Austin, cousins, ice and snow

It's been a whirlwind several days, so I need to get some things posted here before I forget what all I've been doing.

Last Thursday Anthony left for the annual NAAM convention in Anaheim, CA and on Saturday Lori left for Capetown, South Africa.  When I picked up Austin right after lunch on Saturday we headed for a birthday party for his adorable twin girl friends.  It was to be held at a local hotel, and swimming in the pool was part of the deal.  BUT Austin declared that he really needed goggles.  So we headed to Target first (not far from the hotel).  When we got inside the front door, I asked where we would find goggles.  Austin piped up,  "Do you have any size 5 goggles?"  The sales assistant and I got a few giggles over that!  Yes, we found goggles to fit him, and he was pleased.  First I gotta show them to you close up with this picture that Anthony took at his swim class last evening - SO CUTE!!

The party had a princess theme, of course.  But they had knight costumes for the boys to wear.  Austin's absolutely favorite thing was the cardboard castle that kids could color.  He wasn't the least bit interested in coloring it.  He loved opening and closing the doors, and especially being inside the castle while everyone else bombed him with balloons, which he would bounce back out.  I think he would have been happy to do that the entire time, but little girls that were trying to color the outside were not happy with such boisterous activity!

There were a few other favorite things - the frosting on the cupcakes and the pool, of course.  Here are some pics.

When we left the party, it was snowing, in fact, had been for a while.  Yikes.  Lori's brother and family were looking forward to having Austin for a sleepover, so I took him to their place before I went home.  I was glad to be home for the evening.  I must say, I'm driving more in snow this year than I have since I quit teaching.  I think I'm actually getting over some of my extreme anxiety about it.  

Sunday morning I led the music at both Fillmore and Houserville, then we went to pick up Austin from Lori's brother.  Turns out his sleepover was more of a sleepless-over.  Pretty normal, I suppose.  He fell asleep on the way home and napped for three hours.  

When he woke up, he wanted to go outside with Grandpa and find icicles.  So I got him suited up.  When I was getting him dressed, I asked him if he had pulled his socks up to his knees.  He didn't answer, so I said, "Can't you do it?  Do you want me to pull them up?"  He answered, "I CAN do it.  I'm just not in the mood."  Oh my word.  That just cracked me up!!  So, since I was in the mood, I pulled them up!

Here's the prize icicle he found this time.

On Monday morning I took him to preschool, after a HARD time waking him up, poor guy,  and headed to Lancaster County for my aunt Shirley's funeral.  I had not counted on the blizzard-like conditions we were having that morning.  A "snow shower" was all that was in the forecast.  I noticed later that it had been changed to a "snow squall".  I guess that's when it comes with wind, which it had.  I was thankful that when I got across the mountain, things got better and eventually I was on dry roads.

The funeral was both a sad and a good event.  It was finally a chance to meet Lloyd and Shirley's children and grandchildren, some of whom I had not seen for years, others not at all.   

Lloyd is my mother's youngest brother.  He was just two years old when their mother died.  My mom, the oldest girl at home, was 16 and became mother to her six younger siblings until their dad remarried.  However, their stepmother also died after a few years.  By that time my mom was married, and her brother Lloyd, who was 9 at the time, came to live with my parents.  He lived with our family until he married Shirley at 19 years of age.  I was just five years old when he got married, so I don't have lots of memories of him living with us, but I clearly remember when he brought Shirley home right after they got married, and I thought she was so beautiful.  

They had three sons, then moved to California for fifteen years.  During that time they had their fourth son.  When they moved back to PA, I think it was hard for their sons to feel a part of the extended family, and of course, it was a lot harder to connect than it is now.  Thus the fact that I do not know these cousins well.  I was so glad for the chance to meet and talk with them, but so sad that it had to be because of Shirley's death.  

The funeral was just four miles from Jenn and Sam's place, but they were at work.  When it was over I felt like I really needed to get on the road for home, even though I would so have loved to be able to wait around till they came home.  

