THE GRAM~CR'KR "FOUR"

This group is known to 'me' as the Gram~cr'kr FOUR. These are the reasons to get up and stay healthy every single day. They are growing up so fast..........

VALLERI: I remember the day Valleri graced our lives. I was a granny for the very first time. She was a little toe-headed beautiful girl. She was the apple of her PAPA's eyes, they made many trips to town and to the dump. She was his co-pilot, along with Skippy the dog. Her treat was always some Juicy Fruit Gum. Time has past so quickly, I wonder where it has gone. Valleri will be entering high school this fall as a freshman. The last few years she has been very active girl. She runs cross country (her first love), plays volleyball, basketball and is currently running on her schools track team. She runs the 1600 meter and 800 meter races. She likes the long distance races. Her eighth grade graduation is fast approaching. I can speak from prior knowledge that she will be the prettiest girl in the class. During her years of involvement in sports she has received the MISS TIGER award every year. I guess you could equate that to MVP, most dedicated, or what ever term you want to use. Valleri doesn't know a stranger, she is a friendly caring young lady. She is diligent at everything she does, that's why I believe she will be very successful at anything she does.

EMILY: We waited for Emi, and when she arrived to meet the family I was taken back. As a baby she was the spitting image of her Daddy. She had a tuft of dark hair, and the most beautiful peaches and cream skin. Emily is a dancer. She has been in jazz since she started dancing. What fun it is to watch her strut her stuff. She loves sports, but I am sure that basketball is her first love. Emily made a 3 point goal during this past season, and I am proud to say that she was the only one in her age group that did, and that included the boys. She also won the free throwing contest for 6th grade girls at her school. Now that's pretty awesome. Right now she is part of her school's track team. She is running the hurdles, and also runs a couple of dashes. She won her heat last week. Oh, one other thing, she is the only girl running the hurdles from her school. I think it's scary, but she doesn't and does a great job. Emily will be a seventh grader in the fall.

Emily is a focused individual, she sets her mind at what she is doing, and always masters the task.

SHELBIE: Shelbie is five months younger than Emily. Shelbie was blond right from the git go. She had those kissable little chubby cheeks. Her smile would melt the coldest of hearts, and it still does. Shelbie is quite the artist. She loves to draw and paint. She made me a picture for Mother's Day last year. I framed it and it hangs in my bedroom. She has been working with pottery and has made some amazing creations. I have a heart shaped dish to vouch for it. She loves sports also, she plays soccer, both indoor and outdoor. She says it's her favorite sport. She plays both defensive and offensive for her team, but she is awesome as a defender. This summer she is going to play fast pitch softball. I like that game, and I can't wait for it to start.

Shelbie will be a sixth grader in the fall. Shelbie is extremely bright. School comes easy for her and her scores for the testing they do were the highest of all the fifth graders in her school. She is an avid reader, likes to read, and we all know that if you master the reading everything else falls into place.

LANDON: I call Landon my little prince. He was robust right from the start. He had a ton of dark hair, and the only one who got those absolutely beautiful brown eyes, well actually they are so dark, the could be black. He is his father's son, a chip off the ole block. Landon loves football. He was part of the third grade Warriors football team last fall. As I have said before, I never much cared for football, but when this little guy plays, everything changes. I have seen him run with the ball, tackle the quarterback, intercept a pass. YEP, he's got it, and I cannot wait until it's time to play again. When he comes off of the field he has this smile that would melt your heart. You can tell he is in his element. It doesn't hurt that he has this dimple that just won't quit. Look out girls, this one is gona be a heart breaker someday. Landon has an imagination that doesn't stop. He can make a game out of anything. His teachers have told his Mother that he is a natural born leader, you know that can't hurt in this life. Landon will be a fourth grader in the fall.

So now you know about the "FOUR", they are terrific kids. My life has been so thrilling with them in it. They are not babies anymore, that's kind of sad, but what they are bringing to my life and the family now is even better. They are everything a grama could want and just in case you didn't know they are the delight of this grama's heart and soul.

My Aunt Celinda

I have thought a lot about my Aunt Celinda these past few days. I have spent the time remembering her smile, her words of wisdom, her compassion, and the unconditional love she has for everyone that has crossed her path. I cannot say I ever saw her angry about anything.

Celinda Josephine Ashlock~Kelsey is the second of five children born to J. Harley and Sarah Elizabeth Ashlock, my paternal grandparents. She was born in Oklahoma and remained there until 1962. She married Roscoe Kelsey. They were married for more than 60 years and blessed with two children; Bill Dean and Linda Diane. She lost her only son Bill Dean, the middle of his senior year of high school. He had an aneurism at the base of his brain. My aunt suffered tremendously at the loss of her son, but she remained steadfast in her faith. Her faith was a very important part of her life, and she lived exactly the way you would have expected a woman of faith to live.

