New Life

OK, so I started this blog to talk about my grandchildren and life and changes... well, I got sidestepped for a while.  Since my last post, which was, by the way, my son's birthday, times and life have changed dramatically. The heat and heat and humidity of summer was replaced by the rainy month of August, which included an East coast earthquake(which rippled through my office's concrete slab foundation) and was followed by a pretty substantial hurricane. As it happens so often in life, when my sister in law, Kathy, passed away, our new little Maggie Aeryn came onto the scene. It is never easy to go through a death in the family, and losing Kathy  was devastating.  God, in His Infinite wisdom took her home and out of her intense suffering. That was a blessing, but we miss her dearly. Then came little Maggie, on the second of September. She is already winning our hearts with the newly found smiles and coos that melt your heart. So Elijah became the big brother. He is handling that well. Only asking once if he should hit the baby on the head. When told no, he declared, " then I will kiss her". Paige has become a real at home babysitter and is wonderful with Maggie. We sailed right through the annual Pitman carnival and school started, with Wyatt attending Kindergarten in Pitman, and Victoria starting high school in Woodstown. Wyatt was totally amazed by the school's butterfly parade and was one of the official keepers of the butterflies for the parade. The weekend of Kory's birthday, we brought Great Grandmom Klose home to live with us. She started out here as a visit, but was happy enough to want to stay permanently.  We feel blessed to have her in our home. Jamin turned 11, and shortly after that Elijah got very ill. He looked like a hurt puppy in the big hospital bed, but has healed well, and is now back to his normal "hi-yahing" self.  Halloween has come and gone, leaving enough candy to send Wyatt and Sami out on a limb for a few days. Jamin went on his first official missions trip in late October, early November. He was part of a team that built another home for a Haitian family left homeless after their earthquake episode. Jenn and Kory celebrated their 3rd anniversary, and are living nearby. Victoria was a part of the high school varsity soccer team and officially has a boyfriend. Changes are whirling us around. Can't even keep up with all the new activities and life changes that are happening around us. Thank God, we don't have to!

July 22, 100 degrees

Samantha turns 4!

Samantha turned 4 on July 9. She is a bundle of girl, wrapped up in the old Mother Goose ditty about the little girl with a curl, just like her Aunt Jenny. There was a little girl , who had a little curl, right in the middle of her forehead. When she was good, she was very, very good, but when she was bad, she was horrid. Samantha can charm a snake, a bug, anything she chooses. But when she wants her way, she morphs into the horrid little girl in Mother Goose.
Sami spins and twirls and dances, and ALWAYS wants a dress on.  She loves baby dolls and kittens and puppies and all the frills of being a little girl.She loves hugs and kisses and cuddling up. But don't ask her to put on a pair of pants or shorts. She definitely displays the characteristics of a true princess, in every sense of the term. What we want her to understand is that she is the daughter of the King, Jesus. I see sparks of spiritual growth in her, and want those sparks to ignite. I pray that she continues to respond to His calling. That she understands to be a princess for Jesus takes more discipline than we can provide on our own, but He will always make a way for us to obey Him. Happy Birthday, little girl!

John Elijah

Today was Elijah's second birthday. He is visiting family in Michigan this week. I called to wish him a happy birthday. Tori told him "TicTac Nana" wants to talk to you. I could hear her coaching him in the background. "Tell Nana 'I am 2 now'". "2 Now". Uh-huh! Are you going to eat bitrhday cake and icecream? Yes! It is hard to imagine life without our little precocious boy! Sweet as a button, stonefaced as all get out and already opinionated about how life should be. You just want to pick him up and squeeze his little cheeks and kiss him as he hugs back. All boy- toads and frogs and basketballs and soccer balls and his own version of run fast: "hun hast!". He just melts hearts and puts a smile on everyone's face. Happy Birthday , Sweet Boy!

