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November 05 ChihulyMy Chihuly appreciation began many years ago watching the sitcom Frasier. I had always admired a glorious vase-like, art glass stage prop that was always featured behind the sofa, along the wall in Frasier's apartment. As it turns out, Frasier was a sitcom that was set in Seattle, where Dale Chihuly happens to reside. Eventually I put two and two together on my own after happening upon a Chihuly exhibit in Orlando a few years ago. I came away from that experience simply feeling glad to be alive. I felt like a kid in a candy store!
This past weekend I went to a Hearts at Home Conference in Grand Rapids. My friend and I got there early and scoped out the possible places we could go explore. I was excited to see the Fredrick Meijers Gardens was featuring some of Chihuly's work. So we set about getting there, only to take a wrong turn and arrive 15 minutes before they closed. We had to settle for a quick run through the gift shop where we oooed and ahhhed at some of his work they had there. I came away with an actual Venus Fly Trap, which was an unexpected little reward for our efforts...The kids are in awe. It's already trapped 3 lady bugs.
Admiring and appreciating what Chihuly is able to do with glass is a welcome distraction from the more troubling details of life. I hope you have someone in your life inspiring you an infusing little rays of joy into your life....Someone or something that makes you glad to be alive!
November 03 The MonarchLittle Megan is quite the bug collector in our family. A few weeks ago she showed up with a Monarch caterpillar that she proceeded to place in a small jar with some butterfly weed leaves. The next thing I know, she brought this jar to me and a limey green chrysalis had formed. We set this jar aside, up atop a cabinet far out of the reach of the younger members of the family. We checked in daily and watched as golden streaks began forming inside it.
Yesterday, at the doctors office with Sylvia and Megan we got to thinking about that chrysalis and realized we had not checked it the day before. We agreed to look as soon as we returned home. We learned about Dennis's passing just before we went in to see if the amazing transformation had taken place.
Imagine how thrilled we were as we looked up to the jar to find a fully formed Monarch in all its splendor. The children were thrilled and marveled at the transformation. What was really awesome was to see Megan's reaction. She decided she didn't want to keep this beautiful specimen God had created, as she had with other bugs she has collected in the past. Rather, she was eager to see it off to it's new home.
We gathered on the back porch and watched as Megan carefully opened the lid off the jar. She gently lifted it out of it's cramped space. It perched for a while on her little finger before finally fluttering off toward the heavens.
It was a poignant moment to behold as I could not help but think of our friend Dennis. He's no longer held back by his broken down, earthly body...He is fully restored and I praise and thank God for that! October 04 I've been tagged...
My friend Kerrie tagged me...
Eight random facts/habits: 1.) I have a terrible habit of buying fresh spinach and salad greens with the best of intentions to encourage the family to eat healthier. Then I proceed to ignore the greens in the frig until they are spoiled. It's seriously scary/sad/pathetic how many times I have done this and continue to do so. I have always been a meat and potato person to the core. It's a hard habit to break! And sadly the guilt I feel when I do this is not enough to break me of the habit. 2.) I like to dance with myself and often times with just the music playing in my mind....lol My husband and I have a fun tradition we started of dancing to the credits of a movie we have finished watching together. 3.) As I have alluded to before in this blog, I have a thing for nurturing plants that is almost like a maternal transferrence onto the plants. But really, it goes deeper than that...I delight in all life forms and the variety of ways the Lord reveals himself to me. For me it all starts with an appreciation/observation of nature and all His creations. However, when you read #1 on my list, that appreciation does NOT apparently transfer well to spinach and greens...lol 4.) One of the biggest fears I have is of speaking in public, yet every time I turn around, I find myself in situations where I am in a leadership role and making presentations etc. etc. 5.) One of my favorite pastimes is to frequent Estate Sales, Garage Sales, Rummage Sales, Resale Shops etc...It's the ultimate way to RECYCLE, which I also am a big fan of...I'm not exaggerating when I say the majority of our home is furnished with second hand found objects. I recently joined our local Freecycle group and am also a member of our local Defenders group. 6.) Before departing for any vacations I am lucky enough to go on, I always have to have the house entirely in order. In the back of my feeble (morbid) brain I always think to myself, if I were to Lord forbid DIE on this trip, I want know my relatives will come here to a sparkling/tidy house. I'm not sure why this same habit doesn't apply to my every day activites (as evidenced by the grungy floors you would find in my home at the moment...lol) 7.) Any time I have ever taken one of those personality tests, I seem to always come up as an "intuitive" person. I have always felt like I can read people pretty well and fast. I tend to be more of an observer than the type of person who is overly loquatious. I am "social" but don't like to stand out in the crowd...I read recently that fear of public speaking and "standing out" in a crowd relates back to ancient mans fear of being eaten. Yes...I'd like to avoid that...lol 8.) Despite the fact I love my friends and family I actually enjoy VERY MUCH going to movies alone, as well as vacationing alone. My husband fully supports the movie thing and is always willing to watch the children while I go off to the theater. Before I got married I took a couple solo vacations where I made friends easily and just loved the adventure and the ability to see what each new day would bring...It's something I encourage everyone to do once in their lives....
