Illumination

Good morning son! How's the light in heaven this morning? That's rhetorical question. Brilliant and above my imagination. I know. Light and illumination has been on my mind all week. Our lives depend on it in so many ways. I know I often take light for granted, until I don't have it. As I mature in life, grow older in case your didn't catch it, it becomes even more necessary. I can remember when your grandpa and grandma we're having their new house built in Oakdale and the contractor asked grandma what color of paint she wanted on the living room walls. Her reply, without hesitation, was WHITE! I want everything white. She told me later that she'd found as she got older the white reflected the light so much better and as she aged she need more light. I find that true as well. However, I'm not at a place where I can have everything painted white as of yet, that would be your Auntie Di! I still need my color even if it's just an accent wall. Speaking of which, with the exception of painting our front door, our entry (lobby) to our home is complete.

Lobby before

and after

After

 Adding the color was wonderful, but ridding the lobby of the cobwebs and dirt was a feeling of satisfaction beyond measure. It's another reason to not wait on someone else to do something sometimes. The landlord asked us two years ago to not do anything because they were going to put paneling on all the walls. That hasn't happened and I couldn't stand it any longer. I think I told you about the supply list last week but just in case you forgot, the perfect yellow paint for the walls, I think the full gallon at Habitat was $7, two rolls of border, $1.98 and less than a cup of my quart of high heat paint for the heater about $1 and two 6' pine board for shelves, $9.95. I figure, other than the weeks work of scrubbing and cleaning,

materials cost us between $13-15. And mama is happy. You know what they say, "When mama's not happy, nobody's happy".  I learned to use the table saw this week too. I wanted to build the shelves  in the "door that goes to no where" in our hallway. I drew up the plans, figured how much and what type of wood I would need, measured and cut. Dad taught me how to set up the saw and gave me tips and help as I put lumber to saw blade. Once I had everything painted I leveled and installed the brackets and shelves. They came out pretty good even if I do say so myself. We did this work in the basement since it was a small project but we'll move the saw up to the deck this week and cut to my hearts content! I'm drawing up plans now for a table I want to make for the front porch out of the reclaimed wood we picked up roadside a

couple of weeks ago. The makeover in the lobby was also a safety issue for all of us here in our home. It's very dark here in the winter and our entry light is set on a sensor. When guests leave our home it's dark in the hall until they reach the door so I wanted to put a small light in the hallway that we could leave on at night. Success! Since there wasn't an outlet in the hallway, Dad ran an extension cord under the door thresh hold and voile', light.

Yesterday I brought up the Fall decor and began. I remade the Fall wreath for the front door. I don't know what shape you would call it. The poor thing is a grapevine wreath and has been on so many doors and moved so many times over the years it has taken on a quirky shape but I use it every year anyway. I just take what I have and rework it. For me, it's not about perfection, it's about the color and the light As you know, Fall and Autumn is my favorite time of year. For dad it's Christmas, for me, it's Fall and Autumn.

I'm continuing to do some sketching and again, light, especially natural light, is playing an

important part in that sketching. Things appear so differently in the light. I remember how unhappy you were when a remake of a black and white movie would come out and they would colorize it. You always talked about what a sad thing it was for them to do that because someone had worked so hard to get the perfect lighting in the black and white shots and all that effort was lost and the light was gone when the movie was colorized. You even refused to watch your favorite movie, "It's A Wonderful Life" unless it was the black and white version. Everything we do in life uses one form of light or another. We ourselves shed light. Or at least we hope we do. I remember all the times during your final journey when you said to me, "Mom, if just one person is able to see the "light", and I knew you were talking about the Lord, or if just one person is helped in any way through this journey the Lord has me taking, just one person, then it will be worth all the pain, all the agony, all the chemo, all the drugs and the loss of my physical life. Son, you had a light, you chose to call is "JOY". 

This week Sarah shared something with dad and me and she has given her permission for me

to share it here on my blog. Although we all want to know that our lives have meaning very often we never get to see the results of our lives nor do we hear if we have made a different in any one's life. Sarah is an awesome young woman who God has placed in our lives years ago. I don't believe any of us had any idea where our lives would go so many years ago. We just saw a need at the time and God used our family. What an awesome God He is to let us share in this miracle.Here's Sarah's story, written in her own words:

Sarah Monkhouse

10-July-2013

Choosing Joy

            Aaron came into my life at a point where I needed a friend and a big brother almost more than I needed air to breathe.  My life was falling apart; I was going to have to move schools, again. I had finally found the place that I fit in. After going to twenty-four different schools, some for only a day, I was devastated to know I would be starting all over for the twenty-fifth time.  My mom was in the midst of yet another divorce and this time I was sure that I was to blame.  At the tender age of ten I just knew that somehow everything was my fault.  I can’t remember exactly how it came about but I somehow ended up in a musical comedy at my church about the ‘fourth wise man’ that got lost along the way to find baby Jesus.   It was actually quite funny and witty.  I was standing there a shy awkward kid, who was nervous about being put on a stage in front of what may as well have been a hundred thousand people, when suddenly Aaron appeared the spotlight from stage left with a booming heavenly voice.  I was in complete awe of the aura he projected, he was one of the largest people I have ever seen, and while he was physically large that is not what I mean here.   He took up more space than seemed possible and radiated happiness and had a lightness that filled the whole building.  I knew this guy had something I wanted; if I could just be like that I was sure nothing would ever bother me again. 

