We Are Family

Our family had a lot to celebrate together this weekend. On Saturday, the grandchildren saw Santa Claus visit our community and participate in all the festivities surrounding that event.

My son, Dave and his beautiful wife, Amy, became members of the Palisade Methodist Church. I was so proud and honored to be asked to stand up with them, during church services. My nephew, Shane, joined the church, also. We celebrated the occaison with a delicous family dinner afterwards in the church hall.

We met after that to spend the afternoon at Jared and Missy's, for our family day. We started this three years ago, when their beautiful baby daughter, Maya, passed away in the night, when she was exactly 2 months old. This anniversary on December 14th is difficult, so we face it together. Jared prepared a prime rib roast that was melt in your mouth scrumptious. The kids helped decorate angel sugar cookies and they had a blast doing it.

I felt incredibly blessed as I looked at each member of my family gathered together, playing games, rolling out cookie dough, laughing and talking, holding the babies, Jacob and Sawyer, just being together. I have such an appreciation for each person in our family and how they enrich my life so much, and how much easier it is to face this anniversary every year as a family, to not be alone. In many ways, it proves that sharing joy with your loved ones is multiplied, but the sorrow is divided when we come together. We need each other, especially on this day.

In past years, we have taken a few moments to go to the cemetery to lay some flowers on her grave, and to release balloons in her memory. I've grown to love those small observances, that mark for us, that we remember Maya. The awful blizzard yesterday, made that not only impractical, but dangerous, because of the sub-zero wind chill. I was more than happy to be where it was bright and warm, with family.

I am so thankful for the new good memories for this date, and the joy I saw on Dave and Amy's faces in church yesterday. I am so thankful to belong to church and blood family. I am thankful for each new member of our family this year, Sawyer and Jacob, and new baby B, but I cannot forget Maya.

Early Christmas Present

We went Christmas shopping on Saturday, and we bought a present that we both can use and enjoy. (Well, I'm not sure about the "enjoy" part.) The treadmill is set up, now, and neither of us have any more excuses to put off walking for our health! It is going to come in handy, since the five-day weather forecast is rain, turning to snow.

I have fulfilled 3 days walking, a bit of progress to be sure; it is that many times more than before. I have to almost trick myself into doing it, by just telling myself to get started. I don't want to stop after the first 5 minutes.

I'm trying to act as if I like it, in the hopes I will change my mind. I am willing to be willing to be convinced, by cracking my mind open a little bit. Truth is, I like the result, and so I keep putting on my walking shoes. I keep moving. For now, I am of the belief that this body I live in needs and deserves a chance to feel better, and so I am not willing to give up. I press on.

Change is hard, but not changing is more painful. Just for today, I am willing to do what I can to keep changing in a good orderly direction toward my goal. I will renew that goal every day to focus on the goal of good health, doing what I can while it is today.

Pride Comes Before the Fall

I baked two pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving dinner, and they turned out beautifully. They smelled delicious in the oven, even if I say so myself! The first pie was gone, eaten at the first dinner we went to at Jerry's side of our family. Lots of people liked my pie, and since we had another meal to attend later at my daughter's house, I thought this was working out pretty darn good, with one for each. I was basking in the compliments and really looking forward to a piece later, when I had digested some of the meal.

We stopped at home during the afternoon, and as my husband was opening the front door to take the pie to the car, it slid off the container of rolls, and proceeded to fall end over end to the floor, narrowly missing the dog, who scrambled nervously under the table to avoid the pumpkin missile that nearly exploded on her head. It seemed to happen in slow-motion, like a train wreck that can't be avoided, and you stand helplessly watching it.

And then, I began to laugh. It truly is like spilled milk, usually happening unintentionally. But, my husband was pretty upset, as we scooped up the pie from the floor with pancake turners and into the trash basket!

You can't let these things get you down! I can always make more pie. But, next time, I'll carry it. Ok, honey?

Giving Thanks

I really like the holiday of Thanksgiving, the traditions of family and good food and the chance to celebrate all the good things in life in which we are blessed.

I am thankful for my husband of 35 years, and his positive attitude toward things. I am so glad to wake up with him everyday. I am thankful to now be working with him, now that I am adjusting to being employed once again. I loved being able to work in the yard and and garden with him for most of the summer, doing what I love to do.

I am thankful we have jobs and he is doing what he loves to do. Me. I am still adjusting, but I am, indeed, thankful.

I am thankful I am the luckiest mother and grandmother in the world! I get to see them often and to see them grow up. I get to be a hands-on Grandma! I am thankful for the two new grandchildren this year - Jacob and Sawyer - and the promise of another in the coming year. I am thankful we are all pretty healthy, just the minor stuff like colds and colic.

I am thankful Dave and Amy's new home is in Palisade and they have new jobs, a new beginning for both. We are ecstatic to have Jack around, too!

I am thankful for our friends this year....we have many, old and new.

We lost our old dog this past year, so I am thankful for the 9 years he spent with us, and for the two Pound Hounds we adopted. Maggie and Sampson are our new Fur-Kids.

I am thankful two of my poems were published, totalling four to date. It is a blessing, at this time in my life.

I am thankful for all the problems we faced this year, for the fact that we faced them together, and so the load was divided and the joy was multiplied, as we waited upon God to work in his mysterious and mischievous ways. I am thankful for the chance to work on the lesson of patience and persistence, as it helped my faith to grow and to deepen. I began to learn to give thanks for all things, not just the things I pick and choose that are easy.

I am thankful my health has improved, and the back problems that I had last winter have improved. I still struggle, but I am learning to take it one day at a time.

I've had a lot of things to forgive this year. Betrayals, upheavals, disappointments and hurts. I am willing to be willing to be thankful for these things, as I give them to God and allow Him to transform them as is His will. So many times, all I could pray was for God's good will to be done. It wasn't easy, in fact, it was difficult. Each time, God would bring to mind how Jesus forgave from the cross, "Father, forgive them. They know not what they do." And I pray for the same, when I am the one in need of mercy, too.

I am thankful for second chances, for new beginnings, for each new day. I am thankful to be alive. I pray for the ability to give thanks, no matter the circumstances.

I give thanks for the increased awareness that God never deserts me. It is like a continual awakening that never ceases to give me peace.