We went to my brother Dick's house for the night. In the morning I took this picture from their deck. It would be the only sky picture I took all week, so I'm glad I took it!
When we were at Dad Stauffer's on Friday evening we found out that Bob and Doris (Dick's brother) were in the area from Minnesota and would be at Dad Stauffer's place on Saturday. So we decided we would split ways. I had already made plans for us to take Destiny out to lunch for a belated birthday gift. So I did that while Dick went to his parents' place.
I had hoped he would take some pictures, but I guess he forgot to. But here are some sweet pictures of my time with Destiny. We went to a really good place in Columbia where she lives, The Black Olive Diner. We had the greatest time catching up. I love her so very much. Later her tall, sweet boyfriend, Alex, picked her up and I got to meet him.
Back at Dick and Nancy's house we got ourselves dressed for my class reunion. Nancy wanted a picture of us. It was at least 90 degrees on that deck! How crazy for September 28! So that's the flowy cardigan I bought for the occasion.
Of course, on my short, stout body it didn't quite look like the picture I had seen on the internet, hahahaha! I even hemmed the sleeves up, but they still came to my wrist! But what's a short girl gonna do???
When we arrived, each classmate was given a name tag with his/her senior picture on it. Wow, was that ever helpful! They gave a tour of the Lancaster Mennonite High School campus, but not nearly everyone went on it. I had no interest in going out in the heat, and when I saw the people who came back after the tour looking all sweaty, I was glad I hadn't gone on it.
We had a great turnout. This picture does not show all the tables. We sat at the table in the foreground with two of my best high school friends, Cheryl (Weaver) Zimmerman and Janet (Weaver) Pepper. Later in the evening we managed to get the seven class members together who had attended Manheim Christian Day School before we went to Lancaster Mennonite. I'll name them below the picture.
Here's the Lancaster Mennonite class of 1969. I haven't counted how many people this is. I think there were around 180 people in our graduating class. (For those interested, the picture will enlarge if you click on it.)
I had a really wonderful evening catching up with so many people. Of course we sang together also. We were raised on a cappella four-part harmony, and believe me, we all still know how to sing. We sounded AMAZING!!! I started to take a video, but realized that it would pick up my voice more than the others. I could have stopped singing, but I didn't want to. So I just stopped the video and enjoyed singing and listening to the harmonies all around me.
We slept at Dick and Nancy's that night again. I took these pictures of the front and back of their lovely country home.
The tractors on the rollback are my brother's tractors. He loves taking them to tractor pulls, and on Saturday he got two first places and one third place. One of the tractors was my dad's, so it's very precious to my brother.
We had a special day planned for Sunday. Sammy wanted Sam to take him to a museum for his birthday. One place we had never been was the Turkey Hill Experience in Columbia. Do the stores in your area sell Turkey Hill ice cream or iced tea? The Turkey Hill Experience tells all about the beginnings of the company and provides hands-on fun for kids to learn about the company and its products.
We had so much fun!
A really informative and delicious part of it was the Taste Lab. Destiny and Alex were able to join us for that. Each person was given a big cup of ice cream to which we could add flavorings, all kinds of additions, swirls, and toppings. While we did it, a girl at the front, along with video screens above her, was giving so much information about the company and about ice cream production and marketing. It was very well done, well organized, she was easy to hear with her strong commanding voice. A totally enjoyable experience.
And then we had some more fun!
There was a nice patio outside where we hung out afterward. We gave Sammy our birthday gifts (Monopoly Junior and Life). We also drank some Turkey Hill lemonade and iced tea.
And then we all headed for home. What a great weekend it had been!
There were several major things to remember this week. It was ten years on Tuesday that my dad had passed from this life to the next. What an precious experience that was! I reposted on FB this week what I had written that night, so if you read it there, just skip over this next part. But for any readers who do not connect with me on FB, here it is.
Thursday afternoon I traveled to Lancaster County for my hair appointment. I stopped at my dad's first and it was very obvious that the end was near. It was so hard to see him laboring so hard to breathe, then stop breathing altogether for so long that we wondered if it was over. His hands were getting cold. I hated to leave, but went to my hair appointment.
