Monday, April 30, 2007

Tulips




Here are my first tulips to bloom. We'll have more in a few days. I guess by now you know I love flowers! I especially like the ones that come up every year without having to be planted each spring. But, at the end of May, I'll also be planting some that will flower all summer, not just for a few days like these. Thank you, Lord, for the beauty and creativity of your handiwork!

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Compliment!

Yesterday I had a wonderful compliment! I was talking to Don, Jim's son, at the memorial service for Jim. Don's little girl, Keller, was there, and he was holding his three week old daughter, Quinlan. Don began introducing me to Keller, when all of a sudden he got a big smile and he said, very excitedly, "You know what, Keller, Anita is my godmother!" I smiled and said, "Yup, Keller, I'm your daddy's godmother!" I could tell Don was pleased and that meant so much to me. I haven't been a very good godmother. I didn't give him special birthday presents, etc., like most godmothers. But we have had some special times between the two of us as he was growing up and I have prayed for him. So it was special to think that he remembered this. He's a very special person! Thank you, Lord, for my children, my grandchildren, and for my godchildren!

Trip

Well, I came downstairs in the middle of the night last night and bought another ticket (rates are cheaper in the middle of the night!) to fly out to see my mom. I'm leaving May 15 and returning May 23. Lorraine recently had surgery and hasn't been able to help Mother out too much so she wants me to go out and give her some TLC. So here I go again!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Mason! You're five years old today! Last week Isabella turned five, and now you're five! Wow! I know your mom and dad have an exciting day planned for you! All your friends and family will be there jumping in a bouncing playhouse! That's not the name of it, but I don't know what it's called, all I know is that you bounce in it! Be careful though, don't bounce too high! I wish we could be there. Have a super day! I love you!

Dogwood & Flowering Crabb?




Dogwood trees are blooming in the woods. So I'll add these to my flower collection. The other flowering tree here seems to be a flowering crab, but I'm not positive because we didn't plant it, it was just there. It's very pretty though. Our flowering crab that we did plant isn't ready to bloom yet. When it does, you'll see it!

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Jim

Today was the memorial service for our good friend and former neighbor, Jim. It was a beautiful day and so a good day for remembering and celebrating his life. He was our next door neighbor for about 30 years, so we knew him well. He was a great guy. A true friend. Jim was cremated and his remains were put into a Columbarium in the courtyard of the church. It's new and he's one of the first ones to be put there. After the service we were all invited to attend a luncheon and hopefully folks would tell of some experiences with Jim. I thought about it and decided I'd like to talk about him. First of all I told how one day Helen announced she was going to have a baby, her third. Then about three months later I discovered I was also going to have a baby, my fifth! The only explanation I could come up with was that Helen must have been contagious! Well now, this may sound like a story between Helen and me but just remember Jim and Jerry had something to do with it too! Then I told how Jim always liked to be a part of any happening. One year we had a birthday party for Jerry's mother right on her birthday, which happened to be Dec. 25. Our whole large family was invited to our house and Jim as always offered to be of any help to us. We took him up on his offer...we planned a big surprise! I went shopping for presents for all the kids, 12 and under, all grandchildren and great grandchildren of Jerry's mother. We wrapped them up and put them into a very large bag. In the afternoon we were all sitting and visiting in the living room, when all of a sudden...in comes Santa Claus with a very large pack slung over his back! The first thing he did was go to Grandma and give her a kiss on the forehead! Then he began giving out gifts to all the kids! Were they happy and excited! Not one was left out! Thank goodness! Of course Santa Claus was Jim. This day is still talked about in the family. Betty said she always wondered her whole life if Santa Claus was real and now she knew, yes, he's real! This is a wonderful memory we have of Jim and how he loved to have fun and to be right in the middle of it all! We have lots more memories of Jim but this was all the time I felt I should take up. He was a wonderful person, friend, and neighbor!

Violets


Here is a tiny little Violet. We have lots of them, this is only one. There are also lots of Bumble Bees among the violets. They don't hold still long enough to let me take their picture! The Lord Almighty is with us. Come and see the works of the Lord. Be still, and know that I am God. Psa. 46:7a, 8a, 10a.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Rain, rain, go away!

