Grannie sees cars 2 twice!

This is my second attempt at posting a blog about Grannie seeing Cars 2 twice!

Sorry if you viewed the first one and wondered what I was doing.

If you didn't see it please ignore this prelude.......and let's get to the second blog on Grannie seeing Cars 2 twice!

One of the best things about being a Grannie is having one on one time with the children.

I decided that the boys needed to see Cars 2 but I wasn't confident about taking them together, so instead I opted to see it twice, and to have time with them separately.

Jont has been to the movies once before, but C is an old hand.

Jonts Mum got him all dressed up to go to the shopping centre that they visit every other day to pick up the mail, buy food, go to the gym, you get the idea.

But THIS time we would take the lift to the SECOND level to go to the theatres.

He was a little anxious about going up the entrance into the darkened theatre, but once we were inside he settled and sat transfixed during what was a rather long and complicated movie for a three and half year old.

Six days later, it was Cs turn to go.

His Mum got him all dressed up, and he had to wait until after lunch for Grannie to arrive to take him to an afternoon session! I think it was a very long morning for him and his Mum!

This was a medium size tub of popcorn, despite what the label says.

I don't think I could have carried the large one!

He didn't want his dinner that night.....

That's why it is so great to be a Grannie, I would never have allowed my children to eat so much junk food in an afternoon.

C wants to come and stay for a night next week. I can't wait, I love my little boys.

But I might need to get some rules around the treats in the pantry soon!

We are confident....

Over the past few weeks the girls and I have written to many of you to thank you for your support and care during the time of Wayman's illness and when he died.

I am so humbled by the goodness of people who cared enough to contact us. Many of you had stories to tell us, and memories that you shared, giving us an insight into your relationships with Wayman.

I will apologise now for my atrocious handwriting. It seems that the harder I try to write with fluency, the worse it gets! It slopes off the page, has funny little loops and is very uneven.

Being left handed, and growing up in the country when penmanship was not valued, has left me with a cruel legacy.

If you are interested, here is a sample!

The slope is so bad you feel you are going to be sea-sick reading it!

I wanted so desperately to write something meaningful and personal to each person.

I found myself coming back to this sentence time and time again.

We are confident that Wayman is now at home

We are confident.....

We are confident.....

Many of you would have said YES we know, and would have praised God with us for the confidence we have.

But others of you I know would have said something like, "Well isn't that nice for Ruth and the girls to have that comfort at this difficult time."

Friends, I want to tell you that this confidence is not just some hopeless wishing that we are clinging to in our grief.

You see, if we believe in a life after death, the best person to trust to know about it, is one who has died and has come back to tell us about it!

And that is Jesus. The real, historical Jesus. And there is clear evidence to support his ressurrection. He took the time to tell us about what life after death is like, where Wayman is now.

I have put some of his words in the Bible verse today.

So we join christians through the ages in saying.........

I am convinced [confident] that neither death nor life........nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hats for all occasions

Recently the grandchildren brought their parents to visit and while we were enjoying a glass of wine around the dining table, they discovered that the hats in my hallway were within reach.

This was the result

I think Jont won the battle to wear the 10 gallon hat- I convinced C that his hat was the one cowboys wear on special occasions. I think he is pretending to ride off into the sunset! Miss P had a unique creation, a giveaway with hair products I had bought.

The 10 gallon hat was a gift to Wayman from the Taskers, sent from Tennessee.

I don't think Aussie heads are the right shape, it never seemed to sit right.

Wayman's preferred hat was this one, worn ALL the time with great pride.

My favourite hat in the garden is an Akubra, very patriotic.

I don't think this will ever catch on Nathan!

The children have their own style, red pixie hats at Christmas, of course.

On school days C wears his school hat, strap firmly in place.....

Miss P likes the beanie option to go with her gloves in the garden........

Jont on the other hand likes the layered look for a day at the football

I wonder what the next two will like?

At this stage I am providing matching beanies.

Rather fetching, don't you think?

45 of 59

Today I had a lovely afternoon.

I chose to go through some very old photos. They took me on a journey through my teens and early married life.

Rather than making me sad for my loss, they gave me great pleasure as I relived the precious love affair I have had with Wayman.

You see I don't mind being 59, I have had an amazing life, God has blessed me abundantly and I am grateful for 45 wonderful years.

I would totally understand if you didn't read any further.... this is so self indulgent.

But it is my blog so....

I met Wayman when I was a fourteen year old, rather plain farmers daughter.

You can see what I mean [sorry the photo is crooked]

Wayman moved to our small town.

He was neither a farmers son, nor plain

I think you will understand this was very attractive to me, when boys were considered sophisticated if they carried a handkerchief..... and used it!

Wayman not only carried a handkerchief, but his mother sent him to school with a crease pressed in his the front of his trousers!

THAT was sophistication!

Don't ask me how, but I "caught his eye." Actually there weren't many other girls of my age.

Or perhaps I was the only one silly enough to fall for a handkerchief carrying schoolboy with a crease in his trousers!

