Journey toward home

2012-01-25T09:00:00.002-07:00

I see the Creator's hand in all that is around me, and I rejoice. The joy of the Lord is my strength. He alone is my shield and faithful defense. I rest beneath the comfort of His wings.

2012-01-24T16:53:00.002-07:00

I haven't been reading lately....too hard to focus. Instead, I have been knitting and knitting and dreaming about knitting. Today, I think my urge to read is returning. Great video! I love book stores and real books, even though I am toying with the idea of an e-reader!

Holiday photo journaling

2011-12-29T13:58:00.004-07:00

Before service on Christmas Eve...pretty lights and tree!

A hiking we will go, a hiking we will go, high-ho, the merry-o, a hiking we will go!

Hiking to the top of Mount Pisgah in Eugene,

3.6 miles round trip and an 1200 foot elevation change!

Christmas greetings from Colorado

2011-12-20T22:45:00.002-07:00

Christmas cards have not been accomplished this year! I am aiming for New Year's Greetings....perhaps. Yet, I wanted to let each of you know we are thinking of you, family and friends! Sunday evening we had three couples and their children for dinner. The house was full and warm and crazy with toys scattered and the sounds of children playing. It was good to enjoy a holiday gathering and remind us of the joy of fellowship around a common meal. This season I long to enjoy such a gathering with each of you! The joy will have to come from those wonderful holiday memories stored in my mind's eye. I can hear Kate and Gretchen running the spa tub in the Keystone house. I can see Jason and Amy headed to the slopes with John and Terry. I taste Joan and Fred's cookies...the date rollups! I hear the sleigh bells tinkling in Granby and see the four grands as youngsters. Especially vivid are the memories of our car travels over the twenty-six years we lived in Texas; we made many holiday trips to see family! Colorado, Missouri, Kentucky, Oregon, Tennessee, Illinois....I should have logged the miles! We would not have missed those times; staying home was not an option in our minds as we wanted to be with each of you and enjoy meals and fellowship.

May this season be joyful and full. May you see the Christ child cradled in his mother's arms and know his peace and presence. May his grace fill you with contentment and call you before his throne.

Blessings this Christmas from Colorado!
(Here are some fall pics of the family and us)

Gretchen and Jack

Kyle and Molly

Jason

Caroline with Eleanor and Rynn

US! Terry and Cathy

A special day to remember

2011-12-14T07:38:00.000-07:00

Thought I might do something different this year.....

Happy Birthday, John (aka Tickle Trouble) and Amy! Thinking of you today with wonderful memories which bring a smile to my face and joy to my day!

Love you both.

Fun, fun, fun!

2011-12-07T19:24:00.002-07:00

I have just worked my first two days at The Loopy Ewe in Fort Collins....love it, love it, love it! Feels good to work, but the yarn and accessories are so much fun! And, great people.

A good way to begin December.

Our morning greeting

2011-12-01T15:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday....beautiful and warm for this time of year. 61 degrees.

This morning we were greeted with......about 8 inches of fresh, wet, goopy snow.

And, on a note of the beautiful in our lives (snow included)....

Three weeks ago I attended a memorial service here in Fort Collins. A lovely song was sung for the service, and I have located it on youtube. Give it a listen and enjoy. He has made each of you beautiful in my life!

Oh, my goodness....

2011-11-02T17:15:00.000-06:00

In a few days, we begin our month of birthday celebrations.....first, Molly will turn 6 on Sunday, then Gretchen will be 37 on the 8th, and then Jason will be 40 (can you believe that Terry and I have a 40 year old son? We were teens when he was born : ), with Jack next on the 13 turning 8, and then Caroline will be 37 on the 14th. WHEW! In that midst, our brother-in-law, Larry, will be 66 on the 15th and a grand-niece will be 5 on the 29th! February was a special month in our family and gave us all these November birthdays. Fred, Terry's dad, had his day on November 3.

So, I was looking at pics and this one popped out at me....the three adult "children" with November celebrations.

Backpacking the Maroon Bells near Aspen, July, 2011

and....the grands with November celebrations.

Fishing at Chapman Lake near Basalt, July, 2011

Happy Birthday, loved ones!

FYI

2011-11-02T14:32:00.002-06:00

I have a part time position beginning December! Very excited to get started....in a yarn shop opening here soon. I have added the store owner's blog to my list, and you can get to her store website from there. Send some business this way!

Walkin' in a WINTER wonderland....

2011-11-02T13:43:00.000-06:00

It IS officially autumn, right? Well, in Colorado that can mean many different things. Our trees in the back yard are still green! They have not changed colors, and may never change at this point. Last week on Monday we set a record high temperature....81 degrees! Then, Tuesday night a roaring front brought us this.....

This green tree on the right lost a major branch on the back side and two other smaller limbs. The snow was wet and heavy! The city of Fort Collins believes a bit more than 60% of the trees have damage or are lost. It also estimates the cost of clean up will be over $1 million! Incredible power of snowfall! We totaled 8 + inches in Fort Collins.

Then, the days warmed and the snow melted and then....Monday, Halloween, we had a 70 degree day....setting another record of 71 degrees. Last night looked like this at 8:30 pm.

This morning we woke to this....about a foot on our lawn and walks.

That branch bending to the ground....broken at the trunk!

"They" said it would be lighter and drier, but "they" are mistaken. It is heavy and water-laden. The streets are slush and shoveling was hard work with the snow turning to watery snowy slush as you piled it in the street. Good for the grass and such, hard on the leafed trees and shrubs. The damage will once again be considerable. Notice the green leaves on our trees!

Welcome to Colorado weather. If you don't like today, WAIT; it will change and be different tomorrow. (I think that was the saying in Texas also!)

What DOES winter hold for us? "They" are predicting a winter much like last winter, heavy snow for the mountains and dry for the front range. Do we call this dry?

Another new group for me....from here in Fort Collins

2011-10-16T14:25:00.002-06:00

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Do you like this instrumental?

2011-10-16T14:21:00.002-06:00

<p>&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://beeeaters.bandcamp.com/album/oddfellows-road"&amp;amp;gt;Oddfellows Road by The Bee Eaters&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;</p>

I heard them on NPR one morning and have been following them since then. I really like their music! Hope you enjoyed listening!

Mid-week fun with Terry

2011-10-06T09:26:00.001-06:00

Thanks to Terry's new schedule, we spent yesterday afternoon in Rocky Mountain National Park. The day loomed warm and partly sunny and we headed to a trail for hiking and fishing. We feasted on a special treat of the yellows and oranges of the aspens. The hike was an easy trail with several uphill spots (six to be exact) near small meadows taking us to the GRAND MEADOW. Total hike....3.8 miles round trip. Terry caught about a dozen small brookies in 30 minutes! They were hungry. His first six casts landed a small fish. What fun! Even more fun for Terry? He caught all the fish on a fly he tied himself! Called purple haze, it was lovely floating on the water and the fish jumped at the opportunity to eat it! Here are some pics from our adventure.

This is the Grand Meadow at the top of the trail. Altitude? Maybe 9000 feet plus.

Terry's first brookie! It took the bait the moment after the fly landed. Terry loves catching these small fish because they fight hard. Isn't it pretty! The colors are amazing.

Notice the fly in its mouth? Terry's hand-tied fly!

I was trying to get the u-shaped row of teeth, but it kept moving. Fierce teeth for such a small fish.

We call this stand "Cathy's trees". I first photographed these two years ago on a fall drive I took on my own while Terry was out of town. They are orange every year!

The Howell "farm"

2011-09-19T16:53:00.001-06:00

My dad grew up in Turner, Kansas, outside of Kansas City, Kansas. Then, it was in the country and now it is surrounded by city and busy streets. One of my fondest memories is time spent at the Howell "farm". Now why we called it a farm is beyond my imagination. It was 110 acres of land, rolling hills and creeks and a hay meadow. My dad and his brother grew up riding horses on that property, and we grew up exploring the creek bed and wading in the mud. My dad would pull the leeches from between our toes after such an adventure. Our mother loved this place as well. I don't think of her as "outdoorsy", yet she was always joining in the adventures our dad planned...hunting for antelope in Wyoming, camping in the Ozarks, camping at the farm, spending the day in the woods of the farm, having an outdoor breakfast at the farm, racing greyhounds....you get the picture! One of my most vivid memories is picking bittersweet and drying the berries for the house. To this day, I still love bittersweet. It is hard to find, and when I do it is always expensive. I must look on the internet to see what it is. It is a dry branch with wonderful orange berries that say "fall is here".

This is my mom and Grandpa and Grandma Howell after one of the days of hunting. I think this was around 1954.

This a picnic at the farm. From the left, my mother, Grandma Fisher (maternal grandmother) and Grandma Howell. I have no idea what year this is! Before 1966 for certain!

Today as I rode my bike on a short jaunt....oh, my quads are a bit tired!....I started thinking of fall in Kansas and my time on the farm. It is too warm here for the smell of fall, but the light is beginning to remind me that "yes, fall is this week". Where has September gone? I like the crisp, cool days and the cold nights. I love the smell of falling leaves and the color of the trees and shrubs. I love the shorter days and the longer nights. I love wearing sweaters and cozy jackets. I love thinking about Thanksgiving....today I saw the first Thanksgiving decorations in the store. I love turkey and fresh apples and pears. I love the memories of time on the Howell farm and the people who enriched my childhood. Grandpa Howell was warm and tender; Grandma Howell was an intelligent and strong woman who had my love even though she could be a bit aloof. I loved watching Grandpa play the piano and I can hear some of the old favorites as I write this entry. I can smell the dog food cooking on the old stove in Grandma's basement. We were fascinated by all the meat and juice she cooked and mixed with the dry stuff. Who else makes their own dog food? I can feel the soft ears of the daschund puppies in the puppy pen. I hear all the clocks ticking as I enter the house in my mind's eye. I smell the warm earth of the farm as we hike and hunt for the bittersweet.

I am blessed with a rich inheritance of memories!

Saturday Biking Adventure

2011-09-18T14:05:00.001-06:00

In the paper this summer, I read about a loop around Lake Dillon up in Summit County. The loop was completed this last July in honor of a man who championed its building. I have been wanting to take a trip up into the mountains and try the loop. SO, yesterday, Terry and I headed to the mountains for the adventure. The day was SUPPOSED to be partly cloudy and 60 degrees or so. We left early in the morning and stopped in Idaho Springs at Jason and Caroline's favorite deli; we had a delicious egg-potato-ham wrap and some good coffee. As we arrived in Dillon, the rain clouds appeared threatening....yet, we decided to venture out anyway. The loop was 18 miles, even though we thought it was much longer. The first 8 miles (or more) were uphill. It was a gradual climb with a few level spots interspersed along the way. The elevation change was 1800 feet! Lovely views and a great bike path and NO TRAFFIC! The only scary part was the 2 mile descent along Swan Mountain Road with no bike lane. The sign said that bikers could use the full lane! Wow! The cars were great though. IT WAS RAINING from the top down to Frisco where we stopped for a warm-up of coffee. We had rain jackets, but no other rain gear. We were soaked! After a warm cup of coffee/hot chocolate, we headed back to Dillon. It was a grand adventure taking about 2 hours and 10 minutes of biking. Some of the aspens are beginning to turn yellow; the surrounding peaks were sprinkled with snow and the clouds were amazing. My quads are a bit sore today, but no other side effects from 8 miles of uphill cycling!

Here are a few pics from the day.....

This was the scene as we began in the parking lot.

The first look back as we began the really uphill section.

Our first stop on a bridge after an uphill switchback.

Nearing the top...a look down at Lake Dillon

There were lots of sail boats out on the lake....it's much further away than this zoom pic looks!

A few aspens along the path nearing the end of our journey.

There were several stands with some hints of orange, my favorites!

I am ready to go again on a sunny day and without the rain. AND, I would love to stop along the way and enjoy the view and lunch. The only problem is the two hour journey to get to Lake Dillon! We live in an amazing place! Today it is sunny and warm. Of course!

Beginning Again

2011-09-09T12:58:00.001-06:00

Summer camping....and I am already beginning the thought process of what the fall is bringing our way....we do look scruffy, don't we?

Think I mean writing on the blog? NO. I mean Terry and I are beginning again. Over the past few months, really since January, Terry's business and company have been struggling. The economy has taken a hard toll on the irrigation industry. There are signs of work improving and projects are appearing on the "lists," but the competition is FIERCE! Some are willing to reduce the fees associated with their work, but not Aqua! Hence, there have been few projects awarded Aqua over the past few months. Terry has sold his shares of stock to the company, and he is now working 3 days a week (24 hours). This will give us health insurance for him and we can get mine through work also. The paycheck will be so much smaller, but the benefit is health care and two days off each week. This is rather like "pre" retirement.

So, we are beginning a new season of living here in Fort Collins. Daily I think about moving; Terry never does! I long to be closer to one of our children....although, both families like to travel to Colorado for mountain hiking or fishing and camping. We are in a great place. I love Fort Collins and all it has to offer. Today is BEAUTIFUL...cool and sunny and breezy. Terry is off fishing up the Poudre. I was going to join him and read and knit, but the bills were calling me. Doing office tasks has not been my strength these years here. I used to be so organized, and now I tend to let it ride for far too long. Playing catch up is not fun, but necessary! I am thinking today I might have to establish some new habits with our reduced salary. A budget might be in the works! Oh, this will be a stretch for me! And, good for me!

