Greetings From Sunny Florida

Normally I wouldn't be blogging until after I had returned from vacation, but I'll make an exception tonight. It's raining right now in Destin, Florida so we ordered pizza and will delay mini-golf until tomorrow. Since I'm in, I thought I would blog. Besides, I have to keep up with Rachel you know. (As if that's possible.)

We actually arrived close to 5:00, checked in and the kids got almost two hours in at the beach before it began to rain. Alex's arm had to be twisted because he thought he'd rather watch tv than go to the beach. He even tried to tell us that he wouldn't be tempted to get into the water. Well, he was right--for about ten seconds. Jeff and I really enjoyed watching the kids play. Because of the storm rolling in, there were some pretty good waves. We have already had a great time. It would be hard not to with the beautiful water, soft, white sand and my awesome family.

Speaking of family, we had a wonderful time over the weekend for Sweet Marie's 100th birthday. We enjoyed seeing Jeff's extended family and were blessed for an extra day with the Gables family. Call me tacky, but I even invited our family to caravan with them to Birmingham and to stay overnight at Kenny and Jennie's house. K.C. was great entertainment for the evening and this morning he and Jennie took us shopping. Rachel and I had a great time hunting for bargains and hated to say goodbye. A special thank you goes out to their sweet family for being so kind.

The next family to fall victim to my tackiness will be the Zumbiel's. While I am totally going to enjoy the beach, I am also looking forward to seeing my sister and her family. Again, I have invited my family to stay overnight with someone else, but I don't think they'll mind. Rachel and Alex are looking forward to seeing their cousins and seeing some new things. We'll see what they have in store for us sometime Thursday.

Well, I am getting a little tired so I will be wrapping this up. No promises will be made about whether I will post again while on vacation, but I can promise you this--we will definitely be having fun!

Unofficial Minutes

We ate. We laughed. We cried. Then we passed around the Caladryl.


These are the unofficial minutes of the Heagerty Family Reunion submitted by the unofficial secretary, Michelle Wheeler, daughter of Charlotte Wright Meeks, daughter of Pauline Heagerty Wright, daughter of Clarence Heagerty.


We did manage to squeeze in a few other activities during this past weekend as my mother, her cousins and their families gathered for a reunion loaded with genealogical fact hunting and sorting, family lore, childhood memories with a few shaky details and I'm pretty sure just some out and out lies. My mother's mother is a Heagerty and over the weekend my mother, her brothers and their cousins through the Heagerty line met to reunite.

You know how the words "family reunion" can send fear into the hearts of people. Well, I will admit that my family was a bit nervous when I told them of the plans. They knew they were not acquainted with most of the family members to be present and I don't really think it helped when we warned them there may not be anyone their ages there and that these people had really loud, booming voices. I had butterflies of my own. What would we talk about? What would we do? The invitation didn't list very many activities so how would the time be filled with these strangers? Even from my own memory everyone seemed older than me. What could I possibly have in common with them? Apparently, it only took having some Heagerty blood in us to thoroughly enjoy ourselves with these people who we call family. Any real doubts we had about whether we would have fun or not were shed quickly on Friday afternoon.

For me, it was clear that this weekend would be special as we were trying to leave Friday. I had a book that Uncle Howard had loaned me and I wanted to give Debbie. When I went to retrieve it from the basement, I found a file folder marked Heagerty family. I grabbed it because the invitation said to bring old photos and such to share. That is, sadly, all the thought I had put into my "sharing", but I honestly didn't think I had anything important to add. That is, until I began looking through the folder on our way to Mt. Vernon. I pulled out the pictures and tried to give my family a quick family tree. There were a few other little items--neat stuff, but not spectacular. But then, there was what appeared to be a handwritten letter. I opened it up and there was a letter from my great grandfather to my great grandmother before they were married. Now realize, I did not even know that this was in my possession. Even though this was in a folder that I clearly marked and filled, I don't think I have ever read it. I was truly amazed and excited as I read the lines he had penned while he was in Europe during World War I, telling about what he was doing and seeing and how he cared about her. I felt like God himself had tucked that letter into my file folder. When I finished it I looked back at the top and the letter was dated July 4, 1918. Then I was pretty sure God must have tucked it in there. What a special gift to read this as we were celebrating the Heagerty family and Independence Day all on the same weekend.

