Father’s Day, 2022.

I remember the very last time I got to tell my dad, “Happy Father’s Day.” It was in June, 1988. So long ago, but I remember it vividly. A guy I was dating and I took the kids to South Dakota, Mount Rushmore to be specific. We loaded my station wagon with all the gear, and I drove us all. By the second night, I was ready to send him home on a bus, directly to his mother. He was pretty self-centered. The kids had fun, and I did with them, but not with him.

I had just attended my best friend’s funeral. Angie died of lung cancer in early June. Her daughter got married the day after the funeral. I hurt so badly I ached. I’d lost grandparents and old aunts before, but never a friend. The boyfriend couldn’t understand my need to grieve. He thought in two weeks I’d be back to normal, and I wouldn’t be sad anymore. I was finished with him by the end of the summer, and never to look back. The other thing that summer trip taught me was never pitch your tent downhill at a campground. After months of drought, the first night we camped, the skies opened up like history was repeating the rains for Noah’s Ark. It was the worst rain I’ve ever experienced. In a tent.

So Father’s Day came, the kids and I walked to the pay phone near the camp office. I had a bunch of change in hand. (Explain to the children what that was. I’ll wait!) I dialed my parents phone number, and Dad answered. He always sounded a little embarrassed when I called to with him Happy Birthday, Happy Father’s Day or Merry Christmas. He was such a humble man. The kids all talked with him, and told him what we had been up to. I got back on the phone, told him I missed him, and we’d be home soon. Looking back, I can hardly believe we would be getting ready for his funeral in six short months.

He would retire, become ill, be diagnosed with lung cancer in October, and die 51 days later. He died on December 7, and was buried on the 10th. What a shock. What a raw deal for him. Finally retire and look forward to doing whatever he wanted, and he got cheated. Wow. I’m sure he was rewarded for his devotion to God, his family, his job, and to being the good example he was to my children. Especially Frankie. Once in awhile even now, he’ll talk about something he and Grandpa did together. I’ll never forget how kind he was to Frankie.

It’s a void, but when eternity comes to mind, I picture getting to be with my dad and his mother again. They were the two most powerful examples to me growing up. I am fortunate to have had a father who was the quintessential gentleman, full of respect for women, and full of love for his family. Sure, he wasn’t a saint, but no one is. His many lessons still live in my heart today.

It’s been said before; if you have your parents, call them. Every time you get the chance. You may not be able to the next time it comes into your mind. Never let regrets have a chance to take root. Say you’re sorry; mend those fences. Life is way too short.

For those of you who still have your dad’s, hug them for me. I hope you all have a beautiful evening, and we’ll see each other tomorrow. Stay hydrated! It’s brutal out there, again.

“Twas a Dark and Stormy . . . ” Day!

We are in the middle of a storm front for the whole day. Don’t get me wrong, I love sunshine the best. But why be a Miss Grumpy Pants if it’s overcast? I’m glad for the lower water bills during this time of year, and God’s doing his best to water the grass and gardens that are drying and dying back for the fall season. With the thunder and lightening, Lexie has taken up residency in our oversized master bedroom closet, and Goldie? She’s between my feet and the base of my office chair. As long as Mom’s around, that noise doesn’t bother her. I woke to find her next to me during the night. Lexie was there when I fell asleep, and when Lexie retreated to the closet, Goldie plopped and cuddled.

Goldie, resting on my foot while I work. She doesn’t like thunder.

The Babe trekked up to the Post for some bookwork. I’m listening to Dayna Jones, a country singer/kindergarten teacher from Emery, South Dakota. I learned about her from our mutual friend, Jimmy Weber. I hope to meet her one day Both Dayna and Jimmy have performed with Martina McBride, whom I love! I heard her before she became a star; she toured with pianist Jim Brickmann in the 90s. She sang the song “Valentine.” Isn’t it beautiful? I love music even more on dark, dreary days. Dayna Jones has a couple CD’s out, which I really enjoy, also. This is a favorite. Gosh, Dayna, hope to meet you someday! You need to come to Omaha!

