Birthday Hit

My 2011 has to be a better year for me and blogging. I have not been here with my thoughts since October. Well December 4 I celebrated another year of lifes blessings. Since I love my quilting I threw myself a Quilting Birthday Party. The event was held at the Quilter's Cabin, a retreat center in Tomball, TX with almost 20 of my best quilting buddies. Two of my favorites had other engagement but they called me and texted me while the party was going on. My sister Diane came to help me host along with my dearest friend Kim. As the phone call came I was talking, running the Imani Bingo came I created and going to the main road to get those that were lost. The retreat center is down a private road with a gate code and you think you are deep in the woods when it is only about 1 mile from the main road. Continental Breakfast was provided and Lunch was served around 1 pm. For lunch my dear friend Nishie Thomas from Beaumont prepared a super sized pan of chicken spaghetti. We lunched on chicken spaghetti, salad, and yeast rolls. For dessert........I provided everyone with a bag of Laura's Favorite Things. Laura's Favorite Things are See's Pecan Bud Candy, large Honeycrisp Apple, Big Tex Cinnamon Roll. I figured since Oprah has her favorite things and share, why can't I. Oh I forgot to mention the snack foods. Several friends brought snacks from broccoli salad, pimento cheese spread, chips, Golden Oreos (another favorite of mine), summer sausage and cheese tray and I can't forget the Moscato D'Asti......a trip to HEB produced more for those of us enjoying the day with good company.

The Princess and The Frog

Whew, the things we do for the little ones in our lives. My niece Corey's baby girl turned 5 last week and my twin her grandmother decided to give her a out of this world birthday party. She designed the invites, games, made princess and frog mask for the kids, and tried to turn her front yard into an enchanted forest of some sort. We worked hard on making two 10 x 10 tents to be fit for a princess and then the rain came. We didn't even have a chance to take a picture of our work just moved the kids inside and kept the party rolling. The rain continued to pour down for the next 3 hours. The hit of the party was a Kiss the Frog game (Pin the Tail on the Donkey, you remember) and a Princess piñata. The frog had lips plastered all over its lil body as the kids ranged from age 3 to 10. The birthday girl Sidney was able to break the piñata at the end of the party and the kids filled their bags with the candy.

And the winner is ME!

Well its has been months since I have been able to write on my blog. Since then I have worked hard for the U.S. Census during the summer months in my home town and I was able to attend my sorority convention in New Orleans, LA this summer. Back in grad school this semester and this time going for 9 hours trying to graduate next spring or summer. In September I went to a retreat with my friend Queen and I was the "People's Choice" winner in a quilt contest being held at Rice University. I had know idea how much time I was going to devote to winning but I gave my entire week to it. I sent out over 400 emails, my twin sent out over 500 and I was listed on several Facebook pages with populations nearing over 3000. Now that didn't include the personal phone calls and the text messages sent out. One of my friends voted for someone else quilt but then he made it up to me and voted at school for mine. Much love to all my family and friends I had votes coming in from Spain, England, Kuwait and who knows where else in the world. I watched those polls for hours and on the last day coming to the close of the contest I rarely left my pc not to mention my family (the nation) who was constantly calling and watching also. The quilt will be on exhibit at Rice U and can be seen with the other quilts at http://here.rice.edu I entered just to see how many people I could reach and I don't know what the total votes were but I know I had 35% of them. Then on yesterday I went to the mailbox and my copy of Kyra Hicks books was there and guess who was listed as an African American Quilter in Cyberspace ~~~~you guess its ME! That was enough to say girl you need to go write something on that blog.

My Oh My

Lawdy you know you just keep putting off saying I will write something today and then today passes and then months pass and you find yourself saying time to stop running. I have just returned from a family reunion in Louisiana where I met many new cousins and look forward to sharing other events with them. As a proud member of the Marks family out of Jeanerette, Louisiana we are finally unraveling our branches and I am predicting the upcoming reunion of the Apollon Marks clan to be over 1000. Many are learning of the gatherings and many of us older ones (50 and Older) are interested in connecting with other cousins that share the same family names. It is such a wonderful feeling when someone approaches you and greets you with a hug....they look like you and you instantly know they are kin.

2010

Wow, now I said I would post monthly on my blog and I am already a month behind. I can't believe I have not posted since my birthday. Well my holiday was a little stressful with personal problem beyond my control but I am so happy to be hear in 2010...we have already had several love ones to leave us and the earthquake in Haiti has humbled us some more to realize our blessings. I remember as Hurricane Ike took the Gulf Goast and we went for weeks without electricity we thought that was something. Lawdy what if we had been in Haiti's situation. Day by day we are being reminded of our blessings and that everything is not peachy cream for everybody. My daughter returned home in January, 22 years old, no degree, no job and a broke heart from a "boy' she thought loved her. She is pressing forward with her education and trying to regroup her life at this point. School is back in session for me along with entering my first Quilt Show. I will be exhibiting 6 quilts on February 12 and 13 in Beaumont, Texas and I am so excited. For years I have attended quilt shows and wondered how my work would look hanging for many to see. My quilting is so much of me I have millions of thoughts of projects running through my brain.

Happy Birthday To Me

Lord, I made it. But you knew I was going to make it. Thank you Jesus for allowing me and my twin your children to be blessed to see our 50th Birthday today. I woke up this morning and said

Thank You Lord

Thank You Lord

You Been So Good to Me

Thank You Lord and then I said

Though the storms keep on raging in my life,
and sometimes it's hard to tell my night from day.
Still that hope that lies within is reassured
as I keep my eyes upon the distant shore;
I know He'll lead me safely to that
blessed place He hs prepared
But if the storms don't cease,
and if the wind keeps on blowing,
my soul has been anchored in the Lord.
I realize that somtimes in this life
you're gonna be tossed by the waves
and the currents that seem so fierce,
but in the word of God I've got an anchor;
and it keeps me steadfast and unmovable
despite the tide. (Douglas Miller)
My soul's been anchored. and then I said

I've had some good days
I've had some hills to climb
I've had some weary days
And some sleepless nights
But when I look around
And I think things over
All of my good days
Outweigh my bad days
I won't complain
Sometimes the clouds are low
I can hardly see the road
I ask a question, Lord
Lord, why so much pain?
But he knows what's best for me
Although my weary eyes
They can't see
So I'll just say thank you Lord
I won't complain
The Lord
Has been so good to me
He's been good to me
More than this old world or you could ever be
He's been so good
To me
He dried all of my tears away
Turned my midnights into day
So I'll just say thank you Lord
I've been lied on
But thank you Lord
I've been talked about
But thank you Lord
I've been misunderstood
But thank you Lord
You might be sick
Body reeking with pain
But thank you Lord
The bills are due
Don't know where the money coming from
But thank you Lord
Thank you Lord
I want to thank God
God
Has been so good to me
He's been good to me
More than this old world or you could ever be
He's been so good
So good
To me
He dried all of my tears away
Turned my midnight into day (Paul Jones)

Lord, I won't complain

Never would have made it, never could have made it, without you
I would have lost it all, but now I see how you were there for me
And I can say
Never would have made it,
Never could have made it,
Without you
I would have lost it all,
But I now how I see how you were there for me and I can say
I'm stronger, I'm wiser, I'm better,
Much better,
When I look back over all you brought me thru.
I can see that you were the one that I held on to
And I never
Never would have made it
Oh I never could have made it
Never could have made it without you
Oh I would have lost it all, oh but now I see how you were there for me
I never
Never would have made it
No, I never
Never could have made it without you
I would have lost my mind a long time ago, if it had not been for you.
I am stronger
I am wiser
Now I am better
I am better
So much better
I am better
I made it thru my storm and my test because you were there to carry me thru my mess
I am stronger
I am wiser
I am better
Anybody better
I am better
I can stand here and tell you, I made it. Anybody out there that you made it
I am stronger
I am wiser
I am better
Much better
I am better
I made it,
And I never would have made it
Never would have made it
Never could have made it
Never could have made it without you
I would have lost my mind, I would have gave up, but you were right there, you were right there
I never
Never would have made it
Oh I never
I never could have made it without you. (Marvin Sapp)

Lord and Mama I never would have made it without you two.

Breast Lump Issue

Last week I was relieved of some of my stress. I had a mamogram and an ultrasound on my left breast for a lump that I have. Turns out the lump is the same benign one I had years ago except for now the lump has moved to the top and I can feel it. The dr says it has not changed shape or size so there is nothing to worry about. I really was stressing myself out because in all my years of having breast issues I have never been able to feel a lump. My film shows my breast clear as ever but there is the little egg that is hovering around my nipple. I will do a follow up in 6 months and the second best news I received is that I am in this program and my test will be free for 3 years.