......................And another one bits the dust.

So I'm sitting here checking my e-mails and I get one from one of my Thursday night students and she has to drop out of class for financial reasons. That is two in one week. I will be so glad when the economy turns around, not just for us but for all of my friends that are having a hard time too.

Of course I take all of this personally, like what am I doing wrong with my classes. Why aren't they filling up.....you know, things like that. I just have to step back and realize that things are hard for everyone and painting classes are really a luxury not a necessity. For me they are my job, but not for others. Maybe in the spring things will get better. I'll keep trying until then, if they haven't picked up then I will have to rethink things.

Prayers and good thoughts coming out to my blogging buddies.

.......................What to write about?

Phil has told me that he thinks I need to write a book, no idea about what kind of book but just write one. So as I lay down at night I run all kind of ideas in my mind about what to write. You wouldn't believe all the ideas that come across my mind. Do I write from personal experiences? Do I write a fantasy? Romance? Drama? Comedy? I like the idea about a comedy, that is our family lifestyle I think.

Who knows, maybe I'll do it and maybe I won't.

I'm a little bummed tonight. My class that I'm teaching on Tuesday's in Hampstead is dwindling down week by week. It was a small class to begin with, one lady has doctor appointments on Tuesdays at the same time, one is moving up north, and now another one is going back to work. That just leaves me with one person in class. I really like Ms. Ruth and I don't want to let her down and quit the class, but it is a twenty minute drive to the center, twenty minute back and I only make 13 dollars off of her. Is it worth my time?

I know I'll keep going up there, but it is really discouraging to have my class get smaller and smaller. I would like for it to have at least 3 students each week, not just one. My Thursday night class is growing slowly, I hope it grows bigger because I only make a little over a hundred each four weeks from them. Boy oh boy, I sure do wish the economy would get better so the arts and crafts world would pick up.

Okay, I need to get ready for bed. night.

..................It's an alligator Mammaw, it's an alligator.

So I come home today to find Samantha ready to have a heart attack. I ask her what in the world is wrong and she proceeds to tell me that there is a lizard in her bathroom and I've got to get it out of there. I try not to laugh at her, she is pale and ready to faint, if that is possible for her. But I guess some fears just never go away.

Back when Samantha was 4 we had come home to visit Mom and spend the weekend. We drove over to Mom's beauty shop to get something and as we unlock the door and get ready to step inside Samantha starts screaming and crying telling her Mammaw that there is an alligator. She is trying to get away from the "alligator" and trips and falls trying to get in the door of the shop. Mom and I have no idea of what she is talking about until we see this little lizard on the stoop of the steps. Of course being the loving and nurturing adults that we are we both start laughing to the point that we are crying. Bless her little heart, she was really scared.

So, 19 years later, I find Samantha in a panic because there is another "alligator" in her bathroom. Before I know it she is standing on the toilet and is telling me that she is getting ready to throw up. I finally get her down, trying to be that nurturing person that she needs me to be, and get her to calm down. I walk into the kitchen and she starts screaming and jumping up and down. Now you have got to picture this 6 foot tall young woman acting like a 4 year old. So I grab a bowl and a lid and go into capture this "alligator' so that I can release it back into the wild.

She is standing in our little hallway pointing to a pink shirt and on it is this BIG AND HARRY LIZARD, NOT!!! A tiny little lizard no bigger than my pinkie is on her shirt and she is going crazy. So I chased it to the door and we opened the door and let it go to lizard freedom in our front yard. Her heart beat is now back to normal and once again I'm my little girl's hero. lol.lol.

.................Samantha and her balloons.

Our family moved to Wrightsville Beach the summer that Samantha turned 8, and we stayed there until she was in the 10th grade. She had many summers of walking over the the beach each day and spending her time in the water or laying in the sun with her girlfriends.

