K. Wendt's Blog, page 6

Saving Memories

Saving Memories

            The other day, my mom gave me one of the most beautiful sets of dishes I have ever seen. I have been eyeing them since I was a little girl looking at them just about every time I was in my grandparent’s house.

            I don’t have any memories of Nonnie using them. They were displayed behind the glass of a beautiful (I believe) antique china hutch from Germany. I may have it wrong where the hutch came from. It doesn’t matter. The point is the beauty of the dishes.

            They are a cream color with soft pink flowers on them. A wonderful example of elegance and simplicity coming together.

            These are not the only “antiques” I unpacked yesterday. My sister has also moved into a new home this year. While I went bigger in the size of my home, she went smaller. She’s enjoying life in a tiny house and doesn’t have room for a few things anymore. So, she has graciously shared a few items with me.

            As I unpacked the green sugar, cream, salt and pepper set, I remembered all the times I sat at Nonnie and Pampa’s table. The tiny juice glasses made me think of my grandmother washing dishes in the kitchen sink with her yellow rubber gloves on.

            There were a few other items in the boxes. I felt myself experiencing another time warp like I did with the church on vacation. This one was welcoming, though.

            I loved all of my grandparents very much. Sadly, none of them are alive now. My mom fussed at me a little bit because I didn’t ask for a lot of things from their homes to remember them. I tried to explain to her that I didn’t need many things to remember them. Just a few things like the dishes that take me back to being a small child hanging out with Nonnie for the day. All the great conversations at the table can be shaken to the front of my mind with the shake of the salt shaker. The cookie jar on my counter takes me back to the lake and games of rummy at Mammaw and Pappaw’s kitchen table.

            It doesn’t take much for me to go back in time. I don’t need to be surrounded by items from the past. I think of my grandparents often. I know they all loved me because of all the special memories I hold in my heart. The items I now possess are special trinkets that connect me to the past. They make me smile, but my grandparent’s love warms my heart.

Road Trip

Road Trip

            I spent the first week of this month on a road trip with my family. Yes, you heard right…road trip. Our end point was to be Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We had a week to make our way there and back home.

            We didn’t fly there for a couple of reasons…one being the cost of airfare and two being the amount of money already spent on moving into our beautiful new home and all the crazy things that end up happening (like a washer spraying your new floor with water).

            Besides, I personally prefer traveling by car than by plane. Planes and the idea that you’re up in the air makes me queasy .

            We all agreed if we saw something we wanted to look at along the way, we would stop. Here’s a summary of the amazing trip we ended up having…

            First, in Louisiana, we tried hard to either pet or eat an alligator. It was Sunday. My daughter wanted to pet a baby alligator. I was gamed, it was a baby after all. Did I mention it was Sunday? The place was closed!

            My family enjoys eating seafood. I. Do. Not. But, we had to stop in Louisiana to help them get at least one seafood fix. The menu showed fried alligator as an appetizer. We were all on board with…but the restaurant was out. In short, Louisiana failed us!

            We stayed the night in Mobile, Alabama. We were surrounded by some beautiful historic buildings that really brightened up the skyline.

            On our way to see family in Georgia, we happened upon a little museum for Hank Williams. It wasn’t anything fancy. Just an old house with photographs of a time passed. What was eye opening to me was the fact that my kids didn’t know who he was! I had failed in teaching them about the music I grew listening to with my parents.

            We celebrated the fourth of July learning about historical churches around Warrenton, Georgia from family. Take a walk around a two-hundred-year-old church sometime. You know, the ones with the cemeteries attached. My mind spun as I find two-hundred-year-old tombstones. I wondered about the person and the life they lived at the time. What role did they play in the Civil War, if any? I love history. I found the whole day quite intriguing.

