Happy New Year 2019

"I'll quite smokin', I'll quit eatin,' I'm not jokin', I'll quit cursin', I'll quit drinkin', I'll be a better person, but tonight I'm thinkin'..."
Kid Rock - Happy New Year

Well hell's bells that's a  whole lotta quitin' going on in Kid Rock's song so I left it blank on what I'm thinkin' 'cause that's what I want y'all to think about.

I'm sure we all make those "New Year's Resolutions" but seriously how many do you keep?  I'm reading over the ones Kid Rock wrote about and thankfully I don't have to worry about any of those except eatin'.  Of course we all want to be a better person and I'm no different, but I may have to think on this one  'cause I think I'm pretty awesome as is.

I haven't really thought about any New Year's Resolutions for this coming year 2019 but the one thing I've said a million times since Thanksgiving is that I HAVE to get back to eating right.  Lord have mercy I've eat enough to sink a battle ship if I jumped on board.  So with that being said, come January 2, yes that's not a typo I'm not starting my "diet" until after the New Year Day because my mama will be cooking all the New Year stuff and I plan to eat as much as I can.  Yep, we will have collards, black eye peas, cornbread, mashed potatoes and I'm sure more desserts than I need.

Writing this I'm thinking back on 2018 and for the most part it's been a good year.  It's also had it's sad times as I've lost several class mates and family members that left us way too soon.  Things are just that...things, and they can be replaced but friends and family is something that can't be replaced.  Not only do I think about the ones I lost in 2018 but I think about the ones I've lost in previous years.  I miss them all but every New Year I remember the last one I spent with my friend Andrew.

Many years since my divorce I spent New Year's Eve alone, but this particular year I asked my friend Andrew to go to a friends party with me.  Keep in mind he could have spent his night with many other friends, but he chose me.   You may ask why was this such a special person to spend it with, well hold on just a minute 'cause you know  I'm about to tell you.  LOL  You see, Andrew had cancer and he knew this might be his last New Year's Eve, so that's why it was even more special.  We had such a good time and he fit right in with all my friends that he didn't even know.   Not knowing many of the people didn't bother him because he always knew the right thing to do and say.  He was just that kind of person.  One that could make you feel like a million bucks by just smiling.  We laughed so hard at the crazy games we played, we ate 'til we couldn't eat any more and of course we welcomed in the New Year with a toast, a hug and knowing me I probably sneaked a kiss.

LESSON TODAY:  As it turned out, that New Year with Andrew was his last one and probably the last one I didn't spend alone.  That New Year's Eve will forever be etched in my mind and heart for more reasons than one, but most importantly because I got to spend it with with my special friend.  I'm thinking as I'm writing exactly what my lesson for y'all will be, so let's just go with y'all taking a minute and remember your favorite New Year's Eve.  Did you spend it with someone special?  Was it family?  friends?  Just close your eyes and remember what made it so special. Whatever that reason is, I want you to take that into the new year 2019.  Don't worry about making resolutions, that we probably won't keep past January, just go into the new year with a smile on your face and love in your heart.  Make this new year 2019 your best at whatever you do 'cause I'm thinking if you go into the New Year with a smile on your face and love in your heart you will be a much better person for it.

  HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
  Sweet Southern Sass

Somebody's Hero

"She's never pulled anybody from a burning building.  She's never rocked central park to a half a million fans screaming out her name, she's never hit a shot to win the game.  She's never left her footprints on the moon.  She's never made a solo hot air balloon ride around the world, no, she's just your everyday average girl but she's somebody's hero."  Jamie O'Neal

Lord have mercy that's a lot she's never done and this is so true for my sister Sharon, but it doesn't matter to me that she hasn't done these things...she's MY hero.  Yep, you got that right, MY HERO.

I started this post a couple of weeks ago when my sister was sent to the ER and couldn't attend my niece's wedding in NC.  She was diagnosed with a compression fracture a while back and now they got to figure out why.   We were already on our way to the wedding when her daughter called us so it was a whole lot of crying.  Then we had just gotten our hair all did and makeup on when my sister herself called us.  Well, the flood gates opened again.  You see us girls are really close and when somethings wrong with one, it takes us all to get the other better.  Come on now, you know what I'm talking about.  We have to be there for support and this day we weren't there, so it made it even harder.

This song was definitely written about my sister because every verse is about how this somebody's hero is taking care of others.  That is so my sister.  She has three children, two boys and one girl.  When her daughter got married, there were more tears than Carter has little liver pills as my mama says.  Not because my sister was sad but because her baby girl would be leaving and moving to Charlotte.  It hurt to let her go, but when that baby girl walked down the aisle and looked back at my sister with that smile, my sister knew she was that baby girls  hero.  Now about seven years later, they are back in Georgia, thank goodness and my niece has two daughters who love their mimi very much.

Now about those two boys.  Yes they both are married and the baby boy has two kids of his own, but he still likes to sit in his mama's lap, even at 20+ years old.  I can promise you when she's fixed and he can sit in her lap again, it will be the first thing he does.   The oldest son is married too.  He may not sit in his mama's lap but he gets just as much love because he sings for his mama.  She tells me she taught him everything he knows, but I really think his talent came from me.  LOL   They may be grown with their own family but they still need their mama and that makes her their hero too.

I'm sure if I asked either of my sister's kids they would tell me she's their hero just as much as she is mine.  I'm sure that is true, but since this is my blog, I'm gonna make this hero all mine so I can tell you why.   She calls me every morning on her way to work.  Some mornings she's happy, laughing about any and everything.  Some mornings she just needs to vent about whatever so if that be the case, she probably gonna be getting out of her car at work still on a roll.  We laugh all the time it takes her 30 minutes to tell you bye and there are some mornings it takes at least 10 for sure.

Since this ER visit I hear the fear in her voice and I can tell she's doing all she can to hold it together.  I wish she would just realize she doesn't have to hold it together for me.  I mean I'm the big sister and that's what big sister's do.   I want to be her rock when she feels she can't be strong any more, I want to be able to listen to her without giving any advise, I want to let her cry if she wants to and her feel that I'm doing my best to hold it together for her and not cry.

My sister may be the little sis to me, but with her struggles these past years dealing with the big C word and now just wondering if it's back again, she's more than a little sis.  She's not "Somebody's Hero, she's mine.

LESSON TODAY:  This was a long post but since I started writing this we got the news my sister's biopsy was negative for cancer so now we start the treatment process for the fracture.  So my lesson today is that if you have a sister or family member that may be going through a rough time, be there for them.  You may be miles apart but there are ways other than in person you can help.  Pick up the phone, check on them and for the love of  Peter, Paul and Mary visit if you can.  Tell her you love her, tell her why sh'es special to you and if you're lucky enough to have a sister like mine that's your hero, you don't have to write about it like I have, just let her know.  Tell her how much you love her and be there for her!!!   Let her know she's your hero.


LOVE TO ALL,
Sweet Southern Sass