Growing UP!!!

I'm ready!!!!!

My mommy did really well with this big day -- she didn't let me see her tears!

Papa got to go to first day -- where was he the next day???

Could you guess -- our lesson was Queen Esther???   Syd's found she can almost make it up to Papa before Mommy catches her

Waiting for Dr. Geeta for our regular check-ups. Momma didn't tell us we were getting shots!

Look at me all grown up!!!! 

Papa and Nana's cure for teething!!!

Hold on Dad -- I know where those screws go ---

Mommy and Big Sis dressed me ---

SYDNEY IS EVERYWHERE RIGHT NOW AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT AND TONIGHT FIGURED OUT HOW TO MOVE EVEN FASTER!!!!

I loved this picture when I saw it on Pinterest this week and thought -- that's me . . .



Now to HIM who is able to keep you from falling -- Jude 24 is a verse I used to claim for my mother as her ability to walk and move was being diminished.

 I thought of that this morning as I was talking things over with God -- ME telling HIM --

  I was bummed that my school year now has a different beginning  never mind that I started this job 13 years ago with the OTHER ankle broken and in a cast.  .  .

Or that we were accumulating a closet of those big ankle boots  -- luckily Terry is now out of his -- and moving around better than he has in months.  

At our kids' suggestion -- we've decided our Christmas picture needs to be T & me in our ankle boots.

This has got me to thinking --

WHAT REALLY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT?

ALL THAT RUSHING ABOUT -- FOR DEADLINES I'VE CREATED -- WHAT IS REALLY THE MOST NEEDFUL?  

When I fell it was b/c I had spent the day rushing around to finish a lot of outside chores so we could get off for CO earlier than planned -- I was taking T out to see my finished pool painting.  Hmmm,  Jan do you see the correlation -- a lot of your falls come after you've been rushing about all day???

I don't want this time on my back with my foot higher than my heart -- on an ice bag (following Dr. Marshall Bell's orders as well as the ankle surgeon) --I don't want this time to be lost. .  .what can this time of slowing down to for my list of "MUST DO's"?

It drives me nuts that I can't clean or even sweep the kitchen floor -- Loading the dishwasher takes 3 times as long! (I insist Terry LET me do that)
You should have seen T & me in Wal-Mart yesterday with me trying to keep from running over people with the motorized handi-cap cart --and T getting hit by someone else in a handi-cap cart letting their child drive it.  
Terry took a video of me driving and said I shot across an aisle without even looking -- he seemed to try to stay as far away from me as he could 

the fact that the pic is blurred I think has something to do with the whole problem of controlling it's speed

  (I sort of got an inkling of how it feels to be the person  in a wheelchair having people treat you differently -- i.e. the irritable cashier in the quick lane when I hadn't kept my items moving so she could scan them  -- thanks to the guy behind me in another handicap cart who pushed them forward) -

Right now I feel pretty vulnerable -- facing -- 120 students for the first time on a scooter -- I always think it's important to at least LOOK like you're in charge when you start the year.

I've lost a week of pre-start preparations --  (which Bethany helped me reclaim on Friday)

First bulletin board up -- launching Single Survival Course

I alternate between  brain fog from pain meds and weepiness from frustration. I basically had to tell God I'm pretty helpless at this point.

 My biggest decisions right now are pretty basic -- which boot would I be able to stay in an entire day -- the short or high-top? Where  can I set up a place under my desk to keep my foot propped up and iced while I lecture? AND Where in the world is that  basket we used with Mom's walker?
 
I have been blessed with a doting husband who continuously wants to know what he can do -- 
Bethany who runs all my errands and brings the girls by to a pick me up (Campbell is the best nurturer -- she continually covers my foot up -- gives it a kiss and checks to see what I need) 

We're forever grateful for Marshall and Katie buying last-minute air tickets to come see US when we couldn't go to THEM . . and then working to help us get set up for the week.
Special thanks to my co-workers who are helping it all come together for show time on Thursday morning-- and my sweet hairdresser, Joelle!

I 'm learning that the best way is to say "Yes" when someone offers to do something and to ASK for what is out of reach not try to get it myself. AND  to lock the brakes on my scooter before I get off it --

Right after this happened and the pain set in -- I thought -- this is one broken spot -- what must it be like for those people in car wrecks with multiple breaks???  or People who have such horrible diseases or people who go through these things all alone??

And yes, though this is taking a lot of my energy and effort now -- 
and is a delay in MY plans --in 6 months or even weeks it will be only a memory and a dull ache every time the weather changes -- just a tiny blipp -- on my time line.  


  I have given so many people the words from Col. 1:17 -- "In HIM all things come together"  I'd say those are gonna have to be my "marching orders" (or scooting ones) for the next few weeks. 