I had dry roads the whole way home, arriving at 7:45 pm.  Dick was just getting Austin ready for bath time, so I had fun with him, read to him, and tucked him in.  He was out in no time.  Here's an amazing shot of the sunset as I was driving home.  I just opened my window and took a picture without looking.  I don't think I did too bad!

On Tuesday morning he was much happier when he woke up.   

Anthony had gotten home around midnight, so he has him now.  Lori will get home on Friday.  

The big story everywhere seems to be the cold and the snow.  We've been below zero and staying in the single digits.  I think I'm getting used to it.  I heard that there are more storms lining up and coming our way. 

I'm sure you all heard about that dreadful mess that the Atlanta area had yesterday due to ice and snow. My sister Rose's family was very impacted by it.  It took Rose 2 1/2 hours to get home from school, her daughter Julia was in a school bus that took a very long time to get her home, and Rose's husband Bob had an almost 12  hour commute!  He left work at 1 pm and did not get home until after midnight.  A lot of that time he was just sitting in traffic that could not go anywhere.   I do hope their temperatures will rise enough to melt things today, because they really do not have the resources to deal with it.  I heard that they called in the National Guard to help.  

Well, I need to wrap this up.   Stay warm!

Weeping with those who weep; rejoicing with those who rejoice

This was a normal week of work at my various jobs and here at home - a week that has gotten progressively colder.  I'm trying very, very hard to be tough and endure, because I know winter is not nearly over for us yet.  I'm thankful for a car that has great heat, a house that is very easy to keep warm (total electric), a little electric heater right at my desk at the church office, and for plenty of warm clothes.  We are very blessed.

As the week ends, it is a time to laugh and a time to cry.  First the sad things, so I can end with the joyful ones.

My aunt Shirley Myers passed away last evening, less than a month after finding out she had cancer.  I will write more next week after her funeral about Uncle Lloyd's significant place in our family.  I was told that he and their sons were with her last evening when she died.  I'm so glad they were.  Here is a picture I took from her realty website.   This is a link to her obituary on the Stradling Funeral Home's website.   She was a beautiful, graceful lady.

Our hearts are grieving with Mike and his family today too.  He also had an aunt who passed away last evening in Pittsburgh, but in a very tragic way.   Lord!  Bring your comfort to all those who are crying this evening.

On such a happier note, today is our granddaughter Sophie's 9th (!!!!) birthday.  How can that be possible?  Lisa put together the cutest collage this morning, and described her as a "sweet, spirited, energetic bundle of cuteness."  I could not have described her better.  What a girl!  And what a wonderful day that was!

And in other happy news, 40 years ago Dick and I were about to become parents.  I was TWO WEEKS overdue and beginning to wonder if women really do go into labor.  I was about as wide as I was high!

Finally, on Friday January 25th our beautiful little Lisa was born at 5:34 am.  It was one of the happiest days of my life.  Unfortunately, due to jaundice, I ended up needing to go home from the hospital without her.  That was incredibly hard.  I lived for the evenings when we would go in to hold her and give her a bottle (they wouldn't let me breastfeed for a few days.)  

She had little, slanted eyes and black hair and yellowish skin from the jaundice.  I remember asking the doctor, "Can't we just pretend she's Chinese?"  

Finally at six days we were able to bring her home.  My mom and sisters were soon there to give her a good Witmer welcome!  And Dick was absolutely smitten by this beautiful little girl!

Forty years.  I'd love to be starting all over again!  I LOVED having babies.

Happy 40th, dear Lisa!  You just keep getting more beautiful, funnier, and BETTER with every passing year.  I'm so proud to be your mom.

Movie fun with Destiny; giggling with Sammy; crying with Uncle Lloyd

Sunday morning I got up bright and early to get ready for a very big day.  I was not planning at all on the amount of snow that was falling.  We left the house before 8 am in separate vehicles to go, first of all, to Fillmore UMC.  No problem driving at that point.

I had roped in Ross, a guitar player, and Brenna, a flute player, to help me lead the music.  We had a lot of fun playing together.

