The mirror

Once a farm girl, always a farm girl! Sept 3rd 2012

LIndsey's baby shower, November 2nd 2012

baby farm girl summer 1934

As she looks in the mirror this day... March 13th 2013...
It is there
light grey streaks highlighting the black that she was born with
...and sure enough, there is a few wrinkles that weren't there the last time she really looked.
Inside the body ( that houses two artificial knees and one shoulder - the other one not moving as it should and skin itching that you don't want to itch...)
 there is this 30 year old - the one who held her babies close with a love that would never run out.
It seems love doesn't age the way the body does
It renews itself each day as she look back and can see with eyes of love  all she have given life to
and she closes her eyes to the mirror and lets the Spirit of the risen Christ give wings to her life.
HAPPY 79th!

September 2012 - 1st day of school

This is the first day of school for Jaci Anna and Conner Dallas.  It was September 6th 2012.  JaciAnna is in third grade and Conner Dallas is in kindergarten.
I pray you will learn and grow this year in God's love.
that He will keep you safe and protect your mind against the things of the world.
Lord, I place them all in You.  Please always be in their mind, that the only one who
would judge them would be you.  They are your precious children made in Your image.
Praise God!

The Fathers hand

There have been many things through the years written about the "Fathers Hand".  So I must reach into my heart and try to explain what this picture of the fathers hand did to my soul.  I want it to be new words and yet I want it to have the depth of the history that Jesus left for us.  I want for you to read my words and be touched in a part of your own soul that holds fear, or things that are uncomfortable and yet we hold on to them.                                                                                            It seems sometimes that few of us are able to easily talk about the things we cannot touch... even if the experience is commonplace like the birth of a baby, the miracle of life.  When did we stop loving each other openly?  When did we stop using the God of the Universe and the gift of the Cross as our way of explaining love to others?
This is the love of our Father
His hand protecting us, holding us.
When you feel His touch there is no turning back.
He holds your heart beat in the palm of His hand and your life is eternal in Him.

Happy 79th Gramma Grape!

My mother will turn 79 on March 13th, 2013.  It is hard for me to take in.  When I was a little girl my mom had this picture of herself in her billfold.  I remember looking at it one day and saying

"mom, where you a Mexican when you were a baby?".

Now when I look at the picture I remember our recent visit to the Dr. for what appeared to be the flu.  It turned out the flu test came back negative... but the Dr. asked her " the color of your skin seems to show an underlying health condition, do you have a health problem?"

Well doc, if you consider the fact that she was a Mexican in this picture, and now, 78 years later she still appears to have a little pigment to her skin...  I guess I wouldn't consider that a "underlying health problem" but a miracle.
In the doc's defense she had no way of knowing about this picture of a little not so spanish girl on her front porch smiling at her mom and dad.
HAPPY 79th BIRTHDAY to the best mom, mother-in-law, friend, sister, gramma, great gramma, child of God - in the whole wide world...
even Mexico!

Carol and Du go to Hawaii (and forgot me)

So, Carol and Du go to Hawaii and we all stay in Minnesota to enjoy the end of February in style.  I guess I am not jealous at all...
why would I be...
80 degree days, beautiful beaches, sunshine, flipflops, shortsleeves...
doesn't bother me at all!  Us true Minnesotans that stay here all winter will have our day soon.  And I see by this picture that you were thinking of me while you were gone!

Carol took this picture for me... in Hawaii 2013

What more can I ask for (besides a free dinner in this restaurant!)
Seriously,
So happy you got to go and enjoy each others company in the beautiful Hawaii -
and "hang loose" together!

Heavens door

In 1994 we gave our Lindsey Kay a book written by Dolly Parton titled "The Coat of Many Colors".  It is a beautifully illustrated story of a poor family living in Gods love.  Dolly also wrote a song for the coat of many colors her momma made for her.

Around this same time a friend who I worked with was taking care of her aunt in her home.  At times she would need someone to come and stay with her.  Emily was old enough that she could do this and she seemed to enjoy this time with Verna.  She was bed bound by now, many times Emily would just lay with her on the bed...
the silence shared between them -
age spaced by almost 82 years -
seemed to be what they both needed.
Verna was a seamstress in her day.  She sewed for a lot of wealthy people.  These people would bring her beautiful expensive material, and Verna would sew it into something exquisite for them.  The scraps of material she would get to keep for herself.  Verna made herself a wonderful jacket out of these scraps of material.She embroidered between each piece and lined it in green silk.  When Verna went to be with the Lord, I inherited her "coat of many colors".

