baby wings

Sometimes you just feel so blessed by people who take your baby under their wing... take all that is important to her... and give her the support she needs
 to fly.

3 bags. 2 baskets and an hour

Coming home from work today I get excited...
heading to Gibbon to get 10 dozen eggs from an organic free range chicken, beef farmer...
I am thinking about my Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday off.
I am thinking about everything I have to do on Thursday...
a mammogram for lu, a dentist appointment for lu and myself, a chiro appointment for me, an appointment to see a potential respite care person, a grease and oil change for Curts car, a clinic bill to pay, a carpenter coming to talk about some things on the house, praise team music to pick out and put in books...
ahhh to set the goal...
When I get home I see our Lacey and Nola Jean out the door with their 6 dozen fresh, free range eggs... Nola tells me "thanks for the fun time gramma pammie". I give her a flower, and another one for her daddie, it dances in the sunshine.
The car loaded down with fresh flowers and clean laundry, a precious baby belted in her seat with her snack.
Waving...
they leave for the cities.
Coming in the house I load up the papers for Gaylord, and take lu along.  We drop off papers, stop to see Linda at Billy and Stephs, drop off gramma D's fresh, free range eggs,
drop of Curts car at the Bergs boys.
Walking to our house I remember the goal as the clock ticks past a bed time.
There they are sitting, those 3 bags, and 2 baskets.
Full
Full of stuff I have collected through the week when I have been in a hurry.
I have an hour.
I sit and sift through all the papers, books, bills, treasures.
Thank you God for an extra hour that you give sometimes,
for us to sift through all the stuff.
You remind me gently of the gift you gave me...
waving,
with dancing flowers in her hand.

Dinasours

In July of 2012 one of my co-workers was talking about the Minnesota Zoo having a Dinosaur exhibit.  I could hardly contain myself as I planned on taking my Conner D, who is always talking about Dinosaurs to the zoo.  I called momma Emily, called Grandma, asked Lacey if her and Nola would want to meet us...
and away we went on my Thursday off...
we got there and it poured down rain...
it quit as quickly as it started and in we went.
I couldn't find these pictures for one year.
I found them now...
so here they are, my babies and I at the Dinosaur exhibit!

Victory

Sometimes I tend to start to wonder "what in the world is going on down here Lord"...
I start to question things and think to deeply...
Then I remember the Lord is in control, He has already won the victory and we are His always and forever.
and I remember this picture of a small child's praise...
and all is well with my soul.

A garage sale

Nola's Kitchen

 "Mom! Mom!  Lacey! Mom!  Come see, come see here!"

I heard Nola "lelling" to me from the other room.  When I went into see what was the matter, I was met with her running up to all bug eyes, wrapping her arms around my legs.

"There's a KITCHEN!  Back there!  It's a big KITCHEN for cooking food!  I think it's for me!"

I told her I bet it was for her, and that Grandma Pam got it for her.  I spent the next ten minutes helping her find things around the kitchen to play with: a spatula, mixer, bottles that she made me fill with water.  I gave her a lid to use as a pan but she brought it back to me after she put it on the burner and contemplated it for a moment.

"Mom.  This is too square.  I need a hexagon.  The burner is a hexagon.  Can you find me a hexagon?"

I checked out the burner and she was right!

One fine day when coming home from Gaylord swim lessons with Conner D and Hayden Hope, I saw the sign...
we pulled in...
the rest is history!

  

This for that

If I could go back and change anything in my life, but I had to give up this night...
I wouldn't go back...
Besides,
changing things would change this
and I wouldn't want that!

A mothers heart

Your life is not your own (Jeremiah 10:23).  No one tells you that better than your child.
You know how it is...
Our plans, schedules, dreams, dates...
Are changed by our children.
A mothers plans change according to our children...
And we drop everything and pick them up for a picture when they are in the mood.
In the midst of losing our lives, don't loose heart...
nurture your mothers heart, it is the wellspring of life.
Take time with your mothers heart...
what ever little time you may have...
and walk with God.
Nurture and build your relationship with Him...
as you balance on the beam of life.

