The Kat House » family

A Christmas Miracle

Tish — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 18:15:43 +0000

My phone rang just before 4 AM on Monday. As I stumbled to get to it, I knew the news couldn’t be good. As it turned out, my brother Jake’s house was on fire. I rushed over, expecting to find a small fire that had been extinguished, with little damage to the house. Instead, I found the entire road blocked and fire trucks everywhere! I told a cop I was a family member, and he allowed me to go through. It was dark, only 12 degrees, and water used to extinguish the flames had frozen all over the road. I was quickly taken to the fire chief’s truck to keep warm. Jake and my mom were inside, and Jake’s wife and kids were with my dad in his truck.

We don’t have many details as to what actually happened. The fire broke out in the laundry room, with an old wall unit heater suspected as the culprit. The house had central heat and air, and the wall unit had not been used in years, so there must have been a wiring problem. The fire quickly spread through the house, and my brother woke just in time to get the family out safely. Unfortunately, the family cat, Tinkerbell, perished in the fire. A pet goldfish also didn’t make it.

Jake believes that an angel, or perhaps a spirit, is the reason he and his family are alive today. Apparently a woman came to him in his dream and warned him of the impending danger. You can read the news story here. It’s certainly comforting to think that we have guardian angels looking after us, but I can’t honestly say why my brother woke when he did. But we certainly thank God that everyone is safe. The fire inspector said that if it had taken even a minute or two longer for my brother to wake up, it is likely that the family would not have made it out of the house.

It was hours after the fire was extinguished before we were allowed to walk through the house. It was absolutely heartbreaking. With the exception of a few items stored in the garage and the sun room, it was almost a complete loss. Even the kids’ Christmas gifts had burned up.

It really is true that every cloud has a silver lining. This tragedy has allowed the family to find the true meaning of Christmas. They are alive and well – and completely overwhelmed by the generosity of the community. Friends, neighbors, and complete strangers have stepped forward, donating gift cards, cash, clothing, and toys. The entire family would like to extend their thanks to everyone who has thought of them during this difficult time.

Here’s a recent photo of my nephews, Carter and Aiden. I just saw them this morning at my parents’ house. They were having a great time, eating cookies and playing with their many donated toys. Their parents are currently getting settled into temporary housing. They should find out more about the status of their homeowner’s insurance claim in the coming days. Please keep them in your thoughts.

The Agony of De Feet

Tish — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 02:29:40 +0000

I participated in a Walk-A-Thon when I was about 19 or 20 years old. I walked with my sister and my good friend Vernon. I can’t remember much except for how badly my legs ached only a few miles into the 10 mile trek. And then there were the guys and gals greeting us at each checkpoint. Somewhere around mile 8, I sat down to rest my weary feet. One of the volunteers laughed and said, “the agony of de feet!” He was so proud of his little play on words!

As I sit here applying Aspercreme to my legs, I can’t help but think back to that day. My feet certainly did experience some agony, but defeat was not in my vocabulary that day. I pushed on and finished that 10 mile walk, even though Vernon offered to carry me across the finish line. Wow. What a tempting proposition!

So, back to the Aspercreme.

Last Tuesday night, I went to the track with my sister-in-law. We’ve gone every single night since – until tonight, that is. She went, but I decided to rest my weary feet. And weary they sure have been! We’ve been walking for more than one hour each night. I’ve had a great time, and having a partner keeps me motivated. It has also been a great opportunity for us to get to know each other a little better. We’ve talked about everything you can imagine – country music, Hannah Montana, the Lifetime Movie Network, and the movie Cars. Who would have guessed that we’d have so many interests in common?

My nephews Aiden and Carter usually accompany us on our walks. Rebekah has to push a Bugaboo stroller, so we walk a little slower than we would without the kids, but it’s a nice change of pace from the hectic days I usually deal with. Now I get to regularly stop and smell the roses – and the aroma of greasy fried chicken from the neighboring KFC.

