POEM Beginings and Endings

I had started writing this in July 2012 before Carol and Cooper were  marrIed on August 18, 2012. Cooper proposed to Carol on July 4, 2012 in Gatlinburg at the Peddler restaurant.

Written from Carol's perspective by her mom:

Come to our wedding and you will see,

the two of us exchange vows and rings

pledging ourselves to GOD and each other

to become one as Mr. and Mrs. Singletary!  

I am so excited, and can't wait to see

What God has planned and we are yet to see

How everything will fall into place

as we start our life together in Gatlinburg, Tennessee!

Let me tell you how all this came about...

we have been dating for quite a while

(3 and  one-half years to be exact),
I was a sophmore and Cooper a senior;
It was January 2009 when he first asked me out.

I was unsure how my dad would feel about all of this
So we devised a plan..and used it to perfection, to wear him down.
We convinced himthat Cooper (and Caleb, and Justin) would watch over me!
and after 3 years of dating we had no doubt
We wanted a life together as husband and wife!

Now, how to get our parent's permission ???

We put our heads together and came up with a "get-dad's- pemrission-to- wed game-plan"
(along with 3 backups ..just in case)
Cooper was ready for any thing my parents might ask
when he came over a couple of days before July the 4th 2012
and asked if we could get married and he have me as his wife!
.

He told me later "they looked a little shell shocked upon hearing our plans"
and told him in no uncertain terms :
"if you don't take care of our girl, you will be a 'wanted' man!"
But they knew how strong our love was for each other
and that was ultimately what won them over.

Since we were on a roll, we thought we might as well
Hit them with bomb shell number two, cause
We knew the next question would be "When?"
so we said "Seven weeks from now... that woldl be just swell!?"
Mom was about to stroke and she said "WHAT?
how are we going to get ready for a wedding so soon, ?

While we had them confused we dropped bomb shell number three:
We told them about the business we were going to start,
They had no reason to worry, it would all come together,
we had a plan right from the start, the rest would be easy,
we would just follow our hearts!.

After the wedding we are going on a Caribean cruise

So if you can’t join us on August the eighteenth

We will catch up with  you sometime later

and tell you all of our 'happily maried' news!

Thank you.... family and friends... for all you have done for us!
Please keep us in your prayers

For God to light our way
and for us to give Him all our cares!

Thanks
Carol
_________________________________________________________________
Carol and Cooper got married in a beautiful ceremony  (on Aug 18, 2012) with many friends and family there to show their support.  They took their cruise; came home;  packed up and moved to Gatlinburg by Labor day 2012.  They started their own business and had a cute apartment and had gotten a puppy, named Roxy.  Carol was going to college at the satellite campus of Walters State Community College. On Feb 27, 2013 Carol died after passing out and falling into a glass display case at a business near theirs.   A large piece of glass severed her aorta and she died quickly and painlessly.We are so glad that she and Cooper had the time together that they did, and we are so happy to have been  graced with her presence at our  home for 18 years.  She lived life grand and loved  just as big:  the LORD, her family. and her friends.

I added some thoughts below  as a fast forward to almost 5 years later.  We miss her a bunch and know we will see her smile again one day when the LORD declares so.

_________________________________________________________________

Speed forward to June 2017

It is hard this time of year when many of Carol’s friends are starting new phases of their lives.
Some have graduated and are finding new jobs,making all that effort for their degree worthwhile.
Others are settling down with a wife or husband and having children that grace their lives.

I can't help but wonder what Cooper and Carol would be doing now, five years after they married.? Would Carol have a 4 year degree and be branching out in some new position, or helping  their business grow and prosper beyond all belief? Or would they be planning the arrival of a cute little baby that i could spoil?

I asked Cooper recently what he and Carol talked about when dreamed about their future? He was taken by surprise at my question, and it took him a minute to gather his composure, but he said that they often spoke of the future but ,they were content to just live lifeto the fullest in the moments that they had.
Although i wish they would have had many more moments of happiness, joy, love, and laughter

to share,  I know it is enough. God’s providential plans marked their lives for His glory to be known through them. He allowed them to share in something so special for just 6 months before she was gone. He let them live a lifetime full of love and joy….. as much as was meant to be. I will always remember the sparkle in Carol’s eye that was reserved for just her guy every time we got to see her after they married.

