Trials and Victories

It often takes me by surprise, altho it shouldn't really, when I read a book or something that I normally wouldn't.  I find nuggets of shining truth.  Last month at our book club we talked about how Heavenly Father knows all, knows the end from the beginning and it lead to quite a discussion on our own agency.  Did He know that those 2 men would set that bomb at the Boston Marathon?  And then knew that the sweet young 8 year old boy would die?  And what could have made Him stop this, or put the boy out of harms way?  And that lead to how the Lord and His Father will not interfer with our agency but they nor their purposes will ever be thwarted.  Linda B asked if I thought God gave my mom cancer/herself MS.  I don't have a feeling that He did this, nor that she agreed to this anymore any of the rest of us agreed to our trials and challenges.  But like everyone else, that veil stops my mind from memory of the premortal life but that is a blessing as it allows me to work at communicating with the spirit to teach me things unlearned any other way.

This month's reading is Moloka'i by Alan Brennert, most definitely a book I would not have chosen on my own but am so glad I read this.  I had to record a quote from this book p. 307 and spoken by Sister Catherine who did not have leprosy but cared for these people:

I used to wonder, why did God give children leprosy?  Now I believe:  God doesn't give anyone leprosy.  He gives us, if we choose to use it, the spirit to live with leprosy, and with the imminence of death.  Because it is in our own mortality that we are most Divine.

There were also lovely lines spoken by and for the native Hawaiians at funerals and I hope that when I die, my family will remember to speak these words at my graveside at the green cemetery in Ohio:

The call to ancestors:  Parents' by names  here is your daughter/son, by name
                                   Deceased spouse, here's your wife,  her name.

O name, here you are departing
Boundless love, O name, between us, alas.

Here is food, clothing, and something you loved, Go: but if you have a mind to return, then come back.

That last line is what I love best...probably because I continue to look for the fleeting shadow that might pass my peripheral vision here at 3830 that would tell me that my mom or bonpapa or any of my other loved ones might be stopping by to check on me.

This has been a huge week in Cleveland, Ohio.  For a decade we have honored the kidnapping of 2 young women, in their teens.  Amanda Berry and Gina Dejesus (and another woman who was 20 and taken a year before Amanda and was just considered a runaway, Michelle Knight)

were names that were always brought up on the anniversary of their abductions, and by the media and police who never let us forget them, who continued to follow up leads.  The families never let us forget.  And Monday, when that horrible man left the house, somehow Amanda got loose and screamed for help and was rescued by an amazing neighbor.  It's all the news we hear on every channel, and it's gone international.  I sat with tears in my eyes, speechless, as I watched the news unfold on Monday.  I have cried through many of the newscasts til I could not stand to listen to one more item of information that was being given about what these 3 women had to endure.  My life has been so incredibly easy by all accounts.  I am grateful the Lord did not require this of me...probably because He knew I was not the fighter.  I am grateful that my children have not had to endure this altho each have had or are enduring trials of their own....and so far they are becoming victorious.

 (Having spent the evening at the Family History Center and talking with Dorothy Titera, I decided to come home and amend this.  Then I read Jocelyn's comment and knew I was going to do it for sure.  This afternoon i was talking with my godmother, Patsy.  She was fretting that Amanda Berry's mom died before knowing that her daughter was alive.  I assured her that her mom knew...and not just on Monday.  I think that the mom knew the moment she died.  Furthermore, I told Patsy, I think God allowed that mom to be a special sort of guardian for her daughter during the past 7 years.  How else could this young girl have gotten through what she did without some sort of extra 'help'.  And perhaps her young daughter AND her mom's promptings from beyond propelled Amanda to get to that door, to get through that door with her daughter and save not only themselves but the other 2 women as well.  And as I said it, again, I was given the feeling that this probably did happen this way....and if it didn't, I don't care.  They are free tonight and back in their homes.  But Jocelyn is correct...there's nothing a mom can't nor won't do for her child!)

