Linda Grace Sibadogil Copley but you will always be Ti-Ti to me

We came to visit you December 12th thru 14th, 2014. I know you did not feel good. You were uncomfortable in the bed and you fought tooth and nail to not be bed bound but your arms and legs could not sustain you any longer. I will never regret being able to be by your bedside. Just 3 short days later you are now unresponsive but with still such a strong will to live. You told me in July that you were afraid to die. You told me this past weekend that you wanted to keep fighting. You are a fighter indeed and so strong! I cant even find the words to tell you how much I love you. My heart is completely broken. I told you then and I'll say it now over and over how special you are to me and  how much I love you. You are 76 years young and cancer got the best of you. Even though you were weak, could barley talk and keep your eyes open, you still answered a few questions I asked you. You still smiled, even chuckled a few times and played balloon toss with the girls while in the bed. You always read this blog and kept up with the girls, me and our lives and I love you for that. You called often, you came to visit at least a couple times a year, you always brought me egg rolls and boiled peanuts and we would stay up and roll 100+ egg rolls at night when you'd come. I could tell you anything. You were non judgemental, you always took my side and you made me feel  as if you were my biggest fan. When I was little you carried me, you played with me and as soon as I could walk you said I would run across the field in Sabah to wait till you got out of teaching class. 

You never missed a birthday-always sent a card. You were at my graduation, my wedding and soon after the girls were born you came to visit. You will never know just how much you impacted my life and I am forever grateful to you. You are my Ti Ti and I'll always like to think I was your favorite!:)

I love you Ti Ti and will miss you so much. 

Ti Ti

Name: Linda Grace Sibadogil Copley

Born: December 24, 1937

Nationality: Indonesian

Born in Sabah Malaysia

Came from a Family of 11

You were #6 of nine siblings Brothers:4 Sisters:5

Favorite Color: RED

Favorite Verse: My grace is sufficient for you

Favorite Food: Noodles

Fav. American Food: KFC ;)

No embarrassing moments, you said. Yeah right;)

Moved to the USA in 1980

Married: William Copley in 1983 at Thatcher Hall at SAU, Collegedale, Tn. I was your flower girl

What did you like about Uncle Bill: "He was Patient. I was always hyper. I liked how laid back he was"

First Kiss at 44 years old was to Uncle Bill in 1982 at  summer camp

Favorite Place to Travel and why: CHINA because of the culture

What you like to do in your spare time: Play the piano which you taught yourself

Taught yourself how to roll egg rolls

You love to flower but do not like gardening

Favorite Vegetable: Eggplant

One thing people might not know about you: "I am not a hopeless romantic. Neither was Uncle Bill and I liked that"

Favorite Dessert: Coconut Ice Cream

Favorite Holiday: Christmas

Favorite Candy: " I am not much of  a sweet tooth"

Favorite Snack: Boiled Peanuts

Favorite Fruit: Mango...just like me
My Last words to you: "Dont be afraid. I love you"

Written by my brother Stephen Conner Thurmond
"My first memories of life are running around barefoot in Sabah, East Malaysia... climbing star-fruit trees and eating them till they literally removed the enamel from my teeth (leaving me with a mouthful of silver caps). Gorging on the "Stevie" banana stalk hanging under our front porch. Playing in the daily downpour of a tropical climate and bottle feeding a pet black bear named Madu that dad brought home from one of his missionary excursions. Yes, my early life was truly a magical one similar to Disney's Jungle Book...sans the loin cloth.

One of the pillars of this time in my life was a sweet lady named Linda Sibadogil who we called Ti-Ti. She helped my mother, who had been transplanted to the other side of the globe with two toddlers and one on the way, raise Lara, Amber and me. My mother is superwoman, as some of you know, but I think she may have left her mind in Sabah had it not been for Ti-Ti's help.

After a painful battle with cancer, Ti-Ti passed away this morning. My sister, Amber (whom Ti-Ti helped raise from birth) was very close to her and has written a heartfelt tribute to her below.

Ti-Ti, you were part of the family and one of the sweetest, most soft-spoken people I've had the pleasure of knowing. You will be missed and thought of often as your gentle laugh still rings in my ears. Thank you for teaching Amber how to make your legendary egg-rolls...she does them proper and pays homage to you with each batch."

