Mom's Journal: The Week of August 1-7,1956

This week is well documented in Mom's journal from 1956.  It was the week that I was born, and even with a brand new baby, she took the time to write about what was going on with the new baby and her family.  While I have a vested interest in this week, I found Mom's writings also give an insight into the kind of friends and family that surrounded her during this time.  Hope you enjoy these writings as much as I did.

August 1, 1956--Uncle Chas. Trusdle (his birthday)
Hospital $19.20   Left for hospital about 1:30am.  Baby born at 3:08am.  Weight 7lbs 10oz  19" long  Has dark hair, large hands and rather resembles Martha and Lydia.  George here in evening said "She's a fat little pig."

August 2--Grandma and Grandpa Trusdle here in afternoon.  Baby is a little dummy about nursing.  Was up and had a shower this a.m.  10 o'clock at nite she managed one good feed....

August 3--Cards came from Aunt Verna, Nathers, Grandma Trusdle, Jeanie and Clifton, gift card from jewelry.  Visitors:  Mother Griffin-a.m., Bea p.m.  Dr. Yoder was in and ordered no bottles for baby after 8 hrs.  She began to work and got along very well.  Changed roommates--Mrs. Paul Kirkpatrick, Norwalk left--Mrs James Johnson-Lyons Park Trailer Court, Fremont immediately--hospital is full!

August 4--Cards from Phil and Elva, Penny and Bob Murphy, the Missionary S.S.   Since 12 a.m. this morning baby has been nursing every 3 hrs.  Had technician take blood sample--took a hot shower and washed hair--castor oil at 5:30 a.m.
Clifton and Jeanie were here.  Dr. Yoder was in.  Baby is nursing well and slept from one feeding to the next.  

August 5--Slept good.  Soreness is gone.  Baby is to get a laxative--nurse says she is turning onto her tummy and they are getting the "d" for it.  George came and brought gift from employees at F.B.  It was a yellow saque.  Bea sent card with note.  We had RAIN!  Martha's card came.  It said "I love you.  Have a nice time.  Congratulations mama.  Martha"  I loved it!


August 6--Going home day.  Baby refused to eat in the nite.  Spent 40 min. trying to get her to nurse at 6 a.m.  Practically no success.  Dr. Yoder was in.  Baby's care--water some after feeding
Mine--lite once a day for wk. (wt-140lbs)
Cards came from Richard and Russell Perry, Grandma Miller, Mrs. Kaiser sent blue fuzzy slippers, 2 lg nightgowns, 2 slips, 1 cap.  Visitors:  Grandma Griffin, the twins came--Lydia knew me, Lois didn't.  Ellen came and got supper and did dishes.  Armstrongs visited hospital just before we left.


August 7--Baby slept 4 hrs. between feedings--took 1/2 oz. water at 11 p.m., again at 7 a.m.  Wt on our scale--6lbs 14oz.
Dad and George worked on the pump house wall.


Several things I noticed from reading Mom's journal.  The first was that she stayed in the hospital five days.  This doesn't happen any more!  The second was, when she came home, friends, neighbors, and family members were there to help out with the other four girls, cook and clean, and just support the family.  Today, so many of us do not have a community of family and friends around us, caring and helping us through life's ups and downs; we are a mobile society, not living near our families.  May I suggest you find a church home, put down your tent stakes, get involved and make a "family" where ever you are.  I miss not living near my family, but I have a church family I can turn to when I need that kind of family support.

John 15: 12-14

"This is My command:  love one another as I have loved you.  No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends.  You are My friends if you do what I command you."--Jesus

Posted by Sarah 

Happy Anniversary Dad and Mom

Today would have been my parents 66th wedding anniversary.  It has been almost two months since Mom past, and I still find myself thinking of things I'd like to share with her.  Today I honor her memory by sharing her journal entries from her 11th, 12th and 13th wedding anniversaries.

July 25, 1956--Anniversary #11
Martha made a lovely card and gave me a big hug and kiss for a present.  Mother and I took the children to Lutz school for polio clinic.  Martha got second shot, twins first--it was too soonfor Mary's third shot.  Had a card from Cliff and Jeanie.


July 25, 1957--Anniversary #12
12 years?  It doesn't see possible!  Celebrated quietly.  A card signed by all(?) the girls came, thanks to Margaret and Ellen.  George reassured me that he doesn't regret it.  We had supper in the back yard at Mom and Dad's with James and Margaret.  Ellen frosted a cake "Happy Anniversary 12" with 5 yellow roses.


