The sound of "GOOD BYE"

On Labor Day Monday the whole family was at our house. We had a beautiful day together reminiscing, laughing and enjoying each others company. We also had what we termed a nice "indoor" picnic. When the day was getting close to an end we went outside to enjoy some beautiful weather and get a few pictures of the kids. When it was time for everyone to go to their own homes we were all still outside. It all started innocent enough...
Lindsey was in the van helping Emi get everyone "hooked" in and giving them hugs.
After Emi's van was loaded she started signing this song... "GOOD BYE".
Before you know it...
the kids were singing...
then Lindsey, Lacey and I joined in...
and we were all harmonizing to "GOOD BYE" -
LAUGHING, as Emi and the kids drove away.
We were all starting to calm down some on the front lawn and here came Emi down the street, in here white van, kids loaded, windows down...
singing "GOOD BYE"
So we all joined in again with her singing and laughing...
Then Curt and I continued to share good-bye's with the other family as they left one by one...
and suddenly my heart is lonesome for the sound of "GOOD BYE"

Time, Teaching and Prayers

I remember so well my dads family. He loved them all so very much.

Joy, Pauline, Bob, Betty, Dick, Dorothy, Dallas, Maxine, Gene, Marilyn. They went boy girl right down to the end... ending at 10.

Through the years there have been many stories shared. There were stories of great joy, grief, funny, loving, sweet, but most of all stories of loyalty exchanged in such a large family. When I was feeling quite melancholy one night, missing my dad, I asked if anyone had a story about my dad.

One of my favorite was when my Aunt Marilyn (the baby of the family) shared that she had wanted a new pair of shoes. There was no money for her to have new shoes, so my dad went out and bought them for her. I really see that loyalty show through in my daughter Lindsey. When her sisters are needing her, she is right there for them. She makes sure that she gets to meet with them and to see their kids - she makes sure we all know that she loves us even when there isn't alot of money for material things.

Another is the time he was playing in the horse barn. If your from a family of 10 you all know that when mom and dad leave there is still rules to follow. Well, this fine day the rules were not being followed and their little Dally got kicked in the face by a horse. There were places to be headed and it would include a Dr. visit. They couldn't remember fore sure what the story was about how he got hurt, but we can be sure that they don't think mom and dad ever did find out about the broken rule. I really see this loyalty in Emily, when I remember the "pact" she helped her sisters to form when we would leave home. When mom and dad would leave there were still rules to follow...
but sometimes broken rules help to form a loyalty to each other. She makes sure she is always teaching love even when there is brokenness.

As they talked about their baby boy being born at home, weighing in at just 4 pounds - I thought of his family. Gramps was put in a shoe box and set on the door of the wood cook stove with some blankets, an aunt coming and saying "I don't know if this one is going to make it Viv". But, family comes together in love surrounding his little body with prayers... He survived, ending up to be the "biggest boy" in his family. Going into the army at 160 lbs. coming home at 220. I really see this loyalty in Lacey, when I think of how she prays for all of us. She continues to study her Bible and bring knowledge to us about our Lord as she baths her family in love. She makes sure she is always praying, surrounding us even in our failures.

Who would have thought?

This out fit makes me want to have summer every day...

When I see this picture it brings back a driving memory from her momma,
Lacey Lynn Schmidt.
I remember quite well all the girls going through drivers training and getting their license. I do not remember it because of the "hands on" care that I gave during this time. The driving part was left solely to their father. I just couldn't do it. The first time I tryed with Emi I felt like every time we met a car she would go towards it. Now, whether this was true or not - I can't say - it is just what my "mother eyes" felt. I believe the reason I remember this period of life so well is the feeling you get in your stomach each time they pulled away from the safety of our home.