When we arrived at Mom's, Debbie already had her laptop and scanner buzzing and there was a load of pictures already there. After everyone else arrived, there was a mountain of pictures, letters that dated from 1865, newspaper clippings and even the hat and gas mask of Grandpa Heagerty's from WWI. Everyone just seemed to dive right into the pile and the chatter. Jeff brought my mom the letter her grandpa had written and the tears began. The tears came off and on during the weekend. Tears of laughter from old home movies. Tears of pride and joy from letters, newspapers, pictures and memories. Tears for the parents the cousins have lost.

After the memorabilia session we all packed up and headed for the Heagerty farm. Throughout the afternoon we took some detours into family cemeteries, fought off killer chiggers and looked for childhood homes. Each of these activities have tales of their own that this unofficial secretary does not have the space to document. These will have to be relayed orally through the generations. This should not be a problem for the Heagertys.

As mentioned before, there was plenty of food. After an evening meal at the Red Barn in Mt. Vernon, the family was once again seen frequenting a cemetery and fighting off insects. This time, however, we were there to enjoy the fireworks which Rick thanked the city for providing for the Heagerty reunion.

Into the wee hours of the morning the female cousins watched family movies and laughed and cried. We watched Brandon learn to ride his bicycle and listened to Debbie as she reported which relatives and friends and pets have gone on to glory. This unofficial secretary will also go on record as officially saying that she will not wear short shorts or bend over in the presence of a working video camera at Heagerty get-togethers.

Charlie, Sam, Rachel and Alex slept in the backyard fort overnight. It must have been too late a night for everyone because the scheduled noon barbecue took place at about 3:00pm Saturday. After sharing a family prayer to thank the Lord for Christian grandparents, family and America, we broke bread together. There was some good food and laughter.
The women folk were entertained by Sydney Zumbiel and her "pet" dog. She also explained to Sonya where roosters come from and later collected DNA from a tree. Jeff and Alex talked baseball with Rick, Dave, Scott and Sam. We know how the Heagerty men have always loved baseball so there were plenty of Mickey Owens stories. Even Alex has his own connection with the Heagertys as he has a love for the game and played there for the past several years and even attended camp. Rachel had her camera and was a busy girl between snapping pictures, slapping mosquitoes and slathering Caladryl. Shyly she made friends with Sonya who seems to have one of the quieter voices and all the possible remedies for itching bug bites. Again, under the shade trees of Mom's backyard we ate, laughed and I cried as I read a story Mom had written after Uncle Hollis passed away. And again, we passed the Caladryl around the circle under the shade. Eventually, people began to drift back to their abodes and Mom's family plus Debbie were all that were left. Debbie took a break from scanning to eat and watch the kids' (actually Scott's) fireworks show.
Later Debbie, Mom, Rachel and I walked through the streets of Mt. Vernon watching the most beautiful fireworks display I've ever seen. It was beautiful in its simplicity. It wasn't a magnificent, choreographed masterpiece. It was spontaneous and random. I loved that they completely surrounded us in every direction. Sometimes we'd see the whole display of color and sometimes just a glimpse of the glittery fallout tailing through the trees. I loved the sound of the firecrackers and the kids shouting and laughing with their families all over town. I loved that I was with my family in a quiet conversation in the middle of booms and cracks and thunders. Literal thunders, too. Intermittent, was a lightning show and thunder ,which reminded us that God has the best fireworks show ever. We made it home before the rain to load up and say goodbyes. It was midnight and Alex and Sam were chatting up a storm, Sydney was sleeping peacefully and Rachel was helping Charlie pack up leftovers in the kitchen. Sarah and I got to say goodbye very differently this time. I said, " We'll see you in couple of weeks." Alex picked up on it right away. "That's not what you usually get to say," he interjected.
It's true. We usually part ways knowing it will be a year or so before we see each other again. In a few weeks, though, we will get to spend some time at their house. I am looking forward to it even more now than I already was. I am excited that our children are building memories together during the summers with us and their grandmother and other cousins just like Mom, Rick, Dave, Sheila, Dale, Sonya, Debbie, Ronnie, Donnie, and Bill did when they were our children's ages.
I guess I really do need to be careful about what I wear in all video camera footage because someday when these kids decide to have a family reunion, Sydney may be saying my outfit isn't a good look for me. I hope and pray our kids will stay close like the Heagertys so they can sit around late one night and laugh at our hairstyles, wedding dresses and point out all the people who are already dead. Maybe they will even eat and laugh and cry. If they do, we'll know the Lord has answered our prayers like He did for Grandpa and Grandma Heagerty. I truly believe they prayed for their children and grandchildren and great grandchildren to know the love of God , family and their country.

