It's Sunday and I'm home! I arrived at about 5 o'clock this afternoon. I was thinking about this earlier in the day, and I counted the number of days that I've been home since Christmas Eve. It's a good thing that 1 is a counting number, because that's it. One whole day. While it's true that I've had some evenings at home, the only whole day that I've been able to stay at home since Christmas Eve was New Year's Day. Come to think of it, I wasn't home for a whole day on Christmas Eve either, but at least I came close. Anyhoo, it's good to be home where I can "Take a Load Off, Annie" ... or Fanny ... or whoever you are.
I've seen quite a bit of southeastern Missouri lately since Mom got hurt. Things are going well for her, though, and there are plenty of blessings to go along with that bit of good news. Yesterday, it was just my Pa and I who went to pick her up at the hospital in Cape Girardeau and bring her back to their little hometown hospital. On the way to get her, I told Dad that I had heard the Floyd Cramer CD go around about five times since Friday, and I was ready to hear something else (no offense, Floyd). He told me to open the console compartment and find something else to play. Dad is a huge country music fan, and I'm a moderate country music fan. I picked out a Hank Williams CD. I knew he would appreciate it, and I wondered whether he might even sing along. Worries about Mom have made him nervous and ... well ... kind of grouchy. Okay, not just kind of grouchy. I'll tell it like it is: He's been balls to the walls grouchy, and it's really been hard to take. I believe I have about 40% of my tongue left, having bitten about 60% of it off in the last several days. But here's what I keep telling myself: I can be slightly grouchy from time to time too. Maybe even a little more than slightly. I know! Who woulda thunk it, right?! Here's the other thing I keep telling myself: I'm not always going to have the time I want with my Pa, so I'd better take the good with the bad and be thankful for all of it. By the way, since I've been home, I've spoken with him twice on the phone. It's 7:35 p.m. Once I called him to let him know I made it home safely; and the other time was him calling me to tell me he had found his hearing aid (it had been missing since Thursday evening). He was so happy!
Back to Hank: I put the CD into the slot, and it didn't take long for Dad to start crooning. Good! Maybe this will keep his mind off Mom's ailments while we are each other's captive audience for the next hour. When I knew the words, I sang a little bit too. I also got to hear a story I hadn't heard before. Several years ago, Dad and Mom attended one of the "Old Goats Reunions." This is a reunion of people who worked in AVSCOM or TSARCOM or one of those "coms" for the Department of the Army -- I'm not sure which since he worked for both. So there was a guy there who had been hired to entertain them. He was a guitar player, and he called Dad up on the stage with him, handed him a microphone and a sheet of lyrics and asked him to sing. The song was "Your Cheatin' Heart". Turns out, Dad did a good enough job that people stopped to listen and even applauded when he was done. So how 'bout that?!
Here's the song from the CD that Dad seemed to like the best. I must admit, even at 82, he does a pretty good job. Move over Hank! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skE6j6oGLRY
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Saying Goodbye to 2012 and Welcoming 2013
My goodness, it's been so long since I've posted that I'd almost forgotten what to do! The Autumn months and the beginning of Winter tends to find me out more than in. In other words, there is not a lot of home time, and from the looks of The House at 304, it's evident that I have neglected it to some degree. Oh, I still managed to give it a little spit and polish here and there, but not nearly what it deserves for all the blessings I derive from living here.
That said, I've enjoyed the activities that have taken me away. Besides the routine work schedule at the office, once the school year begins, most of the other activities involve getting together with good friends to ring and sing. Bell choir and "regular" choir practices at St. Paul have filled many an evening as we prepared for the Thanksgiving holiday and the MAS of CHRISTmas. What a beautiful, joyous and especially lovely time of year this is when we are again reminded of the greatest love; The Word, begotten of the Father, made flesh. He who is the ultimate love. The Lamb sacrificed for each of our undeserving selves. The One who takes away the lovelessness of man -- all of it -- every loveless thought, every loveless word, every loveless deed. This is the love of heavenly peace; the assurance of another promise yet to come. This is the peace which the old man, Simeon, knew when he held the Christ child in his very arms and rejoiced, "Lord, now lettest thou Thy servant depart in peace according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people. A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel!" One of these days, I'm going to take a turn sitting next to Simeon at the banquet table just to hear him tell about that day. That's one of my faves.
