Tuesday, July 01, 2008

The Sequel

Friday was a good day. The time at work was enjoyable - the party with my family was wonderful. The flowers are more beautiful than when I got them. I got phone calls from Diane and from Judith. What nice surprises! Thank you all for your kind comments!


Recently somebody did a Show and Tell on her Willow Tree collection. I commented that I had purchased the nativity set this past Christmas and would love to have more of them. My wish came true when one of my gifts was the angel called "Celebration." I just love it.



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I received so many lovely cards, and a nice Visa gift card from my colleagues at work. Dwight planned a nice party - everyone brought something. Sema's contribution was the cake - turns out she works with someone who used to work for the best bakery in our town, but now she free lances. She did such a great job! And it tasted as good as it looked - half was chocolate with raspberry filling and half was vanilla with lemon filling. Notice that she even made it look like pages on the edges.

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In case you're having trouble reading the light blue script, it says, "Congratulations on your retirement! Enjoy your next chapters!" There is a ribbon "bookmark" dividing the pages that says "Book on Dawn's Retirement." Note the pages are numbered 1 and 2. The second page lists what I should do now. Chapter 1 - Relax, Time for Self. The little symbols before are an umbrella, sunglasses, and weights (Sema must have told her friend that I plan to get back to the gym more often). Chapter 2 - Travel ... A Lot. Below it says Europe, Canada, and has a little cruise ship. Chapter 3 - Enjoy Life - a happy face and a sunshine. So beautiful.

It's funny. I know that I don't have to set my alarm foe 5:00 (or any other time really!) tomorrow morning. Intellectually I know it. It hasn't sunk in yet, obviously. I was watching a really good movie - The Bucket List - have you seen it? My first thought was to ask my friend at work tomorrow if she's seen it!

Yesterday DC, Kev, Sema, and Kristen went rafting on the Poudre River. The river is really roiling this year - lots of run-off from the mountains. You won't catch me within 10 miles of such an adventure - but they love it. I spent the afternoon with the 4 little girls.

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The last run was the most intense. One minute Kristen was in the raft, the next second she wasn't. She and the guy on the left both landed in the river. Thank the Lord she had rented a wet suit. Otherwise, her whole body would look like her banged up knuckles do. She has a deeply bruised leg, but she's going to be okay.


My women's/mother's intuition kicked in about 6:00. They'd been gone longer than I thought they should have been. I tried to call them on their cell phones, but no answers. Of course, they couldn't have phones in the raft, so that meant they still weren't on their way home yet. I was trying to keep my tension from the girls. Kristen and DC had ridden his motorcycle up to Kev and Sema's place, so that was another scenario I was concerned about.


I decided it was finally time to get the kids something to eat, so thought I'd take them out. Care Bear started crying, missing her mommy. I tried to convince her that crying wouldn't make things any better. I finally got her mind off the situation by asking her where they'd like to eat. She got back to her own cheerful self. Feisty turned to her and said, "Care Bear, how did you stop crying so fast?" She said, "Well, you just stop making noise, wipe the tears off your face, and you're okay!" Oh, the wisdom of a 5-year-old!


When we were eating at Wendy's, she saw a wasp outside the window. We began a discussion about wasps and how they were even worse than bees when they sting. She said, "Why in the world did God create bees and wasps? They're just BAD! . . . Oh, maybe it was that other guy who made them - Satan!" She just cracks me up - this led to a great discussion about Adam and Eve and how bad things entered the world because of them.


We were very relieved to finally get the phone call that they were on their way home, just a bit worse for the wear, but alive. Kristen saw her life flash before her - I am so thankful for God's care for them.
Have a great week!

23 comments:

Mary said...

Dawn,

I know many people enjoy white water rafting but it looks dangerous to me. I have been on a white water ride at Canada's Wonderland many years ago and it was tame compared to this. The only thing we were in danger of was getting soaked.

I'm glad everyone is okay. I'm sure you were very worried and so relieved when the phone call came that they were on their way home.

Take care and enjoy your retirement. I'm glad you enjoyed the last day with your friends.

Love and blessings,
Mary

Diane@Diane's Place said...

I'm glad the rafting trip turned out okay, but I'll bet Kristen is sore tomorrow!

It won't be long before you're in the retirement groove, staying up as late as you like and sleeping in until you feel like getting up. Enjoy, Dawn - you've earned it!