Our biggest adjustment right now is a schedule. I have some commitments on the days Terry plans to take off. OOPS! We are working through these issues of time and routine together. We don't plan to spend every moment together, but we do want some time for biking and hiking and travel. WOW! We were thinking this would hit us about 2016! Earlier than our plans...it has created angst on some days and joy on other days. Such is this season of life. We want to be productive and useful; God doesn't call us to fun and frivolity for all the years of this season. It's the "WHAT" that has us pondering the next step, the next adventure.

For September, we are planning a bike ride around Dillon Lake near Silverthorne next weekend. I have a knitting retreat this weekend here in Fort Collins. Terry will fish and tie flies for a fishing adventure in Missoula the end of the month. I have a trip to California with my sisters, another knitting event! In between, we hope to "do life" as we know it. October is open...any suggestions? We are doing a Bible study each week which will keep us grounded in the Word and in prayer. My prayer is for God to use His Word to point us in the right direction for this new chapter of our journey.

Blogging may or may not be in the works. For now, this is the fall update. Blessings to all of you who read this one!

What I've learned as a mother of adult children, a mother-in-law, and a grandmother

2011-08-03T13:39:00.001-06:00

1. The tone in your voice, not the words, says it all!

2. Memory is only half the truth.

3. Never clean your children's homes unless asked first.

4. Only one hour of TV a day is allowed for the grandchildren....ooops!

5. All that juice I gave my two as youngsters has become no more than 8 oz. for the DAY!

6. BEING a "mother" /mother-in-law is harder than having one.

7. The four seasons of the year....birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, summer vacation days...those times of traveling to see the family.

8. Computers are the modern photo album.

9. If you want to "talk" to your children right away, TEXT.

10. It is oh-so-much more fun to give than to receive.

11. Your adult children have to talk with their spouses before giving you an answer...."HELLO!"

12. Being a grandmother is as delightful as having one.

13. "Even-steven" is challenging with 8 instead of 2.

14. My visits are best kept to 4 days because it seems short.

15. A few of my vocabulary words have to be deleted from memory, like "stupid" or "hate".

16. The noise and mess of children and grandchildren fills a house with JOY.

17. When the noise and mess are missing, SILENCE is NOT golden.

18. A hand-drawn picture is the most priceless art in our house.

19. Video chats are hugs and kisses from far away.

20. The best place to be when I worry about these loved ones, on my knees.

The heavens declare the glory of God

2011-06-09T12:02:00.002-06:00

I have been mulling over several topics about which to write....feeling the urge to write and to collect my thoughts on some heavy topics. Yesterday I received an email update from long time acquaintances in Highland Village, Texas...our neighbors of 13 years. The kids swam in their pool often; Barbara and Lee took care of our two one time and Gretchen had to get stitches. That undid Barbara...she has four boys and no girls. Seeing that mangled chin was too much for her...on a GIRL. Gretchen survived without too much of a scar! Don't we all have a scar on the chin? I do! Barbara was diagnosed with lung/bone cancer in April after being sick for about three months. It is small-cell cancer and advanced. She chose to do chemo and has responded well until round 4. Sounds like Joan's road with cancer. So, she is back in the hospital fighting sepsis; Barb is unresponsive and in quite a bit of pain and discomfort. Lee, her husband, has had to make the difficult decision to stop treatments and let the natural consequences come. We wait to hear of Barbara reaching her final rest.

I visited with Barbara and Lee on May 9. Terry and I went to Dallas over Mother's Day for a short trip. One of my reasons for going was to see Barbara. Her spirits were good and she seemed rather strong, much stronger than I had expected. There was a bit of confusion at times, which I know to be the results of the heavy chemo treatments she had undergone. Joan suffered the same side effect. We did not talk of her dying, but of our common life shared those 13 years. I got to hear about her boys and her grandchildren. We laughed and enjoyed a walk down memory lane. It was a good visit. She has been on my mind often since then.

Today, I am thinking of those who have touched my life in deep and profound ways. Their living. Their dying. A friend long ago told me that people choose Christianity because they fear death. Well, that may be true, and that is also such a good reason to begin the journey of faith in Jesus Christ! Whether we are Christians or atheists or agnostics or spiritualists...we are human. And death is part of our experience of living. What is it I believe about dying? A question all of us must answer or choose to ignore out of fear. I know what I believe and have seen my beliefs lived out in Joan's dying, in Barb's journey, and hopefully in my own journey one day.

Death is not natural. It doesn't feel natural either. It rips us, separates us, from those we love. Perhaps it separates us from complicated relationships where healing is needed before the dying. The pain of losing a loved one takes days, weeks, months to grieve depending upon the circumstances. It interrupts our moments. It calls us to think about our own mortality. It calls us to ponder our story. It calls us to answer the question...what do I believe about death and dying? Our answer changes how we live out our moments.

My living began with my mother's death...it was the event that prompted me to receive Christ as my Savior, my Redeemer, my Comfort, my Peace. Psalm 34 tells me to seek the Lord and He will deliver me from my fears. One of my fears was death. I no longer fear death. The dying, perhaps. Fear of suffering and not doing that well does frighten me at times. Death will take me home where I have a room prepared for me and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. And, one day, there will be a new earth and new heavens to enjoy HERE and there will be no more death. What a glorious promise! This I believe and it encourages me. It changes how I do life. What I believe informs my thinking and challenges my choices. I am learning to release my possessions and the people in my life from a viselike grip, for these cannot go with me into death. I am learning to die daily and to live in a place where I do not belong for I am a citizen of heaven. The hope of what is to come comforts me in the midst of sadness and grief when I see a loved one or a friend die.

You see, Barb is a believer and she is ready to go home. She has been a good and faithful servant of the Lord; she has loved Lee a long time and has been a wonderful mother and grandmother. Barb has lived a repentant faith and is ready to see Jesus when he comes for her. His life in union with hers informed her living and choices. She will soon see the glory of God and the face of Jesus welcoming her to rest until Christ returns and the earth is restored. She can sing,

Jesus loves me! this I know for the Bible tells me so; little ones to him belong; they are weak, but he is strong. Jesus loves me! he who died Heaven's gates to open wide; He will wash away my sin, let his little child come in. Jesus loves me! he will stay close beside me all the way; then his little child will take up to heaven, for his dear sake. Yes, Jesus loves me; yes, Jesus loves me; yes, Jesus loves me; the Bible tells me so.

My pondering death began last weekend, before the email from Lee. Terry and I visited his parents' resting place as well as my sister Lydia's resting place. Though their physical bodies are there, they are in heaven sitting before the throne of glory and they are at peace. They are home. One day we will be reunited and together rejoice always! This joy comforts me, but it also challenges me. Can I live my moments here doing earthly good while I live heavenly minded? Will Jesus be able to say "Well done, good and faithful servant"? Have I walked worthy of His calling? Though my salvation is sure, I want to be conformed more and more into His image and used for His glory. May this inform my thinking and challenge my choices.

Just an added note....Barb is at home in glory now; she rested today at 3:03 p.m.

What a wonderful world!

2011-06-02T16:43:00.002-06:00

Do you know that tune? Louis Armstrong made it famous, and it has been one of my personal favorites since 2000....today was one of the days when you feel the sense of awe at being in God's creation.

Terry took the day off and we went hiking. We were planning to go on a trip, but decided to do an area adventure for several days. Today, hiking up the Poudre; tomorrow, fishing in RMNP; Saturday, breakfast downtown Fort Collins arriving by bike and then biking the city trail (about 25 miles); Sunday, a drive to Colorado Springs making a stop I have wanted to do for six years.

Here is a brief video of our day....

And, a picture of US on our 41st anniversary!

Apple Pie Baked in a Bag on the Food Network

2011-05-18T17:35:00.001-06:00

Apple Pie Baked in a Bag on the Food Network

For those of you adventuring with pie making....here is a link to one recipe for pie in a bag. I just used my Betty Crocker recipe for the filling (rhubarb pie) and then the crust from the site as well as the bag directions. Yummy! The first one I did was the apple pie as given on the site. It was incredible!

Lessons from the book of Isaiah

2011-05-16T14:01:00.002-06:00

This year I participated in Bible Study Fellowship's study of the prophet Isaiah. It was good to have the weekly responsibility and focus of the questions. As we ended the study, BSF encouraged us to reflect on the lessons God's Word brought our way....I decided today to share them as a way of closing the study.

There were two major questions for me to ponder all year: Am I hearing God's call on my life? Am I walking obediently to what I have learned and trusted?

Then, some thoughts for my meditation over the next few weeks, months, perhaps years....

My sin is far worse that I imagine, yet God's grace and compassion is far greater than I can fathom. I want to put aside treating God casually.
True quietness and rest is in the Lord as He does His work in me and around me. I want to put aside being complacent or at ease in my walk of faith.
Am I living dependently and repentantly in my faith?
Be satisfied in Christ alone.
Isaiah 48:10-13 God says He is "I AM" who laid the foundations of the earth. Though I am tried in the furnace of affliction, I live by faith and look for the Lord's delivery.
Isaiah echoes Genesis in teaching God is a holy God, the Creator who loves His creatures and woos them to His side to live dependently on Him for His glory yet their good. He cares with great compassion and longsuffering for those He calls to His side, but does not and will not allow sin to go unpunished. Justice prevails in the end and God's victory is assured. In Isaiah there is a fuller picture of the promised "seed" of Genesis who will bruise the evil against him.
I am called to live expectantly, looking for Christ's return.
Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.

What a blessing to be in the Word and hear God's call on my living! What challenges are mine as I hear the warnings, the commands, the sins to avoid, and the promises! Today I pray for the courage and power to walk worthy of His calling!

Spring harvest

2011-05-16T13:41:00.000-06:00

I harvested my rhubarb on Saturday. It was so lush and beautiful this year....here is the fruit of my harvest. Ummmmm, good! This is the second pie I have cooked in a brown paper bag. Works! I will not bake a pie any other way now....Terry and I have not been eating sweets, so this was delightful and enjoyed.

What I miss most

2011-05-06T14:34:00.000-06:00

Sunday is acomin'....that Hallmark card holiday called "Mother's Day". For more years than I care to count, my children have been someplace other than "home" for this day. In high school they were usually off to the Wilderness Experience with the eighth graders as a High School Counselor. In college they were off to RUF week in Destin, Florida. Then, they were either in seminary or married and moved....or, you get the picture. When we moved to Colorado in 2005 I shared this day with Gretchen and her new daughter and Oma....delightful. Now, Gretchen and Oma are gone from this place. Last year I was in Oregon right after Mother's Day; I think I arrived in Portland on Mother's Day! That was a treat for certain! Now, I am not feeling sorry for myself, just giving the facts. The day, I must admit, is often a tough one! I do celebrate the joys and blessings I have experienced by having a loving mother, a wonderful mother-in-law, and two (now four) grown children, and four grandchildren. What a wonderful treasure chest of memories I have to enjoy as I reflect on motherhood!

These are a few things I miss.....

the sudden plop of a youngster in my lap and arms wrapped around him/her
the smell of freshly washed hair of that youngster on my lap
the sweet kiss goodnight on the head of a sleeping child as I make one last check
hearing "mommy" throughout my day
goofy cards and homemade presents for special occasions, like plaster teeth with a sign attached or a broken mirror made into a poster
the squirmy body between Terry and me as we sleep through a stormy night
baseball games and hot dogs and "suicides" after
editing long papers and typing late into the night
viewing creations at the school art opening
track meets on cold mornings and cheering the runners
phone calls on the 800 number
donuts on the way to church
church as a family
boating on the lake, wet towels, backing the boat into its home, the smell of the lake on skin
long car trips with frozen butter cookies in the back and presents filling the extra space
holding infants and rocking until sleepy eyes close in peace

The ONE thing I do not miss AT ALL...being a referee!

Thank you for the sweet remembrances that came in the mail today, Parkers and Littles! They are a complete surprise and a delight! The notes will be in my old wooden box as history of this year. Love all eight of you!

In Loving Memory

2011-04-27T14:54:00.002-06:00

Friday marks the passing of my older sister, Lydia. She died in 1990 on April 29 at the age of 47 years. I still miss her more often than I admit out loud. This photo was taken her freshman year of college when she was one of the Finalists for the Royal Purple Queen at Kansas State University. She was a princess and her photo for that contest is lovely! But, I do not have a copy...this will show you how beautiful she was.

Lydia Kay Howell Thorngren
9.12.42---4.29.90

While the rest of the us, the three sisters still living, were in Paris I felt her presence with us. It is not a depressing or sad feeling; it is as if someone is not there who should be and that presence is "felt". I admit I have this feeling of someone absent each time the three sisters are together. She is part of us, the "Howell girls" as we were sometimes called. Our photos are also taken at about the same age: Cynthia from her freshman or sophomore year, mine from my sophomore year in college, and Phyllis's sophomore picture. Oh, how the years have flown by since these pictures were taken. Do you see family resemblances? Gretchen commented recently that she sees me in Phyllis. Cynthia has always been likened to Lydia. What do you see?

