Saturday, June 28, 2008

SUMMER

A NEW QUILT
MATH, MATH & MORE MATH

I haven't been doing a good job of blogging this summer. The days seem to be going by like a blur. In truth,my Math class has taken up a lot more time than I had hoped it would. I am half way through the class, with just 4 weeks remaining. The class really wouldn't be that bad except an entire textbook is crammed into 8 weeks and although we are given a hefty amount of homework (which one has to do to understand the material), the only grades recorded are on tests and quizzes. I am an anxious test taker so this poses some stress on me because my grade rests on the tests alone! I just took my midterm and I was in total shock when I got it back...100%! Surely there was some sort of mistake; but there was not. So, I am much more relaxed as there is only one more test and a final to go!


Other than that, I play "taxi' driving Whitley to dance class twice a week and picking up friends for sleepovers and such. Whit is taking Hip-Hop and Jazz this summer. I just looked at the new schedule for fall and I am not liking it, as classes are at 6:30 in the evening..which means another trip west, which means 85 miles a day (school /daance) and that, I do not believe is an option. I am not sure what I am going to do!


We just finished vacation Bible School and this year Whitley was a teacher's helper instead of a student. The theme was "Jerusalem Market" so the kids learned about herbs, tying knots, Hebrew, weaving, woodworking (making driedals) and of course biblical lessons.


Her friend is arriving today from New York and will be here for a month. She is so excited and made a banner for the front yard for her arrival. This willl be a built in pal for the summer!


In four weeks, I will be done with school and then I will have my surgery on July 28th. John will be off for about 6 and a half weeks to help out around the house. Then, it will be time for everyone to go back to school, myself included, and head back to work!


Other than that, it is an uneventful summer. The weather volleys back and forth between hot and cold. The constant is that it has been very dry and so the pollens have everyone "Ah-chooing" for the last couple of weeks.


I did find a comforter for my bed, since our remodel is behind us. My other one was rather blah and lackluster but I like the contrast of my new quilt. The great thing is I didn't have to buy anything else to go with it as my drapes and such went well with it, and the bonus was it came with a free matching oversized tote (which makes for a cute school bag this fall, lucky me).
Okay, I'll ramble on another day....goodbye for now!








Monday, June 16, 2008

HAPPY FATHERS DAY

There are 7 Fathers in my life that have made an imprint. Today is the day I get to acknowledge and thank each one of them.

I'll start with my Grandfathers, both of whom are deceased, and deeply missed. My maternal grandfather Cliff, I called "Grandpa". My fondest memories with him were the magical Christmases they put on for all 21 grandchildren. Special times alone with him was re-filling the birdfeeder and setting out corn for his pet squirrel. On another occassion he showed me how to use a magnifying glass to start a fire. He also taught me about patriotism and gave me money to buy a red poppy on "poppy day"...to raise money for the charitable events the VFW sponsored. I am thankful he was able to see my wedding as he died the following year.

Next was my Grand-dad Grant. I was so close to this man and spent every wakening moment with him that I could. He taught me how to mow, paint, trim the rose bushes, garden. I went grocey shopping with him, tended to the family's graves and learned how to work a Kodak Disc camera. A favorite thing to do was to take a ride to Princeville for and ice cream and take a look- see at how all the crops were coming along.

My Dad is Mike. He is an extremely gracious and giving man...he is the first on the scene when there is a need. He has plowed snow and helped countless people out of ditches, for free, I might add. He has coached many softball teams and given to his community, which he loves. He probably would be a rich man had he not given away every penny he has made. I enjoy his weekly calls and seeing him as often as possible. It is a treat to watch him love on his grandchildren.

My step-father is Marvin. I admire this man for his fairness and for loving my daughter and my sister's children as if they were his very own grandchildren. He gets right on their level to play with them and they squeal with delight! He has been very gracious to my mother, my sister and I and I thank him for it.

Another man named "Sean", stepped up to be the fabulous daddy of Kendall Elyse. He dotes on her and is a wonderful provider for his family. We are so thankful that his love is big enough to share with us!