My handy, dandy Daily Meditation Book for ACOA (Adult Children of Alcoholics) has another perfect meditation for today, for the work I’m about to do during November. (NaNoWriMo – a National Novel Writing Month). It’s actually taken from the Bible, Ecclasiates to be exact.

“The race is not to the swift, not the battle to the strong.“

Most battles are not won by overwhelming firepower. Any battle with addictions, weight control, low self esteem, self-loathing, take constant work. By working steadily, you will win the race. It’s why the turtle beat the rabbit, remember? Flash-bangs are dramatic, but just leave a smoldering hole in the ground. Some damage, but in the one spot. Battles of the mind are no different. Another phrase that applies here?

“Talk Doesn’t Cook Rice.” Chinese Proverb

As I look back on my life, I put my stock in too many people who talked without cooking anything! Except for the Babe. He is a totally honest man. He knows my insecurities, and where they come from, and he loves me anyhow. He never uses my weaknesses against me. That is love. He not only cooks rice, but he cleans the kitchen up afterwards. Thanks to his mama Liz for raising men who pitch in and do the work around the house. They cared for their younger sisters while she worked. I miss her a lot. She always made you feel welcome, and that you are important. She did that with kids, adults, everyone. I’m lucky to have had two great women for Mothers-in-Law. Josephine, my first MIL, kept in touch with me after the divorce. Bless her. When I met the Babe and later told her I was getting re-married, she was happy. “Is he your soul-mate?” How cool of her. She kept up to date on things happening in the world. A sweet woman who had a hard life.

The thing about these two very strong women is they worked very hard – one as a waitress, one as a food prepper. Both hard work, and standing on their feet all day, Josephine had to work on Christmas Eve back in the day, and often until the stores closed at 5 p.m. She was quite the bargain shopper, often finding a great buy for one of her numerous grandchildren, rushing home and wrapping it before everyone arrived. She loved seeing the kids on Christmas. It’s because of this mother of 7 that I started loving Christmas Eve again.

You see, in 1964, my grandfather died of a massive heart attack on Christmas Eve. We weren’t there, Mom claimed one of my brothers was sick. It took years and years to deal with that. It still is on my mind on that day. Yes, there will be a children’s book/book for families on that difficult topic. Learning how to handle such deep grief is important; it’s a story I need to share. Look for it next calendar year. My friend Jimmy Weber is collaborating with me, he wrote a song about losing his grandpa the same way, on Christmas Eve. Did I mention we were both 12 years old? I healed a lot when I heard his song/story. It was my story. That’s how our friendship started. What a treasure!

All these stories are connected, though distinctly different. The theme is the same, and so many different characters in each scene of my life provides the background for a blessed life. My thanks to you all for being here. The work is a little easier with support and friendship.

For today? More plotting the writing of 50K words during those 30 days of November. The Babe is happy I won’t be bugging him as much. He can watch all the football his mind can handle, flipping channels randomly as he snacks intermittently. Heaven! And I get to write. Gearing it up, and grateful for the opportunity. Thank you for reading, and I’ll see you tomorrow.

P.S. Also going back to Keto, maybe a relaxed version. Now that I’ve lost 45 pounds, I’m encouraged to keep going. After all, there are book signings in my future! Gotta be healthy and fit to do that. And looking forward to it. Visions of the Future, very motivating. Have a beautiful day, even if it’s rainy!

This Thursday-Let There Be Light!

Or at least some sunlight. This dreariness is getting old! Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) occurs when the days are colder and shorter, producing less daylight. People can become depressed, calling it the winter blues. Spring is not very bright this year, and despite being on Daylight Savings Time, cloud cover has ruled now for many, many days. People like Mom, with limited vision, have a much harder time.

The more I read about discovering who you are, the more I find nuggets of truth that resonate with me. Growing up, I felt very different from my three brothers. I felt as if I didn’t belong. That feeling of not belonging grew when Dad died. He was the one who made sanity out of the chaos for me. It felt darker. It was. Being on this thirty years plus journey to find my truth and way, it’s been a combination of light and dark. Always light when a new truth comes into view.

