Dreamin'

Sometimes when we get together we dream. Mainly it has been of the business's we will start... so we can quit our jobs and all be together.
Our first plan was to buy Bliss's house as it has a beauty shop on the side... because we came up with the name "DUEYS DOO's" (and we were so happy about it we still laugh!) we figured that Duane would go to school to be a barber. Curt will do the wiring of anything that would need to be "hooked up". He will do this with great happiness and quickly of that we are sure! Al would still need a job - we wanted to give him his own but sense he worked for UPS we figured he could deliver the latch hook rugs that his wife will be "hooking" - he will still be working for UPS - thus he will hold the insurance for all of us. In order for Ringo to do her "hooking" - Carol, will need to go out and get some "shopping" done. She is going to get her degree in "retail" while Duey is doing the doo in beauty school. Now, that leaves me and I can never seem to remember what I am suppose to do - but, I figure I will do the cooking for the crew. We will dine on things like tofu chili, brown rice, and vegetarian lasagna.(If there is anything in crinkly bags - I will eat that while no one is looking and then it is like it wasn't ever there to tempt the others in the group). As I am cooking these wonderful - good for you - vegetarian meals - with my set of salad master pans, I will vacuum with my rainbow in my left hand and my Norwix microfiber (with silver) rags in my right hand! Maybe I will happen upon that game of life that disapeared from my early years of cleaing?
And after the day is done...( and Ringo finishes up the "paperwork" ) we will all sit around the fire (for pleasure) pit in the back yard and talk about our dreams!

Checkout

She was walking through the store and found this wonderful vase. Her cart is full but the vase will sit in there quite nicely yet.... at this time she is not sure if it is really something that is needed. There has never been a vase quite like this one... it is tall and has little pieces of green glass grouted together. The light twinkles off the glass, leaving shreds of glimmer that are pleasant to the eyes. As she walks around the store looking at all the things they have to offer...her mind tells her that she really doesn't need another thing sitting around her house. She has many vase's - she should just put it back where it was... thinking... shopping... knowing that it would not be money wisely spent. The decision is almost made - the vase will go back where it was found.

Heading back toward the isle a lady asks her.. "WHERE DID YOU GET THAT VASE! IT IS GREAT I HAVE TO HAVE ONE!

...."I GOT IT BACK THERE BY THE HOUSEHOLD THINGS, BUT, I BELIEVE THIS MAY BE THE LAST ONE."

... And she took her cart, with the green vase, and checked out!

Turning 50

To my bestest friends Carol and Robin, whose unselfish love and constant encouragement have helped me to get this close to 50!

To my husband and bestest friend, who brought me out of the basement of despair and showed me that I was indeed worth loving.

To my momma who gave me life. Who loved me unconditionally as a momma and became another bestest friend. Who had good choice in men and gave me the best dad anyone could have asked for.

To my brother who has always been there for me. I love you more than you could ever know and I thank God you were given to me.

To my children, Emily Jo, Lindsey Kay and Lacey Lynn for their faith and patience, good humor and love. You are all my favorites... I couldn't have asked for more.

To my son in law and son in laws to be... for taking on where we left off with the most wonderful blessings that ever happened to us. For treating them with the greatest of love and caring for them.

To my grandchildren whose beautiful and gentle spirits have brought this grammie to a place where I would have never dreamed. If I could take all the good things in my life, and paint a picture with them... its beauty might be close to looking like the love I have for all of you.!

To all the people The Lord has brought into my life... you have made a difference to me - you have made my life here on earth so enjoyable - I have been truly blessed beyond measure with friends and family!

To my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ... thank-you for knowing me and yet still loving me. I give You all the Glory and Praise Your Holy Name!
Love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these things I will commit my day. If I succeed, I will thank-you Lord! If I fail, I will seek Your grace.
.... and when this day is done, I will give You thanks for all I have been given, and I will lay my head on my pillow and rest! (ML) ... I'm almost 50!

The rosary - another moment

When I work I have the "Widows Wing". I go down this wing before each activity and check to see who would like to come. You get to know the ones who will come and the ones who would just like to chat with you a bit and then have you leave (without them!) John was one of those who loved to visit... but, he didn't usually come to many activities. He had a bad winter health wise and spent some time in the hospital and then recovering in his room at the end of the hall. They have said that only a tiny bit of his heart was working as it should be.