Now I'm supposed to tag 6 other people, but everyone I am aware of has already been tagged or detests this sort of thing. So anyone who reads this that has not yet done one of these types of things and would like to...Go For It! At least Kerrie got me back here blogging again
April 06 Wonderful quote...Everyday the newspaper comes in a plastic wrap. Megan just blew it up, like a balloon and said in all seriousness..."Mommy, I caught the wind!" February 13 It's About TimeIt's about time I posted something. No more excuses!
Lately I've been enjoying blog surfing for mental distraction and enrichment, rather that posting my own feeble thoughts here...lol What little time I actually have to spend on the PC has been spent going places like http://www.drhelen.blogspot.com/, http://schmidthedz.spaces.live.com/, and http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-gabriel/ . I really like the challenge to my brain to wrap my mind around a subject the blogger is discussing and come up with my own opinion along the way. Often times, I end up researching a subject and learning so much more about something than I ever knew. This ultimately results in a visit to Amazon.com where I discover books about the subject, and have become a regular patron...Love Amazon.com!
When blog surfing, I love getting a glimpse into the lives of someone whom I would not have a remote chance of knowing in real life...Like http://princesshaiku.blogspot.com/, http://www.saminkie.blogspot.com/, or http://normality31.spaces.live.com/ . There are some incredible, poetic, courageous, and deep thinking souls out there.
The more I blog surf, the more humbling it is to realize how little I actually "know" ...lol I admire the dedication and discipline, and sense of purpose/focus some people have to their blogs. My friend Jamie immediately comes to mind http://bloggingwithmommy.blogspot.com/. Her children are going to have this wonderful, chronological record of their childhoods through her eyes.
In my house, it's an absolute luxury to actually have time to concieve a thought, expand on and gracefully articulate it. The are countless inturruptions. It's one thing to be inturrupted when you are simply reading someone elses blog. You can just go back to where you left off. It's much more challenging to write a blog entry while enduring the inevitable inturruptions. This would explain my absence for so long...That and the fact that since my last post in Nov. 2006, someone in this house has always been sick. Who wants to read about that...lol
As a mom of four, my kids are a top priority. I don't want them to have an image etched in their minds of me sitting and staring at this computer screen. As much as I crave and really enjoy the internet, it has a hypnotic power that distracts me away performing my real life "duties". It is something I am more and more aware of lately and wish to have more of a balance.
To further prove my point, this is the first time in three months I have sat down to write in my blog. Would you believe during the time it took to create this blog entry I :
You get the picture I recently had this "awakening" and have resloved to be the best MOM and wife I can be. I see lots of room for improvement and I've already taken steps do so by reducing the time I spend volunteering and on the internet. It's a start. I'll check in here in another 3 months and let you know how it's going...lol November 20 If I Only Knew Then, What I Know Now.....Recently my 20th year High School Reunion was held. For various reasons, I decided not to go. However, curiousity lead me to order the booklet that updates you on everyone. As I was scanning through the names of my former classmates, I was shocked to learn of one classmates untimely death.
Since it didn't list any information other that "deceased" I was left wondering what could have possibly happened. No doubt something tragic, to die so young. So my fingers lead me to do an internet search, and I just now was shocked to learn that in fact Bill died on September 11, 2001 at the age of 33. He worked for Cantor-Fitzgerald and died in the trade center attack. He left a loving wife and daughter. His son he would never meet, was born less than a month after the attack.