Well, I'm back on my old kind of medicine that always works. My doctor just thought that with a new stronger kind of med I could get over this once and for all. But it was way too strong for my system. It's raining today and bringing out all kinds of new plants that are causing havoc with my body today so I'm really miserable. But it's just temporary! Tomorrow I'll be better. I have a meeting tonight that I'm probably going to skip just because of the way I feel. My younger brother called today and that was a highlight. It doesn't take much to cheer me up, just a little attention! I'm probably not too different from other folks. Right?!

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Reaction

Well, I took my new medicine yesterday about 5:00 PM. We then went out for supper to Logans! During the news, 6:30-7:00, I began to feel sick. I laid down and very quickly got worse. Nausea, stomach ache, dizziness, very tired, sick all over feeling. I went upstairs to bed, unusal for me. I was so sleepy...for a little while...then I was wide awake! I still laid there for a while but then finally decided to get up and sit in my lazy boy in the loft. By about midnight I was feeling okay again but now this morning I feel like I know I was sick. I'm going to call the doctor at 9:00 to ask what to do about the medicine: stop or try one more dose. So much for getting over the Crud!

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Here and there...



I have a couple more varieties of daffodils blooming so I got my camera out again. The sun is shining today after rain yesterday. I went to the doctor today to try to get rid of this crud I've had for over a week. He put me on a different medicine, different for me, that is. I sure hope it works. He also put me on a medicine for my RLS. I hope that works too. I have to go back in two weeks, hopefully there'll be a big difference by then. I got a letter today and pictures of some friends I haven't seen in years! It was so good to hear from them. They are in my prayers. My big brother called me today! It's so nice to hear from folks we don't see very often, especially family. Thank you, Lord, for a good day.

Monday, April 23, 2007

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Bella! I can't believe it...you're five years old today! I hope you had a really fun time yesterday celebrating with family and friends! I wonder if you're taking a treat to preschool today?! I just bet you are. And now, just think, in the fall when school starts you'll be in kindergarten! I love you, Bella! Happy, happy birthday!

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Fun in the Sun!



Today the temp. is 80F so Jerry got the MG out. We took the top down and cleaned it all up. I took pictures and he rode around the circle drive! Jerry hasn't changed the insurance over yet so we can't take it out for a drive. He will this week, I think. Neither one of us feel too good yet so we didn't really want to go anywhere anyway. Jerry went to church this morning but came home early, I stayed home. Tomorrow I'm planning to call the doctor so I can get on some medicine that will work. I think we should both see the doctor but I haven't convinced Jerry yet. So we'll see.

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Made My Day!

Good day! Well, there's nothing like talking with our kids to make my day! Rob stopped by first thing this morning. They are spending the day with grandparents. Next Tim called and we had a nice loooong visit all the way around the world! Then Pam called on their way south with a team of church friends to work on helping hurricane victims! What did we ever do before cell phones?! I talked with Christy yesterday and I may talk with Ted later. So even though I still have the crud, I'm happy! Thank you, Lord, for this beautiful day!

Friday, April 20, 2007

Freak accident!

Megan was stabbed in the leg with a pencil! It was a freak accident! She fell on it and the pencil, being a long one, of course, went in about an inch below the knee and followed her leg right down going through all the meat or muscle or whatever. A trip to the hospital emergency was necessary to remove the pencil from her leg and five stitches were put in. A tetanus shot was given to her the next day. Sorry, Megan. She's also on some medicine so she won't get infection. We never know, do we? Please, Dear God, watch over our grandchildren. Thank you for each one of them.

The Crud

I've got the crud. I'm so miserable. I've had it now for a few days and I don't seem to be getting better. I may have to go to the doctor to get some medicine in order to get over it. Jerry still has it too but he's better than he was last week. It's probably something in the air. He went to the store for me today and then stopped and bought a pizza for supper. What a guy!

