Tag Archive | Family

She’s One Smokin Hot Momma!

Wow…Who would guess my Momma will be 70 years old tomorrow! She is the most elegant and beautiful woman I know. I love that she always not only takes care of us but she takes awesome care of herself too!!!

Hair, make-up, nails, and clothes…My Mother does such an awesome job of pulling it all together.

More Than A Mother

By Kari Keshmiry

When God set the world in place,
when He hung the stars up in space,
when He made the land and the sea,
then He made you and me.

He sat back and saw all that was good,
He saw things to be as they should.
Just one more blessing He had in store;
He created a mother, but whatever for?

He knew a mother would have a special place
to shine His reflection on her child’s face.
A mother will walk the extra mile
just to see her children smile.

She’ll work her fingers to the bone
to make a house into a home.
A mother is there to teach and guide,
a mother will stay right by your side.

She’ll be there through your pain and strife,
she’ll stay constant in your life.
A mother will lend a helping hand
until you have the strength to stand.

She’ll pick you up when you are down,
when you need a friend she’ll stick around.
A mother is one who listens well,
will keep her word; will never tell.

A mother never pokes or pries
but stands quietly by your side,
giving you the strength you need,
encouraging you to succeed.

A mother is one who can be strong
when you need someone to lean on.
You’re more than a mother to me;
a reflection of Him in your face I see,
a love that knows no boundaries.

I’m glad that you chose to be
all this and more to me.
You share a love that knows no end,
you’re more than my mother,
you are my friend.

Mom, this poem says it all…Happy Birthday! I love You!!!

Love Lee ♥

Who’s Your Daddy

Jan5

In a recent conversation with a friend we discussed the effects of growing up without the presence of her father in her home. In-fact she did not even know who her father was. Life was challenging and many of her emotional needs were not met resulting in poor life choices, acting out, and feelings of insignificance.

Statistics show that children who grow up in a fatherless home are:

5 Times more likely to commit suicide
32 Times more likely to run away
20 Times more likely to have behavioral disorders
14 Times more likely to commit rape
9 Times more likely to drop out of highschool
10 Times more likely to abuse chemical substances
20 Times more likely to end up in prison

Wow…this is mind-boggling and is so dismal.

Fatherlessness is not only those who grew up without a father but also those who had one he did not meet the emotional needs of his family. The father that is consumed with his own personal wants and desires without regard to the effects it will have on the family.

Growing up my home life was less than perfect…I was not fatherless but on the other hand did not receive the unconditional love and acceptance a daughter seeks from their dad. My parents divorced when I was 16 and my mother remarried. My Pappy is a wonderful man and as an adult provided me, my sisters, and brother with unconditional love and acceptance. He loves us and would go to the moon and back for us.

When it comes to my childhood…

Am I bitter….NO
Am I sad…A little
Do I miss him…at times
Would I change anything…NEVER!!!

You see, it was during those times of feeling like I didn’t measure up or feeling I had been abandoned by my earthly dad that my Heavenly Father made Himself known to me. He showed me that He:

Loves and adores me
Wants to spend time with me
Cares about what concerns me
Celebrates my successes
Knows what makes me tick
Disciplines me when I need it
Takes care of all my needs.

If you are fortunate enough to have an earthly father who has met your physical and emotional needs growing up…Yeah. But for those of you who have not please know all is not lost and you my precious one are not fatherless and you do not have to be a statistic.

The Lord your God is with you He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17

My Daddy is God… Who’s Your Daddy?

My friend, you have a Daddy God! I encourage you to crawl up in His lap and let Him comfort you, love you, delight in you and let Him sing you a lullaby!

Love Lee ♥

Happy Birthday Lindsey Beth Carleton!!!

Jan4

Our Sweet Lindsey Beth,

From the moment your mom announced she was going to have a baby we have loved you! You have made us laugh and you have made us cry from laughing so hard. You bring so much joy to our family and we adore you!!!

