Mama's Urn

Mama's final resting place was a source of sad uncertainty for me.  Buying an urn is serious business.  After all, no one wants their loved one to rest in a place that isn't suitable.  But when the person who has passed on doesn't get to choose that place personally, it can be quite a puzzle for the ones left to make the decision...to say the least.

I did my research and was startled to see how many variations of urns are in the marketplace!  I guess we never really concern ourselves with this information until it is forced upon us to make a choice.  The prices on the urns were as intimidating as the many choices for sale.

So, I resorted to my imagination, which is one thing Mama always encouraged.  It seemed suitable to create Mama's urn myself in honor of her dedication to crafting and her support for my artistic talents over the years.  If it was an "epic fail", as the teens say nowadays, then I would be out little investment and could just chunk it in the trash.  No harm done in the attempt.

With God's blessings, I feel like the finished product says much more than I ever could.  No arrogance here, simply peace that I honestly feel Mama would be proud.  She was an artist herself, so it is fitting that she should rest in a piece of art. 

I combined aspects of her personality with her hobbies that brought so much pleasure, both to her and to the lucky recipients.  She was part Cherokee Indian and part Dutch, hence the Dutch windmill in the photo.  I painted an Indian maiden on another area of the box in the photo.  She collected chicken memorabilia, so there is a rooster on one side.  The flowers she liked most are in the bottom photo above.  She was happiest when she was listening to good music, hence the musical symbols.  There is also a painting of a few of the crafts she enjoyed most and books.  She was a avid reader all her life.

The keys to the final resting place are love, honor, and consideration of the personality of the person it will contain.  The life was loved and respected, and so should be the ashes. Please don't let it intimidate you when it is your decision to make.  Just pray and seek guidance with your heart.

 R.I.P. Patricia Lee Jones Freeman Barfield  Thank you for the gifts we shared.

Dog Causes Car Wreck

Dogs that are not kept behind fences, in houses, or at least under close supervision can be a dangerous hazard for drivers.  A big black labrador retriever scared our teen daughter one night on a country road.  Needless to say, the accident killed the dog, which had no identification.  The damage to the car totalled close to $200.  Our daughter was shook up but unharmed, thank the good Lord. 

Luckily for our daughter, Dad and big brother could at least make a trip to the junk yard to find some used parts, which again "thank the good Lord" were available.  It is a super benefit that our guys know how to take care of these sorts of repairs and had the tools with which to do the job right.  The car hasn't been painted yet, but at least it is driveable.

It is sad that someone's pet had to die that night.  As an animal lover and pet owner, I can't overlook that this dog must have been a part of someone's life and will be missed.  However, it is neglect on the part of the owner that the dog was not made safe from his own temptations.  Accidents happen, but many can be prevented with responsible ownership.

Also, it is important to have car insurance, but on an older vehicle that is paid in full, many people have only liability.  This does not cover hitting an animal on a dark country road at night.  These costs had to come out of our pocket, thanks to a neglectful pet owner.

To be fair, we have had sly and cunning dogs that learned quickly how to dig holes deep enough and scale fences that seemed too high for escape.  Please do not use this as an excuse to just give up trying to protect your pet.  Your persistence also may be protecting someone's vehicle or, thankfully not in this case, someone's life who is surprised by a dog chasing their car in the dark at night.  This sort of surprise could easily cause a wreck.

Happy Birthday for my husband was last month.  So, I'm a bit late getting the pictures on here, but I suppose I could claim the infamous writer's block.  Getting back into the swing of things is proving sluggish at best.  However, the birthday was a quick one.

This was one of the oddest birthdays yet as we "celebrated" in the few minutes between when my husband was welding out back and before the kids scattered.  As is obvious, the gifts were slight this year, but at least there was something to give.

The slow economy is finally rearing its ugly head in our family.  I am thankful it took so long to get here, though.  As I've said before, some days we must dig deep for our blessings.  It's too easy to overlook the bright spots we should be thankful for when we feel overwhelmed by the worries of today and where our world is headed.

Still, I am thankful we got to be together to do the candles and cake. There have been times my husband has been traveling with his job on birthdays.  I'm thankful my husband made it another year because no second of the day is guaranteed for any of us.  I'm thankful I could sing Happy Birthday with my children in attendance. Many families with grown children don't get to see them on birthdays.  I'm thankful my son could get his Dad a "cool" hat, card, and sticker. Many people these days can't afford even a Happy Meal from McDonalds!  I'm thankful we could afford two new pairs of jeans.  I'm thankful we could celebrate in our home and not in a hospital or out of our car. There are so many who have lost jobs and their homes. I'm even thankful I could write this blog post because it means I have access to a camera, electricity, a computer, and the internet!

So, as usual, a Happy Birthday depends on perspective!  I hope to be able to take many more pictures of my husband on his birthday with a smile on his face.