Thoughts from the librarian

Jake & Luke June 2009

2009-06-30T19:06:00.000-07:00

Visit with Jake and Luke in June 2009

2009-06-29T18:44:00.000-07:00

Our new grandson, Luke Daniel

2009-03-17T12:31:00.001-07:00

Our new grandson arrived March 10, 2009! He is Luke Daniel and weighed 9 pounds 5 ounces! We got to visit with him last weekend and loved the time we spent with Joel,Wendy, Jake and Luke and Wendy's parents too!

Visit with Betsy

2009-03-02T09:03:00.000-08:00

Snow Pictures

2009-01-28T12:50:00.000-08:00

We had a really big snow last night! John used the snowblower Myron gave us to clear the driveway...it took him most of the morning. I finally got to work at 2:00 and plan to work the evening shift! It sure is pretty but treacherous on the roads!

Ah...Christmas is past for another year

2008-12-29T15:21:00.000-08:00

Christmas is over and I'm back to work. It came and went so fast this year. We had such a great time with the kids in Cincinnati. I really cherish the time with our children and grandchildren. Molly, Myron and Betsy came up to our house on Christmas Eve so we were able to have the fun of a child on Christmas morning again. Betsy likes to sleep so we didn't have any early morning hours like we used to do when I was a kid. Sometimes we'd be up right after our parents had gone to bed. Dad always made it fun for us...sometimes with a map to follow to a gift or some kind of surprise. With seven kids, we didn't get a lot, but we always felt blessed. We hung up Dad's socks for our stockings and he filled them with an apple, an orange, nuts and hard candy. After Christmas he always had seven very stretched-out socks to go back in his drawer. The smell of oranges always reminds me of Christmas for that reason. Mom usually made sure we had at least one new sweater or outfit at Christmas and Dad came up with most of the toy ideas. One year he bought us our first stereo...we thought that was the greatest! We could actually play albums in our own living room! Christmas at Dad's was fun as always this year, but I sure did miss Mom. She always sat in her recliner watching the grandkids and great-grandkids running around excitedly hoping for supper to be over so they could open gifts. I know it was really hard for Dad to spend the morning without Mom. He said it was the first time in 61 years that he'd been away from home on Christmas morning...he had gone to visit my mother's sister and her husband in the nursing home. Our numbers were down a little this year since some of the grandkids couldn't bring their families...we still had a big group of 48! Dad started in September making peanut brittle...he ended up with 80 pounds to give away as gifts. All of the family got it, plus his mail carriers, and the people at the restaurants that he frequents! He's amazing for 82 years! John and I really felt a special bond with Betsy this year...she's growing up and finding that grandparents can be fun! We did crafts with her this year and she loved that. She's usually happiest when she's drawing, painting, or coloring! Joel, Wendy and Jake spent a warm Christmas with her family in South Carolina. We really missed them but know they had a great time with her parents and her brother's family. We are so blessed to have such a great loving family. I thank the Lord for all His many blessings this year and pray for His guidance in my life for the next year!

More Christmas Pictures

2008-12-27T10:33:00.000-08:00

More pics at Grandpa Bill's

2008-12-27T10:30:00.000-08:00

More Christmas pics

2008-12-27T10:29:00.000-08:00

More Christmas pictures

2008-12-26T20:01:00.000-08:00

Christmas with the Hoffman family

2008-12-26T19:59:00.000-08:00

Betsy waiting on Christmas

2008-12-26T19:57:00.000-08:00

Christmas at the Detweilers

2008-12-23T08:35:00.001-08:00

We had a great time in Cincinnati with the kids and grandkids over the weekend. Since Joel, Wendy and Jake won't be with us on Christmas day, we had an early Christmas with them at Molly and Myron's home. It was so much fun watching the kids open gifts and play with each other. They're both learning to share...or at least trying to...so it was cute watching them fuss and interact. Saturday night we went to the Over the Rhine Christmas concert at the Taft Theater. It was so great! We love their music and seeing them live is always a special treat. Since they're family, we got in free and were allowed to visit with Linford and Karin backstage for a minute or two. What a fun weekend!