Tipping My Hat to the Man Up on the Tractor

Tish — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 02:37:59 +0000

My brother Jake and I used to be very close, but since he got married and had two children, we barely talk. I did speak to him briefly today, and I told him that I had delayed calling him for a few minutes because my favorite new country song had come on the radio. I then asked, “Can you guess what it is?” I was shocked that out of all the new songs being played on country radio, he immediately chose the correct one.

International Harvester

I asked how in the world he could have known that, to which he simply replied, “because I know you.” I guess he still does after all.

I think what I find most appealing about this song is the fact that it’s so true to real life here in Tennessee. We’ve all been stuck behind that “plower chug a lugga luggin five miles an hour”. And though I sure wasn’t laughing at the time, this song puts it in a whole new perspective. Next time, I’ll definitely smile and wave and tip my hat to the man up on the tractor.

Thanksgiving with the Rejects

chattiekat — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 20:58:47 +0000

About six months ago, my parents announced that they no longer wanted to celebrate the holidays with family. They told us to make other plans, as they would be doing their own thing for future holidays. Don’t worry; it’s fine with me. My parents live 10 minutes away, and I see them only a few times each year anyway. It will be even less now.

I have a sister who lives in Nashville with her family, and a brother who lives in Rutledge with his. They had holiday plans of their own. My other brother, Jake, lives with his wife and two children only five minutes from me. We decided to have Thanksgiving dinner at his house.

Jake and his wife cooked the turkey and tons of other food. I made a ham, rolls, and pumpkin pie. Several of Jake and Rebekah’s friends came as well. We had a total of 12 people, and a great time was had by all.

At one point during the evening, someone asked one of the guys there, “Is your mom doing anything for Thanksgiving?” to which he replied, “Yes, but she didn’t invite me.” In any “normal” family, that would be followed by exclamations of shock, but not in mine. Someone else said, “Yeah, my family didn’t invite me either.” And then Jake pointed out that we were in the same situation. As sad as it may be, we all started laughing when someone in the party called us a “bunch of rejects”.

Rejects we may be, but it was nice to be in the company of all these people, each of varying circumstances but with one major thing in common – friends who assumed the role of family. And for that, I’m thankful.

A Stitch in Time…

chattiekat — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 17:52:04 +0000

I come from a very crafty family. My maternal grandmother cross stitched. My mother handcrafted dolls and stuffed animals. Fortunately, their do-it-yourself talents were passed down the family tree.

My grandmother taught me to cross stitch. She tried to teach all the girls in the family, but I’m the only one who took a real shine to it. The other kids each took to their own crafts – my sister to a variety of sewing and crafting projects, and my cousin to candle making. One of my brothers has been gifted with a talent for woodworking.

My grandmother battled cancer for the last few years of her life, and she died in 1993 at age 65. I think of her often with fond memories. I remember having Thanksgiving dinner at her house. I remember waking her up while playing Operation with my sister and cousin. I remember her sweet smile and the kindness she always displayed. But most of all, I remember the cross stitching. She always had a project in hand, and she always encouraged me to do the same.

“Mamaw” always told us the story of The Cross Room. Basically, the story goes that a man was struggling in life, so he told God that his cross was too heavy to bear. God then took the man to a room full of crosses and asked him to lay down his cross and choose another. Some were like towers. Others were smaller than a breadbox. The man walked around the gigantic room and then chose a tiny cross leaned up against a far wall. “That is the cross I want,” said the man. God replied, “My child, that is the one you just carried in.”

Mamaw loved that story, and she always talked of stitching it for a wall hanging. She never got around to it. Toward the end of her life, she went blind in her left eye due to a brain tumor. Tears well in my eyes as I think of how sad she was that her ability to cross stitch had been hindered.

After Mamaw’s death, my mom gave me all of her cross stitch books and materials. I added them to the big box of my own. I am ashamed to say that I hadn’t opened that box in several years until a few nights ago. As I sorted through my many half-finished projects, I found an old newspaper clipping of “The Cross Room”. I found graph paper with half-finished patterns for the story. I found several unsuccessful attempts to stitch the story.

