T is for . . . #AtoZChallenge

 

After a Sunday blogging break, we are continuing on with the A to Z Challenge - this is our last week!

T is for . . . .

Tea - not the drink!

In our area, we love to host a good party.  When a person is getting married, friends love to "entertain" for each other.  One of the parties hosted for most brides is a Tea.  There is no tea involved. 

On Sunday afternoon, I was privileged to help host a tea for a friend's daughter.  We started planning several months ago.  Invitations were made and mailed.  Food assignments were made.  Last minute details were worked on into the wee hours of yesterday morning.

Debbie was in charge of the flowers and she did an amazing job!  Look at that basket on the door - it is beautiful!!

The hostesses usually purchase a gift together as the "hostess gift" - Michelle was opening our gift before the party started.  We gave her several pieces of All Clad - she will love cooking with those pots and pans!!

We served Baby Bites from a local bakery - they are soooo good!  We also served candied pecans, cheese straws (if you aren't from the south . . .these are not pieces of cheese - they are delicious yumminess!!), teeny tiny finger sandwiches - both pimento cheese and chicken salad; fruit kebobs; wedding cookies, handmade mints, lemon water, and punch (non-alcoholic).

Here is a picture of the bride and her mother and all of the hostesses.  The weather had been yucky and rainy but turned into a lovely afternoon.  My job during the tea was to open presents and call out the name of the giver and a detailed description of the gift which was entered into a spreadsheet by another hostess.  At a tea, the bride doesn't open the gifts.  They are opened in a back room (usually a bedroom and bathroom1!) and then displayed in another room for all to see.

She received some beautiful pieces of her china, crystal, flatware, and pottery.  She also received many beautiful towels and monogrammed sheets and some fun kitchen gadgets.  She also received more pieces of All Clad so she can cook up a storm!!  Parties like this are never hosted by family - always by friends.  I've heard that is different in some parts of the country.  A tea is a "dress up" affair - Sunday dresses or nice slacks.  We do host fun showers, too -- bar showers; recipe showers; tool showers, etc.  Those parties are often more casual - often couples - with a theme and fun food.

T is for Tarrant

I grew up in a small town.  We walked everywhere or rode our bikes.  We used to go to Kessler's Pharmacy and get a coke float or an ice cream cone (along with whatever our parents needed!).

Our family didn't have a lot of disposable income.  Looking back, I guess we might have been considered poor by some folks but I NEVER felt poor.  One of our BIG treats was a Friday night trip to Walker's Restaurant.  They had the best country fried steak!  They brought the cream in these tiny little glasses (for the coffee) and they would always let me drink it!  My sister found one of those tiny glasses in an antique shop and gave it to me for Christmas!!

Tarrant is not the same place it used to be.  Growing up in Tarrant was like growing up in Mayberry.  Tarrant is a much rougher city today with many people living below the poverty line.  Almost half of the people in Tarrant live below the poverty line.  My friend, Julie, has started a ministry called Overflow Foundation and they are working with the children in Tarrant a few days a month now.

When I lived there, people in neighboring communities wanted to pay tuition so their children could attend Tarrant schools.  We had an award winning band, an awesome football team, and a lot of smart kids!

My last T is for Trinity

Trinity UMC is a building but she is so much more than that.  Her architecture is incredible but she is so much more than that.  Mrs. Barbara is a faithful reader of my blog and she suggested that I blog about Trinity on "T" day.  I know Mrs. Barbara from Trinity.  That is what Trinity is . . .there is an old children's song  - I am the church. We are the church.  Trinity is a whole bunch of diverse people - from one end of the political spectrum to the other - who love Jesus and want to live for him.

Our children's area is so cool -- the Ark!

Almost all of our relationships are with people from our church.  I'm friends with Terrie (mother of the bride above) from church - we went to Israel together last year.

The group below is one of our "out to eat" supper clubs from our Sunday School class.

We serve God together.  This is in our Sunday School room which happens to be the ORIGINAL sanctuary.  We were making PBJ's for a local shelter.

In addition to being my church, my place of worship . . .Trinity is also where I work!  I get to work with some amazing people who actually love each other (most of the time!).

We've been in the same monthly supper club since 2004 . . .with friends from Trinity.

I eat lunch every month with three other mothers - we raised our children together.

Mark and I host the young adults on Tuesday night as a result of Trinity UMC (and a lot of work from God!!).

I can't imagine life without Trinity (and more importantly . . .without God!)

I have NO IDEAS about tomorrow - what in the heck is U for?  Umbrellas?  Unicycle?  (I do have a good unicycle story!)