THE DAY GOD GAVE CONNER A KITTY...

So tonight at 10:00 she calls me. Sometimes it is the only time when we can share a few words together. JaciAnna is at a friends house, Jordyn is sleeping. Conner D however is up and waiting for his cousin Paige to arrive from Roseau. Isn't it amazing, she sits down after a full day to load some pictures on the computer and call me (when you are a mom of 3 you need to always do at least two things at once!)and I'll be if the little guy doesn't need help getting his swim trunks on!? He and the big guy are going to hop in the hot tub while waiting for their company.
Okay so the swim trunks are on... mom sits back down.

Oh oh, we better have a drink of water to take outside with us...
MOOOOOOMMMMMM, can you get me a drink of water.
Okay so the water is gotten... mom sits back down.

MMMOOOOOMMMMM, I need to have a towel (he calls from with in the walls of the hot tub). mmmoooommmmm... can you get me and dad a towel please? So she gets up and gets the towels and brings them out to the guys... mom sits back down.

Ohhhhh mom, you gotta come outside here and see this little kitty, he is so cute!
Okay so we have now looked at the kitten on the steps... mom sits back down.

Moooommmmm, this little kitty is so cute, look at him, isn't he so cute? God told me that we should have him... He said we need to keep the little kitty. Well Conner, we need to shut the door here. You see your daddy is allergic to cats so it would not be a good thing for our family to have a kitty. Tell God thank-you for His offer though... mom sits back down.

And now the company has arrived, we will try to finish up our conversation and she will need to go to them...
welcome them to Foley, welcome them into their home...

So, she says I love you and gets up out of the chair.

THERE IS LOVE

When I was a little girl I remember having "my brother". I remember the excitement that would fill him over everyday things in life. Many times he would take little pieces of my skin and pinch. I have to say, I never quit understood it.

I know if I was sewing or working on something I would stick my tongue out over my lips. It seemed to help me to concentrate. My dad and mom would always call me "gramma Meyer". They said that is what she did when she was sewing or working on some sort of craft. But, I didn't get into trouble for this...
it just made people smile.
Jeff never pinched anyone else, only me... or was it that no one else was ever really around? I can't remember that part.
But I know 45 years later that he still feels that same excitement over children. When he see's them he has to do something to bug them. It is as if he knows he can't pinch them or hurt them, but, he is going to be sure that he gets them to notice. It usually involves a little squeeze, push, taking their blanket, or reaching out to them in some way that will get a reaction from them. I have to say, I don't really quit understand it...
but if I think -
I wonder if he realizes in his mind that the best way to get attention from someone you love is to "act up"? No one really notices him if he is just sitting there rocking. He is quiet and kind never causing much trouble.
And really when I think about it isn't this the way we are?
We want to be noticed, but, we aren't sure how to do it.
As adults we can figure out things to do that the kids like - we can get them to like us and like our company. We can read them a book, get them out toys, make their favorite food, take them to the park, take them to the fair, for walks, for bike rides, hold them, pray with them, color with them...
In conclusion - I am still not sure why he does these things...
but of this I am sure -
there is love.

THE RIDE

Jeff has been riding bike as long as I can remember. His bikes were always embellished to the hilt. We are talking a big ole orange flag on the back that would swing back and forth as he sped down the road (the faster the bike, the faster the flag would wave!)... there was usually a radio taped somewhere, a clock or two, a horn, stickers, and whatever else he could conjure up. In his mind his bike was his car and he needed to dress it accordingly!

When we lived in town in a trailer house down on Henderson road, he was about 7. He had a broken arm, so, he needed to use his other arm to hold on as he peddled down the streets. If my memory serves me somewhat correctly - it was shortly after this our parents moved us 8 miles out in the country with a mile long drive way. This would offer lots of space and long distances before Jeff would have to turn around and go back the other direction.

When we lived on "Boerners Hills" farm he had a bike accident. There was a big electric pole with a yard light on it right in the middle of the farm yard, as Jeff made one of his spectacular turns - he ran into the pole. With blood everywhere he was ready to mount the bike, it wasn't until he saw dad coming towards him that he started crying. Dad brought him in and got all of his wounds cleaned and then off he went for another spin.

When Jeff turned 18 he moved to Mankato into the Harry Myring Center. Along with him went his bike. He took classes and had lots of training on the rules of "how to ride your bike". He rode his bike for many years, it was his main source of transportation. I can't speculate how many he went through during his years, but I can tell you how much he enjoyed riding! When he was living by the fire station in Mankato he ran into a parked car. He wasn't hurt real bad, but, bad enough that someone called the cops. When they arrived they got him cleaned up and issued him a ticket for reckless driving. He was so proud of that ticket that we just really couldn't say to much! To this day he will say... do you remember when I got that traffic ticket?

