Jason and Rachael

I have 4 nephews and
right now, no nieces
I love my boys --
Chase, Brady, Preston
The Babies that
I love to LOVE ON!!
"Kisses from Aunt Mellie!!"
Jason Jones, my eldest nephew
Only son of my brother
Kenny.
Jason graduated
this year from the
University of Georgia.
At UGA he met my
soon to be niece, Rachael
I love her -- she is so
very special. I'm so
happy for Jason that
at this young stage of
his life he's found
such a wonderful partner,
a life partner, someone to
help him grow and become
even more of a wonderful
man than he already is.
Congrats Jason!!
YOU DID IT SO WELL!!
I love you both.
Aunt Mellie

Progress Report

I want to write this down because it's very exciting and I want to remember it in the future. Maybe that's why I write every post. Hmm, and DUH I guess. :)

I've worked at my job for 2 years and 5 days. Telecom Network Solutions, TNS for short. We have just been asked to do work in the Caribbean and I've gotten my passport and my name is going on the company down there, etc. etc. My life is gradually but then again quickly taking a turn for the better. My health, my work, my relationships, my interests, everything. The depression has lifted and other than my weight, which I'm trying to work on in a healthy way, I'm pleased with the way things have been going.

In a few months or a year I'd like to check back on this and see where I was now. Do you know that everything that has happened, is happening, and will happen is all happening at once? Interesting, Quantum Physics. My next big interest I think. :)

Lovin' the flute by the way.

Dreamin'

Had a dream last night
I was in a boat
sort of a canoe but bigger
floating down a jungle-looking
waterway and
at the end was
My Daddy!
We fished together on
worms, he dropped them
down an embankment
and I scrambled to get
them for him just to
make him proud.
Then, I got a hug
from my Daddy -- it was
so wonderful. I woke up
HAPPY!!
Thanks for visiting
DADDY! I LOVE YOU!!!!

The Flute

A dream.
To one day play the flute with a group, band, orchestra, whatever.

This was part of my childhood that I really enjoyed, The Band.
In The Band I found my first true love.

So I've bought a flute, student, Yamaha.
I have my first lesson on Wednesday.

August 29th 2007 the beginning of a dream come true.

Thank you for the inspiration.

:)

Trivial?

A thought . . .

Never
let your life
become
so trivial
that
the trivial things
matter.

Hello Daddy

The 3rd anniversary of my Daddy's passing has come and gone. I was so sad, so intent on remembering both the several days before and after his death date. I ordered flowers for the alter at Mother's church, in memory of Dad, in honor of Mother. I miss him so much. Does he have the slightest idea how much I miss him? God, I hope so!!

What I wouldn't give to call him up just for a second ~ Hi Daddy! I would say. I love you!! Are you ok? Sweet Jesus how hard it is to lose your Daddy. Was there something I could have done to keep him here? I don't think so but looking back there are so many signs that MAYBE should have been recognized. All I know is that I failed him in that way. I try not to second guess myself but it's so hard because I desperately miss him. I want to say Hello Daddy out loud to the man I called daddy. Not to the air. Not to the computer. To him. Hello sweet Daddy. Do you know how much I miss you? How much I want to call you on the phone? How much I want to hear from you? I can't wait to see you. I'm so looking forward to that day. I'm going to scream from the rooftops. Today I'm going to Finally see my Daddy.

Will the pain ever get better? I don't know . . . I hate not knowing . . .

Somewhere my Daddy is and I'm trying to get a message to him. Daddy do you hear me? Daddy can you see me? Daddy can you hug me? I love you so much. Please don't forget me. Please be happy. That's all I ever wanted.

Asking

Things
are better.

How did it happen?
I don't know entirely.
Oh, I know I worked on it
but how amazing that it works!!

Ask and you shall receive

Before you even ask, it is given

I ask for the following:

To make the repairs
necessary to sell my house

To purchase a new home
large enough for us and maybe mother

To purchase the RV of our dreams

To purchase a Tundra for me
and an FJ for the Bevo

To enjoy Bevo's new JOB!!

To love everyone

To let the negatives roll off
like water on a duck's back

To feel good

To exercise

To eat the best I know how

Ask and it is already given!!!

I'm SO EXCITED!!

I AM

I am wealth,
I am abundance,
I am joy.

My new phrase
I am wealth,
I am abundance,
I am joy.

I say it
over
and
over.

What I tell the universe
it not only believes
but creates.