When the Babe came into my life, someone turned on a spotlight. His humor, love, and encouragement has helped me grow and shine. My truth is now lighting my own way, coupled with his. Opposite as we are in some ways, similarities abound in others. The wisdom gained now lights my way. The darkness is still there, and I don’t explore it. Untruths live there, and if they are tended, they will grow and block out the light. Just being aware of what could happen is enough to keep me from looking into the corners. I don’t want the darkness of negativity to make me go backwards and lose my way. Awareness keeps that from happening.

I’m going to do some reading the rest of the day, to make sure I stay in my light, my truth. Its been a hard week, one of our friends lost her husband to cancer earlier this week. It’s sad to witness, it hits too close to home. Nugent, we’ll miss you. You were a good friend, a very generous man. Thank you for your service to our country.

Be Safe. Be Courteous. Be Grateful. Be Kind, someone out there needs it. Thank you for reading, I’ll see you tomorrow!

Love you, Dad

I don’t recall Pearl Harbor. I wasn’t born yet. In fact, I would be over a decade in arriving on this planet. We grew up having a great respect for our country, our Armed Forces; after all, Dad was a medic/support person in both WWII and Korea. I’ve told this story before, but please cut me some slack. Today is the day, in 1988, that we told him goodbye. Nothing has hurt that badly since. I wouldn’t let it. I retreated from everyone I loved; even my children. And for that, I’m sorry, guys. I just didn’t know how to handle what I felt. All I knew was I wanted nothing to hurt that badly again.

Not being unkind, my mom is like a Drill Sergeant. Very stoic. We never saw her cry. I’ve not heard her say she misses him, not even once. If my brothers and I were all together in her presence, she would get angry if we talked about him. We didn’t know what to do. We needed to grieve together, and that didn’t happen. They had taught Mom to be that way. It’s what got her through. We all had unhealthy ways of coping with those feelings of loss. It wasn’t pretty.

My oldest son was seventeen. They diagnosed dad with lung cancer on Frankie’s birthday. Cancer, the gift that kept on giving. Fifty-one days later, Dad died. He lost over fifty pounds. I’m glad he didn’t lose his hair. He had beautiful hair and was a handsome man. I learned to listen to Sinatra, Benny Goodman, Harry James, and how beautiful Lena Horne was from Dad. All significant memories. No one can take those from you. Dad spent a lot of time with Frankie, and taught him what to look for when you buy a used car, etc, etc, etc. Dad was the best male influence on all my kids.

My younger son, at thirteen, grieved openly and hard. He gets it all out of his system, and he’s done. He remembers funny things, and he tells us stories and asks questions. He was such a brainiac. Dad loved to tease him and his little sister, Becky. She was “Dolly” to Dad. He adored her, and I loved that he did. He told me what good kids they were.

I’d see him every weekday at the hospital, over my lunch hour. We talked about lots of stuff. We talked more in those fifty-one days than we had in my life. It was wonderful. The last thing he told me, on my lunch hour, Wednesday, December 7, 1988 was, “Sis, I just can’t fight this anymore. I’m tired.” I took his glasses, covered him up, kissed him on the forehead and told him, “Do what you’ve got to do, Dad. I’ll always watch out for Mom. Love you.”

At 4:20 p.m., Mom called me at work and said, “Call your brothers, you all need to come.” around 5:45 p.m., he passed. Quietly. Painlessly. No more pain. Thank God we had such a wonderful dad. He was tough, no doubt about that. You learned lessons, as we should have. The thing I learned most from him was “Do it right, or don’t bother.” I hear his voice while I’m writing. I feel his encouragement. No one can take that from me. I miss you and love you.

Dad’s Medals. I wrote to get them in 2016. He’s my hero, always. Two Bronze Stars? Bad Ass.

