Jeff

Here is Jeff and his motorcycle...
the one he will drive into the gates of Heaven.
And I will finally totally understand why life turns out the way it does...
why he stands by it and has his picture taken, perfectly happy...
while the owner, his cousin of the same age

As you can see the motorcycle has "upscaled" through the years!

puts on his black leather chaps and drives.

Sandy's grandpa

While writing the blog "coco" and "pepper clara" I reminisced about this wonderful man.  I talked to my friend Sandy on fb and she confirmed that the picture I was thinking about was real, she had a copy and would "send" it to me.  I waited for awhile and checked the post office daily.  I saw the picture on fb but was not even thinking about "downloading" it, in my mind I was so sure it was coming in the mail!
So,
after a few days I reread Sandy's message and I'll be if this techniowebin the brain...
didn't figure it out all on her own.
So,
I needed Herman to have his own page.
His memory deserves that.
Herman had one daughter and her name was Donna.  When I look at this picture I also remember Donna, I didn't know until now how much she looked like her dad.  Donna had six kids, the youngest is Sandy... we have been friends sense we were 4 years old ...
And Sandy said:  " I can remember sitting on the curb by grandpa Kamps house and saying to you that all the kids call him grandpa Kamps but only I can call him my grandpa."  She talked about when he would turn on the siren for us.  Now, we know that doesn't happen these days.
When I look at this picture, I think of Mayberry,
I think of  small town Arlington
with a wonderful cop
of a simpler time where dogs could run free, cops drove black cars with sirens that were seldom used, except to excite the heart of a child, and grandpa's loved everyone...
and I am so happy he was Sandy's grandpa.

A very fine day

 This picture was taken the week-end that JaciAnna and Jordyn stayed with us and Conner D. stayed with Josh and Lindsey.  We had met up with Emily and the kids in Monticello at the Chinese Big Moon (or New Moon) Buffet.  Loading up kids we all went our separate ways for a few days.  Everyone had a wonderful week-end (Chris and Emily had some alone time).  On Sunday  we all met together  at McDonalds  through Monticello, and across the bridge.  We had a burger together, the three kids went with Emily back to Foley, Lindsey went back to Blaine...
and I headed to Arlington.
All in a very fine day.

AROUND

Where two or more are gathered in His name surely He is with them

Today, November 17th, 2012.  The girls all met at McDonalds in Deer River, Mn.  Jaci Anna will be going to stay with Lacey, K and Nola in Mpls for the night.  Gramma and I went to Mankato to do a little shopping.  As we were driving in opposite directions I couldn't help but feel two emotions inside my heart.
1.  I felt such a happiness that my girls will continue to always get together.  That they enjoy each others company and sisterhood even when we are not around.
2.  I felt such a loneliness that we were not around.

Wildflowers

She sits at my feet as I peck on the computer.  It seems a long time as I peek over my shoulder at her.  She is working on something.
I am not real concerned as it is keeping her busy as I continue to try to write all the words that are popping into my heart like wildflowers... beautiful, and yet scattered like rays of sun showing through a leaded glass window.
She continues quietly as I think about daisies bowing their heads to the wind.
And there it is
all of the paper is now off the crayon...
no more words that say "blue crayon".
In her hand she snaps it quietly in half and is now on her way
And I think back to JaciAnna and remember her snapping all the crayons into little pieces, never really coloring until now that she is older.
Did my girls do this?
Did they snap all the crayons?
I can not remember that they did...
I don't think they had crayons until they were older.
So she touches the chair tells you to sit.
Talks about soccer balls, french fries and friends.
We draw them all, as Conner colors pages from color books that were left behind by some little person that is now grown.
And the daisy suddenly raises its head in the stillness of the wind that is now gone.

note the box of crayons on the left

note the little pieces of paper on the floor

Thanking God for the color of rainbows in a box.

Two's and Three's

"Two are better than one...                                       
if either of them falls down...                          
the other can pick them up...       a cord of three strands is not easily broken."

"Two are better than one... If either of them falls down, one can help the other up...
A cord of three strands is not easily broken."

And so it is...
I look out the window and see the light caught in the tree.  I am standing in the quiet, my will is  to grow into the unknown.  I pray for all my two's and three's and I feel the light warming the wood, all the years sweep under the fallen leaves. And it comes to me
the peace of God -

as I trust the uncertainty of tomorrow to an unchanging God.

BABY STEPS

STEP BY STEP HE WILL LEAD ME AND I WILL FOLLOW HIM ALL
                                 OF MY DAYS!