Betsy at Christmas

2008-12-10T19:00:00.000-08:00

Our three-year-old granddaughter, Betsy, had her first professional haircut. Isn't she adorable!

Joel, Wendy and Jake

2008-12-10T10:27:00.000-08:00

Christmas at the Library 2008

2008-12-10T07:11:00.000-08:00

My new nephew Isaiah and his brother Johnathan!

2008-09-04T17:57:00.001-07:00

My new niece, Leah Leibovitz!

2008-09-04T17:56:00.001-07:00

Betsy's 3rd Birthday

2008-09-04T14:49:00.001-07:00

Jake's a year old!

2008-09-04T14:45:00.000-07:00

Jake in the pool

2008-06-23T15:34:00.000-07:00

The Reception

2008-06-23T15:32:00.000-07:00

Nate and Stacey's wedding

2008-06-23T15:29:00.000-07:00

My niece, Stacey married her sweetheart, Nate this past weekend on the shores of Lake Michigan. It was a beautiful sunny day and a lovely ceremony!

Fathers' Day 2008

2008-06-17T06:50:00.000-07:00

We drove to Molly & Myron's for a quick Fathers' Day visit! It is so nice to have them living closer...only 1 1/2 hour drive. We went to a Japanese restaurant for dinner. It was fun after Betsy got over her initial fright at the cook setting the grill afire! She wasn't expecting that and really screamed for her mama! We had a great time and enjoyed a beautiful afternoon with them!

Jefferson Elementary

2008-06-17T06:45:00.000-07:00

I attended Jefferson Elementary School from first grade to fourth and that was the last year that school was open. It's one of the few old schools that hasn't been demolished. It still stands outside of Deerfield, Indiana...just down the road from the house in which I grew up. One of my old friends decided to take a photo fifty years later and contacted a lot of the students in the 1958 photo. Only a few came but it was fun to catch up with them, especially Mike Mills who came from California!

Jake is 9 months old!

2008-06-17T06:43:00.001-07:00

Isn't he adorable!

My new car...

2008-06-11T13:59:00.000-07:00

I love my new Grand Prix...it makes me feel 16 again! Thank you John for the great Mothers' Day surprise!

Busy Summer at the Library

2008-06-04T06:46:00.000-07:00

The Children's Department has been really hectic since school is out. We're working really hard to get ready for our summer reading program in July. It's called "Catch the Reading Bug" so everything is "bug" themed. I bought an ant farm and got it established about a week ago. It's been so interesting to see the ants build tunnels and rearrange their home. The kids have been fascinated! My brother, Jim, is a science teacher and he's presenting our first program on bees. He's a beekeeper and is planning to bring a display hive...the kids are really excited about that and so am I!
On the home front, my axolotl died a few weeks ago. He had really grown large...around 10 inches long. He died quite suddenly so we really don't know what happened. I now have two more young axolotls at home. They're wild ones so they have dark coloring and spots, unlike my other one which was albino. They seem to be thriving so I hope they'll live longer than Axel. We named the new ones, Atie and Batie...after the imaginary friends that Molly played with as a little girl. She got a real chuckle out of our naming of our pets.

Visit to the Butterfly Exhibit

2008-06-04T06:36:00.001-07:00

We had a beautiful time over Memorial Day weekend visiting with Molly, Myron and Betsy. The butterfly exhibit was so pretty and we all enjoyed seeing the beauty of God's creation.

2008-06-04T06:34:00.000-07:00

Missing Mom

2008-05-14T07:12:00.000-07:00

This is my first Mothers' Day without my Mom. She went to be with the Lord last July. She was on my mind so much this week...there just seems to be a hole in my life with her gone. She was always the one I called when I had news...good or bad...and she always listened. I know this is a really rough time for Dad too. He never failed to make Mothers' Day special for Mom...I know he is missing her even more than the rest of us.

Mark Schultz Concert

2008-05-14T07:06:00.001-07:00

I had a wonderful Mothers' Day! We went to a Mark Schultz Concert at Grace College on Friday night. We had just gotten our new Pontiac Grand Prix so we gave it a good test run over the weekend. Here are a couple of pics of Mark and one of the car...not a great picture but I'll put up a real one when it stops raining!

