I Celebrate Sister-Hood - My Aunties - Coreen, Snookie, Margaret

Now when it comes to celebrating the legends in the family, these 3 right here takes the cake. Summer time was the best time because my mother's sister's would ALL come home to SC to visit and our cousins would come down as well and we had a blast. I don't remember a summer when they didn't come to Hartsville to visit. We looked forward to go away with one of them... Today I celebrate the 3 ladies I called Auntie:

Aunt Coreen - She was my third mommy. LOL!!! I always spent a few weeks during the summer at Aunt Coreen's house in Columbia. I loved going there. My cousin Stan and I were like BFF's back then. Always getting into trouble. Hanging out too late and acting like we were a couple... LOL.. kids having fun. I believe we all had a cousin we had a crush on... Innocent that is. Aunt Coreen always had a beautiful smile on her face, always having fun, laughing and cutting up with us. She's still that way today at the age of 80. Everything we went out shopping or going to the grocery store we would pass the Technical College in Columbia and I would tell Aunt Coreen I was coming to live with her and go to school. She always said I could come live with her if I wanted to but I never did. Now, this is something I will never forget... one time I went to her house in some really short shorts and she asked me if my husband knew I was wearing those shorts... I told her nope... and we both just laughed... She kept my secret... lol. and now when she sees me, we both just laugh about the day I snuck out the house one way and arrived a different way. Today I celebrate my Auntie my second mom... strong, courage's, and funny.

Aunt Snookie - The dancing Auntie who loves her some John and some beer.... lol. Aunt Snookie is always the serious one. She always worried about us. She didn't have kids of her own but loved coming home to see how Coots kids were doing. I never had the privilege of going to DC to spend the summer with her and Uncle John but Lord when they came home to visit, we had the best time. She would sit at the bar and or by the telephone and talk trash with my mom and ask us about our future. I don't ever remember seeing her sad or complaining about any aches and pains. She would always tell me how silly and funny I was... and it's pretty much still the same. When I would get loud, she would said, "Lisa why you so loud, we hear you"... and I would just laugh... I'm laughing now. I remember the summer they told me to pack my clothes because I was going to DC with them... that was 1980.. Man I had my bags all packed and ready to go. 3 am we're all up and ready because they always left early in the mornings to beat traffic. As I proceeded to go outside with my suitcase, my dad asked where was I going.. I said with aunt Snookie... he said, nope you're not going anywhere... Well that's the summer I got pregnant... Guess I should have gone to DC... LOL... Aunt Snookie is filled with questions, laughter, and love. Today I celebrate Aunt Snookie for being the level headed Aunt in my life... the one with common sense.

And now Aunt Margaret - Pretty Aunt Margaret - She was married to my mom's brother Hammie, my Uncle Hammie. They lived in Silver Springs Maryland. I never got to visit them either as a child. But during the summer, she, Uncle Hammie, Lisa and LaVeita would come to SC for the summer. She and Uncle Hammer would also dance and drink their beer. Must be a city thang.. dancing that is...Uncle Hammie was the DJ. They would have parties outside. Aunt Margaret was always soft spoken and sweet. She was like one of the girls. Always asking us questions about boys and life. She didn't care if we messed up she would just smile and say, "Oh it's okay." She is the one I would consider sophisticated. Always well put together, hair, clothes and make-up. Aunt Margaret is a strong woman who demonstrates love, patience, and grace. Today I celebrate my Aunt Margaret... the one who always spoke nicely of us all with and with a soft voice.

If you have an Auntie - celebrate her today.

Remember to Smile Everyday, Show Up Everyday, and Succeed Everyday.
Find Peace Within
Be Blessed,
Ms. Lisa

I Celebrate My Sister-hood " My 5 Sister's The Wilson Girls"

Okay, so how many of us have 5 sisters... I do... and we're all unique in our own way. Today I celebrate the ladies I call sisters.

First the oldest - Hope Amber- Hope has a quiet but yet out going personality. I remember when my parents went on vacation (they didn't take many as they had 11 kids) she and my oldest brother BJ were in charge. She told us not to go outside and me being the hard headed one went anyway... man she whipped my butt in the kitchen on the floor I fell and she kept hitting me.. I was laying on the wall heater crying for my mommy  - well mommy didn't come. Hope made the best studded jean jackets in high school. I remember when she left for college, we were all so excited. She drove my dad's gold 225 Buick Duce and a quarter back in the day. She met her husband Nate there... we loved him and still do. She got her degree in Biology and became a Chemist. Hope too is a hero in my eyes as she has fought and won her battle with cancer. Today I celebrate the strength in my big sister Hope Amber...

