a letter from Paul, Vanessa & Alahna
This Lord’s day was full of thanks and honor to our most gracious God. He is so good and showers blessings down upon us in times of distress. We are so happy that Alahna could join us today in spirit and in truth in our small group at services. She is a shining light to us. Though Stone was absent, we talked of him in class and reviewed his favorite songs and verses. It is empowering to know that he is in heaven and happy.
Paul and I miss our strong, kind, sweet Stone, but we keep him alive in all we do around here. We are trying to rest and limit our calls/visits for now while we sort through and clean up here. Thanks be to God for our Christian family and friends. Paul and I will “press toward the mark of the high calling” and perservere through the sadness and absence of our dear Stone.
Thanks to everyone for your calls, cards, visits, emails etc. Please know that if we do not answer the door, respond to your emails or messages. or if the phone is off the hook, we still care and appreciate you all. We are trying to make up for lost sleep and are trying to get caught up on household duties that didn’t wait for us while we were in the hospital. We will be back in the swing of things soon enough.
God is so good and Alahna continues to recover quickly. She has had the comfort of the Lord all around her and the support of family and friends’ prayers to heal her along the way. Her intellect amazes me the understanding of where she is in the grieving process is one that some adults cannot figure out. She is so open and honest about how she feels. I am proud of her to say the least! I learn so much from her example and thank God for her continued faith in Him. She said that she just wants to be a good Christian so that she can see her brother again some day. She is excited to be about the Father’s business.
Thank you all once again. God blesses us through your support!
Filed under grandkids, great grandkids | Comments (2)getting better
Jerry and I arrived safely back in Memphis. Before we left, we took some pictures of Alahna so that you all could see the improvement that she has made in the past few days. It is truly a visual of God’s blessings! She is making great strides (literally) walking with the walker and getting stronger every day. She got the feeding tube out yesterday. The rehab doctor says another couple of weeks in the hospital but she keeps exceeding the goals they set for her so we are hoping she will be released sooner than that. She is talking about Stone now, but not with sadness. She laughs about the funny things she remembers. Please continue to pray for her, Paul, and Vanessa’s healing, both physically and emotionally. -Denise
the plaque
For those of you who haven’t seen the plaque on Granny’s birdhouse.
things are hoppin’
I’ve been a busy little bee frog the last couple of weeks. I’ve had my photography business for several years now, but a couple years ago I had the idea of changing the name to TreeFrog Studios. I decided that was silly and just kept it to myself. It’s just stayed with me, so a couple weeks ago I told Wynn my idea. He loved it! I told him what I had in mind for a logo, and he took it and ran with it. It’s been full press since then. We launched the new site yesterday. I LOVE it! I’m so excited about it, and wanted to share it with all of you. I’d love for you to “hop” over and check it out and tell me what you think.
http://treefrogkids.com/
Filed under grandkids | Comment (0)christmas cards
I love getting mail…seriously. Since you never know what you’re going to get, it’s like a little present every day. Sometimes you love it, sometimes you don’t, and sometimes (though not very often) it’s something you can regift to someone else. Since I love mail so much, I really love the holidays because I know Christmas cards are on their way. I always send my cards out riduculously early, but I can’t help it. I just can’t wait to send them. Well, today we got our first Christmas card. It was so exciting to see it there in the mailbox. Who’s it from? What does it look like? What does it say? So many questions in just one little white (sometimes colored) envelope. This year’s first card came from Aunt B and Uncle Buck. Rea squealled in delight at the three little snowmen on the front. She grabbed it and ran to show her daddy. I love getting cards from Aunt B because she always puts the date on the inside and if it’s a birthday card she also puts a mark for each year. I always count those little marks. I love those little marks, and I love you Aunt B for making each one.
Filed under childhood memories, grandkids, kids, traditions | Comment (0)Fun times!
We all had such fun for Audrey-Kate’s first Thanksgiving and Martin reunion! Hope to see you all again soon!
God blessed us all the day we became your grandchildren.
Letters were sent out to all the grandchildren telling them that we wanted to do something in Granny’s memory; several sent in donations for this. (I threatened each of the them to keep this a secret from their parents) This was not only done in Granny’s memory but it was in the honor of her kids, our parents. We want them to know how much we love their Mother, our Granny.
Just as us Martins return to the park for the family reunion every year, the Martin birds return to their nesting place every year. Therefore, Paula had the wonderful idea of the Martin Birdhouse. While again, I am so sorry that we did not have it there and put up in time.
