She was a drop off . . .

. . . almost exactly four years ago. I came home from school to find a tiny calico kitten sitting in my driveway by the road. She was sitting there looking at me as if to say "Here I am! Where have you been?". I must say it was love at first sight. Although I officially named her "Calleigh", we just called her "Baby Cat". Born with a cleft palate, she shouldn't have lived past kittenhood, but she did and for these four years, brought us much joy. She was the most loving, sweet cat I had ever had. She had one litter of kittens and even though she nearly died after she gave birth, she was a tender, loving, and attentive mother. She loved sleeping on John's convertible top and made nearly every step he did around the place. Baby Cat's gentle nature was the best medicine for me after a stressful day. For some reason, she got under John's truck this past Thursday morning as he was leaving and was killed when he ran over her. He was heartsick because he loved her as much as I did. We may have other cats in the years to come, but none can take the place of our "Baby Cat".

A Fairy Tale come true . . .

It could be the luck of the Irish, but I really believe it was through the guidance of God that John and I found each other. John was a handsome process engineer at Great Lakes Carbon in Morganton, NC, and I was a pretty cute (if I do say so myself) accounting clerk for the same company. We met at the Xerox machine. We talked about books and even traded a few. The first was "Papillion". (We still have that very paperback!) For some reason the engineer kept finding his way up to accounting. Eventually, John asked me out and I said "no". (I couldn't possibly go out with someone who had a hippie van!) My co-worker, Evelyn Dellinger who knew John and his family said "Now 'Little 'un' (I was quite petite in those days), you ought to go out with him." He asked again and I told him no once more. Evelyn said "Little 'un" you need to go out with John. He has a good education, a good job, and comes from a good family!" Well, wouldn't you know I turned him down a third time! A couple of weeks later when our department was going to have a cookout at a mountain cabin, my friend, Jerroll Smith, insisted that I ask John to go with me. I objected, but she prodded and prodded and tormented me until I finally called him. When I asked him if he would like to go, he said "I don't know. I'll call you back." Well, I nearly died! I had asked a man out and he brushed me off! How humiliating! Anyway, in just a few minutes he called back and said he would love to go with me! I found out much later that he called and canceled a date with his long-time girlfriend to go out with me! Heh heh heh! As the old saying goes, "the rest is history". Today we celebrate our 36th anniversary and remember the many blessings we have enjoyed all these years--not the least of which are the precious children we were given and now the precious grandchildren we adore. Our years together grow sweeter. Just when we think we love each other as much as possible, remarkably our hearts grow a little more room for a little more love. We aren't perfect, but we are perfect for each other. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for my good husband and a happy, eternal marriage.

Disgusted!

The HBO Show "Big Love" plans to air a segment about their characters going through a Mormon Temple Endowment Session. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has requested that they not air that segment, but HBO says it's part of their series and will go ahead with it. Therefore the Church issued a news statement earlier this week which was on the news on MSN yesterday. The Church has also released a video on YouTube concerning the sacredness of our Holy Temples. The Temple Ordinances are not mysterious or secret, they are simply Sacred. I, as a devout member of that faith for 33 years, am disgusted, disheartened, and discouraged that something that I hold dear and sacred will be aired to the world in such a sleazy fashion. As a special favor to me, please watch the YouTube video and if you have questions, ask me! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x_-TQivCx8 The photo is of the Mesa, Arizona Temple where John and I were sealed as husband and wife for time and all eternity.

Kelly Won!

Kelly is a wonderful photographer! She takes all our family photos and most of her friend's as well. She entered a photo contest last month and wouldn't you know it--she won FIRST place in the Nature category for a photo of a grain field on the Blaine Family farm in Idaho. She also won BEST IN SHOW for a picture of Erika in a cemetery. That same photo of Erika was published in a photography magazine in the top 20 of that category. Kelly is our daughter, but we think she is one of the most creative people we have ever known. Luv U, Kelly!

To see more of her photos, follow this link: http://www.pbase.com/kellyblaine

To read the newspaper story about her, go to: http://www.henrycountian.com/news.php?viewStory=5639

'Bama Snow!!

On Friday, February 27 we had tornado sirens going off and a touch down of one a few miles away. On Saturday, February 28, it was 70 degrees and we had 5 inches of rain in about 5 hours. Water flowed like a river all around the house and the pool ran over. Fast forward to Sunday, March 1st and we had 34 degrees and 2 inches of snow! What a difference 36 hours can make! We were told that the last measurable snow here was in 2002. The snow before that was in 1994. Much to the dismay of my students, we ARE in school today because the snow left almost as fast as it arrived. We sure enjoyed it while it lasted!