5 Generations from Slavery

Last night was magical!

I don't think it has fully hit me yet what this country has accomplished.

Barack Obama was elected as our 44th President....A Black Man!!!

How do I feel?

Well last night I was obviously caught up in the emotion of the moment. I woke up Imani so that she would have her own memories of this time to reflect on as she progresses on her journey of history in the making.

I'm not really a writer so it's hard for me to put into words what I am feeling.

I am thinking of my ancestors!

Abraham/Abe was born in South Carolina as a slave. I know he would have never even formulated the assumption to birth a thought that last night could have been possible.

What about his son, Dennis? Born abt 1851, he was born a slave too but was a preteen when word of emancipation hit Texas. Was the possibility of last night something he contemplated as the reality of freedom danced in his dreams. Was it truly a reality for him or was it an empty promise, something said and hoped for but never actually realized. As a laborer who couldn't read or write, did he even hope or was he sobered by his reality too afraid to believe? As ptomaine killed him slowly from eating his daily lunch from a tin can did he ever have a moment of "what if?"

His son John Alexander may have, as one of the first born into emancipation. He may have entertained the thought but it was never, ever spoken aloud. His generation learned as past ones, that such things were not something to study for too long. The tragedy of this generation was that they were given false hope. Their parents knew their station in life and didn't allow hope to taint their reality. John's generation hoped and were probably brutilized far worse than those of previous generations.

John's son, Roscoe, 2nd generation from slavery was in pretty much the same boat as his father, but this generation started venturing out a bit, but not far because ultimately, they too knew their place in society. Not as a cultural mandate, but their place was indoctrinated into them as a survival tactic. Lynchings, beatings and other unadulterated atrosities were everyday common place.

Roscoe's son, Reginald grew up knowing these things, but for the first time, 3 generations from slavery, his reality and future was far different than his father's. He was a child of segregation who was a trailblazer in the fight for intergration. He busted the doors wide open as one of the 1st black student athletes at Pecos High School in Pecos, TX. Intergration robbed him of being Valedictorian at the all black school, but true to his personality, that did not stop him from being named Salutatorian of his all white class at Pecos High.

He and 2 of his 3 siblings were the first in the lineage of our family to attend and gradate from college (Huston-Tillotson College...now University). He and his brother Charles even went farther to obtain professional degrees. Reginald a Doctorate in Dental Science (DDS) and Charles a Medical degree (MD).

Reginald's children, Tisha & John, 4 generations from slavery are part of the 1st generation of those who were not told "No!" as their parents were. This generation did not encounter "White Only" signs. Their experience has been more covert. Gone, somewhat, are the white hoods, from open view & display. This generation experiences the struggle in the boardrooms of corp america. But this generation has seen success unlike any their parents could have ever dreamed...but the cost has been too high.

And Now!!!

5 generations later, Abraham's GGGG Granddaughter, Imani has witnessed the dawn of a new era. She has opportunities ahead of her that are yet to be realized. The way has been paved with blood, sweat, tears, pain, heartache, disbelief, grief, disappointment and every other negative connotation you can come up with. But today dawns a new paradigm shift, colossial like an earth quake!

An African American President!!! Our President!

Do we take ownership of him because he is black or is it because he had the audacity to hope for all of us even when we couldn't see that hope for ourselves.

I am reminded of my blog post on the Obama campaign website after his More Perfect Union speech....

Keep the faith & be encouraged
By TLC InTX - Mar 20th, 2008 at 2:41 pm EDT

Keep the faith and be encouraged all who work towards the perfection of our
union.Although we do not know specifically what he did and the name isn't
spelled exactly the same (Barak), in Hebrews Chapter 11 several men were
mentioned who exhibited a great faith.

v. 32-34 "And what more shall I say? I do not have the time to tell about
Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through
FAITH conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised;
who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames and escaped the
edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became
powerful in battle and routed foreign armies."

v. 39-40 "These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them
received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only TOGETHER with us would they be made perfect."

I am encouraged & inspired by Senator Obama's speech because finally
someone has acknowledged the white elephant in the room, aired our dirty laundry and spoke with eloquence about the actions & events that have stained the Stars & Stripes for far too long.

God bless all of you.
God bless America.

I am on my tip-toes filled with unbridled anticipation for what is in store for our family and our country!

YES WE CAN!!!

This made me MAD

Okay...I am HEATED!!!

