HAPPY HOLIDAY TO YOU

HAPPY HOLIDAY

It's Christmas Time Again
(by Bob Lazzar-Atwood)

Put your problems on probation
Run your troubles off the track,
Throw your worries out the window
Get the monkeys off your back.
Silence all your inner critics
With your conscience make amends,
And allow yourself some happiness
It's Christmas time again!

Call a truce with those who bother you
Let all the fighting cease,
Give your differences a breather
And declare a time of peace,
Don't let angry feelings taint
The precious time you have to spend,
And allow yourself some happiness
It's Christmas time again!

Like some cool refreshing water
Or a gentle summer breeze,
Like a fresh bouquet of flowers
Or the smell of autumn leaves,
It's a banquet for the spirit
Filled with family, food and friends,
So allow yourself some happiness
It's Christmas time again!

Love to all,

Bill & Sylvia

GUESS WHAT?

This morning the post office line was short so I bopped in to mail a Christmas card to Dillon in South Korea. This close to the deadline for Christmas everyone is standing in long, long lines (you know, the kind that go clear out the door) to send packages to far away loved ones. Anyway, I digress. There were very few cars in the parking lot so I veered in and ran in the door ahead of the people that pulled in behind me. Only 2 ladies were ahead of me in line. Whoppee!! I could mail my card to Dillon. I had no idea how much it was going to cost but I stood patiently while the two white haired ladies sent their precious gifts to their children and grandchildren. An employee came up to the empty window and asked if he could help me. I held out my pretty red envelope, braced myself for the bad news, and told him that I needed to send it to South Korea. With a sweet smile he said, "42 cents, please." I gasped and said, "Is that all?" "That's it." he said. "Any APO addresses are only 42 cents".
So if any of you out there have an extra card and any regular 42cent stamps left and would like to make a lonely soldier happy - here is Dillon's address.
Pvt. Blimes, James D.
Camp Casey
South Korea
HHC 1-72 ARBN
Unit #15077 Box 355
APO AP96224-5077

It's An Offer!

After looking at a kazillion houses in Southern Florida (well, at least 35) we have decided to leap out into the darkness and put a contract on a new home. Yes, we love our little house in Dell Lake Village but this is something we are going to do because we can (and a nice, new, really big house sounds like fun to me). This house is in Lehigh Acres. For those of you who have never heard of Lehigh Acres - it is a rather large area of newer homes that sprang up around a tiny town that was built out in the countryside near Ft. Myers in the 1950s. There are lots of spaces for homes but they did not all get built and the house we like is on the outskirts where the homes are few and far apart. Much of the forest area has been left so it looks like "old" Florida. This house has never been lived in. In fact I get to buy my own appliances and window treatments, how fun is that? I will let you know in a few days if the offer is accepted and how our buyer's remorse is going.

What A Week!!!

The G's bought them Holiday dresses that were kind of alike but not "just alike". Kind of like these girls who are kind of alike but not "just alike".

This is a dress to do Cambodian dances in. Nysa & Kaya showed us how to do a Cambodian flower dance with little petal holders in their hands.

Nysa and Kaya in their Barbie car.
Kaya is a crazy driver.

Spending time reading with grandpa Blimes

Nysa loves to have her picture taken.

What's it like to spend a week with 2 little angels? It was so much fun to spend a week with Chad, Nysa and Kaya while Savin was in Cambodia. Nysa went to school for part of two days and then I picked her up and was amazed at how much she is learning. Bill helped teach her how to count her 20's. Nysa enjoyed some alone time with her G's during those 2 mornings. She played quietly with gramps and her weebly wooblies.

The Name Is Blimes!

Valentine's Day 2008

Kaya Blimes

Nysa Blimes

This is the week that we are babysitting our youngest granddaughters.
That means that I am taking a kazillion pictures but I do not have the cord to download them to this computer so I have to use these pictures from last summer. Look forward to seeing lots more of them next week when I am back home and able to download. After reading Valerie's blog I must say that I agree with her that it is the rule for children to distort their faces whenever they see a camera pointed at them. Especially when I am trying to take that one most adorable closeup portrait to save forever.
Dillon called and talked to Bill this morning. Yes, he is in South Korea. It was late at night there so he said he will call tomorrow and talk to me. He is doing well but he sounded tired - that could be the lateness of the hour or pure tiredness of his body, goodness knows which. At least now I know that he is okay, just very far away.
Thank you, Savin, for going to Cambodia so that I can spend this special time with your daughters. You are a fantastic mom. You and Chad have done a wonderful job training these girls in the way of truth. They have sang songs to me, prayed with me and shared their hugs with me, thank you.

Look What We've Done!

My Wedding Day (I made this dress myself)
Mindi's family with Grandma Morris

Bill, Sylvia, Mindi, Chad & Katie
Kaya & Nysa Blimes

Jeremiah & Christina Szot

Bill sliding the garter off of my leg to throw at our wedding

Chad & Katie Blimes

While looking through our pictures I was amazed at the changes in our family group. We went from a young couple to a family of 5 and then to a family of 4 and back to a couple again. Yes, we take care of 7 girls now but we are more of a "couple" than we have ever been. We know each other so well that most of the time we can tell what the other one is thinking. Our favorite pastime is to lie in bed late in the morning and visit about what we are going to do next.

Children and grandchildren pass through my life at various intervals.

Sometimes I see them a lot but usually they are just on the fringe of my adventures. I wish that they were more a part of my experiences and that I could share what I think and believe with them.

Hopefully this blog will help me to impart a small portion of my thoughts to those who take the time to read it.

My children and grandchildren are loved as a part of our family but even more as a part of God's family. My daily prayer is that we will all go out and have adventures and return Home and share what we have learned.

I Hope You Dance!

I hope you still feel small, when you stand beside the ocean

Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens

Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the chance to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance

I hope you dance



Many years ago, Axal, told me that this was his mother's favorite song and he explained why. "Just listen to the words," he said. "You have to participate in life to get anything out of it." Axal has always asked us thoughtful, religious questions, like "where is my mom and what is she doing now that she is dead?"
Good question.
How glad I am to have the answer to that and to be able to assure him that she is alive and learning many new things with the help of those who love her and went on to heaven before her.
There is no doubt in my mind that she will be there to greet each of her children and the rest of us when our time comes to join her.

So this blog is for Axal, where ever you go.
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance
And when you get the chance to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance