Baby Love, Part I

All This And More

God made the sunlight, but it cannot laugh,

God made the moonbeams, but they cannot smile;

God made the stars, but they cannot play;

God made the birds, but they cannot hold the heart;

God made music, but it cannot love.

So, God made YOU, my child.

by Dorcas S. Miller

This poem is from a gem of a book I got at an Atlanta thrift store during our Christmas visit. It's called "Little Ones to Him Belong." As I continue to share photos and anecdotes of our darling grandbabies, Brianna and Claire, I plan to also share some beautiful thoughts from this book. I dedicate them not just to my own grandbabies, but to all those babies out there (and older children, as well), tiny packages of happiness and hope. And definitely gifts from God.

Just because this post began seriously is no reason I can't close with some of the funny captions my faithful readers demand. So here goes-- I hope they make you smile.

Claire: "But Officer, I was only doing 25!"
Claire: "Watch that driver in front of me jump when I lean on this horn!"

Claire: "When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are. . . ."

Claire: "Listen, I'm paying for call-waiting. So, they can just WAIT! Mmm. . . this is tasty."

Brianna: "Okay, I'm ready. Now just where is this drive-in you were telling me about? And what IS a drive-in?"

Brianna: "Live long and prosper!"

Brianna: "Uh, no, the keys are fine, but I can't seem to find the gas pedal."

Brianna: "Fasten your seatbelts-- I'm gonna play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. . . rockabilly style!"

Coming soon: Baby Love, Part II, (Brianna plus Claire)

It's a New Year, Babes!

Grandbabies Brianna and Claire witnessed their very first Christmas and their very first New Year. What better way to celebrate than by doing new and adventurous things?

Bri says, " Look, everybody, in 2010 I can stand up! Is there something soft behind me to land on?"

Bri models her warm longjohns. The shirt reads "Don't wake ME. I'LL wake YOU!"

"Not much on this TV. Let's bring out some more toys."

Grandma Judy says, "Is this a baby or a koala bear?" Hang on, Bri!

Brianna also likes to stand up to play her little keyboard.

"And for my next selection I shall play Mary Had a Little Lamb by M. Goose."

Claire says, "I'm into new stuff, too. Look at me sitting up all by myself, Grandma!"

"Sitting up means I have two hands free for action."

"Plus, I can sing and play at the same time."

"Hey, now. That's one of my ticklish spots!"

"At the end of the day, there's still not much that beats sucking on one's toes."

Here's a short video of Brianna at play. Hope it brightens your day like it did mine. 2010 has much in store for these precious babies-- and the rest of us, too.

CSI Meets Keep America Beautiful

What's that white stuff all over the ground??!!

Well, if you're in central North Carolina, chances are IT AIN'T SNOW! Our meager chance for snow Friday night didn't pan out. So it's more likely "that white stuff" is cigarette butts, Kleenex, plastic grocery bags, or styrofoam cups.

Okay, so this isn't gonna be one of those "feel good" posts. But confronting our continuing litter problem is something I feel compelled to do periodically.

Since Thanksgiving, I've done a couple of roadside litter pickups along our road, filling up two garbage bags each time. I regularly pick up smaller amounts just in front of our own property. This situation has been consistent over our 30+ years living here.

I'm sure the litterbugs have changed during that time. Some of the truly legendary ones who prowled have passed on. But a new generation, equally thoughtless, have stepped up to carry on the work. If America was becoming a throw-away society in the 70's and 80's, we've perfected it in the last two decades. We have more disposable packaging than ever before, and much of it will neither be recycled nor see a landfill. It is destined to be tossed, chucked, or pitched out of a car window.

There is such a thing as unintentional littering, such as articles or refuse fluttering out of the bed of pickup trucks or unsecured loads headed to the landfill. But the sad part is the intentional littering that a small minority of our populace nonchalantly engage in. And with the volume that is generated, I'm thankful at least that they are a small minority.

Littering is, after all, a crime. A misdemeanor. It is hard to catch perpetrators in the act, and law enforcement officers rightfully have many higher priorities. But as I've been reading lately of lower murder rates and other signs of diminishing violent crime (but the gang population of prisons is accordingly UP) I have begun to wonder. . . .

Is now the time to begin to incorporate some of the wondrous investigative techniques of shows like CSI (fill in the blank with your favorite city/version) into attacking the litter problem full force?

You see, one thing about litter is that it almost certainly is laden with DNA evidence, especially the fast food trash (not a reference to the customers). Fingerprints, residues, bodily fluids. Okay, I'll stop there. You get the idea. But our police departments now have the resources to track down litterbugs with even minute shreds of evidence.

Imagine these conversations among investigators:

• "Okay, let's get a quick analysis of these drippings on this Kleenex. Match the DNA and verify that the suspect has a sinus infection."
• "Hmm. Once we check out the contents of this discarded Pampers, we can search the data base to match the baby with its parents."
• "Quick. With these teeth indentations on the Hardee's cup, do a universal search of dental records and we'll nail this creep."

You still think this is far-fetched? Well here are a couple of examples from my own neighborhood pick-up. With sufficient manpower, time, and biotech resources, the culprits could finally be held accountable for their flagrant violations.

ITEM 1: Not one, but THREE empty packs of Hanes Solutions hose were on my roadside pickup. They were together, implying the violator tossed them simultaneously and with malice. Here's where technology steps in. First, the fingerprint check. Try to unwrap anything without leaving prints. Impossible. A close look reveals the size EXTRA LARGE. I'll give you a hint: we're not looking for that attractive model pictured below. I'm confident a CSI style investigation would reel in our plus-size perp in no time.

Also strewn along the road's shoulder were these TEN packs of Marlboro cigarettes. Since other brands were not found in the vicinity, evidence suggest a repeat offender, rather than multiple cancer-stick addicts who just happen to litter the same area.

Besides the ease of fingerprinting, DNA could be matched with butts gathered in the same general area during that time. A thorough investigation could reveal even more. Perhaps MUCH more. These Marlboros could have been smoked by someone in the process of cutting back on their smoking. Here's one scenario:

There's one pack of regular Marlboros. Then one pack of Light 100's. Then seven packs of Lights. (Nobody said quitting's easy) Then the green menthol pack (Christmas season--remember?). And finally two packs of Extra Lights.

The profile of who we're looking for gradually emerges. A well-meaning smoker who aspires to quit by New Year's. Continues to smoke well into December, but guilt-ridden, flings the empty cartons (which he or she now despises) out the car window night after night on that dark, lonely stretch of the Murdocksville Road.

This public enemy could never escape the clutches of an all-out CSI type dragnet.


The possibilities are endless. The nineteen beer cans I collected, crushed, and recycled would have similarly led to arrests I have no doubt. These people are secretive and like to litter when no witnesses can finger them, but they're not cunning enough to vary their brands. I am as sure as I can be that the ten Bud Light cans spaced along less than a mile were pitched by a couple of drinking buddies who had already consumed them and just didn't want them cluttering their vehicle. Here, we could not only match finger prints (very hard to wipe down from aluminum) but also saliva. These poor dopes are guilty of more than littering. Open alcoholic containers in vehicle. Probably driving while impaired. Likely public nuisance/noise ordinance (such as hooting while tossing cans out window) or even public indecency (mooning innocent residents as they weave down the road).

Still think it's far-fetched? After all, what's the use in having all this Homeland Security money if we don't prosecute to the full extent of the law. And I'll let you in on a little secret. Our worst litterbugs probably never litter from airplanes.

A couple of my readers may recall this personal anecdote from my classroom days: Once when I was talking to the class about how their families had fun, one little boy said, "We drive around and throw beer bottles at STOP signs."

Sad thing was, he was serious. The problem is serious. And I am serious. . . sort of.

Back to School-- for Some

For millions of teachers and schoolkids, today was back to school day. For 49 of my 56 years alive that was the case for me, too. But not today. Neither as a student nor a teacher did I truly look forward to returning to school after long breaks. It was hard! But during my 33 years of teaching, I came to realize that though I couldn't avoid the nervous anticipation (okay--dread), after the first few minutes with the students I loved, everything would be okay.

In fact, for my own mental health and that of my kids, I made every effort to make that first day back in January a special one. Every activity was designed to launch us into a new adventure and propel us toward our goals for the year.

In Social Studies, we would begin reading of the heroes and battles of the American Revolution. In Science, January meant an in-depth study of the universe. Three December and January meteor showers were a great lead-in for that. And January and February are great times to study the constellations and the mythology that goes with them. My favorite is Orion, the Hunter, especially since Jennifer and Amanda had a small star in that sector named after me several years ago! (Still the most unusual gift I've ever received, I think)

Students would also enter to see our Christmas bulletin board replaced by glossy action prints from The Lord of the Rings. Reading that marvelous work of fantasy and literature carried us through those cold winter days as we daily gathered on the floor, lights off, to hear the adventures of Bilbo Baggins and meet many startling characters along the way.

We would launch into the deep waters of Math and advanced reading and language as we prepared in earnest for those End-of-Grade tests. The trick was, never to let the tests become the only thing. Most children don't mind the rigorous work as long as there are periods of fun, relaxation, and play interspersed. And if you can turn the work into play, so much the better.

Yes, I miss many things about those days, but I have no regrets about the perfect timing of my retirement. And I'm still able to dabble in the activities I loved best by visiting school and by sharing my interests in other settings.

Changing directions a bit, but still speaking of school, the current classroom construction project at Sandhills Farm Life is coming along splendidly. They hope to begin using six new classrooms next fall. What teachers are most excited about is that there may actually be additional rest rooms! Teachers are realistic people. : )


Let's take a look . . .



Oh, I hope you didn't get all excited about that picture--that's FirstHealth's new Heart Center.

Here are a couple of snapshots of our much more modest, tax-payer-funded building addition. Where, by the way, hearts will also be treated with tender loving care. And where minds will be challenged and strengthened. It will be money well spent.


And, though our project is smaller in scope than FirstHealth's, we have a crane, too! Here it is silhouetted against a backdrop of the existing building and a Carolina blue sky.
A bit of history for you. The building in this photo houses our kindergartners, fourth graders, and media center. It was under construction in 1975, the year I began my career at Farm Life. Only a sheet of plywood separated the construction from my very first classroom in the original building which has since been demolished (1990). I spent half my career in the classroom whose entrance you see here. Great years, with my faithful partner Dawn Horne. Smile Dawn, I know you're reading this! : )

This year, we will celebrate 150 years of having a school on this site. The lobby has been appropriately adorned. And seeing the new building near completion will generate enthusiasm for the next chapter in this illustrious saga.

The students are ready. They're eager. They're waiting. And our challenge is to continue to motivate them, encourage them, prepare them. And as fearless leader Nora McNeill never fails to remind us, LOVE THEM!

Click here for a really good slideshow of the construction's progress. This is on Sandhills Farm Life's homepage.

Christmas in Georgia

First of all, let me just say

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Now, let me say, this blog post may not be for everybody. It is especially for my family, but that does not exclude my bountiful array of friends whom I consider part of the family. I hope you feel you're part of that cherished band.

Counting my college years, I've lived in North Carolina since 1971. That's over two-thirds of my life. Yet the memories and bonds from my formative years growing up in Atlanta are very dear to me. Each Christmas, my North Carolina family journeys to Atlanta for a "second Christmas" celebrated at my mother and father's home. Mama and Daddy had loved playing host and hostess to the friends of me, Buddy, and Caryn during our high school days. It often involved a game of Risk, some music, and light refreshments.

Over the years, the event evolved into a full-fledged tradition, with many more people, much more music, and loads of yummy holiday treats. Even many of our Atlanta friends only saw each other at our annual party, so it was something of a reunion we all looked forward to with great anticipation. No one enjoyed the party more than Mama and Daddy. It's hardly an exaggeration to say that Mama lived for these gatherings of her children with our families and friends. It brought great joy to her each Christmas season. Last February, when Mama passed away, we all agreed that the parties would continue, though it was a little hard to imagine. Then, two months before this Christmas, Daddy had a fall, followed by surgery and rehab. But we were thrilled to find that he improved enough to host his party, returning home for the first time since entering the hospital in October.

Though Daddy has had good days, so-so days, and great days during his recovery, he really rose to the occasion of having his family and friends renew our annual tradition. The day before the big party, those of us who were able ate at Atlanta's Varsity Jr. drive-in. You should have seen Daddy devour his hamburger and hot dog. Not much wrong with him!

And what tonic equals holding a little bundle of joy like Claire in your lap? Claire may not remember this in a few years, but she'll be in kindergarten about the time of Daddy's 100th birthday. I bet she'll remember that!

It was a rare quiet night at the Varsity and our family had all the space, privacy, and mouth-watering food we could have dreamed of. I stuck to burgers, fries, and a large Varsity orange drink. But some of the other fare included chili slaw dogs and chili cheese steaks with pimiento cheese. Try it, you'll like it!

Lindsey and Branley say, "Look what we got for Christmas!"
Buddy, Caryn, and Steve (Caryn's husband) had Daddy's house and yard looking grand for Tuesday night's occasion.

Steven coaches Brianna on the meaning of "laid-back." Looks like she's got the hang of it.

Me with Daddy, Christmas 2009

My sister Caryn with Daddy

My brother Buddy with Daddy

This isn't just a picture of us children with Daddy. Notice the beautiful picture of Mama on the piano along with her and Daddy's wedding picture. Mama was with us in spirit and I know she smiled down on us that evening.

Our Georgia nieces, Lindsey and Brantley with Daddy.

All four of Daddy's grandchildren: (L to R) Lindsey, Jennifer, Brantley, and Amanda

Add a couple of great-grandchildren and Grandpa Loyd's smile widens even more!

You can't bottle happiness, but it does come in small packages!

This is an updated four generation picture.

Add in Judy, without whom that third and fourth generation would never have happened!

Claire seems drawn like a magnet to Grandpa Loyd's face.
Kindred spirits, perhaps.

"Don't worry-- Grandpa's not gonna drop you."

Opening Christmas presents is an important part of a baby's education. And what could be more appropriate than a piggy bank? Claire is certainly focused.

Brianna loves her little dolly that says "I love you." She says, "Hurry up and take the picture. It's playtime.

"Yes, Brianna. One day soon you'll have more hair than Great Grandpa!"

Brianna says, "I don't care who has the most hair-- I LOVE him!"

Babies Claire and Brianna and all the rest of us know how much Great Granpa Marvin Loyd loves us all!

Us Seniors start winding the party down long before midnight. Many old friendships have been renewed, the babies have met many more people who will always love them, and we have another year's worth of fond memories, as good as gold.

Our "second Christmas" in Georgia was as merry as our "first Christmas" in North Carolina.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL RICHLY IN 2010!