Natalie's Baptism

Natalie's baptism was planned for Father's Day several weeks ago.

Her great-grandparents, and grandparents, aunts, uncle and cousin all set the date on their calendars to attend. Great-grandparents traveled all the way from Colorado to be present at the blessed event. You can only imagine the disappointment when Chris and Kim were informed, the afternoon before, that the service is canceled due to no electrical power in the church.

Kim called her pastor to ask if he would consider performing the baptism without the usual congregational service. He was absolutely willing! Natalie's baptismal service was private, precious and memorable. Jack even had a part when the pastor asked him what he was sprinkling on Natalie's head.

Great-grandpa and Jack explore the baptismal fount.

It was a beautiful and joyous day.

Being Father's Day made it really special for Chris, holding his new daughter and promising to teach her about Jesus' love.

As grandparents, we too, were reminded of God's covenant blessing to generations of believers. Natalie has many generations of relatives that loved the Lord, and grandparents that love her and will pray for her always.


For Jack it was a day about "water". First the symbolism of the washing away of sins and the afternoon of water's cooling pleasure. He and "Monley" entertained each other for hours!

Conley's Wedding Invitation

Tom and Conley have been having coffee at the local McDonald's with 7-15 elderly gentlemen since Conley was 7 months old. Conley's mom has yoga class so she drops Conley off with Tom for a couple hours. Conley knows all the "boys" by their first names and they all look out for her. Some days she comes home with coins in her purse and some days she even has a dollar. A few weeks ago we received a wedding invitation, from one of the men, on the inside envelope was written, "Tom and spouse and special granddaughter". We were eager to show Conley the envelope with the words written on them and thought she would be delighted. I guess there was something lost in translation when she told us with tears, "I don't want to be a special granddaughter, I want to be a princess."

As the days went by, she became more excited about attending the wedding and her Aunt Di bought her a beautiful dress to wear. When the day came, she couldn't wait to put on her princess dress.

Since Conley was feeling pretty, it was a good time for mommy and daddy to get a photo op.

Conley promised the groom a dance but she wasn't so interested on the wedding day. She did let the bride hold her for this photo.

Conley only had grandma on her dance card until she met Katy, the granddaughter of the groom.

Remembrance

Yesterday, Tom, Mike, Joy, Conley and I went out for breakfast and watched the Memorial Day parade. Since our sons were young, the parade seems to be smaller and not as well attended and yet it still honors those who have fought for our freedom.



The parade began with Marines carrying the flag followed by a few cars and floats carrying our military veterans or those mothers who lost sons or daughters in the wars. The high school bands played patriotic songs and several military vehicles were driven along with the local fire department, ambulance services and police department vehicles. Conley liked the mounted sheriff department officers on well groomed horses. It was a parade of celebration for the sacrifices of our military that gives us peace in our homeland.

When along comes a group of women dressed in black and carrying anti-war signs. They are mourners for those who have lost their lives in war, both the soldiers and civilians. It was disturbing to me, that a parade meant to honor and memorialize our soldiers for their sacrifice and service ended with this dark cloud. It didn't seem appropriate for this group to be marching in this parade. I respect their right to protest, they have a forum and I have seen them on busy intersections silently protesting.

Yet, it is because of what our country stands for and the freedoms we enjoy and the wars that were fought to protect the freedom of expression and speech that they could walk down the street and have their protest seen. I guess it is similar to those who show up at a soldier's funeral protesting his life and service. In my opinion, showing bad manners and insensitivity to those who have lost their loved ones for the sake of their country. Maybe its because of the great divide in our country today or because we have become intolerant and insensitive to each others beliefs that I had a feeling of discouragement and disappointment at how the parade ended.

I love the United States of America, my homeland. My parents immigrated here in the 20s, I had two brothers who served in the US Navy, one during the Korean War and the other served for nearly 30 years during the Vietnam War and the 1st Iraq War. Some would say and do say that the USA has lost its status in the world, we are hated. I have two sisters-in-law that have immigrated to the USA and when one was divorced and the other one lost her husband to cancer, neither left to go back to the home of their birth. We are still the hope of many. Two weeks ago I attended a naturalization ceremony and 81 people from 36 countries became American citizens! This was in a medium size town in the mid-west, only a small representation of the thousands who seek legal citizenship every year.

Let the unpatriotic denigrate the USA, they have the freedom to do it. I thank God for the USA, the land of the free and the home of the brave.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

May Days

This has been a busy month.


May 1 started with "Princess Weekend" when Conley came to stay for a few days while her mom and dad vacationed in Jamaica. Of course there was a lot of pretending and dressing up in pretty dresses, jewelry and wearing princess nail polish in preparation for the ball.

Our next event was a trip back to Cleveland for Tom's 6 month check-up and a side trip to Amish country. Since the stores didn't open until 10 AM (what?) Tom & I strolled through an antique store, that was a trip down memeory lane. Lots of "do you remember that", "we had one of those" and "Susie Smith's dad had a picture like that behind his bar." I think this was our first antiquing adventure.

