"Thanksgiving"

First I would like to say Happy Thanksgiving!

This is a great season, I love all the aromas in the house. As we start getting prepared for Thanksgiving day, with food for the church baskets and also food for our families.

With our immediate family we have always invited people to join us. It seems that there is always somebody whose family is not in town for one reason or another. Some of the ones we invited never came but knew that the invitation was a valid one. Part of the tradition also included going around the table and saying what we were thankful for.

I was grateful that our oldest daughter and her husband had started the same tradition at their home. She has a friend who's spouse would be out of town, so she invited the family to her house.

Through the years I can only remember a few distinct memories of the Thanksgiving meals.

Our very first one that he celebrated at out own home, we had made the turkey and fixings. We set the table and things looked beautiful, I had bought film for the camera (back in the none digital days). Needless to say that in the rush of getting everything ready and the hunger that had set in we forgot to take a picture of the "perfect meal". Once I remembered I grabbed the camera and took the picture, when they were developed we noticed that the turkey's leg was sitting in front of the turkey. We laughed and tried to make sure we took our pictures before the meal. Chad was only 3 and he started the thanks with the food, then the silverware and each family member.

Another one I remember was in Killeen Texas, we had a older lady who was alone, she was very helpful during the process of making the meal. She was also trying to make the meal a special event too, she involved the kids in making the table look good. When it came to go around the table and tell some of the things that we were thankful for, she had a wonderful list. She included everything from the food, kids, family and everything that the Lord had done in her life.

As Thanksgiving week is drawing near we need to look back and see what the Lord has done for us. Each year we always find something big (in our eyes, small to God)that we have to be thankful for.

This year I am extremely thankful for our family, friends whose love has been shown to us throughout the whole year. Those are important things to me. I am also thankful for the doctor that did the surgery the first part of November, and taking such good care of me. I am thankful that our kids and grand kids are healthy and all back in the country (as of 11/23)last year at this time we had one in Iraq. We also had one child get married, and another celebrate 5th year anniversary.

So you can see why I am thankful! So look back on your year and see all the things that you can be thankful for. It shouldn't be hard to find a few things.



(1 Th 5:18 KJV) "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

In memory of Dad - Alzheimers Walk 2009

This year was a little different for the Alzheimers walk. In the past my daughters and I raised money and went on the walk. Each year it is a challenge for us to raise money and get the time off from work to participate in the walk. But each year we do accomplish it some how.

The first year that we did the walk was 2005 we had 5 that walked for the team. In 2006 we had only 4, the 2 girls, Alexis and I. Sarah and Bekah even designed shirts for us to wear to honor the memory of their grandpa. In 2007 we had the addition of Jaxen to our team, also Stormy came along to help out with the kids.

We all enjoy taking the time to pay tribute to dad.

I remember the time when I was just 5 years old and he had taken me to the Norwalk clinic, very late in the evening, because my tonsils were very swollen. Making my breathing very labored. Mom had to stay at home with the other girls, although my littel sister also was having similar problems. "Back in the day" you could tell the family physician you had another one at home and they would get medicine for them too.

Dad also taught all of his girls basic car stuff. We could easily change oil, tires, check transmission fluid. Like I said the basics, we could use this to impress a boyfriend as well! :-? Well I don't know that dad knew that trick. I tried to pass this on to my girls, thinking that they too would need the basics. They were not intent on learning the car stuff. Although I did impress my boys, it was very funny to see the look on their face when I could show them where to check things at. Even on Facebook I beat one of the scores for knowing the car parts.

He also was the one to teach us to drive!! He made us learn how to drive a stick shift too. That could also be used to impress a boyfriend, just ask my older daughter!

Dad could do just about anything he set his mind to. He worked with a friend during the summer months doing odd jobs. this inclu ded adding on rooms to houses, rewiring and roofing to name a few. He let us work with him in the summer, paying us for our work too. I believe that he taught us more thatn we will ever realize during the summer. I remember him
telling us "always look busy, even if it is just sweeping".

