Melissa's Day

Yesterday was Melissa's day, she got her BSN from SOUTHERN MISS. Melissa worked hard to accomplish this. Working full time as a surgical RN, having one little boy and then being pregnant and having another. Noah, the baby, was in and out of the hospital so many times during the first year of his little life, but some how Melissa kept it all together, family, work, and school. It's this that makes me so proud of her... she never gives up.

I've never seen her without a smile and my best days at work are when I get to sit and have lunch with her. I love hearing her talk about her work.. well maybe not her work but the way she talks about. It's her passion, her love of and for the patients. That's what I hear when she talks to me.



My girls, all 3 of them are very special and dear to me. To say that I'm more proud of one over the other is not true. Each is their own person with special talents and I love them for it. What I'm most proud of with all 3 girls is their love for each other and the willingness to step up and help each other.



Yesterday, Dr. Betty Siegel, was the guest speaker. She talked about her parents being coal miners and how proud her Mom was of her and her sister. Dr. Siegel talked about the last time she saw her Mom and she, her Mom, made the comment, 'we must have done something right'. That's kinda the way I feel this morning, I had nothing to do with what my kids have or will accomplish in this life, but I do feel like we did something right.


Melissa, Lauren, and Mary... You are only limited to what can do ONLY by the limits you put on your dreams. Girls DREAM for the stars... set no limits and always know you are loved. Remember, when you try and do not succeed, do not think of this as failure... this is God telling you to chose another path. Failure is when you fail to try.. I know.


Melissa... you did it baby... you where given the chance and you seized the moment...

Love you Melissa, Lauren, and Mary
Dad

What If

It's an ugly morning out today, but I don't have to go to work so let it be ugly... hahaha I know it was bad going and coming from Hattiesburg late yesterday afternoon. I rode up with Melissa to get her cap and gown for Friday. Melissa will be getting her BSN. To say I'm proud of her would be a very understated statement.

Last night was the first time I had been on the campus of USM in over 33 years. It felt so strange. I could not see any of the old places I remembered. Everything had changed. There were so many more building on campus now. Riding on campus last night I kinda got the feeling of -- what if --- but the what if would have lead me down a different path and even thro my path isn't covered with gold what I have is worth more than gold, but for just one fleeing second I just had to think --- what if.

Back to the real world this morning... the picture for the day was taken Monday morning. The sunrise was so pretty (very different looking), but I wanted to show it in a different way. Our lives aren't always pretty colors sometimes life is more a mixture of grays. Not black and not white, but tones for grays. To me and maybe only to me I like the b/w picture from Monday. For the most part I've always liked B/W pictures and I hope over time my B/W's will become better.

Where Indeed

Where Are You Christmas
Faith Hill

Where are you Christmas
Why can't I find you
Why have you gone away
Where is the laughter
You used to bring me
Why can't I hear music play

Mary told me that she did have a good birthday yesterday. She was so supprised by her coat. That just made my day. After we had her little party I just came home and crashed. There wasn't anything I wanted to do and besides it was pretty cool out.

Today is one of those day's that you just remember for a number of reasons. It was on this day, a Sunday, that Pearl Harbor was bombed. "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant.", Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto.

It was also on the date in 1986, also a Sunday, that my Granny Lee passed away. I remember the morning as if it were yesterday. We had gone up for the weekend to see Jasper, who was just 2 weeks old. I remembe Mom calling over to Genes and telling us. Gene was out back cleaning off some old bricks he had gotten and was stacking them. I guess there's just somethings you can't get out of your mind no matter how hard you try.

Oh yeah, I got online this morning and ordered some more camera stuff from B&H. Not much, but a couple of little things I have been wanting. Saturday I'm going to help Debbie shot a wedding so I may take what I make there and order something else.

How Fast They Grow

Thursday
December 6, 1990

1:00am
Dear Little Bit,
HI! I think this is it. Mom's having a lot of pains this morning. We got up at midnight. It's cold outside. Mom said my driving was REAL bad! :-) Going to go check on Mom.

4:25am
The Doctor just left. I asked about a time and he said around 6 maybe. He said your hear beat was good and everything looked real good. Said that you were going to be a BIG BABY.