Mothers' Day Weekend

2008-05-14T07:03:00.001-07:00

We headed to Lansing to spend time with Joel, Wendy and Jake on Saturday. It was such a beautiful, spring day that we went to a little zoo there. Jake was fascinated with the animals! He's such a sweetie...I loved getting some quality grandma time!

2008-05-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

Mother-Daughter banquet

2008-05-14T06:55:00.000-07:00

Molly and Betsy drove up to attend our church's Mother-Daughter banquet! It was so nice to have them here. Betsy loved the rubber lizard and frog I found at the Dollar store...she even took them to the banquet with her!

Betsy in spring!

2008-04-23T19:24:00.000-07:00

Cousins...

2008-04-21T15:16:00.001-07:00

Fun in Ohio!

2008-04-15T19:03:00.000-07:00

We had a great time with all our kids and grandkids in Ohio this weekend. Jake is really growing and has such a sweet personality. It was really fun spending time with him and Betsy and seeing Joel, Wendy, Molly and Myron again! Molly and Myron celebrated their 11th anniversary while we babysat. I'm so glad it's a shorter drive now!

2008-04-15T19:01:00.000-07:00

Jake is so adorable!

2008-04-06T13:27:00.000-07:00

Since we didn't get to spend Easter with our kids, Wendy and Joel sent us new pictures of Jake. Isn't he adorable? He will be 7 months old on Tuesday. We're going to get to see them this weekend at Molly and Myron's. I can't wait!

My "new" kitchen...

2008-04-05T15:02:00.000-07:00

John and I have been working on our kitchen for over a year...a little at a time. It's been a lot of work but we're really happy with the new paint and cabinets we've added. We couldn't afford a real renovation but the things we've managed to change have really given us more storage room and it looks so much brighter! We bought our first new range too...we've always had a used one. This one is so nice...a flat top is so much easier to clean. I'm so appreciative of all the work John put into painting. He's the greatest!

John Detweiler has gone home...

2008-04-05T14:55:00.000-07:00

Molly's husband Myron lost his father, John Detweiler, on March 15, 2008. Here are his obituary and some photos of him with Betsy. We all loved John and he will be missed so much. We praise the Lord that we can know that John is sitting at the feet of Christ, hearing the Word directly from His Savior's lips.

Auble Funeral Home
________________________________________
John Detweiler
(September 22, 1926 - March 15, 2008)
John Detweiler, age 81, of 425 OrrVilla Drive #50, Orrville, died suddenly Saturday, March 15, 2008, at Aultman Hospital in Canton.
John was born on Wednesday, September 22, 1926, in Dodge City, Kansas, to the late Joseph and Lydia (Yoder) Detweiler and married Ruth Overholt on March 10, 1957 in Hartville, Ohio. She survives. They had recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
John left an Amish farm at age 21, worked as a Minister and teacher and was an accomplished handyman, who often leant a helping hand to anyone in need. He loved studying Scripture, enjoyed music, nature (especially songbirds and hardwood trees) and was a prolific gardener.
John and Ruth attended Heritage Church in Smithville. John was also a former Mennonite Voluntary Service Missionary in KY and CA.
John's legacy is a large, creative family and an extended circle of friends, some of which he mentored, all of which he hoped to encourage. He valued his faith, family and friendships above all else.
Surviving are six children, Conrad (Kathy) Detweiler of Kidron, Jonathan (Donna) Detweiler of Bothell, WA, Grace (Peter) Vermeer of Sarnia, ON, Linford (Karin) Detweiler of Cincinnati, Frances (Chris) Herrala of Concord, CA, and Myron (Molly) Detweiler of Cincinnati; thirteen grandchildren, Michael, Maria, and Andrew Vemeer, Jon, Hannah, Jesse, Rachel, and Seth Detweiler, David and Katie Detweiler, Luke and Lauren Herrala, and Betsy Detweiler; a brother, Rudy (Ann) Detweiler of Rittman; and three sisters, Anna Miller of VA, Elizabeth Byler of DE, and Barbara Byler of DE.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Henry & Tobe Detweiler; and a sister, Salina Mast.
Services will be held at 1:00 PM on Friday, March 21, 2008, at Chestnut Ridge Mennonite Church, with Pastor Michael Alvis officiating. Burial will take place at Westlawn Cemetery in Mount Eaton immediately following the service.
Friends may call from 5-8 PM on Thursday, March 20, at Auble Funeral Home in Orrville. Online registry and expressions of condolence may be made at the funeral home's web site at www.aublefuneralhome.com.
Memorial contributions may be made to the John Detweiler Memorial Fund, 425 OrrVilla Drive, #50, Orrville, OH 44667.