"Email from former co-worker"

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THIS COUNTRY -- THAT WE COULD SERIOUSLY PUT AN ADMITTED BACKGROUND LIKE THIS IN A POSITION AS PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF OUR ARMED FORCES!!!!

Think you know who this man is?

This possible President of the United States !! Read Below and ask yourselves, is this REALLY someone we can see as the President of our great nation!!!!

Below are a few lines from Obama's books; In his words!

From Dreams of My Father: 'I ceased to advertise my mother's race at the age of 12 or 13, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was ratiating myself to whites.'

From Dreams of My Father : 'I found a solace in nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mother's race.'

From Dreams of My Father: 'There was something about him that made me wary, a little too sure of himself, maybe. And white.'

From Dreams of My Father: 'It remained necessary to prove which side you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out and name names.'

From Dreams of My Father: 'I never emulate white men and brown men whose fates didn't speak to my own. It was into my father's image, the black man, son of Africa , that I'd packed all the attributes I sought in myself , the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, DuBois and Mandela.'

And FINALLY the Most Damming one of ALL of them!!!

From Audacity of Hope: I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.

If you have never forwarded an e-mail, now is the time to Do so!!!! We CANNOT have someone with this type of mentality running our GREAT nation!! I don't care whether your a Democrat or a Conservative. We CANNOT turn ourselves over to this type of character in a President. PLEASE help spread the word!

To which I replied:

I am quite disappointed that as we close in on the end of the 1st decade of the 21st century, there are still those out there who are so threatened by CHANGE that they would hold dear such ignorance.

And yet I remain optimistic that there will be a brighter future for us ALL as Americans….no matter our race. Maybe one day Dr. King’s words will be more than just something we reflect on in order to be politically correct during the month of February, maybe they will become the call to action….the cry of humanity that we all can rally around and truly believe in.

To those who call themselves Christians….Christ-like. I charge & challenge each and every one of you to do your part to end the enemy’s reign and to stop this hatred from spreading any further. For it doesn’t matter who sits in the White House for the next 4 years….what truly matters is He who sits on the throne yesterday, today & forever.
~TLC
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

.....ending of MLK's I have a Dream Speech

"Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.
And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."²
This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.
With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:
My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,
From every mountainside, let freedom ring!
And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.
But not only that:
Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.
From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
Free at last! Free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

Happy Birthday Dianne!

Okay so Saturday was my co-worker, Dianne’s birthday. I knew I wanted to give her something special. She has truly been a God-send to me. When my car broke down I was about to panic about how I was going to get to work but before I even could, Dianne offered to let me ride with her. Oh..let me backtrack…when I got this job and they were taking me around to meet everyone, when I met Dianne she asked me where I live…

Me: I live in Hutto
Dianne: So do I
Me: I live in XXXX subdivision
Dianne: No way! So do I!!!
Me: Get out! I’m on XXX Dr.
Dianne: I live on the next street over!!!
Both: Small world!!!

Then we found out that she lives right next door to my daughter’s best friend. Mani had even helped feed Dianne’s cat while she was out of town (Her best friend was feeding the cat while she was away & Mani helped).

So she let me carpool with her all last week and even got SERIOUSLY mad at me when I offered her gas money.

Now I originally made this blanket for my ex’s mom but after praying about it and talking to one of my friends, decided that I needed to make a clean break from that relationship. Anyway he was supposed to have sent this blanket to his mother weeks ago when I finished it. I knew I wasn’t going to keep it and so I gave it to Dianne this morning.

She wouldn’t let me take her picture but here are her hands holding it up *LOL*

Non-crochet Random Thoughts

I had to take care of some business last week that regarded my daughter & her father and I was NOT a happy camper*ugh*

I often questioned why God would have me deal with my daughter's father when he is so off the beaten path and a felon. I questioned what happened with my decision making that I would even CHOSE to be around such a person, and have a relationship with him let alone create a child with him.

Then one day the Holy Spirit dropped into me that it didn't have anything to do with me. My daughter had to have this particular heritage...me as her mother and him as her father, as a part of HER purpose in Christ. Plain and simple.

Now things have worked out that he has NOT been a part of her life since day one except for a short period of time after she turned 8yrs old that ended (because of poor decisions on his part) before she turned 10yrs old. God...not me...has done a wonderful job of making sure that he wasn't around to pass on those bad habits & bad choices that landed him where he is.

