CHRISTMAS 2022

CHRISTMAS 2022 

 

This was the year for our 70th wedding anniversary. The girls did it up big with a reception for family and friends at our house. They duplicated our original cake with the little bride and groom on top and had a video showing of our family. 

 Our year started out on a sad note. Chuck Howard who, with his wife, we vacationed in Hawaii for 15 years, died. It’s sad to say goodbye to someone who you have shared so many good times with. 

However, we have added a new member to our family. In September, Emily and Brookes had a little boy, Allen Brookes Wright, III. We call him Tripp and he is special. You can see the twinkle in his eyes even at such a young age. 

Andrew and Alex are having a little girl in January which they are naming Eloise Joy. Our family dinners are becoming occasions. It is such fun being great grandparents! 

We enjoy living here at Touchmark. The people are so friendly. We are blessed to be able to live in such a nice home and to be so well taken care of. This is the crew we usually have dinner with. 

Touchmark recently established an on-site health care program. The doctor comes to the house on Tuesdays. We signed up and really like the doctor. 

Our Health Fitness Center is top notch. Katlyn is young and enthusiastic. We are in one of her classes. 

Birthday night once a month is big at Touchmark. This year I was honored that Emily and Andrew and spouses joined us for dinner. 

We love our little back porch. Every morning after my walk, I sit on the porch and do my Bible study. “The Boys” take their turns on my lap and get brushed. This Spring we were given a blue bird house. It has been such fun watching mama and daddy blue bird prepare for their family, raise it and seem to be planning to return since they come and check it out almost every day. 

The porch is also a good place for a manicure! When Sandy comes, she always finds time to do our nails and toes. What a treat. 

Birthdays are an occasion in the Davis family and we celebrated Smitty’s 92nd in a big way. (He wasn’t crazy about the hat).

Suzie always comes and the sisters enjoy preparing together. The girls got Smitty a digital frame this year. It is one of the most appreciated gifts. They all send pictures which are constantly projected on a screen. It is by his chair and I catch him looking at it with a big smile on his face. Sometimes he will ask me who someone is and we will have to discuss it and try to remember. 

I am still stringing my beads. This is my “bead room” where I can slip in any time I get the artistic urge. I make them for gifts and for foster children. I am still The Flower Lady making fresh arrangements in the common areas at the Big House and I was elected Chairman of the Dining Services Committee on the Resident’s Council. 

We are blessed beyond measure and are thankful for our girls and their families who take such good care of us and are so involved in our lives. 

 

We send out our love to all of you and 

wish you a happy and healthy New Year.

CHRISTMAS 2021

In such a stressful year of the pandemic when the big question is to mask or unmask, we feel so blessed to live in our little gated community where they keep us very safe.  We do any shopping necessary on our Walmart App and of course Joy keeps us well supplied and Dan takes me frequently to our favorite greenhouse.

Smitty Cheering on the Cowboys while I decorate for Christmas

Life is calm and peaceful for Smitty and I with our 14 year old kitties. Blackie has decided that his favorite spot is snuggled up next to Smitty, whether it’s on his chair or in the bed.  They are real buddies.  Rusty tags after me and wakes me up each morning.

 

In spite of the unrest outside, we are very social here at Touchmark.  Our 40 little houses are full, with a waiting list, so if someone moves we get new neighbors right away.  

Smitty is selective.  He enjoys going over for dinner every night with two other couples but prefers spending most of his time with Blackie and me.  

My big responsibility is keeping fresh flowers in the common areas in the main building.  Our next door neighbor (Babbs from Ohio) helps me.  We meet every Monday and make arrangements out of last weeks big centerpiece and anything from our garden.  They call me “The Flower Lady”.  It’s been a great way to meet people.

I have been making beaded bracelets to give as gifts. “Middle Child”, Sandy who lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, said “you need something special to put them in”.  She and David are retired and live in a lovely home and she has become a quilter.  She began making me the prettiest drawstring pouches.  They are so pretty, they are really more special than the bracelets.

When we learned that a neighbor was very involved volunteering with Citizens Caring for Children (Foster Children) I offered bracelets for the teens.  Sandy loved the idea and is now making pouches for their bracelets. (147 to date) Word is spreading and a neighbor is making beautiful knit hats with pompoms.  One of the guys commented that something should be made for the boys.  Sandy jumped right in and is making large and small zippered dopp kits in wonderful boy fabrics and zippered cosmetic bags for the girls.  There is such a need.

Our very busy “Life Stylist” Suzie came for Smitty’s 91 birthday and it was a very special occasion.  Suzie loves to spend time with her kids and grandkids in Florida and they all visited NASA this year.

We are so thankful for Face Time, Instant Pictures and texting.  Even though we are in our cozy cottage, we felt very much a part of the family spread out in Desert Mountain,  Florida, Kansas and even Italy.