Now the second oldest sister - Mary (Net) - Man Net is CRAZY LOUD AND CONTROLLING.... we love her though lol. Net was and still is the one who ALWAYS took control of every situation. She's the one that will make it happen. Plan, plan and plan. And Lord can she cook. Yes Lord she can cook and make cakes and home made yeast rolls. Net calls me "Louise" and when she calls you on the phone it's because something has happened and she's ONLY relaying information. She doesn't call to chit chat. Net plays the piano and sings as well. She 15 degrees... LOL. Nah, not really but she has her BS and 2 Master's. She is a teacher where she teaches students with special needs. We always thought Net was our Daddy's favorite... she's the only one that can TELL HIM WHAT TO DO AND HE DOES IT. I remember when Net was pledging to be a Delta, we were so scared for her because they were making her eat out of trash cans... LOL. She might fuss about stuff, but she ALWAYS comes through....Today I celebrate the tenacity of my sister Net.

Now the third sister - Flora Marie - Flora was the quietest of us all. She had the sweetest little voice. I'm tearing up just thinking about her. She has gone on to be with the Lord. Flora didn't go to college but she went to beauty school in Columbia. She was the first person to give me the Halle Berry cut. It wasn't intentional. She was cutting my REALLY LONG HAIR and it ended up as short as it is today... I went to church the next day and Mother Sherman had a fit. I laughed it off but I was really upset about my hair.... Flora was the sister that would always go to bat for you. She and Constance shared bedrooms and when I would visit, they would put me out when they were on the phone talking to BOYS.... lol. It's funny now as I share the story... They didn't like it when they had to share their room with me. Flora moved to California and married but came back home not long after that. She was committed to raising her son Deon and loved working at the Saleby Center. They loved her there. She was the one who told me I would write a book and today I have dedicated my first book to her... Today I celebrate my sister Flora - the flower that blooms forever.

Now the fourth sister - Constance - The preachers wife and when I say preachers wife... she is truly a preachers wife. Constance is different ummm let me say... the perfect one. She did no wrong and everyone loved her. It's still hard to believe she was a cheerleader in school. Yelp she sure was. I was jealous of her because I couldn't be a cheerleader because of my religion. We didn't go to the same church, but Constance went to church with us and gave saved at one of Bishop Sherman's revivals. Constance couldn't sing but she did take piano lessons in which she didn't do too well in but Constance went to college, met Rev. Days Collins... they were pretending to be road partners but were actually dating.... lol. They married and she became a school teacher. She is an amazing wife and mother.  She loves her grand children and is always carrying a smile... I'm not sure if she can cook because she left home right after college. She's done an amazing job raising her 4 children who all have become teachers, nurses and business owners. Today I celebrate the loyalty my sister Constance -

And finally the baby - Dawn Denise... my ride or die.. my BFF. The butter fly of the family. It's kinda hard being the baby girl and the baby of the family too. Number 11. Man this girl right here is something else. When she calls I know she be dominating the conversation, talking about herself and what's going on in her world. She told mom when she was a younger girl that she wanted to be like her big sister Lisa... my mom, said be careful what you wish for...LOL. Dawn is an amazing young lady. We've spent many times together, taking trips to the beach, on the train, singing together, crying together, laughing together, talking on the phone for hours at a time. She is the mother of Ms. Taylor Anthony. He perfect gift from God. Dawn was my baby sitter when Adrian was small. We are 7 years apart and but yet we have so much in common. We partied together, got drunk together, went to the club together, then we because prayer partners, bible study partners, and true best friends. Dawn never stops talking and when she walks in the room, you know she's there. She has the larger than life personality that is hard to forget. She is truly a hero to me. Even with her aches and pains from her fibomyalgia she still manages to care for the seniors at her job, care for our parents and make everyone else feel good. She is a woman of God and loves the Lord. She is a true testament of what the life of a single woman living for God should be. Today I celebrate my sister Dawn for showing unconditional love to us all.

If you have sisters, find time to celebrate them today.

Remember to Smile Everyday, Show Up Everyday, and Succeed Everyday
Find Peace Within
Be Blessed,
Ms. Lisa

I Celebrate My Sisterhood - My granny "Mazaree G. Wilson"

As I continue my reflection of the women in my life. Today I will celebrate the other most important woman in my life, the one who raise me, my granny, Mazaree G. Wilson. She would always say G.. when she would say her name, I guess so people would know who she was.. G for Gardner.