Love and hugs,

Diane

Linds said...

Your family sounds like mine. I am glad they had a wonderful time rafting!

Well, my friend, now you can start on the rest of your life. The fun part! I am so glad your last day went well. That cake looks delicious! And I love the fact that your family had a celebration party. That fun!

I hope you remembered to switch off that alarm clock and are sleeping late this morning!

Unknown said...

Happy Retirement, Dawn! I look forward to hearing about all of your new adventures.
What a beautiful cake and how fun to receive the angel "Celebration" to add to your collection. I hope you find somewhere special to put all of your souvenirs from different countries. That is quite a collection!

Unknown said...

Whew! Glad all is well.

You are going to take awhile to adjust to retirement. For a bit it just feels like you are on vacation.

But ... you'll get used to it :)

Midlife Mom said...

I hope you slept in this morning not hopping out of bed at 5:30! Some habits will take a while to change but you'll get the hang of it! :o)
Hubby and I were white water rafting in Colorado a few years ago and he went in the water too! Scared me to death but he was fine once they hauled him back into the raft. So glad Kristen is fine!!!
That cake is so pretty, what a nice job she did on it! Glad you got a picture for us to see.
Have a wonderful first day of your retirement!!!!

Anonymous said...

I love this: "Well, you just stop making noise, wipe the tears off your face, and you're okay!"

Great wisdom!!

B

Susie said...

Hi Dawn!
I'm sure you're still sleeping in ;)
That was a beautiful retirement cake and I love that Willow tree figurine.
That white water rafting is not for me, so glad all turned out well.
Hope your first day of retirement is lots of fun!
xo

Simply Heart And Home said...

Your retirement party was such a blessing! I love Willow Tree figurines too. And that cake. Beautiful - that must have taken a lot of patience to decorate!

I'm glad your girls were safe rafting. I'm too chicken to do something like that.

I've the newest picture of my "baby" up today. :)

Have a lovely day

Gina

Michelle said...

I'm glad you got a little farewell party at work! Enjoy your retirement!

Mike Golch said...

Dawn,I hope the retirements suits you.Hugs and God
s blessings you way.

RainyD said...

I love the logic of little Miss Care Bear! Stop making noise, wipe the tears off your face and you're okay!!! Beautiful - if only it were that simple huh?

I am so glad that everything was fine as far as the rafting trip - Praising God for protecting your child.

RainyD said...

OOOPS!!! I meant to add in - Congrats on your retirement!!!! I hope that you are able to enjoy it. Perhaps a trip to visit an old colleage and new friends could be in order to fill some time - you know between chasing and/or snuggling your beautiful granddaughters

Christa said...

Love the cake, it looks as yummy as it sounds. I'd love to white water raft, looks so fun! Enjoy not setting the alarm, enjoy the retirement.

Mimi said...

it scares me just to look at their picture in the river...
leave me on the shore please...

Tammy said...

Wow, what a bit of a scare for Kristen...and for you, too! So glad she is OK!

What a beautiful cake! I just love it...and am so happy for you that you were presented with that and all the well-wishes!

Oh, my oldest is nine today...come over and help me wish her Happy Birthday...

Hugs,
~Tammy

Nina Diane said...

Happy Retirement!

Susan said...

Love the cake and the sentiments it expresses :o) I wouldn't be on a raft for anything either. Glad all was well.
Susan

Nancy said...

Congrats to you! I hope you are sleeping late, reading, and doing exactly what YOU want to do!

I love your grandkids stories. They make me laugh.

Keep us posted on how retirement is going. This will be the best years of your life!

Linda said...

Blessings Dawn, as you begin this new season of life. I'm so glad you had a lovely party - the cake looks so pretty. I hope you slept in a bit today and just did exactly what you wanted to.
I'm thankful Kristen is all right. I don't think I ever want to try that!

Nadine said...

How loved you are. I love the cake - how very special. Tomorrow is a new day - I pray Dawn that it's all that you want, desire and filled with surprises from the Lord.

Sharon Lynne said...

Well...they'll be telling that story for a long time to come! Kristen is brave. I do admire her courage. I would be afraid to raft in water that rough. I would prefer to float lesisurely down a slow moving river, nibbling on snacks.

Sharon Lynne said...

P.S.
Those comments from the girls are hilarious. Make sure you write those comments down somewhere (save your blog). My boys love to read the things they said when they were little.