All of this musical frivolousness was happening just as the rug was yanked from beneath my feet and I was looking for a safe place to land; my mother and I were again without a place where we felt safe.  Aaron and his parents, who would later become affectionately known in our family as Auntie Jan and Uncle Ray, took my mother and I into their house at a pivotal point in our lives.  I am not sure if it has been clear enough to this point, but it was Christmas and we were alone.  They made it the most memorable Christmas possible. Ray was a dead ringer for Santa and Jan easily met the qualifications to be his Mrs. Clause.  Their whole house perfectly captured the spirit of the Christmas Season.  It had the aroma of a hot oven bursting with homemade bread plopped down in the middle of a freshly snowed on forest, it had tiny villages and ice skaters gliding on impossibly smooth sheets of ice.  I later came to know that their house was a winter wonderland year round.  That Christmas I learned how to play so many different board games that I dreamt of what move I would make next as I slept.  We made ornaments, homemade cinnamon rolls, and in the end learned what it was like to be a normal stable family.   It was a lesson I will never forget and I treasure being able to pass along the feeling of that holiday to my own children as we grow and set our own traditions as a family.

After the holidays came to pass Aaron and his family helped us get our house set up, redecorated and turned into a place where my mom and I would be happy living.  My mom wasn’t as changed by the experience as I was.  She went back to her old habits, but I always remembered what it was like to be a normal family.  I have instilled the values he and his family showed me into the family I am raising with my husband.  After a couple great years of friendship Aaron ended up moving away and getting married, in the meantime I was wrapped up in school and getting started with my own life.  We tried to keep in touch but got too busy becoming adults and drifted apart. 

Then the most wonderful thing happened!  I found him on Facebook.  Who’d have ever guessed that Facebook would do something good?  As we planned out a visit, caught up on each other’s lives, and made travel arrangements, he dropped a bomb out of the clear blue sky. He told me he had cancer. He said it without a touch of hostility or self pity. The kicker was it was terminal and he was not going to live for very much longer.  I was overwhelmingly angry.  How in the world could this happen to a man who brought so much good to the world?  As I tried to choke back the tears and conceal my anger at the unjustness of life, he told me he had made a choice.  He told me his choice was joy.  I was flabbergasted.  What did he mean he ‘chose joy’, he was dying. He was happily newlywed to an amazing woman named Kristin. Now he was not going to be a father, would never grow old with his bride and would never know the feeling of honor that came from being called “sir” after growing to old age.  There was nothing joyful about the situation in my eyes.

A few weeks later my husband and I loaded our son and bags into the car and started our drive up to Oregon, to say what I was certain would be a long tearful goodbye to one of the biggest bright spots in my past.  Little did I know that when I got up there everything would change.  I got to meet the man that my friend had become.  He was still just as committed to God, but held no judgment against anyone, something that many Christians battle with in this day and age.  He could think of not one negative word to say about anyone.  What I was most amazed by though, was the fact that he was still him.  He was still doing standup comedy shows, treating his wife and dog like they were the most incredible creatures to walk the planet in the history of the natural world,  making time to have meals with his parents and most of all bringing light to the lives of the people he saw daily for his treatment.  

As I spent those few days with him and saw that he meant it, that he really had chosen joy, I got a new perspective on life.  If this man who had every right to be angry could smile and bring good to the world then what reason did have not to do the same?  I decided right then and there that I too would choose joy.   Aaron had gotten sleeve tattoos and done some fun things with his hair upon finding out that he would not have to worry about what they would look like when he grew up, because of this he knew a fantastic artist.  I went with him to get “Choose Joy” tattooed on my shoulder before I hit the long road home.  While we were there a woman who I didn’t know walked out from behind the curtain of the tattooing area and looked like she was surprised to see us there.  She said she was really happy to run into Aaron there because she was too excited to wait until Monday to show him what she had just done.  She had just had “Choose Joy” tattooed across her wrist.  She said she would see it every time she looked at her watch to take someone’s pulse.  It was then that I realized she was his nurse.   He had not only made a lifelong impact on my life, but the life of many others as well.  

 Aaron kept a blog (judasforgiven.blogspot.com) right up until his final days and was able to reach farther than I knew a single person could; he was gifted a trip to New York to see one of his favorite books, Wicked , performed on Broadway by a DJ in Kansas who heard his story.  He had dinner in the exclusive club 33 inside of Disneyland courtesy of a friend.  He personally gave one of his “Choose Joy” bracelets to Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt while on a trip to Knott’s Berry Farm.  Most importantly though, he was able to publicly spread his story about finding joy in the face to difficulties and deciding he would be happy for the time that he had left. 