Over the weekend

2011-04-19T15:26:00.001-06:00

Terry had a meeting in Palisade, Colorado, over the weekend and I went along to keep him company. We had not been away together in a while. It was a respite from working for Terry, and we loved seeing a new part of Colorado. Known as the Colorado Wine Country, we took in three wineries and a distillery. Very interesting. The speaker was an enologist and fascinated all of us with information about the state's wine industry and wine making in general. I found the distillery quite interesting. They won several gold medals last summer in Oregon for the brandy they distill. We did not have a sample, but Terry sampled their bourbon and gin. Since I like neither, tasting did not interest me. I did sip the last drop of Terry's bourbon sample and it was not as bad as I had thought. Think I will stick with wine or port!

On the way home we explored an area for camping with all the family in July. Beautiful country near Aspen...the fishing water looks GREAT! I am longing for July to arrive quickly and hold those babies in my lap and give them hugs!

Basking in the warm afternoon sunshine

Terry doing the same....by the pool

View of the mesas surrounding this area from the pool

The Flat Girl visits our summer option for camping

Paris adventure

2011-04-02T13:43:00.004-06:00

The sisters are in Paris....fun, fun, fun. Amazing city!

The Eiffel Tower from the Arch d'Triumphe

Two beautiful ladies after a 24 hour travel day!

Two of my favorite musicians

2011-03-11T09:46:00.002-07:00

I was looking for a song this morning and found this video of the singer and one of my favorite other musicians....enjoy and be blessed.

Jack's violin song

2011-02-16T18:46:00.001-07:00

Jack and Molly practice violin....awesome!

2011-02-14T19:49:00.002-07:00

Jack and Molly are taking violin lessons and they are learning so much....since we saw them in November there has been a huge improvement. AND, they both like playing and don't mind practice (most of the time anyway). It is exciting to have them learning about music. They have to listen to assigned classical pieces and draw as they listen. What a wonderful way to teach an appreciation of beauty! Hopefully, they will continue and become accomplished.

Did you recognize "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"?

Taking some time away from my blog

2010-12-30T10:21:00.000-07:00

FYI

Thinking I will take some time away from blogging here. I have another project on my mind and want to give any extra time to that. Hoping your year is a grand one!

Psalms 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Wandering thoughts

2010-12-23T08:55:00.002-07:00

Not a very great picture, but the Little/Peterson clan gathered for Christmas dinner. Below is a glorious view of the incredible light often seen in the Rockies.

I must admit to having a love affair with Colorado! It began in 1966 when I traveled to Grand Lake, Colorado, on Christmas Day. Terry arrived at the Denver Stapleton Airport in a snow storm; he came in the old blue Jeep. It was not a particularly warm vehicle, but we made it to Grand Lake in one piece traveling on icy roads with stormy weather. This was my first trip to Colorado since fourth grade! We had a grand time despite my gloomy demeanor...Christmas was tough that year because Mom had died the previous March. I was in despair, but covered it stoically. The snow and fun did help a bit! What majesty! What beauty...Rocky Mountain High for certain. The next time I made it for Christmas was 1968, again grieving and stoically covering that sorrow inside of me. Dad and Diane has died in September, and Joan and Fred were so gracious to invite not only me but my sisters (Lydia and Cindy) and John (my brother-in-law). We stayed in a cabin in the woods and had so much fun snowmobiling. It was a blessing to us all! The snow was INCREDIBLE that winter....deep and fluffy and sparkly. There was no more glorious place than Grand Lake, Colorado...at least for me. Thus, began my love affair with the Rocky Mountains and the majestic creation here. Perhaps the cold sorrow deep in my heart was warmed by the joy of playing in snow and sitting by the fire and drinking hot chocolate. Perhaps the cold sorrow deep in my heart began to thaw surrounded by the love showered on me and my family by the Littles. Whatever happened to me, I fell in love with the beauty and the glory of creation here in Colorado. I have always thought no other place could be as beautiful....which of course is not true. I have discovered several other glorious parts of God's grand design. Yet, Colorado has a special spot in my soul. I do believe it became a place where grieving did not hurt so deeply.

Then, Colorado became THE place to spend Christmas. We spent most of our Texas years driving to Colorado for Christmas vacation....two weeks with the folks and Susie and Larry and my sister's family. We celebrated, skied, played games, and in general frolicked in the snow and beauty of Colorado! More memories than you can imagine are attached to this place at Christmas....joy filled times with family. One of Jason's favorite memories is the frozen Christmas butter cookies in the back of the Suburban. He STILL likes these cookies frozen, if they are to be "the best".

My sister Lydia died in Colorado in April, 1990. Surrounded by the beauty of the mountains, we said "goodbye" to her with heavy hearts. Her ashes rest in a lovely place in Colorado Springs surrounded by trees and a grand view of the Rockies.

Funny how life takes turns you do not expect. Here I am again, that Colorado connection with my grief. Two years ago this Christmas Eve, December 24, 2008, Joan went home to glory. Once again, my grieve was tied to Colorado. There was no snow that Christmas, and we were in Loveland. Something about this death was different for me. Joan was ready to go home. She called to Jesus to "take me, Lord". Jesus did, and while it was hard for Terry and Fred and me to watch, she lay peacefully as her spirit left and headed home. My grief has passed more quickly this time. The maturity of my faith and being with Joan helped me to do the work of grieving well. After Fred followed her home in May, 2009, we gave their ashes a permanent home in the mountains at Susie's church near Granby.

So, what started all these thoughts today? Thinking about my first Christmas in Grand Lake. There are many reasons to love Colorado, yet I cannot help but think my love of this place is rooted in God's provision for my healing....He surrounded me with the beauty and majesty of His handiwork and it brought my soul a sense of peace, a peace which passes all human understanding and is clearly felt in the beauty of this place. When I look to the mountains today....a bright, sunny day....I delight in the handiwork of God, and the remembrance of Mom and Dad and Lydia and Joan and Fred surrounds me and I rejoice and I feel God's love for me.

Braggin' rights!

2010-11-21T17:13:00.002-07:00

Okay, Terry and I drove to Eugene this past Thursday and Friday. We decided to be here to stand at the finish line of the EWEB Race for Warm as Gretchen completed her first half marathon. She asked us on a whim, and we decided "why not?". We had to travel one day early in order to make it. In addition, we took care of the kids as Kyle was at a church meeting, and two others for a friend who was running with Gretchen.

We arrived 12 minutes or so before she crossed the finish line. Yeah, Gretchen...a 1:41:10 finish for 13.1 miles. She finished SECOND in her age group (about 10 minutes behind first place and about 35 women in the group) and 88th overall (about 460 half marathoners). Great job! We are excited for her even though she wanted to finish at 1:35! FUN to see her smile as she ran over the finish line.

Photo booth fun

2010-11-15T21:33:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Rynn and Eleanor for teaching me about photo booth....and Caroline since she posted some on her blog.....

One of my favorite hymns....

2010-11-09T19:54:00.001-07:00

Enjoy!

2010-11-07T13:13:00.000-07:00

Invitation to a walk about...

2010-09-30T14:36:00.001-06:00

It's fall. Now, I know you all know this, but where did September go? I was in Oregon for half of the month, and when I arrived home...fall had arrived. The trees are barely beginning to turn here in Fort Collins. Usually, the aspens are at peak in the Northern Rockies last weekend so Terry and I headed up Fall River Road in Rocky Mountain National Park last Saturday. It is one of our all time favorite things to do...my first time was the summer we were married, 1970.

Here is a peek at the fall color (which, by the way, was NOT spectacular in RMNP this year)....

We then drove to the waters between Shadow Mountain Lake and Lake Granby. What a beautiful walk. Come along with me, will you?

We hiked about a mile along the river and then down to the bank. There was NO sound except our feet along the path and the water cascading along beside us. Can you hear the rippling waters over the river rocks?

Terry fished, and I sat and knitted. Every once and a while there was a breeze blowing the small aspen branches...yet, no sound. The color of the movement would catch my eye. Can you see them dancing in the breeze?

I spied the color of red in some underbrush of the forest....and the rose hips on the wild rose shrubs. I so wanted to pick them, but left them in their glory along the paths and in the forest. Can you smell the warmth of the sun as it filters through the canopy?

While I was walking along the bank of the river in the river rocks, which are covered with snow melted water in the spring, I spied the last of the summer wild flowers. Its purple face was a pleasant reminder of the majesty of summer blooms.

I peeked in the water as I departed my resting spot, to see any trout swimming near me. Instead, I noticed my shadow and captured it for you to see....

As I arrived where we began (Terry was still fishing!), I spotted a jet cruising across the sky...not a cloud in site. And, the barn at the entrance to the trail was a postcard pic if I ever saw one.

Now, in case I fool any of you, most of the northern Colorado forests and surrounding areas look like this thanks to the pine beetle....

But, for the first time in several years, we noticed a glimmer of hope in all the dead wood and grey landscape. Small pines growing where they can....

How was our walk...a mere 2 miles or so, but pleasant. The silence of the day, the warmth of the sun, the colors of red and yellow mixed in with the grey, and the quaking leaves at times....what could be better?

Soon after I reached the car, Terry appeared from the other side of the river. Happy fisherman! He caught 5-7 nice brown trout (of course, caught and released). He even caught them on the fly tied on Friday night!

We headed to Grand Lake for a Wooly Booger (that's a nut brown ale) to enjoy with our leftover pizza before heading home. Home? Actually, Grand County seems like "home" in so many ways. We have memories tied to this place that keep us coming "home" year after year. Our hearts definitely beat a little louder when we head to this place.

Oregon musings

2010-09-23T07:37:00.001-06:00

Terry and I left Denver September 8 and flew to Portland and headed to Cannon Beach instead of 1726 NE 55 Avenue (because those folks are now in Chicago)....we enjoyed two days there. What a great place! The Oregon coast is amazing, rugged and powerful and lined with very tall trees and other flora. The place we stayed had these everywhere....what a gorgeous color!

We then headed to Eugene. Terry was there only for a weekend, and I stayed another week and weekend. Kyle and Gretchen were on a week long 40th birthday celebration for Kyle. Here a few pics of our week.....

Coming home to Terry and routine was good after 13 days away, but I miss being near these folks...and my other folks. Oh, how I wish air travel were not so expensive!

Just returned....Edited for the TRUTH

2010-08-10T12:02:00.001-06:00

from my 10 mile route established by a bike ride....so the caveat is accuracy of the bike odometer. Should be fairly accurate! Terry and I will check it out soon. I walked the distance in 2 hours and 20 minutes, which was much faster than I thought I could do. So, a bit of question rests in my mind about the distance. Whatever, it was a LONG walk for me, and it feels great.

Gretchen, let's find that race for your week away. I'll go with you if I can walk and you can run!

THE TRUTH and NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH....

WELL, Terry and I checked the route mileage tonight....and I was wrong. ONLY 6.5 miles. I was disappointed, but that distance makes more sense given the time I walked. That had me puzzled. I now know the route for 10 miles though....to Whole Foods and back home! A destination walk.

FYI

2010-08-08T15:15:00.001-06:00

Dear readers,

Change of venue for the new blogging adventure...be patient with "us" as we experiment and grow.

www.oldwoodenbox.wordpress.com

Some interesting quotes

2010-08-06T14:44:00.000-06:00

Since I was in high school, I have loved "quotes". I used a book of quotes for papers, speeches, whenever I needed an intro to a paper or an ending. Today while cleaning my office space, I came across some quotes I had saved from a calendar. Thought I would share my favorites with you....

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends. Charles W. Eliot

Whoever is happy will make others happy too. Anne Frank

A cheerful giver does not count the cost of what he gives. His heart is set on pleasing and cheering him to whom the gift is given. Julian of Norwich

Life isn't a matter of milestones but of moments. Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy

Nobody has ever measured, even the poets, how much a heart can hold. Zelda Fitzgerald

Happiness consists not in having much, but in being content with little. Countess of Blessington

In youth we learn; in age we understand. Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach

The Amen of nature is always a flower. Oliver Wendell Holmes

The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise. Ashley Montagh

To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides. David Viscott

When it is dark enough, you can see the stars. Charles A. Beard

Hope you read one you like!

Need a book to read?

2010-08-05T14:44:00.000-06:00

Just finished a three day marathon of reading....haven't done this in a while. Oma always told me she felt guilty sitting and reading; her father taught her it was an "idle" use of her time. Some days I think that thought enters my head and I do not use time for reading. I do not think it is a poor use of time! Anyway, the book I just finished is Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, and I found it hard to stop reading. I enjoyed the story, the author's use of words, the ideas faith played in the story, God's providence so evident in the telling of the story, from first word to the last.

One quote that is roaming in my head right now,

The world turns on our every action, and our every omission, whether we know it or not.

If you need a good read, try this one.

The gifts of a letter

2010-08-03T13:36:00.000-06:00

I have been thinking about "letters" the past weeks as I begin the new adventure of a group blog...or try to begin it anyway! Then, yesterday, I received THREE letters in the mail. Now, that is a record for us in the last few years. When Gretchen was in college I tried to write her frequently...I do not remember how frequently I managed, but I wanted her to have mail! Even though we talked on the phone often, mail was always a welcomed event when living away from home. In our tech age, letter writing has become a lost art. Today I was reading through the book, Gift of a Letter by Alexandra Stoddard (which was a gift to Oma from us in 1992), and I began thinking about letter writing. Here are a couple of quotes from the book,

An inspired letter can be as riveting as a stare. It can move us to tears, spur us to action, provoke us, uplift us, touch us. Transform us. When written from the heart, letters are dreams on paper, wishes fulfilled, desires satisfied. Letters can be powerful. ( I am thinking of Paul's letters in the New Testament to the young churches; they are powerful still!)