(...and as always, thanks for taking some of that precious time and sharing it with us!)
some words by S E from her book "You are Captivatting, Celebrating a Mothers Heart, as changed by me, mother of the mother of this sweet baby girl)

One more minuete

going up

coming down

what was lost, now is found

After we let the painted turtle free, free to find his mom and dad... we took the long road home and stopped by the "green park"

On this beautiful day, in this beautiful place, I give thanks to the Savior...
Father
Son
and Holy Spirit.
Thank-you I am able to take part in this day, that I have all You have given me in my heart.
That You help me to find You when I am lost.
Your mercies are new everyday.
You are the lover of my soul.
The one who frees me to be.

Everything is good!

On Saturday July 6th, 2013 Carol, Duey, Curt and myself headed for the Mall of America to a comedy club.   We ate a wonderful supper when we got there. We talked about the Hackers vacation to Nebraska to see family, we talked about life, and about things that  make a beautiful friendship conversation.  Sometimes we don't even have to know what we are talking about, we just enjoy being together.  We head from the supper to the club...
okay, so the comedy was the worst we have ever heard...
we left there and started laughing about how awful the comedy was...
when you are with good friends...
when you turn 53
everything is good!

The feast fit for a Queen

The Queens table

Nola Jean and Lila Jean

Nola Jean at the feast fit for a Queen

Lacey and Grams serving up the feast

The same skirt I wore for the 50th... where has time gone?

It was a Wednesday after work that we were invited down to Gram's to celebrate my 53rd birthday.
She prepared a wonderful feast for us that was topped off with a glass of wine.
Thank-you mom for always loving me, for always letting me be your baby girl...
even though,
now the baby fat jiggles on my upper arms,
my big eyes are now crowded out by sagging eye lids,
my neck seems to have found a life of its own,
my sweet baby blond curls are stick straight with sweat from the days work...
you invite me into your home as if I am a queen.
You are the most that any 53 year old daughter could ask for and as you have always loved me, unconditionally as your baby girl -
I will always love you as my favorite mother in the whole wide world.
And when you can't anymore -
I will take over
and make you a feast fit for a queen!

It just so happened...

Hey lady...

I'm feeling better now, can I go?

on the road again...

climbing over the wall

"Is he going to find his mommy and daddy?" (yes)

On my way home from work one day I spotted a small painted turtle crossing the road.  As I looked in my rear view window I realized if I didn't go back and pick him up...
well you know...
so I turned around and went back to where I had seen him.
Ahhh...
there he was sitting in the middle of the road and not moving - that would work perfectly as I really wasn't wanting to chase him down the ditches of Sibley County!
I parked along the side of the Brewery road and took out the ice cream pail I just so happened to have in the back seat of the car.
As I approached him I could see that the car I had seen in my rear view mirror when I decided to turn around, had already hit him.  There was a small patch of blood - but....
he was walking, all be it a little crocked
So, I picked up the little guy and could see where his beautiful shell was damaged.  He poked his head and feet under his shell and in to the pail he went.
It just so happened that two weeks earlier I had purchased this great old metal tub from "Two Old Goats."  Family wondered what I was going to be doing with that ole thing!!  Well, God knew this little guy was going to need me...
two nice big rocks...
some water...
some grass...
a piece of fresh fish...
and a bug.
In you go little guy!!
He had been healing approximately 24 hours when it just so happened that  Nola Jean came to Arlington.
He wanted out of that ole tub...
wanted to run free to the river, to find his momma and daddy.
We set him out carefully on the driveway to see if he was ready for the journey.
He took off like buck shot down the road, and we decided he was as ready as he was going to be.  There was a little gitch to his get along, but it didn't affect his speed.
So, Nola Jean and I headed down for the cemetery, where there is beautiful green grass and High Island Creek  not far away.
Good bye little painted turtle...
be free.

The potty trainer (cont.)

Well, our little Nola Jean is completely potty trained.  No diapers except for maybe a pull up if we will be out playing somewhere without a bathroom.
She is at our house tonight and it is time for bed.  We go in to the bathroom and she will indeed "do it herself".  No need to help her up on to the big potty - she has it all under control, just needing you there to cheer her on. 
Off goes the pj pants and the panties...
sitting...
going...
wiping...
I try to help her on with her panties and pj bottoms...
she sweetly informs me that "she is to big of a girl to wear panties!"