The one activity that John usually came to (and many times his wife led)... was the rosary. We have a volunteer from the Catholic Church come in to say the rosary with the residents once a week on Mondays at 9:30.

The unique thing I found about John was that almost every time I went in to his room to see how he was doing he would have his rosary beads in his hands. He would always stop to talk to me a bit and tell me what he was praying for... his grandson running the farm land - that he would be able to get all of his work done. His grandson that was going to graduate from college - that all would go well for him as he was looking for a job. His wife - that they would be able to celebrate their anniversary together with family and friends and he would be healthy for the celebration. His staff, the world, the president, those in the armed forces, farmers, and ME.

Rosary beads would be in his hands - so beautiful against his aged hands, changed in form from arthritis. He was talking with God, and God could entertain him in ways that I could not. So I would leave his room with a new bounce in my step - he would give you a smile as you were leaving - that would warm any woman's heart and you knew you were being prayed for.

Today John left the dining room from eating breakfast, he joked with a few of the staff, wheeled his chair towards the end of his wing and died. I believe he was on his way to say the Rosary.

Blessed be the memory of this wonderful man - the smile that he gave to all, even as he was leaving...and Lord, help us to be the example that he was - always with a prayer on our lips for others.

(Names and dates have been changed, these stories are true only in my mind)

Grand

What a beautiful place to be...
The music was GRAND, a jazz band featuring two guitars (a red electric guitar, and an acoustic), a big ole floor base and a violin.
The company was GRANDIOSE, a good friend, the bestest friend and her husband and the favorite brother.
The building was a GRAND old hotel, old bricks on the walls, chandeliers hanging from the high tin ceilings, wood floors and candles on each table.
And I am a GRANDmother
What a beautiful place to be!

Fathers and Hawaiian guitars - another moment

Today when I was in with Delbert we listened to music. It was Alan Jackson singing the old beautiful hymns to guitar music. As the music played he sat in his antique rocking chair, me next to him in the chair for visitors. I don't feel like a visitor in this place = I feel like I am a child... with an innocent heart waiting to hear a beautiful story. And then it comes, he looks over at me as Alan Jackson starts singing the Old Rugged Cross ... he starts the story...

"When I hear good music it sends chills up my spine.' He continues smiling and talking to me about when he was a little boy his family had a radio. The radio had three dials on it and each one needed to be turned just so and then you would be tuned into "WANX "- Yangton South Dakota!! Yes, he can remember listening to the radio and hearing someone sing and play guitar. As he would strum the chords Delbert would be able to tell exactly what chords he was playing even though he hadn't yet played guitar. He tells me that it is a gift that was given to him by the Lord. Later his older sister would go to start her own life outside the family and she would leave behind her Hawaiian guitar (this could be changed to a Spanish guitar with just one little part ) he tells me how he got to play it... how he taught himself... it was a gift - he is a musician. As he talks to me I can actually see the Hawaiian guitar in his lap as he strums, this man is even more a part of who I am than I realize. Inside my heart I hear my dads voice whisper. The Holy Spirit fills the room and we are surrounded by that "great cloud of witness's" I feel like a little girl sitting here... enveloped in the precious love that fills the air.

Oh it has been so long sense my dad left this earth...

and yet here I sit with him...

....I sit with Delbert, holding his hand

....I sit with my Father in Heaven feeling His love pouring over us both

...and oh what a day it will be when I can see this picture again!!

...but, until that day I will Thank the Lord for these moments I have been blessed with, I will hold them tight in my heart and know that My Father Which Art in Heaven shares this moment with us.

Thank-you Lord for Hawaiian guitars, fathers, memories and gifts!

(The names and dates have been changed, these stories are true only in my mind)

blankets

Today Conner's Auntie Lacey was babysitting him. She was sitting on the recliner with her 8 month pregnant belly. Little Conner came over to her and brought his blankets (the blue ones that were cut in half so he would always be sure to have one when the other was being washed... however, washing no longer helps them to be clean... and he usually needs them both!)

He layed each one of his cherished blankets over her belly.

"I want your baby to have these blankets so she can be warm and comfortable - I love you"!

...and I wonder - are all little boys this wonderful? To share the one material thing in the world that is important to him with a little girl he has never seen? To have a faith like a child... that Lacey will indeed give his blankets back to him - once her baby is warm and comfortable!