Our little Secret

Lego Force Field

Dear Oz,

You and I have a special game that we play called "force field".  It's an imaginary game involving electricity bolts, protective bubbles, tickle blasters, and freeze volts.  I love your imagination and how you love to explain things to me.  We started playing this game when you were 4 years old and I was helping your mom and dad move into your new home.

Your Dad was working down stairs staining the floor so we had to stay upstairs.  We invented a number of games during that time.

I love you Buddy.  I love your wonderful mind and sweet spirit.    Diva

Roller skating Diva

Dear Oz,

This is a picture of you and your Mom at a skating party.  It was one of the first times you have been on roller skates.  It is hard to stand up and not fall.  When I first started skating my feet would go in opposite directions and I would fall on my bottom or on my knees or elbows.  I learned to skate on the sidewalks on the cracked and uneven payment.  I used to tie a pillow around my bottom since I fell so much when I first started skating.

Diva didn't have knee pads, elbow pads and a helmet when I skated.  I went through a lot of bandaides and even broke my left wrist when I was 6.  That was the first bone I ever broke.  I broke the same wrist 3 times (in the first, second and third grades).  I wasn't very graceful and would fall, trip or tumble frequently.


I learned to skate using metal skates that would clamp on my shoes.  I needed a skate key to make the clamps tight so they would not come off when I picked up my feet.  I lost a lot of skate keys so my dad would use the pliers to put my skates on.

I enjoyed skating a lot when I was growing up.  We had a roller rink not very far from our house and they would let kids skate free every Saturday morning for 3 milk tops from a particular brand of milk.  My mom would ask neighbors and friends to save the tops for me so I could skate.  The skating rink was lots of fun and one of my best memories of childhood.  My older sister didn't like skating so it something I got to do by myself with my friends.

I had a skating party for my birthday one year.  I was able to invite my whole class, Brownie troop , church friends and neighbors to come to my party.  I was pretty popular that whole week.  It was one of my best parties. I'll have to look through my pictures to see if I can find a picture of that party.

I am looking forward to see what you will enjoy doing.  Poppa and I want to live closer so we can come to your games, or school programs.  Know that you are loved and prayed for every single day.

Your Cheerleader....Diva

I mustache you this question.

Dear Oscar,

  Did you know know that Poppa used to have a mustache?  I never liked it because it was bristly like a broom and made my face red.  One year he shaved it off for my birthday.  Uncle  Andy was 13 and had never seen Poppa without a mustache.  He was shocked that Poppa looked so different.  Poppa really loved his mustache.  He has never been able to grow a beard like your dad so he was very proud of his mustache.  It was a real sacrifice for him to shave it off for me.  (He still misses it!)

For Poppa's 65th birthday we all put on plastic glasses, big nose, and mustache to celebrate him.  "Imitation is the highest form of flattery"  So we all tried to look like him.

For Poppa's 40th birthday (when he still had his mustache) all of us wore these to celebrate him.  Your Uncle Andy and Auntie Becky still lived at home at the time.  There was a commercial on TV at that time about a pancake house that sold "Rootie Tootie Fresh and Fruity" pancake special.  The people who ordered it in the commercial were embarrassed to say the name so they all wore the glasses and mustache as camouflage so no one would know who they were.  That's how your mother came up with the idea to look like Poppa as he already had a big nose, mustache and glasses.  ( You mom was already creative and smart as a teenager!).

Poppa loved having all of you sing Happy Birthday to him and enjoyed watching you play with the remote control helicopter he brought for you and your brothers.

I pray that you will always think your Poppa is wonderful and will always want to be just like him.

Your Diva

Reading Bible Stories

Dear Oz,

Diva had the opportunity to stay with you and your brothers while your Daddy was on a trip.  I got to stay and watch your brothers while Miss Maddie was sick. 

I love listening to you read the Bible Story from the Bible Story book right before bed time.  This morning while I was talking to Poppa on the phone you asked to talk to him.  You recited the 23rd Psalm that you had memorized.  I noticed that Poppa got really quiet ( that was because he was weeping for joy to hear you quoting scripture from memory).  You told him you also know Psalm 100. 

As your grandparents nothing makes us happier than to hear you memorize scripture.  Know that we pray for your every single day that you will grow up to be a kind, strong, loving Christian man like your Daddy and your grandfathers.

Love you kiddo.....Your Diva and Poppa

All of us love you

Dear Oz,

While Poppa and I were visiting with Auntie Rachel and Uncle Andy in Fort Worth we were very fortunate to visit with your grandma and grandpa.  How bout that...all 4 of us in the same room talking about our sweet boys.

Your grandmother and I had such a sweet time visiting.  You may remember that she has been sick and I told her all about your sweet prayers for her health every night and how you always want to pray first  for her.  I told her about how you can read now and how you love to watch "How It's Made". 

Your grandmother told me that she has known your grandpa since she was 6 years old.  She laughed when I told her I probably wouldn't have even liked Poppa when I was 6 years old.

I think she looks really good.  She is feeling much better and I told her how proud she would be of all "our boys".  I tried to encourage her and your grandpa to come for a visit this spring.

We all 4 pray for you every single day.  That's a lot of prayer power backing you up Buddy.  Poppa and grandpa talked about your grandpa's new work shop.  I bet you and your brothers will love puttering around in grandpa's work shop when you visit them in Texas.

Just wanted you to know that the 4 special people in your life all love you and are so proud of you.

XOXO   Poppa and Diva

At the library

Dear Oscar,

I am so glad you enjoy reading.  I know that you enjoy the library.  You like the Lego's, puppets, doll houses, coloring , and many other activities the library offers.

Your mom is an amazing librarian.  She has the best book groups and knows the best books to read.  You are a very lucky boy .

Poppa and I pray that you will always enjoy reading and finding adventures and answers to your many questions at the library.


Did you know that you, Charlie, Mommy and Daddy have your faces on a library bus?  How cool is that?  When you first moved to Johnson City, Tennessee your parents spent a lot of time at the library while waiting to move into their new home.  They had their picture taken with you boys for a special reading program that Dolly Parton supports.   Every child in Tennessee gets a free paperback book every month until the child turns 5 years old. They liked your family picture so much that they put in on the special bus.

I've never personally known anyone who has their face on a bus.

Love you so much,

Diva