He was destined to be her biological father, but not the one to influence her nor to raise her. When I realized that, it just really blessed me that even in the mistake I made for having dealt with her father in the first place, there was still a blessing from God in it.

-TLC

Hobo Bag

Okay...... so if there is anyone who is actually reading this thing and viewing my projects...I guess you've figured out by now that I work on a lot of different stuff at the same time.

I've always been like that...I need to be able to switch gears and work on something different when I get bored with a particular stitch.

Sooooooo....I've started making this Hobo Bag.




Gonna make it bigger (longer top to bottom) than the pattern calls for simply because the folks that I would make them for (should they ask) don't carry small bags.

I'll be adding this one to my Ravelry In-progress list this afternoon.



Now I just need to find the perfect strap and I'm finished!


TLC :o)

Mary Maxim - Breast Cancer Awareness

A while back I was surfin for a pattern to make for my (now ex) boyfriend's sister. She has breast cancer. I found this pattern but had never done filet crocheting before and wasn't too keen on spending $35.00 to get an original pattern to try it out.

The wonderful ladies on Crochet Partners heard my cry and one beautiful soul actually snail mailed me her pattern so I could try it out. So here is my start...completed 2 row sets and will probably do 3-4 more before I end it.

Baby Hats

I saw a post on Ravelry.com from a lady who's sister is a nurse overseas. She was asking for baby items to donate so I decided to make a few baby hats to give.

I got this pattern from: http://debscrafts55.blogspot.com/

I'm way behind, I told her I would make them a few weeks ago but there have been a lot of things going on in my life lately. Some sad & heartbreaking and others wonderful like a breath of fresh air.

I am truly blessed!

TLC :o)

Knitting Update

Well I have knitted & purled to get myself aclimated to those two stitches enough so (in my estimation) that it's time to venture out and actually try a pattern. *LOL*

I'm doing a Three Crosses dishcloth pattern from Knitmore03 on Ravelry.com.

THREE CROSSES

This is what I've done so far.....

-TLC

Purple Thoughts

This is one of my favorite poems....

*shameless plug since my blog is being featured this week*

Purple thoughts trimmed in dessert sands got me thinking of travel to foreign lands. Will you unravel this map with me and let me explore your body from sea to shining sea? I want to see you in me.

Put it down until I'm in a daze you got me singing like Hendrix feenin for my next fix of purple haze. The fog is thick and I can't see you but every time I touch I feel you.

Feel your touch on me and feel you in me. I feel the envy of those who want you but now you are with me. Mine for the asking yours for the taking. Is it me or do you feel the earth shakin with the rhythmic beat of the heat that is being produced.

I wanna be a recluse with you and enjoy the soft sand of this dessert land alone with the sun competing for our attention you are my cure and I am your addiction.

-TLC

UGH

Okay....I had to frog my 1st attempt...picked the wrong type of yarn...too light & I couldn't see the stitches.....back to the drawing board.

Not bad for my 2nd try *lol

I'm finally doing it!!

I've wanted to learn how to knit so today I was determined to start. :o)

I crochet with ladies at my job every Tuesday during lunch. Even though there are other crocheters...I'm the only one that does it....they ALL knit.

So today begins my quest...I'll keep ya'll posted.

TLC :o)

Life

Today has been a very strange day and I don’t know what to do with myself so I find myself here....writing a blog entry because I cannot leave work and I can’t unleash the scream that is threatening to break free from my throat.

First Charlton Heston dies then I find out that one of the beloved members of my old church died yesterday. I was almost 1/2 way to work this morning and realized I had left my badge at home so I had to turn around to get it and was late to work.

Then I get a hysterical email from my cousin about one of our childhood friends this is basically all it said "Daddy said Tony got hurt - possible brain dead - start praying" WHAT!!!! It took me almost 2hrs to piece together what apparently happened:

Apparently, he was kicked in the eye while practicing karate and it started bleeding but then it started swelling. They took him in this morning b/c he was having symptoms similiar to a stroke. They then found out he had a blood disease....leukemia. He is responding but yet they say he is brain dead. Not sure when he was actually kicked in the eye.

I have to leave my desk to gather myself because I’m about to loose it 4real...come back and sit at my desk....open up my yahoo email and BAM....get the news that the mother of my mentor from college and the grandmother of my best friend/Imani’s godmother has passed away in New York.

