Monday Musings

February is half over - how can it be? We woke up to a cold, crisp sunny day in northern Colorado - 8 degrees.

Valentine's week-end was fun, except for some who find it difficult to watch those who have someone special in their lives, when they don't. It's another one of those fun little holidays that's been taken over by the media and those who benefit financially from such days. I have to say, though, that DC really outdid himself. He took Kristen, Sema, and me out for a lovely dinner at Mimi's. He had made cards for each of us with his computer, creating a poem for each of us, plus all 4 of the girlies. I was impressed!

Last night we took a trip to Denver to the "big church" for a wonderful concert. The occasion was the final concert for Jerry, who was celebrating his last service as a staff member, after almost 37 years. Jerry is one of the most talented musicians I know or know of - a pianist beyond comparison, an arranger, and a producer. He is responsible for the CD the men's quartet made (which, by the way, should be completely ready soon - long after anticipated date). It was a great way to round off the week-end.



I chose my new look in honor of the PRISM program, which is the program I am on to change my health and appearance. I love the analogy in one of the lessons in Week Three (we're on Week 6 and will be able to weigh next week-end). The title of the lesson was "The Change That Transforms . . . "

"Have you ever watched a caterpillar eat? It goes from meal to meal, clinging constantly to its source of food. It always eats, rarely stopping for a break. On the other hand, the butterfly appears to stop for a meal only on occasion. It seems the butterfly enjoys other activities more than eating. Flying around the beauty of flowers is its favorite thing to do. It eats of the nectar of the plant, the lightest and most energizing part. The caterpillar eats the most bulky part of the plant. The butterfly cannot be weighed down by its meal, but the caterpillar must always feel stuffed. What do you think would happen if the butterfly began eating bulky food all the time? More than likely, after a short time it would not be able to fly. What would a 'grounded' butterfly be? Food for a predator?"

Reminds me of the children's book, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar." Also makes me want to be more like a butterfly than a fuzzy, slow, rather homely caterpillar!

Guess who joined Girl Scouts??

Guess who had to support the program??

I have to say I am very excited to have this opportunity to test my endurance and perseverance - and resolve!




There's nothing more fun than watching a baby develop into a real little person - unless it's watching two! The littles are singing and talking (though still more their own language than ours - getting better every day), and just generally making life more interesting. For some reason, Katie likes to wear her bib all.day.long. Even during diaper changing time.




The other day Katie went for a walk with Grandpa - a neighbor had a pile of concrete beside the driveway, which Katie apparently decided to explore- i.e., climbing. The header was not in the plans, but she's tough and hardly cried. The nose, cheek, and chin looked pretty bad.




The more it improved, the worse it looked. Add in an encounter with a door, tooth going through lower lip - poor kid looked like she'd been in a boxing match! Still very few tears.



Emma was having a tough time on the way to church - finally settled down in the nursery.







Changing the subject drastically - many years ago, when DC and I were talking about marriage, we visited a small jewelry store to "look at" engagement rings. We decided to choose a loose stone to have put into a design of our choice. We chose a beautiful stone with a slight flaw - purposely to remind us that nobody's perfect.

I never thought I'd have my hand photographed for my wedding album, but I was convinced to do so --




Several years ago, when I was having the stone checked to be sure it was secure, the jeweler advised me to change from a four prong "basket" to six prongs. I loved the new look - it set off the stone even better.

Friday I was sitting here in this same chair when suddenly I realized my ring didn't feel right - I looked down and in horror, saw this:








The entire "basket" came out of the hole where it was fastened - not just the stone is gone, but the entire device. Ironic, isn't it? I changed to that device to keep the stone safe and now the entire thing is gone. I can't help but feel the jeweler should hold some responsibility. I will take the ring up there tomorrow so they can see what it looks like. It doesn't look like it just broke off at the surface, but there is a definite hole there.

I know it is only a possession and not something that will be with me in eternity, but it is a very sentimental possession. DC was looking up the paper work on the ring - I had totally forgotten the old-fashioned typed letter I received from the diamond mining company in South Africa, congratulating me on the excellent choice of stone.

I have heard from so many people who have lost their stones and found them miraculously. This will take a miracle to find. But I do believe in miracles.




I'll close with another book recommendation - or series of books. Last fall I won a drawing at Tammy's place, Lattes and Lollipops. Tammy doesn't blog any more, sadly. But this is the book she sent me - an author I not heard of before.




I really enjoyed it, so read the next one in the series. Then I got sidetracked and just now decided to pick up on the rest of them - only to discover that there was a prequel. I am almost finished with it --




If you like Mary Higgins Clark, you will like these - clean romance and suspense, with the added bonus of the redemption story very prominent in the story lines. I have 4 more to read in this series and am looking forward to every one.