 From our high school graduating class, there were 7 or 8 of us that went on the the University of Illinois. Bill was one of them. His dorm room was right across the street. That first part of freshman year, we all stuck together as we acclimated to college life. After that first year, we had all gone our different directions. But I will always remember him in a fond way. I recall a discussion we had about Peter Gabriel's music, and artist I now consider one of my favorites. I even had a small, brief crush on Bill that wasn't reciprocated...lol He ended up marrying the roommate of one of our high school classmates, a warm, lovely person. He was super smart, driven, and gentle.
I did see him and his wife at our 10th year high school reunion and was happy to learn how well life was going for him and his wife. He tried to explain the line of work he was in and it went entirely over my head...lol
It's interesting how news like this gives a whole new perspective to the events that took place on that awful day. To learn, 5 years after the fact, that a gifted guy I once had the pleasure of knowing, met with such a cruel and senseless demise, stirs up all kinds of emotions that I don't even know what to do with.
This journey led me to this remarkable website that I never even knew about. I've spend a good part of the morning reading through page after page of profiles of the many who perished. Suffice it to say my heart is in my throat.
October 10 Saying Goodbye After a Long GoodbyeLast Friday went different as planned. Michael had taken the afternoon off to help watch the children while I finished up with the final details of the Walkathon planning for the following day. The unexpected call came that said my grandmother was expected to die sometime over the next couple of days. She has had Alzheimers for the last 20 years and been in a nursing home for 15 of those years.
I'll never forget my mothers reaction when I called her to share the news. I was all choked up having just found out, and mom said, "I'm feeling strong!" This is quite the opposite reaction most people that know her would expect.
So I dropped everything and took my mother to see Gram for one last time.
I brought my bible and searched for the Shepard's Prayer in Psalms. I couldn't remember the exact verse number but I knew it was in psalms. It didn't take long before I found it....Psalms 23. Through tears, I read it to my dear, frail, 85 year old grandmother. For an Alzheimer's patient she had always done well with eating until the last couple months. Here is a woman who in her prime was 5ft 10 or 11, and now she was down to a mere 85 lbs. All I could think was, dear Lord, have mercy. Please take her soon. After our final visit with Gram on Friday, Mom and I decided to still go ahead with the walkathon the next day. I didn't have much choice being the coordinator. I would have totally understood if Mom decided to stay home. Without hesitation she agreed to come.
The next morning I picked her up bright and early. She decided to bring along her treasured pet Katydid. In years past, mom has caught little insect critters in the Fall and tried to see how long she could mother them through the winter. One year she had lady bugs and yellow jackets. ...Seriously! Last year she had a praying mantis. This year is was this leafy looking Katydid she named Katrina...She had made quite a wonderful little home for it and the pampering had begun a week or so prior to the walk.
In the midst of meeting and greeting various key speakers and exhibitors for the walk, mom came up to me and announces that she let Katrina go. The importance of her deliberate choice wasn't lost on me...You have to know my mom to truly appreciate the symbolism. Here is a woman who likes to baby little creatures through the winter, and has a consistant pattern of doing so. She gets so attatched, it doesn't enter her mind to set them free. She is giving them a gift after all...Life beyond what they would normally experience if they were to remain out in nature.
This was the first time ever that I can recall her choosing to let the little creature go. It was a most purposeful gesture, as she also faced letting her own mother go. She told me it felt good to let Katrina go. I gave her a hug....Knowing the true meaning behind her actions.
Somehow we managed to coast through the rest of the event. Thankfully it was a huge success, despite a huge emotional strain of knowing grandma would soon leave us.
I'm so glad the Lord gave us that one final chance to say our goodbyes. I'm so relieved Gram is finally at rest and free from the bondage of that broken down body. At her memorial service on Thursday, without my mentioning it, the Reverend brought up Psalms 23 and read it for the family...When he got to the part where the verse says, "He restores my soul...." Reverend said, "See there. God doesn't say, He restores your "body". He restores your soul." I found that a comforting way to imagine my dear grandmother right now...Fully restored. No more pain. At peace after fighting such a very long fight. I will miss her dearly and have for a very long time... September 10 Elvis has entered the building!My husband recently turned 40. Going into it, he declared how he didn't need for us to make a fuss over it or get him anything.