Then it was the beginning of grandma week. A couple days with Kim, Jack and Natalie. Jack loves trucks and his new video, "I Dig Dirt". He obviously shares that interest with his grandpa and cousin, Hudson.
But two, almost three year olds still need mommy time.
Kim and Jack ran errands while I had Natalie to cuddle. Oh, the cute noises and faces a two week old baby makes. So innocent and sweet.











After a drive back to Michigan and a flight to Colorado, I arrive in Rocky Mountain territory. Although it was a quick trip we accomplished a lot. Dan and Angie finished a bookcase project, I got my hands dirty in the flower garden with Dan's help and we got a tour of the new projects at the church house before the big event, Claire's dance recital.












Hudson loves the camera
Cooper and Tucker didn't make it to the dance recital but they didn't miss anything else. They loved painting the bookcases but its hard work so those popscicle breaks are really appreciated.

Claire was really excited about dressing in her ballarina costume, wearing makeup and special hair gel for her performance on the big stage. She looked adorable and we were all so proud of her. She had a huge smile while she danced and afterward got a big bouquet of flowers from her brother.

Natalie

We have been eagerly anticipating the birth of Natalie especially this past week. Kim was "ready, ready, ready" and so we packed our bags and drove to Kim and Chris' when labor started. I smiled thinking that she would be born on her great grandmother's (my mother) birthday, April 23. But like many pregnant mother's have experienced, what seemed like active labor slowly subsided and became an occasional contraction. We spent the next morning at the park with Jack and Chris & Kim got out for an evening dinner before we left for home the next day.

Less than 24 hours after we left them, Chris called with the good news that Natalie was born. She is 9# 14oz and 20.5 inches long. Since Kim's parents traveled during the night to take care of Jack we drove to the hospital to meet our littlest grand daughter.




She drew us like a magnet, we couldn't keep our hands off her. There is nothing as precious than a newborn and to think she is one we will see grow and flourish and enjoy for years is almost more than a heart can hold on to. We are so blessed with her birth and so thankful that God watched over her as she was formed and gave her a safe and healthy start.

Now it is time for her mom and dad and big brother to spend some time as a family to cherish these memories. So Natalie Beth we will come again in a couple weeks to cuddle you and see how your big brother Jack is enjoying his little sister.

Easter

With Easter coming so early this year, we really didn't expect such warm weather. Conley is standing near the daffodils we planted last November.

We had a wonderful day beginning with a beautiful praise filled worship service at church and a visit from Mike Joy and Conley. Later in the day we enjoyed a delicious ham dinner with our neighbors and their family who came in from New Jersey.



For the past 3 years we have taken Conley's picture in the same chair and it really demonstrates how she has grown. The first year her feet were still on the seat of the chair. Oh, the years past quickly and growth in a child is a true marker.



Easter and spring time signify new beginnings. At Easter we are reminded that Christ died to give us a new life so the flowers, too with their fragile blossoms poke up through the ground after cold and frost to announce a new growing season. Tom and I with our graying hair hold onto Conley, a new generation born to praise God and enjoy Him forever.

Cruisin

The trip had been in the works for over a year by the time we met in Miami and sailed off to the seas of the Gulf of Mexico. Lindsay, having been on 13 cruises took the initiative with offering several different cruises on different cruise lines and different dates and number of days. We finally settled on a 5 day cruise to Cozumel and Belize City. It was a good choice.

We left Miami on a Monday, after an all day rain but the skies were beginning to clear and stayed clear for the remainder of the trip.


Judi, my roommate gave each of us a hat so we could find each other on the ship. It just seemed so natural to spend time with and talk to my old friend, a friendship beginning 50 years ago.

The rest of our group met in the Windjammer restaurant on the ship. We all had our travel stories to tell. Susan had her flight canceled the night before at 11 PM. How does that happened? She and her husband were up until 2 AM getting another flight and now she has two return flights!



Well, it didn't take long to settle in and enjoy the sun and amenities on deck.


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Donna had a bit of a stumble on her first morning walk and spent day one in the stateroom. But, we were not going to let her miss dinner and the evening shows.

Each evening we changed seats at our table next to the window so each would have a different view and sit next to a different friend. I loved trying meals I would never take time to fix at home. And all the desserts! One night we asked and they gave us an extra key lime pie to enjoy later! Each night we went to a show, the ice show was in our opinion the best! Some tried their luck in the casino and others of us played "name that tune." When we reached the towns, each had a different plan; stay on the ship, shop, take a tour or snorkel. Although I don't have snorkeling pictures we saw beautiful coral and fish. We took this picture for our home news paper in Alpena. The hats we are wearing say "Divas at Sea 63" a gift from Donna and Ginny.

This last picture is my very first friend, Susan. Even though we can go for months and years not hearing from each other, we know we are forever friends.

After 5 days and many sea miles we have great memories and closer friendships. I thank God for each of you dear friends.