Long ago

Could we have ever really understood on that day so long ago...
getting married in this place...
then all these years later...
tiny baby in hand
it feels like we have come full circle in this church.
Our wedding on September 29th, 1984
Our 3 babies babtized
...confirmed
...graduated
...2 weddings
...babies prayed for on the alter
and last but not least
...our newest baby dedicated to Jesus
right in this place
where it all began...
long long ago.

The animal sitter and the air conditioner

It started with taking care of Missy's kitty for her while they were all on vacation.  I can handle this little kitty for goodness sakes!  It reminds both Curt and I of when the girls were little living at home.  Curt worked at "Chrystal Foods".  Where he worked often times the wild  momma cats would have babies in the chicken barns.  When they felt it was time they would push their babies on to conveyor belts, or out in the open somewhere for humans to find.  It seems they were always pushed out a little early and the momma  wanted someone to find them and take care of them until they were big enough to survive on their own.
Well, Curt was the human!
He would often times bring home a baby kitty hanging on for dear life.  The kids would feed them with milk and clean the litter box and we would keep them until they were big enough to survive out on a farm.  Many times it would be Missy's farm!
So, how could I now say no to this little kitty who had been "dropped off" at gramma's the night before they were leaving for a week long vacation.
Yes, we will keep the kitty here at the house until you get home.
It turned out her and Chloe got along well and the kitty was fun to have around.

Now, it seems Tim is going to be gone for a week also.  He needs someone to watch his bird.  Well, I can handle Skully for goodness sakes! It reminds both Curt and I of when the girls were living at home.  One of our friends came and built us a birdcage in a window that we had taken out.  It was beautiful with plants and nesting material... the whole nine yards.  He also gave us some finches to get us started.  Do you know how fast finches multiply??  We had finches coming out of our ears! Then we found a place in Hutch that would take the babies once they could survive on their own.
So, how could I say no to going up and feeding Skully once a day while his "daddy" was gone.
Skully wasn't to crazy about me in his beautiful big cage... looking at me sideways and trying to take a snip of my hand when I fed him.  We made it through the week and Tim said that skully hasn't left his side sense he got home!  Well, pretty bird...  I tried!

And last but not least Ringo is going on a little trip also.  She has cats to feed and water and asks if I will just check in on them.   She informs me that she usually leaves enough food and water set out but if I would just go to check that all is okay and see if they need anything.  Of course I will do that - you are my beautiful friend, my neighbor!  So I go over to feed the cats.  Ringo has 25 bowls of cat food out and 2 great big bowls of water.  As far as I can tell they haven't eaten anything.  But, I hang out with them for a bit... assure them that their momma will soon be home.  I decide that while I am at Robins  I will also  do the pretty flowers  a favor and give them a drink.  (if they have any water left after filling those cat bowls!!).  I start to pull on the hose that is nestled nicely around a carrier.  I give it a big pull and walk around the corner of the house...
WHAP
I run smack into an air conditioner with my face
loose my balance
fall smack onto my butt.
I remember laying there thinking this "wow, you just knocked yourself out..."
...and then of course looking over to the grocery store and scanning the area to see if anyone saw me - as I roll on to my knees and pretend I am picking weeds

Pumpkin, the abandoned kitten

...finds a home!

s.

THE DANCE

Ecclesiastes 3:4
"A TIME TO WEEP, A TIME TO LAUGH, A TIME TO MOURN, AND A TIME TO DANCE."

As I look at this picture I sit with Jesus words and let them linger in my soul...
the beautiful rhythm to life.
We stand in life, finding the balance in the middle of water that Jesus walks on.
Surrounded by blue, where the earth meets the sky.  We balance with just our toes on the earth...
...and everything that is left of us reaches to the heavens.
as we reach with all that is within us...
He takes us by the hand
He lifts us up
He makes us whole
He heals us
...He leads us in the dance
It is a dance of compassion that leads to our dance of faith.
The elegance of the picture, the dancer taking your breath away.
As you realize at this moment it is just her and Jesus
as she reaches towards the heaven's with all that is within her...
He reaches down and takes her by the hand,
He lifts her up
He makes her whole
He heals her
...as He leads her in the dance.