My husband John is a wonderful father. He adores his little girl, who is not so little anymore. My daughter will have pages of memories to tell about her Daddy: all the fun times skiing, ice skating, bicycling, swimming, hiking. Whatever they do together, you can be sure it is a great time.

I thank my heavenly Father for his mercy and love for me and mandkind. If not for his patience and unconditional love, I would have been consumed a thousand times over.

HAPPY FATHERS DAY TO EACH OF YOU!!!

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Last Day of School





With the sun shining up above and a slight breeze stirring the pines, boys and girls, along with their parents, gathered for the ceremonious last day of school. For Whitley, the day was all about the "Continuation Ceremony" to Middle School. For me, it was about pulling off a "surprise" that she knew absoutley nothing about.
The preparation began the night before as I secretly removed items from her room and began packing up an overnight bag. I got "busted" putting her bike in the back of the Jeep and she began asking me why I was doing so. With some quick thinking, I said, "Wasn't there something you wanted fixed on here?" She replied that the right brake was sticking. Apparently she knows nothing about WD-40 or that her Dad really can fix anything! I then told her that was going to try to drop it off at the bike shop on the way home.
Next morning was an early rise as we provided the graduation cake for the class and needed to pick that and a few other things up at the store on the way to school.
She went to class, and I helped the principal move the BBQ cooker that the fire district allowed us to use. We also set up tables, the PA system and so on. Before we knew it, the hour was up and the ceremony started.
After that, we went back to the class room for an hour and a half and had cake. The kids were also busy signing yearbooks. The surprise began when Whitley's lifelong friend Isabella "Izzy" walked into the class with her Mom. It was priceless to see the look on Whitley's face! "Oh My Goodness!" Whitley said over and over. The girls embraced and Whit was quick to introduce her to the other kids.
We enjoyed an all school BBQ and then did shopping around town with our friends. It was at the last stop that Izzy explained to Whitley that the bike and a bag of clothes had been prepared for her to have a sleepover over the weekend in town at their place. Whitley could hardly process all of it. She truly was surprised!
So she's off, officialy a 6th grader now, having a great weekend full of bicycling, swimming and summer fun with her best friend! What more could anyone ask for?


Wednesday, June 4, 2008

51/49

This is the result of Whitley's Nuc. Med. test. What does it mean? Well, several things:

1- The right kidney is doing 51% of the function and the left kidney is doing 49% for a total of 100% function! A perfect score would be 50/50.

2- 51/49 is the exact processing number that she had a little over a year ago, which confirms to me that she is perfectly stable and doing FANTASTIC. As we were told a year ago, this is an excellent reading and better than expected results from her surgeries.

3- I haven't spoke with the doctors yet (I read the machine for myself to get the numbers), but I surmise that they will conclude that the additional growth is simply to her physical growth this year...which has been remarkable.

Thanks again for your prayers and thoughts! We are relieved once again. Let summer begin!!!

Monday, June 2, 2008

The Blessing of Friendship

A Blog entry for each of you.........

My Father always told me if I had one good friend I could count on, I was lucky. He said if I had two, I was very fortunate. Well, this week I have felt like a rich man as I have seen and felt just how many people truly love and care for me.

This past year has been a challenge for me as I learn to parent, with my husband, a strong willed tween that is flexing her wings here at home. I am fortunate that I can pour out my heart and seek counsel and advice from so many of you who have already braved the teen years. It is a priviledge to exchange our stories of trials and testing. I feel so much more "human" when I listen to your stories because I look up to each of you.

I have gained much empathy for my parents as I now see how hard it can be to love and parent. It is a priviledge to call my parents, and my mother-in-law, my friends as well. I can't forget my loving aunts and uncles either.

I also have gained a deeper love for my friend and husband, John...a true gift from God!

I can't help but feel fortunate for Valerie T. who takes my calls (well past the 9pm rule) and so graciously gives me her time and counsel...and who also added us to the prayer board at church. We are truly feeling those prayers!!!