Sorry for the photography, I think my 16 year old sister was taking the photos and had some trouble with centering the subjects!

He enjoyed posing and you can see my conservative nature in this photo as I try to get him to behave for the camera!

Wayman moved away from our town not long after these photos were taken. The other boys didn't stand a chance after such a stud had graced the stage of my ordinary little life.

I have loved him ever since, and the amazing thing to me is that he loved me back!!!!!

I hope you will understand if I leave his name in the title of the blog for a while.

I promise not to write about him all the time, but I might take a trip down memory lane every now and then.

There are other things in my life that I will blog on. I have grandchildren, a garden, friends and family so I am sure to find something to write about.

But after all 45 out of 59 years is a big piece of my life to love and be loved.

Doing OK

I am so blessed to be surrounded by wonderful family and friends here at home, and further afield.

I am cared for with love and concern.

Thank you all for supporting me in so many different ways.

If I may be so bold, please continue to pray for me, write to me and call me. I may not get back to you, but I am so grateful for your contact at this time.

I am asked by people how I am doing and my reply is that I am doing OK.

Now, there are two ways of saying this:

The first is: "Actually, in spite of immense sadness and loss, I am doing OK!"

This is a positive statement that I hope will display my very real inner peace.

Nothing can fill the hole of Wayman's death, but I am coping OK.

The second is: "I'm doing..................ok."

At these times it is a case of holding on, as I try to just get through the day.

I know these days are to be expected.

This morning I went to church, and stayed for coffee after the service. This is the first time I have been able to do this, and I was greatly encouraged by my church family. So many of you came and spoke to me, I loved it!

You changed my day from

"I'm doing...........ok."

to

"I'm doing OK!"

I am so glad that God has shared you with me!

God's precision timing

Cassie and Nathan have given me their permission to blog on the amazing timing of events that they experienced in May.

We were all very aware that Wayman's condition was worsening and while the Taskers had said goodbye in February, they were preparing to cancel events to be here for the funeral when necessary.

They had a booking to play in the Royal Albert Hall in the middle of May and Nathan's team had arranged for the launch of his CD in America to take place about a week later.

Both of these were very important, so we prayed that God would allow them to go ahead.

Nathan played the convention in London while Wayman was still at home.

I imagine it must be most artists dream to play this venue!

Cassie commented that the experience of hearing this wonderful building filled with men singing with great enthusiasm was awe inspiring!

They then had the opportunity to have some time with godly friends in Sheffield.

Wayman went into hospital while they were there, and I rang them as they were driving to Heathrow to catch a flight home to Nashville to tell them that he had gone Home.

The CD launch was also very important, and Nathan's team had put together a wonderful group of people to join him, including Bebo Norman, Plumb, Keith Getty and Charlie Peacock. Nathan's good friends Gabe Scott and Todd Bragg played as well.

This happened the day after they arrived back in Nashville.

It was held at Charlie Peacocks home/studio.

It was streamed live, and Angus and I watched it in my lounge room.

They caught a flight to Australia the next day, arriving on Friday morning to spend the weekend with us before Wayman's funeral.

Are you keeping up with me????

We loved being together at last, and around the dinner table that evening we told stories and marvelled at God's precision timing.

Nathan then told us the news that Cassie is pregnant!!!

There was a lot of hugging and exclaiming and excitement!

Angus was the one who first mentioned God's hand in the timing of this news.

Wayman would have been so very sad if he had known this, as the thought of not seeing the addition to our family would have been heartbreaking for him.

God spared him that.

God really does bless us.....and in this case the blessings are bountiful......

because they are expecting twins!!!!!!!

Turn.....turn.....turn.

Cassie turned 30 this week.

I have heard others say that it only seems like yesterday that their children were babies.

It is half a life time ago for me now and it really does seem that long.

I am not spending too long contemplating the passing of time, as it isn't a constructive thing for me to do right now.

But she was a really happy little girl..........

........who had a twinkle in her eyes!

We had a lovely day, starting her birthday with breakfast for 3 at Red Door coffee shop in Balhannah.

I then babysat Jont and Miss P so their mothers could have a leisurely coffee with Aunty Cass.

We walked to the play ground, picked flowers from the neighbourhood gardens and chatted the whole way.

Jont decided that we should become super heroes so we could visit Grandpa in heaven.

He looked up at me, and I think the reality of Granny in a super hero suit was a bit much, as he decided in the end that perhaps it wouldn't work!

Dinner at Assargios in Hyde Park with the Marauns and Rainbows was a fitting end to the day.

We all agreed that Wayman would have been pleased with the celebration.

Cass has grown into a delightful woman, her Dad was very proud of her.

She and Nathan have been wonderful company, and I will miss them when they return home to Nashville next week.

I am happiest here in our home, enjoying the opportunity to work in the garden, and read in front of the fire. Life continues, and I am allowing myself time to reflect on a wonderful husband and Father.

And I am learning to trust God with the future.