Bitsy Does Christmas

I'm back.  I told you I would be.  Here we are . . . . All of Us . . . . . In the Same Boat and it's full steam ahead making its way to the big day.  You know, December 25th!  That day when all of us get a lil sappy, maybe even a lil mushy and definitely, a little CRAZY.  We anticipate, imagine, over-do.  Everything we do in preparation of the holiday evolves around making other people happy.  There, I've said it . . . . . YEP, there's the key . . . . "making other people happy".  If we spent more time and attention to that tiny detail all year long, this girl feels like the world would be a better place.

I've thought and thought about the many things that I hope The Webbman, and eventually Murphy and Mae will know about Christmas.  Every year, I think about all the little things that make Christmas "Christmas".   So here I go:

• Growing up in the Murphy household, my Mom never let us forget the significance of Jesus in the equation.  After all, to coin that phrase that grates on my nerves every time I hear it . . . "Jesus is, indeed, the reason for the Season".  If you keep him out front and center, everything else just falls into place!

• I know that this seems insignificant, but "DON'T", as in DO NOT, walk past the Salvation Army person ringing the bell at the store.  Don't drop your eyes like they are going to accost you.  People, THANK THEM!   If you can't give or don't believe it's a worthy cause, simply smile and thank them for working in your community.  Yeah, I know, my own husband cringes when I do this because he is indeed an "eye dropper", a "walk past the bell ringer like they have the plague person", an "I bet they pocket half that money person", but regardless of your thoughts on this, you will feel better if you a) gather change the minute you see them (whatever you have, no amount is too small), or b) simply, make eye contact and say "Merry Christmas".  Folks, they understand.  They get it!

• Work hard at establishing the amazement and wonder in the lil people in your family.  Children bring joy and you have to nurture their sense of wonder.  Establish traditions.  Read the same story every year to them.  Make the same candy for them.  Heck, eat the same candy with them!

• Smile.  Smile all through the Season.  Smile at the sales persons.  Smile at the other shoppers, smile at the annoying woman who hogs the aisle with her buggy in WalMart.  Smile.  You will feel better for it!  You will make someone else feel better for it!

• Always remember that during the holidays, our place is with our family.  Yep, family, complete with all the crazies, all the people we eye roll about the following day, all the people who tell the same stories every year at the Christmas dinner table, all the people who you know darn good and well re gifted the gift they gave you.  Remember, its not about what you get, or the number of things you get.  Christmas is about family and getting to be with them.  If you can't be with them, let them know you want to! They matter.  Make an investment in them.  Be present for them.

• Don 't psych yourself into imagining the perfect Christmas.  Think about Christmas last year and understand that Aunt Sally isn't going to automatically be sane, Uncle Joe isn't going to reincarnate if you lost him last year.  Accepting what IS always makes enjoying the holiday much easier.  I should say, accepting and appreciating what you have (and even what you don't have)!  Life isn't perfect.  Christmas won't be perfect, but it can certainly be filled with joy.

• Bake!  Bake in excess.  Take every cookie sheet out of the cabinet and make sure you get them dirty.  Get flour all over your counter and then EAT the cookies.  Bake with your friends, your family, and even by yourself.  You will feel better.  It creates memories and I can't think of a bad one I have, even when I burned the cookies!

• Go a little slower and listen to what others say.  This is good advise no matter the time of year.  Soak up other people's happy memories and let them talk about them.  Ask them about their Christmas traditions and let them savor in their moments. 

• My Mom always had us write a Christmas List.  She didn't write our Christmas List.  If we wanted Santa to know what we wanted, we had to take some initiative.  She would, however, assist us in the spelling of said items on our lists!  Besides writing the list, she would keep our lists in a shoe box in her closet.  When my Mom passed away, I found all my lists right next to an awful pair of navy blue pumps! 

• Listen to Christmas Music.  Listen to it all.  Sing Out Loud.  You will feel better for it.  Your children and family may ask you to "hush", but DON'T DO IT!  Sing and enjoy the things that are free.  Usher in Baby Jesus with song!  As long as HE doesn't ask you to "hush", DON'T STOP!

That's enough for now!  I've got baking to do and Christmas Music to listen to, but before I go . . . Look at the JOY in this lil guy's face!  Think he is crazy about "his" babies????  I know I AM!

 

 

As Webbman says "cheese", Murphy and Mae sleep peacefully!

 

 

 

Seriously, two of the cutest itty bitty babies that I ever saw!

 

 

The Land That Bitsy Forgot

Sometimes when you least expect it, something creeps up on you.  Sometimes its a bug, sometimes its your panties, and sometimes its a memory.  Memories can go either way.  They can bring a smile.  They can bring a frown.  They can bring a giggle.  They can bring a tear, but the good man above gave us these memories so that we can always hold on to parts and pieces of  life that have managed to touch us.  When you get to be a "Bitsy", a 56 year old "Bitsy", that is, you value every little memory that you can grab hold to because there are quite a few that have managed to drift right on to the "Land that Bitsy Forgot".

