Tag Archive | birthday

Happy Birthday, Ruby!

Nov9


Today is Ruby’s birthday and she seems to know it. She has been running around the house chasing her hard food – batting it like a hockey puck, playing with her favorite kickeroo, batting a toy mouse and teasing Skippy and Little Alice.

 

 

Happy Birthday, Ruby!

  ♥ ♥  ♥

We knew we wanted another Maine Coon to be a friend for Skippy. John had scoured the internet for all the Maine Coon breeders and knew which cats were about to be “new Mamas” and the bloodline of the new litters.

I wanted a calico kitty like my first kitten, Ruby.

Ruby the first was a sweet, gentle kitten who allowed this six-year-old to dress her up in doll clothes and to stroll her around the neighborhood in my red doll carriage. I wanted another kitten like that! Although it is difficult to find a kitten with the same temperament of another cat (especially one born more than forty years later!) but I remembered what my Ruby looked like so that is what John looked for.

One night, he called me into the home office and said that “Nicole’s” kittens had arrived.  I saw the picture of this tiny kitten and my heart leaped. “That’s her! That’s my little Ruby!” I said with confidence.

 ♥ Our first picture of Little Ruby

Wasn’t she adorable? I’m not sure John thought so at first. I seem to recall the phrase “little wet rat” was spoken with a chuckle. But I knew this was our little gal. No doubt about it. John contacted Karen, the Maine Coon breeder and made arrangements for us to visit them in Lenoir, North Carolina.

 

 

  By the time we were able to visit Ruby the first time she was this adorable, fluffy kitten.

 

 

 

 

Ruby and her kitty family lived in a nice, clean bathroom. Ruby didn’t hesitate to come to us.

Mama Nicole anxiously watched us for a few minutes and then seemed to give her approval. I had the feeling she was telling me that she was happy to let me be Ruby’s new “Mama” and we were delighted!

 

 

 

 

Ruby and her kitty family lived in a nice, clean bathroom. Ruby didn’t hesitate to come to us.

Mama Nicole anxiously watched us for a few minutes and then seemed to give her approval. I had the feeling she was telling me that she was happy to let me be Ruby’s new “Mama” and we were delighted!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Karen kept us up to date on our sweet kitten and we noticed the term, “feisty” mentioned once or twice.

 

 

 

Good practice for meeting Skippy! Notice her sibling? Not sure if she just punched him or if he is watching her practice her “princess wave

 

 

 

It didn’t take long for Ruby to settle into her new family. We think it was love at first sight when she and Skippy finally had the freedom to play together.

Best Friends!

They have enjoyed playing together ever since.

They still have a bit of kitten left in them!

It’s not unusual to see the Purdy cats running through the house or stalking each other one minute and snuggling the next!

They play hard and sleep hard!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then Little Miss Alice to be a loyal friend!

 

 

 

Happy Birthday to Ruby, our little Princess!

 

A Birthday Surprise Conclusion

Oct25

 

A Birthday Surprise Conclusion

Isabel joined her family in Papa’s car just as the sun was
beginning to set upon the day. “Thank you, Papa, for such a
beautiful day. I’ll never forget it.”
Isabel cuddled Raymond in her arms and sat back in her seat to remember her first birthday
without Mama, and yet, Mama’s presence seemed to permeate
the day. She breathed a prayer of thanksgiving for Mama, for
Papa, and for a loving family and friends, asking a special blessing
upon each person.

Isabel’s Birthday Sample I from The Vision of a Mother’s Heart

Oct23
Last August, I published a sample chapter of The Vision of a Mother’s Heart in my Winepress blog. I thought I would share this with you in three installments. Happy reading!
The Vision of a Mother’s Heart
By Katherine Hinchee Purdy

A Birthday Surprise

ISABEL LOOKED AT the date on the newspaper, and her
eyes filled with tears: August 24, 1925. “It’s my birthday,” she
whispered to little Ralph, who lay quietly in her arms as he
teetered between sleep and wakefulness. He jumped slightly as
he edged closer to slumber, fighting to stay awake. Isabel smiled
as she looked down at her eight-month-old brother and thought
back in time to last year, when she had been so excited to enter
the grownup world of “double digits.”
“I wish Mama were here,” she whispered. A tear slid down
her cheek.

“I wish she were here too, Pumpkin,” said a deep voice from
the shadows, startling Isabel and the baby.
“Papa, I didn’t know you were awake. The rooster hasn’t
even crowed yet,” Isabel said with a hint of teasing in her voice.
She rose gently from the rocker.