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Today

Today, a chilly rainy day, I've got the crud and don't feel well. The tree trimmers came back today and sort of cleaned up the mess they left a couple of weeks ago. We called in, Jessica called in, and maybe some other neighbors did too. They made a complete wreck of Rob's beautiful big White Pine Tree and our big White Pine Tree in our back yard. Ours needs to come down though before it gets blown down and takes out the wires and transformer, etc. But they told us that's our responsibility. Well, maybe tomorrow will be a better day!

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Daffodil


Here is a lonely little daffodil. Most of our flowers got frozen out but here and there we'll find a flower blooming. This beautiful, delicate daffodil is more evidence of our Creator God.

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Surprise!




We had a wonderful surprise today! We got to celebrate Bella's birthday! Since they surprised us they brought the cake with them, Bella and Syd had helped frost it. I found some candles to put in it. Then the surprise was on all of us! The candle in the middle was a relighting candle! I had forgotten about it, honest I had! So it kept igniting after she had blown them all out. It was a lot of fun. The last picture shows her in her new birthday clothes in front of the mural which hasn't been taken down yet. Isn't she a beautiful granddaughter?

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Gertie

Today is the day for the memorial service for my good friend, Gertie. She was a remarkable person. She spent many years in Africa as a missionary. We were privileged to have her in our home. She made an impression on our family. One of our sons even wrote to her. She wrote back and then gave him some books about Africa. I still have them, but of course everything has changed since then. After she retired and then grew older I would see her once a year at our family camp. She'll be greatly missed but she's in a much better place. She worshipping and praising God whom she served with all her heart here on earth.

Friday, April 13, 2007

Home again

Lorraine is home from the hospital and is recovering from her surgery. It has definitely not been a picnic but she's doing better today and expects to improve a little more everyday. Sonja is still with her and will be for a few more days. Linda has gone back home. Surgery is never fun but the long range results make it worth while. This is what we're hoping for and praying for for Lorraine.

First Camping Trip

In a comment made to my last blog my brother asked if I remembered a trip our family took to Georgia from Iowa back in the 50's. I think it was our first camping trip other than camp meeting. We took a small tent with us and set it up every night so some could stretch out to sleep, the rest slept in the car. There weren't VR campgrounds back then. We just stopped, sometimes by the side of the highway or sometimes in a city park. Mother and Dad cooked our meals on a little camp stove. We were going to Georgia to visit Richard who was in the army. We didn't have much money but nothing would stop us. It was a trip to remember and the one that put camping in my system!

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Camping


We have always loved to camp. We started back when Pammy and Teddy were just that! We started out with a small fold up camper. It opened out to a double bed on each side. We've changed campers several times and now for the last 17 years we've been enjoying our Shadow Cruiser 5th Wheel trailer. Okay, now you think I'm going to say that we're trading it in on a new bigger one...sorry, that's not what I'm going to say! Going through some of my Mother's old pictures I came across a picture someone had sent to her in 1930. My Mom was 16 years old. I thought it was quite fascinating. 77 years ago adventuresome folks were going camping! This was a giant Douglas Fir Tree hollowed out and made into a home! It was mounted on an Oneida Truck, traveled over 30,000 miles and toured through 34 states! Some people just have camping in their blood!!!

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Surgery

Good news! Lorraine came through her surgery yesterday and now has a new shoulder. As soon as this heals she'll not be in pain any more. She'll be in the hospital about three days. Thank goodness for daughters! Linda has been with her since Sunday evening and Sonja will be with her now and through her recovery.
Thank you, Lord. I praise you because You are our healer.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

A New Day

Today is a new day. What will it hold? Jerry has a bad cold or sinus infection or something. Lorraine is having surgery. She's getting a new shoulder! I've got to get serious with house cleaning. Bill & Vel are coming sooner than we thought and I've got to be ready! I'd planned on having all my spring house cleaning done before they arrived. Mmmmm...we'll see. I'd better get started. Time has a way of slipping by. Lord, I praise you because You are Sovereign. Forgive me for forgetting that. Thank you for my family. Please touch Jerry's body. Please be with Lorraine. Give her peace. Guide the surgeon's hands. Work out details for Bill and Vel regarding their plans with their trip east. Remember Richard & Cookie today. Bless my mom. Watch over Pam, Ted, Tim, Christy, and Rob and their families. Keep our grandchildren safely in the palm of your hand today. Use me today in some way. I love you, Father.