Dawn posted this comment on Facebook this week:

And this is sure true altho it is difficult to get through to the polished stage.  I responded to Dawn that the sad part is that these sandpaper people are already used up inside.  In my most ungenerous moments, I recognize them for what they are and fight the urge to not have any use  for them, forgetting who they are.  I try to remember but am not always successful.  As is the case with the 3 brothers who had our Cleveland girls, I could take care of their punishment in a much better way that any court or prison could...PLUS I am married to a man who knows about medieval tortures....there are better ways for punishment than death in this case I tell you!

I went to the blogspot that was listed and found this gem, too:

This might be even a better message once we all get on even ground.....quote from ― Kurt Vonnegut

I guess this is the end of my reminders to myself.  Now it's time to go and rejoice in the life I've been given, the spouse and amazing children I given. The very creative and fun grands that brighten my days just be stopping by the skype camera to show me their new haircut, or a twirl, or a kiss on the screen.  Life is good and my world is a beautiful place.

Sunday, April 28..sick

This is a miserable day...I'm staying home from church to be sure that if I am contagious that I do not spread this.  I am grateful that my wonderful doctor's group has weekend hours.  You just walk in, sign up, and take your turn.

With spring and all it's growing things literally in the air, my seasonal asthma kicked in. Started my Symbicort inhaler last week. The cough lead to a sore throat (but it's not strept) which lead to an ear ache/pain (but it's not infected.  Infected ear drums swell outward.  Ear drums affected by miserable sinuses are PULLED back into the head).  And then no voice.

I occasionally wonder what it would be like to stay at home on Sunday as most other people do.  They of course go off shopping or to restaurants.  I just am stuck at home. I'd call Jacob Kennedy who is recovering from knee and foot surgery but he's either sleeping or so bored at home, he went to church.  I've skyped with Dawn since she has afternoon church.  Otherwise, it's pretty boring.  So I think now that the roast is in the oven, I'm going to head back to bed.

Gardening 2013

We all know I am no gardener.  I don't like being outside, and certainly not lollygaggin' in the dirt/muck/mud (but gaggin' is probably what I'd be doing).  So when I came across this idea I knew it was something that we could do...well, OK...Robert could do and I could plan.

In part, the problem is that Robert has fast turned our gardening space into a fruit farm.  The best part is that the dear baby bunnies that always seem to find our garden cannot get to our stuff.  This type of gardening 'plot' will work against a wall, against a fence, or even hanging from the patio covering.  We bought 2 10' lengths of vinyl gutter pieces and drilled holes in the bottom of it, every 4".  Keeping them at 10' length as we initially tried didn't work so we cut them down to 40"....no sag, no give.  Attach the end caps and use cables and other hardware to attach the cables through the holes and hang.  Very easy.
We have enough to make 4 more and altho last night we said we'd start small, I think we might as well just go for broke, finish them up and see how well they do.

 The lower gutter is filled with lettuce seeds and the top one has rosemary and lavender.  Now I have to wonder if they should have been planted in the same bed or will they take on the other's flavor.  But how bad could lavender scented rosemary be?

Spring has arrived and it's lovely.  Just enough rain, not too hot too fast.  And the locals have stopped complaining about the snow coming down.  But April's  Shower do bring the flowers that bloom in May.....and hopefully some lettuce and spices.

Baking with Maddie

I had a delightful morning and part of the afternoon yesterday baking with Holly Ware's daughter, Maddie.  Maddie is homeschooled and loves to cook.  Not sure if I fulfill some sort of extra-cirricular activities by baking with her but I was asked to do this some time ago and everything just sort of fell in place.

Today is a huge Family History Conference at the Stake Center in Westlake.  Each ward was to provide breakfast treats.  Sandusky had a huge weekend of activities and were not able to bake so Kitty and I said we would bake for them.  Hence a day long of baking.

Here's sweet Maddie and the things we baked together. We had so many different breakfast treats going at one time.  She kept my head pretty much in the game, as well as listening to all the craziness with the news media tracking down the Boston Marathon bombers.

 This is Maddie weighing each of the dough balls, to be rolled out for cinnamon twists.  She was so good at making each piece be exactly 2 ounces...me, I just get as close as I can.  I love her exactness.

