Carter Chance Peacock

A grandmother's delight...adding another grandbaby!

Carter Chance Peacock arrived Monday, June 1, 2009

7 lb. 14 oz. ~ 21 inches

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Now a family of five...Bill & Carey, Caleb (5 yrs), Connor (2 yrs), and Carter

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Connor & Caleb absolutely adore their baby brother!

Caleb loves to just sit and hold him, and gives him up rather reluctantly.

Connor is constantly giving him kisses or trying to give him a hug.

Already, they are such loving big brothers!

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And then there's the proud Grandpa!

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And the adoring Nana!

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What a precious little bundle of boy joy!

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Here's what I pray for your life:

God, give this child a good heart

God, give this child a good heart

One that cares for the weak

One that hears when You speak

A heart that will make You smile

God, give this child a good heart.

(A Good Heart; Ernie Haase and Signature Sound)

80 Years Wonderful

Eighty years ago, on May 27, 1929, God gave a wonderful gift, and her name
was Margaret. And she just happens to be my mom! Eighty years! An
'octogenarian', as Kerry calls her. She doesn't like that title so much. Maybe
it sounds too much like 'octopus'. Maybe it just makes her feel old.

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My mom was the first of nine children. She was born in Coleman County and lived in various places including California and Santa Ana and Bangs, Texas. She moved to Odessa following graduation from Bangs High School.

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In 1952, my mother married a handsome young man she met at her church, Belmont Baptist Church. Together they raised five children in a warm, loving, Christian home. They enjoyed life together, experiencing joys and sorrows, good times and hard times, and their lives were a testimony to their faith. My daddy went to be with his Lord on March 24, 2001, just about a year shy of their 50th wedding anniversary.

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On Saturday, May 30, 2009, we celebrated Mother's birthday with a party at her church, the same church where she met her sweetheart, raised her children, made many friends, and influenced numerous lives. It was a fabulous event with over 100 guests, friends and family who loved my mother. I asked my mother if she had ever had a birthday party before...she had to stop to think before saying no, she had never had a birthday party. How sad that she had to wait 80 years to have one! She was a professional cake decorator and made many birthday cakes, including cakes for her grandchildren. One of her granddaughters, Marla, who has become a cake decorator/pastry chef herself, made the cake for the birthday celebration. We will celebrate again in July at our West Family Summer Christmas when all the kids and grandkids and great-grandkids are together.

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I recently completed Blessings from the Heart: A Woman's Legacy. In that study, we learned the importance of writing to thank those who have blessed us and to encourage those who need a ray of sunshine. I remember compiling a memory book after my daddy died, a book of remembrances and memories written by those who loved him. I decided I wanted to write my thoughts down for my mom before she was gone. This is what I wrote to her...

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Mother,

I am who I am because of you and Daddy. Although many people have helped
shape me and make me the woman I am today, you and Daddy gave me the foundation
and basic principles needed on which to build.

You blessed me first by being a Christian yourself, and by marrying a
Christian man and committing yourselves and God to raise your children in a
Christian home. Growing up, I jst took it for granted, figuring everyone had
what I had and was raised like I was raised. As I got older, I realized that was
not so. As I got even older, I realized how privileged I was to have been raised
in a Christian home by two Godly parents.

You blessed me again as I watched you serve God in our home and in our
church and in our community. I know how to serve others because you modeled it
for me. I know the importance of giving your time and energy to the church and
to others because I learned that from you. I know God teaches us to love others
as He loves us, because you taught me that most basic concept. You continue to
bless me as I watch you continue to serve God by loving and serving
others.

You blessed me when you loved me unconditionally. I know there were times
when you were unhappy, angry, or disappointed with me...but you always loved me.
And I always knew that. You modeled God's unconditional love so well that, when
I have gone through struggles of my own, knowing I have made Him unhappy or
angry or disappointed, I know He still loves me and always will.

You have blessed me in so many ways I cannot even begin to list. And you
continue to bless me! And I want to say thank you. Thank you for being a loving,
caring mother who has always been there for me. Thank you for showing me what it
is to be a Christian mother...a Christian woman...a Christian. Thank you for
blessing me and passing on an amazing legacy to me and my children and
grandchildren.

I love you,

Diane

Playing Catchup!

Two major events have happened in the past week, and I have not had time to blog about them! My last few weeks have included:

• planning a birthday weekend getaway for Kerry
• planning a birthday party for my mom
• receiving and distributing church directories that have been in the making since January
• finishing up our Blessings from the Heart ladies study at church and having a special presentation in worship (which included my singing a solo in church which meant time practicing)
• going to Caleb's T-ball games, going to Jordan's birthday party in Lewisville, doing all sorts of "Nana stuff"

And of course all the normal, busy everyday things. BUT, I'm catching up tonight! So stay tuned!

Blessed Birthday, Big Brother

To my big brother,

When I was younger, I knew you hated me. I knew you had one purpose in life, and that was to make me miserable. And you were good at it. I remember positioning the cereal box between us so you couldn't 'look' at me. Your favorite pasttime was thinking up ways to make me mad. And you were good at that, too.