July 25, 1958--Anniversary #13
To celebrate we baked chocolate cakes that proceeded to collapse; nearly ruined the ground meat pinwheels by dumping on all the pepper in the shaker (the lid wasn't screwed on).  George brought home ice cream and a watermelon.  Nice to be remembered.  Uncle James took pictures of us all together.


My parent's marriage has been an anchor for their children.  We watched them persevere through rough times and the good times.  And we watched as Dad held Mom's hand as she breathed her last breath.  Thank you for being such a wonderful example of what it means "till death do we part".  

Mom and Dad's 60th wedding anniversary celebration

"Who can find a capable wife?  She is far more precious than jewels.  The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will not lack anything good."  
                                         Proverbs 31:10,11

Posted by Sarah

"Thank you".....the Mother and Daughters Quilt Ministry Way

The last four years of our Mom's life were spent sewing quilt blocks most days, resulting is boxes of completed blocks yet to be finished into quilts.  It will take years to finish the quilts Mom started, which is a good thing.  With the sewing of each quilt, memories will be shared, resulting in laughter, and probably some tears.  So it only seemed appropriate for the family to use some of these quilt blocks to say "Thank you" instead of just preparing thank-you notes to mail out.

We took some of the quilt blocks made from the bright jewel tone fabrics that Mom really enjoyed working with and made them into hot pads.

 Mom used up yards and yards of these different bright fabrics.  Yellow was her favorite one, and her favorite color.  I think it reminded her of sunshine, and that seemed to make her happy.

Our family has been called "not normal", but that's okay; we are a bit quirky.  The most important thing is we love each other.  We will move forward into the "new normal" that awaits us, remembering and reliving memories of Mom, who started this whole family along with our Dad.

Posted by Sarah

A God Wink--Seeing something unexpected in nature that turns our thoughts toward our Creator

A few years back, a friend of Steve and I told us about God winks.  A God wink are those times when you see something in nature that you were not expecting, that wows you and reminds you that God is real and who He says He is.  An few examples of God winks that friends and family have share with us are:   a friend coming face to face with a manatee while snorkeling, a family member looking out at the ocean just as a whale breeches, sitting at the ocean and seeing dolphins jumping and playing, seeing an eagle swoop down and catch a rabbit, or seeing a brilliant double or triple rainbow.  Get the idea?  These events are not everyday occurrences, so when they happen we tend to be awe struck by them and they cause us to think of our Creator.   The evening of my Mom's funeral there was a God wink.  


The family returned home after the services and meal at the church to bury Mom privately on the farm where she and Dad had lived together for over 60 years.  After closing the grave, my nephew took my Dad back to the house where he sat on the porch watching the sunset, something he and Mom did almost every evening in the summer.  A few of the family members were at the house, some of us were walking across the field to the house and some members were still near the grave talking together.  When those of us who were walking to the house were about halfway there, we noticed a huge flock of birds coming toward us from the south.  Being the first part of June, it was a bit unusual to see such a large flock of birds.  Then someone mentioned that they looked like geese, which was even more unusual since migration north of most geese was past, and they weren't flying in formation like a flock of geese.  Just before this flock of geese reached the fence row at the south edge of the yard, one goose honked, moved out in front, while the rest of the geese fell into formation.  They then flew over between my brother's house and the road (his front yard) at the height of the telephone wires.  Normally, when you see a flock of geese, they are honking at each other but this flock flew past my dad on the porch, over us, and over my Mom's grave so quietly, you could hear the feathers moving as they flapped their wings.  And it wasn't a small flock of geese; my nephew counted about 40 geese in half of one side of the V formation.  There were anywhere from 100 to 120 geese in the flock.  Where they came from, since there isn't a pond or lake nearby, I don't know.  The sight made us all stop and say, "WOW!"  I can't speak for everyone in the family, but for me, it was a God wink.  God is so gracious and so loving that it is not unlike Him to show that love to His children in this way.  God sent those geese for us to see at that moment, to let us know all was well.  He sent Mom her own personal fly over acknowledging a life well lived for Him. 



"....Well done, good and faithful servant.....enter into the joy of your master."   Matthew 25:23




Posted by Sarah

You Are Now Resting in His Peace.