“No, don’t worry about getting breakfast yet; it’s too early,”
Papa said. He took the slumbering baby and laid him in his crib.
“Besides, Lena is fixing a breakfast fit for a queen this morning,
and she said to be sure to have you and the children at her house
there in time to enjoy it while it’s hot. Did you get any sleep
last night? I think I heard the little ones exercising their lungs
a couple of times, but they had stopped before I could get up
to see to them.”

“They just needed a diaper change and their regular
4:00 A.M. feeding,” Isabel said. She stretched and yawned and
then walked to the sink to start a pot of coffee.”

“Now what did I just tell you?” Papa said with mock consternation
in his voice as he watched his eleven-year-old daughter
make a strong pot of coffee just the way he liked it—with nutmeg
and egg shells to make even the cheapest coffee taste full and
rich, just as her Mama had taught her. Isabel looked up just as
he was wiping away a tear with his handkerchief.

“Something wrong, Papa?”
“Not today, child. Just had something in my eye, that’s all.”
He wiped at his eye again and then blew his nose before folding
his white cotton fabric and putting it back into his pocket.

“Well,” Isabel said, “since Lena is fixing our breakfast, I’ll
just make some muffins to tide us over and may be the boys
will want to eat an apple with their glass of milk since they have
to milk the cow and take care of the outside chores before we
go. They will really be hungry, and it will take almost an hour
to get to Jim and Lena’s house.”

“That sounds reasonable to me. Just don’t tell Lena,” Papa
said. “She’ll skin me alive if she knows I let ya’ll eat before we
got to her house.”

Isabel rushed to get everyone dressed and ready for the trip.

No sooner was she ready to step out the door than one twin
needed changing and then the next. When everyone was finally
squeezed into the seats of the Tin Lizzie and on the road to
Roanoke, Isabel breathed a sigh of relief and enjoyed the view.
She hoped it would push back the beautiful memories of her
last birthday with Mama.

Mom’s Birthday

Apr18

Cake by Ashley's CakesToday is my mother’s birthday.

“Barbara Jane” was born April 17, 1936 and won a baby contest when she was one year old. Her parents, Harry and Isabel gave her a lot of attention and obviously, spoiled her rotten! By the time she was only ten months old, Barbara Jane had a little sister, Shirley Ann. As you can see, she became attached to dolls and became a little Mommy to her baby dolls.

I can still remember her taking me to Lakeside Amusement Park. We rode the "grown-up rides" that twirled, rolled back and forth; causing peals of laughter as Mom tried not to squish me! She smelled like Persian Wood perfume, powder and cotton candy.

Mom loved being a student at Lee Junior High School. She still talks about the friends she made at this cozy school. She can name all of her teachers and especially loved her Glee Club teacher who encouraged her to sing alto.

In 1966, she and Dad Hinchee finally gave me a baby sister

And then a baby brother!

 

Hobbies include

  Cooking

Decorating

Gift Wrapping

Making special occasions extra special!

Rocking babies

                                                                                                     Singing Hymns with her daughters

Three years ago, Mom lost her sight due to a virus. The doctors told her that her sight might return within two years but it hasn’t. She would love to continue doing all of the wonderful things she is used to. Now it is her turn for us to do for her. Dad Hinchee is a remarkable caretaker and we are so thankful for him! He deserves a reward for all that he does.

Now, Mom sits on the porch listening to the birds, smelling her flowers, appreciating the breeze on her face and praising the Lord for the little things often unnoticed.  Her day is filled with Christian radio (BBN) and listening to audio books.

I am sure she is also praying for her children, grandchildren and her two great grandsons!

We surprised her on her seventy-fifth birthday with a party. Family and friends gathered for a wonderful celebration. I wish we could do that every year! Filling the house with laughter and chatter really brightened her spirits.

This reunion reminds me that one day, we will be reunited with loved ones who have

 gone ahead long ago. There will be no more sorrow, no pain, no blindness, no more death but we will see Him, our Savior, face to face. What a wonderful day that will be! Until then, we will rejoice for all that He has given us. His love, salvation, new life, joy, peace, grace for every trial, the sweet fragrance of flowers, the singing of birds, love of our family and for Mom!

We love you, Mom!

Thank you friends for sharing in my mother’s birthday celebration. Mom has made so many birthdays special for us, I couldn’t resist giving her a tribute today.

Until next time,

Kathy