Samantha had a friend by the name of Dana that was a little bit more developed physically than Samantha was at the time. Dana had come over for the weekend and they decided to go to the beach and play for a while. Phil and I were downstairs working on the yard when all of a sudden Samantha and Dana came down the steps and Samantha was carrying the towels in front of her body. Phil looked at her and realized that something didn't look quite right about her so he called her over to him. As she got closer his eyes grew bigger.

There was another man standing there with us and Phil didn't want to embarrass her, but let's face it, there was no way to avoid that......Samantha had blown RED balloons up and had stuck them in the top of her bathing suit to make it look like she had breast. Phil told her that she needed to go back upstairs and let the air out before she went to the beach, and she turned around and did as he told her.

Over the years we have laughed and laughed about her doing this. First of all, they looked so big, that you knew they were not real. And then they were RED, and you could see them under the bathing suit top. What was she thinking? Walking over to the beach to jump and play and not expecting them to pop.

Let's just say that was the last time that she tried to make herself look bigger with balloons, toilet paper is a different story.

.................Samantha and the hearing impaired.

So Phil and I are out to dinner with a friend from out of town and we have having a nice quiet dinner when all of a sudden my phone starts to ring. I don't know the number and so I don't

answer it. Within a minute it is ringing again. Once again I hit ignore and don't answer. But when the phone rings for a third time I answer it, with an attitude because I'm thinking that it is a bill collector, when the man on the other end tries to explain to me that he is calling because he is with the relay service for those that can't talk. I proceed to tell him that he has the wrong number because I don't know anyone that would need that type of service....then he starts to talk to me as he is reading what is being typed to him. I hear "Mom, it's me, your daughter!!!" I'm thinking what? Then I proceed to tell him to type back to her that I'm going to kill her....and then I hang up.

Samantha's phone had been cut off and she wanted to tell me so that we could get her phone turned back on. So she decided to use her laptop, get in contact with the relay system and pretend that she can't talk and has them to call me. I wanted to kill her,but at the same time I'm proud of her for even thinking of doing something like this. What a girl.

.......................I've got to share some Samantha stories

My daughter is one of my biggest joys, she makes me laugh when I don't feel like laughing. I've just got to share some of her stories.

This picture is from a night when she and her daddy were watching a funny video on-line, they were laughing about it and then she started crying. Phil asked her what was wrong and she told him that she thought that she had messed up her teeth. We both asked her what she was talking about and she told us that she put super glue on the gap in between her teeth. WHAT? Yep, she put glue on her teeth trying to fill the gap in her teeth. She has been wanting to have her teeth fixed for a while now and since we can afford it she decided to try and fix her own teeth. I am happy to say that she got the glue off of her teeth and the gap is still there. Where does she come up with all of these ideas?

***************************I hate bill collectors.

Okay, I'm venting here, so bear with me. Do bill collectors really think they have the right to talk to people like they do. They always take every opportunity to put the person down. Do they really think that I enjoy not being able to pay my bills? Get real. Do they even bother to look at my past 1 rating for the past 30 years and then not get the idea that something major must have happened? Where do they get the right to talk to anyone like they are so high and mighty? It might be them one day in this position, and you know what........for the ones that call and talk that way to all of us that are facing the hardest times of our lives, I hope that one day they get to walk in our shoes. I pray for the day when I can pay everyone off, I'm believing that one day we will be out from this terrible nightmare we have been in for two years now and be able to lay down at night and not have "fear" as a bed pillow. I know that our lives are in God's hands........."fear" just refuses to leave. But I know that our release is coming......we will be able to walk with our heads held high again and not worry every time the phone rings. Life is hard enough without someone telling you what a bad person you are and how worthless you are. Why did I answer the phone?

These ladies are so good.

I got such a nice compliment today about my teaching skills. Sometimes you wonder if you are doing okay and then someone shares something with you and you take a deep breath cause what you are doing is working.
My Tuesday afternoon class is wonderful. Right now there are 5 women taking the class and it is a very relaxed time and we are opening up and getting to know each. I've always looked at my teaching as a ministry, you never know who you are going to have and how you might be able to touch someones life. And at the same time my life is touched each and every time.