You have always been such a “Shutter Bug” so what better gift to give you than a slide show… And Sister YOU are the STAR!!!

We Wish You…

A Happy Birthday…Enjoy!!!

Love,

Your Family ♥

The Invisible Woman

Jan2

Feelings of Worthlessness or Inferiority…Perhaps Others Treat You As Though You are Invisible…

After viewing this video, Every Woman will want to be an Invisible Woman!!!

Love Lee ♥

New Beginnings

Dec31

As we look to start a new year, many people build lofty resolutions only to fail. Remember that you can acheive anything you truly want but don’t wait until conditions are “perfect” as perfection rarely comes. “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” ~Theodore Roosevelt~

Perfection

“Better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing flawlessly.”~Robert Schuller~

Aim at perfection in everything, though in most things it is unattainable. However, they who aim at it, and persevere, will come much nearer to it than those whose laziness and despondency make them give it up as unattainable. ~Lord Chesterfield~

We are often ineffective and immoblized due to fear and there are two fears which exist in the world.

Fear of Success: That which will happen if you succeed; the changes success will create; not only for you personally but for those you love and are close too. Will your success change your life style, draw attention to you, or create a change you are not able or willing to deal with.
Fear of Failure: That which will happen if you fail; the changes failure will cause such as embarrasement, depression, and possibly loss of self esteem or motivation.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18

“If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” ~Jesus~

Hmmm…puts a whole new spin on perfection doesn’t it

Do What You Can, With What You Have, Where You Are

What a profoud statment! I can not tell you how many times I’ve heard, “I don’t have —” or “My—is too small or not good enough. To that I say HOG WASH!!! God has placed you right where you are…given you what He has seen fit to give you…so get off your pitty pot and embrace what you have with a heart felt since of grattitude and appreciation. You will never have more until you learn to appreciate and care for what He has already given you.

So, while you sit and contemplate what your New Years Resolution will be this year perhaps you should resolve to be grateful for

Who you are in Christ
The talents He Has blessed you with
The possessions He has entrusted to you
Those whose lives He has surrounded you with

Resolve today to give Him the Glory and Honor He is due rather than complain about what should, could, or would have been…

With Jesus Every day is a NEW BEGINNING so resolve to begin anew and…

Choose to Live, Love, Laugh TODAY!!!

Love Lee ♥

The Gift That Keeps Giving

Dec27

Wow, it is hard to believe it came and went so quickly…All the anticipation, planning, and work then it is over just like that!

Typically for a day or two after a big family event there is a little sense of sadness the event is over. This Christmas was not the exception…However, it was less than in years past because Christmas is not officially over for me.

One of the gifts I gave continues to require quite a bit of work!

Our youngest daughter Brandi has been asking about childhood pictures. I had to admit to her I had been a very poor manager of the family photos. Well, no more! I decided to get busy and work on getting our old photos scanned and stored electronically. Then once scanned, I will move the photos over to the portable drive I gave her for Christmas. Once all the old photos are loaded, she will only need to bring her portable drive over every so often to receive our most recent photos.

What a trip down memory lane this has been…It is amazing all that has happened in our lives over 33 years of marriage. With each photo comes the flood of emotions evoked by the memories surrounding the image of the person, place or event.

I am so blessed to have such awesome family and friends. Each time we come together we make such incredible memories…Photos help me keep the memories vibrant and alive. While I am not a photographer and half the time can not figure out how to use my camera, I do enjoy taking lots of pictures with the goal of passing forward our memories of family to the next generation.

So, the next time you see camera flashes, don’t say “Oh No, Not More Pictures” Instead say…

“Click me…Click me…Document My Existance…I want to be a part of the memory”.

A Few Memories of the Kids and Grandkids

One final thought…Photos are not enjoyed by all unless they are shared…

Love Lee ♥

Christmas with Brandi, Robi, and Grandkids 2010

Dec23

Celebrating Christmas with our youngest daughter and her family is the highlight of the holiday season for us. This year due to congested schedules we decided to celebrate early. So, I had to kick into turbo…no waiting till the last-minute to wrap the gifts and prepare a meal.