Unfortunately when I hugged him goodbye that day it would be the last time I would see him, but I am proud to say that he chose joy right up to the end.  I am also very proud to have called him a friend.   Because of him, I realized what I want to be when I finish growing up; because of him I will be an oncology nurse.  He inspired me to be the best me I can be, not only for myself but for the world around me.  The world is free to be grumpy and find the negative in life, but for me, I choose joy.

 Until next week, be Aaron, love mom

Grace Neverending

Afternoon son! How are you today? That's a rhetorical question. I already know you're great. Sorry I'm a bit late. Spent some girl time with Corey, Sierra and Josie this morning while Corey took a break from homework. We had a great visit and many laughs as always.

What would you do if I ever said we had a dull week? I don't think you have to worry about it. The weeks seem to be always full and always busy. It's been a beautiful couple of days; in the 80s with low humidity. Good playing weather and good sleeping weather. While the group was in Maine last week dad and I spent the week finally getting a handle on the entrance and hall to our home. It was a disaster. We spent three days just scrubbing and vacuuming. Fortunately, dad had the foresight to move a shop-vac with us when we moved. It had never been opened. I cleaned the lower 14 stairs and dad did the upper 14. We scrubbed all the woodwork, banister and edges and then used the shop vac for all the cobwebs and the carpet runner up the stairs. Like I said, it was a mess. The landlords haven't done in "forever"! Neither of us could stand it any longer. When I used the shop vac on the hall way I thought it was going to pull the carpet up. We spent the next two days painting and putting up a border; all for $9! The Lord gave me a gallon of yellow paint and two rolls of wall paper border at Habitat Resale for $9. If I had gone to Home Depot to pick out the perfect yellow It wouldn't have been this great! And, it was a full gallon! The packages of border had never been opened and they were heavy duty vinyl. It's an Americana print with "Old Glory". Matches perfectly like it was made for the project. Well actually, it was.

There is no electrical outlet in the lobby or hall so we're fixing that today so we can put a small lamp there. The wiring in the old house is something you don't want to mess with so while I was off having fun this morning, dad took up the threshold. We'll run an extension cord from the outlet inside out door, under the threshold and to the lamp. There's always a way in "Jannie Land", as dad says. Dad is so great about all the projects. I just never seem to stop and he just goes right along and does what needs to be done. The overhead light is on a sensor and you have to be standing right under it to get it to come on. It's dangerous for dad at night so we'll fix that little problem with a lamp I already have. The lamp has a lamp base with a 4" star. I repainted it from a light blue to red, covered the lamp shade with left over wall paper, added a yellow gold trim and voile', a new lamp for the hall!

Last weekend I brought the shutters in from the front porch decor, since that's all about to change, painted them red. They will become the headboard for the bed in the guest room. Let me tell you, painting four, six foot shutters with a brush is no small feat! But, I have a gallon of red paint and I'm not about to buy red spray paint when I have all of that. Anyway, it's all done, the painting that is.

I don't remember if I told you or not, but dad and I picked up a load of reclaimed 1" x 4" wood on the side of the road last week. I am in heaven! Well, not literally, so don't start looking for me just yet, but you know what I mean.  I am so excited I can hardly stand it. I thought we'd get to build some planters and "candle" boxes this week but unfortunately, the State of New York seems to have other ideas. I have jury duty! Can you believe it? I know. In 64 years I don't get called until I'm 60 and now at 64. What have they been waiting on for crying out loud. I think they just waited until I retired to be ornery. 

God continues to provide grace for this life. Just when I think He can't surprise me any more He does it again and I again am amazed. Grace...God's unmerited favor! I am reminded ever day of God's grace and how little I merit that gift, but God continues to give it. As I struggle through the ups and downs of my daily life I am eternally grateful that I have the Lord. I know, without a doubt, without it there would be no reason to remain. Oh yes, I've thought about that. Sometimes just the daily struggles of life become so heavy. God holds me and reminds me that although what I'm struggling with at the time may seem laughable to some He knows the grip of the struggle for me. He's never promised a life without struggle, but He does assure me that He will be there to hold me through it. It also helps me to understand that when I see someone else struggling with something and I want to make a face and say, "Oh get over it.", for them it could be it's more unbearable than they can handle. So, I need to use caution and be aware that a struggles depth of meaning is known only to the bearer of the struggle and God.

God's grace is sufficient.

Until next week, be Aaron, love mom

What's In Your Dash?

Good morning son! Well, here we are, you and me on Sunday mornings just like old times. I'd get you ready, then I'd get ready and then we'd wait for dad to get ready! You'll be happy to know that not much has changed: more great memories that we thought we were making for you, turned out to be for us. Dad walked entirely too much yesterday and I would imagine he was up with leg cramps last night because the lotion is out on the counter and it's 9 AM and he's still sleeping. That's something you never saw in our home while growing up! It's good that we both can now. Sleeping until we want to get up is a luxury that we very much enjoy.