My mom tried to get dad to talk to us when the Alzheimers diseas had gotten worse. He would only talk for a few minutes before he could not answer any of the questions. Ed and I have talked several times about when dad started getting worse, we both decided that when dad asked for help with the water heater which had gone out. Needless to say we are not that mechanically inclined!! We were able to get the water heater out of the basement, and hook up the new one. But dad would have been able to do it in half the time in his good times.

Dad died in 2004 due to complications of Alzheimers. I think of dad often and know that others miss him too.

Dad I miss you a lot! Look forward to seeing you again!

Love ya! Debbie

"Mamaw"

When I was growing up I loved to visit "Mamaw". She lived in Kentucky, by a creek, with a hill and a cemetery! Just the coolest place to visit, my younger sister and I used to spend the summers there when we were about 10 years old. It was always just about the time Vacation Bible School was in that area, which is another story.

Each time we visited with our family, she would always be on the run. It seemed that as soon as we finished breakfast and did the dishes, she was peeling potatoes for lunch, then the same for supper. She also took us to milk the cow and was very willing to share the milking duties. We have some short movie clips of us trying to milk the cow, needless to say we were not very good at it, she would have to finish the job. Our other grandparents seemed to be a bit older, but now as I look back they probably weren't, just a few more health problems. Funny how as we age we finally realize that even though you look 80, doesn't mean you are.


Mamaw would also go pick apples and then sit on the porch and peel them for us to eat, all 5 of us, till we were full! That is a lot of apples! But I can still remember the smile she would always have.
Although I loved "Mamaw" when I became a grandma I didn't want to be called that because I thought of it as a southern name. I had been raised in Ohio and was not a southerner! Alexis called me "grannnnna" when she first started to talk, which I thought was very cute. As she got a little older it changed to grandma! She will laugh now if you remind her that she used to call me that, she will tell us that was when she was a baby, so silly.


When Jaxen first started talking called me grandma, I think it was because his sister was calling me that. Most of the time he still called me grandma, but when he is excited it changes to "Mamaw"! Just the thing I didn't want to be called. I do not correct him I just let his excitement carry him!!! Just like all little boys he is very excitable.


As I began to think about the reasoning behind not wanting to be called "Mamaw". I just didn't like the sound of it. It doesn't have a pleasant ring like grannnnnna, or grandma. When thinking about the name I also began to remember the great times I had with my Mamaw. I tried to see if I could live up to the name. Was I sweet, caring, willing to show the kids how to do ordinary things, peel apples till the kids were full, find jars for bugs. Well for the most part I was doing a pretty good job doing most of the things I remember her for.


So I have taken a different look at being called "Mamaw". I think I am going to love fulfilling the footsteps of my grandma, I just hope I will be able to.

Thank you Lord for the blessing of being a "Mamaw".

Vacation June 2009

Some how when we take vacation there is always an motive behind the travel. This year my sisters and I joined each other in Ohio for a fun filled weekend of painting at our mom's house. While I really don't mind helping out my mom the thought of painting for the weekend was not my idea of fun.



My sister had arrived in Ohio on Thursday at supper time to surprise our mom. Oh course since they were trying to surprise her, she happened not to be at home. So they went shopping instead. When she did arrive home they were there to greet her, she was greatly surprised and said it was too bad that I couldn't be there. They all agreed, but knew that I was going to meet them at breakfast to surprise her also. My younger sister had told her that Bob Evans in Fremont was having a special, but she still tried to get them to go to the one in Sandusky.

They arrived at Bob Evans exactly at 8 a.m. and she was surprised again! My husband ate breakfast with us but then was off to see his family and check into the motel.


My sisters had arranged with mom to go to a city wide garage sale in a near by town, while we were out we also bought the paint and supplies.



We arrived at her house and began to move furniture away from the walls and assigning our jobs. We decided to do 2 X 2 on each wall, one painted up, one down and I was assigned to do the trim. I couldn't believe how quick that it went, we were done with the living room in just over an hour. We tried to save the wall paper border, it didn't work!! Nine just another job for us to do. We just had to make sure the new border was bigger that the old. We found a great border for mom, she loves Cardinals and the border had four kinds of birds, it was a threesome to put it up. but it looks great and she loved it.





