July 4, 2010

• All Is Well!

   ALL IS WELL!

  My time away from xanga was not expected to be this long!!!

  I had things to catch up with and before I knew it, I'm turning my calendar page for July!

  I have really missed my visits with so many of you.

    

  In the meantime....... 

   

  

  Five of us older ladies (from young Mother age to Grandma age) had a special evening with our youth group girls. Afer our meeting they served Mocha Punch. This is so very delicious! You bring to a boil instant chocolate drink mix, sugar, and instant coffee granules. After that is cold, you mix it with vanilla and chocolate ice cream and stir until milkshake consistency. Yummmmmm!

  Nevin and I had the joy of having just a little time with Brieanna and Tanya as they prepared for their special wedding day. They were a real pleasure to work with as they arranged their wedding music.

   

   

  

  Two extra special sisters - Anna and Esther.....one enjoying the farm and the other enjoys sewing and teas! The Lord has blessed them with different gifts and they use them for His glory.

   

   

  

   A lovely day for a very special couple uniting their hearts and vows. It was an honor to be guests at their wedding.

  Kirby and Joanna - this was taken with Joanna's family. The five girls are sisters.

   

   

   

   About 34 years ago, a young couple rented their home from my grandparents. Linda and her little daughter, Traci,  would visit my grandparents and it was then she discovered that Nevin and I had a little girl their daughter's age. She contacted me and we became friends. For several years we spent time together and then they moved from our local town. I hadn't seen her for a very long time. Two years ago we spent a day together and just enjoyed catching up in each other's lives.

  This year she called me and said she has a new puppy......she has a hair cut appointment for her not too far from me. We scheduled that day to spend time together again. 

  

  Our first stop was to take Sophie for her scheduled appointment.

    

  

   While  Sophie was starting her "beauty treatment," I was observing a puppy who was about to have a bath! 

   

   

  While Sophie was being taken good care of, Linda and I took this time to have lunch together. She is a very special lady and blesses those around her. She is God's hands and feet to those who need a kind touch. After lunch, we went back for Sophie; she just looked sooo cute!! 

   

   

  

   I would like you to see her "before look" above........

   

  

  and her "after bath and hair cut!"   Do you agree she is just too cute?! In this picture she is five months old. She only weights 7 1/2 lbs.  I could enjoy a house dog like Sophie!

  Thank You, Linda, for blessing me with cookies again!

   

   

   

  

  We celebrated anniversaries and birthdays in this time. This was  Seth's birthday evening. We played  "Whoonu" and had lots of laughter and fun! It was my first time to learn of this game.

     

   

   

  This game requires reading so Barb is telling Darin the options and asking for his answer. 

   

   

  

  Jere is acting out something for the game . I thought I better post a "good" picture of him following this one! 

   

   

  

  Do you wonder if any of their boys might have tricks up their sleeves!!  

  We celebrated Jere's 40th birthday in April!

   

   

   

  

  You might remember that several cousins, sisters, and aunt spend a day together each Spring. We all look forward to this so much. Sandy is the smallest one in our group - very small. Yes, this is a head just above the patio furniture! I was concerned she would run into someone!

   

   

  

  Sandy is very, very frugal. After she saw this patio furniture, she debated what to do. The price was amazingly low and they did not have furniture yet. When I saw her "eyeing up" the different pieces, I reminded her I did not have very much room in the back of our van. You see that did not bother Sandy!  

  Kathy somehow got the job of stacking and packing! Look at her face; she is studying........

   

   

   

  

   ...and rearranging!That is Sandy to the left....with another patio piece!!

   

   

   

   

  

   Kathy did it!!

   

   

  

   Sandy is the smallest but she eats the most. (We had our lunch at Shady Maple.) Sometime I should take a picture of her dinner plate! She is the front left (lives about two hours from here.) Next is my sister Connie and my youngest sister, Dawn. Aunt Leah is behind Sandy and you met our great packer, Kathy!

   

   

   

   

  

  You met Brieanna on an earlier picture serving Mocha Punch. Nevin and I were happy to do the sound system for their wedding.  ~Another lovely wedding

   

   

  

  The groom's mother is on the left; the bride's mother on the right. 

   

   

   

   

  

  I'm choosing some highlights of these months that I was "quiet!" I may have been quiet on here but extra busy in life! I needed to balance xanga life and daily life! Nancy, on left, was soon to turn 60 and we couldn't leave it go without doing something special for her. She was to come to my house and spend our annual day going to green houses with Jo (on right) and me. (Jo lives two hours from Nancy and me.) Without her knowing, we included three other dear friends to her and rearranged her day. She had her list along of things she wanted at the greenhouse!

  We started with a mini tea at my home.

