Happy Mother's Day

It's Mother's Day.  A day for honoring mothers. I think it was a grand idea to set aside a day such as this.  It's nice to be able to pause and think of just how much we have been blessed by our mothers.

I have a wonderful mother that I have been blessed with.  She worked hard while I was growing up, seeing to it that we were all taken care of, often seeming like the anchor that kept everything together during tough times.  Strong family values were important to her, and she instilled in each one of her children the importance of enjoying each other, something which all seven of us continue to do to this day.

Take a moment today, and thank the Lord for your mother.  And to all of you that are mothers, I hope you have had a chance today to pause and thank the Lord for choosing you to be a mother.

Life

Today I attended a funeral.  The deceased wasn't a direct relative of mine; however, it was my brother-in-law's father.  It made me sad to see my sister and brother-in-law grieving, as well as the rest of my brother-in-law's family.  The loss of a loved one is so difficult.  But during the funeral I got to thinking about life; because on my way over to the funeral, I had a message from a friend that her daughter-in-law had gone to the hospital to deliver their first baby.  So not only was I praying for comfort for the family of the deceased; but also for the family of this new little life coming into the world.  An end of a life being honored, and a new little life beginning .... all at the same time.

It made me think that in our busy day-to-day hustle, lives are beginning and ending all around us.  People are grieving and rejoicing everywhere continually.  In Ecclesiastes 3:2 it says there is "a time to be born, and a time to die".  They are listed together because they go together.  God's plan keeps rolling along without a hitch .... babies are born while others are passing away.  God commands us to love one another.  That's why it hurts so much when we lose a loved one.  But God knew that would be the case and promised to comfort the grieving.  He understands our emotions.

The name of the man whose funeral I attended was Ed.  I thought about how Ed had undoubtedly rejoiced at the birth of all of his children, and as I glanced around the room, there they all were honoring his life.  Without him they would not have lived, and now that he has died he has left a legacy to continue on as it had been before he was even born.  His parents had rejoiced over his birth when he was born, the pattern of life just keeps going on.

So tonight I first raise a glass to Ed.  For being a loving husband, someone who loved his wife for 63 years without ever having an argument, yes that's really true.  He lived with his sweetheart until the end.  And for being a devoted father instilling in all of his children strong values and the importance of family.  And secondly, I raise a glass to a brand new baby boy who is beginning a legacy of his own.

Wedding Centerpieces



It's been a little over two weeks since my son's wedding.  Hard to believe all of the anticipation and planning is now well behind us.  The wedding was beautiful.  We were blessed with perfect weather for the outdoor ceremony, and also blessed with so many friends and family taking the time to come and celebrate with us.  Beautiful seems almost lacking in describing the bride, my new daughter.  She was absolutely stunning!  My son was so handsome and so happy.  I loved seeing him beam when his bride walked down the aisle. 

The colors were red, black, and white.  We had told Emma, the bride, that we would help her with the centerpieces.  I wanted to be able to use mason jars since I have a huge supply, and that would cut down on the cost of buying vases.  So after discussing ideas with Luke and Emma, mason jars it was.  They were filled with baby's breath, which was so pretty and simple.  Red ribbons were tied around the neck of the jar and a small black square with a hand printed "G" written with a chalk pencil on black paper was tied to the red ribbon.  Two little rhinestones were also placed beside the G.  Fresh red rose petals were sprinkled on each table on top of red and black paper, and finished off with silver glitter. 

The Mother of the Groom

Tomorrow is a big day in our family.  My son is getting married.  He is the first of my children to take this step, and thus it is a very new experience for me as his mother.  When my children were young, it was not uncommon for mothers of grown children to tell me to enjoy the time with my kids because it will go by so quickly.  Well, I'm there now, and that is so true.  They really do grow up in the wink of an eye.

I'm happy for my son, and pray that God will bless his new life abundantly.  I'm thankful to be getting a new daughter, and look forward to having her as a part of our family now.  I feel like I am turning a corner in my life and heading down a new avenue as a mother, but it is a good avenue, and I look forward to seeing what lies ahead.