I hate being dependent on my memory now a days because it sure isn't what it used to be.  Where am I going with this?  That's a good question.  Sometimes I don't even know, but TODAY, at this particular moment, I'm headed to the purpose of my initial mission when creating this "Webbman Blog".  It was my mindset that by marking the tiny events in our little man's life that they wouldn't creep away from me.  That by documenting even the silliest of accomplishments, that by recording his belly laughs, his tears, and his smiles ....... that one day when I can't quite remember, I can look back and jog all the memories of all the moments that will comprise the life of Webb.  I let grief sidetrack me for awhile on this crucial journey I started.  Truth be told, "grief" didn't just sidetrack me, it ran slap ass over me like a twenty ton freight train, and then just about the time I thought I was dealing with things again, that stupid freight train backed up and ran over me again.  Gosh, its been hard.  Nobody ever told me how I was supposed to act after the loss.  Nobody told me what I could do to help the others in my family with their freight train.  All I know is one day, I looked up and realized I haven't documented ANYTHING in a very long time.  I'm letting my memories get lost in the fact that life can sometimes get in the way of some very important things . . . . . so, with that said, I'm going to make every effort to hop back in the saddle.  I'll be documenting old news with a touch of new news, until I get caught up, so bear with me because remember "This is for ME, not for YOU" :), although it would be nice if you enjoy it too!  I need to have "The Story of Webb" on paper and in this ole girl's head . . . so with that said . . . . . Here goes!

The Webbman is now a whopping 3 years old.  I neglected to post pictures from his "Pirate Party" and to tell ya'll about it.  The Pirate Party was when he turned 2!  I'm a little behind, as I said.  This year he had a "Big Truck/Lil Truck" Party at the Park, and it was in November, so with that said, I feel a little more in control since that was only 6 weeks ago.  The Party was important, but I have even bigger even more remarkable news besides the fact that our Webbman turned 3!  It's hard to imagine that anything could be more important than that, right? Right?

Well, out of the blue, without the least bit of warning (well, we MAY have had a LITTLE warning), The Lil Momma went and had another set of twins on November 23, 2013, and THIS TIME something remarkable happened!  The good Lord let us keep THESE twins.  We didn't HAVE to say GOODBYE.  We didn't HAVE to give them BACK, and there was no sadness for any of us.  You see, just about the time this Bitsy thought she might be feeling sad and lost, and just possibly feeling a tad bit guilty for being so joyful about this second set of lil angels, God reminded me that our first set of twins (Patrick and Drew, born on September 24, 2011) WERE, and will ALWAYS be, right here . . . watching and guiding over our newest additions in their God given roles as guardian angels.  As many times as I questioned God's wisdom, the minute I laid eyes on our newest additions, it was like someone had taken a big flashing Neon Sign and laid out God's plan so clearly in thousands of twinkle lights right in front of me!  All of a sudden, I knew, this was God's plan all along.  So I'm going to try to update this precious project, pick up on my journey where I left off, and do a Cliff's' Notes version of the last year and a half.  I ask that you bear with me and the best part is NOW, I'll be making memories and documenting them for The Webbman AND our two newest additions, Murphy William and Mae McCarty.  We have lots to catch up on, so STAY TUNED.  This Sh#% is fixin' to GET SERIOUS!!

 

December, 2013

Ho Ho Ho.  Santa Webbman hard at play while visiting Honey in Oxford!!

Next stop, Ole Miss!

 

 

 

November, 2013

Happy Birthday to The Webbman, and NO, he didn't eat the whole half a sheet cake!

 

 

 

 

October, 2013

Our Lil Fisherman

Yep, this Bitsy made Webb's' Fisherman Costume, and his fishing pole!

 

 

 

AND NOW, to add some more characters to this story.  Meet Murphy William and Mae McCarty!

  I have a feeling things won't ever be lacking for excitement in The Wonderful World of Webb.  What do you think?

 

 

Here's a sneak peek of the Nursery.

Yep, this Bitsy made the Nursery Bedding too!

 

 

Stay tuned.  Bitsy's back in the saddle ready to ride!

Happy Trails to You.  Until we Meet Again.