When I came back there were various family members here. His breathing was harder than ever, his hands altogether cold, but he had a raging fever. Hospice told us to use cold compresses in his armpits, and we put a cold wash cloth on his forehead. And we sang and sang and sang. Songs about Heaven. One time my stepbrother saw a tear at the corner of his eye. After a while his breathing slowed down. Because I was the family member planning to stay the night, along with a hired nurse aid, I was shown where the phone numbers were that I should call if he should die during the night. The very thought was distressing. What if I couldn't keep my head together to make those phone calls at such a moment?
I went out to my car to get my bags and I cried, "Lord, please take him home while all these other family members are still here!!" I came in the house and my step brother, Lester, said, "Something changed. You'd better get in there." Dad's breathing had become very faint, with occasional gasps. Doris, Mary Ellen, my step mother, and her son Lester all gathered around him. The hired nurse, a sweet Nigerian angel, started singing the old worship song,
"I see the Lord, I see the Lord.
He is high and lifted up, and His train fills the temple.
He is high and lifted up, and His train fills the temple.
And the angels cry, 'Holy!'
The angels cry, 'Holy!'
The angels cry, 'Holy is the Lord.'"
We joined her singing between our tears and had beautiful three part harmony. The glory of the Lord filled the room. When we were sure he had breathed his last we cried some more. The nurse raised her hands and prayed aloud over us all. She kept proclaiming, "It is well. It is well."
Then the phone calls, more family arrivals, the Hospice nurse's arrival, the undertaker's arrival, and many more tears and sobs. We each took our turns kissing Dad before he would be taken away. Lester, who is a pastor, led us in a time of prayer as the undertakers patiently waited. It was a truly beautiful time for our two families to be united in our grief and our love for my dad and step mother. We ended by singing together Sweet, Sweet Spirit.
And then he was taken away and we sat down to make a few plans - viewing on Monday afternoon and evening, funeral on Tuesday morning.
Gradually they all left, and now I'm here with my stepmother. She just went to bed. We have peace knowing that Dad is finally at home with his precious Lord and Savior, he is finally free of his sick body, and he can sing and laugh again. But like my step mother said, "But he's not here." That is the hard part. The void that is left by the man he was. As Lisa said on Facebook - he was the most humble, loving man she ever knew. I know we can all say, "Amen."
I am rich to have had him for a dad. We are all rich - not in earthly wealth, but in the spiritual and emotional blessings that we are enjoying because of his love, because of his obedience to and passionate love for the Lord, because he honored the Lord in everything he did. The blessings of a righteous man are to a thousand generations. Thank you, Dad.
The next day, October 2nd, was our 48th wedding anniversary. We left the house shortly after 7 AM and went out for breakfast at Perkins. Here are BEFORE and AFTER pictures - before and after 48 years, haha!
Nothing has happened on the lot next door this week. I guess they're letting all the dirt they hauled in and graded settle before the next step of putting a house there.
But across the street there was a lot of noise one day. By the end of the afternoon two huge pine trees were gone. I felt so sad to see them go. My snow pictures will never be the same.
It was a really noisy day in the neighborhood, but it smelled like Christmas in the air!!! By day's end both trees were completely gone.
That's about all the news from this week. Have a good weekend!
2 comments:
Destiny has a very handsome boyfriend, but how is she that old already?! Y'all had another very busy and very fun weekend. xoxox
I'm thinking the same as Terri. I can't believe our Destiny is so grown up. I remember that little girl who used to spend the night with you.
You got to see a lot of family on that weekend. And your reunion had a great turnout. You looked very nice.
Looks like a fun Turkey Hill Experience with Sam and family.
I said this on FB, but I have been present at many deaths. Some are such sweet celebrations but I think your Dad's has to be one of the best. So sad, but such joy too!
I think your Dad and mine would have been good friends had they ever had the chance to meet. They have a lot of similarities, and we as their children are so blessed.
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