Letters give life a rich dimension. They can be saved, savored, reread and treasured for hundreds of years. (And, they tell you something about the writer...I so wish I had a letter from my mother or my father saved to tell me something about them)

I have a special box where I have stored special notes and letters, mostly from Jason and Gretchen; they are a written history of who they were and of our relationship. Someday, hopefully, they will open that box and reread them and enjoy the history of their days.

So, why is this art lost to our culture? Time. Ease of communication (phone, email, texting, blogging, facebook or "social media" as it is so fondly called). Letters are costly and will be even more so soon. But, I think that letter writing is more personal than any of the ways we communicate with technology. You cannot keep any of the emergent media ways of communication unless you make a hard copy. How much more personal to have someone's hand written note to keep! Even the handwriting, the paper, the ink...they all tell us something about the person writing.

Guess I sound like our parents....back in the good old days! I am not meaning to sound like that. I enjoy the emergent media at our fingertips....why, right now, I am using it to write a "letter" to those of you reading. Yet, I am encouraged today to begin writing again. Letters to my grandchildren. Letters to my adult children. Letters to my sisters. Letters to old friends. Thank you for those letters yesterday, Kate and Gretchen and The Parkers! My day was blessed as I opened the mailbox...seeing those handwritten notes brought a special smile to my face. They are treasures to keep for a while....they say, "you were thought of today."

Something new....

2010-07-29T09:11:00.000-06:00

For several months now an idea has been brewing in my head. Those of you who know me well...this is nothing out of the usual! Most of my ideas fly away with time....or they get stomped out of existence by practicality. But, this one, I am going to try. Risking failure! Part of the challenge this time? The success depends not only on me, but on those I have asked to help me. So, I am patiently waiting for the timing to be ripe for all involved.

Today, I decided to throw the beginning out there! And, hopefully, writers will be inspired and challenged to begin along with me. Now, I know my free time is MORE than those I have involved. Just take a look-see and enjoy. Over time, the look will improve and we will add more as we learn how to do this well...and as we gain readers and sponsors (hoping!).

Blessings on your day.

Dear friend.....

Another camping trip

2010-07-25T18:04:00.001-06:00

We went camping over the weekend to a new place based on some research of a friend at Terry's office. It is called Jack Creek Guard Station located in Medicine Bow National Forest near the border of Wyoming and Colorado. It was a beautiful setting, rather far away, but breathtaking! The cabin was built in 1934 and is great! Clean and comfortable, near the river for fishing, good ATV roads (if you are into that activity), and LOTS of flys and other annoying bugs!!

Larry and Susie joined us. It was good to be with them as we see them seldom...Larry contemplates the site while Terry is getting ready for the fly fishing adventure.

My Terry is obsessed with fly fishing...that is a good thing! He enjoys tying flys and a chance to actually use them is always a treat. He was posing and being rather silly when I snapped this shot. They did not catch any fish on the morning run, but the afternoon trip was successful. Both Larry and Terry caught some fish!

This is the interior of the cabin. Cute, huh! The beds were actually comfortable. Snoring was not too bad....Susie might have a different opinion : ) although she did wear ear plugs. Love it!

We wanted to get one group shot before leaving...here we are. Dirty and HOT! It was really warm this morning as we packed up for the trip home.

We decided to travel on a different road going home, and it was really rough. More of a jeep road really. But, the scenery was beautiful. It was an adventure....we stopped at one point to take a break from all the jostling in the car. These last two pictures are from our break.

Terry and I traveled home on a scenic byway through the Snowy Mountain Range. It was lovely and we want to return. Amazing what beauty is so near our home. We are tired and just finished bathing the dog. I think camping with the dog is probably something I would rather not be doing. He is a good camper, but gets really dirty.

This entry sounds like a boring travel log, but I am not feeling inspired....just wanted to get the pictures up for you to see. It was good to be out in the mountains and smell the fresh air, see the peaks of the mountains and amazing valleys, and share some time with family.

My restless heart is stilled

2010-07-20T13:11:00.001-06:00

Two weeks ago we had a guest preacher from a sister church in Fort Collins. He preached on Isaiah 62. Side note: I wish you could hear Sinclair Ferguson say "Isaiah"...Terry and I always smile when we hear that word spoken and hear Sinclair's voice in our heads. Anyway, it was a great sermon on God's solemn and sincere vow to be our God as He promises in His covenant. His vow is never broken. And, Christ makes this similar vow to the church, His bride. It is a solemn and sacred vow. Those of us who have restless hearts should heed that vow and be stilled as we rest in the promises of a good and faithful God, empowered by Jesus Christ to live as people loved by God the Father and Christ His Son. It was good for me to hear as I tend toward restlessness about the place where I am.

In that light, I was home yesterday doing some housework and reading and knitting, filling my time with activities that did not still my restless heart. This morning I decided a long bike ride would be just the thing for me, to still the restlessness. Off I went about 9:00 am with a path in mind, wondering if I could do it! I went east on Spring Creek Trail past Timberline and around picking up the Poudre Trail at Mulberry and Timberline and then through downtown and west to Overland Trail Road which parallels the foothills. You pick up Overland Trail near LaPorte. When I got there I realized the last leg would be on a curvy and hilly road in a bike lane....not my favorite place to ride. But, since I am writing this post, you know I made it just fine. I traveled 24 miles in a little over 2 hours, stopping only once to get a drink from my water. FEELS INVIGORATING! And, it was a great cure for the restlessness in my days...tomorrow, a walk seems in order. Do you think I can do 10 miles? I have a path mapped for me to try!

Just a few enhanced photos from camping

2010-07-18T20:48:00.000-06:00

Who is this handsome "senior man"?

A view of Rocky Mountain National Park peaks....Terry and I never tire of seeing them. We were remembering our first summer of marriage. We lived in Grand Lake at the western entrance to the park. What a summer of adventure for two young Kansas kids!

Living in my gospel story

2010-07-15T10:05:00.001-06:00

"The story of any one of us is in some measure the story of us all." (Frederick Buechner)

I began this post on June 24, but did not finish writing it. My emotions hovered near the surface and I needed to step back a bit before I could put my thoughts together. So, today I tackle what has been on my mind since June 22....and for many years before.

I arrived home from the Howell family reunion full of pleasant memories of our shared time and of joy from the laughter and companionship of our new generation of "Howells"....the legacy of my parents, Gordon and Melba Howell. As I sat watching the early news the day after getting home, the death of a young man in our community caught my attention. He was the husband of my teaching partner at Heritage Christian Academy and had died from bacterial meningitis contracted during a hockey game at our local ice rink. Four others had this dreaded illness as well; one other died the day Nick was admitted to the hospital. Nick lived a week, but his body was consumed by the bacteria. He would have lost both arms and legs had he lived as well as having permanent brain damage. It was a blessing in many ways that he went home to be with his Lord and Savior. Heather, his wife, is six months pregnant; they had been married four years on June 11, 2010. The events are indeed sad and much grieving is being shared with a large community of believers. All week until the services to celebrate his life thoughts of loss consumed me....Heather's loss of her young (he was 28) husband, Liam's loss (the unborn son) of his father, his parents' loss of their son, his siblings' loss of their brother. I think it hit me harder because I was experiencing some sadness after our reunion. While joy permeated our reunion, I felt the loss of our parents and sister "before their time". I sense those absent from our midst in our gatherings. For me, that sense is sadness.

Thus, I have been thinking about the experience of losing loved ones. My faith sustains me in losing those I love as I believe God has ordained our days. While it may seem "early" or "before their time", I take comfort in knowing God has planned our days and when our time to die comes....well, it is what should be. That does not change the fact there is sadness and we grieve. In our grieving and sadness what is there to learn? What blessing comes from knowing loss?

There are those who do not learn from loss and continue to grieve for a lifetime. It took me too many years to complete my grieving because I did not know how to grieve. After some time working as a volunteer at the county mental health center in 1974, I experienced an end to my grieving. I will not describe those details, but it was a relief to finally move forward out of my grief. There is still a pocket of sadness which I believe is "normal". I miss my parents and have missed them many times over the years as they were not here to share those special events in my life and even share the mundane days of living and loving. I have missed my sister as we shared a bond of faith and family established in my early adult years. I have missed Joan and Fred and their sharing of life here in Colorado. But, missing them does not keep me from moving forward. Instead, having experienced this loss gives me empathy and compassion for others as they too face grief and loss. Instead, the loss of these loved ones increases my joy and pleasure in family still here. Instead, my faith is strengthened to rest in the promises God makes to those who believe His Word. And, I can laugh and find joy in remembering each one. Their lives have helped shape who I am. A legacy of their living and their dying.

Scripture tells us that we must lose our life to find it. We must die to self and be born again in Christ. Then, we have our life eternally. In some way, this truth applies to understanding the loss of someone we love. A part of us "dies" with the loss of our loved ones, yet we are "born again" as we complete our grieving and move forward shaped by their lives. God uses our loss for our good and His glory into all eternity. Thus, sadness fades and hope blooms.

God has used sadness and hope often in my gospel story. I pray for His work to be complete as He continues to mold me for eternity. I pray He will use my losses for my good and His glory.

Camping in Colorado 101

2010-07-11T15:40:00.000-06:00

Sometime this past spring Terry made reservations for our first summer camping adventure. We had been to Steamboat Springs Lake two years ago and really enjoyed the scenery and the camp site. We scouted out another location that summer, Pearl Lake. So, this year we decided to camp at Pearl Lake...the fishing is supposed to be good. Well, on the way up Poudre Canyon we were visiting about the "denuding" of the campgrounds throughout Northern Colorado due to the Pine beetle and the death of most of the lodge pole pines in our area. Suddenly, we wondered if perhaps the same were true of Pearl Lake campground.

WE SHOULD HAVE CHECKED THIS OUT BEFORE MAKING RESERVATIONS.

Indeed, the dense, lush forest of Pearl Lake is gone! These pictures show what most of the campground looks like now. The Colorado State Forest has cleared the dead and potentially dangerous trees (due to falling) and left the residue and piles of logs. Interesting, huh? We had plenty of firewoood, that's for certain!

But, we did have a lovely, unobstructed view of Pearl Lake, which is still incredibly beautiful (but had no fish who wanted any of the lures Terry threw at them!)

On the way to our camping, we stopped at the Moose Visitor Center. This is one of our routine stops, but this time we explored the books on wildflowers and found one that would help identify what we see. Sound like anyone you have known? The fields were gorgeous with flowers! There were more than we could identify, or rather choose to spend time identifying. We did mark the book with many, and there was one I cannot find in our new book or any of Joan's books. Their beauty was a highlight of our trip. It rained the first day and most of the night, and even part of the second day (two longer storms passing through...we and Obie were soaked while on a hike and facing some mean looking rain clouds that did indeed DUMP on us as we hiked home). The third day we had a few sprinkles and then dry all day yesterday. I found it to be rather messy, especially with a muddy dog, and think "dry" camping is much better!

This is a lupine. Looks like Texas Bluebonnets from a distance, only larger.

A yellow flower I have not identified, so I took its picture for future id.

Indian Paintbrush along with some purple flower I have not identified. The paintbrush were INCREDIBLE. They have always been one of my favorites from the Texas years. Mixed with the purple hues of other wildflowers....lovely.

Wild rose....they were EVERYWHERE!

This was a field while driving to a fishing spot. We stopped, but the camera does not do it justice. An entire field of wildflowers...purple, yellow, white, and LOTS of MOSQUITOS.

Pale blue Columbine growing all alone on a rocky slope. Colorado favorites, for certain, and the state flower.

To top off the day, we walked along the Elk River...nothing like the sound of rushing water in a mountain river. Not even the ocean can compare.

On the way home we scouted out a place at the top of Cameron Pass that borders Rocky Mountain National Park. I captured the view of the campsite we covet....first come, first serve....so we are planning our next adventure to this spot. I will need a new sleeping bag for warmth. This spot is 10,000 plus feet!

And this is the view from the above camp site! WOW!

There is no getting around it...beetle kill is covering all the forests of Northern Colorado, but this area on Cameron Pass has the least we have seen. It spoils the beauty we remember from our early years in Colorado, but still....Colorado is beautiful and the Rockies are majestic! But, what is with the mosquitos?!

Celebration #13

2010-06-28T15:57:00.000-06:00

Thirteen years ago in Carrollton, Texas, the day began with warm morning sunshine and promised even a hotter afternoon. Gretchen and I gathered our belongings and headed to the beauty salon for a shampoo and style. We were late getting out of the salon and late to the luncheon at church with Gretchen's bridal party....but, we made it. Then, at 2:00 pm sharp, Terry escorted an emotional me down the isle. We then heard the bridal march begin and all stood to watch a very beautiful bride walk down the isle with her father. I can still see the day in my mind's eye...through my joyful tears. It was a lovely wedding. It was a HOT day....

Congrats, Kyle and Gretchen on celebrating year #13! Many blessings as you rehearse the years, the joys and challenges, the birth of your children, and those special times together. Love you both!

