Nanny's Sweet Tea

 Growing up we spent a lot of time at Nanny's house. She lived about five minutes down the road from our house and she LOVED to see us. Nanny welcomed us in for just several minutes or overnight. No matter the length of time we had to visit she was glad to see us. Without fail within minutes of entering her home we would be in the kitchen getting a glass of iced tea and several cookies. Back then no one else made tea like Nanny's it was one of a kind. It was special. So much love and time was spent to assure that anytime someone stopped in they could have a glass (or two of tea). As Nanny's age increased and her health started to fail my sisters and I watched and studied carefully how she made some of our favorite things including tea. We measured and remeasured with the unique measuring tools she used. Nanny passed away several years ago but today we have her recipes and we love making them and remembering her legacy.

Nanny's Sweet Tea

3 Family sz Luzianne tea bags

4 Boston Mint tea bags 

5 1/2 T Lemonade mix

1 cup sugar

1 gal water

Pour 1 gal of water into large pot. Add tea bags and heat. Turn off stove and remove tea bags from water just before boiling. Add lemonade mix and sugar. Stir. Cool and refrigerate. ENJOY!

Best Friends

 The last week leading up to the end of the school year, I was an emotional mess. Truth be told I'm still not 100% yet. 

Goodbyes are cruel. 

In the fall, when I started back to work full-time for the first time in 13 years I never thought I would feel this way at the end of the year. My students became a piece of my heart. One student, in particular, became a favorite of mine mid-year. It's my understanding that her home life isn't the best, and at school her behaviors can be extreme. So when I heard her use negative self-talk I started repeating positive truths to her, "you are beautiful," "you are a good friend," "you are smart." I also started to pray for her on my way to school. I think it was in January she started telling me that she loved me. Sometimes, she would just randomly announce it from across the classroom. When she was upset I would just speak to her a quieter tone and a lot of the times she calmed down. The students in my classroom have an autistic diagnosis. Most of them do not have "friends." My favorite student though, loves swinging with the other girl in the classroom. She talks about her non-stop. She wants to know her location at all times. The other girl in the classroom makes her laugh with a laugh that can only be described as pure joy. They are "best friends."

The other student is moving on next year. I will miss her greatly! The last day of school my tears were not for the loss of that student but rather for the loss of that friendship. Oh how great a loss.

_________________________

What is the best friend?

How rare and wonderful that unexpected moment when somebody comes into your life and completely changes it. When conversation flows so easily. When all you want to do is share life with them. When you find that special friend who encourages you and builds you up. Someone who shares your values and gets your humor. Someone who feels like sunshine. Don't let them go. 

Best friends are rare.

(The above picture is if the "minions" another one of my students created)

My Emilia and Why I love her!

Yesterday morning, the meltdown was about how I tied her shoes. I calmly tried three times to tie her shoe before insisting she wear boots to the bus stop. Her argument still doesnt make sense to me, but apparently Eric and I tie her shoes wrong and she HATES the way her laces hang off the side of her shoe.

Today, The meltdown was about her hair.  First she wanted "Elsa hair" so I did the side ponytail with a braid that I always do while she watched in the bathroom mirror, but when I was done she yelled, screamed and ripped out the hair band correcting me. "No! I want Anna hair!!" And she pulled her hair into two pig tails and added "Like Madeleine's" So I gave her "Anna hair" and after she saw it in the mirror she also tore that out because she didnt like a bulge in her hair where the braid started. Ultimately, she wore her hair down. The multiple hair styles caused us to slightly be running late for the bus stop but we made it in time and after waving goodbye to Madeleine we started the journey to church to take Ainsley to preschool.

Just over half way into our 30 minute trip the van was peaceful with the exception of Ainsley who was singing praise songs at the top of her lungs from the back seat. Emilia must have been deep in thought when she politely asked me, "What is Nanny's name?" "Well her parents named her Hazel, but we called her Nanny," I answered. Worried that it wasnt the answer she was looking for, I waited for her to yell at me, but instead she continued to sit quietly. "Were you thinking about her Emilia?" I asked. "No," she replied, "I just wanted to know her name so I can ask Jesus where she lives when I get to Heaven"

And that's why I love her!
My little girl lives life with such passion and love that often times I think when things are not just as she has dreamed her big heart cant handle it.
 
She's My Emilia! Full or heart with the attitude to sometimes go with it and no matter how dramatic the outbursts become I will continue to love her for everything she is!