I have wealth
I have abundance
I have joy
I have love
I have contentment.

My life is just beginning
just beginning to make sense . . .
sort of
can't say I understand
all of it
but
some
things
are
falling
into
place.

Something

Searching
searching
searching

What's next?

I think maybe it's true
I picked this and worrying
about it isn't the best use
of my life

But, what exactly did I pick?
Indecision
Sadness
Lack of direction

Sometimes the drinking
smoking
drug
life of yesterday is really appealing
What keeps me from not going there?
The knowledge that there's nothing there either

So, where is something?

If I knew that one day
I would find something
that fulfills my life
I wouldn't worry so much

but I can't help but think
that what I'm doing now
is not helping me get
to where I want to be
and I don't know
what to change to correct
my course since I don't
even know what that
course is :(

I
can
only
pray
Dear God, show me the way

Good Things

Is the difference
all in my thoughts?

Am I one way and
she another
because of how
we think of
ourselves?

I AM
powerful
happy
joyous
creative
successful
prosperous
healthy
kind
loving
gentle
strong
powerful (again)

My spirit drinks in the good thoughts
to bring about the change it desires
some things must go
the clutter
the dirt
the negative

Only
light
light
light

and
love

It Speaks to Me

Obsessed?
maybe but call it what you will
the music speaks to my heart
and I'm not the only one.

Her soul speaks to us too ~
big shoes to be in
and I know she's aware of it
she talks about it and
throws it back to us
her audience
take it with you she says
and so I try

Not that I think she's
got more figured out than I do
It takes some knowledge to be able to listen,
understanding to know what you've been
reminded of

But I appreciate the reminder
I appreciate the bond of mutual
knowing
and I appreciate the feeling of
not being alone in the world

Thanks
for the
music
spirit
truth
love

6 days in Indiana

Once a year, the weekend after Father's Day, there is a Jones reunion in Indiana. Daddy died in 2004 and I've wanted to attend ever since. Actually, I wanted to attend with him prior to that but Mother was so sick and we could never work it out. Anyway in 2004, after he died, I wanted to go but I worked for a mortgage company and you don't leave work at a mortgage company at the end of the month. Finally, here it is 2006, and I now work for a telecommunciations company -- actually, I'm a VP so leaving at the end of the month is allowed. :)

So, on June 21st of this year, Mother and I flew to Indianapolis and enjoyed 6 days in Indiana!

Day 1 -- we arrived in Indianapolis at 12:06 in time for lunch. The nicest lady helped me get Mother (who goes through airports in a wheelchair) to the Hertz counter. Then she helped us get our luggage out to the curb where Hertz DELIVERED our car to us! I had no idea that could happen. My experience with rental cars is you get on a shuttle bus with your substantial luggage and go to a remote facility to pick up your car. Thank you HERTZ!! Interestingly enough, my Dad's favorite car when I was a child was a blue and white Grand Prix. When I reserved the car with Hertz I thought I would get a Taurus -- they gave me a Grand Prix. We decided it was what Daddy wanted for our trip and were grateful he was with us!!

Once the car was brought to us we drove to Lynhurst Drive to find our hotel -- the Quality Inn & Suites. I had read a review online of this hotel and a restaurant called "Indy's" that was great! so I was definitely looking forward to lunch at this restaurant. They did not disappoint. Over the next 20 hrs we ate there 3 times and planned to come back for lunch on Monday on our way to the airport for our flight home. The rest of the day was spent resting, reading, the drug store -- sort of a chill and recover day.

Day 2 -- Up and out of the Quality Inn and to Indy's for breakfast. The Outrageous Omlet was our choice and I mean this was the BEST omlet either of us had EVER eaten. Thank you Indy's!!
Next, a country drive to Medaryville, Indiana, home of my Daddy's only sister, Leona Pullins. She works for Pulaski Service Center -- a senior center -- where she is the director. We ate lunch with the seniors and enjoyed it immensely!! The next stop was the grocery store in Francesville where we bought the ingredients to make potato salad and 5 cup salad. We went back to her house and made the salads and then headed to Independence Cemetary where many relatives, including my grandparents and great-grandparents, are buried. We also went to Newland, where Daddy mainly grew up. There is no house -- just a field where there was once a house. Then on to Pizza King, the only fast food in Medaryville, to order dinner out. Aunt Leona had made homemade cheesecake and we ate cheesecake, cantaloupe, and pizza like pigs. Pizza King has yummy pizza! We enjoyed Aunt Leona's hospitality and her beautiful home immensely.