I learned a better way to grieve. I have told my kids about my mistakes and apologized. It’s a case of hoping they learn from your mistakes. It’s a gift when you do that for your kids. It’s a way to stop the craziness that travels from generation to generation. People always used to keep things to themselves. “Don’t tell your business.” Now, with social media, perhaps people share too much. We need to put aside the idea that we know everything, how to do everything. No one is that balanced; after all, we’re human and full of flaws! It’s a courageous act to admit it. And then learn a better way to do something. Ah, balance.

I know Dad would love the Babe. They have similar qualities. Deep sense of right, deep love and caring of others, firm yet fair. I was lucky my kids were good people; they have all turned out well. It’s the best thing you can hope for. It was hard to transition into being an empty nester. When you’re busy providing and working and studying and family dinners every night, you build up a momentum you keep on until you look around one day, and by gosh, they’re gone! On their own! You raised them to do that, now what?

You decide to write a book, and you write a blog, and you work with a book coach to learn. Life is good. We balance life. Life is the Babe and me, making the most of it; in sickness and health, in pandemic and wellness, in respect for the unknown and certain. We’ll make it. Together.

Thank you for reading today. I appreciate it. Spread happiness, not the Pandemic. Be Kind. Be Safe. Be Careful. Count your Blessings. We all have a lot. See you tomorrow!

Fabulous Friday!

Good morning on this beautiful morning at the Home Office in Gretna, Nebraska. It’s sunny and a little breezy today, just perfect for venturing out to our neighbor’s garage sale. I hope they sell everything they don’t love as much and people who buy appreciate their new treasures. Hadley and Connie are wonderful people, and we will miss them so much.

Life offers us so many comings and goings. Some are harder than others. Others are just, “Let’s get together . . . ” and often times we don’t follow through. We need to follow through so we don’t have regrets later on. We all need to. This time of pandemic and pandemonium opened up our eyes, I hope. Those kiddos are never going to be this age again. This is one of the eighteen summers you get with your child before they may leave home for college, the military, or a job. Eighteen sounds like a lot, but trust me, it’s not. It’s so few in the grand scheme of things. It’s a lot of snacks, “Mom, I’m bored,” statements, and back to school shopping.

I loved back to school shopping. When I was a kid, it was the time of a fresh box of crayons, pencils, and new erasers. Other things, too. New underwear. We did not have a clothes dryer until I was a sophomore in high school, or a junior, and Mom hung all laundry on the line to dry. I loved brand new socks, they were so soft, and would never be so again, at least until we finally got a clothes dryer. It may not sound like much, but these things made an impact on our lives, and we have probably forgotten about how lucky we are, with all these modern conveniences.

That said, although we were financially challenged, I miss shopping for my kids, too. It was fun to see what they’d like to wear the next year for school. Oldest son was always jeans and black concert t-shirts. I think he’s still the same fashion maven today. Younger son, was preppy in his time at Westside. He’s been a sharp dresser all his life. Daughter? In late elementary and early middle school, jeans, sweaters, the usual. When high school was on the horizon, it was the gothic look. Wow. It was different.

I let them express their individuality in school clothes. They knew there was a different level for appropriateness for family functions, funerals, weddings, etc. As a parent, it’s important to pick your battles. We wore uniforms to school, so I never had a choice. Whenever a day to wear regular clothes to school came alone, no one knew what to wear. By the time I was a senior, I sewed most of my clothes, so I was able to get creative.

All of this aside, this day marks the thirteenth anniversary of the day my brother’s wife died. Laura was such a beautiful woman. She had a heart full of love for her family, her kids and grandkids, and especially for my brother, Tim. After all the years of being the only girl, I was happy when she joined our family. Her time here was too short. She died so young, it was a terrible loss to everyone, especially her immediate family. We spent a lot of time together while she was ill, and I’m glad for every minute I could help her be less afraid. We had many hours of talking, laughing, and praying. I remember her tremendous spirit. It’s still with us.

Laura, my sister in law. Resting in Peace!

Today, I’m starting my next homework for my novel. It’s amazing how it’s changed, grown, and morphed into something entirely different in the past year. How silly I was at 40K words, thinking I could find an editor! Hahaha! Live and learn. It’s like giving birth, being almost ready to push, then go back to timing contractions because it was a false alarm. I may birth an elephant at this rate!