From there we drove to Houserville House of Hope, again in separate vehicles.  It was some of the worst driving I have had to do in years.  Absolutely nothing had been done to the roads, which consist of many hills between Fillmore and Houserville.  I could barely make it up a few hills, and I put my car in 1st gear going down some of the hills so I wouldn't have to use my brakes too much.  Amazingly, when we crossed the line (close to Houserville) from one township into the next, we were suddenly on bare roads!  The difference between treated and non-treated.  Unbelievable.

By the time our service at Houserville was over the sun was shining, and I headed toward Reading.  I got to Destiny's house around 3:00.  We went to see Frozen, the same movie Dick and I had taken the little boys to see at Christmas.  It was way above their heads, so it was so much more fun watching it with Destiny.  I just love laughing and eating popcorn with her.  And having time to talk.  We had a really great time together.  And of course, we had to get our traditional restroom selfie!  I was moaning about how thin my hair is getting when I looked at this picture.  She said, "Oh Grandma, we'll still love you even if you're bald."  Awwwww.

Across from the parking garage at the theatre is an old factory-turned-art center.  We always enjoy watching the artsy lights on the building that keep changing colors.

After I took her back home I went to Sam and Jenn's.  (They live about half an hour from Reading.)  I had told them I'd arrive around 7 pm.  Apparently they had Sammy all pumped up for my arrival, because when I pulled up to their house,  I could see through the condensation on the storm door that he was standing there jumping up and down!  Oh, I do love that boy!

Sam and Jenn went out to eat for her birthday (which is today).  Sammy and I had so much fun together.   I was looking so rough by then, having been on the move since 5:30 AM.   But Sammy didn't care.  (-:

We had a keyboard across our laps.  He would put on a funky rhythm and I would imitate the sound of it.  Then he'd turn it off and I would act like I was crying and beg him to turn it back on.  He thought it was absolutely hysterical.  Doesn't take much to amuse this boy, hahaha!

Both Sam and Jenn had off today, and we all slept until 8 AM.  I couldn't believe I slept that long.  We hung out at the house.  Sam and Sammy showed me how they dance with the X Box.  I just love it.   They are such a pair, those two.  But I was given firm instructions - no pictures or videos!

And today on her birthday, Jenn announced on Facebook that she is 12 weeks pregnant.  And now I can finally tell all my friends too.  We are VERY excited for the end of July/beginning of August!  Happy Birthday and congratulations, beautiful Jenn.

When I left their place at noon today, I drove the half hour to my brother's auto repair business where my sister Mary Ellen works in the office.  Together, she and I made a very tearful visit at the local Hospice.  Our aunt Shirley Myers, wife of our mom's youngest brother Lloyd, was diagnosed with aggressive melanoma on Christmas Eve day and is already near the end of her life here on earth.  We did not see her, but visited with Uncle Lloyd.  He is a heart broken man.

Aunt Shirley just "celebrated" her 75th birthday last Thursday, the day she was moved to Hospice.  She has been a very young 70-something, still active as a realtor with Caldwell Banker.  This is so very hard to believe.  Please pray that God grants her wish for the angels to "hurry up" and come for her.   Because of pain, she is heavily medicated.   And pray for Uncle Lloyd, their children and their grandchildren.  

This picture of Lloyd and Shirley was taken at a family gathering on Labor Day.   They've been together for fifty-seven years, since they were teenagers. 

And now I need to get down to business as usual.

Austin's birthday

Yesterday was Austin's 5th birthday.  First some pictures from January 17, 2009.  As many of us watched and waited for Anthony's updates on the evening of January 16,  and the clock passed midnight and still no baby, there was no way I was going to sleep till I saw a picture of a baby.  I don't remember the time, but I think it was within the first hour after midnight, that I refreshed my computer and this picture came up.  I will never, ever forget that moment.  This child had been prayed for and had defied medical probability.  I didn't know whether to scream, laugh, or cry when I saw this.  

Here's a collage I made of pictures from later on that day.  Such a precious memory.

