Not so pretty flowers

A few weeks ago I went to a funeral home to visit with a friend who had lost a family member. I made my way to the viewing room and found my friend. We greeted each other with a hug, she took my hand and we made our way to the casket.
Being a florist, I looked at the casket spray.....I could hardly take my eyes off the arrangement. It had to be the most hideous casket spray that I had ever seen. In all my years in the floral industry I have never seen a spray designed so pitiful. It was like they had just taken the flowers, threw them and where ever they landed that's where they left them.
The greens where old and the flowers weren't far behind. The ribbons were stuck in like they were ready to explode. I was ashamed for the family. Did other folks think they chose that design. My friend noticed I was staring...she squeezed my hand & whispered in my ear, "I know they are ugly, yours are always beautiful."
Designing casket sprays is my favorite floral arrangement. I take great pride in designing a spray and I put a lot of love into it. These flowers are placed on the casket and it reflects the deceased. I figured up I have designed close to 450 sprays. Thomas says I'm to picky. I tell him- being picky has nothing to do with it. I never get in a hurry and I put love and feelings into the design. I place the ribbons to lay ever so gently down the side. These ribbons carry the names...Mom, Loving Wife, Grandma, Nanny, Daughter.
Today, I designed a spray of all red roses for a Grandma who the family said, she was the most precious Grandma in the world. I designed her spray just as they said...for a most precious Grandma.

Caller 15

Driving home the other evening from work I was surfing the radio stations. I quickly hit the stop button on WMPI and they were giving aways tickets. I had been hearing the advertisements for a few weeks and thought to myself..Wow, that would be great for Thomas and I to go. Diamond Rio was going to be at Kentucky Speedway. The DJ said, "Caller 15 will receive tickets to the race and hear in concert, Diamond Rio." I quickly picked up my cell phone. Luckily, I have them on speed dial. I waited for the DJ to answer. Wow.... Whooohoooo!! Yes I was caller 15. We are going to the race and I get to see Diamond Rio.
I couldn't wait to get home and give Thomas the news. He was really excited. We are now making plans for our date at the racetrack.
I won a gun for Thomas earlier in the summer and now I won tickets to the race/concert. Maybe I need to start buying lottery tickets. I'm one to put my name in the pot for a drawing and my name never, never gets pulled out. Maybe I'm on a roll.
Even though I meet Diamond Rio at Scott & Tammy's wedding, they wouldn't remember me. Maybe I could hold up a sign that says..."I'm friends with Scott McKain" that might get their attention. But I'll just set back and listen to the music and enjoy the evening with my sweetie, Thomas. I will let you know how our date goes!!

Sandra Denise

Happy Birthday Sandra....I can't hardly believe that my little girl is 26 today. Sarah and I fixed her a huge gift basket and filled it with junk food, jewelry, diet coke, picture frames and other goodies that Sandra likes. I headed to her office about 8:30 this morning with this huge basket with mylar balloons in one hand and a cake in the other. She was so excited as I come through the door. Oh, Mommy she says.....I knew you would bring me surprises.....
I'm so proud of Sandra, she had become a beautiful young lady.
I remember when the nurse layed her beside me right after she was born. To this day it still bring tears to my eyes.She was so tiny to me, 7lbs, 6oz and 21".
Happy Birthday sweetie, Mommy loves you!!

Our weekend...

Thomas and I had a wonderful anniversary weekend. Remember I told you that he was keeping it a surprise as to where he was taking me...well, I was getting ready to fix supper Friday evening and he came into the kitchen and said, "no need to start anything, we're going out." Ok I said, lets go. Well, we ended up at Lucille's. We had never eaten there before and it was very nice. I can remember Amy as a little girl. Sarah and her played volleyball and graduated together. Amy had stopped in the flower shop a few days earlier and picked up some centerpieces for a party and we got to catch up on things.
On Saturday Thomas worked on the hot tub house and I fixed supper and we had a relaxing evening at home. Sunday when I came home from church he was dressed and ready to take me to dinner again. We headed south and he pulled into the Longhorn Steakhouse. We had eaten there before and he remembered how much I liked it.
Mr. Romantic....that's my Thomas!!

17

Today is a very special day.....17 years ago Thomas and I promised to love, honor and cherish till death do us part. We've been a couple for 24 years. It's had it's up and downs, but the ups out weight the downs. There's not a day gone by that I've not thanked the Lord for Thomas and the joy that he brings to me. We were talking last night about all the fun times we've shared and the times when the girls were home. Raising two girls..well that's another story.
We got a few things planned this weekend. We're going out for dinner but he said it was a secret as to were he was taking me. We'll work on the hot tub house a bit, piddle a bit and we'll celebrate a lot.
Happy Anniversary Thomas, love you bunches!!

64 years

64 years ago today my Mom and Daddy promised to love, honor and cherish till death due them part. I stopped in this morning and visited with them before I came to work. They were smiling from ear to ear. I honored them Sunday at church and I didn't aim to make them tear up. But how many couples get to celebrate a milestone like 64 years. Too many times one partner passes on and leaves the other behind and they had so many years of joy ahead of them.
Is marriage easy? No, it isn't. Marriage is an everyday job. You have to work to make it great. You have to bend, zip your lip, smile, and remember how your heart felt the day you married your partner. If anyone boast that they have a perfect marriage...they are fooling you.
I've ask Mom on many occasions what is a perfect marriage. She says, "some marriages are close but none is perfect. We each have different views and each day brings a hill or a valley. You have to respect each other and sometimes just go with the flow. You must always remember the love that you have for each other and love will see you through". Mom also said, "I never once wanted to throw in the towel with your Daddy, we worked through our problems and our love was stronger when we came out of the valley".
My one prayer is that Thomas and I can live long enough to celebrate our 50th. That would put us in our 80's.
Happy Anniversary Mom and Daddy....I love you!!!

Weekend update....

Thomas and his dad picked up our new hot tub about noon on Saturday. Now we just have to build a platform. Thomas has these plans that he's been working on and I told him whatever he designs is fine with me. I just want him to hurry. We set on the porch Saturday afternoon and I told Thomas, "sure wish I could close my eyes and everything was finished and we were setting in it", he kissed me on the cheek and said me to!!
We went Friday evening and purchased eight ducks from the Maxie's at the FFA building. We got them settled in and I swear they have doubled in size since bringing them home. It won't be long till they are put in with the other ducks. My only worry is that Darrell and Darrell won't be so friendly.
Sunday we went back to the fair grounds and picked up my ribbons from the Family Arts Building. Got those placed in my ribbon scrap book. Now maybe we won't be driving to Brownstown so much in the next few weeks. At least until the watermelons are ready.
I guess that catches you up for the Bridges adventures over the weekend. Now it's on to a new week and many more adventures. Won't be long and Dillon will be calling to come and pick up our baby pigs!!