Have a beautiful Friday, and a safe weekend, friends.

We don’t have any specific plans for the weekend yet, and even if it’s spent at home with our dogs, it’ll be a good one. We’re behind on Yellowstone, so I’d like to watch the last episode sometime. I find it to be a very good story, the plotline is amazing. I’d love to see it written all out, and study some of the things I’ve learned with Sam, my writing coach.

Thank you for reading on this super hot day. The dogs and I are staying in from the heat, and getting creative this afternoon. Hope you have a good weekend. I’ll see you here again tomorrow, be safe. Wear your mask, Wash up. Whatever they’re saying, don’t protest, attend a political rally, or anything silly. Keep your germs away from others and I’ll do the same.

Silent Sunday

Well, judging by the way the street looks, some folks had fun last night. It wasn’t our dogs, that’s for sure. Lexie spent the night in our closet the past two or three nights. She wasn’t afraid of fireworks until last year. One year ago today, Roxie and Lexie got out of our yard. One of the neighbors must have entered our yard to retrieve a firework or something. They left the gate open. Both dogs escaped, someone lit a firecracker, and Roxie (who was petrified of them) ran into the highway and was killed by a car. Here’s the tribute to her, such a naughty girl but such a lover. We miss you, Sweetie. Wait for us at the Rainbow Bridge with Shadow, Mocho, and Mollie. You’ll be in good company.

A year later and we still miss her. The Babe’s heart was breaking the rest of last summer. In September, he had a heart cath that didn’t heal properly. Wound Vac time, complete with Visiting Nurse every other day. In the middle of that, he decided we needed a friend for Lexie. She was just laying around all the time, sleeping. She wouldn’t go outside without us. The Vet said he’s seen dogs mourn for years. (Dab at my tears in eyes right now). How she must have missed her sister!

2014. Roxie and Lexie. Beautiful Blue Eyes!

So now, we have this beautiful Yellow Lab. She’s about 50 pounds by now. Big paws that carry her up and down the steps on the deck to play fetch. First dog we’ve had that would fetch. Must be the breeding in her. The old dogs would just stand and stare at us. “Get it yourself!” was their attitude. She used to have a taste for landscaping cloth, didn’t eat it, just tore it up. Hope she’s over that by now. She still needs to remember to go potty, but she’s filling a void. A big void. I think Roxie would have liked her.

Goldie, with her favorite pastime.

Gavin loves her. He tells us frequently how he misses Roxie. I’m printing all the pictures from all the dogs we’ve had since Gavin has been alive. I’m going to put them in a photo album for him. He’ll be able to look at the pictures and be happy. He’ll get his own dog sometime probably soon. He is just such a dog lover, and I applaud that. Kids need pets. They really need dogs. Something to take care of, to learn responsibility.

Right now, I love how quiet it is on the street. It will hopefully stay that way all day long. There are some strange cars parked all over the place. Lots of people had house parties and didn’t socially distance. I’m going to wear a mask when I go to the store, so maybe that will help this pandemic resolve and I can go to Colorado to meet our new grandson. He was born in January, how I wish we could go now!

Today is the day I dot i’s and cross t’s to make sure my works are ready for my book coach, Sam. I need to send them off to her tonight for tomorrow’s deadline. We have a Zoom meeting on Thursday, and I can’t wait! I will do book stuff today and tomorrow is a Gavin day. We’ll have fun, we always do.

Enjoy the quiet today – except for the leaf blowers the pyromaniacs are using to clean up the street now. So many people can’t operate a broom anymore. They’d rather lose hearing than do sweep. Thanks for reading, I appreciate it. Tomorrow, I’ll see you back here again. Stay safe. Wear a mask. Wash up. Be kind. Be thoughtful. Be empathetic. Someone might really need you to be. And that, it will be good for both of you.

Winsome Wednesday

Tonight was a regular food night at our VFW, Post 2503. We sit with a table of friends every week of the year. It is fun every week, just commenting on various topics with people you see every week.

