Birthday Surprizes

Kids and Grandkids,

Thank you for the wonderful gifts and your special birthday songs to me. My birthday was the very, very, best this year. I love you all very much. Here is a picture of the flowers that Aunt Amy sent to me.

To the kids and grandkids in Indianapolis, thank you for the gorgeous bracelet with the ten commandments charms.

To the kids and grandkids in California, thank you for the beautiful birthday wishes and the wonderful birthday song.

To the kids and grandkids in Washington, thank you for the beautiful bouquet of flowers and the wonderful birthday wishes.

Birthday Month

Well Kids and Grandkids,

It's gamma's birthday month and I am so excited about this one. Going to be 56 -

James and Grace - that is really, really old - but not to old to hug.

Greg - still able to help with catching the geckos for you

Ashley - would love to have you sing me a song on my birthday.

Emma - your birthday month too. Its the biggest one for you - 1 year old. WOW!

Wendy - I'm not bored anymore.

Gamma would love to have a special card for my refrigerator for my birthday. (HINT)

Sending hugs and kisses and all my love,

Gamma

November - Thanksgiving Day

Hello Grandkids and Kids,

Dad and I were so happy to hear from all of you on Thanksgiving Day. It seems that with each passing year the Lord continues to bless us more and more. As tradition has it, dad and me had our picture taken and I want to share with all of you.

Christmas is right around the corner and am excited to see how richly God's blessing will be. We love you and adore you and think of all of you all the time.

Sending hugs and kisses and x's and o's to every single one of you.

Mom/Gamma and Dad/Pa

October Happenings

Hello dear children and grandchildren,

October was a good month for Pa and me - we thought of you on your birthday's and longed to help you blow out the candles and play with you and eat some of your cake and ice cream.

Pa saw a boy on a skateboard riding down the side of the street and he was lonely for you Greg.

And as I created each of your birthday cards I was remembering all the precious moments we have shared.

We think of you often and miss you greatly.

I've Been Tagged

Whoa? First time being tagged - always wanted to get tagged, but who are the 7 people that I will select I don't even know 7 other bloggers so will have to figure this one out.

Here are the rules: List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether or not they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now. Post these instructions in your blog along with your seven songs. Then tag seven other people to see what they’re listening to.

1. Any and all music played and/or composed by daughter
2. Music by the Carribean Drummers - my son Geoff
3. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star sung by Ashley Smitman
4. Return to Me by Dean Martin
5. Lord I Lift Your Name on High by Petra
6. The Beatles
7. Wholly Yours by David Crowder Band

And since I don't know alot of bloggers I asking for anyone reading this please play along.

Thank you for reading

A View from the Side Lanai

Ah, the sound of the fountain is so peaceful - this little room is where I have my craft area set up and so enjoy just sitting. When you come to visit we will have a tea party and listen to the water, okay? Sending hugs and kisses and all my love, Gamma

Sightings in the Ocean

Hello kids and grandkids,

Thought you might like to enjoy this guy. Pa took this while scuba diving a couple of weeks ago.

Pics of Nonie

Hello,

Just wanted to post these pictures of Nonie so that all of you great grandkids and great great grandkids can see how beautiful she looked on her 101th birthday.

Missing Each One Of You

Looking over this blog for the month of May and I posted absolutely nothing. Wasup with that?! - Here I am in Hawaii, on the Big Island and did not post anything to my dear grandchildren. You were on my mind each of every one of you for the whole month of May but nothing got put down so that you could actually read it and print it and look back at it again so for the month of June (yikes it is already the 12th) I'm going to write down a few things for each of you.

Greg - I miss your humor - how you can say something and I can laugh and know just how profound your words are. I love when you pray. Thank you

Ashley - I miss your singing - and I miss the times that we sing together - You do not care that I miss the tone of the note - you sing right along. Thank you.

GraceE - I miss your hand holding mine and just talking together. Such trust - thank you.

James - I miss your laughter and your kisses which you so freely give. thank you.