The menu was easy to decide on because everyone loves Papa’s smoked ribs. Sides were a salad, baked potatoes and homemade hot and buttery beer bread. Ummm Ummm delicious! Dessert was Christmas candies, cookies, cupcakes and brownies.

Immediately following dinner Cheyenne, our granddaughter asked if she could help clear the table. I knew her goal was to get to those gifts tucked away under the tree. So, you can imagine her delight when I told her the dishes could wait.

We migrated to the living room where everyone was a buzz about the “Big Gift” in the corner. Because other gifts were associated with the “Big Gift” it had to be opened first…As you can imagine everyone was excited to hear that because they all had been trying to guess what it was for over a week…Needless to say it only took a few seconds to rip the wrapper off…They were elated but not to the degree of my delight!

I DID IT!!! For the first time ever I stumped Brandi…Every year right before she would open her “Big Gift” from me she would guess what it was but not this year!!! She had no clue and was sooo surprised!

Once the “Big Gift” was opened everyone migrated to “their spot”. All the gifts were handed out and in keeping with tradition the kids wanted to go one at a time opening their gifts so everyone could see what the other was getting. I love this as I remember growing up it was a free for all and Christmas gifts were unwrapped in 10 minutes or less…

Not with these kids… it took about an hour to open gifts making Christmas last a long time! The comments, laughter and hugs in between gifts was priceless!!!

The gifts I received were precious!!! The first I opened was a beautiful coffee mug from Cheyenne. The quote on the cup reads “Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come. Song of Songs 2:12a. Chey knows I love coffee and I love drinking it from special cups. I have a new “Special Cup” now! Next, a gift from Michael. It was a beautiful necklace. The front is the shape of a key hole and it is surrounded by bling. The back reads “Share the Love”. It is absolutely beautiful. Then I was handed an envelope which read “To Mom and Dad”….A gift card to Outback! Yeah!!! One of our most favorite places to eat!!! Next, foot care products with an inflatable foot bath…Love it!!! Then I was handed a large bag. In it was the purse I wanted. Brandi pulled it off she managed to buy the purse I wanted when shopping a couple of weeks ago. And she bought it while I was with her!!!

I loved the gifts and all the thought that went into finding the perfect one for me and speaking of perfect gifts, it was a little scroll of paper tied in a pretty ribbon and addressed to both Richard and me. When I unrolled it, it read “Merry Christmas! Mission Offering Donation made in the name of Richard and Lee Ann Smith” and the amount. Now this gift brought tears to my eyes. Anyone who knows me, knows sharing the love of Jesus is my passion and Missions is the most perfect venue to do just that.

I love every moment I get to spend with my kids and grandkids! I love their hugs, smiles, thoughts, and comments! I love watching them interact with each other as it is obvious they love each other very much! I love seeing the glow on my daughter’s face as she adores her husband and children! And I love seeing my son-in-law so happy!

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A Happy and Healthy Family Was My Most Favorite Gift!!!

Savor your moments with your family as they are your most treasured gift!!!

Love Lee ♥

The Smith’s Christmas Newsletter 2010

Dec22

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

From Richard and Lee Ann…2010

Each Year we start the Annual Newsletter with “Wow, we can’t believe another year has gone by” and 2010 is not without exception. It has gone by so quickly which enforces the old saying “Time flies when you’re having fun.”

It has been a tradition of ours to mail out a newsletter annually with our Christmas cards. I am so excited to be able to share electronically this year.

While we have had lots of fun we have also worked very hard over this past year. At the beginning of the year Richard worked as a technical writer and educator providing training at a refinery in Saudi Arabia. In October, he made the decision to go back into production so he is now working for BASF and is happier than I have seen him in years! I continue to work for Angleton Danbury Medical Center as the Director of the Revenue Management Department and find my job very fulfilling and am continually challenged by the ever-changing Medicare rules and regulations as well as the changes in commercial contracts.