Around this time Dolly Parton started a book club where she encouraged reading to all the classes in elementary school.  I don't remember alot about it - but, I know I started reading her book to Lindsey's class, then Lacey's class, and then classes that I didn't even know the kids.  I enjoyed it, each time wearing the coat and sharing Verna's story also.

On January 31st, 2013 I once again got out our book and coat, and off to Foley, Mn. Grams and I went.  We started out the day reading "Coat of Many Colors" to all the Kindergartner's at Foley Elementary.  It was two groups of kids.  Then we went to Conner's school and I read the story to his class also giving them a color page of "Joseph and the amazing coat of many colors".  Next we had dinner with Conner and his class.  It consisted of hot dogs wrapped in tortilla shells - I was quite impressed!   Now it was time to head back to the Foley Falcons and watch JaciAnna perform in her winter concert with her class.  She sang her heart out, knowing each and every word of every song.  Then she got to play an instrument.  It was comparable to a drum, and she looked just like her momma as she played it to the perfect rhythm of the song.  It was a very proud moment to see her preform in front of so many people.  She did it effortlessly and with the grace of a true musician.

It is one of the highlights of my story,                                                                                                       to remember my little angle singing and playing in the choir.  I have a picture of her from this day also - but, I haven't been able to get it on here yet ... it is coming soon!

Another highlight of this story? 
When the first class of Kindergartner's game into the reading room there was about 40 of them.  They all sat excitedly on the reading rug.  I started talking to them and asked a few questions.  One of the questions was if they knew anyone who could sew.  I tried listening to each one.  They were all so excited to share their story with me, to have me listen to them.  Time was getting away on us and then...                                                                                                                                                  Mrs. Harren said "Grammie Pammie, you read your story and then we have a trick that we will show you when your done, it is away that you can listen to everyone"  So, I read the story and                then...                                                                                                                                                  Mrs. Harren said  "Grammie Pammie, can you turn up your listening ears?" - (I took my hand and turned them over my ears, turning them up.)
then...
Mrs, Harren said "Now kids you turn down your voices to a whisper and you can all say at the same time what you want to tell Grammie Pammie"
I closed my eyes and listened...

what I heard is something that can never be explained.  It was as if I could hear each voice.  All of their voices together blended spiritually and I was transported to the door of Heaven.
I knew inside my soul that this is exactly what it sounds like in Heaven.  I knew I was as close to Heaven as you can get while here on earth.    As the Lord and Jesus listen to all of our concerns, our prayers He turns up his listening ears, He can decipher each voice and knows what we are saying.

Thank you Lord for this Blessing.
It is something I will never forget...
Being with Your children

Curt and I in November 2012 with some of Heaven's children

Jaci Anna ready to sing and play at her concert 2013

Standing at the door of Heaven.

Chicken Feet

Out in the garage is a big ole black plastic bag.  If someone where looking they would probably think it is garbage... or something that needs to be taken care of, it is laying by the door.  Lacey got enough of them for a year she thinks.  I guess the lady she got them from told her their isn't much of a call for them.  She questions Lacey's age, wondering how she knows this stuff when so young.
I call Lacey and ask for the recipe for bone broth.  She is my daughter of 25 years, but she knows how to make it - and I don't.
You take your bones and put them in the crock pot.
Cover with water
Add whatever you might like in your broth
                           celery                                left over veggies of any kind
                           garlic                                 other seasonings to taste
                           carrots                                really anything you would like
                           asparagus
Take your chicken feet and cut off the toenails.  (This will help the nutrients from the feet to leech into your broth)
Add the chicken feet to your crock pot.
Add approx 1 tbs. of apple cider vinegar mixing it around over your ingredients
Let sit for approx one hour.
Turn crock pot on high until liquid is hot.
Turn down to low and cook for 24 hours on low.
Strain

Put broth in glass bowl and refrigerate.
ENJOY!!!
Now take what is left in your beg ole black plastic bag.
Freeze them for the next pot of bone broth!

Okay - you are wondering what the heck is happening?  Have I gone over the edge?  Cooking chicken feet?  Well, it is good for you so I am getting used to it.
Makes me think of my cinnamon flavored cod liver oil.