Bill - I miss your attention to detail and how you make everyone feel comfortable - how well you discern. thank you.

Wendy - I miss your sweetness - how you turn a day at the beach into a precious memory. thank you.

Emma May - I miss your smell - a special fragrance that touches a gamma's heart. thank you.


Gamma is sending all my love and hugs and kisses too.

A Pinecone By Any Other Name

Since our oldest son, Garth, was 3 years old the poor pinecone has been known around our house as a pineapple. It became a lesson to us as parents as to how fast children learn the spoken word. I bring this up now because our daughter-in-law called yesterday to inform me that Miss Ashley, our granddaughter had brought in a pinecone and referred to it as a coconut. So it continues on, the pinecone is know in our family as an Hawaiian fruit.

Saved voice mail messages

I have been saving voice mail messages on my phone messaging system for some time now. I like to play them back every now and then just to hear the sound of my kids and grandkids voices. Am I the only one. After a hectic day at the office or just to hear the voices gives me a much needed lift in my heart. It is something in the voice which captures my heart and lets me know that I am special. Being so far away from the children and grandchildren has its ups and downs. We (dh) know and understand that each of our three children have lives and responsibilities of their own. We are so thankful that each child stays in touch, keeps us up on the latest of what the children are doing and leaves precious little messages on the phone or emails the latest picture. The Lord has us right where we are so supposed to be for this time in our lives. This is what sustains me during this time, knowing that God is Faithful and keeps all things. And my prayer is and always will be to Keep them until the day of Your return.

April's Beginnings

April 1st came and went that if I don't get womething written here it will be the beginning of May. But what to write about. well my brother Michael called me at work today to find out my daughter's phone number and we chatted for almost an hour. He seems to be doing well truckdriving from San Diego to Seattle. He said that he had stopped by Amy's house last week and had such a good time that he thought of ringing her up again to see if he could visit for awhile. He was stuck there overnight and needed some company. God is so amazing in how he works things out. And how you would never think, or consider, or comtemplate what and how it all comes about, but for God and His awesome workings. Another reason to be thankful for all that you have and will have in the future because God whispers and It is So. Thank you Father Abba for all that you do for us.

My My How the Time Does Fly

It is already the 23rd and why haven't I got anything done as yet. I am going to have to get very hard on myself if I am going to get what I want to get done in the time I have alotted myself for it to get done. Let's see what can I use as an incentive. Any ideas? Would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions? 1) Toss the tv remote out the car window going down the highway at 25 mph, 2) put the projects someplace where I will trip over, 3) set out the things I need to do the day before and write myself a note TO DO IT, 4)

First Day

Well, I had my very first day at work and it went well considering it was for half a day. hooray. today is my 36th wedding anniversary and how time flies when you are having fun. When is the honeymoon over? Other than that life is still good and as always missing the grandkids but Hawaii is so beautiful that it is hard to get away.

As of 11:30 a.m. this morning I am no longer unemployed. And all I had to do was show up and they were prepared for me. Now is that amazing work from the Lord or what. By word of mouth they were ready for me to start and the interview process was basically formality. Didn't even want to see my resume. and on top of that - hours are wonderful - 8:30 to noon and 1:00 to 4:30 and half day Wednesday. God is so wonderful - all that I had asked he delivered and then some. Thank you Lord

I go in Friday morning and then again on Saturday morning to take minutes at a meeting.

Change around the Bend

Well I went around the bend and now I'm living it out. Trusting in God. I walked into my job on the 31st of January and was told that I was terminated from the company and could leave. I was paid for the whole week though. I do not recall that I have ever been terminated from a position before, so felt that I could/should have done something different.

It has now been two weeks and still working on trusting God for provisions. Will keep you posted on what happens next on my adventure.

2006 A Year of Changes

The month of January is coming to a close and I am realizing that this year is going to be a year of changes for me. I am to look upon these as an adventure and to be expecting that God will do great things in the midst of each and every circumstance. Already 28 days have passed and each day has been a challenge.