I guess the final straw came one day when mom and I were headed up the hill to go to the "River Hills Mall". We saw a bike rider, riding fast through traffic, head down... well, what in the world? Who would ride their bike like that? Thinking that all traffic would be watching for him? Why would someone allow this person to ride their bike through all this traffic with their head down, didn't he know any better? Didn't someone say "NO!"

and...
as we looked closer we realized it was none other than my favorite brother. He was so enjoying the wind at his back...
so enjoying his freedom
so enjoying the ride.

We did realize we would need to say "NO" - but, we let him finish his ride home and at his next "teaming" we discussed his capabilities of driving bike in Mankato. The traffic had changed through the years, and Jeff could no longer maneuver through it safely. It was sad for us to take away this freedom, but he was just fine with it. We still let him ride his bike in Arlington and he could still ride in Mankato with staff. Eventually he gave up riding in Arlington on his own also. He still goes with his staff in Mankato on the bike paths - but, that about tops his interest.

Thinking about this story...
and the fact that I need to fill my bike tires on Thursday so I can go for a spin on my new bike...
I believe I will take Jeff to the track this week-end...
let him feel the wind beneath his wings
let him be free
give him the chance to ride...

THE PACT

As long as I had a few lines about the "swear words"...
I needed to get this story down also. My three girls shared it with me about 3 months ago... they are story tellers and they had us all laughing!
The girls informed me that when we would go away and the three of them would be home alone - things happened that didn't happen when we were there!
All three of them would stand together in a "ring around the rosey" type of circle. They would make a "pact" that "no one would tell mom and dad what they did"
... then
.... the first one to go - she would say a swear word out loud
..... then
...... the second one would say a swear word
........ then
the third.
I laughed so hard to imagine my little "angels" standing in a circle, swearing up a storm! Never once did any of them mention this to me until this story! I could think about how "naughty" they were when we were gone, instead I am going to concentrate on the "secret love of sisters" never breaking their "pact!" - cuz, hey, sometimes you just gotta say it!!
Thank-you girls for this wonderful story, thanks for the Blessing you are, and always have been to us! We love you so!!

Again...

Remember when I told you about the "Information Seeker?" Well, here is another picture of her... she searched out the facts about how to "pa-pose" a baby .

Again...

Remember when I told you about the "Wedding Singer?" Well, here is a picture of the singers at her wedding!

Again...

...Remember when I told you about "The Teacher?" Well here is just a few of the many students she has loved and taught.

Again I say Rejoice

...Remember when I told you about "The Blesser?"
Well, here he is again!
It never ceases to amaze me what the love of a child can do to your heart!!

THE WEDDING SINGER

LIndsey is my middle child. I will always remember when she was a little girl Mr. Hillman had her sing in the Christmas play in Green-Isle. I can still hear the sound of her beautiful little girls voice as she sang about the lamb needing a place to go. She sang in our Church Plays also, Jan realizing that she had a beautiful young voice. Again in school when Lindsey was about in 7th grade, she sang the song "In the Arms of an Angel". Her voice moved over the people that were there in a heart warming gesture of love. When Lindsey was in 9th grade the United Methodist Church started a "Praise Team". The Pastor and Jeff asked her if she would consider giving her time and talents to this new adventure. Agreeing that it would be a lot of time commitment she said that she would try it. For 4 years she gave of her time to practice on Wednesday nights and sing on Sundays. I later joined and we got to sing together for those years. It was a wonderful time of Praising God. As Lindsey has grown in her life, finishing her degree in cardiac rehab from Mankato State University...
she has continued to sing. She has gifted others with her voice through funerals, retirement parties, birthdays, church services, women united and weddings. If you have a gift, use it to Glorify God, He will Bless you for it. I believe that Lindsey leads a life that is Blessed by God because of the gifts she shares with others.
Lindsey's voice continues to be one of my richest blessings!

THE TEACHER

Emily Jo is my first born... it was probably the only time of her life when she was the only one, sense her birth she has always been with children! If it wasn't her own sisters, it was the neighbor kids. She was always busy organizing their "play", teaching, and telling stories. Her first grade teacher wrote her a card and it said "May santa always have time to listen to your stories". He had told us that when Emily geared up for a story - you better have a little time, as it was going to be a good one, and it was going to be detailed!
I remember when she was young she had an incredible insight to life. She informed me that she would go out for sports, plays, activities, read, go to church, Sunday school, and that she would always get on the honor roll. She would do this because she had two younger sisters to set an example for. She wanted to leave a good impression with her teachers for her sisters sake.
When Emily went on to college she had a few bumps in the road. I remember being afraid that she wouldn't finish due to a broken heart. I'll be if she didn't pull herself up by the boot straps and go on to finish her four year teachers degree at Bemidgi State and then got her masters degree with two little ones at home. She is a kindergarten teacher now...
we are so very blessed by her teaching abilities and she still remains to be one of the best story tellers I know!!

