Until We Meet Again.

I’m dusting this blog off because I need to write my thoughts out. This weekend was a really hard one for the family. We had to say goodbye to my nephew/son, Dale. He was affectionately known as my third child because wherever Ryan was, he was right beside him. They were not only first cousins but being born 2 months apart to the day, they were also running buddies…partners in crime.

Ryan carrying his brother to his final resting place

He’s taking this one really hard…both of my kids are but Rey is more like me, she’s gonna be there for anyone who needs her, and she was. Ry and Dale had a 2-year start before my daughter was born and both were boys so you know they ganged up on her.

She’s my daughter though so, she held her own

It dawned on me that the last homegoing I’d attended was my dad’s, almost 4 years ago. And in true homegoing fashion, you see people that you haven’t seen in ages.

Funerals and weddings always bring people together.

It was a lovely homegoing though…a celebration of the gregarious spirit he will always be…even on the other side.

I’m glad I told him that I loved him the last time we spoke. I’m glad I have so many wonderful memories that include him.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STANKA! You are a joy in this often joyless world.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STANKA! You are a joy in this often joyless world.

Rest In Paradise Dad

My dad passed away last Friday and I really don’t know how to process it. Last week I intended to write a blog about caring for the elderly and how hard it was to  care for  a strong-willed parent who refuses to give up driving. Last Thursday, my dad thought that he was strong enough to get behind the wheel of the car and I gave him the keys fully knowing that he would not make it out of the driveway. He didn’t and I think that’s when reality really set in for him and he realized that he was no longer independent.

The next day, he was gone.

I don’t know how to handle it quite yet. A part of me is relieved that he didn’t suffer. He lived over 88 years on this earth and I was blessed to have him for 55 of them.  He’s with my mom now and she probably asked him what took him so long as soon as he crossed over.  All 11 of his brothers and sisters have already crossed over as well as his parents and our Cocker Spaniel who loved my dad to pieces.  He is now in the presence of the Lord and I’m happy that he got to live his final days in the same house he purchased for his family in 1957.

And that I was able to care for him literally until his dying day.

I just miss him so much. He was my rock…the one person who would never let me fall…no matter what. In all my years and my many screw ups, not once did he ever judge me. He just picked me up, brushed me off and told me to start over.

He could be a pain in the ass…but he was my pain in the ass…and I loved him to infinity and beyond.

I was a daddy’s girl to the bittersweet end.

Living in the house that you grew up in can be a good and bad thing.  It’s great because it has so many memories tied into it.

It’s bad because…it has so many memories tied into it.

My dad used to sleep with his table lamp on…I still can’t turn it off.

My dad loved kool-aid and I was the only one who could fix it just like he liked it… I saw the kool-aid in the refrigerator and cried.

The holidays are right on our backs and I have to face this year without him. It’s gonna be hard.  I will probably do something in honor of him during that time…don’t know what yet.

My Nyx season is gonna be just a little less sweet. My dad looked forward to the Nyx Myx Ball so he could see what NavySeal and I were wearing.  He loved everything Nyx because he knew I did…and he supported any and everything I was ever into.

Saying goodbye to that kind of love and loyalty is hard.

I’m gonna try to keep living my best life to honor him and my mom though. I know that’s what they would want and so it shall be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday Stanka

 

My Stanka Doodle recently turned 3 years old and I really don’t know where the time is going. She is getting so big so fast…I can’t keep up.  This year we had her party at Chuck E. Cheese and  my goodness…I went through sensory overload! They had so many people in that place. And it seems like you need to acquire a zillion tickets to get something half way decent over the counter.  We still had an awesome time though.  I can’t wait until her fifth birthday, we’re taking her to Disney World to celebrate.

That’s the fun part of having a grandkid…all the fun, none of the work.

Happy Birthday Stanka! We love you to the moon and beyond!

Team Stanka Doodle. She was mad at us though.

My girls! Yellow Jacket and Stanka Doodle

My little fashionista!

Grandbaby and nephew!

The love of my life.

After serving 20 years in Angola for a murder he didn’t commit, my friend is home.

 

Bayou Creole and Jerome Morgan

Jerome Morgan went to Angola State Penitentiary at the age of 17 for a murder he did not commit.

I remember that day all too vividly.

It was a horrible day for our entire neighborhood.

