This was a pretty typical, humdrum work week. A big deal was that Austin officially started kindergarten! I haven't seen him all week, but I will this weekend. Can you believe that the chubby baby boy that wooed my heart to State College five years ago is now a tell, slender boy going off to real "school"?? Sometimes I just hate how quickly time goes by and how these babies grow up so fast. But really, every stage is new and fun.
The other week Lisa posted this collage of Sophie - her first "first day" of preschool and now her first day of fourth grade already!!! This girl is taking piano and voice lessons and loving them. Occasionally Lisa sends me a video and my heart just BURSTS!
The "push" all this week has been to get everything done for our big weekend. We are leaving today from Dick's shop promptly at 5:00 and driving (no potty breaks!) to Manheim for Bjorn's first football game. It starts at 7, so I know we'll be late and will probably have to park a mile away, but we did buy reserved seats and tickets, so at least we'll have a place to sit when we get there. Their games are usually standing-room only. We can hardly wait to see him play. He texted me last night, "I am very excited for tomorrow!" I assured him that we are too!
Most Friday nights when we drive to his games we will have to drive right back home afterward, since Dick works Saturday mornings. But this time he has off for the holiday weekend, so we're staying down overnight and will be coming home tomorrow. We're getting COMPANY this weekend!! Sam, Jenn, Sammy, and baby Bianca! It seems impossible that I haven't seen her since the weekend she was born (3 weeks ago!) and Dick has not seen her at all yet! Sammy is so excited to be coming to "Mahna's" house!
Here's a sweet picture of Bianca that I took from Jenn's sister's pics posted last weekend. Jenn says she's loud and feisty. Haha! I can't wait to get acquainted with her. I'm loud and feisty too.
Jeremy is so busy we hardly have time to talk on the phone anymore. But occasionally he posts some pics of what is keeping him so busy. For the past months, in addition to his regular demanding job for Regency Furniture, he has also been in charge of the interior design of a new restaurant, actually an old building being refurbished into an upscale restaurant. A few weeks ago he showed a picture of a brick wall onto which he had put a design of pipes and fittings. Everyone seemed to think it was really cool, so I figured it must be.
But then this week he showed the wall with lights added. Now THIS is cool! Good work, Jeremy!!
A really cool thing happened for Ray and Thyda this week. Ever since February Ray has been living and working in Lancaster County because they had been planning to settle there when Thyda's time with the Navy was finished. However, with a promotion she received, they decided it would be better for them if she were to re-enlist, which she did. So the goal has been for him to find a job in VA Beach and move back. We've been praying about a position he was hoping to get.
This past weekend he was down and had an interview. On his trip back to Lancaster County (less than two hours into his trip) his car broke down and needed to be towed to a garage. Thyda came and picked him up. That was discouraging. And then he got a call with a job offer!! That was encouraging and such perfect timing! When he called me, he took so long to get to that part of the story, he had me on pins and needles, haha!! He starts the new job next week! I'm so, so happy from them. I'm also happy that they will be moving to a nicer place, out of military housing. I'm so proud that they have stuck together for better or for worse, through togetherness and separation for seven years!
As I sit and look at my pictures from this weekend, I almost feel like the memories are so sacred, I want to "ponder them in my heart" for a while before I share them. I am SO glad I was able to go to Michigan for Lori's funeral, the celebration of her life. I will treasure these memories.
On Friday morning I went to the Bellefonte Weis Markets, not too far from Route 80, to meet up with my ride. My sister Mary Ellen was driving, and her passenger was Jane Moyer, a sister to my brother-in-law Elvin. My sister Doris had hoped to go along as well, but a new grandson was born late Thursday evening, and she decided it was more important to wear her grandma hat than her aunt hat, understandably so!
So the "aunt train" took off from Bellefonte Weis around 8:45 am Friday and headed to the Detroit, MI area. Only three women, but I don't think there were five minutes total on the whole round trip that we were not talking. We seriously did not ever run out of things to talk about!! So many stories, so many laughs, and a few tears. We've known Jane ever since her brother Elvin started dating our sister Janet over 50 years ago, but our paths have crossed only occasionally over the years. We had lots of catching up to do!
When we got to the area of our destination we went to our hotel first. We were amused by Siri's declaration, "You have arrived!" By that time it didn't take much to amuse us!
After freshening up, we went to the funeral home where family visitation had been going on since noon. The atmosphere was very informal and relaxed. There was no line of relatives to shake hands with, as is often the custom. Instead everyone just mingled. There was a buffet of delicious foods with round tables at which to sit and eat. There was an open casket and her husband Jim stayed right by its side talking non-stop about the love of his life.
At the hotel that night I was so tired and so ready to sleep, but for whatever reason, I lay there feeling like I would have had five cups of coffee. Plus we had noisy neighbors. I'm sure I was still awake at 2 am! Getting ready in the morning - three 60-ish women, used to having a place for everything and everything in its place - all trying to dress up in a small hotel room, was almost a comedy. But we did it! We had breakfast in the hotel lobby, then headed to the church.
I took this picture as I sat waiting. So many tears as people saw Lori's body, beautiful even after the merciless ravages of cancer.