June 13, 2010 in the Outer Banks of North Carolina

Beach fun

2010-06-22T13:20:00.000-06:00

The weather was wonderful all week as we enjoyed the surf and sand. Not too hot and certainly not too cool. Lots of sunshine, beautiful sunsets, and gorgeous sunrises. Scott was the ultimate fisherman, and Terry enjoyed some time along the surf as well as Kyle. The cousins were delighted to have each other on the trip; it is amazing how well they entertained one another! Ciza and Abel were the unofficial "babysitters" as they played with the four and entertained them ALL day...sweet boys! It was fun to get to know them better. Our four ADORED them! Jason has told me over and over, "the beach is the best family vacation because it is relaxing and the children are entertained without frills." He is right! Our four were happy just to swim and rest and eat and play. The only tough thing was Gretchen...she got sun poisoning as a reaction to the sunscreen. Covered from head to toe with a bad rash....and it was itchy! She was a trooper about it, although I might have bugged her a bit as I worried about her comfort! The picture above is on the way home, and she was a bit better on the LAST day!

June 2, 2010....our 40th wedding anniversary

2010-06-22T13:04:00.000-06:00

This was last Saturday evening in Corolla, NC....I count it as our 40th celebration! We were with our family and enjoying the legacy of our life together. We hope to do a trip, just the two of us, in the fall or winter. Always something to change our plans it seems! We are enjoying the memories of the past 48 years! Terry and I met in the seventh grade, and became friends when we were 14....wow! We are defying the odds!

The Howell family legacy....June, 2010

2010-06-21T12:38:00.000-06:00

Last week the Howell girls and their families gathered for a family reunion. EVERYONE was able to be there...in Duck, NC, the Outer Banks. It was more than grand. We were celebrating Phyllis's 65th birthday as we gathered. We ended with a Father's Day tribute! The top picture are Gordon and Melba Howell's grandchildren....all grown up! The middle pic is each of the grandchildren with spouse or friend. (With three of these grandchildren unmarried, perhaps our next gathering will be a wedding!) The last one is SO special...the great-grandchildren of Gordon and Melba, our grandchildren. Abel, Nizi, and Ciza on the back row (Amy and Dale's three) and Rynn, Molly, Eleanor and Jack on the front row (Gretchen and Kyle's and Jason and Caroline's crew)

There are so many pictures....so many good meals shared....so many laughs....I am rejoicing in the family that gives blessing and joy to my life. We watched a DVD of old photos, a record of my sisters and me; Phyllis gave a toast to the fathers present and to our own father. I am tired today after a long day of travel yesterday, but I am energized by the time spent with this precious family of mine! And, the really special part...we are planning the next one. I guess a good time was had by one and all.

Oregon musings

2010-05-21T19:32:00.000-06:00

For those of you who read Gretchen's and Caroline's blogs, you know I was in Oregon last week. What a whirlwind time....especially in Portland! Jason, Caro, and I cleaned house on Monday, were gone all day Tuesday for the Realtor Open House, and said goodbye on Wednesday before the girls and I headed to Eugene! Whew!

In Eugene, Gretchen, Kyle, and I managed four young children...school, swim lessons, a school performance, play, a church workday, and a ladies evening out....sound busy? It was! But, the wonderful part of every day was being with my children and grandchildren during Mother's Day week. A delightful, and unexpected, treat.

The reason for my visit was Jason's interview for a ministry position in the Midwest. The emotions are running high for all of us as this new development gallops to the finish line. Read Caroline's blog for a few more details. The next week Jason's position should be solidified and an announcement can be made. The house contract is to be closed on May 28 if the negotiations are completed favorably. Moving date? They will have to vacate the house the end of June. Come back for the news flash!

Thankfully, Gretchen and gang are holding steady right now. I do not think I could handle changes for both families! You think having adult children will free you of all concerns, but really they just become "grown up" concerns like we have and THAT can cause more emotional challenges than those of childhood concerns. God is good! He is taking us on this journey as a family and holding us in the shadow of His wings.

One of the best parts of my trip was the GORGEOUS springtime blooms in both Portland and Eugene. I captured some of Gretchen's yard...the color is glorious. Coming home to a bit of green and little color in Colorado was shocking!

We laughed lots in Eugene...the four cousins are pretty cute and can be really fun! Naturally, there are those "moments" when the wheels fall off the bus and we become "judge" and determine justice. But, really, the four do very well and enjoy one another's company. They are growing up.

I came home to two weeks of teaching for a teacher who is on the Ride for the Wall (Vietnam Wall memorial in Washington D.C.) with her husband. BOY, I am tired after a week of full time teaching....out of practice and out of the habit of working daily. The students have been marvelous. We'll see what the last week brings as school ends on May 28.

Blessings for your end of the school year activities, if your schedule is dictated by school. If not, enjoy the end of our spring weather and look toward the coming warmth and glory of the summer.

Remembering mothering

2010-05-07T09:14:00.000-06:00

There was an editorial in the WSJ this morning about being a mother, a stay-at-home mother, and the value of mothering...one that is not often noted today. The core of who we are is partly a result of our parents, the mistakes they made and the good they accomplished. My mother died in March, 1966, having just turned 45 years old. I remember so little about her and that at times causes me great distress. One year I went on a search for who she was, but to no avail. She left behind no written record to tell us who she was, what she thought, what mattered to her. Yet, this picture captures what I most vividly remember about her. Her great smile. When she died, the comment heard most often was how contagious her laughter and smile were...she was a cheerful woman, the mainstay of her large family, and the love of my father. Few remain who remember her, my sisters, her sisters, my cousins, and John...it is true that within two generations all first hand memory of us is gone. Sobering. Unless, you leave some words by which to know you. I remember her hands, much like my own. I used to play with them when I sat near her. She loved to have us brush her hair, which I never understood. It must have been like a massage to her. She was devoted to my father and to us and to her parents and siblings. She usually wore dresses similar to the one in the picture. Her hair was a gorgeous auburn, which you cannot see in the picture. This picture is from a trip to Texas; my dad and she had traveled to Corpus Christi for a parade on Labor Day. Dad played for many years in a community band, and this year they marched in a Labor Day parade there. It was the last trip my parents enjoyed, September of 1964. Melba Jewel Fisher Howell. You are remembered with great love.

Then, of course, you cannot think about Mother's Day without thinking of your own children. I have always loved this picture of Jason...the hair! A long time friend, Leah Tiller, took this picture at Quorum Park in Addison, Texas...sometime during the college years or soon after that. This year I will be with Jason late on Mother's Day...and then later next week, I will be with Gretchen. Her picture is a sorority picture from 1994; she was a sophomore at CSU. It is one of my favorites...great smile and great hair. Gretchen has my mother's smile, I think. The Fisher clan all smile with a full mouth of teeth showing, like Gretchen and me.

In 1994 a book caught my eye when browsing in a bookstore...Motherless Daughters: The Legacy of Loss by Hope Edelman. She did a study of women who had loss mothers early in life, and a few later in life. The shared stories of grief and loss were incredibly similar. Today, I am remembering this book and thinking about the loss of my mother. Thinking about the joy of being a mother. Thinking about the joy of being a grandmother. A quote from the book, "It is the image in the mind that links us to our lost treasures; but it is the loss that shapes the image, gathers the flowers, weaves the garland." (Colette, My Mother's House)

Today, I am weaving a garland of gathered flowers from the images in my mind's eye of my mother and my children as they were, and from the images of my children as they are. It is a garland of great beauty. It has a sweet aroma. The beauty and aroma linger near me as I go.

Another thoughtful read

2010-05-05T11:47:00.000-06:00

FYI...if you are blog surfing, try www.mytopography.com

Her post "Up in the Air" is a delightful and thought provoking read!

It is a beautiful day here. The sun is amazing and the air is CRISP. The trees are finally leaving out and there are a few flowers bringing some much needed color. The grass is green. There is a brisk breeze after hurricane type winds of yesterday. Outside my window are three lovely aspen trees with their new leaves blowing in the wind. Against the blue sky, they are inspiring! After lunch, I'm outa here for a walk!

Three Comments

2010-04-29T08:52:00.000-06:00

Eric Carle's Snowy Day is a delightful book, full of the joys and contentment that come with that first big snow of the season....but, this morning when I awoke to 2+ inches of fresh snow. Well, joy and contentment were not the sentiments fluttering through my sleepy mind. And, I am being a sub today. FUN! The students will be flakey with this weather and a sub! Fortunately, it will melt quickly this time of year, although we have rain predicted through the weekend...it could do this again!

Today is April 29, and twenty years ago my sister Lydia went home to the Lord. Many years I blank this memorial out of my mind; I have always wondered why. I think it is too painful for me. It is hard to believe that 20 years have past. She was a recluse the last several months of her life, refusing to talk with me or see her friends. Her pain was beyond what any of us can imagine. My sister Phyllis went to see her about a month before her passing; she noted the tremendous energy it took just to visit for a short time. Our mother did much of the same, choosing to sleep and refusing to engage in talk. Joan was often quiet or silent the last few weeks. I learned from Hospice this is a normal progressing of the dying body...a removing of oneself from the living and a focus on self. I understand both my mother and Lydia better now that I have shared the last month of Joan's journey to her true home. So, today I choose to remember Lydia and the years we shared as adults. What a joyous time we had the five years Terry and I lived in Colorado! Our children were similar ages; our husbands were good friends. That relationship endures in my heart and I rejoice in her memory.

Change. I used to embrace changes, actually seeking some of them. Now, as I have grown older, changes are hard for me. I adjust to them more slowly and with more fear. The challenges of adjusting to new locations, new people, or new tasks...those are not as exciting as I once found them to be. Changes keep me on my knees though! And, that is a good place to be.

Missing Texas Spring

2010-04-19T13:07:00.000-06:00

I am missing the Texas bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush this spring! I know there will be wildflowers in Colorado...but not many here on the Front Range. You must go hiking to see the loveliness of spring wildflowers in Colorado. One of the things I enjoyed about Texas was the beautiful spring wildflowers everywhere, especially if you traveled to the central and southern part of the state in the spring. Bluebonnets are one of the happiest flowers, and when mixed with paintbrush...you can hardly find anything more beautiful. Unless it is Gretchen's abundance of rhododendrons!

Today, I walked for 2 hours. I planned to track my miles but the pedometer did not work....AGAIN! Think I might have to get a different one in order to track my miles. Gretchen wants me to walk a half-marathon with her in October. I do not know? I am pretty slow. My best estimate is 4 miles in the two hours. I am going to drive my route this afternoon to give me a better estimate. The training schedule is 14 weeks, so I have some time to decide. It would be a great goal....and fun to do with my daughter! Of course, she is planning to run the half-marathon. She would have a LONNNNNG wait after finishing. But, then, she is a patient soul....much like her daddy (used to be!).

PS. The distance this morning was actually about 5 miles +

From our Sunday sermon on John 6

2010-04-18T20:45:00.000-06:00

Thinking I am in control of my life is an illusion.

Ponder that for a while!

After a long walk

2010-04-08T16:45:00.000-06:00

yesterday
greening grass pokes its nose
through heavy, wet snow

now today
greening grass smiles anew
warmed by sunlight rays

trite, but true
amazing blue fills the sky
meeting mountain peaks

tomorrow
warmer still is proclaimed
birds rejoice in song

spring has sprung
fresh colors harken new
summer's certainty

A Thoughtful Read

2010-04-07T13:59:00.001-06:00

If you have time, go to www.thoroughlyalive.com and read Sarah's April 7 entry, "Soul Advocacy"....very thought provoking. Well written and advocates caring for the souls of children.

Blog surfing

2010-04-06T12:04:00.000-06:00

Today, as many days, I spent some time "blog surfing". After I read the kids and Amy's and Kate's blogs, or move on as there are no new entries, I go to a site I check daily. From there I have discovered several interesting sites that are geared toward creative women, mostly writers and photographers. Many of them are into "zen" ideas. So, today I did a google search about Zen Buddhism. Interesting.

This is when I wish I could be an apologist for Christianity. If only I had the words to dialogue with these women, via internet, about their ideas. I have a sense of what is wrong with the premises, but do not have the words to explain it.

One wrote, "I am enough". There is truth in that. I am enough in that I am a child of God, created by Him and for His glory. He designed my very being; and though I am messy and flawed, Jesus has taken the mess that is me and redeemed me. So, I can say with confidence, "I am a child of God, and that is enough." Now, the Spirit works in me to grow me more and more into Christlikeness, and hopefully the fruit of His work is evidenced in my daily living. One day, I will arrive in my eternal home and be wholly complete in God's image. Until then, I press on with fear and trembling, working out my salvation by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I think I know what the woman meant when she wrote, "I am enough". She is expressing with great relief that she does not need to be what the world or herself tells her she should be...by her work, by her body, by her accomplishments, etc. The world does press into our being and tell us WHO we should be by its standards, which change from generation to generation, or from day to day. If only the freedom that comes from truly resting in Christ were known...that truth would set us free. Much freer than the Zen mantra "I am enough" can bring.

So, I will continue to surf those blogs, because I am fascinated by the creative juices and maybe one day encouraged to get my creative urges centered and moving toward an end product.

Remembering Joan

2010-03-30T09:34:00.000-06:00

This picture of Joan was taken November 3, 2008 as we celebrated Fred's 90th birthday.

