SNUGGIN'

This picture did something to my heart when I saw it. I remember giving Jordyn to Jeff and her just laying her head on his shoulder... snugging in tight. When I reached up with the camera she gave me this look like no more pictures grams, no more moving me around, I have found my spot... I am comfy...
I am with my favorite uncle.
And I think to myself this is a 53 year old man who did not marry or have children of his own. That in itself could make me sad...it at times just doesn't seem "fair"
but, I realize...
if he would have had children of his own...
we wouldn't be in the spot where we are right now...
and my little Jordy Noel wouldn't be so comfy...
snugging in with her favorite uncle.

Christmas 2011

Winter has touched us lightly this year... I need to write about our Christmas before it melts in the rain.
It started on December 6th with the Arli-Dazzle parade. It was a beautiful day outside, sun shining. Ann, Lila and I went on a horse ride that started on Main Street by the bakery. We arrived at our horse via horse back and got off the wagon! It started to snow these big beautiful flakes that fell onto our winter clothes making the warmth of the day seem as though it were encapsulated in each flake. Everyone was here to meet us. Carol, Duane, Robin, Al, Curt and mom. We had supper together at our house. After supper Robin, Carol, Lila and I walked up to Main in between the Arlington Haus and Morriems to watch the parade. Ann sat with her family on Main. Duane and Curt watched from our garage, mom watched from the comfort of home looking out the East windows. We were all very impressed with the parade and decided that next year we would try to have our SHAG reunion on the same day as the Arli-Dazzle. I am still not positive why everything was so perfect - I think it had a lot to do with the encapsulated snow flakes, the lights and the love of a small town, and being with friends and family. The floats were beautiful and there was a lot of them. After the parade we headed up to the community hall for a Johnny Cash review! Ann bought us our tickets for our Christmas present. It was a whole lot of Johnny going on up in the "Box Office" - everyone enjoyed the night.

The second Sunday in December Jaci Anna and Conner had their Christmas program in Foley. Curt Gramma and I drove to church that morning. The weather was again beautiful. We met them all at church and watched a beautiful little Christmas program. Conner was a Donkey, Jaci Anna an angel. They did a great job and after church we stayed for the "manna meal" and ate with family and friends. Grams and I had to be back in Arlington by 4:00 as we were going to the play "Forever Plain" with a bus tour. We had a great time at this also. It seems like yesterday I was planning out what the kids would wear to their Sunday school program and now here it is, turn around, and they have babes of their own! I so love this time together!

As December progressed there was a lot of different gatherings of friends and family. We had our bell choir concert at work on Thursday the 11th. It was a great concert. I never realized how beautiful it would be to have Mary and Joseph played by a couple in their 90's... the image will be with me along time, maybe until I am 90 myself. Another man in his late 80's (in whom I have forged a great friendship) sang the first verse of Silent Night - his beautiful voice making way for the next verse. Lindsey came to my work also and sang "Breath of Heaven". When I think back at this I realize just how Blessed I am with my family. For her to be willing to drive all that way just to be a part of my work Christmas Concert was very special to me.

On Friday the 23rd we all started gathering at our house. We spent the day getting things ready and enjoying each others company. Josh and Lindsey came on Saturday and Chris came after he got off work on Saturday. We all went to church together which started at 5:30 on Saturday December 24th. It was nice to have church at this time of the day. Lindsey and I sang in the choir and I sang two songs with the Praise Team. The weather was again absolutely beautiful. We all came back to our house and had lots of food. After digesting some good food we went into the family room and divided up the presents - It seems that has been Lindsey and JaciAnna's job these past few years. Chris came in with more presents! It warmed my heart - as although we had plenty of presents, this daddy wanted to buy some things for his family to show his Christmas love. Tim Berger joined us also and everyone opened gifts as we all talked and laughed and enjoyed our time together. When Tim got home that night he called us and wanted us to know it was his best Christmas ever...
I do believe we all felt that way -
Everyone together
Sharing Gods Love
Celebrating His birth
With family and friends
....IT WAS THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER.

GRANDMA'S

These pictures were taken of Conner Dallas Harren and his Grandmas...



SILLY GRAMMA

GRAMMIE PAMMIE

SOUTH DAKOTA GRAMMA -

I am so in love with this little guy I can not even begin to say.