Well, I guess that's enough rambling for today - have a great week!

Happy Valentine's Day from LOVEland!

This is a bit of a re-wind from last year, with appropriate changes.

Way back in 1946 an idea came to Postmaster Elmer Ivers, Chamber of Commerce President Ted W. Thompson, and his wife Mabel. They had a vision - a vision to share the romantic name of our town of Loveland with the whole world.

So it came to pass, in the February of 1947 the Loveland Valentine Remailing Program was born. Since 1947, literally millions of valentines have touched the heart strings of loved ones with Cupid's message hand stamped and remailed from Loveland, Colorado.

Since 1962 a high school senior girl has been chosen to represent the program and the city as "Miss Loveland Valentine". Personal appearances representing the City of Loveland take this ambassador around the state of Colorado. An appearance at the Colorado State Legislature and a personal visit with the Governor are just two of the highlights in her busy schedule.

In 1964, a specially designed Valentine card was produced to offset some of the expenses of this costly program, and the Official Loveland Valentine's Cards continue to touch the hearts of people around throughout the world. Loveland Valentines can be purchased through the Chamber of Commerce , from their Official Loveland Valentine web site, or through any of the participating Chamber merchants. Every year there is a contest for the card's design, for the message on the inside, and the cachet that is stamped on the envelope. Here is this year's winner, front cover, inside message, and the cachet on the envelope:

Heart-shaped messages on the light posts around town can be purchased by anyone who wants to leave a very public "heartfelt" message to someone they love. It's fun and a bit corny, but is the "heart" and soul of town. It does represent somewhat of a hazard as you drive and try to read the messages!

Loveland's "Valentine Sweethearts", Ted and Mabel Thompson have now passed away. The Loveland community feels their absence. To commemorate their vision and love of Loveland, their memory lives on through the annual Valentine Remailing Program. A bronze relief of the Thompsons is featured in Thompson Park on 4th Street in Loveland. (portions copied from the Loveland Daily Report Herald).

An average of 200,000 letters are stamped each year with the cachet and with the postmark from LOVEland. I read that Oprah even sent her cards here one year for the Valentine cachet. People from 110 countries send their cards here for remailing. The valentine program is so popular that there is a volunteer waiting list of 45 people.



And now for the announcement of the winner of the book by Marilyn Meberg, What to Do When the Roof Caves In. Our friend, Miss Pea, is the winner. I'll look forward to hearing what she thinks of it. So, Pea, just send me your mailing address and I'll get it to you.

Valentine's Day, oddly enough, has been overshadowed in our family ever since Kevin was born on the 13th in 1977. Happy 33rd Birthday Saturday, my dear son.

Monday Musings

Thanks for entering the contest for the book - I'll do the drawing on Friday. It's not to late to go to the previous post and sign up. It is very exciting to be back in the public domain - it has been frustrating to have to be private.

Thank you also for welcoming Kristen back into the world of blogging at her new site, Jeremiah 29:11. It would be great if you'd go over there and become a Follower!

Remember making an apron in Home Ec? I loved Home Ec - I was blessed to have both sewing and cooking, one semester of each, for 3 years. I am sad that that it's become a seemingly unnecessary part of curriculum these days.


I had some great home ec teachers - I was a quick learner, so I got to do extra projects, including some pretty advanced knitting. I still had my first apron until just recently, when it was in complete shreds.

One year DC gave me a very interesting Christmas gift - a pattern, fabric, lace, and buttons to make a very fancy apron. I was impressed that he went to such an effort to get something I would enjoy making and using. I have two young nieces who are making aprons for themselves and as gifts - I am glad the younger women are discovering aprons.

All these thoughts have gone through my mind since I got this story in an e-mail:

I don't think our kids know what an apron is. (Note - my grandkids do, because they like to use my old ones as big girl "bibs").

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath. Because she only had a few,it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material. But along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

And when the weather was cold grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.


In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the menfolks knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

REMEMBER:

Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool. Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron.

I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron.

Just for fun - enjoy this picture of Grandpa and Emma - can you tell how nuts they are about each other?





The weight loss journey is going well - I can hardly wait to weigh a week from Saturday.

See you Friday!

Grandma Dawn is public again....

And I am creating a new blog for myself as we speak. I need a fresh start!

Kristen

PS - Grandma Dawn here - this is exciting news for me to open up this morning! Please see my 500th post and giveaway below, then go visit Kristen at her new site, Jeremiah 29:11.