 These are poppyseed twists and they will eventually have a lemon glaze applied.  These turned out to be fun to cut with dental floss as well as to twist.  The dough is a new recipe, a very buttery and soft dough.  Love it.

 This is the Mexican chocolate loaf...the filling has cocoa, sugar, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and almonds.  Shortly after this picture, the loaf was just warm enough to brush with melted butter and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar twice.  Very pretty.

 Here are the near finished cinnamon knots.  This is what Maddie was preparing the dough by weighing it.  Rolled between our hands, rolled in melted butter, and then in brown sugar and cinnamon.  A knot is formed and then placed in paperlined cupcake cups.  That was not required but I  thought it would make for easier clean up and easy transport.

This is one of two raspberry rings (thank good Robert had a great crop of raspberries and we still have lots frozen).  This just came out of the oven so when it cools a bit, it will be dusted with powdered sugar.

After we ate our lunch, Maddie helped me clean the kitchen and then Holly came to get her daughter...sadly to return for about 8 hours of school work....and was nice enough to get a picture of the both of us.  Nah, Maddie is not this tall...she straightened up tall and I scrunched down.  We had a couple of chuckles along the way as she was not always able to put ingredients away because a lot of my stuff is up high.

It was a fun day....Thank you sweet Maddie.

Boston Marathon Bombing

Monday, April 15 will long be remembered....what started out to be a lovely morning with a friend, Holly...finding shoes that fit perfectly at a store that I will return to in order to get comfortable shoes...turned into something horrible.

This was the day of the Boston Marathon and as the runners were passing the finish line, suddenly 2 bomb blasts went off...killing 3 people who had come to watch the race.  Obviously an act of terrorism and it makes me shudder to think about it even now.  And of course what follows were hours and hours of the talking newsheads revisiting the horror.  I sat transfixed in front of the TV until I could bear it no longer.

Suddenly on Thursday night, the identification of the 2 bombers were published and then there were more hours of watching for the capture, hoping that it would end soon without any more deaths.  There was one more, a campus police officer.  The oldest brother was killed and the younger man, all of 19, escaped and hid leading to the total shut down of Boston and Watertown.  It was with relief that a man went out to his backyard to walk his dog late Friday night, enjoying a moment of fresh air and noticed what appeared to be blood on the tarp covering his boat, stored in the backyard.  He looked under the tarp and saw a man and hurried back to the home to call the police.  This ordeal ended pretty soon after this.  The young man was captured alive and the hope is that he can tell if there were other people funding this terrorist attack or something else.

The streets and cities erupted in joy and relief when the news the 2nd man had been taken alive.  Earlier in the day, I had copied this picture to my facebook:

Yes, I do know it's not a real sign but I certainly agreed with this sentiment, especially as I thought of the 4 people who died at the hands of the 2 men who were living the good life in the USA, getting an education, participating in sports.  The youngest had even gained citizenship.  It seems easy to judge the older brother...and sadly, or wrongly, I have sympathy for the younger one.  I know he chose to be complicite  but I wonder....was he lead down the garden path by an evil brother or did he go willingly?  Time will tell, I guess.

But I am grateful for the ability we have to often find the culprits so rapidly.  Robert and I tried to watch Skyfall 007 last night but what used to be fun James Bond movies turned pretty stupid in the light of what the real world can really accomplish.  We didn't waste anymore time on that movie. Turned it off and went to bed.  I know we are in for more such events and I hope to be able to hear a 'whisper' that might warn me to not go/be/do something...actually I am trying to hear that whisper now, to be comfortable in its voice, familiar with its message.

Easter 2013

  Oh my...what a wonderful Easter we were able to store up in our memory palace.  Jocelyn called a few weeks back and asked if the family could come for the Easter weekend...oh yes, please do!  And then, we thought how nice it would be that Marissa and family live so close.  When Jordan and Hillary heard Jocelyn was coming, they decided to come as well.  Finally Dawn was convinced to join as with her family.  It was crazy and lovely and wonderful and joyful.

I think I finally realized why we opted to move up here to 3830.  As much as we loved and still do love 809, there would have been no way to manage feeding 22, let alone sleep that many.