THE INFORMATION SEEKER!

Lacey Lynn is my last born daughter... or, you could say the "baby of the family". She has always been a seeker. She loves to seek out information and study a situation before she will comment on it. Lacey started to read a lot about her 17th year of life. The thing with Lacey is she always seemed to be reading for "information", the entertainment part came second. A mother doesn't always know everything that is going on - but, I do know that with age she has shared many things she has learned with me and I am very thankful for that. If she doesn't know the answer, she will search it out in all places she knows and come up with a reasonable opinion surrounded by the facts. I would say her greatest accomplishment is that she reads and studies the Bible. One day when we were talking about life, she told me "The Bible is the only thing that makes sense." If I can think of one thing that I want my children, my children's children, my family and friends to know - it would be to know how to seek out the truth and wisdom in the Bible.
Lacey finished her liberal arts degree at Hutchinson technical college. She continues to learn on a daily basis -always searching for truth.
Her willingness to share knowledge with me is a treasure that I am blessed with.
I know she has done much information seeking on many different topics...
and look what she has passed on to the next generation...
This is a picture of Nola Jean "seeking out some information of her own!"

The yellow boots and the perfect day!

It was a perfect day. Planned at the last moment.
Almost everyone could be there...
Walking two blocks to the corner of main,
pushing strollers, carrying bags, lawn chairs and coolers.
Laughing, loving, giving, receiving.
And here we are, all smiles.
It was a perfect day!

The color of love

If I could describe love using a color, I would use the color red.
It is the color that most people look good in.
...the color of gingham on Nola Jeans dress
...red shoes with little straps going around her little feet, leaving her little toes bare.
...a covered wagon
...the touch of red undertones in her hair
...the color of the heart
but, most of all, the color of the blood that was shed for you and for me.
What greater love can be?
When they asked Jesus..."how much do you love me", he stretched out His arms and died.
And if I could tell you what Nola Jean is doing here...
I would say she is raising her hands in Praise to the Lord for giving us the color red.

The Blesser

Conner Dallas has a special gift in his heart. He is a "Blesser". For some reason this little guy just seems to know when to "can the swear words" and behaviors. He knows exactly who needs a smile and a touch. As he has gotten a little older it is not as easy for him to sit still long enough to give out the love that each person needs. The amazing thing is...
he does it anyway.
He very easily gets control of the situation, looks around and sees where he is needed. He will sit right down on that persons lap, look in their eyes, and give them the love that is needed.
When I watch him in these displays of love, I know that it is a gift he has been given from Jesus Christ. I can feel the colors of the rainbow as they splash over the moment and trickle down through hearts, healing the broken spots with love.

BREAKFAST & SWEAR WORDS

Many times through our grandchildren's lives - I have talked to their parents about "behaviors". I prefer they don't use the words naughty, shut-up, sassy, brat, acting up etc... I strongly believe in my heart if you tell a child he is "naughty", somewhere in his heart he will start to think that is what he is.
Or, if you tell a child she is a"brat" - somewhere it sinks into her heart and she believes that she is indeed a brat.
I believe that my kids have learned that this is the way I think. You should not speak bad words over your kids. We do understand that yes, there is often a need for discipline, especially in those young years where they are exploring, finding out just what they can get by with and what they can't. The most important thing is that they know that they are "good", but the behavior they are showing is not what you expect from them.
...for my point I will talk about Conner D. here for a little while.
We have gotten to see the little guy quite a bit this summer. One fine day when he was looking through the cupboards, (thinking he needed to have a Reese's peanut butter cup at 8:00 in the morning), I gently informed him that he would be having a good breakfast to start his day. YES, as you can imagine, he didn't agree with me. It became a little "power match" with Conner D informing me...
"JACIANNA SAID A SWEAR WORD LIKE ONLY THE PARENTS CAN DO."
I looked at Conner trying to figure out where he was coming from - but, I dropped it figuring he was just trying to tattle on his sister. I went on getting his eggs and toast ready for that wonderful breakfast that he was going to like so much!
"I WANT A REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUP"
..."Well, little guy, your not having one. I am making you some eggs and toast and that is what you will be eating."
"DO YOU WANT ME TO SWEAR?" he says with this very angry look on his face...
"DO YOU WANT ME TO SWEAR LIKE ONLY THE PARENTS CAN?"
...well, I am quite proud of myself here - I continue to make the breakfast and I don't start laughing. I take the Reese's peanut butter cup and tell him if he doesn't quit I will count to three and throw it into the garbage can with all the other swear words I have heard in my life!
He goes to his chair at the kitchen table, sits down and eats his eggs and toast and asked me...
"SO, ARE ANY OF MY PARENTS SWEAR WORDS IN THE GARBAGE?"