Family Night

 

One of the best times during our week is when we get to have family dinner.  Tonight Maria and Eric came over with their girls. After dinner we had a nice walk to the river. We walk a loop around an undeveloped park. The girls love the space to run.

Mike is a weird, I mean fun, grandpa.  Here he is hiding, although not very well.

Next, we went down by the river because there were rocks there that needed to be thrown in. That is always what happens when the three necessary ingredients are present, kids, water and rocks. Right? 

Then along comes Grandpa Mike. He picked up Elise and teased her that he was going tho this her into the river, which of course she loved.

Just so you know, the water was only about a foot deep at the spot where we were standing.

Cordelia then said, "You can't do that to me! " Then she moved closer to him to be sure she got her turn.

Seriously, every kid should have such a grandpa, don't you think? 

I do worry a bit about what our neighbors think, though, when they see him loading up leaves on their car as they leave. But it is kind of fun to see the leaves flying off as they drive away, ending another fun night together.

Ucross Foundation

Another fun thing we did when Ben and Sara were here was to tour their current art exhibit at the Ucross Foundation. 

It is cool that Maria and Eric are having a joint show. We were grateful for staff for opening it up for our family to have a private, guided tour.  

Ben and Sara planned their Wyoming Trip especially to be able to see this display.

Sam had worked a night shift the night before, but was up for the day with the family as well.

This barn is the setting for the art gallery at the Ucross Foundation. This beautiful, isolated setting is a place where  creative people can be chosen to come and use their talents to paint, write, whatever.  It really is a gorgeous place.

We met this golden lab puppy, who chased anything that ran.

After he took a mud bath, we had reason to run from him! 

A tree became the get away of choice.

Isn't that a tree that needed climbed anyway? 

And then this pretty lady joined us...

Later that day we went to visit my Mom, sister and Aunt.  It was such a wonderfully full day.  It involved a lot of driving through beautiful country on a lovely day.  

And, it was a day with all three of our kids together.  That does not happen often! 

I love them.

My babies...

Lunch Break l

One of my highlights this week was when family members meet at the hospital to have lunch together.

We didn't all arrive at once so there was some waiting time.

In case you can't tell, that is chair ballet.

Chair ballet is exhausting.

Eric arrived in time to wait with us.

Even Sam joined us. Since he works a night shift, this was a rare event. I am not certain he will remember it. He was pretty tired.

I expect Sam woke up later that evening and wondered if that had been a dream. Maybe he was wondering that even at the time.

It is these small moments, the ones that kind of run together in my mind later on, that provide a background of joy for this life of mine.

And I will just end with this...

Tears and Laughter

 Mike and I have been out of town for a few days. We made a quick trip to Great Falls, MT for a funeral for Mike's Uncle Harold. This was not a pleasure trip, obviously. We kept talking about Uncle Harold and how weird it was going to be to not be able to see him whenever we go to Great Falls. We were sad, but this trip still had many moments of joy.

As is true with many funerals, they sort of evolve into family reunions. Uncle Harold was all about family and friends. Mike and I both thought he would have really enjoyed his funeral! He would have known everyone there, and there were a lot of people there! 

We saw so many people, friends we have not seen in years, relatives who live all too far away.  I wished we could all have spent more time together but we really only had one day there. It wasn't enough.

Sometimes I wish things were like the old days. By old days I mean days older than me. Days I never really experienced. I kind of wish for the days where families lived nearby for a lifetime And you knew your friends through all their days. I glamorize how it could be, all of us laughing and living in peace. Of course, both sides of the family would mesh together with ease.  Doesn't that sound like heaven?. Well, I suppose it is. It isn't real life, but I like the idea. Maybe that is what heaven is like.

Ok, enough of that.

I want to show you a couple of things from our trip.  First, want to see some mermaids? 

They have shown up at that hotel bar for decades. They look really young!. Yes, those are real. Ok, maybe not real mermaids, but real people. Those two ladies gently swam around for hours. That is not something you see everyday.

We drove home the next day.  I like road trips with Mike. He can be pretty funny, but don't tell him I said so.  

The view was pretty nice most of the way.

So pretty! 

It was a fairly long drive with a lots of wind. This is what Billings looked like.

That is not fog, just dirt.

We almost had an eagle in our laps yesterday. Really. I was crocheting and looking downward but Mike, thankfully, was on top of his game.  I looked up when I heard him say, "Don't do it! " All I saw was the vision of the eagle, wings spread, filling up the whole view out our windshield!. He was really, really big. What Mike had seen was the eagle diving down toward the side of the road, going up, then repeating the dive. He had an eagle eye spotting something below, but ignoring the car about to intersect his dive.  Mike slammed on the brakes and saved the day! Well, he saved the eagle. He saved our windshield. He saved us from having a giant bird in our laps. He did no favors for whatever that eagle was hunting.