Fun but short weekend!

2008-02-17T16:06:00.000-08:00

John and I made a quick trip to Lansing on Saturday and got to spend a couple of days with Joel, Wendy and Jake. He's five months old now and has such a sweet personality. He's sure growing too! We enjoyed going to church with them this morning and hearing Joel lead the worship band; singing and playing his guitar. He played for all three morning services so he was really exhausted by the time we went to lunch. It is always so great to spend time with them...just wish we were closer and could see them more often. They had a real disaster in their kitchen this week. Two of their cupboards fell off the wall! Almost all of their dishes were destroyed and it also ruined their ceramic-top range! Fortunately...Wendy moved fast enough to avoid serious injury. The contractor had only used two screws in each cupboard...evidently cutting corners. So now they have to have their cupboards replaced, the others reinforced and buy all new dishes! Fortunately most of it is covered by insurance. Here's a photo taken right after the crash.

Jake's growing up!

2008-02-17T16:04:00.000-08:00

Beautiful Betsy!

2008-02-17T16:01:00.001-08:00

Betsy in the snow!

2008-01-30T09:06:00.001-08:00

Our beautiful grandson, Jake!

2008-01-28T17:14:00.000-08:00

New photos of Jake and his mommy and daddy

2008-01-28T16:09:00.000-08:00

2008-01-22T07:49:00.000-08:00

You Are 52% Intuitive

Your intuition is often right, and you use it more than you may realize.
Your gut feelings are usually a good guide, but you need more to go on when making a decision.
You'll often check to see if the facts back up your feelings.
And when your intuition is wrong, you work to improve it for the future.

How Intuitive Are You?

Check out this video: kids guitar trio!

2008-01-17T18:42:00.000-08:00

Check out this video: kids guitar trio

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Visit with the Detweiler Family

2008-01-16T08:39:00.000-08:00

We had a nice visit with Molly's in-laws this past weekend. It was so nice to be able to pop down to see Molly and Myron in only 1 1/2 hours! We hadn't seen John and Ruth for more than a year. Uncle Linford dropped in for lunch too so it was fun to catch up on everyone's news and laugh at Betsy's antics too! Here are a couple of photos I snapped during a "Grandma and Grandpa Cuddle".

Family visit to the Newport Aquarium

2008-01-09T17:33:00.000-08:00

2008-01-09T17:30:00.001-08:00

Christmas 2007

2008-01-09T17:28:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2007

2008-01-09T17:26:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2007

2008-01-09T17:24:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving 2007

2007-11-28T06:18:00.000-08:00

We had a great time in Michigan with the family...lots of great cuddle time with Jake and Betsy! We had so much to be grateful for! Molly and Myron sold their house and are moving next week! Now they'll be only an hour and a half away! We went to church with Joel and Wendy. Jake seems to thrive on the loud and awesome contemporary worship service! He's really growing and developing a sweet personality...full of smiles and baby talk. And I'll get to see them all again soon! I love the holidays!

I'm so blessed...

2007-11-12T18:54:00.000-08:00

Today is the 31st birthday of my daughter, Betsy. She died the day she was born and I've always wondered who she would look like and what her personality would have been. I'd like to think she'd be a lot like my granddaughter, Betsy, who was named after her. There's always been a hole in my heart for what might have been...but I am so blessed to have my wonderful family...Joel, Wendy and Jake, Molly, Myron and Betsy...and the love of my life, John.

My beautiful granddaughter, Betsy...

My adorable grandson, Jake...

Jake is 2 months old!

2007-11-07T16:00:00.000-08:00

Joel, Wendy and Jake came for a short visit last weekend. We were so thrilled to get to see how much Jake has grown. He's such a sweet little guy...he's a good baby and seems to be thriving. Joel and Wendy are great parents! Here are some pics of our sweet grandson.