He makes my heart sing.
He fills my empty spots with joy.
He holds my very heart in his hand.

His eyes melt me from the inside out.
His smile folds me into a big ball of grandma goo...
His heart beats next to mine and I feel whole.

He is my little guy
He is my sunshine
He is my honey bunny
He is my morning star
He is my midnight moon
He is my favorite four 1/2 year old by far!

Each moment we get to spend together with grandchildren is etched in my heart, much in the same way these images are transferred onto film. I pray the moments will stay with me as I age. That when I get lonesome I can just pull them out and remember the love of a child, and I will be flooded with the same love that I feel right now. It is never ending...
Thank-you God for Grandma moments - every single one of them.
We feel so blessed to have our grandchildren - every single one of them.

THE BEST JOB I EVER HAD

Today I realized how things always work out for the best. I think it has always been known to me, and yet sometimes I can tend to question and forget. It is almost 6 years ago that I "lost" my job that I had worked at for 26 years. I worked with people, they had become a part of my family - the people I worked for and the people I worked with. I never wanted another job, it was by far the best job I could ever have. After being called in the office for a "talk" with the boss, I left with tears in my eyes, anger in my mind, and a lonesomeness that wasn't even real yet. It was not a good feeling and that not so good feeling was shared by alot of people. To remember the details now I can't, but I do know it took me a long time to forgive the whole situation. After the "talk" I spent the next couple months applying for a few jobs and working at "Stu's Main Inn" ( Stu owned a restaurant up town for many years - it was the place to go for dinner when you were in school, cheap and fast is what it was known for!). It is a lady now who owns it and she very graciously told me that I could certainly work for her until I found work. Small towns are funny that way... the board who fired me due to "conflict of Interest" came into the establishment who gave me a job for the interim and I served them with a smile. (Well, okay, so I wanted to puke on them - I didn't... I served them with a painted smile that said the bottom has fallen out of my world but I am busy trying to mend it back up. Thank-you very much!)
A job offer came - in fact two at the same time. The Sibley County Faith in Action called me to work for them and as I was thinking about it a call came over the phone for a job in Glencoe that I had applied for...
the job was mine if I wanted it...
four days a week, wages the same as I had been making, and a chance to do something new.
It didn't take me long to accept the Glencoe job and I was excited to start my new career. I started the first week of May, the same time I ended my job at "Stu's Main Inn". (need I put in here - that although I was so appreciative to her for the job, I sure hope I never have to be a waitress again!)
After starting it didn't take me to long to figure out that my area of the facility was not the favorite, was not well accepted, and I was the lone ranger over there!
Thank-goodness I had a wonderful friend there that helped me and we prayed together, we prayed daily - sometimes things were better and sometimes they weren't. It doesn't pay to write up the trials, they were there no doubt, but it does pay to say that eventually I learned to love my job and love my clients. I believe it was the best job I ever had. Then came Christmas that year 2009, they decided to "shut down" my job. If I wanted to I could take my friends job who would be moving to Misery (Missouri). Now, my supportive friend who helped me get through to this point would be leaving... and to top it off the job she supported me in would be gone - a long with the people that I had learned to love.
Well, I took the job and we closed down shop it was bittersweet and I would need to learn some new things.
Turn ahead 2 years...
Today it is January 17th, 2012. I can honestly say that I have never been so happy at a job. We have become like a family, all of us co-workers...
and we laugh.
One of the girls who is quite a bit younger today was "wrong for the first time in her life". She told me it doesn't happen that often so we could go ahead and write it down. She had called a "little bowl" a "little boy"....
"Oh look here is a little boy" (she says as she is in the cupboard looking for a small bowl)
I look at her and we start laughing so hard. I don't know what was better, the fact that she messed up her words or the fact that we were laughing so hard.
The day before I had made a cake for birthday time. After dinner I cut it and put it on plates. Another staff realized "hey maybe it is to early for that, will it dry out?"
I said I didn't think it would and we kept on doing our own thing. When I left the kitchen I thought to myself "maybe I could shut this bi-fold door to the kitchen and that would be kind of like a big tupperware bowl and keep the cake fresh"
What the heck Pam...
are you going crazy...
I started laughing so hard to myself and then told the other two what I had thought.
I again don't know what was better, the fact that I had the thought in the first place, or the fact that we were laughing so hard I didn't think I would make it to the bathroom in time...
and she says later that day "I think I am getting like you Pam, I have to Pee like right now!"
and today she says "Wow, I think I am getting old lady knees like you guys... my knee's sure feel stiff today"
and then she takes this piece of material and wraps it up in a ball and sets it on her head, gets out a little glue and makes a few flowers. The next thing you know she is sporting a new hat for crazy hat day...
and I remember when we started working together another said "I can't sing" and told me a sad story about how she was told by a teacher to lip the song... and her husband to be told her she couldn't sing. I assured her that everyone can sing - if you can talk - you can sing. It warms my heart to see her sing once in awhile now and to put up her arms and take me for a dance around the room with our new knees!
and we are all laughing...
and I love to laugh so much
BUT
even better than laughing is laughing with friends! We have a boss who seems to understand that we like to laugh. She plays in the reindeer games sometimes also. She is supportive and yet is able to handle situations when they arise also. We are Blessed that she understands we don't so much need a boss as we need someone who is supportive of our work and believes in us. I would say she fits that bill and we are proud that she took on the position when she did and that we have come so far as a team. Together, sometimes I feel like we could save the world with our fun.
I think I can safely say this is the best job I ever had!
We have had so many good times that I can't even begin to write them all down here. And I remember this day
With Great love and joy in my heart.