Last evening Lori and Anthony hosted a birthday party for him at the local bowling ally.  There were almost thirty kids there plus parents and a few siblings.  The bowling alley's party coordinator was AMAZING!!  He was energetic, incredibly patient, and very, very funny.  The kids just loved him.   

There's one little girl from Austin's preschool class that is his best friend.  See if you can figure out which one on one of the pictures below, haha!

I think everyone left full and happy.  

Today Anthony and Lori attended a funeral here in State College, so Austin was here for the afternoon.  We had gotten a little snow overnight, so after his nap, Dick and Austin played outside for a while.  His newest fascination is icicles.  He was so proud of a big one he found hanging under my car.  He insisted I put it in the freezer right away.

Tomorrow I'm planning to leave right after church to go spend some time with Destiny and then Sammy - so looking forward to that!   I'm going to stay at Sam and Jenn's overnight and come back home Monday, which is the reason Dick's not going this time.  I'm just hoping that the few flurries that are in the forecast will be just that and no more. 

Moving on from Christmas

A few pictures and funny moments to share this cloudy Wednesday morning.

On Saturday we "undecorated".  I felt sad to put everything Christmasy away.  I came to really like our "fake" tree after all.  I kept a candle Jeremy gave me last Christmas, named Winter Night,  on the candle warmer most of the time.  And my beautiful angels and churches, given to me over the years, gave me joy every time I looked at them.  My Christmas CD's seemed better than ever this year, for some reason.

I was away when Dick took the tree down.  When I came home he said that the big tub that we keep Christmas decorations in has a really funny smell.  I smelled it too, but did not discover the source until I started taking the "regular" decorations out of it, the ones we had stored in there over the Christmas season.  Oh dear.  A few months ago I had found a really pretty sealed decorative bottle of vegetables at Goodwill.  It looked really nice in my dining room.  You guessed it - it broke!  All over everything.  Lots of soaked boxes.

I thoroughly cleaned it out, but I have a feeling when we open it next Christmas, we're still going to notice that funny smell.

On Sunday morning I led the music at both Fillmore UMC (8:15) and Houserville House of Hope (10:30).  Judy, the pianist and choir director at Fillmore, resigned after Christmas, much to everyone's surprise.  So I'm filling in there until they decide who they will be hiring to replace her.  It makes for very full and early Sunday mornings, but I love the people at both churches so much.  And I love leading people in worship.  And I am glad for the chance to earn a little extra to recover from Christmas!

Austin was here Sunday afternoon, as usual.  We picked him up after church, and as we drove home, I was talking to him about his upcoming FIFTH (!!) birthday.  I told him how Grandpa and I drove to State College that day and went to the hospital to see him.  I was getting to the exciting part where we were in the waiting room and Anthony came to tell us that we could go back to see him.  Unfortunately, as I was talking we were going under a huge bridge, and Austin was in his own world of trains and bridges.  He interrupted my tender birth day story and said, "I'm telling you, I went over a train bridge one time."   Hahahaha!!

After his nap he wanted to go outside to show us how he could ice skate on the thick ice that still remained on our driveway.  As I was helping him into his coat and boots, he asked, "Why do you and Grandpa live in this house with no children?"  I explained that our children had all grown up and moved to their own houses.  He said in a solemn voice,  "There are children that need mommies and daddies."  So funny, but of course, he is too young to know our family story.  They've obviously been having adoption discussions at their house.

He had one more quotable quote when we were outside.  As he and Dick walked around on the ice, Austin advised Grandpa, "Be careful.  Old people can fall."  So Dick was careful.  (-:

And now some outdoor photos from this week.  On Saturday evening when I went for groceries, the sky looked very angry and cloudy.  But the sunset underneath it was amazing.

Monday morning's sunrise was spectacular.

Yesterday I was still at work at 5 pm and felt almost giddy when I looked outside and noticed that it was still daylight at 5 pm!   I had to take a picture just to prove to myself that I wasn't dreaming.  Woohoo!!  We're on the countdown to daylight savings time!! As you can see, all our snow has melted - for now.