On Friday, June 3, 2011 at 9:54.38pm, my Mom went to be with Jesus.  The last week of her life was hard to watch for those caring for her, her family.  When I arrived early Thursday afternoon, I went in to see my Mom, spoke to her but don't know if she knew I was there;  she didn't respond in any way.  By that evening, all her children were at her bedside.  We sang the old hymns to her and my dad before turning out the lights at bedtime.  The next day, Hospice came out and confirmed that Mom was in a comma and it was only a matter of hours before she would pass.  Throughout that day, we each spent time with her telling her what we still wanted to say to her.  After supper, my parent's pastor, Jeff Martin, came out to meet with us about the service we were planning.  See, Pastor Jeff has only been at my parent's church about a year and never knew Mom when she was well.  We wanted him to know some more things about her so when he spoke at her memorial service, it would be real and meaningful.  After sitting and talking with him for a while, my sister-in-law, Donna, came out and got my sister Lydia to come check on Mom.  Her breathing had changed.  "It's time to come sing."  All of us who were there went into my Mom's room and began singing hymns again.  We knew the end was near.  My dad sat singing with us, holding Mom's hand.  As we began to sing "Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine", we all watched Mom's breathing as it was becoming less and less.   As we were singing the second verse:  "Perfect submission, perfect delight, Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;  Angels descending, bring from above Echoes of mercy, whispers of love...." Mom stretched, closed her mouth and was still.  We continued to sing the song, crying and holding onto each other.  We sang her into glory, to her heavenly home.  What a bitter sweet moment it was.   We will miss you, Mom, but we know without a shadow of doubt the we will see you again on the other side.

".....she's a dancer in the garden....she dances with the flowers....in the early morning hours....she's a dancer..."----from a song by Larry Norman.

 Posted by Sarah

 

My Quilt

Today, while looking for something else, I came across an email I had printed off on March 19, 2002.  I don't know who originally wrote this, but I want to dedicate it to my Mom.  In the last several weeks my mom has progressively deteriorated.  She still seems to knows who my Dad is and recently told him, "This is not how we planned it."  So with this on my mind, I share.

                                       "My Quilt"

     As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with all the other souls. 
    Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles.  An angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that was our life.
    But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was.  They were filled with giant holes.  Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in everyday life.  I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.
    I glanced around me.  Nobody else had such squares.  Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune.  I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened.
    My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air.
    Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth.
    The others rose, each in turn, holding up their tapestries.  So filled their lives had been.  My angel looked upon me and nodded for me to rise.
    My gaze dropped to the ground in shame.   I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes.  I had love in my life, and laughter.  But there had also been trials of illness, and death, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it.  I had to start over many times.  I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again.  I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life.  I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me.
    And now, I had to face the truth.  My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was.
    I rose slowly, lifted the combined squares of my life to the light.  An awe-filled gasp filled the air.  I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes.   Then I looked upon the tapestry before me.  Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of Christ.  Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes.  He said,"Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles.  Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you."
   

 Mom, your quilt is threadbare and worn; Jesus has shone out through your life to your family and to all those who know you.

  May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine through.

Posted by Sarah

 

May 1952---Caring for piglets--From Mom's Journal

May 14, 1952---One of the young sows had a litter of eight pigs.  George put a gate in front of the hog coop to keep out the rest of the pigs.  Late in the day he opened the coop and while the sow was drinking, kidnapped the pigs.  We put them in a brooder coop.   Fred had to get the stuff we plan to feed them.   So about ten o'clock George came home with a hundred lb. bag of pig milk replacer.  At midnight we still hadn't had much success getting the pigs to eat.  So we decided to get up a 5am and try again.  About every 3 1/2 hours we mixed up milk and took it to them.  I drew the late (11pm) feeding and George crawled out at 5am. 
   Two more litters arrived on Thursday.  There were eight pigs in one and ten in the other.  The larger litter was from the older sow.  We used the same process to remove the pigs from the sows.  However, the 10 pigs stayed with their mother over night.  George notched the left ears of the last litter.  There was one runt pig in the 10 pig litter.

May 28, 1952--Wednesday   The oldest litter of pigs are two weeks old today.  To date we have lost one pig from the lot; that was one which had been on a bottle.  We finally managed to get it to drink from the pans but the other pigs must have rooted it out of the way too much.  It was very weak one evening.  By the 11:00pm feeding it was dead.