Standing Alone with No Signs of a Flash Mob

This isn't really a post about being a long distance grandmom or even anything to do with the Webbman, so STOP reading here if that's what you're looking for :)  

I'm all grown up, so I always thought by this time everything would be all figured out.  The road map of my life would be completely mapped out and there would be no more roller coaster rides on the horizon, but that's not the case.  I believe that the ride is just beginning.  I read a quote this morning and I swear I truly believe the good Lord knows what to guide me to each and every day.  Here it was......just what I needed, right when I needed encouragement and guidance the most:

"One of the most difficult things everyone has to learn is that for your entire life, you must keep fighting and adjusting if you hope to survive.  No matter who you are or what your position is, you must keep fighting for whatever it is you desire to achieve"    George Allen - American Football Coach

So, here I am, at 55, still fighting and it's OK.  I actually enjoy the challenge.  Being laid off a few years ago was a devastating set back at my point in life and the hunt for employment hasn't proved to be an enjoyable ride but to that note, it's given me time to absorb all the things about "me" that I didn't quite appreciate before.  All the things that I have neglected to pat myself on the back about during the ride to this point in my life, so now, I'm patting:

Let's see:

I'm strong.
I'm passionate about people.
I'm a nurturer.
If I loved you in my life, you know it, for better or worse :), and I will always love you.
If I'm your friend, I'm there for you when you need me.  I will not let work or play stand in the way if you reach out to me.
I will say I'm sorry whether I need to or not.
I'm generous, to a fault and put the needs of others first.

It's also given me time to absorb all the things that I need, so let's see on that front:

I need friends and interaction with people.
I need to feel like I'm making a difference.
I need to have meaningful conversation, even if it's with myself.
I need to feel like I'm helping other people.
I'm not a woman of solitude.
I need to take care of myself and put myself first more often.
I need to be part of a family, a nurturing family or not one at all.
I need interaction with friends, yes, this belongs on the list twice :).

Yes, this 2 and one half years of being in the realms of the unemployed and being in Atlanta has taught me lots of things.  It has taught me that if you want to be happy and healthy, sometimes you just have to do things that aren't easy.  Climb hills, mountains, maneuver things that you never predicted and sometimes you have to do it alone no matter how much you wish you had a flash mob standing right there with you.  So, here goes.  Off, I go to start my own flash mob.  Stay tuned.

P.S.  The Webbman is just fine, gearing up for Easter and making his first visit with the Easter Bunny in Oxford this weekend.  And I'm looking forward to the weekend after Easter when I get to hold that precious little bundle of joy and squeeze his lil cheeks and whisper "Bitsy Loves You" as many times as I like!

I'm a Big Boy and the Easter Basket Supreme

Do we EVER get too old for an Easter Basket?  This Bitsy doesn't think so.  There's something magical and fun about the idea of a basket of goodies appearing overnight just for you and even more magical when you factor in the whole "delivered by a rabbit" thing!  I've been working on a handmade Easter basket for the Webbman and I'm loving how it's turning out.  I tried something different this year and made his basket liner out of red felt and have hand sewn royal blue, yellow and green bugs around the outside edge of it, with his name sewn on the other side in case some other person decides they are going to abscond it while our lil man isn't looking! 

The Lil Momma and Drew "Precious" aren't much on the Webbman imbibing in candy and other totally useless caloric intake that his Bitsy includes as a staple in her daily regime, so I've had to "shift my way of thinking".  I've had to "think healthy" and I gotta admit, it's hard enough "thinking" but when you add the "healthy" factor in, it has thrown me into quite the tailspin.  So far, all I've come up with that will have the capability to survive the United States Postal Service is yogurt snacks, goldfish and animal crackers but have no fear . . . . . . . . the meager amount of candy has been offset by the "fun" items that are making the cut.  I can't disclose what the Easter Bunny will be bringing yet because I want it to be a surprise for the lil Momma and Drew Precious, but I can say that they will have fun with some of these items also.  I'll give ya'll a hint, though......................think bugs!

This morning as I was talking with the Lil Momma, we talked about how much he would change over the next few months and she began to tell me about how much he LOVES the back yard.  Their new home has a lovely fenced in back yard area with thick plush grass so I can understand him wanting to be back there.  She continued on by saying that since it's warming up and daylight longer, he really would stay outside for hours and be perfectly content, so much so that when it's time to come inside . . . . . . the lil fella doesn't want to "give it up".  I reminded her of the many times her Dad and I would call her to come inside and she would take off like a flash down the street at a rapid rate of speed.  It was not a pretty picture with her in the lead and her short chubby momma coming in at dead last!  She also began to tell me about how he no longer wants to be "carried in her arms" into Mothers Day Out.  The Webbman wants to walk, alone, independently . . . so down she puts him and stays in close range.  She noted that not only does he WANT to walk, and he DOES, that WHEN he walks, IF he falls,, he picks himself up, wipes off his OWN knees and keeps on going and wants NO assistance on her part!

Yep, He's a Big Boy . . . . . . .

Yep, our lil Webbman is all boy and we're so glad he is just that . . . . . . . "our lil Webbman".  Thank you itty bitty sweet baby Jesus, all the Angels and Saints for the small miracle you have placed in our life and yep, thank you for the divine vision you gave his Bitsy for his Easter basket!  I'm awful proud of it.  Pictures coming soon!