Usually when mama and daddy come, we take them to Captain Steve's Seafood, but Tony cook fried salt and peppered catfish fillets last night and fried oysters. For sides we had blue cheese cole slaw,fries and hushpuppies. They absolutely loved it. Back home we used to have fish fries on a regular basis and the folks in the community would all get together and fry fish in the back yard! I miss that sometimes.
We enjoyed spending the evening just talking and sharing stories from the past. Speaking of folks in the community and stories from the past, mama retold the story about the summer that daddy got so sick when Jan and I were very little. Daddy suffered a massive blood clot to his heart. He was working on the farm, mending fences on July 4, when it happened. The doctors had pretty much given up on him. Daddy tells the story of being able to hear Dr. Merrit say "I've done all I can do." He asked the other doctor to take over. Daddy was a fighter and so was mama....a prayer warrior.
He survived that clot and stayed in ICU for 31 days. The community rallied around our family. There were acres and acres of tobacco to be harvested as well as other crops. There was no way that mama could do it by herself. The good people our community did it for her and daddy. The crops were brought in and harvested and mama and daddy weathered a major storm.
Sometimes, I think I don't have that sense of community the way I had it growing up, but when I stop to think about it, I really do. I am very blessed to attend a wonderful church, Elevation. There, I'm a part of two small groups where I feel very much a part of an extended family. We have made so many friends there and our lives have been forever touched and blessed by these friendships! I am also very blessed to have good neighbors that I know I could call on if I needed them. Good people and good neighbors. Then there's my family at PSE. I am very blessed to be a part of such a great place to work. So yes, I do have that sense of community. Sometimes we just have to stop and think about our family away from our family to realize how blessed we really are.
Spending time with your family is so important and realizing just how special the time we have together really is. I so enjoyed the time I had with my sister, Jan, my niece Callie and my mama and daddy.
Katie and Callie
Mama, Jan and Me
Tony and Callie's new puppy, Rugby!
I count them all as blessings!
3 comments:
Ginger,
Thank you for stopping by my blog! I hope you will visit it many times.
I enjoyed reading about your family...there is nothing better than being able to reflect on those family memories of the past. And you're blessed that both your parents are still living.
Oh, by the way, my hubby was born in Smithfield and lived in several areas around Johnston County while growing up. Some of his relatives are still in that area.
~Beth
Ginger,
Thank you so much for stopping by my blog and for your sweet comment.
It sounds like you had a wonderful Christmas with your mama and daddy present. I would have loved those salt and pepper catfish that you had! That is my husband's absolute favorite! I grew up having fish fries and I miss that as well.
How blessed you are to have developed so many great friendships through your local church that you attend. It sounds like it must be a wonderful place to worship!
Thanks again for visiting my blog and I hope that you will come back again very soon!
Ginger,
I feel like I have just been given a belated Christmas gift, a new friend!
Thank you so much for stopping by "Sweet Tea" and embracing it in such a precious way. I loved reading your post and connect so much with your heart.
I am thrilled to meet you and look forward to getting to know you better.
Happy New Year Surrendered Sister!!
Pat
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