Who would have thought that we would still be hosting family reunions ten or so years later---another generation, or two, as we continue to gather as a family unit. If you get to feeling like you're only one--take a look at the family unit and you realize that you are just one of many! We gathered in Evergreen, Conecuh County, AL at the Bolden-Cardwell Hall of the Evergreen First United Methodist Church. It's a wonderful place that we use every Wednesday evening for church suppers, and for special events. The family enjoyed the first reunion held there and so we held the last one there, as this was the year of Uncle Mel's 100th Birthday! Wow! We held this reunion in May and many of us gathered again in late August in Mobile at Dauphin Way to honor him on his birthday! What fun! At the reunion, we had many 'first-timers' to attend, plus as mentioned earlier, we had the missionaries from the LDS Church to come and share with us how to put our family information in their family website program! Learned a lot! Had fun! Got copies of our very first family cookbook! Oh my! Love my Beasley Family! Mama, I thought of you and knew you'd be smiling down on us! Daddy would say, my goodness, look at those Beasleys eat!

This past year, I've learned more about creating a family tree on the Family Search website sponsored by the LDS Church. In May, when we held our Family Reunion, I had missionaries from the church come and conduct a brief presentation of their projects ongoing all over the world to connect everyone. It was quite interesting and fun to see others take advantage of what I already knew was a good project! The missionaries have been assisting me here in my archives for several months now, and it's been helpful in many ways. They will be here for another 10 or so months, and we have more ideas for projects in the coming fall! I've been posting photographs of the family to my tree online, and will share some of those family photographs here on the blog.

Summer 2016

It's nearly August! And I've not posted in the longest time! Seems the more I long to blog, the longer I seem to put it off! Just this past weekend, I have gained a daughter! Son got married at the beach and it was a lovely time! Now, I have two married children, and a third who seems determined to remain single! We had a good brief time together though, and was thankful I was able to attend! I am envious of folks who seem to be able to take a vacation at the drop of a hat--whereby I have to plan and schedule and plan and scrimp just to take one day off! One day! I promise myself! One day! If it wasn't for the children living elsewhere, I guess I'd never go anywhere! Except they live so far away, traveling is rather difficult to plan when one has to travel alone! As I get older, I tend not to want to do that much. The upside of that is you don't have to please anyone but yourself! I'll scan some photos and place on here so that others can see my beautiful children and the views we had for the day!~

May 2016 Family Reunion

Summer 2016

Been kind of uneventful around here--things have been going on, and work is busy, but just not motivated to write lately! I work, I go home, I garden, I walk dogs, and I try to bake something now and then. I am lonesome for my kids, and I miss my friends. I'm making new ones, except I really do miss my Mama, my friends Shirley Taylor and Diane Sosebee who have all died in the last year. Life just isn't the same.

April Showers

February and March brought lots of damaging storms to Alabama and Northwest Florida; roofs leaked, yards overran with water and damaging winds caused old and young trees to break. Many communities were hard hit, such as Johnstonville in Conecuh County, Alabama and Century in Escambia County, Florida. Work had been rather uneventful and not quite too busy, but latter part of March and now here it is almost April, lots of whirlwind activity in the archives! Barely a moment to breathe! The Season of Lent gave us many opportunities to sing praises to God, with our adult choir and childrens' choir performing during worship services for Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday. I think we're all tired! I know I am! I am enjoying being back active in church though, both on Sunday mornings in Sunday School, singing in the choir on Sunday mornings, and evening services at 5:30, plus the middle of the workweek, we have 'pie-eatin' as Mama used to refer to it on Wednesday evenings, followed by choir practice. I've also been attending the circle meetings, and they're always good. I am doing more reading in my Bible and with my devotional books; in addition to fiction. I've been de-cluttering--getting out of the craft making market--giving away what I can to someone who finds more time and energy for it all! I feel so much better just making some space! I'm sure that I'll continue to do a bit of crafting, but something that doesn't take over an hour to do! And no need to keep a bunch of junk in the house..makes me feel free to get that stuff gone!