Day3 -- We said goodbye to Leona as she left for work and headed back to Lafayette, IN where we met up with Kenny II and Wesley and their families including Deborah, Jason, Chase, Lori, Brady, and Lori's mom, Mary. Mother and I rented a suite at the Holiday Inn City Centre so everyone would have a place to lounge around and take a shower. We swam in the indoor pool with Chase and Brady. Chase got a case of hives and Wes and Lori took him to the doctor. He's fine and off we went to dinner at an Italian restaurant. The sweetest thing was a gift from Lori to me, Kenny, and Mother -- a framed picture of my Daddy -- his graduation from high school. It was very special!!

Day 4 -- REUNION DAY: Mother and I ate room service and she made biscuits to go out of the leftovers!! We headed to the park in San Pierre, IN where we saw so many cousins we haven't seen since we were kids (and I'm 44 at this writing). The food was good and so many wonderful people similar to my Dad. A very special day! After the reunion, Mother and I went to Uncle David and Aunt Alice's home in Wheatfield. We enjoyed hamburgers for dinner and lots of chatting and laughing.

Day 5 -- Uncle David didn't sleep well so we didn't see him all day. Aunt Alice let us fix our breakfast and then we headed out to see where Uncle Bob lives and Aunt Pat. Also, where Wheatfield High School once stood, which is where Daddy graduated. I took a picture of the plaque that remains, to go along with my picture of him I was given the other night. Do you know where corn comes from? Well, let me tell you -- maybe not all of it, but A LOT of it is grown in Indiana. It's so beautiful. When we went to Indiana as kids the corn was always over our heads. You'd drive down the road and could see nothing but corn because you couldn't see over the corn!!

Day 6 -- Mother and I had a 6AM wake-up call to get on the road by 7:30. Aunt Alice has her insurance business in her home and we want to be out before her day begins. Besides that, we want to be in Indianapolis in time for one more meal at Indy's!! :) As I loaded the car on the"business entrance" side of my Aunt and Uncle's home, I looked up and there were 3 deer, a doe and 2 fawns. I just stood there amazed that they were there. I thanked the doe for sharing her beautiful children with me then went inside to tell my family about it.

Happy Birthday MLE!

Happy
Birthday
Melissa
Etheridge

Thanks
for the
music!

Hope
your
day
was
wonderful!!!!!!

Once

Once you were a friend of mine
now I struggle to keep my distance

What did I learn that was so bad
that you will hurt for no reason
that it doesn't matter to you how
people feel, including me
that to be able to hurt someone
is your biggest entertainment

So I called you friend once
I'm not sure how and
now I mourn a friend gone
I still love you but never
again will I let myself be
vulnerable to your
stinging
slapping
hateful
words

You must be so lonely

April

When the flowers bloom
and the dogwoods bloom
and the tomatoes start to grow
It ought to be happy
and fun and bright
but my sweet Daddy died in
April and all I do is
wish
that
he
could
say
hello
to me . . .
I love you Daddy

and so it shall be

Someone said
there is no darkness, only absence of light

Now
there is no evil, only absence of goodness

The universe does not differentiate
between "good" and "bad" . . .
the law says, "create what she believes"
and so it does.

I believe
I am prosperous
happy
healthy
joyful
slender
calm and peaceful.

And so it is . . .

2006

Welcome to 2006
What happened to the last 6 years?
Seems like yesterday we were worried over Y2K
bizarre what the human race comes up with to fret over

I'm good
blah really
waiting on 2006
to write on
my story

I love you Daddy, happy birthday

Biggest Loser

So I walked into
Curves
and they said
Hey, it's our #1
loser!
"loser?"
9.5 lbs
6.75 inches

what made me
a big loser!
really made me
the big winner!

congrats self!!

Happy Day

Happy
really
back at work
back on a diet
back working out
back to the routine
looking forward
to the next
get away!

Lovin' on the Babies

Going to KC
for
Thanksgiving
this year . . .

My nephews
are 7 1/2 months
and 22 months ~
They're a
handful their
Dad says . .

my baby
brother ~
a Dad

I just
love
them
and
the
yumminess
of
kissing
on them

Thanks
Wes
for
being
a
Dad
so
I can love on the babies.

Hi Brady!
Hi Chase!
Your
Aunt Mellie
loves you!!