 Posted by Sarah
 

From Mom's Journal--March 6 1952

   I feel like a child with a box of new toys!  George took me along to Lottie Hutchinson's sale and we came home with some real "treasures."  There are three 2 gallon crocks @ 10 cents each, two old butter bowls, some drapery material ($2.00), an old folding table ($.40), and a little footstool ($.70).  In addition, we bought 2 cups of coffee and two wiener sandwiches.  We really threw our money around!  The Hutchison place is situated high on a windy hill and it got might cold.  
   Martha and Mary stayed at Mom's.  When we arrived back there again, Mary promptly picked up her coat and was ready to head for the house.  
   Mother marked a hem in my yellow dress with the tulips.  A bit more stitching will finish it.  The one like the girls is done.
   Martha thinks the "new" footstool is just right.  She 's been carrying it all around the house so she can have it handy when she needs to sit down.

Posted by Sarah
(I think those 2 gallon crocks are still around someplace!)

My Mother's Hands

Have you every really sat and looked at an older person's hands?  I mean really looked at them and thought about what those hands have done and helped do during that person's life?  A number of years ago, I sat looking at my Mom's hands and realized they looked like the hands of my great-grandmother, her grandmother.  As a child, our Great-Grandma Miller would come for Sunday dinner or for Sunday car rides.  During those times in the car, I remember looking at her hands, touching the brown age stops and asking her about them.  I don't recall what she told me, but I do remember what her hands looked like.  So when I looked at my own mother's hands and saw the hands of my great-grandmother.....I told her how much her hands reminded me of Great Grandma Miller.  

During my recent visit to Ohio to see my Mom, I began thinking about my Mom's hands and all they have accomplished over the years.  As the oldest child in her own family, I am sure those hands helped with her four brothers.  At the age of seventeen, her baby sister Ellen was born.  My mom helped raise Ellen, so her hands became part of Ellen's life as well.  Her hands were there to teach a little sister things she needed to learn; to hold and love her as well.  My Mom's hands held the hand of a shy young man who was so flustered the first time he asked her out, he invited her to the Father and Son banquet when he meant the Junior and Senior banquet.  Her hands worked as this young man went off to war to help support the war effort.  And held his hands again when he came home on a two week leave and ask her to marry him before he went back.  Many years have past and still these hands hold the hand of that man.  These hands have borne and raised six children; five daughters and a son.  They have driven tractors, birthed piglets, cared for chickens, gardened, cooked, sewed clothing and quilts, along with so many other things in her lifetime.  Now, there isn't a lot these hands can do without help, yet there is still one thing they do and do well.  With her hands, my mother blesses her family; she can still pray and hold your hand.  And that is the greatest thing these hands have ever or will ever do. 

posted by Sarah

Quilts for Place of Hope

In the fall of 1997, while reading the local newspaper, I came across a short article about a local church that was in the process of buying some land with the sole purpose of providing homes for foster children.  At the time, I thought, "Wouldn't it be great to have a quilt closet for the foster children to get a quilt from when they are placed in foster care."  About a year later, while sitting in a restaurant with a group of people for a surprise birthday party, I struck up a conversation with the couple sitting across from us.  In the course of the conversation, she told me that she was the acting director of Place of Hope.  I told her about my idea of having a quilt closet for the foster children and she got really excited.  She had just gotten a newsletter from an organization doing foster care and there had been an article about their quilt closet.  I shared with her that I made quilts and how I'd made one for the foster daughter that had lived with us for a year.  From this chance meeting, I developed a relationship with Place of Hope providing quilts for their quilt closet.  Over the years, I have asked friends, family, and parents of my students to help make quilts.  While teaching at Jupiter Christian School, I always made it an event the day we gave the quilts the students had helped make to Place of Hope.  One of my greatest advocates, was my own Mom.  She would sew quilt tops in Ohio and send them to me in Florida to finish and donate. 