Jiffy Pop Almost Extinct

Ok, so I was thinking about how automated we are now, even with popcorn delivery. It used to be popping was done in a pot, with a lid on the stove top. Then Jiffy Pop was invented: a self preserved container with popcorn and oils already packaged in a disposable pan. The anticipation of watching that flattened portion of aluminum foil start to bubble up, almost to the point of bursting, was amazing. First you would hear the kernels bouncing in the pan over the high heat. No sound of popping, just shaking kernels. Then one by one they popped open and the symphony would begin. pop! Pop! POP! PPPPPPOOOOOPPPPPPPP! The flat, shiny covering started to expand slowly, then faster until the entire lid was expanded almost to the limit. The smell of freshly popped corn would enter the room, and ride the airwaves into the next room... A good memory a great bit of nostalgia for the palate. Now, throw that bag into the microwave and within 2-3 minutes, the popcorn is done. No room for anticipation, no aromas to fill the air and tease the taste buds. Just pop it open and magically the popcorn is done. It is hard to find those packages of Jiffy Pop. They are almost extinct, like the dinosaurs.
I am truly grateful to have those memories. But I look at my grandchildren and see their symphonies starting. The sounds of laughter, singing, tiny voices trying on new words and the mature ones coaching, teaching and showing by example the way things should be. I love to see them all mingling in the yard, enjoying one another. Learning to explore the sights and sounds of love and life. I hear Sami speaking to Aunt Kami's belly, saying hello to Maggie. Telling me she is saving her special toy for Maggie or Elijah. Elijah calling his daddy "Uncle Jack-Jack" because he hears Wyatt and Sami addressing him that way. Hearing stories of how he calls his mama "Babe" because Jack calls her that. Listening to Jamin tell Wyatt that he learns from his dad's example and teaches Wyatt, and that Wyatt needs to teach Elijah. Seeing the girls hold grown up conversations with Aunt Jenny or Pop Pop. It is a blessing that these times are more precious than a container of popcorn. That we can savor each moment of time, not wishing it away. So, Jiffy Pop is almost gone, but the popcorn in my life is still just starting to sizzle in the pan. For that, I am eternally grateful.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a wonderful holiday to rekindle in our hearts and minds the self sacrificing of our military personnel. In these times of turmoil and in times past, our brave soldiers gave themselves up to protect our country. They fought courageously to ensure our freedom.  Most of these warriors were young men and women, with their whole life waiting before them.  In their untimely deaths, the rights and privileges of our great country have been established and preserved. Most of us will celebrate with picnics and parties without stopping to realize the debt we owe to our fellow citizens for allowing us to enjoy these freedoms. Take just five minutes to stop, thank the good Lord for our country, for the sacrifices our military have endured and the many sorrows others have had to give you this.  I heard one young man interviewed on the TV. He was recently given the Medal of Honor, the highest tribute given to any military personnel. When asked how he felt about that, he responded that he only did what any of the others in his unit would have done in the same situation. He felt he was only a mediocre soldier, not worthy of the praise. He then pondered how much more the good soldiers had accomplished. I was touched by his humility and thought to myself that his attitude portrayed the qualities of a great soldier. One who is willing to sacrifice all, just because it is the right thing to do. I only hope and pray that his example in this would be Jesus Christ. Jesus, who gave Himself for all, to give us the the right to be the children of God; who paid our debt, and ensured our freedom to become a citizen of heaven. Isn't He the best example of sacrifice and honor?

Love Language

I am more and more convinced that the discoverers of the love language ideas were right on track. I see more and more the differences in ways that people act and react to their surroundings and those around them. I am not good at verbal affirmations. I do much better in sharing, caring and doing for others.  I want to do all that I can to encourage and lift up those that mean the most to me. My gift of gab is not the way to go. I stumble over words, not knowing how to place the right combination together to let others know how I feel about them. I am quick to say I love you to those closest to me, but after that, the conversational skills go down. I am amazed and awed by those that can always articulate their feelings and thoughts so easily. I can easily give a hug, share a treat, or give a gift to show someone I care. I believe I do have the gift of hospitality. I love to open my home to others, share a meal, a cup of coffee or tea or an ice cream cone. What is mine, I will share with those I love.  In turn, I love to get a hug, have a phone call answered or returned, receive a card or letter and collect the many colored pictures and works of art from my children when they were young, and now their children. I adore my grandchildren. every hug and kiss and smile they have shared is bound in my memory bank forever. I love the sweet, thoughtful calls from my husband, the times he has taken me to a diner for breakfast, even when he doesn't like to go there and the small acts of love when he picks up a dish or folds a blanket or runs the vacuum. I am blessed when my family comes around to help in the house or the garden, or just pick some weeds from the patio. The thoughtful acts of cleaning up after a family meal or make me cup of coffee, just because.. thank you, Lord, for allowing us to show and receive act of love in different ways. It is like a bouquet of spring flowers, arranged in random display in a vase.