Little did he know, there was already a plan in the works where I had decided to surprise him with a singing telegram of sorts. I just wasn't certain how to go about hiring someone for such a thing. Fortunately for me the Yellow Pages came through and I found the perfect candidate to pay a surprise birthday visit to my husband at work.
Yes, Elvis himself, told me he traditionally doesn't do this type of thing. He normally chooses much larger venues...lol But he made an exception for my husband.
So one recent Monday afternoon, I threw together the most awesome Elvis cake you could imagine. I would love to post a picture of it but it had our last name on it...For those that know our last name, the words said, "Don't Be Cruel to Dr. ------. He's Turning 40!"
While I was decorating it my aunt and uncle show up unannounced at the door. They had no idea what they were getting themselves into as they entered the kitchen, saw the cake and learned about Michael's special visitor that would soon be arriving. They decided they had to come along to Michael's workplace and witness Elvis's surprise first hand.
Michael had no idea what awaited him when he went into the exam room. He thought it was a client who had a question about a medication...Instead he was greeted by Elvis singing CC Rider.
It was a most memorable 40th birthday!
August 21 Where Did My Summer Go?Who pushed the Fast Forward button of life? This Summer went by in record speed. Here are a few things that have occupied our time over the last couple months:
On our vacation there were lots of reminders of our last vacation with Dad since the area we went was an hour or so away from where went last year. I have kept myself SO busy since he died in late January, that any time I slow down, those feelings get pushed back up. The grief is like waves...I can go for weeks witout event, but then a wave of saddness will come through. It has only been 6 months with many reminders/triggers still there and fresh on my mind. Like the bag of Oreo's he had tucked away that I found in the closet the day we left for vacation. Anyways....it's good to be back blogging again.
June 24 Murphy's Law of Child RearingShortly after Dad died, we realized there was a small amount of life insurance from his time withWalMart. Divided three ways with my sisters it ended up being around $4,000. I had NO idea his coverage was still current since he had not been able to work for that last year before he died.
So being the sentimental fools we are, my husband and I thought we would use the whole amount of this unexpected gift, and purchase a cadillac model play set for the kids. You know..... The kind with a rock wall, tire swing, trapeze bar etc...ALL the bells and whistles! We knew their Grandpa would have approved of our purchase and been happy to know this money was spent on his granchildren in such a way.
Well, it just so happens the neighbor behind us has the $150 WalMart variety playset. It's significantly smaller, beginning to rust, and the slide is half the size of our Cadillac model.
Guess which one they seem to prefer
 ....? I qualify this as one of Murphy's Laws of Child Rearing...Sometimes less, is more...lol When it comes to toys, the higher price tag doesn't necessarily mean that they will enjoy it any more than they would a cardboard box, or a poor toad they found.
May 04 Missing Person ReportIt about time to give an update about my most recent disappearance.
I got some Bleeding Heart and Jacob's Ladder planted in the perfect partially shaded spot. They seem very content in their new homes. I'm discovering how maternal instincts transfer over to life as a gardener. No more human babies for me. Just plant babies...lol You go to the plant "nursery". Get your baby. Bring it home. Pamper it. Ooooo and ahhhh over how it's growing up so nicely. You cry when it dies....lol I've been busy dividing some perrenials for the Garden Club plant sale on May 13th. The June meeting is here where we will be doing a project I saw on Rebecca's Garden show. You take pressed flowers and glue them to the back of a smooth, clear plate. Then cover that with rice paper and you have a nice decorative plate. It should be fun.
The Walkathon Planning has taken on a whole other level...What began as an innocent desire to enhance our fundraising capacity by making folks able to make online donations through our website, has turned into a total face lift scenario. I've been given the go ahead by the Board to make some major improvements to our website. The only trouble is I have zero website design experience. lol So I am just diving in and attempting to doggy paddle my way through this. I say doggy paddle because it's not very graceful means of swimming, but it's an effective way of not drowning...