Yesterday would have been Joan's 90th birthday....I thought about her all day. One of the last times we shared, when she really had clear thinking still, was about two weeks before she died. Gretchen had asked me if Oma ever talked about caring for her mother. What happened with Joan and her mother when she, too, died of cancer? Joan had never shared much about that time, or her father during that time. Her mother died when Joan was 16 years old, and her father was a harsh task master! So, I asked about her mother. She had cared for her the best she could, at home, because her father would not consider the hospital. Then, one day, Joan and her brother George, defied Karl and took her mother to the hospital. I heard a bit of bitterness in Joan's voice, toward her father and his lack of mercy. Who knows what the truth is; it most likely is somewhere in between reality and Joan's memory of that reality. Our own feelings and agendas hide the true truth in times of high emotion. The truth becomes the "truth" we hold.

Then, the most vivid image of Joan is the last week. I went to see her daily, and to check on Fred seeing if he needed help or anything else. Like emotional support. This day, she was resting in the bed we had put in the living room. As I entered, Joan reached out her hand and gave me the sweetest smile. It radiated love for me, and I could feel it. It was a warm blanket wrapped about me, taking away all cold and protecting me from harm. She told me, "You are my angel" and I wanted to scream, "NO, I am not an angel...if you only knew how I have felt in the past about our relationship!" Yet, here we were; in a new relationship. And, that day, I was an angel of mercy to her. For I was there to love her, and care for her, and hold her hand, and receive her love for me. It was a tender moment. One I will see over and over as a testimony to the grace of God in my life, for I truly loved Joan and enjoyed her company. My days are empty sometimes now because she is gone. On those days, I want to pick up the phone and hear her say, "Hi, honey. How was your day at school?" Yet, my days are full as well....of memories which are packed with Joan and Fred and our times together, both good and difficult. I celebrate her life as we remember her years. She would have been a spunky 90 year old, to be certain, for she was a determined woman who loved life and lived it fully.

Johanna Helena Wagner Little, "Joan Helen" Little

March 29, 1920-December 24, 2008

Happy Birthday!

2010-03-28T18:43:00.000-06:00

Kyle, Christmas morning 2009

Today is Kyle's birthday.....#40! Hoping this a good day and one on which you can reflect about what life has brought your way. Wishing we were there to help celebrate!

I first met Kyle in late February of 1995. He was in Fort Collins on a break from Doulos at Kanakuk Camp near Branson, Missouri. Gretchen was in a funk because of a relationship that was stressed; we were at the sorority house talking about her feelings when she got a call from a young man. He wanted to come over and see her. So, Kyle came over and we met. Of course, as with most people, my first impression was how tall he is! And, the hat! And, the shorts even though it was freezing! The next time was a year later when I was in Fort Collins once again in late February (Trinity's winter break). This time Gretchen and Kyle were seeing each other on a regular basis. Anne Sylvest, Yvonne Pickens, and I traveled together and we enjoyed a dinner with Kyle. He was charming! We each enjoyed getting to see them together. It was obvious the chemistry was brewing something! Then, Kyle traveled home with Gretchen in May and spent a few days at our house (Terry's first opportunity to meet Kyle) before he left and went to camp at Kanakuk. Such fun memories! Later in August, Kyle returned and spent another few days in Dallas when they decided to marry and met with the pastor at PCPC! It was a whirlwind of adventure! What fun to remember the past 14 years of knowing Kyle! I cannot believe he is turning 40 years old! Jason will follow in a short 18 months...and Terry and I are amazed we have children this age. I remember Joan's overwhelming feelings when Terry and I turned 40 years old....and here we are. WOW!

But, the real reason for writing this is to celebrate as we remember Kyle's birthday! Happy Birthday, Kyle, if you are reading this blog entry.

Pictures of last night's spring blast

2010-03-24T09:50:00.000-06:00

I was to have subbed today...canceled. The snow was to have continued through the night and into today. Instead, the sun is trying to get through the mist. It will be a pretty day after sunshine journeys its way through the foggy mist. The snow is HEAVY.

Dreaming of a white Christmas?

2010-03-23T19:36:00.000-06:00

Come to Colorado....yesterday it was 68 degrees and all the snow from last Friday melted away in a flash! Today about noon it started raining, and it rained until about 3:00 p.m. when it then turned to slushy snow and then wet, heavy flakes POURING out of the sky. We got an inch an hour...and it is still coming down. It is 7:40 p.m. I just finished shoveling about 8 inches off the deck and driveway and walk....thankfully, my sweet neighbor used his snowblower to help me. TERRY IS IN KANSAS CITY TODAY AND TOMORROW. How convenient, huh? It is supposed to snow all night and into tomorrow ending about mid-afternoon...how much will we get? TOO MUCH!

March Madness

2010-03-20T10:41:00.000-06:00

Today is officially spring! Last week was absolutely gorgeous, and well...spring-like. At least what most of us think of as spring-like. It was sunny and warm, 60 degrees plus three days in a row. Then, Friday came. And with it a drop of more than 30 degrees plus 8" of SNOW. Wet, heavy snow! This time around, I did not think it pretty. But, today is SUNNY and warm again with about 40 degrees. It truly is MARCH MADNESS! I long to sprint away to a warm, sunny place where flowers are blooming and the trees are leaving out, and you know....it LOOKS like spring time.

YAHOO...but not dot com

2010-03-12T12:27:00.000-07:00

Yahoo.....I acquired an ifit elliptical machine in late January. Incredibly, I have been diligent to use it 3-4 days a week for 35-55 minutes each time. My resistance has increased from 4 to 7 (whatever that means!). Yet, even though I can tell I am a bit stronger, no weight loss. Do you really have to eat less? I think the current thought is exercise does not make for weight loss. But, I can also tell a bit of reward in my mental state on the days I exercise. All in all, I am encouraged to keep it going....now, if only I can get Terry to join me!

But, the real YAHOO was today. I decided to go for a walk instead of the machine. It is 50 degrees or more, sunny with not a cloud in the sky, a light breeze...what more could you ask? Plus, I am feeling a bit stressed by a variety of concerns...so the walk seemed perfect. I usually pray as I walk, think as I walk, both which help to calm me. I walked for an hour and twenty minutes at the natural area near our house; it is uphill, downhill, with some flats. To my surprise, it was easy and comfortable. Last time I did this, I was huffing and puffing on the way home. NOT TODAY! So the YAHOO is the benefit of my weeks of exercising on the machine. The real challenge for me is maintaining the momentum! Gretchen is an encouragement as she has become the runner in our family; Caroline and Jason are encouragements because they walk or bike and run everyday. I want to be right there with them! Besides, I DO love to walk...

Which made me think while walking. I am a puzzle. I love to walk or bike. I love music. I enjoy the outdoors immensely. Yet, I sit and knit or read. I enjoy the silence most days along with the natural sounds of "silence" and seldom listen to music. I stay inside and occupy my time with ????. Hummmm....I don't get me!

Encouragement from the Psalms

2010-03-10T10:34:00.000-07:00

Psalm 63:5-8

My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,

and when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night;

for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.

My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

A day's reflection

2010-03-09T14:16:00.000-07:00

"The story of any one of us is in some measure the story of us all." Frederick Buechner

Paul Miller in his book The Praying Life writes about our "stories". He uses the word "story" to mean the journey of our living. He challenged me to ponder my life, looking back and seeing the present, and then see with new eyes the story God is weaving in my life. When my girls, Gretchen and Caroline, were carrying each of the four grandbabies in their wombs, I prayed using Psalm 139 for God to weave his perfect story into a beautiful tapestry in the lives of each one. What I did not consider consciously then is the truth Miller reminds me to consider. All good stories have a problem to be resolved. He calls this tension or conflict. So, as stated in the opening quote, each of us have our stories yet share the stories as well. They are one story of tension and conflict God has written into each of our lives. History reminds us that when everything seems to be wrong, we are in the middle of our story and do not see where God is working. Looking back, we will see our story in the grand tapestry of His story (history). Does this not amaze you? It does me. Knowing God is at work in my life's story for my good and His glory stirs me to prayer and fellowship with the One who is the author of all our stories.

February in Portland with the grandchildren and children

2010-03-03T12:15:00.001-07:00

Looking at the pictures from my trip to Portland today....great day at the zoo! Sweet ones! I was there to take care of the Parker children while Gretchen was at the pastors' wives retreat and Kyle was in Mississippi. Then, I traveled to Portland to celebrate Rynn (now 7) and Eleanor's (now 5) birthdays. We had one day at the zoo...all four children had the day off from school for President's Day. It was sunny and pretty warm. FUN! So, these children are 4, 5, 6, and 7 years old. Can you believe it? Growing and maturing. The beach should be a BLAST this June!

Repentant faith...a refresher course 201

2010-02-25T07:57:00.000-07:00

Terry and I attended a seminar last weekend. The speakers were counselors from Sonship, part of the ministry of World Harvest Mission organization. We have heard about Sonship since moving to Colorado as our first pastors have both been involved in the curriculum. They talked on Friday about repentance and then Saturday about forgiveness. While they were not the most exciting speakers I have heard, the material they presented was great! Several from our church attended and we plan to continue discussing what we learned. So, Terry and I will be pondering the ideas for a while....and hopefully, the rest of our lives.

Here are a few thoughts from our weekend:

Repentance is the key to God's grace and intimacy with Jesus. It is not sorrow, such as "I'm sorry" which really means I am sorry I got caught and the consequences of my actions are uncomfortable. Real sorrow is seeing into my heart and looking at the sin which caused my actions and asking if I am sorrowing over the impact of my sinfulness. What impact did my sin cause? What was going on in my heart when I sinned? Two questions provoked much thought....Am I allowing the criticism I receive to look at my self and my heart or do I just immediately defend my actions? What do others feel like when I am angry? The speakers called the criticism event an intentional disruption in my life. God has placed people or events in my life which intentionally disrupt my living. They are intended to convict me of areas of sinfulness that I might grow more and more into Christlikeness. I like that term, intentional disruption on the part of God working in my life. Resolutions to change have no power to change us because what runs our hearts ruins our resolutions. This is where the grace of God working in me comes into daily living....His grace brings the real change through the power of the Holy Spirit.

(There are people and events which have worked in my life. As I look backward, it is easy to see what God was doing. In the midst of His work, it hurts and is not always easy. But, hopefully, the results are beautiful!)

Forgiveness is the gift God gives to me each day, once for my salvation and daily for my sanctification. My forgiving others begins with a radical change in my heart as I recognize the amazing grace given to me that I might in turn have the same spirit toward others. (Nothing new I haven't heard over the past twenty years or more, but refreshing to hear again and again.) They challenged us to ask ourselves, "How am I like the one I need to forgive?" Thomas Watson was quoted saying, "Forgiveness is resisting revenge, not returning evil for evil, wishing the offender well, grieving at the offender's calamities, praying for the offender's welfare, and seeking reconciliation so far as it depends on me." WOW! I think the Bible says this in simple terms, pray for your enemies. If I don't, there is a cost. The cost of unforgiveness is continuing in the pain of an offense, taking negativity into our present relationships, being vulnerable to spite or resentment or bitterness, and blocking help and healing from God. Each of those costs shows up in our lives in unhappy ways.

The speakers really did not present anything new per se, but as they shared from their own lives the outworking of these ideas I pondered my own story and how these ideas weave into the tapestry of my life. I was convicted to rethink and to repent and to forgive. Coram deo! And, that, my friends, brings a spring-like morning to my day.

Pictures...a blast from the past

2010-02-08T19:45:00.000-07:00

These two photos I found while hunting a certain one for Gretchen (check her blog for that picture!) were taken of Terry in 1986. He is 37 years old, about Jason's age now. Do these remind you of anyone? The stand? The face? The expression? I was blown away when I saw these because I always think Jason looks like my dad...WRONG! WOW! What do you think about those glasses? Jason also had some like these in this same year...must have been the fashion, one I hope does not become a current retro look.

In March of 1972 Terry and I drove to Overland Park, Kansas, where Jason Christopher Little was baptized at Village Presbyterian Church (USA) by Dr. Robert Meneilly. We had a celebration lunch at the home of Gene and Lillian Thorngren. John and Lydia and a young Amy were present as well. That same weekend we had our first family portrait taken by Legler photography who had photographed our wedding a little over two years before this. WOW! Look how young Terry looks? My hair...the ONLY time I have had it long. I wish it were in color. How RED it is! And, Jason, my chubby! He was so cute! Don't you think I have him dressed casually for this picture? What was I thinking?

This has motivated me to get the photos in some order so we can look at them easily. What fun! I am really amazed at how much we have aged! Looking in the mirror daily does not give you the shock of looking at these old photos.

Time flies when you are having fun!

And....here I go!

2010-01-21T07:48:00.000-07:00

This is my latest purchase...a blue mandolin. Lessons begin tomorrow. I am scared! A friend at church also bought one just like mine, but black. We will become the dueling mandolins! Actually, she is a music major and plays piano, sings, knows music. Thinking she will out perform me very quickly!

