now and then, part deux...

(marshalls, ushers, and usherettes 2010)


(marshalls and usherettes 1986)

congratulations class of 2010!!!

love and God's blessings,
dani xx

now and then...

(honors night 2010)




(honors night 1986)

love and God's blessings,
dani xx

simply chase

i picked up katherine on tuesday night:
it was her first full day of work at the library.

katherine: did you dvr idol?
me: yes.
katherine: what did lee sing?
me: i cannot remember, but it was a lynyrd skynyrd song.
katherine: "sweet home alabama"?
me: no.??...
katherine: "simple man"?
me: maybe... (i'm not good with song titles)

after showers and jammies, i turned on idol,
and we watched.
casey james did his thing;
crystal did hers.
then ryan seacrest announced,
"here's lee dewyze with
lynyrd skynyrd's, 'simple man'..."

katherine: i love this song...
but it makes me sad.
me: why does it make you sad?
katherine: it reminds me of chase...
it was one of his favorite songs.

~@~@~@~@~@~

yesterday the john deere was low on fuel, and i knew that i needed to get the grass mowed given the forecast was rain for the next several days. so, i went to the gas station and filled up my can. i decided to drive the back way home because there was so much construction going on on the main roadway in town (the back way takes me past the cemetery where chase is buried). as i drove by, i couldn't help but glance his way...
i thought to myself, young parents shouldn't have to think about buying plots and a monument for themselves...
much less their children.
~@~@~@~@~@~



this morning i opened the tea-towel drawer to pull out a clean towel and dishrag. when i did i noticed a box in the bottom of the drawer. the box was labeled, mosquito coil. that box has been in the bottom of that drawer for years, and it's been years since i've paid any attention to it.

i bought it the night i took katherine, hannah, carlie, elise, and chase to the drive-in... yes, chase was the only boy in the bunch (totally his choice)! that was the night we started calling him hugh (hugh hefner).

he thought the nickname was epic!

that was a fun night for the kids (not so much for our neighbors trying to watch batman begins). the kids were a little rambunctious... let's just say, i would be willing to bet that the current owners of my old windstar could to this day still find skittles in its creases and crevices...

they can thank chase and carlie for those little finds of fruity sweetness, which went flying as hugh and carl were jumping up and down in the back of the van when the bag busted...
EVERYWHERE;)

~@~@~@~@~@~

chase may be gone, and the decal on katherine's back windshield may no longer exactly say, in loving memory of chase trent (as several letters have gone missing), but chase will remain in our hearts and our minds

FOREVER.

~@~@~@~@~@~

love and God's blessings,dani xx

may eleventh,

nineteen hundred and ninety...

at seven thirty in the evening.

love and God's blessings,
dani xx

second verse...

almost same as the first.

twenty-four years ago

found my mother and me shopping for

a pastel dress...

shoes to match...

and short, white gloves...

(requirements for junior girl, honor students to usher the seniors at graduation)

voila!!!

(can you find me?)

~@~@~@~

last night
found katherine, jacob and me shopping for

a pastel dress
shoes to match
and short, white gloves...

and...

a black tuxedo...
shoes to match...
and white shirt...

(requirements for junior girl/boy, honor students to usher the seniors at graduation)

voila!!!

the dress...

(photos of katherine in the dress to follow;)

and the girl after shopping...

(sipping on a cotton candy shirley temple)

they didn't make those 24 years ago!

love and God's blessings,
dani xx

first job

(katherine after receiving her good news: 4/28/10)

nervously, katherine got out of the commander on wednesday and made her way into the henderson county public library for her very first interview... for her very first job. she was in her interview for about 30 minutes before reappearing.

"i think it went well; but i don't know if i will get the job because there may be only one position... i told them that if it were between hannah and me to give it to hannah since she was the one who told me about the opening."

"we'll just have to wait and see," i responded with a reassuring smile.

we decided on chinese take-out for dinner. while i was in the restaurant picking up our empress and mu-shu, the director of the library called katherine to let her know that she'd been hired... as well as hannah! YAY!!!

much love,
dani xx