I've signed up to take an online Dreamweaver course. That will help. A person from one of our affiliates has offered to be a sounding board for advice which is very generous. In the meantime, this is going to require a lot of time to get done. If I disappear that is one of many reasons....
Then there is the issue of this little handsome toddler in my life who has given a whole new meaning to the word "explore". He can undo child locks in the blink of an eye. He unravels the toilet paper roll in less than 30 seconds. He can twist off lids, climb the pantry shelves, empty the pot and pan cabinet. May he always approach life with such curiosity and determination!
I've been thinking a lot about "why" I feel a compulsion to volunteer so much my time for a non-profit. I've got to come up with a brief acceptance speech for an award I am humbled to recieve in June. I would really like to inspire others to come forward and explore their own personal gifts that they have to offer and volunteer. We'll see what I can come up with.
April 13 Every Scar Has A StoryLast year, when I was around 7 months pregnant, I had the misfortune of coming down with an awful case of shingles. I had always associated it in my mind as the kind of thing you get when you are MUCH older. Apparently pregnant women are at increased risk, especially when stressed, because their immune systems are already suppressed to accomodate baby. If nature didn't suppress our immune systems in such a way, our bodies would think the little developing baby was a foreign object that needs to be attacked and expelled.
At any rate, after Christmas of 2005, I came down with the END ALL BE ALL of shingles cases. I can't even begin to describe the pain! At times I thought it was WORSE than child birth... My doctor said on a scale of 1 - 10, my case was a 10. I couldn't take antiviral meds because of the pregnancy. The wounds became infected. Consequently, the scarring was pretty bad. Looking for ways to minimize the scarring, I found out that the best treatment had sulfa or some such thing you should AVOID when pregnant.
 Fortunately they are in a fairly discreet spot on the underside my left arm. There are some on my back too. I find myself thinking about it more now as we are looking ahead to swim suit weather. There is a part of me that simply does't not care. The other part wants to run to the nearest plastic surgeon....I can definitely notice people eyes "lock in" on it when they notice the scarring.
While the shingles sores were healing, I went into premature labor. I was around 31 weeks along in the pregnancy at that point. After a treatment (that makes you feel like a train hit you) to stop the contractions, I was ordered for the next 6 weeks to remain on bedrest...
It was a humbling experience to say the least. It strikes an emotional chord to this day when I think of that time. In true form, my mother-in-law was here from the start to help see us through it. All total, she lived here nearly 2 months cooking, cleaning, taking care of the kids...During that time she injured her shoulder lifting one of the girls. She ended up needing surgery for that.
My Dad was an incredible help during this challenging time too. At that time he was still working, but when he was home he was very certain to keep the girls entertained while my mother-in-law was out shopping or when she needed a little break. I recall her telling me that Dad didn't look too well. I felt so helpless, just sitting in my bed on bedrest. We knew his health was taking a turn for the worse but I couldn't do anything about it until the baby came. When the baby came last February, Dad had to officially stop working.
There was incredible sacrifice that went in to getting our little baby here safely. It gives these scars new meaning. It makes my vain worries and concerns seem so ridiculous, really...The depth of my gratitude is beyond words.
I look at these scars and I see the love and support that surrounded me at that time. It makes me want to hang on to them, not remove them so that I can appear more flawless and keep others from being "uncomfortable" when they see them...Some would see them as ugly flaws that need to be corrected. I see the scars as a permanent reminder that I am loved. April 01 Community Supported AgricultureOur "share" has been reserved with a local organic grower of vegetables and other produce. This is wonderful program I had heard about through the Garden Club. Each week during the summer, I'll drop by the Farm and pick up our "share" of that weeks harvest. It's fresh. It's organic. It's grown locally. I'm thrilled to have a chance to try this out...And in the case of this particular farmer, it's all heirloom variety produce. What that means is, the tomatoes will ACTUALLY have flavour, unlike the cardboard varieties we have become accoustomed to...lol I've been really looking forward to this!
