First, A Word From Our Sponsor

Wyoming Rose Boutique News:  Maria and I have decided we need to refresh inventory in our shop.  As a first step we have gone through and drastically reduced many items.  I'm not kidding!  We have lowered prices on many items as low as $2!  If there was anything you had your eye on, you might want to check it out.  


(I am really sorry that we no longer ship outside the United States.  We ran into some real problems, such as finding out certain countries won't let us ship jewelry, etc.  We also have had trouble shipping even just to Canada.  One package had to be shipped 3 times before it made it to its new owner.  That got very costly!  Anyway, that decision made us sad as we loved knowing our creations were landing in homes around the world.)


OK, now to my regular post...


Yesterday was absolutely lovely.  I am still enjoying what my friend, Pam, called grammaternity leave.  Maria and Eric brought their lovely girls to our house and my Mom and Aunt Michelle came to town.  Together we celebrated the addition of pretty little Elise to our family tree.

The Baby of Honor

Cordy and her Great-Great Aunt Michelle

My Beautiful Mother

The Handsome Family of Honor

Elise Enjoyed Her Party

Grandma Grace, Aunt Michelle and Elise Ione

Four Generations of Females

Sweet Times and My Big Fashion Boo-Boo

I have a few days off in a row and I am enjoying them!

Yesterday, Elise had her first pediatrician appointment.  While her parents took her for that check-up, which she aced, we got to play with Miss Cordelia.

One of Cordelia's favorite things is to walk to the river.  Grandpa had the day off as well so the three of us had ourselves a leisurely stroll.

Cordelia is wearing her great-great grandmother Rose's hat.  Isn't that cool?

Later in the afternoon, Mike & I went rafting.  I think I've told you before that we tie together a small raft that Mike rides in and an inner tube that I ride in.  I'm guessing we look a bit strange that way but it works for us.  It's peaceful and relaxing.

When we get out of the river we call Sam and he comes to pick us up.  Actually, he picks Mike up while I wait with our gear.  I just relax while Mike goes to get his man truck, left where we got into the river, so that we can load the raft and inner tube.  

I wear a swimsuit for the float, and it feels appropriate.  I remembered, though, that as I waited with the stuff afterward I always feel a bit awkward standing there in a swimsuit.  Today I planned ahead and actually had a pair of shorts along in a plastic bag.  I was very glad I'd done so as we rafted in town this time.  The spot where I waited was on a corner by a big welding/steel something-or-other place.  It was change of shift time so there was constant traffic.  I was so glad I had my shorts on!  It just isn't a good feeling to be in a swimsuit when every one around is in work clothes.  

So, as I said, I felt pretty smart for having my shorts.  I wasn't very wet, except for the parts of me that hung low out the bottom of the inner tube.  When I got home and glanced in the mirror I realized that putting on my shorts over my only-wet-in-a-few-places swimsuit maybe wasn't my best plan after all!

So, if you are local and happened to drive by and see me yesterday, please know that I did NOT wet my pants!  Quit laughing!

The Sisters Have Their First Bunk Beds!

Cordelia was telling me that when  Elise is bigger, they will go into the playhouse together and they will                                                          giggle!

  

After the Rain

After the rain...

Leviticus 26:4  Then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.

Happy Birthday, Mom! Thanks for the Genetics!

Isn't genetics weird?  

I look at our new grandaughter and marvel that in a way, she is 1/4 me.

She  is 1/4 Mike.

She is 1/8 Mike's Mom, Carol.

She is also genetically linked to a bunch of other people on Eric's side of the family!

A new child represents bits and pieces of two families genetically linked.

That is a strange but wonderful concept to me!

Elise and Cordelia are also genetically 1/8 my Mom. 

Today  is my beautiful Mom's birthday!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

I was hoping that Elise would be born on Grandma Grace's birthday but she got in a bit of a hurry.

My Mom represents all that is great about motherhood.

She is warm, caring, protective and kind.

She is also compassionate, creative and really quite beautiful.

Another thing I know for certain about my Mom is that she is wishing she were here to 

hold that new little great-grandchild! 

Soon, Mom!

In the meantime, the following pictorial review of our beautifully exhausting

week is presented here today, especially for my Mom. 

We are all so very glad to be genetically

linked to you!