I'm still here...

2007-11-07T15:50:00.001-08:00

I've been really busy and haven't blogged in ages! John is finally getting over his sinus infection and is adjusting to the C-Pap machine he sleeps with for his sleep apnea. He seems to be more energetic too, so I think he appears to be getting more oxygen with it. Work is going well...it's a really busy at work as the holidays approach. Molly and Betsy spent a week with us recently and we had such a good time. Betsy has always been unfriendly with my dad for some reason and after Molly talked with her about it, she finally realized Grandpa Bill is a good guy and she really responded to him. It was a real breakthrough! Molly and Myron have found a beautiful home in Cincinnati and hope to move the first week of December. They're still trying to sell their home in Grand Rapids. They're growing tired of living apart! Here are some Betsy pics.

"Betsy Blue Eyes" after her bath...

Betsy helping Grandpa in the flower bed...

Betsy in the leaves...

Betsy bonding with Grandpa Bill...

2007-10-16T14:57:00.000-07:00

What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Literate Good Citizen You read to inform or entertain yourself, but you're not nerdy about it. You've read most major classics (in school) and you have a favorite genre or two.
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Book Snob
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What Kind of Reader Are You? Create Your Own Quiz

Jake is 3 weeks old

2007-09-30T21:09:00.000-07:00

We had a real quick visit with Joel, Wendy and Jake this weekend. He's really growing and is such a sweet little guy. I sure wish they lived closer so we could watch him grow up and be a real part of his life.

2007-09-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

This has been such a busy week! I saw the back surgeon at the first of the week. I can't have surgery now because I would have to be off work for 6 weeks to 3 months! I didn't think it would be that long to recover and rehabilitate. I wouldn't have enough time off accumulated at work so I asked what I could do instead of surgery. He said I could try another type of epidural injection...so that's what I'm going to do. I know it's just a band-aid on the problem but I don't want to lose my job after I just got promoted. So I hope this injection will help the pain and swelling in my spine for awhile.
We had great fun with Molly and Betsy here part of the weekend. It's been tough for them having Myron in Cincinnati working and only seeing him on weekends. We're all still praying that their house will sell soon and they'll be able to make the move to Cincy. Our new grandson, Jake, is doing well. He's already gained weight and growing fast! I can't wait to see him again...and his Momma and Papa too!

Doctor's appointment

2007-09-14T16:33:00.000-07:00

I had to see my back doctor today. He gave me an MRI last week since I've been having increasing pain down my legs and numbness in my feet. He said that the stenosis is 50% to 60% worse compared to my MRI results in 2004. I've had 3 epidural cortisone injections that helped for awhile. But now I'm looking at the need for surgery and probably fusion of the discs in the lumbar area. He said another injection might offer temporary relief but the surgery would probably get rid of most of my pain and isn't too invasive. So I see the surgeon next Tuesday to find out more. I hoped to put it off as long as I could, especially since starting my new job. But it looks like I've been putting off the inevitable. On a happier note, I get to babysit for Betsy this Saturday night! Molly and Myron are house-hunting in Cincinnati so they're leaving Betsy here for the night...then Molly will come back and stay for a couple of days. It's always fun having them here! So I'm really looking forward to that!

Isn't he beautiful!

2007-09-10T18:49:00.001-07:00

Jake pictures

2007-09-10T18:38:00.001-07:00

Jake William Smith

2007-09-10T18:31:00.000-07:00

Our beautiful grandson, Jake William, was born 9-8-07 at 8:40 a.m. I was privileged to get to witness his birth along with his daddy, Joel, and Nana Linda, Wendy's mom. What an exciting day! We got the call from Joel at 3:00 a.m. and rushed to Lansing. We arrived about 8:00 a.m. and Jake was born 40 minutes later! He's a beautiful little guy, with light auburn hair. He weighed 8 pounds and 14 1/4 ounces and was 22 inches long. We visited with him Sunday at the hospital and again today when he got to go home. Mama, Papa and baby are all doing great! Wendy is a natural mother and Joel has taken to fatherhood with great enthusiasm. Our thanks to the Lord for His wonderful mercies...all are well, healthy and very grateful to God.

