The mermaid towel

Sometimes when your momma goes to the thrift store...
she can find you amazing things!
A little of this and a little of that...
a towel to wrap in with a mermaid hat!
A wish and a wash and hay from a bale...
there you have it, a mermaid tale!!

TuTu's

Cassie in her pink tutu

Jordyn in her blue tutu

Precious little baby bodies all snuggled up with ruffles...
water on a hot summer day.
Little girl toes on the wet ground
never stopping with their play.
A brother, sister and little hands to hold
 Blessings on all...

to God are told.
It is summer, you hear all the soft sounds of children
Gather them up for winter and remember all the places you've been.
Be blessed my babies and sleep tight
All the Tutu's are hung up for the night!

Triple milk cake

Lindsey and Josh had a wedding in Wisconsin...
Gramma D, Jeff, Lacey, Nola and I got to spend the week - end with Cassie!!
When these moments come along you are just not sure how to capture them...
and then you look into your heart and you see the images of love,
not to mention the cake that Lindsey made for us that is almost gone...
printed on my hips!

Friendship

Seeds

Hacker Zinnia Field September 2 2013

Seeds August 2014

When you look at a seed very carefully...
can it be possible to realize its full potential?
I think of when we met back in 1974, who could have known that the time invested back then would lead us to a 40 plus year friendship!?  Time has taken us through rough valleys and mountain top experiences... it has taken us  through the fields of Lafyette right into the rock garden of Arlington.
The seeds harvested have bloomed this year and it makes me think of all that God has given us if we just take the time, if we understand God's Grace to get us through the growing period there will be a time when the flowers that bloom are an incredible display of God's unconditional love for us.
I am thankful this night for God's unconditional love, His Grace, His hand upon our lives...
friendship,
and for a simple zinnia seed.

Today while the blossoms still cling to the vine...

It was a surprise visit when I got home from work.
Lacey, K, and Nola Jean are here just for a short time.
Well, Grandma D is at the hospital park for their Ice Cream Social benefit and it looks like a few good things for Nola to do.  I will take Nola Jean.  Lila and Lacey will go and listen to music.
It ends up to be a wonderful time in the park, the weather is hot and humid, the music sifts over the gentle breeze adding to the pleasure of community gathered together in one spot.
Gramma is there and Nola Jean gets to go up behind her and "surprise"!
Gramma comes and sits by us and we listen to music and catch up on things that went on in RockPort, things that have gone on during the week.
We catch up on each others life with the love of relationship clinging onto the vines of hope.
The drawing is over,
I guess we missed it.
I watch as Gram's walks over the not so even grass to meet up with her friends.  She is the youngest coming in at 80.
And I think to myself...
I don't want to live life without this lady in it.
She has meant so much to my life... laughing, crying,gathering,  and mostly talking.
She is my friend
my mother
and then the blossoms start to bloom as I realize I don't have to live life without her...
she is right there in front of me..
walking through the grass...

July 2014 in Monticello

August

clinging to the vine...
and the relationship that we have built together will lead us in to the promised land.
It may not be at the same time,
but then
that is the beautiful thing about vines...

SILVER SHIRT

When Emi Jo was a teen ager I gave her and her friends rides to the Waconia Ball Room.
They would go to listen to "Chopper".    He preformed at the fair and many other places... where ever "Chopper" was the kids were not far behind!
During this same period of time Emi had a silver shirt in which she was particularly fond of.  She wore the shirt every week-end when she went out with friends (and during the week if she could)
Each week many of her clothes would be hanging in the closet, clean...
but,
silver shirt was always in the laundry.
Being a "mom" - well, lets just say I got tired of always seeing the silver shirt.
So
I hid it somewhere far away.
I never did tell anyone about it and then when Emi got to be Emily... I told her of my escapade with the silver shirt.
Thank goodness she was old enough she didn't get mad.
This year Emily and her kids came to Arlington for the fair on Wednesday August 3rd.  The ride tickets were only $1.00 a piece so we planned on going out to the fair with the kids after I got home from work.
While at work I received this TXT...
"MOM, PLEASE STOP AT KMART AND GET ME A SILVER SHIRT, CHOPPER IS AT THE FAIR TONIGHT!".
I laughed for a long time,
in fact it still makes me smile...
and when we were at the fair,
there were Emi Jo's three children -
partying with CHOPPER - just like she used to do!

The human

Nola's etch a sketch human

Nola and her drawing of a "human"

Notice the legs, arms, eyes and hair...

Nola is an artist like her mom and dad!

Nola was very busy this day experimenting with her artistic abilities.  You will note her first attempt at "drawing a human" which we soon took pictures of and sent to daddy.
This little artist doesn't fall far from the brush!!

Jacked up

Libby, Jordyn, Jaci and Conner

Jordyn Noel

Jordyn Noel

Taylor and Jordyn being goofy

Jordyn got to spend the night at her friend Taylors.  Taylors mom is a beautician by trade.
"your hair is a mess Jordyn, I think we will call your mom and see if we can trim it up for you"
Jordyn says -
"yes, I know...
my hair always seems to be "jacked up" "
And you wonder to yourself about this little girl with the long straight hair, braided and fixed in pony tails most of the time...
what in the world is
"jacked up" hair???

Butterfly wings

There comes that moment when you look at your little one and you realize she has discovered life outside her own.  She notices the breath of a baby and touches her with the brush of a butterfly wing.

How Great Thou Art...

Great Grandma Meyer2014 August

Great Grandma Schmidt 2014 August

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, How Great Thou Art,
How Great Thou Art...
And sometimes that is just all you have to say!