The park employees had agreed to put the birdhouse up when it arrives. It is two stories to allow for several Martins, you know there is never just one Martin anywhere. ( you may wish it was, but it never is)
Paula designed the plaque for the post of the birdhouse. It reads as follows:
In Loving Memory
Marie
“Granny”
Martin
1920 – 2008
God blessed us all the day we became your grandchildren.
You filled our lives with love, beauty, and laughter.
We miss you.
We love you.
- your grandchildren
“Grandmas hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever.”
– Author Unknown
Also, the grandchildren will have a brick paver placed at the Centennial Park on Main Street in Crossett, in Granny’s Memory.
I will send pictures of each of these items when they are in place. Please take a moment to thank Paula for the plaque design. Paula has worked hard on many projects, not only on her projects but on so many of my projects ideas. I think after this she is blocking all my phone calls and emails. Thank you Paula, for all that you have done.
So parents be sure to thank your children for assisting with this Memorial for Granny.
Filed under Granny, grandkids, great grandkids, great, great grandkids | Comments (3)
Photos of Corey & Family
Hi Everyone. I know you all are probably dying to see what our baby girl looks like and too impatient to wait for the reunion so here she is!!
Dear Granny
Dear Granny,
It is has been 5 short yet long months since Heaven called you Home. I always knew that Heaven would have a wonderful place awating you, I was just hoping that it would not have been ready so soon for you. Granny I am so happy that I have a lifetime of “Granny memories” that I can reflect on often. However on the other hand, I am sad that we will not be able to make more “Granny memories”. One of the things that I don’t understand is “Why did the world not stand still the day we lost you?” It should have, yet other people and their lives kept right on going.
Almost everything I see, do, read, or think reminds me of you, Granny. For example, a grilled burger, a commerical adversiting Las Vegas, or a new cookbook. Why? Everytime that you joined us when Pete was grilling burgers, it was a given that you told Pete to burn you a burger. Everytime that I saw a Las Vegas commerical, I remember when I told you that Pete and I was flying to Vegas for our anniversary, you said for us to be careful in Sin City. Cookbooks, well it just reminds me of you loving to sit and read a good cookbook. These are just a few of the things that trigger “Granny memories.”
Granny it goes without being said that these past 5 months have been difficult. It would have been alot worse without Paula, Katherine, and Tina. The four of us have become closer in a way that has been a comfort that they will never know how much it means to me. We have talked or emailed more than we ever have. The common demoninator is always you, Granny.
Granny, I tease all the others about being your #1 grandchild, but in reality each of us was your #1 grandchild. How did you manage to do that?
I will always love you in the way that only a grandchild can.
Loving you,
Martha Jane
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checking in…
I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t gotten to post much on the Martin Box. I just looked thru and it’s turned into just a list of Whitney’s quotes (which are great by the way) and Martha’s birthday and anniversary wishes. It could be so much more if everyone would just post a little something here and there.
I tried a new recipe today, so it might be coming to the Recipe of the Month posting soon. It’s for oatmeal cookies with a brown butter glaze. They are without a doubt the best oatmeal cookies I’ve ever made, and I’ve made a ton because they’re one of Wynn’s favorite cookies. He was very excited to be my guinea pig this afternoon.
I made the cookies today because I’m part of a ministry at church that serves “new moms.” We provide dinner for two weeks after the new mom and baby arrive back home from the hospital. We sign up for one night and take a complete meal to the new family. I love doing this. Sometimes I feel like I’m so busy with the girls that I can’t serve at church like I would like to, so this ministry is perfect. If it’s one thing I can do is cook a bigger dinner and take half and share with someone else.
Speaking of serving at church…I’ll be teaching in Rea’s class this Sunday. She just moved up to the 3 year old class 2 weeks ago. Her new teacher remembered me from VBS, so she asked me to sub for her because she’ll be out of town for a wedding. I must say I’m a little nervous.
Quick subject change…we just put our house up for sale again. We put it on the market back in February, and after a long 6 months it still had not sold. We weren’t very pleased with our realtor, so when our contract was up with took it off the market for a couple weeks. It was actually good timing, since we were going on vacation. Mom and Dad were here keeping the girls, so I’m glad they didn’t have to deal with any showings. Once we got back, we got it back on the market. Our new realtor is sending a professional photography service tomorrow to do a lot of photos. I think she said 22-25. I’ve been cleaning like a crazy woman. I’m sure Wynn would say that I always clean like that. I must agree. Sometimes I’m convinced I have OCD. 
It’s going to be a relief to get those photos taken. I feel like if I can just make it until after that I can relax, but I can’t relax for long. Next week is already looking really busy. Plus I have to get my flyers and emails out for my Halloween costume photo special I do every year, and I’m doing school photos at Rea’s school this fall.
Busy, busy, busy around here. But, busy is good.