2007-09-07T10:38:00.001-07:00

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Betsy at Grandma's

2007-09-05T08:47:00.001-07:00

Betsy stayed with us a couple of weekends ago while Molly and Myron did some househunting in Cincinnati. We had so much fun with her. She's a real talker and seemed to really enjoy the time with Grandma and Grandpa! We are still waiting on news from Joel and Wendy...we're going to head up there as soon as she lets us know she's in labor. Jake was due yesterday, so we know it won't be long!

It's been a long time...

2007-08-19T13:39:00.001-07:00

I haven't blogged since my mother died. It was such a painful time and I was filled with so many emotions...I just didn't know how to put it all into words. With time I've been able to view the whole experience in a better light and I know the Lord was with us all through all of it. Mom's funeral was really beautiful. There was so much touching music...songs that were special to Dad and to Mom and some for the family. The eulogy was so personal and conveyed the love Mom had for her family and how we all loved her so much. Dad is still having a very difficult time adjusting to his loss. His life was consumed with her care for nearly a year and now he just has himself to care for. He seems so frail and fragile right now. I've always seen him as the rock of our family so it's really hard to see him so near to tears all the time. I know with time, the Lord will bring healing for him...there's just no easy way to face life without his love of 60 years.

Several really good things have happened since Mom's passing. My niece Miranda was married and it was a beautiful day for her and Ben and also for the family. We received some great news when Molly's husband Myron was recruited for a wonderful position with Berean Christian Stores. He's to be the Vice President of Merchandising for the company! The best part is they will be moving to Cincinnati, Ohio...which is only 2 hours from us!!! We're so excited to have them closer! They'll be moving sometime in the next couple of months. Next weekend we'll be keeping Betsy while Myron and Molly househunt in Cincy!

More good news...Wendy is only 16 days away from her due date!!! Jake, our first grandson, is due on September 4. Wendy is doing great and she and Joel have Jake's room all ready! I'm going to post some photos from the past month since I'm so far behind in doing that! I hope this catches my friends up on the news. Thanks so much to all who have prayed for us. It means so much...keep praying as we move on with our lives.

Molly's Tribute to her Grandma Leah

2007-08-19T12:44:00.000-07:00

A few months into Grandma’s illness I began to notice the image of butterflies coming up everywhere. It seemed that everywhere I turned there were pictures, sculptures, books, cards, or even real butterflies. I began to realize that God was showing me something important. Then I saw a card with a butterfly on it that said that the little caterpillar must think that she is dying when she begins her transformation, but that the reality is more wonderful than she can imagine—at the end of that dark time in the cocoon she’ll have wings! It was God whispering to my heart—“That’s what is happening to Grandma. With your earthbound perspective, it only looks like dying. But the reality is beyond what you can imagine. At the end of her transformation she’s going to emerge a new creature and take flight!” And so, while it’s hard to watch her fly away into the bright skies of heaven and away from us, I am filled with a deeper joy knowing that Grandma isn’t dead, she’s just emerged from her long sleep into the light of her true home and into the beauty of her true self. And now she has wings.

The pastor used this in Mom's funeral and it really meant a lot to all of us.

Concert time with the family!

2007-08-19T12:41:00.000-07:00

Molly at the Over the Rhine Concert

2007-08-19T12:40:00.000-07:00

Over the Rhine Concert

2007-08-19T12:39:00.000-07:00

Jacob and Rachel...tired out

2007-08-19T12:38:00.002-07:00

Ben and Miranda leaving the church

2007-08-19T12:38:00.001-07:00

John and me at Miranda's wedding

2007-08-19T12:37:00.000-07:00

Grandpa Bill and Elizabeth

2007-08-19T12:36:00.000-07:00

The wedding cake

2007-08-19T12:35:00.000-07:00

Molly & Myron

2007-08-19T12:33:00.000-07:00

Betsy at the wedding

2007-08-19T12:32:00.002-07:00

Betsy with Aunt Wendy

2007-08-19T12:32:00.001-07:00

Ben and Miranda with Jim's kids

2007-08-19T12:31:00.001-07:00

Dad with my nephew Benji at Miranda's wedding

2007-08-19T12:30:00.000-07:00

My Mother has gone home...