A funny story about the day Diane was born; Diane was born by C-section, so Aunt Celinda was not awake when the doctor and Uncle Roscoe named her. THEY thought she should have another name, other than just Diane. So, Linda became her first name. Needless to say when Aunt Celinda woke up, she was not happy with what had happened. To those who know and love her, she will always be just Diane to us. Diane met and married a wonderful guy. His name is John Dennis, but we call him Dennie. He was welcomed into the Kelsey clan with open arms. Dennie has a very gentle spirit, and for Aunt Celinda it was love at first sight. He was never her son in law; he will always will be her SON! Diane and Dennie were blessed with Aunt Celinda’s only grandson, Michael Dean. I remember when Aunt Celinda spoke of Michael; it was with so much love and pride. He brings her so much joy. She and I talked after Michael and Jennifer were married. She was so pleased with her new “grand-daughter”, and accepted her into the fold; she was a full fledged member of the family. Michael and Jennifer have a beautiful little girl named Megan. Now I don’t need to tell you about the celebration that happened the day that little angel was born, actually, I think they are still celebrating that event. Megan is the apple of her great-grandma’s eye.

My Aunt Celinda lived the majority of her life in Oklahoma. My uncle worked for the Santa Fe Railroad in what they called the Roundhouse. The Roundhouse was in Waynoka Oklahoma. In case you don’t know what a roundhouse is, it is a round building that the train engines were driven into. They worked or repaired what ever was needed, the tracks turned and the engine drove out. Interesting concept. When the Santa Fe closed its offices in Waynoka in 1962, they moved to Albuquerque, NM. He remained at his job until he retired. Aunt Celinda worked in the school cafeteria, and was promoted to manager before she retired. In this part of the country we lovingly call those wonderful ladies “lunch ladies”. (For you Michelle). Aunt Celinda lived in New Mexico until the passing of my uncle. After his passing Diane moved her Mom to the Houston area where she could be closer to her.

There was absolutely nothing that Aunt Celinda didn’t have some knowledge about. She studied politics so she could always make an informed decision when she voted. She knew more about the state of New Mexico than most of the natives. She could read a book in a day, and had quite a collection. These were books that taught you something, not just some sappy storyline. I loved to sit and visit with her, and you could visit with her about anything, she was so well studied. I have often thought how much my son Mark would have loved to sit with her. He reminds me of her, can talk about most anything you want to talk about. I loved to sit in her kitchen and watch her cook. She had a meticulous method to what she did, and she did it very well. Oh my, what a wonderful cook she was. Interestingly enough she could continue to talk and complete what she was doing. The last time I got to spend time with her in a kitchen was several years ago. I went to Texas to visit her and Diane, and she and I prepared the evening meal for Denny and Diane. We laughed and talked as we peeled potatoes. It was a very special time for me and a wonderful memory. She had a beautiful yard, full of glorious flowers. In New Mexico, the backyards are surrounded by stone or brick fences about 6 ft tall, so the yard is completely enclosed. When they left Oklahoma, they brought two box turtles with them. Aunt Celinda said it was their little piece of Oklahoma. They turned the two turtles loose in the yard. The turtles would come up to the door of the screened in porch waiting for a tidbit from her. She would put out scrapes of veggies for them, and they seemed to know when it was time. She told me that some baby turtles appeared, so they must have brought a “pair”. Those turtles were still alive the last time I was in New Mexico, and you never know they may still be roaming that yard.

Going to Aunt Celinda’s was always an adventure, and you had the assurance of having a wonderful time no matter what you did. I, so enjoyed sitting on her screened in back porch. The weather seemed to always be cooperative. In the shade it was cool, so eating a meal out there was a treat. She always had a hummingbird feeder somewhere. I remember the first time I saw one feeding. I was totally amazed. I loved her stories about growing up in Oklahoma with her three brothers and one sister. I bet they were a handful for my grandma. Aunt Celinda loved them all and they loved her back. My Dad always spoke of her with great affection.

I love my Aunt Celinda. She is like a second mother to me. She was the best listener. It didn’t make any difference what you needed her to listen to, large or small she gave you her undivided attention. Oh, she may not have agreed with you, but she listened and respected what you had to say. She would share her opinion with you, but she made sure you understood, it was just “her” opinion. She had a gentle calming way about her; you just knew everything would be okay, because she said so. My Aunt Celinda was truly touched by God, for her position in life. She was the person I could count on in my growing up years; I always knew she loved me unconditionally. That was her gift to me, I will always be grateful for it, and I will always cherish it.

My Aunt Celinda is not the same anymore. She has been ravaged by the disease that will soon claim her life. I was fortunate to visit her last summer. She recognized me for a moment, and she knew I had boys. That was my blessing on that visit. I sit here wondering when that call will come, I know that she is in God’s hands, and her time will come at God’s bidding. I pray for a peaceful passage to her reward, and relief from the pain she is suffering.

In my lifetime, thus far, I have never known a gentler loving person. Thank you My Aunt Celinda, for letting me know that there are Angels Among Us!!