The Icing on My Birthday Cake

The first weekend in May we traveled to Moorhead, MN...right up there next to Fargo, ND...to see our son, Will, graduate from Concordia College. It was a weekend full of moments I will cherish forever. Will graduated on my birthday...what a great gift!

Here are a few random "highlights" of the trip:

I traveled to Fargo via airplane with Sissy (my sister Carol), Mom and Dad, and Aunt Jean (the sweater maker). On the way home we were joined by Jessie and my honey. The experiences in the airports and on the planes are a book in themselves! I will try to be brief.

My sister and I had quite the time juggling carry on bags, purses, etc and three wheelchairs on the way there. Most of the time we only had one airport person helping. The end of the trip was much easier as we had four extra hands, and Aunt Jean insisted she did not need a wheelchair.

When we left the hotel in Fargo, my honey somehow managed to squeeze the seven of us including our seven PLUS suitcases in the vehicle he had rented. He put us in first, then stuffed the bags around us! Thank goodness it was only a 5 minute ride. My honey was the "chauffeur extraordinaire" all weekend, taking good care of my parents and aunt. Thanks, honey.

I sat next to Aunt Jean on all of the flights, and she was quite entertaining. At times the conversations just went in a circle as she is beginning to suffer from short-term memory loss so therefore repeats herself...OFTEN. But other times she filled me in on some pretty funny stuff. Like how my Grandmother didn't like to fly because her "legs weren't long enough". And how Aunt Jean once had something engraved with her name, which at the time was "Jean Large". The instructions said to engrave Jean Large so they engraved JEAN all in caps! She also said that flying above the clouds makes her feel like she is in heaven. I agree...it is a spectacular sight.

At the baccalaureate and graduation ceremony sweet grandlittle bird Cailyn was quite the entertainment. She tried to persuade her mommy to leave every couple of minutes by either saying she wanted to go to the potty or go bye-bye. Her face lit up when she saw "Unca Wheeeeeel! My face lit up when she was sitting in her GP's lap and said "Grandy, Happy Birthday". It doesn't get any better than that!

My honey sent me a text the day of graduation as I was seated in the auditorium waiting for him to park the car. The text said "sorry, too late, doors locked, can't make it". Funny guy.

Will singing with the Concordia Choir is always a highlight. We got to hear them three times during the weekend. They make the most beautiful music and I know he will miss being a part of that group. I am so glad he had that experience during his years there at Concordia.

One night as I was getting ready for bed I reached in my bag for the toothpaste. I put the toothpaste on my brush and began to brush my teeth...but it wasn't toothpaste...it was cortisone cream! Disgusting! In the future I will make sure I have my glasses on when preparing to brush my choppers so as not to make that mistake again.

All in all, it was just a perfect weekend. All the little birds were there and of course the grandlittle bird, Cailyn. Will was surrounded by aunts, uncles, grandparents, siblings, a niece and friends. We were all so proud of him and are excited to see what he does in the future. I know he will be heading to NYC to hopefully use his degree in theatre performance.

Break a leg, Will!!

News from the "Barn Widow"...

So my honey has been very busy over the last several months mixing and pouring the cement floor of his barn. This is a very long process. First you have to frame it...then mix it...then pour it...then smooth it out (there is a technical term for that, I just don't know what it is!)...and then, of course, there is the "watching it dry"!

If dreams were real...

I would have been content to stay in mine all night.

I closed my eyes and tried...I wished with all my might.

But this dream was just a blip in time, too fleeting to retain.

A nano second spent with you, but precious, just the same.

You laid upon the floor, pulling up upon your knees.

Your smile was like sunshine, your eyes looked right at me.

I gently picked you up, and held you in my arms.

You snuggled on my shoulder. I'll keep you safe from harm.

The moment was so real, but soon came to an end.

It really was not you, but a message that you sent.

"I just stopped by to say that I love you too, Grandy.

But I am happy here. They take good care of me!"

I miss you, oh so much, an ache is in my heart...

my sweet grandlittle bird, Carter, each day we are apart.

At night I'll close my eyes and pray that it's your plan

to meet me in my dreams so I can see you once again.

XXXXOOOO

Are you Presbyterian?????

YESSSSSS!!!...My honey and I have finally found a church that we KNOW we can settle in to. It has been a long and grueling process. We have visited EVERY little country church...and a few larger ones...within a 15-20 mile radius of our home. We thought we found "the one" about 6 months ago...but when getting up and going to church on a Sunday morning became a "chore", we knew that our search was not finished.

After expanding the search in a westerly direction...having already exhausted the south and east (the north does not offer much in church selection)...we have found a beautiful Presbyterian church. They offer two types of worship services...traditional (which brings us back to our Presbyterian "roots") and contemporary (which we have come to love since ECC in Minnesota). It is a "healthy" church with lots of ways to get involved!!

This morning my honey and I went to the first contemporary service (they have two of each type on a Sunday morning) and actually moved up a few rows when we sat. We usually start near the back and work our way up as we become more comfortable. This was our 4th visit and we are already "movin' on up"...a GREAT sign!

After the first set of praise music it was time to greet those around you. We turned around, and seated behind us were the two cutest couples I have ever seen. They were dressed in their "Sunday best", from suits and ties to beautiful dresses (the only thing missing were the hats!)...and yes...they were in their mid-70s. While shaking my hand, one of the ladies said "this is quite the lively service!" I replied that "they do offer a traditional service in the Sanctuary..." but before I could get any further in my description of the service (ie. organ music, hymns and a 70-person choir...or so I have read), she then said "are you Presbyterian?"