My Father's Daughter

Last night at 11pm, I found myself watching out my bedroom window for an hour as the police knocked on our neighbors door and ultimately entered her house after she failed to respond. Apparently she was talking to a family member on the phone when she suddenly stopped talking. When she no longer answered her phone they became concerned and called the police. Shortly after the officers broke in and entered her home the ambulance showed up but thankfully she ended up walking out to the stretcher on her own. She said she was feeling better but seemed disoriented. 

As I watched and waited, I remembered back to my teenage years when I turned on the kitchen light at my grandparents house and found Pappy watching the neighbors out of his kitchen door. He quickly told me to turn out the light so they wouldn't see him. 

And then there is my father, his son, who has recently learned how to use Lancaster Communications website and who has been known to follow an emergency vehicle or two. During all of the excitement it occurred to me that this is why Eric was able to fall asleep while I stood watch, I am my fathers daughter, this type of behavior has been inbreed in me :/

A tribute to an amazing woman

Tonight, we gathered as a family to celebrate my grandma's 99th birthday. I would lie if I did not say the day was bittersweet. A week and a half ago we were called in to be with her and told she was dying. Our family gathered around her, held her hand and prayed as she struggled for hours to breathe. Miraculously, her heart kicked into gear and she made a comeback. By the next morning she was up eating and walking the halls of Willow Valley. But Nanny is actively dying. She has begun seeing loved ones who have already passed, as if they are waiting to greet her in Heaven. At times she does not know who we are and shes sleeping most of the day. 

My poor family has seen me crying a lot. I have explained to Madeleine that Nanny is dying. That soon she will be going to Heaven. I have tried to explain that while I am happy and excited for Nanny, I am crying because I love Nanny and that I am just going to miss her.

 I am going to miss her a lot!!! 

I am so thankful for the time I have had with Nanny. When my much older cousins graduated from high school, Nanny and Pappy gave my parents our graduation money because they never thought they'd see us graduate. Instead Nanny saw my high school graduation, wedding, college graduation and birth of 3 children. I am so thankful for the Tuesday lunches I had with her during college. Truth is I planned my college schedule around those lunches. I am thankful for the chance to spend lunches again with her last year and the wonderful oppertunity to really study how she cooks. As a result I've learned how to make pea pot pie and potato soup like Nanny. I am thankful that I got to watch her rock my babies to sleep. 

She loved to rock my babies, especially Emilia.

I am thankful for the time recently to just sit with her and soak in her presence. I just hold her hand and soak her in because I know my time with her is limited. 

I think of Nanny when I cook. Especially when doing simple things like peeling potatoes, dicing celery and smelling spring onions. I think of her when I hear morning doves cooing, because without fail I remember a pair of the cooing outside my window at her house during childhood sleepovers. I think of her while watching the Phillies, her favorite team. 

I think of her and will remember her with love. 

The things childhood is made of

For awhile now Ainsley has been hiding in various corners of my house. I might be sorting laundry in my room and she just slips over to her room and positions herself between her wall and dresser. Once I found her in my closet, quietly calling out my name every few seconds. And then the other day just before we were getting ready to leave Madeleine opened the door in the dining room that leads out into the garage and let Ainsley escape out there. I saw her enter the garage but when I walked over to find her she was hidden so well I couldn't see her. I had to start calling out her name before she finally emerged from beside the ladder. She's AMAZING! 

Needless to say Madeleine and Emilia have also caught on to the fun of hiding from me. This morning after some begging I decided to stop what I was doing and play hide-and-go-seek. We all took turns hiding for close to an hour. It was so much fun! Most of the time I was the one finding the girls, occasionally I helped the girls hide from each other and then finally I hid twice. My final hiding place stumped the girls. I could hear them looking all over for me, until finally Emilia and Madeleine begged me to come out. 

Then this afternoon when Madeleine got home we headed outside for some much needed playground fun and fresh air! We played outside together until Daddy came home. Then I headed inside to prepare one of Emilia's favorite meals "pea pie" aka pea pot pie.

Today was filled with the girls childhood is made of

Ainsley trying out her new tricycle. Her legs still need to grow a bit.

 This little girl LOVES sliding!

Madeleine found a group of friends to hang around with

Today...

...Ainsley discovered chai tea. 

There are some simple pleasures I like to keep just for me. In the fall and winter months, Chai is one of them. Many nights after I give the girls their baths I will make a cup and sip it quietly in the kitchen. There is just something so wonderful and comforting about it. Its like a little hug. 

Today, because she's cute, I let Ainsley enjoy a few sips with me.

My favorite mug for chai tea. I find it extra comforting!