Place of Hope is a ministry in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida that houses foster children.  Each house has a set of house parents and six children.  These are beautiful homes, designer homes, dream homes, homes that these hurt and broken children would never have a chance to live in.  Place of Hope provides tutoring, emotional and spiritual counseling; whatever the children need to begin their healing journey.  Many of the children who live at Place of Hope are available for adoption so they provide this service as well.   If you like to know more about the services Place of Hope provides, check out their website:  www.placeofhope.com

My mom has continued, over the years, to sew quilt blocks which have gone into quilts that have been donated to Place of Hope.  Two months ago, due to multiple mini strokes, my Mom quit sewing; she can no longer remember how to do it.  Yet her legacy will be remembered in the quilts she has provided for the children who live at Place of Hope.  Here are pictures of 19 quilts that she sewed the blocks for.  The quilts were finished by her daughters, and the Alliance Women's Group at the Ft. Pierce Christian and Missionary Alliance Church, Ft. Pierce, FL.

posted by:  Sarah

Mother and Daughters Quilt Ministries Partners with Remote Island Ministries

In July 2010, Remote Island Ministries, a ministry of the Christian and Missionary Church in Ft. Pierce, Florida, delivered 20 quilts to Old Bight Gospel Chapel and Mission Home, an orphanage, on Cat Island in the Bahamas.  Mother and Daughters Quilt Ministries had contacted Remote Island Ministries late in 2009 about partnering with them to send quilts to the children in the orphanage on Cat Island.  In early 2010, twenty quilt tops were ready to be finished into quilts for the children.  Mother and Daughters Quilt Ministries, along with the Alliance Women's group of the Ft. Pierce Alliance Church held a quilting bee to finish the quilts.  About 15 women met together at the Ft. Pierce, Florida church on a Saturday and completed the quilts.  Several women pinned the tops and backs of the quilts together, while others stitched them together.  At the end of the day, 20 quilts were finished. 
Remote Island Ministries has been taking mission trips to Cat Island for number of years, encouraging the pastors on the island, repairing churches, and helping others on the island however they are needed.  Visiting the orphanage, running a Vacation Bible School for the children, and providing supplies has become a part of the work volunteers with Remote Island Ministries do on the island.  These mission trips are open to anyone who has a heart to serve others in Jesus name.  To find out more about this ministry, check out their website:   http://remoteisland.org

Here are some pictures of the children at the orphanage with their new quilts.

January 31st-- Looking Back and Looking Forward

These are the entries for January 31 from my Mom's journal's, taking a look back at the past.  Some entries share a lot of details, some share only a few.  They are copied as my Mom wrote them, with nothing added.  I find myself remembering events of the past when I sit and read Mom's journals.  Life wasn't necessarily easy but she was strong and persevered.  She has passed on a legacy that lives on in her children.

1956--Phyllis Meyer's birthday

1957--Martha has sore eyes.....missed school today.

1958--Baxter 8hrs. $51.00  (This amount is what Dad made for working a full week a Baxter's meat market; he was a butcher there.) comment added

1973--Heb. 10:23-25  "....let us, without ever wavering, keep on holding to the hope we profess for He is to be trusted who has made the promise.  Let us continue so to consider one another as to stimulated one another to love and good deeds....let us continue to encourage one another....."
Pray for Ellen, Georges, Carolyn.  Baby Robbins to hospital.

1974--I John 3:5,8,9  "He appeared in visible form and became Man to take away [upon Himself] sins, and in Him there is no sin...."  vs.8 "The reason the Son of God was made manifest (visible) was to undo (destroy, loosen and dissolve) the works of the devil [has done]."  vs.9 "No one born of God [deliberately and knowingly] habitually practices sin.  For God's nature abides in him.--His principle of life, the divine sperm, remains permanently within Him--and he cannot practice sinning because he is born (begotten) of God.


1975--Col. 3:16  "Let the word (spoken by Christ, have its home in your heart and mind) and dwell in you in all its richness...."
Lydia's last day at GE plant.  Mary to Weibel's for 2 weeks ....house mother.


1980-- Matt. 6  Give us...Forgive us...Save us
      vs. 11  Give us today our daily bread
      vs. 12  And forgive us our (debts) sins
      vs. 13  Deliver us from evil
Heavenly Father...your name is beautiful to me.  Thank you for making me a part of your family; your kingdom.  I want to do your will today.  Thank you for providing bread day by day.  Feed my spirit...soul.  Thank you for Jesus; for providing forgiveness for my sins.  Remind me to be forgiving, Lord.  Deliver be from evil.  I love you.  I'm Marian.