What is Community Supported Agriculture and How Does It Work? Used with the permission of Community Supported Agriculture of North America at University of Massachusetts Extension CSA reflects an innovative and resourceful strategy to connect local farmers with local consumers; develop a regional food supply and strong local economy; maintain a sense of community; encourage land stewardship; and honor the knowledge and experience of growers and producers working with small to medium farms. CSA is a unique model of local agriculture whose roots reach back 30 years to Japan where a group of women concerned about the increase in food imports and the corresponding decrease in the farming population initiated a direct growing and purchasing relationship between their group and local farms. This arrangement, called "teikei" in Japanese, translates to "putting the farmers' face on food." This concept traveled to Europe and was adapted to the U.S. and given the name "Community Supported Agriculture" at Indian Line Farm, Massachusetts, in 1985. As of January 2005, there are over 1500 CSA farms across the US and Canada. CSA is a partnership of mutual commitment between a farm and a community of supporters which provides a direct link between the production and consumption of food. Supporters cover a farm's yearly operating budget by purchasing a share of the season's harvest. CSA members make a commitment to support the farm throughout the season, and assume the costs, risks and bounty of growing food along with the farmer or grower. Members help pay for seeds, fertilizer, water, equipment maintenance, labor, etc. In return, the farm provides, to the best of its ability, a healthy supply of seasonal fresh produce throughout the growing season. Becoming a member creates a responsible relationship between people and the food they eat, the land on which it is grown and those who grow it. This mutually supportive relationship between local farmers, growers and community members helps create an economically stable farm operation in which members are assured the highest quality produce, often at below retail prices. In return, farmers and growers are guaranteed a reliable market for a diverse selection of crops.
March 20 A Lesson in Geneaology & GovernmentThis past week I was very fortunate that Dawinie, the World's-Most-Incredible-Babysitter, was home for Spring Break. It explains why it has been so quiet here in blogdom. Much was accomplished last week including the dreaded taxes, and preparations for an Expo our NAMI group participated in on Saturday. Saturday evening, dear husband and I were able to steal away a rare date night. We found a quaint little restaurant with the most gorgeous stained glass window I could stare at and study until dinner came. I was in heaven...lol Then we saw the movie "V for Vendetta", an interesting movie, very political...A quote I liked out of it was..."Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. There is an idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof." I would give it 3.5 out of four stars.
Another task I completed last week, was to get all the paperwork regarding unclaimed cash and property in my late grandfathers name, submitted to the State's Treasury Office. For background on this story see the Gift from the Grave posts. Last weekend I was at my wit's end trying to come up with a date of death for my great-grandmother Edith, who was also on the Prudential Policy in grandpas name. I got so desperate that I joined www.Ancestory.com. However, even their "search" turned up empty. When I would plug in her name under the Social security death index, she wasn't in the database.
I knew the county she had died in, so I tried that route and was pleased to discover some other databases available FREE through geneaology sites. Apparently, the social security death index (or whatever it's called) is most accurate for deaths occuring AFTER 1950. I found a databse that accounts for deaths between 1916 and 1950...Edith had died in 1946 and wouldn't you know, her name came right up in the search. My cousin confirmed the date I had uncovered in the search, and I submitted the information with confidence that it was accurate.
Wouldn't you know I get a call from the lady at the states office saying they cannot find Edith's name in their search.
It turns out she was looking in the database from 1950 onward...I gave her the website information and told her how I had found it. However, she couldn't find the site and said I would now need a copy of Ediths death certificate when originally she had said a simple date of death would suffice. She also said, there were other assets that came up in his name besides what we originally thought. So all this research has sparked a renewed interest in geneaology for me. As time permits, I wish to begin researching more information about my Great grandfather Glenn (Edith's husband) who was allegedly of Indian descent... possibly Cherokee. So it has always been a mystery for our family because he died so young. With the information available through these genealogical sites and databases, I have confidence that I can put some of the puzzle pieces together.
March 07 Belly Dancing, anyone?I've signed up for a Belly Dancing Aerobics class through the same studio my girls have their creative dance lessons. My first class is tomorrow. Who knows, perhaps a belly button ring will be in order when it's all said and done...LOL March 06 The River of Doubt: A Book worth checking out!Recently I finished reading, The River of Doubt : Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey (Hardcover).
This book takes you on a dark yet colorful journey with Roosevelt and his expedition through the an unmapped river, aptly named "The River of Doubt" in the Amazon. Their exploration efforts changed the map.