To Susan, Leslie, Naomi, Ruth, and Amy..more awesome prayer buddies. To Sonie for always popping in at the right moment with a Starbucks coffee and a listening ear. To Marlene & Elaine who I can always gab with until the battery croaks on the cordless. To Barb & Karen G. who E-mail most faithfully. To Christi who always nurses me back to health when I am really sick or have a surgery, while looking after my girl (Whit).... and to my childhood and lifelong friend Karen K. who is so good about writing a letter or fxing up a really cool care package and mailing it (and keeping my husband in business at the Post Office)! To Kim & Sean C., who allow me and my family to share our love with their daughter Kendall Elyse. There are friends like Terrie, Sarah, Debi, Kelly, Linda & Annie whom I can be real with and pick right up where we left off anytime, anyplace.

Thank you to each of you beautiful women, and men, who love me unconditionally for who I am. Thank you for loving me in spite of my inadequacies and shortcomings. Thank you for your encouragement, your prayers, your stories, your strength and for sharing your lives with me. What can I say when I have not just one, but dozens of people who are beyond an aquaintance, but are true friends that I can always count on. I hope I can be just as worthy of reciprocating the love you have all shared with me.

I am learning to parent, to be patient, to accept my daughter for who she is, to accept myself and God's grace when I fail. Perhaps someday, I will be honored to hear my daughter call me her friend as well. Thank you all again for.....
The Blessing of Friendship!

Love,
Jamie

Sunday, June 1, 2008

June 1st







June 1st marks 20 days until summer. It is now late Spring in the Rockies and the hills have come alive with life. This is my favorite time of year as the days in the mountains are a comfortable 76 degrees and the evenings are in the low 50's.
My Columbines (the CO state flower) have awaken from their winter nap and their faces seem to smile at the world each day. It is the one flower the elk/deer leave alone.
We have baby kits again that reside in a drain under the drive. There were three, but we are down to two. One year we had 5, but that all perished when a flash flood overtook them. We were so sad as we loved to watch them frolic and play hide-n-seek in the yard.
Tonight the sky was beautiful and we happened to have the camera in the car to catch one of the little foxes peeping out of his hole and the glorious colors of a springtime sunset. ENJOY!



The last week of May

...has been busy in a good sort of way. We have been having fun going to weddings, graduations and receptions, dance recitals and just ringing in summer fun with BBQ's with our friends. As my friend Susan says, "This is great; I haven't had to cook in over a week!" Ditto for me!

This week the weather has been enjoyable. Whitley's homework is dwindling so the evenings are nice and relaxing. John is done with his handy work so we are just enjoying our free time as a family.

Last weekend was a wedding and graduation; this weekend a dance recital and graduation. We had a blessing as we went to Whitley's friend Keanu's dance rehersal. We went to the rehearsal because they had sold out tickets for the show. After the rehersal, we walked out and saw our friend Diane, who was surprised to see us there and wondered what/who we were there to see. We explained that we wanted to be supportive of Whit's friend, but that they were out of tix. Ironically, Dinae's in-laws had to leave town and here she had 2 tix that she had purchased for them, and so she gave them to us! We offered to buy them from her, but she refused. (Thx Di; you're a doll). What a thrill for us and Whit's friend! The recital theme and music was from the Wizard of Oz; it was great! If we can get an all clear on Whit's kidneys, she has decided that this is what she would like to do again; DANCE!

After the recital we went to her friend's home and arrived back at home a little before 1 am. We got up today and went to the graduation/reception for my friend Leslie's daughter Kara. Kara's brother Brady is in Whitley's class. Leslie & I were prayer partners in Mom's in Touch for 5 years. Way to go Kara!

We have one more graduation send off in July for my friend Susan's (another mom's in touch mom and dear friend) son who has graduated high school and made it into the Coast Guard Prep School, so they are having a send off for Dillon. It is a big honor to be accepted in the school and so we are really excited for Dillon and his family!

Congratulations to Kris & Britany on their marriage; God's blessings to you! Additional congrats to David, Teddy, Darci back home. And.....to my sister Hannah from graduating from college and landing her job of choice! Also congrats to her and Chad as Chad asked my father for her hand in marriage last weekend!

It looks like this time of year next year will be equally as busy as I have my 20th class reunion, and most likely my sister's wedding!

Time is marching on and so today, we greet the first day of June. A new month and a new chapter for so many! That wraps up this blog for the month of May.