And one more picture from Florida that just cracked me up yesterday.  Lisa was waiting in the car line to pick Sophie up at school and took this "selfie".  Can you even imagine being that flexible???  She wanted it to be clear that she had the car in park and that she was not in traffic!  

COLD, busy week

By now the news about the Polar Vortex is already out of date.  We actually had temps above freezing today for the first time in a few weeks.  But what a different story a few days ago!  It was a good soup week.  Here's one of my favorites that I made on Monday - Spanish Country Soup.  

My version of the recipe is:

Saute a large, thinly sliced onion and several cloves of garlic in 2 tbl olive oil. Add 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 tsp salt, and 1 pound of your favorite sausage, cut into bite-size pieces. When the sausage is browned, add 1 can of diced tomatoes, 1 can of garbanzo beans, 1 can of Great Northern beans, and 4 cups of broth. While that is simmering, microwave, peel, and dice two large potatoes. Add the potatoes and simmer some more. Last of all, add a bag of spinach, maybe some basil, more salt and pepper if you like, or whatever spices make your palate happy.

Tuesday morning was well below zero and windy.  As I was eating breakfast in my robe, I saw on Facebook that my neighbor lady needed someone to jump her car to get it started.  Her young adult son and his car were there too, but his car doors were frozen shut.  So I did a "half" good deed.  I called her and told her that her son could come and get my car to jump hers, although I couldn't promise her that mine would start either.  That's what they did.  There's my green car trying its best, which unfortunately, was not enough.  She ended up needing a new battery.  I felt like such a "wuss" standing inside my warm house watching them out in the freezing cold. 

Lori was in New York for a meeting from Monday to Wednesday.  So on Tuesday evening Anthony and Austin came here for dinner. It's hard to get a picture of Austin's face when he's playing.  He's so intent on what he's doing. 

Wednesday morning was down around zero degrees again, but we did have a lovely sunrise that warmed my heart, if not my body.  (Too bad I got some window reflection in this pic.)

Thursday morning it was 23 when I walked outside to go to work.  It felt absolutely balmy!!  Now if I can just remember that feeling when it's 25 degrees in March or April, haha!

So, in spite of the cold, I was busy and accomplished a lot this week.  

I cooked for Anthony and Lori on Monday, did our weekly laundry and prepped for praise team practice on Monday evening.

I worked at the church office all day Tuesday and had Anthony and Austin here in the evening.

On Wednesday morning I had a hair appointment, cooked at Anthony and Lori's all afternoon, and had praise team practice in the evening.  

On Thursday I worked at the church office, had my three piano students later in the afternoon, and helped at the Mommy Shoppe in the evening.  

This morning I did our weekly bookkeeping, delivered the bulletins and mail to the three churches that I'm secretary for, did some errands, then went to Anthony and Lori's to cook. When I arrived, Anthony was home and said they still had plenty of leftovers, and that they were going to a potluck this evening, so I didn't need to cook anything.  

I left and decided to go to the church office and do some much needed cleaning.  I got home just before 5 and noticed that I had missed seeing a text message from Lori asking me to make meatballs in BBQ sauce to take to their potluck.  Did I ever MOVE!  

I turned the oven to 400, got two pounds of ground turkey out of the freezer and thawed them in the microwave, looked up a meatball recipe on my phone, threw the ingredients together, formed the meatballs, put them in the oven, texted Lori to tell her I was making them and to ask her what time their potluck was, made a BBQ sauce and heated it, got the meatballs out of the oven, put them into the BBQ sauce, and was out the door.  Dick was just arriving home and I quickly explained what I was doing.  He said,  "Well, they sure smell good."  Unfortunately, there were none for him.  I had those meat balls at their house by 6:05.  The potluck was at 6:30.  Whew!!  Sorry, not even a picture of them.  And don't feel too sorry for Dick.  I made some good pork chops in the crock pot for him yesterday, and there were some left.

Anyway, I'm sure you're bored with all my "work" details, but once in a while I like to write them down, so that when I'm old(er) and read my old blogs, I'll be able to remember what I did with my days.