2007-07-13T20:05:00.001-07:00

My sweet mother went to be with the Lord yesterday, July 12 at 2:35 in the afternoon. She fought a valiant battle against a brain tumor since August 19, 2006. She remained loving, caring, even funny through all the tough times. I'll write more after the funeral. It's too hard right now. We all miss her so much, but we rejoice that she's is dancing in Heaven and enjoying the thrill of being in the presence of Jesus.

John's test...

2007-07-03T19:21:00.000-07:00

John's heart catheterization is scheduled for Tuesday the 10th at 8:30. In the meantime he can't drive, work or do anything strenuous. He's having a hard time just sitting around but I'm not letting him do anything!
Our first reading program went great...we had 45 in attendance and they seemed to have a lot of fun. The local radio station interviewed me today about the Summer Reading program so we'll get some free publicity! I'll post pics later.

Time to catch up...

2007-07-01T14:52:00.000-07:00

The last week has been a real roller coaster of emotions. John was scheduled for a heart catheterization last Friday. But on Thursday, I received a call at work that the nurse felt my Mother was in her last hours. So I left work and went out to spend time with Mom. She had a high fever and was barely responsive to anyone. All of my brothers and sisters were in and out all day. The music therapist came that day and sat by Mom's bed playing Mom's favorite hymns. Sherry, Ruth, Miranda and I sang along...through our tears. It was such a beautiful moment. Mom even smiled as we sang. Then Amy, the musical therapist, sang one of Mom's favorites..."Annie's Song" by John Denver. Mom always said the song made her think of "Bill"...my dad. As we sang that, Dad was sitting on the bed and as weak as Mom was, she reached her good arm up and pulled Dad down to her on the bed. It was so sweet...we were all crying. She seemed a little better by evening when her temperature came down. So Friday I went to work. My brothers who stayed said she really rallied the next day...she wanted to get dressed and sit in her chair...she was talking and able to take some liquids. It was amazing! Saturday, John and I went to the grocery before we were scheduled to stay with Mom for the weekend. John started having chest pains and a very heavy feeling. We decided he needed to go to the emergency room. We spent all day in the emergency room. They did an EKG, a cat scan, & blood tests. They gave him some medications for angina and monitored him until evening. After calling his cardiologist they sent us home with instructions for John to not drive, not work, nor do anything strenuous. Joel and Wendy drove down from Lansing to see my Mother so they were able to stop and see John in the emergency room. We were so glad to have them there for moral support! They went to visit Mom after John was reassured that he wasn't having a heart attack. So today (Sunday) has been very quiet...he's been resting and taking it very easy. The cardiologist is supposed to call and reschedule the catheterization tomorrow. I'm planning to work unless they reschedule it on tomorrow. It's the first day of our summer reading program and I'm hoping to be there! What a week! I've sure felt the prayers of my friends and family helping us to get through all this. Mom isn't doing as well today so we're pretty uncertain about what the next week will bring.

Wendy's baby shower in Winchester

2007-07-01T14:30:00.000-07:00

Molly and I held a baby shower for Joel and Wendy last Sunday. It was a great time and they received lots of neat gifts for "baby Jake"!

Flowers for my new office!

2007-06-07T18:15:00.000-07:00

Molly, Myron & Betsy sent me these lovely lilies to congratulate me on my new job! Today was my first story time as director. It went really well! The kids are still a little shy with me since not all of them know me yet. But a fun time was had by all.

I stopped out to see my Mom tonight...she is so weak...I don't know how she keeps going. I thought her breathing seemed labored and I could hardly understand her when she spoke. It's so hard to see the ones you love fading away before your eyes.

He's still growing!

2007-06-07T18:14:00.000-07:00

I took a photo of my axolotl when I changed his water today...he's getting so big...he's got all his legs now and huge pink gills! Isn't he cute?