Emi and Linsdey took their drivers training in Arlington and got their license for driving as soon as they could. They didn't drive a whole lot - but, they were allowed to use the car whenever they needed or had something planned. When it came time for Lacey to take her behind the wheel, she was not ready and she had no intention of getting her license. After some time her mother, despite her "mother eyes", did encourage her to get her license. It seems so important that you get that and have the freedom to go places you need to go when no one else is there to depend on. We did sign her up for drivers training in New Ulm and she took her classes and behind the wheel with Miranda. Before we knew it she had her license but still didn't drive a whole lot. In January of Lacey's senior year, she bought a green Chevy, signed up for classes at Ridgewater College, and that was kind of the last we saw of her.
The little green Chevy hit the road...
Lacey behind the wheel...
and if you need to get anywhere in Minnesota, or for that matter the United States...
just ask Lacey.
Who would have ever thought??

GRACE

The word grace...
When the Lord follows us through our life. He see's our sin and yet loves us so much that He covers us with this amazing Grace.

He takes all of our junk and gives us something in return - and when we look back to see the guilt and shame of all we have done...

it is gone...

and all that remains

is something so beautiful, that you can't put it in to words.

School shoes

This year on labor day week-end we did something different. The week-end before labor day Stapels, Mn. had a big celebration. Emi's family, Curt, I, Lila and Jeff decided we would go to the trailer house on this week-end instead of the actual labor day. We had a wonderful time together (it is where I got to first hear about tentacles"). The work week was then normal, however I had Friday off. I took Thursday and went to Foley and then stayed the night. The next day my Jaci Anna and I went shopping for her school shoes. We were both so excited about the day it was hard to sleep. After some laundry though, I did indeed have a beautiful night sleep in a burnt orange bedroom with a quilted top bed. I thanked God as I lay down on that bed, I thanked Him for everything that I had been given this day.

When we got up in the morning we chatted with the family some and got JaciAnna's things loaded up. You see, she would be staying with us in Arlington until Sunday. On Sunday afternoon her momma, brother and sister would be coming to join her. This was a big time for both Jaci and I. She hadn't stayed alone with us sense she was about 5 years old. (Her and Conner both stayed with us when their momma went to the mayo clinic to have her head checked. Well, that doesn't sound the best - but, hopefully just those words will spark enough memory for us to know this was her last time at our house without mom and dad). We were all excited about the stay and she had done much preparing with mom about it. She was happy, I was happy and off we drove in the little green Chevey with flowers on the door... along with a little more laundry...

We drove to the St.Cloud mall. On this day, in this place, I did what I hadn't done in many many years. I took a little girl shopping to get her school shoes. We had the best time ever and found the perfect pair of shoes for her. We topped it off with a pair of "skinny jeans" and a peach tee shirt with a purple smile face on it. She was happy, I was happy and off we drove in the green chevy with the flowers on the door...

It is now about 1:00pm and we are hungry. It is one of the few times in my life where I didn't really have to be anywhere but with my girl. So, we stopped in Hutch at the McDonalds play land. I just let her play, and play and play... until she was ready to go. It is amazing to me how long she was satisfied just playing with kids she had just met and how perfect the time was, how beautiful moments are when we don't rush through them.

Now it is about 3:00 pm and we are happy. We load up in the car, smiles on our faces, food in our tummies, new shoes in the back seat, flowers on the door -
I look up into the sky...
and I thank God. I thank Him for everything I have been given this day!

Camels, pumpkins and penguins (part 1 and 2)

Part 1:
There has been a lot of talk about camels lately. The little guy is at the neighbors house. Bruce is loading up his truck for hunting, minding his own business. It amazes me sometimes what children notice - Conner is with the other kids but goes over by Bruce...
"What are you doing Bruce"
"I am getting all of my gear ready to go hunting. I am going to go deer hunting"
"Oh, my grandpa and my dad go hunting too"
"They do? Well, what do they go hunting for?"
"They hunt for camels"
"Oh really?, where do they hunt for camels?"
"Right here! They go hunting for camels right around here."
"Oh, they do? What do they do with the camel then?"
"Well, they cook it up and eat it"
"Well Conner do you know what camel tastes like?"
"Yes, it tastes somewhat like chicken"
.... seems to me if Bruce is really a hunter he should have know this! I'm not saying... I'm just sayin'