AND NO -- LIFE IS NOT BETTER in FLIP FLOPS -- that's how I broke both ankles

Sand Castle Summer Project -- Pool to Sand Palace

OK, my family knows,  I get pretty driven when I'm on one of my creative projects -- remember last year's neon colored dining room chairs???  This years also involved spray paint --hmm--- Well, Terry is tolerant of my endeavors when I'm on an artsy mission and always celebrates the outcome with me.

Let's go back to first of June -- 

 Target Goal:  Empty the Pool --so we could  lower the Mosquito population in our corner of South Tulsa -- I'm sure we were breeding 80% of 'em despite the fact that we used those expensive mosquito pellets and lots of chemicals.

We hadn't used our pool in the past two summers -- too much to keep up 

 

I advertised on Facebook and got a few interested gals from my school

HOWEVER,  the take down and relocating plus updating a 19 yr. old pool weren't worth the $$$ and nobody wanted the chore.


Nevermind that we'd enjoyed awesome times in our pool -- SEVERAL years ago ---

It was just more $  and hassle than we wanted---


Bids on taking it down weren't in our budget yet --

The liner was cracked -- so we emptied it -- disposed of the vinyl -- removed the leaves which had lined the bottom. 

AND discovered the deep layer of sand underneath -- knowing how much preschoolers love sand --we "googled" ways to sanitize the sand -- 

THEN we were given a kids' Little Tykes jungle gym from Campbell's little friends Roman, Paislee and Tysen -- that made the project start to really take shape.

Campbell was thrilled with the results and kept saying, "You did this for ME?"  and spent lots of her Camp Nana Papa mornings in "The Pit"-- We called it her Sand Castle.  The walls were starting to oxidize and rust after almost 20 years and seemed rather plain -- so I began to visualize a kids' castle motif.  Besides that -- this was totally enclosed -- no nasty critters could invade this sandbox!

I reminded Terry of the play house and a fort he'd made for our kids years ago.

This is my favorite -- a girly girl one

I created large areas for children to paint -- Kids' Canvasses for outdoor art.

Banners with their initials & towns named after them -- "Campbelltown" and "  Sydneyvillel" 

Each grandchild will have their own castle space --

I know, I know -- it's time for me to get back to work -- to a REAL job -- if I have time to paint walls of abandoned above-ground pools -- I prefer to think of it as painting murals on kids' play space


 Our newest updates to our Sand Castle:

A tower and a play house

With strands of mini lights -- it's become a great night playground!

Camp Nana / Papa 2013

Our house is back to "normal" if there is such a thing -- Last year's "camp" was two nights with one 2 yr. old -- this years was four nights and two kids.  Hmmm -- are we going for six nights next year????

It's far too quiet -- Camp Nana Papa was over yesterday when Bethany and Mat arrived home from their trip to Napa Valley and it left us missing our little gals like crazy!!!! (never mind that they are only five miles down the road)  We miss having them under OUR roof and waking up to them being with us.

I loved

. . . Listening to their early morning chatter at 5 or 6 -- with Campbell announcing, "I'm up NOW -- I did a good job staying in my bed AND I'm hungry!!!"


. . . Checking in on them at night and watching these little cherubs sleeping soundly ---

. . . Papa and Campbell's routine of Road Runner and "molk" and graham crackers -- the squares, please.  C reminded me that Papa doesn't want RECTANGLES!

 

We got the sweetest smiles and giggles out of this little lady

. . . Sydney snuggling when we rocked 

 and watching her feed herself -- that little gal CAN EAT!

. . . Reading just one more book (several times over)  to help Campbell drift off to sleep - when you ask for more BIBLE stories what's a Nana to do????

Whoever invented the exer-saucer is a genius!!!

. . . A living room cluttered with her Mommy and Uncle Marshall's vintage Fisher Price village--  and a bajillion "little people" that Campbell talks to and creates a whole dialogue with.

. . .  Converting the above ground pool to sand- play pit and
 enjoying C's reaction -- "DID YOU DO THIS FOR ME???"

She added her own artistic touches ---

Yes, Camp is over and so is the . . .

Negotiating her in from her "sand castle" playground promising her that "yes, after nap when the weather is cooler, she can go back outside"-

And no more coaxing a certain 3yr. old to try a new food-- like Nana's Pineapple Fluff (okay -- it was a recipe I made up -- but I was CERTAIN Campbell would LOVE it!)  
 She gave me the standard "NOOOOOOO"  when I asked her if she wanted some.  When I finally got Campbell to taste it, she couldn't get enough.  She insisted on eating it with a huge serving spoon and challenged Papa when he was about to clean up the rest.  Campbell was a huge fan!!!

Food tastes better if you eat it standing up.

We wrapped things up with a trip to the Aquarium or "Mequarium" as Campbell calls it.

 It's  her favorite place to go and she's been wanting to take Papa there for some time.

