Happy Birthday Holly!

Today is little Miss Holly Strode's Birthday!

Holly is the 2nd daughter of Mary Jo and Ralph!

We wish her the best day!

We love you Holly, Happy Birthday Sweetie!

Remembering Grandma

Pearl "Grandma" Emerson

1917- 2002

Today marks the day (7 years ago) that Grandma Emerson left this world for a better place.

I believe she is preparing a wonderful place

for all those in her family to one day come together again!

We miss you Grandma, and we love you.

Your awesome love lives on in all of us.

We will see you again- until then,

we remember the wonderful times you shared with all of us!

We are blessed to have you as a part of each of us.

A Grandmother’s Love

IF ever one could clearly see
The true meaning that she means to me.
To define a love so unconditional you see
Is my grandmother’s love that’s given so free.

It matters not the things we have done,
Races lost and battles won.
Whether right, whether wrong,
Her smile she gave and her love so strong.

A gift of God sent down from above,
A gift of our Grandmother’s unconditional love.
Her battles through life she has struggled to win
And now her struggle has come to an end.

Her strength through it all kept our family together
Though near and far through all types of weather.
For my grandmothers love on wings of a prayer
Shall fly home to heaven on a cloud of air.

Lord, here’s yourangel that we surrender to you
With her arms open wide she asks to come to.
She waits for your hand
A long journey at its end.

Her memory and love I shall cradle with care
To know she’ll be looking down from there.
It’s hard to let go, so precious as she
You must understand it is selfish of me.

To know you will have her soon enough
My grandmother’s love helps us get through the rough.
No more shall I feel the soft soothing touch
In my grandmothers strong yet gentle clutch.

No more times of funny faces we made
To hear her laugh in an even trade.
Her words she strained hard to pronounce
The giggle or dance with that funny bounce.

She is what some have never known
To be granted the years that she has grown.
She is what some have never seen
To be granted this gift and know what it means!

This is the true meaning of unconditional love
That my Grandmother shall still send from above.

In Memory of my Dad... a simple cross...

So I finally got around to getting some pictures of the cross that we had placed in our church in memory of my Dad. We thought we would like for something permanant to be placed in the church in memory- and this cross is beautiful! (my pictures do not do it justice- trust me)- but you get the idea. The cross will stay in the sanctuary permanantly and will normally sit up in the baptistry (under the big wooden cross). But here are a few pictures. I think my Dad would feel honored and undeserving as he was never a flashy attention drawing person! My dad was the strong silent type- but this cross I think, is perfect for him.

Many people may not realize it but the circle with cross design is reflected elsewhere in the church. It is actually on the outside of the sanctuary above the pillars and front steps. Check it out if you happen by the church sometime! (Walnut Hills Baptist Church in Williamsburg, VA on Jamestown Road: www.whbconline.org)