Part 2:
I had a meeting in St.Cloud on Friday October 19th. We got done about 3:00 and then I went to Foley to pick up the little guy and some laundry! The laundry was loaded and time now to get the little guy settled in his car seat. I am quite excited about this trip for some reason he is too! He talks non stop for the first 10 minuets of our drive and then I hear nothing. A quick look in the rear view tells me that he is sleeping with the angels and it will be a quiet drive home. When the car hits Arlington it is time to stop at gramma dorius's with a load of laundry (or two). I pull the car up, little guy in the back, and open the door. From the back seat...
"gramma, do you know the words to the pumpkin song?"
I smile, tell him to hold on a second and take the laundry over the deck rail. When I get back in the car he is smiling at me. I can still see the sleeping angels around him and yet I know his mind is rolling around to where we are right now. We drive on to our house and head up the drive way, I pause a minute in the drive way as the garage door opens. From the back seat...
"gramma, did you see that penguin?"
"well, no, I didn't, where is he" From the back seat...
"right there next to the camels."
"I guess gramma can't see them right now, but, I am happy that you can"
We go into the house for a quick little visit with grandpa and Ann and it is now time for him to lay down his sweet head and dream of camels and penguins - as the angels sing to him about pumpkins and all the sweet things that little boys are made of.

...and as grammie pammie gets ready to bed, she looks through her books and see's if there is indeed a recipe for camel.

TENTACLES

The week-end of August 26th, 2011 we spent in Nimrod with Chris, Emily and their family, Lila, Jeff, Curt and myself. There was a celebration in Staples which is about 24 miles before you hit Nimrod. We met on Friday night and all just went to bed, it was a long day... lots of driving. On Saturday morning we all got up and headed to Staples, to take in some of the activities. JaciAnna and Conner D were in a tractor pull. They got a can of Dr. Pepper for participating... thus, they WON!!! I so love this about children, they are as excited about getting a can of pop - and happy for the person that wins.
While the kids were waiting to pull, I went across the street to a Pizza Restaurant to order food for all of us for dinner and to use their restroom. I'd say it was about the smallest bathroom I had ever been in... my knee touching the walls as I sat down, my left arm resting on the sink. You may wonder why this matters, and actually it doesn't, I have always been know for using the facilities (or not facilities) when I need to and not being choosy. But, I promise you, to tell this story...
you need to know that it was CLOSE quarters in the biffy!!

After the pull, the food was ready and everyone came over to eat their food, it was a crowded place... lots of food and a few extra taco salads! Before eating the little guy needed to use the bathroom.
so...
the big guy took him into this nice cozy bathroom.

The big guy went first...
The little guy watched on...
"what is that on the side of your leg dad?"
.... after some thought dad thought he better use appropriate terms and not use the slang word -
"well son, (dad explained and then said... "you have them too"
"no, I don't"
so, dad assures him he does and has him look... indeed Conner D see's something maybe a little bit comparable...
"but why are yours hanging on the side like that"
WOW - sometimes things are hard to explain to a little guy in a crowded bathroom but dad continues...
"well I am older and it is hot so then sometimes they get pushed to the side, but they are the same as yours...
YOWSER - dad is home free as the little guy doesn't say another word.

UNTIL...

Approximately 2 hours later Conner D is mad at his grandma about her not letting him have any more pop. She explains to him about the sugar bugs and the behaviors and health problems that develop if you drink to much pop...

He gives her this look (the one that says, "I know I shouldn't say this, but, I am going to .... I am going to say it and see what happens...)

...he opens his mouth
....and says "WELL I HAVE TENTACLES!!"

Thank-goodness that Chris had already shared the bathroom experience with me - so, I at least had an idea where he was coming from...
but
I did need to turn my face to the wall...
as the pop I was drinking was coming out my nose due to an extensive outburst of laughter.

I guess a grandma should always practice what she preaches about pop and stuff, especially when she is preaching to a young man with TENTACLES!!