This is Ruth and every time I'm with her I just fall more in love with her. And look how well she paints.

Brenda brought in a lid of a hat box, painted it with Italian Sage for a very nice green and then proceeded to paint the flowers on the lid. It turned out really nice.
Marian is so nice and she works so hard learning to paint. She is doing so well, look at how beautiful her piece turned out.

This is my sweet friend Cathy. She is going on Thursday night's to do any paper work that needs to be done and is helping with taking orders for supplies. She and I met at an art class 6 years ago and we have created a wonderful friendship over the years.

This is Judy and she is in the Thursday night class. Last week was her first time with me and we had a great time. She did really great with her bag. I'm looking forward to painting with her again.

Sweet Ruth's birdhouse.



This is Hope, she took classes from me last year and I was so glad to see her come back this year.

And here is Brenda again with your birdhouse.

Marian is really doing well with her painting. She takes her time and works on it until she gets it.

So these are pictures for now. Once again I want to thank my friend, Sandy McTier, for her designs. How many people do you know that you can call and ask for their designs and they just send them to you? She has blessed my life.

talk with you later.

Classes have begun.

Classes have begun again and I'm enjoying it. YES!! So far I've only had one class, The Tuesday Class at the Senior Center started last week and this week the classes at Poplar Grove will start. I was a little nervous because I haven't taught in months, but it went well. Here are some of the photos from last weeks class.
This is Brenda, she was with me last year when I taught and she is really very good. She likes to add her own flair to what ever she is painting, and it always looks good.

This is Ruth, her first class with me. She did a great job!

This is Marge, she is Ruth's friend. She kept painting and painting, sort of having fun and was into doing a few things differently, but when I looked at what she was creating I just left her alone, it really looked good.

And this is sweet Marian, her first class. She was so excited. She didnt' finish her piece yet but what she did was really looking good.

I was really blessed to have such nice women in my class and they all seemed to enjoy what we were doing.

Have a great day.

Charlie

Time for classes again.

The desire to start classes back up is pounding in my head. Now I'm praying for a place to hold the classes. I've contacted Poplar Grove, offering my services for a night or weekend class. I really don't want to hold them in my home until I can get wooden floors down, this carpet is way too cheap and I'm embarrassed to have others in my home. But fall is coming and it is time to help others get ready for the holidays. Please remember this in your prayers, I would love to find a spot to teach.

Thanks,

Charlie

Someone remind me of why I'm doing this?

Okay, so living in my little fairytale world, even with all the evil things that have happened to us in the past 1 1/2 years, I still think that everything is going to be fine and that life will go on and I enjoy looking at things thru my rose colored glasses. Going along one day, my youngest comes home and tells me how much it is for him to go to The Community College here in town. I so am living in the 80's cause I wasn't expecting the amount that he gave me. Once I woke up and got off the floor I started praying and asking God for a job. How else was I going to pay for this child of mine to go to school. Then boom, Tuesday morning I got a call about a job and I jumped on it. I'm a waitress, for the very first time in my life, and I'm liking it. My body, on the other hand, doesn't like it. I never really knew this was such hard work. And when I'm standing there at the end of my shift and I'm mopping the floor, lifting up heavy chairs, and doing whatever else needs to be done I ask myself.....:"Why am I doing this?"........."Oh, that's right, Hunter". Man, I hope he appreciates this. Hey, does he even know that I'm working?

The two brothers, Philip and Hunter.

Sweet Baby Bella is here.

Wow, I am finally a grandmother!!!!! I really feel like God kisses me each time I hold Bella, it is such a special feeling. I can't wait to see her again and again.

Kim went into the hospital on the 25th, there were going to start her labor, but when we got there she was already having contractions. They still did everything that they needed to do to help her labor come on in full force, but no matter what they did she never went into "full" labor. So on Saturday morning they decided to do a C-Section and let Bella have her birthday. So at 1:50 p.m. Miss Bella Nevaeh McGee graced our lives with her presence. What a magical time for all of us and I can truly say that our lives will never be the same.