Some days I wish I had chosen music as my career. It seems to bring much enjoyment in daily living. My dad played in a community band from the time I was 10 until the day he died. You would hear him practicing as you entered his office (he had a veterinary small animal practice). He would have his music and horn on the surgery table. I know he had lost his enthusiasm for practicing veterinarian medicine. It was the public that drove him crazy! Music and flying...his later in life interests. Mine are knitting and reading and biking....and hopefully, playing the mandolin. I am trying to convince Terry he should play the banjo. We could jam together, don't you think. Time will tell. I wonder if these old fingers will be able to move over the frets as quickly as they will need to move? Update next week.

Saying goodbye

2010-01-13T22:07:00.000-07:00

A former student of mine whose mother was a co-worker and good friend lost his battle with medulloblastoma on Tuesday morning. He has battled the cancer for three long years. Those years were filled with amazing adventures and new friends in the professional sports world. He "lived large" as Annette, his mother, liked to say. A former teacher and friend co-authored a book with him and it will be out soon, Carry Me by Carson Leslie. He was 17 years old. His memorial service will be Monday, and I am flying to Dallas to say "goodbye" and give hugs to Annette and his father and brother. The one blessing to remember is Carson's strong faith. His testimony these past three years has been incredible, and he was finally ready to go home last week as he was tired of being in pain and feeling lousy. With joy and confidence Carson longed to be with Jesus free of all disease and sorrow. He showed us that dying is not the worse thing that can happen to you.

But for those left behind who loved Carson, this is a difficult time. Sadness and grief fill the days. There is a vacant spot on the sofa as they watch a football or baseball game. That spot is large and reminds them of former days of fun and frolic. I have heard it said losing a child is the hardest of all losses. I remember my own grandmother, who lost two of her adult children (my mother and my uncle), always had a deeply hidden sadness long after their deaths...she let it show every so often and would speak of it now and again. Yet at the same time, she lived joyfully and fully. Faith carried her, and one day she went home to glory and is there by their sides. Carson is home waiting for family and friends to join him when each one's time arrives. For the moment, those who loved him and befriended Carson will have to continue life's journey with the memory of his smile and courage eventually bringing relief from sadness and grief.

Psalm 139 reminds us that our days have been ordained for us. Today, I am reminded to live each one fully and well, just as Carson had done these past three years.

Well done, good and faithful servant Carson!

My movie review

2010-01-04T11:20:00.000-07:00

Terry and I saw two new release movies this weekend...It's Complicated and Avatar. It's Complicated is no Academy Award winner, but it's funny. I would have liked more of Steve Martin and less of Alec Baldwin. We enjoyed it and the laughter. Some of the morality was a bit disturbing, but certainly culturally relevant. In the end, there was some actual "I'm feeling guilty for the wrong I've done". Was it really filmed in Santa Barbara? Beautiful homes and scenery and a view of wealthy living. Save your money and rent it from Red Box or Netflix. Avatar. AMAZING technology. The story was mundane and predictable. Nothing new under the sun here. A blend of Dances with Wolves, Save Mother Earth, and Greek mythology. Certainly not original. I rather expect more from writers in Hollywood, or rather Cameron! I was a bit bored toward the end. The conclusion was drawn out far too long for my taste. Especially when you know at the beginning how it will end. But, AMAZING, SIMPLY AMAZING technology in filming! Why blue people? Terry said red wouldn't work; yellow would have been yucky; I guess blue is as good as any color otherwise! Do see it on the big screen and with 3-D glasses.

January 1, 2009

2010-01-01T12:53:00.000-07:00

Last New Year's Day, Terry went to Loveland and got Fred. He joined us for the entire day of watching the parade and football. It was a lazy day with many naps and good food, including the traditional black-eyed peas and rice. We were rather tired after a very difficult Christmas week, having lost Joan to cancer on Christmas Eve. But, we rallied for a great new year celebration! Fred did not move from his favorite leather recliner. We served him all day with our traditional snacks and drink. It was fun! A good memory for this year...we miss Fred and his delightful humor. I think Terry was smiling in his sleep thinking about those smoked oysters for afternoon snack. Perhaps his delight in bellowing out his needs and having me answer them all day on New Year's Day (that is our tradition). This year it's just the two of us, but we are carrying out the traditions of the past 39 years! A quiet day, a restful day, getting ready to tackle the coming challenges of 2010.

Happy 2010!

2010-01-01T10:40:00.000-07:00

Our group photo on December 26....Jason and his gang traveled to Eugene along with us to celebrate Christmas with the Parkers. This records the "aftermath" of celebrating both Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. It was a grand time with the manic opening of gifts with four young children. Terry and I enjoy watching the four interact with one another. Reminds us of Christmases with the Thorngrens in Keystone....Amy and Jason, Kate and Gretchen, skiing and playing games. Fond memories! Also, a bite of sadness; we had few Christmases with the Bashes and the Petersons and none with the Johnsons as the children were growing....opportunities missed! It is hard to travel at Christmas; we did because Joan and Fred were here in Colorado as well as Lydia and family. Texas seemed lonely without family there. Jason and Gretchen have great memories of our travels in the Suburbans over the hills and through the woods...and the frozen frosted butter cookies (a Howell family recipe) are a major part of those traveling memories. We are now the grandparents, but we will travel because Jason and Kyle are pastors and Christmas is "high" season for them. This trip to Oregon was sans rain! No rain except during the night once in Eugene and snow one afternoon in Portland until yesterday as we left from the airport...that is amazing. We even had sunny days in both Eugene and Portland. Portland was actually sunny most of the time we were in Oregon. Caroline was like a cat, smiling and happy basking in the sun. As always, it was hard to leave not knowing when our next visit happens...June for certain as we have a Howell family reunion in June at the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Obie was more than happy to have us home; he had not left our side!

Thanks, children and grandchildren, for a marvelous time with you. We love each one of you! You make this season in life very special. Those hugs and kisses keep us until the next time we see you.

Learning to knit is easy...stopping is HARD!

2009-12-16T22:56:00.000-07:00

Since Thanksgiving, I have been a knitting "fool"! I completed the second mitt for a pair of reading mitts, two scarves (I am knitting another one right now), three hats, two baby doll hats, four pairs of leg warmers for the little girls, and I am working on two other projects in between! Crazy! But fun! Gretchen has asked me to knit a hat for a friend...if we get the pattern, I will start that for a Christmas gift! You must realize that none of these is a challenging pattern; it just takes time and endurance to finish. I have several more projects in mind...and a stash of yarn that gives me the opportunity to choose something fun! Caroline wants a scarf and we will choose some yarn when I am in Portland. Jason mentioned a hat, and I have one in mind for a stocking stuffer (if I can get to it next week!).

Santa might tell me "Knitting is knotty!" and not leave any gifts! Perhaps if I leave him a stocking cap or some socks, he will understand!

A first for me!

2009-12-10T20:25:00.000-07:00

Usually when I am substitute teaching, students will ask if I have "children". I am always delighted to tell them "grown up children" and "grandchildren". Monday in a third grade class one of the students asked, first thing, if I had "any grandchildren". WOW! He knew immediately I might have grandchildren. Don't think it is because I LOOK that old, old enough to have grandchildren? I laughed and answered, "Indeed, I do...four grandchildren!".

A great relief!

2009-11-30T15:01:00.000-07:00

Terry closed on the folks' house today....it no longer belongs to us. The Parkers (no relation) now happily own 2013 N. Van Buren Ave. in Loveland. They are delighted and will make it their HOME.

I can only imagine

2009-11-28T09:28:00.000-07:00

The words of a song...."I can only imagine, what it will be like, to see Jesus" are rambling through my head these days. I listened to the Amy Grant "Hymns" CD while I was baking. This particular song brings memory of two students I had at TCA. Brooke and Chase Gray. They, along with their parents and older brother, are seeing Jesus. This song was sung for Brooke at the family memorial service several years ago (they died in a small plane crash one Thanksgiving); it was a sweet reminder of Brooke's love of music and Jesus.

Yesterday, that song came to mind and began its rambling in my head as Terry and I cleaned out the trash from Joan and Fred's home. We took two loads of leaves and wood to recycle and then two loads of paint and trash to the dump. FINIS! Monday, Terry closes on the house at noon. The new owners have already moved onto the property. The garage is FULL as well as the storage shed and the front room. It shocked us; when we drove up to get the trash, someone is living in the house! I don't think we were prepared for the emotion it would bring. I felt sad...truly, Joan and Fred are no longer with us. Their home is no longer "their" home...and come Monday everything is finished as far as the estate. It has been six months, and it is time. Yet, I was overcome with sadness. Grieving takes time. Then, that song began its melody inside my head....Joan and Fred are with Jesus and know what it is like to be in His presence. WOW! I can only imagine.

A Year Ago

2009-11-25T09:31:00.001-07:00

Today I am thankful...as all of us are doing these days, I am thinking about what makes me "thankful". Daily, this is what I should do! There is much to be thankful about in my life. Much more than I could begin to tell you...but, today I want to write about last fall. The middle picture is actually from Memorial Day weekend, 2008. Joan and Fred rode up to Estes Park with Terry and me. Along the way we enjoyed a picnic lunch. As you can tell from the picture, it was a glorious day in the mountains of Colorado. This was just two months from Joan's diagnosis of liver cancer. Who would know from this picture? The first picture is from August, 2008. Gretchen captured this one for the newspaper to announce the 65th Wedding anniversary of Joan and Fred Little. Joan had undergone one chemo treatment at this point. A great picture! The last one is from Fred's 90th birthday celebration, November 3, 2008; Joan would have her last treatment on November 5. We had a wonderful dinner; Joan ate more than we had seen her eat in months...shrimp cocktail, one of her favorites! These make me smile and cry. I miss her!

We had four years here in Colorado after living apart for 28 years while we were settled in other places. Joan and I did not always have a close relationship. It was my fault; I kept her at a distance for many reasons. Those lost years bring me regrets for which I work at forgiving myself. We did always enjoy a pleasant relationship without acrimony. Then, about 12 years ago, I noticed something had changed our relationship. I found the words in a book that describe the wonder of our new relationship: the resentment had packed its bags and left without fanfare. All the emotions clouding our mother-daughter/in/law relationship had left without my notice. I had prayed for YEARS for them to leave, to no avail it seemed. Then, one day...poof. God had answered my persistent prayer in a way surprising me. What filled me was a new love for Joan, different and deeper. And, a new understanding of her and her own life as it affected who she was.

My mother essentially was gone when I was 14, for she was sick a year and a half until she died....and she chose to withdraw into herself. My memories of her are good, but I realize I did not know her as an adult knows her mother. So, I began a changed relationship with Joan knowing her as "mother". What great joys to have the four Colorado years as my last memories of her! One of the many new things I began to understand about Joan was her DEEP and overwhelming desire to be loved. Sometimes this drove family members away from her, curious as that may be. She could be a rather strong personality. But, instead of driving me away, I came to realize she wanted my TIME more than anything. The giving of my time to her in whatever way showed love; it was her "love language" as some would say. Which brings me to the four years we enjoyed in Colorado. Terry and I cherish these years...the meals, the trips to the hospital, the outings, the family gatherings with our children and grandchildren, the Sunday afternoon stops, our sharing Obie, playing games of Mexican train, daily phone calls....

Last Thanksgiving we gathered at Lisa' house, Terry's niece. Joan was a week and a half out of her chemo treatment and feeling pretty well. She ate a hearty meal! We didn't stay very long, but she enjoyed the day with gusto. She was encouraged about her treatments. It was truly a day of thankfulness to our great God. I am thinking about this as I prepare food for this year's meal. I am tearful, but they are tears of joy in having known this woman for 46 years, and mostly for the last four years of a close relationship without the burdens of resentments.

First Draft....

2009-11-18T16:04:00.000-07:00

When I walk, I think! It is my time to ponder and reflect, which perhaps explains why I really prefer to walk alone. Walking with others is a totally different experience! My thinking is often what I call "poetic wording", not poems but a poetic form of wording. I am usually frustrated when I get home because I want to write those thoughts on paper, and I cannot remember them. Today, I tried really hard to recall my words; in fact, I cut my walk shorter than planned so I might remember my thoughts.

Here is the first draft of those thoughts, and I hope to revise them in the next days and have a poem.

crisp winter blue of Colorado sky

interrupted by blazing white as the sun waves its good-bye.

lonely moments fade in the majesty of this day;

a singular beauty peaks far in the west

shouting praises to its Creator.

listen. can you hear the sounds?

silence speaks.

see His beauty--feel His glory.

come near Him as your gaze looks up to...

crisp winter blue of Colorado sky

interrupted by blazing white as the sun waves its good-bye.

What a beautiful day it is! Days like this remind me of the many reasons to love this area....one of them being the pleasant fall-winter days after a snow storm.

10 days in November

2009-11-17T14:44:00.000-07:00

I just returned from Oregon yesterday...delights with the grandchildren and good conversations with our adult children. Here are the highlights:

1. Wonderful worship at Cascade and Hope churches and hearing Kyle and Jason preach.

2. Birthday dinners with five of my favorite people and their families.

3. Visiting each of the grandchildren's schools and classrooms.

4. Reading with Rynn as she learns how this is all working.

5. Playing with Molly and her new baby, Sammy.

6. Creating with Eleanor and listening to her very vivid imagination.

7. Talking and cuddling with Jack...what a conversationalist!

8. Getting giddy on my margarita with Gretchen on her birthday...and the surprised look on Jack and Molly's face as she donned a sombero!