A New Inspiration?

Inspiration finally came this evening to blog. It was about seven this evening. There was a nice, cool breeze without the sticky feeling we had earlier today. The frogs and bugs and owls and birds were singing together as a choir that I have enjoyed immensely the last several nights as I sit on the deck. Jeff was carefully planting the last of the bushes and plants he had selected for our landscaping that he has been looking forward to doing. The kids were playing and I had just begun my first blog in over a week.
It was going to be very sentimental and nostalgic as I have been slapped in the face during the past two weeks. Obviously, we all know that Rachel will be a freshman in high school this fall and it's no secret that this fact is very disturbing to me and I have tried in every way possible to avoid facing the reality of it. What wasn't obvious to me when school ended was that Rachel is actually beginning high school right now. You can't even imagine the adjustment that I went through last week and I finally had to just accept it. I knew things would be more hectic in high school-- just didn't know it began one week after eighth grade was over. I was going to reminisce about her childhood and her friendships and our family and how blessed we are.
Just as I had typed my first sentence, Jeff came to me at the computer with this whitish looking object covered in dirt. At first glance, I pulled away,asking what it was, fearing it was something that had once been alive or even worse--still was. To his great pleasure, it was a rock that had been carefully chipped, carved and used by someone as some sort of tool. I immediately looked more carefully and cleaned it for closer examination. Maybe nobody else would be excited like we were, but it began a conversation that lasted with our family most of the evening and turned out to interrupt my original blogging inspiration.
Jeff had dug up the tool while he was planting something near a tree in our yard. For those of you who have been on our property, you know that our deck has a view of a bottom and on the other side of our fence line is a creek which eventually feeds into Sac River. Last fall we had beautiful, black dirt hauled from the bottom, near the creek, to use as topsoil for our yard. We don't know if the tool was brought from down there or if someone from long ago left it exactly where Jeff found it, but I do know how awesome it is to think about a family or families living on our place anywhere from decades to hundreds to maybe even thousands of years ago. All evening my thoughts drifted to the person who crafted and used the tool. What did they use it for? When did they make it? Who made it? Was it a Native American? Was there a whole group of people? Did they actually live here for a time? The questions were endless, especially knowing that not far from here is a site that was excavated on the river by actual archaeologists and featured in National Geographic once. It is so exciting to think of children laughing and playing in the bottom and creek like Rachel and Alex do with their cousins, Jacob, Drew, and Tate and friends, Jake and Josie. Did their mothers enjoy the stars and the chirping frogs and bugs like Stephanie, Christy and I do? Did their fathers work hard like Jeff and David and Chad do? Did they scout the turkey and deer like these men do? Did those families enjoy each other's company like our families do? Did they choose this sight for the same reasons we all did-- because it is beautiful and quiet and peaceful?
As my new inspiration came over me to blog, I realized that at the heart of my new inspiration is the same one for almost all of my blogs--my husband, my children, my dear family and friends. Even with a three inch artifact carved out of a piece of rock I can still get nostalgic and reminisce about those I love the most. It's just that this time I also get to dream about the possibilities of a people and lifestyle from the past. I don't know anything 100% for certain about who made or used this tool, but I'm 99.9% sure they didn't have to worry about their daughter starting high school.