Spring is Coming

Spring is coming to South Alabama! The azaleas are beginning to bloom, the daffodils are nearly finished in my gardens--but there might be a few stragglers! I actually 'played in the dirt' Saturday and Sunday some, after church, and enjoyed being in God's playground! I am looking forward to completing some new projects in the garden this year! The garden guy cut the grass last Wed and Thu and it's looking so good!

Some new projects will include a pond and a veggie and herb garden!

Hancock Family History

I've been conducting some family history too, during the past several months--and looking deeper into the past. These are photos of my second great grandparents, of whom not a whole lot is known. Samuel Cicero Hancock, born circa 1829 Rockdale, Georgia, was a blacksmith by trade; he lived in MS for a time, where he married Sarah Amanda Weeks in 1852; by the 1860 Census they are in Conecuh County, AL and he's employed as a blacksmith near the then county seat of Sparta, with a blacksmith shop nearby. Two of his sons became blacksmiths, and several grandsons and sons-in-law. Nothing is known of his parents (yet), though I have her parents, grandparents and lineage quite a ways back. I believe a trip to MS is going to be in order, and possibly a trip to GA!

Valentine Day

Found this cute little Valentine idea on Pinterest! I think I'll make a couple of them! Washie Tape, lifesavers, stickon letters, a piece of cardstock and you're done! I bet you have someone in your life that is your own personal lifesaver!

The photo is of my sweet friends, and former (now retired) co-workers: Dorothy Crutchfield and Diane Sosebee. It was taken at the library during the past year, when Dorothy came back for a visit; Diane came over with muffins and lemon curd, and we prepared coffee in the kitchen like old times! What a joy it was to work with these two ladies! We had many of the same interests, and hobbies! We enjoyed reading the same books, and talking about them! We shared a closeness that many envied. Our sweet Diane went home this past Sunday morning while in church--she went from one House of the Lord to her Heavenly Home after taking her last communion--who knew it would be her last? She went quickly--so quickly, and it's been a hard week for all of her loved ones. Her family is hosting a Celebration of Life Service for her in that same church this coming Sunday, Valentine's Day--how appropriate!~ Share the Love, as she always did, so unselfishly!

I really do mean well

Yes, it's already February, and it was late December when I wrote my last post. As the title indicates, I really do mean well. I mean to get to writing, and just expressing my thoughts, or give you some uplifting advice, or some Scripture, but life just gets in my way! It was a wonderful Christmas with the family! All of my children were home for Christmas, and they arrived in time to attend and participate in our Candlelight Christmas Eve Service, and young Alex took his first Communion with us that evening. Precious child! Both of the boys did exceptionally well, I thought, and their great grandparents would have been tickled to know that they were worshipping in church where we all grew up! I loved it! It was the very best of my Christmas Memories! I will always cherish that evening together! Always! The twins brought their significant others along for Christmas and I am so glad to see both of them happy! Changes are afoot, and they are good changes, I think! We enjoyed sharing our Christmas Traditions with all of them, and making new traditions too! Claire and the grandsons got to stay over a little longer, once Chris left to go back to NC, and thankfully, despite some hardships, he did get home safely! We all enjoyed being together as long as we possibly could! Birthdays came for two of our family members: Chris celebrated his birthday, and Katie's Mike celebrated his--in a most frightening way though! Our dear Mike had a birthday, and on the 2nd of January of the New Year, suffered a heart attack! It was frightening for all! An ordeal I don't wish on anyone, even one so young! 29! Thankfully, our family knows that if you seek God, He answers! And mercy me, He answered! Katie started a GoFundMe account for Mike Elmore, and if you're so inclined, please consider giving to help offset his medical expenses. He was in the military, and VA is not helping as they should! Lots of rough road ahead of him; yet, God has big plans for this young man! He gave him another chance at life, even when the doctors had lost hope, and given him none! God DOES answer our prayers! Praise GOD! January came and went, with blessings every day, and setbacks along the way; however, we got through January and February has dawned already! February is bringing its' own challenges, as we're saying goodbye to another dear friend. It sure is hard getting older and having to say goodbye to friends who have always been a part of our lives. Well, I'll leave that for another day--not quite ready to speak of it all. As I said, I do mean well--to keep writing and keep my creative spirit alive...we'll see how the month works out.