 Evan and Guy had a great time playing games on the iPod.  These two became fast friends/cousins

 Pretty cousins on the top bunk...Autumn, grown up lady Adelle, and Scarlett.

 Conor was comfy on the twin by the games and things.

Now the 3 boys are playing with the iPods.

 As it was Dawn and Ken had to sleep on the floor or couch or futon mattress.  But it was such a joy to have so many of the kids here...I just cannot express it.  And everyone got along without any opposing views.  But then I initiated the weekend by saying we were Switzerland (Connor said Canada).  Neutral on all issues.

The Christensens arrived very late Wednesday night.  The kids grabbed a few bites of something but eyelids were heavy and they happily went to the basement to sleep in the bunk bed or twin beds.  Up early, and all chattering.  Then they got in the car and went to visit Aunt Carol in Grafton.

Aunt Carol Etzel with Honor

Autumn playing Ashley's guitar.  I think Scarlett is singing.

A sweet photo.

Jocelyn with Carol and Honor
  There's always fun stuff in Carol's backyard.


Then on to visit my godparents, Uncle Johnny and Aunt Patsy.

Group picture  without Steve, who obviously is behind the camera.  Patsy and Johnny loved the visit.

So happy to hold the babe.

And Patsy loves babies and children as much as Johnny, if not moreso!

The kids put on quite the show.

Very entertaining with songs and hand motions.

Time for lots of hugs and kisses before leaving.

At some point (not sure in which order) they dropped in to visit Marissa and boys and check out the lovely Trethen home.


The cousins who were born 30 hours apart.  Honor has found Oskar's wonderful hair.

At last...A picture of Steve and he almost looks relaxed.

Toys and ribbons.

Hey!  What does she have, what did she find?


 

My turn, says Henry.

Up in Henry's room, painting on his easel.


Friday the Christensens awoke at good time and we were able to 'frost' some eggs.  This is something that Robert only got to do once as a child.  I really thought I would skip it this year and Jocelyn really did skip the egg dying when they were at home.  Then I thought it would be egg-stra special this year to do it anyway.  I quickly cooked the eggs and as soon as they were cool enough we colored them.This is a fun feature of our new camera.

It almost looks I have something important to tell Guy.  He is so wonderful!

I'm a bit of a control freak.  I told the kids they each got 4 eggs to color....lead to no squabbling.  And it was done quickly.





















The Christensens drove up to Toledo in the afternoon to visit with Steve's sister, Renae and family and Steve's parents were also there.  Renea has just had a baby so the new babies were meeted and greeted.

Dawn's family arrived Friday night after Ken got off from work.  Dawn's kids slept in the basement on the rest of the beds.

Secular Saturday meant it was time for the discovery of the baskets and where the Easter Bunny hid the eggs.

We prepared to head to Lakeview Beach for the annual egg hunt.  The Trefethens

arrived at our home just as we were getting ready to leave so we were together and set to have fun.  Jordan and Hillary and kids drove directly up from Columbus and met us there.  Perfect timing.

 This is a fast event but everyone is very happy.  The park system which now owns Lakeview Beach/Park fills plastic eggs with candy and the eggs are strewn all over 2 sections of the par, this year on the far west side.  We waited longer than it took the kids to gather up the eggs.  The younger children were assigned to one section, the older children to the next section.  Connor was so good in helping Henry to spot the eggs, pick them up, put them in the basket.  So odd to think of Connor being too old for an egg hunt but seeing him so willing to help a wee one.

 Rob takes a walk around the grounds.

 What?  You want me to pose?  I wanna get come eggs and candy!

 Dawn and Hank yukking it up

 Jordan

 It was not warm but it was so sunny!

 Surrounding the grass with the eggs.

 Honor is all bundled and is probably wondering what this life is all about.

 Get ready!  HENRY!  Get your basket!

 How much longer dad?

 See Henry holding onto Connor's hand?

Stud muffin Connor!

 

 Well...what's going on? Why am I stuck in here!  At least I can say thanks for the warm hat!