God bless you, Luke.

Happy Mother's Day

Just think, a day just for honoring mothers.  Of course, mothers should always be honored, but having a special day set aside for various festivities all in the name of honoring a mom is a blessing.  Being a mom can be hard work, young or old, and her hat may change as the years go by, but once a mom, always a mom. 

I will be honoring my mom today at a family picnic.  She has always been a great mom -- always beside each and every one of her children no matter what difficulties they have faced.  Thanks mom, for all that you have done, and will continue to be.

 

 

And as a mom, I am always more than blessed by the actions of my kids on this day.  My son sent me the flowers in the above picture, and they are so pretty.

 

To all of you moms out there, have a wonderful day.

 

Giving Thanks

This is the pecan pie that I have been waiting for.  Waiting for it to come out of the oven that is.  The reason being is that it is my last item to prepare before tomorrow's feast.

 A greater part of my day today has been spent in the kitchen with recipes here and there, along with various lists of what was needed to be accomplished, and the continuous loading and unloading of the dishwasher as items were crossed off my lists and placed in the refrigerator.  I just love cooking for this holiday.  Just think, a special holiday set aside for thanking our Creator for all of our many blessings.  And one of the blessings I am very thankful for is the mere fact that I can spend time cooking up a big feast for my family.  And tomorrow when we all sit down together at the table and I see everyone enjoying the meal, I will be giving thanks for my family that the Lord has given me, they are one of the biggest blessings that I have ever received.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Cherry Season

Since my last post, our lives have been going through a time of adjustments.  Adjustments in getting used to life without my father-in-law.  For those of you who left comments, thank you so much for your very kind words.  It's been nearly four weeks now, and it is kind of hard for the brain to kick back into a normal routine.  But God is good, and each day continues to bring blessing after blessing.  One particular blessing I had this past week was to pick cherries with my brother at his house which is not too far away.  I arrived early and we had the best time visiting and picking.  I determined that he picks cherries twice as fast as I do, but I guess since they are his trees, he has had a lot more practice.  I came home with buckets of Bing Cherries, Rainier Cherries, and Pie Cherries.  They have all been washed and are now in the refrigerator awaiting my next step.  I think today I will start with the Pie Cherries and get a few pies put away in the freezer.  Nothing quite beats being able to reach in the freezer and bake a cherry pie at a moment's notice.

A New Season

Two days ago brought in a new season to our year, but it also brought a new season into my life, for it was the day that my father-in-law was ushered into his heavenly home.  To some that may lead you to say you are sorry for my loss.  However, knowing him was so much more of a gain in my life that the word loss just doesn't even enter into my thoughts.  He was the model of perfection as a father-in-law.  From day one he made me feel a complete part of the family.  His kindness that he has shown me over the years is just beyond words, and his generous spirit is almost overwhelming.

We have been extremely blessed to live only minutes away from him for a very long time, and that has afforded us with so much time that we have been able to spend with him and my mother-in-law.  I am deeply grateful for every minute of these past years that I have spent knowing him.  He will most definitely be missed, but my heart is so full of rich memories of him that I'm quite sure they will tide me over until I see him once again in heaven.

My sister-in-law and brother-in-law have both written tributes to him here and here just in case you would like to read more about such a remarkable, Godly man.

Love and Cake Pops

I really don't think it is necessary for me to point out how nice it is to take some time from the day, stop by Starbucks with loved ones, and enjoy a special treat.  It's one of those little things that mean so much.

It's the Little Things that Count

I have been traveling a bit over the past week.  In fact when I climbed on the airplane on Wednesday morning I counted that it was the sixth plane for me to step on in a week.  But the traveling has all been very fun.  My first spur-of-the-moment trip was to Colorado Springs, Colorado.  My brother-in-law and sister-in-law invited me to come spend a couple of days.  Between good conversation, fun shopping, good food, and great walks, it was a wonderful visit.  They have the gift of hospitality down perfectly, even down to leaving me cute chocolates and pretty flowers by my bed.

