The Teacup Bouquet

That night I woke up to hearing my baby sister Lucy ,  age 4 whispering to me, age 8, that she needed to go to the bathroom. Today that would be as simple as sliding out of bed, padding to the bathroom and doing your business and then padding back to a big soft bed. Not so in our old house in Indiana! We had a one seater out house and if you had to go outside, it was a chore. So my response was "Let's go!" It was Christmas vacation from school and we were so hyped up abo ut Santa coming and what presents he would bring us so going to the outhouse wasn't that big of a deal! We pulled our coats and boots and hats on and headed down the basement stairs and out the back of the basement into a truly white December night. The air was so still and cold, we felt breathless! The stars were twinkling all around us and we hurried to our duties. As we walked back up the sidewalk to the basement door and our warm house, we saw some falling stars. Lucy caught her bre...

I've been thinking about Jesus, the Savior of the world being born to that young couple in Bethlehem.  I wonder, was Joseph by Mary's side through her labor and did he help her with the birth? I reflect back on May 27, 1974 when my first little baby was born in the hospital up on the hill in our town. I got the standard treatment:  At the beginning of a mother's hospitalization for the birth of a child she was put into a labor room. In my hospital that room was about 10'X10'.  It had a bed, a rolling table with a pitcher and a glass for water, a little one or two drawer metal chest and one chair ...and that was about it.  Mothers would spend from a few hours to 2-3 days in this little room.  Dad could stay with Mom in this room, but when the birth was near, Mom was taken to the delivery room where Dad was not allowed to go.  It was a very sterile environment and about the same size as the labor room.  There were sever...

As I sit in my rocker, here looking at our tree, the Christmas lights and ornaments are shining back on me. Oh those precious mem'ries of places long ago. Oh, those precious mem'ries, a-sledding in the snow! We wiggled as we giggled and our faces were aglow! Oh those precious mem'ries - a-bouncing down we'd go! As I sit in my rocker just looking at your face, your eyes reflect the sparkling of flames in fireplace. Oh, those precious mem'ries.of trudging up the hill. Oh, those precious mem'ries.We sled downhill until - you tipped the sled right over and it gave us both a thrill! Oh, those precious mem'ries.That snow gave us a chill. As I sit in my rocker. and you sit there in yours, I realize we're holding hands as faithfulness endures. Oh, those precious mem'ries. Again, we'd get a shove. Oh, those precious mem'ries. Remember your lost glove? Remember way atop the hill that seemed so far above? Oh, those precious ...

I do not remember my mother wearing aprons. The only time I remember seeing someone wearing aprons when I was A child was Aunt Bea on the Andy Griffith Show.  Now I'm a little taken with the idea of a wardrobe of pretty aprons.  So, since I can't see that happening anytime soon, the next best I could do was create this board. Enjoy! http://www.pinterest.com/beckybenedict3/christmas-aprons/