While we were out of town, Maria, Eric and girls stayed at our house with our dog. Last time he stayed at their house he freaked out and took bites out of their stairs! 

Anyway, we had some surprises when we got home.

I opened the fridge and saw these notes. 

Funny, huh? 

Then, there was the toilet.

Sweetly, we also had a pretty picture...

So, that was a whole lot of rambling to tell you of both tears and laughter... of life.

We'll miss you, Uncle Harold. 

Why me?

Bode does his business with lightening speed before dashing back inside.

We are having a White Thanksgiving!  Yep, we've got lots of white here today.  I don't know how many inches we have but enough of it was forecast that a lot of us changed our travel plans for this holiday.  We often go to my Mom's house and celebrate Thanksgiving there with my sister and her family.  That won't be happening today.  There are more than 100 miles of prairie between us and that prairie is all ice and snow today.  Luckily, our plan B is just a lovely.  We will be with Maria and Eric (daughter and son-in-law) and Cordelia and Elise (granddaughters) as well as our son, Sam.  

Our house is already starting to take on that holiday smell as I am making pies, rolls and vegan stuffing.  Maria is taking on most of the cooking, which is good.  She is an excellent cook and I always look forward to seeing what she has put together.  It will be a good day!

This week I have been thinking about how lucky blessed I have been.  Certainly my life has not gone as I had planned and I do not get everything I think I need.  However, I was thinking about the fact that all of the things I wanted most have been fulfilled for me.  

For one thing, I have always felt loved and protected by God, even during the hard times.  I have never felt abandoned.  That sounds kind of dramatic but honestly, I have observed that many have felt abandoned during much of their lives.  I have not ever truly experienced that... except maybe that time my parents left preschooler me at church.  No, just kidding, Mom!  I have never felt abandoned.

There are other dreams I had that have come true for me.  First, I married a great man.  I am so very grateful that God's plan for my life included Mike.  I was exactly the kind of girl who could have easily married someone abusive in some way.  I am not going to say much about that but my Dad was broken somewhere early in his life and if I'd married someone just like my Dad, my life would have been much more difficult.  I made my choice very early, knowing I wanted to marry Mike when I was 17 years old.  Not everyone decision I made at age 17 was the best and I am aware I could have made a gigantic mistake.  I didn't.  I've already enjoyed more than 37 years of marriage to a creative, funny, deep, quirky and spiritual man.  Not only have I been blessed with a good man, my children and grandchildren have been blessed by a dad and grandpa that loves them deeply.  I am so grateful.  But why me?  Not everyone has experienced a satisfying marriage.

I also really, really wanted to be a mother.  I am very aware that not everyone who wants children has that dream come true for them.  My gratitude for my children is huge!  Each of them is different than the other, with their own styles, their own dreams and their own ways of showing their love for me.  I've not always done things as well as I wish I had as a Mom, but still, they love me.  Again, I am so grateful!  But again, why me?  

Friends!  I have had so many friends!  Some friends are "forever" friends and some were there during different periods of my life, adding sparkle and contentment to my days.  I've had friends who have helped me through illness, grief and even friends who've shown up to help load moving trucks.  Now, that is a good friend, huh?!  I've had friends who have brought me in to enjoy the special days of their lives as well.  I've been a bridesmaid (matron) three times and I even had a friend invite me to be with her when she had one of her babies.  For every moment spent with a friend, I am grateful.

Mike & I have extended family that have been such a strong scaffolding for our marriage.  No couple is an island. We have always had extended family willing to enrich our lives and support our marriage.  I am very, very grateful for that. Not everyone has that blessing.

Grandchildren!  As a young girl I envisioned my future with a husband and children but I don't really think I dreamed of grandchildren at that time.  Apparently I was rather short-sighted.  The two granddaughters we have are such a joy!  They have so much personality!  They are so loving toward us, making us feel like celebrities every time they see us!  I so love watching them grow and learn and experience their own lives.  I just didn't understand until I experienced this grandparent thing for myself.  I am grateful!

I was typing this post as I was cooking steel cut oatmeal.  I had choices today for breakfast.  I could have made waffles or scrambled eggs or pancakes or just had Cheerios.  I have what I need for any of those breakfast meals. My point?  I've never been without food.  Yes, I've looked in my refrigerator and thought, "There's nothing to eat." It was never really true, though.  I've always had food.  I am grateful.

I have a home.  Often I think it is one of the "before" homes for an HGTV show but really, we have more than we need.  I am grateful.  Our "before" home would seem like a castle to many in this world.

So, I ask, "Why me?"  Why did I get to grow up so loved and well cared for?  Why did my biggest dreams come true?  Why do I get to be so content? 

Why me?  

Autumn Evening