England Swings by Rebekah Merkle

My niece, Rebekah Merkle, has come out with a new fabric line for Timeless Treasures.  She was recently interviewed over at "The Jolly Jabber" blog sponsored by The Fat Quarter Shop.  Her fabric is beautiful, the interview is wonderful, and don't forget to watch the video -- it is very cool!!  Congratulations, Bekah.


England Swings from Dane Wilson on Vimeo.

The Little Box

My youngest daughter is currently on a vacation without me.  She is having a marvelous time, but we have never been apart for more than a couple of days.  So I thought that perhaps a way to keep her from getting too homesick, I would put together a little box for her containing a note from me to open each morning when she wakes up.  A pretty ribbon was tied around the envelopes, and little gifts were also included for her to open on various days.  For the box I just used a colored video box that Michaels sells, and tied a brightly colored ribbon around it.  Before she left, I secretly set the box on her bed in the travel trailer that she would be sleeping in.   When she arrived at her first destination, she was very pleased when she found the box.  Now I can feel like I am greeting her each morning with a cheerful word, and she can know that I am thinking of her.  It kind of makes it seem like we aren't quite so far apart.

A New Chapter

Today one of my daughters will be graduating from Nursing School, and will be a full fledged RN.  Wanting to be a nurse is something she has thought of ever since she was a little girl.  Those days don't seem that long ago; but now instead of taking care of baby dolls, she will be taking care of real people.  She is very kind hearted, loving, and considerate of others.  It is a blessing to me to know that now God will be using her to bless so many people's lives.  Congratulations to my sweet baby!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Today is the day that I celebrate my Irish heritage.  My father, bless his Irish soul, always made sure that we celebrated St. Patrick's Day.  As I have posted in the past, his father was 100% Irish, and we grew up never missing out on celebrating this day.

There has been some debate in the family about where our ancestors came from in Ireland.  My dad was very adamant about saying that we came from County Cork.  I know that I have relatives that have actually traveled to Ireland to locate some family history, and have reason to believe that we are from County Clare.  But to my knowledge, so far nothing has turned up.  Regardless of the specific Irish location that my family heralds from, today we are Irish and very proud of it.

"I met a little leprechaun down where the shamrocks grow.

I asked him why he stayed so small, and why he didn't grow.

He frowned his brow, and with his eye, he looked me through and through.

"Well, I'm as big to me he said as you are big to you."

(Author Unknown)

Girl Time

Yesterday afternoon was spent in one of the most delightful fashions ever -- as girl time.  It began with a stop at Starbucks where we sat and chatted over tea and scones.  And then out of necessity was grocery shopping; however, it involved my daughters buying me a beautiful miniature red rose plant.  That makes grocery shopping a cheerful adventure any time.  Next stop, dinner at Red Robin (yum).  And then it was back home where we settled in and watched the movie, "Letters to Juliet", while eating generous portions of cinnamon butter pound coffee cake from Costco.  I love spending time with my girls :D

A Labor of Love

My mom is amazingly talented with a crochet hook.  She can whip things up like they were nothing.  All of my life she has had a project of one sort or another nearby; and she never ceases to amaze me with what she can make, and in how short of a time that she can make it.  Last year she decided that she wanted to make all of her daughters crocheted tablecloths.  So last year my sister, Molly, was the lucky recipient.  My mom told me that I would be the next one in line.  She asked me which pattern I liked, and what measurements my table were.  But this last summer she told me she didn't think she would be able to finish it by Christmas, as she suffers terribly from arthritis and rheumatism, and it just really hurt her hands to do much crocheting.  I told her that was fine, as obviously I didn't want her to be in pain while making me a gift.  Just the thought that she wanted to make something for me counted the most.  But on Christmas Eve, I opened a gift from my mom.  And yes, it was the tablecloth.  It is absolutely beautiful, and what makes it so special is that she obviously forged on ahead with the work even though it caused her pain.  A good example of a labor of love, and what a mother will endure for a child.  Thanks mom -- it will always be very special to me.  I love you.