It's been another full and busy week, dad taking care of the neighbor's cat and me helping with the kids for a portion of the week. Miss Josie and I made a summer wreath for their front porch door. Darn, I should have taken a picture. Anyway, it's pink, white and purple. She says it's a family wreath but it has the word "princess" blazoned" across the front in pink lettering so you

can take that with a wink and a nod! She wanted to do her own hot-melting so dad and I bought her a Cool-Melt glue gun. All metal and parts that heat are coated so if she bumps it or gets up against it she doesn't get burned. She's a lot like her Aunt Jan though. She had to try it for herself so as it was heating she put h fingers to the tip of the gun and yelled, "Aunt Jan, it's HOT, not COOL". It's not hot enough to burn her unless she just "hangs on" but she didn't. I had to explain again that it has to get hot to melt the glue but it's padded and coated so you can't accidentally burn yourself but that you don't intentionally see if you can get burned. She determined that she didn't want to glue anything on, she'd just tell me what to do. Some things never change! As she was instructing me in wreath making she got out some birdhouses and decided she'd paint. A few minutes later I looked over and she had her hot melt gun and was gluing some decorations onto her birdhouse.

Another exciting and scary milestone this week; Sierra got her driver's license!! Woo hoo! The scary thing is, that she's old enough to do that. She graduates in May 2014. I'm telling you, it's as though time is a whisper in the wind and it's giggling, "bye-bye, bye-bye". Sierra says we're going for coffee at Starbucks when she gets back from Maine. Let the good times roll!

We haven't seen much of Hunter, Trey or Dylan, or better known as the "B Boys", this summer. They're busy too and schedules just haven't meshed. I know Hunter is working and is training for high school football. 

This coming week dad and I do not have one single appointment on our calendars! Woo hoo! We're going to work with saws and wood and I can't wait. Since we have two neighbors that work late and sleep in the mornings we're going to do our wood work in the afternoons. In the mornings this week I'm finally going to be able to work on our lobby and front entrance. It's horrible and I can't stand it any longer. It's really pathetic and I can't wait to get started. I have my red paint for our front door and am so anxious to get it painted BUT, it's going to take a lot of cleaning before I can start painting....so hello Ray!. Even so, I am so happy to have a week to get it done. Have I told you I'm excited?

Cleaning, painting and wood work are not the adventures we had planned when we retired. At least not the only adventures. But so far, that's what our adventures have been and will be for the foreseeable future. We pay our bills and make ends meet and the Lord takes care of the needs but so far the extra for adventures is not on our horizon for us to see. That doesn't mean we don't have those dreams any longer it just means that coming back from loosing you is taking much longer than we ever thought it would. Although time is passing quickly, healing is

progressing slowly. Plus, we don't move as quickly as we use to, unless of course we're falling down stairs; then we move very quickly. We are not in this boat alone. Many, many seniors have worked hard their entire lives and are just making ends meet. We continue to pray that the Lord will help us find that little niche in this economy so we can make a few extra dollars each month so we can take an adventure once in awhile. We'll find it. In the meantime we're very grateful for a beautiful place to live, groceries and our bills paid. That's more than many, many, many people can say this morning. What is it dad always says, "Faith is believing it's so, when it's not so, so that it may be so". 

It certainly is true that life is a journey. I often think about my life and the journey. I wonder what people are doing to say about that "dash" on my tombstone, or urn, as the case may be. "Jan Jamison, Born - Died".  I hope the dash includes that I loved the Lord, I married a man that served the Lord with his whole heart and won many souls for the Lord and that I was his helpmate through life and we served together. I hope the dash will say that I raised a son who grew to be a man and servant of God, who was never ashamed of his faith or his God and joyfully went home to his heavenly father when called. I hope the dash says I was able to do the same. I hope the dash says that I helped people, that I loved my friends and cherished the trust and friendship they bestowed on me. I hope the dash says that my God was pleased with me. I hope the dash says I loved the family God gave me here on this earth whether I was every able to meet them all or not. I hope the dash says I did what I was able to help others in whatever way was possible for me to be able to do so. I hope the dash says that I share my love of God whenever possible. I hope the dash says that I was not ashamed of my relationship with my heavenly father. I hope the dash says that my life was not built around material things but of loving and caring for His sheep as He asked of me. I hope the dash says that I was a person of integrity and honesty. I hope the dash says, "you have been a good and faithful servant". That's what I hope my dash says.

Until next week, be Aaron, love mom

Subject: How Do You Live Your Dash?
I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning….. to the end
He noted he first came to her date of birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years. (1900 – 1970)
For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on this earth…
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own:
The cars…the house…the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.
So think about this long and hard….
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
That can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough
To consider whats true and real,
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile….
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.
So when your eulogy’s being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?
Author Linda Ellis

God's Gift to Me

Love this picture! It's all Aaron!

Good morning son! It's your type of weather here this morning: rain! Since dad and I have planned a quiet day today it's a perfect day for it. But, enough of that. Who wants to call heaven and talk about the weather? Maybe it's because of the beautiful day and it's raining I'm missing you more today. I woke up listening to the rain and thinking about you. Not that it takes rain for me to wake up thinking about you. Dad and I still have those brief moments when we see something and think, "I can't wait to tell Aaron, he'd love that", and then immediately realize, you already know it! You will forever be in our hearts and minds and that's the way we want it. But, as time goes along you not being here pain that will always be with us and yet the sharpness of it is fading to something we gladly carry and no longer fight.

