Amber's poem for Frances

Sycamore Woman

I remember the last time I saw you.
Spotted yellow kerchief tied on your head
And your dress---Aurora borealis blue
Swimming about you like the sky/
You moved
with thick ankles
planted firmly
to the ground
and the shh shh of small branches
wilting as you walked.

I guess it’s hard for my young mind to fathom
how your smiles could fit
in a hospital bed.
The cracker-white sheets sighing
beneath your waning roots.
I can barely picture
your grand feet
raised
like a toppled sycamore
never to land again.

I remember the last time I saw you.
Your wind whispered words told me
That romance is worth fighting for.
And that love is the best thing in this world.
You liked to say "oooo Lord!"
And smile while the dew from your
Moist eyes rained up the ground.

I am trying to grieve your death quietly.
I am trying to listen to the rustling of the leaves
in the thick twilight.
I think about the soil
in which you came.
I think about the rough bark
and sweet sap of your life--
Blowing bits of breath
into the world.
I think, too,
Of that blank space
Your passing has left.
That bare spot in the forest
where once a sycamore woman reigned.

I must smile softly, though,
because I can see bits of green where you once stood.
I can see new seedlings,
small and strong,
pushing up after you.

For Frances Adams
from Amber
On your 80th birthday.

Anne's poem for Frances

Frannie

"I'm Frannie the Grannie,"
she said with a grin
and opened her arms wide
and took me on in.

A more generous woman
you never could find
with her pride, and her stride-
she was one of a kind.

Frances was there for me
when I needed help
and there for my husband
and my children, as well.

She celebrated life
and was a renegade of sorts.
She supported strong women
and romance at all costs.

We love you Aunt Frances.
We're sorry you've passed.
But your memory and love
will always last.

Annie

Dedicated to Frances (August 4, 1927- July 21,2007)

R.I.P. my dear Auntie F.

August 4, 1927 - July 28, 2007

Just one week shy of her 80th birthday, my dear Auntie Frances passed away. I am very glad and graciously honored that I had an opportunity to spend quality time with her over the past few months. As most of you know, Auntie F. had a quick wit and sometimes made us laugh with her X-rated sense of humor. She was a spry and feisty woman who did not hold back on what she had to say. She will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved her.

I hope this link works - I posted pictures of my trip to Vegas over at myspace. So, if any of you have myspace and this link does not work, just look me up over there. Ya'll should know my name. lol

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPicture&friendID=59136045&albumId=1120077

Ok, been there – done that!! Vegas was alright.

It was record heat while we were there 120 in the damn shade!! I had a good time tho. We were there 5 days and 4 nights so we packed in every day doing sight-seeing. Went down on Freemont (the old Main Street) where they have all the lights and then they have this awesome light show on the ceiling!! It is like a canopy covering the whole block. We saw comedian LouieAnderson, who looked kinda frail and he had a cold and was limping on his hurt leg. But, he was funny as hell. We saw "O" by Cirque du Soleil and that was a show to behold. Simply magnificent!! (http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/en/showstickets/o/o-Las-Vegas.htm)

We went to Madame Tusaud's house of wax. Visited the Coca-Cola store and the M&M's store. The hotels were beautiful. Some had painted ceilings and floral conservatory. The Bellagio hotel had a fantastic light and water show with music. We stayed at the Treasure Island and went down stairs to the Tangerine Club and the Mist Lounge. We got in VIP because we stayed at the T.I. I wanted to go to Pure nightclub (Lindsay Lohan was supposed to be there for her birthday, lol). We went over to Jet nightclub (right across from our hotel), but the line was atrocious and they were serving “locals night”. If we had known we could use our T.I. key, we would have gotten in there VIP as well, because they are sister hotels. Other than the heat, I had a good time.

I don't gamble, so that was not fun for me. You can go broke in Vegas, but I actually came home with $200 left from my budget. I refused to spend outrageous amounts for stuff that didn't really excite me. I did a bit of shopping while there and actually found some good deals. lol If I ever decide to go back, it won't be in the summer and it may not be for another 5-10 years. I took quite a few pictures, but I am still stuck with a regular 35 mm camera and need to get my film developed. lol

Hi everyone

I have been very busy lately. I completed my five courses for the Spring semester and then went directly to Daytona Beach to grade AP Government exams. While there I went to the Daytona race track, I gambled (lost $20) on a casino boat, I visited St. Augustine, and I saw the Space Shuttle Atlantis launch.