All of the local grands (and their dogs) and some friends of Joy and Dan's, who have become special to Smitty over the years, were all there for a pizza party.  Their kitchen opens on to a big covered porch surrounded by pool and lovely landscaping (Dan’s project) so we spread out all over.  Then all gathered in the media room for a special movie produced by Sam with greetings from all who couldn’t attend.

Life at Touchmark is everything we hoped it would be.  We have a “Mingle” every Friday afternoon when the caterer brings wine and hors d’oeuvres and we get to know each other.  

Wednesday is WineDown in the Big House before dinner with more wine and hors d’oeuvres and live music.  So between events available in the Health Center, and special programs everyday, we don’t get bored.

We enjoyed dinner and dancing at a Roaring 20's party and I hosted a Garden Party with all my good china and baked for weeks.  It was very well attended and I got lots of compliments.

After attending a class by Twink Dewitt years ago and working on it diligently, our book Smith Family Memories finally arrived from the printer.  We are so thankful to Sandy for spending her time and expertise to put this all together.  

If any of you are interested, she has included a link below to download it yourself.  We highly suggest you work on your story.  It has been such fun reliving these old memories.

Our love goes out to all of you,  family and friends.  We wish you a healthy and happy New Year.

Here is the link to the Smith Family Memories book:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s9ozIBh8-oypoDIXQEuoJfdP2Eb2cFkV/view?usp=sharing

 

Smitty and I would love to share with you the Smith Family Memories book we just completed.  If you click on the link below you will be able to read an e-version of it.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s9ozIBh8-oypoDIXQEuoJfdP2Eb2cFkV/view?usp=sharing

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS 2020

As we are sitting on our little porch with our two precious kitties across from our rose garden, we look at each other and can’t help but feel how blessed we are.

Who would have thought that we would have to postpone celebrating my birthday in March because something called a pandemic has taken over our country.  The girls were planning a big 90th birthday celebration for Smitty in October and of course we were locked in at our little Touchmark community.  However it turned out to be very special. Emily (granddaughter) and Brookes invited us for dinner and entertained us with one of her delicious home cooked meals.  

Emily also made us one of her special apple pies for Thanksgiving. 

The Davis family have all become very good cooks.

We have it so much better than most since we are in our own little gated community with 40 cottages, little parks and gardens, and a lovely big gazebo for community picnics and get-togethers. 

We take our golf cart over to “the big house” for meals and have an in house TV station for activities.  Since we are only 10 minutes away from Joy and Dan, we see them often and they keep us supplied with treats and anything we need.  We moved into their lovely home several times to take care of our grand pup, Mr. Goose, a border collie and sometimes Miss Daisy, Emily’s Bernese Mountain Dog when they travel. 

Thank goodness for our cell phones.  We are in contact with the kids almost daily with a text or a picture.  When the phone rings before breakfast, I know it’s Sandy.  That’s our chat time.  When my cell phone stopped working Suzie sent me one slightly used.  When the computer acted up, Timmy in Florida fixed it over the phone.  When it finally quit, Sam ordered me a rebuilt one just like my old 24 inch Apple for a great price.  I was so glad that I didn’t have to relearn everything.  We are so spoiled.  I have learned to use the Walmart app and it’s an occasion for us to drive over to pick up our order and maybe stop at McDonalds for a mocha frappe. 

Smitty doesn’t have his old energy to participate in many things but he stills has an impact here at Touchmark.  He hasn’t lost his wonderful smile and still loves to tease.  It’s a treat to watch the response of some of these “old ladies” when he shows them attention.  That may be the reason that when the residents voted for the king and queen of Mardi Gras, we were chosen.  It was a nice honor. 

I have my rose garden and my craft cave in the garage.  The garden was so productive that we supplied all 60 tables in the dining rooms with fresh flowers.  When the dining rooms had to close, I took arrangements to the apartments.  I am now known as the “Flower Lady”.

My current project is making beaded bracelets for gifts. 

Our big excitement is another wedding.  Andrew is marrying Alex on December 18 in Scottsdale, Arizona and moving to Oklahoma City to join Dan in the law firm.  We have gotten to know Alex and are so excited to have them nearby.  Emily is on the “front line” at Baptist Hospital delivering babies to some of those infected moms.  Brooks is Senator Langford’s right hand man.  Our man Sam is a senior at OU taking his LSATs getting ready for law school and planning to join the family firm.  We marvel at how Joy keeps all of those young people in line at the office and is hostess extraordinaire.  Dan expends his extra energy on the golf course.

Sandy and David are in Tennessee enjoying our old Ski Nautique on the nearby river.  David completely rebuilt it and it is now red and named “Second Chances”.  They were planning a trip here for Thanksgiving but CoVid forced us to cancel.  David's youngest, Anna, is living in Columbus, Ohio and was able to drive down and join them for Thanksgiving last minute. 

