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!