They're Coming Home Today!

Today I'm frantically trying to get the house ready coz MY BABY GIRL AND PRECIOUS SON IN LAW ARE COMING HOME TONIGHT!!!
It's been two LONG, LONG years since I've seen them - last time was at the airport in Orlando, when they were flying off to live in Lugo, Spain, where Sarah landed the most awesome job teaching.
They will be here through this Friday, August 7, then will be heading up to SC to see Jon's sister Jenny and her family, then off to Atlanta to visit more friends before coming back the last week of August for a few more days before they once again head back to Spain.
I'm really hoping and praying that when they come back later on this month, that my precious Dude will be able to take a few days off and drive down from Nashville. The last time I had my two kids together was at Sarah's wedding back in March of 07 - wayyyyyyyyyy too long for a Mama to go without seeing her kids!
I'll definitely be posting pics of our time together - LOTS of pics I hope :)

Janelle

Christmas Greetings

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE HURTS!

Last night, we went to my sister Deb's house for a family Christmas Eve gathering, and it was wonderful to spend time not only with my sisters who live here in Florida, but also some of my nieces and their families as well.

Let me share my beautiful family with you -

The Willis Girls

Judy, Kathy, Deb, Janelle

The men in our lives -
Wallace - Judy's husband, Bill - my husband, and Jim - Deb's husband
My niece Allison, Abby and Adam
They will have one more addition to their family before next Christmas!

My niece Angie, Lexi and James

Deb and her girls, Allison and Angie

My turn holding baby Lexi

LaLa's turn holding baby Lexi

Proud Nana with her two baby girls

Wallace with his baby girl, Mary

LaLa, Mary and Deb enjoying some dessert

Now the ONLY thing missing, were my family - We have kids and grandkids in Nashville, and Sarah and Jon live in Lugo, Spain.

Maybe one of these days, I'll be able to get EVERYONE together all at once!

HAVE A BLESSED CHRISTMAS!

Janelle

Sisters

Last night, all my sisters that live here in FL got together for our annual Sister Christmas supper at one of our favorite little Italian restaurants here in town.
Of course we had TONS of fun - we laugh a lot, and just enjoy the time of fellowship with each other. I think the older we all get, the closer we get.
My sister Angie, who is the youngest, lives in MS and can't join us, but that would be my dream - that we all could be together one of these years.
This first pic is of us last night - from youngest to oldest.....

Janelle, Debbie, Ann, Judy, Kathy

This next pic is of my sister Angie and her two girls, Bailey and Lindsey

I am so blessed to have so many sisters - they have always and will always, be my very best friends.

Janelle

The Peace of Christmas

In hard economic times like our world is facing, many are worried, stressed and depressed daily; with the holidays just a few days away, it seems to make all those anxieties grow even worse.
There is an answer and a solution to it all, and Paul writes in Philippians 4:4-7 - "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident that the Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus".
Paul tells us to rejoice - repeating himself to emphasize the importance to us. I think the phrase in verse 5 where it says, "the Lord is near" could mean two things - 1. His return for the church, but also 2. his ever constant presence with us who are believers. It's that presence of his Holy Spirit that brings us into a place of his perfect peace - replacing the doubts, fears and anxieties brought on by the world.
Take the time this Christmas season to enjoy your family and friends. It's not how much you give, or how much something costs - it's always the little things in life that bring the best and the most memorable moments.
My daughter Sarah surprised me a year or so ago with one of the most invaluable gifts I could ever receive on Christmas - it was a dvd of a show that aired on TV when she was little, and we'd watch it each year. It was called "Claymation Christmas", and she said that her memories of that were to where she wanted it to be a tradition her new family participated in each year. Now I knew they enjoyed the movie when they were little, but I had no idea of the impact it made on their lives.
My son's most precious gift to me wasn't wrapped in paper; last year on Christmas Eve morning, I got a phone call from him, where he was telling me the names of streets in my neighborhood and that he couldn't find mine. He worked til midnight the night before, and then drove all the way down here to Florida from Nashville, to surprise his mama for Christmas. HE was my present, and there's nothing that can be bought anywhere that could ever come close to that!
Think about what you and your loved ones can do together this year that will bring cherished memories, instead of fretting about presents or the lack of them. I promise that your Christmas will be filled with the peace that came to us in the form of a little baby in a little town called Bethlehem.

It's a Girl!

Oh I just got the most wonderful phone call from my sister Deb - her daughter, my niece Angie, just gave birth to little Alexa (Lexi).
She weighed in a little over 5 lbs, and has a head full of black hair, just like her mama did! Oh I am so excited, and just can't hardly wait until I get to go see her!!!

Janelle

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DUDE!

Twenty six years ago today, Heaven opened its doors and blessed me with my son, David Thomas White, Jr., aka "Dude". Every mother should be so blessed to have a son like mine - he's compassionate, loving, tender hearted, and a peace maker.

This picture was taken this past Christmas, when I received a call on Christmas Eve from my son, saying he was in the neighborhood to bring my dog his Christmas present. Now that might seem like nothing out of the ordinary, but in this case, my son had driven all night from Nashville down to central Florida to surprise his mom! Never have I gotten such a wonderful Christmas present - I miss him so badly with him living so far away, and he knew what joy that would bring to me to show up like that.

That leads me to a verse in Proverbs 29:17

"Discipline your son, and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul".

Discipline is vital in raising our children - they don't have the ability at a young age to make certain choices, and it's up to the parents to apply proper discipline and correction to ensure that they are spared physical and emotional harm.

My son had to learn his lesson a few times in growing up, but now as a 26 year old man, he has made me very proud by enlisting in the Army National Guard. Am I scared? Heck yeah - but I gave him to the Lord when he was a baby, and I know that God is watching over him and will keep me at peace about the situation.

He has truly been a source of supreme joy in my life, and I pray that one day, I'll get a grandson just like him!

I LOVE you Dude! Happy Birthday my beautiful boy!

Mom aka Janelle :)

LiTTLe SiSTeR's DoLLs - OLD TReaSuReS MaDe NeW

I finally decided it was time to sit down and start a blog!

My name is Janelle, and first of all, I'm a Christian - I'm a wife to Bill, a mom to Sarah (28) and Dude(26), three "bonus" kids, Chris (41), Kim (39), and Cindy(37). I also have eight grandchildren, and am a sister to LaLa, Sissy, Debla, Bubba, and Angie. They call me "Nenelle" :) Don't ask me why none of us go by our "real" names, but I can tell you this - if we're in a crowd and call out one of those names, there's no question as to will answer! I am very proud and humbled at all these blessings that the Good Lord has given to me!

I’m a self taught artist, and began drawing and sewing by 4 years old. I began by drawing out my own paper dolls and their clothes, then learned how to hand-stitch little T-shaped dresses my mother would cut out for me, so I could dress my Barbies in my own designs.

I made most of my own clothes throughout jr. high and high school, and in my early twenties, began making the display clothes for Cloth World, and also getting custom orders for prom dresses, bridal gowns, business suits, etc. One of my customers suggested I try my hand at making dolls, and in 1985, I started “Little Sister’s Dolls”.

I design most of my own dolls, but when I do use a pattern I’ve bought from another designer, I always put my own twist on it, to give it my own unique style. I use pencil water colors to draw their faces, to achieve a more realistic look.

My dolls all come signed and dated by me, and each one is unique in character and design. Thanks for stopping by!

I will be adding in some tips and techniques, recipes for "grunging", and from time to time, maybe even a good ole Southern meal!