She told me once that she was happier than she ever thought she could be. Of course she was..she had Cooper by her side and God watching from above, She came into all our lives for us to learn different lessons; she taught us well, I think. And as her momma I am so very proud of her. I miss her so very much, and there are times when I feel her spirit close to mine..Other times i can hear her voice and I smile. And I whisper to her "see ya soon, sweet girl or mine!"

6/1/2017

Judy hensley.

Ha! PD I made some good pics in spite of you!

I thought  I would take this opportunity to get in PD's face and just laugh.  Cause I did not give in to him (yes, mine is a male disease  cause I don't understand it either--more on that another day.)

I recently put some photos in a juried judged photo contest in Kingsport. I had 4 out of 13 that I  submitted recieved  honorable mention.  The photos in this competition are really excellent!!!

We got to stop in one  day while  they were judging a bunch of pictures and only saw  one of mine.  The general categories that they mentioned that influenced the score  were composition, focus, and does the picture tell "a story."  I consider it a significant honor to have 3 of the 4 pics of mine that were honored were pictures  of a church or religious building.  Church and the theme of redemption and love by a Heavenly Father have been a big part of my life.  That is the story they speak for me. And I have to agree that the water lily (pink) is one of my favorites.  I also took a picture of an old country church and put it in the black & white category.

So, ya want to see them? Here are the four with honorable mention:

 

                                                 

                                                                                                                                                             And some personal favorites....

Some days we with PD are the victors. I am grateful for days like these, when I can take the picture anad someone else validates it.  Take that, PD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Judy Hensley
July 2017

Kite Lost but a New Friend Made ([part 2 of the kite story)

In my last blog I wrote about losing my kite one very windy day at the park.  This is the second part of that story.

I was somewhat bummed about my kite reel being stuck up in a cedar tree and was heading back to my car at Willow Springs Park.  It was a short trip at the park, but I was not in a walking mood.  As I neared where my car was parked, I came upon a lady and her mother or mother-in-law,  and they were checking-out some exercise equipment that was just off the walking path.  They invited me to try out the elliptical machine as they were done. 

 I struck up a conversation with the older woman as she stayed to see what my opinion was of the machine.  I was telling her that I was on my way to my car after losing my kite (which you could still see flying really high off in the distance).  She had an accent that I thought was German but she was from Canada and was here to visit their son and wife who lived in Jonesborough.  She said they had only been in town a couple of days but that everyone was so kind.   I told her that the people of this area, East Tennessee, were well known for their kindness and helpfulness.

Her daughter-in-law told me she was from Ontario, and that she had some problems at times with her memory.  My heart was already captured by this sweet lady who was asking "Where is your husband", and  I tried to tell her that he was running with some people at another park and that I lived close to the park we were at.

When her husband and son heard about my kite-escape, they offered to go and see if they could possibly retrieve the reel and my high flying kite.  On the way over the hill to see where my kite reel might be, my new found friend told me her name was Margaret,  and she also went by Marge.  I asked if she had been a stay at home mom or worked somewhere previously.  She said she was a nurse, and I wished her a 'Happy Nurse's Week'.   

When we  got over closer to where I last saw my kite reel, it was still high up in the cedar tree.  We concluded that there was no way to get the reel down so the kite would have to just stay up until the wind let it down, which might be somewhere as far away as Canada! So we headed back to the area near the parking lot.

On the way back to the car, my friend, Margaret, took my hand and told me that I was just beautiful, and so kind.  Several times she did this and I told her that she reminded me of my mother.  My eyes teared up as I told her that my mom died almost seven years ago from colon cancer  and that she was my best friend.... ever, and how it brought me comfort to know that she is in heaven along with my daughter, Carol.

When we got back over to where we first met, I jokingly told Margaret's family that I would gladly take her home with me because she was such a sweet soul.  But I could tell that I was out of luck on that deal.  Margaret told me she and her husband had been married 50 some years, and I figured she had a good thing going there so they should continue together.  I told them that it was a pleasure to meet them and asked if they might take my picture with Margaret, and they did.  So here is the picture of my new friend, from Canada, Margaret.  I wish her well and thank her for loving on me one afternoon at the park!

Judy Hensley 

May 9, 2017