Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Monday, January 29, 2018

Who doesn't just love SUNSETS?

Watching the sunset from our cruise ship!!!!
Today is just a fun post ---hoping to make you smile.....   George and I LOVE sunsets and sunrises...  Some of the most joyful times in my travels are when we can see a glorious sunset/sunrise.... We've seen many many through the years on our travels  --and never tire of seeing them...

SO--today I picked out some to share with you... Just grab a cup of coffee or hot tea,  sit back,  and just SMILE.....  We all need to SMILE a lot,  don't we?


Another shot from our cruise in 2001



Sunset   from the Tetons  2015



Sunset Sky from the golf course right here at home,  Fairfield Glade, TN,  2015



First time  I had ever seen a Sun Dog,  Ocean Isle Beach,  NC,   2013



A gorgeous Sunset Sky,   Ocean Isle Beach,  2013



Mt.  Nebo,  Arkansas  2016


Sunset  at Lake Jackson in the Tetons,  2015





A Starry Sun at sunset at Ocean Isle Beach,  NC  2010



Sunset along the Blue Ridge Parkway,  2010



We have the most gorgeous sunsets from our cabin at Mt. Nebo, Arkansas each year in February;    This was was in 2014.


Sunset  from Yellowstone,  2012



Another great sunset from  Ocean Isle Beach,  NC -- 2015



Interesting sky during this Sunset at Ocean Isle Beach,  2015



One of my favorite Sunsets was in 2011,  at the Grand Canyon



Looking down on the Shenandoah Valley from Skyline Drive/Skyland,  2017



Two people enjoying taking pictures of the SUNSET,   2012
Well--- I have many, many more --but these are some of the first ones I found....  Hope you enjoyed seeing God's Beauty today!!!!!!   One thing is for certain:  No two sunsets are alike,  and they are ALL beautiful and unique....

Hope you enjoyed!!!!

Hugs,

Monday, January 22, 2018

A Smoky Mountain Christmas---Part II

George and I at GREENBRIAR in the Smokies  on a VERY COLD day  (12/27/17)
Hello Blog Friends,    If you missed Part I of our Christmas trip a couple of weeks ago,  you can click  HERE to see it..   We took George's daughter (who has lost her husband in November) on a short trip to the Smokies ---to try to bring her a little joy during this hard time in her life....

Today--I'll share with you some more pictures from that special little trip... Hope you enjoy the pictures....


I love the COLOR --but OH MY---that water was some kind of COLD!!!   (Taken at GREENBRIAR on 12/27/17)



From the overlook on the Gatlinburg Bypass,  I love this picture of downtown GATLINBURG, showing off the big Space Needle.   (12/24/17)



We spent Christmas Day with our good friends,  Neal and Patti,  who were visiting the area from Indiana.  This picture was taken from one of the cabins at ELKMONT.   (12/25/17)



This was taken on our little walk along WEARS VALLEY Road on 12/24/17.   I call that my 'dream house'.... 



That old woman may be COLD --but she's happy to be at GREENBRIAR in the Smokies  (12/27/17).



The OGLE CABIN along the Roaring Fork Road,  not far from Gatlinburg, in the Smokies  (12/25/17)



I snapped this picture of George --taking pictures along the creek in the GREENBRIAR area of the Smokies  (12/27/17)



We hiked near the OGLE CABIN to find an old mill  (used many years ago by the Ogles) along the creek...  I love all of the moss on the rocks.  (12/25/17)



I love seeing all of the ice formations.  I took this on our day in CADES COVE  (12/26/17).  Did I say that it was COLD that week????? ha



We enjoyed walking in PATRIOTIC PARK  (in Pigeon Forge) one night --after dinner at the Ole Mill Restaurant. The patriotic lights were awesome.  (12/26/17)



I love this picture George took of his beautiful daughter, KELLY.   I hope she had a good Christmas --despite the circumstances in her life right now!


**********************************



Here is one more picture of my ADORABLE, GORGEOUS,  BEAUTIFUL  new  GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER,  Vivian Lee  (born 1/11/18)....   She has won my heart --along with everyone in the family.  (If you missed my blog post with many more pictures of this little precious-one,  click HERE.

Have a great week my Friends.  Please keep Kelly in your prayers.

Hugs,

Monday, January 15, 2018

New Great Granddaughter

Doesn't Vivi just look so peaceful and content? She is truly a perfect little Gift from God.
Welcome,  Vivian Lee,  born January 11, 2018;  Vivian is the daughter of Granddaughter Brooke and her husband Tristan. Vivian was 8 pounds and was 21.5 inches long, and was born at 6:11 a.m.


My beautiful Granddaughter Brooke married her Navy man, Tristan,  on 6/17/16.



I took this picture in December of 2016--and have never seen two such happy Young Adults.



Then on 1/10/18---these two hurried to the hospital.



There--they are waiting for the arrival of a precious baby girl.



Then after a long long hard labor (28 hours),  Miss Vivi came into the world (on 1/11).   WOW---what a blessing to see this little bundle of joy.



Here's another picture showing Little Vivi.



This is Mimi (Lara),  Vivi's Grandmother.  She was a trooper during the 28 hours of labor.. She was the only person I think who didn't sleep.   I remember the joy of being a Grandmother for the first time.   Such Joy!!!



And,  here is a picture of Brooke's sister,  Bay, holding her niece.  Bay and Lara were both there from Texas for the birth.  Bay is so excited to be the very best Aunt she can be!!!!



Now let's switch gears!!!!   This picture was taken on March 6, 1997, when Brooke was born.  That is her Dad  (son Mark) and her Mom (Lara).    (Brooke herself --like Vivian--was a big baby weighing  9 lb 12 oz at birth!!)



Also,  in 1997,   Daddy Mark is making his daughter Brooke smile.  Speaking of Mark,  he came down with that terrible FLU last weekend,  so he has to wait a little while before seeing his Granddaughter Vivian.   He will be known as Pappa,  and he cannot wait to see them.  I cannot wait to see him holding that precious granddaughter  for the first time!!!!   This birth is especially timely for Mark since he lost his wife in August.  There's DEATH---and then there is LIFE.   Thanks be to God.



One more picture from 1997:  This is Brooke and you can definitely see the resemblance between her and her daughter.  Brooke was always smiling --just like her Daddy.


VIVIAN LEE  (Vivi) at 2 days of age!

Here's one more picture of my adorable GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER.  This is my favorite one SO FAR... Mom and Dad are just leaving from the hospital to go HOME.  I'm sure I'll have many more pictures to share as time passes.   She's the first BABY in our family in about 20 years --so you can imagine the excitement all of us have.

And for Brooke and Tristan,  CONGRATULATIONS.... Your life will never the be same!

**********
One more thing:   A huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY to son Mark TODAY....Mark was born on January 15, 1970...... Hope you have a good day,  Honey!


Hugs,