I've been thinking about grand-children a lot lately. I think that's something people my age, however old that may be, think they will have in their lifetime. I don't think I ever thought about the possibility of not having grandchildren close by. I just always made the assumption that our daily lives would be full of grand kids because that's what we dreamed of; grand kids to read to, spend the night, spoil, bake with, celebrate with and love on. I wonder if that's true of everyone? I've always assumed that it was. I loved my grand parents so very much. I was so very lucky to have them around my entire childhood. Grandma and Grandpa Bothwell always lived next door and Mamaw and Papaw Coffman just lived five miles away in town. I spent hours with

Hey, a 2fer one!

all of them and loved being with them. I have so many great memories and I couldn't wait to make those memories with my own grand kids. God didn't see fit for that to be. I don't know why. I could tell you that it never bothers me but that would be a lie. There are times when I see my sisters and brothers and others with their grand kids that I still ask the Lord why. It's a foolish and selfish question. I'm feeling sorry for myself because they live so far away and before you even had the opportunity to have a child  God took you home. You should be the one upset. And yet I know you are not. God had a plan for you and whether either of us like it, you accepted it with grace and dignity. Have I told you lately how proud I am of you?  As for the distance between our grand kids and great grand kids, I have to leave that in God's hands. Only He has the answer.


BUT, yest I know, there's always a but! Knock it off, not butt. I think somehow you and Josie have linked. Sometimes the things that come out of that girls mouth. Anyway, what I want to say is that although life doesn't give us what we think we have to have God always gives us what is best and what we need...and sometimes, what we want. What is it that your grandma always says, "It's not your needs in life that get you in trouble, it's your wants and desires". Such a wise woman she is.  Anyhoo, while God's working on the grand kids thing He has provided me, us actually, with some of the most awesome nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews. The family has multiplied exponentially over the years. We are so very fortunate. God is good. As I've told you previously, well, you actually knew before I did, we have two new ones in California, Miles and Georgia. We haven't met them yet but we're trusting God and his timing. In the meantime we're staying connected with the families via Facebook and email and see pictures often. I don't care what anyone says, when you retire, time speeds up! I simply cannot believe that Allegra and Hannah have graduated from high school, Sierra will graduate next May, Josie will be six in January, and Corey will be __ in August. (Just had to put that in there to see if she's awake.) I'd put the actual age but I'm to far

Oh Corey!! Are you listening!!

away from my mom to protect me and dad would be laughing to hard. They all have always brought great joy to our lives. Dad in reading to them and singing silly made up songs to them like he use to do for you. Me, I just loved being with them and doing whatever they wanted to do at the moment. Now-a-days it's a little more difficult and I can't get down on the floor to play games with Josie but she understands and so we pull out the ottoman or pull up the coffee table and do them just the same. She's a competitive little bugger I mean to tell you!  We haven't been able to spend much time with Renee and her family but the time will come and we're both looking forward to it. 

Children are such amazing gifts from God. It's so amazing that He trusts us adults with them. Sometimes I think the kids have more common sense than the adults. As I get older I enjoy the times when I'm able to sit back and just watch the action and interaction. They are so clever and smart. I don't know what I would do if I had to help them with homework. It was tough enough trying to stay ahead of what you were learning and doing. But it's fun watching them be kids.

We've been here in Troy two years now and slowly but surely we're beginning to make contact with the Jamison side of the family. I've waited 42 years to be close enough to get to know this side of the family. Talk about nieces and nephews! The nieces and nephews dad remembers chancing their diapers now are changing their grand kids diapers. We've a lot of catching up to do. I will admit that when we first arrived two years ago I wanted it all to happen at once and now! God's wisdom is always best and in this case, again, it's working out in His timeline and plan. I just pray that God helps me stick to the plan.

My dreams of seeing all the places I want to see in the United States are still dreams. If they're suppose to happen they will. My longing to see all of them is just as clear and strong as they have been since I was very little and dreamed of seeing them: the Statue of Liberty, Lincoln Memorial, Ellis Island, Liberty Bell. They may be a child's dreams in the body of an old lady now but they're still my dreams and I'm the child of a King that owns the cattle on a thousand hills so it's all still possible.


It's been a super great week, full of laughter and joy, even though I just about worked dad's butt off. What little he has left any way! LOL. The guest room ready for visitors although I still have tons of decorating I still want to do. I promised you a status picture so here it is. The dresser dad and I found a couple of years ago for $35. It's been in the storage room and I pulled it out, cleaned it up and added paint.