  

The Men in Their Lives

Cordelia and Elise are two very lucky little girls.

They have something a lot of children do not.

They have an abundance of good men in their lives.

First, they have a loving, long-distance uncle.  Uncle Ben lives far away but has remained involved and interested in his nieces.  I know it was hard for him this week to be so far away.  He made a lot of phone calls, worrying about his sister and the baby during labor and rejoicing with the news of the birth.  Both girls will grow up knowing their Uncle Ben loves them, no matter how far away.

Uncle Sam is very much a part of their lives.  Cordelia already feels comfortable playing with him and and loves him dearly.  I am certain Elise will feel the same.  Although technically still a teenager, Sam is a solid young man and will also give the girls the idea of how a man should treat them.

We all know about Grandpa Mike, right?  He is gentle yet fun and I am sure that Elise will clamor to be near him just as Cordelia does.  Like Cordy says, "You are my boy, Grandpa!"

The girls have uncles, cousins and a grandpa on their other side of the family as well.  They have so many men to care about them!  For a long time, though, the most important man in their lives will be their Dad.  As grandparents I can't tell you what peace it brings us to know they will be raised by Eric.  He is such a good man and he loves their mother so much.  Those girls will, without a doubt, witness a good and kind marriage.  That has got to mean a lot when they are making choices in their futures.  

Blessings for My Grandchildren

Thank you for the positive reactions to my jewelry tradition idea.  And yes, EJN, I'd be honored if you used the idea.  I'm sure I'm not the only grandma to do such a thing.

Let me tell you my favorite idea!  OK, it isn't original at all.  Bible stories mention blessings being given to children.  While I'm not sure if my idea of a blessing is quite what they were doing,  I decided I wanted to do a blessing.  I am not smooth enough to do it spontaneously so I planned ahead and wrote it all out.  I carried it around in my purse for weeks so that I'd have it with me for the birth.  Even though I had it memorized, I read it off the paper to be certain I got it exactly right.

Nearly three years ago, moments after Cordelia's birth, I spoke (actually cried) these words...

May the Lord come near to you and call you his own.

May he give you a sure heart and a kind spirit.

May you always know him as your source of strength.

I wrote out a copy for her baby book and it is my intention to cross-stitch it for her someday.

On Tuesday, when Elise was so new she was still steaming (not really), I spoke this blessing for her...

May God shelter you with mercy and wrap you in love.

May he pour into you both courage and compassion.

May you always trust him to light your path and be your power.

On both days I traced the cross on each girl's forehead.  If anyone wants to copy this plan, go for it.  If you have trouble getting started, try reading scripture.  I found inspiration from the Psalms as well as other passages.  I didn't directly use any particular Bible verse but maybe you'd like to.  Also, is there any reason this couldn't be done for a birthday or any other special day?  It doesn't have to be on the day of birth.  I'd love to hear your thoughts or ideas of ways to incorporate blessings.

I took about a thousand photos this week, but this one is my favorite.  Maria was so glad to be reunited with Cordelia after being separated from her during the last part of labor and the sweet sisters were having their first face-to-face.  Although Daddy isn't in the photo, he was just to the side of his girls.

People, it just doesn't get any better than this.

Elise Ione!

Elise Ione was born yesterday and she is beautiful!

I made the nurse take this photo when I was spending some time along with Elise up in the nursery.  Do you notice I am wearing the cross necklace that I said would someday be Elise's?

Starting Traditions

I have become more and more aware of how precious tradition can be to the story of a family.  As such, I've got a few traditions I started when Cordelia was born; things I want to do for my grandchildren.

As I mentioned before, one thing I want to do is give each child some piece of jewelry that is mine but that they will inherit someday.  It doesn't need to be an expensive piece of jewelry.  I just wanted something that they see me wear, see in photos from the day of their birth, and something that represents what is important in my life.  I chose a ring with a cross on it for Cordelia's birth.

I made certain that I was photographed, holding newborn Cordy, with the ring in view.  I wear it frequently so that someday, when it is her's, she will remember it being mine.

This is what I have chosen for this next baby girl:

I've got it on and I am ready to go!  I think it will be soon! 

River View

Ooops... I forgot to write a proper post and I've got to leave for work EARLY.  I didn't want to leave you hanging, though.  I took photos this week-end of the North Platte River.  