9. Devouring tapas with Jason and Caroline at Pambiche.

10. Coming home to my hubby after such a long time away.

November Birthdays

2009-11-04T16:49:00.001-07:00

We have a bevy of birthdays this month! Opa's was November 3; Terry and I cherish the celebration we enjoyed last year for his 90th. Oma was having a great day, and we enjoyed a wonderful meal together. We miss the folks! Then, Molly is next...November 6. She will be 4 years old. I am flying into Oregon on Friday to help with the celebrations! Her picture is from this summer (with her cousin Ella who is a couple of weeks older). Then, our Gretchen turns 35 on November 8. Her picture was taken the day she flew home in August. She doesn't look a day over 25! Following on the heels of her day is Jason's #38, November 11. His picture (and Caroline's) is from the infamous hiking trip in June. Very appropriate....Jason loves the mountain hikes! Next, Jack turns 6 on November 13 (a Friday this year!). His picture was taken the same day as Molly's...with cousin Eli and Elena. I love the green shirt on him...what a handsome boy! That day was Uncle Lawny's birthday! Our last November birthday is Caroline's #35 on November 14...she doesn't look a day over 25!

It is hard to believe the "children" are all entering the last half of the thirties...am I that old? Yes, I am. Wow! Then, the grandchildren are growing faster than a speeding bullet. They will be married and having our great-grandchildren before we know what has happened. Do I sound like the folks? A sure sign of aging...when you sound like your parents.

We also have two Peterson birthdays (Terry's sister and family) in November....Larry turns 64 on November 15 and Miss Lily turns 3 on November 29. Now, what was everyone doing in February so we can enjoy these MANY birthdays in November?

Oh, my head!

2009-10-28T17:05:00.001-06:00

MORE than 12 inches right now (5 p.m.) and it is still snowing...i would guess about 18 inches! I just shoveled for 45 minutes, and the walk is already beginning to cover again. It is pretty! A very wet snow. This is much like Christmas 2006...remembering Jason and Rynn and Caroline playing happily in the snowbanks for hours. No one here to enjoy that today! I am watching from inside right now.....

Schools are closed today!

2009-10-28T07:21:00.001-06:00

Pictures are worth a thousand words.

And, 6-12 more inches predicted for today continuing into tomorrow.

My new top ten list...as requested!

2009-10-26T16:34:00.000-06:00

This young man of 60 years requested a new top ten list...he is the only one reading this blog faithfully! SO, in Terry's honor, I am making a new top ten list to share with cyberspace.....

Top Ten reasons I love this man:

1. He is still really cute after 48 years.

2. His indulgence of my wanting to visit the kids and grandchildren constantly.

3. His never complaining about how I spend our money.

4. He loves to go to the knit shop with me to see the "girls" (and eat the goodies).

5. He shares so much life history with me...and we have grown in the same direction because of this history.

6. He has learned to enjoy reading with some prompting from me.

7. His integrity and strength of character.

8. His patience with my not working right now.

9. Our common values in so many areas...especially on $$ for cars, jewelry, etc (luxury items).

10. He really enjoys handing out candy on Halloween and commenting on each costume.

The list could go on and on, but you get the picture. This is a lesson in Contentment 201.

My top ten list for today

2009-09-30T13:06:00.000-06:00

Today I am home and very content to be here. After a challenging day of substitute "babysitting", I am cleaning house and putting stuff away and rearranging plants....you get the picture. Contentment 101.

So, I have a top ten list for today:

1. watching the sunrise this morning...pink!

2. enjoying the last cup of coffee in my pjs

3. recycling all those magazines piled up around the house

4. having lunch with Terry

5. the reds and yellows of the trees beginning to appear around the neighborhood

6. fall light...I love the light this time of year; it sparkles!

7. dusting the photos of our children, their families, and the grandchildren...brings a smile

8. using Oma's cheese slicer and thinking of her

9. listening to some classical and gospel CDs

10. spending time in the Scripture and praying for family, friends, and churches

AND, I cleaned the house (most of it anyway) today....ahhhh, nice!

Contentment 101.

2009-09-22T16:20:00.000-06:00

Today is Joan and Fred's 66th wedding anniversary. How fitting that we put them to rest on Sunday in Fraser, Colorado. The setting is absolutely inspiring! As you sit on the benches, you look out over the Continental Divide and the Fraser Valley. This area was one of the folks' favorites. The church there has built a lovely memorial garden, and we are grateful for this resting place for Joan and Fred. There is even room for other family members. Something to think about as we age.

Playtime with my mac

2009-09-14T15:04:00.000-06:00

I have been playing around with the mac and some photos...I did not get the greatest pictures while we were in Oregon. After several attempts, blurry images, and frustration, I noticed the camera was on manual focus! Lost opportunities! So, I have been playing with some of my blurry images. I like the way these framed and the black and white. Of course, the subject matter is near and dear to my heart....Enjoy.

Times together

2009-09-09T08:17:00.001-06:00

This past week Terry and I traveled to the Northwest. What a gorgeous part of the U.S.! Eugene has such a grand setting. We visited a couple of wineries; Jack snapped a picture of us and Kyle and Gretchen on the patio of Sweet Cheeks Winery. He was so proud! Then, after a few days relaxing in Eugene we drove to Portland. We spent one night there before heading to the forest in Washington. Lovely trees, beautiful waterfall, and great camping. On our way home, we ventured across Montana stopping in Missoula and Bozeman. Bozeman is beautiful! The drive from there to Fort Collins is spectacular...very dramatic, barren hills, mountains, and valleys. We think it is beautiful! It was good to be home after driving for two days...we wish everyone was not so far away, but we are grateful they each live is wonderful places to visit.

Now...the routine of fall and work begins. Summer is officially over.

Prayer and contentment go hand in hand

2009-08-26T08:28:00.000-06:00

I have been reading a book about prayer (A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller) which has been a feast of thought about my prayer life. Over the past two years I have read two other books about prayer. All three have proved to be convicting. Then, yesterday as I read one of the blog sites I visit daily, I set goals for this coming year regarding the state of my heart. The goals I will not share right now, but some of the thoughts roaming inside my head I will share:

Life crowds out prayer.

The reasons for going to Jesus is weariness, being overwhelmed with life, and my general messiness. (How often have I heard this over the years?)

Prayer in the presence of the Father is a FEAST. He calms and quiets my soul like a weaned child with his mother (Psalm 131:2).

When God casts me down, I must be CONTENT to lie still until He bids me stand up as His Spirit enables me to stand up.

Contentment comes by SUBTRACTING from my wants and desires, not by adding to what I want.

As I mull these ideas over and over in my head, I am praying they will move to my heart and change my behavior. And, I know by His power at work within me, given time, it will happen. Learning to wait for the change is part of the change in becoming truly content. Today, my prayer is simply, "Help me, Jesus."

Have some time?

2009-08-21T10:20:00.001-06:00

This picture is called "And then there was light". Incredible! Beauty to be shared.

This week I have been consumed with the mundane...substitute applications, oil changes, selling Fred's car, eating healthy foods, walking, knitting...

Then, as I was browsing a new knitting magazine I found a website to visit. From there I spent over two hours browsing incredible artsy sites.

The catalyst was www.aliedwards.typepad.com Look at her entry for August 19? where she links to about ten or so others. They gathered for a creative weekend, friends of creativity and life. The sites are FUN and inspiring! That creative itch was calling for me to scratch it! Yesterday I bought some paper and some gel to do a collage...and today I am starting on a photo book for our Eleanor. After that, one for Miss Molly. Then? Time will tell.

So, if you have some time to kill, spend it on the internet browsing the sites I mention and enjoy an artsy day!

Rejoicing no longer

2009-08-05T17:02:00.000-06:00

Well, after the inspection of the Little home the buyer has backed out of the contract. Bummer! So, we keep praying for another person to love this home, seemingly just a house.

Evaluating my circumstances

2009-08-05T09:23:00.000-06:00

Perhaps my favorite author of the past few years, as far as Christian books are concerned, is Sinclair Ferguson. In his book Faithful God, a commentary on the book of Ruth, he writes,

"We must never limit the purposes of God, as though he were doing only one thing at a time in only one person and one place at a time--here and now in me. God is intimately aware of us and deeply concerned for our welfare. But, his providential purposes, which include me, do not center on me, as though what he is doing in me could be isolated from everything else he is doing. No, God's purposes criss-cross and zigzag, and cross-fertilize one believer's life with that of an unbeliever, or one believer's experience with another believer. He is always simultaneously and contemporaneously doing several things in several lives. The deeper significance of what God is doing lies well beyond the lifetime of the central characters in a circumstance."

What he is doing in my life right now has significance far beyond what I can see or understand or even imagine. This challenges me to listen to him well and trust him implicitly...He is a faithful God!

A side note!

2009-08-02T16:48:00.000-06:00

We sold the folks' home. Closing in two weeks with a cash buyer from Washington state. Amazing...we are rejoicing! Now, the CAR! Anyone need a 2001 mini-van for a good price?

A few more pics of the Parker visit

2009-08-02T16:28:00.000-06:00

Jack and Molly loved the beach in Grand Lake. The water was cold, but that did not stop them from enjoying it! Molly would take a break now and again...she was shivering!
These two LOVE my "hot water bath", as they call it. It is our jacuzzi tub, and they love to make bubbles. They are the abominable snowmen!

Kyle has family in Longmont, so Gretchen divides her time when visiting between us and her Longmont family. Jack and Molly have cousins there...each time they are together it is as if they have never parted. We celebrated Uncle Lawny's birthday on July 19 with lunch after church.

What is amazing...Ella and Molly, Jack and Eli are the same heights! They have been each year when they gather....all four will be tall adults most likely. Elena is also a tall second grader. We always measure and chuckle at their similar sizes!

Looking at these pictures is fun. We miss the vibrations and action of a house full of children...Rynn and Eleanor, Jack and Molly--they fill our home with love and joy--along with their parents! Thanks for the visits this summer, our childrens!

Buckets of fun!

2009-07-29T08:48:00.000-06:00

Gretchen surprised me for my 60th birthday! On Monday, July 13, I had just arrived home from a much needed short trip to the grocery; I was exhausted after a week of working at the Loveland home and doing a massive garage sale. That morning and into the afternoon, I finished cleaning and mopping the floors. I was physically tired, but mentally exhausted! The dog began barking, and I followed his bark to the front door....three sweet faces peered at me from the porch and two sweet voices shouted, "Grammy, grammy!" Oh, my! I was a bit overwhelmed due to my lack of energy...what a wonderful gift for my birthday! Gretchen and the children stayed two weeks, and we had a grand time! The house once again was full of energy and activity, and voices and toys! Young parents, just enjoy these days of activity for the days of quiet and clean houses will come and last longer than the years of children's messes and voices and demands. The morning sound of little ones is precious and delightful!

Gretchen has other family here besides us, so she was busy seeing all of the family while here. This kept the pace a movin'! Molly actually took to Obie this visit. YEAH! She has had a fear of dogs from early in life due to no event, just fear. Obie had no place to go this visit, so she had to endure his presence...and she is no longer afraid of Obie. We did the park one day, played in the outdoor pool in our backyard, visited with cousins and Grandma in Longmont, went to the Buffalo BBQ in Grand Lake, saw some beautiful elk (and a moose, a marmot, mountain goats), went fishing. Jack caught two fish all by himself...no help from Pops. He was SO excited. The conversation with Kyle was the most delightful part...wish it was recorded. He left a message for Kyle...he caught a fish, a MASSIVE fish; well, maybe not massive.... Then, Molly got a fish. What fun! All four grandchildren fished with Pops this summer, and all four enjoyed the time fishing. Hopefully, this can become a summer outing! Super time with my family this summer! The only one missing was Kyle, so it was not PERFECT...but, I will see him in August!

As a post note, turning sixty is sobering. My goal of early married life and children was to reach 50 years because my parents did not, nor my sister Lydia. When I arrived at 50, I realized how short sighted it was...so I looked forward to more years. But, how did I get here....60? I have had some trouble with my right hand and wrist since February, and the pain reminds me daily of my body's age. When it is gone, I am certain there will be other reminders from my body! Those wrinkles just keep comin'. The grey is increasing. I say things only your grandparents stated!

And, then I remember "the joy of the Lord is my strength", and I delight in the "days the Lord has made" for He has "ordained each one of them before I came to be". I am in transition, beginning to think about working in the fall (who knows where?), looking forward to a trip to California with my sisters and one to Oregon in late August, thinking about the loss of Joan and Fred and what that means for us here in Colorado, and wondering what the Lord is doing with me right now....

Cleaning House

2009-07-11T22:42:00.000-06:00

Today about 6:30 p.m. Terry, Susie, Larry, and I...along with some incredible help from Laverne and Chris (dear friends of Joan and Fred)....finished the garage sale. We began Wednesday evening and spent the days until now working diligently to clear out, sell, give away, and throw away thirty years of living in one house (not to mention just 65 years of marriage). The house is EMPTY! It echoes and no longer seems like the home of Joan and Fred Little...too much gone and changed to reflect their personalities and lives. We celebrated the end of the work, enjoyed the dollars earned, and reflected on missing Joan and Fred's voices and interaction in our lives. Now, we put the house on the market and hopefully sell it quickly. Monday the outside will be painted; we have some yard work to do; we have the car to sell. An end of a generation in our family.

I don't think I like clean houses very much.