1981--George and Jon to Columbus Power Show. 
Marian studying...asking:  What is a disciple?  
Matthew here about 3 hrs. in pm.  "You have quite a vocabulary, Matthew," Jon.


1982--6am discovered power was off.  Clocks stopped at about 5:30am.  Lighted lamp and candles.  Encouraged fire in woodstove.  No lights visible outside.  Couldn't decide how much snow was falling.  Pastor Watson called about 7am.  Power off in town too....wondering about church services.  Weather forecasters predicting 4-8 inches of new snow!  7:30am...George and Jon dressed and brought in wood to fill boxes in house.  Ate cereal cooked on wood stove.  Washed dishes...(water from thermos and other emergency supplies)  Started dinner cooking on woodstove.  Power back on about 9:30am PTL!  
10:00am:   Winds from NE...snowing steadily.  Weather radio has reported "1 inch fell in 1 hour" at Hopkins Airport Cleveland.  We have less that 1/4 mile visibility most of the time.  Birds trying to get to bird feeder.  On janco sat on leeward side feeding....sparrows finding shelter in branches of trumpet vine and outhouse.
Noon:  Fine pellets of ice continue to peck at windows.  Newscast: Sheriff announced a snow ban on all driving in Sandusky County.  Temp about 20-25 degrees....winds 25-30mph.  Snow falling approx. 1 inch an hour.  Dosesn't seem to be accumulating that fast here.
2:15pm  Call from Mr. Meyer--no school tomorrow.  More rain seems to be falling with the ice pellets.
5:30pm  Went walking this pm on the road south to our property line.  Snow 8" deep behind the hedge. (looks like tiny ice balls)  A drift built as high as the wood gate on the golf course at corner of our yard.  Rather pleasant (invigorating) to be out.  Rain began falling about 5:30pm east window froze--later ice washed off.  Called Wanda S. 
8:30pm  Two snowplows went North.  Snow has slowed or stopped.


1983--Acts 2:38  "....Repent and be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.....the promise is for you and for your children.
Acts 2:42 "......They devoted themselves to...."



As I copied these entries, I look toward the future.  This year, 2011, has already brought thoughts of Mom not being here this time next year.  She has declined a lot in recent weeks, yet she is still here, persevering.  She would like to go be with Jesus, which I know will bring her great joy, but we'd like to keep her just a bit longer.  Dearest Mother, you are deeply loved by your family.


Proverbs 31:26-28
"She opens her mouth with wisdom, and loving instruction is on her tongue.  She watches over the activities of her household and is never idle.  Her son and daughters rise up and call her blessed.  Her husband also praises her."

posted by: Sarah

 

Where Did December Go? Where Did 2010 Go?

I am finding it hard to believe another year has finished and a new one has begun.  December seemed to fly by, not slowing down for anything.  My husband and I spent the week between Christmas and New Years in Ohio with my Mom and Dad and my brother and his wife, who care for our parents in their home, all day, everyday, and have done so now for four years.  Four years ago, my Dad had a stroke.  On that day everything changed for my parents.  My Mom no longer was able to stay in the home she and my dad had lived in for 56 years.  The stress of my Dad's stroke was really hard on my Mom.  Even though my Dad has recovered quite well since his stroke, my parents aren't able to care for themselves, and each year that passes only emphasizes the changes and declines in them.  The purpose of our trip to Ohio was twofold;  to relieve my brother and his wife for a few days (wish it could have been more) and to see family and rejoice with Jon and his wife Donna on twenty years of marriage.  2010 was a year of milestone marriages for our family.  Mom and Dad celebrated 65 years, Lois and Lydia celebrated 32 years, Sarah celebrated 34 years, Mary celebrated 31 years, Jon celebrated 20 years, and Martha celebrated 40 years.  That's a lot of years of experience!!!  Do we have all the answers figured out?  No, but we have had wonderful examples showing us how to travel this road of marriage.  Mom and Dad's life was completely turned upside down four years ago, and so was Jon and Donna's.  But life goes on.  It is not about how easy things are but how committed you are to making things succeed.  Thank you Mom and Dad for showing us what "through sickness and health"  looks like.  Thank you Jon and Donna for showing us what "for better or worse" looks like.  May 2011 bring joy and peace to your hearts.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1, 2, 4, 5
"To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under the heavens.  A time to be born and a time to die.......a time to weep and a time to laugh.....a time to mourn and a time to dance........"