I am emotionally drained. Please pray for me & my friends’ families. Because the internet is crawling with psychos and nut cases, I’m not going to post their full names but our Father in Heaven knows them so I beseech you to pray with me & for them all during this time.

Me :o(

AAAARGH!!!!

Well...I had to buy a new cellphone yesterday. *hearing Taps being played in the background* Dropped mine for the last time and it flatlined on me. *pouring out a lil likka for tha homie*

Maybe this new phone will take better pics :o)

Okay...you know you're addicted.....

..when you spend lunch at your desk trying to figure out how to crochet cables. *LOL*

TLC :o)

FINISHED HAT

Old School

Was looking through some old pictures and came across this one of my Dad (leaning against the wall) and one of his masonic brothers.

I'm going to make one of these hats *LOL*

TLC :o)

Hourglass Afghan

ATTENTION!!!

This is NOT my pattern....if you have questions about it PLEASE see the link at the bottom of the post and direct your questions there.  Thanks! 

I've started making this afghan for my cousin and his wife.

This will be what it is supposed to look like when I finish it


TLC :o)


THS IS NOT MY WEBSITE...BUT HERE IS THE INFO TO GET THE PATTERN
The pattern for the Hourglass Afghan is in the photo album "Under Construction" and the password is "sterling".

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?username=patticake1

Started a Spiderman blanket

My lil cousin Jalen loooooooves Spiderman so I started a Ripple Round for him on Saturday.

Tomorrow is the day the folks at work get together during lunch to crochet & knit so I'm going to take it to work on.

Here is the link to the pattern: http://www.angelfire.com/tx5/angelcrafts/patterns/spidermanroundrippleafghan.html

TLC :o)

Yeeeehaw!

Okay...this hat did not turn out the way the pattern read. I got caught up watching TV and added too many rows to it....but it did turn out cute. *lol*

This one has that stovetop thing going on like the hat Slash wears. *looking for my air guitar* LOL

Keep the faith & be encouraged

My response to Senator Obama's speech the other day.....

Keep the faith and be encouraged all who work towards the perfection of our union.

Although we do not know specifically what he did and the name isn't spelled exactly the same (Barak), in Hebrews Chapter 11 several men were mentioned who exhibited a great faith.

v. 32-34
"And what more shall I say? I do not have the time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through FAITH conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies."

v. 39-40
"These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only TOGETHER with us would they be made perfect."

I am encouraged & inspired by Senator Obama's speech because finally someone has acknowledged the white elephant in the room, aired our dirty laundry and spoke with eloquence about the actions & events that have stained the Stars & Stripes for far too long.

God bless all of you.
God bless America.

TLC

Finally finished!

Well I finally finished the Floral Bounty I was making.

I hope Mrs Esther likes it. Hoping to get it in the mail to her by the end of the month.

I'm so happy about getting a State job, but I'm gonna have to get used to getting paid once a month again *ugh*

This pic doesn't show it too well but I did a reverse sc around the edge. It looks really nice! :o)

TLC :o)

Too Funny!!

This is an actual letter from an Austin woman sent to American company Proctor and Gamble regarding their feminine products. She really gets rolling after the first paragraph. It's PC Magazine's 2007 editors' choice for best webmail-award-winning letter.

Dear Mr. Thatcher,

I have been a loyal user of your 'Always' maxi pads for over 20 years and I appreciate many of their features. Why, without the LeakGuard Core or Dri-Weave absorbency, I'd probably never go horseback riding or salsa dancing, and I'd certainly steer clear of running up and down the beach in tight, white shorts. But my favorite feature has to be your revolutionary Flexi-Wings. Kudos on being the only company smart enough to realize how crucial it is that maxipads be aerodynamic. I can't tell you how safe and secure I feel each month knowing there's a little F-16 in my pants.

Have you ever had a menstrual period, Mr. Thatcher? Ever suffered from the curse'? I'm guessing you haven't. Well, my time of the month is starting right now. As I type, I can already feel hormonal forces violently surging through my body. Just a few minutes from now, my body will adjust and I'll be transformed into what my husband likes to call 'an inbred hillbilly with knife skills.' Isn't the human body amazing?

As Brand Manager in the Feminine-Hygiene Division, you've no doubt seen quite a bit of research on what exactly happens during your customers monthly visits from 'Aunt Flo'. Therefore, you must know about the bloating, puffiness, and cramping we endure, and about our intense mood swings, crying, jags, and out-of-control behavior. You surely realize it's a tough time for most women. In fact, only last week, my friend Jennifer fought the violent urge to shove her boyfriend's testicles into a George Foreman Grill just because he told her he thought Grey's Anatomy was written by drunken chimps. Crazy!