Still needs the red shutter headboard

Until next week, be Aaron, love mom


 

Keys, Faith, Miracle

Good morning son! Evidently Jamison is going to help me write my blog this morning. He's laying on the back of the couch looking out the window. His behind is sitting on my shoulder and he seems perfectly comfortable. Talking about comfortable. The weather is finally cooperating. We just spent the last week in a heat wave. And just let me take this moment to "clear the air" when it comes to heat! There is a definite difference in heat waves. Call it "dry heat", "wet heat", whatever you want, but the heat in the San Joaquin Valley in CA is totally different than the heat in Troy NY! Most of the summer in San Joaquin Valley it was 105-108 degrees....and dry, not sticky. Here? the temp hits in the 90s and it feels like 105. And sticky? You have no idea. Dew Point and humidity play a very big part in being miserable in the heat. For the most part, we stayed in and stayed quiet. Dad's doctor was very explicit in what he expected dad to do: stay in, stay quiet and TURN THE AIR CONDITIONER ON! The doctor said so many seniors have air conditioners and try to make it with fans rather than turning the air on. He said it's very dangerous for seniors. Especially if they are taking certain types of medications. So, for the most part, that's what we did. I say "for the most part" because I couldn't actually nail his feet to the floor or his butt to the chair so a couple of times he had to learn "people that don't listen have to feel". Pain that is! The weather was really rough on our plants but we only lost a couple of smaller ones. They did drink a ton of water though. It's cooling off and the last couple of nights we were able to sleep comfortably.

I have to laugh at myself. Again. And, I do that a lot these days. I lay out plans of what I'm going to do and the time it's going to take. I'm so funny. Guess I think I'm still 30. The guest room is coming along nicely. According to my pre-planning both the guest room and the entry to our

building should be completed and I should be on to another project. As of this morning, I've not started on the entry. I have everything I need,  I didn't paint at all last week. Because of the heat and humidity the paint would have dried on the brush before I could get it smoothed out on the dresser. It was cool enough yesterday that I was able to prepare the dresser and today, hopefully, I will be able to do the painting.

 I continue to practice my sketching and am really enjoying it. Dad gives me good critique and ideas to try. Yesterday I spent a good deal of time practicing my depth perception. It pretty much looks like abstract art. Dad said this morning it's one he wants to keep because it reminds him of what he believes his mind looks like.

Auntie Di had her cataract surgery this last week and all is well. She had no pain. Fell asleep before the surgery, woke up 12 minutes later and was done. Thank you Lord.

We had a couple of interesting days this last week. Dad lost his keys! He frets so when something like this happens. We searched high and low. The first place we checked were the pants he had worn the day before nothing. I know a lot of people will have trouble believing this, but we turned the pockets inside out and nothing. We checked the pants he had on. Nothing. And remember, these are cargo pants we're checking so pockets are limitless. Dad even checked all his pants hanging in the closet. He tore the laundry room apart thinking maybe they'd fallen out in the laundry room. Nothing. He looked through all the trash containers in the house. And you know dad, when he checks, he checks. Nothing. He took a flashlight and searched the car. I looked through the car. Nothing. He checked the basement with a flashlight. Nothing. We then headed outside. Now don't forget. We have an acre lot in front of our house and because it had been so hot dad and Jamison had been taking brief walks when there was a hint of a breeze in the lot rather than their mile walk on the hill. So, we began the walk and the search. We poked and prodded the earth, Turned over leaves and branches. Wrapped Jamison's leash around trees and back around the other way to unwind. We walked the edge of the acre and criss-crossed the acre, searched the parking lot and the slope up the hill. No keys. Dad, being dad, came back into the house and re-did the house search. Nothing. As we were waling and searching the acre I was talking with the Lord. I knew how badly your dad was feeling. He just worries so when something like this happens. I'm more of a, "okay that's happened, now what do we do" person. Dad is a, "I've got to fix this" person. As I was talking with the Lord I asked him to let your dad find the keys. It would mean so much to him to know that he had solved the problem. But, like I said, at the end of our search of the acre, nothing. I had no idea what the Lord was doing. I really expected dad to find those keys right then and there. What? You mean just because I asked I wasn't going to get an immediate answer? What's up with that? We are funny creatures aren't we? Immediate gratification. We expect immediate gratification. Those darn expectations sure can get in the way sometimes don't they?  Anyway, as I think back now, I guess I was kind of disappointed that dad didn't find the keys in the acre. I guess I really did think that because I asked it was just going to happen. I immediately went on to something else however and knew there was a solution even if it meant we just had another set made and gave up on finding the other set. However, for some reason in his makeup dad doesn't have that

"give up" button. That's just who he is. Does it drive me crazy sometimes? Absolutely! Would I change him if I could? No. Because to change one single thing would be like skipping a stone on water. It would forever change the water. I love him just like he is. And because he refuses to give up, and God knows that, guess what he found the next morning? Right. His keys. Guess where they were? No, come on, guess. He was putting a load in the washer and found them in the pockets of the pants he had on the day before he noticed they were gone. The pair of pants that we had turned all the pockets inside out and had checked. It's pretty easy to take something like this and rationalize it away. But, for me, God gave a chuckle as he answered my prayer, in His timing, and allowed dad to find the keys. Pretty cool God huh.