Venice Catherine Sweet Thurmon: Grandmother

Its no fun making these posts but going thru all the photos and memories makes me realize just how fortunate we are to be a part of and loved by such wonderful people.

Grandmother:

You helped me hide in the blueberry bush so I wouldnt have to ride the horse

You let me watch a baby calf being born

You had soft mints in the freezer at Christmas time

We played Button Button on the steps at the barn house

You taught me how to shell peas

The red coat on the fence told Grandad it was time for dinner

You always got me bubble gum from the bank in Dyersburg

You taught me how to make your AMAZING granola

You showed me a very secret tip when making bread

You would giggle till you had tears in your eyes

You would dance arm and arm, round and round to Davy Crockett with me

You always had pretty, matching spring colors on that always looked good with your white hair

You were an amazing cook

You never spanked me
You were just 56 days shy of being 99 years old
You loved ONE man 78 years-Inspirational

You would let me hide in your closet at the farm house to spy on people in the living room thru the vent

You let me play dress up with your silk night gowns

You gave me $ for clothes when I started to work at the bank. Said, "I needed to dress professional"

You help with my schooling which allowed me to have a 4 year degree and no school loans ( i worked too)

You loved it when I rubbed your feet and put lotion on them

The smell of Oil of Olay reminds me of you

You would always let me pull the lose skin from your tiny hands. You said it was because you were old and I said it was soft.

People use to say I looked like you and I always took it as a compliment

You loved me and I loved you back so much

You were a lady with class

You were the best. 

I love you and will miss you so much!

FAMILY VACATION....DISNEY 2014

DISNEY TRIP 2014

What a great trip! The girls were just the right age and height to ride the rides. We got into Florida about 1am Sunday morning. We stayed at an RCI....Silver Springs Resort which was very nice. Full kitchen, over 1500 s.q feet with plenty of space. It had its on theater on site, 3 heated pools, cabana bar and grill on the pool deck and lots of family activities. A huge thank you to Flo and Trevor for the week in Florida!!

Sunday: we slept in and then went to Cocoa Beach for the day. Girls loved the beach, sand and building sandcastles.

Monday we did Downtown Disney (bibbidi bobbidi boutique) where the girls had their hair, nails and make-up done....a PRINCESSES dream.(thanks Juju) Poor chris had a 12 hour bug and was under the weather for a bit but didnt stop him from seeing the girls get all pretty.

Tuesday: Sea World....where else can you see killer whales and dolphins up close

Wednesday: Disney World which consisted of Cotton candy, roller coaster rides, funnel cakes and a 125 minute wait in line for a MEET AND GREET with Elsa and Anna....the whole reason why we came:)

Thursday: we just hung out by the pool all day and relaxed. 

Friday: I woke up with the grud and was miserable for our 12 hour ride home. If I was gonna get it this would have been the day though. 

And of course after a trip like that you need 2 days to recoup, clean out and wash clothes!!!

Chris was back to reality, up at 3am for a route to Lexington and Louisville Monday morning. 

Thats 2 theme parks, lodging comped, gas, food and blow money all for a family of 4 for $2000!!

BACK TO REALITY!!

James Earl Thurmond

August 25, 1943 - Sept 1st, 2014

I thought I would be more prepared to sit down and write this but the tears just started to flow. 

I miss you dad!

All the things that make me think of you and things I'm going to miss about you:

Your nut eating

Your love and talk about sailing

Mentholatum 

Your goofy grin when you know you were being rediculous

Walking around in your white underware all the time

Your daisy duke cut off jean shorts-you did have nice legs

The Doors

Odouls

Auction cars

Perrier water with lemons
 OCDness

The way you told us to always leave a place better than you find it

Binaca

Brown breifcase

Coffee mug that never had coffee but water in it at the conference office

You peeing in a bottle in the car

"Turn the lights off when you leave a room"
"Did you drink your water?"

"Did you make your bed?"

Speak Correctly
Dont end a sentence with the word "at"
I've had plenty instead of I'm full
May I instead of can I........