YAY for fresh starts!

So Many Books, So Little Time!

As anyone who has read me very long knows, I love to read. I rarely buy a book - the library and I have a very close relationship!

Mostly these days I read while I'm on the elliptical, the recumbent bike, and the treadmill at the gym. It's a great way to multitask. I decided to share a few of the books I've read lately.

I read a slew of Christmas books this year - really fun. They were by Debbie Macomber, Jennifer Chiaverini, and Donna Van Liere. I've caught up with the latest books from my favorite authors - Sue Grafton, Faye Kellerman, J.A. Jance.

The above book, Where Hope Begins, was disturbing, but good. I can't say enjoyable, but worth reading. I saw the family on Dr. Phil and wanted to know more about their story. I hadn't heard of the situation before the show - it is about the Wesson family - Marcus Wesson, the cultish leader of his very large family, the murders he committed against them, and the long journey to hope by the survivors as chronicled by the television journalist who invited them to live with her.

Beautiful Boy was equally difficult to read, but well written and important. David Sheff wrote about his son, Nick's, struggle with meth addiction. It is a subject near to my heart, and I always hope to read a success story. This one doesn't really qualify. But it is a good book.

Lynn Austin is a new favorite - she has written so many books that it'll take me a long time to get through them all. Though Waters Roar is her latest, and it is wonderful. She weaves a fantastic tale in each book, and this one begs for a sequel! It follows 3 generations of women who involve themselves in important social issues, with the 4th generation finally beginning to figure out what her life should be all about. I loved it, and hated to come to the last page.

I saw Josie's Story reviewed, probably in People Magazine, and it intrigued me. Sorrel King has made a huge contribution which came out of an incredibly sad family disaster. She took on the medical industry and its lack of communication, which led to the loss of Josie. Again, it is a sad, but very worthwhile, redemptive read.

If you've read Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom, you know that anything he writes is worth your time. Have a Little Faith will not disappoint. Mitch had left his faith back in his childhood, but came face to face with both a rabbi and an evangelical in a book that will lift you and challenge you.



As promised, this is my 500th post and I want to offer another book - this is one of the five I bought at Women of Faith last fall. This one is written by Marilyn Meberg, a psychologist who has been a widow for a long time, and delights WOF crowds every year. What to Do When the Roof Caves In covers such subjects as "Money Cave-in," Infidelity Cave-in," "Pleasure, Addiction, and Our Roofs," "Death, the Ultimate Cave-in," "Heaven, No More Cave-ins," and several others.

Just leave a comment, indicating your interest, and I will draw the winner on Friday, the 12th.

Yim Family Part II

Several months ago I did a post on the Cambodian family our church sponsored back in the 1980s . They had family members here in town already, being sponsored by my in-laws' church, and we were asked to bring the brother and his family. We agreed and our much smaller (at that time) church took on this challenge and privilege. I was the coordinator of the "project."

When we agreed to bring the Yim family, there were 3 daughters. By the time everything was arranged and they got out of the refugee camp in Thailand, they had added twin boys to the family. I could tell you many stories. I'll never forget the trip to the airport to get them, seeing them arrive with one huge box on Chhien's shoulder, serving them a dinner of food they'd never seen before and probably didn't like.










We moved them into a 4-bedroom apartment which we got through city housing. They were overwhelmed with the size and often we'd find that they'd moved their mattresses all into one bedroom - they were used to being together 24/7.









That was in April, and for 5 months we had a wonderful time getting acquainted and doing what needed to be done for them - and with them. But as fall came and winter loomed, they became very fearful of winter in Colorado. Noral, the mom, had a brother in California and Chhien's sisters had left Colorado and also gone to California, so they began to ask if they could leave, too. We took them to the bus station, sadly, but with 30+ boxes of belongings.

We heard from them a couple of times after they left. But it had been a long time since we'd heard anything. I tried everything to find them over the years. I had this dream that one day they'd drive into my driveway to visit.

Imagine my amazement when, 27 years later, I got a phone call from the secretary at church that there was a young woman from California with the last name of Yim who was trying to reach me. I knew immediately that this was the call I'd been wanting for years. I could not believe that they had found us instead of us finding them. Shannon told me that they had found a picture with our last name on the back. They remembered all of our first names, since we'd spent quite a bit of time with them, even remembering our dog's name. But they couldn't remember the last name until they found this picture hiding in a dictionary. She and her co-worker found us and the church on the internet. What a wonderful surprise!