6:15am
I'm looking out the window watching the sun start to come up. It's pretty cold outside. The doctor is checking on Mom now. There are a few clouds out over the beach, but other then it's going to be a pretty day to have a BIRTHDAY. :-)

8:00am --- SHOW TIME
They just took Mom back. I'm ready and waiting for the nurse to come get me. Mom is having problems with the Rx. It's not working.

8:13am
Mary Kathryn enters our family. You came into the world with a small cry, but with a lot of fight. ;-)

Here we are 18 years latter-----

Mary, Lauren(the Bride), Melissa

This is just a part of what I had written that morning. Keeping journals has always been something I've done. Look back at this, this morning I'm glad.

I remember all my co-workers waiting in the hall as the nurse brought Ginger and Mary out. I made sure that Melissa got the first look at her new sister. I remember Oscar, Bobby, Toni, Wanda and Raymon being there. Back then Raymon and I were the youngest in the department well time has a way of changing that. Both of us are now looking at retirement.

These past 18 years has just flown by and one may ask why did I post a picture of all 3 girls and not just one of Mary? Very simple... the girls are a set.. one that cannot be broken. Melissa and Lauren would fight over who would get to hold Mary. I never really can recall a time when they were really mad at one another for more than a day.

Mary has been luckly to have sisters like Melissa and Lauren and they in turn are luckly to have Mary. As for me.. I feel like I'm the luckest Dad in the world.

Mary Kathryn--- I want you to know that I LOVE you with all my heart baby. From that morning 18 years each day with you brings me happiness. I hope today is a very special one for you and that you too will keep little notes like I did and someday pass them on to you children so they can pass it on... I hope the chain is never broken, but more links are added.

Happy 18th BIRTHDAY my BABY GIRL...
Love ya,
Dad

Looking Back

William Charlie Lee
December 05, 1903
Happy Birthday Paw Lee

I sit here this morning thinking about that Saturday 105 years ago and the chain of events that brought me to this place and just thinking that if just one event had changed or never happened I may not be here.

Grandpaw was the oldest of 5, 1 sister and 4 brothers. To say they had a hard time of if would be an understatement to say the least. Some how they made it through the hard times and he and Granny raised 2 sons. Dad being the oldest.

Grandpaw was, for the most part a quiet person, except when it came to politics. Maybe that's why I get up on my soapbox.


I do remember him plowing the cotton with an old mule like in the picture.
I can remember when Grandpaw wound come in from the field for lunch he would tie the mule off under the shade tree. After lunch he would go out on the front porch, which he always called the "gallery", and sit and smoke his pipe. Now he would not sit in a chair, he would sit on the the floor with his back against the the wall and just relax. He knew what hard work was and wasn't afraid of it. Those are genes he and Granny passed on to Dad.


The things he and Granny saw. The hard times, lossing 2 children at birth, Dad being in combat in Korea. I can see Grandpaw being in the field plowing and the mailman stopping at the mail box. I know he had to wonder if the mail was a letter from Dad or if it was bad news about Dad. No matter what staion of life you are in, we all have or have had the same kind of worries.

I remember a story that Mom told me about Grandpaw one time.. back in the 50's play dough only came in one color and that was pink and also bubble gum was the same color. Well for some reason Grandpaw picked up some of my play dough thinking it was my bubble gum. I don't know what he was thinking or just what he may have said after he tired it.. hahaha Little things like that only makes me see him as more of a real person.

One more story that's all I promise... When I was learning to drive the old truck and I mean old, if was a 1949 FORD we used on the farm, Grandpaw and I were going to the store using the back roads. Well all the roads up there then were back roads... anyway the intersection I had to stop and turn on to was at the top of a hill. If you've never driven you really want understand what a problem this can be for a new driver and on driving an old truck at that. Well at the top of the hill when I tried to trun on to the road the old truck went dead. I could not get the thing started for the life of me... I just could not do the clutch, break, and gas all at the same time. Finally after tring 3 or 4 times Grandpaw laughed and got out and got us going. Back when I was teaching Lauren to drive my standard shift she had the same problem. I couldn't help but smile and think of Grandpaw that summer day many years ago.