 Aw Granny, thanks!  I have no idea what these are but they are colorful!  And they rattle.

 Running for the eggs and candy!

 Now that was fun!

 Well, if Oskar couldn't have any chocolate at least he could have some sustenance.

 Another stud muffin...just younger!

Cool Dude!  Evan

After the egg hunt was over, a mom arrived with her kids, not understanding how the egg hunt would go...she thought it was just an ongoing activity.  So sadly her kids missed out on the hunt but we learned that Evan and Guy who shared their eggs with these little kids.  All unasked, unprompted...Wow!  Do I have great grandkids or what?

Then it was home for hot Roast Beef Sandwiches (thank you Pioneer Woman...very good).  I cannot even talk about all the things that went on. We didn't see the kids much, they just played with each other here, there, anywhere. Lily and Rob enjoyed digging in PaPa's garden.
Way up high...on the patio!
Not sure what's going on but.....



Miss Lily had a 'bed' made in the closet in the gold room, created to look like a princess room.

 I think she enjoyed it.   And the Easter Bunny brought all her stuff to the room she shared with her parents...how cool is that?  As long as she kept the door open she didn't get overly heated.  But it has to be fun to be little enough to sleep on the floor of an empty closet with the door almost closed and the spooka night light in the corner.

Sunday was a cold day but a lovely day with family.  

Here the kids are waiting for the time to leave for church.

Lovely and growing lovelier, Miss Adelle.
 
Rob loves the fans overhead...in fact he loves all fans.  And he's got this amazing face that's always looking at me, pleading me to left him up to pull the chain.
  I think this is the favorite shot of the holiday for me....I think....Autumn and Lily...and it wasn't posed...it just happened!

  Rob

  I think Miss Lily enjoyed playing with Miss Adelle.
Never sure what it is about this huge rock our front but kids have always climbed it, stands on top...Cock of the Rock, King of the world?  Who knows?

  And now Guy is atop with Evan.

  We attended church, came home to eat.

The tables lined up from dining room right up to the front room window.  Not all of us are visible but you get the idea.  Jocelyn again this year, had asked the family for their testimonies and had them each but into strips and placed in more plastic eggs.  We took turns reading from the egg we had selected.

At some point, Robert showed the family photos he's been scanning...this is a picture of the world map that was painted on his childhood home's wall.  Everyone wants copies of the pictures when he's done.

New Hatch Batch returned to Columbus in the evening.

Truly it all seems to be a blur.  I know that at the end of the night,  Earlier, Ken, Connor, Evan, PaPa and Guy  played Monopoly.  Connor explains the intricacies of the game.

Hank, Jocelyn, Ken, Connor, Robert and I played Phase 10. I am so glad that Hank likes this game.  He seldom gets to play so I must remember this because I enjoy the game.

The Christensen's left 9am Monday morning.  Dawn and family stayed through the day.  She helped me clean the whole house and I'm telling you, I don't think my mom could clean a bathroom as shiny as she can.  Dawn and I did take some time off to go to Oberlin to pick up my sewing machine that was repaired, and stop at Pat Catan's and have lunch at Chipotle.  Ken had to work the whole day, barely stopping for lunch and dinner.  After dinner they drove home to Michigan.

By Tuesday Dawn expressed her feelings that fit mine perfectly....ZOMBIES!  We were so tired, so exhausted.  But it's the kind of good Zombies, if there is such a thing.  Hillary was correct.  Having cooked a meal, cleaned up, and immediately started another, Hillary said "NEXT time, Susan, You need to assign each of us a meal."  And she's so right.  I am not sure which was the hardest...the time consumed or preparing the food?  Just don't know...Just don't care right now.  I just know there was a lot of food prepared and consumed and hopefully enjoyed.  Luckily the was a lot of help from the guys especially Robert in doing the dishes.

I am sure I am forgetting something we did...I should have written this sooner, while the events were fresh.  I just know we so missed the Kennedys and hoped they were having a great Easter, too.  But it was one of those events that a mom/granny stores up in her heart.  It's seeing the kids play together, the adults talk together.  Sharing  Loving  Growing.