Peach State says: Happy Valentines Day!

Here is a special Happy Valentines Day wish from me to you!

ENJOY!

Sticky sweet…okay, maybe a little!

What? You know I couldn’t help myself…I do love Grumpy Cat!

Have a great Valentines Day and enjoy your day with someone special!

Peach State

Peach State says: What If Wishes Came True?

I remember looking out my window and wishing on the Evening Star every night as a little girl. Did those wishes ever come true? Yes…some of them! What were they? The dreams of a little who thought she needed more than she had…nope! They were dreams and wishes of love and travel…of better grades and friends to hang out with. They were normal wishes upon a star! What If Wishes Came True?

If my most elaborate wishes came true my life would definitely be different…I would have a maid and not have to clean all the time. I would have a cook…wait I like to cook! I would be a well loved and admired recording artist…well two out of three is good! I could eat anything and not have to diet! “What a girl can dream!” How about a Nanny to take care of the children so I could do all the traveling, around the world, that is required when you are a big recording artist? Speaking of elaborate wishes…Where is that Cabana Boy with my Coffee?

My wishes:

To fall in love and get married…Came True and we will celebrate our 26th Anniversary this month. People said it would not last…people said we did not know each other long enough…”Well, we were engaged after three weeks and married after almost 12 weeks.” I guess I can see their concern now…Out of 12 weeks my then fiancé’ was serving in the military and was in the field training for a little over 6 weeks of the 12 weeks we were together. “What? I wrote letters…he still has them!” There have been times when I did not like this man I married…but I have always loved him!

To have a loving family…Came True even though there are times of strife and discord among the children when they can’t find that certain shirt or their favorite socks…and they disagree on the set bedtime! What family doesn’t have some bickering? Just because I would not take them everywhere they wanted to go and buy them whatever they wanted when they wanted it…Typical tantrums! “I am a good mother and it is unfortunate that I could not buy them a “DeathStar” or a real “Light Saber” much less let them become a “Power Ranger”! But…They would protect each other of needed and that’s what counts!

To travel…Came True even though no Passport was involved…I have traveled! I have not been able to travel to Paris and see my beloved Eiffel Tower but I did see the one in Las Vegas…does that count? I have been to Hawaii and on three cruises…one of which gave me the opportunity to see extreme weather at sea. “We were in-between two hurricanes!”. It was exciting and I loved every minute of the rocking from one side to the other as the ship was tossed on the rough seas. The feeling of the wind through my hair as I dodged oncoming deck furniture is a memory not easily forgotten!

To have friends…Came True although I had to wait till my last year of High School. I just never found a circle of friends who understood my unique situation…”Okay…I was not rich…and my dad was either a teacher or principal at the school I attended…not to mention a Baptist Minister.” My group of friends grew when I moved across the country and I was in heaven. Now! Well I have written about my incredible group of friends and how they are like family. I could not have gotten this far without my friends or had as much fun drinking coffee at Starbucks without them!

Do I still wish upon that Evening Star…sometimes when I am standing on the front porch waiting for my precious princess to do her nightly duty…Yes! A childlike innocence sweeps over me as I gaze into the dark, moonlit, sky. I still have wishes and dreams…for good fortune and happiness and for the boys to experience the good things in life. I wish for my boys to be able to know what I know! Dreams and wishes come true…just not the way we think they will. I want them to realize how wonderful they are and like who they are…not prideful…but with an appreciation of self. It took me a long time to realize that! I want them to find love and have a family…”I want to spoil some grandchildren and then give them back wired and full of energy!” But not anytime soon…I am to young! Maybe in about 5-7 years they could start to get serious and consider marriage…HeHe!

I know these wishes may seem average and without vision. Trust me…wants are nice to wish for but they are not what we need. I just wanted the basics..to be loved and part of something!
I guess my grandfather was right…I am a level headed young lady!

Do You wish upon a star? What do you wish for? What If Wishes Came True? Would you be any happier with them than you are right now? I can honestly say Yes! Sorry…I was thinking about a trip to Paris…money to do whatever I wanted to do…living in paradise… “It would be wonderful until I missed home or the money ran out…or I got sunburned.” Have a great day!

Peach State

Peach State says: Anchors of Friendship

I wish you could meet me friends…they are the best! They are there when I call and there when I don’t. They lift me up whether I need it or not. They give me a reason to laugh and smile and share in my times of tears. I love my friends…they are my Anchors in Friendship!

First let me say that I have a group of within a group! Don’t shake your head…I have mentioned before that I have a strong core group of friends. With the love of cooking and sharing recipes to cleaning tips and hints to help in the raising of children…we all input guidance and knowledge. Isn’t this what friends do…no matter the situation. We share the funny and important stuff with those we care about because they may have a future need for the information we gave them. So let me break it down for you!