TGIF (Thank Goodness It's Finished-- school, of course)

It's is Tuesday. I have looked forward to this day for a long time. Not because there is anything special about this day, but precisely because there is not. At 9:57 am my children are still in bed and we don't have to go anywhere. My house is mostly clean, we have enough food in the house for several days and I get to go to a ball game tonight that I can just sit back and enjoy. Life is good. It's called summer vacation! Maybe for everyone else it began Friday or maybe even yesterday, but for me it is really today that I get to begin relaxing.
As Rachel and Stephanie have already stated, the past month has been really hectic. Each day I thought would get better, but somebody always wanted a slice of my time (and my checkbook).
Don't get me wrong, we have really enjoyed the end of school activities and I like my job and the kids I work with, but everybody needed a break. That is why I am enjoying this morning so much. I am not going to "plan" anything (other than going to the high school boys game tonight- but that's different you know!) for today. I am hoping to enjoy many more days like this one and many of the days filled with plans as well.

An Ordinary, Great Day!

Sometimes we are blessed with times that aren't anything special, but a blessing all the same. Tonight is one of those nights. Because of the rain, there are no track meets, baseball games, or practices. We ordered pizza and we are just sitting around watching one of our favorite movies. Nothing special. Nothing exciting. Nothing memorable. But it is great all the same. I am not even thinking about what I should be doing with this extra night at home. I am sitting around doing absolutely nothing and loving it.
Unfortunately, Jeff is having to work tonight. Rachel has done her blogging for the day and is actually taking on one of her parents' tendencies and putting off her homework. Alex is doing quite well since his little incident Saturday night. He is drinking lots of water and eating plenty. He looks and feels good. He is actually bugging us to play a game of Uno, which I think I'll go do because the ordinary, everyday things are what make life great.
Have a great evening everyone!

Having Fun Being Sick

I know that from the title it may seem that I am either playing hookie or a little warped. Really, though, I am only trying to follow Alex's suggestion. Monday, I predicted to Alex we would have leaves on the trees by the end of the week. With the bursting buds and the warm temperatures forecast for the week, I immediately began to feel like my allergy medicine wasn't really keeping up with all of the pollen. I felt fine Tuesday night at the baseball games, but when I woke up the next morning I had a terrible sore throat and a fever. I toughed it out for school all day yesterday so that I wouldn't feel guilty about going to Rachel's track meet that night. As long as I kept pain relievers in me, I felt fine. I had myself convinced I might not actually be sick. But, even before I went to bed last night I decided to stay home from school today just to rest and recuperate. When I told Rachel, she cheerfully commented, "Oh! So you are going to just stay home and do laundry and stuff." She acted as if I wanted to stay home and do laundry just for the fun of it.
As I was sitting in my pj's at 7:30 am this morning (we have to leave at 7:40), Alex says, "Are you going to work?" He's a real observant fellow. I told him I wasn't feeling well so I was staying home. "What are you going to do?" he asked.
"Sleep," I answered.
"Aren't you going to do anything fun, like watch movies or play something?" (I'm assuming he meant video games.)
"I don't feel like doing anything fun." What is it with my kids? Do they enjoy being sick? Or have they figured out that being sick is a complete waste of time so if they stay home from school they might as well enjoy it? I don't know the answer to those questions but I tried to follow their advice. After sleeping until almost noon, I woke feeling like I should have gone to school. Then I stood up. It was then, that I realized I was definitely sick.
In spite of the fever,aches, weak legs, and sore throat (which is actually much better), I did do one load of laundry, baked some cookies for the kids for an after school snack and watched some CSI-- nothing too strenuous. I picked them up from school and took Alex to practice and then I slept for two more hours. Having all that fun really wore me out.
I guess I'll wait until tomorrow to decide if I should work or stay home and have fun. I'm just hoping tomorrow's fun is a lot more fun.