While we were out getting the border we also got to participate in the Harley Davidson festival in Sandusky, Ohio. I had never seen so many bikers in one place. Sandusky really went all out for the bikers, lots of leather, bikes, loud music it was great. (mom stayed in the car with the puppy) We also bought matching flip flops, silly but fun.

Everything went well my sisters left on Saturday for South Carolina, I was staying till Sunday morning so I could go to our old home church with mom. She always enjoys her kids going to ch with her. My husband met us at church and we left right after service. Of course it took 10 minutes to load my garage sale treasures in the truck! Well, along with the stuff mom said I needed to take home with me.


We had a great trip home and the painting of moms' living room, dining room and hall wasn't too bad after all. It was a great time of fellowship with all the "ROWE" girls, first time in a few years we all got to see each other.

I also found out that I was "bossy & funny" by them. I had told them if you have four kids you have to be both of them. It makes life a little easier, as you kow "laughter is the best medicine" and all kids need someone to "boss" them!

Just ask any kid! Have a great vacation this year!

Table Grace

When we were young our parents taught us to thank the Lord for the food that was being provided and the hands that had prepared it. So as tradition goes we taught our children the same thing, even incorporating in a simple prayer to memorize.

"God is great, God is good.

Let us thank Him for this food."

Each of our children did a superb job reciting this prayer. As they got older we taught them how to use their own words to pray for the meal. When our oldest son first exerted the use of his own words for "grace" we thought he was going to say he was thankful for every item that was on the table!




It was encouraging for us to see the children to grow and call on the Lord's name. It starts out as a simple memorized prayer, then turns into a walk with the Savior! Just like watching them learn to walk all over again, taking one step then another. Growing day by day!




Just recently we have had the opportunity to see our grandchildren in our own home share this same tradition. Alexis is very talkative and enjoys the chance to say the prayer.




Our first encounter with this was Thanksgiving this past year. Alexis was continuing to talk while everyone was getting quiet for her dad so he could say the Thanksgiving. He politely asked her to be quiet unless she wanted to say the prayer. She said O.K. I will say the prayer! To our surprise she did a fantastic. Thanking the Lord for food, the beautiful day and family, what more could you ask for.



It brought tears to my eyes to hear this small child, only 3 1/2 years old, give tribute to the Lord for the blessings that she saw. I am so blessed to have a family that loves the Lord and are trying to raise our grandchildren with those same traditions.



God's great example of prayer:

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

the power and the glory,

for ever and ever.

Amen

It surprised me the other day when we were sitting at the table and Jaxen tried to take my hand and was saying something that I didn't understand. I finally got it, he was saying "pray, pray." We held hands and he said a prayer, not that I could understand, then he said "Amen" so I knew he was done. Such a blessing to see him pray too.



As I look to the future, I see my family continuing to grow in the Lord. I thank him daily for the blessings that he has given to our family. I will continue to do my best to set the example for our kids.

There is a saying that "The family that prays together, stays together".

Lord, bless this family, be with us throughout this day, guide and protect us. Continue to bring us closer to you as we travel life's highways. In your name we pray. Amen

Planting with the Grandkids!

Today was a great day! I was off from work and decided to go and dig up some plants from our old place and move to our new place. The sun was out the wind was very brisk and I had two grand kids to help! One of my helpers fell asleep in the car before we got to the old place, so that left me with one to help. She was very helpful, she picked dandelions and violets to add to my bulbs.

The First Dandelion

Simple and fresh and fair from winter's close emerging,

As if no artifice of fashion, business, politics, had ever been,

Forth from its sunny nook of shelter'd grass--innocent,

golden, calm as the dawn,

The spring's first dandelion shows its trustful face.

Source: "Leaves of Grass," by Walt Whitman

I had dug up all the plants that I saw and heard a faint voice "grandma, grandma". My second helper was awake, yeah!!! He came out of the van and quickly started to help his sister pick flowers, then he decided that the basket I was using was too full! So he helped empty it, I guess he didn't realize the big plan that we had for the bulbs at the new house. But even with the upset we were able to collect the bulbs and put them back in the basket.