Our jobs afford us the ability to play. We love to take frequent trips on our Harley motorcycle. This year we have taken several rides which were well over 500 miles each. It is amazing the unobstructed view I have from the back of the bike. When I hear “ride” I pack my fanny pack with the essentials like iPod, Cell Phone, Camera, Lipstick, and chewing gum and we are off…in pursuit of making a memory.

We also like to retreat in our motor home to local parks for uninterrupted R&R. We spent Valentines Day at Brackenridge RV Park in Edna, TX. Then, the entire month of August at Quintana Beach County Park in Freeport, TX my favorite…

Our family has celebrated several events together this year. The most important being the baptism of our granddaughter, Cheyenne. Her baptism was even more special because Richard had the privilege of baptizing her.

Then on Memorial Day Weekend, “The Annual Smith Family Reunion”…as always it was a huge success and we made lots of wonderful memories!

On 10/10/10 I celebrated my 50^th birthday and my family did a phenomenal job of surprising me with the fanciest Tea Party ever!

Every gathering with our family is a special occasion and we have occasion to gather often.

May Our Father Pour Out His Richest Blessings on You & Yours This Holiday Season!

Love,

Richard and Lee

Don’t Remind Us

Dec17

Recently while at church I was reminded of the realities of the aging process when I walked past a little old grey-headed man. He was using a walker to ambulate and was all hunched over. As I approached him he lifted his head and made eye contact with me. My heart began to weep. It was my precious friend who was always full of life and laughter. He would grab me and give me the biggest hug every time he saw me. Now, he didn’t even know me!

This year I celebrated my 50th Birthday and it was incredible yet it is hard to believe I am a half a century old.

I write this post today as an apology and a tribute to my senior friends and family. Also, I want to educate the younger generation.

Apology

I am sooo sorry for all my actions and comments about your age that may have made you feel worthless or unwanted. I apologize if I made you sad or hurt your feelings. I apologize for rushing you and not recognizing your aches, pains, and struggles. I love you and thank you for not giving up on me!

Tribute

To my precious senior family and friends, I would like to say how incredible thankful I am to have you in my life. You have walked before me going through life trials and pains only to share them with me in order to prevent me from making the same mistakes. You take time to visit with me. I am glad you tell me the same story over and over. I love to hear them! I love your hugs and smiles! I appreciate you for making me feel like the most important person in the world! Thank you for the gifts you give as they are sentimental and I can tell you have put a lot of thought into them. Thank you for not giving up! I love you and pray God will pour out His blessings over your life bringing you peace, comfort, and joy.

Education

It is important to remember that the ability to learn and adjust continues throughout life and is strongly influenced by interests, activities, and motivation. With years of rich experience and reflection, we can rise above our own circumstances. Old age, despite the physical limitations, can be a time of variety, creativity, and fulfillment.

So, please don’t:

Remind us we are old
Make references to our age when talking to others
Say, “You already told me that story”
Tell us “You wouldn’t understand”
Ignore us because of our age

Bottom line no matter what age a person is they bring value and meaning to the universe. They have something the younger generation does not…LIFE EXPERIENCE!

Please be gentle with the Senior Adults in your life…While they are not fragile they do have tender hearts! Your youth is a constant reminder to the Senior Adult of what life use to be.

Most importantly…how you treat a Senior Adult today is most likely how you will be treated when you are old.

Hug A Senior Adult Today and Let them Know They Are Loved…

Love Lee ♥

Get A Grip

Dec7

The Holiday Season is upon us and everyone is so busy getting ready. What to cook, what to buy, so much to do…so little time…so little money. Then you have the Christmas cards and gift wrapping…It is a literal battle to get everything accomplished!!!

Does any of this sound familiar to you?

If so, there is help…

For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. Isaiah 41:13