Then I came back for a very special 8th wedding anniversary.

All pictures are here:
http://apdaytona.blogspot.com/

Hi Everyone

Hello!!! I'm so happy that Ava suggested a Family Reunion. This is something that I want to do with both sides of my family. A blog is a great idea to keep in touch. Thanks Marriah for setting this up. When I have time away from my busy job I will make sure and check the blog and post comments. One more thought....I am a great party planner so I am willing to put a good amount of time into planning and orgainizing a reunion. Love you all!!!

hello

pleased to be here. I will start posting

I also have a blog on here which might assist you in catching up with what I have been doing for the past year. The link is below. At a later time, I will catch you all up on what my sons (Otis and Louis) have been doing as well. I am still living in a small country town in Northern Wisconsin, working for the District Attorney (full-time) and a local truck stop/convenience store (part-time).

Still unmarried/single/kinda dating. lol Been traveling to Georgia to reunite and reconnect with a mother and 3 sisters whom were lost/taken from me almost 40 years ago. That has been the best part of the past 5 years of my life, other than raising two very fine/smart/mature young men and getting them the heck out of the house!!

Thanks to cousin Marriah for setting up the Adams Family Blog so quickly. I hope to see more posts each and every time I visit. This was a fantastic idea from that beautiful young Ms. Ava Adams, whom I had the pleasure of meeting when our beloved Uncle Gene passed away.

Peace, Love and Happiness to all my family. Can't wait to see what you all have been doing.

http://jaxkat.blogspot.com/

Ava Adams' first post

I have realized two things while living in Brazil for the past 10 months. One, that people are pretty much the same in all parts of the world, and two, the importance of family.

I didn´t think I would miss my family as much as I have while living in Brazil. Not just my immediate family, but my family as a whole.
I think about my brother, Alton, who I haven´t seen in almost two years. And the last time I saw him was for a matter of five minutes where I talked to him under a bridge after nearly running him over with my bike.
I think about his daughter, Naomi, with whom I used to play with everyday, then at the age of 12.. we just kind of began to separate. Now I wonder always where she is. I think of her friends that she´s had for a year who know her better than I even do.
I think of my other nephew, Little Albert, we are the same age and live in the same city but I can´t even remember the last time I saw him.
I think about my big Sis Sandra who has a contagious laugh and lives in Reno with Beautiful Tisha and her children who are growing faster than I can count to ten. I always miss them.
I think about Cousin Jackie and my cousin Lewis her son. I think about how much Lewis looks like Amber and how they have never met. I think of how well I have talked with Carl and how well we would get along. I think about Aunt Henrietta and how I´ve only met her once in my life, but when I did, I felt like I was meeting a part of me, a beautiful part, rich and full.
Family.
I think about the cousins I have never met, all the Aunts and Uncles.
I think about Big Mama and Big Daddy and how I´ve never met them, but the stories I´ve heard of them will always live on.
I think about how members in our amazing family have passed on and some of us have never had the chance to meet them.
But then I think about all of the beautiful Adams cousins, nieces and nephews being born everyday. How its up to us to show them the amazing family they come from.
--
Our family is a beautiful family. We are all spread around the United States and even the world. We are all individual leaders, living our individual lives. We all have our success stories and beautiful families.
I am feeling happy and proud of the few accomplishments I have made so far in life.
But a part of me has always felt incomplete... my family.
Where is everyone? And where do we all live? What are our lives like? What do we love, hate? What are our fears? Favorite foods? How different or alike are we? And who else out of us wants to get to know our amazing and beautiful Adams family?

First.. I think it would be cool if we could make an Adams Family Blog... where there, we can stay in touch by posting up our individual stories and pictures of our lives and families. We could also post stories from our past and if anyone has pictures of our Aunts and Uncles then we can post those too.

Then Secondly, a family reunion. It would take a lot of work and a lot of us to get it together. And maybe even a year or two to find everyone. But after our first successful reunion.. it would be a lot easier to do the next one then maybe even make it a regular event.

Also.. if anyone has any ideas on the reunion and would like to dedicate a little time to planning it then lets get together and get a count on who can help, I know I´m in.
I will be starting university next year as well as working, but I know I will be able to dedicate time to making phone calls and writing emails.
---
So write me back and let me know what you think and if you would like to help. Also if anyone has any email addresses of the family besides the ones that I have on this email can you please send them to me?

I love all of you. I hope everyone is doing well.. and I hope to be talking to all of you soon.
All My Love,
Ava Marie