It struck me as almost sad that next week we won’t be here with our friends, and it will be January 8, 2020 until we are all together again. In the past couple of years, we have lost so many of our people in the past couple of years, it makes me really consider how fragile life is. From one week to the next, you just never know. From a shipmate to my uncle and his brother on the USS ESSEX in the Korean War to a man who was a cousin to someone I went to school with all my life, to the kindest gentleman I ever met who was the representative for Poppies for the Post. Another man was so generous with his stash of things from Harbor Freight, he was always sharing tape measures, flashlights, scissors, and other things he collected. They all have gone on to their eternal rewards. We miss them and remember them with love. I hope we don’t lose too many more too soon. It’s tough enough with these wonderful folks being gone, but to lose more of them would be difficult.

The tree in the Canteen at VFW Post 2503.

Whatever is ahead of any of us in the next year or even two weeks, we will go through it together. Friends we haven’t even met yet will help us make it through difficulties in our futures. God has put people in our paths for us to partner with through difficulties that we cannot even imagine. We are all here to help each other in any way we can.

This approaching Christmas, let’s be mindful of our neighbors and friends, let’s check in with each other just to be sure all is ok.

Keeping our neighbors and friends close to us is a great way to know our neighbors and that all is well in our surrounding areas. We are better for caring about others. Our lives are richer for caring for others.

Thank you for reading today. I’ll be here tomorrow, and hope you are, too.

One Day Into Puppy Parenting

You have owned puppies before. I’ve had Shadow, Mocho and Mollie, Lexie and Roxie, and now we have Goldie. We love the companionship and entertainment. Every time we lose one, we swear there will not be another one. And we cave every darned time. Why?

It is hard to explain. Some of my favorite books to read have been about dogs. Bruce Cameron has made me ugly cry all over 😭 the place with his book “A Dog’s Purpose.” It reminds me of the depth of love animals have for us. We are their everything. Every minute of every day. No matter what. People should be more like that.

It hurts my heart 💔 to hear of humans who abuse animals. Chances are, they are abusing children and women too. The abusers are individuals who think might makes right. They will beat an animal, child, or woman into submission. What a horrible thing to do to any living being. It proves who the biggest bully is. What a horrible thing to live with. The fear of being lashed out at at any second. God did not intend this. It is pure evil in it’s worst form.

Earlier today, our grandson Gavin came over to meet Goldie. He is a dog lover 😍 also. He made sure Grandpa knows where to pick him up after school so he can come play with Goldie at least three times this week. The kid really knows how to seal the deal.

These dogs are a lot of work. They are a great example for kids on caring for another living being besides themselves. Many, many years ago, I read an article about why children, especially boys, needed a pet to care for. It taught them caring skills. You have to remember, it was the early 1970’s, when boys weren’t taught responsibility for caregiving to their siblings or younger children, when “boys will be boys” was the thinking if the times. We have come a long way since then. Men and women can take the lead in caregiving or breadwinning, and that is a very good thing. Everyone’s strengths are different, and I’m glad we have come to realize that. The modern new Dad’s I’ve met are amazing. They are in the trenches with their wives, contributing. It’s a good thing to witness.

A brief nap in the middle of exploring.

Yes, it’s bedlam right now. Puppies are needy. It’s ok. And we will be better for helping teach Gavin about the responsibility of pet ownership. Hopefully, Lexie will come to realize she is the Alpha. She will be better with a little time. We all will.

And a huge nap with Mom. Mom’s softer than a memory foam mattress.

Had a pup sized nap earlier today. She is so cute, we can’t stand it.

Until then, it’s off to try and get something else done today. Thanks so much for reading. Life is meant to be shared, and thank you for letting me share with you.

Have you ever had a favorite pet? Comment here and tell me about it. I’d love to hear about it. Have a wonderful Sunday afternoon!

Introducing: Goldie

Some of the sadness we’ve had since 💔 July when Roxie was killed by a car is about to take a back seat.

We met this beautiful blonde girl last night. We are bringing her home later today!

