QUIET

      Yes we had a quiet day just being thankful that we have made it through a difficult year.

We started out with big plans.  How about a drive to Bridal Falls was dad's first idea.  I said well maybe just Fort Langley?  So we drove to White Rock to have a quiet lunch and then I stopped in to see my fiend Joan.

I should have paid more attention to the sign in the door warning of sickness.  There was a lot of cough and even Joan had a nasty cough. the worst people were quarantined in their rooms.

I believe this year is full of great possibilities.

Each morning a day to welcome a new day of new beginnings.

On Monday dad goes to see the eye lid specialist.  We do not know what to expect.

The building is right beside the place where Vera is in hospice.  She is failing but still has the odd time when she is alert enough to talk. 

A brave young woman saw how the dying were suffering and she started the Hospice movement,  Her name is Dame Cicely Sanders and she believes we need to take care of the dying with special care and attention.

A quiet day with a beautiful sunset.

ANNIVERSARY

                                       No greater joy than spending time with our family.  

What a surprise to have Theresa and Ben waiting at our house when we got home.  

Ben had been playing soccer at U.B.C;

Play against Salt Lake city and won!

He will be traveling again soon.

Thurs shares some of the news about them moving to the Island.  All their plans seem to be failing in place.  They are an amazing family.  Keeping busy.  We will miss them but plan to enjoy many more happy times with them all!

It is our anniversary today.  No greater joy than finding some one to love and start a family with.

It was a lovely fall day on the day of our wedding.  We were both a little nervous and excited to be moving to Vancouver where dad would start his career as Air traffic controller and I would become a mom of our four children.

My best friend from Saskatoon, Lynn Holland, was the maid of honor.  She made her own dress.  The other two girls were my best friends in Regina.

I certainly remember how happy I was and full of excitement.

We had many lessons to learn especially about unconditional love.

I have had to learn to love myself just as I am and not compare myself to others.

We had many great adventures driving back home to Saskatoon and then Calgary and also to Edmonton.  

We also had adventures flying in his small plane to see the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas as well as short trips in Canada.

We are challenged to live life with joy and thankfulness.  

"Effort leads to grace"

Henri Nouwen

We are going for a drive to celebtate.

WAITING

                                            Waiting for these leaves to turn color.

Waiting for a phone call back from Lorraine, Vera's daughter to let us know if she is up to a visit.

We know the answer when Vera phones to say she is not doing well.  She can barely talk.  We tell her we love her and she is in our prayers.

These last months have been like a gift of grace that enabled her to enjoy visits and our friendship.

Her daughter is with her now and her sons and grandchildren will be with her.  We know this time was coming and it was time to say good-bye.  There was an unspoken understanding that goes deeper than words.

We feel very sad.

We watch some CNN and then I read and rested  a bit,  before taking Spencer for his walk.
It seemed very cold and windy.

I remember the difficult time of seeing my mom so incapacitated by her stroke.  I remember she seemed very unemotional and distant and the failure to be able to talk made visits difficult.

Our visits have made me feel introspective about the past, thinking about mom and dad,  and the sadness and grief through many difficult days.

The past has gone and now we face the future with the strength and courage of all the love we have shared
.
\Waiting to celebrate our anniversary

JOURNALING

The blessings of journaling.

I have found it a blessing to write my thoughts and my prayers down in my daily journals.  I call it praying with a pen.  I also like to look up quotes to put some of my thoughts on my blog.  I do like reading comments of what you are doing too!  I am always pleased to see that people have cared enough to read my words about what dad and I are doing.dad and I are doing.  

So at times it has been putting down the hard stuff but it was a healing thing to do.  Looking back I can see prayers that have been answered in unexpected ways.

Spencer and I had our walk around the neighborhood and dad had a bike ride in the park.  We are thankful his shoulder is better.  We did shopping but as usual I forgot something, so it will be back to-morrow.

We end up tired and weary but also happy and content.

I am thankful.

NEIGHBORHOOD

            Mushrooms are popping up all over the place.  Different shapes and different colors.

The raccoons are tearing up the lawns looking for grubs to eat.  They sure can make a mess.

Every morning Spencer and I see the children going to school.  They are laughing and talking and enjoying life.

Everyone who meets Spencer thinks he looks very smart and healthy.  We have a longer walk in the morning and then a short afternoon to the park.

Early in the morning a long line of bike riders went by with a police escort.  Maybe it was a Tour De Delta.  Very exciting to see.

We got invited into Kim and Hamlets for supper but dad has pulled a muscle in his shoulder and he is in a lot of pain.  He and Spencer hung out together.  Both have been very quiet.

The study at church was poorly attended.  Our lives are changing and attending can be harder.
I tried to read with my glasses on, forgetting I now do better without them.

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
Theodore Roosevelt

Where ever your neighborhood is.

SECRETS

It is no secret happy stories help to make us feel happier!

Kim is in demand for substitute teaching.

Can be stressful at times/

Hamlet will be starting his practice in Nov.

Waiting for Kim's interview down east to allow her to live in the States.

Carol won a scholarship to go to Portugal.  It was not a secret but we just found out.

We have been invited back today for them to cook us supper.

Dad is riding his bike now that the weather is mild and sunny.

He has discovered a secret rock smooth enough to sit on in a quiet place.

I will be going to Jet lag Bible study with my good friends.

"Put your troubles in your pocket with a hole in it."

-un known

APPOINTMENTS

                                              Do we have an appointment with destiny?
We went to Northview Golfcourse for a late lunch.  I thought the leaves would be more colorful.  It is a beautiful place where you feel calm and peaceful.  The dining room was quiet with only one other table being served.

Dad had a salad! ! !  You may have to read that again.  He felt so much better than eating fish and chips and feeling stuffed afterwards.  We both realize how important the food we eat is for us both.

Both dad and I have eye appointments in Nov. and Dec.  They confuse us by changing the dates.  We are pleased that dad will be going the end of Sept.

We had a long talk with Cathy our old friend from the Vineyard Church.  She is busy writing her Master's.

I was touched to hear she is now visiting a old man who was living in the streets and after having a stroke has been place in a Nursing Home near her.  She said that she had been impressed by the visiting that both dad had done in the past.  She had even gone visiting with me once and the experience touched her heart.

Dad took Spencer out to go pee last night and they both stand and look at each other.  I tell him he hast walk along a bit.

Dad put cheese in the mousetrap and Spencer was curios and set it off.

Spencer usually gets up with dad but he is slow this morning.  We worry about his cough.

"Grace wears down the face we wear to the world and our masks are removed slowly as we walk in faith and in trust.