The point is, sir, you of all people must realize that America is just crawling with homicidal maniacs in Capri pants... Which brings me to the reason for my letter. Last month, while in the throes of cramping so painful I wanted to reach inside my body and yank out my uterus, I opened an Always maxi-pad, and there, printed on the adhesive backing, were these words: 'Have a Happy Period.'

Are you kidding me? What I mean is, does any part of your tiny middle-manager brain really think happiness - actual smiling, laughing happiness is possible during a menstrual period? Did anything mentioned above sound the least bit pleasurable? Well, did it, James? FYI, unless you're some kind of sick S&M freak girl, there will never be anything 'happy' about a day in whichyou have to jack yourself up on Motrin and Kahlua and lock yourself in your house just so you don't march down to the local Walgreen's armed with a hunting rifle and a sketchy plan to end your life in a blaze of glory. For goodness sake, pull your head out, man! If you just have to slap a moronic message on a maxi pad, wouldn't it make more sense to say something that's actually pertinent, like 'Put down the Hammer' or 'Vehicular Manslaughter is Wrong', or are you just picking on us?

Sir, please inform your Accounting Department that, effective immediately, there will be an $8 drop in monthly profits, for I have chosen to take my maxi-pad business elsewhere. And though I will certainly miss your Flex-Wings, I will not for one minute miss your brand of condescending bull crap. And that's a promise I will keep. Always.

Best,
Wendi Aarons
Austin , TX

WOW!

Makes you stop and think.....

New Hat

Well my daughter pulled my card because I've been making hats for eeeeeeveryone but her...soooooooooo....

Crocheting

Okay...so I've been crocheting for the last 11yrs but learned when I was in my teens spending summers visiting my paternal grandmother in Lawton, OK.

I remember she used to crochet doll clothes and doilies. I also remember that she taught me how to crochet and then used it as a punishment when I misbehaved. As a punishment she would make me sit on the couch and crochet chain stitches. *ugh* Funny, I hated it back then, but now I crochet something or other every single day.

Go figure *lol*

Well...

Welcome to Immari Creations!!

The name Immari is a combination of my daughter's name and my nephew's name. I'm artsy fartsy *lol* and my brother writes music, sings, designs clothes & is an actor so we came up with Immari Creations as an umbrella to express our creativity.

I'm going to try this blogging thing again *lol* never really got off the ground the first time. Not really sure why anyone would want to read anything I might have to say but *shrugging shoulders* you just never know.

I'm also going to use this site to post pics of my different crochet projects, poems, and whatever else comes to mind. I may also use it to keep track of a few good emails I have received and thoughts I've had over the last few years.

You will also learn, should you venture to hang in there with me, that I am a passionate genealogist. One of these days I will post about my introduction to family history research. In the mean time....check out my Family History Website.

Hmmmmm....this could be intersting.

It happened again....

Some of you may remember getting this email from me a few years ago. I still wonder about this man's family & friends and how they have been since this tragedy struck them.

Well today as I was on my way to work an ambulance passed me. I knew it was heading for Scott & White because the Seton Williamson County hospital will not be open until Thursday. True to my daily ritual, I ran my reports then headed down to the ER for my 1st cup of coffee. That's where my day changed.

As I was fixing my coffee I heard a woman scream, not necessarily unusual in an emergency room setting. Then I found out that the ambulance that passed me was carrying a 16yr old young lady and that she had apparently committed suicide and the screaming woman was her mother.

Today, similar to two years ago, I was rocked to the core.

What could possibly be going on in the life of a 16yr old that she would resort to such a permanent solution for whatever temporary problem/issue she was facing?

Then my mind inevitably questioned....Did she have a relationship with Christ? But then...I thought, doesn't suicide equate to the unforgivable sin against oneself, against Christ? Doesn't suicide forfeit your assurance of Heaven?

I would have to answer these question as No. Jesus says in Matthew 12:31 that “every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men” except blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

But if she was saved, how could someone who has the Spirit of God working in them get to such a level of discouragement that they would take their own life?

My mind is still swirling and it's hard to concentrate on my tasks this morning. I have prayed for this family and ask that you do the same.