And the story begins... As long as I can remember I always lived with my grandma. It wasn't until she died in 2002, when I found out the how and why. At the age of 1 grandma became my second mom. I never called her mom because my mom was in my life. But she was the one who took care of me, taught me how to clean the house, we did this every Saturday. She taught me how to make the best pound cake, pies. We spent the better part of our lives traveling for JESUS. She introduced me to the Lord. She took me to my first tent revival on Washington Street right beside Washington Street Elementary School. I received Christ at the age of 5 and she and I began our walk with the Lord together. Grandma was strict... I mean really strict. No boys, no phone, me and Benji (our dog) couldn't go out to play much. I wore dresses ALL the time. No pants, no make up, no movies. There was a lot of NO'S at grandma's. LOL

I probably had the best of two worlds. Christmas was a double wammy for me because I got gifts from mom and dad and grandma. Now, this I didn't like... when my brothers and sisters would come over to visit and they would eat all the peppermint candy.. I didn't like that because I had the life as a only child... selfish and self-centered.

Grandma made me become a mother after I had my baby at 16. She was there when I told my parents, she made sure I knew the do's and don't's. I never, and I'll say it again, NEVER saw my grandma with a man... a true woman of God. She provided for us. She worked at night, which probably wasn't a good thing for a teenager... I'll never tell. But, even when I messed up, she was always there to show me love.

I remember her telling me as a teenager, "Lisa I hope the Lord let's me live to see you get your own house so I can see how you keep house." He allowed that to happen and I became this crazy OCD housekeeper. LOL. We would sit around the piano and sing hymns. I would play while she sat in her rocking chair and sang Blessed Assurance, How Great Thou Art and some of her other favorite hymns. On Saturday nights we would watch Wrestling, Wahoo McDaniel, and Rick Flair and all the other old wrestler's. We would watch the soap operas's during the day when I was being home schooled during my pregnancy. On Saturday  mornings we went to the beauty salon or beauty parlor as they were called back in the day. I hated spending Saturdays there because she would start doing my hair, then make me sit to the side when a customer would show up. I couldn't go out side to play because that meant she had to shampoo my hair all over again. LOL... We would start fires in the big pop belly stove on those cold nights. She taught me how to drive on the way to and from church from Florence SC. She taught me how to sew. I still have the sewing machine she bought me when I turned 16 and guess what IT STILL WORKS... LOL.

When her health began to fail and we had to put her in a nursing home as she became to much for my parents to care for. She would always tell me to that I would always be Lisa L. Wilson and that she wanted me to marry someone nice and be happy. She knew then that my life was in shambles... I believe Grandma is looking down from heaven now and smiling, knowing that I am still walking with the Lord, I am married and happy. I still wear slips, camisoles, stockings and long dresses. I still struggle with wearing pants and NEVER , NEVER do I wear lipsticks... LOL...

I have become my grandma with a twist. I love that lady.. There is so much I could say about my grandma... maybe I'll put it in a book one day.... :). Stay tune for Grandma's story.

Remember to Smile Everyday, Show Up Everyday, and Succeed Everyday
Find Peace Within
Be blessed,
Ms. Lisa

I Celebrate My Sister-Hood - My Mom Mary Alice Wilson -Women's History Month

In recognition of Women's History Month Today I celebrate my Mother

Mary Alice Wilson, my mom- married her high school sweet heart Bernice at the age of 17 and 18. Their love produced 11 beautiful, very successful children. She was a majorette for Butler High School back in her day. Long legs, hips, thighs, and long hair. My dad spotted her and had to have her..... they have a beautiful love story. She's a beautiful woman inside and out. My mom is truly a strong person.

She has always encouraged us to do our very best. She let us know that it was important to go to college. She taught us how to be ladies and how to be a wives. She taught us how to make homemade biscuits and cakes from scratch. She told us to always have some money on the side, for JUST IN CASE, pay your bills on time and buy good quality furniture because it will last a life time.

There have been times when my mom wasn't always my biggest cheerleader and I had to separate myself from her but I never stopped loving her. Today she's my rock. She has shown her strength through her cancer treatments. She went through it with a smile. She never complained and never stopped taking care of our dad. They have been married over 60 years and that is to be celebrated. I've seen her go through some tough times and not one time did she make us feel alone or as if we would be left alone.

I remember when she wanted to learn how to drive, back then the husband did it all....I went with her to BoBo Smith Car dealership to buy her 1st car.. a Buick Regal. I test drove it and drove it home for her. She eventually got her license. She doesn't drive much outside of their small town in SC but she is an independent woman who can do her own thing.

Today I celebrate my mother, Mary Alice Montgomery Wilson.

Remember to Smile Everyday, Show Up Everyday, and Succeed Everyday
Find Peace Within
Be blessed,
Ms. Lisa