Ten Years

My folks were a team --it was like  you always said their names together

It was ten years yesterday since Mom joined Jesus and all the other members of our eternal family.  She finally got to see her LORD about whom she'd taught children in Sunday school for thirty five years. 

Over time her phrases and bits of wisdom have echoed in my brain -- but yesterday -- one thing came to mind as I was on 
Facebook -- making a memorial post of the date --- I remember her saying "the computer is the work of the devil".  (I think that was in reference to somebody getting on porn sites or being caught up in internet gambling.)

When my Dad retired in 1981 from Shell Oil - they were just then going to send him for training on how to use a computer.  It got me to thinking how much has changed in the way we do business, connect with people and spend our time in the last 10 years.  

Don't think she'd  have cared much for FACEBOOK --- she LOVED people -- and could often spend a long time telling you the plight of some friend or family member -- she liked TALKING to people -- not stalking them.   She didn't like to hear people brag about themselves --(but she'd have loved their pictures).

Mom wouldn't have texted or twittered --took too much time --#tooimpersonalandhardtoread.

Mom never had a cell phone. .  . didn't think she needed one -- we couldn't even get her to use the emergency button necklace to call for help - like the time she fell on her head in the closet and stayed there for 2-3 hours.

Don't know how she would have done with the internet --but I'm sure she'd have NEVER trusted it to shop, do her banking or pay her bills.


With all  this technology -- she'd have loved the BURPEE SEED website-- (she used to spend hours with her catalogs)
She'd have checked out PINTEREST -  and loved the DIY boards -- and read through lots of recipes and even tried out a few.

 I do have to say these pictures we now send in a nanosecond -- this great-grandmother would have thrilled to get the updates on her  great-grandchildren (i.e. Sydney learning to crawl on yesterday or the pictures we took of Ivy and Campbell at the Aquarium).

Yes, technology has changed our lives and made us even more slaves to the computer -- but Mom's life truths still prevail --

"We're all here for a purpose" --After Dad's death, Mom used to say, "God put me here to take care of your Dad."

-- and "we don't get to leave until God takes us home."  -- one of the things she would say in her last months

Taking Mom to see Christmas lights her last Christmas b/4 Heaven

Often we would hear her say in the Spring of 2003 -- "I'm stinking happy."

"Center your life around God and his people" she lived -- and loved going to Church every time the doors were open.

"You can work out a lot of your problems in the garden." I used to hear her say when she was going through a rough time.

And she showed us that your day goes better when you start it with prayer and reading the Word. 

She believed wholeheartedly that being a mother was the most important career she could ever have had.

With very little $$, Mom made holidays a big deal  with decorating for every season, and she usually made our clothes

Mother's Day 2013

1998 - Mom and Dad's 50th anniversary

If being a Mom was her highest calling --- well being a grandmother to her six she took on with pride as she prayed for them each day!

Mom being interviewed by her g'kids on her 83rd birthday Christmas 2002

Forever Friends

With a Forever friend - you can pick up where you left off the last time you talked --
whether it has been 3 months or 3 years since you were last together and they don't have an attitude because it's been so long.

A Forever Friend knows your good points AND your bad and loves you anyway.

A Forever listens and listens and listens -- and waits patiently when even in your senior moments you can't remember WHAT you were talking about. (a much younger friend of mine calls it "circling the airport and can't figure out where to land.")

A Forever friend -- always thinks the best and wants the best for you -- no matter what.

I've been blessed with some special forever gal pals and

Charlene Bandy is a LIFE-LONG Forever Friend and I find these traits so true of her!
She has known me longer than any other friend -- and acknowledges all the special events in my life with a token that says she remembers.
Charlene was always there to help and support my parents when I was living 700+ miles away.

Trips home to family, always meant chances to visit with Charlene and her family.

        
 Growing up, a lot of times, we treated each other like sisters 

   
We'd bake at each other's houses and 
found we'd rather clean each other's room than our own.
We did lots projects together.  
Our mothers even coordinated our Christmas gifts
so we'd enjoy our times of playing together that much more.

first day of high school

 -- we shared our teenage years and wondered what the future would hold as we rattled on and on during those long walks or bike rides out in the country where we grew up..

Summer after our first year of college

We shared so many of our "firsts" --

We've listened and supported each other in the hard times-- offering counsel and help only when needed --we've mourned the loss of each of our parents and welcomed each others  new babies and grandbabies.


At one point in our weekend, I asked Charlene, if when we were young and playing "house", did we ever talk what it would be like to be a mommy or a grandma.


After two days of  nonstop talking and catching up --
laughing at things that only we thought were funny --
sharing the challenges we'd faced through the years--
spending time antiquing, shopping, cooking
crafting-- teaching each other our latest project 

we realized that we were doing all the things we did growing up.  

Bluebell ice cream and rhubarb cobbler -- perfect food while we revisited our past!

We share such a rich history of wonderful memories --it was a weekend that has been a long time coming and remains a true blessing!