Guess I'd best get up from here and get busy. Dad wants Jackpot Noodle Casserole tonight so I think I'll make it this morning while it's cooler and then we can just reheat. THEN, I can get to my painting!

Until next week, be Aaron, love mom

 

Moving Right Along

Good morning son! I know I've asked this many times, but where do the days go? They just disappear and then here it is Sunday again already. My picture of retirement was a lot slower than this. But, I wouldn't have it any other way. We're busy but we're doing things we want to do, when we want to do them, for the most part anyway. 

Such sad news this morning, Cory Monteith of "Glee" was found dead in a hotel in Canada this weekend.Cory Monteith  How very sad. Thirty-one years old and gone. All that talent gone. All that future gone. All the family and friends left behind. I understand the loss and I grief and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Dad and I will be praying for his family and friends. 

We're expecting some very HOT weather this week. It's predicted to be in the high 90's but the humidity is going to take it into the 100's. Dad and I spent the afternoon yesterday moving an air conditioner into the living room. The one we had in there "died". It's a smaller one but will work just fine to cool the one room which is all we need. We already have one to cool the bedroom so we can sleep.I think Jamison suffers from the heat more than we do. If we had to wear a fur coat in 100 degree weather I think we'd understand. I've never cared for a fur coat so guess that won't ever be a problem.

We're still working on the guest room. I bought the paint to redo the dresser and need to do some decorating but we've already had our first guest; Josh came over last week and spent the night. What a hoot that kid is. He reminds me so much of you. He and dad spent time organizing fishing gear. Because of storm and flash flood warnings they didn't make it to Grafton Lake , but with any luck, this week or next, weather permitting. We watched Star

Make be giggle!

Trek, Voyager and Animal Planet. Sound familiar? My intent was to get the dresser painted and the room finished this week so I could start on the entry this week. But, that didn't happen so I'll finish up this week. As with any move, whether it be distance or just a room, one move leads to another. Once we got things sorted out I had so much project stuff in my studio I now have to sort that out. The whole intent and purpose of having a large work table is to have work space when I do a project. Right now, NOT! Since I'm finally headed in the direction I've always wanted to go, Primitive, rustic and wood, much of what I have I will not need. So, I'm sorting and making a pile, a big pile, for Taylor School. All the kids have gone there and Josie, Dylan and Josh are still there.

I experienced something very surprising last week. Dad had asked me to sketch out some of my ideas for things I want to build so we'd have an idea of what we want to start. I did some rough sketches  with measurements to give him an idea. As I sat there with sketch pad and pencil in hand watching Animal Planet with Josh I started doodling. An amazing thing happened, my doodling took on an actual recognizable picture. I'm not saying they're great. It just amazed me that they were actually recognizable. Dad gave me some ideas on shading and moving things from the foreground and to the back and depth perception and I've been doodling since.

I want to do a lot of the painting "free hand" on my wood projects so now I just have to be able to transfer some of my ideas from paper to wood. I want to try out some of the new paint pens as well. You'd be in hog heaven, Sharpie has an entire line of paint pens. We use to do all of our work with Sharpies and now you can actually get them with paint. Woo hoo! Many times I've wished I had your Sharpie collection. I don't think there was a Sharpie pen color or tip design that you did not have. It will take a lot of practice but I'll get there. I am so excited about finally being able to head in the direction I've always wanted to go. This week dad is going to be spending some time with me on the saws. We have a couple of neighbors here who work late and sleep until about noon. Dad and I figure we can do the sawing in the afternoons and in the morning when everyone is sleeping we can put things together and do the painting. The back deck is a perfect place to do it all. Most of the time it is shaded and comfortable and we have our 6' table and electrical on the deck so we're good to go. Eventually we'll need to get band and miter saws but for right now we'll go with what we have.

Friday night I went to the movies with Corey, Jamo, Josh and Josie to see Despicable Me 2. The whole time we were there I could just imagine you sitting there laughing your head off. You would have loved it as much as the first one. It is SO your type of movie. The three little girls in

the movie are so adorable. I so wanted to bring them home with me. You just wanted to reach into the screen and squeeze them they are so cute. We laughed until our sides split. As always, any time spent with any of the Troy 9 is a hoot. We're going to drop by and see Corey's newly redecorated screened porch. From the picture she messaged me it looks beautiful. Can't wait to see it! That table looks small, but don't be fooled. You have to remember how many people have to fit around it!

I have to share another picture with you that Corey posted this morning on Facebook. It's a picture of Jamo and Josie sitting together. A comment was made, or question asked, "When did his arms get so long?" As I looked at them sitting there together I thought, "When Josie was born". That's when his arms got so long. When Josie was

Josie & Jamo

born. It's so hard to believe how much they have all grown since the time we've been a part of their lives. They're just all growing so quickly. In January, Josie will be six. How DID that happen? Sierra will graduate from high school next May and Hunter the next year.Life moves so quickly. And believe it or not,  at least for me anyway, even more quickly in the two years since I've been retired. As of February next year it will have been three years.