We have used this unexpected free time to good advantage.  For years we have been writing down our family history and stories to share with our children and generations to come.  This has given us time to finish writing it and Sandy is formatting it to send off to the printer. Sandy has also been going through all Smitty's old videos and putting them on YouTube for everyone to enjoy.

Danielle, our little real estate tycoon is now an avid golfer.  Rufus is showing some gray hairs, but enjoys being king of the castle at their home in Lawrence, Kansas.  Smitty is proud that he cut down her first set of clubs and taught Dani to play as a youngster at Hide-A-Way Lake.  Sandy discovered a video of little Dani opening the clubs and exclaiming "This is the best gift I've gotten all year."

Suzie had a very busy spring.  Clayton Homes had many models that needed furnished and decorated.  She barely had time to be sick with Covid but bounced right back and finished her jobs.  

The Orlando crew are an active bunch.  Steve works with CaptiveAire (a family company) the leading manufacture of commercial kitchen hoods.  Trish has had to work with this virtual teaching but I’m sure she has made it as fun as possible with her little 1st graders.  Jenna is a freshman in college and is a VERY talented artist.  Brother Christian is an athlete.

Alison and Tim are learning the fine art of home schooling with their three.  Alison is so patient and loving, I’m sure she makes it fun.  Since Tim is working at home I’m sure he pitches in.

This has been a trying time for us all but sometimes it brings out the best in us.  If we can just remember how much we have to be thankful for nothing seems so bad.  We are especially thankful for our family and friends and hope you are all well and have a blessed holiday.  Remember the reason for the season.

Christmas Greetings 2019

Holiday Greetings!

I knew it was going to be fun living here.  2019 was the year of weddings and parties.  The kids and their friends are wonderful to include us in so many things.   

On June 7, Smitty and I celebrated our 67 year Wedding Anniversary. 

Our favorite waitress at Touchmark surprised us that morning with some celebratory pancakes!

Our granddaughter, Emily, was married June 8, the day after our anniversary.  Emily's wedding was big and beautiful.  

It was wonderful being escorted down the aisle by such handsome (tall!) grandsons.  

Andrew has his own law practice in Arizona and Sam is attending OU in Norman.

 The wedding was like a family reunion for us.  My sister Julie and Kate, her oldest, flew in from Ohio.  David and Sandy drove in from Tennessee & Danielle drove in from Kansas.

Emily is a pediatric nurse at Baptist Hospital and Brookes Wright, her husband, works for Senator Langford.  The families have all blended and Brookes is a catch.

The rest of their little family is our Grandpup, Daisy.  She is a Bernese Mountain dog and we love doggy sitting her and Mr. Goose when Joy & Dan are away traveling with Emily & Brookes.

Smitty is doing very well.  He will never be as strong as he was before he had the brain bleed, but it hasn't made him stop participating - just slows him down.  We meet with a group of six or eight around a table every morning for a big breakfast and solve the problems of the day for about two hours.

Then I go around and water the flowers on the dining room tables and in the halls.  Smitty goes down to the wellness center in the basement and uses the machines.  Life at Touchmark is all we hoped it would be.

My roses this summer were outstanding.  I have nine bushes and lots of bedding plants between. I have been supplying flowers out of our garden for the tables daily.  We just planted 488 Spring bulbs so we will have them for the tables in the Spring.  I was surprised at how much the residents enjoy the flowers.  They call me The Flower Lady and I love it!

We have new next door neighbors from Ohio, Babs and George.  We really like them and do a lot together.  Babs is helping me with the flowers and is a big help.  In October, we had an OctoberFest in the big gazebo behind our home with all of the neighbors.  We made it a pot luck and it was such a success they want to do another one.

One of the highlights of the year was the visit of Joan and Fred Carrigan, our close friends from Hideaway.  They were on their way to visit her sister and it was such fun.  We all went over to Joy and Dan's and had a lovely afternoon around their pool and a picnic on their porch.  Wanda and Hershel Sanders called the other day on their way to OSU for a grandson's football game.  We are hoping the next time they will allow time to stop over.

Sandy and David joined us for Thanksgiving and we were very excited.  Ever since Joy and Dan bought the house on Desert Mountain in Scottsdale their family has spent Thanksgiving there.  We aren't traveling anymore because of the clots in Smitty's legs.  He is doing so well that we are happy to stay put.  We also invited some of our friends from Touchmark, Karen & Eric.  We were staying at Joy's taking care of Mr. Goose, their Border Collie. Sandy, our master chef, organized the menu and I enjoyed spending time in the kitchen being her sous chef.

Suzie wasn't able to come for Thanksgiving but came a few days earlier to take us to get our new hearing aids.  Her life has been busy and she is spending more time on the road than ever. 