Since we had collected all the bulbs, we tried to clean up the property a little. It is amazing even though there is not too many people living on the NW side of Cedar Rapids where the flood took a big toll, the trash still seems to collect on any rough area in the yard. We didn't have enough room for all of the trash but brought enough home to fill the back of the van.

Once we got home we unloaded the trash, cleaned up a little and headed off to Wally world to get some soil and compost for our little bulb planting. I also decided to try a few edgers to make a finished look to the lamp post area where the bulbs would be going. Back at home we unloaded the kids and the stuff and started to work. The kids immediately took off for the pea gravel under the tree, leaving me to try and make a circle with the edging stones, I was beginning to think I was geometrically challenged!! I finally got a suitable circle and deposited my compost and soil evenly in the circle it had a very appealing look to it.


Occasionally while planting I would have a small helper come and assist with chore. We completed the project at a few minutes before 4 p.m. and I had to be at the bus garage at 4!! Yikes!!!

I arrived there a few minutes after 4 but still had to wait for my "sweetie" to get out of the building! What a great day!! We accomplished everything that we had started to do, made it to my meeting on time and came home to fresh baked cookies for a birthday surprise! (We had the cake over the weekend for the birthday.) God has truly blessed us. I am looking forward to the blooming of the "Naked Ladies" that we planted (also called the Belladonna Lily). I will keep you updated with pictures on a future blog.

Happy Birth-day

Today is our youngest childs birthday. What an exciting time, having a baby! With each child the excitement is still there. "Mr" excitement this time was almost a little too much excitment. We were in the military and by their standards I had failed 4 pregnancy tests! So there must be something really wrong if I was feeling so sick. With the other children there was never a sign of morning sickness. With the last one it wasn't really "morning sickness" it was all day sickness.
AND when I finally got checked out,at the local clinic, a Physicians Assistant did an evaluation and noted that he could hear a loud sound around my lower rib cage. He left the room, returned to tell me that he believed that I had an Abdominal Aortic Anyrusym! (He probably left to look it up) I was pretty sure I had a concept of what this was, but asked the question to ease my mind. Nope! The PA actually described the whole thing, I was right but didn't have an actual visual. He gave me a referral to the Surgery Clinic, to be checked out. Ed met me there and the Doctor listened to the area and decided that I was really too young(27)to have this type of problem, and since I had failed so many pregnancy tests, he wanted me to be checked out in the OB/GYN dept.
They made a time slot for me and I walked over, they listened to my story and decided to try an dopler to my stomach to listen to things. Guess what?? The heard a babies heartbeat! Well this was a great thine! I wasn't going to die and we were going to have a new addition to our family.
Upon hearing this great news, my husband picked up the phone and caled his doctor and cancelled his procedure. "Too late to lock the barn door after the horse is out!" just a corny saying.
Well the trouble didn't end there! Because of the negative pregnancy tests they really didn't know how to calculate a due date! The performed an ultrasound and with the measurement of his head was put into the calculation and came up with a due date. But told me that I would probably have to go into labor to be sure he would be fully developed. WRONG! All of the others were born by C-section I had went through labor with the first child and that was enough. No, seriously we were in a foreign country, no family to help with the kids, I just wanted a real date.

I did happen to start labor for our little bundle of joy. The doctor said that I had dilated 4 cm and was actually having contractions when they started the c-section.

Adam arrived on this day 24 years ago, and we are so blessed to have him in our family. He really completes our family group, funny/annoying/friendly/serious all wrapped into one.

A baby boy was created by the hand of God above to give the world the sweetest touch of tenderness and love. With the softness of a whisper,God made a baby's skin and then designed two trusting eyes to put the starlight in. With giggles from a waterfall and breezes passing by, God made a baby's laughter and a tiny, sleepy sigh. God made the world a precious gift more dear and pure than gold, with little toes to play with and tiny hands to hold then brought into the sunshine a precious baby boy All wrapped up in a rainbowof wonder, hope, and joy.-unknown author