Straighten up....hold your shoulders back

Your encouragement....always encourging to keep going

Explaining to me when I was little how fish breath underwater

That you almost spanked me for singing "Fernando" too much

Giving me my independence

Giving good financial advice even though you were not so good at it yourself

Travel

Your fruit trees

The animals and how you would catch the goat droppings in your hand.....bwahahah

"I know. I'm a pilot"

Your love for ethnic food

How you taught us how to work hard,
 Be honest, kind and fair

Your walks

Your lateness

Worship songs in the car

that you threw my cherry chapstick out on the Pennal Farm in Memphis

that you actually got me a horse for my Bday when I asked

that you made me ride that horse and till this day I HATE horses

That we had to work for our money and it wasnt just handed to us

when you bought......you usually bought the best!

That you saved $$ out for all us kids to have a car when we turned 16

that you let us and TRUSTED us to drive before we should have been

that you let me get a house cleaning job at 15 and drive there on my own 3 miles away

TIME magazine

National Geographic

Camping

CHEESE

Grapefruit with Salt on it

Motorcycle Riding

Honey on our cereal 

Shredded Wheat

Steel Cut Oats

The Bible....you read that thing A LOT!

That you told us and showed us you loved us!!

You were a good dad!

XOXOXO

Dad and Uncle Bill Copley you will be missed.

FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN- JACK ANDERSON ELEMENTARY

Kindergarten Phase-In Week

They only went 1 day for 3 hours.....quite a tease for Mama;)

They did great. Hugged us, went right in and never looked back:)

Sadie on Left

Trista on Right

 OFFICIAL FIRST FULL DAY AND WEEK OF KINDERGARTEN
SADIE=L
TRISTA=RIGHT

 SADIE:
Teacher:  Mrs. Cynthia Sentell

 Trista:
Teacher: Mrs. Kelly Parker

So the first week was interesting to say the least. As kindergarten parents we got to walk them in to class everyday for the first week, which I did. On Monday I waited in line for 30 min in the Pick Up line so on Tuesday they were signed up to ride the bus home. Its  a 10 min bus ride home and I thought, "what the heck, why not?" 

So the first  day the bus driver goes right by the house (I'm standing at the end of the driveway waiting for them) My kids, being so shy didn't say a word to the bus driver, they just looked at me and went right by. Bus driver realized and turned around and came back. 

Day 2 riding the bus they GOT ON THE WRONG BUS!! Teacher said they were put in the correct line but Race, the neighbor boy, got out of line and in a different line and of course our kids followed him so they rode the wrong bus and ended up back at the school where Beth, Races mom, had to pick them up and bring them home since I was at  doc.s appointment with mom and Chris was incapable of driving at that moment. 

Day 3......third time was a charm.....they rode the right bus and got off the bus in

front of our house. :) 

Sooooo bus riding was a success once the kinks were worked out. 

They love school.....so far;). Cafeteria line might be our other obstacle. I looked at the menu ahead of time and decided that Tuesday (mac/cheese, fish sticks and green beans)  and Friday (pizza and broccoli) would be safe days to let them experience the hot lunch line and know that they would actually eat the food. It costs $2.55 a lunch and I figured if I cant make them a lunch or am just flat out of food and have not gotten to the grocery it would work out perfect. 

So, Sadie comes home on Tuesday. 

Me: What did you eat for lunch?

Sadie: a roll, mac cheese and chocolate milk

Me: WHAT?! Where were your green beans

Sadie: I did not see any green beans.

Me: of course you didn't!!

Trista did a little better and had fish sticks, mac/cheese, plums and chocolate milk but I have a feeling I'm going to be making a lot of lunches:)

Oh and they are loving the  CHOCOLATE MILK option......since they hardly EVER get it. 

We decided to separate them in different class rooms. Teachers recommended it and we kinda knew the year before that we would just based on their personality. They were completely fine with it. The hard part is going to be on me when i have to keep up with different PE days, Art Days and field trips days and Volunteering.

Tuition for the year was $160 for both plus I bought extra supplies and stuff the teacher had requested. 

Jack Anderson was rated #1 in Sumner County for Public Schools. The staff and Principal have been excellent!! Hoping for a great first year of Kindergarten. Cant believe it!!!