Pioneer Woman Reject, Part II

Well, surprisingly enough, we are at home for the evening. I guess the below freezing wind chills and snow flurries were enough even for our head track coach. He decided to move the meet to Wednesday which is calling for a 68 degree high. I don't really know if the weather or the NCAA Championship game was his motive, but either way I like his thinking. Because of this wonderful gift from Coach Carney, we are enjoying the evening in the warm, comfortable home of my in-laws watching North Carolina. Alex has become a big Tarheels fan in the past several years because of Tyler Hansbrough, the Missouri Boy. I have always enjoyed North Carolina and Duke, but Alex is not a Duke fan at all. I keep telling him that it is possible that the Cameron Crazies are named that because a distant relative was an important person in that area, but it doesn't sway his thinking.

In the late 1700's I had a 7x great-grandfather, John Heagerty, who left Ireland and settled in North Carolina. As far as we know he left every family member he had. We do not know his reason for leaving, but he married a Mary Cameron with Scottish roots. Later the Heagertys moved to Lawrence County, Missouri. When I read about our family's history (or any history for that matter) I often wonder how I would have survived, which brings me back to the blog that I promised. I know the Heagertys (and all pioneer families) were made of something I don't think I have. As discussed in my last blog, I know they had perseverance, determination and grit. When I think about what these people endured and how hard they worked, I am just not sure how I would have measured up. It's not that I am completely stupid or lazy, but I know that I am not the risk taker that would have been required to leave my comfortable home and most likely my entire family.

Leaving the comforts of my home would have been the biggest factor in me being a pioneer reject. While I am definitely not a risk taker and wind would have driven me slowly insane, I am really spoiled. (I prefer to think of it as blessed.) I really enjoy and appreciate my modern home. I also love being close to family. With this being said their are "things" besides the perseverance, determination and grit that I would not have had back in the days of pioneer women. These "things" have been part of the conversations I have had with different women in the past week about what we wouldn't want to be without. They aren't necessarily character traits, but we don't want to be without them all the same.
#1 Running water. I am the first to admit that I would not want to have to trek to the creek for the water needed to wash, clean, bathe and launder . I would certainly not want to go on the cold days when you had to break the ice and then haul it up to the house. Can you imagine not being able to take a relaxing hot bath just for the luxury of it? And let's not go there on being able to flush. (Especially for those of us who are up in the middle of the night!)
#2 Appliances. Now, we tended to lump the appliances all into one category, but if I could only have one, I think I would choose the washing machine. I realize that we would have less clothing back then, but let's think about this. You have to either haul water or scrub and wring at the creek. Either way, how clean do they really get? This seems like a lot of work to get semi-clean clothes. The chore of laundry with appliances is so dreaded anyway (because we know that it is never truly "caught up") I can't imagine making it even more work than it already is.
#3 Heat. I know that people had heat, but maybe I should be more specific. Heat that is evenly distributed throughout the house.
#4 Electricity. This is lower on the list than you might think, but I do think I could survive this one, except for the fact that my washing machine would need it to operate!
#5 Ibuprofen. I am not one for taking medicine of any type unless I absolutely have to. The older I get, though, the more appreciation I have for this little friend. It is amazing what those two little pills can do for you. There are just days when nothing has helped my tired, aching body more than ibuprofen. After a hard day's work, don't you know the pioneer women would have loved it, too?
#6 Epidurals. I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no babies the natural way and I would like to keep it that way. Even under the best of circumstances, on the first go around, Jeff would have passed out and unless we had a neighbor there I probably would have had to cut the cord myself. (He gets a little woozy around that kind of stuff.)

There are many other modern conveniences that I am quite attached to, but these items top the list. It remains difficult for me to believe that I would have survived quite so well. I have to thank the Lord all of the time for my husband. Even with all of the conveniences of modern life, I have been extremely whiny during the past couple of weeks. If we had lived back then, he may have left me behind to explore, seek fortune or fight in a war. That could take me down another whole road of things I don't think I would have survived very well, but I think you get the picture.
Suffice it to say, I am ready for warm weather to stay. Even though they are not crucial to my family's survival, baseball games, softball games and track meets are just so much more fun when you can sit back, relax and enjoy. Surely the pioneer women would agree.

Here are a couple of videos--kind of long--sorry about that! The first is of a nice hit Rachel had and the second is of our pioneer men hunting turkey in our yard.