GOOD NIGHT!

As I sit here at the computer I am getting ready to say good-night. My mind is turning down and I think is ready to shut off... and then it comes on and I am overwhelmed by this sense of Love that I can not describe with out words. It starts at my heart and it radiates out towards the world and up towards the Heavens... and I wonder if Jesus is listening to me?
Does He really understand how much I love Him? I am so very Blessed with family and friends and so very thankful that I have the relationships that I do. I wonder if He designed this night?
Does He really want me to feel this Joy inside that I feel? This sense of love so deep that I know it can only come from someone far greater than I.
He touches my heart in places I didn't know where even there.
How does God touch your heart?
He places in it himself, and in Himself is all that you have grown to love... and even when you are not looking right at what you love - you feel it, you know they are there and that you are connected by something so great and beautiful that if you let it ... it will sweep you away into a place that is only meant for you and your creator. He will hold you as you look at things that aren't so fun to look at and then replace it with of love and joy. I have had alot of things that I have needed to look at over the years. Things I needed to repent and change...
no wonder I am filled with so much love and joy.
Thank-you sweet Jesus for my heart and that you have allowed me to feel, learn and grow. Thank-you from the bottom of my heart that you have allowed me to live here for such a time as this. My cup is filled to overflowing. You hold my family and friends, my relationships, all, in Your hand. I praise your name Holy Lord.
... and as I wind down for some Blessed sleep
I end with
GOODNIGHT!

Holly Dazzle

I just found this picture on face book. When I saw it I was drawn to it immediately. It is a picture of Jaci Anna at the Holly Dazzle Parade in Mpls, Mn. It was taken in December 2011. Jaci was invited to go to the parade by family friends the DeMars. I remember many years ago my friend Minerva taking us to this same Parade. It was probably about 1994 or so. She invited all of us to go with her. We stood out on the street and watched the beauty of winter before us. All bundled up, standing together and seeing with amazement the beautiful lights displayed on floats of all different colors and sizes. We also went to the Macy's Christmas display. I felt so honored that she would be willing to take the kids and I. No one I knew really liked driving up there in the crowds of people and I so wanted my kids to be able go.
I remember now with love in my heart the kind and loving friend that Minerva was to us. She took us many places we wouldn't have been able to go if it wasn't for her. Always, she let me know that my kids were welcome and how good they were. I hope that some day Jaci Anna will be able to look back and remember the kindness of a friend and how it makes a cold winters night so beautiful.

Good-bye

In this picture Nola Jean was just learning to wave good bye. I was taking every opportunity to have her wave. Carol snapped this picture of her waving "good-bye" to the Llama. When I look at it I know that this moment will be forever etched in my mind. It seems they are just born and the next thing you know they are waving "good bye". Thank-you Lord for our children, what a Blessing you have given to us. I will always cherish the days You have given me to live here on Your earth. The Joy of Lord fills my soul as I think of all I have been given.