Milly

We have jumped into winter this year with both feet.  November went on record as being the snowiest November we have ever had.  Around Thanksgiving we managed to have a blizzard, sub-zero temperatures, and two snowstorms.  In spite of all of this we have managed to stay cozy warm in our house.  Our dog, Milly, however had alternate plans.  She has a very warm shop that she can go in and out of at will.  It is equipped with all of the food and water she could ever want, as well as a very big cozy, soft bed.  So during our inclement weather, what did she decide would be best?  To leave her warm shop, escape from her enclosed area, and sleep under our deck!  I guess she just thought we really needed some extra protection during the storms.

To Facebook or not to Facebook

I started using Facebook about a year ago.  My sisters and my son convinced me that I should hop on the bandwagon.  After spending a year partaking in all of the fun, I have pondered whether or not it is worth it.  The down side is that you see a side of people that you never knew existed, and quite frankly, that you really wished you wouldn't have seen.  I guess the mere fact that people can sit in front of their computer, instead of facing an actual person, gives them the boldness to use language that they would never have used if they were speaking directly to you.  I've found that at times I am "out of the loop" and discover shocking things about people, or stumble across startling photographs.  But on the flip side, I have seen many positive aspects of the whole Facebook experience.  I "talk" to one of my sisters on almost a daily basis.  She lives a long way from me, and so it is a great way to stay in touch.  Cousins that I used to rarely see now pop up on my screen almost daily.  I can hop on over to their pages, and see at a glance what they are up to, hear about their kids, and every now and then get a good chuckle about some of their antics.  Keeping in touch with old high school friends has also been very enjoyable.  Being able to see pictures of a brand new niece within hours after she was born, and hear that everyone is doing well, is a blessing.  So you see I have many more "plus" items than "negative" items.  But one item to add to the "plus" side is that I was recently connected to a childhood friend that I would never have guessed I would ever have seen again.  She was the perfect friend -- a next door neighbor friend.  Someone who was always there; and there was never a question of whether or not we would spend a day together.  We spent summers riding her horse, wandering the countryside, eating rhubarb and strawberries out of her mother's immense garden, and just being friends.  Here is a picture of us.  Aren't we a rough and tumble looking group.  From left to right is my friend, Pam, me, and my sisters Megan, and Peggy.  We are holding some of our new puppies.

So to answer my own question, I think I will continue on Facebook.  The advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

A Nice Surprise

This morning while in the midst of my usual teaching school, clean the kitchen, do laundry, etc., a woman came to our front door carrying a box.  Look what was printed on top of the box :)  Of course every task I was involved in came to a screaching halt.

I knew this had to be something good!  Inside were 2 dozen beautiful roses .... a mixture of colors!!

They are so pretty, and I was totally taken by surprise.  It isn't my birthday, Mother's Day, etc.; but they were from my son, just because he loves me ....  thanks, Luke -- you made my day :-)

An Every Day Teapot

When my grandmother was first married, the only teapot that she had was a beautiful china one with gold trim.  My very practical great grandmother (her mother-in-law) did not think it was a good idea for her to use such a beautiful teapot every day.  So she bought her a more practical one, and told her to put the other away for special occasions.  My grandmother decided that she really didn't think anyone else should be able to tell her which teapot she could use on a daily basis (a bit of a stubborn streak I'm thinking), and put the new one away, and continued using her beautiful teapot.  After my mom was married, my grandma gave her the unused, more practical teapot since she didn't have one.  I grew up with that being my mom's only teapot, and she used it all of the time.  My sister, Kass, is now in possession of it, and it is so nice to visit her, and be poured a cup of tea from such a beautiful (but practical) teapot.

Recently, I was attending a sale just kind of looking around at all of the fun items.  My eyes were just wandering when all of a sudden they came to a complete stop.  There was a teapot identical to my mom's teapot .... except without the lid.  I just had to buy it, especially since the price was only $6.00.  Now I have my very own "practical" teapot, except without the lid I have come up with another use for it:

And just in case you were wondering, my grandma's "fancy" teapot sits in a place of honor in my mom's china cabinet, and you never would have known it had been used on a daily basis for so many years.