My grandmother’s love of cross stitch now resides in me. It always has, even though I haven’t practiced regularly for a number of years. Cross stitch utilizes fine threads, allowing you to create beautifully detailed art. Even the smallest projects take a significant amount of time to complete, but the sense of accomplishment is great.

Last night I began working on a Christmas tree ornament. I thought my skills would be rusty, but I’m progressing quite nicely. I plan to do a few small projects to get back into the groove. Then I’m going to tackle the project my grandmother always dreamed of. I’m going to design and stitch a wall hanging of The Cross Room. I am going to hang it in my living room to serve as a constant reminder that there are others who are far less fortunate than I. And I am going to honor my grandmother’s memory by bearing my cross just as she bore hers – with diligence and dignity.

Sunday Samplings #1

chattiekat — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 11:21:24 +0000

Weekly “link love” posts seem to be pretty popular around the blogosphere. Several of my friends, including Mike from Ordinary Folk, do weekly posts linking you to some of the cool things they have found over the previous week. Since I read a lot of blogs and find lots of cool things on them, I am jumping on the bandwagon! Each Sunday, I’ll give a sampling of some of the interesting things I’ve discovered.

Without further ado, here are the first Sunday Samplings.

Kaliblue blogged about Israel “Bruddah IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole, a Hawaiian musician who passed away 10 years ago at age 38. He became famous outside Hawaii when his album featuring a Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World medley was released in 1993. The song was featured in several films, television shows, and commercials. I must admit that I had never heard of Kamakawiwo’ole, but I watched the video of his famous medley on Kaliblue’s post, and I was touched. This man had an absolutely beautiful voice, and as Kaliblue put it, A Beautiful Spirit.
Ever wondered where the expression “curiosity killed the cat” came from? Les Jones has the answer. This proverb has a theatre connection dating back to 1598!
We’re all sick of hearing about the iPhone, but Kiltak has posted something guaranteed to make you laugh. Check out iPhone: The Musical.
Pownce is a new project by the founder of Digg. It is still in beta form, so it’s by invitation only. Jonathan Phillips wrote a great review called Pownce: Kinda Like Twitter But On Steroids. Take a look to see what all the hype is about. And if you want to give Pownce a try, I have six invites. If you want one, leave a comment below.
My sister just made some homemade potato chips that are fried in Red Palm Oil. Her family was crazy about them, and if the photo is any indication, I would be too.

2006: A Year in Review

chattiekat — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 21:13:00 +0000

2006 has been a year unlike any other in my past.

Lecram gave me a New Year prediction at midnight on New Year’s Eve 2005/2006. He said that I’d find my perfect partner in 2006, but that I needed to toss my relationship “checklist” out the window. The person who would ultimately be the best for me would be completely different than the guys I had dated – and the guys I was looking to date. My checklist at the time included, among many other things: Christian, never married, no children, younger than myself.

Brico and I had been in communication since shortly after I started this blog in August 2005. We became close friends, spending many hours exchanging emails and talking on the phone. We never seriously discussed meeting in person until this past May. We met in person for the first time on May 27th, and you all know the rest. We’ve been a couple ever since. He is the best boyfriend I could ever ask for. I’m not giving this one up without a serious fight!

As for my “checklist”, Lecram was so right! I would have never imagined that my perfect mate would be an older, divorced Buddhist with full custody of his daughter!

I had never been boating before that first weekend with Brico. I discovered that, even though I couldn’t swim and was deathly afraid of drowning, I loved being on the boat. It inspired me to take swimming lessons, which is a huge accomplishment for me. I’ve taken a number of lessons this year, and I’ve become much more comfortable in the water. I am not quite comfortable enough yet to just let loose and swim, so my swims are only for short distances, and they are still a bit panicked. However, I’ve made great strides toward my goal of swimming without fear. I hope to sign up for a few more lessons in the upcoming months.

As most of you know, my favorite band is The Barenaked Ladies. Brico and I saw them in concert in Atlanta in November. Yet another item checked off my life’s to do list!