Borrowing the well written review from Random House : www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780739323038
The River of Doubt—it is a black, uncharted tributary of the Amazon that snakes through one of the most treacherous jungles in the world. Indians armed with poison-tipped arrows haunt its shadows; piranhas glide through its waters; boulder-strewn rapids turn the river into a roiling cauldron.
I give it 5 glorious stars. There are some people that seem larger than life, and Roosevelt was one of those kinds of people. But this book reveals a human side to him that really puts into perspective what an extraordinary person he was. This was one of those "can't-put-it-down type of books". Enjoy! March 04 Finding joyYesterday was the first day I had a hearty laugh since Dad died. I was playing with the kids after dinner. They like to pretend they are different animals, so I was rattling off names of different animals they could be. Then I said, "ostrich"...Isabel who is only 6yrs old mind you, announced she would do the mating dance of the ostrich that she had seen on Animal Planet. Now THAT was hysterical! March 02 Lord give me patience...Telemarketers and credit card companies need a better way of knowing someone is deceased.  March 01 The Circle of LifeOK I promise to change the subject soon...lol
Have you ever rented a movie simply based on who is in the movie with no idea what the subject is about? The last time we rented any movies was early December...It has been too crazy around here, it seems. However, I finally found my way into the video store this weekend. I quickly grabbed Elizabethtown. I didn't even read the back of it...lol I just saw Orlando Bloom on the cover and was sold...lol
I went into it looking for escape only to discover it's about a guy whose dad dies. Being the oldest in the family, he is thrust into the role of deciding on the funeral details. He decides to have the father cremated and in the end we watch our main character spread his fathers ashes in various meaningful spots throughout his journey across the country.
It was depressing and comforting all at the same time. There was a whole circle of life theme going on in the movie with a marriage and funeral taking place at the same time, both bringing family and friends together. I'd give the movie 3 stars out of 4.
Coming fresh out of the funeral experience with Dad, I can safely say there is much to be said about pre-planning your own funeral. The only thing he had expressed that he wanted was to be cremated. The rest was up to us. In my grandfathers case, everything had been prearranged and it helped immensely to not have to make those big decisions when your dealing with the tsunami of grief that takes over.
The issue of WHERE to finally lay Dad to rest has been debated back an forth between my sister and I. Initially I tried to send dad's remains off with my sister and half sister when they left the day of the funeral. I figured they might want to share that experience. However, I think the pain was too raw at that point for them to take me up on that offer. So Dads remains have remained on top of the cabinet in my glass room since Feb. 1st. I was a little wierded out by that initially but have grown comfortable with the situation in the meantime.
My sister and I finally made the plan that she will come here during spring break, and help go through his bedroom and belongings. She will take his remains with her when she leaves. At first, my idea for his final resting spot was to wait until the ice thaws on the bay near our house where I have very special memories of fishing with dad on a Father's Day many years ago. However, my sister has the desire to take dad to Florida. He had always talked about wanting to move there and spend his retirement fishing. So that is the plan, and I'm cool with it.
So the moral of this story is...Next time I'm at the video store looking for an escape or brain candy type of movie, I will have to be a bit more careful....lol Reminder to myself: Read the description before your rent! February 25 The Color of HopeLately, like no other winter before, thoughts of spring and the hope it brings, have become ever present in my mind. I still feel kind of shell-shocked, functioning in total survival mode. I just know that when spring gets here it will help immensely. Just seeing "green" start coloring the landscape will help lift the spirit....Bigtime!
The last couple of years, during these inevitable stretches of cabin fever, I have found myself craving more green in my surroundings. I run out and get little plants to take care of and infuse a little green into our home. It's a challenging task because of the toddler and feline residents of the household. No planter can be on the ground without serious consequences.
Ironically, out of curiousity I plugged into a Google search, "the color of hope" and discovered that my beloved favorite color of all times, "Green is the color of the seasonal renewal and the triumph of spring over cold winter and thus of Hope and Immortality."
Well there's much hope evolving right now in my heart...Hope to emerge from this dark and depressing winter with a peaceful, shaken but not broken, heart.
Kermit might say, "It's not easy being green!" However, I would add...."It's not easy without the green..." lol |
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