Well, in all that busy-ness of Advent and Christmas, the year 2012 ended with a bit of tribulation for us. Mom fell on December 8th and has been hospitalized since the 19th for what turned out to be two fractured vertebrae. I can't imagine the pain she was feeling before they figured out what had happened and she started receiving some much-needed medication. She is scheduled to have surgery in a few days. What a way to kick off the new year, huh? We are all hopeful of a complete and pain-free recovery, and the surgeon is confident that that will happen. If all goes well, both of my parents will be able to spend some time with the four of us "kids" (and three spouses) on Alabama's shore where we can all thaw out for a little while. If that comes to pass, I'll try to be a good girl and share some pictures upon our return.
It's not easy to look back on an entire year and recite all of the happenings, but, as with every year, 2012 had its share of ups and downs. Why waste time on the "downs" when it's more fun to recall the "ups"?
The first that comes to mind is my son's family's move from the big city out to the country. It's one of the best decisions they have made. The kids have adjusted to their new little school, and they've made a lot of friends. Each of them are finding their niches. My oldest granddaughter, for instance, is a cheerleader now. I'm so proud of each of them. They're all great kids. My son and daughter-in-law are pretty cool too!
One of the biggest events for our extended family was celebrating the marriage of my niece in July. The icing on the wedding cake was that she didn't move to the wrong end of the state and away from us. Just a couple of weeks before the wedding, we received the exciting news that my nephew and his wife welcomed the birth of their baby girl. She's a doll. Another doll is my other great-niece, born last December, who I got to meet for the first time at the bridal shower. Babies are da bomb!
Another one of the "ups" (albeit not as exciting as the birth of a baby or a wedding) was being allowed flexible schedules at work. Each member of our staff was given several choices. My first choice was to work four 9-hour days and one 4-hour day per week. As it turns out, serendipity was on my side. I got my first choice, but instead of rotating the 4-hour day each week as expected, my boss asked that it be a "standing" day each Friday to accommodate reception desk back-up duties. Score! I'm loving my Friday afternoons off.
In addition to a February vacation with my sister and folks to south Texas, my parents and I got together with some of our extended family out in Colorado. The accommodations were compliments of my Dad's first cousin. That was October, and the golden leaves of the Aspen trees dotting the Colorado Rocky Mountains were simply gorgeous. We had a great time.
Two of my cousins, Brad and Darla, visited from Idaho in October, and though I didn't get to spend a lot of time with them, we did have a nice dinner together before they returned home. Their father was a favorite of mine. He really knew how to "spin a yarn." My cousin, Darla, looks just like my sainted grandmother did when she was young.
Resolutions for the new year? Always. I hope, as I do most years, that I'll be better about keeping them. In the meantime, I'll be hanging out here at 304 trying to remember to take the "downs" in stride and be thankful for each "up" moment. Whatever 2013 brings, I hope each of you have a happy year!
Here are a few "out with the old" pics from 2012 in no particular order:
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That said, I've enjoyed the activities that have taken me away. Besides the routine work schedule at the office, once the school year begins, most of the other activities involve getting together with good friends to ring and sing. Bell choir and "regular" choir practices at St. Paul have filled many an evening as we prepared for the Thanksgiving holiday and the MAS of CHRISTmas. What a beautiful, joyous and especially lovely time of year this is when we are again reminded of the greatest love; The Word, begotten of the Father, made flesh. He who is the ultimate love. The Lamb sacrificed for each of our undeserving selves. The One who takes away the lovelessness of man -- all of it -- every loveless thought, every loveless word, every loveless deed. This is the love of heavenly peace; the assurance of another promise yet to come. This is the peace which the old man, Simeon, knew when he held the Christ child in his very arms and rejoiced, "Lord, now lettest thou Thy servant depart in peace according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people. A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel!" One of these days, I'm going to take a turn sitting next to Simeon at the banquet table just to hear him tell about that day. That's one of my faves.