Now the humor in this question is only understood if you ARE Presbyterian. This contemporary service had a full praise band complete with drums, bongos, violin, keyboard, base guitar, lead guitar, and an awesome praise singer. The music was loud and exciting. The congregation was exuberant and engaged...complete with hands raised and clapping. I am certain that these two couples had NEVER experienced this kind of worship in their lives...and most definitely not in a Presbyterian church!!

I quickly answered "YES!", but did not have a chance to say anymore because the "greeting time" was over and the music had begun again.

I wonder what they were thinking??? I wonder where they came from?? I wonder how they became unsuspecting visitors who stumbled upon this room full of "crazies" claiming to be Presbyterians?? I wonder if they will give it another try on another Sunday?? I wonder if they will find their way to the sanctuary with the organ and the choir??

I hope that they do not "give up" their search...but remain persistent until they feel comfortable enough to sit in the front row...with their hearing aids turned off, of course!!!

Bunco Buddies

After much planning and after several long months I finally got a Bunco League together. We have been meeting once a month and really having a good time!...at least I am having a good time!

These girls are so much fun to be around! We are quite the collection of characters...coming together through friends of friends of friends. We had a tough time getting the 12 needed players, so everyone was asking literally everyone they knew if they wanted to play. Some are silver friends...some are gold friends...some are sisters by blood...some sisters by chance...some are (rather,were) strangers...but we are all now Bunco "buddies".

The group is made up of the Minnesota transports, L and L...two of the original Bunco "buddies" from our group there and my dear silver friends. Even though they are not sisters by blood, they have been told on more than one occasion that they look like sisters. This past month someone lovingly referred to them as the "Bobbsey Twins". There are my two sisters...Sissy and M3...and Sissy's gold friends, JU and B...and B's friend JB. Then there are two of my gold friends, who are also ex-coworkers, JJ and K...and our newest member, K's littlebird JM. We are still short one regular player, but another of my gold friends is filling in for the time being. We are hoping to talk her into becoming a regular.

Every time we play we giggle until our sides hurt. Of course the wine is plentiful...which helps to keep the mood light!

In case you don't know what Bunco is, it is a game of chance using dice. You are seated at three tables of 4 players. You roll for a number from 1-6, getting points for each correct number rolled during a round.

Everyone has their own special method of rolling the dice...drawing their "luck" from some very strange and comical ways of doing this. Some talk to the dice(nicely and not so nicely)...blow on them...rub them on weird areas of their bodies...oh yes...this definitely happens!! Then there is the wrist snap roll...the soft and gentle roll...the two-fisted roll...the quick roll...just to name a few.

There is always confusion! At the end of every round you move to another table depending on whether you won or lost the round. It seems that a few Buddies have a tough time remembering which table to move to. At times it resembles musical chairs...and someone is always left standing trying to figure out where to sit.

The food is plentiful and delicious...the wine is chilled to perfection...the laughter is contagious...and the "sisterhood" shared by those that were a group of strangers just a few short months ago, is priceless. I am certain that this group will give me plenty to blog about each month.

Survival Kit for Life

One of my Minnesota Bible study friends...who was actually from Pennsylvania!...gave me the most clever gift one year for my birthday. I came across the "survival kit for life" list while looking for another list I kept..."crazy things I was asked while working in a church office"...didn't find that one...but will keep looking until I find it. It will make for a most comical blog!

So the "survival kit for life" is a list of items that you can easily carry in your purse...and the explanation as to why you may need them...and it goes like this...

Toothpick...To remind you to pick out the good qualities in others. MATTHEW 7:1

Rubber band...To remind you to be flexible, things may not always go your way, but they will work out. ROMANS 8:28

Band-Aid...To remind you to heal hurt feelings, yours or someone else's. COLOSSIANS 3:12-14

Pencil...To remind you to list your blessings every day. EPHESIANS 1:3

Eraser...To remind you that everyone makes mistakes and that it's okay. GENESIS 50:15-21

Gum...To remind you to stick with it, and you can accomplish anything with God. PHILIPPIANS 4:1

Mint...To remind you that you are worth a mint. JOHN 3:16

Hug and Kiss (Hershey's candies)...To remind you that everyone needs a hug and kiss every day. 1 JOHN 4:7

Teabag...To remind you to relax daily and to go over that list of blessings.
1 THESSALONIANS 5:18

Thanks, Sal, for giving this list to me! I hope that all of you find it to be valuable!

A little bird told me....

Once upon a time one of my sweet little birds may have mentioned that my wardrobe needed to be updated. You know what it's like...you get comfortable in the old blue sweatpants with the elastic at the ankles...the teeshirt you have had since high school...and the sneakers that you have several pairs of the same style...all in varying stages of wear...one for "good"...one for "workout" and one for "working in the yard".

I know I am not alone here...because the other day at the hairdressers I sat next to a woman that had on the same sneakers that I wore for years. And in discussing the "comfortableness" (is that a word???) of them, she, too, mentioned having several pairs. I used to get a new pair every year for Christmas! After much prodding by my children I did finally ditch the sneakers and tried a pair a bit more "in the now".

Now I have tried several different brands of sneakers but have not...as of this point in time...ever found a pair as comfortable as the originals. But, for the sake of keeping the peace at home, I will not go back!

After all...nothing ever stays the same. And I do enjoy being experimental...like the time I had red hair! Ohhhhhhhhhh...so daring!

So, it was time to give my page a "new look". You like????