Mothers day 2011 and 2012

2011
For mothers day this year we went up to Josh and Lindsey's in Blaine, Minnesota. Grams, Jeff and I went on Saturday afternoon. We arrived about 3:00, just as Lindsey was pulling in with a car load of girls from Foley. They had come down for Blaine garage sale days, so they picked up Lindsey and spent the day together. It turns out one of Emily's friends, Lisa, has a sister who lives here also! After the Foley girls left we went to Sam's club and got lawn chairs and groceries for the mothers day gathering which would take place at 1:00 on Sunday. Mom, Jeff, Lindsey, Josh and myself then went out to eat at "Bejahs". We had a nice supper together and then went home and settled in for the night. Mom and I both decided that they have a wonderful house, and an even nicer bed - we slept like rocks on the bottom of a sandy ocean! On Sunday morning everyone showered and got ready for church. We all went to the church in Circle Pines where Lindsey and Josh had been going when they lived there. It was a nice service with the children putting on a play. It was unbelievable all the work they had put into this - they did wonderful! After church we went back to Lindsey's and started the preparations for the Mothers day dinner. Curt and Josh got the meat ready, mom the potatoes, Lindsey the veggies. All these things would be made on the new grill in the new garage.! I got the fruit salad, and lettuce ready,Josh's mom brought wild rice soup! The new counters were bursting with fresh, wonderful foods. Everyone was coming from their homes, arriving at L & J's.

I need to remember this moment - to know how much love there is in the world...
I need to write all their names here...
It was a big gathering for what used to be a small family...
Gramma Dorius, Jeffrey
Curt, Pam
Jim, Julie Johnson
Josh, Lindsey Johnson
Chris, Emily, JaciAnna, Conner D, and JordynNoel Harren
K, Lacey and Nola Jean Schmidt Bugdal
We all gathered around for a Mothers Day Feast.
I couldn't help but look around me, to see all that I have been given and give thanks to the Lord.
I know that if He has given of His time and talents to figure out the sea, surely He knows about me and my family. He knows how precious these moments are and how much it means to be a part of a family who loves,
a part of a family who serves the Lord.
Lord, I thank-you this day for my family, and my families family. I thank-you that we are all a part of Your great design. I ask that you would continue to Bless us with health and happiness and give us these times together to grow and share in Your great love. Help us to be Your body down here on earth...
Help us to hear your voice through the storms...
and as Your love created the seas so does Your love flow over us and unto others.
Amen!

2012

This year for mothers day we had it planned to all go to Blaine for the garage sale days, and have supper at Lindsey's to celebrate mothers day.  Instead came my "Grams" blog.  My gramma Fisher died on May 9th 2012.  We didn't get to gather in Blaine this year, we were all together in Willow Lake, South Dakota.  My grams home town.  We celebrated the first generation mother with all 5 generations of her family.  After the funeral we went out to the "farmers" house. We spent Sunday together and ate at Shirleys... and then everyone left for home.  I am lonesome, but then I have my memories and the beautiful thoughts of mothers.

The dance floor of Heaven

They held their baby in their arms... believing in divine miracles and healing.
But,
the little boy died and after 3 days they buried him. Devastated, how can this be a miracle? This is not what Jesus wanted for their little boy... WHY??
You feel your heart ache for the family, they are so lonely for his laugh, his soft skin, the smell of his hair against their face as they carried him. And you don't know this family... yet hearing them speak you realize they are apart of who you are, they need you to get through and you need them to see we get through it together... and as you are busy helping each other, praying and holding on to one another for all we have with in us...  His answer comes softly with a song and HE opens up the dance floor of Heaven.  Their eyes follow Him up above in the sky. It is as if a light house has cast it's image across the Heavens.
They glimpse the realms of Glory that their little boy is in.  They bask in the time they have been given. Yes, they are still lonely for him, still aching inside for their earthly loss... but,
How can you not be happy for the little guy?
Healed of his illness?
Dancing.

