Friday, May 27, 2011

Friday Lunch Club

Beatrice "Bea" "Beatty Ann" and I are first cousins. Her dad and my dad were brothers. I am from July to October older than she is. I have such great memories as a child, living in Chicago and spending a lot of time with Bea and the family. We were always at each others houses on weekends. We went to church together and hung out whenever we could. I remember us both working in a little shrimp house that was under her home in this big building. We deveined shrimp and our pay was Jays potato chips and a bottle of pop. I will not eat shrimp to this day because of that experience. We were kids, not even old enough to work, but we looked at it as a little adventure. We loved to play house. Her brother, Jamie would be the dad, I would be the mom and Bea was our child. We would sit in their dads car and she would be in the back seat. We would pretend we were going on a road trip and every now and then we would yell at Bea to be quiet or good. We didn't need fancy toys, video games or t.v. to entertain us. We used our imaginations. I remember spending the night with her one night and it was a hot summer night. We had a fan in the bedroom window. When we both woke up, our tongues were black. These are just a few of the memories I have.
Through the years we moved away from Chicago and we didn't get to see one another as much. We tried to keep in touch as much as we could and tried to attend special events together. Time passed and we both got married, then kids and now grand kids.
We had such good intentions and wanted to celebrate our Big 50 birthdays together in the big city, where we grew up, but life happens and we never got around to it. Maybe we can do this on our Big 60.
February 11, 2011 she came to my dad's 80th Birthday party. She brought her beautiful grown daughters, Nikki & Angel. We picked up right where we left off. We laughed, we celebrated. My dad was thrilled to see his precious Bea. He adored her. He was her special uncle Art. That evening after the party when everyone went home, we continued the party by her and my sister texting one another and we were on face book chat as well. We had the biggest laughs. It was like we were at a texting slumber party. No one was sleepy and we were just giddy.
And who would have known that just hours after that, my dad would suffer the stroke.
In the next few days, Bea & her daughters were our rocks. We leaned on them and felt the love and support family should feel from other family members.
When my dad was in intensive care, in the coma, I was praying for God to send the Angels to camp around him and I look up from praying and in walks Bea, in this beautiful snow white coat and her daughter, Angel. God knew I needed them and they were there. I have so many stories during these final days of my dads life but this was one that stood out the most.
After a few weeks passed, we decided to meet for lunch on Fridays.
We formed "The Lunch Club". It consists of myself, Bea & her daughters. And I can't leave out a special member of the family, Jenn, who works at the place we meet at.
This re-connection is just what our family needed. I feel so blessed to have these beautiful people in my life. They lift me up. It's like Bea and I are picking up where we left off when we were little girls back in Chicago. I think of her as my little Sis. It doesn't matter how much time passes....when your soul is connected...you always find a way back to re-connect.
And to this, I am truly thankful!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Random Thoughts


...It's been 3 months since my dad went to heaven.

...I wake up a lot of mornings and look at the clock and it's 4:15....my dad died at 4:15

...I've neglected my blog because I've lost the desire to journal. I want the desire back.

...My sister will be here in 33 days. It just happens that she will be home on Father's Day.

...I do more frowning than smiling lately.

...My grandson, Noah calls me almost every day at 4:00 to ask how my day was. SMILE.

...My dad use to call me every day at 4:00 to ask how my day was.

...I put going to Curves on hold, since I don't have the time or desire to go right now.

...I am a stress eater and I would like to change that.

...I love having manicures.

...The highlight of Mother's Day was watching my daughter directing "Listen To Your Mother".

...I am hooked on Celebrity Apprentice.

...I am thankful for my husband, loving his mother-in-law like he does.

...I love listening to K-love radio while working.

...I enjoy Sunday mornings having breakfast out with hubby and my mom.

...I'm sad that we won't be going on our Sister Vacation this year to Florida.

...I miss my hairdresser, Vicky. My hair has been very sad since she passed away.

...I'm burnt out on chicken salad.

...I would love to go back in time and have a slice of Sally's cheese pizza at Woolworth's with my sister, with ketchup on top, of course.

...I'm looking forward to my new King size bed, thanks to my daughter, Steph.

And on this thought, I will sign off....

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

4 year Bloggerversary

May 2, 2007 was the birth of mimistoes and my blogging world. I can't believe I've been at this for 4 years. I have enjoyed writing down my thoughts and showing off my grand kids and what I do in my world. I would like to be able to blog something every day, but some days I just don't know what to say. The biggest reward I have gotten since starting this blog have been the wonderful friends I've met along the way and the ones that have stuck with me, I appreciate so much. I do admit I've gotten a little off the course since losing my dad, but I am trying to get back on the path. Thank you to everyone who still tunes in each day, week or month. I try to visit your blogs as much as possible. I love you all!

Monday, May 2, 2011

Happy 2nd Birthday Jack Jack!

" It's MY birthday today and I am "2" whole years old".
What a blessing this little guy is to our family.
My #6 grandchild, precious Jackson Kent Wilson is already 2 and I can't believe the time has passed so quickly. He brings so much Joy to our family. He loves Choo Choo trains and how fitting, at his birthday party on Saturday at the park we celebrated at, a bunch of trains passed by and he was so excited. I love this precious child so much and I pray blessings on his little life today.

Happy Birthday Jack Jack, Mimi loves you!