In The Bleak Midwinter

In the bleak midwinter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, Snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter
Long, long ago.

Our God, heav'n cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain:
Heav'n and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign:
In the bleak midwinter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord, God Almighty
Jesus Christ.


Angels and arch-angels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air:
But only His mother in her maiden bliss
Worshiped the Beloved with a kiss.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him

Give Him my heart.

Merry Christmas, with love,

Garland and Shari

Katy, Emma, Laura

Nine Years Pass By Too Quickly

Happy Anniversary to my sweet husband, Garland!

Hats off to the Man for helping me rear three daughters through open houses at school, birthdays, new boyfriends, old boyfriends, proms, graduations, student drivers, dresses and dances, loft-building projects....


....for still surviving hot flashes, erratic thyroid, job changes, empty nesting about to begin, The Next Food Network Star, good-byes needing to be said, chick flicks, sleeping from the day's stresses a little too early, too-long-road trips....


Here's to my best friend now and forever. I'd love another 90 years with you if it were possible!

New Compassions

Typically as I fly through the local grocery, I am squeezing this all-too-often errand into a busy day. I know the fastest cashiers. I am especially particular about who packs my bags for me. Two men are my favorites and are great in protecting produce and organizing my groceries. There are some baggers that I have typically in the past stood in a longer line to avoid. Publix is a large provider of jobs for challenged adults. In theory I have admired the store and the employees for their support of this community, but in reality haven't liked to subject my delicate peaches and eggs to the higher odds and risk of damage.

I am completing my first month as the Music Specialist at The Gap School, and have been personally faced with my bias and own lack of genuine acceptance. I have grown to adore the children I teach, and now look at the Publix employees with similar needs in a different light.

Here are some faces of my really special kids:

Jade, age 8

Marla, age 8

Ethan, age 7

Jade and Tavin, age 6

Churchill, Abbe, Ethan, Jade, Tavin: The 1st grade team "Road Runners"

Arie, age 15

Nicholas, age 10

Zach and Wesley, age 10

Max, Evan, Victoria, ages 16, 14, 15

Merik, age 13

Jake and Thomas, age 12

A Work In Progress

Here are some photos of the bedrooms newly redecorated...



A few things to tweak in Laura's room, but mostly completed.



My new office/sewing room is still in need of curtains to be made, and most of all a furniture piece for my machine and the printer! We're not quite sure about the "office" corner fit--so it looks a little hodge-podge right now.




Some cool things about the "new" room--the headboards are from my mom's family (thanks Aunt Nancy!), and the rug between the beds is a remnant from my grandparents' home. I pulled the colors from that rug as an inspiration for the rest of the room, wanting a neutral pallet to work with accessories. The two little pictures were given to me from my mother. My great-grandmother, Olive, did the needlework.

Slowly but surely it's pulling together!