She is now working as an Ambassador for a big wine group - The Boisset Collection that has 29 wineries in France and Napa Valley. She was also asked by the LG Appliance company to style their booth at the International Builders Show, and their new Experience and Design Center in Napa.

Trish, Steve, and their family are as busy as ever. Christian is on a baseball team that has done really well and travels to tournaments. He is now almost taller than his Mom and Dad! Can you believe that Jenna will be 18 in a few weeks, and will be graduating high school this year! She continues to excel at school and now is taking after her Mom and has apart time job at Michaels.

Tim, Alison and their family have had a busy year as well. Where does the time go? All of the kids are now in school, and active in after school activities. They all have inherited their father's talent with computers.

We love our Sundays going to LifeChurch with Joy and Dan and the kids and to brunch after.  We have become involved in a new outreach program with them.  We will be occasionally cooking dinner for women in a "Hope is Alive" halfway house - one of the missions LifeChurch supports.  Dan and I enjoy cooking together so we provided the Beef Tenderloin, mashed potatoes, yeast rolls, and dessert for their Wednesday dinner meeting.  

Smitty stood up and gave the prayer and then surprised us all with a heartfelt testimony to the group of about 35 women about what it was like growing up with a father suffering from alcoholism.  He really left an impression.  After all these years he still surprises me!  

We are feeling blessed and loved and enjoying every minute of our life together.  Seasons greetings and a very Merry Christmas to all of you.  

                                                       Love,  Norma & Smitty

Christmas 2018

Greetings from Oklahoma

We are so happy to report that living in a retirement community really isn’t so bad--IT IS QUITE NICE!   I love it and Smitty actually told someone that he LIKES it too.  It was hard for him at first because he missed our friends, our bible study, our church and our beautiful home on the lake.

We have our own 2000 square foot “cottage”, one of 45 in a gated area across the street from “the big house” where the apartments, assistant living and memory care are.  We take our little golf cart over for breakfast and activities.  It’s much nicer than we ever expected.  The landscaper dug our rose garden, Joy and Dan gave us 4 sections of old wrought iron fence, we got an arbor from Amazon and we have a lovely garden to look at from our “cozy” porch.

Our 5 rose bushes were so productive that we had a little rose ministry.  Smitty found the perfect vases at Hobby Lobby (close by) and we delivered 32 rose bouquets to some of the “old folks”.

It was hard leaving our church family in Lindale, but we are going with the kids to Life Church and love it.  We sit for the songs and watch all of the people around us--
young & old, dressed as they please, all nationalities and all so full of The Holy Spirit. It makes me think of what it must have been like when Peter preached to the crowd at Pentecost.  Craig is a great bible based preacher and I’ve read several of his books.  The nice part is that we go out together to eat after.

Touchmark has a well equipped wellness center which we use most days after breakfast.  That is sometimes our biggest meal of the day.  They always have fresh fruit, choice of meat, nice omelets and daily specials.  Six or eight of us meet at 8:30 at a big round table for a hearty meal and lusty conversation lasting usually over 2 hours.  We just got a new chef from Nemacolin Woodland Resort near where we grew up in Pennsylvania.  We are excited and looking forward to many more outstanding meals.

One of our new friends has had a career in the food business and we have much in common.  I’m having an opportunity to use some of my cooking skills here.  Dan’s mother came to visit this summer and we were encouraging her to move here so I had an impromptu afternoon tea to introduce her to ladies in the apartments.  It was such a success that I am having a Christmas Open house here on the 12th.  It gives me a chance to pull out my silver service and pretty dishes and try new recipes.

Our big new responsibility and joy is taking care of the children’s precious  2 dogs and cat while they travel.  We move right in and after we come back for breakfast (only 10 minutes away) we tend our cats and love on them.  We spend most of the time around their pool or lately baking things for our party and using their freezer to store them.

The highlight of the year was celebrating Smitty’s 88 birthday on October 19.  Joy and Dan hosted a dinner party for our new friends, Smitty’s pingpong buddies from their former neighborhood and our family.

Suzie came from Dallas, all of the Davis children were here including Andrew just before he left to open his own Law Firm in Scotsdale. David was having a little surgery so he and Sandy couldn’t come from Tennessee.  At the end of the evening they took us all to the media room and Sam projected on the big screen greetings from all who couldn’t come and a wonderful collection of photos through the years sent in by all.  Sam is a wizard with electronics and  it is a treasure.

Our girls were so wonderful taking care of the move, the sale of the house, disposing of the furniture we left behind and getting us settled.  We are so blessed.  We miss  Hideaway Lake, our friends and our church but this is an exciting new chapter of our lives and we are so thankful that we can take it together.

Have a blessed Christmas holiday

3041 Touchmark Drive
Edmond, Ok. 73003

405-509-2419 Land
903-530-6301 Cell

Paul.NormaSmith@Yahoo.com