The Love of my LIfe

When I first saw him he was driving though Gaylord, taking a right at the stoplight.  Going towards Westgate apartments,  where he lives.  He is my friend Lori's brother in law.
My heart stops and this thought went through my head:

"That is the man I will marry one day"

"The Best of Me"

Today we went to LeSueur to get my mom some new lenses for her glasses.  After that we headed to the Olive Garden for nourishment and then on to the Mall for a mini shopping trip.  As mom shopped Herbergers, Cold Water Creek and found what she wanted, I headed to target...
well yes,
it happened... I got all caught up in the book department!
I spent over an hour there looking at books, thinking what I'de like to read,
and yes,
I had it in my hand "The Best of Me" by Nicolas Sparks. (30% off of 25.99)
Something inside me welled up and said "you do not need to "pay" for a book, you have 100 of them at home to read already and the library will lend it to you for free"
"but, I really want a book to start tonight, and this sounds really good..."
So,
I left Target without the book - it seems rationalization got the best of me and I decided to order it from the library.
When we got home from Mankato, we dropped off our stuff and drove to a quick garage sale in Green-Isle.  I got the ladies history, laughed a little
and yes,
I picked up a book.  I had it in my hand "The Best of Me" by Nicolas Sparks! (5.00 total bill)
So,
I started the book and this is one of the first things I read, however, I have added my own twist.

YOU ADD SO MUCH JOY TO MY LIFE AND I'M PROUD OF ALL OF YOU!!  AS MY CHILDREN, YOU ARE, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, THE BEST OF ME!!

AS MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS, YOU ARE, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, THE PART OF ME THAT I WANT FOREVER.

AND AS FOREVER IS HERE NOW, I AM SO THANKFUL YOU ARE A PART OF ME, FOREVER...  THE BEST PART OF ME!!
and yes,
I LOVE YOU!

Celebrate!

On the week end of June 17th, 2012 we all came together at our house.  We celebrated the birthdays of Conner Dallas Harren (June 21st, 2007) and
     Nola Jean Bugdal       (June 25th, 2010).
We also went to Arlington Town and Country Day's and to Megan Benings graduation party.
When I think about how much fun we had, loving each other, it brings tears to my eyes.  They overflow spilling down my cheeks.
And I remember how Blessed I am for all I have been given here in life.
...and when I get to Heaven, I pray that He will say...

"thank-you for praying for your family and friends always.  Even when the world around you seemed to be going crazy... you prayed.  I pray He will take my face in His hands and gently wipe the tears from my cheeks replacing them with streaks of Hope.  The hope that I have, that one day we will all find Heaven's door and the celebration will be unending.

Dance with me

Won't you dance with me through out the Heavens
and below the Sea?
Blow like the breeze...
Come follow me...

Lord won't you dance with me?

A gingham flowered dress...

Today she comes "home" to see her papa and gramma pammie...
It is Thursday my day off. I get up and clean up all the "not so Nola" things, take a shower, get Lila's lunch packed, make my bed, finish up the laundry, write in Lila's book, pray with Lila and Ann including by name those that we know have cancer.  Missy is  in the drive way... were going to go to Waconia and hit some garage sales.  Away we go, it seems free sailing from 8:30 until about 2:00 (our plan to be home).  We have a wonderful time and unload the goods, mainly little clothes for the grands.
Soon there is a knock on the deck door, it is our Nola Jean playing shy with Missy being here, blanket covering the face, sitting on my lap for protection!  We sit together and then unload all of Lacey's goods and gramma is off again, this time to NewUlm for some therapy recreation.  When I return home it is a little love for Nola Jean, a little for Lila, a little for Lacey and a little more for papa (Ann is in bed). Together it is a whole lot of love!  Everyone goes to bed and Lacey and I talk until 11:45 pm... off to bed for us and then up in the am for work.
...when I leave for work I am feeling lonesome for Nola - okay easy fix... "Lacey you should probably stay until after supper so I can go to Menards and get the right ceiling fan for the kitchen as the two I got don't work.  She stays and I am home in time to take our Nola Jean for a walk out side!  Before we even start I can feel a joy inside of me that only a busy gramma with a little girls hand in hers, can know.  She see's the "girls" across the street and runs blindly to them - I follow close behind knowing she should be learning a lesson here... "don't run into the road" - but, I am here with her and she is so free, so happy, so uninhibited by the world!  We talk with the girls and then we go walking.  I decide we will walk down mainstreet and around through the cement yard.  It proves to be a wonderful decision as she squats down and explains to me "ROCKS!"  She picks them up into her hand saying "rock" each time.  Her little hands are full now...
so gramma helps...
I show her the pocket in her little gingham flowered dress.
She picks up a rock
drops it into the pocket.
"Pocket, rock"
"Pocket, rock"
"Pocket, rock"
in her little voice with each one she picks up.
I could stay here forever, filling myself with this simple joy in life.
As she begins to walk towards home, her dress swings to the side from the weight of the rocks,
she touches it making sure they are all still there...
she runs to her momma, who picks her up and feels her own childhood unfold inside a little pocket on a gingham flowered dress.