We knew we needed a pal for Lexie. Last week, we went to see our vet, Dr. Dave Johnson in Blair. He related he has seen animals mourn for years. His advice is always good and we value him a lot. Great human being. So glad Dan’s former boss at Watkins recommended him.

We had been looking online for an established pet (potty trained). Even applied   to a rescue, but got turned down. Admittedly, we were behind in Lexie’s heartworm. So much happened between 2017 and 2018 when the Heartworm pills ran out. Refilling them simply got lost in the shuffle. We feel awful about it, but we’re back on track now. Sometimes things just happen.

We’ll be sharing Goldie’s and Lexie’s adventures here, so stay tuned. Our dogs have survived much longer than the 10 years estimated for the “mutt” variety. I wonder about this one. It will be an adventure. Stay tuned.

So, just checking WordPress’ stats, for the week, we are doing pretty well. It’s exciting to see where you are located.

I know a girl from high school who lives in Italy. I have FB friends in Canada, and Germany. Lovely people. How fun this is!

As of 7 am today, these are our “stats”. Thank you all for reading! To hit International Readership is unreal. Thank you all so much!

Please like and follow here in WordPress, if you will. It will help me determine how to reach more of your like-minded readers. Share with your friends, please. We all have a lot of life to share. Remember:

It’s not too late!

And we’re not too old!

Enjoy your Saturday. And thank you for reading and sharing.

Pushing On and Through

It is quite chilly this morning, but my heart is warm. The turmoil of the past month is starting to resolve. That’s always good.

Dan has an infection in his incision from the surgery ten days ago. He’s on antibiotics so it should resolve. The staples come out Tuesday, October 29th. Hopefully, that is the last time the poor guy sees a surgeon for a long while. Prayers appreciated.

My son Frankie (his mom can still call him that) finally was granted access to the apartment. He and the room mate are working feverishly to go through things. Their damage was strictly water damage, which is a blessing. Now, the beds and furniture are so waterlogged the insurance company just paid them out. The clothes are fine just need washing. Good deal.

Some of the collectibles will now be sold as boxes opened. They’re generally fine. Unbelievable. Someone already gave them new kitchen furnishings, so none of that needs hauling, cleaning, etc. Time saver. Hopefully, the electronics are not wet. Otherwise, that will be a whole ‘nother story. By tihs time next week, they will be moved into an exact same apartment in a different building. Nice to be able to move efficiently! Things continue to look up for him.

Loves of my life, my kids.
This was ten years ago on Thanksgiving. Last time we were all together.
From left, Frankie, me, Becky (lives in Colorado) and Nick (lives in KC MO).

All in all, God has been very good to my family, and we all have a lot of thanks to give.

If you ever play those silly games on FB, even though the results are totally randomly generated, sometimes they’re fun. I like this one, and try to remember this is really how I try to be. All the time. In times of peril and in times of plenty. Whatever it is, Let It Be. This also happens to be one of my favorite songs, too.

Words to Live By.
That Paul McCartney really knew how to write.

In more ways than one, I am a Survivor.

It truly IS hard for me to talk about myself. I would rather tell you about my kids or pets or Dan or the grandkids or anyone but myself. In retrospect, I do realize mine is a very unique story full of a lot of challenges. I realize they all made me stronger, and that is a blessing as well as a curse.

When you are strong, people don’t think you need support. You do. You just don’t expect it. People are baffled when you are down. You are too! It’s hard to keep the braveness in full force sometimes. I have been scared for my immediate family this past month in a way I’ve not experienced before. It’s hard. My faith has returned, is strong again, and so am I.

I have always Let It Be, and known that tomorrow the sun will always still come up. No matter what. It will always rise and set just like always. I know enough of those new days followed by a good night’s sleep will help my mind ease, my body relax, and my worry wane. I need to be patient. How about yourself? Can you Let It Be?? Do you want to?? God does a pretty great job of managing if you ask me. I need to quit trying to grab His paintbrush. We all do.

Thank you for reading, please like and leave a comment to let me know you were here. I so appreciate it!