My Special Valentine

 My little niece

is growing up so fast.

I want our special

moments to last forever.

I cherish the times we have shared.

Holding you in my arms as a baby girl,

Reagan's beautiful blue eyes sparkling

as she smiled at Aunt Brenda.

Our bond formed even then,

I recall your learning to ride a tricycle,

hosting a tea party for your Sesame Street friends,

splashing through mud puddles in your orange rain boots,

ballet dancing with pink bows in your blonde curls;

I think of you night and day and so proud

of the little lady you have become:

a smart, spunky first grader.

I savor all the fun we have,

you will always be my special Valentine! 

January

 

Here in western North Carolina, we had a light dusting of snow on Monday morning.  It was beautiful.  The first snow always thrills me.  Everything was so pretty covered with the snow:  the trees, grass, power lines, and the snow-capped mountains.  I know in many part of our country, the blizzards have caused miles and miles of stranded motorists and it's not been pleasant.  But I love the cardinals perching on snow-covered branches.

I think cardinals are my favorite birds.  Legend goes that cardinals are messengers from heaven, perhaps loved ones thinking of us.  I don't know if this is true, but it's a good thought.  It seems that when my sister and I talk each morning on  the telephone, a redbird often appears outside my window and perches in the dogwood tree.  It always makes  me happy to see a cardinal outside my house.

This weekend I made a birdhouse.  I really enjoyed constructing it.  I painted it with bold colors and hung it on the front porch. Winter is a great time to do crafts and drink hot cocoa.  I sure wish I had the gift of quilting like some of my blogger friends.  My mama had the talent of quilting, but that is not my calling.  Good thing the Lord has given us all different gifts.  It would be  a dull  world if all of us were alike.

I wanted to share with my blogger friends a true story that our church family believes was  a miracle.  My pastor, his wife, two daughters, and two grandchildren crossed the mountains to Franklin, NC on New Year's Eve.  After dinner at Shoneys, they headed home.  The pastor was  driving the truck and no traffic was coming.  Suddenly, a big truck zoomed down the road, hit their truck and knocked the pastor and his family into a transfer truck!  It totaled the pastor's vehicle, but no one was injured.  Our pastor believes it was the hand of God protecting them because his entire family could have been killed.  Our entire church is just so thankful no one was hurt.  We think it's a miracle.

I hope that my blogger friends will have a happy and safe New Year!

Blessings,

Brenda