My brother Jake got married and had a new baby boy this year. I made some wonderful, new Blogger friends. Life has been good.

I recently made the decision to relocate to the Carolinas to be closer to my sweetie. I’m not sure exactly when it will happen, but I am so excited about the upcoming move. I’ve lived in Knoxville my entire life. It is a huge deal for me to pick up and move 300 miles Southeast, but I am convinced that it will be for the best.

Yep, this year has been monumental. It has been incredible. And I expect even more wonderful things to come in 2007.

Happy New Year to you all! May you find whatever it is you are looking for!

With Someone #3

chattiekat — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 01:52:00 +0000

It’s Self Portrait Challenge time again! I’m late this week, but better late than never!

This photo was taken on April 15, 2006. This is me with my brother Jake on his wedding day.

Out of my three siblings, Jake is the only one I’m close to. It’s funny – we were never close while growing up. Part of that was because of the age difference – he’s eight years younger than me. After I moved out of my parents’ house at age 20, Jake and I barely even talked. At age 27, I got divorced and moved out on my own. I lived by myself for a year, and then I bought a house. I had recently gone back to college, and Jake was getting ready to start college. I called him up one day while moving into the new house, and I asked him if he’d like to move in with me. Considering that he was living my parents at the time, and this would be his first taste of freedom, he said yes. Oh wait – he said hell yes!

Jake lived with me for the next three years. I worked during the day; he worked at night. We both went to school. We watched movies together, we ate dinner together, and we became the best of friends. It was amazing for me to discover all the things we had in common – things I had never before been aware of. It was a terrific three years.

Jake moved out on his own in 2003. He moved two hours away to take a management job in Kingsport. You cannot imagine the loneliness I felt when he was gone. We remained great friends, and he ended up moving back to Knoxville a few months later. He moved to an apartment only a few minutes from me. He lives there still, but now he’s married and has a young baby. Our relationship isn’t as strong as it once was. Family and work responsibilities make it difficult for him to hang out with me. I know that I shouldn’t be upset about that, but I am. I think back to the good old days – watching movies together, discussing our dates with each other – and I am sad. At the same time, I am thankful for the three years we spent becoming not only brother and sister, but also friends.

Story Relayed By Jake

chattiekat — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 09:54:00 +0000

I just couldn’t help passing this little story along.

My brother Jake is a manager for Walgreen’s. He sometimes calls with customer stories that just blow my mind. When he called yesterday to tell me this one, I thought I was going to die laughing. Hopefully you’ll find it just as humorous. And the best part? Completely true!

A guy walks up to the counter with six 72-packs of Walgreen’s brand sleep aid, which just happened to be on sale – buy one get one free.

Customer: I used to have such a problem with insomnia. I tried all sorts of sleeping pills, but nothing did the job – until I found these. I’ve been taking two of these pills every single night for the past 10 years! I sleep like a baby and wake up feeling refreshed every morning! These pills are cheap, effective, and not at all habit-forming.

Excuse me?

Happy Happening of the Day – 8/2/06

chattiekat — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 21:45:00 +0000

Aiden William Stanley Sharp was born at 3:30 PM today. He weighed in at 6 pounds 9 ounces. Mother and baby are doing just fine.

It was a rough day for me. Jake called at 6 AM to tell me that he and Bekah were on their way to the hospital. I don’t normally get up until about 6:45, so it was a rough morning. I got up, showered, put on some makeup, picked up my mom, and headed to the hospital. I must say that this day was completely new for me.

My sister has four children, but they live in Nashville, and I rarely see them. My brother Ralph has one child, but I rarely see him. I’ve never been particularly close with any of my siblings except for Jake. I’ve never been in a hospital room with someone in labor. I’ve never seen a baby just moments after being born. This was very difficult for me. I cried when Bekah had contractions. I could just feel her pain, and it really hurt me to see her go through it. And when I first saw my new nephew, I cried. My little brother Jake isn’t so little anymore. He’s now happily married with a brand new baby boy. I never imagined I’d see that day. I’m so proud of my brother.

And now, without further ado, here are photos of both father and son!