            As we continued our course to Myrtle Beach, we found our way to the Georgia Guidestones. I will explain this the best I can, but you really need to see them for yourself. They are actual stoves that are massive in height. On each side of them, there is a directive for how people should live. Each stone has the same instructions written in a different language. It was quite interesting to see. What makes it intriguing is that the group who asked the stones be built has remained anonymous even to this day. There are cameras on the site…so…somebody is watching you!

            Once we were forty-five miles from the beach, we stopped to see a very important, beautiful friend we haven’t seen in ten years. Oh, how I have missed her! We also stopped to see the old church we used to attend. Talk about a time warp! Oh, Lord, please don’t take me back to that!

            Finally, the beach!! I love the beach. It was perfect. We went to the aquarium, played miniature golf, and did some shopping. Was everything as we remembered it from ten years ago? No. Would we go back again? Yes.

            As we made our way home, we had three more interesting stops. First, we detoured to Fort Sumter. That was neat to see. The Civil War started there. Then, as we drove back through Georgia, we discovered a small sign that read, “FDR’s Little White House”. Well, who could pass that up?! It was a little hard to find, but we did. It’s a little cottage in Warm Springs, Georgia where he would stay when he wanted to find relief from polio in the natural springs there. I learned a lot about FDR that day that I never knew before.

            Our last “must” stop was for a plate of good old southern food. We found it in Alabama. Once our stomachs were satisfied, we made our way to our beautiful new home.

            I know this blog is a little long winded, but I had to share our amazing trip with you. We would not have seen or experienced any of this from the air! Take a road trip somewhere. The journey is worth it!

My Birthday Month All Wrapped Up

My Birthday Month

All Wrapped Up

Here it is, the last Sunday in June. My birthday was Thursday and it was wonderful. My family spoiled me as they always do. Sweet surprises from friends and coworkers also helped to make my birthday very nice.

Now, the month of June ends on Friday and it’s time to move on to other things.

I hoped you enjoyed getting to know a little more about me through the blogs this month. I’m sure I’ll share a little more along the way.

I want to let you know the July blogs will be slightly sporadic, but I’ll be back to my normal weekly blog in August.

Until I blog again, have a wonderful summer!

 

 

My Birthday Month Age is Just a Number

My Birthday Month

Age is Just a Number

            I will be forty-one this Thursday. That number doesn’t bother me. I’m okay with being in my forties. I have never really had a problem with getting older. I have only been twenty-nine once. I have never seen the need to stay that age. I’m happy to grow older. Maybe there are a couple of reasons for that??

            I think the biggest reason age doesn’t bother me is, that is just my mentality. At one point growing up, my Pampa and I had a conversation. It went something like…

                        “I’m – (insert an age here). I’m an old man, K.”

                        “No, Pampa, you aren’t old.”

            Granted that’s a summarization of a conversation from long ago, but my Pampa and I would repeat that conversation several times from then until he passed away. Each time I would answer with “No, Pampa, you aren’t old yet.”

            I don’t know why I answered that way. Probably because I didn’t want my grandfather to think of himself as old. However, as I have gotten older, I haven’t yet met a number that scares me. I have embraced each new age.

            A couple of other reasons I feel this way could be I married a man six years older than me. Most of the people I know and get along with are older than me. So, maybe in my relating better to them, I don’t feel my age.

            Also, I have a twenty-year old daughter and a nineteen-year old son. I know big deal right?! Well, most of the time when people find out the ages of my children, they are shocked because most people who meet me don’t believe I’m already in my forties. I guess I’m growing older gracefully.

            I won’t lie, people thinking I’m younger than I am is a nice compliment. I do tell people my age though. I really don’t have a problem with the fact that I’ll be forty-one on Thursday.

            It really is just a number!!

My Birthday Month Kindred Spirits

My Birthday Month

Kindred Spirits

Okay, I have a confession to make. I was not always into reading. As a matter of fact, I didn’t really like to read a whole lot until I was in high school. The turning point?? A very special Christmas gift from my parents.

One Christmas, I received Anne of Green Gables from my parents.