I am posting some of her photos, but if you want to see more please go to my facebook page and check her out.

Signing out,

Bella's Grandmama

Let the countdown begin.

Bella is on her way, just don't know when she will be showing her beautiful face to us. We have been under a "Baby Watch" all week, and now we are even closer. As of right now, which is Wednesday afternoon, we will be going to the hospital tomorrow night for them to start the process of "induction". First they will give Kim some drugs to help make the lining thin, and then at 6:00 a.m., they will start the actual induction. Kim has been on complete bed rest since Monday, she is having high blood pressure with severe headaches. Bless her heart. But tomorrow evening we will be in the hospital and they will be taking wonderful care of her and Bella. I'll take good photos so that I can share them with you.

We are supposed to be going to our niece's wedding on Saturday, but that is totally up in the air at this point. She is going to make a beautiful bride, and I wish only the very best for her.

Here are some photos of things that I've been painting. I'm trying to keep all my painting to happy things. Enjoy the photos and I'll be in touch soon.

Charlie

Hunter's Graduation and Kim's baby shower

We began our weekend with the arrival of my brother-in-law, Johnny, and he and I hit the road Friday afternoon buying food for the shower, decorations, and stuff like that. He is always so good to do the cooking for showers and get togethers. Anyway, we stayed busy all day long and then Saturday morning found us up and moving. He did some cooking, I did some wrapping of gifts, and then we all got ready to go to a graduation party at one of Hunter's friend's home. It was beautiful. It was an old summer home that the family uses and it was right on the Intercoastal Waterway, and as you can see the kids were having a blast. They had all kind of games set up, and finally they ended up in the water. I love the photo of the lab up on the float. She has hip problems but wanted to join in on the fun. She jumped right in the water, swam for a while and then they put her on the float to rest.
The graduation wasn't until that night, and here is a group of the entire class. It was so neat, we have watched so many of these boys grow up since kindergarten. It was a magical night.

I don't really have a photo of Hunter in his cap and gown, can you believe it? But when the graduation was over it was so dark outside that no one could find anyone and by the time I found him he had already taken everything off. I'm waiting for some of his friends to post photos on facebook, I'll get some then.

After graduation we went to dinner and had a nice time. Hunter opened up cards from his friends and it was a nice way to end the day.

Then on Sunday we got up, went to church, and then came home, got everything packed up and went to Samantha's for the baby shower. We had a great turn out and Kim and Bella got some beautiful things. A lot of the items that she got at this shower were hand made, and I loved it. People took time to think about it and then spent time making them. Much love went into the gifts. And the ones that didn't make things, well they went overboard on their gifts. They were just beautiful. Bella is going to be the best dressed and most loved baby ever.

Doesn't Kim just look beautiful? Okay, I guess I will go for now, I hope that the next time I post it will be to tell you that I have a beautiful new granddaughter.

Enjoy the journey,

Charlie

Kittens and Samantha

I just have to share this little story. Last night Samantha and I went to play Bingo with Mom, I don't really like playing bingo but I do enjoy spending time with them. Samantha won 100 dollars and I thought she was going to pass out, she was so nervous and excited all at the same time. Anyway, after it was over we were driving home, Samantha was driving, and she screamed and jerked her car. There in the middle of the road was a little black kitten and she was not going to hit it. After we made it by the kitten I knew what was in store for us as she whipped her car around and went back in the direction that we came from. I was just praying that we wouldn't see a dead kitten in the road.

Samantha pulled into a church parking lot and there in front of the church were about 12 kittens and two cats. Out she goes, in her mind she is going to get those kittens and take them to the shelter. This was her first experience with wild kittens.......they kept running from her. She is walking after them, talking to them and not understanding why they want to hide. She goes to her car and gets a bag of chips, crumbles them up and start throwing them on the ground for the kittens to eat. Some of the kittens when under the porch to hide, and I looked and there she was on the ground talking to them.