I have talked to Shannon (who was Chauna when she was here) several times now and we're keeping in touch by Facebook. I've also connected with Sarah, who was the two year old when they came. The whole family went together and sent our family a wonderful, generous Christmas gift. And the best surprise ever - as many of them as possible are coming to visit us in March! I can hardly wait.

The children have all done very well in school and have careers and families, as I knew they would. Here is a picture of the two I've been in contact with. They are so beautiful.

Tuesday Topics

It has been quite a week. The girlies were with us from Wednesday night until I got them to school yesterday morning. The big girls were very glad to go home after school. We decided to keep the littles one more night, since I have them on Tuesdays normally. They were very good, but I am tired.

Sometimes the words just jump off my keyboard onto the page. Such is not the case today. I know what I want to talk about, but I'm having a hard time getting it said. I'll keep trying!

Friday was a sad day in our church - but also a joyous one. How is that possible? When you are in the same church for almost 40 years, and it is not a large church, you become very close to the people in that church family. When you lose someone to death, it is hard.

This is Phyllis - she came to our church just two months after my dad became the pastor of this church. When my mom and dad left our town several years later, they kept in touch with Phyllis' family. Phyllis became a widow in the 1980s. Five years ago my folks moved back here in their retirement and Mom and Phyllis were best of friends.

Phyllis had a hard life - farming with her husband, losing two infants, being a widow for a long time. But she was a very positive, joyful person. She was a prayer warrior and we will miss that part the most. I missed her white haired self sitting in the row right in front of my parents last Sunday.

I think it would be very neat if saints of God would be able to see their funeral and hear the wonderful things people say about them - wouldn't it be better if we said them while they're alive? One thing several people said - I am sure it will be said at my funeral - "she loved to talk!" And she did - she could out-talk me, believe it or not.

I was privileged to play the organ for her service. She had everything planned and her children honored all of her requests. I played joyful songs that I knew she would have loved to sing. We will definitely miss Phyllis, but I am picturing her enjoyment of her new home!

Several months ago I did a post on the Cambodian family our church sponsored back in the 1980s (click here if you'd like to read it). They had family members here in town already, being sponsored by my in-laws' church, and we were asked to bring the brother and his family. We agreed and our much smaller (at that time) church took on this challenge and privilege. I was the coordinator of the "project."

When we agreed to bring the Yim family, there were 3 daughters. By the time everything was arranged and they got out of the refugee camp in Thailand, they had added twin boys to the family. I could tell you many stories. I'll never forget the trip to the airport to get them, seeing them arrive with one huge box on Chhien's shoulder, serving them a dinner of food they'd never seen before and probably didn't like.










We moved them into a 4-bedroom apartment which we got through city housing. They were overwhelmed with the size and often we'd find that they'd moved their mattresses all into one bedroom - they were used to being together 24/7.









That was in April, and for 5 months we had a wonderful time getting acquainted and doing what needed to be done for them - and with them. But as fall came and winter loomed, they became very fearful of winter in Colorado. Noral, the mom, had a brother in California and Chhien's sisters had left Colorado and also gone to California, so they began to ask if they could leave, too. We took them to the bus station, sadly, but with 30+ boxes of belongings.

We heard from them a couple of times after they left. But it had been a long time since we'd heard anything. I tried everything to find them over the years. I had this dream that one day they'd drive into my driveway to visit.

Imagine my amazement when, 27 years later, I got a phone call from the secretary at church that there was a young woman from California with the last name of Yim who was trying to reach me. I knew immediately that this was the call I'd been wanting for years. I could not believe that they had found us instead of us finding them. Shannon told me that they had found a picture with our last name on the back. They remembered all of our first names, since we'd spent quite a bit of time with them, even remembering our dog's name. But they couldn't remember the last name until they found this picture hiding in a dictionary. She and her co-worker found us and the church on the internet. What a wonderful surprise!

I have talked to Shannon (who was Chauna when she was here) several times now and we're keeping in touch by Facebook. I've also connected with Sarah, who was the two year old when they came. The whole family went together and sent our family a wonderful, generous Christmas gift. And the best surprise ever - as many of them as possible are coming to visit us in March! I can hardly wait.

The children have all done very well in school and have careers and families, as I knew they would. Here is a picture of the two I've been in contact with. They are so beautiful.

Last, but not least - the weight loss journey. I weighed last Saturday morning and the result is below. But in Saturday's lesson, we learned that we are not to weigh for 4 more weeks. That will be hard, but also exciting. So - I'll let you know in a month how it went! Here's my favorite verse from the last week of this journey: Romans 5:3-5 - Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseveance; perseverance character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us (NIV).

By the way, if you missed the last very short post, please go below and read the news.