I devoured that book. I read the entire series. I couldn’t get enough of Anne’s imagination and Gilbert’s teasing of her. I needed to know what happened next.

Once I read the series, I just kept reading. I found authors that intrigued my interest. I became the full-on nerd I am today, spending the weekend reading or not going to sleep without at least reading a chapter.

If you ask me why it was Anne of Green Gables that made me catch the reading bug, I’m not sure I have a good answer for you. Maybe there was something about Anne being redheaded and full of imagination. Maybe I secretly hoped to have a Gilbert in my life. Or maybe the author’s creative use of word play drew me completely in and I could not help myself.

Whatever the reason, I’m thankful for it.

When asked, I always say this book is my favorite and it is. It opened my mind and eyes up to a creative world that I hungered for. I loved this book so much, I hint at it in Emma’s Journey! (If you haven’t read my book yet, you should!)

For any of you with young children, this should be a must read for them. Sure, girls will like it more, but it’s  a classic and it represents so much. L. M. Montgomery, (Lucy Maud Montgomery) published this book at a time when women didn’t do so.

I could go on and on and on and on…but I won’t.

Read the book!! It’s soo worth it!

My Birthday Month

My Birthday Month

I’ve never been one to say, “It’s June first, time to celebrate my birthday for the next thirty days!”

I do have a birthday this month. I thought I would use this month’s blogs to help you learn a little more about me.

The first time I saw Val Kilmer in a movie was when my dad was watching Tombstone on TV. I watched it with him. By the time the movie was over, I wanted to know more about the actor who portrayed the role of a dead man.

I was very introverted and shy as a teenager. Movies and music were how I escaped reality. So, I started learning a little more about Val Kilmer.

It was also in high school that I started trying to write lyrics and poems.

As I grew older, my interest in Val Kilmer increased because between all the role playing, he stayed true to who he was as an individual. I didn’t have to read articles to know this, he showed himself in how he chose to respond to being an actor in Hollywood.

Fast forward to now. Last night was the second time I met him. The first time was in 2013.

When I first met him in 2013, I had completed the first draft of Duney and I was trying to figure out the best author road for me to travel at the time. During that meeting, I was still a little nobody who hadn’t really done anything special and never thought I would actually meet Val Kilmer. But, I did!

It was great!! My kids were with me. They got to witness a true artist in his craft. When it was over, they both understood a little better why I like Val Kilmer both as an artist and an individual.

When the opportunity came to see him in person again four years later, I had to take it! Once in a lifetime was awesome, but who knew I would get to do it twice!!

This time, I was meeting him as an award-winning author who was eight books into her journey. My awe of him had been transformed from that of a mere fan, to an artist being inspired by another artist.

His journey on his Citizen Twain project has been long, but with each new step, he has progressed forward. He has seen certain parts of his dreams and desires for this project come to fruition and I needed to know that. My own journey with Emma’s Journey is fifteen years as of now. It took fourteen of those years to write it.

I know there are people who understand why I follow Val Kilmer. You don’t have to. It’s my choice. As an artist, I find him inspiring. His honesty about his journey helps me know I’ll get there in my own journey. As an individual, I respect and admire his ability to stay true to who is, to profess his faith in our amazing Creator, and to be willing to spend a few minutes with people like me.

Check out his work at www.valkimer.com. It’s worth exploring

Thank you, Val Kilmer, for another amazing night and memory!

All Things Beautiful Part Four

All Things Beautiful Part Four

            For the last blog on this topic, I’m choosing to talk about my pets. I love my pets! I have a twelve-year old Jack Russell Terrier mix, a five-year old Chihuahua Terrier mix, and a four-year old cat.

Out of the three, the only one that is really mine is the oldest one. The other two technically belong to my kids, but I seem to have inherited them as they left for college. Well, maybe the other dog was for all of us. It doesn’t really matter.