Well, in all that busy-ness of Advent and Christmas, the year 2012 ended with a bit of tribulation for us. Mom fell on December 8th and has been hospitalized since the 19th for what turned out to be two fractured vertebrae. I can't imagine the pain she was feeling before they figured out what had happened and she started receiving some much-needed medication. She is scheduled to have surgery in a few days. What a way to kick off the new year, huh? We are all hopeful of a complete and pain-free recovery, and the surgeon is confident that that will happen. If all goes well, both of my parents will be able to spend some time with the four of us "kids" (and three spouses) on Alabama's shore where we can all thaw out for a little while. If that comes to pass, I'll try to be a good girl and share some pictures upon our return.
It's not easy to look back on an entire year and recite all of the happenings, but, as with every year, 2012 had its share of ups and downs. Why waste time on the "downs" when it's more fun to recall the "ups"?
The first that comes to mind is my son's family's move from the big city out to the country. It's one of the best decisions they have made. The kids have adjusted to their new little school, and they've made a lot of friends. Each of them are finding their niches. My oldest granddaughter, for instance, is a cheerleader now. I'm so proud of each of them. They're all great kids. My son and daughter-in-law are pretty cool too!
One of the biggest events for our extended family was celebrating the marriage of my niece in July. The icing on the wedding cake was that she didn't move to the wrong end of the state and away from us. Just a couple of weeks before the wedding, we received the exciting news that my nephew and his wife welcomed the birth of their baby girl. She's a doll. Another doll is my other great-niece, born last December, who I got to meet for the first time at the bridal shower. Babies are da bomb!
Another one of the "ups" (albeit not as exciting as the birth of a baby or a wedding) was being allowed flexible schedules at work. Each member of our staff was given several choices. My first choice was to work four 9-hour days and one 4-hour day per week. As it turns out, serendipity was on my side. I got my first choice, but instead of rotating the 4-hour day each week as expected, my boss asked that it be a "standing" day each Friday to accommodate reception desk back-up duties. Score! I'm loving my Friday afternoons off.
In addition to a February vacation with my sister and folks to south Texas, my parents and I got together with some of our extended family out in Colorado. The accommodations were compliments of my Dad's first cousin. That was October, and the golden leaves of the Aspen trees dotting the Colorado Rocky Mountains were simply gorgeous. We had a great time.
Two of my cousins, Brad and Darla, visited from Idaho in October, and though I didn't get to spend a lot of time with them, we did have a nice dinner together before they returned home. Their father was a favorite of mine. He really knew how to "spin a yarn." My cousin, Darla, looks just like my sainted grandmother did when she was young.
Resolutions for the new year? Always. I hope, as I do most years, that I'll be better about keeping them. In the meantime, I'll be hanging out here at 304 trying to remember to take the "downs" in stride and be thankful for each "up" moment. Whatever 2013 brings, I hope each of you have a happy year!
Here are a few "out with the old" pics from 2012 in no particular order:
Dad and Mom's Dog Had Puppies in February. The big guy is my grandson, Conner. The little guy is Gus. He's not so little these days.
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Sometime in August or September, the six of us visited a winery near Perryville, Missouri.
Another pic from February. This was taken near my friend's home in Edinburg, Texas.
This is my sweet little great-niece who was born in December, 2011.
This is another one of my sweet little great-nieces. She was born in July, 2012.
I took this picture of my cousin at Williams Creek Reservoir near Pagosa Springs, Colorado in October.
Driving through western Kansas on our way to Colorado in October.
The most difficult part about photographing Kansas is getting the horizon line level.
But just remember: God loves Kansas too.
Random photo of one of my handsome brothers and our Dad.
I don't remember what they were working on, but it looks very important, doesn't it?
"The Shepherds' Farewell" pre-service practice by
the double-quartet. Trust me, their voices blended beautifully, and
Carlo, the organist, is amazing.
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Left to Right: Darla, Me and Brad. So good to see them!
This was taken during the recessional at Pastor Ball's installation
at St. Paul on December 16th.
Mom got a 4-hour pass to come home from the hospital on Christmas day.
She was tired by the end of it, but she said it was Merry nonetheless.
Here's another pic of Mom in her room at the hospital (12-28-12).
She had just had her hair done. All of her caretakers have been wonderful.
My grandaughter, "Jazzie", at the top of the pyramid.
The Happy Bride and Groom
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