Although Grandpaw has been gone since 1984, I never pass the old home site without thinking about him or Granny. Some would say Grandpaw was tight with his money, but again Mom has told me that then things were bad Grandpaw would always have a little to help out. I never remember him buying himself anything, but I think when it came to us he would do anything. I feel like he knew what a dollar was and what it took to make one. I think he knew that maybe tomorrow the sun want be a bright and it's important to have a little put away for those dark days. I think I got some of that from him also. I do buy a few little things for myself, but for the kids and grandkids it doesn't matter... I'll get or give them anything I have.

I just hope there is life after we leave this one and I also hope Paw Lee can see what he has left behind and he can be happy knowing that a part of him lives on today. I regreat that my girls and now my grandsons never knew him the way I did, but maybe thru things like this he will be more than just a grave marker on a hill.

A Rare Sight

It's a rare sight I've read to see all 3 like this. Jupiter and Venus are the small pinheads of light down in the right hand corner. This was done Tues night about 7pm. I wish I had been able to get a picture Monday night while I was helping Lauren get her Christmas tree. All 3 were close together . Oh well, they say wait around another 40 years and we'll see it again... Well who knows... I'll only be 93 then.... hahaha

We're going to celebrate Chip's birthday today at work. Tomorrow he turns 40 and we just can't let this pass without some fanfare. Chip is just one of those that you just have to enjoy being around. He's funny and a hard worker. I'm so glad he wanted to be a part of the report writting team. It's been a big help to me.

This weekend, starting tomorrow, holds a lot of emotions for me. More about this as the weekend progresses.

This week at work... I ask you this.. WHY DO I TAKE OFF?? hahaha --- I know when I take off my request for special reports are going to go through the roof and sure enough that's all I've done these past 3 days. I've been working 9 or 10 hours a day trying to get back on top of things. Once I get everything done guess what... I'm going to be off a week at Christmas... I've made my mind up... I'm not going to let it stress me out. I'll take the request as I get to them and when I'm done.... I'll be done and I think today I'll have everything finished and I'm going to take tomorrow off.

Well that's about it for me today. I really need to work on the baby pictures I did last week so I can get them to the parents , but in order to work on pictutes I have to be in the picture mood. Here the last week I really haven't wanted to work on pictures... now shooting pictures is another thing. I will do that at any time... it's the post production I don't like.

Cold Morning

It's cold out this morning and the temp is dropping, so again I went back to in my archives to find a warm picture.

Melissa called me yesterday morning telling me that she had to bring Gage out to the E/R Sunday night. She told me that he woke up crying with his ear hurting. Even after she put drops in it the child was still hurting bad so they came down. Melissa said that it had been over 3 years since Gage has had this happen. When I talked to her late yesterday afternoon he and Noah were running around the house. I asked her who was chasing whom... Noah thinks he can do anything Gage can...

Just as I have figured, yesterday at work was something, but I did what I said I was going to do... I took one thing at a time and didn't let it stress me out. Over the next day or so I'll get everything back to running normal.. (what's normal??) I don't know what the users are going to do when I do retire. I'm kinda like the one stop shop for all their reporting needs. Oh, I know things want stop... I've seen it many times... things may slow down for a bit, but it never stops.

Here's another one of those stories from YAHOO news that just makes no sense to me what so ever.. what has the world come to?

NYPD: Passenger kills bus driver in fare dispute By MARCUS FRANKLIN, Associated Press Writer Marcus Franklin, Associated Press Writer – Tue Dec 2, 1:08 am ET
NEW YORK – A man stabbed a city bus driver to death over being denied a free ride, then escaped on foot Monday in the first killing of an on-duty New York City bus driver in more than a quarter-century, authorities said.
The man got on the bus in Brooklyn shortly after noon, swiped an invalid fare card, sat down and asked for a free card to change routes.
The driver, 46-year-old Edwin Thomas, told him he couldn't get a transfer because he hadn't paid; the attacker then punched him and stabbed him in the torso in front of other passengers, police said.

When will people learn that there is no FREE... someone has to pay for it and this driver had to pay with his life..

Well it's off to work for me... I am one of the ones that understand the NO FREE RIDE rule.