Sunday, April 08, 2007

Easter

Today is Easter! The most wonderful day in the life of a born again Christian. Jesus is alive! He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me and talks with me along life's pilgrim way! He lives, He lives, salvation to impart. You ask me how I know He lives...He lives within my heart!

Saturday, April 07, 2007

Passion Play

Last evening we went to the Passion Play: Bow the Knee. It was excellent! We've gone other years but I think this one was outstanding. There was one part in particular that spoke to me personally. I'll never forget it. If you have a chance to go to a Passion Play, GO. You'll be glad you did. Jesus Is Alive!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Shauna! You're far, far away but we've not forgotten you. We wish for you a very happy birthday. You're a wonderful daughter-in-law, so full of fun and determination. We hope you have a wonderful day...and that our card arrived on time! See you in July!

Friday, April 06, 2007

Violated

Last Sunday, Palm Sunday; April fool's day; whatever other kind of day you want to call it; for us it was a violation day...someone broke into our church during the night! I guess I shouldn't say broke into, there were no signs of forced entry! How did they get in? With a key? A lap top was missing and the nearly empty safe! There was so much more they could have taken! Why didn't they? Was this an April fool's day joke??? It was no joke! Did the people have a key? (I say people because just one person couldn't have taken the safe out). Was a door accidentally left not closed tightly so the lock didn't latch? The police were called. A lock smith was called. All locks were changed immediately following the second service. I'm not sure how our pastors were able to make it through the services so well but they did. There is always a feeling of being violated that stays with the people who have been broken into. Even though it wasn't our house I still feel violated. It's my church. I still remember the first time our church was broken into...way back in the 70's. Doors and locks were broken and drawers were emptied and things were stolen. I felt very violated, perhaps because I was younger and my family was very involved in the life of the church. It's a little different this time, I'm older, not so involved, but experiencing a deeper walk with God. Feeling violated is an awful feeling. To know that God is Sovereign and In Control is what sustains me and gives me peace.

Thursday, April 05, 2007

NO!

No! We woke up to snow! What's going to happen to my flowers? And the robins? We'll feed the other birds but the robins only eat worms and bugs. What a disappointment this is! The weather isn't going to change until next week. Oh, this is a very bad day...it's too quiet and way too snowy. Our granddaughters are gone. We took them to their Grandma C. yesterday late afternoon. This is a very bad day.

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Easter Egg Tree




Here is our Easter Egg Tree that we've been working on all week! First we had to go out in the woods and find a suitable tree! Grandpa helped with trimming the tree and filling a bucket. Then we had to blow out the eggs. I posted a picture of the girls blowing for all they were worth! We all were successful at blowing them out. Pam, your guess was right. Bill, sorry, your guess was wrong! But it made us laugh so that was good! After blowing them out, while they dried, we had to do some weaving to cover the sides of the bucket. The girls worked really hard on this too. The eggs then had to be colored and again dried. The next step was for me to do. I very carefully cut an oval shape from one side of each egg. Then a picture of each grandchild was put inside and a thread to hang them. I'm not even finished with this yet. We have 11 eggs with grandkids, so 2 left. I won't say which two but I'll get them done soon. This was a big project and hopefully one the girls will remember doing with Grandma A. We have two eggs with a picture of Jesus in them, one hanging on a cross. Easter is fun but it also has a very important message. Memories are made of times like this!

Mural






Sydney and Isabella are making a mural on our dining room wall! It's a big job. They started it yesterday and they'll finish today. Hopefully I can post the finished product! It's a spring mural! The first picture should be the last picture. #2 shows them drawing with pencil. They have good imaginations! #3 & #4 working hard. #1 still working. It shows a lot of hard work and patience! They deserve a prize!