Adopt a Grandparent Day!

Today I had the opportunity to be an Adopted Grandmother for a sweet young friend of mine!

What a treat it was to be there and to spend that special day with him!

It was fun to see his picture he made of himself ...this is what he thought he would look like when he is 100 years old  ( I think he looks pretty good for being that old ! )

It had 3 questions that they asked the kids about being 100 years old.
This is what he said...
When I am 100 years old:
I will PLAY ALL DAY LONG!
I will EAT EVERYTHING!
I will NOT CLIMB A MOUNTAIN!

After having lunch together, we went outside in the beautiful sunshine and they got to have recess. He and his best friend, never left each other's side!

Thanks Suchen for a fun filled day!

So grateful that I got to stand in for at least one day... for the Champions in this sweet boy's life!

Best Friends!

On Tuesday, one of my Best Friends came to visit from Indiana. We haven't seen each other in years, and we have known each other since we first met at work when I was 18 years old. Yes, we have been through a whole lot together and it is wonderful to have her come visit!

We really haven't done much except talk and remember old times together. We did a little shopping yesterday and then went to visit Amy and the girls today. She had never met any of our grandchildren...it was so fun to have her finally meet some of them.
It is amazing to me how you can not be or have seen a dear friend for sooo many years, and as soon you get back together ( it is like you had never been apart ). What a treat to be with her.

So what a treat these past days have been.
Good Night dear friends!

It's a Sisters Thing!

I have heard all kinds of stories about how wonderful and strong the bond is among Sisters! Having 4 brothers, I could only imagine what that would have been like.  I think I have come as close as I can to knowing,.. from the relationship I have with my sister-in-law Shirley; and also from the sweet relationships I have with my dear dear friends.  I can't imagine I could love them any more if they were my sisters. Then there are my close, close friends who I call my daughters and daughter in law! So I can't complain really for not having any sisters...because I think the truth is... I do have many many sisters that the Lord has blessed me with.

Yesterday I was visiting a friend of mine in the Nursing Home, while I was there 3 sisters came in and introduced themselves to me. They said that their 92 year old Mother was being transferred to this Nursing Home in a couple of hours, and that she was going to be my friend's new roommate. They were very sweet and very kind to me and to my friend. They were sorry that it was a bit loud and busy but they wanted everything to be in place before their Mother arrived. I was so impressed with their love, respect and concern for their Mom. They wanted every picture up, every thing that meant something to her, to be in plain sight so that she would feel comfortable and at home as much as possible.
I was very impressed with how kind and considerate they were with each other. You could tell they were stressed with having to have all of her things unpacked and in place before she got there. Even under these stressful conditions, I never heard a complaint or argument with one another, they all were there to make sure that their Mom felt safe and loved! It was a great insight to me of what type of Mother they must have, to honor her in this way.
Today my granddaugthers were off of school and they came and spent the day with Nana! ( me ). I have to say as I watch them play, fight, and then play some more together, it did my heart good to know that they will always have each other to count on. They will always be Sisters...that is a pretty special thing!

This was the picture of them at their Aunt Lauren's wedding reception, just one year ago! Wow, how time flies!

Here they are last week when Jenny got to go on the bus with Angie for the first time. Audrey was there hoping that they might let her on the bus too!

"Sisters, they always have your back!"

" I had that greatest friends when I was a kid, and I got to keep them for my whole life!"

Good Night dear friends!

Early Birthday Present!

Last week I got an early birthday present from a dear friend back East. Jeff asked me why I didn't open it right away. I told him because I thought I should wait and open it on my birthday. He said no go ahead and just open it, but I thought I should wait. I know this friend always send the neatest gifts, so I thought I would wait.
Then we got to 4th of July in Anacortes and when were at the Marina to watch the fireworks...I told Jeff I wish I had something red or blue to wear but I didn't.
Came home and yesterday and I kept looking at that package and thought to myself " maybe I should just open it, I can't wait to see what she sent".
So after looking at this picture, you can see Jeff was right, I should have opened it...it would have been perfect for the 4th of July!


Moral to this story, when someone close to you sends you an Early Birthday Present...just OPEN IT!
How grateful I am for sooo many dear
sweet friends! They make life wonderful!
Good Night dear friends, and Thank You
for being in my life!

Happy Birthday Lee!