When I got older, something changed. Maybe you got smart. Maybe I did. Maybe you grew up. Maybe I did. One day I decided maybe you didn't hate me. Maybe you were more interested in who I was than in how you could get to me. Maybe you cared about me more than either one of us would have ever admitted.

But that day did come...and I believe we would both attest to the fact that we care very much for one another. You have been there for me through thick and thin. When I felt like no one else understood, you did. When I thought no one else knew what I was going through, you did. When I needed a listening ear, you were there. When I needed a shoulder to cry on, you were there.

Although I would never have believed it when I was younger, I am indeed blessed to be your little sister. You have blessed me in so many ways. You have blessed me with your quiet wisdom. You have blessed me with a realistic and sensible view of life. You have blessed me with your unique sense of humor. And I thank God that He put you in my life.

I love you, big brother!

Your middle little sister,

Diane

A Monkey and His Uncle

Ray, my older brother came for a visit back in January.

I really enjoyed his visit...always do enjoy his visits...but I think Tater may have enjoyed this visit even more than I did!

I wasn't sure if Tater remembered Uncle Ray or not; he often confused him with Mr. Ray, our yardman. But it didn't take him long at all before he had Uncle Ray down in the floor 'playing rough'.

Or was it Uncle Ray who had Tater down on the floor???

If only you could hear Tater laughing through all of this!!

Things settled down for a bit, and they got out the Disney games....

Disney Dominoes....

Disney "Snap"...which we usually just turn into a matching game cause Tater doesn't really understand the concept...he just likes to say "Oh, Snap!"

Then it was tickle time again....and posing for Nana...notice how they matched with their gray t-shirts and blue jeans...totally unplanned!

And finally Tater calmed down enough to have his picture made with Grannie West.

Thanks, Uncle Ray, for coming to play with Tater....and for coming to visit your middle sister....your favorite, I am sure!!!

Blogging Catch-Up

During my two-month lapse from blogging, there really was plenty to blog about, just no time in which to do it! Today I happen to have the day to myself, so my goal is to do at least two blogs of things that happened between early January and early April.

I had planned to work in the yard today. The forecast was for rain in the afternoon and evening, but I figured I could get some plants in the ground this morning before it started raining. (I am saying all this because I have so much FAITH in the weather forecasters! Bad idea!) It is now 2:50 in the afternoon, and I have not even set foot in the backyard! First of all, I woke up around 4:15 this morning hearing the sprinkler system....it's supposed to run in the wee hours of the morning on Monday and on Friday...I had it set on Thursday. What that really meant was that the ground in the flowerbeds would be too wet....we have so much clay in our soil that if it is too wet, it is impossible to work with...it's like working with clay, imagine that! Then it was cloudy all morning and sprinkled and spit like it was actually getting ready to rain. Now, this afternoon, the sun and the clouds are playing their own little game of chase, there is no rain, and the wind is blowing...forever blowing.

BUT, my house is clean, there's a cake in the oven for Kerry's meeting tonight, and I have time to blog!

Play Ball!

The day finally arrived last Saturday...the day I got to watch Caleb play his very first ball game! I have dreamed and waited for this day since he was just big enough to play 'catch' with Nana. Having girls, playing 'baseball' with a toddler was all new for me. I didn't know much about baseball at all until I started watching it with Kerry and going to a few games. And I found out that I really like baseball! And I REALLY liked playing baseball with Caleb. He could throw that little baseball straight to me when he was 2! When he was big enough to really handle the bat, I started pitching to him, and he was uncannily good at hitting most of them! The funny thing is that he would throw with his right arm but bat left-handed. As soon as he would hit the ball, he would take off running across the yard while I 'chased' him with the ball until he got back to wherever the bat had landed. That meant he was 'safe'. So the next thing we did was put out some 'bases' so he could run the bases. But he would always run to third base first! We worked on that, too. Sometimes he would let me bat, and I would let him chase me with the ball! I know, it's a pretty hilarious mental picture...a 50ish Nana running around the backyard with a preschooler, but it was heaven to me! I had SO much fun watching him learn to play ball. It was a special thing between Caleb and his Nana. We even gave him a T-ball set for his 4th birthday. I could hardly wait until he was old enough to play T-ball...and I could go and cheer him on at his games. And now he is 5 and old enough to play in the city league! His team is the Cubs, and he is #6! And he is TOO CUTE!

In 'ready' position as shortstop!

First time at bat!

Running home from third base!

His second game on Monday night, he played first base.



After his first game...with a 'sno-cone reward'...with little brother, Connor, who is gonna be our next great baseball player!!

I can't really put into words how I felt as I sat there during that first game, watching my little Caleb play a real game, catching a ball in his little glove, crouched in his 'ready' position, standing at the tee with his bat and eyeballing the ball, then swinging and hitting the ball, running to each base, then sliding home... Oh my, it was just so neat! I may not be the loudest fan, but I will be one of the most sincere, most dedicated, proudest fan that little boy has, because I will never forget. I am so proud of my little T-ball player!