   

   

  

  Some of you have visited Hershey Chocolate World. We took a trolley ride today. That was really enjoyable.

   

   

  

  Erma is full of fun and inspiration! She is really laughing here...wish I could remember what she said as she is just a joy to be around.  We decided to make a few stops at several outlet stores in Hershey. None of us are "big shoppers" so this turned out to be very special.  Three of us bought the same skirt. Erma is a precious prayer warrior.

   

  I'm sure you read this before:

  ~In the Cookie of Life

  Friends are the Chocolate Chips!~

   

   

  

  I love you Nancy. I hope you have many special memories from today.

   

   

   

   

  (You might want to take a break from reading!! )

  

  We received a Christmas gift from our daughter and son-in-law for a day and night get-away at Tranquil Moments Cottage. Oh my, it was just so beautiful and inviting inside. The couple who own it decided to fix up this little place and make it available for people to "get away from the demands of life and be refreshed." That is exactly what happened.

   

   

  

  I would love to find this in a store.....it is a wonderful reminder to me to keep relationships a priority. It was by the fireplace. When we arrived it was raining and cool so we enjoyed the privilege of using it. 

   

   

   

  

  We took our food along for our meals. I enjoyed preparing special items on ahead that I don't make on a regular basis at home. There were several paths to hike but because of the rain it did not work out. We both enjoy hiking so we walked on the road with an umbrella!

   

   

  June 11 

  

  This evening was set aside to visit with Nevin and Theda. They are leaving in a week to serve the Lord in Grenada for three years. Two Sunday School classes gathered together - each couple bringing one item for our dinner. What a wonderful time of fellowship. 

   

   

   

  

  After eating we had a time of visiting and sharing. Before leaving for the night, we had a prayer circle - everyone given the opportunity to have a short prayer for Nevin and Theda. I will remember this for a long time. I cherish the gift of praying friends. (Many of you know that as you have prayed for me in the past.)

   

   

  

   Nancy saying goodbye....I am so thankful we girls had this time together for Nancy's birthday!

  I have always appreciated Theda's thoughts and her spiritual life. We were in a prayer group together and I will miss her very much.

   

   

   

  

   This was a hard goodbye for Lucille and Theda as they are very close friends.

   

   

   

   

  HOW DO I TALK ABOUT THIS.............. 

  

  Yes, All Is Well as I started this post - but when all is well it is sometimes a long journey also and maybe a hard one. Do you remember Rachel? There is a picture of her below that I showed you before - Valentine's Sunday. The picture above I took the day after her 60th birthday in May 2009. Two months later she was diagnosed with leukemia. Previous to this she had been very tired, had gone to the doctor, but nothing had been discovered until July. I am so grateful to have this picture. 

   

   

   

  

  She had chemo treatments and a bone marrow transplant. She was doing really well here in May.  Then it came back with a vengeance. They gave her two weeks to two months to live.

   

   

   

  

  This picture is after Dave and Rachel knew the time she has remaining here on earth. We were leaving to visit our Colorado family. Nevin felt strongly that I should visit Rachel before we leave. Lucille's (left) youngest daughter is a nurse and encouraged us to take photo albums to reminisce. Oh did we have a wonderful time remembering and laughing. As in Anne of Green Gables, Rachel and I were bosom buddies growing up. In our wedding, she was my maid of honor; Lucille was one of my bridesmaids.

  When I called Rachel and asked about visiting she knew that I was given a tea kettle for my 60th birthday. She asked if I would bring that along and have tea together. Lucille took cookies.

   

   

   

  

  Rachel knew we were leaving for Colorado. When she hugged me goodbye, she said in a gentle tone of voice, " I might not get to see you on this earth again." I cannot thank Nevin enough for giving his opinion about visiting Rachel before we leave....two days after our visit we left for Colorado and one week later Rachel was in Hospice.

   

   

   

  

  This was a precious moment; as I prepared to take a picture of Dave and Rachel together, she looked at him, touched his cheek and said, "David,did you shave?"

  We came home on a Monday evening. Tuesday I put things away. Wednesday I called Rachel's oldest daughter-in-law, Donna, to ask her if she thinks it would be appropriate to visit Rachel at Hospice the next day. I called her at 5:30pm. She told  me, "Rachel passed away today at 3:30." Thank you, Thank You, Heavenly Father for this time Lucille and I had with Rachel and Dave. 

  Remember that fireplace picture - "Enjoy the little things in life.....for one day you'll look back and realize they were the big things." 

   

   (The Lord allowed us to be back in time for Rachel's funeral service on July 5th; I was very thankful.)

   

   

   

  ~I'll post at a later time about our special visit in Colorado. 

   

   

   

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