I love having a pet. I grew up having a dog, cat, or both most of the time. I like being able to just hold one of them when I’m alone and feeling down. The oldest one used to let me snuggle him like a teddy bear, but doesn’t seem to like that so much as he has he grows older.

For me, they are a comfort. My house is never actually empty because they are always there to come home to. It’s nice to be greeted by them.

I will admit that I’m a little concerned about moving them into the new house. The rules will be slightly different there, especially since they are getting older. I want them to love their new home, but I also want my home to stay new for as long as possible. So, a few things will change.

I think they’ll be okay though. They are all pretty good pets. I love each of them very much. I’m so glad we have them with us.

All Things Beautiful Part Three

All Things Beautiful Part Three

            Sometimes beauty isn’t seen, it’s heard. Have you ever found yourself sitting at the window sill with your eyes closed listening to the rain? Have you ever closed your eyes while sitting at the beach and just listened to the waves crashing to the shore?

            While I admit that I haven’t taken the time to do those things with my eyes closed, I love the sound those two things bring.

            I have stated many times that the beach is a medicinal place for me. I always leave it better than when I arrived. There is something about the waves crashing to shore and the sound that accompanies each crash. It’s not beckoning danger. It isn’t looking to hurt you. It’s simply doing what it is supposed to. Each wave brings new life to shore and washes old life away.

            The same is true with a rainstorm. Each drop falling to ground brings with it a new freshness. When it lands on the ground it delivers new life to the spot and washes old life away.

            Nature uses waves and rain to “wash” the earth, to cleanse it. I think that is why the beach is so medicinal to me. Each wave is saying, “Come, my child, let me cleanse your mind and your soul.” The air is thick with humidity, yet I breathe clearly. I allow the salt to enter in to my lungs and cleanse me with each breath I take. I feel free to be me again.

            I love simple rainstorms, not nasty tornado producing thunderstorms. Thunder and I do not get along. I love the simple rainstorm that comes to cleanse the ground. It leaves behind the sweet, crisp scent of having washed away unnecessary things. It, too, helps me breathe better internally. It calms me and gives me a chance to recoup and find myself again.

            As I type this, the windows are open in the room I’m in. There is a wonderful breeze blowing. I’m hoping it will bring a little rain to dance with it soon.

            If it does, I’ll close my eyes and enjoy the sound of the rain. Won’t you join me?

All Things Beautiful Part Two

All Things Beautiful Part Two

            It’s Mother’s Day so, of course I’m going to focus on my kids today!

            My children are now young adults. There are times I can’t believe they are already old enough to live out of the house and attend college. I wish the days of playing outside and being silly on Friday nights when they were young hadn’t passed by so fast.

            I cherish every wonderful memory of them as children and I still wish I had the ability to protect them from bad things.

            I wouldn’t say that I ever deserved to win Mother of the Year. There are things I would do different if I could. Despite what I did wrong or right as a mother, my children are doing very well.

            They are also wonderful people. They have turned out to be amazing individuals. I know they are still learning who they are. So far, though, I’ve been very proud of how they have grown and matured.

            I love them very much. I’m thankful for them every day. They are beautiful, not just on the outside (They are both pretty darn cute!) but on the inside as well. I am truly blessed to be their mother.

All Things Beautiful

All Things Beautiful

By the time this month is over, I should be sleeping in a very beautiful place for the first time. For the first time ever, I am a home owner. Being forty, I understand I’m entering this stage a little late in life. Then again, maybe not. We’ve done a lot of moving. I have lived in places I wish I had never left. I have also lived in places I couldn’t wait to leave.

I have dreamed off and on of being in a place I wasn’t renting, but it didn’t seem like a logical thing to do at any time sooner than now.

The house will basically be an empty nest, but at least my children know we’ll be here for a while. Maybe now being older than most first time homeowners, it will be a little more appreciated, a little more loved. I know I love it and I’m not even in it yet. I’ve been watching the process impatiently as we enter into each new stage and with each step this home I never thought I would have is the most beautiful home I have ever seen.