Twenty years ago, Jeff and I headed off early to the hospital for my C-section and arrival of our last baby...Lee Austin. We had talked about him so much, that is seemed like everyone was excited to meet him. A lot like we felt with all the other kids and our grandchildren.... and no Miss Audrey has not made her grand entrance into the world yet. I will tell you when she does.
I think the thing that struck me most about Lee is how he just seemed to complete our family, he was our fourth child and everyone couldn't get enough of Baby Wee ( as his sister Lauren used to call him).

He was the most shy of all of our kids and he was just happy to let his big Sister Lauren ( only 2 years older ) take center stage and he just followed her lead ( which was dangerous sometimes :) She loved him from the start and couldn't wait till he would grow up enough, to pretend with her. Most of the poor boy's life, he had something tied around his neck and Lauren telling him to bark like a dog! :) The fact that he survived those younger days with Lauren is a miracle in and of its self! :) But still they were always buddies and best friends!


But as you can see here that Best Friends thing ....never changed between them, and WE ALL feel the same about Austin Tashis! ( It's was a family nick name )

So even though he was our last, we have loved having him in our family! He has a heart of gold and is one of the most compassionate guys around. I feel blessed to be his MOM and so grateful that he is happy and enjoying school and his wonderful roommates. He has had his challenges but continues on and that will take him far in life! Yes, Lee Austin...we are so glad that you arrived 20 years ago today... our lives have been blessed ever since! Happy Birthday son!

A great opportunity!

I am still in California. Our dears friends that we were visiting, asked if I would extend my visit and speak at a church Women's Conference today? Of course I said YES! I love the opportunity to speak and hopefully share not only my heart, but the experiences that I have gone through...in hopes that it might help another.
I love the quote...
"WHAT DO WE LIVE FOR IF NOT TO MAKE  LIFE LESS DIFFICULT FOR EACH OTHER?"

I love the quote also that says " Each generation should help the next"
Isn't that the truth? And when we share and help another, it seems to bless our lives... 100 fold!
The same thing happened, as always today. I was a bit nervous about speaking on such a short notice, still when I prayed if I should stay and do it, the answer was a definite YES!  So I tried to prepare as much as I could and finally when I got up to speak,  I was able to deliver the message that I had hoped to deliver. Of course the energy of so many incredible ladies helped, and I am sure all those prayers that I have sent upward so fast and furious the last couple of days helped too! You could tell that theses women were attentive, and relating to many of the same experiences that I had had. I guess that is one of the main reasons that I love doing my Motivational Speaking. I love the connection I get to make with so many of the women afterwards, some of them will probably even become dear friends of mine... and you know how I love to make new friends. But it is neat to meet these ladies personally, hear some of their stories and struggles and because of these life's experiences...we make a connection.
One lady who I met today gave me the most incredible compliment. She had lost her husband 6 months ago today ( I was amazed at her strength, you could feel it ) and she said that today there had been a lot of emotions because today was their Wedding Anniversary. Now I don't know myself, but have heard that the first year is so terribly hard because of all the 1sts that you miss. Your 1st Christmas apart, 1st Birthday without them and so on, so after hearing this, I couldn't believe that she even felt like coming to my class. But she explained that when I stood to speak that there were many things that she had either felt or needed to hear. She then hugged me and said " YOU WERE MY ANNIVERSARY GIFT"! What an honor, here was a women who had so much to be heartbroken, discouraged and even sad about ... and yet she got up this morning, got dressed and decided to come to this Sister's Conference. I am amazed that she did that and wondered if I could have had such strength? Or would I have stayed in bed in my pajamas and cried and cried about all that I was missing? What a great example she was to me to keep going, keep moving forward, if only one step at a time. Keep living life, even if at times you really don't want to. Don't give up... instead keep going, trying, doing and blessings will follow. She was the perfect example of that to me. It made me realize not to take my relationship with my husband for granted either. Time is fragile, and we simply never know what time we will have left here on earth, but not matter what we need to make the most of that which we have been given.
So even though I put a ton of energy, prayers,and preparation into my talk... honestly I get soooooooooo much more in return, when I personally get to meet and connect with these ladies. They were beautiful inside and out. How glad I am that everything fell in place for me, to be able to have this great opportunity! I won't share my talk with you tonight but will at a later date. It's late and I am beat...happy ...but beat! Good night dear friends and especially my NEW friends!

“The difference between school and life? In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson.”

Tom Bodett quotes       “Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.”

    

“I think we all wish we could erase some dark times in our lives. But all of life's experiences, bad and good, make you who you are. Erasing any of life's experiences would be a great mistake.”

Luis Miguel quotes