The service was filled with beautiful music, messages, and tributes. Lori's life, one of vitality and total trust in God through the good, the bad, and the ugly, was a tremendous inspiration to everyone. They played a recording of Lori singing with her young stepson Bradley at church a few months ago - "Where I Belong." Those lyrics have never meant so much to me, and I will never sing it at church again without hearing the sweet blend of their voices.
"All I know is I'm not home yet.
This is not where I belong.
Take this world and give me Jesus,
This is not where I belong!"
There was a wonderful meal afterward, and we had such a good, good time with Lori's family - her dad Elvin and stepmother Pauline; her brother Scott and his wife Sheri and their three little boys; her husband Jim and their children, Jared, Sydney, and Bradley; her aunt Jane who had traveled with us and Jane's daughter Diane who had come that morning from Cleveland; Lori's best friend Bee and family; Jim's family also.
I realized after looking through my pictures that the only one I have of Bradley is right here - he is at the bottom right of this photo in the black shirt. He was having such a fun time with all his boy cousins. Lori's husband Jim (Bradley's dad) is across the table, also in a black shirt. I did not get many pictures of him either, as he had a never-ending stream of people loving on him. He is the family hero, having so tenderly and totally given Lori everything she needed throughout her illness. He is a truly wonderful man, and as Scott said in his tribute at the funeral, "Our family is forever indebted to you…."
Scott and his boys.
Cousins, Reid and Sydney.
Robin (Jane's daughter), Jane, me, and Mary Ellen.
Aunt Sheri with Sydney.
Not sure what Scott was being so animated about! Lori's son Jared is to his left.
Lori's dad Elvin and stepmother Pauline.
I really, really do like Jane a lot. My facial expression doesn't look like it here, haha!!
Sheri with Jonah.
Sydney with Mary Ellen.
This was to be a picture of us Witmer aunts with Jared and Sydney. But little Jonah didn't want to let go of his big boy cousin. (-:
There were SO many beautiful flowers. Here are some of them, but I missed some of the most spectacular ones.
After we helped Jim to load up leftover food and flowers, we all went our separate ways to take naps. In the evening we gathered at Jim's grandma's house for a picnic of delicious leftovers.
We called this "upside down pie" - created by Jane.
Later we all went to Jim and Lori's house where Sydney was packing for her first year of college at Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois. She would be leaving in the morning, so we all had to say our goodbyes to her.
Sydney is an amazingly mature young lady, so lovely and graceful just like her mom. This was her testimony on Facebook: "Wednesday, August 20, I lost my beautiful mother and also my best friend. She fought a very long and hard battle, and it gives me peace that she is finally out of pain and in Heaven where she deserves to be. She set the perfect Christian example for my life, which gets all the credit for the woman I am today. She taught me everything she needed to in the 17 years we had together. Life is not fair, and sometimes we don't understand God's plan for our lives, but I will keep trusting him with my future and everything He has in store for me." Pray for Sydney as she starts this next stage of her life so immediately after losing her mama.
This morning I wept as I read Jared's FB message, along with a childhood picture of him with Lori and Sydney. "This week the two most important women on this earth left me. Mama went to heaven and Sydney is going to school. Back to back days, miles and miles apart. I want to be 10 years old again, and I want everything to be back to normal. This sucks." Pray for Jared!
And pray for Jim. The void in his life is gigantic. And there are so many things for him to figure out in the aftermath of Lori's death. One thing we know is that this family is surrounded by wonderful, caring friends who will be there for them. They are very, very loved.
Mary Ellen, Jane, and I went back to our hotel, and I slept good. I found out this morning that we again had noisy neighbors, but I slept right through their noise. I guess it was my turn.
We packed up, ate breakfast again in the lobby, and left for PA by 8 am.
I liked this bridge near Toledo, Ohio.
Again we talked nonstop the entire trip, and arrived at the Bellefonte Weis at 4:00. Mary Ellen and Jane still had a few more hours of travel to Lancaster County, bless their hearts.
Before I finish out this post I want to share some very precious pictures that the Peifer family gave me permission to share. They have an annual tradition of spending a week together at Elvin and Pauline's home at Lake Meade, PA - Scott and family coming from California and Lori's family from Michigan. This summer Lori longed to be there one last time, even though she was already very weak and bedfast. Jim rented an RV so she could make the trip lying in bed. Elvin rented a hospital bed for the week and set it up right in the living room overlooking the lake. Not only did she want to be there, she also wanted one more family boat ride!! Her wish was granted, and we were told that she told her dad she wanted him to make it go faster!
They also had a party for Lori!
Each person in the family read to her their messages of love and appreciation. This picture of Jim and Lori is one of the most touching love scenes I have ever seen.
I hope that somehow my dear sister Janet is able to know how beautifully and intentionally her family has held together even in her absence these ten years since she passed away. I don't know exactly what heaven is like, but I like to think that Lori is telling her all about it, and that they are enjoying being together again and are no longer crying or in pain and they are hearing their Savior say, "Well done, good and faithful servants."
