Dear Reader:

I certainly hope that statement is true when people drop in and visit me. I am always so delighted to have a distraction from me! So if you ever feel like dropping by….just do it! If I am here we will tour the garden and look at all the additions to it and the Happy Room!

If my memory still serves me…I think the first person I remember being impressed about for his kindness and spreading happiness was Johnny Appleseed…a.k.a. John Chapman.

The idea of him traveling the country planting apple trees from seed excited me… as a history-loving elementary student.

I remember imagining that I would love to have traveled with him…although the pot on his head was a little strange, I admit. But then I have a tendency to like different Johnny’s like one who has a surname….Depp…and I have a feeling his “pot” might be the consumable type. What an actor…wow…and so easy on the eyes!

Then along came Miss Rumphius and the planting of her lupines…don’t we love the idea of spreading seeds of happiness in whatever form we choose?

As teachers we always hoped and prayed that the seeds we spread would be the love of knowledge…I hope out there somewhere that is true.

Since time and space don’t always allow for us (the blog readers and me) to meet up-close and personal-let me share some of your observations and comments  …I walk away from the computer each day with a smile on my face after reading your thoughts… my walk is “lighter” the rest of the day. Thank you for leaving me filled with happiness!

Comments:

In several of our recent blogs….the message of letting go and giving God the power to steer us in our voyage through life…especially over rough seas…has been discussed.

Brooke sent this poem in an email she received pertaining to the same idea…I loved it and want to share it with you. Thanks Brookie!

“Broken Dreams”

As children bring their broken toys
With tears for us to mend.
I brought my broken dreams to God
Because He was my Friend.

But then instead of leaving Him
In peace to work alone,
I hung around and tried to help
With ways that were my own.

At last I snatched it back and cried,
“How could You be so slow”-
“My child,” He said,
“What could I do? You never did let go.”

Author: Unknown 

…………………….

Cindy recognized a similar scenario between Rutledge and his fountain “wishes” and her granddaughter Katie’s pennies and wishes also….too cute!

Katie was around 2 when she started calling pennies “wishes”. Her other grandma gave her some pennies to throw in the fountain and told her to make a wish.

So for a while pennies and then other coins became “wishes”. Don’t you just love it? I am going to see her in a couple of weeks and now 6 and a half she is getting very grown up! 

(I think we should call all bills and coins “wishes” from now on…don’t you…because that is really what money should symbolize…ways and wishes to help the world and others less fortunate in it.)

We grandparents love to be close to our grandchildren…it is like a gift  to be able to turn back the clock on certain phases of life again…but this time… with the knowledge of how certain situations will play out.

It is kind of like seeing a movie twice..I love doing that because I can relax and just enjoy the show the second time… with the comfort and knowledge of knowing that “all’s well that ends well.”

Both Chris Frazier. and Sis  ( along with their spouses) left Summerville  (following retirement) to move closer to their individual children and grandchildren… so they could play a part in their lives.

Even though it was a tough decision for each teacher and family..neither one would ever second-guess this important decision. Happiness was waiting on them.

Sis and her husband have officially moved a second time to be even closer and she made this comment: (Look how her four grandchildren are looking at the camera…umm…must ask Sis for the secret!)

Hey, Becky! Yeah, move is “over.” HA! The “move” is over, but the “unpacking” of the boxes not so much!!! Down to one room, though; once everything is set in THAT room, the rest of the rooms will just fall into place! Loving being here: babysat Sat. for one set of grands; and did all day yesterday for the youngest. THAT’S why we moved to this area!!!

Here is an excerpt from Johnny Johnson concerning happiness according to God’s time…not ours…leaving God alone to do what is best for us.

Funny how God calls us to him if we just can be still and listen to his silent steady call. I believe he puts us through trials to strengthen us. And yes… then we spend all of our days learning more about his will for our lives. We know and we feel his ever present love as we seek and walk in his ways and in his direction… 

Honey said that the sanctuary of their mountain home provided the perfect backdrop for Easter Sunday…

What a beautiful Easter at Grand Mom Boo’s! I loved all of the pictures-felt like I was there with you. We enjoyed a beautiful Easter sunrise in our sanctuary on the mountain. Then it was clay!

This was Gin-g’s first Easter without her mother… she said they honored both her mother and daddy… by continuing all the family traditions of egg hunts, egg tosses, and scavenger hunts.

Mother and Daddy would have been pleased. They loved their Lord, their church, their family…and Mother always said “you can’t stop in the middle of the road, you have to keep going”…so on this Easter after she went to Glory we had a glorious time in memory and love of our parents who started this legacy….

* And a very special thank you to Katie Roberts,  one of my former students, who wrote a heart-warming tribute about our time together at CSU… when she sent out my blog on Facebook Easter Sunday.

Katie…you are the seed we teachers hope to spread…so full of life, hope, kindness, and happiness! You are making a difference in this world to so many people.

So until tomorrow…May we wake up each morning, with at least one specific idea, on how to make someone happy today…and then do it…plant a seed.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

* Mandy sent me Jakie’s class picture for the first year baby class….such a sweet face…I told Mandy now that little sprouts of hair are lining up…I will miss Jakie’s bald head when it is gone. (Can you believe they had real rabbits in the picture and Jakie didn’t give it a second look?)

* I decided to plant red petunias in the lollipop wheelbarrow (since it is on its last leg with rusty small holes in the bottom.) Will surprise Rutledge and Eva Cate with the flowers that bloomed after the lollipops!