Betsy on a caterpillar

2007-06-07T18:13:00.001-07:00

Wendy's baby shower

2007-06-04T18:20:00.001-07:00

Wendy's mom had a very nice shower for her on Saturday. We drove up to Hobart after spending the night at Mom's. It was a 200 mile drive (I dozed a lot). We had a really nice time. Wendy's folks have a beautiful home built right by a golf course. They have to watch for errant golf balls but it's a lovely spot. Joel and Wendy received so many nice baby gifts! We're all getting excited for Jake's arrival! It was fun to see Betsy playing with Wendy's neice Olivia...they're both so cute. Betsy woke up from a short nap and was really unhappy...I think the unfamiliar bed and not enough sleep was pretty hard on her. She finally got awake and then really had fun with Olivia after everyone else left the party. Here are a few pictures of that fun day too.

Weekend at Mom's

2007-06-04T18:15:00.000-07:00

We spent Friday night at Mom's. She had company all evening so we didn't get supper until almost 9:30! She isn't really eating anything now...just drinks a little water and lemonade. She still has a sense of humor...she was sitting in her wheelchair in the front yard and saw a buzzard circling above. She quipped, "Does he know something I don't know?" Black humor but still funny, coming from her. Her mind is still pretty clear but she's so weak. Talking is getting even more difficult for her. I'm so thankful that she still has a sweet disposition and doesn't ever complain. She was telling one of her guests that she might be taking a trip soon...she was talking about heaven. Dad doesn't like to hear her talk about dying so he changes the subject, but I think it's normal and healthy for her to be thinking about her life in heaven. I can't be critical of Dad though...he just can't bear the thought of losing her.

Bonnie's retirement party

2007-06-04T18:11:00.000-07:00

My boss retired on May 31st and we surprised her with 2 parties with the storytime moms and kids. What a crowd we had! Bonnie was very surprised and moved...she had to fight back a lot of tears when saying goodbye to all the children. They all love her...it will be a big job for me to try and fill her shoes! Here are some fun photos from her parties.

My axolotl is growing...

2007-05-28T20:51:00.001-07:00

Memorial Day Weekend photos

2007-05-28T17:28:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day Weekend

2007-05-28T17:04:00.000-07:00

Life has been so hectic lately...I realized I hadn't even posted the photos I took at Mom and Dad's on Mothers' Day. So they're on here now. Where do I start...last weekend we stayed at Mom's on Friday night and when we got up in the wee hours to help her, John passed out. It really scared all of us. He went to the dr. and has been scheduled for some heart tests and a treadmill test this week. In the midst of all this, my boss decided to retire and I knew this would be my only chance to become head of the department...even though the timing wasn't great with all that's going on in our family. But I applied and interviewed and just put it in the Lord's hands. Last week I found I had gotten the job! I start June 1st as Director of Children's Services. I'm pretty excited about it! This weekend we visited with our kids in Michigan. It was our first visit up there since Thanksgiving due to our weekend duties at Dad and Mom's. It was so great to get away and spend some quality time with the family. Betsy was so much fun...she's talking all the time...counting, singing the alphabet song and is just a barrel of fun to be around. Molly and I did a little bargain hunting when she was taking her nap and found lots of neat things at Goodwill. We went to their church Sunday morning then headed to Lansing with them to visit Joel and Wendy. Wendy is in her 26th week and has a cute little tummy. Baby "Jake" seems to be developing normally and they're doing really well. I have a few photos to share too. We stopped to see Mom on our way home. She is so weak and isn't really eating at all. She only said a couple of words to us and dozed most of the time. It's so hard to not have her be a part of our lives like she has been for so many years. She was always the first person I wanted to share news with. Dad looks so tired and down. He's trying to build a ramp so he can let Mom sit outside and enjoy the warm weather. She told him she didn't want to be a "lawn ornament". She still has a sense of humor. That's about it for the weekend. I have a pile of laundry to catch up with before it's back to work tomorrow. I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day!

Mothers' Day 2007

2007-05-28T17:03:00.000-07:00

Betsy with green eyes!

2007-05-23T06:08:00.000-07:00

A friend of Molly's took this photo of Betsy...it made her eyes look green instead of blue but it's sure a pretty pose. I'll update here soon I promise...life has been really hectic and I have lots of news...maybe I'll get time to write later.

Some new Betsy and Molly pictures

2007-05-15T17:24:00.000-07:00