It was just so funny watching her do all of this. She loves cats, and I could just see all of them ending up at her home. Thank God she wasn't able to get any, but I know my daughter, she will be back there today with food for those kittens, and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she doesn't end up with one at her home. lol.

Sunday night.

I did my first craft show for the year yesterday. I was dreading it, I felt like I just didn't want to go and do it at all. But guess what, I really had a good time. A friend of mine asked me to join her in a new craft market that has begun here in Wilmington and I said yes. And yesterday was a lot of fun, we talked and laughed all day long. Yes, I made some money which made it even nicer. This was Cindy's first show, and she did really good with her jewelry. I'll post pictures later.

I am so bad at posting these days.

Hello to all.

Yes, I'm still alive, I'm just staying way too busy. With my precious grandbaby due in less than 2 months I am spending all my free time on the gift that I'm making her. I would tell you what it is but her Mommy checks in here and I don't want to give it away. lol.

Speaking of Bella, we got to go see her 4D pictures, and I've got to tell you that she is beautiful.

Here, see for yourself.

Isn't she beautiful? I can't wait to get my hands on her, I already love her so much. My heart is swelling with the love for her.

Classes are going okay. I've narrowed the classes down to every other Thursday, and on the off Thursdays we are creating an Crochet group. As time goes on we are all discovering how much women need other women.

Have a wonderful evening. I'll try to get back soon, but I make no promises. lol.

Charlie

Just three months away.

I just looked at the countdown and Bella is only about 3 months away from coming to live with her Mommy and Daddy. Today was Phil's birthday, he is 55 years young, and I gave him a photo frame that said "Grandpa & Me." We are going to take a photo of Bella and him when she is born and put it in there. We are so excited about the arrival of our first grandchild, we talk about her all the time. Here are some of the photos from class last week, we did flamingos. This week we are going to do Easter Eggs, and next week we are going to paint a gourd like a bunny.




This Anne's flamingo, so cute.










Jan got there and started painting on her plate. The flamingo and palm tree really looked great on a square plate.















Kathy put her flamingo in a round plate. They all look so good, and different.



















This Kathee always paints to a different drummer. She just sits down and sort of does her own thing, but her paintings always come out looking great.





Cathy didn't want to do the flamingos at all, it is a long story. But she decided to come and paint with us and did a gift bag and a card. She loved them so much that she decided to keep them herself.

And here is my precious Mommy. She has been feeling up to coming to classes on Thursday night and I'm so glad that she is with us. And she did such an amazing job.




Well, take care my friends and I'll pop in again soon.
Charlie

It's been so long.

Hi, I can't believe that I've been gone from blogland for so long. I got a job working with a school and ever since then I've been staying busy, but I'm loving it. I am a tutor, pulling children out of classes and helping them with their reading and understanding what they read. I have already gotten so attached to them, and when I'm not there for whatever reason I miss them. Go figure. And to think that I could have been doing this all along, I had a teaching certificate and I let it expire many years ago. Shame on me. But better late than never.

Life here has been so busy. I'm at the school everyday, and then still having my painting class on Tuesday's and Thursdays. And We have started going back to church, loving it, and I'm in a Bible Study on Wednesday nights. If Phil and I aren't at a meeting we are usually home every evening, and usually in bed.

All the kids are doing well. And we now have a baby bump. Here is a photo of the kids taken on Philip's birthday. The far left is Hunter, then Philip, Kim, and Samantha. Of course baby Bella is nice and warm in her mommy, Kim.

Here are some photos of the classes from lately.

Well, have a wonderful week. I am going to be working on a cross stitch piece for Baby Bella, and on Tuesday I'm going to go and start work on an afghan that my friend Cathy is going to teach me. When I get done with it My friend Joanie is going to teach me another one for Baby Bella.

take care my friends,

Charlie