Soccer camp

Everyone came down on Sunday June 8th for Darian's graduation at the pow wow grounds in Gaylord.  It was a beautiful, bittersweet day...
knowing that Linda wanted to live to see her oldest grandson graduate.  She was so proud of him.
If it is possible to get glimpse's from Heaven, I believe she was looking down on the party and smiling.
Emily came back to Arlington with her kids and JaciAnna and Conner were packed up to stay with Grammie Pammie, Papa and Gramma D for the week of soccer camp.
This year camp started at 1:00 and ended at 4:00.  It was held from June 9th - 13th at the Glencoe soccer park.   With a little juggling on the driving we were able to get them there and home each day of the camp.  
It was not a problem each day for Gramma D to get them ready for camp - they were excited about their game, excited about Jesus.
Emi came to Arlington with Jordyn on Thursday night and took them to their last day of camp on Friday...
And already we are talking of next year...
What a wonderful way to spend the week with two of my favorite people!

First Steps

Cassandra Grace is walking!  She spent much of her time perfecting her crawl...
she is a master at it - each precise movement taking her quickly to where she wanted to go...
why walk?
And then when she did start walking - she did it perfectly and gracefully...

Isn't that kind of how God leads us?
First we are babies being held by Him with strong arms..
then we crawl, giving our best to learn His ways...
then we perfect the crawl and we figure why should we learn to walk?
This is so comfortable and I can get where I am going safely - no risks needed...
and then He softly whispers and sets us down on solid ground -
walk my child
I need someone to get out the word that I am alive!! I am living and I need you to be my feet
to those who are hurting,
to the hungry,
to the lonely, loveless, childless, abandoned...
Walk my child to the people who need me.  Tell them I love them so...
They are My reason for life.
I will always be with you...
Step by step I will lead you...
just follow Me.
And I'll lead you all in the
dance said He.

Cassie Grace dancing for Jesus

Mourning Doves

Sjogren, Schmidt cousins

At Sjogrens in Lafyette with Nola, Jordyn, Mira and Papa

Lindsey, Nola and Cassie Grace July 27th, 2014

Some of the gang at Sjogren, Schmidt gathering July 27, 2014

Cassie Grace reading to Gracie

Cassie Grace loving on Gracie!

It is 91 degree's and beautiful as I move down the road with Chloe.  The wind is still and the colors all around me are summer.  While walking I am trying to take deep breaths, it was a busy day at work, with a lot of needs to be met.  As I am breathing in through my nose, and out through my mouth my ears open to the melancholy sound of the Mourning Dove.
The sound makes me think of how I am feeling right now at this moment and a lonesomeness set in my bones, traveling to my heart...
We have had a week full of family, now it is just me and the Dove.

The family reunion was beautiful with my whole family there and the Sjogrens.  We got to see our Cassie Grace's new "foot steps" as she wheeled across the floor with the greatest of ease.  We all knew she could walk... I think she just wanted to be sure of herself!   We talked with new family and held the newest member who is just 2 weeks old... Gracie.  The kids all played together as the adults caught up and recaptured the old memories of days gone by.
It was all so wonderful.

Then on Monday I get to go down to Gramma D's to pick up Nola and Jordyn.  The rest of them have gone to Hutch.  They are playing "Santa Claus" and quite oblivious to Gramma and I listening.
"Okay now, you pretend you are sleeping so Santa Claus can come and bring you presents"
The other little one lays behind the chair, quietly...
as the packages (empty little boxes that they have been playing with for most of the afternoon)
are placed by her chimney with care.
Oh the excitement in both of them as they go back and forth, the same story except for taking turns being Santa.
After awhile we load up in  the car seats and head for our house.  We wash up in the sink (both fit on the bathroom sink, little feet in the water, little perfect hands swishing, making bubbles....
the most important part!
We head up to bed.  All three of us on the blow up mattress.  They are so tired and yet they can not seem to quit talking...
about having the same pillow,
the same blanket,
where are their momma's?  How about their brother and JaciAnna?
I feel hot,
I feel cold,
should we keep the light on?
We say our prayers - please know that EVERYONE of you were Blessed by these two little girls.  I don't think we could have possibly missed a name!
Hearing movement downstairs I figure it is probably time that the "momma's" come up as I am enjoying this to much to make them stop and go to sleep.

On Tuesday all of them gathered and went swimming at the Gaylord pool.  They swam the whole afternoon and when they got home at 6:30 - there was no need for anything other than some food and a nice bed...
with matching pillows and blankets for all!

Wednesday morning I woke up and got ready for work, Nola was up and ready for her cereal a 7:15.  Her and Lila held down the fort as I left, and when Jordyn woke up she had a tummy ache.  After some excitement Lacey and Emily spent the morning getting ready to part.  Lacey and Nola would go home for a chiropractor appt. and Emily, Lila, Jaci, Conner Jordyn and I would go to the fair...  (see next blog called SILVER SHIRTS!)

On Thursday morning we slept in until 8:00 am and then Tim and I cut down some tree branches as Brittany and the girls all played and ate cereal.  By 11:00 Emi and her tribe are ready to go home, with a quick (all afternoon) trip to Bunker beach to meet up with Christine and her family.  Missy and I go to judge the "Bake and Taste" at the fair and Brittany traveled around the fair grounds checking things out and talking to friends.  By 5:00 we take Brittany back to Glencoe and we come home to listen to another guy tell us his windows are the best in the world.  He was such a nice guy and had a piece of apple pie with us before he went back to Bloomington....

and now it is Friday...
I hear the other birds start to sing...
and I realize a whole orchestra of beautiful sounds have been added to the mourning doves song...   
My memories are forever hidden in the notes of my heart.
I can take them out whenever I want -
and then it comes to me...
I am not lonesome anymore!