Being near water soothes my soul.   

Only a Matter of Days Now!

It is just a matter of days now.  

Soon, our beautiful daughter will be delivering another sweet little girl.  

I do not take these blessings lightly.

Deep Thoughts

Isn't he a handsome boy?  I think he's such a pretty color!  In this photo don't you think Bode looks as if he is having some wise, deep thoughts?

Actually, he is likely realizing he shouldn't have eaten those 4 or 5 cupcakes, wrappers and all, when I left the  kitchen.

Seeing Red

Before we begin, maybe I'd better provide a disclaimer.  This is kind of a nurse post.  You may as well know, nurses are not always appropriate.  It isn't our fault.  We are trained that way.


Nurses have to chart EVERYTHING about their patients.  We chart a lot about potty and poop.  I know, it's personal.  Have you ever been hospitalized? Well, I don't want to creep you out but somewhere there is likely a chart about how much you urinated and how many bowel movements (bm) you had.  Sometimes there is even descriptions regarding size, color, consistency.  I'm not kidding.  

Are you getting nervous?  If so, feel free to quit reading right now.  I don't want to damage anyone.

OK.  Anyone still reading?

First, let me start with a food review:

These chips are yummy!  Mike & I munched on them on a recent picnic.  The bag contains orange chips made from sweet potatoes.  It also has red chips made from beets.  I was proud of Mike for tasting one of the red chips as he is not a lover of beets.  I DO love beets!  The chips certainly do taste like their originating vegetables so it wasn't a surprise that Mike didn't so much enjoy the beet chips.  I did not mind that Mike gave me all the red chips to eat.  I thought they were delicious!

Several hours after the picnic, long after the taste of the chips were gone from my mouth, I experienced a worrisome symptom.  I wasn't sure what to make of the red color in the toilet bowl.  Surmising I likely had bladder cancer I am just glad that I hadn't already made a doctor's appointment.  Yep.  Once the beets were through my system everything returned to normal.

Marriage Goal

On the news last night I saw a couple who have been married for more than 70 years.  They had no words of wisdom to offer.  They just liked spending time together and they were fortunate enough to both live long, healthy lives.  It made me wonder if I would have any words of wisdom for people regarding marriage.  Later, I was reading a book and came upon the following quote.  It seemed worth passing along.

The goal in marriage               

is not to think alike, 

but to think together.

         --Robert Dodds 

The Thing About Loyalty

Today, we are celebrating our country.  I have always felt blessed to have been born in the United States of  America.  I know our country has a lot of flaws, but I've also always known that there was a lot of good about being an American.  I also know that I had a lot of opportunities available to me simply based on my country of origin.  I am grateful that I am an American.  I feel loyal toward the United States of America!

Loyalty is a good thing, right? Whether it be family loyalty, school spirit or national patriotism, it seems humans have a need to be proud of something bigger than themselves.  It gives us a sense of "belonging".  Perhaps it makes us feel special, maybe even protected and secure.  I think there is a lot of good that comes from that.  Loyalty helps us work together toward common goals.  


For some reason, though, we humans have a hard time being loyal while still seeing the big picture.  Somewhere along the way I realized that feeling loyal toward one group led me to feel that other groups were inferior or maybe even a bit evil.  Oh come on, don't judge me!  You've probably done it as well.  Maybe you come to feel loyalty toward a sports team and then feel obligated to dislike fans of an opponent team.  Perhaps you love the state where you live and laugh when others make disdainful jokes about the idiots from the next state.  In Montana I heard North Dakota jokes.  In New Mexico I heard people making rude comments about Texans.  Here in Wyoming I hear people making blanket negative statements about people from Colorado.

Do you see where I am going with this?  We seem to draw circles around ourselves and see those outside the circle as "others", not as potential friends.  Our circles may be based on country, age, race, religion, financial status, what side of town we live in, what team we cheer for, the list is unending.  Why do we do that?  It is so limiting.

So, today I am celebrating being an American.  I am so grateful for the freedoms I have and the opportunities made available to me through the efforts of others before me.  I am feeling proud of all that is good about our country.  Even so, I am going to make the effort to notice outside that circle, to see the goodness in "others" because ultimately my loyalty belongs much higher than to just this one country.