There is the group that I talk to occasionally. These are the ones I may talk to once in a blue moon because of distance. We talk and there is an automatic pick up where we left off mentality. We were close when we lived close to each other but…living across the country from each other can cause a few problems. Facebook has been wonderful with keeping the lines of communication open. Before we only had snail mail and phone calls.

There is the group that I still talk to from churches in the area. They are few in number and seem to evaporate after time. I have one I still see and talk to but…it just isn’t the same. (I have only been at three churches in the area…two of which were never really a fit)

This next group is the group with a group! Some of them have been there for the past 10+ years, since moving to this area, and have grown into the deepest, family replacing, type of friends. I could not go through my day without talking to them at least once. This little group has increased in the past few years to include new personalities that, to me, feel like they were meant just for me. “You know who you are!” (take a moment to give yourself a hug and know that I love each of you very dearly and keep reading)

There are days that the phone is attached to my ear…if we are not together in person. This is the group that we are talking on the phone with them as we walk across the parking lot or church building to see them. This group is centered around my church and my faith. We sing together…often break out into silly laughter together. ( Oh Where is My Hairbrush?) Sorry…I was just thinking about our recent time together and it brought a warmth to my heart. This group is consistent and supportive. They are my Anchors of Friendship!

The bonds this group shares is not an isolated occurrence. This type of friendship happens at churches and schools around the world. You may have a similar group that anchor you. When you feel like things could not be worse…they are right there for you…holding you hand and picking you up. They don’t ask for explanations…they just give you support and love! They are quiet when you are quiet and rowdy when you are rowdy. “We tend to be rowdy a lot lately!” The interesting thing about my wonderful group is the differing personalities. We are not of the same age group…they have not clue who my husband is but, would love him if he would give the opportunity to them. Backgrounds and life experiences are packed full of delights and tragic events. We are more alike than we may realize.

I am really a very blessed person to have this group of God given friends. I wish I could tell them how I feel…but…we are always to busy singing and laughing! The joy that flows from my heart when I think about them fills my day and eases the struggles that I encounter on a daily basis. “Some of this group understand the intricacies of my life.”

Through this group we have other friends with whom we associate with even outside church activities. We are really an interesting bunch of ….delinquents…no! That seems a little young and harsh…grapes. “I like that!”. I used to not understand that concept when I first heard my Aunt and Uncle talk about their group this way. Think about it for a second…always in a bunch…there may be some that are bruised and some not fully ripened and some that are just right…all together they are wonderful. They continue to grow and multiply and become a hardy, rooted plant just like friends. Anchors in Friendship are long lasting and true!

I hope you can take an opportunity to tell your friends how much you appreciate them today! Everyone needs to smile at least once a day! Until the next time…have a great day!

Peach State

Heart of Dixie says . . . Inanimate Love

“It’s just stuff.”  That’s what we say when a house burns or a car wrecks.  Thank goodness everyone is fine.  The tornado took it all, but it was all just stuff anyway.  And that’s true.  We shouldn’t love inanimate things.  Today my parents had to put down their dog who had pancreatic cancer, making today’s observation all the more trivial  But I’m feeling it – quite strongly in fact – so I’m going to share.

I am comforted by my sofa, the Asian overtones that speak to my time in Hawai’i without knocking you down with a tropical theme.  I am comforted by my little green chair in the corner.  It didn’t look cute where it was before.  It matches the sofa…it wanted to be near the sofa to realize it’s full cuteness potential.  I look at these items that were in different places and are now brought together under one roof.  They look so happy together.  In fact they look like parts of me.  The roof they are under is not mine.  Yet they still comfort me.

And I long for my Mema’s dining room suite.  It’s sitting in a basement covered with sheets.  I want to display her red crystal goblets, but they are in a box in yet another basement.  I want her piano – not because I play, but because it is part of me and of my blogging cuz, and of all of us, and it deserves to be preserved and loved.  It is not in a place where it is loved, but it is sheltered from the elements, and for that I am grateful.

It’s just stuff.  But it’s stuff that is part of me.  If I lost it in a tornado like so many did last April right here in my own state, I would comfort myself that it’s just stuff.  But looking at it makes me so happy.  I feel complete.  Kind of like I feel when I’m with my family.  Kind of like I feel when I’m with my kids.  Kind of like I feel when I’m with Southern Man. I appreciate him babysitting my furniture.  It’s good to see it all together.  I wonder if he realizes that his house is starting to look like my house?

Back to reality.  Compared to the dog that has comforted you for years and years, furniture is so trivial, unless it belong to someone else – your mother or grandmother who comforted you as well.  It’s trivial, but I believe that if we are honest with ourselves, we would find that there are inanimate loves that comfort us all.