Back to Work.... OH NO

Today is the day I've been dreading for over a week now... time to go back to work.... For the most part I really enjoyed my week off for Thanksgiving, although I didn't do anything. It's kinda hard to enjoy yourself when all you do is worry about the work that's going to be waiting on you when you get back. To make things wrost today is Dec 1... end of the month reports will have to ge done today also, but you know what I'm going to take my time and not let it stess me out today.


For the life of me I do believe the world, or I should say the people in the world, has gone completely MAD. This article in the YAHOO news just shows what we as people had come to.

AP - Sat Nov 29, 11:48 AM ETSent 34 times
NEW YORK - Police were reviewing video from surveillance cameras in an attempt to identify who trampled to death a Wal-Mart worker after a crowd of post-Thanksgiving shoppers burst through the doors at a suburban store and knocked him down.


This young man lost his life because people wanted to save a dollar... and what really hurt me that the article went on to say NO ONE STOPPED TO HELP THE YOUNG MAN. Is this is what Christmas has come to? Here we are talking about the birth of Jesus and in the process we stomp a young man to death without any remorse.


I fixed lunch for the kids yesterday and after lunch I was showing Melissa a book I ordered for Gage to go with his camera. The title of the book was something like Fun Things To Do With A Camera--- for kids... or something like that. Anyway Melissa told me that Gage would like it, but that Gage didn't like to just take any kind of picture. She said he would look for shadows coming from objects. I couldn't believe it... the child is looking for things that most people never think about. He may be the artist I always wished I could be. As I said before, Meslissa tells me that all Gage talks about is going with PawPaw to take pictures... Melissa said he wants to get up early and get sunrise pictures. I can think of nothing better in my life than having is little boy wanting to be with me and doing what I love doing.


In the dark times I feel all I need to do is think about this... and the darkness in my heart turns to a bright and warm light. I can't forget my little Noah... only 16 months, but yet he has his way of getting to me also. Friday I went to get him out of his set and he reached up and gave me a big hug.

I hope all goes well at work and in a couple of years I can retire so I can spend time with them. Maybe it want be long and I can and will have that business partner to help me have a business and one that I would love to leave to.


Well as bad as I hate to... I've got to get up and get ready to go to work... I've just got to remember... do one job at a time... do one job at a time... hahahah

The picture today was shoot Friday.... I'm trying something new...

Time Well Spent

An Old Barn we shot yesterday

I spent the day with the boys yesterday. Melissa had to work so Jonanthan came by and got me and we went. I told Jonathan about this old barn I wanted to get a picture of, but because of where it was and the amount of traffic I never could stop to take a picture. So, yesterday Jonathan just drove slow and I was able to get a half way shot.

We went to the pet store in Mobile so the boys could look at the animals and that was a mistake... hahaha .... Noah was putting his hands in the fish tank. I couldn't help but to laugh so we got them up and went over the Bass Pro Shop. There were so many people there we really couldn't enjoy looking, but Gage had a good time walking up and down the stairs behind the waterfalls. I must say Noah and Gage were both very good.

I hate to think about it but my vaction is almost over. I sure hate having to go back to work Monday. I know my desk is going to be a mess and on top of trying to get everything done from last week Monday is going to be the first of the month. Why did I even take off??? hahaha ... I sure enjoyed being off and I'm looking forward to my week off at Christmas also.

Thankful

Thanksgiving Afternoon 2008


Thanksgiving 2008 is a fleeing memory now. Like so many things in our lifes we plan and look forward to it and then in a second it's come and gone.

I can't and want complain because I saw first hand today when I had to make a special run to the store. There I saw and older man buying one of those meals you just heat up. He looked as thro he was all alone in the world. He was unshaven and just had that look. Right then I realized just how luckly I was. Our family, by most standards may be a little strange, but we maintain it as a family unit.

I can think of nothing wrose than not to have my children are even wrose my children not wanting to spend time with me. I think this would be the wrost hurt in the world.

The girls all put their order in for me to cook... cornbread dressing, peach cobbler, and banana pudding ( and it was NOT the banana pudding out of a box eather). hahaha

It's my hope that something we did today, they will remember years from now... maybe it will be the walk we took after lunch or Gage will remember that he and I took a walk thur the cemetery.

I would say all and all today has been a very THANKFUL day... I got to see and be with my kids and there's nothing that makes me happier.