Remember your Auntie Di especially this next week. She has cataract  surgery on Monday due to chemo. Uncle Ron can use your prayers too. It's been catastrophically hot in the valley and he's had to work out in it. He'll be with Auntie Di on Monday so I'll let you know how things go. Grandma had her check up last week and she's doing great. That's always good news. Julie and family are doing well. The girls are doing good and have made friends. We're hoping to be able to take a trip next year and visit with them. 

It may seem a small thing to some, but dad and I have ordered the Sunday Times Union Albany paper. One of the things that's been difficult since we've moved to Troy is that we have no history here. It's difficult to even get interested in reading the paper because we don't have the history or know the people. So, we've started with the Sunday paper. The first arrived this morning and dad has really been enjoying his morning relaxing and reading. The more we read, the more we'll know and recognize. It's a start. It all begins with "get up and do what's in front of you". Dad use to say that to you all the time, remember? And when you were in high school he added, "but first, you've got to get up"!

Until next week, be Aaron, love mom

 

Up To The Change (Challenge)

Good morning son!! And what a beautiful morning it is. It's predicted to be another hot one. Add the thunder showers this afternoon and the humidity and I don't think dad and I will be doing much but watching a movie or two. We've been working pretty hard this week, heat and all, to get ready for the bed to arrive. Yes, we were finally able to add a bed and create a guest room. It has felt really odd to be creating a home and not have room for guests. Now we can have company! It feels so cool to be able to say that again. We've never had a home when we couldn't invite people to come and visit. Things are once again tilting to the right!

Times and lives do change. People change. Change is something we all have in common. We can accept it, take it and run with it, or, we can fight it. In the end, whichever path we choose, change is going to happen. Dad has a saying, "The only thing constant in life is change.". Not only is change constant but, it progresses in it's own time. Sometimes it happens and we don't even realize it until later. Sometimes we see it coming and have time to prepare. Sometimes we're not aware of the change that is coming and there's no time to prepare. For me,  just speaking for my life, there's been a LOT of changes over the years. God has seen fit to give me a personality that accepts change pretty well. When I was younger, much younger, change came pretty easy. As the years have passed, please note that I'm NOT saying, "as I get older", I've still been pretty acceptable of change, I don't fight it, but I can "see" this funny, quizzical look on my face as it's happening and it takes longer for the recognition of it's reality to set it. For instance, when we moved for dad's work. Most of the time dad would call and say, "I'm being transferred to, X, Y or Z". And my response was always, "Okay, let's go". As always, the company paid the expenses for US to move so we did all the work. Dad and I could pack and load a truck in less than a week. Dad had to start work the Monday we arrived. It would take me three days, count 'em, three days from the day we arrived for me to unpack, have everything in it's place, pictures hung and boxes broken down and on the curb. Now evidently, it takes the both of us two years!

We are so thankful for God's grace and patience with us as we continue to maneuver through life's changes. Whether it be a life change or a room change in our home. God is there. How do people do it without Him?
 
Dad and I have always wanted our home to be open and welcoming. Your grandpa and grandma were two of the best examples of that. I guess I came by it naturally. Dad is from the South and I know it's natural there, "Y'all come now, ya hear!". We've loved having friends and family visit, invited and unannounced. Growing up that was a daily occurrence in our home. I think it's more difficult now to get people to just drop by. Maybe it's because lives are so busy. I don't know. But times change and that's not necessarily a bad thing, just different.

I've been thinking  about you a lot this week. More than usual. All good. Maybe it was a natural thing to think, "now the kids can come and visit", while we were getting the room ready. It was just one of those fleeting moments that I have. It happens so quickly it's there and gone almost before I realize it's happened. I hope those moments never stop. At first it was really difficult to have those moments because I missed you so much. I still miss you, but the pain isn't as great. Oh shoot, I don't know how to explain it. You know what I mean. The pain is still there but with time becomes more bare-able. Clear? Oh well, you're on your own, I know what I mean.

I know I promised you "after" pictures of the guest room but I didn't get as far as I thought I would. We had been using it for storage and also had all the Christmas decorations stored there. Dad cleaned up the area down in the basement and moved everything down there. In one day I might add. I was going to change the paint color but after thinking about it I've decided to leave it the cream. I'll add color my usual way, furniture and accents. Maybe my painting days are over?  (Now that we've both stopped laughing.)

This week dad and Josh are going fishing. Dad did a "header" down in the basement last week and so they had to postpone their fishing trip until this week. No, he's fine but for the first time in a long time he had to sit all day with a package of frozen broccoli on his knee. Don't laugh, that's all I had and it worked!!

We had a quiet 4th of July. Just the way we like them. It was a good day. We talked some about all the 4ths we celebrated when you were growing up. Yes, I'm laughing here. I think the last time we did fire works together was the year before the Lord called you home! Do you have fire works in heaven? Maybe that's the lightening we see. So many unanswered questions that aren't going to matter a hoot in heaven. Funny how we wonder now. 

Today is going to be a very quiet day for us. It's time for rest and fortunately, we still have enough brain cells to recognize it. Most of the time anyway!

Until next week, be Aaron, love mom