Sleep eludes me. I'm going through a phase again where, if I wake up in the wee hours of the morning (like 3:00) I just cannot go back to sleep. Very, very frustrating.
There have been many things on my mind lately, one of the heaviest being my niece Lori's suffering. Yesterday afternoon she was finally released from her very sick body and was welcomed into the presence of Jesus. I like to imagine that my sister Janet (her mom) and my parents were there to welcome her too. In fact, her other grandparents too. Lori was the first grandchild in both families when she was born right before Christmas in 1966.
Our family took that infamous road trip to Lakeland, Florida that Christmas to see her. Elvin was serving as a conscientious objector during the draft at that time, and they lived in a household of other voluntary service workers.
Lori's battle with colon cancer began in 2001. Many of you prayed when I had shared the need for healing upon her second diagnosis in 2009. She has been the strongest, most gracious person I have ever known, having dealt with more pain and loss (including divorce, the death of her mother, losses due to surgeries) in her life than anyone I know. She was a beautiful woman of God to her very core. Probably my most profound memory of her was at her mother's casket on the evening of the viewing. She stood there with her hands raised as she declared through her tears, "I will NOT give up my faith, I will NOT give up my faith, I will NOT give up my faith." She never did. And now her faith is sight!
I have sat here and looked through many pictures in my Picasa files this morning. Even though she has spent her entire adult life in Michigan, we have had so many wonderful times together over the years. Here's one from a "sister" sleepover in 2007. She's the one in the middle. I remember that I thought she and my sister Betty (to her right) looked so much alike on this picture.
This is probably my favorite picture of her. We were having an evening of "pampering" at Mary Ellen's house, and Lori's bubbles were getting out of control!
At our last sister sleepover before Janet died (2004) we decided to give Lori a "Mennonite Makeover" since she had not grown up "plain" like we aunts had. Oh my, how we laughed and laughed that night!
On that same weekend we visited Boyd's Bear Country near Gettysburg. What a priceless picture this is - the last one I have of Lori with her mom.
In 2008 we had a family meal in honor of her marriage to Jim. It was such a happy occasion. Thankfully we did not know at that point that colon cancer would strike again in less than a year.
Mary Ellen took this picture of them in 2011 - son Jared, daughter Sydney, stepson Bradley sitting in the chair.
I'm not sure how old this picture is or who I got it from, but I love it. Sydney has grown into an absolutely lovely lady, just like her mom.
There are so many things I could share about the things Lori's family (including her dad and brother) did this summer to make joyful memories they will be able to hold onto. I'll just say now that the love and commitment this family has shown in the hardest of times is the most beautiful thing we have ever seen.
Tomorrow Mary Ellen and I, and hopefully Doris, will travel to Michigan for the services this weekend. It will be emotional, it will be very sad, and yet it will be joyful. God's amazing grace will be washing over us all.
Yesterday our friends from Houserville House of Hope, Sharon and Ralph, invited us to a BBQ at their son's place in Mifflin County (about 45 minutes from here.) It was a gorgeous day, thankfully not rainy like the beginning of our week was, or absolutely chilly like the end of our week was!
The setting in the mountains was spectacular, and so was the food and the relaxing atmosphere.
A friend of the family provided background music as we ate. He was really good.
The three stooges, Jeff, Ralph, and Dick.
Sharon had warned me that she's going to be giving me a ride on the 4-wheeler. Believe it or not, I had NEVER ridden on one before, and I wasn't at all sure I wanted to either! But Lily and her mom Melody each went for a ride and got back safely….
I couldn't let them out-do me, right? So I begged Sharon to please take it easy and not scare me. I didn't want to die from a heart attack on a 4-wheeler, haha! Melody assured me that the view at the top was amazing, so….
I climbed on board.
And tried to look brave!
Sharon gave me a nice "old lady" ride up the long, stony lane to her sister's house. The view from there was unbelievable!! And I only thought of it after we were up there that I did not have my camera or my phone with me to capture the beauty. I was so disappointed.
This morning Fillmore hosted the joint worship service of the three churches in this charge. I had again invited choir members from the other churches to join us for our choir special, and it was absolutely glorious. I just LOVE pulling people together for things like that.
It's time for some Grandma Show and Tell.
Jenn posted this picture this afternoon with the caption, "Why is it so hard to stay awake holding a baby? Baby magic." How sweet is this?? I think she grew already since last weekend!
This morning Lisa posted this hilarious collage with the caption, "What to do on a monorail when you are stopped due to a time delay and you're in an empty car.." Sophie always cracks me up!
Today is Jada's second birthday. Frank posted this adorable collage.
Anthony, Lori, and Austin have been vacationing in Austin, Texas this week. This was the picture Anthony posted from the little plane out of State College. Can you tell that Austin is at a stage where he hates getting his picture taken??
This past week was Bjorn's first official football practice week. He had a slight concussion on Wednesday and needed to take it easy the rest of the week. That is hard for a guy to do, but these days, with all the attention on long-term side effects of concussions, they would be in trouble if they weren't ultra careful. I am getting so excited to see him play - and I'm not even a football fan. I'm just a Bjorn fan. (-:
