Grandpa!!

Hugs & Kisses,
Shane :)

*More posts honoring my "Grandpa" -- missparker.vox.com & SusieWrites!

The Otis Van

Okay, I know you're wondering why I would dedicate an entire post to this white van. Well, if you're a family member, you know exactly why. But, for my blogging friends let me explain. We were at the mall last week doing a little holiday browsing. When we left this van was the first thing I saw in the parking lot and it just warmed my heart. My grandfather, Otis, passed away in May 2005. I was extremely close to him and miss him deeply. Now, any time I step onto an elevator or escalator and see "Otis" (the manufacturer) I just smile. However, seeing his name boldly emblazoned on the side of a vehicle just gave me chills. I know it was just coincidence, but what are the odds? There were hundreds and hundreds of cars in the huge parking lot. This one just happened to park a few spaces down from ours. Thanks Otis repairman. Thanks for picking the parking space you did. It started my holiday season off wonderfully.

Happy Birthday in Heaven, Papaw!

Today would have been my Papaw's 86th birthday. He went home to be with his Lord in May 2005. He was an amazing, loving, caring, thoughtful, and generous man who I miss greatly. Happy Birthday in heaven, Papaw.

God's Angel

Thank you Lord for sharing with me

One of your angels so precious is he.

He's shown the love you have for us all

And I proudly call him my Papaw.

A Christian example he's always shown

And was never afraid to let it be known.

He led me to you one bright Sunday morn'

For he wanted to know that I'd been reborn.

You've allowed us to love him for so many years

Now our selfishness is the reason for these tears.

We all love him so deeply and will miss him so much

But there's comfort in knowing we'll again feel his touch.

You're calling him home to rejoice with you

Of that there is nothing we can possibly do.

We can, however, look forward to the day

When we're reunited because Jesus paid our way.

We ask for your comfort and peace in our hearts

We love him so much and it's painful to part.

No one could ever take his place

There will just forever be an empty space.

Our memories will never fade

They'll get us through the hardest of days.

Again, thank you Dear Lord for sharing with us

An angel from heaven we know as Otis.

© Shane Hawk 2005

I wrote this two weeks before he passed away. I knew the time was drawing near. He truly was my angel!