Jerome is a very good friend of one of my brothers, but you know  how it is when your brother has friends that are always around…pretty soon they become extended family.

And that’s what he is to me…one more brother added to the branch. We all grew up in the same neighborhood and Jerome was always such a sweet kid.

Which is why we knew from day one that they had the wrong person when they carted him off to prison.

And sentenced him to life without parole for murder.

Thanks to the Innocence Project of New Orleans, he is now a free man. If you want to read the story, you can find it here.

He was let out of prison in 2014, but the D.A. had plans to appeal and retry him. However in 2016, the D.A. decided to drop the appeal.

Thank goodness.

The nightmare is over for him. He can  now go and live the rest of his life out in peace and love.

When he hugs me, I cry.  It’s a hug that says “I never thought I’d hug you again, I’m so happy to be hugging you right now.” He never wants to let me go, I always have to break the hug.

I think he’s still amazed by the fact that he’s a free man now.

20 years is a long time to be locked down for something you didn’t do. And to be at “the Poderosa” at 17 years old…I can’t even imagine.

It didn’t break his spirit though. He’s just as sweet as he was before his entire life was turned upside down. He now has his own barber shop  and he mentors young kids.

I’m so proud of that dude.

Welcome home Rome…we love you.

Semi-wordless Wednesday

My heartbeats.  He’s crazy about his sister and his niece and they adore him.

I live for moments like this.

Happy 2nd Birthday Bayou Grandbaby!

Time is moving too fast. I can’t believe that she’s 2 years old already. Being a grandmother is the best thing ever.

She is the light of my life.

This year, her party was at Joe Brown Park in New Orleans East.We had a rainy day, but to be honest, I preferred the rain over that “hotter than Hades” summer heat.

The birthday girl pre-party time!

The Princess right before her guests arrived.

And this is what a successful ending to a baby party looks like! A too pooped to pop baby! With Purple Knight (uncle), Yellow Jacket (mom), BayouCreole(MiMi) holding the knocked out Princess, Maw-Maw Jan.  Paw-Paw Romi and Paw-Paw Navy Seal in the back. We are family!

 

Happy 25th Birthday Purple Knight!

Lawd, I can’t believe my son is 25 years old. Where did the time go?

Happy Birthday, Ryan! I love you… to infinity and beyond!

Semi Wordless Wednesday

My dad and my son. 63 years apart. This is what happens when you ask your grandson to wash your car for you, but you’re a control freak so, you gotta go out there and spray the water. Family…ya gotta love’em.

Monday Madness…Crutches?!

Yeah, I’m walking around on crutches right now…sigh. This is definitely old people problems because I don’t think I would have had to get crutches if my ligaments were in their younger days.

How’d it happen? Cleaning up.Standing on one leg while on a chair. When I brought the leg down I missed the chair and jarred it on a cement petition. I actually felt the pain shoot up my leg. So now I’m out-of-commission…sorta. I’m supposed to be on bed rest, but there was no way I was missing Wicked on Tour. I managed to hobble around the theatre on one crutch…which I actually prefer. I’m gonna end up with a leg cast fooling around with both crutches. And I’m getting really creating when it comes to hiding the splint. Can’t wait to be off of these things though.

Grandbaby Creole(GBC) …I just blog named her 🙂 decided to show out for her birthday and took her first steps in front of everyone. It was awesome!

My 86-year-old dad was in his glory watching his great-granddaughter walk.

4 generations strong. Purple Knight,Me,Dad,Yellow Jacket and Grandbaby Creole.

My dad and his girls.

My kids just about grew up on this blog. Yellow Jacket was 13 when I began blogging and she’ll be 22 next month. I’m still trying to figure out where the time went.

Yellow Jacket 2008

I guess I’ll have some time to catch up on all of my blogging now…since I’m laid up for a minute. That’s a good thing because I miss blogging. Facebook saps all of the creative energy out of me because it’s so quick. With Facebook,Instagram and Twitter around,blogging has become the dinosaur of social media. I still like it though because it’s my space to get whatever I want to out of my head without having to deal with all of those “judgy-wudgies” on those other sites.

And I miss you guys. I don’t know if I’ll ever stop…I may slow up a bit, but I’m gonna hang around as long as possible. Besides, the grandbaby will give me all sorts of new  stuff to blog about.

So, let’s catch up! I have so much to cover!